Frame of image forming apparatus and image forming apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11340551-B2
Application number	US-202117230812-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 14, 2021
Priority date	May 15, 2020
Publication date	May 24, 2022
Grant date	May 24, 2022

Abstract

A frame of an image forming apparatus, includes:a bottom plate having a bottom face whose shape is substantially quadrangular;a first caster;a second caster;a third caster attached near a second side of the bottom face, the third caster being disposed such that a barycenter of the image forming apparatus is located inside a triangle formed by imaginary lines connecting the first caster, the second caster, and the third caster; anda fourth caster attached to a region outside the triangle, the fourth caster being provided closer to the second side than the barycenter, whereinin a case where the image forming apparatus is installed on the installation face which is flat, the first caster, the second caster, and the third caster are installed on the installation face, and the fourth caster is located away from the installation face.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An image forming apparatus, comprising:
an image forming unit configured to form a toner image on a sheet;
a frame including a support member configured to support the image forming unit, and a bottom plate disposed below the support member in a vertical direction, the bottom plate having the support member fixed to the bottom plate, the bottom plate having a bottom face to be opposed to an installation face for installation of the image forming apparatus, the bottom face being substantially quadrangular;
a first caster attached near a first corner portion of the bottom face of the bottom plate, the first caster being to be installed on the installation face;
a second caster attached near a second corner portion adjacent to the first corner portion of the bottom face of the bottom plate, the second caster being to be installed on the installation face;
a third caster attached near a second side opposed to a first side connecting the first corner portion and the second corner portion of the bottom face of the bottom plate, the third caster being to be installed on the installation face, the third caster being disposed such that a barycenter of the image forming apparatus is located inside a triangle formed by imaginary lines connecting the first caster, the second caster, and the third caster; and
a fourth caster attached to a region outside the triangle on the bottom face of the bottom plate, the fourth caster being provided closer to the second side than the barycenter of the image forming apparatus in a direction orthogonal to the first side on the bottom face, the fourth caster being provided at a position different from the third caster in a direction in which the first side extends, wherein
in a case where the image forming apparatus is installed on the installation face which is flat, the first caster, the second caster, and the third caster are installed on the installation face, and the fourth caster is located away from the installation face.

2. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein
in the direction orthogonal to the first side, the fourth caster is disposed overlapping at least part of the third caster.

3. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein
in the direction orthogonal to the first side, the fourth caster is disposed closer to the second side than the third caster is.

4. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein
at least either the first caster or the second caster is disposed closer to the barycenter of the image forming apparatus than the fourth caster is.

5. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a fifth caster attached to the bottom face of the bottom plate, the fifth caster being outside the triangle, the fifth caster being disposed closer to the second side than the barycenter of the image forming apparatus in the direction orthogonal to the first side, the fifth caster being disposed at a position different from the third caster in the direction in which the first side extends, wherein
in a case where the image forming apparatus is installed on the installation face which is flat, the fifth caster is located away from the installation face.

6. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a fixing unit supported by the support member, the fixing unit being capable of moving between a mount position at which the fixing unit is mounted in the image forming apparatus and a drawn position at which the fixing unit is drawn out of the mount position, the fixing unit being configured to fix the toner image formed by the image forming unit to the sheet, wherein
in a case where the fixing unit is located at the drawn position, the barycenter of the image forming apparatus is located inside the triangle.

7. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a sheet cassette supported by the support member, the sheet cassette being capable of moving between a mount position at which the sheet cassette is mounted in the image forming apparatus and a drawn position at which the sheet cassette is drawn out of the mount position, the sheet cassette being configured to accommodate the sheet on which the toner image is to be formed by the image forming unit, wherein
in a case where the sheet cassette is located at the drawn position, the barycenter of the image forming apparatus is located inside the triangle.

8. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a fifth caster attached to the bottom face of the bottom plate, the fifth caster being disposed outside of an imaginary plane defined by the first caster, the second caster and the third caster which respectively contact the installation face and being floated from the imaginary plane,
wherein the fifth caster is disposed at an opposite side of the fourth caster for the third caster in an extending direction of the first side.

9. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a fixing unit configured to fix the toner image formed by the image forming unit to the sheet,
wherein a direction perpendicular to the first side is a width direction of the image forming apparatus,
wherein the fixing unit is disposed at a position closer to the first side than the second side.

10. The image forming apparatus according to claim 9 , wherein
the fixing unit supported by the support member, the fixing unit being capable of moving between a mount position at which the fixing unit is mounted in the image forming apparatus and a drawn position at which the fixing unit is drawn out of the mount position,
wherein, in a case where the fixing unit is located at the drawn position, the barycenter of the image forming apparatus is located inside the triangle.

11. An image forming apparatus, comprising:
an image forming unit configured to form a toner image on a sheet;
a frame including a support member configured to support the image forming unit, and a bottom plate disposed below the support member in a vertical direction, the bottom plate having the support member fixed to the bottom plate, the bottom plate having a bottom face to be opposed to an installation face for installation of the image forming apparatus, the bottom face being substantially quadrangular;
a first caster attached near a first corner portion of the bottom face of the bottom plate, the first caster being to be installed on the installation face;
a second caster attached near a second corner portion adjacent to the first corner portion of the bottom face of the bottom plate, the second caster being to be installed on the installation face;
a third caster attached near a second side opposed to a first side connecting the first corner portion and the second corner portion of the bottom face of the bottom plate, the third caster being disposed between the first caster and the second caster in a direction in which the first side extends and being to be installed on the installation face; and
a fourth caster attached to the bottom face of the bottom plate, the fourth caster being disposed outside of an imaginary plane defined by the first caster, the second caster and the third caster which respectively contact the installation face and being floated from the imaginary plane.

12. The image forming apparatus according to claim 11 , wherein
in the direction orthogonal to the first side, the fourth caster is disposed overlapping at least part of the third caster.

13. The image forming apparatus according to claim 11 , wherein
in the direction orthogonal to the first side, the fourth caster is disposed closer to the

Assignees

• Canon Kk

Inventors

• Matsumura Takuya
• Ishikawa Rin

Classifications

• G03G21/1619 Primary

  Frame structures · CPC title