Image forming apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9280119-B2
Application number	US-201314391254-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 5, 2013
Priority date	Apr 16, 2012
Publication date	Mar 8, 2016
Grant date	Mar 8, 2016

Abstract

An image forming apparatus includes an image reading unit, an image forming unit, a discharge unit, and a discharge tray. The image reading unit is configured to read a document placed on a document placement table by moving and scanning of a scanning body in a sub-scanning direction. The image forming unit is configured to form an image read by the image reading unit on a paper sheet. The discharge unit is configured to discharge the paper sheet on which an image is formed by the image forming unit to a direction perpendicular to the sub-scanning direction. The discharge tray is on which the paper sheet from the discharge unit is to be placed with a space portion at a lower side of the image reading unit. A bottom surface of a housing of the image reading unit facing the discharge tray is constituted of a first surface and a second surface. The first surface is a surface at a front side of the discharge unit in a discharging direction and high with respect to the discharge tray. The second surface is a surface at a back side of the discharge unit in the discharging direction lower than the first surface with respect to the discharge tray. A pulling member and/or a movable wiring are/is arranged at an upper side of the second surface inside the housing. The pulling member is configured to move the scanning body back and forth in the sub-scanning direction. One end portion of the movable wiring is secured to the scanning body.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An image forming apparatus, comprising:
an image reading section configured to read a document placed on a document placement table by moving and scanning of a scanning body in a sub-scanning direction;
an image forming section configured to form an image read by the image reading section on a paper sheet;
a discharge section configured to discharge the paper sheet on which an image is formed by the image forming section to a direction perpendicular to the sub-scanning direction; and
a discharge tray on which the paper sheet from the discharge section is to be placed with a space section at a lower side of the image reading section, wherein
a bottom surface of a housing of the image reading section facing the discharge tray is constituted of a first surface and a second surface, the first surface being a surface at a front side of the discharge section in a discharging direction and high with respect to the discharge tray, the second surface being a surface at a back side of the discharge section in the discharging direction lower than the first surface with respect to the discharge tray, and
a pulling member and/or a movable wiring are/is arranged at an upper side of the second surface inside the housing, the pulling member being configured to move the scanning body back and forth in the sub-scanning direction, one end portion of the movable wiring being secured to the scanning body,
wherein the first surface includes a plurality of rib pieces extending in a paper discharging direction perpendicular to the sub-scanning, direction.

2. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein
the bottom surface of the housing is segmented into the first surface and the second surface with a stepped section formed along the sub-scanning direction.

3. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein
the discharge section is arranged at a lower side of the first surface or a lower side of the second surface.

4. The image forming apparatus according to claim 3 , wherein
the discharge section is arranged close to the stepped section.

5. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein
a projection projecting inward of the housing is disposed along the sub-scanning direction, the projection being disposed at an end portion of the first surface close to the discharge section.

6. The image forming apparatus according to claim 5 , wherein
the projection is disposed at the stepped section.

7. The image forming apparatus according to claim 5 , wherein
the projection comprises a guiding section configured to guide the scanning body in the sub-scanning direction, and
at a bottom surface of the scanning body, a guided section is disposed to be guided by the guiding section to move back and forth in the sub-scanning direction.

8. The image forming apparatus according to claim 7 , wherein
the guided section comprises a concaved groove section formed along the sub-scanning direction engaging with and slidably in contact with the projection.

9. The image forming apparatus according to claim 5 , wherein
the projection comprises a concaved groove section where a bottom surface side of the housing is concaved upward along the sub-scanning direction, and
the concaved groove section includes a static eliminating brush.

10. An image forming apparatus, comprising:
an image reading section configured to read a document placed on a document placement table by moving and scanning of a scanning body in a sub-scanning direction;
an image forming section configured to form an image read by the image reading section on a paper sheet;
a discharge section configured to discharge the paper sheet on which an image is formed by the image forming section to a direction perpendicular to the sub-scanning direction;
a discharge tray on which the paper sheet from the discharge section is to be placed with a space section at a lower side of the image reading section, wherein
a bottom surface of a housing of the image reading section facing the discharge tray is constituted of a first surface and a second surface, the first surface being a surface at a front side of the discharge section in a discharging direction and high with respect to the discharge tray, the second surface being a surface at a back side of the discharge section in the discharging direction lower than the first surface with respect to the discharge tray,
a pulling member and/or a movable wiring are/is arranged at an upper side of the second surface inside the housing, the pulling member being configured to move the scanning body back and forth in the sub-scanning direction, one end portion of the movable wiring being secured to the scanning body,
wherein a projection projecting inward of the housing is disposed along the sub-scanning direction, the projection being disposed at an end portion of the first surface close to the discharge section,
the projection comprises a guiding section configured to guide the scanning body in the sub-scanning direction, and
at a bottom surface of the scanning body, a guided section is disposed to be guided by the guiding section to move back and forth in the sub-scanning direction.

11. The image forming apparatus according to claim 10 , wherein
the bottom surface of the housing is segmented into the first surface and the second surface with a stepped section formed along the sub-scanning direction.

12. The image forming apparatus according to claim 10 , wherein
the discharge section is arranged at a lower side of the first surface or a lower side of the second surface.

13. The image forming apparatus according to claim 12 , wherein
the discharge section is arranged close to the stepped section.

14. The image forming apparatus according to claim 10 , wherein
the first surface includes a plurality of rib pieces extending in a paper discharging direction perpendicular to the sub-scanning direction.

15. The image forming apparatus according to claim 10 , wherein
the projection is disposed at the stepped section.

16. The image forming apparatus according to claim 10 , wherein
the guided section comprises a concaved groove section formed along the sub-scanning direction engaging with and slidably in contact with the projection.

17. The image forming apparatus according to claim 10 , wherein
the projection comprises a concaved groove section where a bottom surface side of the housing is concaved upward along the sub-scanning direction, and
the concaved groove section includes a static eliminating brush.

Assignees

• Sharp Kk

Inventors

• Nakanishi Kenji
• Imoto Masahiro
• Suto Yasuhiro
• Fukutome Shohichi
• Yamanaka Hisashi
• Yoshimoto Mitsuharu

Classifications

• G03G15/60

  Apparatus which relate to the handling of originals (for photographic purposes in general G03B) · CPC title

• H04N2201/0082

  Image hardcopy reproducer (H04N2201/0091 - H04N2201/0094 take precedence) · CPC title

• H04N1/0057 Primary

  Conveying sheets before or after scanning (arrangements for conveying sheets as part of the scanning operation H04N1/04 and subgroups) · CPC title

• G03G21/1619

  Frame structures · CPC title

• H04N1/00631

  Ejecting or stacking (H04N1/00641 takes precedence) · CPC title