Image forming apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016209805-A1
Application number	US-201615084590-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Mar 30, 2016
Priority date	Mar 29, 2010
Publication date	Jul 21, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

An image forming apparatus is provided. The image forming apparatus includes a chassis having a first opening on a first side, photosensitive members, an intermediate transfer belt arranged to have a surface thereof facing the photosensitive members, primary-transfer members, a secondary-transfer roller, a first feed roller, a cleaner device, a waste toner container, which is removably installed in the chassis through the first opening and settled in a position opposite from the photosensitive members across the intermediate transfer belt, a connector, a first feeding path extending in a range between the first feed roller and the secondary-transfer roller, and a second feeding path being formed in clearance between the intermediate transfer belt and the waste toner container to convey a recording sheet being inserted through a sheet inlet and merging into the first feeding path in the vicinity of the first feed roller.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . An image forming apparatus configured to form toner images on a recording sheet, comprising:
a chassis formed to have an opening on one side thereof; a drawer configured to support a plurality of processing cartridges and configured to be movable in a predetermined movable direction between a first position, wherein the drawer is installed in the chassis, and a second position, wherein the drawer is moved from the first position in the predetermined movable direction; an intermediate transfer belt unit disposed below the drawer, the intermediate transfer belt unit including an endless belt; a sheet feed tray configured to support the recording sheet; a first conveyer path extending from the sheet feed tray to the endless belt; a second conveyer path arranged between the sheet feed tray and the endless belt, the second conveyer path being merged into the first conveyer path; a conveyance guide removably arranged between the sheet feed tray and the endless belt, the conveyance guide defining a part of the second conveyer path, the conveyance guide comprising a guide rib on an upper surface thereof, the guide rib being configured to guide the recording sheet; a guide groove portion disposed between the drawer and the sheet feed tray, the guide groove portion being configured to guide the conveyance guide to be removable in a direction toward the one side of the chassis.

2 . The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 ,
wherein the conveyance guide comprises a guide pin configured to be inserted in the guide groove portion; wherein the conveyance guide comprises a handle on one side thereof which is closest to the one side of the chassis when the conveyance guide is arranged in the chassis; wherein a dimension of the guide groove portion is greater in an area closer to the handle and smaller in an area farther from the handle; and wherein a conveyer roller is arranged on the second conveyer path.

3 . The image forming apparatus according to claim 2 ,
wherein the guide pin is formed to project outward from a side surface of the conveyance guide, the side surface spreading orthogonally to the predetermined movable direction.

4 . The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a cleaner device configured to clean a surface of the endless belt, the cleaner device being configured to convey toner collected from the surface of the endless belt; wherein the conveyance guide is a container to contain the toner collected from the surface of the endless belt and conveyed by the cleaner device.

5 . The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a cover configured to cover the opening, the cover being configured to be movable to allow the conveyance guide to be moved with respect to the chassis through the opening.

6 . The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 ,
wherein the conveyer roller is arranged in a horizontally overlapping position at least partially with the endless belt.

7 . The image forming apparatus according to claim 6 ,
wherein the conveyer roller is configured to convey the recording sheet toward the first conveyer path through the second conveyer path.

8 . The image forming apparatus according to claim 6 ,
wherein the conveyance guide is formed to have a slider-groove on the upper surface thereof; wherein at least an overlapping part of the conveyer roller to horizontally overlap the endless belt is slidable in the slider-groove with respect to the conveyance guide when the conveyance guide is removed.

9 . The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 ,
wherein the endless belt and the conveyance guide are arranged in at least partially mutually overlapping positions vertically.

10 . The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 ,
wherein the conveyance guide is arranged in a horizontally overlapping position at least partially in a same vertical level with the second conveyer path.

Assignees

• Brother Ind Ltd

Inventors

• Mori Hirotaka
• Nakano Hiroshi
• Suzuki Noboru
• Sato Shougo

Classifications

• G03G15/16

  of a toner pattern, e.g. a powder pattern {, e.g. magnetic transfer} · CPC title

• G03G15/6552

  Means for discharging uncollated sheet copy material, e.g. discharging rollers, exit trays · CPC title

• G03G15/6529 Primary

  Transporting (G03G15/6555 takes precedence) · CPC title

• G03G21/1661 Primary

  means for handling parts of the apparatus in the apparatus (G03G21/1604, G03G21/1642 take precedence) · CPC title

• G03G15/161

  with means for handling the intermediate support, e.g. heating, cleaning, coating with a transfer agent · CPC title