IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,078,955
Granted Patent B2
US 12,078,955 · App. 18/299,902 · Granted Sep 3, 2024

Image forming apparatus

Inventor: Shougo Sato (Seto, JP)
Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
G03G21/1842G03G15/0867G03G21/1623G03G21/1814G03G21/1817
View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,078,955
App. No.
18/299,902
Granted
Sep 3, 2024
Kind
B2
Abstract

An image forming apparatus includes: a housing; a process cartridge including a photoconductive drum and a developing roller; a toner cartridge containing toner; and a drawer movable between an inner position and an outer position. The process cartridge includes a lock member movable between a lock position at which the lock member locks the process cartridge to the drawer, and a release position at which a lock between the process cartridge and the drawer is released. The lock member is located at the lock position in a state in which the process cartridge is mounted to the drawer, and the toner cartridge is mounted to the process cartridge. The lock member is located at the release position in a state in which the process cartridge is mounted to the drawer, and the toner cartridge is removed from the process cartridge.

Claims (24)

1. An image forming apparatus, comprising:

a toner cartridge including a toner container in which toner is contained;

a drum cartridge supporting a photoconductive drum such that the photoconductive drum is rotatable, the drum cartridge having a guide groove that guides the toner cartridge when the toner cartridge is attached to or detached from the drum cartridge; and

a drawer including a support groove that guides the drum cartridge when the drum cartridge is attached to or detached from the drawer,

wherein, in a state in which the drum cartridge is mounted to the drawer, the guide groove is located above the support groove, and

wherein the support groove opens upward.

2. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 ,

wherein the drum cartridge includes a pair of side walls spaced apart from each other in a first direction, the guide groove being formed in each of the pair of side walls.

3. The image forming apparatus according to claim 2 ,

wherein the drum cartridge includes a toner-cartridge supporter extending in the first direction and supporting the toner cartridge, the guide groove being located above the toner-cartridge supporter.

4. The image forming apparatus according to claim 2 ,

wherein the drawer includes a pair of side frames spaced apart from each other in the first direction, the support groove being formed in each of the pair of side frames.

5. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 ,

wherein the guide groove has an engaging groove at a lower end portion of the guide groove, the engaging groove allowing the toner cartridge to move between a first position at which attaching and detaching the toner cartridge are allowed and a second position at which the attaching and the detaching the toner cartridge are prevented.

6. An image forming apparatus, comprising:

a toner cartridge including a toner container in which toner is contained;

a drum cartridge supporting a photoconductive drum such that that photoconductive drum is rotatable, the drum cartridge having a guide groove that guides the toner cartridge when the toner cartridge is attached to or detached from the drum cartridge; and

a drawer including a support groove that guides the drum cartridge when the drum cartridge is attached to or detached from the drawer,

wherein, in a state in which the drum cartridge is mounted to the drawer, the guide groove is located above the support groove,

wherein the drum cartridge includes a pair of side walls spaced apart from each other in a first direction, the guide groove being formed in each of the pair of side walls,

wherein the drawer includes a pair of side frames spaced apart from each other in the first direction, the support groove being formed in each of the pair of side frames, and

wherein a distance in the first direction between the support grooves respectively formed in the pair of side frames is greater than a distance in the first direction between guide grooves respectively formed in the pair of side walls.

7. The image forming apparatus according to claim 6 ,

wherein, in the state in which the drum cartridge is mounted to the drawer, the pair of side walls is located between the pair of the side frames.

Priority Claims (1)
JP 2019-123951 · Jul 2, 2019 · national
Continuity (4)
Continuation 17811913 · Jul 12, 2022
Continuation 17407444 · Aug 20, 2021
Continuation 16907599 · Jun 22, 2020
Related Publication 20230244182A1 · Aug 3, 2023