Image forming apparatus

• US 20060104658A1
• Filed: 11/10/2005
• Published: 05/18/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 11/12/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Canon Ayutthaya Limited (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Ayutthaya Limited (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Tsurusaki, Teruaki
• Granted Patent: US 7,409,174 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 399/98
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 21/1604 Arrangement or disposition of the entire apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 21/1666 for the exposure unit
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 2221/163 for the developer unit
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 2221/1636 for the exposure unit

Abstract

An image forming apparatus includes an image bearing member; developing means for developing, with toner, an electrostatic latent image formed on the image bearing member; exposure means, disposed below the image bearing member, having an exposure opening for exposing the image bearing member to scanning light; and toner supply means for supplying toner into the developing means through a toner supply opening, wherein the toner supply opening is disposed outside the exposure opening with respect to a scanning direction of the scanning light.

Claims

1. An image forming apparatus comprising:

an image bearing member;

developing means for developing, with toner, an electrostatic latent image formed on said image bearing member;

exposure means, disposed below said image bearing member, having an exposure opening for exposing said image bearing member to scanning light; and

toner supply means for supplying toner into said developing means through a toner supply opening,

wherein the toner supply opening is disposed outside said exposure opening with respect to a scanning direction of the scanning light.

2. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein at least said developing means is detachably mountable to a main assembly of said image forming apparatus.

3. An apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising air flow producing means for producing air flow from a light scanning region of said exposure means toward the supply opening of said developer supply means.

4. An apparatus according to claim 3, wherein said air flow generating means is a fan.