(19)
(11) EP 0 905 585 A3

(12) EUROPEAN PATENT APPLICATION

(88) Date of publication A3:
21.03.2001 Bulletin 2001/12

(43) Date of publication A2:
31.03.1999 Bulletin 1999/13

(21) Application number: 98116499.9

(22) Date of filing: 01.09.1998
(51) International Patent Classification (IPC)7G03G 21/18
(84) Designated Contracting States:
AT BE CH CY DE DK ES FI FR GB GR IE IT LI LU MC NL PT SE
Designated Extension States:
AL LT LV MK RO SI

(30) Priority: 08.09.1997 JP 24236597

(71) Applicant: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
Tokyo 143-8555 (JP)

(72) Inventors:
  • Kakitani,Yohtaro, c/o Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Tokyo 143-8555 (JP)
  • Matsumoto, Kentaro, c/o Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Tokyo 143-8555 (JP)
  • Nagashima, Hiroyuki, c/o Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Tokyo 143-8555 (JP)
  • Tsuda, Kiyonori, c/o Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Tokyo 143-8555 (JP)
  • Ri, Yonsoku, c/o Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Tokyo 143-8555 (JP)

(74) Representative: Schwabe - Sandmair - Marx 
Stuntzstrasse 16
81677 München
81677 München (DE)

   


(54) A process cartridge having a shutter to cover the surface of a photoconductor and image forming apparatus using the same cartridge


(57) A process cartridge (8) for an image forming apparatus, which includes a cartridge main body (24) having at least one of a developing device (25) for developing with toner a latent image on a photoconductor (14) and a cleaner (26) for salvaging the toner remaining on a surface of the photoconductor and detachably mounted to a main body of the image forming apparatus, and a shutter (49) which covers a covering area including an area beneath a lower part of the circumferential surface of the photoconductor (14) and an area beneath a lower part of at least one of a boundary between the photoconductor (14) and the developing device (25) and a boundary between the photoconductor (14) and the cleaner (26). The shutter (49) moves in a substantially horizontal posture between the covering area and a siding area beneath the developing device or the cleaner. Therefore, toner received by the shutter is prevented from falling from the shutter when the shutter is moved.







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