Patent ID: 7877039
Filing Date: 2011-01-25
Classification: G03G

Abstract:
1. An image forming apparatus comprising: a casing; a plurality of image carriers parallelly arranged along one direction in the casing, and configured to have an electrostatic latent image formed thereon; a plurality of developing agent carriers opposed to the image carriers, and configured to feed developing agent to the image carriers having the electrostatic latent image formed thereon; and a plurality of developing agent cartridges, parallelly arranged in the one direction to be opposed to the developing agent carriers in the longitudinal direction of the developing agent carriers, and configured to be attachable to/detachable from the casing as a unit along the one direction, for accommodating the developing agent fed to the developing agent carriers, wherein the plurality of developing agent carriers and the plurality of image carriers are configured to be together attachable to/detachable from the casing along the one direction, the casing is formed with a first opening on a position opposed to the developing agent cartridges in the one direction for passing the developing agent cartridges therethrough, and a second opening on a position opposed to the developing agent carriers and the image carriers in the one direction for passing the developing agent carriers and the image carriers therethrough, the casing is provided with a partition wall for separating a first accommodation space accommodating the plurality of developing agent cartridges, and a second accommodation space accommodating the plurality of developing agent carriers and the plurality of image carriers, between the first opening and the second opening along the one direction, the developing agent cartridge is formed with a cartridge-side opening for passing the developing agent therethrough on a position opposed to the developing agent carrier, and is provided with a cartridge-side shutter for covering the cartridge-side opening in an openable/closable manner, the partition wall is formed with a partition-wall-side opening for passing the developing agent therethrough between the developing agent cartridge and the developing agent carrier.