Drum unit
First Claim
1. An image forming apparatus comprising:
- a printer body including a waste-toner storage portion; and
a process unit movable between a first position, at which the process unit is positioned inside the printer body, and a second position, at which the process unit is positioned outside the printer body, the process unit comprising;
a first photosensitive drum rotatable about a rotational axis, the first photosensitive drum including a first drum body having a first photosensitive layer and a first flange member extending from one end of the first drum body in an axial direction along the rotational axis of the first photosensitive drum;
a second photosensitive drum rotatable about a rotational axis, the second photosensitive drum including a second drum body having a second photosensitive layer and a second flange member extending from one end of the second drum body in the axial direction;
a first side plate supporting the first photosensitive drum and the second photosensitive drum;
a second side plate supporting the first photosensitive drum and the second photosensitive drum, the first drum body of the first photosensitive drum and the second drum body of the second photosensitive drum being disposed between the first side plate and the second side plate in the axial direction, the first side plate including an upper end and a lower end;
a first cleaning unit having a first cleaner and a first conveyor, the first cleaner being configured to remove waste toner from the first photosensitive drum, the first conveyor being configured to convey waste toner removed by the first cleaner in the axial direction;
a second cleaning unit having a second cleaner and a second conveyor, the second cleaner being configured to remove waste toner from the second photosensitive drum, the second conveyor being configured to convey waste toner removed by the second cleaner in the axial direction; and
a waste-toner conveyor unit including a conveyor tube for conveying waste toner conveyed by the first conveyor and waste toner conveyed by the second conveyor toward the waste-toner storage portion,wherein the conveyor tube of the waste-toner conveyor unit is disposed between the first side plate and the first drum body,wherein the conveyor tube of the waste-toner conveyor unit is disposed below the rotational axis of the first photosensitive drum,wherein the conveyor tube of the waste-toner conveyor unit is disposed above the lower end of the first side plate, andwherein the conveyor tube of the waste-toner conveyor unit is disposed outside the printer body together with the process unit in a case that the process unit is positioned at the second position.
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Abstract
A drum unit includes a photosensitive drum, a side plate, a cleaning unit, a waste-toner conveyor unit. The photosensitive drum has a first drum body and a second drum body, each having a photosensitive layer and a supported portion extending from one end of the drum body in a first direction along a rotational axis of the photosensitive drum. The side plate supports the supported portions. The cleaning unit has cleaners and conveyors corresponding to the drum bodies so as to remove waste toner from the photosensitive drums and convey the waste toner removed by the cleaners in the first direction. The waste-toner conveyor unit has a collecting conveyor configured to convey the waste toner conveyed by the. The collecting conveyor is disposed between the side plate and the drum bodies. The collecting conveyor is disposed below the first conveyor.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. An image forming apparatus comprising:
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a printer body including a waste-toner storage portion; and a process unit movable between a first position, at which the process unit is positioned inside the printer body, and a second position, at which the process unit is positioned outside the printer body, the process unit comprising; a first photosensitive drum rotatable about a rotational axis, the first photosensitive drum including a first drum body having a first photosensitive layer and a first flange member extending from one end of the first drum body in an axial direction along the rotational axis of the first photosensitive drum; a second photosensitive drum rotatable about a rotational axis, the second photosensitive drum including a second drum body having a second photosensitive layer and a second flange member extending from one end of the second drum body in the axial direction; a first side plate supporting the first photosensitive drum and the second photosensitive drum; a second side plate supporting the first photosensitive drum and the second photosensitive drum, the first drum body of the first photosensitive drum and the second drum body of the second photosensitive drum being disposed between the first side plate and the second side plate in the axial direction, the first side plate including an upper end and a lower end; a first cleaning unit having a first cleaner and a first conveyor, the first cleaner being configured to remove waste toner from the first photosensitive drum, the first conveyor being configured to convey waste toner removed by the first cleaner in the axial direction; a second cleaning unit having a second cleaner and a second conveyor, the second cleaner being configured to remove waste toner from the second photosensitive drum, the second conveyor being configured to convey waste toner removed by the second cleaner in the axial direction; and a waste-toner conveyor unit including a conveyor tube for conveying waste toner conveyed by the first conveyor and waste toner conveyed by the second conveyor toward the waste-toner storage portion, wherein the conveyor tube of the waste-toner conveyor unit is disposed between the first side plate and the first drum body, wherein the conveyor tube of the waste-toner conveyor unit is disposed below the rotational axis of the first photosensitive drum, wherein the conveyor tube of the waste-toner conveyor unit is disposed above the lower end of the first side plate, and wherein the conveyor tube of the waste-toner conveyor unit is disposed outside the printer body together with the process unit in a case that the process unit is positioned at the second position. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. An image forming apparatus comprising:
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a printer body including a waste-toner storage portion, the waste-toner storage portion having a substantially box shape; and a process unit movable between a first position, at which the process unit is positioned inside the printer body, and a second position, at which the process unit is positioned outside the printer body, the process unit comprising; a first photosensitive drum including a first drum body and a first flange member fitted to one end of the first drum body, the first drum body including a metal tube having a substantially cylindrical shape, a portion of the first flange member being inside the first drum body; a second photosensitive drum including a second drum body and a second flange member fitted to one end of the second drum body, the second drum body including a metal tube having a substantially cylindrical shape, a portion of the second flange member being inside the second drum body; a first side plate supporting the first photosensitive drum and the second photosensitive drum; a second side plate supporting the first photosensitive drum and the second photosensitive drum, the first drum body of the first photosensitive drum and the second drum body of the second photosensitive drum being disposed between the first side plate and the second side plate, the first side plate having an upper end and a lower end; a first cleaning blade for removing waste toner from the first photosensitive drum; a first auger for conveying waste toner removed by the first cleaning blade; a second cleaning blade for removing waste toner from the second photosensitive drum; a second auger for conveying waste toner removed by the second cleaning blade; and a conveyor tube for conveying waste toner conveyed by the first auger and waste toner conveyed by the second auger toward the waste-toner storage portion, the conveyor tube being disposed between the first side plate and the first drum body, the conveyor tube being disposed below the first auger, and the conveyor tube being disposed above the lower end of the first side plate. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A process unit movable between a first position, at which the process unit is positioned inside a printer body, and a second position, at which the process unit is positioned outside the printer body, the process unit comprising:
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a first photosensitive drum including a first drum body and a first flange member fitted to one end of the first drum body, the first drum body including a metal tube having a substantially cylindrical shape, a portion of the first flange member being inside the first drum body; a second photosensitive drum including a second drum body and a second flange member fitted to one end of the second drum body, the second drum body including a metal tube having a substantially cylindrical shape, a portion of the second flange member being inside the second drum body; a first side plate supporting the first photosensitive drum and the second photosensitive drum; a second side plate supporting the first photosensitive drum and the second photosensitive drum, the first drum body of the first photosensitive drum and the second drum body of the second photosensitive drum being disposed between the first side plate and the second side plate, the first side plate having an upper end and a lower end; a first cleaning blade for removing waste toner from the first photosensitive drum; a first auger for conveying waste toner removed by the first cleaning blade; a second cleaning blade for removing waste toner from the second photosensitive drum; a second auger for conveying waste toner removed by the second cleaning blade; and a waste-toner conveyor unit including a conveyor tube for conveying waste toner conveyed by the first auger and waste toner conveyed by the second auger, the conveyor tube being disposed between the first side plate and the first drum body, the conveyor tube being disposed below the first auger, and the conveyor tube being disposed above the lower end of the first side plate. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification