Oblon, McClelland, Maier & Neustadt, L.L.P.
Image forming apparatus
An image forming apparatus includes an intermediate transferor, a plurality of image bearers, a plurality of developing devices, a plurality of developer containers, a plurality of conveyance paths, and a plurality of sub-hoppers. At least one set of an image bearer, a developing device, and a sub-hopper is disposed at a height different from other sets. The arrangement of the plurality of developing devices and the plurality of sub-hoppers in the rotation direction of the intermediate transferor is changed while satisfying the following. The arrangement of the plurality of developer containers is not changed and the connections between the plurality of developing devices and the plurality of sub-hoppers are not change, while the layout of the plurality of tubes as the plurality of conveyance paths is changed so that the connections between the plurality of tubes and the plurality of sub-hoppers are not changed.
Ricoh Company, Ltd.
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inventional inventional inventional inventional
Hideo Teppei Kazuhiro Toshio Jun Keinosuke Michiharu
Yoshizawa Kikuchi Aso Koike Shiori Kondoh Suzuki