IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS

• US 20200133191A1
• Filed: 10/29/2019
• Published: 04/30/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 10/29/2018
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Kondo, Shunsaku
• Granted Patent: US 10,739,720 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 15/04054 by LED arrays
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 21/1647 Mechanical connection means
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 21/1666 for the exposure unit
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 2221/1684 using extractable subframes, e.g. on rails or hinges
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 2221/1869 Cartridge holders, e.g. intermediate frames for placing cartridge parts therein

Abstract

An image forming apparatus includes a main assembly and a drawer unit. The drawer unit includes a photosensitive drum, an optical print head, first to third wall portions and a relay substrate. The main assembly includes a first facing portion, a second facing portion and a main assembly substrate. The relay substrate and the main assembly substrate are connected by a cable folded back at the rear of the third wall portion. A distance between a portion of the cable before being folded back and a portion of said cable after being folded back is larger than a distance, with respect to a longitudinal direction of the optical print head, between the first or second wall portion on which the relay substrate is provided and the first or second facing portion facing the first or second wall portion on which the relay substrate is provided.

Claims

1. An image forming apparatus comprising:

a main assembly; and

a drawer unit movable between amounted position where said drawer unit is mounted in said main assembly and a drawn-out position where said drawer unit is drawn out of the mounted position,

wherein said drawer unit comprises,

a rotatable photosensitive drum,

an optical print head including a light emitting element configured to expose said photosensitive drum to light,

first, second and third wall portions, wherein said first wall portion supports one end side of said optical print head with respect to a longitudinal direction of said optical print head, said second wall portion supports the other end side of said optical print head with respect to the longitudinal direction, and said third wall portion is continuously formed between an upstream end portion of said first wall portion and an upstream end portion of said second wall portion with respect to a drawing out direction of said drawer unit from the mounted position toward the drawn-out position to form a wall portion in cooperation with said first wall portion and said second wall portion, and

a relay substrate provided on either one of an outer surface of said first wall portion and an outer surface of said second wall portion with respect to the longitudinal direction and configured to relay a signal for driving said optical print head,

wherein said main assembly comprises,

a first facing portion provided on a side opposite from a side facing said second wall portion and configured to face said first wall portion,

a second facing portion provided on a side opposite from a side facing said first wall portion and configured to face said second wall portion, and

a main assembly substrate configured to generate a driving signal for driving said light emitting element,

wherein said relay substrate and said main assembly substrate are connected by a cable, and when said drawer unit is in the mounted position, said cable extends from said relay substrate in an opposite direction to the drawing-out direction and is folded back in the drawing-out direction on a side downstream of said third wall portion with respect to the opposite direction and then is connected to said main assembly substrate through an opening provided in one of said first facing portion and said second facing portion, facing said relay substrate on a side downstream of said third wall portion with respect to the drawing-out direction, and

wherein said cable folded back includes portions with respect to the longitudinal direction on a side upstream with respect to the drawing-out direction, wherein a distance between said portion of said cable before being folded back and said portion of said cable after being folded back is larger than a distance, with respect to the longitudinal direction, between said first or second wall portion on which said relay substrate is provided and said first or second facing portion facing said first or second wall portion on which said relay substrate is provided.

2. An image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said relay substrate includes a connector to which said cable is connected,

wherein said connector projects toward a side upstream of said third wall portion with respect to the drawing-out direction on a side where said connector is connected to said cable.

3. An image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said cable extending in the opposite direction is belt along said third wall portion.

4. An image forming apparatus according to claim 3, wherein further comprising a fixing member configured to fix said cable to said third wall portion,

wherein said fixing member is provided on said third wall portion.

5. An image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said opening is formed in said first facing portion or said second facing portion so as to be positioned on a side upstream of said third wall portion with respect to the drawing-out direction when said drawer unit is in the drawn-out position.

6. An image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a part of said cable is sandwiched by said opening.

7. An image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said cable is a flat cable.

8. An image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said optical print head is provided above said photosensitive drum with respect to a vertical direction.

9. An image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said drawer unit includes a plurality of optical print heads,

wherein said optical print heads are arranged in the drawing-out direction.

10. An image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said light emitting element is a light emitting diode.

11. An image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said light emitting element is an organic light emitting diode.