Image forming apparatus using installable process cartridge, method of positioning process cartridge, and process cartridge itself

Abstract

A method and apparatus (1) of image forming include a process cartridge (50) detachably mounted therein. The process cartridge (50) includes a photoconductive element (25y,25c,25m,25bk) and a housing (53,54) storing the photoconductive element and including a guide portion (60,70) guiding the process cartridge. The guide portion (60,70) faces an inner wall of the image forming apparatus (1) or another process cartridge (50) adjoining thereto. The guide portion guides the process cartridge adjoining and is slidably engages with a portion of said process cartridge adjoining. The guide portion varies in shape according to a position in the image forming apparatus. The guide portion is separately formed from or integrated with the housing. A method and apparatus (1) of an image forming includes an image transfer mechanism (22) and a plurality of process cartridges (50) arranged in line in parallel. Each of the process cartridges (50) includes photoconductive elements (25) and a housing (53,54), and forms an image for a single separated color.

Description

technical field [0001] The present invention relates to a process cartridge and an image forming apparatus, and more particularly, to a positioning mechanism for a process cartridge, ie, a unit support device, which accommodates an image forming device for forming an image. Background technique [0002] In image forming devices such as copiers, facsimile machines, printers, printing machines, etc., an electrostatic latent image is formed on a photoreceptor as an image carrier, and the above electrostatic latent image is developed by a developing device to make it a visible image. Output by transferring the visible image onto a recording medium such as paper. [0003] There is a structure in which only one photoreceptor is provided for a single color, and a structure in which several photoreceptors are provided for forming images of several colors, and the latter is used for forming multi-color images including color images. [0004] As the method of forming a color image, t...

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Problems solved by technology

[0009] When the process cartridge is housed in the image forming apparatus, a guide rail provided in the image forming apparatus, or a pull-out member that supports the cartridge so as to be slidable, etc. are used. It becomes difficult to secure space for setting rails or pulling out parts between process cartridges

[0010] In the above-mentioned Patent Document 1, although a structure for specifying the positional relationship of each image forming device stored in the process cartridge relative to the photoreceptor is disclosed, the positioning structure or countermeasures between the process cartridges are not disclosed.

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