Electrophotographic image forming apparatus having a plurality of mounting portions for detachably mounting a plurality process cartridges
US7164875B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Sep 29, 2004 |
| Grant date | Jan 16, 2007 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Sep 29, 2024 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG03G2221/1884
- WIPO fieldOptics
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
An electrophotographic image forming apparatus usable with process cartridges. The apparatus includes mounting portions for detachably mounting the cartridges. In each mounting portion, a cartridge is inclined downwardly from an upstream to a downstream side with respect to a mounting direction and a phantom plane passing through axes of the drums is inclined toward a downstream side with respect to the mounting direction from a bottom part to a top part of the phantom plane. Parts of cartridges mounted to a lower one and the next higher one of the mounting portions overlap, as seen along a plane perpendicular to the phantom plane from an upstream side with respect to the mounting direction. The apparatus also has a light projector and a feeder for feeding recording material, and the cartridges are mounted to or demounted from respective mounting portions from above the perpendicular plane.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.