# US 12,117,767 B1 · Image forming apparatus having plural dividing plates in a duct for guiding air > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,117,767 B1 - Document ID: US12117767B1 - Status: Granted - Kind: B1 - Application number: 17/980,512 - Filed: 2022-11-03 - Granted: 2024-10-15 - Earliest claimed: 2021-02-26 - Assignees: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha - Applicants: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha - Inventors: Yuya Otsuka; Hiroki Sato; Ryuichi Kojima - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12117767B1 ## CPC - G03G 21/206: {Conducting air through the machine, e.g. for cooling, filtering, removing gases like ozone} - F24F 13/08: Air-flow control members, e.g. louvres, grilles, flaps or guide plates (F24F7/013, F24F13/06 take precedence) - G03G 15/0258: {provided with means for the maintenance of the charging apparatus, e.g. cleaning devices, ozone removing devices G03G15/0225, G03G15/0291 takes precedence} - H02B 1/56: Cooling; Ventilation - H05K 7/20145: {Means for directing air flow, e.g. ducts, deflectors, plenum or guides} - G03G 2221/1645: for conducting air through the machine, e.g. cooling - G03G: ELECTROGRAPHY; ELECTROPHOTOGRAPHY; MAGNETOGRAPHY - F24F: AIR-CONDITIONING; AIR-HUMIDIFICATION; VENTILATION; USE OF AIR CURRENTS FOR SCREENING (removing dirt or fumes from areas where they are produced B08B15/00; vertical ducts for carrying away waste gases from buildings E04F17/02; tops for chimneys or ventilating shafts, terminals for flues F23L17/02) - H02B: BOARDS, SUBSTATIONS OR SWITCHING ARRANGEMENTS FOR THE SUPPLY OR DISTRIBUTION OF ELECTRIC POWER - H05K: PRINTED CIRCUITS; CASINGS OR CONSTRUCTIONAL DETAILS OF ELECTRIC APPARATUS; MANUFACTURE OF ASSEMBLAGES OF ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS ## Abstract A second duct for guiding air outside an image forming apparatus A to a charging device includes: a first flow passage; a second flow passage bent from the first flow passage and extending in a direction orthogonal to a rotational direction and a rotational axis direction of a photosensitive drum, the second flow passage being provided with an outlet; and a plurality of flow dividing plates provided in the second flow passage, the plurality of flow dividing plates being disposed in parallel along the rotational axis direction and forming a third flow passage between the flow dividing plates adjacent to each other, in which a relationship between a length in the orthogonal direction and a length in the rotational axis direction of the third flow passage is a predetermined relationship. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An image forming apparatus comprising: a duct configured to guide air taken in the duct; and a fan configured to generate an airflow for taking air outside the image forming apparatus into the duct, wherein the duct includes: a first duct part extending in a first direction, a second duct part extending in a second direction crossing the first direction, and a plurality of dividing plates disposed within the second duct part and configured to divide at least partially air flowing in the second duct part, the plurality of dividing plates at least including a first dividing plate, a second dividing plate, and a third dividing plate, each extending in the second direction, wherein the first dividing plate is disposed closer to an intake port of the first duct part than the second dividing plate and wherein the first dividing plate and the second dividing plate are disposed between the intake port of the first duct and the third dividing plate, wherein the second dividing plate includes: an overlapping part which overlaps with the first dividing plate when viewed from the first duct part along the first direction, and an extending part which extends beyond an edge of the first dividing plate when viewed from the first duct part along the first direction, wherein the third dividing plate includes: an overlapping part which overlaps with the second dividing plate when viewed from the first duct part along the first direction, and an extending part which extends beyond an edge of the second dividing plate when viewed from the first duct part along the first direction, and wherein a surface facing the first duct part of each of the first, second and third dividing plates extends straight throughout in the second direction. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein an opposite edge of the overlapping part, which is opposite to the extending part, overlaps with an opposite edge of the first dividing plate when viewed from the first duct part along the first direction. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein each of the first dividing plate and the second dividing plate includes a protrusion at an edge thereof, the protrusion protruding toward a side opposite to the first duct part. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising: a photoreceptor; and a charging member configured to charge a surface of the photoreceptor, wherein the duct guides the air toward the charging member. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising: a photoreceptor; a transfer device configured to transfer a toner image formed on the photoreceptor onto a sheet; a fixing device configured to fix the toner image transferred onto the sheet by the transfer device to the sheet; and a conveying device configured to convey the sheet having passed through the fixing device, wherein the duct guides the air toward a sheet on a conveying path of the sheet conveyed by the conveying device. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The image forming apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the conveying path includes a reverse conveying path that reverses the sheet to which the toner image is fixed by the fixing device and conveys the sheet to a transfer portion in the transfer device, and the duct guides air toward the sheet on the reverse conveying path. ### Claim 7 (depends on 4) The image forming apparatus according to claim 4, wherein a length in the first direction of an outlet of the second duct part is larger than a maximum image forming region of the photoreceptor by at least 10% of a length in the first direction of the maximum image forming region.