US 11,029,638 B2Granted

Image forming apparatus

AssigneeBrother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha

InventorShougo Sato

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Abstract

An image forming apparatus includes: a drawer movable between an inside position and an outside position; a drum cartridge including a photoconductive drum rotatable about a first axis; and a developing cartridge including a developing roller rotatable about a second axis. The drum cartridge includes a first developing-roller guide pivotable between a first position where the first developing-roller guide guides the developing roller when the developing cartridge is mounted on the drawer with the drum cartridge being mounted on the drawer, and a second position where the first developing-roller guide guides the developing roller with the drum cartridge and the developing cartridge being mounted on the drawer. The second axis is located below the first axis in a state in which the drum cartridge and the developing cartridge are mounted on the drawer, and the first developing-roller guide is located at the second position.

Claims17

Dependent claims

An image forming apparatus, comprising:

a housing;
a drawer movable between an inside position at which the drawer is located inside the housing, and an outside position at which the drawer is located outside the housing;
a drum cartridge mountable on the drawer and comprising a photoconductive drum rotatable about a first axis;
and
a developing cartridge mountable on the drawer and comprising a developing roller rotatable about a second axis,
wherein the drum cartridge comprises a first developing-roller guide pivotable between (i) a first position at which the first developing-roller guide guides the developing roller when the developing cartridge is mounted on the drawer in a state in which the drum cartridge is mounted on the drawer, and (ii) a second position at which the first developing-roller guide guides the developing roller in a state in which the drum cartridge and the developing cartridge are mounted on the drawer, and
wherein the second axis of the developing roller is located below the first axis of the photoconductive drum in a state in which the drum cartridge and the developing cartridge are mounted on the drawer, and the first developing-roller guide is located at the second position.

4 more elements

An image forming apparatus, comprising:

a housing;
a drawer movable between an inside position at which the drawer is located inside the housing, and an outside position at which the drawer is located outside the housing;
a drum cartridge comprising a photoconductive drum rotatable about a first axis;
a developing cartridge comprising a developing roller rotatable about a second axis;
and
a first developing-roller guide configured to guide the developing roller and pivotable, in a state in which the drum cartridge is mounted on the drawer, between (i) a first position at which mounting and removal of the developing cartridge to and from the drawer are allowed and (ii) a second position at which mounting and removal of the developing cartridge to and from the drawer are not allowed, and a position of the developing roller is lower than that when the first developing-roller guide is located at the first position.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 17/000,618Filed 24 Aug 2020
Priority: JP JP2019-1599022 Sep 2019
Published: US 2021/0063956 A14 Mar 2021
Granted: 8 Jun 2021
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification3 codes

G03G 21/1676
Means for handling parts of the apparatus in the apparatus: for the developer unit
G03G 21/1647
For connecting the different parts of the apparatus: mechanical connection means
G03G
Electrography

Family

US 2021/0063956 A1Pre-grant publication · published 4 Mar 2021
US 11,029,638 B2This patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.

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