Image-forming apparatus provided with urging member for urging process cartridge

• US 10,551,792 B2
• Filed: 02/19/2019
• Issued: 02/04/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 03/30/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
• Original Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
• Inventors: Sato, Shougo
• Primary Examiner(s): Brase, Sandra
• Application Number:
  US16/279,322
• Publication Number:
  US 20190179260A1
• Time in Patent Office: 350 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 15/0879 for dispensing developer from a developer cartridge not directly attached to the development unit
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 21/10 Collecting or recycling waste developer
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 21/1814 Details of parts of process cartridge, e.g. for charging, transfer, cleaning, developing G03G21/1835 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 21/185 the process cartridge being mounted parallel to the axis of the photosensitive member
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 2215/0132 vertical medium transport path at the secondary transfer

Abstract

An image-forming apparatus includes: a main body; a toner cartridge having a first opening; a process cartridge having a photosensitive drum and a second opening; a positioning part; a transfer unit; and an urging member. The toner cartridge and process cartridge are attachable to and detachable from the main body in an axial direction of the photosensitive drum. The positioning part and transfer unit are positioned above the process cartridge attached to the main body. The positioning part fixes the attached process cartridge in position relative to the main body. The urging member urges the attached process cartridge toward the positioning part and urges the process cartridge such that the toner can be supplied from the toner cartridge to the process cartridge through the first opening and the second opening when the toner cartridge and the process cartridge are attached to the main body.

Claims

1. An image-forming apparatus for use with a first cartridge and a second cartridge, the first cartridge including a first side plate, a second side plate, a photosensitive drum disposed between the first side plate and the second side plate, a drum cleaning unit configured to remove waste toner from the photosensitive drum, and a discharge tube having a discharge opening and configured to discharge the waste toner removed by the drum cleaning unit, the image-forming apparatus comprising:

a main casing having an opening;

a door movable between a closed position for closing the opening and an open position for opening the opening;

a first positioning part having a first positioning groove, the first positioning part being disposed inside the main casing and extending in a first direction;

a second positioning part having a second positioning groove, the second positioning part being disposed inside the main casing and extending in the first direction;

a first urging member;

a second urging member; and

a waste toner conveyer,

wherein, in a state where the first cartridge and the second cartridge are attached to the main casing,

the first cartridge and the second cartridge are disposed upward of the waste toner conveyer, and

the first cartridge and the second cartridge are aligned with each other in the first direction;

wherein, in a state where the first cartridge is attached to the main casing,

the first urging member urges the first side plate of the first cartridge upward toward the first positioning groove on the first positioning part, and

the second urging member urges the second side plate of the first cartridge upward toward the second positioning groove on the second positioning part; and

wherein, in the state where the first cartridge is attached to the main casing,

the discharge opening of the discharge tube is open downward and is positioned between the first positioning part and the opening of the main casing, and

the waste toner conveyer is configured to convey the waste toner discharged from the discharge tube through the discharge opening in the first direction.

2. The image-forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the waste toner conveyer comprises a conveying screw configured to convey the waste toner.

3. The image-forming apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the second cartridge comprises:

a third side plate;

a fourth side plate;

a photosensitive drum disposed between the third side plate and the fourth side plate;

a drum cleaning unit configured to remove waste toner from the photosensitive drum; and

a discharge tube having a discharge opening and configured to discharge the waste toner removed by the drum cleaning unit.

4. The image-forming apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising a waste toner container attachable to the main casing at a position between the first positioning part and the opening of the main casing,

wherein, in the state where the first cartridge and the waste toner container are attached to the main casing, the waste toner conveyer is configured to convey the waste toner discharged from the discharge opening to the waste toner container.