JP2018158787A - Movable device and image forming unit - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a movable device which prevents operation of a cassette 2 from becoming difficult even if a contamination enters a grasp part 134.SOLUTION: The cassette 2 can be inserted in and drawn from an installed unit body. The grasp part 134 can be grasped to draw the cassette 2 from the unit body. A grasp cover 136 locates at a covering position which covers the grasp part 134 in a state in which the grasp part 134 locates in the unit body. On the other hand, the grasp cover 136 can move in an exposure position which makes the grasp part 134 expose in a state in which the grasp part 134 locates out of the unit body.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 4

Description

  The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus such as a copying machine, a printer, a facsimile, or a complex machine thereof, and a movable device that can be attached to the image forming apparatus.

  2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, an image forming apparatus has a configuration in which a cassette (movable device) for storing sheets is mounted so as to be able to be inserted into and withdrawn from an apparatus main body, and a gripping portion that can be gripped when the cassette is pulled out from the apparatus main body Known (for example, Patent Document 1). In the case of the configuration described in Patent Document 1, the gripping part is positioned inside the apparatus main body when the cassette is mounted on the apparatus main body, but when the cassette is pulled out, the gripping part is positioned outside the apparatus main body.

JP 2002-308447 A

  As described above, in the case where the gripping portion is positioned inside the apparatus main body when the cassette is mounted on the apparatus main body and is positioned outside the apparatus main body when the cassette is pulled out, the following problems may occur. . That is, when the cassette is pulled out, the gripping part is exposed to the outside of the apparatus main body, so there is a possibility that a foreign substance enters the gripping part. When the cassette is inserted into the main body with foreign matter entering the grip, the foreign matter may be sandwiched between the cassette and the main body, or may enter the gap between the cassette and the main body. It may be difficult to perform operations such as.

  An object of the present invention is to prevent the operation of the movable device from being difficult even if a foreign object enters the grip portion.

  The present invention includes a unit that can be inserted into and withdrawn from a device main body to be mounted, a gripper that can be gripped to pull out the unit from the device main body, and a state in which the gripper is located in the device main body. And a cover member that is located at a cover position that covers the grip portion and is movable to an exposure position that exposes the grip portion when the grip portion is located outside the apparatus main body. In the device.

  ADVANTAGE OF THE INVENTION According to this invention, even if a foreign material enters into a holding part, it can prevent that it becomes difficult to operate a movable apparatus.

1 is a schematic sectional view of an image forming apparatus according to a first embodiment. The perspective view of the cassette which concerns on 1st Embodiment. 1A is a perspective view of an image forming apparatus according to a first embodiment, and FIG. 3B is a schematic diagram for explaining a cassette locking mechanism according to the first embodiment. Sectional drawing of the handle part periphery which concerns on 1st Embodiment. The perspective view which cut | disconnects and shows a part of handle part periphery which concerns on 1st Embodiment. The perspective view which shows the state with which the cassette which concerns on 1st Embodiment was mounted | worn with the apparatus main body. Sectional drawing of the handle part periphery of the state with which the cassette which concerns on 1st Embodiment was mounted | worn with the apparatus main body. The perspective view which shows the state by which the handle part which concerns on 1st Embodiment was covered by the grip cover. The perspective view which shows the state which the lock | rock of the cassette which concerns on 1st Embodiment was cancelled | released, and the cassette protruded. Sectional drawing of the handle part periphery of the state which the cassette concerning 1st Embodiment was pulled out and the handle part began to be exposed. The perspective view which shows the state which the handle part which concerns on 1st Embodiment exposed. The perspective view when it starts to insert the cassette which concerns on 1st Embodiment in an apparatus main body. The perspective view which shows the state from which the handle part began to be covered with the grip cover at the time of insertion of the cassette which concerns on 1st Embodiment. Sectional drawing of the handle part periphery which shows a mode that the cassette which concerns on 1st Embodiment is pulled out, and a foreign material enters into a handle part. Sectional drawing of the handle part periphery which shows a mode that the foreign material which entered the handle part is pushed out to a grip cover at the time of insertion of the cassette which concerns on 1st Embodiment. The schematic diagram which each shows the structure of the holding part periphery of the cassette which concerns on 2nd Embodiment in the state which (a) the holding part exposed and (b) the holding part covered with the holding cover.

<First Embodiment>
A first embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. First, a schematic configuration of the image forming apparatus of the present embodiment will be described with reference to FIG.

[Image forming apparatus]
The image forming apparatus 1 of this embodiment is a copying machine. In the following description, the front side facing the operation panel (not shown) where the user performs various inputs and settings to the image forming apparatus 1 is referred to as the “front side” of the image forming apparatus 1, and the back side is referred to as the “rear side”. " That is, FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view showing the internal configuration of the image forming apparatus 1 as viewed from the front side.

  The image forming apparatus 1 includes an apparatus main body 1 </ b> A, a cassette 2, an image forming unit 3, a fixing unit 4, a discharge unit 5, and an image reading unit 6. The cassette 2 as a movable device can be inserted into and removed from the apparatus main body 1A to be mounted, and has a cassette basket (housing) 121 (FIG. 2) as a unit (sheet storage unit) that can store sheets P. . The image forming unit 3 forms an image on a sheet conveyed from the cassette 2 or the like. The fixing unit 4 fixes the image on the sheet on which the image is formed by the image forming unit 3. The discharge unit 5 discharges the sheet on which the image is fixed. The image reading unit 6 can read an image of a document. Hereinafter, each part will be described in detail.

  First, the cassette 2 is provided below the apparatus main body 1A, and includes a stacking tray 21, a pickup roller 22, a separation feeding unit 23, and the like. The stacking tray 21 stacks sheets P. The pickup roller 22 picks up the sheets P stacked on the stacking tray 21. The separation feeding unit 23 separates the picked up sheets P one by one and feeds them to the downstream conveyance path.

  In the present embodiment, a manual feeding unit 24 that can manually feed the sheet P from the side of the apparatus main body 1A is provided. The manual feeding unit 24 includes a manual feeding tray 25 on which the sheets P are stacked, and a separation feeding unit 26 that separates and feeds the sheets P stacked on the manual feeding tray 25 one by one.

  The image forming unit 3 is provided above the cassette 2 in the apparatus main body 1A, and includes a photosensitive drum 31, a charging roller 32, an exposure device 33, a developing device 34, and a transfer roller 35. A toner image (image) is formed, and the formed toner image is transferred to the sheet P. Specifically, the surface of the rotating photosensitive drum 31 is uniformly charged by the charging roller 32. Next, a laser beam corresponding to the image information is irradiated from the exposure device 33 to form an electrostatic latent image on the surface of the photosensitive drum 31. The electrostatic latent image on the photosensitive drum 31 is visualized as a toner image by the developing device 34. The toner image formed on the photosensitive drum 31 is conveyed to the transfer nip N1 formed by the photosensitive drum 31 and the transfer roller 35, and transferred to the sheet P at the transfer nip N1.

  The fixing unit 4 is provided in a sheet conveyance path downstream of the image forming unit 3 in the sheet conveyance direction (hereinafter simply referred to as “downstream side”). Such a fixing unit 4 includes a fixing roller 41 having a heating source such as a halogen heater therein, and a pressure roller 42 that contacts the fixing roller 41 to form a fixing nip N2. The toner image transferred to the sheet P at the transfer nip N1 is fixed to the sheet P by being heated and pressurized at the fixing nip N2.

  The discharge unit 5 is provided on the downstream side of the fixing unit 4, and includes a discharge roller pair 51 for discharging the sheet P on which the toner image is fixed from the inside of the apparatus main body 1A, and a discharge tray on which the discharged sheet P is stacked. 52.

  The image reading unit 6 is provided above the apparatus main body 1A, and includes a document placing unit 61 for placing a document, and a reading scanner 62 for reading image information of the document placed on the document placing unit 61. I have.

  Next, an image forming job for forming an image on a sheet in the image forming apparatus 1 configured as described above will be described. When the image forming job is started, an electrostatic latent image is formed on the surface of the photosensitive drum 31 in accordance with image information (image information signal) such as a document transmitted from a personal computer (not shown) or the reading scanner 62. That is, as described above, the exposure device 33 irradiates the surface of the photosensitive drum 31 charged with a predetermined potential with laser light according to image information, whereby an electrostatic latent image is formed on the photosensitive drum 31. The electrostatic latent image is developed into a toner image by the developing device 34.

  On the other hand, in parallel with the toner image forming operation, the sheets P separated and fed one by one from the stacking tray 21 of the cassette 2 are conveyed to the downstream sheet conveyance path by the conveyance roller pair 10. A registration roller pair 11 is provided on the upstream side of the transfer nip N1 in the sheet conveyance path. The sheet P conveyed by the conveying roller pair 10 abuts against the resist roller pair 11 in a stopped state, thereby correcting skew. The sheet P whose skew has been corrected is conveyed to the transfer nip N1 by driving the registration roller pair 11 at a predetermined timing, and the toner image on the photosensitive drum 31 is transferred to the sheet P at the transfer nip N1. The sheet P to which the toner image has been transferred is conveyed to the fixing unit 4 where the toner image is fixed, and then discharged to the discharge tray 52 by the discharge roller pair 51. Thereby, one image forming job is completed.

[cassette]
Next, the cassette 2 as a movable device will be described with reference to FIGS. 2 and 3A and 3B. As shown in FIG. 2, the cassette 2 includes a cassette basket (housing) 121 as a unit for storing sheets, and a front cover 131 serving as an exterior cover when the cassette 2 is mounted on the apparatus main body 1A. A cassette tray 121 is provided with a stacking tray 21 and a pair of side guides 122 and 123 slidable according to the size of the sheets placed on the stacking tray 21.

  On the upper surface of the front cover 131, a grip portion 134 that can be gripped for pulling out the cassette 2 having the cassette basket 121 from the apparatus main body 1A is formed. The grip 134 is a recess that opens upward. Therefore, when the user pulls out the cassette 2, the cassette 2 can be easily pulled out by inserting a hand into the concave portion, that is, by placing a hand on the grip portion 134. A button 133 is provided on the front surface of the front cover 131.

  As shown in FIG. 3A, an opening 1B into which the cassette 2 can be inserted is formed on the front side of the apparatus main body 1A. Accordingly, the cassette 2 can be inserted into and pulled out from the apparatus main body 1A through the opening 1B.

  When a sheet is replenished to the cassette 2, the cassette 2 is pulled out from the apparatus main body 1A as shown in FIG. The cassette 2 is fixed in the apparatus main body when the cassette 2 is located at a mounting position where the sheet can be fed, and this fixing is released by pressing a button 133. That is, as shown in FIG. 3B, the image forming apparatus 1 includes a lock mechanism 200 as a fixing unit, a release mechanism 210 as a release unit, and a biasing spring 220 as a biasing unit.

  The lock mechanism 200 can fix the cassette 2 at a mounting position in the apparatus main body, and includes a lock pin 201 fixed to the apparatus main body 1A side and a hook 202 provided on the cassette 2 side. The hook 202 is provided so as to be rotatable about a rotation shaft 203. The hook 202 includes a main body portion 204, a hook portion 205 provided at the distal end of the main body portion 204, and a bent portion 206 that is bent from the base end of the main body portion 204. These portions are formed by an integral member. Has been. The hook portion 205 is freely engageable so as to be hooked on the lock pin 201.

  The release mechanism 210 can be released from being fixed by the lock mechanism 200 and can be moved with respect to the front cover 131 in the insertion direction (arrow A direction) and the pull-out direction (arrow B direction) of the cassette 2 and the button 133. And a movable pressing pin 211. The tip of the pressing pin 211 is connected to the bent portion 206 of the hook 202 via the rotation shaft 212. The button 133 is urged in the direction of arrow B in FIG. 3B by a spring (not shown), and is held by the front cover 131 so as not to drop off from the front cover 131.

  The urging spring 220 is supported by the frame 1C on the back side of the apparatus main body 1A and urges the wall surface 230 on the back side of the cassette 2 located at the apparatus position. That is, the urging spring 220 urges the cassette 2 in the pulling direction (the direction of arrow B in FIG. 3B) at the mounting position. The position of the urging spring 220 is not limited to this position, and may be provided at a position where the front cover 131 is urged, for example.

  When the cassette 2 is positioned at the mounting position in the apparatus main body 1A, the cassette 2 is fixed at the mounting position by the hook portion 205 of the hook 202 being hooked on the lock pin 201. At this time, the biasing spring 220 is elastically compressed between the wall surface 230 and the frame 1C.

  When pulling out the cassette 2 from the apparatus main body 1A, first, the button 133 provided on the front cover 131 is pushed in the direction of arrow A (the insertion direction of the cassette 2) in FIG. Then, the pressing pin 211 moves together with the button 133 in the direction of arrow A, and the bent portion 206 of the hook 202 is urged by the pressing pin 211. As a result, the hook 202 rotates in the counterclockwise direction in FIG. 3B about the rotation shaft 203, and the engagement between the hook portion 205 and the lock pin 201 is released, and the lock mechanism 200 is fixed. Canceled.

  When the lock by the lock mechanism 200 is released, the cassette 2 moves in the direction of arrow B (the direction in which the cassette 2 is pulled out) by the biasing force of the biasing spring 220. Then, the cassette 2 protrudes from the apparatus main body 1 </ b> A to such an extent that the user can reach the grip 134 formed on the upper surface of the front cover 131. As a result, the user can pull the cassette 2 to the storage position where the sheet can be stored by placing the hand on the grip 134 and pulling it.

  After the sheet is replenished to the cassette 2, the cassette 2 is pushed again in the direction of arrow B and inserted into the apparatus main body 1A. When the cassette 2 is pushed to the mounting position, the hook portion 205 of the hook 202 is hooked on the lock pin 201, the cassette 2 is fixed to the mounting position, and the sheet in the cassette 2 can be fed by the pickup roller 22 (FIG. 1). It becomes. At this time, the grip portion 134 formed on the upper surface of the front cover 131 is located in the apparatus main body 1A and cannot be put on from the outside.

  The lock mechanism 200 and the release mechanism 210 described above are not limited to such a configuration, and various types of hitherto known can be used as long as the cassette 2 can be fixed at the mounting position and can be released. It is good also as a structure.

  Here, since the grip part 134 is exposed when the sheet is pulled out, there is a possibility that a foreign object not intended by the user may enter the grip part 134. In the case of the prior art as described in Patent Document 1, when a cassette is pushed in while foreign matter has entered the gripping portion, the foreign matter enters the gap between the cassette and the apparatus body, and the cassette is normally operated. There is a risk that it will not be possible. For example, there is a risk that it will be difficult to insert or pull out the cassette.

  Therefore, in the present embodiment, when the cassette 2 is pushed into the mounting position, even if there is a foreign object that is not intended by the user in the grip portion 134, the foreign object enters the gap between the cassette 2 and the apparatus main body 1A. The foreign object is pushed out before it becomes.

[Grip part]
Next, a detailed configuration of the grip portion 134 will be described with reference to FIGS. As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the grip 134 is a recess formed so that a finger can be inserted to pull out the cassette 2 from the apparatus main body 1 </ b> A. Such a gripping part 134 is formed by a front wall part 135b, a rear wall part 135c, and a pair of side wall parts 135d formed so as to extend downward from an opening 135a formed on the upper surface of the front cover 131, respectively. Yes. The opening 135a opens upward.

  The front wall portion 135b is formed so as to curve backward (to the right in FIG. 4) from the end on the front side (front side of the cassette 2) of the opening 135a and is opposed to the front wall portion 135b. It is continuous with the lower end of the part 135c. Both end portions of the front wall portion 135b and the rear wall portion 135c are continuous with the side wall portion 135d. The fingers can enter the space surrounded by the front wall portion 135b, the rear wall portion 135c, and the pair of side wall portions 135d, and the cassette 2 can be pulled out by placing the fingers on the front wall portion 135b. Yes.

  In the case of the present embodiment, a grip cover 136 is provided as a cover member that can cover the grip portion 134. The grip cover 136 is movable between a cover position that covers the grip portion 134 and an exposure position that exposes the grip portion 134. That is, the grip cover 136 continuously transitions between a covering position that closes the opening 135a and an exposure position that opens the opening 135a.

  Specifically, the grip cover 136 is supported so as to be rotatable about a rotation shaft 130 provided on the opening side of the concave portion which is the grip portion 134. The rotation shaft 130 is disposed on the upper end side of the rear wall portion 135c in a direction perpendicular to the insertion and withdrawal directions of the cassette 2 in a direction along the rear wall portion 135c. The grip cover 136 is located in the recess at the exposed position, and rotates from the position in the recess to the cover position covering the opening 135a of the recess when the cassette 2 is inserted.

  The shape of the grip cover 136 is the same as that of the opening 135a so that a slight gap is formed with the peripheral edge of the opening 135a at the cover position. The front wall portion 135b is formed substantially along an arc centered on the rotation shaft 130, does not interfere with the grip cover 136 that rotates about the rotation shaft 130, and is a grip cover at the time of rotation. The gap with the locus on the arc at the tip of 136 is made as small as possible. For this reason, as will be described in detail later, the foreign matter that has entered the grip portion 134 when the grip cover 136 is located at the exposed position is easily discharged to the outside by the operation of the grip cover 136 rotating to the cover position.

  Note that the shape of the front wall portion 135b is not limited to such a shape, and may be formed vertically without being curved, for example. In any case, the front wall portion 135b is formed so as not to hinder the rotation of the grip cover 136. Further, the relationship between the opening 135a and the grip cover 136 may be a relationship that allows the grip cover 136 to cover the opening 135a through a slight gap at the cover position.

  A gear portion 137 is fixed to the base end portion of the grip cover 136 so as to be rotatable about the rotation shaft 130. The gear portion 137 rotates around the rotation shaft 130 together with the grip cover 136. Further, at a position adjacent to the gear portion 137, a gear portion 140 is provided as a moving member that is rotatably supported around a rotation shaft 139 parallel to the rotation shaft 130. The gear portion 137 and the gear portion 140 are engaged with each other, and when the gear portion 140 rotates about the rotation shaft 139, the gear portion 137 rotates about the rotation shaft 130 together with the grip cover 136. That is, the grip cover 136 rotates in conjunction with the rotation of the gear unit 140.

  The rotation shaft 139 that supports the gear unit 140 is disposed on the insertion direction side of the cassette 2 with respect to the rotation shaft 130, that is, on the back side. The gear part 140 is formed with a protrusion 141 as an engaged part so as to protrude outward in the radial direction. The gear part 140 is accommodated in the front cover 131 of the cassette 2, and a notch 132 a is formed on the top surface 132 of the front cover 131. The protrusion 141 is exposed to the outside of the front cover 131 through the notch 141. The notch 141 has a length in the insertion / extraction direction of the cassette 2 so that the protruding protrusion 141 can rotate with the gear portion 140 within a predetermined range. When the protrusion 141 rotates in the direction of arrow C in FIG. 4, the grip cover 136 rotates in the direction of arrow D due to the engagement of the gear unit 140 and the gear unit 137.

  As shown in FIG. 6, in a state where the cassette 2 is located in the apparatus main body 1A, that is, in a state where the cassette 2 is attached to the apparatus main body 1A, the grip cover 136 covers the grip portion 134 as shown in FIG. That is, it is located at a position to close the opening 135a. That is, the bottom plate portion 301 of the apparatus main body 1A is provided inside the opening 1B of the apparatus main body 1A (inside the opening) and above the cassette 2 in the mounted state. The bottom plate portion 301 as the engaging portion has an inclined surface 302 that is inclined downward in the direction in which the cassette 2 is inserted (insertion direction) on the opening 1B side (opening side). A bottom surface 303 is formed continuously with the inclined surface 302 further downstream in the insertion direction. The bottom surface 303 is provided so as to be in close proximity to the top surface 132 of the front cover 131 of the mounted cassette 2.

  For this reason, the protrusion 141 as the engaged portion protruding from the top surface 132 can be engaged with the bottom plate portion 301 as the engaging portion when the cassette 2 is inserted and pulled out. When the cassette 2 is positioned at the mounting position of the apparatus main body 1A, the projecting portion 141 is brought into a collapsed state as shown in FIG. 7 by engaging with the bottom surface 303 of the bottom plate portion 301, and the grip cover 136 grips the grip. It is held in a covering position that covers the portion 134. In this state, as shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, the upper surface of the grip cover 136 is positioned substantially on the same plane as the top surface 132 of the front cover 131, and the opening 135 a is closed by the grip cover 136. In this state, as shown in FIG. 7, the finger 70 cannot be put into the grip portion 134.

  Next, when the cassette 2 is pulled out from the apparatus main body 1A, the button 133 is operated as described above to project the cassette 2 out of the apparatus main body 1A as shown in FIG. When the gripping portion 134 starts to protrude out of the apparatus main body 1A, as shown in FIG. 10, the protrusion 141 moves from the bottom surface 303 to a position facing the inclined surface 302, and the grip cover 136 moves in the direction of arrow E by its own weight. It starts to turn. Then, the grip portion 134 starts to be exposed to the extent that the finger 70 can be advanced. At this time, the gear 140 and the protrusion 141 rotate in the direction of arrow F due to the meshing with the gear 137 that rotates together with the grip cover 136.

  When the cassette 2 is further pulled out by placing a hand on the grip portion 134 and the protrusion 141 comes out of the opening 1B of the apparatus main body 1A, the grip cover 136 is further rotated by its own weight as shown in FIG. 134 is exposed. That is, in a state where the grip portion 134 is located outside the apparatus main body, the grip cover 136 can be moved to an exposure position where the grip portion 134 is exposed. At this time, as shown in FIG. 4, the grip cover 136 comes into contact with the rear wall part 135c of the grip part 134 to stop the rotation of the grip cover 136, and the protrusion 141 is shown in FIG. It is held at a position protruding from the state. Therefore, the grip cover 136 moves from the cover position to the exposed position due to its own weight when the cassette 2 is pulled out, and moves to a position where the protrusion 141 can engage with the bottom plate portion 301 of the apparatus main body 1A when the cassette 2 is inserted.

  Next, as shown in FIG. 12, when the cassette 2 is inserted into the apparatus main body 1A, the protrusion 141 engages with the bottom plate portion 301, so that the grip cover 136 is held by the grip portion as shown in FIG. Begin to cover 134. At this time, if a foreign matter has entered the grip portion 134, the foreign matter is discharged from the grip portion 134 by the rotation of the grip cover 136. This point will be described with reference to FIGS. 14 and 15.

  As shown in FIG. 14, when the cassette 2 is pulled out and the grip cover 136 is located at the exposure position and the grip portion 134 is exposed, the foreign matter 71 may enter the grip portion 134. When the cassette 2 is inserted into the apparatus main body 1A in this state, the protrusion 141 starts to engage with the inclined surface 302 as shown in FIG. Then, along with the insertion operation of the cassette 2, the protrusion 141 is guided by the inclined surface 302 and rotates in the arrow C direction. And the gear part 140 rotates with the protrusion 141, and the gear part 137 and the grip cover 136 rotate in the arrow D direction by meshing with the gear part 140. That is, the grip cover 136 moves to the cover position.

  At this time, the foreign matter 71 that has entered the grip 134 is pushed by the grip cover 136 that moves to the cover position and is discharged to the outside. In particular, in the case of the present embodiment, the front wall portion 135 b constituting the grip portion 134 is formed substantially along an arc centered on the rotation shaft 130. The gap between the grip cover 136 that rotates about the rotation shaft 130 and the locus on the arc at the tip of the grip cover 136 during rotation is minimized. For this reason, even if the foreign matter that has entered the grip portion 134 is likely to fall to the front end side of the grip cover 136 that rotates toward the covering position, the front wall portion 135b prevents the foreign matter from falling and the grip cover 136 smoothly To be discharged.

  Note that the pair of side wall portions 135d constituting the gripping portion 134 is preferably formed so as to face and oppose both ends in the width direction of the gripping cover 136 that rotates (the axial direction of the rotation shaft 130). Thus, when the foreign matter that has entered the grip portion 134 is discharged, the foreign matter is prevented from dropping from both sides in the width direction of the grip cover 136, and the foreign matter can be discharged smoothly.

  The grip part 134 starts to enter the apparatus main body 1A, that is, after the downstream end of the grip part 134 in the insertion direction of the opening 135a passes through the opening part 1B, the grip part 134 is almost covered with the grip cover 136. Become. Then, before the upstream end of the opening 135a in the insertion direction passes through the opening 1B, the movement of the grip cover 136 to the covering position that covers the grip 134 is completed. For this reason, at least at this time, the foreign matter is discharged from the inside of the grip portion 134. Accordingly, it is possible to prevent foreign matter that has entered the grip portion 134 when the cassette 2 is inserted from being sandwiched between the cassette 2 and the apparatus main body 1A or entering the gap.

  As described above, in the case of the present embodiment, foreign matter that has entered the grip portion 134 with the insertion operation of the cassette 2 is discharged, so even if foreign matter enters the grip portion 134, the cassette 2 insertion operation, pull-out operation, etc. Can be prevented from becoming difficult to perform.

<Second Embodiment>
A second embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. In the first embodiment described above, the grip cover 136 is rotated by the engagement between the protrusion 141 provided on the cassette 2 side and the bottom plate portion 301 provided on the apparatus main body 1A side. On the other hand, the cassette 2A of this embodiment includes a biasing member that covers the grip cover 136 and biases the grip cover 136 to a position, and the grip portion 134 is exposed when the user presses the grip cover 136 with a hand or the like. . Since other configurations and operations are the same as those of the first embodiment, overlapping illustrations and descriptions will be omitted or simplified, and the following description will focus on portions that are different from the first embodiment.

  The grip cover 136 is supported so as to be rotatable about a fixed shaft 400 provided on the opening side of the concave portion which is the grip portion 134. That is, the bearing portion 401 that is rotatably supported with respect to the fixed shaft 400 is fixed to the base end portion of the grip cover 136. Therefore, the grip cover 136 rotates around the fixed shaft 400 together with the bearing portion 401. The fixed shaft 400 is disposed on the upper end side of the rear wall portion 135c in a direction perpendicular to the insertion and withdrawal directions of the cassette 2A in the direction along the rear wall portion 135c.

  Between the fixed shaft 400 and the bearing portion 401, a torsion spring 402 is provided as a biasing member that biases the grip cover 136 toward the cover position. The torsion spring 402 has one end fixed to the fixed shaft 400 and the other end fixed to the bearing portion 401, and urges the bearing portion 401 about the fixed shaft 400 in the clockwise direction in FIG. For this reason, the grip cover 136 is urged toward the cover position by the torsion spring 402.

  A protrusion 403 as a stop member is provided on a part of the outer peripheral surface of the bearing portion 401. When the grip cover 136 moves to the cover position, the projection 403 engages with the top surface 410 of the front cover 131A of the cassette 2A and stops the grip cover 136 at the cover position, as shown in FIG. Let

  In a state where the grip cover 136 is not pushed by a hand or the like, as shown in FIG. 16B, the grip cover 136 is urged toward the cover position by the urging force of the torsion spring 402, and the projection 403 is raised on the top surface 410. Engage with. As a result, the grip cover 136 is held in a state of being located at the cover position. Therefore, in a state where the cassette 2A is mounted on the apparatus main body and the gripping part 134 is located in the apparatus main body, the grip cover 136 cannot be pushed by a hand or the like, so the grip cover 136 is held in the cover position. Even if the cassette 2A is pulled out from the apparatus main body, if the grip cover 136 is not pushed by hand or the like, the grip cover 136 is positioned at the cover position.

  On the other hand, when the cassette 2A is pulled out from the apparatus main body and the gripping part 134 is located outside the apparatus main body, the grip cover 136 can be pushed by a hand or the like, so that the grip cover 136 can be moved to the exposure position. is there. When the grip cover 136 is pushed with a finger in this state, the grip cover 136 is rotated in the direction toward the exposure position against the biasing force of the torsion spring 402, and the grip portion 134 is exposed. Then, the user can pull out the cassette 2 </ b> A by placing a hand on the grip portion 134.

  At this time, since the grip part 134 is exposed, there is a possibility that foreign matter may enter the grip part 134. Even if a foreign object enters the grip part 134, if the user removes his / her hand from the grip part 134, the grip cover 136 moves to the cover position by the biasing force of the torsion spring 402. The In this state, if the cassette 2A is pushed and inserted into the apparatus main body, foreign matter can be prevented from being sandwiched between the cassette 2 and the apparatus main body or entering the gap.

  Therefore, in the case of the present embodiment, since the foreign matter that has entered the grip portion 134 is discharged by releasing the hand from the grip portion 134, even if the foreign matter enters the grip portion 134, the insertion operation of the cassette 2A It is possible to prevent the operation such as the pulling-out operation from becoming difficult.

<Other embodiments>
In each of the above-described embodiments, the case where the movable device is a cassette has been described. However, the movable device may be other than the cassette as long as it can be inserted into and extracted from the apparatus main body.

  In the first embodiment described above, the grip cover 136 is rotated by the engagement of the two gear portions 137 and 140. However, the configuration for rotating the grip cover 136 is not limited to this configuration. For example, the structure which transmits rotation with a pulley and a belt may be sufficient. Alternatively, a protrusion as an engaged portion that linearly protrudes and retracts is provided on the cassette side, and the protrusion moves linearly by engagement with the engagement portion on the apparatus main body side. It is good also as a mechanism which converts the movement of a shape into the movement of the rotation direction of a grip cover. This conversion mechanism may be, for example, a rack and pinion.

  In the first embodiment described above, the grip cover 136 is moved to the exposure position by its own weight, and the protrusion 141 is moved to the cover position by engaging the bottom plate portion 301. However, the present invention is not limited to this configuration. Alternatively, a configuration may be provided in which a biasing member that constantly biases the grip cover 136 to the exposed position regardless of its own weight. As a result, the movement of the grip cover 136 from the exposed position to the cover position resists the bias of the biasing member, and noise due to the collision of the members when reaching the cover position can be reduced.

  Note that the image forming apparatus may be a printer, a facsimile machine, or a multifunction machine having a plurality of these functions in addition to the copying machine.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Image forming apparatus / 1A ... Apparatus main body / 1B ... Opening part / 2, 2A ... Cassette (movable apparatus) / 121 ... Cassette basket (unit) / 134 ... Holding part / 136 ... gripping cover (covering member) / 140 ... gear part (moving member) / 141 ... protrusion (engaged part) / 200 ... lock mechanism (fixing means) / 210 · Release mechanism (release means) / 220 ··· Biasing spring (biasing means) / 301 ··· Bottom plate portion (engaging portion) / 302 ··· Inclined surface / 402 ··· Torsion spring (biasing member) ) / 403 ... Protrusion (stopping member)

Claims (13)

A unit that can be inserted into and pulled out from the main body to be mounted;
A gripper that can be gripped to pull out the unit from the apparatus body;
A cover that can be moved to an exposure position that exposes the gripping part when the gripping part is positioned outside the apparatus main body when the gripping part is positioned inside the apparatus main body and is positioned at a cover position that covers the gripping part. And a member,
A movable device characterized by that. The covering member continuously transitions between the covering position and the exposed position;
The movable device according to claim 1, wherein: The covering member transitions in conjunction with the insertion and withdrawal operations of the unit.
The movable device according to claim 2, wherein: The covering member starts to expose the gripping part when the gripping part starts to protrude outside the apparatus main body when the unit is pulled out from the apparatus main body.
The movable device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the movable device is characterized by the above. The cover member moves from the cover position to the exposed position by its own weight when the unit is pulled out;
The movable device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the movable device is characterized by the above. A biasing member that biases the covering member toward the exposed position;
The cover member moves from the cover position to the exposed position by the biasing of the biasing member when the unit is pulled out.
The movable device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the movable device is characterized by the above. The grip portion is a concave portion that opens upward,
The cover member is rotatably supported on the opening side of the recess, and rotates toward the lower side of the recess at the exposed position, and the opening of the recess is opened from the position below the recess when the unit is inserted. Rotating toward the covering position to cover,
The movable device according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the movable device is characterized by the above. The unit is capable of storing sheets.
The movable device according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the movable device is characterized by the above. A biasing member that biases the cover member toward the cover position;
A stop member for stopping the covering member at the covering position,
The movable device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein A movable device according to any one of claims 1 to 8,
An opening through which the movable device is inserted into the device body;
An engagement portion formed in the opening,
The movable device has an engaged portion that can be engaged with the engaging portion, and the engaging member and the engaged portion are engaged when the movable device is inserted, whereby the covering member is A moving member for moving from the exposed position to the covering position;
An image forming apparatus. The moving member rotates when the engaged portion engages with the engaging portion when the movable device is inserted,
The cover member rotates from the exposed position to the cover position in conjunction with the rotation of the moving member.
The image forming apparatus according to claim 10. The engaging portion is provided above the movable device mounted in the opening, and has an inclined surface that is inclined downward in the direction of insertion of the movable device on the opening side.
The image forming apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the image forming apparatus is an image forming apparatus. Fixing means capable of fixing the movable device to a mounting position in the device main body;
Release means capable of releasing fixation by the fixing means;
Urging means for urging the unit in the pulling direction at the mounting position;
The image forming apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the image forming apparatus is an image forming apparatus.

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