Image forming apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12360478-B2
Application number	US-202318465708-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 12, 2023
Priority date	Sep 14, 2022
Publication date	Jul 15, 2025
Grant date	Jul 15, 2025

Abstract

An image forming apparatus includes an apparatus main body, a drawer unit, and a transfer device a including a belt. When image formation on a recording material is performed, the drawer unit is at a first apparatus main body inner position and the transfer device is at a second apparatus main body inner position. In this drawer unit state, (a) a part of the transfer device is disposed downstream of the drawer unit in a moving direction in which the drawer unit moves from the first inner position to a first apparatus main body outer position, and (b) in a vertical direction, an area where the part of the transfer device is positioned overlaps, at least in part, with an area where the drawer unit is positioned. The transfer device includes a cleaning member to clean the belt and is accommodated in the part of the transfer device.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An image forming apparatus configured to form an image on a recording material, the image forming apparatus comprising:
an apparatus main body;
a drawer unit including (i) a first cartridge, (ii) a support member to which the first cartridge is detachably attached, and (iii) a first photosensitive drum disposed on the support member or the first cartridge, wherein the drawer unit is configured to be moved to a first inner position inside the apparatus main body and to a first outer position outside the apparatus main body; and
a transfer device including a belt, wherein the transfer device is configured to be moved to a second inner position inside the apparatus main body and to a second outer position outside the apparatus main body, and the belt is configured to contact the first photosensitive drum with the transfer device at the second inner position so that the image is transferred from the first photosensitive drum to the belt,
wherein, when image formation on the recording material is performed, the drawer unit is positioned at the first inner position and the transfer device is positioned at the second inner position,
wherein, in a state where the drawer unit is at the first inner position and the transfer device is at the second inner position, (a) a part of the transfer device is disposed downstream of the drawer unit in a moving direction in which the drawer unit moves from the first inner position to the first outer position, and (b) in a vertical direction, an area where the part of the transfer device is positioned overlaps, at least in part, with an area where the drawer unit is positioned, and
wherein the transfer device includes a cleaning member configured to clean the belt, and the cleaning member is accommodated in the part of the transfer device.

2. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein, in a state where the transfer device is at the second inner position, the part of the transfer device is positioned in a space where the drawer unit passes through in being moved from the first inner position to the first outer position.

3. The image forming apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein, when the drawer unit is moved from the first inner position to the first outer position, the transfer device is moved from the second inner position to the second outer position.

4. The image forming apparatus according to claim 3 , further comprising a coupling member configured to couple the support member with the transfer device,
wherein the coupling member is configured to be moved between a coupling position where the support member is coupled with the transfer device and a release position retracted from the coupling position.

5. The image forming apparatus according to claim 4 , wherein the transfer device is configured to be moved from the second inner position to the second outer position in a state where the coupling member is positioned at the release position and the drawer unit is at the first inner position.

6. The image forming apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein the transfer device is movable such that the part of the transfer device retracts out of the space where the drawer unit passes through in being moved from the first inner position to the first outer position.

7. The image forming apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein the part of the transfer device is movable with respect to the belt such that the part of the transfer device retracts out of the space where the drawer unit passes through in being moved from the first inner position to the first outer position.

8. The image forming apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein, in the state where the transfer device is at the second inner position, the cleaning member is positioned in the space where the drawer unit passes through in being moved from the first inner position to the first outer position.

9. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a fixing device configured to heat the recording material; and
an opening and closing member configured to cover an opening of the apparatus main body in a closed state,
wherein the apparatus main body includes a first end provided with the opening of the apparatus main body and a second end opposite to the first end in a horizontal direction,
wherein the fixing device is closer to the first end than to the second end, and
wherein, when being moved from the first inner position to the first outer position through the opening of the apparatus main body, the drawer unit is configured to be moved in the moving direction intersecting with a rotation axis of the first photosensitive drum, and be moved away from the second end.

10. The image forming apparatus according to claim 9 , wherein, when being moved from the second inner position to the second outer position, the transfer device is configured to be moved away from the second end.

11. The image forming apparatus according to claim 9 , wherein, in a state where the opening and closing member is open, the drawer unit is at the first outer position, and the transfer device is at the second outer position, the opening and closing member supports the transfer device and the transfer device supported by the opening and closing member supports the drawer unit.

12. The image forming apparatus according to claim 9 , wherein the drawer unit includes a second cartridge detachably attached to the support member and a second photosensitive drum disposed on the second cartridge or the support member.

13. The image forming apparatus according to claim 12 , wherein, with the drawer unit at the first inner position, the second photosensitive drum is closer to the first end than the first photosensitive drum is, and a rotation axis of the second photosensitive drum is located above the rotation axis of the first photosensitive drum in the vertical direction.

14. The image forming apparatus according to claim 9 , wherein, when being moved from the first inner position to the first outer position, the drawer unit is configured to be moved in a direction oblique to the horizontal direction.

15. The image forming apparatus according to claim 14 , wherein, when being moved from the first inner position to the first outer position, the drawer unit is configured to be moved in a direction obliquely upward with respect to the horizontal direction.

16. The image forming apparatus according to claim 9 ,
wherein, in the closed state, the opening and closing member is configured to cover a first path for the recording material traveling toward the fixing device to pass through, and
wherein the opening and closing member includes a second path for the recording material that has passed through the fixing device to pass through.

17. The image forming apparatus according to claim 16 , wherein, with the opening and closing member in the closed state, at least a part of the second path is configured to is located in a space where the drawer unit is to pass through in being moved from the first inner position to the first outer position.

Assignees

• Canon Kk

Inventors

• Imaizumi Chikara
• Murasaki Satoshi
• Furuta Kiyoshi
• Noda Shinya
• Niwa Kunihiro
• Misao Yoji
• Koyama Tomooku
• Katafuchi Tomoki
• Inoue Tomonari
• Sekimizu Koichi

Classifications

• G03G21/0011

  using a blade; Details of cleaning blades, e.g. blade shape, layer forming · CPC title

• G03G15/2064 Primary

  combined with pressure · CPC title

• G03G21/1857

  for transmitting mechanical drive power to the process cartridge, drive mechanisms, gears, couplings, braking mechanisms · CPC title

• G03G15/0121

  for developing · CPC title

• G03G15/0189

  primary transfer to an intermediate transfer belt (G03G15/0184 takes precedence) · CPC title