Abstract: A supply cartridge including a photosensitive drum, a charge roller, a developer roller, and a supply of toner, is inserted into a conventional electrophotographic (EP) machine in operative association with the gear train for such machine. One end of a shaft passing through one end cap of the photosensitive drum is inserted into a receptacle in the EP machine. The free end of a drive transmitting member on the opposite end of the drum engages the drive train, and is driven by the gear train. The drive transmitting member is an integral part of a molded end cap inserted into the open end of the photosensitive drum. The drive transmitting member may assume diverse forms. The upper surface of the drive transmitting member may be triangular in shape, while the base may be circular or triangular; tapered sidewalls extend between the upper surface and the base, and the area of the upper surface exceeds the area of the base to maximize contact with the drive train.

Abstract: A process cartridge detachably mountable to a main assembly of an electro-photographic image forming apparatus including a cartridge frame; an electro-photographic photosensitive drum; processing device actable on the electro-photographic photosensitive drum; a first projection projecting outward from one of opposite ends of the cartridge frame, coaxial with the electro-photographic photosensitive drum; a second projection projecting outward from the other of the opposite ends of the cartridge frame, coaxial with the electro-photographic photosensitive drum; wherein the first and second projections are different in size.

Abstract: A process cartridge detachably mountable to a main assembly of an electrophotographic image forming apparatus includes a cartridge frame; an electrophotographic photosensitive drum having a cylinder and a photosensitive layer thereon; a process device actable on the photosensitive drum; a drum shaft for rotatably supporting the photosensitive drum on the cartridge frame, the drum shaft extending through the photosensitive drum and having a length sufficient to be supported by the cartridge frame at one end thereof and at the other end thereof wherein the drum shaft is provided on its outer periphery adjacent its one end with projections and recesses, and is engaged with a hole in the cartridge frame; and a preventing member for preventing the drum shaft from disengaging from the cartridge frame.

Abstract: An improved grounding plate or contact assembly is provided for a photosensitive drum of an image forming apparatus such as a printer or photocopier. The arrangement ensures contact between the grounding plate/contact assembly and a contact area disposed on an interior surface of the drum regardless of the rotational orientation of the grounding plate/contact assembly with respect to the drum. In a preferred form of the invention, the grounding plate includes a plurality of circumferentially spaced contact members and is mounted upon a flange which is inserted into the end of the drum. Since the circumferential spacing of the contact members is less than a length of a laser scribed contact area on the interior surface of the drum, contact between the laser scribed area or patch and one of the contact members is ensured despite variations in the rotational or angular position of the flange with respect to the drum.

Abstract: The outer circumferential portions of the opposite ends of a cylindrical photosensitive body provided with a photosensitive layer on a substrate is supported while the photosensitive body is driven. The rotation of the photosensitive body is controlled by control members which are a roll member, a tracking roll, an electrification roll member or the like. The substrate may be shaped into a cylinder by rolling up a metal strip or a metal plate and TIG-welding a joint portion thereof.

Abstract: Drum-type imagesetter for producing an image on a flexible sheet of radiation-sensitive material, which comprises retaining bars (62) for retaining a sheet in a substantially cylindrical configuration, and an exposure system (70) for image-wise exposing the curved sheet, the radial position of the sheet retaining bars (62) being controlled by adjustment screws (49, 50) allowing different drum diameters to be set.

Abstract: In an image forming apparatus having a photoconductive member supported via two supporting members fixed on a rotation axis and a flywheel with great moment of inertia, the characteristic oscillation frequency of the revolution system comprising the rotation axis, supporting members and photoconductive member is set so that any density unevenness on a toner image which is formed on the photoconductive member is not apparent even if an exciting torque affects the photoconductive drum. The moment of inertia of a rotation axis, a photoconductive drum, and a flywheel, a torsional regidity of the rotation axis and a mounting position of a support member, and a surface speed of the photoconductive drum all satisfy a specific relationship.

Abstract: An end flange capable of translating a rotational force from an outside source to a hollow cylindrical member is disclosed. The end flange is made from a composition which includes polycarbonate, polytetrafluorethylene, and glass. The end flange may be used to rotate an electrophotographic imaging member past a charging station, for generation of a uniform electrical potential thereon, and subsequent selective discharging of the imaging member and development of an electrostatic latent image. Most notably, mounting of the end flange to the imaging member does not require the use of an adhesive material. This enables successful recycling of the imaging member, and results in significant cost savings.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a rotary image forming body; a charger provided around the image forming body for charging the image forming body; a plurality of imagewise exposure devices for imagewise exposing the charged image forming body to form respective latent images thereon; and a plurality of developing devices for developing the respective latent images formed on the image forming body to form respective toner images. A plurality of different color toner images thus formed by the respective chargers, the respective imagewise exposure devices and the respective developing devices are superimposed on the image forming body, thereby a color toner image is formed. The image forming apparatus further includes a transfer device for transferring the color toner image on the image forming body onto a transfer member; a cleaning device for removing a residual toner on the image forming body; a support member for supporting the plurality of exposure devices.

Abstract: A hollow cylindrical electrostatographic imaging member supporting end flange including a disk shaped member, a supporting hub extending axially from the disk shaped member and a metal disk coaxially secured to the hub, the disk comprising a plurality of rectangular tabs extending radially from the disk in a direction away from an imaginary axis of the hub for engagement with the hollow cylindrical electrostatographic imaging member upon insertion of the hub and disk shaped member into one end of the hollow cylindrical electrostatographic imaging member. When this end flange is inserted into one end of the hollow cylindrical electrostatographic imaging member, the plurality of rectangular tabs extending radially from the disk engage the inner surface of the hollow cylindrical electrostatographic imaging member.

Abstract: A bearing for supporting a member in an electrophotographic printing machine of the type having a latent image recorded in a photoconductive drum and for alternatively receiving at least a first shaft and a second shaft is provided. The first shaft has a shape substantially physically different from the second shaft. The bearing includes a body operably associated with the member, a first feature operably associated with the body for supporting the first shaft, and a second feature operably associated with the body for supporting the second shaft, whereby the bearing may accommodate both of the two shafts.

Abstract: A color image forming device in which an operator with no special trained experience can easily replace photosensitive bodies one by one without inviting deterioration in print quality due to shear in printing. The color image forming device has photosensitive bodies having rotational shafts parallelized nearly, the photosensitive bodies being driven respectively and rotatably in a box. The color image forming device forms a color image on a transfer paper sheet by transferring sequentially color manifest images developed on the photosensitive bodies on the transfer paper sheets. The color image forming device includes a positioning and fixing implement coupled axially and removably to the front end of the rotational shaft of each of the photosensitive bodies, for positioning and fixing to the box while the end of the rotational shaft is supported rotatably; and a coupling for coupling axially and detachably the rotational shaft on the base side of the photosensitive body with a drive system fixed on the box.

Abstract: A process cartridge removably mountable with respect to a body of an image forming apparatus using the electrophotographic art is provided. The process cartridge has an electrophotographic photosensitive member, a process service for acting on the electrophotographic photosensitive member, a casing holding the electrophotographic photosensitive member and the process device, a bearing rotatably holding the shaft of the electrophotographic photosensitive member, and a cover member mounted on a lengthwise end portion of the casing.

Abstract: A roller including a cylindrical member and an engagement member, wherein the engagement member has plural fitting portions pairs each having two opposed fitting portions. The cylindrical member and the engagement member will be connected, while leaving at least one of the plural fitting portion pairs unused, by fitting end portions of the cylindrical member to at least one of the fitting portion pairs by cutting and bending the end portions. The roller may be a photoconductive drum or a developing roller for use in an image forming apparatus.

Abstract: An apparatus for forming multi color toner images includes a photoreceptor drum which has an opening at a first end through which an inside of the photoreceptor drum is accessible, and which has an outer surface on which multi color toner images are formed. A supporting member is provided which is capable of being inserted into the inside of the photoreceptor drum through the opening thereof. A cover member is provided on a first end of the supporting member for covering the opening. A plurality of exposing devices are mounted on the supporting member so that the plurality of exposing devices and the supporting member are incorporated inside the photoreceptor drum when the cover member is fixed so as to cover the opening. A plurality of charging devices are provided around the outer surface of the photoreceptor drum for charging the outer surface of the photoreceptor drum.

Abstract: A customer replaceable unit includes a cover and support structure for supporting a photoreceptor belt while it is packaged, shipped and inserted over drive and idler rolls in a machine. It prevents a machine operator from having to handle the belt itself and provides protection from extrinsic damage.

Abstract: A reusable photoreceptor assembly has a gear assembly removable from a photoreceptor. A square leaf spring or ring is used to secure and remove the gear assembly to and from the photoreceptor, thereby avoiding damage to both the gear assembly and photoreceptor during the removal of the gear assembly. The undamaged gear assembly and photoreceptor may then be reused.

Abstract: The present invention provides a process cartridge mountable to an image forming apparatus, comprising a rotary member, a holding member for holding the rotary member, and a plurality of rolling members assembled between the rotary member and the holding member independently from the holding member.

Abstract: A hollow cylinder supporting end flange including a disk shaped member having a circular periphery and a coil spring having a major plane substantially parallel to the major plane of the disk shaped member, an exposed arcuate outer periphery having a diameter larger than the inside diameter of the hollow cylinder, an outer exposed end and an inner end, the inner end comprising a section secured to the end flange and the exposed arcuate outer periphery of the coil spring being adjacent the circular periphery of the disk shaped member for engagement with a hollow cylindrical member upon insertion of the coil spring into the hollow cylindrical member.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a base machine; and a mounting device for interchangeably mounting any one of a plurality of different types of photoreceptor units to the base machine. The mounting device includes a print section module detachably mounted on the base machine, with the plural types of photoreceptor units being removably set to the print section module via an interface. The different types of photoreceptor units are different in a mounting structure for mounting a photoconductive layer on base.