Image forming apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10146175-B2
Application number	US-201615228285-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 4, 2016
Priority date	Aug 28, 2015
Publication date	Dec 4, 2018
Grant date	Dec 4, 2018

Abstract

An image forming apparatus includes a scanner to read an image on an original and an electric box disposed below the scanner and extended horizontally with respect to the scanner. The electric box includes an electric cabinet having a box shape and an electrical device disposed inside the electric cabinet.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An image forming apparatus comprising:
a scanner configured to read an image on an original;
a body including,
an image forming device between a front plate and a rear plate, the image forming device configured to form an image on a sheet, and
a sheet receiver onto which the sheet bearing the image formed by the image forming device is ejected, the sheet receiver being in an internal space within the image forming apparatus above the image forming device and below the scanner;

an electric box coupled to the rear plate below the scanner and above the sheet receiver and extended horizontally with respect to the scanner such that a bottom face of the electric box facing the image forming device is separated from the image forming device by the internal space formed by the sheet receiver, the electric box including an electrical device inside the electric box; and
an insulator on the bottom face of the electric box, the insulator configured to thermally insulate the electric box from heat.

2. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 ,
wherein the electrical device includes a controller board configured to generate an electric wave to drive the scanner and the image forming apparatus, and
wherein the electric box is made of a sheet metal.

3. The image forming apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein the electrical device further includes an image forming device control board to drive the image forming device.

4. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein,
the front plate is configured to face a user who uses the image forming apparatus,
the rear plate is opposite the front plate,
the electric box bridges the front plate and the rear plate and is coupled to the front plate and the rear plate.

5. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 ,
wherein the insulator is an insulation sheet.

6. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a heat exhaust duct, mounted on the bottom face of the electric box, the heat exhaust duct configured to exhaust the heat toward an outside of the image forming apparatus.

7. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the scanner is detachably attached to the electric box.

8. The image forming apparatus according to claim 7 , wherein the scanner includes:
a bottom face; and
a leg mounted on the bottom face and projecting from the bottom face toward the electric box.

9. The image forming apparatus according to claim 8 , wherein the leg is made of rubber.

10. The image forming apparatus according to claim 8 , wherein the leg is molded with the bottom face of the scanner.

11. The image forming apparatus according to claim 10 , wherein the bottom face of the scanner is made of a sheet metal.

12. The image forming apparatus according to claim 8 , wherein when the scanner is placed on the electric box, the leg of the scanner is accommodated inside the electric box.

13. An electronic box connected to an image forming apparatus, the image forming apparatus including a body and a scanner, the body including an image forming device and a sheet receiver, the image forming device being between a front plate and a rear plate and configured to form an image on a sheet, and the sheet receiver being in an internal space within the image forming apparatus above the image forming device and configured to receive the sheet bearing the image thereon from the image forming device, the electronic box comprising:
an electric cabinet coupled to the rear plate below the scanner and above the sheet receiver and extending horizontally with respect to the scanner such that a bottom face of the electronic box facing the image forming device is separated from the image forming device by the internal space formed by the sheet receiver;
an insulator on the bottom face of the electronic box the insulator configured to thermally insulate the electronic box from heat; and
an electrical device inside the electric cabinet, the electrical device configured to control the image forming device.

14. The electronic box of claim 13 , further comprising:
a heat exhaust duct, mounted on the bottom face of the electronic box, the heat exhaust duct configured to exhaust the heat toward an outside of the image forming apparatus.

Assignees

• Ishimitsu Hiroki
• Hoshi Katsuhiro
• Nishi Takayuki
• Ito Kazuyuki
• Ohta Yoshihide
• Shima Nobuhiro
• Ricoh Co Ltd

Inventors

• Ishimitsu Hiroki
• Hoshi Katsuhiro
• Nishi Takayuki
• Ito Kazuyuki
• Ohta Yoshihide
• Shima Nobuhiro

Classifications

• G03G15/80 Primary

  Details relating to power supplies, circuits boards, electrical connections · CPC title

• G03G21/1619

  Frame structures · CPC title

• G03G21/1652 Primary

  Electrical connection means · CPC title

• H04N1/04

  Scanning arrangements {, i.e. arrangements for the displacement of active reading or reproducing elements relative to the original or reproducing medium, or vice versa}(H04N1/387 takes precedence) · CPC title

• H04N1/00541

  with detachable image reading apparatus · CPC title