Processing box

Abstract

The utility model discloses a processing box which is detachably arranged on imaging equipment with a guide rail along a first direction, one end of the processing box in the first direction is a front end, two ends of the processing box in a second direction are respectively provided with a driving end and a non-driving end, and the second direction is orthogonal to the first direction; the processing box comprises a photosensitive drum and a frame for rotatably supporting the photosensitive drum, and the axial direction of the photosensitive drum is parallel to the second direction; a guide part and a positioning support part are arranged at the driving end and the non-driving end, and the guide part is closer to the front end than the positioning support part; the processing box has a first position and a second position on the guide rail; when the processing box is at the first position, the guide part is propped against the guide rail; and when the processing box is at the second position, the positioning support part is propped against the guide rail, and a gap is formed between the guide part and the guide rail. According to the processing box structure disclosed by the utility model, the guide part is not easy to abrade and even break, and the guide effect is not lost.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The utility model relates to the technical field of electronic imaging devices, and particularly relates to a processing cartridge. Background Art

[0002] A processing cartridge is a cartridge that can be detachably installed in an imaging device, and the cartridge, as an integral unit, at least includes components such as a developing roller and a photosensitive drum. An imaging device adopting an electrophotographic imaging method works as follows: light emitted by the imaging device irradiates on the photosensitive drum that has been uniformly charged by a charging roller for selective exposure to form an electrostatic latent image, and the electrostatic latent image is then developed into a developer image by a developer covering the developing roller. The formed developer image is transferred to a recording medium by a transferrer, and finally a visual image is formed on the recording medium.

[0003] In the prior art, an imaging device and a processing cartridge installed in the imaging device are disclosed. The processing cartridge includes guiding parts arranged on the driving side and the non-driving side and protruding outside the cartridge body. The guiding parts can guide a user to accurately install the processing cartridge into the guide rails of the imaging device. After the installation is in place, the guiding parts contact the guide rails on the imaging device and support the processing cartridge on the imaging device. However, when the processing cartridge performs a printing operation, due to the change in the self-weight of the processing cartridge or when the imaging device needs to establish an electrical connection with the processing cartridge to achieve electrical communication for printing, the electrical contacts of the imaging device will press down to contact the chip of the processing cartridge. During this process, a moment will be generated on the processing cartridge, causing the processing cartridge to deflect, resulting in unstable contact between the electrical contacts of the imaging device and the chip, affecting the printing quality. At this time, the guiding parts in contact with the guide rails will interfere with the guide rails, causing wear or even breakage, so that the processing cartridge loses the guiding parts and cannot play a role in guiding the installation, making the installation of the processing cartridge not smooth. Summary of the Utility Model

[0004] A processing cartridge of the utility model can effectively solve the problem that the guiding parts of the processing cartridge interfere with the guide rails during the process of establishing a communication connection between the imaging device and the chip, resulting in wear or even breakage.

[0005] According to one aspect of the utility model, a processing cartridge is provided, which is detachably installed on an imaging device having guide rails along a first direction. One end of the processing cartridge in the first direction is the front end. The processing cartridge has a driving end and a non-driving end in a second direction, and the second direction is orthogonal to the first direction. The processing cartridge includes a photosensitive drum and a photosensitive frame that rotatably supports the photosensitive drum, and the axial direction of the photosensitive drum is parallel to the second direction.

[0006] Guiding parts and positioning and supporting parts are provided at the driving end and the non-driving end, and the guiding parts are closer to the front end than the positioning and supporting parts. The processing cartridge has a first position and a second position on the guide rails.

[0007] When the processing cartridge is in the first position, the guiding portion abuts against the guide rail;

[0008] When the processing cartridge is in the second position, the positioning and supporting portion abuts against the guide rail, and there is a gap between the guiding portion and the guide rail.

[0009] In some embodiments, the guide rail includes a first guide rail, and the first guide rail includes a lower sliding wall. When in the first position, the guiding portion abuts against the lower sliding wall.

[0010] In some embodiments, the guiding portion is a convex column structure protruding from the photosensitive frame along the second direction.

[0011] In some embodiments, the guiding portion is a rib provided on the photosensitive frame. The rib has a first end and a second end. The first end is closer to the front end than the second end, and in the second direction, the first end protrudes more from the photosensitive frame than the second end.

[0012] In some embodiments, the rib includes a first rib and a second rib. The first rib and the second rib extend obliquely along the first direction until they intersect with each other. The intersecting end of the first rib and the second rib is the first end.

[0013] In some embodiments, the first end abuts against the first guide rail.

[0014] In some embodiments, the positioning and supporting portion protrudes from the photosensitive frame along the second direction. The positioning and supporting portion includes a first abutting surface. When in the second position, the first abutting surface abuts against the lower sliding wall in a surface-contact manner.

[0015] In some embodiments, one end of the processing cartridge in the third direction is the bottom end. The third direction is orthogonal to the first direction and the second direction. The first abutting surface is closer to the bottom end than the guiding portion.

[0016] In some embodiments, there is a gap between the guiding portion and the positioning and supporting portion in the first direction.

[0017] In some embodiments, the first guide rail further includes an upper sliding wall oppositely arranged with the lower sliding wall in the third direction. The widths of the guiding portion and the positioning and supporting portion in the third direction are smaller than the distance between the upper sliding wall and the lower sliding wall.

[0018] In some embodiments, a positioning recess is recessed on the lower sliding wall;

[0019] The positioning and supporting part includes a load-bearing column and an anti-rotation rib connected to the load-bearing column. When in the second position, the load-bearing column abuts against the positioning concave part, and the anti-rotation rib abuts against the downward sliding wall.

[0020] In some embodiments, the anti-rotation ribs are respectively arranged on one side of the load-bearing column in the first direction and on the side opposite to the first direction.

[0021] In some embodiments, the guide rail further includes a second guide rail, and the positioning and supporting part abuts against the second guide rail.

[0022] In some embodiments, the processing cartridge includes a developing cover;

[0023] The positioning and supporting part includes a first positioning and supporting part and a second positioning and supporting part. The first positioning and supporting part protrudes from the photosensitive frame, and the second positioning and supporting part is a part of the developing cover.

[0024] In some embodiments, the second guide rail includes a supporting wall, and the second positioning and supporting part includes a second abutting surface. When in the second position, the second abutting surface abuts against the supporting wall in a surface-contact manner.

[0025] In some embodiments, the second guide rail further includes a supporting groove recessed in the supporting wall. When in the second position, at least a part of the first positioning and supporting part is located in the supporting groove and abuts against the supporting groove.

[0026] In some embodiments, in the first direction, there is a spacing between the first positioning and supporting part and the second positioning and supporting part, and the first positioning and supporting part is closer to the front end than the second positioning and supporting part.

[0027] In some embodiments, the processing cartridge further includes a chip and a chip bracket for mounting the chip on the photosensitive frame. In the first direction, the chip bracket is located between the first positioning and supporting part and the second positioning and supporting part.

[0028] In some embodiments, the processing cartridge further includes a chip and a chip bracket for mounting the chip on the photosensitive frame. In the third direction, at least a part of the positioning and supporting part is located below the chip bracket.

[0029] In some embodiments, the chip bracket is telescopically arranged on the photosensitive frame in the third direction.

[0030] In some embodiments, the photosensitive frame is provided with an elastic component, and the elastic component includes:

[0031] A sliding guide post that penetrates the chip bracket, and the chip bracket can move on the sliding guide post;

[0032] An elastic member that is sleeved on the sliding guide post, with one end of the elastic member abutted against the photosensitive frame and the other end abutted against the chip bracket.

[0033] A processing cartridge of the present utility model has the following beneficial effects compared with the prior art:

[0034] By providing a guiding portion and a positioning and supporting portion at the driving end and the non-driving end, the processing cartridge of the present utility model guides the installation by the guiding portion in the initial stage of installation, and then is guided and supported by the positioning and supporting portion during the subsequent installation process. When the installation of the processing cartridge is completed, the positioning and supporting portion continuously supports, so that there is a gap between the guiding portion and the guide rail, thus maintaining a non-contact state. Even if the processing cartridge deflects due to external force or its own weight, it will not cause wear or even breakage of the guiding portion and lose the guiding function. Description of the Drawings

[0035] Figure 1 It is a schematic diagram of the assembly of the processing cartridge and the guide rail in Embodiment 1 of the present utility model;

[0036] Figure 2 It is a schematic diagram of the structure of the processing cartridge in Embodiment 1 of the present utility model;

[0037] Figure 3 It is a side view of the guide rail in Embodiment 1 of the present utility model;

[0038] Figure 4 It is a schematic diagram of the structure of the drum unit in Embodiment 1 of the present utility model;

[0039] Figure 5 It is a schematic diagram of the structure of the developing unit in Embodiment 1 of the present utility model;

[0040] Figure 6 It is a schematic diagram of the structure of the non-driving end in Embodiment 1 of the present utility model;

[0041] Figure 7 It is a schematic diagram of the processing cartridge in the first position in Embodiment 1 of the present utility model;

[0042] Figure 8 It is a schematic diagram of the processing cartridge in the second position in Embodiment 1 of the present utility model;

[0043] Figure 9 It is a schematic diagram of the structure of the non-driving end in Embodiment 2 of the present utility model;

[0044] Figure 10 It is a top view of the processing cartridge in Embodiment 2 of the present utility model;

[0045] Figure 11 is Figure 10 an enlarged view of part A in

[0046] Figure 12 a schematic diagram of the processing cartridge in the first position in the second embodiment of the present invention;

[0047] Figure 13 a schematic diagram of the processing cartridge in the second position in the second embodiment of the present invention;

[0048] Figure 14 a schematic diagram of the non-driving end in the third embodiment of the present invention;

[0049] Figure 15 a schematic diagram of the non-driving end after hiding the chip end cap in the third embodiment of the present invention;

[0050] Figure 16 a schematic diagram of the processing cartridge in the second position in the third embodiment of the present invention;

[0051] Figure 17 a perspective view of the assembly of the processing cartridge and the guide rail in the fourth embodiment of the present invention;

[0052] Figure 18 a schematic diagram of the structure of the processing cartridge in the fourth embodiment of the present invention;

[0053] Figure 19 a side view of the guide rail in the fourth embodiment of the present invention;

[0054] Figure 20 a schematic diagram of the structure of the developing unit in the fourth embodiment of the present invention;

[0055] Figure 21 a schematic diagram of the non-driving end in the fourth embodiment of the present invention;

[0056] Figure 22 a side view of the assembly of the processing cartridge and the guide rail in the fourth embodiment of the present invention. Specific embodiments

[0057] The present invention will be further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are some, but not all, of the embodiments of the present invention. All other embodiments obtained by those of ordinary skill in the art based on the embodiments of the present invention without creative efforts shall fall within the protection scope of the present invention.

[0058] It should be noted that the terms "first", "second", etc. are only used for descriptive purposes and cannot be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the quantity of the indicated technical features. Thus, features defined with "first" and "second" may explicitly or implicitly include at least one of such features. In the description of the present utility model, the meaning of "a plurality" is at least two, such as two, three, etc., unless otherwise specifically defined.

[0059] In the present utility model, unless otherwise clearly specified and defined, terms such as "mounted", "connected", "fixed", etc. shall be understood in a broad sense. For example, it may be a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or integrated; it may be a mechanical connection, an electrical connection, or communicable with each other; it may be directly connected, or indirectly connected through an intermediate medium, and may be the communication inside two elements or the interaction relationship between two elements, unless otherwise clearly defined. For those of ordinary skill in the art, the specific meanings of the above terms in the present utility model can be understood according to specific circumstances.

[0060] In the present utility model, unless otherwise clearly specified and defined, the first feature being "on" or "under" the second feature may be that the first and second features are in direct contact, or the first and second features are in indirect contact through an intermediate medium. Moreover, the first feature being "above", "over" and "on top of" the second feature may be that the first feature is directly above or obliquely above the second feature, or merely indicates that the first feature has a higher horizontal height than the second feature. The first feature being "under", "beneath" and "underneath" the second feature may be that the first feature is directly below or obliquely below the second feature, or merely indicates that the first feature has a lower horizontal height than the second feature.

[0061] In the above description, the description referring to terms such as "an embodiment", "some embodiments", "example", "specific example", or "some examples", etc. means that the specific features, structures, materials, or characteristics described in connection with the embodiment or example are included in at least one embodiment or example of the present utility model. In this specification, the schematic representations of the above terms do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment or example. Moreover, the specific features, structures, materials, or characteristics described may be combined in a suitable manner in any one or more embodiments or examples. In addition, without contradiction, those skilled in the art can combine and combine the different embodiments or examples described in this specification and the features of different embodiments or examples.

[0062] Embodiment 1

[0063] Figure 1 、 Figure 2Schematically shows a processing cartridge according to an embodiment of the present utility model. For convenience of description, the width direction of the processing cartridge 100 is defined as the Y-axis direction, i.e., the first direction; the length direction of the processing cartridge 100 is defined as the X-axis direction, i.e., the second direction; the height direction of the processing cartridge 100 is defined as the Z-axis direction, i.e., the third direction, and the X-axis, Y-axis, and Z-axis are mutually orthogonal. Among them, the installation direction of the processing cartridge 100 from the outside to the imaging device is defined as the -Y direction, and the disassembly direction is defined as +Y. One end in the -Y axis direction is also the front end of the processing cartridge 100. The processing cartridge 100 has a driving end 101 and a non-driving end 102 in the X-axis direction. The driving end 101 is located on the +X axis side of the processing cartridge 100, and the non-driving end 102 is located on the side opposite to the driving end 101 in the X-axis direction, i.e., the -X axis side.

[0064] Among them, as Figure 3 shown, the imaging device has a guide rail 103, and the guide rail 103 includes a first guide rail 1031. The first guide rail 1031 is a groove-type guiding slide rail structure, which can abut against the processing cartridge 100 to make the processing cartridge move along the Y-axis direction. The part where the first guide rail 1031 abuts against the processing cartridge 100 has an upper sliding wall 1031a and a lower sliding wall 1031b. The upper sliding wall 1031a and the lower sliding wall 1031b are parallel to the Y-axis and are oppositely arranged in the Z-axis direction. The upper sliding wall 1031a is located on the +Z axis side of the first guide rail 1031.

[0065] As Figure 2 、 Figure 4 、 Figure 6 shown, the processing cartridge 100 adopts an integrated design. The processing cartridge 100 includes a drum unit 1 and a developing unit 2. Among them, the drum unit 1 includes a photosensitive frame 11, a photosensitive drum 12, and a charging roller 13. The photosensitive frame 11 encloses a waste powder bin 11a for collecting the residual developer that has not been transferred on the photosensitive drum 12. The photosensitive drum 12 is rotatably supported at both ends in the length direction of the photosensitive frame 11, and the waste powder bin 11a is located on one side of the photosensitive drum 12. The charging roller 13 is used to charge the surface of the photosensitive drum 12 with uniform charges, so that the photosensitive drum 12 can adsorb toner. In the Z-axis direction, the charging roller 13 is located on the upper side (+Z axis side) of the photosensitive drum 12, and the charging roller 13 contacts the outer peripheral surface of the photosensitive drum 12. The photosensitive drum 12 is coaxially provided with a driving unit 14 exposed outside the end face of the driving end 101 of the photosensitive frame 11, which is used to receive the driving force of the imaging device to make the photosensitive drum 12 rotate. A chip bracket 15 is also installed on the -X axis side of the photosensitive frame 11. In the Z-axis direction, the chip bracket 15 is closer to the +Z axis side (upper side) of the photosensitive frame 11. The chip bracket 15 is used to install a chip 151. When the processing cartridge is installed in place and printing work is carried out, the electrical contact of the imaging device will contact the chip 151 to establish a communication connection for work.

[0066] As Figure 5As shown in the figure, the developing unit 2 includes a developing frame 21, a developing roller 23, a toner blade 24, and a stirring frame (not shown) installed in the toner cartridge. The developing frame 21 is generally in the shape of a long box, enclosing a toner cartridge 21a for storing toner. A toner adding port can be provided in the developing frame 21 in the length direction, and toner is replenished into the toner cartridge 21a through the toner adding port. The toner adding port can be opened on one of the end faces of the developing frame 21. The stirring frame (not shown) and the developing roller 12 are rotatably supported on the developing cover 22, and the stirring frame and the developing roller 23 can rotate under the action of the driving unit 14. The toner in the toner cartridge 21a is stirred by the stirring frame to prevent the toner in the toner cartridge 21a from caking, and at the same time, the toner can be conveyed towards the developing roller 23 and adsorbed by the charged developing roller 23.

[0067] As Figure 6 shown, in this embodiment, guiding portions 16a and positioning and supporting portions 17a are provided at both the driving end 101 and the non-driving end 102. Specifically, the guiding portions 16a and the positioning and supporting portions 17a are provided on the photosensitive frame 11 to guide and support the processing cartridge 100 during the installation process of the processing cartridge 100 onto the first guide rail 1031.

[0068] Taking the non-driving end 102 as an example, the guiding portion 16a is a convex column structure. The guiding portion 16a protrudes from the photosensitive frame 11 along the -X axis direction. Specifically, the guiding portion 16a is provided on both end faces of the photosensitive frame 11 in the length direction, and is integrally formed with the photosensitive frame 11 and can protrude from the end face of the processing cartridge 100. Preferably, the guiding portion 16a is configured as a cylindrical structure. Of course, it is not limited to other shapes, such as a rhombus, a triangle, etc., to change the abutting manner of the guiding portion 16a, as long as it can have a smooth guiding effect. Secondly, in the Y-axis direction, the guiding portion 16a is located on the -Y axis side (i.e., near the front end of the processing cartridge 100) of the end face of the photosensitive frame 11. In the Z-axis direction, the guiding portion 16a is closer to the +Z axis side (upper side) of the photosensitive frame 11. When the processing cartridge 100 is installed, the portion of the guiding portion 16a near the -Z axis side abuts against the lower sliding wall 1031b of the first guide rail 1031. Due to the positional relationship of the guiding portion 16a with respect to the processing cartridge 100, the guiding portion 16a can serve as a guiding component for the processing cartridge 100. It should be noted that during the guiding process, the +Z axis side (upper side) of the guiding portion 16a never contacts the upper sliding wall 1031a of the first guide rail 1031 to avoid unnecessary wear and blockage. It can be known that the width of the guiding portion 16a in the Z-axis direction is less than the distance between the upper sliding wall 1031a and the lower sliding wall 1031b.

[0069] During the installation process of the processing cartridge 100 into the imaging device, it passes through two positions, namely the first position and the second position on the first guide rail 1031, as Figure 7As shown, the first position is the position where the guiding portion 16a initially contacts the first guide rail 1031 when the processing cartridge 100 is installed. The first position is in the lower-sliding wall portion 1031b, closer to the +Y-axis side of the first guide rail 1031. When the guiding portion 16a is in the first position, the processing cartridge 100 is ready to slide along the -Y-axis direction; as Figure 8 shown, the second position is inside the first guide rail 1031. The guiding portion 16a is closer to the inner wall of the -Y-axis side of the first guide rail 1031, but the -Y-axis side of the guiding portion 16a never contacts the first guide rail 1031. The second position is the position where the processing cartridge 100 is installed in place. When the guiding portion 16a is in the second position, the guiding portion 16a does not contact the first guide rail 1031, that is, the guiding portion 16a is located between the upper-sliding wall 1031a and the lower-sliding wall 1031b, in a suspended state, without interfering with the first guide rail 1031. Therefore, when the processing cartridge 100 is in the second position, there is a gap between the guiding portion 16a and the first guide rail 1031, that is, in the Z-axis direction, the guiding portion 16a has a gap with both the upper-sliding wall 1031a and the lower-sliding wall 1031b. It can be seen that after the processing cartridge 100 is installed in place, the guiding portion 16a no longer contacts the first guide rail 1031, so that the guiding portion 16a is protected, and when the processing cartridge 100 is deflected by an external force, it is avoided that the guiding portion 16a interferes with the first guide rail 1031 and wears or even breaks.

[0070] The positioning and supporting portion 17a is a structure protruding along the -X axis direction on the photosensitive frame 11. Specifically, the positioning and supporting portion 17a protrudes from the end of the photosensitive frame 11 in the length direction. In this embodiment, the positioning and supporting portion 17a is configured as a slider structure for supporting, and its outer shape is a cuboid, and fillet structures are provided at the edge positions to facilitate sliding and supporting the processing cartridge 100 and avoid abrasion with the first guide rail 1031. Among them, the positioning and supporting portion 17a has a first abutting surface 171. The first abutting surface 171 is located on the -Z axis side of the positioning and supporting portion 17a and is a sliding plane structure. The first abutting surface 171 can abut against the lower sliding wall 1031b. Therefore, the positioning and supporting portion 17a abuts against the lower sliding wall 1031b of the first guide rail 1031 in a surface contact manner, so that the positioning and supporting portion 17a increases the area of abutting against the lower sliding wall 1031b, and the support is more stable. And the width of the positioning and supporting portion 17a in the Z axis direction is less than the distance between the upper sliding wall 1031a and the lower sliding wall 1031b. Due to the influence of gravity, when in use, the positioning and supporting portion 17a moves along the -Y axis direction and gradually abuts against the lower sliding wall 1031b. During this process, the +Z axis side of the positioning and supporting portion 17a never contacts the upper sliding wall 1031a, that is, there is always a gap between the positioning and supporting portion 17a and the upper sliding wall 1031a. In addition, since the acting part of the positioning and supporting portion 17a and the first guide rail 1031 is at the first abutting surface 171, the shape of the +Z axis side part of the positioning and supporting portion 17a is not limited and can be other shapes for strengthening the supporting strength.

[0071] Further, in the Y axis direction, the positioning and supporting portion 17a is located at approximately the middle position of the processing cartridge 100. The positioning and supporting portion 17a is located on the +Y axis direction side of the guiding portion 16a, and there is a gap between the positioning and supporting portion 17a and the guiding portion 16a in the Y axis direction. The projection parts of the positioning and supporting portion 17a and the guiding portion 16a in the Y axis direction overlap. In the Z axis direction, there is a distance between the -Z axis side of the guiding portion 16a and the first abutting surface 171. Specifically, the guiding portion 16a is located on the upper side (+Z axis side) of the first abutting surface 171, that is, in the Z axis direction, the first abutting surface 171 is closer to the -Z axis side (bottom end) of the processing cartridge 100 than the guiding portion 16a. Due to the positional relationship between the positioning and supporting portion 17a and the guiding portion 16a, when the processing cartridge 100 is in the first position, the guiding portion 16a abuts against the lower sliding wall 1031b prior to the positioning and supporting portion 17a, and then the positioning and supporting portion 17a abuts against the lower sliding wall 1031b. When the processing cartridge 100 is in the second position, the positioning and supporting portion 17a continuously abuts against the lower sliding wall 1031b, and the guiding portion 16a does not contact the first guide rail 1031 and is between the upper sliding wall 1031a and the lower sliding wall 1031b.

[0072] Further, in the Z-axis direction, the positioning and supporting portion 17a is located on the lower side (-Z-axis side) of the chip holder 15 and is disposed adjacent to the chip holder 15. During the electrical connection between the electrical contacts of the imaging device and the contacts of the chip 151, the imaging device applies a pressure along the -Z-axis direction to the chip holder 15. Since the positioning and supporting portion 17a is disposed adjacent to the chip holder 15 and contacts the first guide rail 1031 in the form of a surface, it can stably receive the downward pressure force, stably hold the processing cartridge in the first guide rail 1031 of the imaging device, and is not prone to deflection, reducing the probability of wear and fracture of the guiding portion 16a.

[0073] During the installation process of the processing cartridge 100, it is first in the first position of the first guide rail 1031, and the guiding portion 16a abuts against the downward-sliding wall 1031b. The user is guided by the guiding portion 16a to install the processing cartridge 100 onto the first guide rail 1031 of the imaging device. During the process of the processing cartridge 100 approaching the second position, the positioning and supporting portion 17a gradually abuts against the downward-sliding wall 1031b and supports the processing cartridge 100 to slide to the second position. When the processing cartridge 100 is in the second position, at this time, the processing cartridge 100 has been installed in place, the positioning and supporting portion 17a continuously abuts against the downward-sliding wall 1031b, the guiding portion 16a does not abut against the downward-sliding wall 1031b, there is a distance between the guiding portion 16a and the downward-sliding wall 1031b, and the guiding portion 16a does not contact other parts of the first guide rail 1031. During the actual use process, when the positioning and supporting portion 17a abuts against the downward-sliding wall 1031b, the guiding portion 16a gradually disengages from the downward-sliding wall 1031b, and the processing cartridge 100 is slidably supported by the positioning and supporting portion 17a. Therefore, the guiding portion 16a only acts in the initial stage during the installation process, and mainly slides and continuously supports through the positioning and supporting portion 17a in the subsequent stage, so that the guiding portion 16a can be protected.

[0074] In this embodiment, the guiding portion 16a with a diameter smaller than the width of the first guide rail 1031 is provided on the end face of the photosensitive frame 11 to guide the installation. During the installation process, when in the first position, it contacts the first guide rail 1031, and after the installation is completed, it does not contact the first guide rail 1031, preventing interference with the first guide rail 1031. When the weight of the powder cartridge 21a of the processing cartridge 100 changes, the processing cartridge 100 has a tendency to deflect clockwise; or when subjected to an external force, a torque that causes the processing cartridge 100 to deflect clockwise will be generated, resulting in wear and even fracture of the guiding portion 16a and loss of the guiding function, making the installation not smooth. Moreover, the positioning and supporting portion 17a in the shape of a rectangular block is provided to contact the first guide rail 1031 in the form of a surface, so that the processing cartridge 100 can be stably held on the first guide rail 1031 of the machine.

[0075] Embodiment 2

[0076] As Figures 9 - 13As shown, the structure of this embodiment is mostly the same as that of the first embodiment. The difference lies in that the shape of the guiding portion 16b is different, but it can also guide the user to perform the installation operation of the processing cartridge 100. When the processing cartridge 100 is in the second position, it also abuts against the first guide rail 1031 through the positioning and supporting portion 17a, so that the guiding portion 16b does not contact the first guide rail 1031.

[0077] As Figure 9 shown, the guiding portion 16b is configured as a rib structure on the end face in the length direction of the photosensitive frame 11. Taking the angle of the non-driving end 102 as an example, the guiding portion 16b is specifically a rib structure on the -X axis side of the photosensitive frame 11. Specifically, the guiding portion 16b is closer to the front end (-Y axis side) of the processing cartridge 100 than the positioning and supporting portion 17a. The guiding portion 16b includes a first rib 161 and a second rib 162.

[0078] As Figures 10 - 13 shown, both the first rib 161 and the second rib 162 protrude from the photosensitive frame 11 along the -X axis direction. One end where the first rib 161 intersects with the second rib 162 is the first end of the guiding portion 16b, and the other end is the second end of the guiding portion 16b. In the X axis direction, the first end protrudes more from the photosensitive frame 11 than the second end; and in the Y axis direction, the first end is closer to the -Y axis side (closer to the front end of the processing cartridge 100) than the second end. When the processing cartridge 100 is in the first position, the first end of the guiding portion 16b abuts against the downward sliding wall 1031b of the first guide rail 1031 to guide the user to install the machine; in the Z axis direction, the positioning and supporting portion 17a is closer to the -Z axis side than the guiding portion 16b. Therefore, when the processing cartridge 100 is in the second position, when the positioning and supporting portion 17a abuts against the first guide rail 1031, that is, when the first abutting surface 171 abuts against the downward sliding wall 11b, there is a gap between the guiding portion 16b and the first abutting surface 171 in the Z axis direction, and the first end of the guiding portion 16b is separated from the downward sliding wall 1031b, and the guiding portion 16b does not contact the guide rail to protect the first rib 161 and the second rib 162.

[0079] Embodiment Three

[0080] As Figures 14 - 16 shown, the structure of this embodiment is mostly the same as that of the first embodiment. The differences lie in that the structure of the mounting chip bracket 15 is different, and the structure of the positioning and supporting portion 17b is different.

[0081] Similarly to the first embodiment, the chip bracket 15 of this embodiment is arranged at the non-driving end 102. As Figure 14 and Figure 15As shown, an elastic component is provided on the photosensitive frame 11 at the non-driving end 102 for mounting the chip holder 15. The elastic component includes sliding guide posts 181 and elastic members 182. In this embodiment, there are three sets of sliding guide posts 181 cooperating with the elastic members 182, and more or fewer sets can also be provided. The sliding guide posts 181 extend along the +Z axis direction so that the elastic members 182 are sleeved on the sliding guide posts 181. In the Z-axis direction, the elastic component is arranged adjacent to the positioning and supporting portion 17b. Among them, the elastic member 182 is a spring, one end of which abuts against the frame of the processing cartridge, and the other end abuts against the bottom of the chip holder 15. That is, when the chip holder 15 is mounted on the elastic component, it is supported by the elastic force of the elastic member 182, and a hole is provided at the end (+Z-axis side) of the sliding guide post 181 for connecting a fixing member 183 (preferably a bolt) so that the chip holder 15 is limited on the sliding guide post 181. It can be seen that the chip holder 15 can slide and expand along the Z-axis direction on the sliding guide post 181 by abutting against the elastic member 182. After the processing cartridge 100 is installed in place, the electrical contact of the imaging device is electrically connected to the contact of the chip 151, which will generate a force acting in the -Z axis direction on the chip holder 15. The chip holder 15 can buffer on the sliding guide post 181 through the elastic member 182 to offset the torque that causes the processing cartridge 100 to deflect generated by this force.

[0082] As Figure 16 shown, a positioning recess 104 is further provided on the first guide rail 1031 for marking the second position of the processing cartridge 100, that is, indicating the position of the first guide rail 1031 where the positioning and supporting portion 17b is located when the processing cartridge 100 is installed in place. The positioning recess 104 is an arc groove structure provided on the lower sliding wall 1031b. In this embodiment, the positioning and supporting portion 17b includes a load-bearing column 172 and an anti-rotation rib 173. The load-bearing column 172 is a cylindrical structure, and the anti-rotation rib 173 is a rib structure extending along the Y-axis direction and is located on both sides (-Y-axis side and +Y-axis side) of the load-bearing column 172 and is integrally formed with the load-bearing column 172. The installation process is the same as that in the first embodiment. When the processing cartridge 100 is in the first position on the first guide rail 1031, the guiding portion 16a abuts against the lower sliding wall 1031b to guide the initial installation stage of the processing cartridge 100, and then the positioning and supporting portion 17b gradually abuts against the lower sliding wall 1031b, and finally abuts against the second position to complete the installation process. The difference is that the contact process of the positioning and supporting portion 17b in this embodiment is different. When the processing cartridge 100 approaches the second position, the load-bearing column 172 first abuts against the lower sliding wall 1031b. After the processing cartridge 100 is installed in place, the -Z-axis side of the load-bearing column 172 abuts against the positioning recess 104, and at this time, the anti-rotation rib 173 abuts against the lower sliding wall 1031b and is limited on both sides of the load-bearing column 172 in the Y-axis direction, so that the load-bearing column 172 cannot deflect.

[0083] In this embodiment, by providing the anti-rotation rib 173 and the load-bearing column 172, when the load-bearing column 172 is held on the positioning recess 104 of the positioning guide rail, that is, after the installation in place, the processing cartridge 100 is not likely to deflect during the operation of the machine. At the same time, an elastic component is provided on the photosensitive frame 11, so that the chip holder 15 can move up and down relative to the cartridge body of the processing cartridge 100, canceling out the downward pressure brought to the processing cartridge 100 by the downward pressing of the electrical contact of the imaging device to contact the processing cartridge chip 151 to establish a communication connection and perform printing work. The processing cartridge 100 can be stably defined in the positioning recess 104, not likely to deflect, and no torque that causes the processing cartridge 100 to deflect is generated, ensuring the printing quality.

[0084] Embodiment 4

[0085] As Figures 17 - 22 shown, the structure of this embodiment is mostly the same as that of Embodiment 2, except that the structure of the positioning support part is different.

[0086] As Figure 19 shown, in this embodiment, the guide rail 103 further includes a second guide rail 1032, and the second guide rail 1032 is closer to the -Z axis side than the first guide rail 1031. The structure of the first guide rail 1031 is the same as that of Embodiment 1, and the second guide rail 1032 includes a support wall 1032a and a support groove 1032b.

[0087] As Figures 17 - 22 shown, in this embodiment, the positioning support part includes a first positioning support part 17c provided on the photosensitive frame 11 and a second positioning support part 25 provided on the developing frame 21, so as to support the processing cartridge 100 after the installation is completed and prevent the processing cartridge 100 from swinging.

[0088] As Figure 21 、 Figure 22As shown, the first positioning and supporting portion 17c is a structure protruding along the -X axis direction on the photosensitive frame 11. Specifically, the first positioning and supporting portion 17c protrudes from the end of the photosensitive frame 11 in the length direction. In this embodiment, the first positioning and supporting portion 17c is configured as a cylindrical protrusion for supporting. Among them, the first positioning and supporting portion 17c has a second abutting surface 174. The second abutting surface 174 is a part of the outer circumferential surface of the first positioning and supporting portion 17c. The second abutting surface 174 is located on the -Z axis side of the first positioning and supporting portion 17c (that is, the second abutting surface 174 is located in the lower half of the outer circumferential surface of the first positioning and supporting portion 17c). The second abutting surface 174 can abut against the second guide rail 1032. Specifically, the second abutting surface 174 is configured to abut against the supporting groove 1032b of the second guide rail 1032. The supporting groove 1032b is formed as a V-shaped groove structure recessed in the -Z axis direction relative to the supporting wall 1032a. The opening of the V-shaped groove is configured as a limiting portion. When the first positioning and supporting portion 17c moves to the supporting groove 1032b, the limiting portion engages with the second abutting surface 17b of the first positioning and supporting portion 17c, which is used to limit the movement of the first positioning and supporting portion 17c and apply a supporting force to the first positioning and supporting portion 17c. In this embodiment, the second guide rail 1032 is integrally V-shaped with the opening facing the +Y axis direction, and its width gradually decreases in the -Y axis direction. At the position where the first positioning and supporting portion 17c engages with the supporting groove 1032b, the diameter of the first positioning and supporting portion 17c is smaller than the width of the second guide rail 1032. Therefore, the first positioning and supporting portion 17c only contacts the supporting groove 1032b and is not clamped by the second guide rail 1032. In order to prevent the first positioning and supporting portion 17c from sliding in the supporting groove 1032b under the action of external force or the self-weight of the processing cartridge 100, which may cause the processing cartridge 100 to swing and affect the development work, the processing cartridge 100 is also provided with a second positioning and supporting portion 25. The second positioning and supporting portion 25 and the first positioning and supporting portion 17c together abut against the second guide rail 1032 to support the processing cartridge 100 and ensure the balance and stability of the processing cartridge 100.

[0089] Specifically, as Figures 20 - 22As shown, the second positioning and supporting portion 25 is disposed on the developing unit 2, specifically constructed on the developing cover 22. In this embodiment, the second positioning and supporting portion 25 is a part of the developing cover 22, which is located on one side of the developing cover 22 along the +Y axis direction. The second positioning and supporting portion 25 includes a supporting surface 25a. The supporting surface 25a is the end surface of the second positioning and supporting portion 25 facing the -Z axis direction, that is, also a part of the end surface of the developing cover 22 facing the -Z axis direction. When the processing cartridge 100 is installed along the guide rail 103, the supporting surface 25a abuts against the supporting wall 1032a of the second guide rail 1032. Since the supporting wall 1032a of the second guide rail 1032 is a plane, preferably, the supporting surface 25a of the second positioning and supporting portion 25 is also set as a plane. Therefore, the second positioning and supporting portion 25 abuts against the supporting wall 1032a of the second guide rail 1032 in a surface-to-surface contact manner, so that the contact area is relatively large, and at the same time, the plane contact manner is more stable than the arc surface and other manners. In some other embodiments, the developing cover 22 can be integrally constructed as the second positioning and supporting portion 25, that is, the end surface of the developing cover 22 facing the -Z axis direction is the whole supporting surface 25a, which can be specifically set according to actual needs and is not limited herein. Using the developing cover 22 as the second positioning and supporting portion 25 has stronger anti-wear ability, is not easy to wear and break, and increases the service life of the processing cartridge.

[0090] Further, as Figure 21 shown, in the Y-axis direction, the first positioning and supporting portion 17c is located at the front end (-Y axis direction) of the processing cartridge, and the second positioning and supporting portion 25 is located at the rear end (+Y axis direction) of the processing cartridge. The chip holder 15 is located between the first positioning and supporting portion 17c and the second positioning and supporting portion 25. During the process of electrical connection between the electrical contacts of the imaging device and the contacts of the chip 151, the imaging device will apply a pressure along the -Z axis direction to the chip holder 15. Since the first positioning and supporting portion 17c and the second positioning and supporting portion 25 are respectively located on both sides of the chip holder 15 in the Y-axis direction, the two can stably and evenly receive the downward acting force, so that the processing cartridge 100 will not tilt or swing forward or backward; and in this embodiment, the second positioning and supporting portion 25 is set closer to the rear end of the processing cartridge 100, which can effectively offset the self-gravity of the powder bin 21a of the developing unit 2, prevent the processing cartridge 100 from swinging due to self-gravity, and stably hold the processing cartridge 100 in the guide rail 103 of the imaging device.

[0091] Further, in the Y-axis direction, the guiding portion 16b is closer to the -Y axis direction side than the positioning and supporting portion. Therefore, during the installation process of the processing cartridge, the guiding portion 16b contacts the guide rail 103 earlier than the positioning and supporting portion, and the positioning and supporting portion contacts the guide rail 103 until the installation of the processing cartridge 100 is completed.

[0092] The installation and positioning process of the processing cartridge 100 in this embodiment will be described below:

[0093] As Figures 17 - 22 shown, during the installation process of the processing cartridge 100, it is first in the first position of the guide rail 103. At this time, the guiding portion 16b is located on the +Y-axis side of the guide rail 103 and contacts the downward-sliding wall 1031b of the first guide rail 1031. The user pushes the processing cartridge 100 in the -Y-axis direction under the guidance of the guiding portion 16b. During the pushing process, the guiding portion 16b always contacts the downward-sliding wall 1031b and gradually advances in the -Y-axis direction along the downward-sliding wall 1031b. During this process, the positioning and supporting portion never contacts the second guide rail 1032. When the processing cartridge 100 approaches the second position, the first positioning and supporting portion 17c contacts the supporting groove 1032b of the second guide rail 1032, so that the processing cartridge 100 is limited and no longer advances in the -Y-axis direction. When the processing cartridge is installed in place at the second position, the second positioning and supporting portion 25 contacts the supporting wall 1032a of the second guide rail 1032. At this time, the guiding portion 16b tilts upward (moves in the +Z-axis direction) and does not contact the downward-sliding wall 1031b, and at this time, the guiding portion 16b does not contact other parts of the guide rail 103 either, that is, it is in a suspended state in the guide rail 103. The processing cartridge 100 is stably held in the imaging device by the abutment of the first positioning and supporting portion 17c and the second positioning and supporting portion 25 with the second guide rail 1032. Therefore, the guiding portion 16b only acts on the installation process of the processing cartridge 100 and no longer plays a supporting role after the installation of the processing cartridge 100 is completed, so that the guiding portion 16b is protected and not easily broken.

[0094] In this embodiment, a triangular guiding portion 16b is provided on the end face of the photosensitive frame 11 to guide the installation. After the installation is completed, it does not contact the guide rail 103, preventing interference with the guide rail 103. When the weight of the powder cartridge 21a changes the processing cartridge 100, or when the processing cartridge 100 is affected by an external force, there will be a tendency for the processing cartridge 100 to deflect clockwise, and a moment that causes the processing cartridge 100 to deflect clockwise will be generated, resulting in wear or even breakage of the guiding portion 16b and loss of the guiding function, making the installation not smooth. And in this embodiment, a developing cover 22 is provided as the positioning and supporting portion, which contacts the guide rail 103 in a planar form, so that the processing cartridge 100 can be stably held on the machine guide rail 103. And the developing cover 22 has a relatively large volume, and it is not easy to break when using it to contact and support the guide rail 103 with the processing cartridge, increasing the service life of the processing cartridge.

[0095] The above are only some embodiments of the present invention. For those of ordinary skill in the art, without departing from the creative concept of the present invention, several deformations and improvements can still be made, and these all belong to the protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A processing cartridge is detachably mounted on an imaging device having a guide rail along a first direction. One end of the processing cartridge in the first direction is the front end. The processing cartridge has a driving end and a non-driving end in a second direction, and the second direction is orthogonal to the first direction. The processing cartridge includes a photosensitive drum and a photosensitive frame that rotatably supports the photosensitive drum, and the axial direction of the photosensitive drum is parallel to the second direction. It is characterized in that A guiding portion and a positioning and supporting portion are provided at the driving end and the non-driving end, and the guiding portion is closer to the front end than the positioning and supporting portion. The processing cartridge has a first position and a second position on the guide rail. When the processing cartridge is in the first position, the guiding portion abuts against the guide rail. When the processing cartridge is in the second position, the positioning and supporting portion abuts against the guide rail, and there is a gap between the guiding portion and the guide rail.

2. The processing cartridge according to claim 1, wherein The guide rail includes a first guide rail, and the first guide rail includes a lower sliding wall. When in the first position, the guiding portion abuts against the lower sliding wall.

3. The processing cartridge according to claim 2, characterized in that The guiding portion is a convex column structure protruding from the photosensitive frame in the second direction.

4. The processing cartridge according to claim 2, characterized in that, The guiding portion is a rib provided on the photosensitive frame. The rib has a first end and a second end, and the first end is closer to the front end than the second end. In the second direction, the first end protrudes more from the photosensitive frame than the second end.

5. The processing cartridge according to claim 4, wherein The rib includes a first rib and a second rib, and the first rib and the second rib extend obliquely along the first direction until they intersect each other, and the intersecting end of the first rib and the second rib is the first end.

6. The processing cartridge according to claim 5, characterized in that The first end abuts against the first guide rail.

7. The processing cartridge according to any one of claims 2-6, characterized in that, The positioning and supporting portion protrudes from the photosensitive frame in the second direction. The positioning and supporting portion includes a first abutting surface. When in the second position, the first abutting surface abuts against the lower sliding wall in a surface-contact manner.

8. The processing cartridge according to claim 7, wherein One end of the processing cartridge in a third direction is the bottom end, and the third direction is orthogonal to the first direction and the second direction. The first abutting surface is closer to the bottom end than the guiding portion.

9. The processing cartridge according to claim 8, wherein In the first direction, there is a gap between the guiding portion and the positioning and supporting portion.

10. The processing cartridge according to claim 8, wherein The first guide rail further includes an upper sliding wall oppositely arranged with the lower sliding wall in the third direction. The widths of the guiding portion and the positioning and supporting portion in the third direction are smaller than the distance between the upper sliding wall and the lower sliding wall.

11. The processing cartridge according to any one of claims 2-6, characterized in that, A positioning recess is recessed on the lower sliding wall. The positioning and supporting portion includes a load-bearing column and an anti-rotation rib connected to the load-bearing column. When in the second position, the load-bearing column abuts against the positioning recess, and the anti-rotation rib abuts against the lower sliding wall.

12. The processing cartridge according to claim 11, wherein The anti-rotation ribs are respectively arranged on one side of the load-bearing column in the first direction and the side opposite to the first direction.

13. The processing cartridge according to any one of claims 2-6, characterized in that The guide rail further includes a second guide rail, and the positioning and supporting portion abuts against the second guide rail.

14. The processing cartridge according to claim 13, wherein, The processing cartridge includes a developing cover. The positioning and supporting portion includes a first positioning and supporting portion and a second positioning and supporting portion. The first positioning and supporting portion protrudes from the photosensitive frame, and the second positioning and supporting portion is a part of the developing cover.

15. The processing cartridge according to claim 14, wherein The second guide rail includes a support wall, and the second positioning and supporting portion includes a second abutting surface. At the second position, the second abutting surface abuts against the support wall in a surface-contact manner.

16. The processing cartridge according to claim 15, wherein, The second guide rail further includes a support groove recessed in the support wall. At the second position, at least a part of the first positioning and supporting portion is located in the support groove and abuts against the support groove.

17. The processing cartridge according to claim 16, wherein In a first direction, there is a spacing between the first positioning and supporting portion and the second positioning and supporting portion, and the first positioning and supporting portion is closer to the front end than the second positioning and supporting portion.

18. The processing cartridge according to claim 17, wherein The processing cartridge further includes a chip and a chip bracket for mounting the chip on the photosensitive frame. In the first direction, the chip bracket is located between the first positioning and supporting portion and the second positioning and supporting portion.

19. The processing cartridge according to claim 9 or 12, characterized in that, The processing cartridge further includes a chip and a chip bracket for mounting the chip on the photosensitive frame. In a third direction, at least a part of the positioning and supporting portion is located on the lower side of the chip bracket.

20. The processing cartridge according to claim 19, wherein The chip bracket is telescopically provided on the photosensitive frame in the third direction.

21. The processing cartridge according to claim 20, characterized in that, The photosensitive frame is provided with an elastic component, and the elastic component includes: A sliding guide post that penetrates the chip bracket, and the chip bracket can move on the sliding guide post; An elastic member that is sleeved on the sliding guide post, one end of the elastic member abuts against the photosensitive frame, and the other end thereof abuts against the chip bracket.

Images