Multicolor developing device with improved movable frame arrangement

A multicolor developing device comprising:

• a stationary frame member,
• a movable frame member mounted on said stationary frame member to reciprocally move in a predetermined direction,
• a plurality of developing mechanisms mounted on said movable frame member and maintaining a distance in said predetermined direction, and
• a moving means for reciprocally moving said movable frame member in said predetermined direction,
• each of said plurality of developing mechanisms being selectively positioned at a developing zone by movement of said movable frame member caused by said moving means and being in opposition at said developing zone with a rotary drum on which surface is disposed an electrostatic photosensitive material to develop an electrostatic latent image formed on said electrostatic photosensitive material in a different color,
• each of said developing mechanisms including a developing housing mounted on said movable frame member to move over a predetermined range in a direction to approach, and separate away from, the rotary drum, a resiliently urging means which resiliently urges said developing housing in a direction to approach said rotary drum, a developing agent applying means that is mounted on said developing housing to hold a developing agent on the surface thereof, and a pair of distance-setting rollers that are rotatably disposed on both sides of said developing agent applying means, and when each of said developing mechanisms is positioned at the developing zone, said pair of distance-setting rollers are brought into contact with the surface of said rotary drum such that said developing housing is moved in a direction to separate away from said rotary drum against a resilient urging action of said resiliently urging means, thereby enabling each of the developing mechanisms to be positioned at the predetermined position relative to the surface of said rotary drum.

A multicolor developing device comprising:

• a stationary frame member,
• a movable frame member mounted on said stationary frame member to reciprocally move in a predetermined direction,
• a plurality of developing mechanisms mounted on said movable frame member and maintaining a distance in said predetermined direction, and
• a moving means for reciprocally moving said movable frame member in said predetermined direction,
• each of said plurality of developing mechanisms being selectively positioned at a developing zone by movement of said movable frame member caused by said moving means and executing developing with a different color at said developing zone,
• a coupling bracket being detachably mounted on said movable frame member,
• said moving means including a screw means having a threaded shaft rotatably fitted to said stationary frame member and a nut that is coupled to said coupling bracket and is engaged with said threaded shaft, and when said coupling bracket is removed from said movable frame member and then said movable frame member is moved in said predetermined direction, said movable frame member can be separated from said stationary frame member.

A multicolor developing device comprising:

• a stationary frame member,
• a movable frame member mounted on said stationary frame member to reciprocally move in a predetermined direction,
• a plurality of developing mechanisms mounted on said movable frame member and maintaining a distance in said predetermined direction,
• a moving means for reciprocally moving said movable frame member in said predetermined direction,
• each of said plurality of developing mechanisms being selectively positioned at a developing zone by the movement of said movable frame member caused by said moving means and executing developing with a different color at said developing zone,
• a pair of racks which extend in said predetermined direction and are disposed on one of said stationary frame member or said movable frame member and maintain a distance in the lateral direction,
• a rotary shaft which extends in said lateral direction and is rotatably mounted on the other of said stationary frame member and said movable frame member, and
• a pair of pinions which are fitted to said rotary shaft and maintain a distance in said lateral direction, said pair of pinions being engaged with said pair of racks.

A multicolor developing device comprising:

• a stationary frame member,
• a movable frame member mounted on said stationary frame member to reciprocally move in a predetermined direction,
• a plurality of developing mechanisms mounted on said movable frame member and maintaining a distance in said predetermined direction, and
• a moving means for reciprocally moving said movable frame member in said predetermined direction,
• each of said plurality of developing mechanisms being selectively positioned at a developing zone by movement of said movable member caused by said moving means and executing developing with a different color at said developing zone,
• said moving means including a screw means that has a threaded shaft extending in said predetermined direction and a nut engaged with said threaded shaft,
• said threaded shaft of said screw means being rotatably fitted to one of said stationary frame member and said movable frame member,
• said nut of said screw means being coupled to the other of said stationary frame member or said movable frame member via a coupling bracket, and
• said coupling bracket and said nut being coupled together so as to tilt in any direction relative to each other.