IP Library Granted Patent US 12699345
Granted Patent B2
US 12699345 · App. 18/906,631 · Granted Aug 4, 2026

Image forming apparatus having tray for receiving recording medium

Inventor: Yasushi Okabe (Nagoya, JP)
Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
G03G15/6529B65H1/04B65H1/266B65H5/062B65H5/26B65H7/20G03G15/1605B65H2404/144B65H2404/152B65H2405/115B65H2405/313B65H2405/324B65H2405/332B65H2407/21B65H2801/09
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12699345
App. No.
18/906,631
Granted
Aug 4, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

In an image forming apparatus, a tray having first and second receiving portions is configured to move between a first position, at which at least part of the tray is positioned inside an apparatus body, and a second position, at which the tray is outside the apparatus body. The tray in the first position allows a first recording medium to be conveyed from the first receiving portion. When the tray is in the first position, the second receiving portion is configured to move between a third position, which is at an upstream side relative to a first opening of the apparatus body in a second direction, and a fourth position, which is at a downstream side relative to the third position in the second direction. The second receiving portion at the third position allows a second recording medium to be conveyed from the second receiving portion in the second direction.

Claims (31)

1 . An image forming apparatus comprising:

a main casing;

a plurality of process cartridges each having a photosensitive drum;

a process frame configured to accommodate therein the plurality of process cartridges;

an intermediate transfer belt configured to receive a developer image transferred from each photosensitive drum;

a secondary transfer roller configured to transfer the developer image from the intermediate transfer belt to a sheet;

a sheet feed tray configured to accommodate a first sheet therein;

a sheet feed roller configured to feed the first sheet accommodated in the sheet feed tray toward the secondary transfer roller in a first sheet conveying direction; and

a manual feed part configured to feed a second sheet that is inserted into the main casing, the manual feed part comprising:

a first part disposed above the sheet feed tray and below the intermediate transfer belt, the first part including a roller, the roller being configured to feed the second sheet toward a position, which is defined between the sheet feed roller and the secondary transfer roller in the first sheet conveying direction, without the second sheet being conveyed by the sheet feed roller; and

a second part disposed above the sheet feed tray and below the intermediate transfer belt, the second part being disposed upstream of the first part in a second sheet conveying direction of the second sheet fed by the roller, the second part being configured to receive the second sheet, and the second part being movable relative to the first part,

wherein the main casing is formed with an opening,

wherein the main casing includes a front cover configured to open and close the opening, the process frame being movable through the opening when the front cover is open, the process frame being movable through the opening between an inside position and an outside position, the process frame being inside the main casing when the process frame is at the inside position, and at least part of the process frame is outside the main casing when the process frame is at the outside position,

wherein the process frame accommodates the plurality of process cartridges such that the plurality of process cartridges are arranged in a front-rear direction, the plurality of process cartridges including a first process cartridge that is closest to the front cover in the front-rear direction among the plurality of process cartridges when the process frame is at the inside position, and

wherein, as viewed in an up-down direction, the first process cartridge is overlapped with a boundary between the first part and the second part in the second sheet conveying direction when the process frame is at the inside position.

2 . The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the second part of the manual feed part is detachably attached to the main casing.

3 . The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the second part of the manual feed part is movable relative to the first part of the manual feed part in the second sheet conveying direction.

4 . The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the second part of the manual feed part is movable between an outside position and an inside position, wherein when the second part of the manual feed part is disposed in the outside position, at least a part of the second part of the manual feed part is outside of the main casing, and when the second part of the manual feed part is disposed in the inside position, the second part of the manual feed part is in the main casing.

5 . The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the second part of the manual feed part includes a pair of regulation bodies, the pair of regulation bodies being configured to regulate the second sheet in a width direction which is perpendicular to the second sheet conveying direction.

6 . The image forming apparatus according to claim 5 , wherein the second part of the manual feed part includes a plate part configured to receive the second sheet mounted thereon, the pair of regulation bodies being supported by the plate part so as to be movable relative to the plate part in the width direction.

7 . The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the second part of the manual feed part is mountable to the sheet feed tray.

8 . The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the second part of the manual feed part is movable relative to the sheet feed tray.

9 . The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising a first belt roller and a second belt roller, on which the intermediate transfer belt is mounted,

wherein the second belt roller is closer to the front cover than the first belt roller is to the front cover in the second sheet conveying direction, and

wherein the second part of the manual feed part is closer to the second belt roller than to the first belt roller in the second sheet conveying direction.

10 . The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 ,

wherein the second part of the manual feed part is closer to the front cover than the first part of the manual feed part is to the front cover in the second sheet conveying direction.

11 . The image forming apparatus according to claim 10 , wherein, when the process frame is at the outside position, each of the process cartridges can be attached to and detached from the process frame.

12 . The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 ,

wherein the first part of the manual feed part includes a first roller and a second roller, the second roller being disposed upstream of the first roller in the second sheet conveying direction, and

wherein the second part of the manual feed part is positioned upstream of the second roller in the second sheet conveying direction.