1. Field of the Invention
The present disclosure relates to an image forming apparatus, and specifically, to an image forming apparatus that may be used as a printer, copier, facsimile, or a multi-functional apparatus integrating functions of a printer, copier, and facsimile.
2. Description of the Background
Related art image forming apparatus use an electro-photography process to produce images in color or monochrome on a recording member, such as sheet and film.
A personal computer may be connected to the image forming apparatus to be used as a printer, for example. In such usage, a user uses an image forming apparatus as his or her personal apparatus.
From the viewpoint of usability of the image forming apparatus (e.g. printer), the image forming apparatus is generally placed in an area which is close to a personal computer of the user.
In such an environment, a relatively small apparatus is preferable when considering operability of image forming apparatus. The apparatus may have smaller dimensions (e.g., height, width, length) to accommodate the image forming apparatus in a smaller area.
Furthermore, from the viewpoint of enhancing usability and reducing maintenance costs for a personal user, the image forming apparatus may have a configuration which is user-friendly when a user conducts replacement work of consumable supplies, such as a developing agent (i.e., toner) and/or maintenance work by him or herself.
Generally, an image forming apparatus includes four color developing agents (i.e., toners) to conduct color image forming, for example.
Therefore, such a color image forming apparatus may have a relatively large number of components compared to a monochrome image forming apparatus. Thereby such a color image forming apparatus may be more likely to occupy a larger space than a monochrome image forming apparatus.
Furthermore, productivity of such a color image forming apparatus may become lower because color image printing may require more time than monochrome printing, wherein productivity may be expressed by indicators, such as a number of pages to be printed per unit time.
Therefore, an image forming apparatus using tandem type may be used to conduct color image printing, in which the image forming apparatus includes a plurality of photosensitive members, arranged in one direction, and a plurality of developing units, disposed closely to each of the photosensitive members. With such a configuration, each color image formed on the each of the photosensitive members can be sequentially transferred to a recording member.
In general, such tandem type image forming apparatus may consume a relatively large amount of toner. Thereby, from the viewpoint of operability of the image forming apparatus, a refilling unit may be provided separately from a developing unit rather than integrating the refilling unit and the developing unit as a cartridge. The refilling unit supplies refilling toners to the developing unit.
Furthermore, in order to reduce an area or space occupied by the image forming apparatus, the image forming apparatus may have a sheet ejection portion, which stacks printed recording members, on its top side, for example.
The image forming apparatus of tandem type may have the properties as above-mentioned, and a further enhancement of operability of the image forming apparatus of tandem type may be made.
An image forming apparatus for color image forming requires a plurality of developing agent containers (e.g., toner bottles), thereby a consideration may be given to “visibility” to enhance operability of the developing agent containers.
For example, in an image forming apparatus, a plurality of toner bottles may be arranged in one direction, which is perpendicular to an ejection direction of recording members, for example.
However, such an image forming apparatus may have a configuration that a user may feel it is difficult to operate the image forming apparatus.
Generally, a user is not familiar to configurations and replacement work of image forming apparatus. Thereby the user may feel difficulties to conduct replacement work for the image forming apparatus.
USPTO Backgrounds
USPTO Backgrounds