Image forming apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12228876-B2
Application number	US-202318205574-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 5, 2023
Priority date	Jun 13, 2022
Publication date	Feb 18, 2025
Grant date	Feb 18, 2025

Abstract

An image forming apparatus includes a housing, an exposure device attached to and detachable from the housing, an insertion slot on the housing for the exposure device, a positioning member disposed at a position higher than the insertion slot, the positioning member having an inclined plane, and space that appears under the exposure device when the exposure device is attached to the prescribed position. In the image forming apparatus, the positioning member guides the exposure device to a prescribed position of the exposure device.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An image forming apparatus, comprising:
a housing including a side face and an insertion slot on the side face;
an exposure device attached to and detachable from the housing via the insertion slot;
a positioning member disposed inside the housing, the positioning member having an inclined surface that guides a front end of the exposure device to a position above a lower portion of the insertion slot as the exposure device is inserted through the insertion slot; and
a space inside the housing and under the exposure device, as viewed along an insertion direction in which the exposure device is inserted through the insertion slot, after the exposure device is inserted into the housing and positioned at the position, wherein
as viewed along the insertion direction, the front end of the exposure device protrudes upward, and
after the exposure device is inserted through the insertion slot, a top end of the front end of the exposure device is higher than a top end of the insertion slot.

2. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a cooling fan configured to generate airflow to cool the exposure device, wherein
the space is a path through which the airflow generated by the cooling fan passes.

3. The image forming apparatus according to claim 2 , further comprising:
a guide disposed in the path, wherein
the exposure device includes a polygon mirror or an optical lens, and
the exposure device has a width that decreases at a position corresponding to an installation position of at least one of the polygon mirror or the optical lens.

4. The image forming apparatus according to claim 3 , wherein
the guide is positioned in the path when the exposure device is attached to at the position, and
the guide is not positioned inside the path when the exposure device is not attached at the position.

5. The image forming apparatus according to claim 4 , wherein the guide is linearly disposed in the path as the exposure device is inserted into the insertion slot.

6. The image forming apparatus according to claim 4 , wherein the guide is disposed in the path due to an elastic force as the exposure device is inserted into the insertion slot.

7. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a heat sink in the space.

8. The image forming apparatus according to claim 7 , wherein
the exposure device includes a polygon mirror or an optical lens, and
the heat sink is disposed at a position adjacent to an installation position of the polygon mirror or the optical lens.

9. The image forming apparatus according to claim 7 , wherein
the heat sink is positioned in the space when the exposure device is attached at the position, and
the heat sink is not positioned in the space when the exposure device is not attached at the position.

10. The image forming apparatus according to claim 9 , wherein the heat sink is linearly disposed in the space as the exposure device is inserted into the insertion slot.

11. The image forming apparatus according to claim 9 , wherein the heat sink is disposed in the space due to an elastic force as the exposure device is inserted into the insertion slot.

12. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein
the exposure device has a portion that contacts the inclined surface, and
the portion that contacts the inclined surface has an angle parallel to that of the inclined plane.

13. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a cushioning member that contacts the exposure device in a path in which the exposure device moves from the insertion slot to the prescribed position.

14. The image forming apparatus according to claim 13 , wherein the cushioning member is disposed on the inclined surface.

15. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a guide configured to guide the exposure device in a path where the exposure device moves from the insertion slot to the prescribed position.

16. The image forming apparatus according to claim 13 , wherein the cushioning member is a sponge.

17. An image forming apparatus, comprising:
a housing including a side face and an insertion slot on the side face;
an exposure device attached to and detachable from the housing via the insertion slot;
an inclined surface disposed inside the housing, the inclined surface guiding a front end of the exposure device to a position above a lower portion of the insertion slot as the exposure device is inserted through the insertion slot; and
a space inside the housing and under the exposure device, as viewed along an insertion direction in which the exposure device is inserted through the insertion slot, after the exposure device is inserted into the housing and positioned at the position, wherein
as viewed along the insertion direction, the front end of the exposure device protrudes upward, and
after the exposure device is inserted through the insertion slot, a top end of the front end of the exposure device is higher than a top end of the insertion slot.

Assignees

• Noda Makoto
• Ricoh Co Ltd

Inventors

• Noda Makoto

Classifications

• G03G21/1647

  Mechanical connection means · CPC title

• G03G21/206 Primary

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

• G03G2221/1636

  for the exposure unit · CPC title

• G03G21/1666 Primary

  for the exposure unit · CPC title