US 2021/0080902 A1Published application

Image forming apparatus

AssigneeBrother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha

InventorsShougo SATO, Yasuo FUKAMACHI, Motoaki MUSHIKA, Kazuna TAGUCHI

Life of this patent

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Abstract

An image forming apparatus, including a process cartridge and a main body with an opening and a cartridge supporter is provided. The process cartridge includes a drum cartridge; a toner cartridge attachable to the drum cartridge; and a switching member switchable states in the process cartridge between a first state, wherein detachment of the toner cartridge is restricted, and a second state, wherein the toner cartridge is released from the restriction. The cartridge supporter is movable between a first position, wherein the cartridge supporter supports the process cartridge to be placed entirely in an inner space in the main body on an inner side of the opening, and a second position, wherein the cartridge supporter supports the process cartridge to be at least partly placed outside the inner space. When the cartridge supporter is in the second position, the switching member is at least partly placed outside the inner space.

Claims17

Dependent claims

An image forming apparatus, comprising:

a sheet tray;
a process cartridge including a photosensitive drum, the photosensitive drum having an axis extending in a first direction;
a main body having an opening and a cartridge accommodating portion, the main body including:
a first wall;
a second wall opposite to the first wall in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction, the second wall having an opening, through which the process cartridge is attachable, the first wall including an outer surface, the outer surface of the first wall facing outward in the second direction;
a cartridge supporter for supporting the process cartridge thereon;
a side wall including a cartridge guide configured to guide the process cartridge in the second direction;
and
a sheet guide configured to guide a sheet fed from the sheet tray toward the photosensitive drum;
a cartridge supporter guide configured to guide the cartridge supporter from the second wall toward the first wall in the second direction,
wherein the cartridge supporter guide is disposed between the sheet guide and the cartridge guide in a vertical direction.

8 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 17/104,204Filed 25 Nov 2020
Priority: JP 2015-23286230 Nov 2015
Published: 18 Mar 2021
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification5 codes

G03G 21/1842
Means for handling the process cartridge in the apparatus body: for guiding and mounting the process cartridge, positioning, alignment, locks
G03G 15/0896
Using a solid developer, e.g. powder developer: arrangements or disposition of the complete developer unit or parts thereof not provided for by…
G03G 21/1814
Arrangements or disposition of the complete process cartridge or parts thereof: details of parts of process cartridge, e.g. for charging,…
G03G 21/1821
Having a submodular arrangement: means for connecting the different parts of the process cartridge, e.g. attachment, positioning of parts with…

Family

Application15/364,996Continuation · filed 30 Nov 2016
Application16/014,538Continuation · filed 21 Jun 2018
Application16/773,296Continuation · filed 27 Jan 2020
Application17/104,204Continuation
US 10,031,474 B2Related patent
US 10,571,856 B2Related patent
US 10,859,967 B2Related patent
US 11,314,200 B2Related patent
US 2017/0153597 A1Published application
US 2018/0299825 A1Published application
US 2020/0159166 A1Published application
US 2021/0080902 A1This patent

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

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