Movable Drum Coupling Structure for Reliable Cartridge Drive
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing electrophotographic image forming apparatuses face challenges in efficiently transmitting driving force to the photosensitive drum, particularly in structures where the cartridge can be removed perpendicular to the drum's rotation axis.
Innovation Solution
A process cartridge design featuring a photosensitive drum, a frame, a flange, and a coupling member with a movable member and a connecting member. The coupling member includes a shaft portion and a restricting portion to suppress disengagement, ensuring stable driving force transmission.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a coupling member is advanced and retracted in the rotation axis direction to engage with and disengage from the drive pin, then the cartridge can be easily mounted and dismounted, but the driving force transmission reliability is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The coupling member is designed to be movable in the axial direction of the photosensitive drum, allowing it to dynamically change position between advanced and retracted states. This enables the coupling member to engage with or disengage from the drive pin smoothly, facilitating easy cartridge mounting and dismounting while maintaining reliable driving force transmission when engaged.
Solution Approach 2:
The coupling member acts as an intermediary element between the drive pin and the photosensitive drum. It mediates the engagement and disengagement process, allowing the cartridge to be easily mounted and dismounted while ensuring stable driving force transmission during operation through its controlled movement and engagement mechanism.
2Reliability
If the coupling member is fixed to the photosensitive drum, then the driving force transmission is stable, but the cartridge cannot be easily removed in the axial direction
Solution Approach 1:
The coupling member transitions from a fixed state to a movable state, allowing it to be dynamically adjusted. When engaged, it provides stable driving force transmission; when retracted, it enables easy cartridge removal. This dynamic positioning resolves the contradiction between stability and ease of operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The coupling mechanism is segmented into movable and fixed portions. The coupling member itself is movable relative to the photosensitive drum, while the drive pin remains fixed. This segmentation allows the system to achieve both stable force transmission (when engaged) and easy removal (when disengaged).
Data Source
AI summary
A cartridge includes a gear member including a gear portion on an outer peripheral surface of the gear member, a rotational axis, and at least one engaging recess, the gear member being operatively connected to a rotatable member, and a coupling member provided with (i) at least one protrusion that is capable of receiving a driving force and (ii) at least one engaging projection that is engageable with the at least one engaging recess of the gear member. The coupling member is movable relative to the gear member in the direction of the rotational axis of the gear member between a first position and a second position. The gear member is not engageable with the engaging projection of the coupling member when the coupling member is in the second position, and the engaging recess of the gear member is engageable with the engaging projection of the coupling member and the gear member receives a driving force from the coupling member when the coupling member is in the first position.