# US 11,112,746 B2 · Image forming apparatus and detachable part > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,112,746 B2 - Document ID: US11112746B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/931,547 - Filed: 2020-07-17 - Published: 2021-01-28 - Granted: 2021-09-07 - Earliest claimed: 2019-07-22 - Assignees: Oki Electric Industry Co., Ltd. - Applicants: Oki Data Corporation - Inventors: Junichi Ushikubo - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11112746B2 ## CPC - G03G 21/1633: {using doors or covers (G03G21/1638 takes precedence)} - G03G 15/0872: {the developer cartridges being generally horizontally mounted parallel to its longitudinal rotational axis} - G03G 21/1628: {Clamshell type (G03G21/1638 takes precedence)} - G03G 21/1676: {for the developer unit} - G03G 15/0875: {cartridges having a box like shape} - G03G 15/0886: {by mechanical means, e.g. shutter, plug} - G03G 2221/1684: using extractable subframes, e.g. on rails or hinges - G03G 2221/1687: using opening shell type machines, e.g. pivoting assemblies - G03G: ELECTROGRAPHY; ELECTROPHOTOGRAPHY; MAGNETOGRAPHY ## Abstract An image forming apparatus includes: a main body to which a detachable part is attachable, the main body having an opening; a cover that opens and closes the opening of the main body; and an insertion member that, when the detachable part is not attached to the main body, is in an inserted position where the insertion member is inserted between the main body and the cover and prevents closing of the cover, and when the detachable part is attached to the main body, is in a retreat position where the insertion member is not inserted between the main body and the cover and allows closing of the cover. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An image forming apparatus comprising: a main body to which a detachable part is attachable, the main body having an opening; a cover that opens and closes the opening of the main body; and an insertion member that, when the detachable part is not attached to the main body, is in an inserted position where the insertion member is inserted between the main body and the cover and prevents closing of the cover, and when the detachable part is attached to the main body, is in a retreat position where the insertion member is not inserted between the main body and the cover and allows closing of the cover, wherein the insertion member includes a main body side surface and a cover side surface, the cover includes a first abutment portion that comes into contact with the cover side surface of the insertion member, the main body includes a second abutment portion that faces the first abutment portion of the cover when the opening is closed by the cover, and when the detachable part is not attached to the main body, the insertion member is sandwiched between the main body and the cover in such a manner that the main body side surface of the insertion member abuts on the second abutment portion of the main body. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The image forming apparatus of claim 1, wherein the main body further includes: an image forming unit that forms a developer image on an image carrier with developer; and a housing that houses the image forming unit, the detachable part contains the developer, and the image forming unit includes a stage to and from which the detachable part is attached and detached. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The image forming apparatus of claim 2, wherein the insertion member is provided to the stage. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The image forming apparatus of claim 3, wherein the detachable part includes: a supply opening for supplying the developer to the image forming unit; and a shutter that opens the supply opening when the detachable part is attached to the image forming unit, and closes the supply opening when the detachable part is detached from the image forming unit, and the insertion member is not located between the shutter and the stage when the detachable part is attached to and detached from the stage. ### Claim 5 (depends on 2) The image forming apparatus of claim 2, wherein the image forming unit is attachable to and detachable from the housing when the opening is open. ### Claim 6 An image forming apparatus comprising: a main body to which a detachable part is attachable, the main body having an opening; a cover that opens and closes the opening of the main body; and an insertion member that, when the detachable part is not attached to the main body, is in an inserted position where the insertion member is inserted between the main body and the cover and prevents closing of the cover, and when the detachable part is attached to the main body, is in a retreat position where the insertion member is not inserted between the main body and the cover and allows closing of the cover, wherein the detachable part is attached to and detached from the main body by being slid in predetermined attaching and detaching directions relative to the main body, and the insertion member moves to the inserted position and the retreat position by being slid substantially parallel to the attaching and detaching directions relative to the main body. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The image forming apparatus of claim 6, wherein the detachable part is attached to the main body by being slid in the attaching direction relative to the main body, and detached from the main body by being slid in the detaching direction opposite the attaching direction, and the insertion member is placed in the inserted position by being slid in the detaching direction relative to the main body, and placed in the retreat position by being slid in the attaching direction. ### Claim 8 (depends on 6) The image forming apparatus of claim 6, further comprising a slide guide that allows movement of the insertion member in the attaching and detaching directions relative to the main body between the inserted position and the retreat position, and restricts movement of the insertion member in a direction across the attaching and detaching directions. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The image forming apparatus of claim 8, wherein the insertion member has an insertion portion that is inserted between the main body and the cover, and when the insertion member is in the inserted position, the slide guide holds the insertion member in such a manner as to allow the insertion portion to swing in a direction toward the main body or a direction toward the cover. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The image forming apparatus of claim 9, wherein the insertion member has a main body facing surface that faces the main body when the insertion member is in the inserted position and a cover facing surface that faces the cover when the insertion member is in the inserted position, the main body facing surface having an end in the detaching direction, and a portion of the main body facing surface near the end is inclined to approach the cover facing surface toward the end. ### Claim 11 (depends on 6) The image forming apparatus of claim 6, wherein the cover moves in opening and closing directions when opened and closed, the insertion member has a main body facing surface that faces the main body when the insertion member is in the inserted position and a cover facing surface that faces the cover when the insertion member is in the inserted position, and in a width direction across the opening and closing directions and the attaching and detaching directions, a length of the main body facing surface is greater than a length of the cover facing surface. ### Claim 12 An image forming apparatus comprising: a main body to which a detachable part is attachable, the main body having an opening; a cover that opens and closes the opening of the main body; and an insertion member that, when the detachable part is not attached to the main body, is in an inserted position where the insertion member is inserted between the main body and the cover and prevents closing of the cover, and when the detachable part is attached to the main body, is in a retreat position where the insertion member is not inserted between the main body and the cover and allows closing of the cover, wherein the opening includes a main opening and a sub opening; the cover includes: a main cover that opens and closes the main opening, the main cover closing the main opening without closing the sub opening; and a sub cover that opens and closes the sub opening, and when the detachable part is not attached to the main body, the insertion member is inserted between the main body and the sub cover. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The image forming apparatus of claim 12, wherein the main cover is mounted to the main body via a main opening/closing portion, and the sub cover is mounted to the main cover via a sub opening/closing portion. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The image forming apparatus of claim 13, wherein the main opening/closing portion allows the main cover to rotate relative to the main body, and the sub opening/closing portion allows the sub cover to rotate relative to the main cover. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The image forming apparatus of claim 14, wherein the main opening/closing portion allows the main cover to rotate about a rotation axis, and the sub opening/closing portion allows the sub cover to rotate about a rotation axis parallel to the rotation axis of the main cover. ### Claim 16 (depends on 13) The image forming apparatus of claim 13, further comprising a cover engagement unit that engages the sub cover with the main cover when the sub opening is closed by the sub cover. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The image forming apparatus of claim 16, wherein in a state in which the main opening is opened by the main cover, the sub cover is engaged with the main cover by the cover engagement unit, and the detachable part is not attached to the main body, when the main opening is closed by the main cover, the engagement of the sub cover with the main cover is released by the insertion member. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The image forming apparatus of claim 17, wherein the sub opening/closing portion allows the sub cover to rotate relative to the main cover about a rotation axis, and in a direction along the rotation axis of the sub opening/closing portion, the cover engagement unit is provided on the same side of a center of the sub cover as the insertion member in the inserted position.