# US 9,517,906 B2 · Conveying guide, sheet conveying apparatus, and image forming apparatus > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 9,517,906 B2 - Document ID: US9517906B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 13/963,134 - Filed: 2013-08-09 - Published: 2014-03-06 - Granted: 2016-12-13 - Earliest claimed: 2012-08-29 - Assignees: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha - Applicants: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha - Inventors: Yutaka Nishimura - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9517906B2 ## CPC - B65H 9/00: Registering, e.g. orientating, articles; Devices therefor - B65H 5/06: by rollers {or balls, e.g. between rollers (transport by suction rollers B65H5/226)} - B65H 5/38: immovable in operation - B65H 2404/15: Roller assembly, particular roller arrangement - B65H 2404/17: Details of bearings - B65H 2404/512: concave - B65H 2404/52: other geometrical properties - B65H: HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL, e.g. SHEETS, WEBS, CABLES ## Abstract A conveying guide includes: a plate having a guide surface which guides a sheet; a recess portion provided on the plate and recessed from the guide surface; and a bend portion bent from the recess portion in a direction away from the guide surface. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A conveying guide comprising: a plate having a guide surface which guides a sheet, the guide surface being linear in both a sheet conveying direction and a direction perpendicular to the sheet conveying direction; a recess surface which is a surface of the plate recessed from the guide surface, the recess surface located at an area through which a guided sheet passes; and a bend portion which is a portion of the plate and bent from the recess surface in a direction away from the guide surface to define an edge with the recess surface, a surface of the bend portion crossing a direction orthogonal to a sheet conveying direction, wherein the surface of the bend portion has an opening. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The conveying guide according to claim 1, wherein the recess surface includes a relief portion for forming the bend portion. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The conveying guide according to claim 1, wherein a bottom surface of the recess surface extends parallel to the guide surface. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The conveying guide according to claim 1, further comprising: a first slope formed on an upstream side of the recess surface in a sheet conveying direction to link the guide surface with the recess surface; and a second slope formed on a downstream side of the recess surface in the sheet conveying direction to link the guide surface with the recess surface, wherein a first inclination angle of the first slope relative to the recess surface is set larger than a second inclination angle of the second slope relative to the recess surface. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The conveying guide according to claim 1, wherein the bend surface extends in a direction inclined relative to the guide surface. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The conveying guide according to claim 1, wherein the bend surface extends in a direction vertical to the guide surface. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) A sheet conveying apparatus comprising: a conveying roller which conveys a sheet; a bearing which rotatably supports both ends of the conveying roller; and the conveying guide according to claim 1, wherein an inner surface of the opening supports the bearing. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The conveying guide according to claim 1, wherein the recess surface is formed by applying a drawing process. ### Claim 9 A sheet conveying apparatus comprising: a plate having a guide surface which guides a sheet, the guide surface being linear in both a sheet conveying direction and a direction perpendicular to the sheet conveying direction; a recess surface which is a surface of the plate recessed from the guide surface, the recess surface located at an area through which a guided sheet passes; a bend portion which is a portion of the plate and bent from the recess surface in a direction away from the guide surface to define an edge with the recess surface, a surface of the bend portion crossing a direction orthogonal to a sheet conveying direction; and a rotating portion rotatably supported at the bend portion, wherein the surface of the bend portion has an opening, and wherein the rotating portion rotates around an axis extending along a direction orthogonal to a sheet conveying direction and the axis extends through the opening. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The sheet conveying apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the recess surface is formed to include a relief portion for forming the bend portion. ### Claim 11 (depends on 9) The sheet conveying apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the rotating surface is a conveying roller which conveys a sheet. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The sheet conveying apparatus according to claim 11, wherein an inner surface of the opening supports a bearing which rotatably supports the conveying roller. ### Claim 13 (depends on 9) The sheet conveying apparatus according to claim 9, wherein a bottom surface of the recess surface extends parallel to the guide surface. ### Claim 14 (depends on 9) The sheet conveying apparatus according to claim 9, further comprising: a first slope formed on an upstream side of the recess surface in a sheet conveying direction to link the guide surface with the recess surface; and a second slope formed on a downstream side of the recess surface in the sheet conveying direction to link the guide surface with the recess surface, wherein a first inclination angle of the first slope relative to the recess surface is set larger than a second inclination angle of the second slope relative to the recess surface. ### Claim 15 (depends on 9) The sheet conveying apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the bend surface extends in a direction vertical to the guide surface. ### Claim 16 (depends on 9) The sheet conveying apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the recess surface is formed by applying a drawing process. ### Claim 17 (depends on 9) The sheet conveying apparatus according to claim 9, wherein an inner surface of the opening is formed by inner edges of the plate. ### Claim 18 (depends on 9) The sheet conveying apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the plate has an upstream edge facing to the rotation portion at an upstream side of the sheet conveying direction and the upper edge comprises a first part at a close position from the bend position and a second part at a far position from the bend portion, the first portion having larger distance to the rotation portion than the second portion. ### Claim 19 (depends on 9) The sheet conveying apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the plate has an upstream edge which faces to the rotation portion to be straight in the sheet conveying direction and a downstream edge which faces to the rotation portion to be bend downward from the guide surface in opposite direction of the sheet conveying direction. ### Claim 20 (depends on 18) The sheet conveying apparatus according to claim 18, wherein the rotation portion is a driven roller. ### Claim 21 (depends on 19) The sheet conveying apparatus according to claim 19, wherein the rotation portion is a driven roller. ### Claim 22 (depends on 18) The sheet conveying apparatus according to claim 18, wherein the plate is for a duplex conveying path. ### Claim 23 (depends on 19) The sheet conveying apparatus according to claim 19, wherein the plate is for a duplex conveying path. ### Claim 24 An image forming apparatus comprising: an image forming portion which forms an image; and a sheet conveying apparatus, wherein the sheet conveying apparatus comprises: a plate having a guide surface which guides a sheet, the guide surface being linear in both a sheet conveying direction and a direction perpendicular to the sheet conveying direction; a recess surface which is a surface of the plate recessed from the guide surface, the recess surface located at an area through which a guided sheet passes; and a bend portion which is a portion of the plate and bent from the recess surface in a direction away from the guide surface to define an edge with the recess surface, a surface of the bend portion crossing a direction orthogonal to a sheet conveying direction; and a rotating portion rotatably supported at the bend portion, wherein the surface of the bend portion has an opening, and wherein the rotating portion rotates around an axis extending along the direction orthogonal to a sheet conveying direction and the axis extends through the opening. ### Claim 25 (depends on 24) The sheet conveying apparatus according to claim 24, wherein the plate has an upstream edge facing to the rotation portion at an upstream side of the sheet conveying direction and the upper edge comprises a first part at a close position from the bend position and a second part at a far position from the bend portion, the first portion having larger distance to the rotation portion than the second portion. ### Claim 26 (depends on 24) The sheet conveying apparatus according to claim 24, wherein the plate has an upstream edge which faces to the rotation portion to be straight in the sheet conveying direction and a downstream edge which faces to the rotation portion to be bend downward from the guide surface in opposite direction of the sheet conveying direction. ### Claim 27 (depends on 25) The sheet conveying apparatus according to claim 25, wherein the rotation portion is a driven roller. ### Claim 28 (depends on 26) The sheet conveying apparatus according to claim 26, wherein the rotation portion is a driven roller. ### Claim 29 (depends on 25) The sheet conveying apparatus according to claim 25, wherein the plate is for a duplex conveying path. ### Claim 30 (depends on 26) The sheet conveying apparatus according to claim 26, wherein the plate is for a duplex conveying path.