IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS

• US 20110299885A1
• Filed: 05/24/2011
• Published: 12/08/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 06/02/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Canon Ayutthaya Limited (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Ayutthaya Limited (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Taba, Yasuzumi
• Granted Patent: US 8,688,002 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 399/111
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 21/16 Mechanical means for facilitating the maintenance of the apparatus, e.g. modular arrangements
• 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 2221/1869 Cartridge holders, e.g. intermediate frames for placing cartridge parts therein

Abstract

When an operation member is moved in a state in which a cartridge is mounted to an apparatus main body of an image forming apparatus, a cartridge supporting member is rotated away from a transfer member so that the cartridge is rotated and enters a state in which the cartridge is inclined at an angle θ1 with respect to the transfer member, and an exposure device is rotated away from the transfer member and enters a state in which the exposure device is inclined at an angle θ2 higher than the angle θ1 with respect to the transfer member.

Claims

1. An image forming apparatus to which a cartridge having a photosensitive drum is detachably mounted, the image forming apparatus comprising:

an exposure device having multiple light emitting elements arranged in an array, the multiple light emitting elements exposing the photosensitive drum;

a transfer member configured to transfer a toner image formed on the photosensitive drum onto a recording medium;

a cartridge supporting member configured to support the cartridge mounted to an apparatus main body; and

an operation member which is operated to be moved when the cartridge is mounted to the apparatus main body,

wherein the cartridge supporting member and the exposure device are rotatable about a supporting point on a downstream side in an insertion direction in which the cartridge is inserted into the apparatus main body, in association with a movement of the operation member, and

wherein when the operation member is moved in a state in which the cartridge is mounted to the apparatus main body, the cartridge supporting member is rotated away from the transfer member so that the cartridge is rotated and enters a state in which the cartridge is inclined at an angle θ

1 with respect to the transfer member, and the exposure device is rotated away from the transfer member and enters a state in which the exposure device is inclined at an angle θ

2 larger than the angle θ

1 with respect to the transfer member so that the cartridge is allowed to be detachable from the apparatus main body.

2. An image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the operation member comprises an openable and closable member configured to open and close an opening portion provided in the apparatus main body, the cartridge being detachable from the apparatus main body through the opening portion, and

wherein the cartridge supporting member and the exposure device are rotated away from the transfer member when the openable and closable member is opened from a state in which the openable and closable member is closed.

3. An image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein, in the state in which the cartridge is mounted to the apparatus main body, the transfer member is disposed below the cartridge, and the exposure device is disposed above the cartridge, and

wherein, when the operation member is moved in the state in which the cartridge is mounted to the apparatus main body, the cartridge is rotated upward and enters the state in which the cartridge is inclined at the angle θ

1 with respect to the transfer member, and the exposure device is rotated upward and enters the state in which the exposure device is inclined at the angle θ

2 with respect to the transfer member.

4. An image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the cartridge is detachable from the apparatus main body by moving the cartridge along a rotation axial direction of the photosensitive drum.

5. An image forming apparatus to which a cartridge having a photosensitive drum is detachably mounted, the image forming apparatus comprising:

an exposure device having multiple light emitting elements arranged in an array, the multiple light emitting elements exposing the photosensitive drum;

a transfer member configured to transfer a toner image formed on the photosensitive drum onto a recording medium;

a cartridge supporting member configured to support the cartridge mounted to an apparatus main body; and

an operation member which is operated to be moved when the cartridge is mounted to the apparatus main body,

wherein the cartridge supporting member and the exposure device are rotatable about a supporting point on a downstream side in an insertion direction in which the cartridge is inserted into the apparatus main body, in association with a movement of the operation member, and

wherein when the operation member is moved in a state in which the cartridge is mounted to the apparatus main body, the cartridge supporting member and the exposure device are rotated away from the transfer member so that the cartridge is rotated and enters a state in which the cartridge is inclined with respect to the transfer member, and

when the cartridge is being pulled out from the apparatus main body, the exposure device is further rotated away from the transfer member by mutual interference portions provided on the cartridge and the exposure device, respectively, and enters a state in which the exposure device is inclined with respect to the transfer member so that the cartridge is allowed to be detachable from the apparatus main body.

6. An image forming apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the operation member comprises an openable and closable member configured to open and close an opening portion provided in the apparatus main body, the cartridge being detachable from the apparatus main body through the opening portion, and

wherein the cartridge supporting member and the exposure device are rotated away from the transfer member when the openable and closable member is opened from a state in which the openable and closable member is closed.

7. An image forming apparatus according to claim 5, wherein, in the state in which the cartridge is mounted to the apparatus main body, the transfer member is disposed below the cartridge, and the exposure device is disposed above the cartridge, and

wherein, when the operation member is moved in the state in which the cartridge is mounted to the apparatus main body, the cartridge and the exposure device are rotated upward and enter respective states in which the cartridge and the exposure device are inclined with respect to the transfer member, and when the cartridge is being pulled out from the apparatus main body, the exposure device is further rotated upward by the mutual interference portions provided on the cartridge and the exposure device, respectively, and enters a state in which the exposure device is inclined with respect to the transfer member.

8. An image forming apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the cartridge is detachable from the apparatus main body by moving the cartridge along a rotation axial direction of the photosensitive drum.