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. 08, 2003
Filed:
Aug. 23, 1999
Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd., Kadoma, JP;
Abstract
An image forming apparatus includes a plurality of image forming units having a developer, a charger, and a photosensitive member; a carriage for retaining the plurality of image forming units so that they can be removed and installed, and which rotates the plurality of image forming units between an image forming position and other positions; a laser exposing device for exposing the photosensitive member at an image forming position; an intermediate transfer belt for accepting a toner image formed on the photosensitive member at the image forming position, and forming a color image; an output shaft for coupling with at least one axis end portion of the photosensitive member in the image forming position in the axial direction of the photosensitive member, and positioning the photosensitive member at a proper position; a rotation stop portion for positioning the rotation orientation of the image forming units with respect to the axis of the photosensitive members; and a retransfer roller for transferring the color image formed on the intermediate transfer belt at a retransfer position onto recording paper. Thus, it is possible to retain the image forming unit precisely and reliably at a proper position.