Image forming apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2025181027-A1
Application number	US-202418948341-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Nov 14, 2024
Priority date	Nov 30, 2023
Publication date	Jun 5, 2025
Grant date	—

Abstract

An image forming apparatus includes an image bearing member, a developing member, a transfer member, a cleaning member configured to remove toner from the surface of the image bearing member, a toner collecting container configured to collect the toner removed from the surface of the image bearing member by the cleaning member, a fixing unit configured to fix the toner image transferred onto the sheet by the transfer member to the sheet, and a duct disposed between the toner collecting container and the fixing unit, the duct forming an air passage through which air flowing toward an exterior of the image forming apparatus flows. The duct includes a first wall portion opposed to the fixing unit and a second wall portion opposed to the toner collecting container. The first wall portion is inclined with respect to the second wall portion.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . An image forming apparatus configured to form a toner image on a sheet, the image forming apparatus comprising:
an image bearing member configured to rotate; a developing member configured to form a toner image on the image bearing member by supplying toner to the image bearing member; a transfer member configured to transfer the toner image formed on the image bearing member onto a sheet; a cleaning member configured to abut against a surface of the image bearing member and remove toner from the surface of the image bearing member; a toner collecting container configured to collect the toner removed from the surface of the image bearing member by the cleaning member; a fixing unit configured to fix the toner image transferred onto the sheet by the transfer member to the sheet; and a duct disposed between the toner collecting container and the fixing unit, the duct forming an air passage through which air flowing toward an exterior of the image forming apparatus flows, wherein the duct includes a first wall portion opposed to the fixing unit and a second wall portion opposed to the toner collecting container, and wherein the first wall portion is inclined with respect to the second wall portion.

2 . The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the first wall portion is inclined with respect to the second wall portion such that a distance between the second wall portion and a first end portion of the first wall portion closest to a conveyance path through which a sheet passes between the transfer member and the fixing unit is shorter than a distance between the second wall portion and a second end portion of the first wall portion farthest from the conveyance path.

3 . The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the first wall portion is formed linearly when viewed in a rotational axis direction of the image bearing member.

4 . The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the first wall portion is formed to be curved when viewed in a rotational axis direction of the image bearing member.

5 . The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the second wall portion extends in a vertical direction.

6 . The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the fixing unit includes a fixing member configured to heat the toner image on the sheet, and a fixing cover configured to cover the fixing member, and
wherein the fixing cover includes an opposing surface that is opposed to the first wall portion and that extends along the first wall portion.

7 . The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising a fan that is arranged on one side of the duct in a rotational axis direction of the image bearing member and that is configured to blow air,
wherein the duct is arranged to be overlapped with the fan when viewed in the rotational axis direction.

8 . The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the second wall portion of the duct extends to a position closer to a conveyance path through which a sheet passes between the transfer member and the fixing unit than the cleaning member when viewed in a rotational axis direction of the image bearing member.

9 . The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the duct is arranged on a same side as the toner collecting container with respect to a conveyance path through which a sheet passes between the transfer member and the fixing unit.

Assignees

• Canon Kk

Inventors

• Akizuki Tomoo
• Sasame Hiroki
• Akamatsu Takaaki
• Iwamoto Yuki
• Toyota Akitoshi
• Noji Yutaro
• Oda Ryosuke

Classifications

• G03G21/20

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

• G03G21/206 Primary

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

• G03G15/2017

  Structural details of the fixing unit in general, e.g. cooling means, heat shielding means (G03G15/2053 takes precedence) · CPC title

• G03G21/12 Primary

  Toner waste containers · CPC title