US 12,169,386 B2
Image forming apparatus including first process cartridge and second process cartridge attachable to drawer at positions adjacent to each other
Shougo Sato, Seto (JP); and Miho Ishida, Nagoya (JP)
Assigned to BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA, Nagoya (JP)
Filed by Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha, Nagoya (JP)
Filed on Jun. 21, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/338,391.
Application 18/338,391 is a continuation of application No. 17/811,910, filed on Jul. 12, 2022, granted, now 11,733,645.
Application 17/811,910 is a continuation of application No. 17/239,908, filed on Apr. 26, 2021, granted, now 11,429,058, issued on Aug. 30, 2022.
Application 17/239,908 is a continuation of application No. 17/096,012, filed on Nov. 12, 2020, granted, now 11,016,436, issued on May 25, 2021.
Claims priority of application No. 2019-208130 (JP), filed on Nov. 18, 2019.
Prior Publication US 2023/0333510 A1, Oct. 19, 2023
Int. Cl. G03G 21/18 (2006.01)
CPC G03G 21/1814 (2013.01) [G03G 21/1842 (2013.01)] 14 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An image forming apparatus comprising:
a housing having a front surface formed with an opening, the housing further having a rear surface opposite to the front surface in a front-rear direction of the housing;
a drawer movable through the opening in the front-rear direction between: an inner position where the drawer is accommodated within the housing; and an outer position where a portion of the drawer is exposed to an outside of the housing; and
a first process cartridge attachable to and detachable from the drawer,
the first process cartridge comprising:
a first drum cartridge; and
a first developing cartridge,
the first drum cartridge comprising:
a first photosensitive drum; and
a first-drum-cartridge frame supporting the first photosensitive drum,
the first developing cartridge being attachable to and detachable from the first-drum-cartridge frame and being configured to supply toner to the first photosensitive drum,
wherein the drawer includes a first-process-cartridge guide configured to guide the first process cartridge when the first process cartridge is attached to or detached from the drawer, and
wherein the first-drum-cartridge frame includes a first-developing-cartridge guide configured to guide the first developing cartridge when the first developing cartridge is attached to or detached from the first-drum-cartridge frame.