IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS

• US 20090041498A1
• Filed: 07/31/2008
• Published: 02/12/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 08/10/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Numagami, Atsushi, Yoshimura, Akira, Kakitani, Masaki, Tsuzuki, Masatomo
• Granted Patent: US 7,778,570 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 399/111
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 15/0142 Structure of complete machines
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 15/0194 primary transfer to the final recording medium G03G15/0184 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 21/1853 the process cartridge being mounted perpendicular to the axis of the photosensitive member
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 2215/0132 vertical medium transport path at the secondary transfer
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 2221/1645 for conducting air through the machine, e.g. cooling
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 2221/1684 using extractable subframes, e.g. on rails or hinges

Abstract

In an image forming apparatus in which a tray, on which a plurality of cartridges of different sizes can be mounted, is able to be drawn out, a waste of space occurs. A cartridge (50k), being the largest in size among a plurality of process cartridges (50y, 50m, 50c, 50k), is detachably arranged at a location at which it is first exposed to outside when a cartridge tray (13) is drawn out. A developer storage portion having the largest capacity stores a developer of a black color.

Claims

1. An image forming apparatus capable of forming an image on a recording medium, said apparatus comprising:

a main body frame; and

a supporting member that is movable between an inner position in which the supporting member is located at an inner side of said main body frame and an outer position in which the supporting member is located at an outer side of said main body frame, and that has a mounting portion on which a first cartridge and a second cartridge are detachably mounted;

wherein said first cartridge is mounted on the most downstream side of said mounting portion in a drawing direction in which said supporting member is drawn out from said inner position to said outer position, and said second cartridge is mounted on an upstream side of said first cartridge in said drawing direction, and in a state where said first cartridge and said second cartridge are mounted on said mounting portion, said first cartridge has a protruded portion that protrudes in an orthogonal direction with respect to said drawing direction more than said second cartridge does.

2. The image forming apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein

said first cartridge has a first developer storage portion that stores a first developer;

said second cartridge has a second developer storage portion that stores a second developer; and

said protruded portion forms a part of said first developer storage portion.

3. The image forming apparatus as set forth in claim 2, wherein

said first developer storage portion is larger than said second developer storage portion.

4. The image forming apparatus as set forth in claim 2, wherein

said first developer is a developer of a black color, and said second developer is a developer of a color other than the black color.

5. The image forming apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein

each of said first cartridge and said second cartridge has a developing roller that is rotatable about an axis orthogonal to said drawing direction so as to develop a latent image formed on an image bearing member;

and

in a state where said first cartridge and said second cartridge are mounted on said mounting portion, said protruded portion protrudes in a direction orthogonal to both the direction of said axis and said drawing direction more than said second cartridge does.

6. The image forming apparatus as set forth in claim 1, further comprising:

a fixed member that is fixed in said main body frame;

wherein in a state where said first cartridge and said second cartridge are mounted on said mounting portion, and said supporting member is located in said inner position, at least a part of said fixed member overlaps with at least a part of said protruded portion as viewed in said drawing direction.

7. The image forming apparatus as set forth in claim 6, wherein

in a state where said first cartridge and said second cartridge are mounted on said mounting portion and said supporting member is located in said inner position, at least a part of said fixed member overlaps with at least a part of said second cartridge, as viewed in a direction orthogonal to said drawing direction.

8. The image forming apparatus as set forth in claim 6, wherein

said fixed member is a restriction unit that restricts air streams in said main body frame.

9. The image forming apparatus as set forth in claim 6, wherein

said fixed member is an exposure unit that exposes an image bearing member so as to form a latent image.

10. The image forming apparatus as set forth in claim 1, further comprising:

an exposure unit that exposes an image bearing member so as to form a latent image; and

a transfer unit that transfers a developer image formed on said image hearing member to said recording medium;

wherein said supporting member is located between said exposure unit and said transfer unit with said supporting member being located in said inner position.

11. The image forming apparatus as set forth in claim 10, further comprising:

a restriction unit that restricts air streams in said main body frame;

wherein in a state where said first cartridge and said second cartridge are mounted on said mounting portion and said supporting member is located in said inner position, at least a part of said restriction unit overlaps with at least a part of said protruded portion as viewed in said drawing direction, and said restriction unit is located between said second cartridge and said exposure unit.

12. The image forming apparatus as set forth in claim 1, further comprising:

said first cartridge and said second cartridge.

13. The image forming apparatus as set forth in claim 1, further comprising:

a fixing unit that fixes a developer image to said recording medium;

wherein in a state where said supporting member is located in said inner position, said fixing unit is located at an upstream side of said supporting member in said drawing direction.

14. The image forming apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein

each of said first cartridge and said second cartridge includes a first unit having an image bearing member on which a latent image is formed, and a second unit having a developing roller for developing said latent image.

15. The image forming apparatus as set forth in claim 14, wherein

said first unit of said first cartridge is different in shape from said first unit of said second cartridge, and said second unit of said first cartridge is identical in shape to said second unit of said second cartridge, and said first unit of said first cartridge has said protruded portion.

16. The image forming apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein at least one additional second cartridge is detachably mounted on said mounting portion.

17. An image forming apparatus capable of forming an image on a recording medium, said apparatus comprising:

a main body frame; and

a supporting member that is movable between a inner position in which the supporting member is located at an inner side of said main body frame and an outer position in which the supporting member is located at an outer side of said main body frame, and that has a mounting portion on which a first cartridge and a second cartridge are detachably mounted;

wherein said first cartridge is mounted on the most downstream side of said mounting portion in a drawing direction in which said supporting member is drawn out from said inner position to said outer position, and said second cartridge is mounted on an upstream side of said first cartridge in said drawing direction, and said first cartridge is larger than said second cartridge.