# US 8,770,739 B2 · Image forming apparatus

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- Number: US 8,770,739 B2
- Document ID: US8770739B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 14/027,521
- Filed: 2013-09-16
- Published: 2014-04-03
- Granted: 2014-07-08
- Earliest claimed: 2012-10-01
- Assignees: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
- Applicants: Fumitaka Kikkawa; Yoichi Ito; Mikio Ohashi; Soyoung Park
- Inventors: Fumitaka Kikkawa; Yoichi Ito; Mikio Ohashi; Soyoung Park
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8770739B2

## CPC

- B41J 13/0009: {control of the transport of the copy material}
- B41J 11/006: {Means for preventing paper jams or for facilitating their removal}
- B41J: TYPEWRITERS; SELECTIVE PRINTING MECHANISMS, i.e. MECHANISMS PRINTING OTHERWISE THAN FROM A FORME; CORRECTION OF TYPOGRAPHICAL ERRORS

## Abstract

An image forming apparatus includes an apparatus body; an openable and closable cover provided at the apparatus body; a conveyance unit to convey a recording medium upward and downward; a recording head to eject liquid droplets to the recording medium conveyed by the conveyance unit; and an opening authorization mechanism to authorize moving of the conveyance unit from a first open position to a second open position, the conveyance unit having a greater opening amount at the second open position than at the first open position, wherein the conveyance unit is disposed between the cover and the recording head, and configured to be openable to the first open position when the cover is in the open position, and openable to the second open position when the opening authorization mechanism authorizes the moving of the conveyance unit from the first open position to the second open position.

## Claims

### Claim 1

An image forming apparatus, comprising:
an apparatus body;
an openable and closable cover provided at the apparatus body;
a conveyance unit to convey a recording medium upward and downward;
a recording head to eject liquid droplets to the recording medium conveyed by the conveyance unit to form an image on the recording medium; and
an opening authorization mechanism to authorize moving of the conveyance unit from a first open position to a second open position, the first open position located at a position in same direction as a direction in which the cover is opened, the conveyance unit having a greater opening amount at the second open position than at the first open position,
wherein the conveyance unit is disposed between the cover and the recording head, and configured to be openable to the first open position when the cover is in the open position, and openable to the second open position when the opening authorization mechanism authorizes the moving of the conveyance unit from the first open position to the second open position.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The image forming apparatus of claim 1, wherein the conveyance unit has, at the first open position, an angle at which a droplet ejection face of the recording head is untouchable and, at the second open position, an angle at which the droplet ejection face of the recording head is touchable.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The image forming apparatus of claim 1, wherein the opening authorization mechanism includes an open position regulator to restrict an open position of the conveyance unit; and
the open position regulator is configured to restrict opening of the conveyance unit to the first open position when the opening authorization mechanism does not authorize the moving of the conveyance unit from the first open position to the second open position and change the open position of the conveyance unit to the second open position from the first open position when the opening authorization mechanism authorizes the moving of the conveyance unit from the first open position to the second open position.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The image forming apparatus of claim 1, wherein the opening authorization mechanism includes an instruction mechanism to instruct opening authorization for opening the conveyance unit to the second open position.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The image forming apparatus of claim 4, wherein the instruction mechanism includes a menu selection of an operation unit provided at the apparatus body.

### Claim 6 (depends on 4)

The image forming apparatus of claim 4, wherein the instruction mechanism is provided at a bottom portion of the apparatus body.