Image forming apparatus having developing device unit withdrawable through opening
AssigneeBrother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
InventorShougo Sato
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An image forming apparatus includes a main casing, an opening-closing member configured to open and close an opening on a side of the main casing and to move between an open position and a closed position, a belt unit configured to move between a first position and a second position, a drum unit configured to move between a third position and a fourth position, a developing device unit configured to move in an arrangement direction of developing rollers, and an interlock mechanism configured such that in response to a movement of the opening-closing member from the closed position to the open position, the belt unit moves from the first position to the second position and the drum unit moves from the third position to the fourth position.
Claims16
An image forming apparatus, comprising:
- a main casing having an opening on a side thereof;
- an opening-closing member configured to open and close the opening on the side of the main casing, to be pivotable relative to the main casing, and to move between an open position in which the opening is opened and a closed position in which the opening is closed;
- a belt unit including an endless belt, disposed in the main casing and configured to move between a first position and a second position positioned above the first position;
- a drum unit including a plurality of photosensitive drums, disposed below the belt unit and configured to move between a third position and a fourth position positioned above the third position;
- a developing device unit disposed below the belt unit, including a plurality of developing rollers each of which corresponds to a respective one of the plurality of photosensitive drums, and configured to move, through the opening, in an arrangement direction in which the plurality of developing rollers are arranged;
- and
- an interlock mechanism configured such that:
- in response to a movement of the opening-closing member from the closed position to the open position, the belt unit moves from the first position to the second position and the drum unit moves from the third position to the fourth position;
- and
- in response to a movement of the opening-closing member from the open position to the closed position, the belt unit moves from the second position to the first position and the drum unit moves from the fourth position to the third position.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.