Torque Transmitting Member Conductivity in Photosensitive Drum
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing torque transmitting mechanisms in image forming apparatuses, such as laser printers and copy machines, face challenges in maintaining consistent conductivity between the apparatus body and the photosensitive drum, leading to conduction failures and rotation transmission issues during mounting and separation of the process cartridge.
Innovation Solution
A torque transmitting member is designed with a cylindrical end member featuring a bearing portion and a fitting portion inserted into the photosensitive drum, along with a conductive, elastically deformed conducting shaft member, such as a coil spring, and a conductive ground plate to ensure reliable torque transmission and electrical conductivity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a conductive shaft is directly inserted into the ground plate for electrical conduction, then electrical conductivity is achieved, but the shaft must be pulled out and inserted repeatedly during mounting and separation, causing conduction failure and increasing operational complexity
Solution Approach 1:
The invention divides the conductive structure into separate functional elements: the ground plate remains fixed in the photosensitive drum, while the conductive shaft is integrated with the drive shaft assembly. This segmentation allows the ground plate to maintain continuous electrical contact with the photosensitive drum through its elastic deformation capability, while the drive shaft can be independently mounted and separated without disrupting the conduction path.
Solution Approach 2:
The ground plate is designed with elastic deformation capability, allowing it to dynamically adapt to the engagement and disengagement of the drive shaft. When the drive shaft is mounted, the ground plate elastically deforms to establish electrical contact; when separated, it returns to its original state. This dynamic behavior ensures continuous conductivity without requiring repeated manual intervention.
2Reliability
If the ground plate is designed with complex elastic member shape to achieve desired elasticity, then conduction reliability improves, but manufacturing complexity and design time increase due to required experimental production or numerical analysis
Solution Approach 1:
The invention changes the approach from complex geometric shaping to material parameter selection. By choosing materials with appropriate elastic properties (such as conductive rubber or elastic conductive materials), the desired ground plate behavior is achieved through material characteristics rather than complex geometry. This significantly simplifies the design process, eliminating the need for extensive numerical analysis or experimental production while maintaining conduction reliability.
3Device complexity
If the conducting shaft is pushed back together with the photosensitive drum during mounting, then the structure simplifies, but the bearing portion disengages from the drive shaft, causing rotation transmission failure
Solution Approach 1:
The invention introduces the elastic ground plate as an intermediary element between the drive shaft assembly and the photosensitive drum. This intermediary absorbs the pushing force during mounting through its elastic deformation, preventing the conducting shaft from being pushed back along with the drum. The ground plate acts as a buffer that protects the mechanical engagement between the bearing portion and drive shaft, ensuring rotation transmission reliability while maintaining structural simplicity.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution effectively maintains conductivity between the apparatus body and the photosensitive drum, preventing conduction failures and ensuring smooth engagement and disengagement of the drive shaft, thereby stabilizing the rotation transmission process.
Implementation Method 1
a conducting shaft member (40), which is elastically deformed and includes a conductive material, such as a coil spring (40)
Implementation Method 2
a conducting shaft member (40), which is elastically deformed and includes a conductive material... appropriately maintain conductivity between an image forming apparatus body and a photosensitive drum
Data Source
AI summary
There is provided a torque transmitting member that appropriately maintains conductivity between an image forming apparatus body and a photosensitive drum and can suppress the occurrence of conduction failure. A torque transmitting member, which is disposed at an end portion of a photosensitive drum unit and transmits torque, includes: an cylindrical end member that includes a bearing portion at one end portion thereof and a fitting portion, which is inserted into a photosensitive drum, at the other end portion thereof; and a conductive conducting shaft member that is disposed so as to extend along a cylindrical shaft of the end member and includes a conductive material, which is elastically deformed, on at least a part thereof.