Sheet conveying device and image forming apparatus including the sheet conveying device

A sheet conveying device comprising:

• a device main body including, inside thereof, a first conveying roller;
• an opening/closing member supported by a side of the device main body so as to be openable and closable with one end of the opening/closing member as a fulcrum, the opening/closing member including a second conveying roller which forms a pair of conveying rollers together with the first conveying roller while abutting the first conveying roller when the opening/closing member is at a closing position with respect to the side, the opening/closing member, at the closing position, constituting a conveying guide of a conveyance path in which a sheet member is conveyed;
• and
• a lock mechanism configured to lock the opening/closing member, at the closing position, to the device main body,
• the lock mechanism including:
• an engaged projection provided on an inner wall surface of the device main body, the inner wall surface being perpendicular to the side, the engaged projection projecting toward a facing surface of the opening/closing member that faces the inner wall surface when the opening/closing member is at the closing position;
• an engaging projection provided on the facing surface, the engaging projection projecting toward the inner wall surface and configured to engage with the engaged projection when the opening/closing member is at the closing position;
• and
• an elastic supporting portion configured to support either the engaged projection or the engaging projection in such a manner that the engaged projection or the engaging projection can be displaced between a projection position and a retreat position, the elastic supporting portion biasing the engaged projection or the engaging projection toward the projection position by an elastic force thereof, wherein
• during a closing process in which the opening/closing member is operated in a closing direction toward the closing position, the second conveying roller is in no contact with the first conveying roller until the engaging projection abuts the engaged projection to cause the engaged projection or the engaging projection to be retreated, and climbs over the engaged projection, and the second conveying roller contacts the first conveying roller at any point within a period after the engaging projection climbs over the engaged projection and before the engaging projection reaches the closing position.