JPH0527655A - Image carrier - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To provide an image carrier where a photosensitive body part is easily separated from a flange par and they are easily reused. CONSTITUTION:In the image carrier 3 which is incorporated in a process cartridge and where the flange part 31 is attached to the end side of the photosensitive body part 30 in a pressurized and engaged state, the flange part 31 is constituted of a shape memory alloy which is deformed in a shape that the flange part is easily separated from the photosensitive body part when it is heated to a specified temperature. In the case of finishing the use of the process cartridge, the image carrier 3 is taken out from the process cartridge, and the process cartridge is heated to the specified temperature, then the flange part 31 is deformed is the shape that it is easily separated from the photosensitive body part 30. Therefore, the image carrier 3 is easily recycled and reused in proportion as the separation of the photosensitive body 30 from the flange part 31 is facilitated.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an image carrier used in an image forming apparatus such as a copying machine or a laser beam printer.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In an electrophotographic image forming apparatus, an image carrier is used which forms a latent image with image light and applies toner to the latent image to visualize the latent image as a toner image. There is. The image carrier is most commonly called a photosensitive drum which is a rotary drum type, and as shown in FIGS. 9 and 10, the cylindrical photosensitive member 100 is used.
It is well known that the flange portions 101 provided with the rotation driving gear portion and the like are attached to both end portions thereof.

On the other hand, in many image forming apparatuses, process equipment such as a photosensitive drum and a developing device are detachably arranged as a process cartridge in the main body of the image forming apparatus to facilitate maintenance and the like. That is, the process cartridge is for facilitating maintenance by replacing the entire process cartridge when the photoconductor portion of the photosensitive drum reaches the end of its life or when the toner in the developing device is used up. Is.

By the way, most of the process cartridges described above are generally disposable, but there is an increasing interest in recycling and reuse of the equipment in the process cartridge in consideration of resource saving and environmental problems. Therefore,
There is also increasing interest in recycling and reusing photosensitive drums in process cartridges.

[0005]

However, the photosensitive drum is, as shown in FIGS. 9 and 10, the photosensitive member portion 100.
In many cases, the flange portion 101 is attached to the end portion of the photosensitive member via the adhesive agent 102 or the like. Therefore, even if the photoconductor portion 100 and the flange portion 101 are separated and they are separately reused, the separation will not occur. It was difficult and difficult to reuse.

The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide an image carrier in which the photoconductor portion and the flange portion can be easily separated and reused. To do.

[0007]

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention is an image carrier which is incorporated in a process cartridge, and a flange portion is attached to the end portion side of the photosensitive member portion in a pressure engaged state. In the above, the flange portion is made of a shape memory resin which is easily separated from the photosensitive member portion when heated to a predetermined temperature.

[0008]

In the image carrier in which the flange portion is attached to the end portion side of the photoconductor portion in a pressure-engaged state, if the flange portion is heated to a predetermined temperature, it is deformed into a shape that can be easily separated from the photoconductor portion. Since it is made of shape memory resin, even when the process cartridge in which this image carrier is incorporated is used, if this image carrier is removed from this process cartridge and heated to the above predetermined temperature, The flange portion and the photoconductor portion can be easily separated from each other, and the reproduction and reuse thereof can be facilitated.

[0009]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

First, a first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS.
Will be explained.

FIG. 1 shows a cross section of a process cartridge 2 which is removably disposed in the main body of the image forming apparatus. In FIG. 1, 3 is a photosensitive drum which is an image carrier which rotates in a predetermined direction. , A charger 4 around the photosensitive drum 3,
A developing device 5 and a cleaning device 6 are provided, and these process devices are integrally housed in the cartridge container 2a. The process cartridge 2 can be easily attached to and detached from the apparatus main body 1 of the image forming apparatus as shown in FIG.

As shown in FIG. 3, the photosensitive drum 3 is mounted on both sides of the cylindrical photosensitive member portion 30 and the photosensitive member portion 30. The photosensitive drum portion 30 supports the photosensitive member portion 30, and at the same time, the photosensitive member portion 30.
Flange portion 31 formed with gears for rotating
Etc.

As shown in FIG. 1, the developing device 5 comprises a developing section 50 on the side of the photosensitive drum 3 and a toner storage section 51 on the opposite side. Inside the developing section 50, the developing section 5 faces the photosensitive drum 3. A developing sleeve 50a that rotates in a predetermined direction, adsorbs toner on the outer peripheral portion thereof and supplies the toner to the photosensitive drum 3 side,
A developing blade 50b for regulating the layer thickness of the toner on the developing sleeve 50a and the like are arranged, and the toner storage portion 51 stores the toner and has a function of supplying the toner to the developing blade 50. ..

The cleaning device 6 slides on the photoconductor part 30 of the photoconductor drum 3 to scrape off the residual toner on the photoconductor part 30 and moves the scraped off toner into the cleaning device body 60. A squeeze sheet 62 or the like is attached.

That is, when the photoconductor portion 30 of the photosensitive drum 3 which is uniformly charged by the charger 4 is exposed to image light through a scanner unit or the like (not shown), the photoconductor portion 30 of the photosensitive drum is exposed. An electrostatic latent image is formed on. The electrostatic latent image is transferred to the developing sleeve 5 of the developing device 5 as the photosensitive drum 3 rotates.
The toner is supplied by the developing sleeve 50a toward the direction 0a and is visualized as a toner image. Further, this toner image is directed to a transfer charging device (not shown) and transferred onto the transfer paper, and the photosensitive drum 3 after the transfer is cleaned of residual toner by a cleaning device 61, and the next image is transferred. Prepared for formation.

Now, in the process cartridge 2 including the photosensitive drum 3 and the developing device 5, when the photoconductor portion 30 of the photosensitive drum 3 reaches the end of its life or the toner in the developing device 5 is used up, the process cartridge 2 as a whole. By performing the replacement, the difficulty of replacing the individual devices is eliminated and the maintenance is facilitated.

On the other hand, many used process cartridges 2 are generally disposable, but in consideration of resource saving and environmental problems, this process cartridge 2 is used.
There is a growing interest in the recycling and reuse of internal equipment. Particularly, in the case of the photosensitive drum 3, since the cylindrical photosensitive member portion 30 and the flange portions 31 at both ends thereof are reproduced and reused in a separated state, the photosensitive member portion 30 and the flange portion 31 are separated.
It must have a structure that can be easily separated from.

Therefore, in the present invention, the flange portion 31 of the photosensitive drum 3 is made of a shape memory resin to meet this requirement. This shape memory resin has a property that the shape changes at the glass transition temperature (Tg) as a boundary, and the shape A resin is transformed into the shape B at a temperature higher than the glass transition temperature (Tg), and this is kept at room temperature. However, the shape B is still maintained, but if the glass transition temperature (Tg) is exceeded, the shape A
It has the property of returning to.

Therefore, as shown in FIG. 5, the bulge portion 31 is composed of a large diameter portion 31a in which gears and the like are formed and a small diameter portion 31b which is loosely inserted into the cylindrical photosensitive member portion 30. However, the small diameter portion 31b is provided on the outer end side of the small diameter portion 31b.
a plurality of (four in this embodiment) foot portions 31b-having the same diameter as b
1, the claw portion 31b-2 protruding outward in the radial direction of the small diameter portion 31b is provided at the tip of the foot portion 31b-1 (in this case, the outer shape of the claw portion 31b-2 is smaller than the inner diameter of the photoconductor portion 30). Shall be formed). In addition, the photoconductor portion 30
A locking hole 30a that engages with the claw portion 31b-2 of the flange portion 31 is also formed on the side. The flange portion 31 having the above-described shape (in the state shown in FIG. 5, hereinafter referred to as shape A) is integrally manufactured by injection molding or the like.

Then, the flange portion 31 of the shape A is heated to the glass transition temperature (Tg) or higher, and the end portion side of the foot portion 31b-1 is passed through a jig or the like as shown in FIG. It is outwardly curved and deformed to a diameter larger than the inner diameter of the photoconductor portion 30 (this state is hereinafter referred to as shape B). And, at room temperature, the shape B
In the state in which the foot portion 31b-1 of the flange portion 31 is deformed slightly inward by utilizing its elasticity, the flange portion 31b-1
The small-diameter portion 31b is pressed into the photoconductor 30, and the claw portion 31b-2 of the flange 31 and the locking hole 30 of the photoconductor portion 30 are inserted.
When a is engaged as shown in FIG. 3, the flange portion 31 is firmly attached to the photoconductor portion 30.

Next, when the process cartridge 2 has been used, the photosensitive drum 3 is removed from the process cartridge 2, and the photosensitive drum 3 is heated to a glass transition temperature (Tg) or higher. Since the shape B returns to the shape A, the flange portion 31 and the photoconductor portion 30 can be easily separated. When the flange portion 31 is reused again, it is heated to a glass transition temperature (Tg) or higher, and the flange portion 31 is again shaped into the shape B.
It should be done in the state of.

As described above, the flange portion 3 of the photosensitive drum 3
1 is composed of a shape memory resin having a shape (shape A) that can be easily removed from the photoconductor portion 30, and is deformed at a temperature equal to or higher than a predetermined glass transition temperature (Tg) (shape B). Since it is attached to the photoconductor portion 30,
The flange portion 31 and the photoconductor portion 30 are firmly attached to each other, and when the flange portion 31 is removed, if the flange portion 31 is heated to a temperature equal to or higher than a predetermined glass transition temperature (Tg), the shape of the flange portion 31 at the time of manufacture ( Since the shape B) is memorized and the shape is returned to this shape, the worker can easily remove the flange portion 31 from the photoreceptor portion 30 without damaging the photoreceptor portion 30 or the flange portion 31. Therefore, it is easy to reuse the flange portion 31 and the photoconductor 30.

Next, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS.
Will be explained. It should be noted that components having the same functions as those of the first embodiment are designated by the same reference numerals and the description thereof will be omitted.

In this embodiment, the flange portion 32 made of the shape memory resin of the photosensitive drum 3 and the photosensitive member portion 30 are attached to the foot portion 32b-in which the claw portion 32b-2 is formed on the inner surface side of the flange portion 32. The photoconductor portion 30 is pressure-inserted between the two, and the claw portion 32b-2 of the foot portion 32b-1 is engaged with the locking hole 30a of the photoconductor portion 30 from the outside.

That is, as shown in FIG. 8, the flange portion 32 consisting of the large diameter portion 32a and the small diameter portion 32b is attached to the foot portion 3 thereof.
2b-1 is curved outward and is integrally manufactured by injection molding or the like into a shape (hereinafter referred to as shape A) that can be easily removed from the photoconductor portion 30. Then, the flange portion 32 of this shape A
At a temperature not lower than the glass transition temperature (Tg), as shown in FIG. Return to. In the state of this shape B, the end portion of the photoconductor portion 30 is inserted between the foot portions 32b-1 of the flange portion 32 under pressure,
As shown in FIG. 6, the claw portion 32b-2 of the foot portion 32b-1 and the locking hole 30a of the photoconductor portion 30 are firmly engaged with each other.

Thus, the foot portion 3 of the flange portion 32 having the shape B is used.
2b-1 is curved slightly outward by utilizing its elasticity, one end of the photoconductor portion 30 is pressure-inserted between the foot portions 32b-1, and the claw portion 32b-2 of the flange portion 32 is formed. Photoconductor part 3
By engaging the locking holes 30a of 0, as shown in FIG.
The flange portion 32 is attached to the photoconductor portion 30.

Next, when the process cartridge 2 having the photosensitive drum 3 is used, and when the photosensitive drum 3 is to be reproduced and reused, the photosensitive drum 3 taken out from the process cartridge 2 has a glass transition temperature (Tg) or higher. When heated to, the flange portion 32 returns to the shape A state and is ready to be removed from the photoconductor portion 30.

As described above, also in this embodiment, since the flange portion 32 of the photosensitive drum 3 is made of the shape-memory resin having a specific shape, the flange portion 32 and the photosensitive member portion 30 can be easily separated from each other, and the first embodiment is different from the first embodiment. Similar effects can be obtained.

[0029]

As is apparent from the above description, according to the present invention, since the flange portion of the image bearing member is made of the shape memory resin which can be deformed at a predetermined temperature, the process in which the image bearing member is incorporated. Even when the cartridge is used, the image bearing member can be easily separated into the flange portion and the photosensitive member portion, and the image bearing member can be easily regenerated and reused.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a sectional view of a process cartridge incorporating a photosensitive drum according to a first embodiment.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of an image forming apparatus in which the process cartridge is detachably arranged.

FIG. 3 is a view showing a state in which a flange portion is attached to a photosensitive member portion of the same photosensitive drum.

FIG. 4 is a view showing a state in which the flange portion is being attached to the photosensitive member portion in the same photosensitive drum.

FIG. 5 is a view showing a state in which a flange portion is removed from a photosensitive member portion in the same photosensitive drum.

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a state in which a flange portion is attached to a photosensitive member portion in the photosensitive drum according to the second embodiment.

FIG. 7 is a view showing a state in which the flange portion is being attached to the photosensitive member portion of the same photosensitive drum.

FIG. 8 is a diagram showing a state in which a flange portion is removed from a photosensitive member portion in the same photosensitive drum.

FIG. 9 is a diagram showing a coupling state of a flange portion and a photosensitive member portion of a photosensitive drum according to a conventional technique.

FIG. 10 is a diagram showing a state in which a flange portion is removed from a photosensitive member portion in the same photosensitive drum.

[Explanation of symbols]

 2 process cartridge 3 photosensitive drum (image bearing member) 30 photosensitive member portion 31 flange portion

 ─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of front page (72) Inventor Yoshiya Nomura 3-30-2 Shimomaruko, Ota-ku, Tokyo Canon Inc. (72) Kenji Matsuda 3-30-2 Shimomaruko, Ota-ku, Tokyo Canon Within the corporation

Claims (1)

Claims: 1. A process cartridge is incorporated into a process cartridge,
In an image carrier in which the flange portion is attached to the end portion side of the photoconductor portion in a pressure-engaged state, the shape memory resin which is easily separated from the photoconductor portion when the flange portion is heated to a predetermined temperature. An image carrier comprising: