US 2026/0016786 A1 · IMAGE-FORMING APPARATUS INCLUDING DEVELOPING UNIT AND DRUM UNIT TO WHICH TONER CONTAINER IS CONNECTABLE, AND PROCESS UNIT CONFIGURED BY THE DRUM UNIT AND DEVELOPING UNIT

Abstract

An image-forming apparatus includes a main housing, a drum unit, a developing unit, and a seal member. The drum unit includes a photosensitive drum, an inlet port, an outlet port, and a connecting part connecting the inlet port to the outlet port. A toner container storing toner is connectable to the inlet port. The developing unit includes a developing roller, and a supply port connected to the outlet port. The seal member is interposed between the outlet port and the supply port. The seal member is elastically deformable to allow the supply port to move relative to the outlet port. The drum unit and developing unit constitute a process cartridge. In a state where the process cartridge is mounted in the main housing, the inlet port, the outlet port and the supply port at least partially overlap each other when viewed in an up-down direction.

Claims14

Dependent claims

An image-forming apparatus comprising:

a main housing;
a drum unit including:
a photosensitive drum;
an inlet port to which a toner container storing toner is connectable for receiving the toner from the toner container;
an outlet port;
and
a connecting part connecting the inlet port to the outlet port;
a developing unit including:
a developing roller;
and
a supply port connected to the outlet port;
and
a seal member interposed between the outlet port and the supply port for sealing a gap therebetween, the seal member being elastically deformable to allow the supply port to move relative to the outlet port,
wherein the drum unit and the developing unit constitute a process cartridge mountable in the main housing, and
wherein, in a state where the process cartridge is mounted in the main housing, the inlet port, the outlet port and the supply port are arranged such that at least a part of the inlet port, a part of the outlet port and a part the supply port overlap each other when viewed in an up-down direction.

12 more elements

A process unit comprising:

a drum unit including:
a photosensitive drum;
an inlet port to which a toner container storing toner is connectable for receiving the toner from the toner container;
an outlet port;
and
a connecting part connecting the inlet port to the outlet port;
a developing unit attached to the drum unit, the developing unit including:
a developing roller;
and
a supply port connected to the outlet port;
and
a seal member interposed between the outlet port and the supply port for sealing a gap therebetween, the seal member being elastically deformable to allow the supply port to move relative to the outlet port,
wherein the inlet port, the outlet port and the supply port are arranged such that at least a part of the inlet port, a part of the outlet port and a part of the supply port overlap each other when viewed in a direction in which the outlet port and the supply port are connected to each other.

10 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Image-forming apparatus including developing unit and drum unit to which toner container is connectable, and process unit configured by the drum unit and developing unit

Life of this patent

Image-forming apparatus including developing unit and drum unit to which toner container is connectable, and process unit configured by the drum unit and developing unit

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims14