Method and apparatus for forming image
AssigneesKabushiki Kaisha Toshiba, Toshiba Tec Kabushiki Kaisha
InventorsMasashi Hiroki, Satoshi Kaiho
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An image forming apparatus includes an image forming unit and a supporting mechanism that supports this image forming unit. A feed tray for placing sheets thereon is provided in a rear part of the image forming unit. The supporting mechanism includes a base member and a turntable. The turntable can move along a guide section to a first position on a rear side and a second position on a front side with respect to the base member. The supporting mechanism includes a rotation stopping mechanism that prevents the turntable from rotating when the turntable is in the first position and a rotating mechanism that rotates the turntable in a horizontal plane in a state in which the turntable has moved to the second position.
Claims12
An image forming apparatus that has an image forming unit including a recording head for printing an image on a sheet, the image forming apparatus comprising:
- a feed tray that is provided in a rear part of the image forming unit and on which the sheet is placed;
- and
- a supporting mechanism that supports the image forming unit, wherein
- the supporting mechanism includes:
- a base member that has an upper surface;
- a turntable that is arranged on the base member and is movable along the upper surface of the base member;
- a guide section that guides the turntable to move from a first position to a second position further on a front side than the first position with respect to the base member;
- a rotation stopping mechanism that prevents the turntable from rotating when the turntable is in the first position;
- and
- a rotating mechanism that allows the turntable to rotate around an axis in an up-to-down direction in a state in which the turntable has moved to the second position.
An image forming apparatus that has an image forming unit including a recording head for printing an image on a sheet, the image forming apparatus comprising:
- sheet placing means that is provided in a rear part of the image forming unit and on which the sheet is placed;
- and
- supporting means for supporting the image forming unit, wherein
- the supporting means includes:
- base means that has an upper surface;
- turntable means is arranged on the base means and is movable along the upper surface of the base means;
- guide means for guiding the turntable means to move from a first position to a second position further on a front side than the first position with respect to the base means;
- rotation stopping means for preventing the turntable means from rotating when the turntable means is in the first position;
- and
- rotating means for allowing the turntable means to rotate around an axis in an up-to-down direction in a state in which the turntable means has moved to the second position.
An image forming method for printing an image on a sheet with a recording head provided in an image forming unit, the image forming method comprising:
- moving the image forming unit placed on a turntable from a first position to a second position on a front side along a guide section;
- moving the turntable to a third position by rotating the turntable around an axis in an up-to-down direction in a state in which the turntable has moved to the second position;
- supplying the sheet onto a feed tray of the image forming unit in a state in which the turntable has moved to the third position;
- locking the turntable by actuating a lock mechanism for preventing the turntable from moving;
- permitting printing in a state in which the turntable is locked by the lock mechanism;
- and
- printing an image on the sheet with the recording head of the image forming unit permitted to perform printing.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.