Development unit

Abstract

To provide a technique to enable joining with high strength in a limited joint space between structural members of a downsized unit.SOLUTION: In a developing unit, one of a frame body 121 and an end member 128 sandwiching a bearing member 126 that rotatably supports a developing roller in an axial direction of the developing roller has a hole part 121a that is recessed in the axial direction in an opposite surface to the bearing member 126, and the other of the frame body 121 and the end member 128 has a projection 128a that is inserted into the hole part 121a. The projection 128a has a first area 306 that is press-fit to an inner wall surface of the hole part 121a, and a second area 305 that faces the inner wall surface with a gap therebetween. An adhesive is charged into at least the gap through a communication hole 121b extending in a direction intersecting a rotation axis direction so that the gap is communicated with the outside of the frame body 121.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a developing unit provided in an image forming apparatus such as a copying machine or a printer that employs an electrophotographic system. [Background technology]

[0002] Among electrophotographic image forming devices, such as copiers and printers, those employing a process cartridge system are known. A process cartridge generally comprises a drum unit having a photosensitive drum and a development unit that supplies developer to the photosensitive drum, and is detachably mounted on the device body. The drum unit generally comprises a photosensitive drum, a charging roller for charging the photosensitive drum, a cleaning member for scraping developer remaining on the photosensitive drum from the photosensitive drum, and a cleaning container that supports the photosensitive drum, the charging roller, and the cleaning member. Meanwhile, the development unit generally comprises a development container, a developer carrier (developing roller) that carries and transports toner contained in the development container, and a layer thickness regulating member (developing blade) that regulates the toner layer thickness on the development roller.

[0003] As a method for fixing the frame and other components, a joining technique is adopted, as shown in Patent Document 1, in which a flow path is provided at the joint between the frame and other components and an adhesive (e.g., limonene) is injected to join the components. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2005-250310 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] However, with recent technological advances, image forming devices and cartridges have become increasingly smaller, making it difficult to secure sufficient bonding space for bonding using limonene, etc. Furthermore, when using limonene, methods for fixing functional materials such as polyacetal resins, which do not melt with limonene, have also become an issue.

[0006] An object of the present invention is to provide a technique that enables high-strength joining in a limited joining space between components of a miniaturized unit. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] In order to achieve the above object, the developing unit of the present invention comprises: A developing roller; A frame whose longitudinal direction is the rotation axis direction of the developing roller A frame body having a positioning portion and, a support member attached to an end of the frame in the direction of the rotation axis, the support member rotatably supporting the end of the developing roller in the direction of the rotation axis; The frame has a positioned portion that engages with the positioning portion to determine its position relative to the frame body in a direction perpendicular to the rotation axis direction, and an opening that is provided at a position different from the positioned portion. a bearing member; an end member attached to the end of the frame body on the outer side of the bearing member in the rotation axis direction so as to sandwich the bearing member together with the frame body; In a development unit comprising: one of the frame body and the end member has a hole portion recessed in the rotation axis direction on a surface facing the bearing member, The other of the frame body and the end member is through the opening in the bearing member, Inserted into the hole As if a protrusion extending in the direction of the rotation axis, The protrusion has a first region that is press-fitted into the inner wall surface of the hole, and a second region that is press-fitted into the inner wall surface on the tip side of the protrusion from the first region. 1st a second region facing the first region with a gap therebetween; a second gap is provided between the opening of the bearing member and the protrusion in a direction perpendicular to the rotation axis direction, The frame body is 1st a communication hole extending in a direction intersecting the rotation axis direction so that the gap communicates with the outside of the frame body; At least a part of the communication hole and the 1st The gap is filled with adhesive. [Effects of the Invention]

[0008] According to the present invention, high strength joining can be achieved in the limited joining space between the components of a miniaturized unit. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0009] [Figure 1] Enlarged cross-sectional view of the developing unit of the first embodiment [Figure 2] 1 is a cross-sectional view of an image forming apparatus according to a first embodiment of the present invention; [Figure 3] 1 is a cross-sectional view of a process cartridge according to a first embodiment of the present invention; [Figure 4] 1 is a cross-sectional view of an image forming apparatus according to a first embodiment of the present invention; [Figure 5] 1 is a cross-sectional view of an image forming apparatus according to a first embodiment of the present invention; [Figure 6] 1 is a cross-sectional view of an image forming apparatus according to a first embodiment of the present invention; [Figure 7] Enlarged view of the tray [Figure 8] 1 is a perspective view of a storage element pressing unit and a cartridge pressing unit; [Figure 9] 1 is a perspective view of an image forming apparatus according to a first embodiment of the present invention; [Figure 10] 1 is a side view of a process cartridge according to a first embodiment of the present invention; [Figure 11] 1 is a cross-sectional view of an image forming apparatus according to a first embodiment of the present invention; [Figure 12] Perspective view of the developer separation control unit [Figure 13] FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a process cartridge according to a first embodiment of the present invention; [Figure 14] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a process cartridge according to a first embodiment of the present invention; [Figure 15] FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a developing unit according to a first embodiment of the present invention; [Figure 16] FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a developing unit according to a first embodiment of the present invention; [Figure 17] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a developing unit according to a first embodiment of the present invention; [Figure 18]Cross-sectional view of the developing unit of the first embodiment [Figure 19] Enlarged cross-sectional view of the developing unit of the first embodiment [Figure 20] Enlarged cross-sectional view of the developing unit of the first embodiment DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0010] The following examples will exemplarily illustrate embodiments of the present disclosure. However, the configurations disclosed in the following examples, such as the functions, materials, shapes, and relative positions of components, are merely examples of embodiments related to the claims, and are not intended to limit the scope of the claims to the configurations disclosed in these examples. Furthermore, the problems solved by the configurations disclosed in the following examples or the actions or effects obtained from the disclosed configurations are not intended to limit the scope of the claims.

[0011] Example 1 An electrophotographic image forming apparatus according to a first embodiment of the present disclosure will be described below with reference to the drawings. Here, an electrophotographic image forming apparatus (hereinafter referred to as an image forming apparatus) is an apparatus that forms an image on a recording material using an electrophotographic image forming method. Examples of image forming apparatuses include copying machines, facsimile machines, printers (laser beam printers, LED printers, etc.), and multifunction printers that combine these. Examples of recording materials include sheet-like recording media such as recording paper and plastic sheets. The image forming apparatus according to this embodiment is an image forming apparatus that employs a so-called cartridge system. A cartridge is a unit that can be attached to and detached from an image forming apparatus, and contains a photosensitive member and a process means (for example, , charging members, developing members, cleaning members, etc.) In the following examples, a laser beam printer to which four process cartridges (cartridges) can be detachably attached is exemplified as the image forming apparatus. However, the number of process cartridges to be attached to the image forming apparatus is not limited to this and may be set appropriately as needed.

[0012] [Schematic configuration of image forming device] Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional view that schematically shows the configuration of an image forming apparatus M according to this embodiment. Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view that schematically shows the configuration of a process cartridge 100. This image forming apparatus M is a four-color full-color laser printer that uses an electrophotographic process, and forms a color image on a recording medium S. The image forming apparatus M is of a process cartridge type, and forms a color image on a recording medium S by removably mounting the process cartridge 100 to an image forming apparatus main body (apparatus main body) 170.

[0013] Here, with respect to the image forming apparatus M, the side where the front door 11 is provided is referred to as the front (front face), and the side opposite the front is referred to as the back (rear face). Furthermore, when viewing the image forming apparatus M from the front, the right side is referred to as the drive side, and the left side is referred to as the non-drive side. Furthermore, when viewing the image forming apparatus M from the front, the upper side is referred to as the top face, and the lower side is referred to as the bottom face. Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view of the image forming apparatus M viewed from the non-drive side, with the front side of the page being the non-drive side of the image forming apparatus M, the right side of the page being the front of the image forming apparatus M, and the back side of the page being the drive side of the image forming apparatus M.

[0014] The drive side of the process cartridge 100 is the side on which a drum coupling member (photosensitive member coupling member) described later is arranged with respect to the axial direction of the photosensitive drum (the axial direction of the rotation axis of the photosensitive drum). The drive side of the process cartridge 100 is the side on which a developer coupling portion 132a (FIG. 10) described later is arranged with respect to the axial direction of the developing roller (developing member) (the axial direction of the rotation axis of the developing roller). The axial direction of the photosensitive drum and the axial direction of the developing roller are parallel, and the longitudinal direction of the process cartridge 100 is also parallel to these directions.

[0015] Four process cartridges 100 (100Y, 100M, 100C, and 100K) are arranged in a substantially horizontal direction in the apparatus main body 170 (hereinafter referred to as the apparatus main body 170). That is, the four process cartridges are a first process cartridge 100Y, a second process cartridge 100M, a third process cartridge 100C, and a fourth process cartridge 100K.

[0016] The first to fourth process cartridges 100 (100Y, 100M, 100C, 100K) each have the same electrophotographic process mechanism, but each has a different color developer (hereinafter referred to as toner). A rotational driving force is transmitted to the first to fourth process cartridges 100 (100Y, 100M, 100C, 100K) from a drive output section (details will be described later) of the apparatus main body 170. In addition, a bias voltage (charging bias, developing bias, etc.) is supplied from the apparatus main body 170 to each of the first to fourth process cartridges 100 (100Y, 100M, 100C, 100K).

[0017] As shown in FIG. 3, each of the first to fourth process cartridges 100 (100Y, 100M, 100C, 100K) of this embodiment has a drum unit 108 equipped with a photosensitive drum 104 and charging means as process means acting on the photosensitive drum 104. Here, the drum unit 108 may have not only charging means as process means but also cleaning means. Also, each of the first to fourth process cartridges 100 (100Y, 100M, 100C, 100K) has a developing unit 109 equipped with developing means for developing the electrostatic latent image on the photosensitive drum 104. A layout of an electrophotographic image forming apparatus in which a plurality of photosensitive drums 104 are arranged in a substantially straight line in this manner is known as an in-line layout or a tandem layout. It is sometimes called.

[0018] In each of the first to fourth process cartridges 100, the drum unit 108 and the developing unit 109 are coupled to each other. A more specific configuration of the process cartridge 100 will be described later.

[0019] The first process cartridge 100Y contains yellow (Y) toner in the developer container 120 and forms a yellow toner image on the surface of the photosensitive drum 104. The second process cartridge 100M contains magenta (M) toner in the developer container 120 and forms a magenta toner image on the surface of the photosensitive drum 104. The third process cartridge 100C contains cyan (C) toner in the developer container 120 and forms a cyan toner image on the surface of the photosensitive drum 104. The fourth process cartridge 100K contains black (K) toner in the developer container 120 and forms a black toner image on the surface of the photosensitive drum 104.

[0020] As shown in Fig. 2, a laser scanner unit 14 serving as an exposure means is provided above the first to fourth process cartridges 100 (100Y, 100M, 100C, 100K). The laser scanner unit 14 outputs a laser beam U corresponding to image information. The laser beam U passes through an exposure window 110 (see Fig. 3) of the process cartridge 100 and scans and exposes the surface of the photosensitive drum 104.

[0021] An intermediate transfer unit 12 serving as a transfer member is provided below the first to fourth process cartridges 100 (100Y, 100M, 100C, and 100K). The intermediate transfer unit 12 includes a drive roller 12e, a turn roller 12c, and a tension roller 12b, around which a flexible transfer belt 12a is stretched. The lower region of the circumferential surface of the photosensitive drum 104 of each of the first to fourth process cartridges 100 (100Y, 100M, 100C, and 100K) contacts an upwardly facing region of the outer circumferential surface of the annular transfer belt 12a. This contact area is the primary transfer area. A primary transfer roller 12d is provided inside the transfer belt 12a, facing the photosensitive drum 104. A secondary transfer roller 6 is in contact with the turn roller 12c via the transfer belt 12a. The contact area between the transfer belt 12a and the secondary transfer roller 6 is the secondary transfer area.

[0022] A feeding unit 4 is provided below the intermediate transfer unit 12. This feeding unit 4 has a paper feed tray 4a that stores a stack of recording media S, and a paper feed roller 4b. The transport path of the recording media S is configured to extend substantially upward from the feeding unit 4 on the rear side of the device inside the device main body 170.

[0023] A fixing device 7 and a paper discharge device 8 are provided downstream of the secondary transfer unit in the transport path of the recording medium S (upper left inside the device main body 170 in FIG. 2). The top surface of the device main body 170 serves as a paper discharge tray 13. The recording medium S is heated and pressurized by a fixing means provided in the fixing device 7, so that the toner image is fixed thereon, and then the recording medium S is discharged to the paper discharge tray 13.

[0024] [Image formation operation] The operation for forming a full-color image is as follows: The photosensitive drums 104 of the first to fourth process cartridges 100 (100Y, 100M, 100C, 100K) are rotated at a predetermined speed (in the direction of arrow A in Figure 3). The transfer belt 12a is also rotated in the forward direction of the rotation of the photosensitive drums 104 (in the direction of arrow C in Figure 2) at a speed corresponding to the speed of the photosensitive drums 104.

[0025] The laser scanner unit 14 is also driven. In each process cartridge 100, the charging roller 105 uniformly charges the surface of the photosensitive drum 104 to a predetermined polarity and potential. The laser scanner unit 14 scans and exposes the surface of each photosensitive drum 104 with laser light U in accordance with the image signal for each color. As a result, an electrostatic latent image in accordance with the image signal for the corresponding color is formed on the surface of each photosensitive drum 104. The formed electrostatic latent image is developed by the developing roller 106, which is rotationally driven at a predetermined speed. Through this electrophotographic image forming process, a yellow toner image corresponding to the yellow component of the full-color image is formed on the photosensitive drum 104 of the first process cartridge 100Y. Then, the toner image is primarily transferred onto the transfer belt 12a.

[0026] Similarly, a magenta toner image corresponding to the magenta component of the full-color image is formed on the photosensitive drum 104 of the second process cartridge 100M. This toner image is then primarily transferred and superimposed on the yellow toner image already transferred onto the transfer belt 12a. Similarly, a cyan toner image corresponding to the cyan component of the full-color image is formed on the photosensitive drum 104 of the third process cartridge 100C. This toner image is then primarily transferred and superimposed on the yellow and magenta toner images already transferred onto the transfer belt 12a. Similarly, a black toner image corresponding to the black component of the full-color image is formed on the photosensitive drum 104 of the fourth process cartridge 100K. This toner image is then primarily transferred and superimposed on the yellow, magenta, and cyan toner images already transferred onto the transfer belt 12a. In this way, a four-color unfixed toner image of yellow, magenta, cyan, and black is formed on the transfer belt 12a.

[0027] Meanwhile, recording media S are separated and fed one by one at a predetermined control timing. The recording media S are introduced into a secondary transfer section, which is the contact point between secondary transfer roller 6 and transfer belt 12a, at a predetermined control timing. As a result, as the recording media S is transported to the secondary transfer section, the four-color superimposed toner image on transfer belt 12a is sequentially transferred all at once onto the surface of the recording media S. Thereafter, the recording media S is transported to fixing device 7, where the toner image is fixed to the recording media S, and then the recording media S is discharged to discharge tray 13.

[0028] [Process cartridge installation / removal configuration overview] The tray (hereinafter referred to as the tray) 171 that supports the process cartridge will be described in more detail using Figures 2 and 4 to 7. Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view of the image forming apparatus M in which the front door 11 is open and the tray 171 is located inside the apparatus main body 170. Figure 5 is a cross-sectional view of the image forming apparatus M in which the front door 11 is open and the tray 171 is located outside the apparatus main body 170 and the process cartridge 100 is housed inside the tray 171. Figure 6 is a cross-sectional view of the image forming apparatus M in which the front door 11 is open and the tray 171 is located outside the apparatus main body 170 and the process cartridge 100 has been removed from the tray 171. Figure 7(a) is a partial detailed view of the tray 171 in the state of Figure 4, as seen from the drive side. Figure 7(b) is a partial detailed view of the tray 171 in the state of Figure 4, as seen from the non-drive side.

[0029] 4 and 5, the tray 171 is movable relative to the device main body 170 in the direction of arrow X1 (pushing direction) and the direction of arrow X2 (pulling out direction), which are the front-to-rear directions of the device. That is, the tray 171 is provided so as to be able to be pulled out and pushed into the device main body 170, and is configured so as to be able to move in a substantially horizontal direction when the device main body 170 is installed on a horizontal surface. Here, the state in which the tray 171 is located outside the device main body 170 (the state in FIG. 5) is referred to as the outer position. Furthermore, the state in which the tray 171 is located inside the device main body 170 with the front door 11 open and the photosensitive drum 104 and the transfer belt 12a are separated (the state in FIG. 4) is referred to as the inner position.

[0030] 6, the tray 171 has a mounting portion 171a to which the process cartridge 100 can be removably mounted. Each process cartridge 100 mounted in the mounting portion 171a at the outer position of the tray 171 has a driving side cartridge cover member 116 and a non-driving side cartridge cover member 116 as shown in FIG. DriveThe process cartridge 100 is supported on the tray 171 by a movable-side cartridge cover member 117. The process cartridge 100, while placed in the mounting portion 171a, moves into the inside of the apparatus main body 170 as the tray 171 moves. At this time, the process cartridge 100 moves with a gap between the transfer belt 12a and the photosensitive drum 104. Therefore, the tray 171 can move the process cartridge 100 into the inside of the apparatus main body 170 without the photosensitive drum 104 coming into contact with the transfer belt 12a (details will be described later).

[0031] As described above, the tray 171 allows a plurality of process cartridges 100 to be moved together to a position inside the apparatus main body 170 where image formation is possible, and also allows them to be pulled out to the outside of the apparatus main body 170 together.

[0032] [Process cartridge positioning] 7(a) and 7(b), the positioning of the process cartridge 100 in the apparatus main body 170 will be described in more detail. As shown in FIGS. 7(a) and 7(b), the tray 171 has a right tray portion 171R that supports the drive side (right side in the longitudinal direction) of the process cartridge 100, and a left tray portion 171L that supports the non-drive side (left side in the longitudinal direction). The right tray portion 171R and the left tray portion 171L have process Positioning portions 171VR and 171VL are provided for holding the cartridge 100. The positioning portion 171VR has linear portions 171VR1 and 171VR2.

[0033] As shown in Figure 7(a), Drive side The arcuate portions 116VR1 and 116VR2 of the cartridge cover member 116 come into contact with the linear portions 171VR1 and 171VR2, so that the center of the photosensitive drum is determined. Also, as shown in FIG. 7(a), the right tray portion 171R has a rotation determining protrusion 171KR. As shown in FIG. 7(a), the rotation determining protrusion 171KR, Drive sideBy fitting into the rotation determining recess 116KR of the cartridge cover member 116, the orientation of the process cartridge 100 relative to the apparatus main body 170 is determined.

[0034] The positioning portion 171VR and the process cartridge 100 in the longitudinal direction Turn A positioning portion 171VL and a rotation determining protrusion 171KL are disposed at positions (non-drive side) facing each other across the image belt 12a. The positioning portion 171VL has linear portions 171VL1 and 171VL2. As shown in FIG. 7(b), Non-drive side The arcuate portions 117VL1 and 117VL2 of the cartridge cover member 117 come into contact with the linear portions 171VL1 and 171VL2, so that the center of the photosensitive drum is determined. Also, as shown in FIG. 7(b), the left tray portion 171L has a rotation determining protrusion 171KL. As shown in FIG. 7(b), the rotation determining protrusion 171KL, Non-drive side By fitting into the rotation determining recess 117KL of the cartridge cover member 117, the orientation of the process cartridge 100 is determined relative to the main body 170 of the apparatus.

[0035] With the above configuration, the process cartridge 100 can be positioned correctly relative to the tray 171. 5, the process cartridge 100 integrated with the tray 171 is moved in the direction of arrow X1 and inserted to the position shown in FIG. 4. Then, by closing the front door 11 in the direction of arrow R, the process cartridge 100 is pressed by a cartridge pressing mechanism (not shown) to be described later, and is fixed to the apparatus main body 170 together with the tray 171. In addition, in conjunction with the operation of the cartridge pressing mechanism, the transfer belt 12a is pressed against the photosensitive member Photosensitive drum 10 4. This state allows the image to be formed (Figure 2).

[0036] In this embodiment, the positioning portions 171VR and 171VL are made of metal sheet metal because they also serve as reinforcement to maintain the rigidity of the tray 171 during the pull-out operation. However, it is not limited to this.

[0037] [Cartridge pressing mechanism] The cartridge pressing mechanism will be described in detail with reference to Figures 8 and 13. Figure 8(a) is a perspective view showing only the process cartridge 100, tray 171, cartridge pressing mechanisms 190 and 191, and intermediate transfer unit 12 with the front door 11 open as shown in Figure 4. Figure 8(b) is a perspective view showing only the process cartridge 100, tray 171, cartridge pressing mechanisms 190 and 191, and intermediate transfer unit 12 with the front door 11 closed as shown in Figure 2.

[0038] Here, the process cartridge 100 receives a driving force during image formation, and also receives a reaction force in the direction of arrow Z1 from the primary transfer roller 12d (FIG. 2). Therefore, in order to maintain a stable position without the process cartridge floating from the positioning portions 171VR, 171VL (see FIG. 7) during image formation, the process cartridge needs to be pressed in the Z2 direction. To achieve this, in this embodiment, the apparatus main body 170 is provided with cartridge pressing mechanisms (190, 191). The non-drive side of the cartridge pressing mechanisms (190, 191) is handled by the storage element pressing unit 190, and the drive side is handled by the cartridge pressing unit 191. This will be explained in more detail below.

[0039] As shown in FIG. 4, when the front door 11 is closed, the memory element pressing unit 190 and cartridge pressing unit 191 shown in FIG. 8 descend in the direction of arrow Z2. The memory element pressing unit 190 has a main body-side electrical contact (not shown) that mainly contacts the electrical contact of a memory element (not shown) provided in the process cartridge 100. By linking the front door 11 with a link mechanism (not shown), the memory element 140 and the main body-side electrical contact can be brought into contact or out of contact. In other words, when the front door 11 is closed, the contacts come into contact, and when the front door 11 is opened, the contacts are separated. With this configuration, when the process cartridge 100 moves inside the image forming apparatus main body together with the tray 171, the electrical contacts do not rub against each other, and the contacts are retracted from the insertion / removal path of the process cartridge 100, so insertion and removal of the tray 171 are not hindered. The memory element pressing unit 190 also plays a role in pressing the process cartridge 100 against the aforementioned positioning portion 171VR. Similarly to the memory element pressing unit 190, the cartridge pressing unit 191 also descends in the direction of arrow Z2 in conjunction with the closing of the front door 11, and plays a role in pressing the process cartridge 100 against the positioning portion 171VL described above. Furthermore, although details will be described later, the cartridge pressing mechanisms (190, 191) also simultaneously play a role in pressing down moving members 152L, 152R (moving member 152L not shown) of the process cartridge 100 described later.

[0040] [Drive transmission mechanism] The drive transmission mechanism of the main body in this embodiment will be described using Figures 9 and 10. Figure 9(a) is a perspective view in the state shown in Figure 4 or 5, with the process cartridge 100 and tray 171 not shown. Figure 9(b) is a perspective view in the state shown in Figure 2, with the process cartridge 100, front door 11, and tray 171 not shown. Figure 10 is a side view of the process cartridge 100, as seen from the drive side, showing a state in which a moving member 152R of the process cartridge 100 is pressed down by a cartridge pressing mechanism (not shown) and engages with a separation control member 196R (described later) so as to overlap with it.

[0041] As shown in Figure 10, the process cartridge in this embodiment has a development coupling portion (rotational drive force receiving portion) 132a and a drum coupling member (photosensitive member coupling member) 143. When the front door 11 is closed (the state shown in Figure 9(b)), the main body side drum drive coupling 180 and the main body side development drive coupling 185, which transmit drive force to the process cartridge 100, are configured to protrude in the direction of arrow Y1 by a link mechanism (not shown). Furthermore, when the front door 11 is opened (as shown in FIG. 9(a)), the drum drive coupling 180 and the development drive coupling 185 are retracted in the direction of the arrow Y2. By retracting each coupling from the insertion and removal trajectory of the process cartridge (X1 direction, X2 direction), the above-mentioned insertion and removal of the tray 171 is not hindered.

[0042] When the front door 11 is closed and the apparatus main body 170 starts to be driven, the drum drive coupling 180 described above engages with the drum coupling member 143. Furthermore, the main body side developing drive coupling 185 engages with the developing coupling portion 132a, and the driving force is transmitted to the process cartridge 100. The transmission of the driving force to the process cartridge 100 is not limited to two points as described above, and a mechanism may be provided in which the driving force is input only to the drum coupling and transmitted from there to the developing roller.

[0043] [Intermediate transfer unit configuration] 9, the intermediate transfer unit 12 of the image forming apparatus main body in this embodiment will be described. In this embodiment, when the front door 11 is closed, the intermediate transfer unit 12 is raised in the direction of arrow R2 by a link mechanism (not shown) and moves to the position for image formation (photosensitive drum 104). and transfer When the front door 11 is opened, the intermediate transfer unit 12 moves down in the direction of the arrow R1, and the photosensitive drum 12a comes into contact with the intermediate transfer unit 12. 104 and transfer In other words, when the process cartridge 100 is set in the tray 171, the photosensitive drum 104 and transferThe image belt 12a separates and contacts in response to the opening and closing of the front door 11.

[0044] In the contact / separation operation, the intermediate transfer unit 12 moves up and down along a rotational path centered on the center point PV1 shown in FIG. 4. The intermediate transfer belt 12a is driven by a force from a gear (not shown) that is arranged coaxially with PV1. Therefore, by using the position PV1 as the rotation center, the intermediate transfer unit 12 can be raised and lowered without moving the center of the gear. This eliminates the need to move the center of the gear, making it possible to maintain the position of the gear with high precision.

[0045] With the above configuration, the process cartridge 100 is 11 When the tray 11 is inserted or removed, the photosensitive drum 104 and transfer The transfer belt 12a does not slide, preventing the photosensitive drum 104 from being scratched and image deterioration due to charge memory.

[0046] [Developer separation control unit] The separation mechanism of the image forming apparatus main body in this embodiment will be described with reference to Figures 8, 11, and 12. Figure 11 is a cross-sectional view of the image forming apparatus M cut at the drive side end surface of the process cartridge 100. Figure 12 shows the development separation control unit. 195 8 is a perspective view of the developing unit 109 as seen from diagonally above. In this embodiment, the developing unit 109 is engaged with a part of the developing unit 109 to control the separation and contact operation of the developing unit 109 with respect to the photosensitive drum 104. The developing unit 109 is located below the main body 170 of the apparatus as shown in FIG. 8. Specifically, the developing unit 109 is connected to the developing coupling portion 1 The developer separation control unit 195 is disposed vertically below (below in the direction of arrow Z2) the intermediate transfer roller 32a and the drum coupling member 143. unitThe developer spacing control units 195 are disposed on both sides in the longitudinal direction (Y1, Y2 directions) of the photosensitive drum 104. That is, the developer spacing control unit 195 is disposed on the driving side, and the developer spacing control unit 195L is disposed on the non-driving side.

[0047] The developer separation control unit 195R has four separation control members (force applying members) 196R corresponding to the process cartridges 100 (100Y, 100M, 100C, 100K). The four separation control members have approximately the same shape. The fixed plate 195Ra is The developer separation control unit 195L has four separation control members (force application members) 196L corresponding to the process cartridges 100 (100Y, 100M, 100C, 100K). The four separation control members have approximately the same shape. The fixing plate 195La is always fixed to the image forming apparatus main body. The separation control member 196L is configured to be movable in the W41 and W42 directions by a control mechanism not shown. The W41 and W42 directions are substantially parallel to the arrangement direction of the process cartridges 100 attached to the apparatus main body 170. Like the developer separation control unit 195R, the developer separation control unit 195L has four separation control members (force application members) 196L corresponding to the process cartridges 100 (100Y, 100M, 100C, 100K). The four separation control members have approximately the same shape. The fixing plate 195La is always fixed to the image forming apparatus main body. The separation control member 196L is configured to be movable in the W41 and W42 directions by a control mechanism not shown.

[0048] Furthermore, the developing unit separation control unit 195 needs to be engaged with a part of the developing unit 109 in order to control the separation and contact operation of the developing unit 109. separation It is necessary that a part of the control unit 195 and a part of the developing unit 109 overlap in the vertical direction (Z1, Z2 directions) (see FIG. 10). Therefore, after the process cartridge 100 is inserted in the X1 direction, in order to overlap in the vertical direction (Z1, Z2 directions) as described above, a part of the developing unit 109 (moving member 152 in this embodiment) L, 152R) must be projected in the Z2 direction. If the entire developer separation control unit 195 is raised in the same manner as the intermediate transfer unit 12 described above to engage the developer separation control unit 195, problems arise, such as an increase in the operating force of the interlocking front door 11 and a complicated drive train. In this embodiment, the developer separation control unit 195 is fixed to the apparatus main body 170, and a part of the developing unit 109 (moving member 152 L, 152R One of the reasons for adopting a method in which the moving member 152 protrudes downward (Z2) inside the device body 170 is to address this issue. L, 152R The mechanism for protruding the cartridge 190 utilizes the mechanisms of the memory element pressing unit 190 and the cartridge pressing unit 191 as they are, so there are no problems as described above and the cost of the device itself can be kept down.

[0049] The entire developing separation control unit 195 is fixed to the apparatus main body 170. L, 152R A part of the development separation control unit 195 is configured to be movable so as to engage with the developing unit 109 and cause the developing unit 109 to be in a separated state (separated position, retracted position) or in a contact state (contact position) with respect to the photosensitive drum 104.

[0050] As described above, the developing unit separation control unit is configured to control the moving member 152 of the developing unit 109, although a detailed description thereof will be omitted. L, 152R By acting on the developing roller 106 and the photosensitive drum The shaft 104 is configured to abut against and separate from the shaft 104.

[0051] [Overall structure of the process cartridge] The configuration of the process cartridge will be described with reference to Figures 3, 13, and 14. Figure 13 is an exploded perspective view of the process cartridge 100 as seen from the drive side, which is one end side in the axial direction of the photosensitive drum 104. Figure 14 is a perspective view of the process cartridge 100 as seen from the drive side.

[0052] In this embodiment, the first to fourth process cartridges 100 (100Y, 100M, 100C, 100K) may differ in the color of toner contained therein, the amount of toner filled therein, and the control by the apparatus main body 170. However, although these four process cartridges may differ in dimensions, etc., they have the same basic structure and functions. For this reason, the following description will be given using one process cartridge 100 as a representative.

[0053] Each process cartridge 100 includes a photosensitive drum (photoconductor) 104 and a process means acting on the photosensitive drum 104. The process means includes a charging roller 105 as a charging means (charging member) that charges the photosensitive drum 104, and a developing roller 106 as a developing means (developing member) that attaches toner to the photosensitive drum 104 and develops the latent image formed on the photosensitive drum 104. The developing roller 106 has a surface on which the toner is applied. The process cartridge 100 may further include a cleaning blade, brush, or the like that contacts the photosensitive drum 104 as cleaning means (cleaning member) for removing residual toner from the surface of the photosensitive drum 104. The process cartridge 100 may further include a light guide member such as a light guide or lens for irradiating the photosensitive drum 104 with light, or a light source, as charge eliminating means for eliminating charge from the surface of the photosensitive drum 104. The process cartridge 100 is divided into a drum unit (first unit) 108 (108Y, 108M, 108C, 108K) and a developing unit (second unit) 109 (109Y, 109M, 109C, 109K).

[0054] [Drum unit configuration] 3 and 13, the drum unit 108 includes a photosensitive drum 104, a charging roller 105, and a first drum frame 115. The drum unit 108 also includes a driving side cartridge cover member 116 and a non-driving side cartridge cover member 117 as a second drum frame attached and fixed to the first drum frame 115. DriveThe photosensitive drum 104 has a driving side cartridge cover member 116 and a non-driving side cartridge cover member 117 disposed at both ends of the process cartridge 100 in the longitudinal direction. Drive The first drum frame portion 115, the driving side cartridge cover member 116 as the second drum frame portion, and the non-driving side cartridge cover member 117 are supported so as to be rotatable about a rotation axis (rotation center) M1. Drive The driving side cartridge cover member 117 constitutes a drum frame (first frame or photosensitive body frame) that rotatably supports the photosensitive drum 104. Drive The moving cartridge cover member 117 will be described later.

[0055] As shown in FIGS. 13 and 14, a drive force is transmitted to the photosensitive drum 104 at one end of the photosensitive drum 104 in the longitudinal direction. drum A coupling member 143 is provided. As previously explained, drum The coupling member 143 engages with a main body side drum drive coupling 180 (see FIG. 9) which serves as a drum drive output portion of the apparatus main body 170. Then, the driving force of a drive motor (not shown) of the apparatus main body 170 is transmitted to the photosensitive drum 104, causing it to rotate in the direction of arrow A (see FIG. 3). The photosensitive drum 104 also has a drum flange 142 on the other end side in the longitudinal direction. The charging roller 105 is in contact with the photosensitive drum 104 so as to be rotated by the photosensitive drum 104. No. 1 Drum frame Department The rotation axis M1 is parallel to the longitudinal direction of the process cartridge 100 and the longitudinal direction of the drum unit .

[0056] [Developing unit configuration] As shown in FIGS. 3 and 13 , the developing unit 109 is composed of a developing roller 106, a toner transport roller (developer supply member) 107, a developing blade 130, a developing container 120, and the like. The developing container 120, which constitutes the frame of the developing unit, is composed of a developing frame 121 and a lid member 122. The developing frame 121 and the lid member 122 are joined by ultrasonic welding or the like. The developing container 120 has a toner storage section (toner storage chamber) 129 that stores toner to be supplied to the developing roller 106, and a developing space 123 as a space for supplying toner to the developing roller 106 in which the toner transport roller 107 is disposed. The developing container 120 has a driving side bearing 126 and a non-driving side bearing 127 attached and fixed to both ends of the developing frame 121 in the longitudinal direction of the developing roller 106. The developing container 120 rotatably supports the developing roller 106, the toner transport roller 107, and the stirring member 129a (see FIG. 3) via the driving side bearing 126 and the non-driving side bearing 127, and holds the developing blade 130. In this way, the developing container 120, the driving side bearing 126, and the non-driving side bearing 127 constitute a developing frame (second frame) that rotatably supports the developing roller 106 around the rotation axis (rotation center) M2.

[0057] The agitating member 129a rotates to agitate the toner in the toner storage portion 129. The toner transport roller (developer supply member) 107 comes into contact with the developing roller 106 and While supplying toner to the surface of the image roller 106, it also scrapes off toner from the surface of the developing roller 106. The developing blade 130 is formed by attaching an elastic member 130b, which is a sheet metal approximately 0.1 mm thick, to a support member 130a, which is a metal material with an L-shaped cross section, by welding or the like. The developing blade 130 serves as a regulating member to regulate the thickness of the toner layer (toner layer thickness) on the circumferential surface of the developing roller 106, forming a toner layer of a predetermined thickness between the elastic member 130b and the developing roller 106. The developing blade 130 is attached to the developing container 120 at two points, one end and the other end, in the longitudinal direction, with fixing screws 118. The developing roller 106 is composed of a metal core 106c and a rubber portion 106d.

[0058] As shown in FIGS. 13 and 14 , a developer coupling 132a for transmitting a driving force to the developer unit 109 is provided at one longitudinal end of the developer unit 109. The developer coupling 132a is a member that engages with a main body-side developer drive coupling 185 (see FIG. 9 ) that serves as a developer drive output unit of the apparatus main body 170 and rotates upon receiving a rotational driving force from a drive motor (not shown) of the apparatus main body 170. The driving force received by the developer coupling 132a is transmitted via a drive train (not shown) provided in the developer unit 109, thereby rotating the developer roller 106 in the direction of arrow D in FIG. 3 . A developer cover member 128 that supports and covers the developer coupling 132a and the drive train (not shown) is provided at one longitudinal end of the developer unit 109. The outer diameter of the developer roller 106 is set to be smaller than the outer diameter of the photosensitive drum 104. In this embodiment, the outer diameter of the photosensitive drum 104 is set in the range of Φ18 to Φ22, and the outer diameter of the developing roller 106 is set in the range of Φ8 to Φ14. Setting these outer diameters enables efficient arrangement. However, the outer diameters of the photosensitive drum 104 and the developing roller 106 are not limited to the above-mentioned ranges. The rotation axis M2 is parallel to the longitudinal direction of the process cartridge 100 and the longitudinal direction of the developing unit 109.

[0059] [Assembling the drum unit and developing unit] 13, the assembly of the drum unit 108 and the developing unit 109 will be described. The drum unit 108 and the developing unit 109 are attached to the driving side cartridge cover members 116 and the non-driving side cartridge cover members 116 provided at both ends of the process cartridge 100 in the longitudinal direction. Drive Moving side cartridge The drive side cartridge cover member 116 is provided at one end of the process cartridge 100 in the longitudinal direction. The drive side cartridge cover member 116 is provided with a developing unit support hole 116a for supporting the developing unit 109 so that it can swing (move). The non-drive side cartridge cover member 117 is provided at the other end of the process cartridge 100 in the longitudinal direction. The non-drive side cartridge cover member 117 is provided with a developing unit support hole 117a for supporting the developing unit 109 so that it can swing. Furthermore, the drive side cartridge cover member 116 and the non-drive side cartridge cover member 117 are provided with a developing unit support hole 117a for supporting the developing unit 109 so that it can swing. Drive The movable cartridge cover member 117 is provided with drum support holes 116b and 117b for rotatably supporting the photosensitive drum 104.

[0060] At one end of the process cartridge 100 in the longitudinal direction, the outer diameter portion of the cylindrical portion 128b of the developing unit cover member 128 is fitted into the developing unit support hole 116a of the driving side cartridge cover member 116. At the other end of the process cartridge 100 in the longitudinal direction, Drive The outer diameter portion of the cylindrical portion (not shown) of the non-driving side bearing 127 is fitted into the developing unit support hole 117a of the driving side cartridge cover member 117. Furthermore, both longitudinal ends of the photosensitive drum 104 are fitted into the drum support holes 116b of the driving side cartridge cover member 116. Drive The drum support hole 117b of the driving side cartridge cover member 116 is fitted into the drum support hole 117b of the driving side cartridge cover member 117. Drive The driving side cartridge cover member 117 is fixed to the drum unit 108 by a screw 118. Note that adhesive or the like may be used instead of the screw for the fixing method. In this way, the developing unit 109 is fixed to the driving side cartridge cover member 116. Drive The developing roller 106 is supported movably relative to the drum unit 108 (photosensitive drum 104) by a movable cartridge cover member 117. In this configuration, the developing roller 106 can be positioned at a position where it acts on the photosensitive drum 104 during image formation.

[0061] 14 shows the state in which the drum unit 108 and the developing unit 109 are assembled by the above steps and integrated into the process cartridge 100. Note that the center of the developing unit support hole 116a of the driving side cartridge cover member 116 and the non- Drive The axis connecting the center of the developing unit support hole 117a of the movable cartridge cover member 117 and the cylindrical portion 128b of the developing unit cover member 128 at one longitudinal end of the process cartridge 100 is referred to as the pivot axis (rotation axis, rotation center) K (see FIGS. 13 and 14). Here, the cylindrical portion 128b of the developing unit cover member 128 at one longitudinal end of the process cartridge 100 is coaxial with the developing coupling portion 132a. That is, the rotation axis of the developing coupling portion 132a is coaxial with the pivot axis K. Furthermore, the developing unit 109 is supported so as to be rotatable about the pivot axis K. When the drum unit 108 and the developing unit 109 are assembled and integrated into the process cartridge 100, the rotation axis M1, the rotation axis M2, and the pivot axis K are substantially parallel to one another. Furthermore, in this state, the rotation axis M1, the rotation axis M2, and the pivot axis K are each substantially parallel to the longitudinal direction of the process cartridge 100.

[0062] [How to fix the development unit] 15 and 16, the feature of this embodiment is terpenes This section describes the developing unit 109, which uses a limonene-based solvent (hereinafter referred to as limonene) to fix various components. Fig. 15 is an exploded perspective view showing the configuration of the drive side, which is one end side of the developing unit 109 in the longitudinal direction, as viewed from the side where the drum unit 108 is disposed relative to the developing unit 109. Fig. 16 is an exploded perspective view showing the configuration of the drive side of the developing unit 109, and is a view showing the configuration of the developing unit 109 on the opposite side to the side shown in Fig. 15.

[0063] Here, the fixing method in the joint configuration on the drive side of the developing unit 109 will be described, but the joint configuration on the non-drive side is configured in the same way, so the description thereof will be omitted.

[0064] A development drive input gear 132, a development gear 302, and a toner transport gear 303 are arranged on the drive side of the development unit 109, and as will be described later, these gears transmit driving force for transporting toner and rotating the rollers. The sliding support parts in the development unit 109 that rotatably support the development roller 106, toner transport roller 107, etc., are made of a material with higher (better) sliding properties than the material used for the development frame 121 in order to reduce sliding resistance with the rollers. Generally, polyacetal resin is used as a material with higher (better) sliding properties than styrene-based resins, such as high-impact polystyrene (HIPS), used for the development frame 121. In this configuration, the development roller 106 and toner transport roller 107 are held by a drive-side bearing 126 made of polyacetal. Specifically, the development roller 106 is rotatably held in a drive-side bearing hole 126b, and the toner transport roller 107 is rotatably held in a drive-side bearing hole 126c.

[0065] The position of the drive-side bearing 126 relative to the developing device frame 121 is determined by the engagement between the developing device frame boss 121c and the drive-side bearing hole 126f, and between the developing device frame hole 121e and the drive-side bearing boss 126h (FIG. 16). The developing roller 106 is engaged with a developing gear 302, and the toner conveying roller 107 is engaged with a toner conveying gear 303. The developing gear 302 and the toner conveying gear 303 are connected to a developing device drive input gear 132 via gear tooth surfaces (not shown). A gear train consisting of these multiple gears is covered by a developing device cover member 128.

[0066] The developing drive input gear 132 (drive input member) includes a gear portion 132e having a gear tooth surface that meshes with the developing gear 302, and a support portion 132b ( 15) and a support portion 132c that is an end portion on the longitudinal outer side of the gear portion. The developing coupling portion 132a is provided on a longitudinal end surface of the support portion 132c as a drive input portion. The developing drive input gear 132 is supported at both ends in the rotational axis direction of the gear portion 132e by the drive-side bearing 126 and the developing device cover member 128. Specifically, the developing device drive input gear 132 is rotatably held by the support portion 132b in the drive-side bearing hole 126d and the support portion 132c in the developing device cover member hole 128e. In addition, the developing device frame hole 121d engages with the developing device cover member boss 128c, and the drive-side bearing hole 126g engages with the developing device cover member boss 128f (FIG. 16), respectively, thereby determining the position of the developing device cover member 128 relative to the developing device frame 121 and the drive-side bearing 126 fixed thereto. That is, the developing device covering member 128 is attached to the end of the developing device frame 121 in the axial direction of the developing roller 106 so that the drive-side bearing 126 is sandwiched between the developing device covering member 128 and the end of the developing device frame 121 in the axial direction. The drive-side bearing 126 and the developing device covering member 128 are fixed to the developing device frame 121 by screws 301 and limonene adhesion, which is a feature of this embodiment.

[0067] A bonding method using limonene as an adhesive will be described with further reference to FIGS. 1, 17, 18, and 19. FIG. 17 is a perspective view showing the configuration of the drive side of the developing unit 109. FIG. 18 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the cross section surrounded by the dashed line in FIG. 17, viewed from the direction of arrow 304. The cross-sectional line in the cross-sectional view is centered on the developing frame hole 121a and the developing device cover member boss 128a, which are bonded using limonene, a feature of this embodiment. FIG. 1 shows an enlarged view of region 310 in FIG. 18. FIG. 1 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing a state in which the developing device cover member boss 128a is engaged with the developing device frame hole 121a. FIG. 19 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing a state in which the developing device cover member boss 128a is engaged with the developing device frame hole 121a and an adhesive portion 313 is formed.

[0068] The assembly method (manufacturing method) of the developing unit 109 in this embodiment roughly includes an assembly process of attaching the components of the developing unit 109 to each other, and an adhesion process of injecting limonene as an adhesive from the outside into the joints between the components to bond them (forming adhesive portion 313).

[0069] As shown in FIGS. 15 and 16 , the developing frame 121 has a developing frame hole 121a as a recessed portion in the longitudinal direction on a surface thereof facing the drive-side bearing 126 in the longitudinal direction (axial direction of the developing roller 106). The drive-side bearing 126 also has a drive-side bearing hole 126a as a through-hole that penetrates in the longitudinal direction at a position corresponding to the developing frame hole 121a. The developing device cover member 128 as an end member has a developing device cover member boss 128a as a protruding portion that is inserted in the longitudinal direction into the developing device frame hole 121a via the drive-side bearing hole 126a. The drive-side bearing 126 is sandwiched between the developing device frame hole 121a and the developing device cover member boss 128a, and as shown in FIG. 1 , a certain gap (space 311) is provided between the drive-side bearing hole 126a and the developing device cover member boss 128a.

[0070] The area between the developing device frame hole 121a and the developing device covering member boss 128a inserted therein is divided into an area 305 (second area) that is in a fitted relationship and an area 306 (first area) that is in a press-fit relationship. Area 306 is located closer to the base portion 128a1 of the developing device covering member boss 128a. That is, the developing device covering member boss 128a has area 306 that is press-fitted against the inner wall surface along the longitudinal direction of the drive-side bearing hole 126a, and area 305 that faces the inner wall surface on the boss tip side of area 306 with a gap therebetween.

[0071] In the developing frame 121, a developing frame hole 121b, which is a through-hole for injecting limonene, is opened in a direction perpendicular to a direction 312 in which the developing frame hole 121a and the developing cover member boss 128a are fitted.

[0072] The developing frame hole 121b is a communication hole that penetrates the developing frame 121 in a direction intersecting the axial direction of the developing roller 106 so as to connect the inside of the developing frame hole 121a with the outside of the developing frame 121. When viewed in a direction perpendicular to the axial direction, the developing frame hole 121b opens so as to at least partially overlap with an area facing the area 305 on the inner wall surface of the developing frame hole 121a. Furthermore, when viewed in a direction perpendicular to the axial direction, the developing frame hole 121b opens so that an opening that opens into the inside of the developing frame hole 121a also overlaps with a tip end portion of the developing cover member boss 128a that is further tip than the area 305.

[0073] As described above, the developing frame hole 121b and the area 305 overlap longitudinally. Therefore, when limonene is injected in the direction of the arrow 307, which is parallel to the developing frame hole 121b, the limonene enters the gap between the developing frame hole 121a in the area 305 and the developing cover member boss 128a, which are fitted together, due to capillary action. The amount of gap in the area 305, i.e., the amount of limonene injected in the developing frame hole 121b, is a and the outer diameter of the developing device covering member boss 128a is, for example, 2 μm to 27 μm in diameter. This causes limonene to spread throughout the entire area 305. As a result, the developing device frame hole 121a of the developing device frame 121 and the developing device covering member boss 128a of the developing device covering member 128, both of which are made of high impact polystyrene (HIPS), a styrene-based resin composition, are partially melted and bonded together.

[0074] That is, area 305 is a region where the developing frame hole 121a and the developing cover member boss 128a fit together in a so-called clearance fit relationship. The amount of the gap between the developing frame hole 121a and the developing cover member boss 128a in area 305 is not limited to a specific numerical value, as long as it allows limonene injected through the developing frame hole 121b to enter the gap in area 305 by capillary action. That is, the dimensional relationship of area 305 may be set arbitrarily depending on the configuration of the device, and the above-mentioned numerical ranges are merely examples.

[0075] On the other hand, the press-fit area 306 is a region where the developing frame is fitted with a so-called interference fit. a The inner wall surface has an interference fit with the inner diameter of the press-fit area, and the dimensions are such that no gap is formed that allows capillary action to occur. That is, the limonene is injected from the developing frame body hole 121b and filled in the area 305 by capillary action, so that the limonene is not allowed to further enter the area 306. a and the developing device covering member boss 128a are in close contact with each other in area 306. In this way, there is no gap in area 306 for capillary action to work, and limonene does not flow in. Therefore, limonene does not flow into the drive-side bearing 126 side, which is made of polyacetal.

[0076] As a result, according to this embodiment, there is no need to provide a limonene injection port on the inner diameter of the boss as in the configuration described in Patent Document 1, so the boss diameter can be made smaller, contributing to the miniaturization of the unit. Furthermore, there is no need to create a large space where capillary action does not occur in order to stop capillary action, so limonene bonding can be performed in a small space. Furthermore, the press-fit section can stop the flow of limonene, preventing it from flowing into parts that do not melt limonene, such as polyacetal, that are placed further ahead.

[0077] A space 308 is formed between the tip of the developing device cover member boss 128a and the base (bottom) of the developing device frame hole 121a, and a slope (tapered surface) 309 is provided at the tip of the developing device cover member boss 128a. The developing device frame hole 121b is opened so that the opening that opens into the inside of the developing device frame hole 121a overlaps with the tip of the developing device cover member boss 128a on the tip side beyond the area 305 when viewed in a direction perpendicular to the axial direction. The slope 309 at the tip of the developing device cover member boss 128a is sloped toward the tip of the developing device cover member boss 128a in an area that faces the opening of the developing device frame hole 121b at the tip of the developing device cover member boss 128a. The slope 309 is inclined so as to move away from the opening as the slope 309 approaches the developing frame opening 121b. This allows limonene applied to the slope 309 through the developing frame opening 121b to pass through the slope 309 and enter the space 308. When applying limonene, the amount of application is likely to vary to some extent, but excess limonene flows into the space 308 through the slope 309, thereby preventing the limonene from overflowing from the developing frame opening 121b. Note that a structure that can achieve the same effect is not limited to the inclined surface structure in which part of the tip of the boss 128a formed by the slope 309 is partially cut out.

[0078] As shown in FIG. 19, by applying limonene as described above, an adhesive portion 313 that bonds the developing frame 121 and the developing device cover member 128 is formed between the developing device frame opening 121a and the developing device cover member boss 128a. The adhesive portion 313 has at least a portion that fills the gap between the area 305 of the developing device cover member boss 128a and the opposing region of the inner wall surface of the developing device frame opening 121a. Depending on the amount of limonene applied, the adhesive portion 313 may also include a portion that fills the space 308 between the tip of the developing device cover member boss 128a and the bottom of the developing device frame opening 121a. Depending on the amount of limonene applied, the adhesive portion 313 may also include a portion 313b that protrudes into at least a part of the developing device frame opening 121b, as shown in FIG. 20.

[0079] As described above, this embodiment employs a configuration in which the boss-and-hole fitting area for positioning and bonding components is divided into a press-fit area (first area) and a mating area (second area) for a compact cartridge with limited space for bonding components. A limonene injection port is provided near the mating area, perpendicular to the axis of the boss and hole. Limonene is poured into the injection port, which is connected to the mating area, to form the adhesive bond. This enables high-strength adhesive bonding even in small joint spaces. Furthermore, because limonene does not flow beyond the press-fit area, it is possible to place components, such as polyacetal (hereinafter referred to as POM components), that do not melt with limonene beyond the press-fit area. For example, if there is no press-fit area and POM components are placed in a location where limonene flows, only the components that melt with limonene will melt, resulting in a decrease in strength. In other words, when the components melt together, they fuse together to form a single unit, maintaining their strength. However, when only one component melts, their strength decreases. Therefore, as in this embodiment, by providing a press-fit portion and creating an area into which limonene does not flow, the POM part can be easily fixed.

[0080] The direction in which the developing device frame hole 121b opens does not have to be perpendicular to the direction 312 in which the developing device cover member boss 128a is fitted into the developing device frame hole 121a. In other words, as long as limonene can be injected into the area 305, the direction may be angled relative to the perpendicular direction or may intersect with the fitting direction 312. Furthermore, the direction in which the hole extends is not limited to a linear configuration, and the size of the hole does not need to be constant. Furthermore, two or more holes may be provided.

[0081] In this embodiment, the developing device covering member 128 as one member is provided with the developing device covering member boss 128a as a protruding portion, which is configured to be inserted into the developing device frame hole 121a provided in the developing device frame 121 as the other member, but the present invention is not limited to this configuration. That is, a protruding portion may be provided in the developing device frame 121 as one member, and a hole into which the protruding portion is inserted may be provided in the developing device covering member 128 as the other member.

[0082] In this embodiment, the drive-side bearing 126 has a drive-side bearing hole 126a as a through-hole, but is not limited to this configuration. For example, a configuration having a slit instead of a through-hole may be used, or a configuration having a relief portion shaped to escape from the area where the developing device cover member boss 128a extends may be used.

[0083] In this embodiment, the developing frame hole 121b has an area of ​​121mm when viewed in a direction perpendicular to the axial direction. However, it may be configured so that the opening at least partially overlaps with the opposing region of the developing frame 305. In other words, it is sufficient that the developing frame opening 121b communicates with the gap in the area 305 so that limonene can be injected into the area 305 via the developing frame opening 121b.

[0084] In this embodiment, an example has been described in which the adhesive structure using limonene described above is applied to the joints of the components in the developing unit 109, but the structure to which the present invention can be applied is not limited to the developing unit 109. A similar adhesive structure may also be applied to the joints of the components in the drum unit 108.

[0085] In this example, the adhesive terpenes The material used for the frame and end components of the adherend is a styrene-based resin composition (HIPS), and the material used for the bearing components is a styrene-based resin composition (HIPS). terpenes The material shown is a material (polyacetal) that is insoluble in solvents. These are merely examples, and it goes without saying that the same effects as in this example can be obtained by applying the adhesive structure of the present invention to adhesive joints in assembly structures made up of other combinations of materials, taking into account the compatibility of the materials. [Explanation of symbols]

[0086] 106...developing roller, 109...developing unit, 120...developing container, 121...developing frame, 121a...developing frame hole, 121b...developing frame hole, 126...driving side bearing, 126a...driving side bearing hole, 128...developing cover member, 128a...developing cover member boss, 305...fitting area (second area), 306...press-fitting area (first area)

Claims

1. A developing roller; a frame body having a positioning portion, the frame body having a longitudinal direction aligned with the rotation axis direction of the developing roller; a bearing member attached to an end of the frame body in the direction of the rotation axis, rotatably supporting an end of the developing roller in the direction of the rotation axis, the bearing member having a positioned portion that engages with the positioning portion to determine a position relative to the frame body in a direction perpendicular to the direction of the rotation axis, and an opening portion provided at a position different from the positioned portion; an end member attached to the end of the frame body on the outer side of the bearing member in the rotation axis direction so as to sandwich the bearing member together with the frame body; In a development unit comprising: one of the frame body and the end member has a hole portion recessed in the rotation axis direction on a surface facing the bearing member, the other of the frame body and the end member has a protrusion extending in the rotation axis direction so as to pass through the opening of the bearing member and be inserted into the hole, the protrusion has a first region that is press-fitted into the inner wall surface of the hole, and a second region that is located on a tip side of the protrusion from the first region and faces the inner wall surface with a first gap therebetween, a second gap is provided between the opening of the bearing member and the protrusion in a direction perpendicular to the rotation axis direction, the frame body has a communication hole extending in a direction intersecting with the rotation axis direction so that the first gap communicates with the outside of the frame body, A developing unit, wherein at least a portion of the communication hole and the first gap are filled with an adhesive.

2. The adhesive contains a terpene solvent, 2. The developing unit according to claim 1, wherein the bearing member is made of a material that is not dissolved by a terpene-based solvent.

3. At least a part of the communication hole has the following shape when viewed in a direction perpendicular to the rotation axis direction:

3. The developing unit according to claim 1, wherein the second region of the protrusion overlaps the second region.

4. a tip end of the protrusion that is closer to the tip end than the second region is provided with a slope that slopes in a direction away from an opening of the communication hole that opens into the hole as the tip approaches, 4. The developing unit according to claim 3, wherein at least a portion of the communication hole overlaps with the inclined surface of the protruding portion when viewed in a direction perpendicular to the rotation axis direction.

5. 5. The developing unit according to claim 4, wherein the adhesive fills at least a part of the space between the tip and the hole.

6. 6. The developing unit according to claim 1, wherein the frame and the end members are formed from a styrene-based resin composition.

7. a plurality of gears disposed between the bearing member and the end member for transmitting a driving force to the developing roller; 7. The developing unit according to claim 1, wherein the end member is a cover member for covering the plurality of gears.

8. The plurality of gears include: a developing gear provided at an end of the developing roller in the direction of the rotation axis; a rotatable drive input member having a drive input portion to which a drive force is input from outside the developing unit and a gear portion that transmits the drive force toward the developing gear; Including, 8. The developing unit according to claim 7, wherein both ends of said drive input member in the direction of said rotation axis are supported by said bearing member and said end member, respectively.

9. the bearing member has a through hole penetrating in the direction of the rotation axis at a position corresponding to the hole portion, 9. The developing unit according to claim 1, wherein the protruding portion has a portion that passes through the through-hole and is inserted into the hole.

Images