JP2002149038A - Process cartridge and electrophotographic image forming device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To prevent the oscillation of a developing unit from being transmitted to a cleaning unit and to prevent deformation of a container by the driving force of the developing unit. SOLUTION: In the device, a driving input gear 18 is provided to the developing unit 152 in order to drive the cleaning unit 151 and a developing unit 152 separately. A boss for supporting the driving input gear 18 is provided and a through hole 20e for connecting the units 151 and 152 is provided in its center. A driving input part of the developing unit 152 is constituted at a position of connection when connection is made.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a process cartridge for developing a latent image formed on an electrophotographic photosensitive member when an image is formed by an electrophotographic method, and an electrophotographic image forming apparatus using the same.

Here, the electrophotographic image forming apparatus forms an image on a recording medium using an electrophotographic image forming method. Examples of the electrophotographic image forming apparatus include, for example, an electrophotographic copying machine, an electrophotographic printer (for example, a laser beam printer, an LED printer, and the like), a facsimile machine, a word processor, and the like.

A process cartridge is a cartridge in which a charging unit or a cleaning unit, a developing unit, and an electrophotographic photosensitive drum are integrally formed as a cartridge, and this cartridge is detachable from an image forming apparatus main body. In addition, at least one of the charging means and the cleaning means, the developing means and the electrophotographic photosensitive drum are integrally formed as a cartridge so that the cartridge can be attached to and detached from the image forming apparatus main body. Further, the developing means and the electrophotographic photosensitive drum are integrally formed into a cartridge so as to be detachable from the apparatus main body.

[0004]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, as a configuration of an apparatus for forming an image by an electrophotographic system, a drum-shaped electrophotographic photosensitive member (hereinafter, referred to as a photosensitive drum) uniformly charged by a charging device is selectively exposed. To form a latent image, and the developing device visualizes the latent image with a developer (hereinafter, referred to as toner), and transfers an image using the toner to a recording medium to perform image recording.

Conventionally, in an image forming apparatus using such an electrophotographic image forming process, an electrophotographic photosensitive member and process means acting on the electrophotographic photosensitive member are integrally formed into a cartridge, and this cartridge is used as an image forming apparatus. A process cartridge system detachable from the main body is employed. According to this process cartridge system,
Since the maintenance of the apparatus can be performed by the user himself without depending on the service person, the operability can be remarkably improved. Therefore, this process cartridge system is widely used in image forming apparatuses.

In such a process cartridge, the following configuration is provided to maintain the positional relationship between the photosensitive drum and a developer carrier (hereinafter abbreviated as a developing roller) of a developing device and obtain stable image quality. taking it. As shown in FIG. 6, a first frame (cleaning unit) 151 including a photosensitive drum and a second frame (developing unit) 152 including a developing device are rotatable by a coupling member 21 such as a pin. After the connection, the photosensitive drum and the developing roller are pressed by the pressure spring 22. As shown in FIG. 7, the developing roller 2 has a roller 3 rotatable with respect to a shaft 2a of the developing roller 2.
Is provided, whereby the distance between the axes of the photosensitive drum 1 and the developing roller 2 is maintained.

FIG. 8 shows a process cartridge 103.
1 shows an example of the drive train. The transmission of the driving force to the process cartridge 103 is performed by the photosensitive drum gear 4 from the process cartridge driving gear 153 of the main body. The developing drive gear 5 is meshed with the photosensitive drum gear 4, and a driving force is transmitted through the photosensitive drum gear 4. The developing drive gear 5 drives the developing roller 2 and, via idler gears 6 and 7, a toner stirring gear 8
The driving force is also transmitted to the motor.

[0008]

However, in the above configuration, when the process cartridge 103 is driven, as shown in FIG. 8, the direction F1 of the action line of the engagement of the photosensitive drum gear 4 and the developing drive gear 5 is engaged. The driving force of the developing unit 152 is concentrated on the process cartridge 103, and therefore, when viewed in the longitudinal direction of the process cartridge 103, the process cartridge 103 receives a torsional force. Conventionally, in order to avoid such deformation of the frame body and stabilize the image quality, the frame body of the process cartridge 103 is reinforced or the spring force of the pressure spring 22 is made different between the left and right sides to prevent the frame body from twisting. I was trying to balance it.

An object of the present invention is to provide a process cartridge and an electrophotographic image forming apparatus capable of preventing deformation of a frame of the process cartridge and obtaining stable image quality. Is to do.

[0010]

Means for Solving the Problems The first invention according to the present invention is a typical invention, which comprises a process cartridge detachable from an electrophotographic image forming apparatus main body and an electrophotographic photosensitive member. A first frame for holding the electrophotographic photoreceptor, and a drive input member for driving the electrophotographic photoreceptor when mounted on the image forming apparatus main body;
Developing means for developing the latent image formed on the electrophotographic photosensitive member, a second frame for holding the developing means, and driving of the image forming apparatus main body when the image forming apparatus main body is mounted. A drive input member for engaging the member to drive the developing means, and coupling means for rotatably coupling the first frame and the second frame, and The coupling position of the second frame by the coupling means coincides with the rotation center of the drive input member for driving the developing means.

In the above configuration, by driving the cleaning unit and the developing unit separately, the driving force of the developing unit is not applied in the direction in which the conventional photosensitive drum gear meshes with the developing drive gear, and the first driving force is not applied. By providing the developing drive member at the position where the frame (cleaning unit) and the second frame (developing unit) are joined, it is possible to suppress the deformation of the developing unit due to the moment generated by the force applied to the developing drive member. .

According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the first aspect, the developing drive member transmits the drive in a direction substantially perpendicular to the direction of the rotation axis of the developing roller, and the center of the developing drive member is provided. A process cartridge characterized in that it is located at a position where the first frame and the second frame are joined.

The above configuration is a drive transmission method using a gear or the like as the developing drive member. In the above configuration, the coupling position of the frame is the center of the gear or the like. Is short, the moment applied to the developing unit is reduced, and the deformation of the process cartridge can be suppressed.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the first aspect, the developing drive input member transmits the drive in the direction of the rotation axis of the developing means, and the center of the driving input member is the first frame. A process cartridge, wherein the process cartridge is located at a position where the body and the second frame are joined.

The above configuration is a drive transmission method using a coupling or the like as the developing drive member. In the above configuration, the coupling position of the frame is the axial center of the coupling or the like.
Since the driving torque of the developing unit is directly transmitted to the center of the shaft, the moment applied to the developing unit is reduced, and the deformation of the process cartridge can be suppressed.

A tenth aspect of the present invention is an electrophotographic image forming apparatus which detachably attaches a process cartridge and forms an image on a recording medium. An electrophotographic photoreceptor, a first frame for holding the electrophotographic photoreceptor, a drive input member for driving the electrophotographic photoreceptor when mounted on an image forming apparatus main body, and the electrophotographic A developing unit for developing the latent image formed on the photoreceptor, a second frame holding the developing unit, and a driving member of the image forming apparatus main body when mounted on the image forming apparatus main body. A drive input member for driving the developing means in combination, and coupling means for rotatably coupling the first frame and the second frame, the first frame and the second A process cartridge, wherein a coupling position of the frame by the coupling unit coincides with a rotation center of a drive input member for driving the developing unit;
b. An electrophotographic image forming apparatus, comprising: a conveying unit for conveying the recording medium.

[0017]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below.

[First Embodiment] FIG. 1 is an external perspective view of a laser beam printer as an example of an image forming apparatus of the present invention, and FIG.
FIG. 2 is an external perspective view of a process cartridge 103 configured to be detachable from the apparatus main body 101 by opening a front door 102 of the apparatus. The process cartridge 103 includes a photoconductor as an image carrier, a charging unit for uniformly charging the image carrier, a developing unit for developing a latent image formed on the image carrier,
Cleaning means for removing residues on the image carrier is accommodated. Here, the process cartridge has an image carrier (photoconductor), a developing unit, and a charging unit or a cleaning unit, and is detachable from the image forming apparatus main body.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view when the process cartridge 103 is mounted on the apparatus main body 101 (as viewed from the direction A in FIG. 1). FIG. 4 is a sectional view showing a state in which the front door 102 is opened and the process cartridge 103 is attached and detached in the direction of arrow C. In FIG. 3, the exterior of the process cartridge 103 is hatched.

First, an outline of an image process of the image forming apparatus will be described with reference to FIG.

The photosensitive drum 1 having a photosensitive layer on its surface is uniformly charged on its surface by a charging roller 11. Next, a laser beam L is irradiated onto the photosensitive drum 1 from the laser optical unit 106 based on image information input from an external computer or the like. As a result, an electrostatic latent image corresponding to the image information is formed on the photosensitive drum 1. Next, the developing unit 1
At 07, the portion of the photosensitive drum 1 irradiated with the laser beam L is developed with the toner t having the same polarity as the charged photosensitive member, and a visible image is formed on the photosensitive drum 1. Next, the recording material P as a recording medium supplied from the paper supply cassette 110 is timed when the visible image reaches the transfer position formed by the photosensitive drum 1 and the transfer roller 108.
Is sandwiched between the photosensitive drum 1 and the transfer roller 108 to transfer a visible image to the recording material P. The recording material P is applied to a nip 1 formed by a pair of fixing rollers 112 and 113.
09, and the visible image is fixed on the recording material P. Thereafter, the recording material P is discharged onto the discharge tray 114. After the transfer, the photosensitive drum 1 is cleaned by the cleaning blade 10 to remove residual toner and the like, and then proceeds to the charging step again.

Next, the process of transporting the recording material P will be described in detail.

A plurality of recording materials P are stacked in a paper feeding cassette 110, and the leading end of the recording materials P is fed to a paper feeding roller 118 by a loading plate 117 which is urged by a tension spring 116 and rotated. It is pressed against the surface. When the user fills the apparatus with the recording material P, the paper cassette 110
In the right direction of the paper (the direction of arrow B). At this time, the paper feed spring support shaft 119 is
10 move upward along slide grooves 120 formed on both side walls (front and rear sides of the drawing) of the loading plate 117.
Is lowered to the bottom surface of the sheet cassette 110, so that the recording material P can be smoothly loaded.

The paper feed roller 118 has a paper feed drive shaft 121.
A clutch and a solenoid (not shown) are provided at the shaft end of the paper feed drive shaft 121, so that the rotation drive of the paper feed roller 118 can be controlled. Separating claws 1 are provided at the left and right corners of the leading end of the recording material P on the sheet feeding roller side.
A cassette inlet guide 123 is rotatably urged by a spring (not shown) in the vicinity of the tip. A guide portion 124 for guiding the recording material P from the sheet cassette 110 is formed in the apparatus main body 101, and guides the recording material P to the registration roller pair 125.

When a solenoid (not shown) is turned on by a feed start signal, the driving force of a feed driving gear (not shown) is transmitted to the drive shaft 121 via a clutch (not shown), and the feed roller 118 is driven. The recording material P rotates to guide the recording material P to the cassette entrance guide 123. At this time, due to the relationship of the friction coefficient,
Only the top recording material is derived. Shortly thereafter, the recording material P reaches the nip portion of the registration roller pair 125 due to the rotation of the feed roller 118.

On the other hand, the apparatus main body 101 is provided with a second entrance 126 for introducing a recording material P from a place other than the sheet cassette 110 to the registration roller pair 125. With such a configuration, it is possible to introduce the recording material P into the apparatus main body 101 from another feeding means such as an option of a plurality of decks or cassettes at the lower part of the apparatus main body 101, thereby providing excellent expandability. The configuration is realized.

A sensor lever 127 is provided upstream of the registration roller 125 in the recording material conveyance direction. The sensor lever 127 is rotatably supported by a frame of the apparatus main body 101, and detects the leading end of the recording material P with a photo interrupter (not shown) or the like. After the detection of the leading end position of the recording material P, the recording material P is conveyed between the photosensitive drum 1 and the transfer roller 108 by the registration roller 125 in synchronization with the leading end of the visible image on the photosensitive drum 1.

A plurality of guide ribs 29, which are guide members, are formed in a part of the surface of the developer container 12 of the developing section 107 in the longitudinal direction.
Is used as a guide member for the recording material P, so that it can be conveyed to the photosensitive drum 1 with high accuracy. Thereafter, the toner image formed on the photosensitive drum 1 by an image forming process described later is transferred to the recording material P by a transfer roller 108 pressing the photosensitive drum 1 with a predetermined pressure.
Is transferred to At that time, a bias is applied to the transfer roller 108, and the toner is electrostatically attracted to the surface of the recording material P.

As an auxiliary means for separating the recording material P from the photosensitive drum 1 after the transfer is completed, a charging needle (not shown) is buried at the tip end on the upstream side of the fixing entrance guide 130, and is of a type which is difficult to separate. Recording material can be separated smoothly. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the recording material P from being wound around the photosensitive drum 1 due to the separation failure of the recording material P. Furthermore, even if a separation failure of the recording material P occurs, a serious jam can be avoided because the rush prevention guide 131 is provided on the opposite side of the fixing entrance guide 130.

The transferred recording material P is guided to the fixing unit 109 by the fixing entrance guide 130. Fixing unit 10
Reference numeral 9 denotes a fixing roller 112 having a halogen heater 132 therein as a heat source. A pressure roller 113 is pressed against the fixing roller 112 at a predetermined pressure, and is driven to rotate by a driving gear (not shown). The temperature of the fixing roller 112 is detected by a thermistor (not shown) in contact with the surface of the fixing roller 112, and the temperature is controlled by a controller (not shown) in an electrical unit of the apparatus main body 101. Further, as a safety measure against runaway of the halogen heater 132, a non-contact thermoswitch (not shown) is disposed above the fixing roller 112.

The recording material P is heated by the fixing roller 112.
And through the nip of the pressure roller 113,
The toner image on the recording material P is permanently fixed on the recording material P.
The recording material P after fixing is separated from the surface of the fixing roller 112 by a separation claw (not shown), and is then conveyed upward by a pair of tension rollers 133 disposed above the fixing roller 112. At this time, the pulling roller pair 133 is rotationally driven at a relative speed several% faster than the fixing roller 112,
Therefore, the recording material P is conveyed while being forcibly pulled,
The configuration is such that curling, wrinkling, and the like of the recording material P can be prevented from occurring. After that, the recording material P is discharged from the discharge rollers 134.
And the paper is stacked on the paper discharge tray 114 provided at the discharge port 135.

The above-described transfer roller, fixing section, pulling roller and the like are integrally fixed to the front door 102. Door 10
2 is rotatably supported by a shaft 136 of the apparatus main body. The front door 102 is configured to be openable and closable with respect to the apparatus main body 101 as shown in FIG.

Next, the laser optical system of the image forming section will be described with reference to FIGS.

A polygon mirror 138 of a rotating polygon mirror is fixed on the rotation axis of the polygon motor 137 which rotates at high speed. The laser light L emitted from the laser unit 139 passes through the collimator lens 140 and the cylindrical lens 141, and then passes through the polygon mirror.
138 surface, spherical lens 142, Fθ lens 1
The laser beam is condensed on the photosensitive drum 1 via 43.

The laser beam L scans in the generatrix direction of the photosensitive drum 1 by rotating the polygon mirror 138 and drives the laser unit 139 ON / OFF.
The irradiation point of the laser beam L is changed to a predetermined potential to form an electrostatic latent image on the photosensitive drum 1. At this time, a BD mirror 144 is provided at a position outside the image area at the start of the main scanning direction in order to obtain a reference for laser scanning (referred to as main scanning) in the generatrix direction of the photosensitive drum 1 by the polygon mirror 138. After being reflected by the BD mirror 144, the laser light L is introduced to a laser light receiving surface 145 provided at a position substantially equivalent to the photosensitive drum 1. Then, the laser light L
Is DC through the optical fiber 146 in the laser receiving surface 145.
Laser light receiving element (not shown) on controller (not shown)
Led to.

With this configuration and beam detection, a reference timing of laser scanning is obtained from an image output timing, and an image signal is output to the laser unit by a clock from this reference timing, thereby obtaining a laser scanning reference timing. A scan is performed. The above-described optical devices such as the polygon motor, mirrors, and lenses are integrally housed in the scanner unit 106, and the laser optical unit 106 is positioned and fixed on the apparatus main body with high accuracy.

Hereinafter, the structure of the process cartridge 103 and the main part of the present invention will be described.

(Process Cartridge Detachment / Attachment Mechanism) FIG.
The process cartridge 103 is attached and detached in the direction of arrow C with the door 102 opened as shown in FIG. Positioning guides 32 are provided at both ends of the process cartridge 103 in the longitudinal direction.
And a detent guide 33 are provided. The positioning guide 32 is coaxial with the photosensitive drum 1 and has a cylindrical shape. From the positioning guide 32 to the process cartridge 10
3. A detent guide 33 which is elongated in the direction of arrow C in the mounting direction of 3.
Is provided.

A positioning recess 34 and a guide groove 35 are provided on inner walls on both sides in the longitudinal direction of the apparatus main body 101.

When the process cartridge 103 is mounted, the detent guide 33 is fitted into the guide groove 35 as shown in FIG.
3 and push the positioning guide 32 into the positioning recess 34.
And the door 102 is closed.

To remove the process cartridge 103, the door 102 is opened and the above-described process cartridge 103 is opened.
When the process cartridge 103 is pulled up diagonally to the upper right in the direction opposite to the mounting direction, the positioning guide 32 is released from the positioning recess 34, and then the detent guide 33 is released from the guide groove 35.

(Cleaning Unit) FIG. 9 shows a process cartridge according to the present embodiment. In the figure, reference numeral 151 denotes a first frame (cleaning unit C). The photosensitive drum 1 is rotatably attached to the cleaning unit 151 by a shaft 9.
The cleaning unit 151 is also provided with a cleaning blade 10 that contacts the photosensitive drum 1 and removes toner remaining on the photosensitive drum 1 and a charging roller 11 that uniformly charges the surface of the photosensitive drum 1. Have been. Further, holes (not shown) are provided on both sides in the longitudinal direction (perpendicular to the plane of the drawing) of the frame for connection with a developing unit 152 described later.

(Developing Unit) Reference numeral 152 in FIG. 9 denotes a second frame (developing unit D). Developing unit 1
52 is provided with a developer container 12, a developing roller 2 as a developer carrier, and a developing blade 13. In the developing unit 152, toner is sent from the developer container 12 to the developing container 14 by the conveying unit 19, and from there, the outer periphery of the developing roller 2, which rotates in the counterclockwise direction in FIG. And apply a charge to the toner.

(Drive Row) FIG. 10 shows a drive row of the process cartridge 103. In the process cartridge 103 according to the present embodiment, the cleaning unit 1 is used.
Each of the developing unit 51 and the developing unit 152 is driven by the apparatus main body 101. Developing unit 152
Constitutes a gear train connected from a gear 15 provided at an end of the developing roller 2 to a developing drive gear 18 via idler gears 16 and 17. The apparatus main body 101 is provided with a drive input gear 154 that meshes with the developing drive gear 18.
When loaded in 1, drive transmission becomes possible. The drive input gear 154 is driven from a motor (not shown) provided in the apparatus main body 101 via a drive force transmitting member (not shown).

(Coupling of Cleaning Unit and Developing Unit) Here, the connecting member 20 provided in the developing unit 152 will be described.

FIG. 11 shows the connecting member 20 on the side where the drive train of the developing unit 152 is provided (abbreviated as the drive side). The drive side coupling member 20 includes a bearing portion 20 of the developing roller 2.
a and shafts 20b and 20c for rotatably supporting the idler gears 16 and 17, respectively, and a shaft 20d for rotatably supporting the developing drive gear 18. The cleaning unit 151 is located at the center of the shaft 20d of the coupling member 20.
A through-hole 20e is provided for connection with the above.

On the other hand, the side opposite to the driving side (abbreviated as the non-driving side)
A coupling member (not shown) is provided with a through hole for coupling with the bearing portion of the developing roller 2 and the cleaning unit 151. The center line of this through hole is a straight line passing through the center of the through hole 20e and extending in the longitudinal direction.

The drive side and non-drive side connecting members 20 are fixed to the developing container 14 after being positioned with respect to the developing container 14 by positioning bosses (not shown).

The cleaning unit 151 and the developing unit 152 are connected as shown in FIG.
52 and the holes 15 provided on both sides of the cleaning unit 151.
This is performed by fitting the connecting pins 21 into the holes 20e and 151a while making the holes 1e coincide with each other.

Thus, the cleaning unit 151 and the developing unit 152 are swingably connected to each other.
The center of the developing drive gear 18 is located at the position where the two units are joined (that is, the swing center).

A pressure spring 22 is provided between the cleaning unit 151 and the developing unit 152 so that the photosensitive drum 1 and the developing roller 2 are pressed.

With the above configuration, as shown in FIG. 10, when a drive input is made to the process cartridge 103 from the apparatus main body 101, an engagement force F between the drive input gear 154 of the apparatus main body 101 and the developing drive gear 18 of the developing unit 152 is formed.
2, the moment about the coupling position CD can be kept small.

In the present embodiment, the developing drive gear 18 and the connecting through hole 20e are arranged on the connecting member 20, but the developing container 14 and the developer container 12 have the same structure instead of the connecting member 20. May be provided.

[Second Embodiment] FIGS. 13 and 14 show a second embodiment of the present invention. The coupling 30 is rotatably supported by fitting to the shaft 20f of the coupling member 20. The coupling 30 is the developing unit 1
It is a member for inputting a drive to 52. The center of the shaft of the coupling 30 is provided on a shaft 20f which is coaxial with the coupling position CD between the cleaning unit 151 and the developing unit 152. Reference numeral 31 denotes a side cover attached to the developing unit 152. The side cover 31 is provided with a sliding surface 31a on the outer peripheral surface of the coupling 30 to which the journal 30a fits, and the cleaning unit 151 is coaxially coupled with the coupling 30. Cylindrical guide surface 31b
Is provided. As shown in FIG. 14, the coupling 30 has a hole-shaped coupling (not shown) of the apparatus main body 101 which advances and retreats into a hole. The outer periphery of this hole is a journal 30a. The journal 30 and the gear 18a are coaxially provided integrally.

In this embodiment, the cleaning unit 1
The connection between the developing unit 51 and the developing unit 152 is performed as follows.

As shown in FIG. 15, the cleaning unit 151 is provided with a hole 151b rotatably engaged with the guide surface 31b of the side cover 31, and the non-driving side is the same as that shown in the first embodiment. A coupling hole is provided in the same manner as described above. The driving side engages the guide surface 31b of the side cover 31 with the hole 151b of the cleaning unit 151,
On the non-drive side, both units are connected by a connecting pin 21. Other configurations are the same as those of the first embodiment. The gear 18a drives the developing roller gear 15 via idler gears 17 and 16.

With the above configuration, the process cartridge 10
When a driving force is input to the developing unit 152 from the apparatus main body 101, the driving torque from the apparatus main body 101 does not act in a direction to deform the frame of the process cartridge.
Is transmitted to

As described above, the process cartridge is a process cartridge detachable from the main body of the electrophotographic image forming apparatus, and includes the cleaning unit C and the developing unit D. In what is performed, after the cleaning unit C and the developing unit D are driven separately,
By disposing the drive input member of the developing unit D at the position where the cleaning unit C and the developing unit D are joined, deformation of the process cartridge driving side frame due to the driving force from the apparatus main body 101 is prevented, and The vibration transmitted to the cleaning unit C is almost eliminated. Thus, stable image quality can be obtained.

[0059]

According to the present invention, vibration is not transmitted from the second frame to the first frame, so that the driving side of the second frame is prevented from being deformed, so that stable image quality can be obtained. Become.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view illustrating an appearance of an entire image forming apparatus.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view illustrating an appearance of a process cartridge.

FIG. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view showing a state where the process cartridge is mounted on the image forming apparatus main body.

FIG. 4 is a longitudinal sectional view showing a state where a process cartridge is attached to and detached from an image forming apparatus main body.

FIG. 5 is a developed view showing a laser scanner and a laser beam path.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the process cartridge as viewed from the back.

FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating a relationship between a photosensitive drum and a developing roller.

FIG. 8 is a longitudinal sectional view of a conventional process cartridge.

FIG. 9 is a main sectional view of a conventional process cartridge.

FIG. 10 is a sectional view of a process cartridge for carrying out the present invention.

FIG. 11 is an exploded perspective view of a process cartridge for carrying out the present invention.

FIG. 12 is an exploded side view of a process cartridge for carrying out the present invention.

FIG. 13 is a longitudinal sectional view of a process cartridge according to Embodiment 2 of the present invention.

FIG. 14 is an exploded perspective view of a process cartridge according to Embodiment 2 of the present invention.

FIG. 15 is an exploded side view of the process cartridge according to Embodiment 2 of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 1 photosensitive drum 2 developing roller 3 roller member 4 photosensitive drum gear 5 developing drive gear 6 and 7 idler gear 8 toner stirring gear 9 photosensitive drum shaft 10 cleaning blade 11 charging roller 12 developing Developer container 13 developing blade 14 developing container 15 developing roller gear 16 and 17 idler gear 18 developing drive gear 18a gear 19 toner transport member 20 coupling member 20a bearing portions 20b, 20c, 2
0d: shaft 20e: through hole 20f: shaft 21: coupling pin 22: pressure spring 29: guide rib 30: developing unit drive coupling 31: side cover 31a: sliding surface with the developing unit coupling 31b: guide surface 32 ... Positioning guide 33: detent guide 34: positioning recess 35: detent groove 101: image forming apparatus main body 102: front door 103: process cartridge 106: laser optical unit 107: developing unit 108: transfer roller 109: fixing unit 110: feeding Paper cassettes 112 and 113 Fixing roller 114 Discharge tray 116 Tension spring 117 Loading plate 118 Feeding roller 119 Feeding spring support shaft 120 Sliding groove 121 Feeding drive shaft 122 Separating claw 123 Cassette Entrance guide 124 ... Guide part 125 ... Registra L pair 126 ... second entrance 127 ... sensor lever 130 レ バ ー fixing entrance guide 131 ... entrance prevention guide 132 ... halogen heater 133 ... pulling roller pair 134 ... paper discharge roller 135 ... discharge port 136 ... axis 137 ... polygon motor 138 ... polygon Mirror 139 Laser unit 140 Collimator lens 141 Cylindrical lens 142 Spherical lens 143 Fθ lens 144 BD mirror 145 Laser receiving surface 146 Optical fiber 151 Cleaning unit C 151a, 151b
... Hole 152 ... Development unit D 153, 154 ... Process cartridge drive gear of the apparatus main body F1, F2 ... Gear engagement force CD ... Coupling position of cleaning unit and development unit L ... Laser beam P ... Recording material

 ────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continued on the front page (72) Inventor Takeshi Arimitsu 3-30-2 Shimomaruko, Ota-ku, Tokyo F-term in Canon Inc. (reference) 2H035 CA07 CD07 CD11 CD14 CG03 2H071 BA04 BA13 BA14 BA29 CA01 CA02 CA05 DA08 DA15 DA26 2H077 BA03 BA08 BA09 GA04

Claims (10)

[Claims] 1. A process cartridge detachable from a main body of an electrophotographic image forming apparatus, comprising: an electrophotographic photosensitive member; a first frame body for holding the electrophotographic photosensitive member; A drive input member for driving the electrophotographic photoreceptor; a developing unit for developing a latent image formed on the electrophotographic photoreceptor; a second frame holding the developing unit; A drive input member for engaging with a drive member of the image forming apparatus main body to drive the developing means when mounted on the main body of the image forming apparatus; and a first frame body and a second frame body rotatably. Coupling means for coupling, wherein the coupling position of the first frame and the second frame by the coupling means is
A process cartridge wherein the rotation center of the drive input member for driving the developing means coincides with the rotation center of the drive input member. 2. A drive input member for driving the developing means transmits the drive from a direction substantially perpendicular to the rotation axis direction of the developing means. The process cartridge according to claim 1, wherein the process cartridge is located at a coupling position of the two frames. 3. A drive input member for driving the developing unit transmits the drive from the direction of the rotation axis of the developing unit, and the center of the drive input member is formed between the first frame and the second frame. The process cartridge according to claim 1, wherein the process cartridge is located at a coupling position. 4. The developing means has a developing roller for developing an electrostatic latent image formed on the electrophotographic photosensitive member using a developer, and the drive input member is connected to the developing roller by a gear train. The process cartridge according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein: 5. The drive input member is a gear.
The process cartridge according to 1. 6. The process cartridge according to claim 4, wherein said drive input member is a coupling. 7. The process cartridge, wherein a charging unit, a cleaning unit, a developing unit, and an electrophotographic photosensitive drum are integrally formed into a cartridge, and the cartridge is detachably mountable to an image forming apparatus main body. 7. The process cartridge according to any one of 1 to 6. 8. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein at least one of a charging unit, a cleaning unit, a developing unit, and an electrophotographic photosensitive drum are integrally formed as a cartridge with the process cartridge. 7. The process cartridge according to any one of items 1 to 6. 9. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the developing unit and the electrophotographic photosensitive drum are integrally formed into a cartridge, and the process cartridge is detachable from an image forming apparatus main body.
The process cartridge according to any one of the above. 10. An electrophotographic image forming apparatus which detachably attaches a process cartridge and forms an image on a recording medium, comprising: a. An electrophotographic photoreceptor, a first frame for holding the electrophotographic photoreceptor, a drive input member for driving the electrophotographic photoreceptor when mounted on an image forming apparatus main body, the electrophotography A developing unit for developing the latent image formed on the photoconductor, a second frame holding the developing unit, and a driving member of the image forming apparatus main body when the image forming apparatus is mounted on the main body. A drive input member for driving the developing means in combination, and coupling means for rotatably coupling the first frame and the second frame, comprising: a first frame and a second frame. The joining position by the joining means of the frame is
A process cartridge which coincides with the center of rotation of a drive input member for driving the developing means; b. An electrophotographic image forming apparatus, comprising: conveying means for conveying the recording medium.