Opening and closing mechanism and image forming apparatus

An opening and closing mechanism comprising:

• an opening and closing door rotatably supported so as to be movable between a closed position, which closes an opening of an apparatus body and an open position;
• a link member rotatably supported by a rotary shaft attached to the apparatus body;
• a guide member rotatably supported by a support shaft attached to the opening and closing door, the guide member including:
• a first guide surface configured to move while maintaining contact with the link member when the opening and closing door is moved toward the closed position,
• a second guide surface configured to move while maintaining contact with the link member while the opening and closing door is moved toward the open position, and
• a third guide surface configured to move while maintaining contact with the link member while the opening and closing door is moved toward the closed position;
• and
• a switching member configured to guide the link member from the first guide surface to the second guide surface.

An opening and closing mechanism comprising:

• an opening and closing door rotatably supported so as to be movable between a closed position, which closes an opening of an apparatus body, and an open position;
• a link member rotatably supported by a rotary shaft attached to the apparatus body;
• a guide member including:
• a first guide surface configured to move while maintaining contact with the link member while the opening and closing door is moved toward the closed position;
• and
• a second guide surface configured to move while maintaining contact with the link member while the opening and closing door is moved toward the open position;
• a switching member configured to guide the link member from the first guide surface to the second guide surface;
• and
• an elastic member attached to a tip portion of the link member, wherein:
• the link member is configured to rotate about the rotary shaft by a rotational moment, and
• when the opening and closing door is moved from the open position to the closed position, the link member passes a top dead point and the direction of the rotational moment is reversed when the tip portion of the elastic member passes an end point of the first guide surface, whereby the guide member is pulled in a direction parallel to a movement direction of the opening and closing door.