Image forming device and image bearing member unit
An image forming device includes a housing; a conveying belt, and a retaining member. The retaining member retains image bearing members that juxtaposed with and spaced apart from one another. The retaining member is slidingly movable relative to the housing in a direction that the image bearing members are juxtaposed. The retaining member retains the image bearing members to confront the conveying belt. The image bearing members and the conveying belt are arranged in a reference direction. The retaining member includes a cleaning member that removes residual developing agent from the conveying belt, and a guide unit that guides the recording medium to the conveying belt. The guide unit is located on the image bearing member side and the cleaning member is located on the conveying belt side. At least part of the guide unit overlaps at least part of the cleaning member when projected in the reference direction.
1. An image forming device comprising:
a plurality of image bearing members juxtaposed with one another and arranged in a first direction,
an endless belt configured to confront each of the plurality of image bearing members arranged in the first direction and to receive developing agent from the plurality of image bearing members;
a plurality of developing agent containers each of which is configured to contain a corresponding one of a plurality of colors of developing agents to be supplied to a corresponding one of the plurality of image bearing members, the plurality of developing agent containers being juxtaposed with one another and arranged in the first direction;
a cleaning member configured to remove the plurality of colors of developing agents from the endless belt; and
a return mechanism configured to convey the plurality of colors of developing agents removed by the cleaning member to one of the plurality of developing agent containers,
wherein the one of the plurality of developing agent containers includes a wall defining both a side of a supply chamber configured to contain the corresponding one of the plurality of colors of developing agents to be supplied and a side of a waste chamber configured to contain the plurality of colors of developing agents removed by the cleaning member and conveyed by the return mechanism,
wherein the remainder of the plurality of developing agent containers each has a supply chamber configured to contain the corresponding one of the plurality of colors of developing agents to be supplied, and
wherein the waste chamber is disposed at a position outward of any of the supply chambers in the first direction.
2. The image forming device according to claim 1 , wherein the one of the plurality of developing agent containers is disposed above the endless belt.
3. The image forming device according to claim 1 , wherein the one of the plurality of developing agent containers is disposed above the cleaning member.
4. The image forming device according to claim 1 , wherein the endless belt includes a confronting portion configured to confront the plurality of image bearing members arranged in the first direction and to move in the first direction.
5. The image forming device according to claim 4 , wherein the one of the plurality of developing agent containers is disposed at a position upstream of each of the remainder of the plurality of developing agent containers in the first direction.
6. The image forming device according to claim 4 , wherein the waste chamber is disposed upstream of the supply chamber of the one of the plurality of developing agent containers in the first direction.
7. The image forming device according to claim 1 , wherein the one of the plurality of developing agent containers includes a frame having an inlet through which the plurality of colors of developing agents removed by the cleaning member and conveyed by the return mechanism is to be inputted.
8. The image forming device according to claim 7 , wherein the inlet is disposed at an upper portion of the one of the plurality of developing agent containers.
9. The image forming device according to claim 1 , wherein the return mechanism has a vertical path through which the plurality of colors of developing agents removed by the cleaning member is conveyed vertically.
10. The image forming device according to claim 1 , wherein the cleaning member includes a cleaning roller configured to contact the endless belt and remove the plurality of colors of developing agents on the endless belt.
11. An image forming device comprising:
a plurality of image bearing members juxtaposed with one another and arranged in a first direction,
an endless belt configured to confront each of the plurality of image bearing members arranged in the first direction and to receive developing agent from the plurality of image bearing members;
a plurality of developing agent containers each of which is configured to contain a corresponding one of a plurality of colors of developing agents to be supplied to a corresponding one of the plurality of image bearing members, the plurality of developing agent containers being juxtaposed with one another and arranged in the first direction;
a cleaning member configured to remove the plurality of colors of developing agents from the endless belt;
a return mechanism configured to convey the plurality of colors of developing agents removed by the cleaning member to one of the plurality of developing agent containers; and
a waste chamber configured to contain the plurality of colors of developing agents removed by the cleaning member and conveyed by the return mechanism,
wherein the one of the plurality of developing agent containers includes a wall defining both a side of a supply chamber configured to contain the corresponding one of the plurality of colors of developing agents to be supplied and a side of the waste chamber,
wherein each other ones of the plurality of developing agent containers has a supply chamber configured to contain the corresponding one of the plurality of colors of developing agents to be supplied, and
wherein the waste chamber is disposed at a position farther in the first direction than each of the supply chambers.
12. The image forming device according to claim 11 , wherein the one of the plurality of developing agent containers is disposed above the endless belt.
13. The image forming device according to claim 11 , wherein the one of the plurality of developing agent containers is disposed above the cleaning member.
14. The image forming device according to claim 11 , wherein the endless belt includes a confronting portion configured to confront the plurality of image bearing members arranged in the first direction and to move in the first direction.
15. The image forming device according to claim 14 , wherein the one of the plurality of developing agent containers is disposed at a position upstream of each of the other ones of the plurality of developing agent containers in the first direction.
16. The image forming device according to claim 14 , wherein the waste chamber is disposed upstream of the supply chamber of the one of the plurality of developing agent containers in the first direction.
17. The image forming device according to claim 11 , wherein the one of the plurality of developing agent containers includes a frame having an inlet through which the plurality of colors of developing agents removed by the cleaning member and conveyed by the return mechanism is to be inputted.
18. The image forming device according to claim 17 , wherein the inlet is disposed at an upper portion of the one of the plurality of developing agent containers.
19. The image forming device according to claim 11 , wherein the return mechanism has a vertical path through which the plurality of colors of developing agents removed by the cleaning member is conveyed vertically.
20. The image forming device according to claim 11 , wherein the cleaning member includes a cleaning roller configured to contact the endless belt and remove the plurality of colors of developing agents on the endless belt.