Photosensitive Drum Cartridge Coupling for Smooth Mounting
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
The existing cartridge systems for electrophotographic image forming apparatuses face challenges in efficiently transmitting driving forces to photosensitive drums, particularly in terms of inclination and positioning, which affects the mounting and dismounting processes, leading to potential interference and usability issues.
Innovation Solution
The proposed solution involves a cartridge design with a photosensitive drum and movable members that include a coupling member and a pushing member, allowing for the adjustment of the drive output member's inclination angle and positioning within the image forming apparatus, enabling smoother mounting and dismounting by changing the inclination angle of the drive output member and facilitating engagement with the drive transmission member.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a coupling member is provided at the free end of the photosensitive drum to transmit driving force, then the driving force transmission is enabled, but the mounting and dismounting operations become complex due to inclination adjustment requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The coupling member is designed with movable characteristics, allowing it to advance and retract in the longitudinal direction. This dynamic structure enables the coupling member to automatically adjust its position and inclination angle during mounting and dismounting operations, eliminating the need for manual inclination adjustment and simplifying the operational process while maintaining reliable driving force transmission
Solution Approach 2:
The coupling member is equipped with a push rod that can be operated to automatically trigger the advancement and retraction movement. This self-service mechanism allows the coupling member to perform its own positioning and inclination adjustment without external intervention, further simplifying mounting and dismounting operations while ensuring proper driving force transmission alignment
2Ease of operation
If the coupling member is structured to advance and retract in the longitudinal direction, then the mounting operation is simplified, but the device complexity increases due to additional moving parts
Solution Approach 1:
The push rod mechanism is integrated directly into the coupling member structure, combining the advancement/retraction function with the coupling member itself. This merging of functions reduces the need for separate independent mechanisms, simplifying the overall device structure while maintaining the simplified mounting operation capability
Solution Approach 2:
The coupling member is designed to perform multiple functions: transmitting driving force, adjusting inclination angle, and enabling simplified mounting/dismounting operations. By making the coupling member a multi-functional component, the patent reduces the need for additional dedicated parts, thereby reducing device complexity while achieving ease of operation
Data Source
AI summary
The cartridge is detachably mountable to a main assembly of an image forming apparatus that includes a drive output member configured to output a driving force, and a main assembly side pushing member configured to incline the drive output member by pushing the drive output member. The cartridge includes a photosensitive drum and a cartridge side pushing member. The cartridge side pushing member is configured such that an inclination angle of the drive output member is changed by pushing the main assembly side pushing member.