초록 ▼

An image forming apparatus, includes: a plurality of image making units each having a charger; a transfer unit, a fixing unit configured to fix the multicolor developer image transferred by the transfer unit on a transfer medium. An exhaust air passage portion overlaps with at least a part of the at

An image forming apparatus, includes: a plurality of image making units each having a charger; a transfer unit, a fixing unit configured to fix the multicolor developer image transferred by the transfer unit on a transfer medium. An exhaust air passage portion overlaps with at least a part of the at least one image making unit in a first direction.

대표청구항 ▼

What is claimed is: 1. A multicolor image forming apparatus, comprising: a plurality of image making units disposed in parallel in a substantial vertical direction, wherein the plurality of image making units include a first image making unit and a lowermost image making unit, the first image makin

What is claimed is: 1. A multicolor image forming apparatus, comprising: a plurality of image making units disposed in parallel in a substantial vertical direction, wherein the plurality of image making units include a first image making unit and a lowermost image making unit, the first image making unit being aligned with the lowermost image making unit in the substantial vertical direction, the image making units being provided for each color, each image making unit including: a photosensitive member having a surface; a charger that uniformly charges the surface of the photosensitive member; and a visible image forming unit that forms a visible image by supplying a developer of a predetermined color on an electrostatic latent image that is formed when the surface of the photosensitive member charged by the charger is exposed to light; a transfer unit that transfers a developer of the visible image formed on the surface of the photosensitive member onto a recording medium; a fixing unit that fixes on the recording medium the developer transferred onto the recording medium; and an exhaust air passage portion including an exhaust air path having an exhaust port provided on an upper face of the multicolor image forming apparatus, the exhaust air path extending in the substantial vertical direction and configured to lead upwards air passing in the vicinity of the charger and to exhaust the air through the exhaust port, the exhaust port being provided on an extension of the exhaust air path in the substantial vertical direction, wherein the exhaust air passage portion overlaps with at least a part of at least one image making unit in a first direction, the first direction being a horizontal direction. 2. The multicolor image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the exhaust air passage portion includes a transverse exhaust air passage portion having a transverse exhaust air path disposed in the neighborhood of the charger and a longitudinal exhaust air passage portion having a longitudinal exhaust air path connected to the transverse exhaust air passage portion, so that the longitudinal exhaust air path leads upwards the air passing through the transverse exhaust air path and exhausts the air through the exhaust port. 3. The multicolor image forming apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising: an exhaust heat passage portion including an exhaust heat path disposed in the neighborhood of the fixing unit to exhaust heat radiated from the fixing unit through the air; wherein the exhaust heat passage portion is connected to the longitudinal exhaust air passage portion. 4. The multicolor image forming apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising: an exhaust fan disposed in the vicinity of the exhaust port, and configured to exhaust the air from the longitudinal exhaust air passage portion. 5. The multicolor image forming apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising: a suction fan configured to suck air into the transverse exhaust air passage portion. 6. The multicolor image forming apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the charger including a corona discharger extending in a width direction of the photosensitive member; and the transverse exhaust air passage portion communicates to the corona discharger. 7. The multicolor image forming apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising: a mainframe; and a unit loadable in and unloadable from the mainframe; wherein the transverse exhaust air passage portion is included in the unit; and the unit supports at least one of the plurality of the image making unit. 8. The multicolor image forming apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the unit is loaded in the mainframe such that the transverse exhaust air passage portion included therein is opposed to the corresponding charger. 9. The multicolor image forming apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising: a filter disposed in the vicinity of the exhaust port. 10. The multicolor image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the exhaust port is provided at an end portion on an upper face of the multicolor image forming apparatus. 11. The multicolor image forming apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising: an operation portion that sets an operation state of the multicolor image forming apparatus; wherein the exhaust port is provided at an edge portion opposite to the operation portion on the upper face of the multicolor image forming apparatus. 12. The multicolor image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the charger is a Scorotron type charger. 13. The multicolor image forming apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the charger charges the photosensitive member in positive polarity. 14. The multicolor image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the exhaust air passage portion does not overlap with at least one of the plurality of image making units in a second direction, the second direction being substantially perpendicular to the first direction. 15. The multicolor image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the exhaust air passage portion extends in an axial direction of the at least one image making unit. 16. A multicolor image forming apparatus for forming a multicolor image on the recording medium, comprising: a mainframe; a plurality of image making unit disposed in parallel in a substantial vertical direction to form a multicolor image on the recording medium, wherein the plurality of image making units include a first image making unit and a lowermost image making unit, the first image making unit being aligned with the lowermost image making unit in the substantial vertical direction, the image making unit being provided for each color, each image making unit including: a photosensitive member having a surface; a charger that uniformly charges the surface of the photosensitive member; and a visible image forming unit that forms a visible image by supplying a developer of a predetermined color on an electrostatic latent image that is formed when the surface of the photosensitive member charged by the charger is exposed to light; a transverse exhaust air passage portion including a transverse exhaust air path disposed in the neighborhood of the charger to circulate air around the charger for ventilation; a longitudinal exhaust air passage portion including a longitudinal exhaust air path extending in the substantial vertical direction and configured to lead air passing through the transverse exhaust air path and to exhaust the air outside, the longitudinal exhaust air passage portion being connected to the transverse exhaust air passage portion, an exhaust port being provided on an extension of the exhaust air path in the substantial vertical direction; and a unit loadable in and unloadable from the mainframe; wherein the transverse exhaust air passage portion is included in the unit; the unit supports at least one of the plurality of the image making unit; and the longitudinal exhaust air passage portion overlaps with at least a part of at least one image making unit in a first direction. 17. The multicolor image forming apparatus according to claim 16, wherein the unit is loaded in the mainframe such that the transverse exhaust air passage portion is opposed to the corresponding charger. 18. The multicolor image forming apparatus according to claim 16, wherein the charger is a Scorotron type charger. 19. The multicolor image forming apparatus according to claim 18, wherein the charger charges the photosensitive member in positive polarity. 20. The multicolor image forming apparatus according to claim 16, wherein the longitudinal exhaust air passage portion does not overlap with at least one of the plurality of image making units in a second direction, the second direction being substantially perpendicular to the first direction. 21. An image making device for use in a multicolor image forming apparatus, wherein the multicolor image forming apparatus includes: a mainframe; and a plurality of image making unit disposed in parallel in a substantial vertical direction to form a multicolor image on a recording medium, wherein the plurality of image making units include a first image making unit and a lowermost image making unit, the first image making unit being aligned with the lowermost image making unit in the substantial vertical direction, the image making unit being provided for each color, each image making unit including: a photosensitive member having a surface; a charger that uniformly charges the surface of the photosensitive member; and a visible image forming unit that forms a visible image by supplying a developer of a predetermined color on an electrostatic latent image that is formed when the surface of the photosensitive member charged by the charger is exposed to light; the image making device comprising: a transverse exhaust air passage portion including a transverse exhaust air path to be disposed in the neighborhood of the charger to circulate air around the charger for ventilation; a longitudinal exhaust air passage portion including a longitudinal exhaust air path extending in the substantial vertical direction and configured to lead air passing through the transverse exhaust air path and to exhaust the air outside, the longitudinal exhaust air passage portion being connected to the transverse exhaust air passage portion the exhaust port being provided on an extension of the exhaust air path in the substantial vertical direction, wherein the longitudinal exhaust air passage portion overlaps with at least a part of at least one image making unit in a first direction; wherein the image making device supports at least one of the plurality of image making units; and the image making device is loadable in and unloadable from the mainframe. 22. The image making device according to claim 21, wherein the image making device is loadable into the mainframe such that the transverse exhaust air passage portion is opposed to the corresponding charger. 23. The image making device according to claim 21, wherein the longitudinal exhaust air passage portion does not overlap with at least one of the plurality of image making units in a second direction, the second direction being substantially perpendicular to the first direction.