Image forming apparatus having a shutter mechanism for protecting an image bearing member
US6101351A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Mar 25, 1999 |
| Grant date | Aug 8, 2000 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Mar 25, 2019 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG03G2221/169
- WIPO fieldOptics
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
An image forming apparatus includes an image bearing member to form a toner image thereupon. A transfer device is positioned adjacent to the image bearing member to transfer the toner image formed on a surface of the image bearing member onto a surface of a recording medium. A cleaning device cleans the surface of the image bearing member by removing remaining toner on the surface of the image bearing member after the toner image has been transferred onto the recording medium. A fixing device is provided in an upper part of the image forming apparatus to fix the toner image transferred onto the surface of the recording medium when the recording medium passes through the fixing device. An open/close member is rotatably supported by a main body of the image forming apparatus and opens and closes a recording medium conveying path between the transfer device and the fixing device. And, a shutter is movably supported to move between a protecting position to cover a part of the surface of the image bearing member facing the outside of the image forming apparatus when the open/close member is opened and a retreating position to open the part of the surface of the image bearing member when…
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.