Patent ID: 8285171
Filing Date: 2012-10-09
Classification: G03G

Abstract:
1. An image forming apparatus, comprising: plural photoconductor drums, each of which being rotatable in a moving direction around a rotation axis thereof, wherein on each of the plural photoconductor drums, a toner image corresponding to one of yellow, magenta, cyan, and black colors is formed, respectively; plural exposure devices, each of which exposing the toner image formed on each photoconductor drum corresponding to one of the yellow, magenta, cyan, and black colors, respectively; plural sets of dust proofing members, each set including a first dust proofing member arranged at an upstream side of an exposure position of each corresponding exposure device and a second dust proofing member arranged at a downstream side of the exposure position in the moving direction of each corresponding rotating photoconductor drum, each set corresponding to one of the yellow, magenta, cyan, and black colors, respectively; and a cover which integrally supports the plural exposure devices and the plural sets of dust proofing members, wherein the cover, the plural photoconductor drums, the plural sets of dust proofing members, and the plural exposure devices are formed in a single unit, wherein the cover opens and closes for access to the plural sets of dust proofing members, wherein the first dust proofing member includes an L-shaped structure including a first dust proofing section protruding toward each corresponding photoconductor drum from the cover and a second dust proofing section protruding toward each corresponding exposure device from the top of the first dust proofing section, wherein a surface of the second dust proofing section is concentric with a surface of each corresponding photoconductor drum, wherein the second dust proofing member includes an L-shaped structure including a third dust proofing section protruding toward each corresponding photoconductor drum from the cover and a fourth dust proofing section protruding toward each corresponding exposure device from the top of the third dust proofing section, wherein a surface of the fourth dust proofing section is concentric with the surface of each corresponding photoconductor drum, and wherein the second dust proofing section includes a first end portion located adjacent an upstream edge of the corresponding exposure device and the fourth dust proofing section includes a second end portion located adjacent a downstream edge of the corresponding exposure device, the first and second end portions protruding toward one another and forming an open space between the corresponding exposure device and the corresponding photoconductor drum along an optical path of the corresponding exposure device.