Image forming apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10216136-B2
Application number	US-201715641533-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 5, 2017
Priority date	Jul 12, 2016
Publication date	Feb 26, 2019
Grant date	Feb 26, 2019

Abstract

An image forming apparatus includes an apparatus body, a movable unit relatively movable between a first position and a second position, a lock portion configured to lock the movable unit to the apparatus body and an urging portion. The lock portion includes a locked member provided on one of the movable unit and the apparatus body, and a locking member provided on the other of the movable unit and the apparatus body and configured to move between a lock position and a retracting position. The urging portion is configured to urge the movable unit located at a position between the first position and the second position, toward the first position. The position between the first position and the second position is a position at which the locking member in the lock position and the locked member contact each other.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An image forming apparatus comprising:
an apparatus body;
a movable unit relatively movable to the apparatus body between a first position at which the movable unit is positioned when an image is formed and a second position which is away from the first position;
a lock portion configured to lock the movable unit to the apparatus body, the lock portion comprising:
a locked member provided on one of the movable unit and the apparatus body; and
a locking member provided on the other of the movable unit and the apparatus body and configured to move between a lock position and a retracting position, the lock position being a position at which the locking member engages with the locked member to lock the movable unit, the retracting position being a position to which the locking member is retracted from the lock position;

an urging portion configured to urge the movable unit located at a position between the first position and the second position, toward the first position, the position between the first position and the second position being a position at which the locking member in the lock position and the locked member contact each other;
a catch unit comprising a first catch portion provided on the movable unit and a second catch portion provided on the apparatus body, the catch unit being configured such that the second catch portion holds the first catch portion to hold the movable unit not to release the movable unit from the apparatus body and releases the first catch portion in response to a movement of the movable unit from the first position toward the second position,
wherein the first catch portion comprises a held member that is held by the second catch portion and supported such that the held member can move relative to the movable unit, and
the urging portion comprises an elastic member arranged between the held member and the movable unit.

2. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the second catch portion comprises a held member that engages with the first catch portion and is supported such that the held member can move relative to the apparatus body, and
the urging portion comprises an elastic member arranged between the held member and the apparatus body.

3. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the urging portion is arranged between the held member and the movable unit such that, in a state where the held member is held by the second catch portion, urging force of the elastic member increases as the movable unit moves toward the second position.

4. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein at least one of the held member and the second catch portion comprises a magnet.

5. The image forming apparatus according to claim 4 , wherein the urging portion has a maximum urging force smaller than a sticking force of the magnet.

6. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the urging portion comprises an elastic member arranged between the movable unit and the apparatus body.

7. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the locking member moves from the lock position to the retracting position with the aid of a self-weight of the locking member.

8. The image forming apparatus according to claim 7 , wherein the locking member is supported such that the locking member can pivot on a pivot supporting axis, and
a weight balance of the locking member is set such that a rotation moment of the locking member in a direction in which the locking member pivots from the lock position to the retracting position is larger than a rotation moment of the locking member in a direction in which the locking member pivots from the retracting position to the lock position.

9. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the locking member is supported such that the locking member can pivot on a pivot supporting axis and
the locked member and the locking member are positioned such that, when the movable unit is positioned in a state where the locked member and the locking member contact each other, a line passing through a contact point between the locked member and the locking member and through the pivot supporting axis is substantially parallel to a moving direction of the movable unit.

10. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the lock portion comprises a solenoid used to move the locking member.

11. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the movable unit comprises a door that covers a front face of the apparatus body and can open and close.

12. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the movable unit comprises a drawing unit that can be drawn out from the apparatus body.

13. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the locked member comprises a predetermined gap portion, and
the locking member moves into or out of the gap portion, and has an engagement portion whose thickness in a moving direction of the movable unit is smaller than a width of the gap portion.

14. An image forming apparatus comprising:
an apparatus body;
a movable unit relatively movable to the apparatus body between a first position at which the movable unit is positioned when an image is formed and a second position which is away from the first position;
a lock portion configured to lock the movable unit to the apparatus body, the lock portion comprising:
a locked member provided on one of the movable unit and the apparatus body; and
a locking member provided on the other of the movable unit and the apparatus body and configured to move between a lock position and a retracting position, the lock position being a position at which the locking member engages with the locked member to lock the movable unit, the retracting position being a position to which the locking member is retracted from the lock position; and

an urging portion configured to urge the movable unit located at a position between the first position and the second position, toward the first position, the position between the first position and the second position being a position at which the locking member in the lock position and the locked member contact each other,
wherein the urging portion urges the movable unit, located at the position between the first position and the second position, toward the first position, the position being the position at which the locking member located in the lock position and the locked member contact each other, and
wherein the locking member located in the lock position and the locked member do not contact each other in a state where the movable unit is located at the first position.

15. An image forming apparatus comprising:
an apparatus body;
a movable unit relatively movable to the apparatus body between a first position at which the movable unit is positioned when an image is formed and a second position which is away from the first position;
a lock portion configured to lock the movable unit to the apparatus body, the lock portion comprising:
a locked member provided on one of the movable unit and the apparatus body; and
a locking member provided on the other of the movable unit and the apparatus body and configured to move between a lock position and a retracting position, the lock position being a position at which the locking member engages with the locked member to lock the movable unit, the retracting position being a position to which the locking member is retracted from the lock position; and

an urging portion configured to urge the movable unit located at a position between the first position and the second posi

Assignees

• Canon Kk

Inventors

• Suzuki Takayuki
• Matsumura Takuya
• Tani Nobuhiro

Classifications

• G03G21/1633 Primary

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

• G03G21/1842

  for guiding and mounting the process cartridge, positioning, alignment, locks (G03G21/1864 and G03G21/1871 take precedence) · CPC title

• G03G21/1638

  directed to paper handling or jam treatment · CPC title

• B41J11/006

  Means for preventing paper jams or for facilitating their removal · CPC title

• G03G15/70

  Detecting malfunctions relating to paper handling, e.g. jams · CPC title