Image forming apparatus incorporating temporary retainer for bypass tray

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2017015511-A1
Application number	US-201615205412-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jul 8, 2016
Priority date	Jul 13, 2015
Publication date	Jan 19, 2017
Grant date	—

Abstract

An image forming apparatus includes an apparatus body, an image forming portion, a sheet feeding port, a bypass tray, a rotation support, and a temporary retainer. The image forming portion is disposed in the apparatus body to form an image on a recording medium. The sheet feeding port is disposed upstream from the image forming portion of the apparatus body in a sheet feeding direction. The bypass tray is disposed to be storable in the apparatus body. The bypass tray loads the recording medium to be fed toward the sheet feeding port. The rotation support supports the bypass tray. The temporary retainer positions the bypass tray both in a vertical direction relative to the sheet feeding port and in a perpendicular direction perpendicular to the sheet feeding direction. The temporary retainer temporarily retains the bypass tray.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . An image forming apparatus comprising:
an apparatus body; an image forming portion disposed in the apparatus body to form an image on a recording medium; a sheet feeding port disposed upstream from the image forming portion of the apparatus body in a sheet feeding direction; a bypass tray disposed to be storable in the apparatus body, the bypass tray to load the recording medium to be fed toward the sheet feeding port; a rotation support supporting the bypass tray; and a temporary retainer to position the bypass tray both in a vertical direction relative to the sheet feeding port and in a perpendicular direction perpendicular to the sheet feeding direction, the temporary retainer to temporarily retain the bypass tray.

2 . The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 ,
wherein the temporary retainer includes:
a recess disposed facing the sheet feeding port; and
a projection mounted on the bypass tray, to fit the recess,
wherein the bypass tray is positioned in the perpendicular direction by fitting of the recess and the projection to each other.

3 . The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 ,
wherein the temporary retainer includes:
an extension tray detachably attached to the bypass tray; and
an extension tray insertion opening disposed on an opposite face to a face of the bypass tray on which the recording medium is loaded, the extension tray insertion opening extending in either one of the sheet conveying direction and the perpendicular direction,
wherein the bypass tray is positioned in the vertical direction by detachment of the extension tray from the bypass tray and insertion of the extension tray into the extension tray insertion opening.

4 . The image forming apparatus according to claim 3 ,
wherein the extension tray is inserted into the extension tray insertion opening on an upstream side of the bypass tray relative to the apparatus body in the sheet conveying direction.

5 . The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 ,
wherein the temporary retainer includes a leg detachably attachable to the bypass tray, wherein the leg has a recess to which the bypass tray is fitted, and wherein the bypass tray is positioned in the vertical direction relative to the sheet feeding port of the apparatus body by detachment of the leg from the bypass tray and insertion of the leg to the bypass tray at the recess.

6 . The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 ,
wherein the temporary retainer includes:
an extension tray detachably attached to the bypass tray; and
an extension tray rotation support rotatably attached to the extension tray,
wherein, when the extension tray is pulled out to a most extendable position, the extension tray rotates about the extension tray rotation support, and wherein, when the extension tray is rotated to be vertical to contact a surface on which the apparatus body is set, the bypass tray is positioned in the vertical direction relative to the sheet feeding port.

7 . The image forming apparatus according to claim 6 ,
wherein the extension tray includes an internal moving body configured to be rotatable when the extension tray is pulled out to a most extendable position from the bypass tray.

Assignees

• Suzuki Kenta
• Ricoh Co Ltd

Inventors

• Suzuki Kenta

Classifications

• B65H2801/06

  Office-type machines, e.g. photocopiers · CPC title

• B65H2402/30

  Supports; Subassemblies; Mountings thereof · CPC title

• G03G15/6514

  Manual supply devices · CPC title

• B65H2405/11164

  Rear portion extensible in parallel to transport direction · CPC title

• B65H2405/11162

  Front portion pivotable around an axis perpendicular to transport direction · CPC title