US 8,135,306 B2 · Image forming apparatus having detachable process units

Abstract

An image forming apparatus includes process units arranged in a predetermined direction to form a process-unit row, each having a photosensitive body and a developer container; a casing accommodating the process units and having a cover opening and closing an opening formed at one side in the predetermined direction, and an exposure member exposing the photosensitive body, and having a laser source, a deflector, and an optical element, and the exposure member is arranged facing the developer container of each process unit in a direction orthogonal to the predetermined direction. The process units are detachable from the casing, through the opening of the casing, and the developer container of one process unit arranged at one end of the process-unit row has a protruding portion protruding toward the exposure member to overlap with the exposure member in the orthogonal direction.

Claims18

Dependent claims

An image forming apparatus which forms an image on a recording medium, comprising:

a casing;
and
a supporting member which is movable between an inner position in which the supporting member is located at an inner side of the casing and an outer position in which the supporting member is located at an outer side of the casing and that has a mounting portion on which a first process unit and a second process unit are detachably mounted;
wherein the first process unit is mounted on the mounting portion on a most downstream side of the mounting portion in a pull-out direction in which the supporting member is drawn out from the inner position to the outer position, and the second process unit is mounted on the mounting portion on an upstream side of the first process unit in the pull-out direction, and in a state that the first process unit and the second process unit are mounted on the mounting portion of the supporting member, the first process unit has a protruded portion which protrudes in an orthogonal direction orthogonal with respect to the pull-out direction more than the second process unit protrudes in the orthogonal direction.

1 more element

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Image forming apparatus having detachable process units

Life of this patent

Image forming apparatus having detachable process units

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims18