Image forming equipment having a revolver type developing device
AssigneeRicoh Company, Ltd.
InventorsNoriyuki Kimura, Minour Suzuki
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Image forming equipment of the type having a revolver type or rotational developing device. The revolver type developing device is rotatable about a shaft to bring any one of a plurality of developing units to a developing position where the developing unit faces an image carrier for effecting development. A protective member rotatably accommodates the developing device therein and has an opening which faces the image carrier at the developing position when the protective member is mounted on the equipment. Rotation restricting means is provided for selectively inhibiting the developing device from rotating relative to the protective member.
Claims16
Image forming equipment comprising:
- an image carrier;
- a revolver type developing device rotatable about a shaft to bring any one of a plurality of developing units to a developing position where the developing unit faces said image carrier for effecting development;
- a protective member rotatably accommodating said developing device therein and having an opening which faces said image carrier at the developing position when said protective member is mounted on said equipment;
- and
- rotation restricting means for selectively inhibiting said developing device from rotating relative to said protective member, said rotation restricting means located inside of said protective member.
An image forming apparatus comprising:
- an image carrier;
- a revolver type developing device rotatable about a shaft to selectively bring one of a plurality of developing units to a developing position where said one of a plurality of developing units faces said image carrier, said revolver type developing device further being movably mounted with respect to said image carrier such that said revolver type developing device is movable between a first operative position at which said revolver type developing device is adjacent said image carrier and a second inoperative position at which said revolver type developing device is spaced from said image carrier;
- a protective member rotatably accommodating said developing device therein and having an opening which faces said image carrier at the developing position when said protective member is mounted on said equipment and when said revolver type developing device is in said first operative position;
- a movably mounted closure member for selectively opening and closing said opening of said protective member;
- and
- locking means for locking said developing device against rotation in response to at least one of:
- (1) closing of said closure member;
- and (2) movement of said revolver type developing device from said first operative position to said second inoperative position.
An image forming apparatus comprising:
- a revolver type developing device rotatable about a shaft to selectively bring one of a plurality of developing units to a developing position;
- a protective member rotatably accommodating said developing device therein;
- a locking member movable between a first locked position and a second unlocked position, said locking member mechanically coupling said protective member and said shaft in said first locked position, and wherein said locking member is not coupled to said shaft in said second unlocked position.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.