Image forming apparatus

• US 20070036583A1
• Filed: 10/17/2006
• Published: 02/15/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 05/07/1998
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kazuyuki Shimada, Tomohiro Nakajima, Yasushi Nakazato
• Original Assignee: Kazuyuki Shimada, Tomohiro Nakajima, Yasushi Nakazato
• Inventors: Shimada, Kazuyuki, Nakajima, Tomohiro, Nakazato, Yasushi
• Granted Patent: US 7,457,562 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 399/111
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 15/0194 primary transfer to the final recording medium G03G15/0184 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 21/1839 Means for handling the process cartridge in the apparatus body
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 21/1842 for guiding and mounting the process cartridge, positioning, alignment, locks G03G21/1864 and G03G21/1871 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 21/185 the process cartridge being mounted parallel to the axis of the photosensitive member
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 21/1853 the process cartridge being mounted perpendicular to the axis of the photosensitive member
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 2215/0119 Linear arrangement adjacent plural transfer points
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 2221/1603 for multicoloured copies
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 2221/1684 using extractable subframes, e.g. on rails or hinges
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 2221/169 Structural door designs
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 2221/183 Process cartridge
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 2221/1884 Projections on process cartridge for guiding mounting thereof in main machine

Abstract

An image forming apparatus including a plurality of image forming cartridges removably mounted to an apparatus body one above the other is disclosed. Structural members each partition off a space between nearby image forming cartridges mounted to the apparatus body. The apparatus is capable of obviating banding ascribable to the vibration of the cartridges.

Claims

1. An image forming apparatus for forming an image on a photoconductive element with image forming means, comprising:

an apparatus body;

a plurality of image forming cartridges removably mounted to said apparatus body in a form of a stack; and

a structural member for partitioning off a space between nearby ones of said plurality of image forming cartridges mounted to said apparatus body;

wherein a plurality of photoconductive elements each are supported by a respective one of said plurality of image forming cartridges beforehand, or said plurality of photoconductive elements are supported by said apparatus body beforehand such that when said plurality of image forming cartridges are mounted to said apparatus body, said image forming means supported by said image forming cartridges beforehand each partly contact an associated one of said plurality of photoconductive elements.