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US 12,124,192 B2Granted
Image forming apparatus with removable waste toner container and exposable feeding path
AssigneeBrother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
InventorShougo Sato
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An image forming apparatus includes a chassis having an opening, a cover, photosensitive members, an intermediate transfer belt, a primary-transfer member, a secondary-transfer roller, a cleaner device, an external-sheet inlet, a waste toner container, a connector, and a conveying roller, which is arranged within the feeding path to feed the recording sheet inserted through the external-sheet inlet in the feeding path. The conveying roller is mounted on the waste toner container and removable from the chassis along with the waste toner container.
Claims16
An image forming apparatus configured to form an image on a sheet, comprising:
- a photosensitive drum extending in a first direction, the photosensitive drum being configured to carry a toner image on a surface of the photosensitive drum;
- a belt unit comprising:
- a first roller and a second roller aligned in a second direction, the second direction being perpendicular to the first direction;
- an intermediate transfer belt being an endless belt extended to roll around the first roller and the second roller;
- and
- a primary-transfer member configured to transfer the toner image formed on the photosensitive drum to the intermediate transfer belt;
- a secondary-transfer member configured to transfer the toner image from the intermediate transfer belt to the sheet;
- a cleaner device comprising:
- a case, in which toner collected from a surface of the intermediate transfer belt is collected, the case being arranged at a position between the photosensitive drum and the secondary-transfer member;
- and
- an auger comprising a shaft and a spiral fin around the shaft, the auger being configured to convey toner collected by the cleaner device in the first direction;
- and
- a waste toner container configured to store the toner collected by the cleaner device,
- wherein a width of the waste toner container in the first direction is greater than a width of the intermediate transfer belt in the first direction, and
- wherein at least a part of the second roller and at least a part of the auger overlap in a third direction, the third direction being perpendicular to the first direction and the second direction.
12 more elements
An image forming apparatus configured to form an image on a sheet, comprising:
- a photosensitive drum extending in a first direction, the photosensitive drum being configured to carry a toner image on a surface of the photosensitive drum;
- a belt unit comprising:
- a first roller and a second roller aligned in a second direction, the second direction being perpendicular to the first direction;
- an intermediate transfer belt being an endless belt extended to roll around the first roller and the second roller;
- and
- a primary-transfer member configured to transfer the toner image formed on the photosensitive drum to the intermediate transfer belt;
- a secondary-transfer member configured to transfer the toner image from the intermediate transfer belt to the sheet;
- a cleaner device comprising:
- a case, in which toner collected from a surface of the intermediate transfer belt is collected, the case being arranged at a position between the photosensitive drum and the secondary-transfer member;
- and
- an auger comprising a shaft and a spiral fin around the shaft, the auger being configured to convey toner collected by the cleaner device in the first direction;
- and
- a waste toner container configured to store the toner collected by the cleaner device,
- wherein a width of the waste toner container in the first direction is greater than a width of the intermediate transfer belt in the first direction,
- wherein the intermediate transfer belt is nipped between the second roller and the secondary-transfer member, and
- wherein the intermediate transfer belt is arranged in a gap between the auger and the second roller.
13 more elements
An image forming apparatus configured to form an image on a sheet, comprising:
- a photosensitive drum extending in a first direction, the photosensitive drum being configured to carry a toner image on a surface of the photosensitive drum;
- a belt unit comprising:
- a first roller and a second roller aligned in a second direction, the second direction being perpendicular to the first direction;
- an intermediate transfer belt being an endless belt extended to roll around the first roller and the second roller;
- and
- a primary-transfer member configured to transfer the toner image formed on the photosensitive drum to the intermediate transfer belt;
- a secondary-transfer member configured to transfer the toner image from the intermediate transfer belt to the sheet;
- a cleaner device comprising:
- a case, in which toner collected from a surface of the intermediate transfer belt is collected, the case being arranged at a position between the photosensitive drum and the secondary-transfer member;
- a cleaning roller configured to collect the toner on the surface of the intermediate transfer belt;
- a collecting roller configured to receive the toner from the cleaning roller;
- and
- a blade configured to scrape off the toner on a circumference surface of the collecting roller;
- and
- a waste toner container configured to store the toner collected by the cleaner device,
- wherein a width of the waste toner container in the first direction is greater than a width of the intermediate transfer belt in the first direction.
13 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.