US 7,596,339 B2
Image forming apparatus including an interchangeable engine and an interchangeable paper feeding and outputting system
Michio Kawase, Abiko (Japan); Noriyoshi Chizawa, Moriya (Japan); Masashi Oyumi, Abiko (Japan); Shigeo Hata, Toride (Japan); Yoshihito Osari, Chuo-ku (Japan); and Kiyoshi Okamoto, Moriya (Japan)
Assigned to Canon Kabushiki Kaisha, Tokyo (Japan)
Filed on Aug. 31, 2006, as Appl. No. 11/469,285.
Claims priority of application No. 2005-258385 (JP), filed on Sep. 06, 2005; and application No. 2006-205677 (JP), filed on Jul. 28, 2006.
Prior Publication US 2007/0053715 A1, Mar. 08, 2007
Int. Cl. G03G 15/00 (2006.01)
U.S. Cl. 399—110 3 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An image forming apparatus comprising:
an image forming subsystem including an image bearing member, an exposure unit, a charging unit, and a developing unit, the image forming subsystem being interchangeable;
a sheet transport subsystem configured to transport a sheet medium in the image forming apparatus, the sheet transport subsystem being interchangeable;
a mounting base configured to removably support the image forming subsystem and the sheet transport subsystem;
a control unit configured to control operation of the image forming apparatus;
a guiding mechanism configured to allow each of the image forming subsystem and the sheet transport subsystem to move on the mounting base;
a positioning unit configured to determine the position of the subsystem relative to the mounting base when the subsystem is mounted on the mounting base; and
a position detecting unit configured to detect a relative position between the image forming subsystem and the sheet transport subsystem in a condition that that the subsystems are mounted on the mounting base,
wherein the mounting base is capable of mounting one of a plurality of the image forming subsystems having different performances and one of a plurality of the sheet transport subsystem having different specifications thereon,
wherein the control unit is configured to control the operation of the image forming apparatus in accordance with a combination of the mounted image forming subsystem and the sheet transport subsystem, and wherein the image forming subsystem controls an image forming position based on the detected relative position.