ELECTROPHOTOGRAPHIC IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS

• US 20110050834A1
• Filed: 02/17/2010
• Published: 03/03/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 08/27/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Umezawa, Masao
• Granted Patent: US 8,427,519 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 347/224
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 15/04045 for exposing image information provided otherwise than by directly projecting the original image onto the photoconductive recording material, e.g. digital copiers G03G15/041, G03G15/043 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 15/043 with means for controlling illumination or exposure G03G15/041 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 15/326 by application of light, e.g. using a LED array

Abstract

An electrophotographic image forming apparatus for forming an image on a recording medium includes: a light emitting member having multiple light emitting elements provided side-by-side along a direction of an axis of an electrophotographic photosensitive drum of a process cartridge removably mounted to a mounting portion to subject the drum to exposure according to image information; a light emitting member support which supports the light emitting member, and is movable between an exposure position, at which the drum is subjected to exposure, and a retracted position, at which the light emitting member is retracted from the exposure position; and a moving member configured to move the light emitting member support between the exposure position and the retracted position in a state in which the light emitting member keeps parallel to the axis of the drum.

Claims

1. An electrophotographic image forming apparatus for forming an image on a recording medium in a state in which a process cartridge, which has an electrophotographic photosensitive drum and process means for acting on the electrophotographic photosensitive drum, is removably mounted to an apparatus main body, the electrophotographic image forming apparatus comprising:

a mounting portion to which the process cartridge is removably mounted, the mounting portion being provided in the apparatus main body;

a light emitting member having multiple light emitting elements which are provided side-by-side along a direction of an axis of the electrophotographic photosensitive drum of the process cartridge mounted to the mounting portion, and which emit light according to image information in order to subject the electrophotographic photosensitive drum to exposure according to the image information;

a light emitting member support configured to support the light emitting member, the light emitting member support being movable between an exposure position, at which the light emitting elements emit the light to subject the electrophotographic photosensitive drum to the exposure, and a retracted position, at which the light emitting member is retracted from the exposure position; and

a moving member configured to move the light emitting member support between the exposure position and the retracted position in a state in which the light emitting member keeps parallel to the axis of the electrophotographic photosensitive drum.

2. An electrophotographic image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the process cartridge further comprises a positioning member,

the light emitting member comprises a positioned member engaged with the positioning member, and

when the light emitting member support is located at the exposure position, the positioned member is engaged with the positioning member, and each of the light emitting elements is positioned to be equally spaced apart from the electrophotographic photosensitive drum.

3. An electrophotographic image forming apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

an elastic member configured to support the light emitting member to make the light emitting member movable with respect to the light emitting member support;

a guided member provided on the light emitting member; and

a guide member provided on the light emitting member support to guide the guided member,

wherein the elastic member is elastically deformed by bringing the light emitting member into contact with the process cartridge when the light emitting member support is moved from the retracted position to the exposure position by the moving member, and

the guide member and the guided member guide the light emitting member which is moved by elastic deformation of the elastic member.

4. An electrophotographic image forming apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

an operating member; and

interlocking means for moving the light emitting member support from the exposure position to the retracted position in association with a first operation of the operating member, and for moving the light emitting member support from the retracted position to the exposure position in association with a second operation of the operating member.

5. An electrophotographic image forming apparatus according to claim 4, further comprising:

an opening portion provided in the apparatus main body, the process cartridge passing through the opening portion when the process cartridge is mounted to the mounting portion and removed from the mounting portion; and

an openable and closable member, which serves as the operating member, and which is configured to open and close the opening portion,

wherein the interlocking means moves the light emitting member support from the exposure position to the retracted position in association with an opening operation as the first operation of the openable and closable member, and moves the light emitting member support from the retracted position to the exposure position in association with a closing operation as the second operation of the openable and closable member.

6. An electrophotographic image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the light emitting member is arranged below the axis of the electrophotographic photosensitive drum when the process cartridge is mounted to the mounting portion.

7. An electrophotographic image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the process cartridge is provided with an opening portion into which the light emitting member is inserted, and

wherein, when the light emitting member support is located at the exposure position, the light emitting member penetrates to an inside of an outer wall of the process cartridge through the opening portion.

8. An electrophotographic image forming apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

a controller provided in the apparatus main body; and

a flat cable configured to electrically connect the controller with the light emitting member,

wherein, when the light emitting member support is moved to the retracted position, the flat cable is folded below the light emitting member.