Lift mechanism for one or more developer members in an image forming device

A device to position a plurality of developer members relative to a plurality of photoconductive members within an image forming device comprising:

• an elongated lift-plate movably positioned within the image forming device;
• a plurality of openings spaced apart along the lift plate, each of the openings including a first section and a second section with a common edge, the edge in the first section being positioned farther from a photoconductive member than in the second section;
• a plurality of positioning members each positioned with one of the openings;
• a plurality of bodies that each extend between and connect one of the positioning members and one of the developer members;
• a plurality of hold downs each positioned to bias one of the plurality of positioning members towards the edge of one of the plurality of openings;
• the lift plate movable within the image forming device between a first position with each of the positioning members in the first sections of the openings that positions each of the developer members away from each of the photoconductive members, and a second position within the image forming device with the positioning members in the second sections that positions each of the developer members against one of the photoconductive members.

A method of positioning a developer member relative to a photoconductive member within an image forming device, the method comprising:

• positioning a lift plate at a first lateral position within the image forming device and locating a positioning member within a first section of an opening in the lift plate;
• biasing the positioning member towards an edge of the first section of the opening while the lift plate is at the first lateral position and causing the developer member that is operatively connected to the positioning member to be spaced away from the photoconductive member;
• contacting the positioning member against the edge of the opening when the lift plate is at the first lateral position;
• positioning the lift plate at a second lateral position within the image forming device and locating the positioning member within a second section of the opening in the lift plate;
• and
• biasing the positioning member towards the photoconductive member when the positioning member is in the second section of the opening in the lift plate and causing the developer member that is operatively connected to the positioning member to contact the photoconductive member.