Image forming apparatus with locking drawer unit

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9353553-B2
Application number	US-201314103941-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 12, 2013
Priority date	Dec 13, 2012
Publication date	May 31, 2016
Grant date	May 31, 2016

Abstract

An image forming apparatus includes an image forming unit configured to form an image; a drawer unit configured to be pulled out from a body of the image forming apparatus; a first lock unit configured to receive power from a power supply and perform at least one of lock and unlock of the drawer unit with respect to the body; and a second lock unit configured to perform lock and unlock of the drawer unit with respect to the body by a mechanical operation performed by an operator.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An image forming apparatus, comprising:
an image forming unit configured to form an image;
a drawer unit configured to be pulled out from a body of the image forming apparatus, the drawer unit including a drawer unit front plate and a drawer unit rear plate;
a shaft supported by the drawer unit rear plate;
a drive unit configured to drive and rotate the shaft, the drive unit being provided on the drawer unit front plate;
a first lock unit configured to receive power from a power supply and perform at least one of lock and unlock of the drawer unit with respect to the body, the first lock unit being provided at a rear end portion of the shaft; and
a second lock unit configured to perform lock and unlock of the drawer unit with respect to the body by a mechanical operation performed by an operator, wherein
in a state where the first lock unit is performing the lock of the drawer unit, the drawer unit is unable to be pulled out even when the second lock unit performs the unlock of the drawer unit.

2. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising a power supply control unit configured to turn ON/OFF the power supply,
wherein the first lock unit is configured to unlock the drawer unit to the body on the basis of a control signal for turning OFF the power supply by the power supply control unit.

3. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising a paper jam detection unit configured to detect a jam of a recording medium in a conveyance path included in the drawer unit,
wherein the first lock unit is configured to unlock the drawer unit to the body on the basis of a detection result of the paper jam detection unit.

4. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein an exterior cover of the body is attached to the drawer unit.

5. The image forming apparatus according to claim 4 , wherein the second lock unit is provided inside the exterior cover such that the exterior cover is removable from the body along with the second lock unit.

6. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising a lock receiving unit configured to come into contact with the first lock unit when the drawer unit is locked to the body,
wherein the lock receiving unit is provided on the drawer unit side of a rear side plate of the body in the pulling-out direction of the drawer unit.

7. The image forming apparatus according to claim 6 , wherein the first lock unit is configured not to protrude from the rear side plate when the first lock unit comes into contact with the lock receiving unit and the drawer unit is locked to the body.

8. The image forming apparatus according to claim 4 , wherein the second lock unit is inside the exterior cover of the drawer unit and a handle portion is provided in the exterior cover.

9. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the first lock unit performs the unlock of the drawer unit when an image forming operation is on standby while a main power supply is ON, when a paper jam occurs, when a serviceman is called, or when the main power supply is OFF.

10. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the first lock unit and the second lock unit are housed in the drawer unit.

Assignees

• Funayama Yusuke
• Ebara Joh
• Ishii Hiroshi
• Kawase Junichi
• Takenaka Kohta
• Nishikawa Tetsuji
• Ohta Yoshihide
• Hirakawa Kouta
• Shimada Toshihiro
• Endo Tsuyoshi
• Ricoh Co Ltd

Inventors

• Funayama Yusuke
• Ebara Joh
• Ishii Hiroshi
• Kawase Junichi
• Takenaka Kohta
• Nishikawa Tetsuji
• Ohta Yoshihide
• Hirakawa Kouta
• Shimada Toshihiro
• Endo Tsuyoshi

Classifications

• E05B65/46 Primary

  for drawers · CPC title

• E05B15/021

  Strikers having multiple positions for the bolt · CPC title

• B65H7/06

  responsive to presence of faulty articles or incorrect separation or feed (B65H7/14 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B65H2511/528

  Jam · CPC title

• B65H2601/11

  Clearing faulty handling, e.g. jams · CPC title