JP2011112772A - Image forming apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To reduce strength of a support member more than before, while preventing a skew image and obtaining a stable image, by constituting an image forming apparatus so that an image reading part is not directly affected by the load of the image forming apparatus user or the like, even if a support member receives the load of the image forming apparatus user or the like. <P>SOLUTION: If a vertically downward load is applied on a left cover 20 corresponding to the front side of a left scanner support member 8, only the front side of the left scanner support member 8 is displaced vertically downward together with the left cover 20. Specifically, on the front side of the left scanner support member 8, the left scanner support member 8 and the image reading part 1 are fastened together by a shoulder screw 16 so that the image reading part 1 may be displaced vertically downward while being placed on the top placing part 9b. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2011,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus, and more particularly, an image is recorded between an image reading unit and an image forming unit (including image formation by electrophotography, ink jet recording, or a combination of these functions). The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus having a sheet discharge unit for discharging a sheet.

  In an electrophotographic image forming apparatus having an image reading unit and an image forming unit, a so-called in-body discharge method (a cylinder formed between the image reading unit and the image forming unit) is used to reduce the installation area. In general, the paper is discharged into the internal discharge space. At that time, it is known that the support member of the main body structure that supports the image reading unit has a cantilever structure on the discharge leading end side of the transfer paper so that the transfer paper discharged into the cylinder can be easily taken out. It has been. (For example, see Patent Documents 1 to 4).

  In Patent Documents 1 and 2, with respect to a method for supporting an image reading unit such as a document image reading device or a scanner unit, the right or left support of the image reading unit is provided for the purpose of easily taking out the transfer paper discharged into the cylinder. Has been disclosed that is held by a cantilever-shaped support member.

  In the paragraph “0024” of FIG. 3 and FIG. 3, the first attachment in which a long screw insertion hole (44) is formed so that the vertical height of the image reading unit (scanner) can be adjusted. A member (40) is shown, and a screw (46) is screwed into the screw insertion hole (44) to determine the vertical position of the image reading unit (see paragraph “0026”). The scanner has an adjustment plate so that the scanner can be adjusted to the ideal position, and the adjustment plate is completely fixed with a normal screw and does not move after fixing.

  In paragraph “0019” of Patent Document 4, a stepped screw as a position adjusting / fixing part is fixed by adjusting the position of the adjustment mechanism (the front fixing guide plate (4) to the structure (B) on the apparatus main body side). And a number of fixing holes for fixing the front fixing guide plate (FIGS. 5 and 8 to 11), and the position of the front fixing guide plate is determined depending on which hole is used. It is described that the fixing guide plate may be completely fixed with a stepped screw. If it is a normal screw, the surface of the screw forming part (threaded part) is jagged (because the screw is cut), and the screw diameter and accuracy are not stable, Since the diameter of a flat part (the surface of a cylinder other than the head and the screw part) can be manufactured with high accuracy, if a stepped screw is used to fix the front fixing guide plate as described above, the front fixing guide will be more accurate. The board can be fixed. In other words, even if the screw holes on the front fixing guide plate are made with high precision, if the fixing screw is a normal screw, it is not highly accurate, so there is a backlash between the screw holes on the front fixing guide plate and the screws. The accuracy cannot be fixed.

  However, in the conventional image forming apparatus having the cantilever-shaped support member including the technique described in the above-mentioned patent document, the user can use the front side of the apparatus main body (the recording paper etc. take-out opening side of the in-body discharge section). ), The support member bends by receiving the load, and the image reading unit is also bent by the influence of the load. In order to prevent the skew image caused by this, the problem that the supporting member has to be excessively strong has not been solved.

  Therefore, the present invention has been made in view of the above-described circumstances, and even when the support member receives a load of the user of the image forming apparatus, the load does not directly affect the image reading unit. Accordingly, it is a main object of the present invention to provide an image forming apparatus that can prevent a skew image and obtain a stable image and can reduce the strength of a support member as compared with the conventional one.

In order to solve the above-described problems and achieve the above-mentioned object, the invention according to each claim employs the following characteristic means / invention-specific matters (hereinafter referred to as “configuration”).
According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided an image reading unit that reads an image of a document, an image forming unit that records an image read by the image reading unit on a sheet, and the image reading unit and the image forming unit. A space for discharging the sheet on which the image is recorded is formed, and an opening for taking out the discharged sheet is formed on the front surface of the apparatus main body and on the side surface adjacent to the opening. An extension part that stands up substantially vertically upward so that the side surface is open and is fixed to the structure on the apparatus main body side, and the front side that is substantially perpendicular to the extension part A support member formed in a substantially L shape with a horizontal portion provided with a placement portion for placing the lower surface of the image reading portion so that the front side can be displaced vertically downward, and Fixed to the support member and attached to the image reading unit. An upper cover portion covering the upper edge portion and the upper and side portions of the support member with a gap between the upper edge portion and the upper cover portion corresponding to the front side of the support member. In the image forming apparatus, only the front side of the support member is displaced in the vertically downward direction together with the exterior cover member when receiving the load in the vertically downward direction.

  According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the image forming apparatus according to the first aspect, the front side of the support member can be displaced in the vertically downward direction in a state where the image reading unit is mounted on the mounting unit. Further, the support member and the image reading unit are fastened with a stepped screw.

  According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the image forming apparatus according to the second aspect, an elongated hole is formed along a vertical vertical direction in the fastening portion of the support member fastened by the stepped screw. A short diameter perpendicular to the vertical vertical direction in the long hole is sufficiently larger than a diameter of a non-screw portion excluding a head in the stepped screw.

  According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the image forming apparatus according to the third aspect, the elongated hole has a shape having the same curvature as an arc centered on a main reference for assembling the support member to the structure. It is characterized by.

According to the present invention, a novel image forming apparatus can be realized and provided by solving the above-described problems. The effects of each claim are as follows.
According to the present invention, even if the support member receives a load of the user or the like of the image forming apparatus according to the above configuration, the load does not directly affect the image reading unit, so that a skew image can be prevented in advance. A stable image can be obtained, and the strength of the support member can be reduced as compared with the conventional case.

1 is an external perspective view of an entire image forming apparatus showing an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a perspective view illustrating a schematic shape of an image reading unit and an apparatus main body side structure with an exterior cover removed from the image forming apparatus. (A), (b) is a perspective view of the principal part which shows the attachment method with respect to the left frame of the left scanner support member. It is S4-S4 sectional drawing of Fig.3 (a). FIG. 6 is an exploded perspective view showing a state in which the image reading unit is attached and placed on the left and right scanner support members. It is a perspective view of the principal part which shows the attachment and fixation state of an image reading part and a right scanner support member. It is a perspective view of the principal part explaining the attachment method of an image reading part and a left scanner support member. It is sectional drawing of the principal part which shows the attachment relationship of a left cover, a left scanner support member, and an image reading part. (A), (b) is S9-S9 sectional drawing of FIG. 7 which shows the state before and behind fastening with the left scanner support member and image reading part by the stepped screw via a front bracket. It is a figure explaining the deformation | transformation by the load loaded on the left front of the left scanner support member through a left cover. (A), (b) is a figure explaining the relationship between the long hole of the left scanner support member in FIG. 10, and the flat part of a stepped screw. It is a figure explaining the relationship between the long hole of the left scanner support member in a modification, and the flat part of a stepped screw.

  DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention including examples will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. Components (members and components) having the same function, shape, and the like will be omitted by giving the same reference numerals after being described once unless there is a possibility of confusion. In order to simplify the drawings and the description, even if the components are to be represented in the drawings, the components that do not need to be specifically described in the drawings may be omitted as appropriate.

An embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. First, the overall configuration of the image forming apparatus 100 according to the present embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. The image forming apparatus 100 is, for example, an electrophotographic copying machine.
The image forming apparatus 100 records an image reading unit 1 that reads an image of a document (not shown) and an image read by the image reading unit 1 on a transfer sheet (not shown) as an example of a sheet-like recording medium. An image is formed between the image forming unit 2A and the printer unit 2 including the sheet feeding unit 2B as a sheet feeding unit that feeds the transfer paper to the image forming unit 2A, and the image reading unit 1 and the image forming unit 2A. A sheet discharge space (hereinafter referred to as “space”) 3a for discharging the recorded transfer paper is formed, and an opening 3b for taking out the transferred transfer paper is formed on the front surface of the apparatus main body and on the side surface adjacent thereto. And a sheet discharge unit 3 as a sheet discharge unit.
Here, the “front surface of the apparatus main body” refers to the operation unit (operation panel) 15 side disposed on the front side of the image forming apparatus 100 in FIG. 1, and “the side surface adjacent to the front surface of the apparatus main body” refers to In FIG. 1, the left side of the image forming apparatus 100 is indicated. In FIG. 1, Z shows a vertical up-down direction.

As specific configurations and operation examples of the image reading unit 1, the printer unit 2 (the image forming unit 2A, the paper feeding unit 2B), and the paper discharge unit 3 included in the image forming apparatus 100, for example, Patent Document 2 (Japanese Patent No. 3612259). The description is omitted because it is substantially the same as the contents described in paragraphs “0024” to “0029” of the publication) and illustrated in FIG.
The transfer paper on which an image is formed using the electrophotographic method in the image forming unit 2A is discharged as a sheet stacking unit provided in the space 3a between the image reading unit 1 and the image forming unit 2A. The paper is discharged and stacked in the paper discharge direction X indicated by a thick arrow in the drawing on the tray 3c.

A contact glass 1a having a rectangular shape in a plan view of FIG. 1 is disposed on the upper part of the image reading unit 1, and the upper surface of the image reading unit 1 is an outer surface of the contact glass 1a. A frame (not shown) that forms a structure (framework) of the image reading unit 1 and is placed on a placement unit to be described later is disposed below the image reading unit 1. The lower surface is the frame lower surface.
A left cover 20, a front cover 21, a rear cover 22, and a right cover 23 are attached to the image reading unit 1 as exterior cover members. These covers 20 to 23 cover the four-sided upper edge portion of the rectangular contact glass 1 a disposed on the upper upper surface of the image reading unit 1 and the peripheral portions thereof. The attachment relationship of the left cover 20 to the image reading unit 1 will be described later with reference to FIG.
A frame, each side plate, and the like constituting a structure to be described later on the apparatus main body side are also covered with an exterior cover member (hereinafter referred to as “main body cover”), but the description thereof is omitted. Each of the covers 20 to 23 and the main body cover are integrally formed of an appropriate resin.

FIG. 2 shows a schematic shape of the structure of the image forming apparatus 100 from which the covers 20 to 23 and the main body cover are removed.
In FIG. 2, the right side is the front side of the apparatus main body. The structure is attached and fixed via a screw (not shown) in a state where the rear side plate 4 and the front side plate 11 stand on the main body base 6 with the main body base 6 as a base. A stay member 13 is attached and fixed with screws (not shown) between the rear plate 4 and the front plate 11 above the main body base 6, and the distance between the front and rear plates 4 and 11 is maintained at a predetermined distance. ing.

A left frame 5 is attached to and fixed to the rear plate 4 by screws (not shown), and a left frame 5 is attached to the left rear of the rear plate 4 and a right frame 14 is attached to the right rear of the rear plate 4. The left frame 5 is provided with a left scanner support member 8 as a substantially L-shaped support member in a specific mounting state to be described later. A right scanner support member 7 is provided on the upper right side of the front plate 11 and the rear plate 4, and the right scanner support member 7 is fixed to the front plate 11 and the rear plate 4.
The main body base 6, the rear side plate 4, the front side plate 11, the stay member 13, the left frame 5, and the right frame 14 constitute the structure and are integrally formed with a thin sheet metal such as a steel plate. . The left scanner support member 8 and the right scanner support member 7 are also integrally formed of a thin sheet metal such as a steel plate. A front bracket 9 and a rear bracket 10 shown in FIG. 5 to be described later are also integrally formed of a sheet metal such as a steel plate.

A method of attaching the left scanner support member 8 (hereinafter also referred to as “support member 8”) to the left frame 5 will be described with reference to FIGS. As shown in FIGS. 3A and 3B, the support member 8 has a substantially L-shape that is inverted when attached to the left frame 5. The support member 8 is provided with burring holes 8a and 8b formed at the upper and lower sides thereof and three elongated holes 8d which are formed between the burring holes 8a and 8b at the upper and lower sides. The burring holes 8a and 8b of the support member 8 are fitted into holes 5a and 5b formed on the upper and lower sides of the left frame 5 corresponding to the burring holes 8a and 8b, respectively (see FIG. 4), so that the structure side The support member 8 is positioned with respect to the left frame 5, and the support member 8 is screwed into the upper and lower elongated holes 8 d formed in the left frame 5 corresponding to the three elongated holes 8 d of the support member 8. Via the left frame 5.
4 is an S4-S4 cross-sectional view showing a fitting state between the burring hole 8a of the support member 8 and the hole 5a of the left frame 5 in FIG.

  With reference to FIGS. 5 to 7, a method of attaching and joining the structure of the printer unit 2 and the image reading unit 1 will be described. In FIG. 5, the left side is the front side of the apparatus main body. In the upper left and right sides (front plate 11, rear plate 4 and right frame 14, omitted in FIG. 5, see FIG. 2) on the front side in FIG. The support member 8 described above is fixedly provided on the upper left and right sides (see the left frame 5 omitted in FIG. 5 and FIG. 2) of FIG. The support member 7 is integrally formed with cut and bent portions 7 a and 7 b for fixing to the frame (not shown) of the image reading unit 1. These cut and bent portions 7a and 7b are formed by being cut and bent from the upper surface placing portion 7c of the support member 7 on which the lower surface (not shown) of the image reading portion 1 is placed when the image reading portion 1 is attached. Has been.

As shown in FIG. 5, the support member 8 is fixedly provided with a front bracket 9 and a rear bracket 10 as a placement portion that receives and places the lower surface (not shown) of the frame of the image reading portion 1. . The support member 8 and the front bracket 9 are attached and fixed at three locations by fixing screws 17 shown in FIG. The support member 8 and the rear bracket 10 are attached and fixed by screws as shown in FIG.
As shown in FIGS. 5 to 7, the front bracket 9 has an upper surface placing portion 9 b for receiving and placing the lower surface (not shown) of the frame of the image reading portion 1 and the rear bracket 10 has the image reading portion 1. Upper surface placing portions 10a for receiving and placing the lower surface of the frame (not shown) are formed.

  As described above, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, etc., the support member 8 rises and extends substantially vertically upward so that the side surface of the paper discharge unit 3 (sheet discharge unit) is opened in FIG. An extending part 8A fixed to the structure on the apparatus main body side, and extending toward the front side of the apparatus main body so as to be substantially perpendicular to the extending part 8A, and the front side can be displaced vertically downward In this way, a horizontal portion 8B including a placement portion (an upper surface placement portion 9b of the front bracket 9 and an upper surface placement portion 10a of the rear bracket 10) on which the lower surface 1c of the image reading portion 1 is placed is formed. It is substantially L-shaped.

In order to attach the image reading unit 1 to the support member 7 and the support member 8, as shown in FIG. 5, the image reading unit 1 is fixed to the upper surface mounting portion 7c of the support member 7 and the support member 8 from above. Are mounted on the upper surface mounting portion 10a of the rear bracket 10 and the upper surface mounting portion 9b of the front bracket 9 fixed to the support member 8, and thereafter, one point on the right side of the paper surface (rear bracket 10) Side, see FIG. 2), and the left and right two points on the front side of the paper (cut and bent portions 7a, 7b, see FIG. 6) are fixed in total (see FIGS. 2 and 6).
As shown in FIG. 7, the right side of the support member 8 (the front side of the apparatus main body) is supported by a stepped screw 16 so that the support member 8 can be displaced vertically downward as will be described later. The member 8 and the image reading unit 1 are attached.

  Here, with reference to FIG. 8, the attachment relationship between the left cover 20, the image reading unit 1, and the support member 8 will be described. As shown in the cross-sectional view of FIG. 8, the left cover 20 opens a predetermined gap C <b> 2 from the upper edge portion of the upper surface 1 b in the image reading unit 1 to cover the upper edge portion of the upper surface 1 b, the upper portion of the support member 8, and the side surface portion. As described above, the fixing member 18 is attached and fixed to the support member 8 at two locations (see FIG. 1). Thus, the left cover 20 is not directly fastened and fixed to the image reading unit 1 and interferes with the upper surface 1b of the image reading unit 1 by a predetermined gap C2 vertically downward with respect to the image reading unit 1. It is mounted so as to be displaceable without doing so. As will be described in detail later with reference to FIGS. 9 to 11, the predetermined gap C <b> 2 is, for example, 0.1 mm to 5 mm so as to correspond to the displacement due to the bending of the support member 8 whose strength is reduced compared to the support member of the prior art. It is set to about 0 mm.

Although the description will be omitted, the mounting relationship between the support member 8 and the image reading unit 1 according to the method of using the stepped screw 16 unique to this embodiment will be described in detail with reference to FIGS. 9 to 11. FIG. 9 shows the fixed state of the support member 8 and the image reading unit 1 by the stepped screw 16 on the right front side in FIG. 2 and FIG. 7 (the front left side with respect to the structure of FIG. 2). It is sectional drawing.
As shown in FIGS. 9A and 9B, the stepped screw 16 passes through a long hole 8c formed in the support member 8 and a long hole 9a formed in the front bracket 9 (see FIG. 5). The reading unit 1 is fixed by being screwed into a female screw of a frame 1d that is a structure of the reading unit 1. At that time, the short diameter D perpendicular to the vertical and vertical directions in the long hole 8c and the long hole 9a is the diameter φd of the flat portion 16a of the stepped screw 16 (refers to the smooth cylindrical portion of the non-threaded portion excluding the head). The shape is sufficiently larger (D> φd). Accordingly, the support member 8 is fastened to the image reading unit 1 in a free state in the vertical direction with respect to the image reading unit 1.
In this state, even when the user of the image forming apparatus 100 applies a load P with his / her arm or elbow to the left front of the image reading unit 1 in FIG. 1, it is supported via the left cover 1a shown in FIG. Since the load is not directly applied to the image reading unit 1 simply by bending the member 8, an abnormal image such as a tip skew caused by deformation of the image reading unit 1 or the like does not occur. Needless to say, the structure of the image reading unit 1 is strong enough not to be bent by its own weight.

When the deformation due to the load P applied to the left front of the support member 8 via the left cover 1a is described in more detail, the deformation is as shown in FIG. That is, as shown in FIG. 4, the support member 8 is fixed in a state in which the burring hole 8a is fitted in the hole 5a of the left frame 5, so that the support member 8 is bent in the bending direction A around the burring hole 8a. Deforms and deforms. At that time, as shown in FIG. 11B, the short diameter D of the long hole 8 c at the tip of the support member 8 is about 0.1 mm larger than the diameter φd of the flat portion 16 a of the stepped screw 16. (The state of D ≧ φd), the bending direction A of the support member 8 is an arc direction centering on the burring fitting portion, but the elongated holes 8c are long in the vertical / vertical direction Z. Interference causes the deflection of the support member 8 due to the load P to affect the image reading unit 1, and the structure (frame) of the image reading unit 1 is deformed, resulting in a skew image.
Therefore, as shown in FIG. 11B, if the short diameter D of the long hole 8c is sufficiently larger (about 0.2 mm larger) than the diameter φd of the flat portion 16a of the stepped screw 16, Since there is no interference between the long hole 8 c and the flat portion 16 a of the stepped screw 16 as described above, the bending of the support member 8 does not affect the image reading unit 1.
As shown in FIG. 9B, the length of the flat portion 16a of the stepped screw 16 is similar to that of the stepped screw normally used as a guide for a slide member or a stopper member. The total thickness dimension of the thickness and the thickness of the front bracket 9 is slightly longer, and is set so that a slight gap C1 is formed when the image reading unit 1 is fixed with the stepped screw 16. It is preferable.

As described above, according to the present embodiment, even if the support member 8 receives the load P of the user or the like of the image forming apparatus 100, the load P does not directly affect the image reading unit 1. Can be prevented, a stable image can be obtained, and the strength of the support member 8 can be reduced as compared with the prior art, so that the support member 8 can be formed at low cost.
In addition, since the support member 8 is slidable between the image reading unit 1 and the stepped screw 16 by the stepped screw 16, the image reading unit 1 and the support member 8 are fixed in the front, rear, left, and right. However, the support member 8 is bent by the load P applied by the user of the image forming apparatus 100 because it is movable in the vertical vertical direction and is not completely fixed, but the bending is directly applied to the image reading unit 1. Therefore, a skew image can be prevented and a stable copy image can be provided.
As another effect, since the long hole 8c of the support member 8 is large with respect to the diameter of the stepped screw 16, both are loose. Accordingly, even if the support member 8 is deformed by the load P applied by the user of the image forming apparatus 100, the stepped screw 16 and the long hole 8 c do not contact each other, so that the load on the image reading unit 1 is more efficiently affected. (Claim 3).

The following high-level conceptual embodiments can be immediately derived from the technical contents of the above-described embodiments. The above-described embodiment has been described as an improved example of the conventional technology that is currently being implemented. The content of the conventional technology that has been implemented uses a long hole of the support member 8 for position adjustment, and a front bracket with a normal screw. 9, the support member 8 and the image reading unit 1 are completely fixed to each other.
In the above embodiment, since the unique stepped screw 16 can be regarded as not functioning as a guide member for the support member 8 that is displaced in the bending direction A, it is not necessary to be the long hole 8c of the support member 8; The shape may be such that the screw 16 simply escapes (for example, a clearance hole that is sufficiently larger than the stepped screw 16), or the support member 8 and the image reading unit 1 through the front bracket 9 with the stepped screw 16. It can be considered that the function of fixing the two functions only as a function of preventing the support member 8 from floating in the lateral direction from the image reading unit 1.

Therefore, it can be said that it is only necessary to have a configuration in which only the front side of the support member is displaced vertically downward together with the exterior cover member when receiving a load in the vertically downward direction on the exterior cover member corresponding to the front side of the support member ( Claim 1).
According to such an embodiment, even if the support member receives a load of a user or the like of the image forming apparatus, the load does not directly affect the image reading unit, so that a skew image can be prevented in advance. Since a stable image can be obtained and the strength of the support member can be reduced as compared with the conventional case, the support member can be formed at a low cost.

A modification of the present embodiment will be described with reference to FIG.
The modification shown in FIG. 12 is different only in that a long hole 8d is formed instead of 8c of the support member 8 of the above-described embodiment. That is, as shown in the figure, the shape of the long hole 8d of the support member 8 has the same curvature as the bending direction A of the support member 8 which is an arc centered on the main reference of assembly of the support member 8 to the structure. It has a shape. In such a shape, since the bending direction A of the support member 8 and the shape of the long hole 8d match, the short diameter D of the long hole 8d is about 0.1 mm from the diameter φd of the flat portion 16a of the screw 16. Even in a large relationship, there is no interference between the long hole 8d and the flat portion 16a of the stepped screw 16, so that the bending of the support member 8 does not affect the image reading portion 1.
Therefore, according to this modification, since the shape of the long hole 8d has the same curvature as the arc centered on the main reference of the support member 8 to the structure, the user of the image forming apparatus 100 can Even if the supporting member 8 is deformed by the applied load P, the stepped screw 16 and the elongated hole 8d do not contact each other, so that the image reading unit 1 can be prevented from being affected by the load P more efficiently. 4).

  As described above, the present invention has been described with respect to specific embodiments and modifications. However, the technical scope disclosed by the present invention is limited to those exemplified in the above-described embodiments and modifications. However, those skilled in the art can configure various embodiments, modifications, and examples according to the necessity and application within the scope of the present invention. it is obvious.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Image reading part 1b Upper surface of image reading part 1c Lower surface of image reading part 2 Printer part 2A Image forming part 3 Paper discharge part (sheet discharge part)
3a space 3b opening 4 rear side plate (structure)
5 Left frame (structure)
6 Main body base (structure)
7 Right scanner support member 8 Left scanner support member (support member)
8c, 8d Elongated hole 9a Elongated hole 9b Upper surface placement part of front bracket (placement part of support member)
10a Rear bracket upper surface mounting portion (supporting member mounting portion)
12 Screw 16 Stepped screw 17, 18 Fixing screw 20 Left cover (exterior cover member)
100 Image forming apparatus A Bending direction X Discharging direction

JP 2005-258303 A Japanese Patent No. 3612259 Japanese Patent No. 3774611 JP 2008-46154 A

Claims (4)

An image reading unit for reading an image of a document;
An image forming unit that records an image read by the image reading unit on a sheet;
A space for discharging the sheet on which the image is recorded is formed between the image reading unit and the image forming unit, and an opening for taking out the discharged sheet is formed on the front surface of the apparatus main body and the side surface adjacent thereto. A formed sheet discharge portion;
An extending portion that rises substantially vertically upward and is fixed to the structure on the apparatus main body side so as to open the side surface of the sheet discharge portion, and substantially perpendicular to the extending portion. And a horizontal portion having a mounting portion for mounting the lower surface of the image reading portion so that the front side can be displaced vertically downward is formed in a substantially L-shape. A support member;
An exterior cover member fixed to the support member and covering the upper edge portion and the upper and side portions of the support member by opening a gap with the upper edge portion of the upper surface of the image reading unit;
Have
A configuration in which only the front side of the support member is displaced in the vertically downward direction together with the exterior cover member when receiving a load in the vertically downward direction on the exterior cover member corresponding to the front side of the support member; An image forming apparatus. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1.
The support member and the image reading unit are fastened with a stepped screw on the front side of the support member so that the image reading unit can be displaced vertically downward in a state where the image reading unit is mounted on the mounting unit. An image forming apparatus. The image forming apparatus according to claim 2.
In the fastening portion of the support member fastened with the stepped screw, a long hole is formed along the vertical vertical direction,
An image forming apparatus, wherein a minor axis perpendicular to the vertical vertical direction in the elongated hole is sufficiently larger than a diameter of a non-screw part excluding a head in the stepped screw. The image forming apparatus according to claim 3.
2. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the elongated hole has a shape having the same curvature as an arc centered on a main reference for assembling the support member to the structure.

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