US 5,614,992 A · Image forming apparatus with improved jam clearance operation · patentgrep

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Abstract

An image forming apparatus includes a main assembly including an image forming station, a conveying unit for conveying a recording material on which the image forming station forms an image, the conveying unit including a recording material inlet, recording material feeding device and a recording material discharging outlet, and being supported on the main assembly for movement toward and away from the main assembly. The image forming station is at least partly disposed adjacent the conveying unit and is exposed when the conveying unit is moved away from the main assembly. When mounted to the main assembly, the conveying unit constitutes a passage for conveying the recording material substantially in a vertical direction through the image forming station, and the conveying unit is separable, substantially along the conveying passage, from the main assembly.

Claims20

Dependent claims

An image forming apparatus usable with recording material conveying means, said image forming apparatus comprising:

a main assembly including a first top wall and image forming means;
a conveying unit for partially supporting the recording material conveying means for conveying a recording material introduced from a recording material inlet to a recording material outlet through said image forming means, said conveying unit being supported on said main assembly adjacent a lower position for upward and downward swinging movements toward and away from said main assembly, respectively, said conveying unit having a second top wall, which is adjacent said first top wall of said main assembly to form an apparatus top wall of said apparatus with said first top wall,
wherein said image forming means is at least partly disposed adjacent to said conveying unit and is accessible when said conveying unit is moved away from said main assembly,
wherein said conveying unit, when mounted to said main assembly, constitutes a conveying passage for conveying the recording material substantially in a vertical direction through said image forming means,
wherein said conveying unit is, as a unit, separable substantially along the conveying passage from said main assembly, wherein when said conveying unit is separated from said main assembly, a part constituting the conveying passage is exposed, and
wherein the recording material inlet is disposed at a lower position, and the recording material outlet is disposed at an upper position,
a recording material stacking tray for stacking recording material thereon, which is rotatable between a closed position in which the recording material stacking tray is substantially upright adjacent said conveying unit and an open position in which the recording material stacking tray extends in a direction crossing with an extending direction of the conveying passage;
and
separation feeding means having feeding rotary means actable on the recording material stacked on the recording material stacking tray to feed the recording material and separating means actable on the recording material stacked on the recording material stacking tray to permit one recording material to pass, wherein said feeding rotary means is supported on said conveying unit, and said separating means is supported on said main assembly, and when said conveying unit is moved away from said main assembly, said separating means is moved away from said rotary feeding means.

6 more elements

An image forming apparatus usable with recording material conveying means, said image forming apparatus comprising:

a main assembly including image forming means, which is detachably mountable thereinto and includes as a unit a photosensitive member supported by a shaft and a developing device;
a conveying unit for partially supporting the recording material conveying means for conveying a recording material from an inlet to an outlet through said image forming means, said conveying unit being supported on said main assembly for upward and downward movements toward and away from said main assembly, respectively;
wherein said image forming means is at least partly disposed adjacent to said conveying unit and is accessible when said conveying unit is moved away from said main assembly,
wherein said conveying unit, when mounted to said main assembly, constitutes a conveying passage for conveying the recording material substantially in a vertical direction through said image forming means,
wherein said conveying unit is, as a unit, separable substantially along the conveying passage from said main assembly, wherein when said conveying unit is separated from said main assembly, a part constituting the conveying passage is exposed, and
wherein said conveying unit supports a recording material stacking tray for stacking recording material thereon;
means for guiding said image forming means for mounting said image forming means into and dismounting said image forming means from said main assembly in a direction whereby said shaft of said photosensitive member is moved in a direction perpendicular to an axis of said shaft and in a direction of movement of said conveying unit;
and
separation feeding means having feeding rotary means actable on the recording material stacked on the recording material stacking tray to feed the recording material and separating means actable on the recording material stacked on the recording material stacking tray to permit one recording material to pass, wherein said feeding rotary means is supported on said conveying unit, and said separating means is supported on said main assembly, and when said conveying unit is moved away from said main assembly, said separating means is moved away from said rotary feeding means.

6 more elements

An image forming apparatus usable with recording material conveying means, said image forming apparatus comprising:

a main assembly including a first top wall and image forming means;
a conveying unit for partially supporting the recording material conveying means for conveying a recording material from an inlet to an outlet through said image forming means, said conveying unit being supported on said main assembly for upward and downward swinging movements toward and away from said main assembly, respectively, said conveying unit having a second top wall, which is adjacent to said first top wall of said main assembly to form an apparatus top wall of said apparatus with said first top wall,
wherein said image forming means is at least partly disposed adjacent to said conveying unit,
wherein said conveying unit, when mounted to said main assembly, constitutes a conveying passage for conveying the recording material substantially in a vertical direction through said image forming means,
wherein said conveying unit is, as a unit, separable substantially along the conveying passage from said main assembly, wherein when said conveying unit is separated from said main assembly, a part constituting the conveying passage is exposed, and
wherein said conveying unit supports a recording material stacking tray for stacking recording material thereon;
and
separation feeding means having feeding rotary means actable on the recording material stacked on the recording material stacking tray to feed the recording material and separating means actable on the recording material stacked on the recording material stacking tray to permit one recording material to pass, wherein said feeding rotary means is supported on said conveying unit, and said separating means is supported on said main assembly, and when said conveying unit is moved away from said main assembly, said separating means is moved away from said rotary feeding means.

5 more elements

An image forming apparatus usable with recording material conveying means, said image forming apparatus comprising:

a main assembly including a first top wall and image forming means which is detachably mountable thereinto;
a conveying unit for partially supporting the recording material conveying means for conveying a recording material from an inlet to an outlet through said image forming means, said conveying unit being supported on said main assembly for upward and downward swinging movements toward and away from said main assembly, respectively, said conveying unit having a second top wall, which is adjacent to said first top wall of said main assembly to form an apparatus top wall of said apparatus with said first top wall,
wherein said image forming means is at least partly disposed adjacent to said conveying unit,
wherein said conveying unit, when mounted to said main assembly, constitutes a passage for conveying the recording material substantially in a vertical direction through said image forming means,
wherein said conveying unit is, as a unit, separable substantially along the conveying passage from said main assembly, wherein when said conveying unit is separated from said main assembly, a part constituting the conveying passage is exposed, and
wherein said conveying unit supports a recording material stacking tray for stacking recording material thereon;
means for guiding said image forming means and for mounting said image forming means into or dismounting said image forming means from said main assembly in a direction of movement of said conveying unit;
and
separation feeding means having feeding rotary means actable on the recording material stacked on the recording material stacking tray to feed the recording material and separating means actable on the recording material stacked on the recording material stacking tray to permit one recording material to pass, wherein said feeding rotary means is supported on said conveying unit, and said separating means is supported on said main assembly, and when said conveying unit is moved away from said main assembly, said separating means is moved away from said rotary feeding means.

6 more elements

An image forming apparatus usable with recording material conveying means, said image forming apparatus comprising:

a main assembly including image forming means;
a conveying unit for partially supporting the recording material conveying means for conveying a recording material from an inlet to an outlet through said image forming means, said conveying unit being supported on said main assembly adjacent a lower position for upward and downward swinging movements toward and away from said main assembly, respectively,
wherein said conveying unit, when mounted to said main assembly, constitutes a conveying passage for conveying the recording material substantially in a vertical direction through said image forming means,
wherein said conveying unit is, as a unit, separable substantially along the conveying passage from said main assembly, wherein when said conveying unit is separated from said main assembly, a part constituting the conveying passage is exposed, and
wherein the inlet is disposed at a lower position, and the outlet is disposed at an upper position,
a recording material stacking tray for stacking recording material thereon, which is rotatable between a closed position in which the recording material stacking tray is substantially upright adjacent said conveying unit and an open position in which the recording material stacking tray extends in a direction crossing with an extending direction of the conveying passage;
and
separation feeding means having feeding rotary means actable on the recording material stacked on the recording material stacking tray to feed the recording material and separating means actable on the recording material stacked on the recording material stacking tray to permit one recording material to pass, wherein said feeding rotary means is supported on said conveying unit, and said separating means is supported on said main assembly, and when said conveying unit is moved away from said main assembly, said separating means is moved away from said rotary feeding means.

5 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 08/674,198Filed 1 Jul 1996 · continuation
Priority: JP 62-07803131 Mar 1987
Granted: 25 Mar 1997
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification18 codes

G03G 21/1853
For guiding and mounting the process cartridge, positioning, alignment, locks: the process cartridge being mounted perpendicular to the axis of…
G03G 15/167
By introducing the second base in the nip formed by the recording member and at least one transfer member, e.g. in combination with bias or heat:…
G03G 15/65
Apparatus for electrographic processes using a charge pattern: apparatus which relate to the handling of copy material
G03G 21/1638
Means to access the interior of the apparatus: directed to paper handling or jam treatment

Family

Serial175,354Parent of this continuation · filed 30 Mar 1988
Serial549,246Parent of this continuation · filed 9 Jul 1990
Serial47,619Parent of this continuation · filed 16 Apr 1993
Serial389,974Parent of this continuation · filed 14 Feb 1995
US 5,614,992 AThis patent

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

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