Imaging unit having positional control features for use in an electrophotographic image forming device

A replaceable imaging unit for use in an electrophotographic image forming device, comprising:

• a housing having a top, a bottom, a front and a rear positioned between a first side and a second side of the housing, the housing includes:
• a photoconductor unit positioned at the front of the housing, the photoconductor unit includes a rotatable photoconductive drum having a rotational axis that extends from the first side of the housing to the second side of the housing;
• and
• a developer unit having a reservoir for storing toner and a rotatable developer roll positioned to transfer toner from the reservoir to the photoconductive drum;
• a first alignment guide extending outward from the first side of the housing on the photoconductor unit and a second alignment guide extending outward from the second side of the housing on the photoconductor unit at the same height as the first alignment guide, the first and second alignment guides run parallel to each other along a front-to-rear dimension of the housing;
• and
• an axial biasing surface on the first side of the housing on the photoconductor unit below the first alignment guide, the axial biasing surface includes a leading surface portion, a ramped surface portion and a trailing surface portion, the leading surface portion extends rearward from the front of the housing and leads rearward to the ramped surface portion, the ramped surface portion inclines outward sideways as the ramped surface portion extends rearward and leads rearward to the trailing surface portion, the trailing surface portion is positioned further outward sideways than the leading surface portion, the axial biasing surface is unobstructed to permit the axial biasing surface to directly receive an inward sideways biasing force from a corresponding biasing member in the image forming device to control a position of the imaging unit in the image forming device along an axial dimension of the photoconductive drum.

A replaceable imaging unit for use in an electrophotographic image forming device, comprising:

• a housing having a top, a bottom, a front and a rear positioned between a first side and a second side of the housing, the housing includes:
• a photoconductor unit positioned at the front of the housing, the photoconductor unit includes a rotatable photoconductive drum having a rotational axis that extends from the first side of the housing to the second side of the housing;
• a developer unit having a reservoir for storing toner and a rotatable developer roll positioned to transfer toner from the reservoir to the photoconductive drum;
• and
• a handle frame positioned at the rear of the housing and attached to the photoconductor unit, the handle frame includes a handle exposed for user engagement to assist with insertion and removal of the imaging unit into and out of the image forming device;
• and
• a first upstop extending outward from the first side of the housing on the handle frame at a rear end of the handle frame and a second upstop extending outward from the second side of the housing on the handle frame at the rear end of the handle frame at the same height as the first upstop, a top portion of each of the first and second upstops is unobstructed to permit the top portions of the first and second upstops to contact corresponding guides in the image forming device to limit upward travel of the handle frame during removal of the imaging unit from the image forming device.

A replaceable imaging unit for use in an electrophotographic image forming device, comprising:

• a housing having a top, a bottom, a front and a rear positioned between a first side and a second side of the housing, the housing includes:
• a photoconductor unit positioned at the front of the housing, the photoconductor unit includes a rotatable photoconductive drum having a rotational axis that extends from the first side of the housing to the second side of the housing;
• a developer unit having a reservoir for storing toner and a rotatable developer roll positioned to transfer toner from the reservoir to the photoconductive drum;
• and
• a handle frame positioned at the rear of the housing and attached to the photoconductor unit, the handle frame includes a handle exposed for user engagement to assist with insertion and removal of the imaging unit into and out of the image forming device;
• and
• a first alignment wing extending outward from the first side of the housing on the handle frame and a second alignment wing extending outward from the second side of the housing on the handle frame at the same height as the first alignment wing, the first and second alignment wings run parallel to each other along a front-to-rear dimension of the housing, each of the first and second alignment wings includes an outer side surface that is unobstructed to permit the outer side surfaces to contact corresponding guides in the image forming device during insertion of the imaging unit into the image forming device,
• wherein each of the first and second alignment wings includes a tapered front portion that inclines outward sideways as the tapered front portion extends rearward.