Abstract:
An image forming device of the present invention has: a plurality of process cartridges which are provided in a device main body so as to be installable and removable in a lateral direction, and which are disposed in a vertical row; cartridge guides formed at the device main body, and guiding the plurality of process cartridges respectively to installed positions; handles provided at end portions of the plurality of process cartridges respectively, and grasped at times of installing and removing the plurality of process cartridges respectively; and concave portions provided at insert-in portions of the plurality of cartridge guides respectively, and forming spaces for grasping of the handles.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
   This application claims priority under 35 USC 119 from Japanese Patent Application No. 2005-184467, the disclosure of which is incorporated by reference herein. 
   BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   1. Field of the Invention 
   The present invention relates to an image forming device which forms images on recording media, and to a process cartridge which is used in the image forming device. 
   2. Description of the Related Art 
   As an image forming device which forms images on recording media, there is known an image forming device in which an electrostatic transfer unit, which is in the lateral direction of process cartridges which are disposed in a row vertically in a device main body, is withdrawn such that the process cartridges can be installed and removed in the lateral direction (for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open (JP-A) No. 2005-43594). 
   In the image forming device of JP-A No. 2005-43594, by providing an interlocking mechanism and a cartridge moving mechanism, interlockingly with the operation of withdrawing the electrostatic transfer unit, a process cartridge which has run out of toner is moved in the lateral direction, and the user can recognize without confusion the process cartridge which should be replaced. 
   Further, in the image forming device of JP-A No. 2005-43594, because the process cartridge which is to be replaced moves in the lateral direction, the user grasps the central portion of the process cartridge and can replace the process cartridge with one hand. 
   Moreover, at the time of replacing the process cartridge in the image forming device of JP-A No. 2005-43594, there is no need to consider a space into which the user&#39;s fingers can enter. The process cartridges can be disposed such that the distances therebetween are minimum distances, and the device main body can be made compact. 
   When a user removes a process cartridge by grasping handles which are provided at the both end portions of the process cartridge, the user must stand at the front surface side of the device main body and remove the process cartridge forwardly. However, in the image forming device of JP-A No. 2005-43594, the user can remove the process cartridge by grasping the central portion thereof with one hand. Therefore, the user can remove the process cartridge by extending his/her hand out while standing at a side surface side of the device main body rather than at the front surface side of the device main body, and the degrees of freedom in replacing the process cartridges can be improved. 
   However, in the image forming device of JP-A No. 2005-43594, because there is the need for an interlocking mechanism and a cartridge moving mechanism, the mechanisms of the device are complex, the number of parts increases, and the cost is high. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   In view of the aforementioned, the present invention relates to facilitating the installation and removal of a process cartridge with a simple structure. 
   An image forming device relating to a first aspect of the present invention has: plural process cartridges which are provided in a device main body so as to be installable and removable in a lateral direction, and which are disposed in a vertical row; cartridge guides formed at the device main body, and guiding the process cartridges to installed positions; handles provided at end portions of the process cartridges, and grasped at times of installing and removing the process cartridges; and concave portions provided at insert-in portions of the cartridge guides, and forming spaces for grasping of the handles. 
   What is called “lateral direction” here is the both sides with respect to the front surface of the image forming device, and also includes the front surface side and the rear surface side of the image forming device, and is the lateral direction with respect to the upward direction and the downward direction of the image forming device. 
   A process cartridge of a second aspect of the present invention has the feature of being used in the image forming device of the first aspect. 
   Namely, the process cartridge of the second aspect is a process cartridge provided in an image forming device main body so as to be able to be installed and removed in a process cartridge lateral direction, the process cartridge having a handle which is provided at an end portion of the process cartridge and which is grasped at times of installing and removing the process cartridge, wherein the process cartridge can be guided to an installed position by a cartridge guide formed at the image forming device main body, and the handle is graspably disposed within a space formed by a concave portion which is provided at an insert-in portion of the cartridge guide. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     An embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail based on the following figures, wherein: 
       FIG. 1  is a side view of an image forming device relating to an embodiment of the present invention; 
       FIG. 2  is a diagram showing a state at a time of removing a process cartridge relating to the embodiment; 
       FIG. 3  is a perspective view of the image forming device relating to the embodiment; and 
       FIG. 4  is a diagram showing concave portions relating to the embodiment. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
   An example of an embodiment relating to an image forming device of the present invention will be described hereinafter on the basis of the drawings. 
   First, the overall structure of an image forming device  10  of the present embodiment will be described. 
   As shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , the image forming device  10  of the present embodiment has a device main body  12 . A sheet feeding section  64  (the hatched portion in  FIG. 2 ), which supplies sheets P to an image forming section (between a conveying belt  26  and process cartridges  28 Y,  28 M,  28 C,  28 K which will be described later), is provided at the lower portion of the device main body  12 . 
   The sheet feeding section  64  is a sheet feeding cassette which is formed in the shape of a box and which can be installed and removed in the directions of arrow D. A sheet tray  14 , in which the sheets (recording media) P are stacked in a bunch, is disposed in the sheet feeding section  64 . 
   A feed roller  16  is disposed above the leading end side (the right end side in  FIG. 1 ) of the sheet tray  14 . The feed roller  16  press-contacts the leading end side of the top surface of the sheet P, and removes the sheet P from the sheet tray  14 . 
   Further, a first conveying path  22  is provided which extends from the leading end portion of the sheet tray  14  and curves gently and extends substantially vertically upward at the front side of the device (the right side in  FIG. 1 ). 
   Plural (e.g., two) conveying roller pairs  24 , which nip and convey the sheet P, and a conveying belt  26 , which is endless and electrostatically attracts and conveys the sheet P on which an image is to be formed, are disposed in that order from the upstream side in the sheet conveying direction along the first conveying path  22 . By being disposed along the first conveying path  22 , the conveying belt  26  forms a portion of the path surface at one side of the first conveying path  22 . 
   The conveying belt  26  is stretched between a stretch-between roller  27  disposed above and a stretch-between roller  29  disposed below. Due to one of the stretch-between roller  27  and the stretch-between roller  29  being driven and rotated, the conveying belt  26  rotates in the direction of arrow A. 
   A charging roller  31  is provided adjacent to the conveying belt  26  at the sheet conveying direction upstream side of the conveying belt  26 . The charging roller  31  charges the surface of the conveying belt  26 , and presses the sheet P, which is electrostatically attracted to the conveying belt  26 , against the conveying belt  26 . 
   The plural process cartridges  28 Y,  28 M,  28 C,  28 K, which correspond to the respective colors of yellow, magenta, cyan and black, are disposed along the first conveying path  22  in a vertical row in the substantially vertical direction in the device main body  12 , in the lateral direction opposing the conveying belt  26  with the first conveying path  22  nipped therebetween. 
   Each of the process cartridges  28 Y,  28 M,  28 C,  28 K has a photosensitive drum (image carrier)  30  which rotates in a predetermined direction (counterclockwise in  FIG. 1 ). 
   A charging roller  32  which charges the surface of the photosensitive drum  30 , an exposure device  34  which exposes the photosensitive drum  30  and forms a latent image on the photosensitive drum  30 , and a developing roller  36  which applies color toner to the latent image formed on the photosensitive drum  30  so as to develop the latent image, are provided at the periphery of the photosensitive drum  30  in that order from the upstream side in the direction of rotation of the photosensitive drum  30 . 
   Transfer devices  38 , which transfer the toner images formed on the photosensitive drums  30  onto the sheet P at predetermined transfer positions, are provided at the inner peripheral side of the conveying belt  26  in the lateral direction opposing the photosensitive drums  30 . 
   A fixing device  40  which fixes the transferred toner images onto the sheet P, a conveying roller pair  42  which nips and conveys the sheet P, and a discharging roller pair  44  which discharges the sheet P onto a discharge tray  20 , are disposed at the sheet conveying direction downstream side of the conveying belt  26 . 
   Further, a second conveying path  46 , which is for inverting the sheet P, on whose one surface an image has been formed, and returning the sheet P to the first conveying path  22  again, is provided so as to oppose the first conveying path  22  with the conveying belt  26  therebetween. 
   Plural (e.g., three) conveying roller pairs  48 , which nip and convey the sheet P downwardly, are disposed at the second conveying path  46 . At the time of forming images on the both surfaces, the sheet P, on whose one surface an image has been formed, is switched-back by the discharging roller pair  44  and guided to the second conveying path  46 , is conveyed downward by the plural conveying roller pairs  48 , and is returned to the first conveying path  22 . 
   Next, the image forming operation of forming an image onto the sheet P will be described. 
   In the image forming device of the present embodiment, when an image is to be formed on one surface of the sheet P, the sheet P which is taken-out from the sheet tray  14  is conveyed upward along the conveying path  22  by the plural conveying roller pairs  24 , and is fed to the conveying belt  26 . The sheet P which is fed to the conveying belt  26  is pushed against the conveying belt  26  by the charging roller  31 , is electrostatically attracted to the charged conveying belt  26 , is conveyed upward, and is successively fed to the predetermined transfer positions corresponding to the respective colors of yellow, magenta, cyan, and black. 
   Toner images of the respective colors, which are formed on the photosensitive drums  30 , are transferred by the transfer devices  38  onto the sheet P which is fed to the predetermined transfer positions, such that a full-color image is formed on the sheet P. The sheet P is then conveyed to the fixing device  40 , and the transferred toner images are fixed thereon by the fixing device  40 . The sheet P is then discharged to the discharge tray  20  by the discharging roller pair  44 . 
   Further, when images are to be formed on the both surfaces of the sheet P, after the toner images are fixed by the fixing device  40  such that an image is formed on one surface, the sheet P is switched-back at the discharging roller pair  44 . The sheet P, on whose one surface an image is formed, is thereby inverted and sent into the second conveying path  46 . The sheet P is sent into the first conveying path  22  again from the second conveying path  46 , and, in the same way as described above, an image is formed on the other surface of the sheet P such that images are formed on the both surfaces thereof. In this way, the series of image forming operations is carried out. 
   Next, the structure for installing and removing the process cartridges  28 Y,  28 M,  28 C,  28 K will be described. 
   As shown in  FIG. 2 , the process cartridges  28 Y,  28 M,  28 C,  28 K can be installed and removed in the lateral direction (in the directions of arrow B). A handle  58 , which is grasped at the time of installation or removal, is provided at each process cartridge  28 Y,  28 M,  28 C,  28 K, at the both end portions thereof in a direction orthogonal to the lateral direction in which the process cartridge  28 Y,  28 M,  28 C,  28 K is installed or removed. The handle  58  is molded integrally with a case  28 A which supports the photosensitive drum  30 . Note that the handles  58  are not illustrated in  FIG. 1 . 
   Further, the process cartridges  28 Y,  28 M,  28 C,  28 K are guided to their installed positions by cartridge guides  70  which are formed at the device main body  12 . The process cartridge  28 Y,  28 M,  28 C,  28 K, which is guided to its installed position, abuts the terminal end surface  71  of the cartridge guide  70  and is positioned. 
   A concave portion  72 , which forms a space for the grasping of the handle  58 , is provided at the insert-in portion of the cartridge guide  70 . 
   Further, as shown in  FIG. 2 , a cover  50  is provided at the lower portion of the sheet feeding section  64 . The cover  50  is L-shaped and rotatably supported by a supporting shaft  51 . Due to the cover  50  being rotated and tilted from the device main body  12  side toward the outer side of the device (i.e., in the direction of arrow C in  FIG. 2 ), the cover  50  can open the lateral direction sides of the process cartridges  28 Y,  28 M,  28 C,  28 K. The process cartridges  28 Y,  28 M,  28 C,  28 K can be installed and removed from the lateral sides of the process cartridges  28 Y,  28 M,  28 C,  28 K which are opened by the cover  50 . 
   At the inner surface side of the cover  50 , one path surface  46 A of the second conveying path  46  is formed, and ones of the conveying roller pairs  48  are provided. On the other hand, a handle  60  which is grasped at the time of rotating the cover  50  is provided at the outer surface side of the cover  50 . 
   As shown in  FIG. 3 , an opening portion  62  is provided at the lower portion of the cover  50  such that the cover  50  is formed in the shape of a gate. The sheet feeding section  64  (the hatched portion in  FIG. 2 ) which is a sheet feeding cassette can be installed and removed in the directions of arrow D from this opening portion  62 . 
   A guide portion  66  is formed at the top surface of the sheet feeding section  64 . The lowermost process cartridge  28 Y can be placed on the guide portion  66 , and the guide portion  66  guides the process cartridge  28 Y placed thereon to its installed position in the device main body  12 . 
   A conveying belt unit  52 , which includes the conveying belt  26 , is mounted by a supporting shaft  53  at the upper side of the opening portion  62  of the cover  50 , and rotates integrally with the cover  50 . 
   The conveying belt  26  is provided at the conveying belt unit  52  at the side thereof facing the process cartridges  28 Y,  28 M,  28 C,  28 K (i.e., the upper side in  FIG. 2 ). At the side of the conveying belt unit  52  which side opposes the cover  50  (i.e., the lower side in  FIG. 2 ), another path surface  46 B of the second conveying path  46  is formed, and the others of the conveying roller pairs  48  are provided. 
   The others of the conveying roller pairs  48 , and the stretch-between rollers  27 ,  29  between which the conveying belt  26  is stretched, are rotatably supported at a pair of side plates  68  of the conveying belt unit  52  which are provided at the both axial direction end portions of these rollers. Further, the charging roller  31  is provided integrally with the conveying belt  26 , and rotates integrally with the cover  50 . 
   When the cover  50  is rotated and opens the lateral direction sides of the process cartridges  28 Y,  28 M,  28 C,  28 K, the charging roller  31  and the conveying belt  26  move to positions in the lateral direction of the sheet supplying section  64 . 
   Next, the configurations of the cartridge guides  70 , the configurations of the concave portions  72 , and the like will be described on the basis of  FIG. 4 . 
   A guide surface  70 A at the upper side of the cartridge guide  70  is formed to be longer than a guide surface  70 B at the lower side, toward the concave portion  72 . The cartridge guide  70  is formed integrally with a frame  12 A of the device main body  12 . 
   At the concave portion  72  which is provided at the insert-in portion of the cartridge guide  70 , a lower side region  72 B is larger than an upper side region  72 A, with respect to the cartridge guide  70 . Further, the backward depth (inside length) of the concave portion  72  is larger at the lower side region  72 B than at the upper side region  72 A. 
   The regions of the process cartridges  28 Y,  28 M,  28 C,  28 K, which regions are guided by the cartridge guides  70 , are convex portions  74  which are provided coaxially with the photosensitive drums  30  of the process cartridges  28 Y,  28 M,  28 C,  28 K. 
   The concave portion  72  has an inclined surface  80  which inclines toward the cartridge guide  70 . The cross-section of the concave portion  72  is structured in a taper shape which tapers toward the cartridge guide  70 . 
   The configurations of the concave portions  72  may be structured so as to differ in accordance with the heights of the installed positions of the process cartridges  28 Y,  28 M,  28 C,  28 K. As a concrete example of this structure, a structure can be used in which any of the height from the bottom surface to the top surface, the recessed depth in the lateral direction, and the backward depth, is greater at the concave portions  72 B formed at the lower side region than at the concave portions  72 A formed at the upper side region. 
   In this way, the operability of the process cartridges at the lower side at which operability is inconvenient (the process cartridge  28 Y in particular) can be improved. 
   The handles  58  may be structured such that the shapes thereof differ in accordance with the sizes of the concave portions  72 . As a concrete example of this structure, the handle  58  disposed at the larger concave portion  72  may be longer than the handle  58  disposed at the smaller concave portion  72 . 
   In this way, even if the sizes of the concave portions  72  are different, the operability in installing and removing the process cartridges  28 Y,  28 M,  28 C,  28 K can be made to be uniform. 
   Next, operation of the above-described embodiment will be described. 
   In the above-described embodiment, when the process cartridge  28 Y,  28 M,  28 C,  28 K must be replaced, first, due to the user grasping the handle  60  and rotating the cover  50 , the user withdraws the conveying belt unit  52  and opens the lateral direction sides of the process cartridges  28 Y,  28 M,  28 C,  28 K. 
   The user inserts his/her hand from the opened lateral direction side of the process cartridge  28 Y,  28 M,  28 C,  28 K into the concave portion  72  forming the space for grasping the handle  58 , grasps the handle  58  of the process cartridge  28 Y,  28 M,  28 C,  28 K, removes the process cartridge  28 Y,  28 M,  28 C,  28 K, and can install a new process cartridge. 
   In this way, in the present embodiment, because the concave portion  72  which forms the space for grasping the handle  58  is provided, installation and removal of the process cartridges  28 Y,  28 M,  28 C,  28 K are easy even in a case in which the process cartridges  28 Y,  28 M,  28 C,  28 K are installed deep back in the device main body  12 . 
   Accordingly, in accordance with the structure of the present embodiment, the installation and removal of the process cartridges  28 Y,  28 M,  28 C,  28 K are facilitated by the simple structure of providing the concave portions  72 , without providing a moving mechanism for moving the process cartridges  28 Y,  28 M,  28 C,  28 K. 
   Further, in the present embodiment, the guide surface  70 A at the upper side of the cartridge guide  70  is formed to be longer than the lower side guide surface  70 B, toward the concave portion  72 . Therefore, at the time of installing the process cartridge  28 Y,  28 M,  28 C,  28 K, the process cartridge  28 Y,  28 M,  28 C,  28 K can be inserted while making the convex portion  74  move along the upper side guide surface  70 A, and the operability of the installation and removal is good. 
   In the present embodiment, at the concave portion  72  provided at the insert-in portion of the cartridge guide  70 , the lower side region  72 B is larger than the upper side region  72 A, with respect to the cartridge guide  70 . Moreover, at the lower side region  72 B, the backward depth of the concave portion  72  is formed to be greater than at the upper side region  72 A. 
   Therefore, at the time when the user grasps the handle  58  with his/her thumb and index finger, the back of the hand, the middle finger, ring finger, and little finger can easily fit into the concave portion  72 , and the process cartridge  28 Y,  28 M,  28 C,  28 K can be easily installed and removed. 
   Moreover, in the present embodiment, the guide portion  66 , on which the lowermost process cartridge  28 Y can be placed and which guides the placed process cartridge  28 Y to its installed position in the device main body  12 , is formed at the top surface of the sheet feeding section  64 . Therefore, even the lowermost process cartridge  28 Y, whose position of being installed in the device main body  12  is difficult to visually confirm, can be installed and removed easily. 
   Because the cartridge guides  70  are formed integrally with the frame  12 A of the device main body  12  in the present embodiment, the number of parts can be reduced. 
   Further, in the present embodiment, the process cartridges  28 Y,  28 M,  28 C,  28 K are positioned by the convex portions  74  which are provided coaxially with the photosensitive drums  30 . Therefore, the photosensitive drums  30  of the process cartridges  28 Y,  28 M,  28 C,  28 K can be positioned correctly in the device main body  12 . 
   The concave portions  72  have inclined surfaces  80  which are inclined toward the cartridge guides  70  in the present embodiment. Therefore, when a user inserts his/her hand into the concave portion  72 , his/her hand does not hit an angular portion. 
   In the present embodiment, because the handle  58  is molded integrally with the case  28 A which supports the photosensitive drum  30 , the rigidity of the handle  58  is high, and the handle  58  is sturdy when the process cartridge  28 Y,  28 M,  28 C,  28 K is installed in the device main body  12 . 
   The cross-sectional configuration of the concave portion  72  is described as being taper-shaped in the above-described embodiment. However, the concave portion of the present invention is not limited to the same. For example, the cross-section may be rectangular, and it suffices for the concave portion to be a concave portion which forms a space for grasping the handle. 
   Note that, in the image forming device of the present invention, the handle of the process cartridge can be grasped by the user inserting his/her hand into the concave portion which forms a space at the insert-in portion of the cartridge guide. 
   Therefore, even in a case such as in which the process cartridges are installed deep back in the device main body, installation and removal of the process cartridges are easy. In this way, in accordance with the above-described structure, there is no need to provide a moving mechanism such as that disclosed in JP-A No. 2005-43594 for moving the process cartridges, and installation and removal of the process cartridges are made easy by the simple structure of providing the concave portions. 
   Further, in the above-described structure, an upper side guide surface of the cartridge guide may be formed to be longer than a lower side guide surface, toward the concave portion. 
   In the above-described structure, a lower side of the concave portion may be larger than an upper side of the concave portion, with respect to the cartridge guide. 
   In the above-described structure, a backward depth of a lower side of the concave portion may be larger than a backward depth of an upper side of the concave portion. 
   In the above-described structure, there may be provided a guide portion on which a lowermost process cartridge can be placed, and which guides the placed process cartridge to the installed position. 
   In the above-described structure, the cartridge guides may be formed integrally with a frame of the device main body. 
   In the above-described structure, regions of the process cartridges, which regions are guided by the cartridge guides, may be convex portions which are provided coaxially with image carriers which are provided at the process cartridges. 
   In the above-described structure, configurations of the concave portions may differ in accordance with the installed positions of the plural process cartridges. 
   In the above-described structure, the concave portion which is formed at a lower side may be larger than the concave portion which is formed at an upper side. 
   In the above-described structure, at least one of a height from a bottom surface to a top surface, a recessed depth in a lateral direction, and a backward depth of the concave portion may be a large value. 
   In the above-described structure, configurations of the handles may differ in accordance with sizes of the concave portions. 
   In the above-described structure, the handle disposed at the concave portion which is large may be longer than the handle disposed at the concave portion which is small. 
   In the above-described structure, the concave portions may have inclined surfaces which are inclined toward the cartridge guides. 
   Further, in the process cartridge of the present invention, the handle may be molded integrally with a case which supports an image carrier. 
   In the above-described structure, a length of the handle may differ in accordance with a position at which the handle is disposed. 
   Because the present invention has the above-described structure, installation and removal of the process cartridge can be made to be easy with a simple structure in consideration of the aforementioned.