Image forming apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11016406-B2
Application number	US-201916544277-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 19, 2019
Priority date	Sep 26, 2018
Publication date	May 25, 2021
Grant date	May 25, 2021

Abstract

An image forming apparatuses includes an apparatus body configured to house a replacement part. The apparatus body includes a guiding face configured to guide a guided face of the replacement part. The guided face is on a side along a movement direction in which the replacement part moves between a set position in the apparatus body and an attaching and detaching position at which the replacement part is attached to and detached from the apparatus body. The apparatus further include a moving device configured to move the replacement part between the set position and the attaching and detaching position, and a pressing device configured to press the guided face of the replacement part against the guiding face of the apparatus body while the replacement part moves between the set position and the attaching and detaching position.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An image forming apparatuses comprising:
an apparatus body configured to house a replacement part, the apparatus body including a guiding face configured to guide a guided face of the replacement part, the guided face on a side along a movement direction in which the replacement part moves between a set position in the apparatus body and an attaching and detaching position at which the replacement part is attached to and detached from the apparatus body;
a moving device configured to move the replacement part between the set position and the attaching and detaching position; and
a pressing device configured to press the guided face of the replacement part against the guiding face of the apparatus body while the replacement part moves between the set position and the attaching and detaching position.

2. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 ,
wherein the pressing device is configured to press, against the guiding face, the replacement part being at the attaching and detaching position.

3. The image forming apparatus according to claim 2 ,
wherein the pressing device is configured to press, against the guiding face, the replacement part being at the attaching and detaching position with a reduced pressing force from a pressing force with which the pressing device presses the replacement part being at the set position.

4. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 ,
wherein the pressing device includes:
an operation portion disposed on a first side of the apparatus body along the movement direction of the replacement part; and
a moving member configured to move the replacement part between the set position and the attaching and detaching position,

wherein the guiding face is disposed on a second side of the apparatus body opposite the first side of the apparatus body, and
wherein the pressing device is disposed on the first side of the apparatus body.

5. The image forming apparatus according to claim 4 ,
wherein the moving member is disposed on a third side of the apparatus body, the third side being along the movement direction of the replacement part, the third side extending in a pressing direction in which the pressing device presses the guided face of the replacement part against the guiding face, and
wherein the moving member is configured to push a projecting portion projecting from a face of the replacement part on the third side, to move the replacement part from the set position to the attaching and detaching position.

6. The image forming apparatus according to claim 5 ,
wherein a thickness of the moving member in a projecting direction of the projecting portion is equal to or smaller than a projection amount of the projecting portion.

7. The image forming apparatus according to claim 5 ,
wherein the operation portion is configured to act by force acting on a force point of the operation portion,
wherein the moving member is configured to:
rotate, around a support point of the moving device supported by the apparatus body, in conjunction with an action of the operation portion; and
move to shift a point of application of the moving member from the set position toward the attaching and detaching position, the point of application at which the moving member pushes the projecting portion of the replacement part, and
wherein a distance between the supporting point and the point of application is equal to or greater than a distance between the supporting point and the force point.

8. The image forming apparatus according to claim 5 ,
wherein a pressed position of the projecting portion pressed by the moving member in the pressing direction of the pressing device is located at or near a center of gravity of the replacement part.

9. The image forming apparatus according to claim 5 ,
wherein the apparatus body further includes a replacement part holder configured to hold the replacement part,
wherein the replacement part holder includes a cutout portion disposed in a side wall extending along the movement direction of the replacement part and along the pressing direction of the pressing device, the cutout portion being as access to the replacement part being at the attaching and detaching position, and
wherein the cutout portion is disposed farther from the first side on which the operation portion is disposed than a point of application of the moving member pressing the projecting portion of the replacement part.

10. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising the replacement part that is a liquid cartridge configured to store a liquid to be discharged onto a recording medium.

11. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 ,
wherein a direction in which the replacement part being at the attaching and detaching position is attached to or detached from the apparatus body matches the movement direction of the replacement part between the set position and the attaching and detaching position.

Assignees

• Ota Masashi
• Ishida Masatoshi
• Osanai Yohei
• Narai Satoshi
• Andoh Takayuki
• Fujii Tomoya
• Nishioka Kunihiko
• Hirata Munekazu
• Ricoh Co Ltd

Inventors

• Ota Masashi
• Ishida Masatoshi
• Osanai Yohei
• Narai Satoshi
• Andoh Takayuki
• Fujii Tomoya
• Nishioka Kunihiko
• Hirata Munekazu

Classifications

• B41J2/1753

  Details of contacts on the cartridge, e.g. protection of contacts · CPC title

• B41J3/36

  for portability {, i.e. hand-held printers or laptop printers (B41J3/4075 takes precedence)} · CPC title

• B41J2/17553 Primary

  Outer structure · CPC title

• G03G15/0409 Primary

  Details of projection optics (for projection printing apparatus G03B27/522) · CPC title

• B41J29/02

  Framework · CPC title