Search Images Maps Play YouTube News Gmail Drive More »
Advanced Patent Search | Web History | Sign in

Patents

An image-forming apparatus includes an image-forming unit detachably attached to a body of the apparatus, a holding member attached to the unit, and an engaging member attached to the body. The unit has a photosensitive member rotatably in a first rotary axis, and a roller member rotatably in a second rotary axis. The holding member has a first holding portion for holding the first rotary axis, a second holding portion for holding the second rotary axis, and a positioning member, whereby the photosensitive member and the roller member is held at specific intervals in the image-forming unit. The engaging member brings into engagement with the positioning member when the image-forming unit is attached to the body, whereby the image-forming unit is positioned to the body. A method, in the apparatus, includes the steps of attaching the holding member to the unit; holding the photosensitive member and the roller in the unit at specific intervals by the holding member; attaching the...

Inventor: Hirofumi Hasegawa
Original Assignee: Minolta Camera Kabushiki Kaisha
Primary Examiner: Sandra L. Hoffman
Current U.S. Classification: 355/245; 346/160; 355/200; 355/210; 358/296
International Classification: G03G 1506

View patent at USPTO
Search USPTO Assignment Database

Citations

Cited PatentFiling dateIssue dateOriginal AssigneeTitle
US412807915 Aug 19775 Dec 1978Ricoh Company, Ltd.Mounting apparatus for a drum and developing roll in a developing unit of magnetic brush type
US457106022 Oct 198418 Feb 1986Xerox CorporationHousing seal
US457522116 May 198311 Mar 1986Canon Kabushiki KaishaProcess kit and an image forming apparatus using the same
US458828010 Aug 198313 May 1986Canon Kabushiki KaishaImage forming apparatus and process unit detachably mountable thereto
US463426423 Nov 19846 Jan 1987Ricoh Company, Ltd.Photosensitive member of recording apparatus
US47914545 Jun 198713 Dec 1988Ricoh Company, Ltd.Removable photoconductive element unit for image-forming apparatus
US487657215 Sep 198824 Oct 1989Ricoh Company, Ltd.Image recording having a removable image forming case
US492621930 Sep 198815 May 1990Ricoh Company, Ltd.Improved paper handling mechanism in conjunction with image forming apparatus such as laser printers

Claims

1. An image-forming apparatus comprising:

an image-forming unit detachably attached to a body of the apparatus and having a photosensitive member rotatable in a first rotary axis, and a roller member rotatable in a second rotary axis;
a holding member attached to said image-forming unit and having a first holding portion for holding the first rotary axis, a second holding portion for holding the second rotary axis, and a positioning member, whereby the photosensitive member and the roller member are held at specific intervals in said image-forming unit; and
an engaging member attached to the body thereof and moving into engagement with the positioning member when said image-forming unit is attached to the body, whereby said image-forming unit is positioned to the body.

2. An image-forming apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said image-forming unit has a recess for fitting said holding member therein, the first and second holding portions of said holding member are arranged at a side of said holding member which side is fitted into the recess, and the positioning member is arranged at the opposite side.

3. An image-forming apparatus as claimed in claim 2, wherein a first driving force transferring unit for transferring a driving force for driving the photosensitive member is arranged at the body of the apparatus, a second driving force transferring unit for engaging with the first driving force transferring unit to transfer the driving force to the photosensitive member, and the first and second driving force transferring units being positioned by the positioning member when said image-forming unit is attached to the body.

4. An image-forming apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said roller member is a developing roller for supplying developer on an outer surface of the photosensitive member.

5. An image-forming apparatus as claimed in claim 4, wherein said image-forming apparatus further comprises a cleaning device for removing the developer left on the photosensitive member therefrom.

6. An image-forming apparatus having an image-forming unit detachably attached to a body of the apparatus, the image-forming unit integrally holding, at least, a photosensitive member and a developing roller, the apparatus comprising:

a first frame having a holding means for detachably holding the image-forming unit, and an exposure means for forming an electrostatic latent image on an outer surface of the photosensitive member in the image-forming unit by exposure;
a second frame holding said first frame to be capable of opening and closing it with respect thereto, and having a copy paper transporting means, a transfer means for transferring the image on the photosensitive member onto the paper, and a driving force transferring means for transferring a driving force to the image-forming unit;
a holding member attached to the image-forming unit, having a first holding portion for holding a rotary shaft of the photosensitive member, a second holding portion for holding a rotary shaft of the developing roller, and a positioning member, whereby said holding member holding the photosensitive member and the developing roller are spaced at specific intervals in the image-forming unit; and
an engaging member attached to said second frame, and moving into engagement with the positioning member when said first frame holding the image-forming unit is closed with respect to said second frame, whereby the image-forming unit is positioned at a specified position with respect to said second frame.

7. An image-forming apparatus as claimed in claim 6, wherein said second frame has a first driving force transferring means for transferring a driving force to the image-forming unit, the image-forming unit has a second driving force transferring means for engaging with the first driving force transferring means to receive the force therefrom when said first frame is closed with respect to said second frame, and said engaging member brings into engagement with the positioning member when said first frame holding the image-forming unit is closed with respect to said second unit, whereby the first and second driving force transferring means are positioned in a predetermined positioning relation.

8. An image-forming apparatus as claimed in claim 6, wherein the exposure means allows a laser beam to illuminate the outer surface of the photosensitive member.

9. In an image-forming apparatus having an image-forming unit detachable attached to a body of the apparatus, the image-forming unit integrally holding, at least, a photosensitive member and a developing roller, a method comprising the steps of:

attaching a holding member to the image-forming unit;
holding the photosensitive member and the developing roller in the image-forming unit at specific intervals by the holding member;
attaching a positioning member to the body; and
contacting the positioning member with the holding member when the image-forming unit is attached to the body, whereby the image-forming unit is positioned to the body.

10. An image-forming apparatus comprising:

an image-forming unit detachably attached to a body of the apparatus and having a photosensitive member rotatable in a first rotary axis, and a roller member rotatable in a second rotary axis;
a holding member attached to said image-forming unit and having a first portion for holding the first rotary axis, a second portion for holding the second rotary axis, and a third portion extended from the first rotary axis for positioning said image-forming unit at a specified position in the body so as to hold the photosensitive member and the roller member at predetermined intervals in said image-forming unit; and
an engaging member attached to the body thereof for engagement with the third portion of the holding member when said image-forming unit is attached to the body, whereby said image-forming unit is positioned to the body.

11. An image-forming apparatus as claimed in claim 10, wherein said holding member has a first holding member for holding the first rotary axis, a second holding member for holding the second rotary axis, a pin extended from the second rotary axis and a plate for integrally supporting the first and second holding members and the pin.