G03G21/1853

TONER CARTRIDGE HAVING POSITIONING FEATURES

A toner cartridge according to one example embodiment includes a housing having a reservoir for holding toner. A first latch-receiving shelf is positioned on a first longitudinal end of the housing and a second latch-receiving shelf is positioned on a second longitudinal end of the housing. Contact surfaces on top portions of the first and second latch-receiving shelves are positioned to contact corresponding first and second latches in an image forming device. The contact surface of the first latch-receiving shelf is positioned lower than a first rotational axis of a first drive coupler of the toner cartridge and higher than a second drive coupler of the toner cartridge. The contact surface of the second latch-receiving shelf is positioned lower than at least a portion of a first electrical contact of the toner cartridge and higher than at least a portion of a second electrical contact of the toner cartridge.

Image-forming apparatus that prevents attachment of toner cartridge to drawer without mounting of process cartridge on the drawer

An image-forming apparatus includes: a main casing; a drawer movable in a first direction relative to the main casing; a process cartridge detachably mountable on the drawer; and a toner cartridge. The drawer includes a first drawer side plate and a second drawer side plate spaced apart from each other in a second direction crossing the first direction. The process cartridge includes: a photosensitive drum rotatable about an axis extending in the second direction when the process cartridge is mounted on the drawer; and a developing device for supplying toner to the photosensitive drum. When the process cartridge is mounted on the drawer and the toner cartridge is attached to the process cartridge, the toner cartridge has a length in the second direction greater than a distance in the second direction between the first drawer side plate and the second drawer side plate.

Image forming apparatus having guide members for detachably inserting cartridges

An image forming apparatus includes: a first guide that is provided in an apparatus housing and configured to suspend and hold a first unit including an image holder so that the first unit is movable in an insertion and removal direction; a second guide that is provided in the apparatus housing and configured to suspend and hold a second unit including a developer holder so that the second unit is movable in an insertion and removal direction; and a pedestal that is disposed on a front side in the insertion and removal direction with respect to the first guide and the second guide, supports, from below in a gravity direction, the first unit and the second unit while the first unit and the second unit are inserted into the apparatus housing, and does not contact with the first unit and the second unit located in the apparatus housing.

Cartridge having toner removing sheet in contact with photosensitive drum

A cartridge detachably mountable to a main assembly of an image forming apparatus includes a photosensitive member unit including a photosensitive drum; a sheet configured to remove a deposited matter from a surface of the drum, the sheet being in contact with the surface of the drum at an end portion of the drum with respect to a rotational axis direction of the member; and a developing unit detachably mounted to the member unit, the developing unit including a developing roller configured to supply toner to the drum, and a storage portion configured to store the deposited matter removed from the surface of the drum by the sheet.

Image forming apparatus including a regulating portion used in mounting a cartridge

An image forming apparatus includes a cartridge including a portion-to-be-positioned, and an apparatus main body on which the cartridge is mounted in a mounting direction. The apparatus main body includes a positioning portion and a regulating portion. The positioning portion positions the cartridge by engaging with the portion-to-be-positioned. The regulating portion is provided on an upstream side of the positioning portion in the mounting direction. The cartridge includes a portion-to-be-regulated provided on an upstream side of the portion-to-be-positioned in the mounting direction. The portion-to-be-positioned engages with the regulating portion before engaging with the positioning portion, to regulate movement of the cartridge in the direction orthogonal to the mounting direction. The portion-to-be-regulated engages with the regulating portion before the portion-to-be-positioned engages with the positioning portion, to regulate movement of the cartridge in the direction orthogonal to the mounting direction.

IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS
20230131306 · 2023-04-27 ·

An image forming apparatus includes a photosensitive drum and an apparatus main body, the apparatus main body includes a transfer roller exerting a transfer pressing force on the photosensitive drum, a positioning portion positioning the photosensitive drum in first and second directions by being contacted by a bearing portion holding a rotation axis of the photosensitive drum, the first direction being in a virtual plane perpendicular to the rotation axis, and the second direction being a direction intersecting the first direction, and a pressing member exerting a holding-and-pressing force pressing the bearing portion toward the positioning portion, and, in a state in which the bearing portion is in contact with the positioning portion, the holding-and-pressing force has a component force in the first direction, and the transfer pressing force has a component force in the second direction that is oriented to press the bearing portion toward the positioning portion.

Image forming apparatus having dual operation

An image forming apparatus includes a cartridge including an abutting portion and an apparatus main body. The apparatus main body includes a mounting portion of the cartridge, a fixing portion for fixing the toner image, an attachable/detecting mechanism of the cartridge, a shutter, and a moving member. The attachable/detecting mechanism includes an acting member movable between a first position and a second position by the mounting of the cartridge. The shutter is movable between a closed position and an open position, and a moving member moves both the shutter and the acting member and includes an abutted portion. When the cartridge is moved, the moving member is moved by abutment of the abutting portion of the cartridge with the abutted portion, the acting member moves from the first position to the second position, and the shutter moves from the closed position to the open position.

Developing device, image forming apparatus including developing device
11599057 · 2023-03-07 · ·

A developing device is detachably supported by an image forming apparatus. The developing device includes a housing that can store developer inside the housing, at least one rotating member rotatably provided for the housing, a first support shaft composed of a conductive member and disposed at an axial end of the rotating member, and a support member including a first bearing portion that supports the first support shaft and constituting a side face of the housing in an axial direction of the rotating member. The first bearing portion includes a first guide portion. The first guide portion protrudes outward from an outer surface of the support member and configured to be guided to an installation position of the developing device during installation of the developing device in the image forming apparatus.

IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS
20230063310 · 2023-03-02 · ·

An image forming apparatus includes an apparatus main body, a process cartridge, a scanner unit, and a toner cartridge. The process cartridge is detachably mounted on the apparatus main body. The process cartridge includes: a photosensitive drum configured to rotate about a rotational axis extending in a first direction; and a development unit configured to supply toner to the photosensitive drum. The toner cartridge is configured to store toner. At least part of the photosensitive drum, at least part of the scanner unit, and at least part of the toner cartridge are aligned in a second direction in this order. The second direction is perpendicular to both the first direction and to a vertical direction. The at least part of the photosensitive drum, the at least part of the scanner unit, and the at least part of the toner cartridge overlap one another as viewed from the second direction.

IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS
20230069503 · 2023-03-02 ·

The present invention provides an image forming apparatus including: a first moving member pressed and moved by an openable/closable member when the openable/closable member is opened, and switching a cartridge from a state where the cartridge is positioned in an image forming position to a state where the positioning is released; and a second moving member pressed and moved by the openable/closable member when the openable/closable member is opened, and moving the exposure member from an exposure position to a retracted position, wherein when the positioning of the cartridge is released, a reaction force applied from the first moving member to the openable/closable member reaches a first peak, when the exposure member is moved to the retracted position, a reaction force applied from the second moving member to the openable/closable member reaches a second peak, and timing of the first peak is different from timing of the second peak.