# US 12,110,206 B2 · Image forming apparatus

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- Number: US 12,110,206 B2
- Document ID: US12110206B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 17/979,997
- Filed: 2022-11-03
- Published: 2023-05-11
- Granted: 2024-10-08
- Earliest claimed: 2021-11-09
- Assignees: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
- Applicants: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
- Inventors: Hiroshi Koyama
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12110206B2

## CPC

- B65H 5/06: by rollers {or balls, e.g. between rollers (transport by suction rollers B65H5/226)}
- B41J 3/46: Printing mechanisms combined with apparatus providing a visual indication
- B41J 13/106: {for the sheet output section}
- B41J 25/316: with tilting motion mechanisms relative to paper surface
- B41J 29/02: Framework
- B41J 29/13: Cases or covers
- B65H 29/12: by means of the nip between two, or between two sets of, moving tapes or bands {or rollers}
- B65H 29/22: and introducing into a pile
- B65H 29/52: Stationary guides or smoothers
- B65H 31/02: with stationary end support against which pile accumulates
- G03G 15/5016: {User-machine interface; Display panels; Control console}
- G03G 21/1647: {Mechanical connection means}
- B65H 2551/21: Monitors; Displays
- B65H 2801/06: Office-type machines, e.g. photocopiers
- G03G 21/1619: {Frame structures}
- B65H: HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL, e.g. SHEETS, WEBS, CABLES
- B41J: TYPEWRITERS; SELECTIVE PRINTING MECHANISMS, i.e. MECHANISMS PRINTING OTHERWISE THAN FROM A FORME; CORRECTION OF TYPOGRAPHICAL ERRORS
- G03G: ELECTROGRAPHY; ELECTROPHOTOGRAPHY; MAGNETOGRAPHY

## Abstract

An image forming apparatus includes an image forming unit, a casing, a sheet discharge unit, a sheet supporting portion, an operation unit, a supporting unit, and a regulating portion. The supporting unit supports the operation unit such that, when the display surface is tilted with respect to a horizontal direction, an end on a lower side of the operation unit is positioned below a second virtual straight line. The regulating portion is disposed between the operation unit and the sheet supporting portion in the vertical direction. The regulating portion is disposed such that at least a part of the regulating portion overlaps the operation unit and the supporting surface in a width direction. The regulating portion is disposed to intersect with the second virtual straight line. The regulating portion is configured to regulate an obliquely upward movement of a recording material discharged by the sheet discharge unit.

## Claims

### Claim 1

An image forming apparatus comprising:
an image forming unit configured to form an image on a recording material;
a casing accommodating the image forming unit;
a sheet discharge unit including a first roller and a second roller,
wherein the second roller is configured to form a nip portion to nip and convey a recording material by coming into contact with the first roller, and
wherein, when viewed in an axial direction of the first roller, a straight line passing through a rotational center of the first roller and a rotational center of the second roller is defined as a first virtual straight line, a straight line orthogonally intersecting with the first virtual straight line is defined as a second virtual straight line, and the sheet discharge unit is configured to discharge a recording material, on which an image is formed by the image forming unit, obliquely upward along the second virtual straight line;
a sheet supporting portion disposed at an upper portion of the casing, and including a supporting surface configured to support a recording material discharged by the sheet discharge unit;
an operation unit including a display surface, and disposed above the sheet discharge unit in a vertical direction such that a part of the operation unit in a width direction intersecting with the vertical direction and a sheet discharge direction of a recording material overlaps the supporting surface when viewed in the vertical direction;
a supporting unit disposed at the upper portion of the casing, and supporting the operation unit in such a manner that, in a state where the display surface is tilted with respect to a horizontal direction, an end on a lower side of the operation unit in the vertical direction is positioned below the second virtual straight line when viewed in the width direction; and
a regulating portion disposed between the operation unit and the sheet supporting portion in the vertical direction,
wherein the regulating portion is disposed such that, when viewed in the vertical direction, at least a part of the regulating portion overlaps the operation unit and the supporting surface in the width direction,
wherein the regulating portion is disposed to intersect with the second virtual straight line when viewed in the width direction, and
wherein the regulating portion is configured to regulate an obliquely upward movement of a recording material discharged by the sheet discharge unit.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The image forming apparatus according to claim 1,
wherein the supporting unit is configured to rotatably support the operation unit between a first position and a second position, and
wherein the first position is a position where a tilt angle of the display surface becomes a minimum tilt angle with respect to the horizontal direction, and the second position is a position where the tilt angle of the display surface becomes a maximum tilt angle with respect to the horizontal direction.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the regulating portion is disposed such that, with respect to the sheet discharge direction, an end on a downstream side of the regulating portion is positioned upstream of an end on a downstream side of the operation unit.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the regulating portion is disposed over a whole width of the supporting surface in the width direction.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The image forming apparatus according to claim 4,
wherein the casing includes an upper face cover disposed at an upper part of the casing and forming an upper face portion of the casing, and
wherein the regulating portion is formed integrally with the upper face cover.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the regulating portion is disposed in an area in which a whole width of the regulating portion overlaps the operation unit in the width direction when viewed in the vertical direction.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The image forming apparatus according to claim 6,
wherein the casing includes an upper face cover and a support cover,
wherein the upper face cover is disposed at an upper part of the casing and forms an upper face portion of the casing,
wherein the support cover is disposed at an upper part of the casing and forms the upper face portion of the casing with the upper face cover,
wherein the supporting unit is disposed on the support cover, and
wherein the regulating portion is formed integrally with the support cover.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the operation unit is disposed inside of both sides of the casing in the width direction.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The image forming apparatus according to claim 8,
wherein the casing includes side face covers on the both sides of the casing in the width direction, and
wherein the operation unit is disposed between two of the side face covers in the width direction.