US 12,292,711 B2
Process cartridge and image forming apparatus
Hideki Maeshima, Mishima (JP); Kuniaki Hirukawa, Yokohama (JP); Shuichi Gofuku, Numazu (JP); and Yoshihiro Mitsui, Numazu (JP)
Assigned to Canon Kabushiki Kaisha, Tokyo (JP)
Filed by CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA, Tokyo (JP)
Filed on Jul. 16, 2024, as Appl. No. 18/773,731.
Application 18/773,731 is a division of application No. 18/595,627, filed on Mar. 5, 2024.
Application 18/595,627 is a division of application No. 18/144,303, filed on May 8, 2023.
Application 18/144,303 is a division of application No. 17/524,018, filed on Nov. 11, 2021, granted, now 11,687,029, issued on Jun. 27, 2023.
Application 17/524,018 is a division of application No. 17/034,272, filed on Sep. 28, 2020, granted, now 11,314,201, issued on Apr. 26, 2022.
Application 17/034,272 is a division of application No. 16/696,350, filed on Nov. 26, 2019, granted, now 10,838,356, issued on Nov. 17, 2020.
Application 16/696,350 is a division of application No. 15/960,750, filed on Apr. 24, 2018, granted, now 10,691,063, issued on Jun. 23, 2020.
Application 15/960,750 is a division of application No. 15/591,554, filed on May 10, 2017, granted, now 9,964,921, issued on May 8, 2018.
Application 15/591,554 is a division of application No. 15/357,175, filed on Nov. 21, 2016, granted, now 9,696,684, issued on Jul. 4, 2017.
Application 15/357,175 is a continuation in part of application No. 14/737,680, filed on Jun. 12, 2015, granted, now 9,519,264, issued on Dec. 13, 2016.
Application 14/737,680 is a continuation of application No. PCT/JP2013/084174, filed on Dec. 13, 2013.
Claims priority of application No. 2012-273204 (JP), filed on Dec. 14, 2012.
Prior Publication US 2024/0369967 A1, Nov. 7, 2024
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. G03G 21/18 (2006.01); G03G 15/08 (2006.01)
CPC G03G 21/1857 (2013.01) [G03G 21/1803 (2013.01); G03G 15/0806 (2013.01); G03G 15/0808 (2013.01); G03G 21/1825 (2013.01); G03G 21/185 (2013.01); G03G 21/186 (2013.01); G03G 2221/1657 (2013.01)] 30 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A process cartridge comprising:
(i) a photosensitive drum;
(ii) a rotatable developing roller configured to develop an electrostatic latent image formed on the photosensitive drum;
(iii) a rotatable toner supplying roller provided in contact with the developing roller, the toner supplying roller being configured to supply toner to the developing roller;
(iv) a toner chamber configured to contain toner;
(v) a developing chamber in which the toner supplying roller is positioned;
(vi) a rotatable feeding member provided in the toner chamber and configured to feed the toner from the toner chamber to the developing chamber;
(vii) a coupling operatively connected to the developing roller, the toner supplying roller, and the feeding member, the coupling being configured to receive a driving force for rotating the feeding member, the developing roller, and the toner supplying roller; and
(viii) a plurality of gears operatively connected to the developing roller, the toner supplying roller, and the feeding member, each gear of the plurality of gears being configured to transmit the driving force received by the coupling to at least one of the feeding member, the developing roller, and the toner supplying roller,
wherein the process cartridge is configured such that, when the process cartridge is in an operational orientation and the coupling receives the driving force, (i) the developing roller is positioned above the toner chamber, (ii) a rotational direction of the developing roller is opposite to a rotational direction of the toner supplying roller, (iii) a part of a surface of the toner supplying roller rotates from a first position at which the part of the surface of the toner supplying roller contacts a surface of the developing roller to a second position where the part of the surface of the toner supplying roller separates from the surface of the developing roller, with the first position being above the second position, (iv) the feeding member feeds toner upward from the toner chamber to the developing chamber, and (v) a speed of the surface of the toner supplying roller is greater than a speed of the surface of the developing roller.