# US 2026/0064074 A1 · Image forming apparatus

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- Number: US 2026/0064074 A1
- Document ID: US20260064074A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 19/241,937
- Filed: 2025-06-18
- Published: 2026-03-05
- Earliest claimed: 2024-08-29
- Assignees: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
- Applicants: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
- Inventors: KENTARO YAMANA
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20260064074A1

## CPC

- G03G 21/1633: {using doors or covers (G03G21/1638 takes precedence)}
- G03G 21/1647: {Mechanical connection means}
- G03G 21/168: {for the transfer unit}
- G03G 2221/1654: Locks and means for positioning or alignment
- G03G 2221/169: Structural door designs
- G03G: ELECTROGRAPHY; ELECTROPHOTOGRAPHY; MAGNETOGRAPHY

## Abstract

An image forming apparatus includes: a front door covering a front side of an main body; a main body; a front door configured to cover a front side of the main body; a moving member configured to move with respect to the main body; an operation lever provided on the front side of the main body and configured to rotate between a locking position for locking the moving member and an unlocking position for unlocking the moving member, the operation lever being covered by the front door and being accessible by opening the front door; and a regulating member configured to move at least to a regulating position for regulating a rotation of the operation lever and to an allowing position for allowing the rotation of the operation lever.

## Claims

### Claim 1

An image forming apparatus comprising:
a main body;
a front door configured to cover a front side of the main body;
a moving member configured to move with respect to the main body;
an operation lever provided on the front side of the main body and configured to rotate between a locking position for locking the moving member and an unlocking position for unlocking the moving member, the operation lever being covered by the front door and being accessible by opening the front door; and
a regulating member configured to move at least to a regulating position for regulating a rotation of the operation lever and to an allowing position for allowing the rotation of the operation lever.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein
the moving member is a moving member that is provided on the front side of the main body and moves between a closing position for covering an internal component of the main body and an opening position for exposing the internal component,
the operation lever rotates between the locking position for locking the moving member at the closing position and the unlocking position for unlocking the moving member, and
the regulating member regulates the rotation of the operation lever at the locking position at the regulating position.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The image forming apparatus according to claim 2, wherein
the moving member is a cover that covers a photoreceptor to be the internal component, and includes a positioning portion that engages with the photoreceptor at the closing position and positions the photoreceptor.

### Claim 4 (depends on 2)

The image forming apparatus according to claim 2, wherein
the regulating member is provided to be movable in a front-rear direction of the main body along a shaft with respect to the operation lever, and is displaced to the regulating position or the allowing position by being moved in the front-rear direction along the shaft.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The image forming apparatus according to claim 4, further comprising:
a protrusion portion provided in one of the operation lever and the regulating member and having a protrusion width in a direction orthogonal to the front-rear direction of the main body; and
a groove portion provided in the other of the operation lever and the regulating member and movably engaging with the protrusion portion in the front-rear direction, the groove portion having a groove width larger than the protrusion width and extending in the front-rear direction, wherein
the groove portion includes a first narrowed portion that has a groove width smaller than the protrusion width and is fitted to the protrusion portion at the regulating position, and a second narrowed portion that has a groove width smaller than the protrusion width and is fitted to the protrusion portion at the allowing position.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The image forming apparatus according to claim 5, wherein
the operation lever includes a shaft that extends in the front-rear direction of the main body and an operation portion that extends in a radial direction of the shaft.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein
the moving member is a unit including an intermediate transfer member to be an internal component of the main body, and is provided to be movable between a contact position where the intermediate transfer member is brought into contact with a photoreceptor to be an internal component of the main body and a separation position where the intermediate transfer member is separated from the photoreceptor,
the operation lever is disposed on a front surface of the unit and rotates between the contact position where the intermediate transfer member is brought into contact with the photoreceptor and the separation position where the intermediate transfer member is separated from the photoreceptor, and
the regulating member regulates the rotation of the operation lever at the contact position at the regulating position.

### Claim 8 (depends on 2)

The image forming apparatus according to claim 2, wherein
the operation lever and the regulating member have the same color as a front surface of the moving member on which the operation lever is disposed.