Developing device, memory unit thereof, and image forming apparatus

Abstract

A developing device to prevent damage of a memory unit and poor connection between terminals of the memory unit and a main body of an image forming apparatus, by improving a mounting position of the memory unit. The developing device is removably mounted to a main body of the image forming apparatus. The memory unit includes terminals exposed through a rear side of the developing device. The memory unit is disposed closer to a power reception unit formed at one side of the developing device than to a driving force reception unit formed at an other side of the developing device.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A developing device removably mounted to an image forming apparatus, the developing device comprising:
 a driving force reception unit disposed at one side of the developing device to receive a driving force from the image forming apparatus, 
 a power reception unit disposed at an other side of the developing device to receive an electric power from the image forming apparatus; and 
 a memory unit disposed at a rear end of the developing device with respect to an insertion direction of the developing device to the image forming apparatus and closer to the power reception unit than the driving force reception unit. 
 
     
     
       2. The developing device according to  claim 1 , wherein the memory unit comprises:
 a plurality of terminals. 
 
     
     
       3. The developing device according to  claim 2 , wherein:
 the plurality of terminals are exposed to the outside through a rear side of the developing device. 
 
     
     
       4. The developing device according to  claim 3 , wherein the driving force reception unit is disposed at one side of a front end of the developing device, and the power reception unit is disposed at the other side of the front end. 
     
     
       5. The developing device according to  claim 2 , wherein the plurality of terminals comprise:
 a first terminal for data communication disposed farthest from the driving force reception unit among the plurality of terminals. 
 
     
     
       6. The developing device according to  claim 2 , wherein the plurality of terminals comprise:
 a second terminal to provide grounding disposed closest to the driving force reception unit among the plurality of terminals. 
 
     
     
       7. The developing device according to  claim 6 , wherein the second terminal has a larger area than other terminals. 
     
     
       8. The developing device according to  claim 1 , wherein the memory unit is biased to one side from a middle of a width of the developing device. 
     
     
       9. A developing device removably mounted to an image forming apparatus, the developing device comprising:
 a housing; 
 a driving force reception unit to receive a driving force from the image forming apparatus; 
 a power reception unit to receive an electric power from the image forming apparatus; and 
 a memory unit including terminals disposed at a rear end of the housing with respect to an insertion direction of the developing device to the image forming apparatus, and disposed closer to the power reception unit than to the driving force reception unit. 
 
     
     
       10. The developing device according to  claim 9 , wherein the terminals comprise:
 a first terminal for data communication and a second terminal to provide grounding, the first terminal disposed relatively close to between the power reception unit and the second terminal, and the second terminal disposed relatively close to between the driving force reception unit and the first terminal. 
 
     
     
       11. A developing device removably mounted to an image forming apparatus, the developing device comprising:
 a driving force reception unit to receive a driving force from the image forming apparatus; 
 a power reception unit to receive an electric power from the image forming apparatus; and 
 a memory unit disposed at a rear end of the developing device with respect to an insertion direction of the developing device to the image forming apparatus to store information on usage of the developing device, 
 wherein the memory unit comprises a first terminal for data communication and a second terminal to ground, the first terminal disposed relatively close closer to the power reception unit than the second terminal, and the second terminal disposed relatively close closer to the driving force reception unit than the first terminal. 
 
     
     
       12. A memory unit mounted to a developing device which operates by receiving a driving force and an electric power from an image forming apparatus, the memory unit comprising:
 a plurality of terminals exposed through a rear side of the developing device with respect to an insertion direction of the developing device to the image forming apparatus and disposed closer to a second position of the developing device, the second position configured to receive the electric power from the image forming apparatus, than to a first position of the developing device, the first position configured to receive the driving force from the image forming apparatus. 
 
     
     
       13. A memory unit mounted to a developing device including a driving force reception unit to receive a driving force from an image forming apparatus and a power reception unit to receive an electric power from the image forming apparatus so as to store information on usage of the developing device, the memory unit comprising:
 a first terminal for data communication and a second terminal to provide grounding, the first terminal disposed relatively close closer to the power reception unit than the second terminal, and the second terminal disposed relatively close closer to the driving force reception unit than the first terminal, 
 wherein the memory unit is disposed at a rear end of the developing device with respect to an insertion direction of the developing device to the image forming apparatus. 
 
     
     
       14. An image forming apparatus, comprising:
 a main body including terminal contact points; and 
 a developing device removably mounted to the main body, 
 wherein the developing device includes a driving force reception unit to receive a driving force from the main body, a power reception unit to receive an electric power from the main body, and a memory unit including terminals electrically connected with the terminal contact points, the terminals are disposed at a rear end of the developing device with respect to an insertion direction of the developing device to the main body and disposed closer to the power reception unit than to the driving force reception unit. 
 
     
     
       15. The image forming apparatus according to  claim 14 , wherein the main body comprises:
 a main body cover disposed at a rear portion of the developing device with respect to the mounting direction of the developing device, and the terminal contact points are disposed at the main body cover corresponding to the terminals. 
 
     
     
       16. The image forming apparatus according to  claim 14 , wherein the terminals comprise:
 a first terminal for data communication and a second terminal to provide grounding, and the first terminal is disposed closer to the power reception unit than the second terminal. 
 
     
     
       17. The image forming apparatus according to  claim 16 , wherein the second terminal among the terminals is closest to the driving force reception unit. 
     
     
       18. The image forming apparatus according to  claim 14 , further comprising:
 a circuit board mounted to the main body proximate to the power reception unit. 
 
     
     
       19. An image forming apparatus, comprising:
 a main body; 
 a main body cover pivotably mounted to the main body to open and close the main body; and 
 a developing device to be inserted and separated with respect to the main body with the main body cover opened, the developing device including a housing, a driving force reception unit disposed at one side of the housing to receive a driving force from the main body, a power reception unit disposed at the other side of the housing to receive an electric power from the main body, and a memory unit, disposed at a rear end of the developing device with respect to an insertion direction of the developing device to the main body and closer to the power reception unit than to the driving force reception unit, 
 wherein the main body cover includes terminal contact points elastically connected with the memory unit and a pressing member elastically pressing the developing device. 
 
     
     
       20. An image forming apparatus, comprising:
 a main body having an opening; 
 a main body cover to open and close the opening of the main body and having a terminal contact; 
 a developing device to be inserted to and separated from the main body through the opening, and having a memory unit disposed at a rear end of the developing device with respect to an insertion direction of the developing device to the main body and having a terminal to contact the terminal contact of the main body cover when the main body cover closes the opening of the main body. 
 
     
     
       21. The developing device according to claim 1, wherein
 the driving force reception unit is disposed at one side of a front end of the developing device,   the power reception unit is disposed at an other side of the front end of the developing device, and   the memory unit comprises a plurality of terminals,   wherein the plurality of terminals are externally exposed through, and disposed at, the rear end of the developing device with respect to a direction of mounting the developing device into the image forming apparatus and are connectable through contacting with terminal contact points formed at a main body cover of the image forming apparatus,   wherein a developing roller is disposed at the front end of the developing device and is adapted to supply developer to the photoconductive medium provided in the image forming apparatus,   wherein a first terminal for data communication is disposed farther from the driving force reception unit than at least one of the other terminals, and   a second terminal operable to provide grounding of the memory unit without a function of transceiving certain information or signals is disposed closer to the driving force reception unit than the first terminal.    
     
     
       22. The developing device according to claim 21, wherein the plurality of terminals of the memory unit are positioned to one side of a middle of a width of a surface perpendicular to the direction of mounting of the developing device.  
     
     
       23. The developing device according to claim 21, wherein the plurality of terminals comprise:
 a third terminal to provide power to the memory unit and a fourth terminal to provide clock signals to the memory unit disposed between the first terminal and the second terminal sequentially.    
     
     
       24. The developing device according to claim 21, wherein the plurality of terminals comprise:
 a third terminal to provide clock signals to the memory unit disposed between the first terminal and the second terminal.    
     
     
       25. The developing device according to claim 21, wherein the developing device is adapted to receive pressing members formed on an inner surface of a main body cover of the image forming apparatus to prevent movement of the developing device.  
     
     
       26. The developing device according to claim 21, wherein the developing device further comprises handles mounted to both sides of the rear end of the developing device for mounting or separating the developing device.  
     
     
       27. The developing device according to claim 22, wherein the terminals comprise:
 a first terminal for data communication and a second terminal to provide clock signals to the memory unit, the first terminal disposed between the power reception unit and the second terminal, and the second terminal disposed between the driving force reception unit and the first terminal.    
     
     
       28. The developing device according to claim 23, wherein the second terminal has a larger area than other terminals.  
     
     
       29. The image forming apparatus according to claim 20, wherein
 the developing device further comprises a driving force reception unit disposed at one side of the developing device to receive a driving force from the image forming apparatus, and a power reception unit disposed at an other side of the developing device to receive an electric power from the image forming apparatus, and   wherein the terminal comprises a plurality of terminals which are externally exposed through the rear end of the developing device with respect to a direction of mounting the developing device to the image forming apparatus, wherein the plurality of terminals are disposed closer to the power reception unit than the driving force reception unit; and wherein a developing roller is disposed at a front end of the developing device and is adapted to supply developer to a photoconductive medium provided in the image forming apparatus,   wherein the apparatus is further adapted such that the memory unit is accessed by the main body of the image forming apparatus when the main body cover is closed, and an electrical connection between the memory unit and the main body is established when the cover is closed.    
     
     
       30. The image forming apparatus according to claim 20, wherein
 the main body cover is pivotably mounted to the main body,   the developing device is removably mounted to the main body to supply developer to a photoconductive medium of a photoconductive medium housing mounted to the main body, and   the memory unit is removably mounted to the developing device,   wherein the developing device further comprises:   a driving force reception unit disposed at one side of a front end of the developing device to receive a driving force from the image forming apparatus; and   a power reception unit disposed at an other side of the front end of the developing device to receive an electric power from the image forming apparatus.    
     
     
       31. The image forming apparatus of claim 29, wherein the developing device comprises four developing devices.  
     
     
       32. The image forming apparatus according to claim 29, wherein the insertion direction is substantially parallel to a longest dimension of the developing device in a direction perpendicular to an axis of rotation of the developing roller of the image forming apparatus.  
     
     
       33. The image forming apparatus of claim 30, wherein the terminal comprises a plurality of terminals,
 wherein the plurality of terminals are externally exposed through and connectable through contacting with the terminal contact point of the image forming apparatus;   wherein the plurality of terminals are disposed closer to the power reception unit than the driving force reception unit; and   wherein a first terminal for data communication is disposed farther from the driving force reception unit than at least one of the other terminals, and   a second terminal operable to provide grounding of the memory unit without a function of transceiving certain information or signals is disposed closer to the driving force reception unit than the first terminal.    
     
     
       34. The image forming apparatus according to claim 30, wherein the insertion direction is substantially parallel to a longest dimension of the developing device in a direction perpendicular to an axis of rotation of the developing roller of the image forming apparatus.