IP Library › Granted Patent US 12681429
Granted Patent B2
US 12681429 · App. 18/978,578 · Granted Jul 14, 2026

Image forming apparatus having a drawer

Inventor: Shougo Sato (Seto, JP)
Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
G03G21/1842G03G21/1623G03G21/1814G03G21/1817G03G2221/1869
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12681429
App. No.
18/978,578
Granted
Jul 14, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

An image forming apparatus is provided, including a housing; a drum cartridge; a developing cartridge; a drawer movable between an inner position and an outer position; and a lock member provided on the drawer and movable between a lock position at which the lock member locks the drum cartridge to the drawer, and a release position at which a lock between the drum cartridge and the drawer is released. The lock member includes an operation portion for moving the lock member between the lock position and the release position. The developing cartridge includes a cover member that covers at least a portion of the operation portion in a state in which the drum cartridge is mounted to the drawer, and the developing cartridge is mounted to the drum cartridge.

Claims (34)

1 . An image forming apparatus, comprising:

a housing;

a drum cartridge comprising a photoconductive drum, a first drum frame that supports a first end of the photoconductive drum, and a second drum frame that supports a second end of the photoconductive drum;

a developing cartridge detachably mountable to the drum cartridge, the developing cartridge comprising a developing roller; and

a drawer comprising a first side frame configured to support a first end of the drum cartridge and a second side frame configured to support a second end of the drum cartridge, the drawer being movable between an inner position and an outer position, the drum cartridge being detachable from the drawer in a detaching direction,

wherein, in the state in which the drum cartridge is mounted to the drawer and the developing cartridge is mounted to the drum cartridge, the first side frame is located farther from the developing cartridge than the first drum frame and the second side frame is located farther from the developing cartridge than the second drum frame.

2 . The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 ,

wherein the drawer is movable along a moving direction between the inner position and the outer position, and

wherein the detaching direction of the drum cartridge intersects the moving direction of the drawer.

3 . The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 ,

wherein the drawer is movable along a moving direction between the inner position and the outer position, and

wherein a detaching direction of the developing cartridge intersects the moving direction of the drawer.

4 . The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 ,

wherein the drawer is movable along a moving direction between the inner position and the outer position, and

wherein the detaching direction of each of the drum cartridge and the developing cartridge intersects the moving direction of the drawer.

5 . The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 ,

wherein the first drum frame includes a first protruding portion protruding in a direction opposite to a direction directed from the first side frame toward the second side frame,

wherein the second drum frame includes a second protruding portion protruding in a direction opposite to a direction directed from the second side frame toward the first side frame, and

wherein the housing comprises:

a first support plate that supports the first drum frame from a lower side thereof;

a second support plate that supports the second drum frame from a lower side thereof;

a first pressing member that presses the first protruding portion from an upper side thereof; and

a second pressing member that presses the second protruding portion from an upper side thereof.

6 . The image forming apparatus according to claim 5 ,

wherein a distance in an axial direction of the photoconductive drum between a position at which the first pressing member contacts the first protruding portion and a position at which the second pressing member contacts the second protruding portion is greater than a distance in the axial direction of the photoconductive drum between a position at which the first support plate contacts the first drum frame and a position at which the second support plate contacts the second drum frame.

7 . The image forming apparatus according to claim 6 ,

wherein the first support plate and the second support plate are sheet-metal members formed by press working using an identical metal mold.

8 . The image forming apparatus according to claim 5 ,

wherein a distance in an axial direction of the photoconductive drum between a position at which the first pressing member contacts the first protruding portion and a position at which the second pressing member contacts the second protruding portion is greater than a distance in the axial direction of the photoconductive drum between the first side frame and the second side frame.

9 . The image forming apparatus according to claim 8 ,

wherein the first side frame includes a first support groove,

wherein the second side frame includes a second support groove,

wherein the first protruding portion is insertable in the first support groove, and

wherein the second protruding portion is insertable in the second support groove.