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US 7,925,180 B2Granted
Image forming apparatus, image formation process unit, and developing unit
AssigneeBrother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
InventorsHiroki Mori, Mitsuru Horinoe, Yukiko Nakaya, Yuichi Matsushita
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Abstract
An image forming apparatus includes a main body, image formation units disposed in the main body, a moving member disposed in the main body, the moving member including a surface facing each image formation unit, a pair of first stoppers disposed in each image formation unit, and a pair of second stoppers disposed in the main body in correspondence with each image formation unit, each second stopper being configured to prevent the developer on the moving member from entering the image formation unit.
Claims17
An image forming apparatus comprising:
- a main body;
- image formation units disposed in the main body, each image formation unit including:
- a developing case extending in a first direction, the developing case being configured to hold developer therein,
- a developer carrier disposed in the developing case, the developer carrier configured to rotate and hold the developer on a circumferential surface thereof, and
- a pair of sealing members disposed in the developing case, each sealing member being disposed in a gap between the developing case and an end of the developer carrier in the first direction, each sealing member being configured to prevent developer from leaking outside the developing case;
- a moving member disposed in the main body and including an opposing surface facing each of the image formation units, the moving member being configured to move in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction;
- photosensitive members, each of which is disposed facing a corresponding developer carrier and configured to rotate and hold an electrostatic latent image on a circumferential surface thereof,
- wherein at least one of the image formation units includes
- a pair of first stoppers disposed in the developing case, each first stopper being disposed upstream of a corresponding one of the sealing members in a rotation direction of the developer carrier, and
- a pair of second stoppers, each second stopper being disposed upstream of and overlapping a corresponding one of the first stoppers in the rotation direction of the developer carrier.
7 more elements
A process unit comprising:
- a photosensitive member configured to hold an electrostatic latent image on a circumferential surface thereof;
- a developer carrier configured to hold a developer on a circumferential surface thereof, the circumferential surface of the developer carrier being elongated in a longitudinal direction thereof, the developer carrier disposed facing the photosensitive member;
- a developing case configured to support the developer carrier;
- a pair of sealing members disposed in the developing case, each sealing member being provided in a gap between the developing case and a corresponding end of the developer carrier in the longitudinal direction;
- and
- a pair of first stoppers disposed on both ends of the developing case in the longitudinal direction, each disposed upstream from a corresponding one of the sealing members in a rotation direction of the developer carrier;
- and
- a pair of second stoppers correspondingly fixed to the pair of first stoppers and upstream of and overlapping the first stoppers in the rotation direction of the developer carrier.
5 more elements
A developing unit comprising:
- a developer carrier extending in a longitudinal direction, the developer carrier being configured to hold a developer on a circumferential surface thereof;
- a developing case configured to support the developer carrier;
- a pair of sealing members disposed in the developing case, each sealing member being provided in a gap between the developing case and a corresponding end of the developer carrier in the longitudinal direction;
- and
- a pair of first stoppers disposed in contact with the circumferential surface of the developer carrier at an upstream side of each sealing member in a rotation direction of the developer carrier;
- and
- a pair of second stoppers, each second stopper being disposed upstream of and overlapping a corresponding one of the first stoppers in the rotation direction of the developer carrier.
4 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.