Image Forming Apparatus

• US 20130164027A1
• Filed: 09/21/2012
• Published: 06/27/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 12/26/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha (Brother Industries Limited)
• Original Assignee: Yosuke Aoi
• Inventors: Sato, Shougo, Aoi, Yosuke
• Granted Patent: US 8,879,950 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 399/110
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 21/1633 using doors or covers G03G21/1638 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 21/1661 means for handling parts of the apparatus in the apparatus G03G21/1604, G03G21/1642 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 21/1666 for the exposure unit
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 21/185 the process cartridge being mounted parallel to the axis of the photosensitive member

Abstract

An image forming apparatus includes: a main apparatus body; an opening/closing member; a drum unit including a photosensitive drum and can be pulled out of an accommodating space along an axial direction of the photosensitive drum; an exposing member provided in the main apparatus body and movable between an exposure position and an evacuation position; and a movable mechanism including: a first movable member movable in accordance with an opening/closing operation of the opening/closing member; and a second movable member for moving the exposing member between the exposure position and the evacuation position in accordance with movement of the first movable member. The second movable member supports both end portions of the exposing member. The second movable member moves the exposing member to the exposure position or the evacuation position by the movement of the first movable member in accordance with the movement of the opening/closing member.

Claims

1. An image forming apparatus comprising:

a main apparatus body having an accommodating space partitioned therein and an opening configured to connect the accommodating space and an outside;

an opening/closing member provided at the main apparatus body and configured to move between an open position for opening the opening and a closed position for closing the opening;

a drum unit comprising a photosensitive drum configured to carry a developer image and accommodated in the accommodating space, wherein the drum unit is configured to be pulled out of the accommodating space along an axial direction of the photosensitive drum;

an exposing member provided in the main apparatus body and configured to move between an exposure position, which is close to the photosensitive drums for exposing the photosensitive drums, and an evacuation position where the exposing member evacuates from the photosensitive drum; and

a movable mechanism comprising;

a first movable member configured to move in accordance with an opening/closing operation of the opening/closing member; and

a second movable member configured to move the exposing member between the exposure position and the evacuation position in accordance with movement of the first movable member,

wherein the second movable member is configured to support both end portions of the exposing member,

wherein the second movable member is configured to move the exposing member from the exposure position to the evacuation position by the movement of the first movable member in accordance with the movement of the opening/closing member from the closed position to the open position, and

wherein the second movable member is configured to move the exposing member from the evacuation position to the exposure position by the movement of the first movable member in accordance with the movement of the opening/closing member from the open position to the closed position.

2. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the exposing member is disposed so as to face the photosensitive drum from a lower side, and

wherein the movable mechanism is provided below the exposing member.

3. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a plurality of the photosensitive drums corresponding to multiple colors is provided such that one of the plurality of photosensitive drums is arranged in parallel with an adjacent one of the plurality of photosensitive drums with an interval therebetween.

4. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the first movable member is configured to move between a first position where the first movable member is disposed when the opening/closing member is disposed at the closed position and a second position where the first movable member is disposed in a state where the opening/closing member is disposed at the open position, and

wherein the main apparatus body comprises a pressing member configured to press the first movable member from the first position toward the second position.

5. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the movable mechanism further comprises a holding member configured to hold the exposing member, and

wherein the movable member comprises:

a first link member, a first end portion of which is configured to be fixed to the main apparatus body such that the first end portion of the first link member is rotatable with respect to the apparatus main body, and a second end portion of which is configured to be held by the holding member such that the second end portion of the first link member is movable along the axial direction with respect to the holding member and is rotatable with respect to the holding member; and

a second link member, a first end portion of which is fixed to the holding member such that the first end portion of the second link member is rotatable with respect to the holding member, and a second end portion of which is fixed to the first movable member such that the second end portion of the second link member is rotatable with respect to the first movable member; and

a shaft part configured to pivotally support the first link member and the second link member such that the first link member and the second link member are rotatable with respect to each other.

6. The image forming apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the first movable member is configured to contact the opening/closing member with receiving the pressing force from the pressing member when the first movable member is disposed at the first position.

7. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the first movable member comprises a guide boss, and

wherein the main apparatus body comprises:

a guide part configured to guide the guide boss in the axial direction; and

a pressing member configured to press the guide boss in the axial direction.

8. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the first movable member is configured to slide along the axial direction in accordance with an opening/closing operation of the opening/closing member.