Image forming apparatus having reinforcing member

An electrophotographic type image forming apparatus comprising:

• a base frame supporting an image forming unit;
• an optical unit frame located above the base frame supporting an optical unit;
• a reinforcing member attached to the optical unit frame and having a restricting portion;
• said base frame having a base frame portion;
• said restricting portion being spaced from said base frame portion in the absence of application of an excessive load to the unit frame;
• said restricting portion being in contact with said base frame portion upon application of an excessive load to said optical unit frame.

An image forming apparatus comprising:

• an optical unit for guiding a light image from a document;
• an image forming unit for forming a toner image in accordance with the light image;
• a transfer unit for transferring the toner image on copy paper;
• a discharge tray for receiving copy paper transferred with the toner image;
• a base frame for supporting the image forming unit;
• an optical unit frame located above the base frame for supporting the optical unit, the optical unit frame having an extension portion positioned above the discharge tray;
• and
• a reinforcing member attached to the optical unit frame, the reinforcing member including an attachment portion extending in a horizontal direction for reinforcing the extension portion of the optical unit frame and a restricting portion extending in a downward depending direction;
• said restricting portion being spaced from said base frame portion on said base frame in the absence of application of an excessive load to the optical unit frame;
• said restricting portion being in contact with said base frame portion upon application of an excessive load to said optical unit frame.

An image forming apparatus comprising:

• an optical unit for guiding a light image from a document;
• an image forming unit for forming a toner image in accordance with the light image;
• a transfer unit for transferring the toner image on copy paper;
• a discharge tray for receiving copy paper transferred with the toner image;
• a base frame for supporting the image forming unit;
• an optical unit frame located above the base frame for supporting the optical unit, the optical unit frame having an extension portion positioned above the discharge tray;
• and
• a reinforcing member attached to the optical unit frame, the reinforcing member including:
• an attachment portion extending in a horizontal direction for reinforcing the extension portion of the optical unit frame;
• and
• a restricting portion extending in a vertical direction and having a lower end operable to come into contact with a specified portion of the base frame when the optical unit frame is subjected to an excessive load, the restricting portion having a contact portion in a lower end thereof, the contact portion having the form of a plate.