초록 ▼

In a color laser printer, each scanner unit as an exposure scanning unit is positioned on a lateral side of a developing unit, so as not to face the surface of a photoconductor drum as a photoconductor. The scanner unit emits a laser light scanned in a direction perpendicular to a rotation axis of t

In a color laser printer, each scanner unit as an exposure scanning unit is positioned on a lateral side of a developing unit, so as not to face the surface of a photoconductor drum as a photoconductor. The scanner unit emits a laser light scanned in a direction perpendicular to a rotation axis of the photoconductor drum. A last mirror, having a reflecting surface at an angle of 45° with respect to the direction of the rotation axis of the photoconductor drum, is arranged to face the surface of the photoconductor drum. The last mirror reflects the laser light emitted by the scanner unit in the direction of the rotation axis of the photoconductor drum and changes the traveling direction by 90° to irradiate the surface of the photoconductor drum. This configuration allows a process cartridge including the developing unit to be attached and detached from above.

대표청구항 ▼

What is claimed is: 1. An image forming apparatus comprising: a rotatable endless belt; rotatable photoconductors of N in number (N≧ 2) arranged side by side along the endless belt; charging devices of N in number provided corresponding to the respective photoconductors of N in number that ch

What is claimed is: 1. An image forming apparatus comprising: a rotatable endless belt; rotatable photoconductors of N in number (N≧ 2) arranged side by side along the endless belt; charging devices of N in number provided corresponding to the respective photoconductors of N in number that charge surfaces of the photoconductors; at least one exposure device that exposes the photoconductors charged by the charging devices to form electrostatic latent images on the photoconductors; developing devices of N in number provided corresponding to the respective photoconductors of N in number that respectively develop the electrostatic latent images on the photoconductors with developing agents in different colors to form developing agent images; and process cartridges provided in an attachable and detachable manner, the process cartridges including at least the developing devices, wherein the at least one exposure device includes: an exposure scanning unit that emits a laser light scanned in a same, plane and at a specified angle; and a direction changing device that changes the direction of the laser light emitted by the exposure scanning unit such that a center line of the laser light after a direction change is directed not to pass a plane including a center line of the laser light before the direction change and perpendicular to a plane in which the laser light before the direction change is scanned. 2. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the exposure scanning unit is provided corresponding to each of the photoconductors of N in number such that the exposure scanning unit partially overlaps neighboring exposure scanning units. 3. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the direction changing device is a mirror having a reflecting surface arranged at an angle of 45° with respect to a rotation axis of the photoconductor. 4. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the direction changing device is provided integrally with the process cartridge. 5. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the direction changing device is attached to a main body of the image forming apparatus. 6. The image forming apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the direction changing device is provided integrally with the exposure scanning unit. 7. The image forming apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the process cartridge does not include the photoconductor, and wherein the photoconductor is adapted to be attachable and detachable in a rotation axis of the photoconductor. 8. An image forming apparatus comprising: a rotatable endless belt; rotatable photoconductors of N in number (N≧ 2) arranged side by side along the endless belt; charging devices of N in number provided corresponding to the respective photoconductors of N in number that charge surfaces of the photoconductors; at least one exposure device that exposes the photoconductors charged by the charging devices to form electrostatic latent images on the photoconductors; developing devices of N in number provided corresponding to the respective photoconductors of N in number that respectively develop the electrostatic latent images on the photoconductors with developing agents in different colors to form developing agent images; and process cartridges provided in an attachable and detachable manner, the process cartridges including at least the developing devices, wherein the at least one exposure device includes: an exposure scanning unit that emits a laser light scanned in a direction different from a direction of a rotation axis of the photoconductor; and a direction changing device that changes the direction of the laser light emitted by the exposure scanning unit such that the laser light is scanned in the same direction as the direction of the rotation axis of the photoconductor. 9. The image forming apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the exposure scanning unit is provided corresponding to each of the photoconductors of N in number such that the exposure scanning unit partially overlaps neighboring exposure scanning units. 10. The image forming apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the direction changing device is a mirror having a reflecting surface arranged at an angle of 45° with respect to a rotation axis of the photoconductor. 11. The image forming apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the direction changing device is provided integrally with the process cartridge. 12. The image forming apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the direction changing device is attached to a main body of the image forming apparatus. 13. The image forming apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the direction changing device is provided integrally with the exposure scanning unit. 14. The image forming apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the process cartridge does not include the photoconductor, and wherein the photoconductor is adapted to be attachable and detachable in a rotation axis of the photoconductor. 15. An image forming apparatus comprising: a rotatable photoconductor; a charging device that charges a surface of the photoconductor; an exposure device that exposes the photoconductors charged by the charging device to form an electrostatic latent image on the photoconductor; and a developing device that develops an electrostatic latent image on the photoconductor with a developing agent to form a developing agent image, wherein the exposure device includes: an exposure scanning unit that emits a laser light scanned in a same plane and at a specified angle; and a direction changing device that changes the direction of the laser light emitted by the exposure scanning unit such that a center line of the laser light after a direction change is directed not to pass a plane including a center line of the laser light before the direction change and perpendicular to a plane in which the laser light before the direction change is scanned. 16. An image forming apparatus comprising: a rotatable photoconductor; a charging device that charges a surface of the photoconductor; an exposure device that exposes the photoconductors charged by the charging device to form an electrostatic latent image on the photoconductor; and a developing device that develops an electrostatic latent image on the photoconductor with a developing agent to form a developing agent image, wherein the exposure device includes: an exposure scanning unit that emits a laser light scanned in a direction different from a direction of a rotation axis of the photoconductor; and a direction changing device that changes the direction of the laser light emitted by the exposure scanning unit such that the laser light is scanned in the same direction as the direction of the rotation axis of the photoconductor. 17. A process cartridge adapted to be attachable and detachable to and from an image forming apparatus, comprising: a developing device that develops with a developing agent an electrostatic latent image formed on a photoconductor provided to the image forming apparatus thereby to form a developing agent image, wherein a direction changing device is provided integrally with the process cartridge, the direction changing device being adapted, with the process cartridge being attached to the image forming apparatus, to change the direction of a laser light scanned in a same plane and at a specified angle such that a center line of the laser light after a direction change is directed not to pass a plane including a center line of the laser light before the direction change and perpendicular to a plane in which the laser light before the direction change is scanned. 18. A process cartridge adapted to be attachable and detachable to and from an image forming apparatus, comprising: a developing device that develops with a developing agent an electrostatic latent image formed on a photoconductor provided to the image forming apparatus thereby to form a developing agent image, wherein a direction changing device is provided integrally with the process cartridge, the direction changing device being adapted, with the process cartridge being attached to the image forming apparatus, to change the direction of a laser light scanned in a direction different from a direction of a rotation axis of the photoconductor such that the laser light is scanned in the same direction as the direction of the rotation axis of the photoconductor. 19. An exposure scanning unit provided in an image forming apparatus to emit a laser light scanned in a same plane and at a specified angle, comprising: a direction changing device being integral with the exposure scanning unit and adapted to change the direction of the laser light emitted by the exposure scanning unit such that a center line of the laser light after a direction change is directed not to pass a plane including a center line of the laser light before the direction change and perpendicular to a plane in which the laser light before the direction change is scanned. 20. An exposure scanning unit provided in an image forming apparatus to emit a laser light scanned in a direction different from a direction of a rotation axis of a photoconductor, comprising: a direction changing device that changes the direction of the laser light emitted by the exposure scanning unit such that the laser light is scanned in the same direction as the direction of the rotation axis of the photoconductor.