US 7,530,439 B2
Drive device, sheet conveying device, and image forming apparatus including drive force transmitting unit including reverse preventing mechanism for preventing shaft from being reversed
Mitsuru Yamada, Tokyo (Japan); Yutaka Fukuchi, Yokohama (Japan); and Yuji Arai, Kawasaki (Japan)
Assigned to Ricoh Company, Ltd., Tokyo (Japan)
Filed on Mar. 17, 2005, as Appl. No. 11/81,591.
Claims priority of application No. 2004-077048 (JP), filed on Mar. 17, 2004.
Prior Publication US 2005/0230900 A1, Oct. 20, 2005
Int. Cl. F16H 57/00 (2006.01); F16H 1/20 (2006.01); F16D 59/00 (2006.01)
U.S. Cl. 192—223.2  [74/411.5; 74/416] 11 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A drive device, comprising:
a first shaft;
a second shaft disposed at a position deviated from a shaft line of the first shaft;
a drive source configured to drive the first shaft to rotate;
a first gear attached to one end of the first shaft; and
a drive force transmitting unit (1) connecting the first shaft to the second shaft through the drive force transmitting unit, (2) connected to the first gear, and (3) including a single unit of a third shaft and second and third gears attached on the third shaft through a one-way clutch, and a bracket to which the third shaft of the single unit is fixed, the drive force transmitting unit to transmit a drive force of the drive source from the first shaft to the first, second and third gears and to the second shaft, the drive force transmitting unit including the one-way clutch connected to the third shaft and configured to lock the second and third gears so as to prevent the first shaft from being rotated in a reverse direction, wherein the bracket includes first and second supporting bracket elements with a space therebetween, and the third shaft attaches to the first supporting bracket element and passes through the second supporting bracket element and the one-way clutch and the second and third gears are attached to the third shaft in the space between the first and second supporting bracket elements.