Cover movement mechanism, and image forming apparatus provided with the cover movement mechanism

An image forming apparatus, comprising:

• a housing;
• a printing unit configured to form an image on a sheet;
• a sheet discharging unit configured to discharge the sheet on which the image is printed;
• and
• a cover movement mechanism,
• the cover movement mechanism comprising:
• a cover configured to rotate;
• a base part to which the cover is rotatably attached;
• a holding part configured to contact the cover when the cover is in a first opened state in which the cover is rotated to open by a first angle with respect to a closed state of the cover, thereby holding the cover in the first opened state;
• two shafts having a common axis and provided to one of the cover and the base part;
• two bearings configured to receive the two shafts and provided to other one of the cover and the base part;
• and
• a releasing mechanism configured to allow at least one of the two shafts to be released from corresponding one of the two bearings when the cover is in a second opened state in which the cover is rotated to open by a second angle that is smaller than the first angle and an opposing force preventing a rotation of cover acts on the cover,
• wherein the cover in the first opened state serves as a printed sheet discharge tray configured to receive the sheet discharged by the sheet discharging unit.