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US 8,027,616 B2Granted
Belt unit and image forming apparatus
AssigneeBrother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
InventorHirotaka Mori
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A belt unit includes: a pair of roller members spaced from and opposing each other in a first direction, each of the roller members having an axis extending in a second direction; an endless belt extending around the roller members; a plurality of transfer members arranged along the first direction between the roller members and spaced from one another so as to be enclosed by the endless belt; and a frame that rotatably supports the roller members and the transfer members. The frame includes: a pair of resin side frames spaced from each other in the second direction, each of the resin side frames extending in the first direction; and a resin bridging beam extending between the side frames.
Claims13
A belt unit comprising:
- a pair of roller members spaced from and opposing each other in a first direction, each of the roller members having an axis extending in a second direction;
- an endless belt extending around the roller members;
- a plurality of transfer members arranged along the first direction between the roller members and spaced from one another, the transfer members being enclosed by the endless belt;
- and
- a frame that rotatably supports the roller members and the transfer members,
- wherein the frame comprises:
- a pair of resin side frames spaced from each other in the second direction, each of the resin side frames extending in the first direction;
- and
- a resin bridging beam extending between the side frames,
- wherein each of the transfer members comprises:
- a rotary shaft extending along the second direction;
- an elastic member which covers the rotary shaft so as to expose axial end portions of the rotary shaft;
- and
- bearing members which support the axial end portions of the rotary shaft, respectively, and
- wherein each of the side frames comprises bearing storing portions configured to store the bearing members of the transfer members, the bearing storing portions being integrally formed in the side frame,
- wherein the side frames are arranged outside relative to an image transfer area in the second direction, the image transfer area being defined as a portion in which an image is transferred by the transfer members,
- wherein an upper portion of each of the transfer members contacts the endless belt, and
- wherein each of the side frames comprises covering portions arranged inside relative to the bearing storing portions in the second direction and arranged below the respective transfer members and outside the image transfer area, and
- wherein each of the covering portions is configured to cover an end portion of the elastic member.
16 more elements
An image forming apparatus comprising:
- an image forming unit configured to form an image;
- and
- a belt unit, wherein the belt unit comprising:
- a pair of roller members spaced from and opposing each other in a first direction, each of the roller members having an axis extending in a second direction;
- an endless belt extending around the roller members;
- a plurality of transfer members arranged along the first direction between the roller members and spaced from one another so as to be enclosed by the endless belt;
- and
- a frame that rotatably supports the roller members and the transfer members,
- wherein the frame comprises:
- a pair of resin side frames spaced from each other in the second direction, each of the resin side frames extending in the first direction;
- and
- a resin bridging beam extending between the side frames and integrally formed with the side frames,
- wherein each of the transfer members comprises:
- a rotary shaft extending along the second direction;
- an elastic member which covers the rotary shaft so as to expose axial end portions of the rotary shaft;
- and
- bearing members which support the axial end portions of the rotary shaft, respectively, and
- wherein each of the side frames comprises bearing storing portions configured to store the bearing members of the transfer members, the bearing storing portions being integrally formed in the side frame,
- wherein the side frames are arranged outside relative to an image transfer area in the second direction, the image transfer area being defined as a portion in which an image is transferred by the transfer members,
- wherein an upper portion of each of the transfer members contacts the endless belt, and
- wherein each of the side frames comprises covering portions arranged inside relative to the bearing storing portions in the second direction and arranged below the respective transfer members and outside the image transfer area, and
- wherein each of the covering portions is configured to cover an end portion of the elastic member.
19 more elements
A belt unit comprising:
- a pair of roller members spaced from and opposing each other in a first direction, each of the roller members having an axis extending in a second direction;
- an endless belt extending around the roller members;
- a plurality of transfer members arranged along the first direction between the roller members and spaced from one another, the transfer members being enclosed by the endless belt;
- and
- a frame that rotatably supports the roller members and the transfer members,
- wherein the frame comprises:
- a pair of resin side frames spaced from each other in the second direction, each of the resin side frames extending in the first direction;
- and
- a resin bridging beam extending between the side frames,
- wherein each of the transfer members comprises:
- a rotary shaft extending along the second direction;
- an elastic member which covers the rotary shaft so as to expose axial end portions of the rotary shaft;
- and
- bearing members which support the axial end portions of the rotary shaft, respectively, and
- wherein each of the side frames comprises bearing storing portions configured to store the bearing members of the transfer members, the bearing storing portions being integrally formed in the side frame,
- wherein the side frames are arranged outside relative to an image transfer area in the second direction, the image transfer area being defined as a portion in which an image is transferred by the transfer members,
- wherein an upper portion of each of the transfer members contacts the endless belt, and
- wherein each of the side frames comprises covering portions arranged inside relative to the bearing storing portions in the second direction and arranged below the respective transfer members and outside the image transfer area, and
- wherein each of the covering portions overlaps an end portion of the elastic member.
16 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.