Image forming apparatus provided with photoreceptor unit with internal gear unit, the photoreceptor unit with internal gear, and internal gear unit
US6161446A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Jun 1, 1999 |
| Grant date | Dec 19, 2000 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jun 1, 2019 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
- CPC primaryY10T74/19642
- WIPO fieldOptics
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
An image forming apparatus provided with a photoreceptor with an internal gear includes the internal gear in a photoreceptor drum, a pinion gear in engagement with the internal gear, and a cleaning unit and a developer unit which apply contact pressure onto the photoreceptor drum. The pinion gear is provided in such an area that a resulting force of the contact pressure respectively applied from the process elements does not cause a distortion of the photoreceptor drum which exceeds an axial backlash determined in initialization according to a distance between axes of the pinion gear and the internal gear. The described arrangement prevents interference between non-driving surfaces of the internal gear and the pinion gear. As a result, a smooth rotary motion of the photoreceptor drum can be ensured, thereby preventing an image defect caused by an unstable rotary motion of the photoreceptor drum.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.