Image forming apparatus

• US 8,503,168 B2
• Filed: 09/29/2010
• Issued: 08/06/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 10/29/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
• Original Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
• Inventors: Souda, Makoto, Iwamoto, Tsuyoshi
• Primary Examiner(s): HAUGHTON, ANTHONY MICHAEL
• Application Number:
  US12/893,606
• Publication Number:
  US 20110102983A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,042 Days
• Field of Search: 361/679.01, 361/679.02, 399/107, 355/133
• US Class Current: 361/679.01
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 21/1619 Frame structures
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 2221/1684 using extractable subframes, e.g. on rails or hinges
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 2221/1687 using opening shell type machines, e.g. pivoting assemblies

Abstract

An image forming apparatus includes a first right frame, a first left frame facing the first right frame, a second right frame positioned below the first right frame, a second left frame facing the second right frame and positioned below the second right frame. The image forming apparatus further includes an image forming unit positioned between the first right frame and the first left frame. The image forming apparatus still further includes a frame connecting unit configured to connect the first right frame, the first left frame, the second right frame and the second left frame. The first right frame and the second right frame are relatively slidable in an up-down direction, and the first left frame and the second left frame are relatively slidable in the up-down direction.

Claims

1. An image forming apparatus comprising:

a first right frame;

a first left frame facing the first right frame;

a second right frame positioned below the first right frame;

a second left frame facing the second right frame and positioned below the first left frame;

an image forming unit positioned between the first right frame and the first left frame; and

a frame connecting unit configured to connect the first right frame, the first left frame, the second right frame and the second left frame, wherein

the frame connecting unit is configured to slidably connect the first right frame and the second right frame such that one of the first right frame and the second right frame is slidable in an up-down direction relative to the other one of the first right frame and the second right frame, and

the frame connecting unit is configured to slidably connect the first left frame and the second left frame such that one of the first left frame and the second left frame is slidable in the up-down direction relative to the other one of the first left frame and the second left frame.

2. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

at least one of (a) a set of the first right frame and the first left frame and (b) a set of the second right frame and the second left frame define a cutout, and

the frame connecting unit is positioned at the cutout.

3. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a connecting member, wherein

one of the second right frame and the frame connecting unit has an oblong hole extending in the up-down direction, and

the connecting member is configured to pass through the oblong hole and connect the second right frame and the frame connecting unit relatively slidably to each other in the up-down direction.

4. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a connecting member, wherein

one of the second left frame and the frame connecting unit has an oblong hole extending in the up-down direction, and

the connecting member is configured to pass through the oblong hole and connect the second left frame and the frame connecting unit relatively slidably to each other in the up-down direction.

5. The image forming apparatus according to claim 3, wherein

the one of the second right frame and the frame connecting unit, which has the oblong hole, is positioned between a head portion of the connecting member and the other of the second right frame and the frame connecting unit.

6. The image forming apparatus according to claim 5, wherein in a connecting portion connecting the second right frame and the frame connecting unit, a distance from the head portion to the other of the second right frame and the frame connecting unit is greater than a thickness of the one of the second right frame and the frame connecting unit, such that the second right frame and the frame connecting unit are relatively slidable to each other in the up-down direction.

7. The image forming apparatus according to claim 4, further comprising a connecting member, wherein

one of the first right frame and the frame connecting unit has an oblong hole extending in a left-right direction, and

the connecting member is configured to pass through the oblong hole and fix the first right frame and the frame connecting unit relatively immovably to each other in the left-right direction.

8. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a connecting member, wherein

one of the first right frame and the frame connecting unit has a first right oblong hole extending in a left-right direction, and the connecting member is configured to pass through the first right oblong hole and fix the first right frame and the frame connecting unit relatively immovably to each other in the left-right direction,

one of the first left frame and the frame connecting unit has a first left oblong hole extending in the left-right direction, and the connecting member is configured to pass through the first left oblong hole and fix the first left frame and the frame connecting unit relatively immovably to each other in the left-right direction,

one of the second right frame and the frame connecting unit has a second right oblong hole extending in the up-down direction, and the connecting member is configured to pass through the second right oblong hole and connect the second right frame and the frame connecting unit relatively slidably to each other in the up-down direction, and

one of the second left frame and the frame connecting unit has a second left oblong hole extending in the up-down direction, and the connecting member is configured to pass through the second left oblong hole and connect the second left frame and the frame connecting unit relatively slidably to each other in the up-down direction.

9. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the frame connecting unit includes a power supply unit.

10. The image forming apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the frame connecting unit includes a fan configured to flow air through the cutout.

11. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a plurality of legs, wherein

the plurality of the legs protrude from each lower surface of the second right frame and the second left frame, and

a connecting portion of the first right frame and the second right frame and a connecting portion of the first left frame and the second left frame are, as viewed in a plan view, positioned on a line joining the plurality of the legs.

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

an upper frame connecting unit configured to connect upper ends of the first right frame and the first left frame to each other; and

a bottom frame connecting unit configured to connect lower ends of the second right frame and the second left frame to each other,

wherein the frame connecting unit connects a connecting portion of the first right frame and the second right frame and a connecting portion of the first left frame and the second left frame by extending between the connecting portion of the first right frame and the second right frame and the connecting portion of the first left frame and the second left frame, between the upper frame connecting unit and the bottom frame connecting unit.

13. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the first right frame and the first left frame face each other in a direction intersecting a conveying direction of a recording medium conveyed, and

the frame connecting unit connects to each ends of the first right frame, the first left frame, the second right frame and the second left frame in the conveying direction.

14. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the image forming unit includes a plurality of image forming sections arranged in a direction and parallel to one another,

the first right frame, the first left frame, the second right frame and the second left frame extend in a direction parallel to the direction in which the plurality of the image forming sections are arranged, and

the frame connecting unit connects to each ends, in the direction in which the plurality of the image forming sections are arranged, of the first right frame, the first left frame, the second right frame and the second left frame.

15. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the second right frame and the second left frame are made of resin.

16. The image forming apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the connecting member includes a screw.