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Image forming apparatus having waste toner collecting function from a plurality of photosensitive drums

  • US 9,946,221 B2
  • Filed: 04/11/2017
  • Issued: 04/17/2018
  • Est. Priority Date: 11/26/2013
  • Status: Active Grant
First Claim
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1. An image forming apparatus comprising:

  • a casing including;

    a first wall; and

    a second wall facing the first wall in an array direction;

    a first process cartridge including;

    a first photosensitive drum; and

    a first drum-cleaning unit configured to collect waste toner on the first photosensitive drum;

    a second process cartridge including;

    a second photosensitive drum; and

    a second drum-cleaning unit configured to collect waste toner on the second photosensitive drum;

    a cartridge-supporting body including;

    a third wall;

    a fourth wall arranged between the third wall and the second wall in the array direction;

    a first guide rail; and

    a second guide rail,the cartridge-supporting body being configured to support the first process cartridge and the second process cartridge, the cartridge-supporting body being movable between an internal position inside the casing and an external position outside the casing, the first process cartridge being arranged between the third wall and the fourth wall, the second process cartridge being arranged between the third wall and the fourth wall; and

    a waste toner cartridge arranged between the first wall and the second wall and configured to accommodate both the waste toner collected from the first photosensitive drum by the first drum-cleaning unit and the waste toner collected from the second photosensitive drum by the second drum-cleaning unit,wherein the casing further includes;

    a first guiding wall arranged between the first wall and the third wall in the array direction and configured to guide the first guide rail so that the first guide rail can slide in a direction in which the first process cartridge and the second process cartridge are arranged;

    a second guiding wall arranged between the fourth wall and the second wall in the array direction and configured to guide the second guide rail so that the second guide rail can slide in the direction in which the first process cartridge and the second process cartridge are arranged,a first positioning plate arranged between the third wall and the fourth wall in the array direction, the first positioning plate having a first recess for receiving one end portion of the first process cartridge and a second recess for receiving one end portion of the second process cartridge; and

    a second positioning plate arranged between the first positioning plate and the fourth wall in the array direction, the second positioning plate having a third recess for receiving another end portion of the first process cartridge such that the first process cartridge is supported by the first recess and the third recess and a fourth recess for receiving another end portion of the second process cartridge such that the second process cartridge is supported by the second recess and the fourth recess, the first positioning plate and the second positioning plate being arranged in the array direction,wherein the image forming apparatus further comprises;

    a conveying unit extending in the direction in which the first process cartridge and the second process cartridge are arranged, the conveying unit configured to convey the waste toner collected by the first drum-cleaning unit and the waste toner collected by the second drum-cleaning unit, the conveying unit being disposed between the first positioning plate and the second positioning plate in the array direction.

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