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US 7,734,222 B2Granted
Image forming apparatus with flexible tube for cooling air and guide channel for flexible tube
AssigneeKyocera Mita Corporation
InventorsChisato Hatakeyama, Masami Ikeda, Yasuyuki Fukunaga, Keiichi Funaki
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An image forming apparatus is provided with a cooling fan for cooling toner boxes within the apparatus. The outlet of the cooling fan and the toner boxes are connected by flexible tubes, respectively. This makes it possible to connect the cooling fan with the toner boxes even if there is not sufficient space, thereby enabling cooling of the toner boxes.
Claims16
An image forming apparatus comprising:
- a housing;
- an object having a nature to generate heat, the object being provided inside the housing;
- an air current generator mounted in a specified position of the housing for taking-in air from the outside of the housing;
- and
- a flexible tube for introducing the taken-in air to the object to thereby cool the object, the flexible tube having a tailing end for permitting the taken-in air to flow into the flexible tube from the air current generator, and a leading end for permitting the taken-in air to flow out to the object from the flexible tube;
- and
- at least one guide channel formed along a predetermined route extending to the object, the guide channel accommodating at least part of the flexible tube,
- wherein the housing includes a side wall with an outwardly facing surface, the guide channel being formed at least partly along the outwardly facing surface of the side wall.
5 more elements
An image forming apparatus
- a housing;
- an object having a nature to generate heat, the object being provided inside the housing;
- an air current generator mounted in a specified position of the housing for taking-in air from the outside of the housing;
- and
- a flexible tube for introducing the taken-in air to the object to thereby cool the object, the flexible tube having a tailing end for permitting the taken-in air to flow into the flexible tube from the air current generator, and a leading end for permitting the taken-in air to flow out to the object from the flexible tube;
- and
- at least one guide channel formed along a predetermined route extending to the object, the guide channel accommodating at least part of the flexible tube,
- wherein a guide channel is elongated and non-linear, the guide channel having an open side extending along a length thereof for receiving the flexible tube.
5 more elements
An image forming apparatus
- a housing;
- an object having a nature to generate heat, the object being provided inside the housing;
- an air current generator mounted in a specified position of the housing for taking-in air from the outside of the housing;
- and
- a flexible tube for introducing the taken-in air to the object to thereby cool the object, the flexible tube having a tailing end for permitting the taken-in air to flow into the flexible tube from the air current generator, and a leading end for permitting the taken-in air to flow out to the object from the flexible tube;
- and
- at least one guide channel formed along a predetermined route extending to the object, the guide channel accommodating at least part of the flexible tube,
- wherein the tailing end and the leading end of the flexible tube extend beyond opposite ends of the guide channel.
5 more elements
An image forming apparatus comprising:
- a housing with a wall having a first surface facing inwardly on the housing and a second surface facing outwardly on the housing;
- a plurality of objects each of which has a nature to generate heat, the objects being provided inside the housing and at least partly inwardly of the first surface of the wall of the housing;
- an air current generator mounted in a specified position of the housing for taking in air from outside of the housing, the air current generator being spaced from the objects;
- a plurality of guide channels formed along the second surface of the wall of the housing, each of the guide channels having an upstream end in proximity to the air current generator and a downstream end in proximity to the respective objects, each of the guide channels having an open side facing outwardly from the second surface of the wall;
- and
- a plurality of flexible tubes having intermediate portions disposed respectively in the guide channels, each of the flexible tubes having an upstream end communicating with the air current generator and a downstream end communicating with the respective objects, wherein the flexible tubes accommodate a flow of cooling air from the air current generator to the respective objects.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.