Image forming apparatus with cooling fans positioned relative to arrangement direction of image forming stations

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11822285-B2
Application number	US-202217837714-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 10, 2022
Priority date	Jun 16, 2021
Publication date	Nov 21, 2023
Grant date	Nov 21, 2023

Abstract

An image forming apparatus includes first and second image forming units, and first and second fans. The first and second image forming units are positioned on one and the other endmoset sides in an arrangement direction of the plurality of image forming units, respectively. The first and second fans are provided closer on one and the other endmoset side than the first and second image forming units, respectively. A first suction port for supplying outside air to the first fan is positioned closer to the first image forming unit than to the second image forming unit. A second suction port is positioned closer to the second image forming unit than to the first image forming unit. The first fan is positioned closer to the first image forming unit than to the second image forming unit, and the second fan is positioned closer to the second image forming unit than to the first image forming unit.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An image forming apparatus for forming an image on a recording material comprising:
a first image forming unit, one of a plurality of image forming units, positioned on a first endmost side in an arrangement direction of the plurality of image forming units and being closest to a first edge of the image forming apparatus among the plurality of image forming units, said first image forming unit including a first photosensitive member, a first charging unit configured to charge said first photosensitive member by corona discharge and a first developing unit configured to develop an electrostatic latent image formed on said first photosensitive member with toner;
a second image forming unit, one of the plurality of image forming units, positioned on a second endmost side in the arrangement direction and being closest to a second edge, opposite to the first edge, of the image forming apparatus among the plurality of image forming units, said second image forming unit including a second photosensitive member, a second charging unit configured to charge said second photosensitive member by corona discharge and a second developing unit configured to develop an electrostatic latent image formed on said second photosensitive member with toner;
a first fan provided closer to the first edge of the image forming apparatus in the arrangement direction than said first image forming unit is to the first edge, said first fan sucking outside air to supply from a first suction port to said first image forming unit, and the first suction port being positioned closer to said first image forming unit in the arrangement direction than to said second image forming unit; and
a second fan provided closer to the second edge of the image forming apparatus in the arrangement direction than said second image forming unit is to the second edge, said second fan sucking outside air to supply from a second suction port to said second image forming unit, and the second suction port being positioned closer to said second image forming unit in the arrangement direction than to said first image forming unit;
wherein said first fan is positioned closer to said first image forming unit in the arrangement direction than to said second image forming unit, and
wherein said second fan is positioned closer to said second image forming unit in the arrangement direction than to said first image forming unit.

2. An image forming apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a first duct configured to guide the air sucked by said first fan to said first image forming unit; and
a second duct configured to guide the air sucked by said second fan to said second image forming unit.

3. An image forming apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein said first duct guides the air sucked by said first fan to said first charging unit; and
wherein said second duct guides the air sucked by said second fan to said second charging unit.

4. An image forming apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein said first duct guides the air sucked by said first fan to said first developing unit; and
wherein said second duct guides the air sucked by said second fan to said second developing unit.

5. An image forming apparatus according to claim 2 , further comprising a first casing including the plurality of image forming units, said first fan, said second fan, said first duct and said second duct; and
a second casing adjacent to a downstream side of said first casing in a feeding direction of the recording material,
wherein a first side surface of said first casing opposes said second casing,
wherein said first suction port is formed on a second side surface crossing said first side surface, and
wherein said second suction port is formed on a third side surface opposite to said first side surface in the arrangement direction.

6. An image forming apparatus according to claim 2 , further comprising a first casing including the plurality of image forming units, said first fan, said second fan, said first duct and said second duct; and
a second casing adjacent to a downstream side of said first casing in a feeding direction of the recording material,
wherein a first side surface of said first casing opposes said second casing,
wherein said second suction port is formed on a second side surface crossing said first side surface, and
wherein said first suction port is formed on a third side surface opposite to said first side surface in the arrangement direction.

7. An image forming apparatus according to claim 5 , wherein said second surface is a side surface of on a front side of said image forming apparatus.

8. An image forming apparatus according to claim 5 , wherein said first casing further includes a transfer unit configured to transfer a toner image formed on said first photosensitive member and said second photosensitive member onto the recording material, and
said second casing includes a fixing unit configured to heat the recording material on which the toner image is transferred and to fix the toner image.

9. An image forming apparatus according to claim 6 , wherein said first casing further includes a transfer unit configured to transfer a toner image formed on said first photosensitive member and said second photosensitive member onto the recording material, and
said second casing includes a fixing unit configured to heat the recording material on which the toner image is transferred and to fix the toner image.

10. An image forming apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising a support frame including a bottom plate and a plurality of support columns erected on said bottom plate;
a first body duct unit, to which said first fan is fixed, configured to guide the air sucked from said first suction port to said first fan; and
a second body duct unit, to which said second fan is fixed, configured to guide the air sucked from said second suction port to said second fan;
wherein the plurality of support columns includes a first column provided on a front side of said image forming apparatus, a second column provided on a rear side of said image forming apparatus and configured to support said first body duct unit with said first column, a third column provided on the front side and different from said first column, and a fourth column provided on the rear side and configured to support said second body duct unit with said third column,
wherein said first fan is positioned closer on the rear side than said first column, and
wherein said second fan is positioned closer on the rear side than said third column.

11. An image forming apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising an opening and closing cover openably and closably provided on a front side of said image forming apparatus; and
an inner cover unit provided opposite to an inner surface of said opening and closing cover in a state in which said opening and closing cover is closed,
wherein said inner cover unit includes said first duct and said second duct.

12. An image forming apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a third image forming unit positioned between said first image forming unit and said second image forming unit, said third image forming unit including a third photosensitive member, a third charging unit configured to charge said third photosensitive member by corona discharge and a third developing unit configured to develop an electrostatic latent image formed on said third photosensitive member with toner;
a fourth image forming unit positioned between said second image forming unit and said third image forming, said fourth image forming unit including a fourth photosensitive member, a fourth cha

Assignees

• Canon Kk

Inventors

• Abe Hideto

Classifications

• G03G21/206 Primary

  Conducting air through the machine, e.g. for cooling, filtering, removing gases like ozone · CPC title

• G03G2221/1645

  for conducting air through the machine, e.g. cooling · CPC title

• G03G15/0258 Primary

  provided with means for the maintenance of the charging apparatus, e.g. cleaning devices, ozone removing devices G03G15/0225, G03G15/0291 takes precedence · CPC title

• G03G21/20

  Humidity or temperature control {also ozone evacuation; Internal apparatus environment control} · CPC title

• G03G15/01

  for producing multicoloured copies · CPC title