Image forming apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10162301-B2
Application number	US-201515508731-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 23, 2015
Priority date	Sep 3, 2014
Publication date	Dec 25, 2018
Grant date	Dec 25, 2018

Abstract

An image forming apparatus includes a developing device including a photosensitive unit having a photoreceptor and a developing unit having a developing roller; a light scanning unit including a light source to generate light to form an electrostatic latent image on the photoreceptor and a window through which the light is transmitted; a shutter unit to open and close the window; a plurality of pressing units to press the developing unit to cause the developing roller separated from the photoreceptor to contact the photoreceptor and cause the shutter unit to open and close the window; and an operating unit connected to the plurality of pressing units. The operating unit is movable between an operating position to generate a pressing force by the plurality of pressing units to press the developing unit and the shutter unit and a standby position to release the pressing force.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An image forming apparatus comprising:
a main body;
a developing device including
a photosensitive unit having a photoreceptor, and
a developing unit having a developing roller to contact and separate from the photoreceptor;

a light scanning unit including
a light source to generate light to form an electrostatic latent image on the photoreceptor by applying the light onto the photoreceptor, and
a window through which the light generated by the light source is transmitted;

a shutter unit to open and close the window;
a plurality of pressing units to
press the developing unit to cause the developing roller separated from the photoreceptor to contact the photoreceptor, and
cause the shutter unit to open and close the window,

each pressing unit of the plurality of pressing units disposed to be spaced apart along in a longitudinal direction of the developing unit; and
an operating unit connected to the plurality of pressing units, the operating unit movable between
an operating position to generate a pressing force by the plurality of pressing units to press the developing unit, and
a standby position to release the pressing force.

2. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the plurality of pressing units are to press the shutter unit and the developing unit together.

3. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the plurality of pressing units operate in linkage with the operating unit.

4. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein:
the plurality of pressing units is to be at
a pressing position which corresponds to the operating position of the operating unit and at which the developing unit and the shutter unit are pressed, and
a release position which corresponds to the standby position of the operating unit and at which the plurality of pressing unit releases pressing the developing unit and the shutter unit; and

each pressing unit of the plurality of pressing units includes a pressing elastic member which generates a pressing force at the pressing position.

5. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein each pressing unit of the plurality of pressing units includes
a pressing body to press the developing unit to cause the developing roller to contact the photoreceptor, and
a pressing part having a shutter guide protrusion provided on the pressing body to press the shutter unit.

6. The image forming apparatus according to claim 5 , wherein
the plurality of pressing units includes a pair of pressing units, and
the shutter guide protrusions of the pair of pressing units are to press both ends of the shutter unit.

7. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising
a rotating shaft which forms a center of rotation of the operating unit,
wherein the plurality of pressing units are disposed on the rotating shaft to be spaced apart from each other.

8. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising a rotating shaft which forms a center of rotation of the operating unit,
wherein each pressing unit of the plurality of pressing units includes:
a link unit to convert a rotational motion of the rotating shaft by rotation of the operating unit into a linear motion; and
a pressing part connected to the link unit to press the developing device.

9. The image forming apparatus according to claim 8 , wherein the link unit includes:
a first link member to be rotated with the rotating shaft; and
a second link member having
one end connected to an end portion of the first link member, and
other end performing a linear reciprocating motion.

10. The image forming apparatus according to claim 9 , wherein the link unit includes a pressing elastic member provided on the second link member to generate a pressing force of the pressing unit.

11. The image forming apparatus according to claim 10 , wherein the second link member includes:
a hook inserting part, at least a part of which is inserted into the pressing part according to a position of the pressing unit; and
a flexible mounting part disposed adjacent to the hook inserting part, the flexible mounting part to mount the pressing elastic member and change a length of the pressing elastic member to change in linkage with an elastic pressing force of the pressing elastic member.

12. The image forming apparatus according to claim 10 , wherein one end of the pressing elastic member is supported by an end portion of the second link member and another end of the pressing elastic member is supported by the pressing part.

13. The image forming apparatus according to claim 10 , wherein the pressing elastic member is compressed to a maximum compression length (ML) when the operating unit is disposed between the operating position and the standby position.

14. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the operating unit restricts movement of the developing device in the longitudinal direction along the developing unit at the operating position.

15. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising
a developing device mounting part on which the photosensitive unit and the developing unit are mounted and into which the photosensitive unit and the developing unit are inserted in a longitudinal direction of the developing device mounting part,
wherein the operating unit and the pressing unit are disposed on the developing device mounting part.

16. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the shutter unit includes a shutter body which corresponds to the window and is provided to be capable of rotating about a shutter rotating part formed in a longitudinal direction of the shutter body from one side of the shutter body.

17. The image forming apparatus according to claim 16 , wherein:
the shutter unit includes an open position at which the window is opened, and a closed position at which the window is closed; and
the shutter body is rotated in an acute angle between the open position and the closed position.

18. The image forming apparatus according to claim 17 , wherein the shutter unit is moved from the closed position to the open position by a pressing unit among the plurality of pressing units and moved from the open position to the closed position by a weight of the shutter body.

19. An image forming apparatus comprising:
a main body;
a developing device including
a photosensitive unit having a photoreceptor, and
a developing unit having a developing roller to contact and separate from the photoreceptor;

a light scanning unit including
a light source to generate light to form an electrostatic latent image on the photoreceptor by applying the light onto the photoreceptor, and
a window through which the light generated by the light source is transmitted;

a pressing assembly including
an operating unit rotatably provided, and
a plurality of pressing units in linkage with the operating unit to press the developing unit to cause the developing roller separated from the photoreceptor to contact the photoreceptor; and

a shutter unit in linkage with the operating unit to open and close the window,
wherein
the plurality of pressing units is movable to
a pressing position to press the developing unit, to cause the developing roller to contact the photoreceptor, and
a release position to release pressing the developing unit,

the shutter unit is movable to
an open position at which the window is opened, and
a closed position at which the

Assignees

• S Printing Solution Co Ltd
• Hp Printing Korea Co Ltd

Inventors

• Choi Mun Hyub
• Lee Han Jun

Classifications

• G03G21/16

  Mechanical means for facilitating the maintenance of the apparatus, e.g. modular arrangements · CPC title

• G03G15/0813 Primary

  characterised by means in the developing zone having an interaction with the image carrying member, e.g. distance holders · CPC title

• G03G15/06

  for developing · CPC title

• G03G15/04072 Primary

  by laser · CPC title

• G03G15/04

  for exposing, i.e. imagewise exposure by optically projecting the original image on a photoconductive recording material · CPC title