Image forming apparatus having developer cartridge moving mechanism

An image forming apparatus comprising:

• a main casing;
• a plurality of image forming units juxtaposedly arrayed with each other in a predetermined direction, each of the plurality of image forming units comprising a photosensitive drum, a developer carrying member disposed in confrontation with the photosensitive drum, and a reception opening configured to receive developer, each of the plurality of photosensitive drums having an axis extending in an axial direction perpendicular to the predetermined direction;
• a plurality of developer cartridges configured to be juxtaposedly arrayed with each other in the predetermined direction and each configured to be provided for each of the plurality of image forming units, each of the plurality of developer cartridges configured to be disposed in confrontation with a corresponding one of the plurality of image forming units in the axial direction, each of the plurality of developer cartridges comprising a developer accommodating section configured to accommodate developer and a supply opening through which developer in the developer accommodating section is configured to be supplied to a corresponding one of the plurality of image forming units;
• a cartridge supporting unit configured to detachably support each of the plurality of developer cartridges;
• and
• a moving mechanism configured to move the cartridge supporting unit to a mounted position, a retracted position, and a pulled-out position, wherein the cartridge supporting unit is mounted in the main casing and the supply opening and the reception opening are in communication with each other when the cartridge supporting unit is in the mounted position, the cartridge supporting unit is moved away from the plurality of image forming units in the axial direction to interrupt a communication between the supply opening and the reception opening when the cartridge supporting unit is in the retracted position, and the cartridge supporting unit is pulled outside the main casing from the retracted position in the predetermined direction when the cartridge supporting unit is in the pulled-out position,
• wherein each of the plurality of image forming units comprises a receiving member formed with the reception opening,
• wherein each of the plurality of developer cartridges comprises a supply member formed with the supply opening,
• wherein one of the receiving member and the supply member protrudes toward a remaining one of the receiving member and the supply member, and
• wherein the remaining one of the receiving member and the supply member is configured to receive the one of the receiving member and the supply member.

An image forming apparatus comprising:

• a main casing;
• a plurality of image forming units juxtaposedly arrayed with each other in a predetermined direction, each of the plurality of image forming units comprising a photosensitive drum, a developer carrying member disposed in confrontation with the photosensitive drum, and a reception opening configured to receive developer, each of the plurality of photosensitive drums having an axis extending in an axial direction perpendicular to the predetermined direction;
• a plurality of developer cartridges configured to be juxtaposedly arrayed with each other in the predetermined direction and each configured to be provided for each of the plurality of image forming units, each of the plurality of developer cartridges configured to be disposed in confrontation with a corresponding one of the plurality of image forming units in the axial direction, each of the plurality of developer cartridges comprising a developer accommodating section configured to accommodate developer and a supply opening through which developer in the developer accommodating section is configured to be supplied to a corresponding one of the plurality of image forming units;
• a cartridge supporting unit configured to detachably support each of the plurality of developer cartridges;
• and
• a moving mechanism configured to move the cartridge supporting unit to a mounted position, a retracted position, and a pulled-out position, wherein the cartridge supporting unit is mounted in the main casing and the supply opening and the reception opening are in communication with each other when the cartridge supporting unit is in the mounted position, the cartridge supporting unit is moved away from the plurality of image forming units in the axial direction to interrupt a communication between the supply opening and the reception opening when the cartridge supporting unit is in the retracted position, and the cartridge supporting unit is pulled outside the main casing from the retracted position in the predetermined direction when the cartridge supporting unit is in the pulled-out position,
• wherein each of the plurality of image forming units comprises a first shutter configured such that the first shutter exposes the reception opening when the cartridge supporting unit is in the mounted position and such that the first shutter closes the reception opening when the cartridge supporting unit is in the retracted position, and
• wherein each of the plurality of developer cartridges comprises a second shutter configured such that the second shutter exposes the supply opening when the cartridge supporting unit is in the mounted position and such that the second shutter closes the supply opening when the cartridge supporting unit is in the retracted position.

An image forming apparatus comprising:

• a main casing;
• a plurality of image forming units juxtaposedly arrayed with each other in a predetermined direction, each of the plurality of image forming units comprising a photosensitive drum, a developer carrying member disposed in confrontation with the photosensitive drum, and a reception opening configured to receive developer, each of the plurality of photosensitive drums having an axis extending in an axial direction perpendicular to the predetermined direction, wherein the plurality of image forming units is configured to be mounted on and pulled out of the main casing in the predetermined direction;
• a plurality of developer cartridges configured to be juxtaposedly arrayed with each other in the predetermined direction and each configured to be provided for each of the plurality of image forming units, each of the plurality of developer cartridges configured to be disposed in confrontation with a corresponding one of the plurality of image forming units in the axial direction, each of the plurality of developer cartridges comprising a developer accommodating section configured to accommodate developer and a supply opening through which developer in the developer accommodating section is configured to be supplied to a corresponding one of the plurality of image forming units;
• a cartridge supporting unit configured to detachably support each of the plurality of developer cartridges;
• a moving mechanism configured to move the cartridge supporting unit to a mounted position, a retracted position, and a pulled-out position, wherein the cartridge supporting unit is mounted in the main casing and the supply opening and the reception opening are in communication with each other when the cartridge supporting unit is in the mounted position, the cartridge supporting unit is moved away from the plurality of image forming units in the axial direction to interrupt a communication between the supply opening and the reception opening when the cartridge supporting unit is in the retracted position, and the cartridge supporting unit is pulled outside the main casing from the retracted position in the predetermined direction when the cartridge supporting unit is in the pulled-out position;
• and
• a retaining member that detachably retains each of the image forming units and is configured to be moved in the predetermined direction between a mounted position in which the cartridge supporting unit is mounted in the main casing and a pulled-out position in which the cartridge supporting unit is pulled out of the main casing.

An image forming apparatus comprising:

• a main casing;
• a plurality of image forming units juxtaposedly arrayed with each other in a predetermined direction, each of the plurality of image forming units comprising a photosensitive drum, a developer carrying member disposed in confrontation with the photosensitive drum, and a reception opening configured to receive developer, each of the plurality of photosensitive drums having an axis extending in an axial direction perpendicular to the predetermined direction;
• a plurality of developer cartridges configured to be juxtaposedly arrayed with each other in the predetermined direction and each configured to be provided for each of the plurality of image forming units, each of the plurality of developer cartridges configured to be disposed in confrontation with a corresponding one of the plurality of image forming units in the axial direction, each of the plurality of developer cartridges comprising a developer accommodating section configured to accommodate developer and a supply opening through which developer in the developer accommodating section is configured to be supplied to a corresponding one of the plurality of image forming units;
• a cartridge supporting unit configured to detachably support each of the plurality of developer cartridges;
• and
• a moving mechanism configured to move the cartridge supporting unit to a mounted position, a retracted position, and a pulled-out position, wherein the cartridge supporting unit is mounted in the main casing and the supply opening and the reception opening are in communication with each other when the cartridge supporting unit is in the mounted position, the cartridge supporting unit is moved away from the plurality of image forming units in the axial direction to interrupt a communication between the supply opening and the reception opening when the cartridge supporting unit is in the retracted position, and the cartridge supporting unit is pulled outside the main casing from the retracted position in the predetermined direction when the cartridge supporting unit is in the pulled-out position,
• wherein the moving mechanism comprises a supporting member configured to movably support the cartridge supporting unit in the predetermined direction, and a moving member configured to move the supporting member together with the cartridge supporting unit in the axial direction,
• wherein the cartridge supporting unit is configured to be moved from the mounted position to the retracted position together with the supporting member by the moving member to be allowed to move from the retracted position to the pulled-out position, and
• wherein the cartridge supporting unit and the supporting member are exposed outside the main casing when the cartridge supporting unit and the supporting member are in the retracted position.

An image forming apparatus comprising:

• a main casing;
• a plurality of image forming units juxtaposedly arrayed with each other in a predetermined direction, each of the plurality of image forming units comprising a photosensitive drum, a developer carrying member disposed in confrontation with the photosensitive drum, and a reception opening configured to receive developer, each of the plurality of photosensitive drums having an axis extending in an axial direction perpendicular to the predetermined direction;
• a plurality of developer cartridges configured to be juxtaposedly arrayed with each other in the predetermined direction and each configured to be provided for each of the plurality of image forming units, each of the plurality of developer cartridges configured to be disposed in confrontation with a corresponding one of the plurality of image forming units in the axial direction, each of the plurality of developer cartridges comprising a developer accommodating section configured to accommodate developer and a supply opening through which developer in the developer accommodating section is configured to be supplied to a corresponding one of the plurality of image forming units;
• a cartridge supporting unit configured to detachably support each of the plurality of developer cartridges;
• and
• a moving mechanism configured to move the cartridge supporting unit to a mounted position, a retracted position, and a pulled-out position, wherein the cartridge supporting unit is mounted in the main casing and the supply opening and the reception opening are in communication with each other when the cartridge supporting unit is in the mounted position, the cartridge supporting unit is moved away from the plurality of image forming units in the axial direction to interrupt a communication between the supply opening and the reception opening when the cartridge supporting unit is in the retracted position, and the cartridge supporting unit is pulled outside the main casing from the retracted position in the predetermined direction when the cartridge supporting unit is in the pulled-out position,
• wherein the moving mechanism comprises a supporting member configured to movably support the cartridge supporting unit in the predetermined direction, and a moving member configured to move the supporting member together with the cartridge supporting unit in the axial direction,
• wherein the cartridge supporting unit is configured to be moved from the mounted position to the retracted position together with the supporting member by the moving member to be allowed to move from the retracted position to the pulled-out position,
• wherein the supporting member has both end portions in the predetermined direction, and
• wherein the moving member includes a pair of moving portions each of which is configured to move a corresponding one of the both end portions in the axial direction.