Image forming apparatus capable of reducing braking force applied to rotation of operation panel

Abstract

An image forming apparatus includes a brake mechanism which supports an operation panel with respect to an apparatus body such that the operation panel can be stopped at an arbitrary angle. The brake mechanism includes a gear portion, a body-side gear, a button, and a bias member. The gear portion is formed about a rotation shaft in the operation panel. The body-side gear intermeshes with the gear portion and rotates about the rotation shaft. The button is movable in an axial direction of the rotation shaft. The bias member is arranged between the button and the body-side gear and biases the body-side gear along the axial direction. The brake mechanism is capable of reducing a braking force applied to a rotation of the body-side gear by moving the button along the axial direction in a direction in which it moves away from the body-side gear and reducing a bias force.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.