Image forming apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9709943-B2
Application number	US-201715433212-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 15, 2017
Priority date	Mar 28, 2014
Publication date	Jul 18, 2017
Grant date	Jul 18, 2017

Abstract

An image forming apparatus includes a photosensitive drum, a light exposure device, a developing device, a fixing unit disposed opposite to the light exposure device relative to the developing device, a sheet supply tray disposed below the developing device, an ejection tray disposed above the developing device and having a sheet receiving surface inclined downward, relative to a horizontal direction, toward the charger, and a sheet conveying path through which a sheet is conveyed from the sheet supply tray to the ejection tray. A lowest end portion of the sheet receiving surface is disposed below an upper end of the charger in the vertical direction. The charger is disposed opposite to the developing device relative to the lowest end portion of the sheet receiving surface.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An image forming apparatus comprising:
a main body having an opening;
a cover configured to pivot about an axis, located in an upper rear portion of the main body, between a closed position in which the opening of the main body is closed and an open position in which the opening of the main body is open;
a support body disposed in the main body and configured to be attached to and removed from the main body through the opening when the cover is in the open position;
a photosensitive drum disposed in the support body and configured to carry a developer image to be transferred onto a sheet;
a charging roller disposed in the support body and configured to charge the photosensitive drum;
a support-body grip portion attached to the support body;
a light exposure device spaced apart from the photosensitive drum, disposed in a front side of the main body further than the photosensitive drum, and configured to expose the photosensitive drum to light by scanning;
a storing unit disposed between the photosensitive drum and the light exposure device in the main body and configured to be attached to and removed from the main body through the opening when the cover is in the open position;
a developing roller disposed in the storing unit and configured to supply developer to the photosensitive drum exposed by the light exposure device;
a storing portion disposed in the storing unit and storing the developer therein;
a storing-unit grip portion attached to the storing unit;
an ejection roller spaced apart from the axis of the cover in the upper rear portion of the main body and above the support body in a vertical direction, the ejection roller being configured to eject the sheet in a sheet ejection direction from a rear side of the main body to the front side of the main body;
an ejection tray disposed above the storing unit in the vertical direction and configured to receive the sheet ejected by the ejection roller, the ejection tray including:
a sheet receiving surface provided on an upper surface of the ejection tray in the vertical direction, the sheet receiving surface being inclined downward, relative to a horizontal direction, toward the photosensitive drum, the sheet receiving surface having a lowest end portion at an upstream end of the sheet receiving surface in the sheet ejection direction, the lowest end portion being disposed closer to the photosensitive drum than to the light exposure device;
a vertical wall surface extending from the lowest end portion of the sheet receiving surface toward the ejection roller in the vertical direction; and
a first sidewall surface provided on a first end of the sheet receiving surface in a width direction perpendicular to the sheet ejection direction and the vertical direction; and
a second sidewall surface provided on a second end of the sheet receiving surface opposite to the first end in the width direction,

wherein the vertical wall surface, the first sidewall surface and the second sidewall surface are combined with the cover, and
wherein the support-body grip portion is pivotable relative to the support body between a first position and a second position.

2. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the support-body grip portion located in the first position extends toward the front side of the main body.

3. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the support-body grip portion located in the first position extends toward the light exposure device.

4. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the sheet receiving surface of the ejection tray is pivotably coupled to the cover.

5. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the sheet receiving surface of the ejection tray is pivotable about the lowest end portion relative to the vertical wall surface.

6. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the storing-unit grip portion extends toward the front side of the main body.

7. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the support body disposed in the main body supports the storing unit such that the storing unit is detachable from the support body.

Assignees

• Brother Ind Ltd

Inventors

• Sato Shougo
• Saeki Masahito

Classifications

• B65H2801/06

  Office-type machines, e.g. photocopiers · CPC title

• B65H31/02

  with stationary end support against which pile accumulates · CPC title

• G03G15/6552 Primary

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

• B65H2402/31

  Pivoting support means · CPC title

• B65H29/12

  by means of the nip between two, or between two sets of, moving tapes or bands {or rollers} · CPC title