Image forming apparatus including developing devices, developing containers, and changeable conveyance paths between the developing devices and the developing containers
US10409196B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | May 10, 2018 |
| Grant date | Sep 10, 2019 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | May 10, 2038 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG03G2221/1815
- WIPO fieldOptics
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
An image forming apparatus includes an intermediate transferor to rotate in a predetermined rotation direction, a plurality of image bearers disposed along the intermediate transferor to bear latent images, a plurality of developing devices to develop the latent images, a plurality of developer containers to contain developers, and a plurality of conveyance paths each corresponding to a respective one of the plurality of developing devices and a respective one of the plurality of developer containers to supply the developers to the plurality of developing devices respectively. An arrangement of the plurality of developing devices in the predetermined rotation direction is configured to be changed without changing an arrangement of the plurality of developer containers. A layout of the plurality of conveyance paths is configured to be changed without changing connections between a supply source and a supply destination of the plurality of conveyance paths.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.