Image forming apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11209771-B2
Application number	US-202017062844-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 5, 2020
Priority date	Oct 7, 2019
Publication date	Dec 28, 2021
Grant date	Dec 28, 2021

Abstract

An image forming apparatus includes an image forming device, a sheet feeder, and a housing. The image forming device forms an image on a recording medium. The sheet feeder stores the recording medium and conveys the recording medium toward the image forming device. The housing accommodates an electrical device in the housing. The housing includes a housing body and a drawer that is drawn out from the housing body. The drawer includes a bottom plate on which the electrical device is placeable and a partition above the bottom plate on which the electrical device is placeable.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An image forming apparatus comprising:
an image forming device configured to form an image on a recording medium;
a sheet feeder configured to store the recording medium and convey the recording medium toward the image forming device; and
a housing, provided below all other components of the image forming device configured to form the image and configured to accommodate an electrical device in the housing, the electrical device being unrelated to the image forming device configured to form the image,
the housing including:
a housing body; and
a drawer configured to be drawn out from the housing body,
the drawer including:
a bottom plate on which the electrical device is placeable and
a partition above the bottom plate on which the electrical device is placeable.

2. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 ,
wherein a length of the partition in a draw-out direction of the drawer is shorter than a length of the bottom plate in the draw-out direction, and
wherein the partition is disposed above a rear portion of the bottom plate in the draw-out direction.

3. The image forming apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein the housing is configured to accommodate the electrical device both during operation and non-operation of the electrical device.

4. The image forming apparatus according to claim 3 , wherein the housing includes at least one heat exhaustion member to exhaust heat generated from the electrical device during operation of the electrical device.

5. The image forming apparatus according to claim 4 , wherein the at least one heat exhaustion member includes at least one heat exhaust fan to forcibly exhaust air and heat generated from the electrical device during operation of the electrical device.

6. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 ,
wherein the partition includes a plurality of vents.

7. The image forming apparatus according to claim 6 , wherein the housing is configured to accommodate the electrical device both during operation and non-operation of the electrical device.

8. The image forming apparatus according to claim 7 , wherein the housing includes at least one heat exhaustion member to exhaust heat generated from the electrical device during operation of the electrical device.

9. The image forming apparatus according to claim 8 , wherein the at least one heat exhaustion member includes at least one heat exhaust fan to forcibly exhaust air and heat generated from the electrical device during operation of the electrical device.

10. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 ,
wherein the housing body includes a heat exhaustion member configured to exhaust internal heat outside of the housing body.

11. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 ,
wherein a top plate of the housing includes an opening having a size configured to allow the electrical device to be replaced.

12. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the electrical device is a network device.

13. The image forming apparatus according to claim 12 , wherein the housing is configured to accommodate the network device both during operation and non-operation of the network device.

14. The image forming apparatus according to claim 13 , wherein the housing includes at least one heat exhaustion member to exhaust heat generated from the electrical device during operation of the electrical device.

15. The image forming apparatus according to claim 14 , wherein the at least one heat exhaustion member includes at least one heat exhaust fan to forcibly exhaust air and heat generated from the electrical device during operation of the electrical device.

16. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the housing is configured to accommodate the electrical device both during operation and non-operation of the electrical device.

17. The image forming apparatus according to claim 16 , wherein the housing includes at least one heat exhaustion member to exhaust heat generated from the electrical device during operation of the electrical device.

18. The image forming apparatus according to claim 17 , wherein the at least one heat exhaustion member includes at least one heat exhaust fan to forcibly exhaust air and heat generated from the electrical device during operation of the electrical device.

Assignees

• Akama Shiro
• Endo Tsuyoshi
• Suzuki Tatsuya
• Ricoh Co Ltd

Inventors

• Akama Shiro
• Endo Tsuyoshi
• Suzuki Tatsuya

Classifications

• G03G15/6502 Primary

  Supplying of sheet copy material; Cassettes therefor · CPC title

• G03G21/1633 Primary

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

• G03G21/1647

  Mechanical connection means · CPC title

• Y02D10/00

  Energy efficient computing, e.g. low power processors, power management or thermal management · CPC title