EP0586044A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Process cartridge, method for assembling process cartridge and image forming apparatus
Assignee: Canon Inc
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Filing: 1993-06-15
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2013-06-15
Abstract
Abstract The present invention is characterized by that a first frame (12) for containing developer used with a developing operation, a second frame (13) for supporting a developing means for developing a latent image formed on an image bearing member (7), and a third frame for supporting the image bearing member (7) are made of the same material. Additionally there is disclosed, that the material used for the frames and the developer should have similar charging characteristics. Additionally there is disclosed a method of assembling a processing cartridge consisting of submodules.
Inventors
- 👤 Kazuo C/O Canon Kabushiki Kaisha Shishido
- 👤 Shinichi C/O Canon Kabushiki Kaisha Sasaki
- 👤 Isao C/O Canon Kabushiki Kaisha Ikemoto
- 👤 Masahiko C/O Canon Kabushiki Kaisha Yashiro
- 👤 Toshiyuki C/O Canon Kabushiki Kaisha Karakama
- 👤 Atsushi c/o Canon Kabushiki Kaisha Numagami
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-05 11:47
CPC Classifications
G; G03; G03G; G03G21/00; G03G21/16; G03G21/18; G03G21/1803; G03G21/181; G03G15/00; G03G15/06; G03G15/08; G03G15/0822; G03G15/0848; G03G15/0856; G03G15/086; G03G15/0877; G03G15/0881; G03G21/1814; G03G2215/00; G03G2215/00987; G03G2215/02; G03G2215/021; G03G2221/00; G03G2221/16; G03G2221/163; G03G2221/1651; G03G2221/166; G03G2221/1669; G03G2221/18; G03G2221/183; G03G2221/1846; G03G2221/1853; G03G2221/1884; G03G2221/1892
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 27
Claim 1
Independent Claim
58 words
A process cartridge mountable to an image forming apparatus, characterised by that: a first frame for containing developer used with a developing operation, a second frame for supporting a developing means for developing a latent image formed on an image bearing member, and a third frame for supporting said image bearing member are formed from the same material.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
13 words
A process cartridge according to claim 1, wherein said material is polystyrene resin.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
24 words
A process cartridge according to claim 1, wherein the developer is made of material having the charging feature similar to that of said frames.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
21 words
A process cartridge according to claim 1, wherein the developer is magnetic developer, and styrene-acrylic resin is used as binding resin.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
32 words
A process cartridge according to claim 1, wherein said image bearing member has an upper wall portion covering an upper portion of said image bearing member and extending between both side walls.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
60 words
A process cartridge according to claim 1, wherein said third frame supports charger means for charging said image bearing member, cleaning means for removing residual developer from said image bearing member, and a waste developer reservoir for containing the developer removed by said cleaning means, and said waste developer reservoir is made of material same as that of said frames.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
27 words
A process cartridge according to claim 6, wherein said waste developer reservoir has a side wall positioned at that side of said reservoir and reinforced by ribs.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
24 words
A process cartridge according to claim 1, wherein said first frame and said second frame are integrally welded to each other by ultrasonic welding.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
48 words
A process cartridge according to claim 1, wherein said first frame and said second frame are integrally formed as a unitary member, and said unitary member is separable from said third frame, and said unitary member and said third frame are mounted to said image forming apparatus bodily.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
84 words
An image forming apparatus to which a process cartridge can be mounted to form an image on a recording medium, comprising: mounting means capable of mounting a process cartridge wherein a first frame for containing developer used with a developing operation, a second frame for supporting a developing means for developing a latent image formed on an image bearing member, and a third frame for supporting said image bearing member are formed from the same material; and convey means for conveying the recording medium.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
61 words
A process cartridge mountable to an image forming apparatus, comprising: a first frame for containing developer used with a developing operation; and a second frame for supporting a developing means for developing a latent image formed on an image bearing member; wherein said first and second frames are made of material having the charging feature similar to that of the developer.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
29 words
A process cartridge according to either claim 1 or claim 11, wherein the material of the developer and the material of said frames are both the same styrene group.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
28 words
A process cartridge according to claim 11, wherein said first and second frames are made of polystyrene resin, and the developer utilizes bonding agent made of styrene-acrylic resin.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
37 words
A process cartridge according to claim 11, further comprising a third frame for supporting said image bearing member, wherein said third frame is also made of material having the charging feature similar to that of the developer.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
64 words
A process cartridge according to claim 11, wherein said third frame supports charger means for charging said image bearing member, cleaning means for removing residual developer from said image bearing member, and a waste developer reservoir for containing the developer removed by said cleaning means, and said waste developer reservoir is made of material having the charging feature similar to that of the developer.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
89 words
An image forming apparatus to which a process cartridge can be mounted to form an image on a recording medium, comprising: mounting means capable of mounting a process cartridge including a first frame for containing developer used with a developing operation, and a second frame for supporting a developing means for developing a latent image formed on an image bearing member, wherein said first and second frame are made of material having the charging feature similar to that of the developer; and convey means for conveying the recording medium.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
22 words
An image forming apparatus according to either claim 10 or claim 16, wherein the image forming apparatus is a laser beam printer.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
22 words
An image forming apparatus according to either claim 10 or claim 16, wherein the image forming apparatus is an electrophotographic copying machine.
Claim 19
Independent Claim
94 words
A method for assembling a process cartridge mountable to an image forming apparatus, comprising the steps of: joining a first frame for containing developer used with a developing operation to a second frame made of the same material as that of said first frame to support developing means for developing a latent image formed on an image bearing member; and thereafter, joining a third frame made of the same material as that of said first frame to support said image bearing member to said joined first and second frames, thereby assembling a process cartridge.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
18 words
A method according to claim 19, wherein said first and second frames are joined together by ultrasonic welding.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
38 words
A method according to claim 19, wherein said third frame is joined to said joined first and second frames, by engaging an engagement portion of said third frame by a shaft of said joined first and second frames.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
38 words
A method according to claim 19, wherein said second frame supports a developing sleeve as said developing means, and a developing blade for regulating a thickness of a developer layer on a peripheral surface of said developing sleeve.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
28 words
A method according to claim 19, wherein said third frame supports a photosensitive drum as said image bearing member, and a charger roller for charging said photosensitive drum.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
18 words
A method according to claim 19, wherein said first, second and third frames are formed by injection molding.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
18 words
A method according to claim 19, wherein said first, second and third frames are made of polystyrene resin.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
34 words
A method according to claim 19, wherein the developer contained in said first frame is made of material having the charging feature similar to that of material of said first, second and third frames.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
24 words
A method according to claim 19, wherein the material of the developer and the material of said frames are both the same styrene group.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
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