Image forming apparatus having a damper unit which regulates movement of a door unit

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10025259-B2
Application number	US-201514876170-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 6, 2015
Priority date	Oct 14, 2014
Publication date	Jul 17, 2018
Grant date	Jul 17, 2018

Abstract

An image forming apparatus includes a main body, a door unit, and a loading portion that applies a load affecting movement of the door unit. The loading portion includes a rotating member, a damper unit, and an arm portion, which engages with the rotating member to extend and retract along an arc. The damper unit applies the load to the moving door unit such that, when a first arm member of the arm portion is engaged with the rotating member, the door unit can move to a first position at a first opening angle, and when a second arm member of the arm portion is engaged with the rotating member, the door unit can move to a second position at a second opening angle which is greater than the first opening angle. The first and second arm members move relative to each other with movement of the door unit.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An image forming apparatus comprising:
a main body of the image forming apparatus;
a door unit that is provided to be opened with respect to the main body;
a loading portion that regulates movement of the door unit, the loading portion including:
a rotating member that is rotatable with the movement of the door unit; and
a damper unit that applies a resistive load to the rotating member so as to regulate the rotation of the rotating member and to thereby regulate the movement of the door unit; and

an arm portion provided on the door unit and projecting from the door unit in a predetermined direction, the arm portion comprising:
a first arm member (i) projecting from the door unit in the predetermined direction and (ii) including a first engagement portion engageable with the rotating member such that, when the first engagement portion is engaged with the rotating member, the rotating member rotates with the movement of the door unit, and
a second arm member (i) supported by the first arm member (ii) moveable with respect to the first arm member in the predetermined direction and (iii) including a second engagement portion engageable with the rotating member, wherein, in a state in which the first arm member and the rotating member are not engaged with each other and the second arm member and the rotating member are engaged with each other, the second arm member is configured to move with respect to the first arm member so that a distance between a distal end of the arm portion and the door unit in the predetermined direction increases during an opening operation of the door unit.

2. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 ,
wherein the resistive load applied by the damper unit is applied to the rotating member and, via the arm portion, to the door unit by engagement between the first engagement portion and the rotating member during the opening operation of the door unit, and
the arm portion is extended during the opening operation of the door unit by the first arm member moving relative to the second arm member when the second engagement portion and the rotating member are engaged.

3. The image forming apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein the damper unit applies the resistive load to the rotating member during the opening operation of the door unit.

4. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 ,
wherein the second arm member includes a projection, and the main body includes a stopper member for abutting the projection, and
wherein, during a closing operation of the door unit, the second arm member stops moving when the projection abuts the stopper member and the first arm member moves relative to the second arm member, thereby collapsing the arm portion.

5. The image forming apparatus according to claim 4 , wherein the damper unit does not apply the resistive load to the rotating member during the closing operation of the door unit.

6. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 ,
wherein the first arm member is fixed to the door unit, and the damper unit is provided in the main body, and
wherein during the opening operation of the door unit, the movement of the door unit is buffered by the resistive load of the damper unit applied to the door unit through engagement between the first engagement portion and the rotating member, and
the first arm member is configured to move relative to the second arm member during the opening operation of the door unit when the second engagement portion and the rotating member are engaged.

7. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the damper unit includes a prevention member to prevent disengagement of the rotating member and the first and second engagement portions.

8. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the rotating member is a gear, and the first engagement portion is a rack member having a gear tooth portion that is meshed with the gear in a predetermined opening range of the door unit.

9. The image forming apparatus according to claim 8 ,
wherein the second arm member includes a surface that is extendable in the predetermined direction.

10. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the first arm member is adapted to move relative to the second arm member during a closing operation of the door unit.

11. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 ,
wherein the resistive load of the damper unit is applied to the rotating member and, via the arm portion, to the door unit by engagement between the first engagement portion and the rotating member during the opening operation of the door unit, and the resistive load of the damper unit is not applied to the door unit when the second engagement portion and the rotating member are engaged.

12. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the arm portion extends and retracts along the predetermined direction, the predetermined direction extending along an arc.

13. An image forming apparatus comprising:
a main body of the image forming apparatus;
a door unit that is provided to be opened with respect to the main body;
a gear that is disposed in the main body;
a rack member (i) disposed on the door unit (ii) extending in a predetermined direction, and (iii) including a gear tooth portion configured to engage with the gear, the rack member being configured to move with movement of the door unit and rotate the gear;
a damper unit that applies a resistive load to the gear to resist rotation of the gear and to thereby regulate the movement of the rack member and the movement of the door unit; and
a slide member that is disposed in the rack member to be movable relative to the rack member so that a projection amount of the slide member from a distal end of the rack member in the predetermined direction is changeable,
wherein in a state in which the gear tooth portion of the rack member and the gear are not engaged, the slide member is configured to move with respect to the rack member so as to increase the projection amount of the slide member from the distal end of the rack member in the predetermined direction according to an opening operation of the door unit.

14. The image forming apparatus according to claim 13 ,
wherein the slide member includes an engagement portion to be engaged with the gear, and
wherein, when the slide member and the gear are engaged with each other, the slide member is configured to move with respect to the rack member so as to increase the projection amount of the slide member from the distal end of the rack member in the predetermined direction according to the opening operation of the door unit.

15. The image forming apparatus according to claim 14 , wherein the damper unit applies the resistive load to the rack member via the gear to thereby resist the opening operation of the door unit.

16. The image forming apparatus according to claim 13 , further comprising a stopper member, wherein during a closing operation of the door unit a part of the slide member abuts the stopper member to reduce the projection amount of the slide member from the distal end of the rack member.

17. The image forming apparatus according to claim 16 , wherein the damper unit does not apply the resistive load to the rack member during the closing operation of the door unit.

18. The image forming apparatus according to claim 13 , wherein the door unit is configured to rotate about a rotary axis, and the predetermined direction extends along an arc centered on the rotary axis.

19. The image forming appara

Assignees

• Canon Kk

Inventors

• Doi Shigeo
• Sugiyama Tadahisa

Classifications

• E05F3/16

  with friction brakes · CPC title

• E05D15/30

  with pivoted arms and sliding guides · CPC title

• G03G21/1633 Primary

  using doors or covers (G03G21/1638 takes precedence) · CPC title

• E05F3/20

  in hinges · CPC title

• E05F3/14

  with fluid brakes of the rotary type · CPC title