Image forming apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12228865-B2
Application number	US-202217982601-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 8, 2022
Priority date	Jun 2, 2010
Publication date	Feb 18, 2025
Grant date	Feb 18, 2025

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 on which a plurality of cartridges, each of which includes a photosensitive drum to be driven to rotate, are mountable, the image forming apparatus comprising:
a plurality of mounting portions, each of the plurality of mounting portions being configured such that a cartridge of the plurality of cartridges is mountable on a corresponding mounting portion of the mounting portions by inserting the cartridge of the plurality of cartridges to the corresponding mounting portion of the mounting portions in a direction of a rotational axis of the photosensitive drum included in the cartridge;
a plurality of LED units, each of the LED units corresponding to one of the plurality of mounting portions, each of the LED units including an LED array configured to expose the photosensitive drum included in the cartridge, which has been mounted on the corresponding mounting portion, of the plurality of cartridges; and
a plurality of positioning mechanisms, each of the positioning mechanisms corresponding to one of the plurality of the LED units and each of positioning mechanisms including:
a spring configured to act on the corresponding LED unit so as to position the LED unit with respect to the cartridge on the corresponding mounting portion by contraction of the spring; and
a cam mechanism configured to move the corresponding LED unit toward the photosensitive drum and press the spring so as to contract the spring in association with a movement of the cartridge in a mounting operation of the cartridge to the corresponding mounting portion.

2. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of guide portions, each of which is configured to guide a cartridge of the plurality of cartridges so that the cartridge is moved in a direction of a rotational axis of the photosensitive drum of the cartridge such that the cartridge is mounted on a mounting portion of the plurality of mounting portions.

3. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a main body in which the plurality of mounting portions are provided, the main body including an opening portion through which the plurality of cartridges pass when mounting the plurality of cartridges, the opening portion being formed in a side surface of the main body; and
an openable and closable member pivotably provided on the main body to open and close the opening portion.

4. An image forming apparatus on which a plurality of cartridges, each of which includes a photosensitive drum to be driven to rotate, are mountable, the image forming apparatus comprising:
a plurality of mounting portions, each of the plurality of mounting portions being configured such that a cartridge of the plurality of cartridges is mountable on a corresponding mounting portion of the mounting portions by inserting the cartridge of the plurality of cartridges to the corresponding mounting portion of the mounting portions in a direction of a rotational axis of the photosensitive drum included in the cartridge;
a plurality of LED units, each of the LED units corresponding to one of the plurality of mounting portions, each of the LED units including an LED array configured to expose the photosensitive drum included in the cartridge, which has been mounted on the corresponding mounting portion, of the plurality of cartridges; and
a plurality of positioning mechanisms, each of the positioning mechanisms corresponding to one of the plurality of the LED units and each of positioning mechanisms including:
a pair of springs configured to act on the corresponding LED unit so as to position the LED unit with respect to the cartridge on the corresponding mounting portion by contraction of the pair of springs; and
a cam mechanism configured to move the corresponding LED unit toward the photosensitive drum and press the pair of springs so as to contract the pair of springs in association with a movement of the cartridge in a mounting operation of the cartridge to the corresponding mounting portion.

5. The image forming apparatus according to claim 4 , wherein the LED array is disposed between one spring of the pair of springs disposed at one end of the corresponding LED unit in a longitudinal direction of the corresponding LED unit and another spring of the pair of springs disposed at the other end of the corresponding LED unit in a longitudinal direction of the corresponding LED unit.

6. The image forming apparatus according to claim 4 , further comprising a plurality of guide portions, each of which is configured to guide a cartridge of the plurality of cartridges so that the cartridge is moved in a direction of a rotational axis of the photosensitive drum of the cartridge such that the cartridge is mounted on a mounting portion of the plurality of mounting portions.

7. The image forming apparatus according to claim 4 , further comprising:
a main body in which the plurality of mounting portions are provided, the main body including an opening portion through which the plurality of cartridges pass when mounting the plurality of cartridges, the opening portion being formed in a side surface of the main body; and
an openable and closable member pivotably provided on the main body to open and close the opening portion.

Assignees

• Canon Kk

Inventors

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

Classifications

• G03G21/1853

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

• G03G21/1633

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

• G03G15/04

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

• G03B27/523

  for full time exposure · CPC title

• B41J11/46

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