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US 9,791,822 B2Granted
Image forming apparatus having an opening-closing member and a lock mechanism
AssigneeCanon Kabushiki Kaisha
InventorsKenji Abe, Takashi Yano
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An image forming apparatus and a lock mechanism including a toggle mechanism capable of eliminating the problem of abnormal noise before and after a lock member passes a neutral point are provided. A lock mechanism includes a toggle spring that rotationally biases a toggle lever toward a standby position when the lever is between a standby position and a neutral point, and implements switching in a direction of the rotational biasing toward a locking position after the lever passes the neutral point. A projection and a locked portion of an engagement member are sandwiched by a toggle base and the toggle lever to maintain a contact state before and after the toggle lever passes the neutral point.
Claims20
An image forming apparatus comprising:
- an apparatus body;
- an opening-closing member configured to be opened and closed relative to the apparatus body;
- a lock mechanism, provided in the apparatus body, configured to lock the opening-closing member in a locking position, the lock mechanism including a rotatable lock member and a biasing member that biases the lock member;
- and
- an engagement member, provided in the opening-closing member, configured to engage with the lock member,
- wherein the lock member is rotated by being pressed by the engagement member when the opening-closing member is closed relative to the apparatus body,
- wherein when the lock member is rotated by being pressed by the engagement member, a rotation moment acting on the lock member by the biasing member is switched from a second direction, in which the engagement member is pushed, to a first direction, in which the engagement member is pulled toward the locking position, and
- wherein the lock member sandwiches the engagement member at a first timing earlier than a second timing at which the rotation moment is switched from the second direction to the first direction.
5 more elements
An image forming apparatus comprising:
- an apparatus body;
- an opening-closing member configured to be opened and closed relative to the apparatus body;
- a lock mechanism, provided in the apparatus body, configured to lock the opening-closing member in a closed position of the opening-closing member, the lock mechanism including a rotatable lock portion and a biasing member that biases the lock portion;
- and
- an engagement portion, provided in the opening-closing member, configured to engage with the lock portion,
- wherein the lock portion is rotated by being pressed by the engagement portion when the opening-closing member is closed relative to the apparatus body,
- wherein when the lock portion is rotated by being pressed by the engagement portion, a rotation moment acting on the lock portion by the biasing member is switched from a second direction, in which the engagement portion is pushed toward an opened position of the opening-closing member, to a first direction, in which the engagement portion is pushed toward the closed position of the opening-closing member,
- wherein the lock portion includes a first portion being contactable with the engagement portion and a second portion being contactable with the engagement portion,
- wherein the first portion pushes the engagement portion when the rotation moment acting on the lock portion by the biasing member is in the second direction,
- wherein the second portion pushes the engagement portion when the rotation moment acting on the lock portion by the biasing member is in the first direction,
- wherein a relative positional relation between the first portion and the second portion varies, and
- wherein the first and second portions sandwich the engagement portion at a first timing earlier than a second timing at which the rotation moment is switched from the second direction to the first direction.
9 more elements
An image forming apparatus comprising:
- an apparatus body;
- an opening-closing member configured to be opened and closed relative to the apparatus body;
- a lock mechanism, provided in the apparatus body, configured to lock the opening-closing member in a closed position of the opening-closing member, the lock mechanism including a rotatable lock portion and a biasing member that biases the lock portion;
- and
- an engagement portion, provided in the opening-closing member, configured to engage with the lock portion,
- wherein the lock portion is rotated by being pressed by the engagement portion when the opening-closing member is closed relative to the apparatus body,
- wherein when the lock portion is rotated by being pressed by the engagement portion, a rotation moment acting on the lock portion by the biasing member is switched from a second direction, in which the engagement portion is pushed toward an opened position of the opening-closing member, to a first direction, in which the engagement portion is pushed toward the closed position of the opening-closing member,
- wherein the lock portion includes a first portion being contactable with a surface of the engagement portion and a second portion being contactable with an opposite surface of the engagement portion,
- wherein a relative positional relation between the first portion and the second portion varies, and
- wherein the first and second portions sandwich the engagement portion at a first timing earlier than a second timing at which the rotation moment is switched from the second direction to the first direction.
7 more elements
An image forming apparatus comprising:
- an apparatus body;
- an opening-closing member configured to be opened and closed relative to the apparatus body;
- a lock mechanism, provided in the apparatus body, configured to lock the opening-closing member in a closed position of the opening-closing member, the lock mechanism including a rotatable lock portion and a biasing member that biases the lock portion, wherein the lock mechanism is constituted by a toggle mechanism;
- and
- an engagement portion, provided in the opening-closing member, configured to engage with the lock portion,
- wherein the lock portion is rotated by being pressed by the engagement portion when the opening-closing member is closed relative to the apparatus body,
- wherein the lock portion includes a first portion being contactable with a surface of the engagement portion and a second portion being contactable with an opposite surface of the engagement portion,
- wherein a relative positional relation between the first portion and the second portion varies, and
- wherein the first and second portions sandwich the engagement portion at a timing before the lock portion passes a neutral point of the toggle mechanism.
6 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.