Patent · US Expired

Process cartridge having light guides and memory member, and electrophotographic image forming apparatus to which such cartridge is mountable

US7162174B2 · kind B2 · utility

67Cited by
13References
10Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateJun 29, 2004
Grant dateJan 9, 2007
Priority date
Expiry dateNov 30, 2024

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG03G21/1885
  • WIPO fieldOptics
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

A process cartridge detachably mountable to a main assembly of an apparatus, includes a drum, a developing member, a cartridge frame including a developer accommodating portion, a first light guide adjacent one end of the cartridge frame and a leading end with respect to a cartridge mounting direction and including a light entrance portion opposed to an emitting portion to receive detecting light when the process cartridge is mounted to the main assembly and guiding the detecting light to cross with a developer accommodating space in the developer accommodating container, a second light guide adjacent the one end and the leading end, and including a light exit portion and directing, the detecting light having passed through the developer accommodating space to the light receiving portion, and a memory member communicatable with the main assembly and adjacent the one end o and the leading and including a cartridge electrical contact.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.