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EP-4300211-B1 - DEVELOPING CARTRIDGE

EP4300211B1EP 4300211 B1EP4300211 B1EP 4300211B1EP-4300211-B1

Inventors

  • MINOSHIMA SAYA
  • ARATACHI TOMITAKE
  • SHIMIZU KEITA

Dates

Publication Date
20260513
Application Date
20220218

Claims (20)

  1. A developing cartridge (30) comprising: a casing (31) configured to accommodate toner therein; a developing roller (32) rotatable about a developing axis (X1) extending in a first direction, the developing roller (32) being positioned at one end portion of the casing (31) in a second direction crossing the first direction; a developing electrode (37) electrically connected to the developing roller (32), the developing electrode (37) being positioned at one end portion (31A) of the casing (31) in the first direction; a supply roller (33) rotatable about a supply axis (X2) extending in the first direction, the supply roller (33) being configured to supply toner to the developing roller (32); a supply electrode (38) electrically connected to the supply roller (33), the supply electrode (38) being positioned at the one end portion (31A) of the casing (31) in the first direction; and an IC chip (C1) having an electrical contact surface (C11) positioned at the one end portion (31A) of the casing (31) in the first direction, wherein the electrical contact surface (C11) is positioned opposite the developing electrode (37) with respect to a part of the supply electrode (38) in the second direction.
  2. The developing cartridge according to claim 1, wherein the second direction is perpendicular to the first direction.
  3. The developing cartridge according to claim 1 or 2, further comprising a handle (HD) positioned at another end portion of the casing (31) in the second direction.
  4. The developing cartridge according to claim 3, wherein the supply roller (33) is positioned between the developing roller (32) and the handle (HD) in the second direction.
  5. The developing cartridge according to any one of claims 1 through 4, wherein the developing electrode (37) is made of electrically conductive resin.
  6. The developing cartridge according to any one of claims 1 through 5, wherein the supply electrode (38) is made of electrically conductive resin.
  7. The developing cartridge according to any one of claims 1 through 6, wherein the developing roller (32) includes a developing-roller shaft (32A) extending in the first direction, wherein the developing electrode (37) includes: a developing bearing (37B) having a developing through-hole (37C) through which the developing-roller shaft (32A) is inserted; and a developing electrode surface (37A) electrically connected to the developing bearing (37B), and wherein the developing electrode surface (37A) is positioned at the one end portion (31A) of the casing (31) in the first direction.
  8. The developing cartridge according to claim 7, wherein the developing electrode surface (37A) extends perpendicular to the first direction.
  9. The developing cartridge according to claim 7 or 8, wherein the supply roller (33) includes a supply-roller shaft (33A) extending in the first direction, wherein the supply electrode (38) includes: a supply bearing (38B) having a supply through-hole through which the supply-roller shaft (33A) is inserted; and a supply electrode surface (38A) electrically connected to the supply bearing (38B), and wherein the supply electrode surface (38A) is positioned at the one end portion (31A) of the casing (31) in the first direction.
  10. The developing cartridge according to claim 9, wherein the supply electrode surface (38A) extends perpendicular to the first direction.
  11. The developing cartridge according to claim 9 or 10, wherein the electrical contact surface (C11) is positioned opposite the developing electrode surface (37A) with respect to the supply electrode surface (38A) in the second direction.
  12. The developing cartridge according to any one of claims 9 through 11, further comprising an insulating member (39) positioned between the developing electrode (37) and the supply electrode (38).
  13. The developing cartridge according to any one of claims 9 through 12, wherein the electrical contact surface (C11) is positioned opposite the developing electrode surface (37A) with respect to the supply electrode surface (38A) in a third direction crossing the first direction and the second direction.
  14. The developing cartridge according to claim 13, wherein the third direction is perpendicular to the first direction and the second direction.
  15. The developing cartridge according to any one of claims 1 through 14, further comprising a coupling (36) configured to transmit a driving force to the developing roller (32) and the supply roller (33), the coupling (36) being positioned at another end portion (31B) of the casing (31) in the first direction.
  16. The developing cartridge according to any one of claims 1 through 15, wherein the electrical contact surface (C11) is movable relative to the casing (31).
  17. The developing cartridge according to any one of claims 1 through 16, wherein the developing cartridge (C30) is attachable to and detachable from a drum frame (41) of a drum cartridge (40), the drum cartridge including: a photosensitive drum (42) rotatable about a drum axis (X4), the drum axis (X4) extending in the first direction in a state where the developing cartridge (30) is attached to the drum frame (41); and a lock lever (L) configured to lock the developing cartridge (30) to the drum frame (41), wherein the electrical contact surface (C11) is positioned opposite the lock lever (L) in the first direction with respect to the casing (31) in the state where the developing cartridge (30) is attached to the drum frame (41).
  18. The developing cartridge according to claim 17, wherein the drum cartridge (40) further includes a pressure member (P, P1, P2) configured to press the developing roller (32) against the photosensitive drum (42), and wherein the electrical contact surface (C11) is positioned opposite the lock lever (L) in the first direction with respect to the pressure member (P, P1, P2) in the state where the developing cartridge (30) is attached to the drum frame (41).
  19. The developing cartridge according to any one of claims 1 through 18, wherein the casing (31) has a first outer surface (F1) and a second outer surface (F2) spaced apart from the first outer surface (F1) in the first direction, and wherein the developing electrode (37) and the supply electrode (38) are positioned at the first outer surface (F1).
  20. The developing cartridge according to claim 19, wherein a distance in the first direction between the first outer surface (F1) of the casing (31) and the electrical contact surface (C11) is greater than a distance in the first direction between the first outer surface (F1) of the casing (31) and the developing electrode (37).

Description

[Technical Field] The present disclosure relates to a developing cartridge including a developing roller. [Background Art] Conventionally, as a developing cartridge, there has been known a developing cartridge that includes a casing, a developing roller, a supply roller, a developing electrode, a supply electrode, and an IC chip (see Patent Literature 1). The developing roller is rotatable about a developing axis extending in a first direction. The developing roller is positioned at one end portion of the casing in a second direction crossing the first direction. The supply roller is rotatable about a supply axis extending in the first direction. The supply roller is configured to supply toner to the developing roller. The developing electrode is configured to supply electricity to the developing roller. The supply electrode is configured to supply electricity to the supply roller. The IC chip has an electrical contact surface. In this technique, the electrical contact surface is positioned at one end portion of the casing in the first direction. The developing electrode and the supply electrode are positioned at another end portion of the casing in the first direction. Further, in the second direction, the electrical contact surface is at generally at the same position as the developing electrode. [Citation List] [Patent Literature] [PTL 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2018-066973 [Summary of Invention] [Technical Problem] However, according to the conventional art, since the position of the electrical contact surface is approximately the same as the position of the developing electrode in the second direction, the electrical contact surface is positioned near the developing roller. Accordingly, it is likely that the electrical contact surface may be contaminated by toner scattering from the developing roller. In view of the foregoing, it is an object of the present disclosure to restrain the electrical contact surface from getting contaminated with toner. [Solution to Problem] In order to solve the above-described problem, a developing cartridge according to the disclosure includes a casing configured to accommodate toner therein, a developing roller rotatable about a developing axis extending in a first direction and positioned at one end portion of the casing in a second direction crossing the first direction, a developing electrode electrically connected to the developing roller and positioned at one end portion of the casing in the first direction, a supply roller rotatable about a supply axis extending in the first direction and configured to supply toner to the developing roller, a supply electrode electrically connected to the supply roller and positioned at the one end portion of the casing in the first direction, and an IC chip having an electrical contact surface positioned at the one end portion of the casing in the first direction. The electrical contact surface is positioned opposite the developing electrode with respect to a part of the supply electrode in the second direction. With this structure, since the electrical contact surface is positioned opposite the developing electrode with respect to the part of the supply electrode in the second direction, the electrical contact surface can be positioned far away from the developing roller. The electrical contact surface can be thus restrained from being contaminated with toner. Further, the second direction may be perpendicular to the first direction. Further, the developing cartridge may further include a handle positioned at another end portion of the casing in the second direction. Further, the supply roller may be positioned between the developing roller and the handle in the second direction. Further, the developing electrode may be made of electrically conductive resin. Further, the supply electrode may be made of electrically conductive resin. Further, the developing roller may include a developing-roller shaft extending in the first direction. The developing electrode may include: a developing bearing having a developing through-hole through which the developing-roller shaft is inserted; and a developing electrode surface electrically connected to the developing bearing. The developing electrode surface may be positioned at the one end portion of the casing in the first direction. Further, the developing electrode surface may extend perpendicular to the first direction. Further, the supply roller may include a supply-roller shaft extending in the first direction. The supply electrode may include: a supply bearing having a supply through-hole through which the supply-roller shaft is inserted; and a supply electrode surface electrically connected to the supply bearing. The supply electrode surface may be positioned at the one end portion of the casing in the first direction. Further, the supply electrode surface may extend perpendicular to the first direction. Further, the electrical contact surface may be positioned oppo