IMAGE FORMATION APPARATUS

• US 20120163858A1
• Filed: 12/27/2011
• Published: 06/28/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 12/28/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: KYOCERA Document Solutions, Inc. (Kyocera Corporation)
• Original Assignee: KYOCERA Document Solutions, Inc. (Kyocera Corporation)
• Inventors: FUJII, Hirokazu, TAKAHASHI, Hiroki, UENO, Daijiro, YAMANAKA, Tatsuya
• Granted Patent: US 8,787,795 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 399/110
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 21/105 Arrangements for conveying toner waste
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 21/12 Toner waste containers
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 21/1633 using doors or covers G03G21/1638 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 21/1647 Mechanical connection means
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 21/1671 for the photosensitive element
• 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 2221/1654 Locks and means for positioning or alignment

Abstract

What is provided is an image formation apparatus including: an image formation part provided inside a main body so that the image formation part may be attached to the main body and detached from the main body; a plurality of opening-closing parts which may be opened and closed to attach the image formation part to the main body or detach the image formation part from the main body; and a plurality of locking parts latching each of the plurality of opening-closing parts to the main body, wherein when one of the plurality of locking parts undergoes a releasing operation, an other one of the plurality of locking parts also undergoes a releasing operation.

Claims

1. An image formation apparatus comprising:

an image formation part provided inside a main body so that the image formation part may be attached to the main body and detached from the main body;

a plurality of opening-closing parts which may be opened and closed to attach the image formation part to the main body or detach the image formation part from the main body; and

a plurality of locking parts latching each of the plurality of opening-closing parts to the main body, wherein

when one of the plurality of locking parts undergoes a releasing operation, an other one of the plurality of locking parts also undergoes a releasing operation.

2. The image formation apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the each of the plurality of opening-closing parts comprises a waste toner assembly comprising a transport part transporting a waste toner generated by the image formation part to a waste toner bottle, and a retainer holding a photoreceptor of the image formation part;

and

when a release operation of a release lever releasing one of the plurality of locking parts latching the waste toner assembly to the main body is performed, one of the plurality of locking parts latching the retainer to the main body also undergoes a release operation.

3. The image formation apparatus according to claim 2, wherein

the one of the plurality of locking parts latching the waste toner assembly and the one of the plurality of locking parts latching the retainer are released by a rotation of the release lever.

4. The image formation apparatus according to claim 2, wherein

the waste toner bottle may be attached to the main body and detached from the main body;

and

when the waste toner bottle assembled to the main body, the release lever is restricted from releasing the one of the plurality of locking parts.

5. The image formation apparatus according to claim 2, wherein

the waste toner assembly opens and closes an upper end part side by a supporting axis provided below;

the retainer opens and closes a lower end part side by a supporting axis provided above;

when the waste toner assembly and the retainer are closed, the upper end part side of the waste toner assembly is positioned so as to cover at least a part of the retainer viewed from a direction in which the waste toner assembly and the retainer are closed; and

when the waste toner assembly and the retainer are closed, the release lever is positioned so as to cover the retainer of the waste toner assembly viewed from a direction in which the waste toner assembly and the retainer are closed.

6. The image formation apparatus according to claim 3 further comprising a locking timing adjusting part performing an adjustment so that, when the waste toner assembly being unlocked and the retainer being unlocked are returned to a locked condition, a timing at which the retainer is locked is earlier than a timing at which the waste toner assembly is locked.

7. The image formation apparatus according to claim 3 further comprising

a first transmission part transmitting to a locking part of the waste toner assembly, a power generated by a rotation of the release lever;

and

a second transmission part transmitting to a locking part of the retainer, a power generated by a rotation of the release lever, wherein

the first transmission part is distanced from the second transmission part.

8. The image formation apparatus according to claim 2 further comprising:

a latching part latching the waste toner assembly with the main body and maintaining a closed condition; and

a release part releasing a latched condition of the latching part, wherein

the latched condition of the latching part may be released by the release part only when the waste toner bottle is not attached to the main body.

9. The image formation apparatus according to claim 2, wherein

the transport part comprises a screw conveyer comprising a spiral blade rotated and driven around an axis inside a transport pipe, and

the waste toner bottle is attached below the transport pipe.

10. The image formation apparatus according to claim 6, wherein

the transport part comprises a screw conveyer comprising a spiral blade rotated and driven around an axis inside a transport pipe, and

the waste toner bottle is attached below the transport pipe.

11. The image formation apparatus according to claim 6, wherein

the transport pipe extends approximately in a horizontal direction, and

the waste toner assembly is provided so that the waste toner assembly may rotate in an upper and lower direction around a support axis, the support axis being parallel to an axis of the transport pipe and being provided below the axis of the transport pipe by a predetermined distance.

12. The image formation apparatus according to claim 7, wherein

the transport pipe extends approximately in a horizontal direction, and

the waste toner assembly is provided so that the waste toner assembly may rotate in an upper and lower direction around a support axis, the support axis being parallel to an axis of the transport pipe and being provided below the axis of the transport pipe by a predetermined distance.