Image Forming Apparatus

• US 20150177677A1
• Filed: 12/24/2014
• Published: 06/25/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 12/24/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
• Original Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
• Inventors: Souda, Makoto
• Granted Patent: US 9,229,419 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 21/1619 Frame structures
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 21/1652 Electrical connection means

Abstract

An image forming apparatus, including an image forming unit, a first frame, and a first beam, is provided. The image forming unit includes a photosensitive drum. The first frame is made of resin and is arranged on one end, along an axial direction of a rotation axis of the photosensitive drum, of the image forming unit. The first beam is formed in an elongated shape. The first beam is arranged along a planar face of the first frame. The first beam is fixed to the first frame by a fixing member at a first portion, which is in a position closer to a first longitudinal end of the first beam, and is loose from the first frame to be movable at least along the axial direction at a loose part, which is in a position closer to a second longitudinal end of the first beam than the first portion.

Claims

1. An image forming apparatus, comprising:

an image forming unit comprising a photosensitive drum configured to be rotatable about a rotation axis and a developer device configured to supply a developer agent to the photosensitive drum;

a first frame made of resin and formed in a shape of a plate, the first frame being arranged on one end, along an axial direction of the rotation axis of the photosensitive drum, of the image forming unit; and

a first beam formed in an elongated shape, the first beam being arranged along a planar face of the first frame,

wherein the first beam is fixed to the first frame by a fixing member at a first portion, which is in a position closer to a first longitudinal end of the first beam, and is loose from the first frame to be movable at least along the axial direction at a loose part, which is in a position closer to a second longitudinal end of the first beam than the first portion.

2. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the first beam is arranged to contact the first frame at another part, which is in a position closer to the first longitudinal end of the first beam than the first portion.

3. The image forming apparatus according to claim 2,

wherein the first frame comprises a pair of restrictive fences arranged along a direction orthogonal to a longitudinal direction of the first beam;

and

wherein the loose part of the first beam is interposed between the pair of restrictive fences.

4. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the first frame comprises a jut configured to support the first portion of the first beam;

and

wherein the first beam is bent at a second portion, which is in a position closer to the second longitudinal end of the first beam than the first portion, to incline toward the planar face of the first beam.

5. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the first beam is arranged to overlap the image forming unit at a longitudinal central part thereof, when projected along the axial direction, while the first and second longitudinal ends of the first beam are arranged on outer sides of the image forming unit.

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

a second beam formed in an elongated shape, the second beam being arranged along and fixed to the planar face of the first frame,

wherein the second beam is arranged to intersect with the first beam.

7. The image forming apparatus according to claim 6,

wherein the image forming unit comprises a plurality of image forming units, the plurality of image forming units being arranged to align along an aligning direction, which is orthogonal to the axial direction;

wherein the first beam is arranged to longitudinally extend orthogonally to the aligning direction and to the axial direction; and

wherein the second beam is arranged to longitudinally extend along the aligning direction.

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

a drawer configured to support the plurality of image forming units, the drawer being supported by the first frame movably to move along the aligning direction, wherein the second beam is arranged to overlap the drawer when projected along the axial direction.

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

a second frame arranged to face the first frame across the image forming unit; and

a connecting frame configured to be connected to the first frame and the second frame,

wherein the first longitudinal end of the first beam is arranged to overlap the connecting frame when projected along the axial direction.

10. The image forming apparatus according to claim 9, further comprising:

a second beam formed in an elongated shape, the second beam being arranged along the planar face of the first frame to intersect with the first beam and fixed to the first frame,

wherein the second longitudinal end of the first beam is engaged with the first frame; and

wherein the second beam is arranged in a position between the first beam and the first frame.

11. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein a spring electrode to supply electricity to the image forming unit is arranged on the first frame;

and

wherein the spring electrode is arranged in a position between the first frame and the image forming unit in a compressed condition.

12. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the first frame comprises a plurality of substrate supports, which are configured to support a substrate, the substrate being configured to supply electricity to the image forming unit via a spring electrode, and

wherein the spring electrode is arranged in a position between the substrate and the image forming unit in a compressed condition.

13. The image forming apparatus according to claim 12,

wherein the plurality of substrate supports are arranged on an opposite side from the image forming unit across the first frame;

and

wherein the first frame comprises a through hole, in which the spring electrode is arranged to penetrate there-through.

14. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the fixing member is a screw.

15. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the first beam is made of metal.