Image forming device having duct for blowing air on charger

• US 7,877,037 B2
• Filed: 11/27/2006
• Issued: 01/25/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 12/27/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
• Original Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
• Inventors: Igarashi, Hiroshi
• Primary Examiner(s): GRAINGER, QUANA MASHELLE
• Application Number:
  US11/604,254
• Publication Number:
  US 20070146739A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,520 Days
• Field of Search: 399/92, 399/90, 399/93, 399/94, 399/98, 399/100
• US Class Current: 399/92
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 21/206 Conducting air through the machine, e.g. for cooling, filtering, removing gases like ozone

Abstract

An image-forming device includes a main casing, a process casing, a photosensitive member, a charger, a first duct member, a fan, and a duct moving unit. The process casing is accommodated in the main casing and removably mounted thereon. The process casing has a casing inlet formed therein. The photosensitive member is disposed in the process casing. The charger is disposed in the process casing for charging a photosensitive member. The first duct member has a duct outlet. The fan blows air on the charger through the duct outlet of the first duct member and the casing inlet. The duct moving unit moves the first duct member between a first position in which the duct outlet of the first duct member is adjacent to the casing inlet formed in the process casing, and a second position in which the duct outlet is separated farther from the casing inlet than in the first position.

Claims

1. An image-forming device comprising:

a main casing;

a process casing accommodated in the main casing and removably mounted thereon, the process casing having a casing inlet formed therein;

a photosensitive member that is disposed in the process casing;

a charger that is disposed in the process casing for charging a photosensitive member;

a first duct member that has a duct outlet;

a fan that blows air on the charger through the duct outlet of the first duct member and the casing inlet; and

a duct moving unit that moves the first duct member between a first position in which the duct outlet of the first duct member is adjacent to the casing inlet formed in the process casing, and a second position in which the duct outlet is separated farther from the casing inlet than in the first position,

wherein the duct moving unit further comprises an urging member that urges the first duct member in a direction to bring the duct outlet to be positioned near the casing inlet formed in the process casing.

2. The image-forming device according to claim 1, wherein the main casing has a door that is configured to open and close for allowing the process casing to be mounted on and removed from the main casing, and

the duct moving unit switches the first duct member to the first position when the door is closed and to the second position when the door is opened.

3. The image-forming device according to claim 2, wherein the duct moving unit comprises an interlocking mechanism that operates in an interlocking relation the door.

4. The image-forming device according to claim 3, wherein the interlocking mechanism comprises a coupling member that is connected to the door, and a cam plate that is connected to the coupling member and that contacts the first duct member.

5. The image-forming device according to claim 1, further comprising an electric circuit board that supplies power to the charger;

wherein the first duct member is interposed between the charger and the electric circuit board and is formed of a synthetic resin.

6. The image-forming device according to claim 5, wherein the electric circuit board is disposed in a plane substantially orthogonal to a direction in which the casing inlet opposes the duct outlet when the first duct member is in the first position.

7. The image-forming device according to claim 6, wherein the first duct member has one end portion and another end portion, the one end portion having the duct outlet, the another end portion having an air inlet through which air flow created by the fan passes, and the first duct member is pivotably moved about the another end portion.

8. The image-forming device according to claim 7, wherein the first duct member has a recessed part for preventing interference between the first duct member and the electric circuit board when the first duct member pivots.

9. The image-forming device according to claim 5, wherein the duct moving unit further comprises an urging member that urges the first duct member in a direction to bring the duct outlet to be positioned near the casing inlet formed in the process casing, and that is disposed inside the first duct member.

10. The image-forming device according to claim 1, further comprising a packing disposed in at least one of the duct outlet and the casing inlet to prevent air from leaking through a gap between the duct outlet and the casing inlet when the first duct member is in the first position.

11. The image-forming device according to claim 10, wherein the process casing has a surface near a peripheral edge of the casing inlet on the duct outlet side, and

the packing is provided in the casing inlet and has an end face on the duct outlet side, the end face being positioned further inside the process casing than the surface of the process casing.

12. The image-forming device according to claim 10, wherein a process casing has a surface near a peripheral edge of the casing inlet on the duct outlet side, and

the packing is provided in the casing inlet and has an end face of the packing on the duct outlet side, the end face being in flush with the surface of the process casing.

13. The image-forming device according to claim 1, further comprising a second duct member that is fixed to the main casing, wherein

the first duct member has an air inlet in fluid communication with the second duct member, and

the fan blows air into the first duct member through the air inlet from the second duct member.

14. The image-forming device according to claim 13, wherein the main casing comprises a duct part constituting at least a part of the second duct member.

15. The image-forming device according to claim 13, wherein the first duct member has one end portion and another end portion, the end portion having the duct outlet, the another end portion having the air inlet, and the first duct member is pivotably moved about the another end portion.

16. The image-forming device according to claim 1, wherein the first duct member has one end portion and another end portion, the end portion having the duct outlet, the another end portion having an air inlet through which air flow created by the fan passes, and the first duct member is pivotably moved about the another end portion.

17. The image-forming device according to claim 16, wherein the one end portion has a tapered surface that is sloped relative to a direction in which the duct outlet opposes the casing inlet when the first duct member is in the first position.

18. The image-forming device according to claim 17, further comprising a packing disposed in the casing inlet to prevent air from leaking through a gap between the duct outlet and the casing inlet when the first duct member is in the first position, wherein the taper surface contacts the packing when the first duct member is in the first position.

19. The image-forming device according to claim 1, further comprising a driving unit disposed on an opposite side of the process casing from the first duct member, the driving unit driving the photosensitive member.