Image forming device

• US 8,014,696 B2
• Filed: 12/23/2010
• Issued: 09/06/2011
• 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 M
• Application Number:
  US12/978,077
• Publication Number:
  US 20110097101A1
• Time in Patent Office: 257 Days
• Field of Search: 399/92, 399/98, 399/100, 399/115
• 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 movably mounted thereon, the process casing having a plurality of casing inlets formed therein;

a plurality of photosensitive members that is disposed in the process casing;

a plurality of chargers that is disposed in the process casing for charging the plurality of photosensitive members, respectively;

a plurality of first duct members each having a duct outlet, the plurality of first duct members being in one-to-one correspondence with the plurality of casing inlets;

a fan that blows air on each of the plurality of chargers through the duct outlet of each of the plurality of first duct members and the corresponding casing inlet; and

a duct moving unit that moves the plurality of first duct members between a first position in which the plurality of duct outlets is adjacent to the corresponding casing inlets formed in the process casing, and a second position in which the plurality of duct outlets is separated farther from the corresponding casing inlets than in the first position.

2. The image-forming device according to claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of photosensitive drums is rotatably supported on the process casing and extends in an axial direction,

the process casing has one side and another side in the axial direction, and

the plurality of the casing inlets is formed on the one side of the process casing.

3. 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 plurality of first duct members to the first position when the door is closed and to the second position when the door is opened.

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

5. The image-forming device according to claim 4, 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 plurality of first duct members.

6. The image-forming device according to claim 1, wherein the duct moving unit further comprises a plurality of urging members in one to one correspondence with the plurality of first duct members, each of the plurality of urging members urging the corresponding first duct member in a direction to bring each of the plurality of duct outlets to be positioned near the corresponding casing inlet formed in the process casing.

7. The image-forming device according to claim 1, further comprising an electric circuit board that supplies power to the plurality of chargers;

wherein each of the plurality of first duct members is interposed between the corresponding charger and the electric circuit board and is formed of a synthetic resin.

8. The image-forming device according to claim 7, wherein the electric circuit board is disposed in a plane substantially orthogonal to a direction in which each of the plurality of the casing inlets opposes the corresponding duct outlet when the plurality of first duct members is in the first position.

9. The image-forming device according to claim 8, wherein each of the plurality of first duct members has one end portion and another end portion, the one end portion having the duct outlet of the corresponding first duct member, the another end portion having an air inlet through which air flow created by the fan passes, and each of the plurality of first duct members is pivotably moved about the corresponding another end portion.

10. The image-forming device according to claim 9, wherein each of the plurality of first duct members has a recessed part for preventing interference between each of the plurality of first duct members and the electric circuit board when each of the plurality of first duct members pivots.

11. The image-forming device according to claim 7, wherein the duct moving unit further comprises a plurality of urging members in one to one correspondence with the plurality of first duct members, each of the plurality of urging members urging the corresponding first duct member in a direction to bring each of the plurality of duct outlets to be positioned near the corresponding casing inlet formed in the process casing, each of the plurality of urging members being disposed inside the corresponding first duct member.

12. The image-forming device according to claim 1, further comprising a plurality of packings, each of the plurality of packings being disposed in at least one of the duct outlet and the casing inlet corresponding to each of the plurality of chargers to prevent air from leaking through a gap between the duct outlet and the casing inlet corresponding to each of the plurality of chargers when the plurality of first duct members is in the first position.

13. The image-forming device according to claim 12, wherein the process casing has a surface near a peripheral edge of each of the plurality of the casing inlets on the corresponding duct outlet side, and

the plurality of packings is provided in the plurality of casing inlets, respectively, each of the plurality of packings having an end face on the corresponding duct outlet side, the end face being positioned further inside the process casing than the surface of the process casing.

14. The image-forming device according to claim 12, wherein the process casing has a surface near a peripheral edge of each of the plurality of the casing inlets on the corresponding duct outlet side, and

the plurality of packings is provided in the plurality of casing inlets, respectively, each of the plurality of packings having an end face on the corresponding duct outlet side, the end face being in flush with the surface of the process casing.

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

each of the plurality of first duct members has an air inlet in fluid communication with the second duct member, and

the fan blows air into each of the plurality of first duct members through the corresponding air inlet from the second duct member.

16. The image-forming device according to claim 15, wherein the main casing comprises a duct part constituting at least a part of the second duct member.

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

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

19. The image-forming device according to claim 18, wherein each of the one end portions has a tapered surface that is sloped relative to a direction in which each of the plurality of duct outlets opposes the corresponding casing inlet when the plurality of first duct members is in the first position.

20. The image-forming device according to claim 19, further comprising a plurality of packings disposed in the plurality of casing inlets, respectively, to prevent air from leaking through a gap between each of the plurality of duct outlets and the corresponding casing inlet when the plurality of first duct members is in the first position, wherein each of the plurality of taper surface contacts the corresponding packing when the plurality of first duct members is in the first position.

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

22. An image-forming device comprising:

a main casing;

a process casing accommodated in the main casing and movably mounted thereon, the process casing having a plurality of casing inlets formed therein;

a plurality of photosensitive members that is rotatably supported on the process casing and extends in an axial direction, the process casing having one side and another side in the axial direction, the plurality of the casing inlets being formed on the one side of the process casing;

a plurality of chargers that is disposed in the process casing for charging the plurality of photosensitive members, respectively;

a plurality of duct members each having a duct outlet, the plurality of duct members being in one-to-one correspondence with the plurality of casing inlets;

a fan that blows air on each of the plurality of chargers through the duct outlet of each of the plurality of duct members and the corresponding casing inlet.