Open/close mechanism for paper tray for use in image forming apparatus

An image forming apparatus comprising:

• an open/close mechanism including
• a plate member provided on a side of a housing of the image forming apparatus and configured to pivot upon an axis between an open position and a close position, the plate member configured to stack paper;
• a box member that is arranged in the housing beneath the plate member and that can be drawn out of the housing from the side, the box member configured to stack paper;
• and
• a restricting unit that is coupled to the plate member and that abuts against the box member when the box member is set in the housing and when the plate member is in the open position thereby restricting detachment of the box member from the housing;
• an image forming unit provided inside the housing, the image forming unit configured to form an image on a paper;
• and
• a paper carrying mechanism configured to carry a paper from any one of the box member and the plate member to the image forming unit.

An image forming apparatus comprising:

• an open/close mechanism including
• a plate member provided on a side of a housing of the image forming apparatus and configured to pivot upon an axis between an open position and a close position, the plate member configured to stack paper;
• a box member that is arranged in the housing beneath the plate member when the plate member is in the close position and that can be drawn out of the housing from the side, the box member configured to stack paper;
• and
• a restricting unit that is coupled to the plate member and that abuts against the box member when the box member is set in the housing and when the plate member is in the open position thereby restricting detachment of the box member from the housing;
• an image forming unit provided inside the housing;
• and
• a paper carrying mechanism configured to carry a paper from any one of the box member and the plate member to the image forming unit.