Patent ID: 9086680
Filing Date: 2015-07-21
Classification: G03G

Abstract:
1. An image forming apparatus comprising: a chassis having a first cover surface and a second cover surface that is opposite to the first cover surface, the first cover surface and the second cover surface extending in a vertical direction; a frame disposed inside the chassis, the frame including a first frame erected along the first cover surface and a second frame erected along the second cover surface; an image forming section arranged in an internal space between the first cover surface and the second cover surface of the chassis and performing an image forming process on a sheet, the image forming section being supported by the first frame and the second frame and including an image carrier for carrying a toner image and a developing device supplying toner to the image carrier and an image carrier unit that holds the image carrier; a fixing unit arranged in the internal space above the image carrier, the fixing unit performing a fixing process on a sheet on which the toner image has been transferred and being supported by the first frame and the second frame; a fan arranged on the first frame between the first cover surface and the first frame and being rotationally driven to cause an airflow to flow into the internal space; an air inlet arranged on the first cover surface, the airflow flowing into the internal space through the air inlet by rotation of the fan; a circuit board vertically arranged on the second frame between the second cover surface and the second frame; a first cooling air channel arranged in the internal space and sending the airflow flowing into the internal space through the fan toward the circuit board in the horizontal direction; a toner housing section arranged closer to the first frame than to the second frame and above the fan in the internal space and housing toner, the toner housing section including a main body that defines a primary storage location of toner, a cylindrical section that extends from a lower part of one side surface of the main body and a toner outlet on a lower surface of a tip of the cylindrical section for supplying the toner to the developing device; a toner housing cooling air channel that guides the airflow flowing into the internal space through the fan along the toner housing section in the vertical direction; and an image carrier unit cooling air channel that guides the airflow to between the image carrier unit and the fixing unit.