Image forming apparatus

An image forming apparatus comprising:

• an apparatus body;
• a pressure device disposed inside the apparatus body, the pressure device including:
• a pressure body;
• a pressed body disposed opposite the pressure body;
• a presser to press the pressure body against the pressed body;
• a support shaft;
• and
• a release lever to pivot about the support shaft in a forward direction to cause the presser to release pressure applied to the pressure body;
• an apparatus body cover including a pivot shaft about which the apparatus body cover pivots in a pivot direction to open and expose an interior of the apparatus body, wherein
• the apparatus body cover opens to pivot the release lever about the support shaft in the forward direction and to cause the presser to release the pressure applied to the pressure body, and
• the apparatus body cover closes to pivot the release lever about the support shaft in a backward direction and to cause the presser to apply the pressure to the pressure body;
• and
• a restrictor mounted on the apparatus body cover, the restrictor to restrict tilting of the release lever in an axial direction of the release lever while the release lever pivots between an interlocked position and an open position, wherein
• the restrictor has a length in a vertical direction and a height in a direction perpendicular to both the vertical direction and the axial direction,
• the restrictor is disposed in a guide range defined by an angle of the apparatus body cover, the guide range being an angular range where a force applied to the release lever in a tilt direction of the release lever when the release lever pivots is not smaller than a predetermined value,
• the restrictor includes a pair of restrictors that sandwich the release lever, and
• the pair of restrictors to restrict tilting of the release lever in all of the interlocked position, the open position, and between the interlocked position and the open position.

An image forming apparatus comprising:

• an apparatus body;
• a pressure device disposed inside the apparatus body, the pressure device including:
• a pressure body;
• a pressed body disposed opposite the pressure body;
• a presser to press the pressure body against the pressed body;
• and
• a release lever to pivot in a forward direction to cause the presser to release pressure applied to the pressure body;
• an apparatus body cover to pivot to cause the presser to release the pressure applied to the pressure body;
• and
• a restrictor mounted on the apparatus body cover, the restrictor to restrict tilting of the release lever in an axial direction of the release lever while the release lever pivots, wherein
• the restrictor includes a wall standing on a back face of the apparatus body cover in a direction perpendicular to the back face, and
• the restrictor further includes a tapered portion disposed at at least one of an upstream end or a downstream end of the restrictor in the forward direction of the release lever, the tapered portion inclined in a separation direction that separates from the release lever.