US-12619193-B2 - Drum cartridge including movable holder having holder terminal, and relay electrode electrically connectable to holder terminal and memory of developing cartridge attached to drum frame

Abstract

A drum cartridge includes a drum frame, a photosensitive drum rotatable about a drum axis extending in a first direction, a drum electrical contact surface, a relay electrode, and a holder holding the drum electrical contact surface. A developing cartridge including a developing roller and a memory is attachable to the drum frame. The drum electrical contact surface is positioned at one end portion of the drum frame in the first direction. The relay electrode is electrically connected to the memory in a state where the developing cartridge is attached to the drum frame. The holder is positioned at the one end portion of the drum frame in the first direction and is movable relative to the drum frame. The holder has a holder terminal electrically connected to the drum electrical contact surface and electrically connectable to the relay electrode.

Inventors

• Nao Itabashi

Assignees

• BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA

Dates

Publication Date

20260505

Application Date

20250103

Priority Date

20240131

Claims (12)

1. 1 . A drum cartridge comprising: a drum frame to which a developing cartridge is attachable, the developing cartridge including: a developing roller rotatable about a developing axis extending in a first direction; and a memory storing information about the developing cartridge; a photosensitive drum rotatable about a drum axis extending in the first direction; a drum electrical contact surface positioned at one end portion of the drum frame in the first direction; a relay electrode configured to be electrically connected to the memory in a state where the developing cartridge is attached to the drum frame; and a holder positioned at the one end portion of the drum frame in the first direction and movable relative to the drum frame, the holder holding the drum electrical contact surface and having a holder terminal electrically connected to the drum electrical contact surface, the holder terminal being electrically connectable to the relay electrode.
2. 2 . The drum cartridge according to claim 1 , wherein the holder terminal is electrically connected to the relay electrode while the holder is moving relative to the drum frame.
3. 3 . The drum cartridge according to claim 1 , wherein the relay electrode is positioned at the one end portion of the drum frame in the first direction.
4. 4 . The drum cartridge according to claim 1 , wherein the developing cartridge includes a developing electrical contact surface electrically connected to the memory, and wherein the relay electrode is electrically connected to the developing electrical contact surface in the state where the developing cartridge is attached to the drum frame.
5. 5 . The drum cartridge according to claim 4 , wherein the relay electrode comprises: a first relay terminal, the first relay terminal being electrically connected to the developing electrical contact surface in the state where the developing cartridge is attached to the drum frame; a second relay terminal electrically connected to the holder terminal; and a conducting wire electrically connecting the first relay terminal and the second relay terminal to each other.
6. 6 . The drum cartridge according to claim 5 , wherein the first relay terminal is movable relative to the drum frame in a second direction crossing the first direction.
7. 7 . The drum cartridge according to claim 6 , wherein the photosensitive drum is aligned with the developing roller in the second direction in the state where the developing cartridge is attached to the drum frame.
8. 8 . The drum cartridge according to claim 5 , wherein the first relay terminal is movable relative to the drum frame in a second direction crossing the first direction, wherein the holder is movable relative to the drum frame in a third direction crossing both the first direction and the second direction, and wherein a distance by which the holder is movable relative to the drum frame in the third direction is greater than a distance by which the first relay terminal is movable relative to the drum frame in the second direction.
9. 9 . The drum cartridge according to claim 1 , wherein the drum electrical contact surface is positioned at one end portion of the holder in a direction crossing the first direction, the drum electrical contact surface extending to cross the direction crossing the first direction.
10. 10 . The drum cartridge according to claim 9 , wherein the holder is movable, relative to the drum frame, in the direction crossing the first direction.
11. 11 . The drum cartridge according to claim 1 , wherein the drum cartridge is attachable to a housing of an image-forming apparatus, the housing including a device electrode, and wherein the drum electrical contact surface is in contact with the device electrode in a state where the drum cartridge is attached to the housing.
12. 12 . The drum cartridge according to claim 1 , further comprising a holder cover fixed to the one end portion of the drum frame in the first direction, the holder cover supporting the holder such that the holder is movable relative to the holder cover in a direction crossing the first direction, wherein the developing cartridge includes a developing electrical contact surface electrically connected to the memory, and wherein the relay electrode comprises: a first relay terminal provided at the one end portion of the drum frame in the first direction, the first relay terminal being electrically connected to the developing electrical contact surface in the state where the developing cartridge is attached to the drum frame; a second relay terminal provided at the holder cover and electrically connected to the holder terminal; and a conducting wire electrically connecting the first relay terminal and the second relay terminal to each other.

Description

REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This application claims priority from Japanese Patent Application No. 2024-013267 filed on Jan. 31, 2024. The entire content of the priority application is incorporated herein by reference. BACKGROUND ART An electrophotographic type image-forming apparatus such as a laser printer and an LED printer has been well known in the art. A prior art discloses a conventional image-forming apparatus including a developing cartridge and a drum cartridge. The developing cartridge is attachable to the drum cartridge. Further, the drum cartridge to which the developing cartridge has been attached is configured to be attached to a housing of the image-forming apparatus. SUMMARY The above-mentioned developing cartridge includes a memory. The memory is held by a holder which is movably supported to a casing of the developing cartridge. Upon attachment of the drum cartridge having the developing cartridge attached thereto to the housing of the image-forming apparatus, an electrical contact surface of the memory held by the holder contacts an electrode provided at the housing. Hence, a controller of the image-forming apparatus can communicate with the memory. However, in the above-described conventional structure, the holder is required in the developing cartridge. Hence, the number of parts constituting the developing cartridge is increased. In view of the foregoing, it is an object of the present disclosure to provide a technique according to which the number of parts required for a developing cartridge can be reduced. In order to attain the above and other objects, according to one aspect, the present disclosure provides a drum cartridge including a drum frame, a photosensitive drum, a drum electrical contact surface, a relay electrode, and a holder. A developing cartridge is attachable to the drum frame. The developing cartridge includes: a developing roller rotatable about a developing axis extending in a first direction; and a memory storing information about the developing cartridge. The photosensitive drum is rotatable about a drum axis extending in the first direction. The drum electrical contact surface is positioned at one end portion of the drum frame in the first direction. The relay electrode is configured to be electrically connected to the memory in a state where the developing cartridge is attached to the drum frame. The holder is positioned at the one end portion of the drum frame in the first direction and is movable relative to the drum frame. The holder holds the drum electrical contact surface and has a holder terminal electrically connected to the drum electrical contact surface. The holder terminal is electrically connectable to the relay electrode. The drum cartridge described above includes the drum electrical contact surface, the holder, and the relay electrode. Upon attachment of the developing cartridge to the drum cartridge, the memory of the developing cartridge is electrically connected to the drum electrical contact surface through the relay electrode. Further, the holder is movable relative to the drum frame. With this structure, the developing cartridge is not required to have an electrical contact surface held by a holder. Accordingly, the number of parts and components of the developing cartridge can be made smaller. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a schematic view illustrating a structure of an image-forming apparatus. FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a developing cartridge and a drum cartridge. FIG. 3 is a partial and exploded perspective view of the developing cartridge. FIG. 4 is a partial and exploded perspective view of the drum cartridge. FIG. 5 is a partial perspective view of the drum cartridge. FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a holder cover and a relay electrode of the drum cartridge. FIG. 7 is a plan view of a first relay terminal and a plate of the drum cartridge. FIG. 8 is a perspective view of a holder and a drum electrical contact surface of the drum cartridge. DESCRIPTION Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present disclosure will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 through 8. Incidentally, in the following description, a direction in which of a drum axis A2 (FIG. 2) of a photosensitive drum 52 (FIG. 1) extends will be referred to as “first direction.” A direction in which a first relay terminal 61 (FIG. 5) moves relative to a drum frame 51 (FIG. 2) will be referred to as “second direction.” Further, a direction crossing drum electrical contact surfaces 56 (FIG. 5) will be referred to as “third direction”. The first direction and the second direction cross each other. Preferably, the first direction and the second direction be perpendicular to each other. The first direction and the third direction cross each other. Preferably, the first direction and the third direction be perpendicular to each other. The second direction and the third direction cross each other. 1. Outline of Image-Forming Apparatus FIG. 1 is a schematic view of a