IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS

• US 20150261174A1
• Filed: 02/26/2015
• Published: 09/17/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 03/11/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
• Original Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
• Inventors: SOUDA, Makoto
• Granted Patent: US 9,342,036 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 15/757 Drive mechanisms for photosensitive medium, e.g. gears
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 21/1619 Frame structures
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 2221/1678 Frame structures
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 2221/1684 using extractable subframes, e.g. on rails or hinges

Abstract

An image forming apparatus, including a main body and a driving force transmission, is provided. The main body supports an image forming unit which includes an image carrier. The driving force transmission transmits a driving force to the image carrier. The main body includes a first frame, a second frame, and a connecting member. The first frame is made of resin, disposed on one side of the image carrier with regard to a direction of rotation axis of the image carrier, and supports the driving force transmission disposed thereon. The second frame is made of metal and disposed on the other side of the image carrier with regard to the direction of rotation axis. The connecting member connects the first frame and the second frame with each other.

Claims

1. An image forming apparatus, comprising:

a main body configured to support an image forming unit, the image forming unit comprising an image carrier; and

a driving force transmission configured to transmit a driving force to the image carrier,

wherein the main body comprises a first frame, the first frame being made of resin and disposed on one side of the image carrier with regard to a direction of rotation axis of the image carrier, the first frame being configured to support the driving force transmission disposed thereon;

a second frame, the second frame being made of metal and disposed on the other side of the image carrier with regard to the direction of rotation axis; and

a connecting member configured to connect the first frame and the second frame with each other.

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

a power board configured to supply electricity to the image forming unit; and

a spring electrode disposed in a position between the image forming unit and the power board in a compressed condition,

wherein the power board is disposed on the second frame.

3. The image forming apparatus according to claim 2,

wherein the power board is disposed on an opposite side from the image forming unit across the second frame;

wherein the second frame comprises a through-hole bored through the second frame along the direction of rotation axis; and

wherein the spring electrode is disposed to penetrate through the through-hole to be connected to the power board.

4. The image forming apparatus according to claim 2,

wherein the power board is disposed on an opposite side from the image forming unit across the second frame;

wherein the spring electrode comprises a spring part, the spring part being disposed in a position between the image forming unit and the second frame in a compressed condition;

a board-side connecting part, at which the spring electrode is connected with the power board; and

a conducting part, the conducting part being conductive between the board-side connecting part and the spring part; and

wherein the spring part and the board-side connecting part are arranged in positions displaced from each other in a view along the direction of rotation axis.

5. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the first frame comprises a sensor support, the sensor support being configured to support a sensor for controlling the image forming apparatus.

6. The image forming apparatus according to claim 5, further comprising:

a controller board configured to control the image forming apparatus,

wherein the controller board is disposed on the first frame and is connected with the sensor.

7. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the driving force transmission comprises a gear;

and

wherein the first frame comprises a gear support configured to support the gear rotatably.

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

a sheet container disposed in a lower position with respect to the image forming unit and configured to contain a recording sheet to be fed to the image forming unit; and

a third frame made of resin and configured to support the sheet container, the third frame being disposed in a lower position with respect to the second frame and configured to support the second frame from below.

9. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the connecting member comprises a first connecting member and a second connecting member, the second connecting member being arranged to locate the image carrier in an intervening position between the first connecting member and the second connecting member in a view along the direction of rotation axis.

10. The image forming apparatus according to claim 9,

wherein the image carrier comprises a plurality of photosensitive drums arranged to align along a predetermined aligning direction;

and

wherein the first connecting member and the second connecting member are arranged in opposite positions from each other across a line extending through rotation axes of the plurality of photosensitive drums.

11. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the image carrier comprises a plurality of photosensitive drums arranged along a predetermined aligning direction;

wherein the image forming unit comprises a holder, the holder being configured to hold the plurality of photosensitive drums and being movable with respect to the main body along the predetermined aligning direction; and

wherein the plurality of photosensitive drums are supported by the first frame and the second frame through the holder.

12. The image forming apparatus according to claim 11,

wherein the holder comprises a pair of plates arranged on each side of the plurality of photosensitive drums with regard to a direction of rotation axes of the plurality of photosensitive drums, the pair of plates being configured to hold the plurality of photosensitive drums to be spaced apart from one another at an interval along the aligning direction.

13. The image forming apparatus according to claim 12,

wherein the pair of plates are made of metal.

14. The image forming apparatus according to claim 11, further comprising:

a fourth frame made of metal, the fourth frame being fixed to the first frame on a side of the plurality of photosensitive drums with regard to the direction of rotation axes of the plurality of photosensitive drums;

wherein each of the second frame and the fourth frame comprises a positioning part configured to define a position of the holder with respect to the main body.

15. The image forming apparatus according to claim 14, further comprising:

an exposure device configured to expose the plurality of photosensitive drums to light,

wherein the exposure device is supported by the second frame and the fourth frame.