US 12,111,587 B2
Developing unit having guide that stably supports toner cartridge
Masahiko Hayakawa, Ama (JP); Masashi Imai, Kasugai (JP); and Shougo Sato, Seto (JP)
Assigned to Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha, Nagoya (JP)
Filed by Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha, Nagoya (JP)
Filed on May 11, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/315,682.
Application 18/315,682 is a continuation of application No. 17/540,344, filed on Dec. 2, 2021, granted, now 11,698,595.
Application 17/540,344 is a continuation of application No. 17/114,929, filed on Dec. 8, 2020, granted, now 11,221,570, issued on Jan. 11, 2022.
Application 17/114,929 is a continuation of application No. 16/940,971, filed on Jul. 28, 2020, granted, now 10,871,731, issued on Dec. 22, 2020.
Application 16/940,971 is a continuation of application No. 16/803,398, filed on Feb. 27, 2020, granted, now 10,761,457, issued on Sep. 1, 2020.
Application 16/803,398 is a continuation of application No. 16/257,884, filed on Jan. 25, 2019, granted, now 10,599,068, issued on Mar. 24, 2020.
Application 16/257,884 is a continuation of application No. 15/805,719, filed on Nov. 7, 2017, granted, now 10,222,723, issued on Mar. 5, 2019.
Application 15/805,719 is a continuation of application No. 15/485,722, filed on Apr. 12, 2017, granted, now 9,823,602, issued on Nov. 21, 2017.
Application 15/485,722 is a continuation of application No. 15/335,936, filed on Oct. 27, 2016, granted, now 9,658,568, issued on May 23, 2017.
Application 15/335,936 is a continuation of application No. 14/950,890, filed on Nov. 24, 2015, granted, now 9,483,017, issued on Nov. 1, 2016.
Application 14/950,890 is a continuation of application No. 14/286,186, filed on May 23, 2014, granted, now 9,201,340, issued on Dec. 1, 2015.
Application 14/286,186 is a continuation of application No. 13/572,846, filed on Aug. 13, 2012, granted, now 8,737,876, issued on May 27, 2014.
Application 13/572,846 is a continuation of application No. 12/731,443, filed on Mar. 25, 2010, granted, now 8,254,807, issued on Aug. 28, 2012.
Claims priority of application No. 2009-156057 (JP), filed on Jun. 30, 2009.
Prior Publication US 2023/0280676 A1, Sep. 7, 2023
Int. Cl. G03G 15/08 (2006.01); G03G 21/16 (2006.01)
CPC G03G 15/0889 (2013.01) [G03G 15/0844 (2013.01); G03G 15/0865 (2013.01); G03G 15/0868 (2013.01); G03G 15/0872 (2013.01); G03G 15/0875 (2013.01); G03G 15/0877 (2013.01); G03G 15/0886 (2013.01); G03G 15/0896 (2013.01); G03G 21/1647 (2013.01); G03G 21/1676 (2013.01)] 15 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An image forming apparatus comprising:
a main casing having an opening, and the main casing comprising a door for opening and closing the opening;
a process cartridge attachable to and detachable from the main casing through the opening in a front-rear direction when the door is opened, the process cartridge comprising:
a photosensitive drum rotatable about an axis extending in a right-left direction that is perpendicular to the front-rear direction; and
a developing roller;
a toner cartridge attachable to and detachable from the process cartridge, the toner cartridge comprising a toner casing storing toner to be supplied to the developing roller; and
a fuser configured to fix a toner image onto a sheet;
wherein, in a case where the process cartridge is attached to the main casing and the toner cartridge is attached to the process cartridge,
the photosensitive drum is arranged between the door and the fuser in the front-rear direction,
the developing roller is arranged between the door and the photosensitive drum in the front-rear direction, and
the toner cartridge is arranged between the developing roller and the door in the front-rear direction,
wherein, in a case where the toner cartridge is attached to the process cartridge, the toner cartridge is pivotable between a first position in which the toner cartridge is detachable from the process cartridge and a second position in which the toner cartridge is not detachable from the process cartridge, and
wherein, in a case where the toner cartridge is attached to the process cartridge and the toner cartridge is in the first position, the toner cartridge is detachable from the process cartridge in a detachment direction that is perpendicular to the right-left direction and that crosses the front-rear direction.