Abstract: An image-forming apparatus includes a housing, a cover, first and second drum cartridges, first and second exposing heads, first and second guides, a waste toner tube, a shutter driving member, and an interlocking mechanism. Each of the first and second drum cartridges includes: a photosensitive drum rotatable about an axis extending in a first direction; a drum cleaner; a discharging part; and a shutter. The first and second exposing heads are mounted on the cover. The first and second guides guide respective ends of the first and second exposing heads in the first direction while the cover is opened and closed. The shutter driving member is movable in a second direction in interlocking relation to the respective shutters through the interlocking mechanism. The shutter driving member is overlapped with at least one of the first and second guides in a third direction crossing both the first and second directions.

Abstract: A developing cartridge may include: a casing; a developing roller extending in a first direction; a developing-roller gear; a coupling including a coupling gear; a first idle gear; a second idle gear; an agitator; a first agitator gear; and a protrusion. The developing-roller gear, the coupling, the first idle gear, the second idle gear, the first agitator gear, and the protrusion may be positioned at an outer surface of the casing. The protrusion may be positioned between a first axis of the coupling and a third axis of the first agitator gear in a second direction connecting the first and third axes. The protrusion may be positioned outside an addendum circle of the developing-roller gear, an addendum circle of the coupling gear, an addendum circle of the first idle gear, and an addendum circle of the second idle gear. The first agitator gear may be spaced apart from the protrusion in the first direction.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus, including a process cartridge and a main body with an opening and a cartridge supporter is provided. The process cartridge includes a drum cartridge; a toner cartridge attachable to the drum cartridge; and a switching member switchable states in the process cartridge between a first state, wherein detachment of the toner cartridge is restricted, and a second state, wherein the toner cartridge is released from the restriction. The cartridge supporter is movable between a first position, wherein the cartridge supporter supports the process cartridge to be placed entirely in an inner space in the main body on an inner side of the opening, and a second position, wherein the cartridge supporter supports the process cartridge to be at least partly placed outside the inner space. When the cartridge supporter is in the second position, the switching member is at least partly placed outside the inner space.

Abstract: A fixing device includes: an endless belt; a heater; a stay; a holder having a heater supporting surface and a contacting surface in contact with the stay; and a pressure roller having a diameter that becomes smaller from each end of the pressure roller in an axial direction toward a center of the pressure roller in the axial direction. In a state prior to assembling the holder with both the stay and the heater, a distance in an orthogonal direction between the heater supporting surface and the contacting surface at a center of the holder in the axial direction is longer than a distance in the orthogonal direction between the heater supporting surface and the contacting surface at each end of the holder in the axial direction. The orthogonal direction is orthogonal to the axial direction.

Abstract: A first cartridge is movable in a first direction through an opening between: a first position inside a housing; and a second position outside the housing. The first cartridge includes a photosensitive drum, a drum frame, and a first handle. The photosensitive drum is rotatable about an axis extending in the first direction. The drum frame supports the photosensitive drum. The first handle is located at a downstream end of the drum frame in a movement direction in which the first cartridge moves from the first position to the second position. A second cartridge is configured to contain toner. The second cartridge is unattachable to and undetachable from the first cartridge in a state where the first cartridge is located at the first position. The second cartridge is attachable to and detachable from the first cartridge in a state where the first cartridge is located at the second position.

Abstract: A developing cartridge includes a developing electrode and a supply electrode. The developing electrode includes a first electrical contact in contact with a developing roller shaft, and a second electrical contact positioned closer to the developing roller shaft than a second agitator gear is to the developing roller shaft. The second electrical contact is positioned farther from the developing roller shaft than the first electrical contact is from the developing roller shaft. The supply electrode includes a first electrical contact in contact with the supply roller shaft, and a second electrical contact positioned closer to the developing roller shaft than the second agitator gear is to the developing roller shaft. The second electrical contact of the supply electrode is positioned farther from the developing roller shaft than the second electrical contact of the developing electrode is from the developing roller shaft.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus, including a process cartridge and a main body with an opening and a cartridge supporter is provided. The process cartridge includes a drum cartridge; a toner cartridge attachable to the drum cartridge; and a switching member switchable states in the process cartridge between a first state, wherein detachment of the toner cartridge is restricted, and a second state, wherein the toner cartridge is released from the restriction. The cartridge supporter is movable between a first position, wherein the cartridge supporter supports the process cartridge to be placed entirely in an inner space in the main body on an inner side of the opening, and a second position, wherein the cartridge supporter supports the process cartridge to be at least partly placed outside the inner space. When the cartridge supporter is in the second position, the switching member is at least partly placed outside the inner space.

Abstract: A fixing device to be attached to an image forming apparatus includes a heater, a heating rotating body, a pressure rotating body, a frame, and a reinforcement plate. The heating rotating body is heated by the heater. The pressure rotating body forms a nip in combination with the heating rotating body. The frame is made of plastic and configured to support the heating rotating body and the pressure rotating body. The frame has a first end and a second end located apart from each other in a longitudinal direction of the pressure rotating body. The frame includes a side wall located at the first end thereof. The reinforcement plate is made of metal and fixed to the side wall. The reinforcement plate includes a protrusion that protrudes in the longitudinal direction. The protrusion locates the fixing device in place with respect to the image forming apparatus.

Abstract: A fixing device incorporated in a main body of an image forming apparatus includes a heater, a rotatable body, and a pressure roller. The rotatable body is configured to be heated by the heater. The pressure roller is configured to form a nip region in cooperation with the rotatable body to nip a sheet at the nip region between the pressure roller and the rotatable body. The pressure roller includes a shaft, and an elastic layer covering a peripheral surface of the shaft. The elastic layer has a thickness of at least 1 millimeter to at most 3 millimeters. The pressure roller has a peripheral surface whose hardness is in a range of at least 60 to at most 67 on the Asker C scale.

Abstract: A developing cartridge includes a developing electrode and a supply electrode. The developing electrode includes a first electrical contact in contact with a developing roller shaft, and a second electrical contact positioned closer to the developing roller shaft than a second agitator gear is to the developing roller shaft. The second electrical contact is positioned farther from the developing roller shaft than the first electrical contact is from the developing roller shaft. The supply electrode includes a first electrical contact in contact with the supply roller shaft, and a second electrical contact positioned closer to the developing roller shaft than the second agitator gear is to the developing roller shaft. The second electrical contact of the supply electrode is positioned farther from the developing roller shaft than the second electrical contact of the developing electrode is from the developing roller shaft.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: a main body casing having an opening; a cover movable between a closing position to close the opening and an opening position to open the opening; and a process cartridge detachably attachable to the main body casing through the opening while the cover is at the opening position. The process cartridge includes: a photosensitive drum; a developing device; a toner receiving part; and a toner conveying part. The toner receiving part has a first end portion and a second end portion. The first end portion has a receiving opening for receiving toner. When the cover is at the closing position and the process cartridge is in the attached state, the first end portion is outside the main body casing while the second end portion is inside the main body casing. The toner conveying part conveys toner in the toner receiving part to the developing device.

Abstract: An image forming device, including: a housing; a drawer movable between an inside position at which the drawer is located inside the housing and an outside position at which the drawer is located outside the housing; a drum cartridge including a photoconductive drum and a developer roller and mountable on the drawer; a toner cartridge storing toner to be supplied to the developer roller and mountable on the drawer, wherein the drawer includes a first guide that guides the toner cartridge in mounting the toner cartridge on the drawer, and wherein the drum cartridge includes a second guide connected to the first guide in a state in which the drum cartridge is mounted on the drawer, the second guide being configured to guide the toner cartridge in mounting the toner cartridge on the drawer in the state in which the drum cartridge is mounted on the drawer.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: a housing having an opening providing a first region and a second region; first and second covers for opening and closing the first and second regions, respectively; a drum cartridge detachably attachable to the housing in a first direction through the first region; and a toner cartridge. A part of the toner cartridge attached to the drum cartridge is movable between a first position and a second position. The toner cartridge is detachable from the drum cartridge attached to the housing through the second region in a second direction crossing the first direction when the first cover is closed, the second cover is opened, and the part of the toner cartridge is at the second position. The part of the toner cartridge is movable from the first position to the second position in a third direction crossing the first and second directions.

Abstract: An image forming device, including: a drawer movable from an inside position where the drawer is located inside a housing to an outside position where the drawer is located outside the housing via an intermediate position; a stopper movable between a first position where the stopper stops the drawer from moving from the intermediate position to the outside position and a second position where the stopper allows the drawer to move from the intermediate position to the outside position; a drum cartridge mountable on the drawer; and a toner cartridge mountable on the drawer; wherein the toner cartridge mounted on the drawer is detachable from the drawer in a state in which the drawer is located at the intermediate position, and wherein the drum cartridge mounted on the drawer is detachable from the drawer in a state in which the drawer is located at the outside position.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: a main body casing having an opening; a cover movable between a closing position to close the opening and an opening position to open the opening; and a process cartridge detachably attachable to the main body casing through the opening while the cover is at the opening position. The process cartridge includes: a photosensitive drum; a developing device; a toner receiving part; and a toner conveying part. The toner receiving part has a first end portion and a second end portion. The first end portion has a receiving opening for receiving toner. When the cover is at the closing position and the process cartridge is in the attached state, the first end portion is outside the main body casing while the second end portion is inside the main body casing. The toner conveying part conveys toner in the toner receiving part to the developing device.

Abstract: An image forming device, including: a housing; a drawer movable between an inside position at which the drawer is located inside the housing and an outside position at which the drawer is located outside the housing; a drum cartridge including a photoconductive drum and a developer roller and mountable on the drawer; a toner cartridge storing toner to be supplied to the developer roller and mountable on the drawer, wherein the drawer includes a first guide that guides the toner cartridge in mounting the toner cartridge on the drawer, and wherein the drum cartridge includes a second guide connected to the first guide in a state in which the drum cartridge is mounted on the drawer, the second guide being configured to guide the toner cartridge in mounting the toner cartridge on the drawer in the state in which the drum cartridge is mounted on the drawer.

Abstract: An image forming device is provided with a housing formed with an opening, a cover configured to move between a closing position and an opening position, and a plurality of process cartridges including a first process cartridge and a second process cartridge. The first and second process cartridges respectively include first and second photosensitive drums configured to rotate about first and second drum axes both extending in a first direction. The first and second developing devices are configured to supply toner to the first and second photosensitive drums, respectively. The first and second supplying devices are formed with first and second supply ports through which the toner to be supplied to the first and second developing devices are provided, respectively. Both the first and second supplying ports are opened to outside the housing.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a main body housing and a process cartridge demountable from the main-body housing. The process cartridge includes a drum cartridge and a toner cartridge. The drum cartridge includes a photosensitive drum, a drum cleaner, an outlet with an outlet opening, an outlet shutter, and a lever. The lever is pivotable between a first position at which the lever places the outlet shutter closing the outlet opening and a second position at which the lever places the outlet shutter opening the outlet opening. When the lever is located at the first position, the process cartridge is demountable from the main-body housing. When the lever is located at the second position, the process cartridge is disabled to be demounted from the main-body housing.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: a housing having an opening providing a first region and a second region; first and second covers for opening and closing the first and second regions, respectively; a drum cartridge detachably attachable to the housing in a first direction through the first region; and a toner cartridge. A part of the toner cartridge attached to the drum cartridge is movable between a first position and a second position. The toner cartridge is detachable from the drum cartridge attached to the housing through the second region in a second direction crossing the first direction when the first cover is closed, the second cover is opened, and the part of the toner cartridge is at the second position. The part of the toner cartridge is movable from the first position to the second position in a third direction crossing the first and second directions.

Abstract: An image forming device, including: a drawer movable from an inside position where the drawer is located inside a housing to an outside position where the drawer is located outside the housing via an intermediate position; a stopper movable between a first position where the stopper stops the drawer from moving from the intermediate position to the outside position and a second position where the stopper allows the drawer to move from the intermediate position to the outside position; a drum cartridge mountable on the drawer; and a toner cartridge mountable on the drawer; wherein the toner cartridge mounted on the drawer is detachable from the drawer in a state in which the drawer is located at the intermediate position, and wherein the drum cartridge mounted on the drawer is detachable from the drawer in a state in which the drawer is located at the outside position.