Image Forming Apparatus

• US 20130256971A1
• Filed: 03/15/2013
• Published: 10/03/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 03/30/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha (Brother Industries Limited)
• Original Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha (Brother Industries Limited)
• Inventors: Shimizu, Yoshikazu, Ueyama, Junki .
• Granted Patent: US 9,340,378 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 271/4.1
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 2402/441 movable for facilitating access to area inside the housing, e.g. pivoting or sliding
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 2402/52 Bearings, e.g. magnetic or hydrostatic bearings
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 2404/17 Details of bearings
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 2601/324 Removability or inter-changeability of machine parts, e.g. for maintenance
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 3/0669 Driving devices therefor
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 5/06 by rollers or balls, e.g. between rollers transport by suction rollers B65H5/226
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 15/652 Feeding a copy material originating from a continuous web roll
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 21/1633 using doors or covers G03G21/1638 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 21/1695 for paper transport

Abstract

An image forming apparatus includes a main body, a recording sheet receiving portion configured to receive a recording sheet, an image forming portion configured to form an image on the recording sheet, a particular feed roller configured to feed the recording sheet toward the image forming portion, and a holding frame configured to rotatably support the particular feed roller such that the particular feed roller is exposed toward the recording sheet receiving portion. The holding frame has a roller receiving portion configured to receive the particular feed roller therein and a replacement opening for exposing the particular feed roller toward an opposite side of the holding frame relative to the recording sheet receiving portion. The particular feed roller is configured to be attached to and removed from the holding frame via the replacement opening on the opposite side of the holding frame relative to the recording sheet receiving portion.

Claims

1. An image forming apparatus comprising:

a main body;

a recording sheet receiving portion configured to receive a recording sheet;

an image forming portion disposed in the main body and configured to form an image on the recording sheet;

a particular feed roller configured to rotate in contact with the recording sheet received on the recording sheet receiving portion to feed the recording sheet toward the image forming portion; and

a holding frame configured to rotatably support the particular feed roller such that the particular feed roller is exposed toward the recording sheet receiving portion,

wherein the holding frame has a roller receiving portion configured to receive the particular feed roller therein and a replacement opening for exposing the particular feed roller toward an opposite side of the holding frame relative to the recording sheet receiving portion, and

wherein the particular feed roller is configured to be attached to and removed from the holding frame via the replacement opening on the opposite side of the holding frame relative to the recording sheet receiving portion.

2. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

a drive gear disposed in one end portion of the holding frame in a width direction of the recording sheet and configured to transmit a rotational driving force to the particular feed roller;

a roller shaft connecting the drive gear and the particular feed roller; and

a bearing configured to rotatably support an opposite side of the particular feed roller relative to the roller shaft.

3. The image forming apparatus according to claim 2,

wherein the roller shaft protrudes by a specified distance inside the roller receiving portion, and

wherein the roller receiving portion is sized to allow the particular feed roller to move the specified distance or more in the width direction inside the roller receiving portion, and

wherein the bearing is configured to engage the holding frame such that movement of the bearing in the width direction is limited.

4. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a detachable member constituting a part of the image forming portion and configured to be attached to and removed from the main body,

wherein the replacement opening is exposed when the detachable member is removed from the main body.

5. The image forming apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the detachable member includes a photosensitive member holding member having a photosensitive member.

6. The image forming apparatus according to claim 4,

wherein the detachable member includes:

a plurality of photosensitive member holding members each having a photosensitive member; and

a belt disposed opposite to the plurality of photosensitive member holding members.

7. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

a further feed roller configured to rotate in contact with the recording sheet received on the recording sheet receiving portion to feed the recording sheet toward the image forming portion; and

a connecting member configured to integrally hold the particular feed roller and the further feed roller such that the particular feed roller and the further feed roller are arranged in a sheet feeding direction, the connecting member being configured to be removed from the holding member.

8. The image forming apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the recording sheet receiving portion is configured to move toward and away from one of the particular feed roller and the further feed roller, which is disposed upstream of the other one in the sheet feeding direction.

9. The image forming apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the recording sheet fed from the recording sheet receiving portion is turned in a shape of a letter U in the main body and ejected outside the main body.

10. The image forming apparatus according to claim 7,

wherein the one of the particular feed roller and the further feed roller, which is disposed upstream of the other one in the sheet feeding direction, is configured to pivot about the other one, and

wherein the recording sheet receiving portion is configured to move toward and away from the one of the particular feed roller and the further feed roller.