Wheel chair accessible image forming apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10712705-B2
Application number	US-201916412645-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 15, 2019
Priority date	May 28, 2018
Publication date	Jul 14, 2020
Grant date	Jul 14, 2020

Abstract

An image forming apparatus includes an exterior housing, an image forming unit in the exterior housing, the image forming unit, to form an image on a sheet, a scanner to read the image on a document, a first region in the exterior housing, the image forming unit being disposed in the first region in view from a front side of the exterior housing, a second region arranged side by side with the first region in a lateral direction in the exterior housing in view from the front side of the exterior housing, the scanner being disposed in the second region, and an opening defining a space in a front face of the exterior housing. The opening extends across the first region and the second region in a lower part of the exterior housing below the image forming unit and the scanner.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An image forming apparatus comprising:
an exterior housing;
an image forming unit disposed in the exterior housing, to form an image on a sheet;
a scanner to read the image on a document;
a first region in the exterior housing, the image forming unit being disposed in the first region in view from a front side of the exterior housing;
a second region arranged side by side with the first region in a lateral direction in the exterior housing in view from the front side of the exterior housing, the scanner being disposed in the second region; and
an opening defining a space in a front face of the exterior housing, the opening extending across the first region and the second region in a lower part of the exterior housing below the image forming unit and the scanner.

2. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising a sheet tray in the second region below the scanner to store the sheet to be conveyed to the image forming unit,
wherein the opening and the image forming unit are stacked in a height direction in the first region, and
the opening and the sheet tray are stacked in the height direction in the second region.

3. The image forming apparatus according to claim 2 ,
wherein a width of the opening is wider than a width of the sheet tray in the lateral direction.

4. The image forming apparatus according to claim 2 , further comprising a plurality of sheet trays,
wherein each of the plurality of sheet trays includes a bottom, and
an upper end of the opening is below the bottom of a sheet tray that includes a lowest bottom among the plurality of sheet trays.

5. The image forming apparatus according to claim 4 ,
wherein the plurality of sheet trays includes a first sheet tray and a second sheet tray arranged side by side in the lateral direction,
the first sheet tray is disposed in the first region, and
the second sheet tray includes the lowest bottom among the plurality of sheet trays in the second region.

6. The image forming apparatus according to claim 5 ,
wherein the opening is disposed below at least one of the first sheet tray and the second sheet tray.

7. The image forming apparatus according to claim 6 ,
wherein the opening is disposed below the first sheet tray and the second sheet tray.

8. The image forming apparatus according to claim 7 ,
wherein the opening extends across a first portion below the first sheet tray and a second portion below the second sheet tray.

9. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a plurality of sheet trays to store sheets to be conveyed to the image forming unit, the plurality of sheet trays including a first sheet tray in the first region and a second sheet tray in the second region arranged side by side in the lateral direction,
wherein the image forming unit forms the image on the sheet conveyed from one of the plurality of sheet trays, and
a first surface, on which the image is formed by the image forming unit, of the sheet stored in the first sheet tray and a second surface, on which the image is formed by the image forming unit, of the sheet stored in the second sheet tray are opposite surfaces in a height direction when the sheets are stored in the first sheet tray and the second sheet tray.

10. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising a takeout space in the second region below the scanner to take out the sheet,
wherein the opening and the image forming unit are stacked in a height direction in the first region, and
the opening and the takeout space are stacked in the height direction in the second region.

11. The image forming apparatus according to claim 10 , further comprising:
a sheet tray in the second region below the scanner and the takeout space, to store the sheet to be conveyed to the image forming unit; and
a conveyance path to convey the sheet from the sheet tray to the image forming unit,
wherein the conveyance path is openable to the takeout space to take out the sheet in the conveyance path from the takeout space.

12. The image forming apparatus according to claim 11 , further comprising a cover to cover the conveyance path,
wherein the cover is movable in the takeout space to open the conveyance path to the takeout space.

13. The image forming apparatus according to claim 10 ,
wherein the takeout space includes a takeout opening that opens to the front face of the exterior housing of the image forming apparatus.

14. The image forming apparatus according to claim 13 , further comprising an openably closable member to open and close the takeout space to outside the exterior housing of the image forming apparatus.

15. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising a storage in the second region below the scanner, the storage including a shelf,
wherein the opening and the image forming unit are stacked in a height direction in the first region, and
the opening and the storage are stacked in the height direction in the second region.

16. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising:
an electrical component housing including an insertion port of a storage medium and a connection port of a cable in the first region, and
a plurality of sheet trays to store the sheet to be conveyed to the image forming unit, the plurality of sheet trays including a first sheet tray in the first region and a second sheet tray in the second region arranged side by side in the lateral direction,
wherein the electrical component housing is disposed below the first sheet tray and is side by side with the second sheet tray in the lateral direction, and
wherein the insertion port and the connection port are disposed at the front face of the exterior housing of the image forming apparatus.

17. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 ,
wherein a width of the opening is wider than a width of a seat of a wheelchair.

18. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 ,
wherein a height from a floor on which the image forming apparatus is installed to a lower end of the opening is lower than a height of a foot support of a wheelchair.

19. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 ,
wherein a depth of the opening is equal to or larger than a length of a foot support of a wheelchair.

20. An image forming apparatus comprising:
an exterior housing of a main body of the image forming apparatus;
an image forming unit disposed in the exterior housing, to form an image on a sheet;
a first region in the exterior housing, the image forming unit being disposed in the first region in view from a front side of the exterior housing;
a second region arranged side by side with the first region in a lateral direction in the exterior housing in view from the front side of the exterior housing;
a sheet tray below the image forming unit;
a conveyance path between the sheet tray and the image forming unit; and
an opening defining a space in a front face of the exterior housing,
wherein at least one of a document feeder to read an image on a document while conveying the document, a loading unit to load the document or the sheet, a sheet tray to stack the sheet to be conveyed to the image forming unit, and a space in the exterior housing is provided in the second region,
the opening extends across the first region and the second region in a lower part of the main body of the image forming apparatus, and
a sheet on which an image is to be formed is conveyed upward from a low

Assignees

• Ishida Masahiro
• Sato Yuki
• Kaneda Ryuta
• Uji Kentaro
• Ricoh Co Ltd

Inventors

• Ishida Masahiro
• Sato Yuki
• Kaneda Ryuta
• Uji Kentaro

Classifications

• G03G21/1633

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

• G03G21/1614 Primary

  Measures for handling of apparatus by disabled persons · CPC title

• G03G21/1619 Primary

  Frame structures · CPC title

• G03G15/6502

  Supplying of sheet copy material; Cassettes therefor · CPC title

• G03G2215/00383

  Cassette · CPC title