Electrophotography – Diagnostics – Consumable
Reexamination Certificate
2000-06-22
2002-05-28
Beatty, Robert (Department: 2852)
Electrophotography
Diagnostics
Consumable
C399S299000, C399S112000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06397016
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus that is applicable, for example, as a printer, a copying machine or a facsimile, and to an image forming unit used therefor.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
In a conventional image forming unit of an image forming apparatus, units having a handle for carrying it easily, has been much developed. For example, JP 2-11155B discloses an image forming unit shown in
FIG. 14
, in which a handle
300
is formed as one unit with an image forming unit main body
301
.
However, in the image forming unit having this conventional handle, since the handle is formed as one unit with the image forming unit main body, it is necessary to have a large space for containing the image forming unit in the image forming apparatus. Consequently, it is not possible to downsize the image forming apparatus.
Furthermore, in this kind of image forming apparatus, it is necessary to detect the amount of toner that remains in the image forming unit. As a technology for detecting the amount of remaining toner, for example, the technology disclosed in JP 6-317986A is well known. This publication discloses an image forming apparatus including a light transmission window on the developing device and an aperture on a developing cartridge so that a developing cartridge has a light path passing through a toner containing portion of the developing device on a line connecting a rotary unit (which is a holding member of a switching mechanism) and an outer position sandwiching the developing cartridge between the rotary unit and the outside position when a developing cartridge is positioned at the developing position. In this apparatus, the amount of toner remaining in the toner containing portion of the developing cartridge positioned at the developing position is detected by a light transmission method at the position between the rotary unit and the outer position.
Furthermore, in the image forming apparatus having this conventional means for detecting the amount of remaining toner, since the amount of remaining toner in the toner containing portion is detected by the light transmission method at a position outside of the position sandwiching the developing cartridge between the rotary unit and the outside position, the light path for detection becomes longer. As a result, the optical sensor becomes specific, which may deteriorate the accuracy.
Furthermore, as a conventional color image forming apparatus, in particular, an image forming unit used therefor, for example, one disclosed in JP 6-931141B is well known.
The following is a description of the conventional image forming unit disclosed in this publication, with reference to FIG.
15
. In
FIG. 15
, numeral
302
denotes a photosensitive member,
303
denotes a developing roller, and
304
denotes a charger. Numeral
305
denotes a photosensitive member unit supporting the photosensitive member
302
and the charger
304
and formed into one unit with a cleaner case, and
306
denotes a developing unit supporting a developing roller and formed into one unit with a toner case. The developing unit
306
is linked rotatably to the photosensitive member unit
305
by a supporting axis
307
. Numeral
308
denotes a compression spring, which is provided at the opposite side to the photosensitive member
302
while sandwiching the supporting axis
307
between the developing unit
306
and the photosensitive member unit
305
. Thereby, the photosensitive member
302
and the developing roller
303
are pressed to each other and in contact with each other. The developing roller
303
is driven to be rotated by using a rotation force of the photosensitive member
302
. A gear fixed to the photosensitive member
302
and a gear fixed to the developing roller
303
(both gears are not shown) are coupled with each other and driven to be rotated in the arrow directions, respectively.
In general, when such a image forming unit is attached to an electro-photographic apparatus main body, the axis center position of the photosensitive member
302
and a part of the photosensitive member unit
305
are supported firmly by the apparatus main body, and the photosensitive member
302
is driven to be rotated. Thus, images are formed.
In the formation of a color image, it is necessary to reduce unnecessary disturbance to the photosensitive member so as to improve the rotation accuracy of the photosensitive member and to bring the developing roller into light and uniform contact with the photosensitive member, thus to form a image with less unevenness in color or thickness of the image.
However, in the above-mentioned conventional image forming unit, the unevenness in rotation is transferred easily to the photosensitive member. Furthermore, the rotation driving force applying to the developing roller works as a pressing power with respect to the photosensitive member. As a result, the contact pressure of both rollers is uneven, and thus the unevenness in colors or thickness of the image tends to occur.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the present invention to provide an image forming unit having a handle and a compact size with a smaller containing space needed and an image forming apparatus using this image forming unit. Furthermore, it is another object of the present invention to provide an image forming unit capable of detecting the amount of toner remaining in a toner containing portion without deteriorating the detection accuracy and having a simple structure, and an image forming apparatus using this image forming unit. Furthermore, it is a further object of the present invention to provide an image forming unit and an image forming apparatus using this image forming unit, which do not tend to provide disturbance to the rotation of the photosensitive member; keep the contact pressure between the developing roller and the photosensitive member small and uniform; and are capable of forming a high quality image without unevenness in colors or thickness of the image.
In order to attain the above-mentioned object, a first configuration of an image forming unit according to the present invention includes an image forming unit main body having an image forming means, and a handle provided at the image forming unit main body so that it is capable of taking a holdable posture in which a user can hold the handle and a non-holdable posture in which a user cannot hold the handle, and is urged toward the non-holdable posture constantly by its elasticity. According to the first configuration of the image forming unit, it is possible to attain an image forming unit equipped with a handle and having a compact size with a smaller containing space required as compared with conventional units.
It is preferable in the first configuration of the image forming unit according to the present invention that the handle is made of an elastic plate having elongated holes at both ends thereof, is attached to an attachment surface of the image forming unit main body through the elongated hole by an anchoring member, and is capable of taking a non-holdable posture in which the handle is in contact with or close to the attachment surface and a holdable posture in which at least one part of the handle is separated from the attachment surface. With such a preferred configuration, it is possible to realize an image forming unit having a handle with a simple structure and inexpensively.
Furthermore, it is preferable in the first configuration of the image forming unit according to the present invention that the image forming unit is used for the image forming apparatus in which a plurality of image forming units are arranged rotatably in a vertical plane, and the plurality of image forming units are shifted sequentially to the image forming position so as to form images, wherein the handle is provided on the outer periphery of the rotation surface of the image forming unit main body. With such a preferred configuration, it is possible to attach/detach the image forming unit to/from the image forming apparatus easily. In thi
Katakabe Noboru
Takeuchi Keizou
Tani Shigemitsu
Beatty Robert
Matsushita Electric - Industrial Co., Ltd.
Merchant&Gould PC
LandOfFree
Image forming apparatus having a plurality of image forming... does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Image forming apparatus having a plurality of image forming..., we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Image forming apparatus having a plurality of image forming... will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2908612