JPS58198052A - Process kit - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To prevent a drive coupling part from damage when a kit is taken out by setting up a drive coupling member on the inside of a line or surface obtained by connecting the projected part of a kit wall part or an enveloped surface formed by the end part of the wall part and said line. CONSTITUTION:A positioning pin 23 to fix the position of the kit and connectors 24, 26 are arranged on the wall surface of a case 8 to be arranged on the inner side at the charge of the kit are fitted so as to surround the drive coupling part 25 to drive a photosensitive drum. Since the pin 23 and connectors 24, 26 are set up higher than the drive coupling member 25 at the height of the inner surface 8a, the coupling member 25 is located in a space between the projected part of the connector 24 and the end part 27 of the case 8 and prevented from contact with the plane 28 even if the case 8a is put on the plane 28 such as a desk by turning its wall surface on the bottom when the process kit is removed from the body.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a process kit that integrally includes a photosensitive drum and process means disposed around the drum and is configured to be detachable from a main unit.

For example, in a copying machine that uses electrophotography, the photoreceptor must be replaced if the machine is used for a long time.

Replenishment and replacement of developer, cleaning of charging wires, and other adjustments and replacements are required, and such maintenance work is performed by specialized service personnel. However, in order to keep this copying apparatus operating in good condition at all times, a method has been proposed in which maintenance work is performed without relying on service personnel with the above-mentioned specialized knowledge.

For example, there is a method in which a plurality of process means such as a discharger, a developer, a photosensitive drum, etc. included in the apparatus are combined into a kit, and this kit is simply replaced with a new one. If the configuration is such that the process kits can be replaced, multiple kits can be prepared depending on the purpose of use, and the kit suitable for the purpose can be loaded into the main unit. The same main body can be used for multiple functions.

As described above, when a user who owns a copying device handles the kit, the maintenance and purpose of use are expanded, and problems may arise in handling the kit. In other words, if the drive connection part on the kit side that connects to the main body hits a desk, wall, pillar, floor, etc. when the kit is removed from the main body and is damaged, the normal power transmission to the photosensitive drum inside the kit may be interrupted. This makes it impossible to maintain the quality of the copier.

An object of the present invention is to solve the problem when a process kit is removed from a main body, and specifically, to protect a drive transmission member of a photosensitive drum provided with a kit side pressure.

To achieve the above object, the present invention provides a method for protecting the drive connecting member provided on the side wall of the process kit for driving the main body-Q-drive source. Provide a convex part on the wall where the wall is covered. The connecting member is a connector for the process means provided on the line connecting the convex portions or on the inside of the proboscis surface, or around the connecting member between this line or surface and the connecting member. (terminals) may be intentionally formed higher than the wall of the kit.

Alternatively, a positioning pin for the main body of the process kit or a rotation prevention pin during loading may be used as the convex portion.

Hereinafter, details of the present invention will be explained according to examples and drawings.

FIG. 1 shows an electrophotographic photograph of Showa fJ to which an embodiment of the present invention is applied. FIG. 3 is a top view of the main parts of the copying device.

The apparatus 1 shown in the figure is a copying apparatus using electrophotography, in which a photosensitive drum 2 having a photoconductive layer provided on a conductive drum base is supported rotatably in the direction of the arrow. Around this drum 2, corona dischargers 3.
Short focus optical element array4. Developing device5. i photo corona discharger6. A cleaning device 7 is provided. In this apparatus 1, together with the photosensitive drum 2, a discharger 6. The developing device 5 and the cleaning device 7 are integrally supported by a housing 8 as a process kit 20. This casing 8 is guided and supported by guide rails 9 fixed to the main body, and is attached to and removed from the main body.

In the copying apparatus described above, the surface of the photosensitive drum 20 is uniformly charged with a predetermined polarity by the corona discharger 6, and then the document on the document table 10 that moves back and forth at the upper part of the apparatus main body is illuminated by the lamp 11, and the reflected light is sent to the element array 4. A latent image is formed on the drum 2 by exposing the drum 2 to light.

The formed latent image is developed by a developing device 5, and the developed image is transferred by a transfer corona discharger 6. The transfer material is supplied to the transfer material supply tray 12 manually by the operator, and is conveyed to the transfer section via the conveyance roller 16 and the timing roller 14.
The paper is separated by the transfer path 16 and sent to the fixing device 17 where it is fixed, and then sent out onto the paper ejection tray 19 via the ejection roller 18.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the attachment/detachment relationship between the apparatus main body and the process kit 20. In the process kit containing the photosensitive drum, the front door 21 of the main body is opened, and the operator manually opens the housing 8. This is done by pulling out. An arrow 22 in the figure indicates the direction of movement of the housing as the process kit is attached and detached.

FIG. 6 shows a perspective view of the kit 20, with the front side being the rear side when loaded. On the wall of the rear housing 8a, there are a positioning pin 23 for correctly correcting the position of the kit loaded in the main unit, a connector 24 for supplying high voltage to the charger B, and a developing device 5. The convex portion constituted by the connector 26 for applying the bias voltage is
It is arranged so as to surround a drive connecting member 25 for driving the photosensitive drum 2. By the way, the connecting member 2 of this embodiment
The concavo-convex portions of the photosensitive drum 5 and the concave-convex portions of the main body side are fitted to determine the position, and at the same time, the driving force of the main body is transmitted to the photosensitive drum 2.

In this embodiment, pin 23. All three connectors 24 and 26 are higher than the drive connection member 25, so when removing the process kit from the main body, place the process kit on the desk with the wall of the casing 8a where the drive connection member 25 is placed facing down. When the connecting member 25 is placed or dropped on a flat surface 28 such as
It enters the space between the end 27 of the Therefore, this connecting portion 25 does not directly contact a surface 28 such as a desk or floor. If the envelope line formed by applying the convex portion on the casing surface 8a and the end of the casing surface 8a to the surface 28 is taken, it becomes the surface 29 in FIG. 5. This side 29
It will be appreciated that by housing the drive coupling member 25 inside the kit, the drive coupling member 25 will not impinge on the surface 28 when the kit is placed in any orientation.

Therefore, it is possible to prevent the drive connecting member 25 from being damaged due to contact with a desk, floor, etc., or from causing eccentricity of the photosensitive drum due to deviation of the rotation center of the connecting member.

In the present invention, the process means disposed around the photosensitive drum are not limited to the combinations of the embodiments.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

Fig. 1 is a sectional view of the copying device when the process kit is installed, Fig. 2 is a perspective view showing the attachment/detachment relationship between the copying device and the process kit, Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the process kit, and Fig. 4
The figure is a side view of the process kit when it is erected, and FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing the surface in contact with a desk. In the figure, 1 is a copying device, 2 is a photosensitive drum, 20 is a process kit, 26 is a positioning pin, 24 is a connector,
Reference numeral 25 indicates a drive connection portion, 26 indicates a connector, 27 indicates an end of the housing 8a, 28 indicates a plane, and 29 indicates an envelope surface of a per cent surface. Applicant Canon Co., Ltd. 1f1. ．． Lj, :♂ □

Claims (2)

[Claims] (1) A process kit that integrally includes a photosensitive drum and a process means disposed around the drum and is removable from the main unit, which obtains driving force from the drive source of the main unit, a drive connecting member provided on the side of the kit for driving a photosensitive drum therein; and a convex portion provided on the wall of the process kit in which the connecting member is disposed; A process kit characterized in that the process kit is disposed inside a line or plane connecting convex parts of the wall part, or within an envelope plane formed by the end of the wall part and the line or plane above the contact point. (2) The convex portion is a connector for applying voltage to the process means, claim 1 (1).
Process kit described in section ).