US 12,326,676 B2
Image forming apparatus
Kazushi Suzuki, Suntou-gun (JP); Takeshi Sugita, Yokohama (JP); Tamotsu Kaneko, Mishima (JP); Hisahiro Saito, Suntou-gun (JP); and Yoichiro Maebashi, Tokyo (JP)
Assigned to Canon Kabushiki Kaisha, Tokyo (JP)
Filed by CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA, Tokyo (JP)
Filed on Mar. 16, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/185,096.
Application 18/185,096 is a continuation of application No. 17/224,620, filed on Apr. 7, 2021, granted, now 11,630,403.
Application 17/224,620 is a continuation of application No. 16/463,330, granted, now 11,009,812, issued on May 18, 2021, previously published as PCT/JP2018/004244, filed on Feb. 7, 2018.
Claims priority of application No. 2017-023519 (JP), filed on Feb. 10, 2017.
Prior Publication US 2023/0221662 A1, Jul. 13, 2023
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. G03G 15/16 (2006.01); G03G 15/01 (2006.01); G03G 15/08 (2006.01)
CPC G03G 15/161 (2013.01) [G03G 15/0121 (2013.01); G03G 15/0868 (2013.01); G03G 15/0867 (2013.01); G03G 2215/0132 (2013.01); G03G 2215/0685 (2013.01)] 12 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An image forming apparatus comprising:
a plurality of rotatable photosensitive members;
a light scanning unit disposed below the plurality of the photosensitive members in a vertical direction and configured to scan the plurality of the photosensitive members with a beam corresponding to image information;
a plurality of developing portions configured to develop an electrostatic latent image formed on the corresponding photosensitive member by using a toner, each of the plurality of developing portions including a developing container configured to store the toner;
an intermediate transfer unit including an intermediate transfer belt onto which a toner image formed on each of the plurality of photosensitive members is transferred at a transfer position, wherein the intermediate transfer belt is disposed above each of the plurality of photosensitive members on a virtual line extending in the vertical direction through the corresponding transfer position;
a sheet tray disposed above the intermediate transfer belt in the vertical direction and configured to receive a sheet output from inside of the image forming apparatus, the image forming apparatus transferring the toner image transferred on the intermediate transfer belt onto the sheet and then outputting the sheet onto the sheet tray;
a sheet storing portion disposed below the light scanning unit in the vertical direction and configured to store a sheet;
a sheet feeding portion configured to feed the sheet stored in the sheet storing portion;
a plurality of toner supply containers arranged in a horizontal direction and configured to store a toner to be supplied to the corresponding developing portion; and
a plurality of toner conveyance ducts configured to guide the toner conveyed from the corresponding toner supply container to the corresponding developing portion,
wherein each toner supply container of the plurality of toner supply containers has a toner supply port,
wherein the plurality of toner supply containers is disposed in between the light scanning unit and the sheet storing portion in the vertical direction such that the toner supply port of at least one toner supply container of the plurality of toner supply containers is disposed between the light scanning unit and the sheet storing portion in the vertical direction,
wherein the plurality of rotatable photosensitive members, the light scanning unit, the plurality of toner supply containers, and the sheet storing portion are disposed in this order in the vertical direction, and
wherein a part of the light scanning unit and a part of the plurality of toner conveyance ducts are at the same position in the vertical direction.