Image Forming Apparatus Capable of Reliably Protecting Exposure Member

• US 20140212170A1
• Filed: 01/30/2014
• Published: 07/31/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 01/30/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha (Brother Industries Limited)
• Original Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha (Brother Industries Limited)
• Inventors: Kato, Atsushi, Furukawa, Toshio
• Granted Patent: US 9,134,690 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 399/118
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 21/1623 Means to access the interior of the apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 21/1666 for the exposure unit
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 21/1832 Shielding members, shutter, e.g. light, heat shielding, prevention of toner scattering
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 2221/1636 for the exposure unit

Abstract

An image forming apparatus includes: a main casing; a photosensitive member; a moving mechanism; a movable member; and a cartridge. The photosensitive member is provided in the main casing. The movable member moves between an inside position in which the movable member is inside the main casing and an outside position in which the movable member is at least partly outside the main casing. The movable member includes: a frame; a protection member; and an exposure member. The protection member is fixed to the frame. The moving mechanism moves the exposure member between an exposing position in which the exposure member exposes the photosensitive drum to light and a protected position in which the exposure member is protected by the protection member. The cartridge includes a developer bearing member. The cartridge is supported at the movable member.

Claims

1. An image forming apparatus comprising:

a main casing;

a photosensitive member provided in the main casing;

a moving mechanism;

a movable member configured to move between an inside position in which the movable member is inside the main casing and an outside position in which the movable member is at least partly outside the main casing, the movable member comprising;

a frame;

a protection member fixed to the frame; and

an exposure member configured to expose the photosensitive member to light, the moving mechanism being configured to move the exposure member between an exposing position in which the exposure member exposes the photosensitive drum to light and a protected position in which the exposure member is protected by the protection member; and

a cartridge including a developer bearing member, the cartridge being configured to be supported at the movable member.

2. The image forming apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the moving mechanism is configured to move the exposure member to the exposing position, a retracted position in which the exposure member is moved from the exposing position in a direction away from the photosensitive member, and the protected position in which the exposure member is pivotally moved from the retracted position.

3. The image forming apparatus as claimed in claim 2, wherein the moving mechanism includes a link mechanism configured to move the exposure member to the exposing position, to the retracted position, and to the protected position.

4. The image forming apparatus as claimed in claim 3, wherein the link mechanism comprises:

a first link portion configured to move the exposure member between the exposing position and the retracted position; and

a second link portion coupled to the first link portion and configured to move the exposure member between the retracted position and the protected position.

5. The image forming apparatus as claimed in claim 4, wherein the movable member is configured to move from a first position to a third position through a second position, the movable member at the first position being located at the inside position, the movable member at the third position being located at the outside position, the second position being located at the inside position and between the first position and the third position,

wherein the link mechanism further comprises a third link portion coupled to the first link portion and configured to move relative to the movable member, the third link portion being configured to allow the first link portion to move the exposure member from the exposing position to the retracted position in response to the movement of the movable member from the first position toward the second position, the third link portion being further configured to allow the second link portion to move the exposure member from the retracted position to the protected position in response to the movement of the movable member from the second position toward the third position.

6. The image forming apparatus as claimed in claim 5, wherein the main casing includes an abutment wall configured to abut against the third link portion to allow the third link portion to move relative to the movable member.

7. The image forming apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the exposure member includes an opposing portion that opposes to the photosensitive member when the exposure member is at the exposing position and opposes to the protection member when the exposure member is at the protected position.

8. The image forming apparatus as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a belt configured to contact the photosensitive member and disposed above the photosensitive member when the movable member is located at the inside position.

9. The image forming apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the photosensitive member includes a plurality of photosensitive bodies.

10. An image forming apparatus comprising:

a main casing;

a cartridge including a photosensitive member and a developer bearing member;

a moving mechanism; and

a movable member configured to move between an inside position in which the movable member is inside the main casing and an outside position in which the movable member is at least partly outside the main casing, the cartridge being configured to be supported at the movable member, the movable member comprising;

a frame;

a protection member fixed to the frame; and

an exposure member configured to expose the photosensitive member to light, the moving mechanism being configured to move the exposure member between an exposing position in which the exposure member exposes the photosensitive drum to light and a protected position in which the exposure member is protected by the protection member.

11. The image forming apparatus as claimed in claim 10, wherein the moving mechanism is configured to move the exposure member to the exposing position, a retracted position in which the exposure member is moved from the exposing position in a direction away from the photosensitive member, and the protected position in which the exposure member is pivotally moved from the retracted position.

12. The image forming apparatus as claimed in claim 11, wherein the moving mechanism includes a link mechanism configured to move the exposure member to the exposing position, to the retracted position, and to the protected position.

13. The image forming apparatus as claimed in claim 12, wherein the link mechanism comprises:

a first link portion configured to move the exposure member between the exposing position and the retracted position; and

a second link portion coupled to the first link portion and configured to move the exposure member between the retracted position and the protected position.

14. The image forming apparatus as claimed in claim 13, wherein the movable member is configured to move from a first position to a third position through a second position, the movable member at the first position being located at the inside position, the movable member at the third position being located at the outside position, the second position being located at the inside position and between the first position and the third position,

wherein the link mechanism further comprises a third link portion coupled to the first link portion and configured to move relative to the movable member, the third link portion being configured to allow the first link portion to move the exposure member from the exposing position to the retracted position in response to the movement of the movable member from the first position toward the second position, the third link portion being further configured to allow the second link portion to move the exposure member from the retracted position to the protected position in response to the movement of the movable member from the second position toward the third position.

15. The image forming apparatus as claimed in claim 14, wherein the main casing includes an abutment wall configured to abut against the third link portion to allow the third link portion to move relative to the movable member.

16. The image forming apparatus as claimed in claim 10, wherein the exposure member includes an opposing portion that opposes to the photosensitive member when the exposure member is at the exposing position and opposes to the protection member when the exposure member is at the protected position.

17. The image forming apparatus as claimed in claim 10, further comprising a belt configured to contact the photosensitive member and disposed above the photosensitive member when the movable member is located at the inside position.

18. The image forming apparatus as claimed in claim 10, wherein the photosensitive member includes a plurality of photosensitive bodies.