Image forming apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10274859-B2
Application number	US-201715810567-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 13, 2017
Priority date	Jun 2, 2010
Publication date	Apr 30, 2019
Grant date	Apr 30, 2019

Abstract

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.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An image forming apparatus to which a cartridge, which includes a photosensitive drum to be driven to rotate, is mounted at a predetermined mounting position by moving the cartridge in a rotational axis direction of the photosensitive drum, the image forming apparatus comprising:
an LED unit including an LED array configured to emit light to form a latent image on the photosensitive drum and a lens array through which the light emitted from the LED array passes, the lens array being configured to guide the light to a surface of the photosensitive drum; and
a positioning mechanism including a first spring elastically deformable in an optical axis direction of a lens included in the lens array of the LED unit, a second spring elastically deformable in the optical axis direction and disposed at a different position than the first spring in the rotational axis direction, and a cam mechanism that elastically deforms the first and the second springs by the movement of the cartridge when mounting the cartridge to the image forming apparatus, wherein the positioning mechanism is configured to relatively position the photosensitive drum of the cartridge mounted at the predetermined mounting position and the lens array in the optical axis direction;
wherein, in a state in which the cartridge has been mounted at the predetermined mounting position, the first and the second springs are contracted by an action of the cam mechanism in a state more than the first and second springs are contracted during the movement of the cartridge when mounting the cartridge to the predetermined position, and
wherein relative positions of the photosensitive drum of the cartridge mounted at the predetermined mounting position and the LED unit are defined by a force acted on the LED unit in the optical axis direction due to contraction of the first and second springs in the state in which the cartridge has been mounted at the predetermined mounting position.

2. An image forming apparatus to which a cartridge, which includes a photosensitive drum to be driven to rotate, is mounted at a predetermined mounting position, the image forming apparatus comprising:
an LED unit including an LED array configured to emit light to form a latent image on the photosensitive drum;
a spring configured to relatively position the LED unit and the cartridge mounted at the predetermined mounting position; and
a cam mechanism configured to act on the spring so as to contract the spring in association with a movement of the cartridge in a process of mounting the cartridge to the predetermined mounting position,
wherein a relative position of the LED unit and the cartridge mounted at the predetermined mounting position is defined by a force caused by the spring being contracted by an action of the cam mechanism.

3. The image forming apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein the spring is contracted in a second state in which the cartridge is mounted at the predetermined mounting position more than in a first state in which the cartridge is not mounted at the predetermined mounting position.

Assignees

• Canon Kk

Inventors

• Tanaami Ryuji
• Nakajima Keita
• Miwa Koji
• Mitsui Yuji

Classifications

• G03G2215/0692

  using a slidable sealing member, e.g. shutter · CPC title

• G03G21/1853

  the process cartridge being mounted perpendicular to the axis of the photosensitive member · CPC title

• G03G21/1633 Primary

  using doors or covers (G03G21/1638 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B41J11/46

  by marks or formations on the paper being fed · CPC title

• G03G21/1666

  for the exposure unit · CPC title