Image forming apparatus in which developing unit is easily detachable to photosensitive member unit
AssigneeBrother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
InventorTsutomu Suzuki
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An image forming device has a main casing, a first cartridge, and a second cartridge. The main casing has the image forming portion and an inner surface. The first cartridge is loadable to and unloadable from the image forming portion. The second cartridge detachably is attachable to the first cartridge. The first cartridge further has a receiving portion for receiving the second cartridge; and a first guide for guiding the second cartridge to the receiving portion. The main casing further has a second guide provided in the inner surface for guiding the second cartridge to the first cartridge loaded in the image forming portion. The second guide communicates with the first guide of the first cartridge loaded in the image forming portion.
Claims18
An image forming device comprising:
- a main casing having an inner surface;
- an image forming portion provided in the main casing to form images;
- a first cartridge loadable to and unloadable from the image forming portion;
- and
- a second cartridge detachably attachable to the first cartridge, the second cartridge having a side face and a projection projecting from the side face, the side face facing the inner surface when the second cartridge is in the main casing,
- wherein the first cartridge further comprises a receiving portion for receiving the projection of the second cartridge, and a first guide for guiding the projection of the second cartridge to the receiving portion, and
- the main casing further comprises a second guide provided in the inner surface for guiding the projection of the second cartridge, the second guide communicating with the first guide of the first cartridge loaded in the image forming portion, to guide the projection of the second cartridge through the second and first guides to the receiving portion,
- wherein the main casing further comprises a third guide for guiding the first cartridge to the image forming portion.
A primary cartridge configured to be loadable to and unloadable from an image forming portion of an image forming device which includes a main casing having a primary guide configured to guide a secondary cartridge to the primary cartridge loaded in the main casing by guiding a projection of the secondary cartridge, comprising:
- a receiving portion that receives the projection of a secondary cartridge;
- and
- a secondary guide that guides the projection of the secondary cartridge to the receiving portion by the projection, wherein the primary guide is configured to connect with the secondary guide, when the secondary cartridge is loaded in the image forming portion,
- wherein the primary guide comprises an upper guide surface on which the projection is slidable, and
- the secondary guide comprises a lower guide surface on which the projection is slidable, the lower guide surface being provided so as to overlap the upper guide surface over a predetermined length from a side view.
A primary cartridge configured to be loadable to and unloadable from an image forming portion of an image forming device which includes a main casing having a primary guide configured to guide a secondary cartridge to the primary cartridge loaded in the main casing by guiding a projection of the secondary cartridge, comprising:
- a receiving portion that receives the projection of a secondary cartridge;
- and
- a secondary guide that guides the projection of the secondary cartridge to the receiving portion by the projection, wherein the primary guide is configured to connect with the secondary guide, when the secondary cartridge is loaded in the image forming portion,
- wherein the projection has a length in a loading direction of the secondary cartridge,
- the primary guide comprises an upper guide surface on which the projection is slidable, and
- the secondary guide comprises a lower guide surface on which the projection is slidable, the lower guide surface being aligned with the upper guide surface through a gap therebetween, the gap being smaller than the length in the loading direction.
A secondary cartridge detachably attachable to a primary cartridge loaded in an image forming portion in a main casing of an image forming device, the primary cartridge comprising a primary guide for guiding the secondary cartridge, the main casing comprising a secondary guide for guiding the secondary cartridge, comprising:
- a casing having a side face;
- and
- a single projection formed in an upper portion of the side face, the projection being configured to be guided by and in contact with the secondary guide and the primary guide in series to a predetermined position in the image forming portion.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.