Process cartridge and image forming apparatus

Abstract

The application provides a processing box and an imaging device, the processing box comprising a box body, a photosensitive drum and a developing roller, an axial end of the photosensitive drum is provided with a transmission part, the box body is provided with a recess part near the transmission part, the transmission part comprises a mounting base, a driving force receiving head and an elastic reset part, the elastic restoring force of the elastic reset part forces the driving force receiving head to rotate relative to the mounting base to reset the driving force receiving head, one end of the driving force receiving head is provided with a first coupling part, the first coupling part is located outside the accommodating cavity and is arranged towards the recess part, the driving force receiving head is further provided with an axial limiting part and a force transmission arm, the mounting base is further provided with a limiting matching part, the axial limiting part and the limiting matching part are limited and matched in the axial direction of the photosensitive drum, and the inner peripheral wall of the accommodating cavity is provided with a circumferential limiting part, the force transmission arm can be limited and matched with the circumferential limiting part in the circumferential direction of the photosensitive drum. The processing box can ensure that the twisted protrusion cannot be separated from the driving head, and stable transmission of the driving force is realized.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of electrophotographic imaging technology, and more specifically, to a processing box and an imaging device. Background Technology

[0002] Imaging equipment (such as laser printers) is a device that uses the principle of electrophotography to form an image on an image forming medium (such as paper) through at least the processes of charging, exposure, development, transfer, fixing, and cleaning. The material device for printing consumables used on imaging equipment is generally called a processing cartridge.

[0003] However, since existing imaging devices use various processing cartridges, in order to improve the versatility of processing cartridges, patent application CN110347029A discloses a processing cartridge with a two-stage gear at the end of the developing roller. However, in actual use, it was found that when the tortuous protrusion of the photosensitive drum in the processing cartridge meshes with the geared drive head, due to the long length of the drive head in the imaging device or the offset setting of the drive head, the contact between the cartridge drive head and the free end of the drive head during the assembly process causes the drive head to swing and deviate, making it difficult for the drive head at the end of the photosensitive drum to properly engage with the drive head, resulting in slippage.

[0004] In the original processing cartridge, the developing roller gear at the end of the developing roller shaft is a helical gear, and the teeth on the drive head of the imaging device are also helical teeth. The developing roller gear can support the drive head radially, and when the helical teeth of the drive head and the developing roller gear rotate in a state of meshing, a force F1 is generated that causes the drive head to move closer to the photosensitive drum. At the same time, after the twisted concave part on the drive head engages with the twisted protrusion at the end of the photosensitive drum, the rotation between the two in the engaged state will also generate a force F2 that causes the drive head to move closer to the photosensitive drum. Under the resultant force of forces F1 and F2, a stable connection between the twisted concave part and the twisted protrusion can be ensured, ensuring the stable transmission of driving force.

[0005] The processing box disclosed in the aforementioned patent application eliminates the gear that meshes with the teeth of the drive head. Therefore, the drive head can only move towards the drive head of the photosensitive drum under the action of force F2. Since the force F2 is relatively small, the axial engagement length between the twisted concave part of the drive head and the twisted protrusion at the end of the photosensitive drum is relatively short. At the same time, since the position of the drive head is arbitrary when the imaging device is stopped, after the processing box is installed, the twisted protrusion of the processing box and the twisted concave part of the drive head are usually not fully engaged. Thus, the drive head is very easy to disengage from the twisted protrusion during rotation, thereby affecting the transmission of driving force.

[0006] Furthermore, when the user installs the processing cartridge into the imaging device's mounting cavity, the engagement position between the twisted recess of the drive head and the twisted protrusion of the processing cartridge is generally not the correct, complete engagement position. At this time, the torque of the drive head rotating the twisted protrusion increases instantaneously. Simultaneously, because the axial engagement length between the twisted recess of the drive head and the twisted protrusion at the end of the photosensitive drum is relatively short, and there is no gear to support the drive head, the vibration of the imaging device during printing causes the drive head to sway radially. This easily leads to a large axial separation of the twisted protrusion at the incomplete engagement position, forcing the drive head to disengage from the twisted protrusion, thus preventing the transmission of driving force. Summary of the Invention

[0007] The primary objective of this invention is to provide a processing box that ensures the twisted protrusion does not detach from the drive head, thereby achieving stable transmission of driving force.

[0008] A second objective of the present invention is to provide an imaging device employing the above-described processing box.

[0009] To achieve the aforementioned first objective, the processing cartridge provided by the present invention includes a cartridge body, a photosensitive drum, and a developing roller. Both the photosensitive drum and the developing roller are rotatably supported between the two end walls of the cartridge body. A transmission component is provided at the axial end of the photosensitive drum. A recessed portion is formed near the transmission component in the cartridge body, extending from the end wall of the first end of the cartridge body towards the second end. The transmission component includes a mounting base, a driving force receiving head, and an elastic reset component. The mounting base is disposed at the axial end of the photosensitive drum and coaxially arranged with the photosensitive drum. A receiving cavity is formed within the mounting base, and the driving force receiving head is installed in the receiving cavity. The elastic reset component has an elastic restoring force... The driving force receiving head is forced to rotate relative to the mounting base to reset the driving force receiving head; one end of the driving force receiving head is provided with a first coupling part, which is located outside the receiving cavity and facing the recessed part; the driving force receiving head is also provided with an axial limiting part, and the mounting base is also provided with a limiting fitting part. The axial limiting part and the limiting fitting part are limited and fitted to fix the driving force receiving head relative to the mounting base in the axial direction of the photosensitive drum; the driving force receiving head also includes a force transmission arm, and a circumferential limiting member is provided on the inner peripheral wall of the receiving cavity. The force transmission arm can be limited and fitted with the circumferential limiting member in the circumferential direction of the photosensitive drum.

[0010] As can be seen from the above scheme, when processing the cassette packaging machine, the second coupling part of the drive head inside the imaging device engages with the first coupling part. Since the position where the drive head stops when the imaging device stops is uncertain, the engagement position of the first coupling part and the second coupling part is not the correct fully engaged position. At the same time, since the free end of the drive head can swing slightly in the radial direction, the axis of the drive head may be in an inclined state when there is no gear meshing with the gear part of the drive head in the radial direction for guidance. Then, after the imaging device starts working, the drive head drives the drive force receiving head to rotate relative to the mounting base and the photosensitive drum. During the rotation, the drive force receiving head applies a force to the elastic reset member, while the first coupling part gradually rotates to the position where it is fully engaged with the second coupling part of the drive head and couples with the second coupling part. Next, as the drive head continues to rotate the drive force receiving head to the position where the force transmission arm abuts against the circumferential limiting member, the drive head drives the mounting base and the photosensitive drum to rotate, thereby transmitting the drive force. Due to the buffering effect of the elastic reset member, the drive force receiving head can better engage completely with the drive head, reducing the torque on the drive force receiving head and ensuring a stable connection between the drive head and the first coupling part. This avoids the problem in the prior art where the torque of the drive head rotating the twisted protrusion increases instantaneously, causing the first coupling part to disengage from the second coupling part of the drive head.

[0011] A preferred embodiment is that the developing roller is provided with a developing roller gear at its axial end, and the photosensitive drum is provided with a photosensitive drum gear at its axial end, with the developing roller gear and the photosensitive drum gear being connected in a driving connection.

[0012] Therefore, it can be seen that the driving force is transmitted to the developing roller by setting a photosensitive drum gear at the end of the photosensitive drum.

[0013] A further option is to have both the developing roller gear and the photosensitive drum gear located on the side of the housing near the transmission component; the photosensitive drum gear is fixedly connected to the mounting base; or the photosensitive drum gear and the mounting base are integrally formed.

[0014] A further design involves placing both the developing roller gear and the photosensitive drum gear on the side of the housing away from the transmission components.

[0015] This shows that the gear train can also be located at the end far from the transmission component, allowing for greater design flexibility.

[0016] A preferred embodiment is that the developing roller is provided with a developing roller gear at its axial end. In the axial direction of the photosensitive drum, the developing roller gear is located on the side of the first coupling portion near the recess, and at least a portion of the developing roller gear extends into the recess. In the radial direction of the photosensitive drum, the developing roller gear is located on the radially outer side of the first coupling portion and close to the first coupling portion.

[0017] Therefore, it can be seen that a developing roller gear can also be provided on the side of the first coupling part near the recessed part, and the rotational force can be transmitted to components such as the developing roller through the meshing of the gear part of the drive head with the developing roller gear.

[0018] A preferred embodiment is that the elastic reset component includes an elastic body, a first torsion arm, and a second torsion arm; the elastic body is sleeved outside the driving force receiving head, the first torsion arm is in upper circumferential engagement with the driving force receiving head at the upper limit of the mounting base, and the second torsion arm is in upper circumferential engagement with the mounting base.

[0019] A further option is that the first torsion arm is connected to the force transmission arm, and the second torsion arm extends radially outward from the peripheral wall of the self-elastic component body and engages with the circumferential limiting component at the upper limit in the circumferential direction.

[0020] A preferred embodiment is that the driving force receiving head includes a first coupling part, a support platform, and a connecting column arranged along the axial direction, with a force transmission arm disposed on the connecting column and at least one end of the force transmission arm extending radially outward from the peripheral wall of the connecting column; or the force transmission arm is disposed on the support platform, connected to the peripheral wall of the support platform, and extending along the axial direction of the driving force receiving head.

[0021] A preferred embodiment is that the cross-section of the first coupling portion is triangular and twisted counterclockwise from one end near the recess to the other end away from the recess.

[0022] As can be seen, the first coupling part is twisted. After engaging with the second coupling part of the drive head, as the drive head rotates, it applies a force toward the photosensitive drum to the first coupling part, ensuring the stability of the connection between the first coupling part and the drive head.

[0023] In a preferred embodiment, the processing cartridge further includes a guide member mounted on the shaft of the developing roller or mounted on the cartridge body. The guide member is located on the side of the transmission member away from the photosensitive drum along the axial direction of the photosensitive drum. The guide member has a protrusion. The protrusion has a first position and a second position. When the protrusion is in the first position, it can engage with a peripheral gear of the drive head within the imaging device. The protrusion can be driven from the first position to the second position by the peripheral gear. When the protrusion is in the second position, the engagement with the peripheral gear is disengaged.

[0024] Therefore, when the processing cartridge is installed in the imaging equipment, the guide component, through its protrusions, engages with the peripheral gear of the drive head within the imaging equipment to position, guide, and support the drive head. This ensures that the drive head can smoothly and precisely engage with the first coupling part of the transmission component on the photosensitive drum and / or the developing roller gear on the developing roller. This allows the drive head to stably and reliably drive the photosensitive drum and / or the developing roller to rotate, guaranteeing the stability and reliability of the processing cartridge and the imaging equipment. Furthermore, the design of the processing cartridge also prevents excessive wear on the peripheral gear of the drive head caused by the guide component, thereby extending the service life of the processing cartridge and the drive head.

[0025] A further option is that the processing box also includes a reset mechanism connected between the box body and the guide, which is used to force the protrusion to move from the second position to the first position.

[0026] Therefore, the reset mechanism enables the guide to be automatically reset when the processing box is removed from the electrophotographic imaging device, so that when the processing box is reinstalled into the electrophotographic imaging device, the protrusion can still accurately guide and position the drive head.

[0027] To achieve the second objective mentioned above, the present invention provides an imaging device, which includes a main unit, a cartridge compartment disposed within the main unit, and a drive head disposed on the side wall of the cartridge compartment. The drive head includes a gear portion and a second coupling portion. The gear portion is located on the peripheral wall of the drive head, and the second coupling portion is located at the axial end of the drive head. The device is characterized in that the aforementioned processing cartridge is detachably installed inside the cartridge compartment, the drive head extends into the recessed portion, and the first coupling portion engages with the second coupling portion. Attached Figure Description

[0028] Figure 1 This is a structural diagram of the first embodiment of the processing box of the present invention.

[0029] Figure 2 This is a structural diagram of the first omitted component of the processing box according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

[0030] Figure 3 This is a partial structural diagram of the second omitted component of the processing box in the first embodiment of the present invention.

[0031] Figure 4 This is a partial structural diagram of the third omitted component of the first embodiment of the processing box of the present invention.

[0032] Figure 5 This is a partial structural diagram of the first embodiment of the processing box of the present invention.

[0033] Figure 6 This is a structural diagram of the fourth component of the first embodiment of the processing box of the present invention, with the latter omitted.

[0034] Figure 7 This is a partial structural diagram of the processing box of the second embodiment of the present invention, with some components omitted.

[0035] Figure 8 This is a structural diagram of the third embodiment of the processing box of the present invention with some components omitted.

[0036] Figure 9 This is a structural diagram of the fourth embodiment of the processing box of the present invention.

[0037] Figure 10 This is a structural diagram of the fourth embodiment of the processing box of the present invention with some components omitted.

[0038] Figure 11 This is a structural diagram of the guide component of the fourth embodiment of the processing box of the present invention.

[0039] Figure 12 This is a structural diagram of the first end cap of the fourth embodiment of the processing box of the present invention.

[0040] Figure 13 This is a partial structural diagram of the processing box according to the fourth embodiment of the present invention, with some components omitted.

[0041] Figure 14 This is a relative position diagram of the first and second positions of the protrusion of the guide member in the fourth embodiment of the processing box of the present invention.

[0042] Figure 15 This is a partial structural diagram of the fourth embodiment of the processing box of the present invention.

[0043] Figure 16 This is a structural diagram of the fifth embodiment of the processing box of the present invention with the protrusion in the first position, omitting the components.

[0044] Figure 17 This is a structural diagram of the fifth embodiment of the processing box of the present invention with the protrusion in the second position, omitting the components.

[0045] Figure 18 This is a structural diagram of the sixth embodiment of the processing box of the present invention.

[0046] Figure 19 This is a structural diagram of the first omitted component of the processing box in the sixth embodiment of the present invention, which is then used in conjunction with the drive head.

[0047] Figure 20 This is a structural diagram of the second omitted component of the processing box in the sixth embodiment of the present invention, which is then used in conjunction with the drive head.

[0048] Figure 21 This is a structural diagram of the guide member after the third omitted part of the sixth embodiment of the processing box of the present invention when it is in the first position.

[0049] Figure 22 This is a structural diagram of the guide component of the sixth embodiment of the processing box of the present invention.

[0050] Figure 23 This is a structural diagram of the lever in the sixth embodiment of the processing box of the present invention.

[0051] Figure 24 This is a structural diagram of the guide member after the fourth omitted part of the sixth embodiment of the processing box of the present invention when it is in the second position.

[0052] Figure 25 This is a schematic diagram showing the relative positions of the first and second positions of the protrusion in the sixth embodiment of the processing box of the present invention.

[0053] Figure 26 This is a partial structural diagram of the sixth embodiment of the processing box of the present invention.

[0054] Figure 27 This is a partial structural diagram of the fifth omitted component of the sixth embodiment of the processing box of the present invention.

[0055] Figure 28 This is a structural diagram of the seventh embodiment of the processing box of the present invention with some components omitted.

[0056] Figure 29 This is a structural diagram of the ninth embodiment of the processing box of the present invention and the imaging device before the driving head is engaged.

[0057] Figure 30 This is a cross-sectional view of the rotational force transmission component and the driving head in the imaging device of the eighth embodiment of the processing box of the present invention after they are engaged.

[0058] Figure 31 This is a structural diagram of the rotational force transmission component in the eighth embodiment of the processing box of the present invention.

[0059] Figure 32 This is an exploded view of the rotational force transmission component in the eighth embodiment of the processing box of the present invention.

[0060] Figure 33 This is a cross-sectional view of the rotational force transmission component in the eighth embodiment of the processing box of the present invention.

[0061] Figure 34 This is a structural diagram of the ninth embodiment of the processing box of the present invention and the imaging device before the driving head is engaged.

[0062] Figure 35 This is a structural diagram of the tenth embodiment of the processing box of the present invention.

[0063] Figure 36 This is a perspective view of the rotational force transmission component in the eleventh embodiment of the processing box of the present invention.

[0064] Figure 37This is an exploded view of the rotational force transmission component in the eleventh embodiment of the processing box of the present invention.

[0065] Figure 38 This is a left view of the rotational force transmission component in the eleventh embodiment of the processing box of the present invention.

[0066] The present invention will be further described below with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments. Detailed Implementation

[0067] Processing box first embodiment

[0068] Reference Figures 1 to 6 The processing box is detachably installed inside the imaging device, which includes a main unit. The main unit contains a box compartment with a cover at its opening. A drive head 101 is located on the side wall of the box compartment. The cover is connected to the drive head 101. When the cover is closed, the drive head 101 extends into the box compartment; when the cover is open, the drive head 101 retracts towards the side wall. The drive head 101 includes a peripheral gear 1011 and a second coupling part 1012. The peripheral gear 1011 is located on the peripheral wall of the drive head 101, and the second coupling part 1012 is located at the axial end of the drive head 101.

[0069] The processing cartridge 100 includes a cartridge body 1, a developing roller 2, a photosensitive drum 3, and a guide member 4. Preferably, the cartridge body 1 includes a developing frame 11, a drum frame 12, a first end cap 13, and a second end cap 14. The developing roller 2 is rotatably mounted on the end walls of the developing frame 11 of the cartridge body 1 around its first axis of rotation, and a developing roller gear 21 is provided on the developing roller 2. The photosensitive drum 3 is rotatably mounted on the end walls of the drum frame 12 of the cartridge body 1 around its second axis of rotation. A rotational force transmission assembly 30 is provided at the first end of the photosensitive drum 3. The rotational force transmission assembly 30 includes a transmission member 31 and a photosensitive drum gear 311. In this embodiment, the photosensitive drum gear 311 is formed on the transmission member 31, and the end of the transmission member 31 also has a first coupling portion 312. Of course, in other embodiments, the transmission member 31 and the photosensitive drum gear 311 can be relatively independently arranged, and the transmission member 31 and the photosensitive drum gear 311 can be located at opposite ends of the photosensitive drum 3.

[0070] The drum frame 12 is connected to the developing frame 11, allowing the developing roller 2 to be adjacent to the photosensitive drum 3, and enabling the developing roller gear 21 to mesh with the photosensitive drum gear 311; wherein, the first coupling part 312 on the transmission member 31 is used for the second coupling part 1012 of the drive head 101 in the imaging device (see Figure 5The first coupling part 312 and the second coupling part 1012 are connected so that the drive head 101 can drive the photosensitive drum 3 to rotate around the second rotation axis through the transmission member 31. Preferably, both the first coupling part 312 and the second coupling part 1012 are generally triangular prisms. The first end cover 13 is installed on the first end wall of the developing frame 11 and covers the developing roller gear 21, that is, the developing roller gear 21 is located between the first end wall of the developing frame 11 and the first end cover 13 and is located inside the first end cover 13; wherein, the first end cover 13 is provided with an opening 133, so that a part of the developing roller gear 21 can be exposed outside the first end cover 13; the second end cover 14 is installed on the second end wall of the developing frame 11. The processing box 100 has a recess 144 near the opening 133. In this embodiment, the recess 144 is located on the first end cover 13. The recess 144 is recessed from the end wall of the first end cover 13 toward the second end cover 14. The drive head 101 can extend into the recess 144 to engage with the rotational force transmission assembly 30.

[0071] The guide member 4 is used to guide, position and support the drive head 101, so that after the processing box 100 is installed in the imaging equipment, the second coupling part 1012 of the drive head 101 can accurately dock with the first coupling part 312 of the transmission member 31 on the photosensitive drum 3 and / or the peripheral gear 1011 of the drive head 101 can accurately dock with the developing roller gear 21 on the developing roller 2, and provide a certain support for the drive head 101, so that the drive head 101 can stably and reliably drive the photosensitive drum 3 and / or the developing roller 2 to rotate, ensuring the stability and reliability of the operation of the processing box 100 and the imaging equipment.

[0072] Combination Figure 2 and Figure 3 In this embodiment, the guide member 4 is mounted on the shaft of the developing roller 2, and is located on the side of the transmission member 31 away from the photosensitive drum 3 along the axial direction of the photosensitive drum 3. Specifically, the guide member 4 is located inside the first end cover 13, and is located between the developing roller gear 21 and the outer end face of the first end cover 13. The guide member 4 has a protrusion 41, which protrudes from the first end cover 13 through an opening, allowing the first protrusion to mesh with the peripheral gear 1011 of the drive head 101 to guide, position, and support the drive head 101 during the installation of the processing cartridge 100 into the imaging device. The protrusion 41 has a first position (e.g., Figure 3 (as shown) and the second position (as shown) Figure 5As shown, when the processing cartridge 100 is installed in the imaging device and the protrusion 41 is in the first position, the protrusion 41 engages with the peripheral gear 1011 of the drive head 101. When the processing cartridge 100 is installed in the imaging device and the imaging device drives the processing cartridge 100 for the first time, the protrusion 41 can be driven from the first position to the second position by the peripheral gear 1011 of the drive head 101. When the protrusion 41 is in the second position, the protrusion 41 disengages from the engagement with the peripheral gear 1011. Preferably, the protrusion 41 is a helical tooth or a spur tooth, so that the protrusion 41 can be adapted to the type of the peripheral gear 1011 of the drive head 101 in the imaging device, so that the processing cartridge 100 can be used in different types of imaging devices. Figure 4 and Figure 5 Specifically, in this embodiment:

[0073] The peripheral gear 1011 of the drive head 101 is a helical gear, and the protrusion 41 is a helical tooth. The guide member 4 also includes a first annular portion 42 and a first limiting portion 43. The guide member 4 is fitted onto the shaft core 22 of the developing roller 2 through the first annular portion 42, and the guide member 4 can rotate relative to the shaft core 22 about a first rotation axis, wherein the first rotation axis and the center line of the shaft core 22 are collinear. The first limiting portion 43 connects the first annular portion 42 and the protrusion 41. Preferably, the first limiting portion 43 is approximately partially annular, and the diameter of the first limiting portion 43 is larger than the diameter of the first annular portion 42, such that the first limiting portion 43 is located between the first annular portion 42 and the protrusion 41 in the radial direction of the first annular portion 42. In addition, a locking structure is formed between the first limiting portion 43 and the first annular portion 42, and the first annular portion 42, the first limiting portion 43, and the protrusion 41 are preferably integrally formed.

[0074] The housing 1 is provided with a second limiting part 131. Preferably, the second limiting part 131 is provided on the inner side of the first end cover 13, and the first limiting part 43 is preferably cylindrical. The second limiting part 131 is located at the downstream end of the first limiting part 43, so that when the protrusion 41 is in the first position, the second limiting part 131 is located in the locking structure and adjacent to the first limiting part 43, thereby preventing the guide 4 from crossing the first position. When the processing box 100 is installed in the imaging device, the protrusion 41 can accurately mesh with the peripheral gear 1011 of the drive head 101 to accurately position and guide the drive head 101.

[0075] Here, a brief description of some existing structures of the imaging device is provided. The imaging device includes a main unit, a cartridge compartment is provided inside the main unit, a door cover is provided on the opening of the cartridge compartment, and the aforementioned drive head 101 is provided on the side wall inside the cartridge compartment. The door cover is connected to the drive head 101, so that when the door cover is closed, the drive head 101 moves axially toward the position where the processing cartridge 100 is placed in the photosensitive drum 3, and when the door cover is opened, the drive head 101 retracts axially toward the side wall of the cartridge compartment in the direction of the photosensitive drum 3. Among them, a peripheral gear 1011 is provided on the periphery of the drive head 101, and a second coupling part 1012 is provided on the end of the drive head 101. In this embodiment, the first coupling part 312 is a coupling protrusion, and the second coupling part 1012 is a coupling recess.

[0076] Before the processing cartridge 100 is installed into the cartridge compartment of the imaging device, the protrusion 41 of the guide 4 is moved to the first position. Then, the processing cartridge 100 is installed into the cartridge compartment. When the cover is closed, the drive head 101 moves axially toward the transmission member 31 of the photosensitive drum 3. When the drive head 101 moves to the guide 4, the protrusion 41 of the guide 4 engages with the peripheral gear 1011 of the drive head 101 to guide, position, and support the drive head 101. This allows the drive head 101 to precisely align its second coupling portion 1012 with the first coupling portion 312 on the transmission member 31 of the photosensitive drum 3 via the protrusion 41, and / or to precisely mesh the peripheral gear 1011 of the drive head 101 with the developing roller gear 21 on the developing roller 2, ensuring that the drive head 101 stably and reliably drives the photosensitive drum 3 and / or the developing roller 2 to rotate.

[0077] When the processing box 100 is installed into the imaging device's compartment and the imaging device is used for the first time, as the drive head 101 rotates, the protrusion 41 of the guide member 4 is driven from the first position to the second position by the peripheral gear 1011 of the drive head 101, so that the protrusion 41 disengages from the peripheral gear 1011 and remains in the second position, thereby preventing the protrusion 41 from aggravating the wear of the peripheral gear 1011 in subsequent processes, and also preventing some of the driving force of the drive head 101 from being lost on the protrusion 41. After the processing cartridge 100 is removed from the cartridge compartment of the imaging device and before it is reinserted into the cartridge compartment, the protrusion 41 of the guide 4 is restored to the first position to ensure that when the processing cartridge 100 is reinserted into the cartridge compartment, the protrusion 41 of the guide 4 can still guide, position and support the drive head 101. The protrusion 41 of the guide 4 is preferably restored to the first position by manually operating the guide 4, or it can be driven by a related mechanism (such as some mechanism in the imaging device).

[0078] In addition, combined Figure 6Along the axial direction of the photosensitive drum 3, the first distance H1 between the first end face of the protrusion 41 near the developing roller gear 21 and the outer end face of the first end cover 13 is less than the second distance H2 between the second end face of the developing roller gear 21 near the protrusion 41 and the outer end face. The third distance H3 between the third end face of the transmission member 41 near the outer end face and the outer end face is greater than or equal to the second distance H2. This design ensures that the guide member 4 can reliably guide and position the drive head 101 while avoiding interference between the guide member 4 and components such as the developing roller gear 21 and the transmission member 41, thereby ensuring the reliability of the processing cartridge 100.

[0079] Furthermore, when the protrusion 41 is in the first rotating position, a first straight line is formed between the protrusion 41 and the center line of the shaft of the developing roller 2; when the protrusion 41 is in the second position, a second straight line is formed between the protrusion 41 and the center line of the shaft of the developing roller 2. The included angle between the first straight line and the second straight line is preferably greater than or equal to 40°, so that when the protrusion 41 is in the second position, the protrusion 41 can completely disengage from the peripheral gear 1011 of the drive head 101, thereby avoiding mutual friction between the protrusion 41 and the peripheral gear 1011 of the drive head 101.

[0080] Furthermore, when the protrusion 41 is in the first position, at least a portion of the protrusion 41 is located within the annular area enclosed by the addendum circle and the root circle of the peripheral gear 1011, and a portion of the protrusion 41 extends into the space between two adjacent teeth of the peripheral gear 1011 that it meshes with. The first position is located circumferentially on the photosensitive drum 3, and a third straight line is formed between the centerline of the developing roller 2's shaft and the centerline of the photosensitive drum 3. A fourth straight line is formed between the first position and the centerline of the photosensitive drum 3, and the angle between the fourth and third straight lines is between 0° and 15°. This design allows the protrusion 41 to accurately and reliably mesh with the peripheral gear 1011 of the drive head 101 for precise guidance and positioning of the drive head 101. Furthermore, setting the first position of the protrusion 41 along the circumferential direction of the photosensitive drum 3 provides the guide member 4 with more flexible positioning conditions, allowing the guide member 4 to be flexibly adjusted according to the shape and structure of different cartridges 1, making it suitable for cartridges 1 of different shapes and structures.

[0081] Preferably, the first annular portion 42 is interference-fitted with the shaft of the developing roller 2, and the maximum static friction between the first annular portion 42 and the shaft of the developing roller 2 is preferably between 0.1 Newton and 30 Newton, to prevent the guide member 4 from rotating arbitrarily, thereby ensuring that the protrusion 41 of the guide member 4 can be precisely engaged with the peripheral gear 1011 of the drive head 101 in the first position, so as to guide and position the drive head 101. More preferably, the maximum static friction between the first annular portion 42 and the shaft of the developing roller 2 is preferably between 0.5 Newton and 10 Newton.

[0082] In summary, the design of the processing box reduces the impact on the driving force of the driving head inside the imaging device and extends the life of the driving head.

[0083] Processing box second embodiment

[0084] Reference Figure 7 The difference between this embodiment and the first embodiment of the processing box is that, in this embodiment, the processing box further includes a first reset elastic member 51. The first reset elastic member 51 is connected between the guide member 52 and the shaft core 531 of the developing roller 53. The first reset elastic member 51 forces the protrusion 521 of the guide member 52 to rotate in a first direction, so that when the processing box is removed from the imaging device, the first reset elastic member 51 can force the protrusion 521 to rotate to a first position, thus eliminating the need for manual reset of the guide member 51. Preferably, the first reset elastic member 51 is a first torsion spring, which is fitted onto the shaft core 531 of the developing roller 53. The shaft core 531 has a notch 5311, and the first end of the first torsion spring 51 is engaged in the notch 5311. The first annular portion 522 of the guide member 52 has a first engaging portion 5221, and the second end of the first torsion spring is engaged in the first engaging portion 5221. Of course, in other embodiments, the first reset elastic member 51 may also be connected between the housing (such as the first end cap or developing frame) and the guide member 52.

[0085] Third embodiment of the processing box

[0086] Reference Figure 8 The difference between this embodiment and the first embodiment of the processing box is that, in this embodiment, the guide 61 also has an elastic part 611, which is connected to the box body. The elastic part 611 is used to force the protrusion 612 of the guide 61 to rotate in the first direction.

[0087] Preferably, a second engaging portion 621 is provided on the first end cap 62 of the housing. Along the first direction of rotation of the protrusion 612 of the guide member 61 from the second position to the first position, the second engaging portion 621 is located at the upstream end of the elastic portion 611. When the protrusion 612 of the guide member 61 is in the first position, the elastic portion 611 of the guide member 61 abuts against the second engaging portion 621. This allows the elastic portion 611 to elastically deform under the action of the second engaging portion 621 when the driving head of the imaging device drives the protrusion 612 of the guide member 61 to rotate from the first position to the second position. This generates a force that can force the protrusion 612 to rotate from the second position to the first position. When the processing box is removed from the imaging device, the elastic portion 611 forces the protrusion 612 to rotate to the first position through its own elastic potential energy, thus eliminating the need to manually reset the guide member 61. Of course, in other embodiments, the second snap-fit ​​portion 621 may also be provided on the developing frame of the cartridge; or, the second snap-fit ​​portion 621 may be replaced by a slot that can engage the elastic cloth 611, etc. In addition, the elastic portion 611 is preferably integrally formed with the first annular portion 613.

[0088] Fourth embodiment of the processing box

[0089] The difference between this embodiment and the first embodiment of the processing box lies in the structure of the guide member, the connection objects of the guide member, etc. Specifically, in conjunction with Figures 9 to 14 In this embodiment:

[0090] The guide member 71 is mounted on the housing. Preferably, a connecting post 721 is provided on the first end cover 72 of the housing, wherein the connecting post 721 is coaxially arranged with the shaft of the developing roller, or the connecting post 721 is parallel to the shaft of the developing roller. The guide member 71 has a protrusion 711, a second annular portion 712, and an abutment portion 713. The second annular portion 712 is rotatably fitted onto the connecting post 721 about a first rotation axis. The protrusion 711 protrudes outside the first end cover 72 through an opening in the first end cover 72. The protrusion 711 and the abutment portion 713 are distributed around the second annular portion 712, and the abutment portion 713 is located inside the first end cover 72.

[0091] The processing box also includes a second reset elastic member connected between the abutment portion 713 and the box body. The second reset elastic member is used to force the protrusion 711 to rotate toward a first position. Preferably, the second reset elastic member is connected between the first end cap 72 of the box body and the abutment portion 713. The first end cap 72 is provided with a limit post 722. The second reset elastic member is preferably a second torsion spring 73, which is fitted onto the limit post 722. The first end of the second torsion spring 73 is connected to the first end cap 72, and the second end of the second torsion spring 73 is connected to the abutment portion 713 of the guide member 71, so that when the processing box is removed from the imaging device, the second reset elastic member can force the protrusion 711 to rotate toward the first position, thereby eliminating the need for manual reset of the guide member 71.

[0092] Furthermore, the first end cap 72 of the box body is also provided with an elastic limiting portion 723, which extends toward the second annular portion 712 and can elastically deform in the axial direction. In addition, the protruding end of the elastic limiting portion 723 has a first guide wedge surface 7231 and a first limiting surface 7232. The second annular portion 712 of the guide member 71 is provided with a third limiting portion 714, which has a second guide wedge surface 7141 and a second limiting surface 7142. In a first direction along which the protrusion 711 rotates from the second position to the first position, the first limiting surface 7232 is located upstream of the first guide wedge surface 7231, the third limiting portion 714 is located upstream of the abutment portion 713, and the second guide wedge surface 7141 is located upstream of the second limiting surface 7142. Furthermore, when the protrusion 711 is in the first position, the first guide wedge surface 7231 is adjacent to the second guide wedge surface 7141; when the protrusion 711 is in the second position, the first limiting surface 7232 is adjacent to the second limiting surface 7142.

[0093] This configuration allows the third limiting part 714 to force the elastic limiting part 723 to move axially toward the inside of the first end cap 72 via the first guide wedge surface 7231 and the second guide wedge surface 7141 when the drive head drives the protrusion 711 to rotate from the first position to the second position. This causes the third limiting part 714 to pass over the end of the elastic limiting part 723 and compress and store energy in the second torsion spring 73. When the protrusion 711 is driven to the second position, the elastic limiting part 723 moves axially toward the outside of the first end cap 72 to return to its initial position, and the abutment part 713 of the guide member 71 is forced to rotate toward the first position under the elastic potential energy of the second torsion spring 73. When the guide member 71 rotates to the first position, the second limiting surface 7142 of the third limiting portion 714 of the guide member 71 abuts against the first limiting surface 7232 of the elastic limiting portion 723 to restrict the protrusion 711 to the second position. This restricts the protrusion 711 from continuing to rotate to the first position, thereby preventing the protrusion 711 from pressing against the peripheral gear of the drive head. This prevents the protrusion 711 from wearing against the peripheral gear and extends the service life of the guide member 71 and the drive head.

[0094] When the processing cartridge is removed from the imaging device, the elastic limiting part 723 is pressed by the existing structure of the cartridge compartment of the imaging device (such as the inner side of the cartridge compartment) and moves axially toward the inside of the developing roller 72. This causes the second limiting surface 7142 of the third limiting part 714 of the guide member 71 to disengage from the first limiting surface 7232 of the elastic limiting part 723. As a result, under the elastic potential energy of the second torsion spring 73, the guide member 71 causes the third limiting part 714 to pass over the elastic limiting part 723, and finally causes the protrusion 711 of the guide member 71 to rotate to the first position to complete the automatic reset of the protrusion 711. Preferably, the elastic limiting portion 723 is provided with an abutment protrusion 7233, which extends axially toward the outside of the first end cover 72 of the developing roller. This allows the existing structure within the cartridge compartment to better force the elastic limiting portion 723 to move axially toward the inside of the first end cover 72 during the removal of the processing cartridge from the cartridge compartment, thereby ensuring that the third limiting portion 714 can pass over the elastic limiting portion 723. Of course, in other embodiments, the elastic limiting portion 723 can also be provided on the developing frame or other components to achieve the same function.

[0095] Furthermore, when the protrusion 711 is in the first position, a first straight line L1 is formed between the protrusion 711 and its own axis of rotation; when the protrusion 711 is in the second position (e.g., Figure 13When the protrusion 711 is in the second position (as shown by the short dashed line), a second straight line L2 is formed between the protrusion 711 and its own axis of rotation. The included angle α between the first straight line L1 and the second straight line L2 is preferably greater than or equal to 40°, so that when the protrusion 711 is in the second position, the protrusion 711 can completely disengage from the peripheral gear of the drive head, thereby avoiding mutual friction between the protrusion 711 and the peripheral gear of the drive head.

[0096] Furthermore, in combination Figure 15 When the protrusion 711 is in the first position, at least a portion of the protrusion 711 is located within the annular region S formed by the addendum circle and root circle of the peripheral gear of the drive head, and a portion of the protrusion 711 extends into the space between two adjacent teeth of the peripheral gear that it meshes with. The first position is located circumferentially on the photosensitive drum, forming a third straight line L3 between the centerline of the developing roller shaft and the centerline of the photosensitive drum, and a fourth straight line L4 between the first position I and the centerline of the photosensitive drum 3. The angle b between the fourth straight line L4 and the third straight line L3 is between 0° and 15°. This design allows the protrusion 711 to accurately and reliably mesh with the peripheral gear of the drive head for precise guidance and positioning of the drive head. Furthermore, setting the first position of the protrusion 711 along the circumferential direction of the photosensitive drum provides the guide 71 with more flexible positioning conditions, allowing the guide 71 to be flexibly adjusted according to the shape and structure of different cartridges, making it suitable for cartridges of different shapes and structures.

[0097] Preferably, the second annular portion 712 is interference-fitted with the connecting post 721, and the maximum static friction between the second annular portion 712 and the connecting post 721 is preferably between 0.1 Newtons and 30 Newtons, to prevent the guide member 71 from rotating arbitrarily, thereby ensuring that the protrusion 711 of the guide member 71 can accurately engage with the peripheral gear of the drive head in the first position to guide and position the drive head. More preferably, the maximum static friction between the second annular portion 712 and the connecting post 721 is preferably between 0.5 Newtons and 10 Newtons.

[0098] Fifth embodiment of the processing box

[0099] The difference between this embodiment and the fourth embodiment of the processing box lies in the structure of the guide member, the connection object of the guide member, and the structure of the reset mechanism, etc. Specifically, in conjunction with Figure 16 and Figure 17 In this embodiment:

[0100] The guide member 82 is preferably mounted on the first end cover 81 of the housing. The first end cover 81 is provided with a second connecting post 811, which is coaxially arranged with the shaft of the developing roller, or the second connecting post 811 is parallel to the axis of the developing roller. The guide member 82 has a third annular portion 821, a receiving portion 822, and a protrusion 823. The third annular portion 821 is rotatably fitted onto the second connecting post 811 and is press-fitted with the second connecting post 811. The protrusion 823 protrudes outside the first end cover 81 through an opening in the first end cover 81. The protrusion 823 and the receiving portion 822 are distributed around the third annular portion 821, and the receiving portion 822 is located inside the first end cover 81. In this embodiment, the protrusion 823 is preferably a helical tooth; of course, in other embodiments, the protrusion 823 can also be a straight tooth.

[0101] The processing box also includes a reset mechanism 863, which includes a lever 831 and a third reset elastic member 832. The lever 831 is slidably mounted on the box body, and the third reset elastic member 832 is connected between the box body and the lever 831. The third reset elastic member 832 can force the lever 831 to actuate the actuated portion 822 to control the protrusion 823 to rotate in a first direction, which is the direction in which the protrusion 823 rotates from the second position to the first position. The lever 831 has an actuating portion 8311, and a fourth limiting portion 812 is provided on the first end cover 81 of the box body. Along the first direction, the fourth limiting part 812 is located at the downstream end of the receiving part 822; the first end of the lever 831 extends from the inside of the first end cover 81 to the outside of the first end cover 81, the actuating part 8311 is formed at the second end of the lever 831, the actuating part 8311 can be adjacent to the receiving part 822, the lever 831 is slidably connected to the first end cover 81, so that the actuating part 8311 can actuate the guide member 82 to rotate through the receiving part 822, so as to control the protrusion 823 of the guide member 82 to rotate to the first position; the actuating part 8311 has a third position and a fourth position.

[0102] The third reset elastic element 832 is preferably a compression spring. In this embodiment, the compression spring is disposed outside the first end cover 81 and is sleeved on the lever 831, connecting the first end of the lever 831 and the first end cover 81. The third reset elastic element 832 is used to force the actuating part 8311 of the lever 831 to move towards the third position, so that the actuating part 8311 actuates the depressed part 822 of the guide member 82 to move towards the fourth limiting part 812, thereby driving the protrusion 823 of the guide member 82 to rotate towards the first position. When the third reset elastic element 832 drives the actuating part 8311 to move to the third position, the depressed part 822 is adjacent to the actuating part 8311 and the fourth limiting part 812. At this time, the fourth limiting part 812 plays a role in preventing the protrusion 823 from moving excessively, so as to avoid the protrusion 823 from going beyond the first position and failing to accurately guide and position the drive head.

[0103] When the protrusion 823 of the guide 82 is driven by the peripheral gear of the drive head to rotate to the second position, the deflecting part 822 of the guide 82 forces the actuating part 8311 to move to the fourth position, and the third reset elastic member 832 stores energy. When the protrusion 823 is driven to the second position, the deflecting part 822 forces the actuating part 8311 to remain in the fourth position, and the third reset elastic member 832 is in a stored state to ensure that when the processing cartridge is removed from the imaging device, the third reset elastic member 832 can force the actuating part 8311 of the lever 831 to move to the third position, so as to drive the protrusion 823 of the guide 82 to the first position, thereby realizing the automatic reset of the guide 82.

[0104] Furthermore, the second connecting post 811 and the third annular portion 821 are interference-fitted, and the maximum static friction between the second connecting post 811 and the third annular portion 821 is between 0.1 Newtons and 30 Newtons, to prevent the guide member 82 from rotating arbitrarily, thereby ensuring that the protrusion 823 of the guide member 82 can be precisely engaged with the peripheral gear of the drive head in the first position, and also preventing the guide member 82 from falling off the second connecting post 811. Preferably, the maximum static friction between the second connecting post 811 and the third annular portion 821 is between 0.5 Newtons and 10 Newtons.

[0105] When the processing cartridge is installed into the imaging device's compartment and the imaging device is used for the first time, as the drive head rotates, the protrusion 823 of the guide 82 is driven from the first position to the second position by the peripheral gear of the drive head. Simultaneously, the guide 82, through the receiving part 822 and the actuating part 8311 of the lever 831, drives the actuating part 8311 to the fourth position, and puts the third reset elastic member 832 into an energy storage state. When the processing cartridge is removed from the imaging device's compartment, the actuating part 8311 of the lever 831, under the elastic potential energy of the third reset elastic member 832, actuates the receiving part 822 of the guide 82, causing the protrusion 823 of the guide 82 to rotate to the first position, achieving automatic reset of the guide 82. This ensures that when the processing cartridge is reinstalled into the compartment, the protrusion 823 of the guide 82 can still guide, position, and support the drive head.

[0106] It should be noted that in other embodiments, the guide member 82 can be slidably mounted on the housing (such as the first end cap or developing frame, etc.), so that the protrusion 823 of the guide member 82 can move between the first position and the second position by sliding. When the guide member 82 is slidably mounted on the housing, the housing is also provided with a reset mechanism to force the protrusion 823 of the guide member 82 to slide back from the second position to the first position by sliding.

[0107] Processing Box Sixth Embodiment

[0108] The difference between this embodiment and the first embodiment of the processing box is that, in this embodiment, see [reference needed]. Figures 18 to 22 The processing box also includes a reset mechanism 95, and a guide 94 is mounted on the box body 91. Preferably, a connecting post 9131 is provided on the first end cover 913 of the box body 91. The connecting post 9131 is preferably coaxially arranged with the shaft of the developing roller 92; or the connecting post 9131 is offset from the shaft of the developing roller 92, and the connecting post 9131 is preferably parallel to the shaft of the developing roller 92. The guide 94 has an annular portion 941, a receiving portion 942, and a protrusion 943. The annular portion 941 is rotatably fitted onto the connecting post 9131 about the rotation axis of the connecting post 9131, and the protrusion 943 is exposed outside the first end cover 913 through the opening of the first end cover 913. The protrusion 943 and the receiving portion 942 are distributed around the annular portion 941, and the receiving portion 942 is located inside the first end; the protrusion 943 has a first position (e.g., Figures 18 to 21 (as shown) and the second position (as shown) Figure 24 (As shown). In addition, the protrusion 943 in this embodiment is a helical tooth; of course, in other embodiments, the protrusion 943 may also be a straight tooth or other shapes.

[0109] Combination Figure 23 The reset mechanism 95 includes a lever 951 and a reset elastic member 952. The lever 951 is slidably mounted on the housing 91, and the reset elastic member 952 is connected between the housing 91 and the lever 951. The reset elastic member 952 can force the lever 951 to actuate the actuated part 942 to control the protrusion 943 to rotate along a first direction R, where the first direction R is the direction in which the protrusion 943 moves from the second position to the first position.

[0110] Preferably, the lever 951 has a toggle portion 9511, a locking portion 9512, and a second limiting portion 9513. The first end cover 913 of the housing 91 is provided with a limiting portion 9132, a groove 9133, and a through hole 9134. Specifically, along the first direction R, the limiting portion 9132 is located downstream of the receiving portion 942. The first end of the lever 951 extends from the inside of the first end cover 913 to the outside of the first end cover 913 through the through hole 9134. The toggle portion 9511 and the locking portion 9512 are both located at the second end of the lever 951. The second limiting portion 9513 is formed at the first end of the lever 951. The toggle portion 9511 can be adjacent to the receiving portion 942. The lever 951 is connected to the groove 9133 of the first end cover 913 via the engaging part 9512, allowing the lever 951 to slide along the groove 9133. This allows the actuating part 9511 to actuate the guide member 94 around the connecting post 9131 via the actuated part 942, thereby controlling the toothed protrusion 943 of the guide member 94 to move towards the first position. The actuating part 9511 has a third position (e.g., Figures 18 to 21 (as shown) and the fourth position (as shown) Figure 24 (As shown).

[0111] The reset elastic element 952 is preferably a compression spring. In this embodiment, the compression spring is disposed outside the first end cover 913. The compression spring is sleeved on the lever 951 and located between the second limiting part 9513 and the first end cover 913. The first end of the compression spring abuts against the second limiting part 9513, and the second end of the compression spring abuts against the first end cover 913.

[0112] The reset elastic element 952 forces the actuating portion 9511 of the lever 951 to move to the third position, so that the actuating portion 9511 actuates the receiving portion 942 of the guide 94 to move towards the limiting portion 9132, thereby driving the protrusion 943 of the guide 94 to move towards the first position. When the reset elastic element 952 drives the actuating portion 9511 to the third position, the receiving portion 942 is adjacent to the actuating portion 9511 and the limiting portion 9132. At this time, the limiting portion 9132 prevents the protrusion 943 from moving excessively, so as to avoid the protrusion 943 from going beyond the first position and failing to accurately guide and position the drive head 9101.

[0113] When the protrusion 943 of the guide 94 is driven to the second position by the peripheral gear 91011 of the drive head 9101, the receiving part 942 of the guide 94 forces the actuating part 9511 to move to the fourth position, and causes the reset elastic member 952 to store energy. When the protrusion 943 is driven to the second position, the receiving part 942 forces the actuating part 9511 to remain in the fourth position, and the reset elastic member 952 is in a stored state. It can be seen that when the protrusion 943 is driven from the first position to the second position, the receiving part 942 of the guide 94 can move the actuating part 9511 of the lever 951 to the fourth position, thereby causing the reset elastic member 952 to be in a stored state, so as to ensure that when the processing cartridge 9100 is removed from the imaging device, the reset elastic member 952 can force the actuating part 9511 of the lever 951 to move to the third position, so as to drive the protrusion 943 of the guide 94 to the first position, realizing the automatic reset of the guide 94.

[0114] Furthermore, the connecting post 9131 and the annular portion 941 are fitted with an interference fit, and the maximum static friction between the connecting post 9131 and the annular portion 941 is preferably between 0.1 Newtons and 30 Newtons, to prevent the guide member 94 from rotating arbitrarily. This ensures that the protrusion 943 of the guide member 94 can accurately engage with the peripheral gear 91011 of the drive head 9101 in the first position, thereby guiding and positioning the drive head 9101 and preventing the guide member 94 from detaching from the connecting post 9131. Preferably, the maximum static friction between the connecting post 9131 and the annular portion 941 is between 0.5 Newtons and 10 Newtons.

[0115] When the processing cartridge 9100 is installed into the imaging device's compartment and the imaging device is used for the first time, as the drive head 9101 rotates, the protrusion 943 of the guide member 94 is driven from the first position to the second position by the shaft gear of the drive head 9101. At the same time, the guide member 94, through the receiving part 942 and the actuating part 9511 of the lever 951, drives the lever 951 to the fourth position, and puts the reset elastic member 952 into an energy storage state. When the processing cartridge 9100 is removed from the imaging device's compartment, the actuating part 9511 of the lever 951, under the action of the elastic potential energy of the reset elastic member 952, actuates the receiving part 942 of the guide member 94, causing the protrusion 943 of the guide member 94 to rotate to the first position, realizing the automatic reset of the guide member 94. This ensures that when the processing cartridge 9100 is reinstalled into the compartment, the protrusion 943 of the guide member 94 can still guide, position, and support the drive head 9101.

[0116] Combination Figure 25 When protrusion 943 is in the first position, a first straight line L1 is formed between protrusion 943 and its own rotation axis; when protrusion 943 is in the second position (e.g., Figure 25 As shown by the short dashed line, a second straight line L2 is formed between the protrusion 943 and its own axis of rotation. The included angle α between the first straight line L1 and the second straight line L2 is preferably greater than or equal to 40°, so that when the protrusion 943 is in the second position, the protrusion 943 can completely disengage from the shaft gear of the drive head 9101, thereby avoiding mutual friction between the protrusion 943 and the peripheral gear 91011 of the drive head 9101.

[0117] Combination Figure 26 When the protrusion 943 is in the first position, at least a portion of the protrusion 943 is located within the annular region S formed by the addendum circle and the root circle of the peripheral gear 91011 of the drive head 9101, and a portion of the protrusion 943 extends into the space between two adjacent teeth of the peripheral gear 91011 that it engages with; wherein, the first position is located in the circumferential direction of the photosensitive drum 93, a third straight line L3 is formed between the center line of the shaft core of the developing roller 92 and the center line of the photosensitive drum 93, a fourth straight line L4 is formed between the first position I and the center line of the photosensitive drum 33, and the included angle b between the fourth straight line L4 and the third straight line L3 is between 0° and 15°. This design allows the protrusion 943 to accurately and reliably engage with the peripheral gear 91011 of the drive head 9101, thereby precisely guiding and positioning the drive head 9101. Furthermore, by setting the first position of the protrusion 943 along the circumference of the photosensitive drum 93, the guide member 94 has more flexible position setting conditions, which allows the guide member 94 to be flexibly adjusted according to the shape and structure of different housings 91, so that the guide member 94 can be adapted to housings 91 of different shapes and structures.

[0118] CombinationFigure 27 Along the axial direction of the photosensitive drum 93, the first distance H1 between the first end face of the protrusion 943 near the developing roller gear 921 and the outer end face of the first end cover 913 is less than the second distance H2 between the second end face of the developing roller gear 921 near the protrusion 943 and the outer end face, and the third distance H3 between the third end face of the transmission member 931 near the outer end face and the outer end face is greater than or equal to the second distance H2.

[0119] It should be noted that in other embodiments, the guide member 94 can be slidably mounted on the housing 91 (such as the first end cap 913 or the developing frame 911, etc.), so that the protrusion 943 of the guide member 94 can move between the first position and the second position by sliding. When the guide member 94 is slidably mounted on the housing 91, the housing 91 is also provided with a reset mechanism 95 for forcing the protrusion 943 of the guide member 94 to slide back from the second position to the first position by sliding.

[0120] In summary, the design of the processing box reduces the impact on the driving force of the driving head inside the imaging device and extends the life of the driving head.

[0121] Seventh embodiment of the processing box

[0122] The difference between this embodiment and the sixth embodiment of the processing box lies in the structure of the lever, the structure of the first end cover, and the connection method of the reset elasticity, etc. Specifically, in conjunction with Figure 28 The differences are explained in this embodiment:

[0123] The lever 1061 eliminates the second limiting part, and the lever 1061 has a recessed cavity 10611 formed from its second end to its first end; the first end cover 1062 has a third limiting part 10621 at the slide groove 10622, and the third limiting part 10621 extends towards the lever 1061 along the depth direction of the cavity 10611; the reset elastic member 1063 preferably still adopts a compression spring, the first end of the compression spring is located in the cavity 10611 and abuts against the lever 1061, the second end of the compression spring is fitted on the third limiting part 10621 and abuts against the first end cover 1062, and the third reset elastic member is located inside the first end cover 1062.

[0124] Eighth embodiment of the processing box

[0125] The difference between this embodiment and the first to seventh embodiments of the processing box lies in the structure of the transmission components, etc. Specifically, in conjunction with Figures 29 to 33The differences are explained below. In this embodiment: the transmission component 24 includes a mounting base 26, a driving force receiving head 27, and an elastic reset member 28. Preferably, the elastic reset member 28 is a torsion spring. The mounting base 26 is disposed at the axial end of the photosensitive drum 22 and is coaxially arranged with the photosensitive drum 220. A receiving cavity 261 is formed inside the mounting base 26. The driving force receiving head 27 and the elastic reset member 28 are both installed in the receiving cavity 261. The elastic restoring force of the elastic reset member 28 forces the driving force receiving head 27 to rotate relative to the mounting base 26 to reset the driving force receiving head 27. The photosensitive drum gear 262 and the mounting base 26 are arranged along the axial direction of the photosensitive drum 220 and are integrally formed. Optionally, the photosensitive drum gear 262 can also be fixedly connected to the mounting base 26.

[0126] The driving force receiving head 27 includes a first coupling portion 271, a support platform 272, and a connecting post 273 arranged along the axial direction. A limiting step 274 is formed at the connection between the support platform 272 and the connecting post 273. The first coupling portion 271 is located outside the receiving cavity 261 and is disposed towards the recess 211. The cross-section of the first coupling portion 271 is approximately triangular and is twisted counterclockwise from one end near the recess 211 to the end away from the recess 211. The twisting direction of the second coupling portion 2102 of the driving head 210 is the same as the twisting direction of the first coupling portion 271. After engaging with the second coupling portion 2102 of the driving head 210, as the driving head 210 rotates, a force is applied to the first coupling portion 271 toward the photosensitive drum 22, ensuring the stability of the connection between the first coupling portion 271 and the driving head 210. A limiting member 275 is provided at the end of the connecting post 273 away from the first coupling part 271. The limiting member 275 is detachably fixed to the end of the connecting post 273. The receiving cavity 261 of the mounting base 26 is provided with a first limiting wall 263 and a second limiting wall 264 arranged along the axial direction. The limiting step 274 and the limiting member 275 form an axial limiting part. The first limiting wall 263 and the second limiting wall 264 form a limiting engagement part. The limiting step 274 and the first limiting wall 263 are engaged in an axial limiting engagement. The limiting member 275 and the second limiting wall 264 are engaged in an axial limiting engagement to achieve the fixation of the driving force receiving head 27 relative to the mounting base 26 in the axial direction of the photosensitive drum 220. In other embodiments, the limiting member 275 may also be a retaining ring or the like.

[0127] The elastic reset member 28 includes an elastic member body 281, a first torsion arm 282, and a second torsion arm 283. The elastic member body 281 is sleeved on the drive force receiving head 27. The drive force receiving head 27 also includes a cylindrical force transmission arm 276, which is detachably mounted on the connecting post 273. Both ends of the force transmission arm 276 extend radially outward from the peripheral wall of the connecting post 273. Two circumferential limiting members 265 are provided on the inner peripheral wall of the receiving cavity 261, which are arranged radially opposite to each other along the mounting base 26. The two ends of the force transmission arm 276 can engage with the circumferential limiting members 265 in a circumferential upper limit engagement with the photosensitive drum 220. The first torsion arm 282 is connected to the force transmission arm 276, and the second torsion arm 283 extends radially outward from the peripheral wall of the elastic member body 281 and engages with the circumferential limiting members 265 in a circumferential upper limit engagement.

[0128] As can be seen from the above, during the processing of the box-packing machine, the second coupling part of the drive head inside the imaging device engages with the first coupling part. Since the position where the drive head stops when the imaging device stops is uncertain, the engagement position of the first coupling part and the second coupling part is not a perfectly complete engagement position. Simultaneously, because the free end of the drive head can slightly oscillate radially, the axis of the drive head may be tilted when no gear meshes radially with the gear part of the drive head for guidance. Next, after the imaging device starts working, the drive head drives the drive force receiving head to rotate relative to the mounting base and the photosensitive drum. During rotation, the drive force receiving head applies a force to the elastic reset member, while the first coupling part gradually rotates to a position where it is fully engaged with the second coupling part of the drive head and couples with it. Then, as the drive head continues to drive the drive force receiving head to rotate until the force transmission arm abuts against the circumferential limiting member, the drive head drives the mounting base and the photosensitive drum to rotate, realizing the transmission of drive force. After printing is completed, the first coupling part disengages from the drive head, and the drive force receiving head rotates in the opposite direction to reset under the restoring force of the elastic reset member. Due to the buffering effect of the elastic reset component, the driving force receiving head can be better engaged with the driving head, reducing the torque on the driving force receiving head and ensuring a stable connection between the driving head and the first coupling part. This avoids the problem in the prior art where the torque of the driving head driving the twisted protrusion to rotate increases instantaneously, causing the first coupling part to disengage from the second coupling part of the driving head.

[0129] Ninth embodiment of the processing box

[0130] The difference between this embodiment and the eighth embodiment of the processing box is that the processing box in this embodiment does not have the guide members and reset mechanisms that force the guide members to reset, as in the first to seventh embodiments of the processing box.

[0131] Specifically, in combination Figure 34To explain the differences, in this embodiment, during the installation and printing process, the drive head 310 transmits driving force only through the engagement of the second coupling part 3102 of the drive head 310 with the first coupling part 371 in the eighth embodiment of the processing box, and the peripheral gear 3101 of the drive head 310 does not mesh with any gear or guide.

[0132] Processing Box, Tenth Embodiment

[0133] The difference between this embodiment and the ninth embodiment of the processing box is that, see [link to embodiment]. Figure 35 In this embodiment, a developing roller gear 325 is provided at the axial end of the developing roller 323. In the axial direction of the photosensitive drum 322, the developing roller gear 325 is located on the side of the first coupling portion 3271 near the recessed portion 3211. At least a portion of the developing roller gear 325 extends into the recessed portion 3211 through the opening 3133 of the first end cover 3131 to mesh with the gear portion of the drive head. In the radial direction of the photosensitive drum 322, the developing roller gear 325 is located on the radially outer side of the first coupling portion 3271 and close to the first coupling portion 3271.

[0134] Eleventh embodiment of the processing box

[0135] See Figures 36 to 38 In this embodiment, the driving force receiving head 437 includes a first coupling part 4371 arranged along the axial direction, a support platform 4372, and a connecting post 4373. There are two force transmission arms 4376, which are arranged opposite each other along the radial direction of the driving force receiving head 437. The force transmission arms 4376 are disposed on the support platform 4372 and extend along the axial direction of the driving force receiving head 437. One end of the force transmission arm 4376 near the first coupling part 4371 is connected to the peripheral wall of the support platform 4372. Both force transmission arms 4376 form a slot 4377 with the outer peripheral wall of the support platform 4372. The insertion port of the slot 4377 is located at the free end of the force transmission arm 4376.

[0136] The receiving cavity 4361 is provided with a support portion 4362, a support protruding ring 4363, and four elastic stop arms 4364. The support portion 4362 is located inside the receiving cavity 4361. The support protruding ring 4363 extends along the axial direction of the receiving cavity 4361 from the support portion 4362 toward the recessed portion of the box body. The support protruding ring 4363 is axially inserted into the slot 4377. The elastic stop arms 4364 all extend along the axial direction of the receiving cavity 4361 from the support portion 4362 toward the side away from the recessed portion. The four elastic stop arms 4364 are arranged at intervals along the circumference of the receiving cavity 4361. The free end of the elastic stop arm 4364 is provided with a hook 4365 protruding toward the central axis of the receiving cavity 4361. The end of the connecting post 4373 of the driving force receiving head 437 is provided with a groove 4374. After the driving force receiving head 437 passes through the support protrusion ring 4363, the support part 4362 and the space surrounded by the four elastic stop arms 4364 in sequence along the axial direction, the groove 4374 of the driving force receiving head 437 engages with the hook 4365 at the free end of the elastic stop arm 4364, thereby limiting the driving force receiving head 437 in the axial direction relative to the mounting base 436.

[0137] The elastic element body 4381 is sleeved on the outside of the support protrusion ring 4363. The first torsion arm 4382 abuts against the force transmission arm 4376 of the driving force receiving head 437 and the two are in a circumferential upper limit engagement on the mounting base 436. The second torsion arm 4383 abuts against the protrusion 43621 on the support part 4362 of the mounting base 436 and the two are in a circumferential upper limit engagement on the mounting base 436.

[0138] Furthermore, the gear system consisting of the photosensitive drum gear, the developing roller gear, and the stirring frame gear can all be located on the side of the housing away from the transmission components. In this case, the photosensitive drum gear and the mounting base are two separate components. A limiting cover detachably and fixedly connected to the mounting base can also be used instead of the first limiting wall and / or the second limiting wall. The number of circumferential limiting components can also be one. The force transmission arm can also be integrally formed with the connecting column. Alternatively, only one end of the force transmission arm can extend outward from the outer peripheral wall of the force transmission arm and engage with the circumferential limiting component for circumferential upper limit engagement. The elastic reset component can be located inside or outside the receiving cavity of the mounting base. These modifications also achieve the objectives of the present invention.

[0139] Finally, it should be emphasized that the above description is only a preferred embodiment of the present invention and is not intended to limit the present invention. For those skilled in the art, the present invention can have various changes and modifications. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, improvements, etc., made within the spirit and principles of the present invention should be included within the protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A process cartridge, comprising a cartridge body, a photosensitive drum and a developing roller, the photosensitive drum and the developing roller are rotatably supported between two end walls of the cartridge body, an axial end of the photosensitive drum is provided with a transmission member, the process cartridge is provided with a recessed portion near the transmission member, the recessed portion is recessed from an end wall of a first end of the cartridge body towards a second end of the cartridge body; characterized in that: the transmission member comprises a mounting seat, a driving force receiving head and an elastic return member; the mounting seat is provided at the axial end of the photosensitive drum and is coaxially arranged with the photosensitive drum, the mounting seat is provided with a receiving cavity therein, the driving force receiving head is mounted in the receiving cavity, the elastic return force of the elastic return member forces the driving force receiving head to rotate relative to the mounting seat to reset the driving force receiving head; one end of the driving force receiving head is provided with a first coupling portion, the first coupling portion is located outside the receiving cavity and is arranged towards the recessed portion, the driving force receiving head is further provided with an axial limiting portion, the mounting seat is further provided with a limiting matching portion, the axial limiting portion and the limiting matching portion limit and match in the axial direction of the photosensitive drum to fix the driving force receiving head relative to the mounting seat; the driving force receiving head further comprises a force transmission arm, a circumferential limiting member is arranged on the inner peripheral wall of the receiving cavity, the force transmission arm can limit and match with the circumferential limiting member in the circumferential direction of the photosensitive drum; the process cartridge further comprises a guide member, the guide member is mounted on the shaft core of the developing roller or the guide member is mounted on the cartridge body, in the axial direction of the photosensitive drum, the guide member is located on the side of the transmission member away from the photosensitive drum, the guide member has a protrusion; the protrusion has a first position and a second position, when the protrusion is located at the first position, the protrusion can be connected and matched with the circumferential gear of the driving head in the image forming device, the protrusion can be driven by the circumferential gear from the first position to the second position, when the protrusion is located at the second position, the protrusion is disconnected and matched with the circumferential gear; the guide member further has a first annular portion and a first limiting portion, the first annular portion is rotatably sleeved on the shaft core, the first limiting portion is connected between the first annular portion and the protrusion, the cartridge body is provided with a second limiting portion, along a first direction in which the protrusion rotates from the first position to the second position, the second limiting portion is located at a downstream end of the first limiting portion, when the protrusion is located at the first position, the second limiting portion is adjacent to the first limiting portion, or the cartridge body is provided with a connecting column, the guide member further has a second annular portion and an abutting portion, the second annular portion is rotatably sleeved on the connecting column, the protrusion and the abutting portion are distributed around the second annular portion, the process cartridge further comprises a second reset elastic member, the second reset elastic member is connected between the abutting portion and the cartridge body, the second reset elastic member forces the protrusion to rotate towards the first position.

2. The process cartridge according to claim 1, characterized in that: An axial end of the developing roller is provided with a developing roller gear, and an axial end of the photosensitive drum is provided with a photosensitive drum gear, and the developing roller gear and the photosensitive drum gear are in transmission connection.

3. The process cartridge according to claim 2, wherein: The developing roller gear and the photosensitive drum gear are arranged on the same side of the cartridge body close to the transmission member. The photosensitive drum gear is fixedly connected with the mounting seat; or The photosensitive drum gear is integrally formed with the mounting seat.

4. The process cartridge according to claim 2, wherein: The developing roller gear and the photosensitive drum gear are arranged on the same side of the cartridge body away from the transmission member.

5. The process cartridge according to claim 1, wherein: An axial end of the developing roller is provided with a developing roller gear, and in the axial direction of the photosensitive drum, the developing roller gear is located on the side of the first coupling part close to the recessed part, at least a part of the developing roller gear extends into the recessed part, and in the radial direction of the photosensitive drum, the developing roller gear is located on the radial outside of the first coupling part and close to the first coupling part.

6. The process cartridge according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein: The elastic reset member comprises an elastic member body, a first torsion arm and a second torsion arm; The elastic member body is sleeved outside the driving force receiving head, the first torsion arm is in limit position cooperation with the driving force receiving head in the circumferential direction of the mounting seat, and the second torsion arm is in limit position cooperation with the mounting seat in the circumferential direction of the mounting seat.

7. The process cartridge according to claim 6, wherein: The first torsion arm is connected on the force transmission arm, and the second torsion arm extends radially outward from the circumferential wall of the elastic member body and is in limit position cooperation with the circumferential limit member in the circumferential direction.

8. The process cartridge according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein: The driving force receiving head comprises the first coupling part, a support table and a connecting column arranged along the axial direction; The force transmission arm is arranged on the connecting column, and at least one end of the force transmission arm extends radially outward from the circumferential wall of the connecting column; or The force transmission arm is arranged on the support table, and the force transmission arm is connected on the circumferential wall of the support table and extends along the axial direction of the driving force receiving head.

9. The process cartridge according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein: The cross section of the first coupling part is triangular and twists in the counterclockwise direction from the end close to the recessed part to the end away from the recessed part.

10. An image forming apparatus comprising a main body, a cartridge housing provided in the main body, a drive head provided on a side wall of the cartridge housing, the drive head comprising a gear portion and a second coupling portion, the gear portion being located on a peripheral wall of the drive head, the second coupling portion being located on an axial end of the drive head, characterized in that, The cartridge compartment is detachably provided with the process cartridge according to any one of claims 1 to 9, the driving head extends into the recessed part, and the first coupling part and the second coupling part are in engagement.

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