JP2014176005A - Opening/closing mechanism and image formation device comprising opening/closing mechanism - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To mitigate a load on operability in a user's opening/closing operation as much as possible.SOLUTION: An opening/closing mechanism composed of a main body 10 and a movable body 11 provided on the upper face of the main body 10 so as to be freely opened/closed around one end edge part comprises an opening/closing motion unit B for making the movable body 11 perform opening/closing motion. The opening/closing motion unit B comprises a guide 20 and lever 30 composing movement means for moving the movable body 11 from a first position where the movable body 11 is mounted on the upper face of the main body 10 to a second position where movement in the opening direction is limited in a state of being opened upward from the upper face of the main body 10, moving the movable body 11 from the second position to a third position where the movable body 11 is held in a state of opening the upper face of the main body 10 upward, moving the movable body 11 from the third position to a fourth position where the movement in the opening direction is regulated in the state of being opened upward, and moving the movable body 11 from the fourth position to the first position.

Description

  The present invention relates to an opening / closing mechanism provided with an opening / closing operation unit that opens and closes a movable body that is provided on the upper surface of a main body so as to be openable / closable around an edge of one end, and an image forming apparatus including the opening / closing mechanism.

  In recent years, there is a further demand for space saving, downsizing, and thinning of apparatuses.

  In response to this demand, the in-body discharge type image forming apparatus in which a discharge tray is provided between the image reading unit and the image forming unit can be reduced in thickness by narrowing the discharge space. It is. However, when the paper discharge space is narrowed, there arises a problem that it is difficult to take out the paper.

  Therefore, in order to widen the paper discharge space, the image reading unit is configured to be opened and closed (see, for example, Patent Documents 1 and 2).

  In Patent Documents 1 and 2, in an in-body paper discharge type image forming apparatus, image reading is performed with one end edge (an edge opposite to the paper discharge space) of the apparatus main body having an image forming unit as a rotation center. Disclosed is a technology that further opens and closes a paper discharge space by providing a section that can be freely opened and closed together with a document feed tray, thereby improving the visibility of the discharged paper and the recovery of the paper.

JP 2006-121572 A JP 2003-241460 A

  In the image forming apparatuses described in Patent Documents 1 and 2, the opening / closing operation of the image reading unit is the same as the conventional opening / closing operation of the document feed tray. When the image reading unit is pushed upward from the apparatus body, the image reading unit Since the sheet is held at a predetermined position, the sheet discharged in this state is collected, and then the image reading unit is pushed down and returned to the apparatus main body.

  As described above, in the conventional image forming apparatus described above, when the image reading unit is opened and closed, both an operation of pushing up (opening) and pressing down (closing) the image reading unit are required, and operability is improved. There were still issues in terms.

  Further, since the document feed tray is placed on the image reading unit, the entire weight is heavy. Therefore, when the image reading unit is pushed down and closed, the image reading unit may hit the apparatus body vigorously, and there is a risk of injury if a finger or the like is pinched. This point is not taken into consideration in the conventional image forming apparatus.

  The present invention was devised in view of the above problems, and an object of the present invention is to reduce the operability load during the opening / closing operation of the image reading unit by the user as much as possible, and an opening / closing mechanism that takes safety into consideration to the maximum An object of the present invention is to provide an image forming apparatus provided with this opening / closing mechanism.

  In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, an opening / closing mechanism of the present invention comprises a main body and a movable body that is provided on the upper surface of the main body so as to be openable and closable around one end edge, and opens and closes the movable body. The opening / closing operation unit is restricted from moving in a direction in which the movable body is opened from a first position placed on the upper surface of the main body above the upper surface of the main body. Move to the second position, move from the second position to a third position held with the upper surface of the main body opened upward, and open in the state opened upward from the third position It has a moving means which moves to the 4th position where movement to a direction is controlled, and moves to the 1st position from the 4th position.

  According to the present invention, the movable body is opened by an operation of pushing up the movable body from below, and then the movable body is closed by an operation of receiving and lowering the movable body from its bottom. In other words, the movable body can be opened and closed only by receiving and moving the movable body from below.

  According to the opening / closing mechanism of the present invention, the moving means moves the movable body from the first position through the second position, the third position, and the fourth position. A guide that opens and closes to reach a first position; and a lever that has a moving portion that moves while being guided by the guide, the guide being provided on either the main body or the movable body, Is provided on the other side.

  According to the opening / closing mechanism of the present invention, the guide includes a first path that moves the movable body from the first position to the second position, and the guide from the second position. A second path that moves to a third position, a third path that moves from the third position to the fourth position, a fourth path that moves from the fourth position to the first position, The moving unit is configured to move along the route.

  According to the opening / closing mechanism of the present invention, the guide is a concave groove extending along each path, and the moving portion is a moving pin that fits into the groove and moves in the groove. Can do. By engaging the groove and the moving pin, the moving pin moves reliably along the guide.

  Further, according to the opening / closing mechanism of the present invention, it may be configured to include an urging means for urging the lever so that the moving portion contacts the guide in the opening direction. By the urging means, the moving part can be reliably moved along the guide.

  Moreover, according to the opening / closing mechanism of the present invention, the moving unit may include a blocking unit that blocks the moving unit from moving from the first position to the fourth position. By the blocking means, the movement of the moving part in the reverse direction is reliably blocked.

  Further, according to the opening / closing mechanism of the present invention, the blocking means may be constituted by an elastically deformable rib obtained by cutting and raising a part of the guide. By adopting a rib configuration, the number of members is reduced.

  In addition, according to the opening / closing mechanism of the present invention, a notification unit that notifies the completion of movement from the fourth position to the first position may be provided. Here, the notification means may be, for example, a click feeling (a slight reaction feeling) generated when the moving unit gets over the rib, a sound when getting over, or the like. That is, the notification means can be configured to work on both tactile sensation and hearing.

  The image forming apparatus of the present invention is an image forming apparatus provided with the opening / closing mechanism having the above-described configuration, wherein the main body is an apparatus main body having an image forming unit, and the movable body is a housing having an image reading unit. An in-body discharge space is provided between the movable body and the edge opposite to the one end edge of the apparatus main body.

  According to the present invention, the entire opening / closing operation of the movable body can be performed only by the operation of receiving the movable body from below and moving it up and down. Accordingly, the operation load on the user who opens and closes the movable body is reduced, and the safety when closing the image forming apparatus is higher than that of the conventional image forming apparatus.

1 is a perspective view of an image forming apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. It is the II sectional schematic sectional drawing of FIG. It is a schematic front view which expands and shows the peripheral part containing an opening / closing mechanism. It is the schematic perspective view seen from the front which expands and shows the peripheral part containing an opening-and-closing mechanism. It is the schematic perspective view seen from the front which expands and shows the peripheral part containing an opening-and-closing mechanism. It is a perspective view which shows the part of the guide mentioned later which comprises an opening / closing mechanism. It is a front view which shows the part of the guide mentioned later which comprises an opening / closing mechanism. It is a schematic perspective view which shows the lever part which comprises an opening / closing mechanism. It is a figure explaining the opening / closing operation | movement of an image reading housing | casing part in the engagement relationship of a movement pin and a groove | channel. It is a figure explaining the opening / closing operation | movement of an image reading housing | casing part in the engagement relationship of a movement pin and a groove | channel. It is a figure explaining the opening / closing operation | movement of an image reading housing | casing part in the engagement relationship of a movement pin and a groove | channel. It is a figure explaining the opening / closing operation | movement of an image reading housing | casing part in the engagement relationship of a movement pin and a groove | channel. It is a figure explaining the opening / closing operation | movement of an image reading housing | casing part in the engagement relationship of a movement pin and a groove | channel.

  Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

-Description of overall configuration of image forming apparatus-
In this embodiment, a case where the opening / closing mechanism of the present invention is applied to an image forming apparatus will be described.

  FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the image forming apparatus according to the present embodiment, and FIG. 2 is a schematic cross-sectional view (schematic cross-sectional view taken along the line II in FIG. 1) of the image forming apparatus shown in FIG.

  An image forming apparatus A shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 has a cylinder discharge space formed in a U-shaped cross section between an apparatus main body 10 having an image forming unit and an image reading housing unit 11 having an image reading unit. The in-body discharge type image forming apparatus in which the section 13 is formed, and assuming that the facing surface of the apparatus main body 10 facing the user's standing position is the front side, the in-body discharge space 13 is the front of the apparatus main body 10. The sheet is discharged toward the front side (front side) from the back side (back side) of the apparatus main body 10 (in the Y direction in the figure). The paper feed cassette 16 is also structured to be pulled out in the Y direction from the front side of the apparatus main body 10.

  The in-body discharge space portion 13 is provided so that the upper front center portion of the apparatus main body 10 is opened, and a space is formed by the internal bottom surface 10a, the left and right internal side surfaces 10b, and the internal back surface 10c of the apparatus main body 10. The upper portion of the space is formed and closed by the bottom surface 11a of the image reading housing portion 11, thereby forming an in-body discharge space portion in which the front side of the apparatus main body 10 is opened. An inner bottom surface 10a of the apparatus main body 10 is a sheet discharge tray 17, and a sheet discharge roller 136 described later is disposed on the inner back surface 10c.

  The paper discharge tray 17 is provided with a protrusion 18 that protrudes in the upward direction at the center in the width direction (direction perpendicular to the Y direction) X of the front side end. Both sides of the sheet are inclined downward to form a sheet take-out portion 19. The protruding portion 18 includes a plurality of protruding ribs 18a protruding upward from the paper discharge tray 17 and an auxiliary tray 18b extending the paper discharge tray 17 in the discharge direction (Y direction in the figure).

  In the above-described configuration, the image reading housing unit 11 can be opened and closed in the vertical direction with the hinge 12 provided at the edge on the back side of the upper surface of the apparatus main body 10 as a rotation center (that is, the image reading housing part 11 can be opened and closed with respect to the apparatus main body 10). It is provided freely.

  Further, a document conveying device (ADF) 14 is provided on the upper portion of the image reading housing unit 11, and this document conveying device 14 is also provided with a hinge provided at an edge on the back side of the upper surface of the image reading housing unit 11. The front side is provided so as to be openable and closable in the up-and-down direction with the rotation center 15 (that is, openable and closable with respect to the image reading housing unit 11).

  In the image forming apparatus A having such a configuration, a color image using each color of black (K), cyan (C), magenta (M), and yellow (Y), or a monochrome image using a single color (for example, black). The image data corresponding to is handled. The image forming unit 104 is provided with four developing devices 112 for forming four types of toner images, a photosensitive drum 113, a cleaning device 114, and four chargers 115, each of which includes black, cyan, magenta, and Corresponding to yellow, four image stations Pa, Pb, Pc, and Pd are configured.

  The cleaning device 114 removes and collects residual toner on the surface of the photosensitive drum 113. The charger 115 uniformly charges the surface of the photosensitive drum 113 to a predetermined potential. The optical scanning device 111 exposes the surface of the photosensitive drum 113 to form an electrostatic latent image. The developing device 112 develops the electrostatic latent image on the surface of the photoconductive drum 113 to form a toner image on the surface of the photoconductive drum 113. By the series of operations described above, toner images of each color are formed on the surface of each photoconductive drum 113.

  An intermediate transfer belt 121 is disposed on the upper side of the photosensitive drum 113. The intermediate transfer belt 121 circulates in the direction of arrow C, the residual toner is removed and collected by the belt cleaning device 125, and the toner images of the respective colors formed on the surfaces of the photosensitive drums 113 are sequentially transferred and superimposed. Thus, a color toner image is formed on the surface of the intermediate transfer belt 121.

  A nip area is formed between the transfer roller 126a of the secondary transfer device 126 and the intermediate transfer belt 121, and the sheet conveyed through the sheet conveyance path R1 is sandwiched and conveyed in the nip area. When the sheet passes through the nip area, the toner image on the surface of the intermediate transfer belt 121 is transferred and conveyed to the fixing device 117.

  The fixing device 117 sandwiches the recording paper on which the toner image is transferred between the fixing roller 131 and the pressure roller 132 and heats and presses the recording paper to fix the toner image on the recording paper.

  The paper feed cassette 16 is provided below the optical scanning device 111. The paper is pulled out from the paper feed cassette 16 by the pickup roller 133 and is transported to the paper transport path R1, via the secondary transfer device 126 and the fixing device 117, and via the paper discharge roller 136 provided in the paper discharge unit 138. Then, it is carried out to the paper discharge tray 17. A registration roller 134, a conveyance roller 135, and a paper discharge roller 136 are disposed in the paper conveyance path R1.

  When image formation is performed on the back side, the paper is conveyed in the reverse direction from the paper discharge roller 136 to the reverse path Rr, the front and back sides of the paper are reversed, and the paper is again guided to the registration roller 134. Then, image formation is performed on the back surface, and the paper is carried out to the paper discharge tray 17.

  The above is the description of the overall configuration of the image forming apparatus A.

  As described above, the image reading housing unit 11 can be opened and closed with respect to the apparatus main body 10. Here, in the present invention, the in-cylinder discharge space portion 13 is slightly widened so that the sheet discharged to the in-cylinder discharge space portion 13 can be easily taken out rather than completely opening the image reading housing portion 11. It is configured to open and close to a certain extent, and is provided with an opening / closing mechanism for that purpose.

-Explanation of opening and closing mechanism-
3 is a schematic front view showing only the peripheral portion including the opening / closing mechanism in an enlarged manner, FIGS. 4 and 5 are schematic perspective views seen from the front showing the peripheral portion including the opening / closing mechanism in an enlarged manner, and FIGS. 7 is a perspective view and a front view showing a later-described guide portion constituting the opening / closing mechanism. However, in FIG. 6, a later-described lever constituting the opening / closing mechanism is not shown.

  As described above, the apparatus main body 10 is formed with the in-body discharge space portion 13 whose upper front central portion is open. Therefore, the upper surface 10 d of the apparatus main body 10 is a U-shaped flat surface formed so as to surround the in-body discharge space portion 13. Since the opening / closing mechanism of the present embodiment is provided in the vicinity of the edge on the near side of the apparatus main body 10, either the left or right surface of the upper surface 10d formed in a U-shape (in this embodiment, the left side when viewed from the front) ) And the bottom surface 11a of the image reading housing portion 11 facing this. That is, the opening / closing mechanism is provided in a portion F surrounded by a circle in FIG.

  The opening / closing mechanism of the present embodiment includes an opening / closing operation unit B that opens and closes the image reading housing unit 11 that is a movable unit. As will be described in detail later, the opening / closing operation unit B is in a state in which the image reading housing unit 11 is opened above the upper surface 10d of the apparatus main body 10 from the first position placed on the upper surface 10d of the apparatus main body 10. The second position is moved to the second position where the movement in the opening direction is restricted, and the third position is moved from the second position to the third position where the upper surface 10d of the apparatus main body 10 is held open. And moving means to move from the fourth position to the first position, and to move to the fourth position where movement in the opening direction is restricted while being opened upward. The moving means includes a guide 20 that opens and closes the image reading housing unit 11 from the first position to the first position via the second position, the third position, and the fourth position. And a lever 30 having a moving pin 32 that moves while being guided by the guide 20. In the present embodiment, the guide 20 is provided on the upper surface 10 d side of the apparatus main body 10, and the lever 30 is provided on the bottom surface 11 a side of the image reading housing unit 11.

  Hereinafter, the positions of the guide 20, the lever 30, and the image reading housing unit 11 will be described in detail.

(Description of guide 20)
As shown mainly in FIGS. 6 and 7, the guide 20 is provided on the side surface 101 a of the first structure 101 that constitutes a part of the apparatus main body 10 and also constitutes a part of the upper surface 10 d of the apparatus main body 10. It has been. The first structure 101 is supported by the second structure 102. The second structure 102 is provided with a groove 103 for securing a moving region of the lever 30, and a groove side surface 103 a on the side facing the guide 20 is extended upward so that the lever 30 is connected to the guide 20. The structure is sandwiched between the two. That is, the guide 20 and the lever 30 are sandwiched and disposed between the side surface 101a of the first structure 101 and the side surface 103a of the second structure 102.

  As shown in FIG. 6, the guide 20 arranged in this way has an annular path R in which the moving pin 32 of the lever 30 is engaged with a surface (side surface) facing the side surface 103 a of the second structure 102. A concave groove D is formed along the annular path R.

  As shown in FIG. 7, the circular path R has the moving pin 32 from the first receiving portion P <b> 1 formed of a substantially semicircular arc-shaped rib piece to a second portion formed of a substantially semicircular arc-shaped rib piece. A first path R1 that moves to the receiving part P2, a second path R2 that moves from the second receiving part P2 to a third receiving part P3 that is also formed of a substantially semicircular arc-shaped rib piece, and a third receiving part P3 To a fourth path R3 that moves from the fourth receiving part P4 to the first receiving part P1, and a fourth path R4 that moves from the fourth receiving part P4 to the first receiving part P1. ing.

  And the 1st groove | channel D1 which comprises 1st path | route R1 is horizontally extended toward the back | inner side (Y2 direction in FIG. 7) of the apparatus main body 10 from the 1st receiving part P1, and the upper side rib D1a1 and lower side A front first groove D1a composed of a rib D1a2, and a main slope extending obliquely upward from the end (back side) of the front first groove D1a to the lower end of the second receiving portion P2. And a rear first groove D1b composed of the lower rib D1b1.

  The second groove D2 constituting the second path R2 includes an upper side rib D2a1 extending horizontally from the upper edge of the second receiving portion P2 toward the front side (Y1 direction in FIG. 7), 3 comprises a lower rib D2b1 extending horizontally from the lower edge of the receiving portion P3 toward the rear side (Y2 direction in FIG. 7). And the front-end | tip of upper side rib D2a1 and the front-end | tip of lower side rib D2b1 oppose substantially up and down, and the space | interval of the up-down direction is a space | interval slightly larger than the diameter of the movement pin 32. FIG.

  Further, the third groove D3 constituting the third path R3 includes an upper rib D3a1 extending obliquely upward from the edge on the upper side of the third receiving portion P3 and a lower portion of the fourth receiving portion P4. It is comprised by the lower side rib D3b1 extended inclining to the front side diagonally downward from the edge part of the side. And the front-end | tip of upper side rib D3a1 and the front-end | tip of lower side rib D3b1 have a level | step difference up and down, and have a predetermined space | interval in the front-back direction, and the space | interval of the front-back direction is a little wider than the diameter of the movement pin 32. It is an interval.

  Further, the fourth groove D4 constituting the fourth path R4 includes an upper side rib D4a1 and a lower side extending horizontally from the fourth receiving part P4 toward the front side of the apparatus main body 10 (Y1 direction in FIG. 7). The rear side fourth groove D4a composed of the rib D4a2, and the upper side rib D4b1 and the lower side that are inclined obliquely downward to the front side from the terminal end (front side) of the rear side fourth groove D4a and extend to the first receiving part P1. It is comprised by the front side 4th groove | channel D4b which consists of rib D4b2.

  Further, in the vicinity of the end portion of the front fourth groove D4b, that is, in the vicinity of the first receiving portion P1, the wall surface of the guide 20 constituting the bottom surface of the front fourth groove D4b is substantially upwardly directed along the inclination of the front fourth groove D4b. A stopper rib piece 23 cut and raised in a U-shape is formed. The stopper rib piece 23 is formed to be bent so as to protrude toward the inner side of the front fourth groove D4b (in FIG. 7, protrude toward the front side of the drawing). That is, the stopper rib piece 23 is pushed out from the front fourth groove D4b by the moving pin 32 when the moving pin 32 passes through the front fourth groove D4b (in FIG. 7, it is pushed out to the back side of the paper surface). When the moving pin 32 passes and moves to the first receiving part P1, it protrudes again to the inner side of the front fourth groove D4b by the elastic restoring force of the rib piece itself. As a result, the movement pin 32 that has moved through the stopper rib piece 23 and moved to the first receiving portion P1 is restricted from moving upward by the distal end portion (lower end portion) of the stopper rib piece 23 that has been elastically restored. That is, the stopper rib piece 23 serves as blocking means for blocking the movement pin 32 from moving from the first receiving portion P1 to the fourth receiving portion P4.

  Further, by providing the stopper rib piece 23, when the moving pin 32 moves over the stopper rib piece 23 and moves to the first receiving portion P1, when the moving pin 32 gets over the stopper rib piece 23. The user can be notified that the moving pin 32 has returned to the first receiving part P1 by the click feeling (feeling of slight reaction) and the sound (click sound) when getting over. That is, in the present embodiment, the stopper rib piece 23 also has a function as a notification unit that notifies the movement pin 32 of the completion of movement from the fourth receiving portion P4 to the first receiving portion P1. That is, the notification means is configured to work on both the tactile sense and the hearing of the user.

(Explanation of lever 30)
FIG. 8 is a schematic perspective view showing a lever portion constituting the opening / closing mechanism. However, FIG. 8 is a schematic perspective view showing the bottom surface 11a of the image reading housing unit 11 as viewed from below.

  The lever 30 includes a lever main body portion 31 formed in a substantially square bar shape. One side surface of the lever main body portion 31 on the distal end portion 31b side is engaged with the groove D of the guide 20 to form the groove D. A moving pin 32 that moves inwardly protrudes.

  Further, insertion holes 31a1 and 31a1 facing the X direction in FIG. 8 (however, the insertion hole on the left side in the drawing is not visible) on both side surfaces on the base end portion 31a side that is the rotation center of the lever main body 31. ) And the support pin 33 is inserted into the pair of insertion holes 31a1 and 31a1. On the other hand, a pair of pin receiving portions 11b and 11b for rotatably supporting the support pins 33 are provided on the bottom surface 11a of the image reading housing portion 11 in the X direction in FIG. The lever main body 31 supports the support pin 33 inserted through the insertion holes 31a1 and 31a1 on the pin receiving portions 11b and 11b, so that the distal end portion 31b side is rotatable in the vertical direction around the base end portion 31a side. It has become.

  A coil spring 34 is mounted as a biasing means on the support pin 33 between the insertion holes 31a1 and 31a1, and one end 34a of the coil spring 34 is locked to the bottom surface 11a of the image reading housing unit 11, The other end 34 b is locked to the lever main body 31. Accordingly, the lever main body 31 is always urged by the action of the coil spring 34 so as to be pressed against the bottom surface 11 a side of the image reading housing unit 11.

  In the above description, the support pin 33 is separated from the lever main body 31, but the support pin may be formed by integrally forming columnar protrusions on both side surfaces of the lever main body 31. . Further, the pin receiving portion 11b provided on the bottom surface 11a of the image reading housing portion 11 has a complete cylindrical shape, but the side surface of the cylindrical body is partially cut out in the axial direction and supported from the cutout portion. It is good also as a structure supported by forcedly fitting a pin.

(Description of opening / closing operation of image reading casing 11)
Next, the vertical opening / closing operation of the image reading housing unit 11 by the opening / closing mechanism including the guide 20 and the lever 30 having the above-described configuration will be described.

  9A to 9E show that the image reading casing 11 is released from the state where it is placed on the upper surface 10d of the apparatus main body 10 to a predetermined height in the engagement relationship between the moving pin 32 and the groove D, and then the apparatus 6 is a diagram schematically showing a relationship between a moving path of a moving pin 32 and an open position of the image reading housing unit 11 until the moving pin 32 is placed again on the upper surface 10d of the main body 10. FIG.

  Hereinafter, the opening / closing operation of the image reading housing unit 11 will be described with reference to FIGS. 9A to 9E.

  (1) In a state where the image reading housing unit 11 is placed on the upper surface 10d of the apparatus main body 10 (first position H1 of the image reading housing unit 11), as shown in FIG. It is located in the first receiving part P1 of the groove D. Incidentally, FIG. 4 shows this state.

  From this state, when the user puts his hand into the in-body discharge space portion 13 from the front side of the apparatus main body 10 and gently pushes up the lower surface of the front end portion of the image reading housing portion 11 with his finger, as shown in FIG. Following the opening operation of the image reading casing 11, the moving pin 32 moves from the first receiving portion P1 to the second receiving portion P2 along the first path R1 in the Y2 direction. At this time, since the lever 30 is always urged toward the bottom surface 11a of the image reading casing 11 as described above, the moving pin 32 is in contact with the upper side guide D1a1 when moving the front first groove D1a. Move in the Y2 direction. Then, when the upper side guide D1a1 is passed, the moving pin 32 moves upward along the lower side guide (inclined guide) D1b1 of the rear first groove D1b to the second receiving part P2 and is received. . On the other hand, the lever 30 gradually rises from a lying state as the proximal end portion 31a rises by opening the image reading housing portion 11 (Z1 direction in FIG. 9B).

  The opening position of the image reading housing unit 11 at this time is a second position H2 shown in FIG. 9B.

  (2) In this state, when the user slightly lowers the finger that supported the bottom surface 11a of the image reading housing unit 11, the moving pin 32 is moved by the weight of the image reading housing unit 11 as shown in FIG. 9C. The second path R2 is moved in the Y1 direction along the upper side guide D2a1 of the second groove D2 from the second receiving portion P2.

  When the moving pin 32 exceeds the tip of the upper side guide D2a1, the moving pin 32 is lifted by the urging force of the coil spring 34 as shown by a two-dot chain line in FIG. 9C, but the tip of the upper side guide D2a1. The moving pin 32 that has risen beyond the point abuts against the tip of the upper side guide (inclined guide) D3a1 of the third groove D3 and is prevented from rising. At this time, since the moving pin 32 has moved in the Y1 direction, the contact position with the upper side guide D3a1 is slightly closer to the third receiving portion P3 than the tip. For this reason, the moving pin 32 then moves in the Y1 direction while descending obliquely downward along the upper side guide D3a1 of the third groove D3, and finally moves to the third receiving part P3, and the image reading housing part 11 Is held by the third receiving portion P3 by its own weight.

  The opening position of the image reading housing unit 11 at this time is a third position H3 shown in FIG. 9C. Incidentally, the opening position of the image reading casing 11 shown in FIG. 5 indicates the state of the third position H3.

  Here, the position of the moving pin 32 in the height direction is the same as the position when it is in the second receiving part P2 shown in FIG. 9B and the position when it is in the third receiving part P3 shown in FIG. 9C. However, when the lever main body 31 is viewed, the moving pin 32 is moved in the Y1 direction from the position of the second receiving portion P2 to the position of the third receiving portion P3, and the axis of the supporting pin 33 and the moving pin 32 are moved. The distance in the Y direction (Y1, Y2 direction) between the first and second shafts is longer than the distance L1 when the second receiving portion P2 is located (see FIG. 9B). (L2> L1). Further, the distance in the height direction (Z direction) between the axis of the support pin 33 and the axis of the movable pin 32 is a third receiving distance L11 (see FIG. 9B) when the second receiving portion P2 is present. The distance L12 when in the portion P3 is shorter (L12 <L11). Accordingly, the third position H3 is a position slightly lowered downward from the second position H2. In other words, the opening position of the image reading housing unit 11 is a position slightly lowered from the second position H2.

  In this state, since the image reading housing unit 11 is stably held at the third position H3, the user removes his / her finger from the image reading housing unit 11 to widen the in-body discharge space portion. The sheet discharged from 13 to the sheet discharge tray 17 can be easily taken out.

  (3) After taking out the paper, the user gently pushes the finger up on the bottom surface 11a of the image reading housing unit 11 with his finger. Then, as shown in FIG. 9D, following the opening operation of the image reading housing unit 11, the moving pin 32 moves from the third receiving portion P3 to the upper side guide (inclined guide) D3a1 and the lower side guide (inclined) from the third groove D3. Guide) Moves upward along the third path R3 along D3b1, and finally moves to the fourth receiving portion P4 to be received.

  The opening position of the image reading casing 11 at this time is a fourth position H4 shown in FIG. 9D.

  (4) When the user opens the image reading casing 11 to the fourth position H4 and confirms the contact of the moving pin 32, the finger attached to the bottom surface 11a of the image reading casing 11 is now lowered. . Then, as shown in FIG. 9E, following the closing operation of the image reading housing portion 11, the moving pin 32 moves from the fourth receiving portion P4 along the fourth path R4 in the Y1 direction in the drawing to move the first receiving portion. Move to P1. At this time, as described above, the lever 30 is constantly urged toward the bottom surface 11a of the image reading casing 11, so that the moving pin 32 comes into contact with the upper side guide D4a1 when moving the rear fourth groove D4a. However, when it moves horizontally in the Y1 direction and moves in the front fourth groove D4b, it moves while tilting downward in the Y1 direction while contacting the upper side guide (inclined guide) D4b1. When the stopper rib piece 23 of the front fourth groove D4b is moved to the original first receiving portion P1, the movement pin 32 is moved upward by the elastic restoring force of the stopper rib piece 23 (that is, the front side first groove D4b). Movement to the fourth groove D4b) is restricted, and the moving pin 32 is held by the first receiving portion P1.

  The opening position of the image reading housing unit 11 at this time is a first position H1 shown in FIG. 9A, and the bottom surface 11a of the image reading housing unit 11 is a position in contact with the upper surface 10d of the apparatus main body 10. ing.

  According to the above embodiment, the image reading housing unit 11 is opened by an operation of pushing up the image reading housing unit 11 from below, and then the image reading operation is performed by lowering the image reading housing unit 11 while receiving from the bottom that the image reading housing unit 11 is lowered by its own weight. The reading housing unit 11 is closed. In other words, the image reading casing 11 can be opened and closed only by receiving the image reading casing 11 from below and moving it up and down. Accordingly, the operation load on the user who opens and closes the image reading housing unit 11 is reduced, and there is no need to worry about closing fingers with the apparatus main body 10 when the image reading housing unit 11 is closed, and safety is also achieved. Will improve.

  In the above embodiment, the opening / closing mechanism is provided only on either the left or right surface of the upper surface 10d of the apparatus body 10 formed in a U-shape, but may be provided on both the left and right surfaces. By providing it on both the left and right surfaces, the opening / closing operation becomes more stable.

  Moreover, in the said embodiment, although the coil spring is used as an urging means, it can also be set as the structure which uses a leaf | plate spring etc.

  In the above-described embodiment, the blocking unit also serves as the notification unit. However, the notification unit may be provided separately from the blocking unit.

  In the above embodiment, the case where the opening / closing mechanism of the present invention is applied to the image forming apparatus is described. However, the present invention is not limited to the image forming apparatus, and the movable body can be opened / closed with respect to the main body by a simple operation. The present invention can be applied to any structure that can be operated.

-Constitution and effect of the present invention-
The opening / closing mechanism of the present invention comprises a main body 10 and a movable body 11 provided on the upper surface 10d of the main body 10 so as to be openable and closable around an edge at one end, and opens and closes the movable body 11. B, and the opening / closing operation part B opens the movable body 11 in a state in which the movable body 11 is opened from the first position H1 placed on the upper surface 10d of the main body 10 above the upper surface 10d of the main body 10. Is moved to a second position H2 where the movement of the main body 10 is restricted, and is moved from the second position H2 to a third position H3 that is held with the upper surface 10d of the main body 10 being opened upward. A moving means for moving from the fourth position H4 to the first position H1 and moving from the fourth position H4 to the first position H1. It is said.

  According to this configuration, the movable body can be opened by an operation of pushing up the movable body from below, and then the movable body can be closed by an operation of receiving and lowering the movable body from the bottom while receiving the weight. That is, the movable body can be opened and closed only by an operation of moving the movable body up and down while receiving it from below. Accordingly, the operation load on the user who opens and closes the movable body is reduced, and safety when closing the image forming apparatus is ensured as compared with the conventional image forming apparatus.

  According to the opening / closing mechanism of the present invention, the moving means moves the movable body 11 from the first position H1 to the second position H2, the third position H3, and the fourth position H4. The guide 20 that opens and closes so as to reach the first position H1 and the lever 30 having the moving portion 32 that moves while being guided by the guide 2, the guide 20 being the main body 10 or the movable body. 11 is provided, and the lever 30 is provided on the other side.

  According to this configuration, the movable body can be reliably opened and closed with a simple engagement structure.

  In addition, according to the opening / closing mechanism of the present invention, it may be configured to include the urging means 34 that urges the lever 30 so that the moving portion 32 contacts the guide 20 in the opening direction.

  According to this configuration, the moving unit can be reliably moved along the guide by the urging means.

  In addition, according to the opening / closing mechanism of the present invention, the moving unit 32 may include a blocking unit 23 that prevents the moving unit 32 from moving from the first position H1 to the fourth position H4.

  According to this configuration, the movement of the moving unit in the reverse direction can be reliably blocked by the blocking unit.

  An image forming apparatus according to the present invention is an image forming apparatus having the opening / closing mechanism having the above-described configuration, in which the main body has an apparatus main body 10 having an image forming section, and the movable body has an image reading section. The body portion 11 is an edge portion on the opposite side of the one end edge portion of the apparatus main body 10, and is configured such that an in-body discharge space portion 13 is provided between the body portion 11 and the image reading housing portion 11. Yes.

  According to this configuration, the image reading housing unit 11 can be opened and closed only by the operation of moving up and down while receiving the image reading housing unit 11 from below. Therefore, the operation load on the user who opens and closes the image reading housing unit 11 is reduced, and there is no worry that the user closes the finger with the apparatus main body 10 when the image reading housing unit 11 is closed. improves.

  In addition, embodiment disclosed this time is an illustration in all the points, Comprising: It does not become the basis of limited interpretation. Therefore, the technical scope of the present invention is not interpreted only by the above-described embodiments, but is defined based on the description of the scope of claims. Moreover, all the changes within the meaning and range equivalent to a claim are included.

  The opening / closing mechanism of the present invention is not limited to the image forming apparatus, and can be suitably used for all mechanisms having a movable body that opens and closes the main body.

A Image forming device B Opening / closing operation unit 10 Device main body (example of main body)
10a Internal bottom surface 10b Internal side surface 10c Internal back surface 10d Upper surface 11 Image reading casing (an example of a movable body)
11a Bottom surface 11b Pin receiving portion 13 In-body discharge space portion 17 Discharge tray 20 Guide (an example of moving means)
23 Rib piece for stopper (an example of blocking means / notifying means)
30 lever (an example of moving means)
31 Lever body part 31a Base end part 31a1 Insertion hole 31b Tip part 32 Moving pin (an example of a moving part)
33 Support pin 34 Coil spring (an example of biasing means)
D groove D1 first groove D1a front first groove D1a1 upper rib D1a2 lower rib D1b rear first groove D1b1 lower rib D2 second groove D2a1 upper rib D2b1 lower rib D3 third groove D3a1 upper rib D3b4 lower rib D3b4 D4a Rear side fourth groove D4a1 Upper side rib D4b2 Lower side rib D4b Front side fourth groove D4b1 Upper side rib D4b2 Lower side rib H1 First position H2 Second position H3 Third position H4 Fourth position R Annular path R1 First Route R2 Second route R3 Third route R4 Fourth route P1 First receiving portion P2 Second receiving portion P3 Third receiving portion P4 Fourth receiving portion

Claims (5)

A main body, and a movable body provided on the upper surface of the main body so as to be freely openable and closable around an edge at one end,
An opening / closing operation unit for opening / closing the movable body;
The opening / closing operation unit moves the movable body from a first position placed on the upper surface of the main body to a second position where movement in the opening direction is restricted when the movable body is opened above the upper surface of the main body. And moving from the second position to a third position held with the upper surface of the main body opened upward, and moving in the opening direction while opening upward from the third position. An opening / closing mechanism comprising a moving means for moving to a fourth position to be regulated and moving from the fourth position to the first position. The opening / closing mechanism according to claim 1,
The moving means opens and closes the movable body from the first position to the first position via the second position, the third position, and the fourth position. A guide and a lever having a moving part that is guided and moved by the guide;
The opening / closing mechanism characterized in that the guide is provided on either the main body or the movable body, and the lever is provided on the other. The opening / closing mechanism according to claim 2,
The opening and closing mechanism, wherein the moving part includes an urging unit that urges the lever so as to abut on the guide in the opening direction. The opening / closing mechanism according to claim 2 or 3,
The opening / closing mechanism characterized in that the moving section includes blocking means for blocking movement from the first position to the fourth position. An image forming apparatus comprising the opening / closing mechanism according to any one of claims 1 to 4,
The main body is an apparatus main body having an image forming unit, and the movable body is a housing having an image reading unit,
An image forming apparatus, wherein an in-body discharge space is provided between the movable body and an edge of the apparatus main body opposite to the one end edge.

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