Patent ID: 9291992
Filing Date: 2016-03-22
CPC Classification: G03G

Claim Text:
1. A replaceable unit for an image forming device, comprising: a frame having a generally rectangular bottom plate and a first and a second end wall attached adjacent to respective first and second ends of the bottom plate, the first and second end walls rotatably supporting therebetween a shaft axially extending from each end of a photoconductive drum and centered on a rotational axis of the photoconductive drum; the first end wall having a biased, pivotable latching mechanism mounted thereon, the latching mechanism including a pivotable latching member having a latching arm having a free end extending therefrom and biased toward the bottom plate; a bottom surface of the bottom plate having a first channel and a second channel each extending a length of the bottom plate and positioned substantially parallel to one another, the first and second channels each having a first and a second end adjacent the first and second end walls; the first channel having a roof having a longitudinal opening therethrough and extending toward the first and second ends thereof to allow a laser beam to impinge across a surface of the photoconductive drum, at least one wall of the first channel having at least one inwardly extending lip portion; the second channel having a roof having an upwardly sloping ramp portion beginning adjacent the second end thereof, at least one inwardly extending lip portion positioned adjacent the second end of the second channel, the roof of the second channel having a first recess for detachably mounting therein a circuit board having processing circuitry and a first slot positioned adjacent the first end wall and extending between the roof of the second channel to a top surface of the bottom plate, the first slot sized to slidably receive the free end of the latching arm extending therethrough; the at least one inwardly extending lip portion of the first and second channels being engageable with a corresponding first and second flange provided in a base of a frame of the image forming device; the first and second end walls each having a first bullet nose, a second bullet nose and a stop arm each axially projecting from an outer surface thereof, each second bullet nose having an axially aligned opening therein for receiving the respective shaft extending from one end of the photoconductive drum and aligning the rotational axis of the photoconductive drum with the centers of the second bullet noses, each stop arm positioned between the first and second bullet noses, the stop arms and the first bullet noses of the first and second end walls being in respective axial alignment parallel to the rotational axis of the photoconductive drum, wherein the first and second bullet noses are slidably receivable into corresponding first and second openings in the frame of the image forming device for axially and radially positioning of the replaceable unit in the image forming device; and the first end wall having a handle slidably mounted therein, the handle having a base portion with a grasping portion extending from an outer surface thereof and an engagement pin thereof cooperatively engaged with the latching member for moving the free end of the latching arm from a first position extending into the first channel to a second position where the free end is retracted from the first channel when the handle is slid, wherein, when the replaceable unit is installed in the frame of the image forming device, each stop arm on the first and second end walls receives a respective biasing force for biasing the respective first and second bullet noses into contact with a respective support surface provided in the respective corresponding first and second openings in the frame of the image forming device and the free end of the latching arm is engageable with an insertion opening in the frame of the image forming device for latching the replaceable unit into the frame of the image forming device to prevent ejection of the replaceable unit from the image forming device.