Image forming apparatus with exposure device including shutter that moves in response to movement of a light source
AssigneeToshiba Tec Kabushiki Kaisha
InventorTakuya Otsuka
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An image forming apparatus includes a photoconductor, an exposure device, and a shutter assembly. The exposure device includes a light source configured to expose the photoconductor. The light source is repositionable between a proximity position at a first distance from the photoconductor and a separation position at a second distance from the photoconductor. The first distance is less than the second distance. The shutter assembly is configured to move away from the light source in response to the light source moving toward the proximity position. The shutter assembly is configured to move to cover the optical path of the light source in response to the light source moving toward the separation position.
Claims14
An image forming apparatus comprising:
- a photoconductor;
- an exposure device including a light source configured to expose the photoconductor, the light source being repositionable between a proximity position at a first distance from the photoconductor and a separation position at a second distance from the photoconductor, the first distance being less than the second distance;
- and
- a shutter assembly configured to (a) move away from the light source in response to the light source moving toward the proximity position and (b) move to cover an optical path of the light source in response to the light source moving toward the separation position, the shutter assembly including:
- a protrusion provided on the exposure device;
- a shutter member;
- and
- a link that supports the shutter member and is configured to:
- move the shutter member to a retraction position in which the link is separated from the protrusion and the shutter member is moved away from the light source in response to the light source moving from the separation position to the proximity position;
- and
- move the shutter member to a cover position in which the link abuts the protrusion and the shutter member covers the optical path as the light source moves from the proximity position to the separation position.
An image forming apparatus comprising:
- a photoconductor;
- an exposure device including a light source configured to expose the photoconductor, the light source being repositionable between a proximity position at a first distance from the photoconductor and a separation position at a second distance from the photoconductor, the first distance being less than the second distance;
- a shutter assembly configured to (a) move away from the light source in response to the light source moving toward the proximity position and (b) move to cover an optical path of the light source in response to the light source moving toward the separation position;
- and
- a moving mechanism configured to support the exposure device and move the light source of the exposure device between the proximity position and the separation position, the moving mechanism including:
- a slider that is repositionable in a longitudinal direction;
- and
- a linkage coupling the slider to the exposure device and configured to cause the light source to move in a direction substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal direction in response to movement of the slider in the longitudinal direction.
An image forming apparatus comprising:
- a base;
- a photoconductive drum;
- a light source configured to emit light along an optical path to form an electrostatic latent image on the photoconductive drum, the light source being repositionable relative to the photoconductive drum;
- a movement mechanism configured to move the light source relative to the photoconductive drum;
- a shutter assembly repositionable between (a) a first position in which the shutter assembly extends between the light source and the photoconductive drum, blocking the optical path and (b) a second position in which the optical path is unobstructed by the shutter assembly, the shutter assembly being configured to move between the first position and the second position in response to movement of the light source relative to the photoconductive drum, and the shutter assembly including a link rotatably coupled to the base;
- and
- a protrusion coupled to the light source and configured to engage the link to move the shutter assembly between the first position and the second position.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.