# US 12,072,666 B2 · Sheet conveying device, fixing device, and image forming apparatus > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,072,666 B2 - Document ID: US12072666B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 18/129,107 - Filed: 2023-03-31 - Published: 2023-11-09 - Granted: 2024-08-27 - Earliest claimed: 2022-05-06 - Assignees: Ricoh Company, Ltd. - Applicants: Takahiro Imada; Yoshikuni Sasaki; Hiromasa Takagi; Takuya Seshita; Hiroshi Yoshinaga; Arinobu Yoshiura - Inventors: Takahiro Imada; Yoshikuni Sasaki; Hiromasa Takagi; Takuya Seshita; Hiroshi Yoshinaga; Arinobu Yoshiura - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12072666B2 ## CPC - G03G 21/1685: {for the fixing unit} - G03G 21/1695: {for paper transport} - G03G 21/1638: {directed to paper handling or jam treatment} - G03G 21/206: {Conducting air through the machine, e.g. for cooling, filtering, removing gases like ozone} - G03G 2221/1639: for the fixing unit - G03G 2221/1645: for conducting air through the machine, e.g. cooling - G03G 2221/1675: jam treatment - G03G 2221/1687: using opening shell type machines, e.g. pivoting assemblies - G03G: ELECTROGRAPHY; ELECTROPHOTOGRAPHY; MAGNETOGRAPHY ## Abstract A sheet conveying device includes a pair of conveyors each including a conveyance face to convey a recording medium inside an image forming apparatus. One of the pair of conveyors further includes an exposed face, a handle, and a swing fulcrum. The exposed face is exposed to an outside of the apparatus while an inside of the apparatus is open. The handle is exposed to the outside of the apparatus and operatable to expose the conveyance face to the outside of the apparatus while the inside of the apparatus is open. The swing fulcrum swings the one of the pair of conveyors to expose the conveyance face to the outside of the apparatus when the handle is operated while the inside of the apparatus is open. The handle includes a partial annular portion. The partial annular portion is included in a plane including a swing direction around the swing fulcrum. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A sheet conveying device, comprising a pair of conveyors each including a conveyance face to convey a recording medium inside an image forming apparatus, one of the pair of conveyors further including: an exposed face exposed to an outside of the image forming apparatus while an inside of the image forming apparatus is open; a handle exposed to the outside of the image forming apparatus and operatable to expose the conveyance face to the outside of the image forming apparatus while the inside of the image forming apparatus is open; and a swing fulcrum configured to swing the one of the pair of conveyors to expose the conveyance face to the outside of the image forming apparatus when the handle is operated while the inside of the image forming apparatus is open, the handle including a partial annular portion, the partial annular portion included in a plane including a swing direction around the swing fulcrum. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The sheet conveying device according to claim 1, wherein the one of the pair of conveyors extends in a first direction along a front-back direction of the image forming apparatus, wherein the exposed face is exposed in a second direction to right of the image forming apparatus relative to a front of the image forming apparatus, and wherein the handle is disposed between the front and a center of the image forming apparatus in the first direction. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The sheet conveying device according to claim 2, wherein the partial annular portion stands in a third direction perpendicular to the first direction and the second direction. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The sheet conveying device according to claim 3, wherein the one of the pair of conveyors includes, in the first direction, a plurality of reinforcing ribs extending in the second direction and the third direction, wherein the handle is disposed between a pair of adjacent reinforcing ribs of the plurality of reinforcing ribs, and wherein each of the pair of reinforcing ribs has an upper end with a recess. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The sheet conveying device according to claim 1, wherein the partial annular portion includes an arc portion. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The sheet conveying device according to claim 5, wherein the partial annular portion includes a linear portion at an end of the partial annular portion in a direction to left of the image forming apparatus relative to a front of the image forming apparatus, and the linear portion extends in a conveyance direction in which the recording medium is conveyed along the conveyance face. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The sheet conveying device according to claim 6, wherein the one of the pair of conveyors includes, in a first direction along a front-back direction of the image forming apparatus, a plurality of reinforcing ribs extending in a second direction to right of the image forming apparatus relative to the front of the image forming apparatus and a third direction perpendicular to the first direction and the second direction, wherein the handle includes: a wall portion parallel to the plurality of reinforcing ribs inside the partial annular portion; and an interior angle portion at an intersection between the wall portion and the partial annular portion. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The sheet conveying device according to claim 1, wherein the partial annular portion includes a plurality of linear portions. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The sheet conveying device according to claim 1, wherein the one of the pair of conveyors further includes an urger that urges the one of the pair of conveyors to swing in a direction opposite to a direction in which the conveyance face is exposed to the outside of the image forming apparatus. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) A fixing device comprising: a heat source; a fixing rotator configured to rotate while being heated by the heat source; a counter rotator configured to contact the fixing rotator and apply pressure between the counter rotator and the fixing rotator to form a nip between the counter rotator and the fixing rotator; and the sheet conveying device according to claim 1, the conveyance face of the one of the pair of conveyors of the sheet conveying device being adjacent to the nip. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The fixing device according to claim 10, wherein the one of the pair of conveyors is a fixing-exit guide configured to convey the recording medium having passed through the nip. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) An image forming apparatus comprising: the fixing device according to claim 10; and an openable and closable member configured to open the inside of the image forming apparatus to right of the image forming apparatus relative to a front of the image forming apparatus. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The image forming apparatus according to claim 12, wherein air flows through a cooling-air passage inside the image forming apparatus to cool the fixing device, and wherein the air enters from a front side of the image forming apparatus and exits from a back side of the image forming apparatus through the cooling-air passage.