Image forming apparatus and developing agent cartridge

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9411269-B2
Application number	US-201514665941-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 23, 2015
Priority date	Jul 25, 2006
Publication date	Aug 9, 2016
Grant date	Aug 9, 2016

Abstract

An image forming apparatus may include a casing, and a plurality of image carriers arranged in parallel along one direction in the casing and formed with an electrostatic latent image. The apparatus can further include a plurality of developing agent carriers opposed to the image carriers, for visualizing the electrostatic latent image by feeding a developing agent to the image carriers, and a plurality of developing agent cartridges, arranged in parallel in the one direction to be opposed to the developing agent carriers in the longitudinal direction of the developing agent carriers, and configured to be together attachable/detachable to/from the casing along the one direction, for accommodating the developing agent fed to the developing agent carriers.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An image forming apparatus, comprising:
a plurality of photosensitive drums arranged in a first direction, each of the plurality of photosensitive drums being configured to have an image formed thereon and to rotate about an axis extending along a second direction perpendicular to the first direction;
a plurality of developing rollers, each of which being configured to feed developing agent to a corresponding one of the plurality of photosensitive drums;
a plurality of feed rollers, each of which being configured to feed developing agent to a corresponding one of the plurality of developing rollers;
an endless belt extending above the plurality of developing rollers in the first direction;
a developing agent conveyor configured to convey the developing agent in the second direction; and
a plurality of cartridges, each of which accommodating the developing agent and being detachably attached to a frame of the image forming apparatus,
wherein the developing agent conveyor is disposed below the endless belt,
wherein each of the plurality of cartridges overlaps with the endless belt when viewed from the second direction, and
wherein the developing agent conveyor extends in the second direction by a distance from one end to another end in the second direction of one of the developing rollers at a position that is above one of the feed rollers and below the endless belt.

2. An image forming apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the developing agent conveyor includes an auger configured to rotate about an axis extending in the second direction.

3. An image forming apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the developing agent conveyor is disposed between the closest one of the plurality of feed rollers and the endless belt.

4. An image forming apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the developing agent conveyor is configured to convey the developing agent toward one of the plurality of cartridges.

5. An image forming apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the developing agent conveyor is configured to convey the developing agent from one of the plurality of cartridges.

6. An image forming apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the developing agent conveyor is disposed above a closest one of the plurality of feed rollers relative to the developing agent conveyor.

7. An image forming apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising a secondary transfer roller,
wherein the endless belt is an intermediate transfer belt, and the intermediate transfer belt and the secondary transfer roller are configured to transfer the image on each of the plurality of photosensitive drums onto a sheet.

8. An image forming apparatus, comprising:
a plurality of photosensitive drums arranged in a first direction, each of the plurality of photosensitive drums being configured to have an image formed thereon and to rotate about an axis extending along a second direction perpendicular to the first direction;
a plurality of developing rollers, each of which being configured to feed developing agent to a corresponding one of the plurality of photosensitive drums;
a plurality of feed rollers each of which being configured to feed developing agent to a corresponding one of the plurality of developing rollers;
an endless belt extending above the plurality of developing rollers in the first direction;
a plurality of developing agent conveyors, each of which being configured to convey the developing agent in the second direction; and
a plurality of cartridges, each of which accommodating the developing agent and being detachably attached to a frame of the image forming apparatus,
wherein each of the plurality of developing agent conveyors is disposed below the endless belt,
wherein each of the plurality of the cartridges overlaps with the endless belt when viewed from the second direction, and
wherein each of the plurality of the developing agent conveyors extends in the second direction by a distance from one end to another end in the second direction of one of the developing rollers at a position that is above one of the feed rollers and below the endless belt.

9. An image forming apparatus according to claim 8 , wherein each of the plurality of developing agent conveyors includes an auger configured to rotate about an axis extending in the second direction.

10. An image forming apparatus according to claim 8 , wherein each of the plurality of developing agent conveyors is disposed between the closest one of the plurality of feed rollers and the endless belt.

11. An image forming apparatus according to claim 8 , wherein each of the plurality of developing agent conveyors is configured to convey the developing agent toward a corresponding one of the plurality of cartridges.

12. An image forming apparatus according to claim 8 , wherein each of the plurality of developing agent conveyors is configured to convey the developing agent from a corresponding one of the plurality of cartridges.

13. An image forming apparatus according to claim 8 , wherein each of the plurality of developing agent conveyors is disposed above a corresponding one of the plurality of feed rollers relative to the developing agent conveyor.

14. An image forming apparatus according to claim 8 , further comprising a secondary transfer roller,
wherein the endless belt is an intermediate transfer belt, and the intermediate transfer belt and the secondary transfer roller are configured to transfer the image on each of the plurality of photosensitive drums onto a sheet.

15. An image forming apparatus, comprising:
a plurality of photosensitive drums arranged in a first direction, each of the plurality of photosensitive drums being configured to have an image formed thereon and to rotate about an axis extending along a second direction perpendicular to the first direction;
a plurality of developing rollers, each of which being configured to feed developing agent to a corresponding one of the plurality of photosensitive drums;
a plurality of feed rollers, each of which being configured to feed developing agent to a corresponding one of the plurality of developing rollers;
an intermediate transfer belt extending above the plurality of developing rollers in the first direction;
a plurality of primary transfer rollers configured to transfer the image formed on each of the plurality of photosensitive drums to the intermediate transfer belt;
a secondary transfer roller configured to transfer the image on the intermediate transfer belt onto a sheet; and
a developing agent conveyor configured to convey the developing agent in the second direction,
wherein the developing agent conveyor is disposed below the intermediate transfer belt and extends in the second direction by a distance from one end to another end in the second direction of one of the developing rollers at a position that is above one of the feed rollers and below the intermediate transfer belt.

16. An image forming apparatus according to claim 15 , wherein the developing agent conveyor includes an auger configured to rotate about an axis extending in the second direction.

17. An image forming apparatus according to claim 15 , wherein the developing agent conveyor is disposed between the closest one of the plurality of feed rollers and the intermediate transfer belt.

18. An image forming apparatus according to claim 15 , further comprising a plurality of cartridges detachably attached to a frame of the image forming apparatus.

19. An image forming apparatus according to claim 18 , wherein the deve

Assignees

• Brother Ind Ltd

Inventors

• Sato Shougo

Classifications

• G03G15/0142

  Structure of complete machines · CPC title

• G03G15/0121

  for developing · CPC title

• G03G21/1604 Primary

  Arrangement or disposition of the entire apparatus · CPC title

• G03G15/1605 Primary

  using at least one intermediate support (G03G15/1625 takes precedence) · CPC title

• G03G15/0886

  by mechanical means, e.g. shutter, plug · CPC title