Image forming apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10437191-B2
Application number	US-201515111985-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 15, 2015
Priority date	Jan 15, 2014
Publication date	Oct 8, 2019
Grant date	Oct 8, 2019

Abstract

Disclosed herein is an image forming apparatus having a structure improved such that a user easily opens and closes a printing media cassette. The image forming apparatus includes an apparatus body, a printing media cassette to receive printing media, the printing media cassette being movably coupled to the apparatus body, and at least one lever movably disposed in the apparatus body, the lever contacting the printing media cassette to pull the printing media cassette into the apparatus body and then being separated from the printing media cassette when the printing media cassette is closed.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An image forming apparatus comprising:
an apparatus body;
a printing media cassette to receive printing media, the printing media cassette movably coupled to the apparatus body; and
a lever movably disposed in the apparatus body, the lever to contact the printing media cassette to pull the printing media cassette into the apparatus body and to separate from the printing media cassette when the printing media cassette is fully closed.

2. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the lever is slidably disposed along a movement path provided in the apparatus body.

3. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein, when the printing media cassette is fully closed, the lever is pushed by the printing media cassette and then pushes the printing media cassette.

4. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein, when the printing media cassette is opened, the printing media cassette moves to separate from the lever and to contact the lever to push the lever.

5. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the printing media cassette comprises:
a first catching part pushed by the lever when the printing media cassette is fully closed; and
a second catching part to push the lever when the printing media cassette is opened.

6. The image forming apparatus according to claim 5 , wherein the printing media cassette further comprises a guide part to push the lever to guide the lever to the first catching part when the printing media cassette is fully closed.

7. The image forming apparatus according to claim 5 , wherein the printing media cassette further comprises a lever receiving part receiving at least a portion of the lever when the printing media cassette is fully closed.

8. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising an elastic member disposed between the apparatus body and the lever to elastically bias the lever.

9. The image forming apparatus according to claim 8 , further comprising:
a fixing plate fixed in the apparatus body; and
a guide plate extending from the fixing plate toward the printing media cassette, the guide plate comprising a guide slot to guide the lever.

10. The image forming apparatus according to claim 9 , wherein the guide slot comprises:
a parallel part parallel to a movement direction of the printing media cassette; and
a first inclined part and a second inclined part inclined from the parallel part.

11. The image forming apparatus according to claim 10 , wherein the first inclined part is perpendicular to the parallel part.

12. The image forming apparatus according to claim 10 , wherein, when the printing media cassette is fully closed, the lever pushes the printing media cassette after the lever enters the parallel part.

13. The image forming apparatus according to claim 9 , wherein the lever comprises:
a catching pin contacting the printing media cassette when the printing media cassette is fully closed or opened; and
a support pin coupled to the catching pin via the guide plate, the support pin having a first support hole to support one end of the elastic member.

14. The image forming apparatus according to claim 13 , wherein the fixing plate comprises a support protrusion having a second support hole to support the other end of the elastic member.

15. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a fixing plate fixed in the apparatus body;
a guide plate extending from the fixing plate toward the printing media cassette, the guide plate having a first guide slot to guide the lever; and
a slider slidably coupled to the guide plate, the slider having a second guide slot to guide the lever.

16. The image forming apparatus according to claim 15 , wherein the second guide slot is perpendicular to a movement direction of the printing media cassette.

17. The image forming apparatus according to claim 15 , further comprising at least one elastic member disposed between the fixing plate and the slider to elastically bias the slider.

18. The image forming apparatus according to claim 15 , further comprising a connection lever movably coupled to the slider, the connection lever being connected to the printing media cassette when the printing media cassette is opened.

19. The image forming apparatus according to claim 18 , wherein the connection lever comprises:
a first catching part contacting the printing media cassette and pushed by the printing media cassette when the printing media cassette is opened; and
a second catching protrusion received in the slider to push the slider when the printing media cassette is opened.

20. The image forming apparatus according to claim 19 , further comprising:
a first elastic member disposed between the fixing plate and the lever to elastically bias the lever; and
a second elastic member disposed between the fixing plate and the connection lever to elastically bias the connection lever.

21. An image forming apparatus comprising:
an apparatus body;
a printing media cassette to receive printing media, the printing media cassette movably coupled to the apparatus body; and
a lever slidably disposed along a movement path provided in the apparatus body, wherein
when the printing media cassette is opened, the printing media cassette moves to separate from the lever and to contact the lever to push the lever along the movement path.

22. An image forming apparatus comprising:
an apparatus body;
a printing media cassette to receive printing media, the printing media cassette movably coupled to the apparatus body; and
an opening and closing device pulling the printing media cassette into the apparatus body when the printing media cassette is fully closed, wherein
the opening and closing device comprises:
a first catching part and a second catching part provided at the printing media cassette, the first catching part and the second catching part being spaced apart from each other; and
a lever slidably disposed along a movement path provided in the apparatus body, the lever to contact one of the first and second catching parts when the printing media cassette is opened and to contact the other of the first and second catching parts when the printing media cassette is fully closed.

23. The image forming apparatus according to claim 22 , wherein the opening and closing device further comprises a guide part connected to the first catching part, the guide part being inclined from a movement direction of the printing media cassette.

24. The image forming apparatus according to claim 23 , wherein the lever is located at a first position in a state in which the printing media cassette is open and at a second position different from the first position in a state in which the printing media cassette is fully closed.

25. The image forming apparatus according to claim 24 , wherein, in a state in which the lever is located at the first position, the lever is located outside a movement path of the second catching part such that the lever does not interfere with the second catching part.

26. The image forming apparatus according to claim 24 , wherein, in a state in which the lever is located at the second position, the lever is located outside a movement path of the first catching part such that the lever does not interfere with the first catching part.

27. An image forming apparatus com

Assignees

• Hp Printing Korea Co Ltd

Inventors

• Kwon Myung Sik
• Chechurin Leonid
• Kim Jung Hyeon
• Telegin Yury
• Kim Dong Ho

Classifications

• G03G15/6502 Primary

  Supplying of sheet copy material; Cassettes therefor · CPC title

• G03G2221/1654

  Locks and means for positioning or alignment · CPC title

• G03G15/6505

  for copy sheets in ream · CPC title

• G03G21/1614

  Measures for handling of apparatus by disabled persons · CPC title

• G03G21/1695

  for paper transport · CPC title