Coupling Member Alignment for Drive Force Transmission
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Solution Overview
Problem
In electrophotographic image forming apparatuses, the partial engagement of driving force transmission and receiving members leads to poor rotational precision and potential damage, resulting in defective images and equipment deterioration due to uneven force distribution.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of a coupling member with multiple engaging portions that can adjust its position to ensure full engagement with the drive shaft, utilizing preparatory forward and backward rotations to align and engage all portions, ensuring secure transmission of driving force and preventing damage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If multiple engaging portions are used for drive force transmission, then the reliability of engagement is improved, but the device complexity increases due to the need for precise alignment mechanisms
Solution Approach 1:
The coupling member performs preliminary forward and backward rotations before normal operation to ensure all engaging portions are properly aligned and engaged with the drive shaft. This preliminary action prevents misalignment issues during actual image formation operations.
Solution Approach 2:
The coupling member is designed with rotational flexibility, allowing it to dynamically adjust its position through forward and backward rotations. This dynamic capability enables the engaging portions to align properly with the drive shaft recesses, resolving the contradiction between reliability and complexity.
2Ease of operation
If the coupling member rotates in a partially-engaged state, then the ease of operation is improved, but the manufacturing precision deteriorates due to poor rotational precision
Solution Approach 1:
Before normal operation, the coupling member executes preliminary forward and backward rotations to ensure complete engagement of all engaging portions. This preliminary action maintains manufacturing precision by preventing operation in a partially-engaged state, while still allowing easy mounting through the flexible engagement process.
3Device complexity
If the engaging portions are not fully aligned, then the device complexity is reduced, but the strength deteriorates due to concentrated force on partial portions
Solution Approach 1:
The coupling member utilizes dynamic rotation capability to automatically achieve full alignment of all engaging portions with the drive shaft recesses. This dynamic adjustment ensures uniform force distribution across all engaging portions, maintaining engagement strength without requiring complex alignment mechanisms.
Data Source
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AI summary
Provided are a drive force transmission member (101a) having multiple first engaging portions (101b), and a control unit (300). Drive force is transmitted from the drive force transmission member (101a) to a drive force receiving member (73c) with each first engaging portion (101b) engaged with a second engaging portion (73) of the drive force receiving member (73c) that are movable in a radial direction of the drive force transmission member (101a). The control unit (300) performs rotation control of forward rotation of the drive force transmission member (101a) by α° and thereafter backward rotation by β° after a cartridge (7) is mounted to an apparatus main body (100A). Each of the multiple first engaging portions (101b) is upstream in the forward rotation direction of the drive force transmission member (101a) from the second engaging portion (73) out of the multiple second engaging portions (73) with which engaging will be realized.