US 12,092,987 B2Granted

Image forming apparatus

AssigneeCanon Kabushiki Kaisha

InventorsFuyuto Yamashita, Kazuhiro Hosohara, Tomoya Tateishi, Tatsuo Nishiyama

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Abstract

An image forming apparatus includes an attachable/detachable storage unit having a positioned portion projecting downstream in an attachment direction of the storage unit, a conveyance member, an image forming unit to form an image on a sheet conveyed by the conveyance member, and a conveyance unit to move between a first position and a second position. Engagement of the positioned portion with a positioning portion of the image forming apparatus causes the storage unit to be positioned with respect to the image forming apparatus. The conveyance unit includes a contact portion and a depressed portion. In a case where the contact portion of the conveyance unit comes into contact with the storage unit and the conveyance unit is moved from the second position to the first position by the storage unit, the positioned portion does not come into contact with the depressed portion of the conveyance unit.

Claims11

Dependent claims

An image forming apparatus configured to form an image on a sheet, the image forming apparatus comprising:

a storage unit configured to be attached to and detached from the image forming apparatus and to store the sheet;
a conveyance member configured to convey the sheet stored in the storage unit;
an image forming unit configured to form the image on the sheet conveyed by the conveyance member;
a conveyance unit disposed above the storage unit and configured to convey the sheet to the conveyance member and to move between a first position for conveying the sheet and a second position retracted downward from the first position;
and
a contact surface configured to come into contact with the storage unit to be attached to the image forming apparatus and include a positioning hole opened in an attachment direction in the contact surface,
wherein the storage unit includes a boss projecting downstream in the attachment direction with respect to the image forming apparatus, and the storage unit is positioned relative to the image forming apparatus by inserting the boss into the positioning hole,
wherein the conveyance unit includes a contact portion provided at an upstream end portion in the attachment direction and configured to come into contact with the storage unit, and a depressed portion provided at a position corresponding to the boss and depressed downstream from the contact portion in the attachment direction,
wherein, in a case where the contact portion of the conveyance unit comes into contact with the storage unit and the conveyance unit is moved from the second position to the first position by the storage unit, the boss does not come into contact with the depressed portion of the conveyance unit,
wherein a plurality of bosses includes the boss and is provided in a direction intersecting the attachment direction, and
wherein a plurality of depressed portions includes the depressed portion and is provided correspondingly to the plurality of bosses in the direction intersecting the attachment direction.

8 more elements

An image forming apparatus configured to form an image on a sheet, the image forming apparatus comprising:

a storage unit configured to be attached to and detached from the image forming apparatus and to store the sheet;
a conveyance member configured to convey the sheet stored in the storage unit;
an image forming unit configured to form the image on the sheet conveyed by the conveyance member;
a conveyance unit disposed above the storage unit and configured to convey the sheet to the conveyance member and to move between a first position for conveying the sheet and a second position retracted downward from the first position;
an interlocking member configured to come into contact with the storage unit and to move the conveyance unit by coming into contact with the storage unit,
wherein the conveyance unit includes a driven roller configured to be driven to convey the sheet and a first guided portion projecting in an axial direction of the driven roller,
wherein the interlocking member moves the conveyance unit at the second position to the first position by coming into contact with the storage unit during a process of attaching the storage unit to the image forming apparatus;
a first guide portion configured to guide the first guided portion in moving the conveyance unit from the first position to the second position;
and
a regulation member configured to regulate the first guided portion to maintain the conveyance unit at the first position,
wherein the interlocking member includes an engagement portion configured to engage with the first guided portion, a fulcrum portion serving as a pivot fulcrum, and a pressed portion provided between the engagement portion and the fulcrum portion in a longitudinal direction of the interlocking member and configured to be pressed upward by the storage unit, and
wherein the storage unit includes a pressing portion configured to press the pressed portion during the process of attaching the storage unit to the image forming apparatus.

9 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 17/938,007Filed 4 Oct 2022
Priority: JP 2021-1638565 Oct 2021
Published: US 2023/0109402 A16 Apr 2023
Granted: 17 Sep 2024
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification7 codes

G03G 15/6511
Supplying of sheet copy material; Cassettes therefor: feeding devices for picking up or separation of copy sheets
G03G 21/1638
Means to access the interior of the apparatus: directed to paper handling or jam treatment
G03G 15/6502
Apparatus which relate to the handling of copy material: supplying of sheet copy material; Cassettes therefor
G03G 15/6514
Supplying of sheet copy material; Cassettes therefor: manual supply devices