The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Apr. 07, 2026
Filed:
Mar. 18, 2024
Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha, Nagoya, JP;
Shota Iriyama, Toyokawa, JP;
Yasuhiro Suzuki, Nagoya, JP;
Daisuke Ishizuka, Nagoya, JP;
Misato Osuka, Nagoya, JP;
Shuhei Fukue, Nagoya, JP;
Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha, Nagoya, JP;
Abstract
An image forming apparatus includes a main frame and a unit installable in an installation position in the main frame. The main frame has a first guide, a second guide, a groove, and a frame-side connector. The frame-side connector is movably held by the main frame. The unit has a first reference portion and a unit-side connector. The unit is installed in the main frame by a first process in which the first reference portion is guided by the first guide, a second process, in which the first reference portion is guided by the second guide, and a third process, in which the first reference portion is received in the groove and the unit is located in the installation position. The unit-side connector engages the frame-side connector in the first process, and the frame-side connector moves as the unit-side connector moves in the second process and in the third process.