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EP0458318A2 Expired / Lapsed EP ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Image forming apparatus with rotable member press-contacted to image bearing member

Assignee: Canon Inc
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Filing: 1991-05-22
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2011-05-22
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Abstract

Abstract An image forming apparatus includes an image bearing member movable along an endless path; a helical gear, adjacent an end of the image bearing member, for transmitting a driving force to the image bearing member; a rotatable member contributable to image formation on the image bearing member and having a shaft urged toward the image bearing member; driving means for driving the shaft; and a coupler disposed between the driving means and the shaft of the rotatable member, and effective to transmit rotational force in a direction of the shaft substantially without transmitting force in a radial direction of the rotatable member. <IMAGE>

Inventors

  • 👤 Yoshiya Canon Kabushiki Kaisha Nomura
  • 👤 Hiroaki Canon Kabushiki Kaisha Miyake
  • 👤 Yoshiro Canon Kabushiki Kaisha Tsuchiya

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction EP
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-11-09 23:14
CPC Classifications
G; G03; G03G; G03G15/00; G03G15/75; G03G15/757; G03G15/02; G03G15/0208; G03G15/0216; G03G15/14; G03G15/16; G03G15/1665; G03G15/167; G03G21/00; G03G21/0005; G03G21/0058

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 14
Claim 1
Independent Claim 102 words
An image forming apparatus, comprising: an image bearing member movable along an endless path; a helical gear, adjacent an end of said image bearing member, for transmitting a driving force to said image bearing member; a rotatable member contributable to image formation on said image bearing member and having a shaft urged toward said image bearing member; driving means for driving the shaft; and coupling means, disposed between said driving means and the shaft of said rotatable member, and effective to transmit rotational force in a direction of the shaft substantially without transmitting force in a radial direction of said rotatable member.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 14 words
An apparatus according to Claim 1, wherein said rotatable member is an elastic roller.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 112 words
An image forming apparatus, comprising: an image bearing member movable along an endless path; first and second gears at a side of said image bearing member and at the other side of said image bearing member, respectively, for transmission of driving force to said image bearing member; a rotatable member contributable to image formation on said image bearing member and having a shaft toward said image bearing member; driving means meshed with said second gear for driving the shaft; and coupling means disposed between said driving means and the shaft for transmitting rotational force in a direction of the shaft substantially without transmitting force in a radial direction of said rotatable member.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 14 words
An apparatus according to Claim 3, wherein said rotatable member is an elastic roller.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 167 words
An image forming apparatus, comprising: a process cartridge including a rotatable image bearing member, first and second gears at a side of said image bearing member and at the other side of said image bearing member, respectively, for transmission of driving force to said image bearing member, and process means contributable to image formation, said process cartridge being detachably mountable to a main assembly of said image forming apparatus; first and second gears at a side of said image bearing member and at the other side of said image bearing member, respectively, for transmission of driving force to said image bearing member; a rotatable member contributable to image formation on said image bearing member and having a shaft toward said image bearing member; driving means meshed with said second gear for driving the shaft; and coupling means disposed between said driving means and the shaft for transmitting rotational force in a direction of the shaft substantially without transmitting force in a radial direction of said rotatable member.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 33 words
An apparatus according to Claim 5, wherein said image bearing member is in the form of an electrophotographic photosensitive drum, and said rotatable member is a transfer roller press-contacted to said photosensitive drum.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 95 words
An image forming apparatus, comprising: a rotatable image bearing member; a helical gear at a side of said image bearing member to transmit driving force to said image bearing member; a rotatable member contributable to image formation on said image bearing member and having a rotatable member urged to said image bearing member; a second helical gear for driving the shaft;    an Oldham's coupling disposed between said second helical gear and the shaft to transmit rotational force in a direction of the shaft substantially without transmitting force in a radial direction of said rotatable member.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 31 words
An apparatus according to Claim 7, wherein said second helical gear is rotationally driven in such a direction that constituent members of the Oldham's coupling are pulled away from each other.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 18 words
An apparatus according to Claim 7, wherein said second helical gear is driven by said first helical gear.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim 113 words
An image forming apparatus, comprising: a rotatable image bearing member; first and second helical gears at a side of said image bearing member and at the other side of said image bearing member, respectively, for transmission of driving force to said image bearing member; a rotatable member contributable to image formation on said image bearing member and having a shaft urged to said image bearing member; a third helical gear meshed with said second gear to drive the shaft; and an Oldham's coupling disposed between said driving means and the shaft to transmit rotational force in a direction of the shaft substantially without transmitting force in a radial direction of said rotatable member.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim 31 words
An apparatus according to Claim 10, wherein said third helical gear is rotationally driven in such a direction that constituent members of said Oldham's coupling are pulled away from each other.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim 28 words
An apparatus according to Claim 10, wherein said image bearing member is an electrophotographic photosensitive drum, and said rotatable member is a transfer roller press-contacted to said drum.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim 34 words
An apparatus according to Claim 10, wherein said first and second helical gears have directions of inclination of teeth thereof for urging said image bearing member in a predetermined direction when it is driven.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim 21 words
An apparatus according to Claim 13, wherein the teeth of said first and second helical gears are inclined in opposite directions.

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