Image forming apparatus

Abstract

To provide an image forming apparatus capable of improving the operability of an open / close cover by increasing the rigidity of the open / close cover.SOLUTION: An image forming apparatus 1 comprises: an image forming unit 3; a housing 2 which has a front cover 2A and a left side cover 2B, and in which the front cover 2A has an opening 2F; a first main frame 25 and a second main frame 26 accommodated in the housing; an open / close cover 21 movable between a closed position and an open position by rotation about a rotation shaft center C; a first arm 71 which connects the open / close cover 21 to the first main frame 25 and has a first rotation shaft 711; and a second arm 72 which connects the open / close cover 21 to the second main frame 26 and has a second rotation shaft 721. The first arm 71 is locked to the open / close cover 21 and, in a left-right direction, is disposed so as to span between an end on the side closer to the left side cover 2B of the first main frame 25 and an end on the side farther from the left side cover 2B of the first main frame 25.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 11

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus. [Background technology]

[0002] Conventionally, there has been known an image forming apparatus that includes a housing having an opening and an access cover that opens and closes the opening. In such an image forming apparatus, it is desirable to make the access cover thinner as the apparatus becomes more compact, but if the access cover becomes thinner, there is a risk that the rigidity of the access cover, such as the torsional rigidity, will decrease.

[0003] In an image forming apparatus, there are a load member that applies a load to the opening / closing cover when the opening / closing cover is opened, a sensor that detects whether the opening / closing cover is open or closed, an opening / closing button that releases the opening / closing cover from its closed position, and a part of the opening / closing cover that is operated by the user. However, these load member, sensor, opening / closing button, and operating part of the opening / closing cover are not necessarily located on the same side in the width direction perpendicular to the opening / closing direction of the opening / closing cover.

[0004] For example, if the load member that places a load on the opening / closing cover when the opening / closing cover is located on the opposite side of the width from the opening / closing button and the operating part of the opening / closing cover, depending on the rigidity of the opening / closing cover, twisting may occur in the opening / closing cover when opening or closing, reducing the operability of the opening / closing cover.

[0005] Therefore, conventionally, the configuration disclosed in Patent Document 1 has been adopted to increase the sense of rigidity when operating the opening and closing cover.

[0006] Specifically, the image forming apparatus described in Patent Document 1 includes an image forming unit 10, a frame 3 that supports the image forming unit 10, a side cover 2A that forms a first side surface of a housing 2, an opening / closing cover 2B that rotates about a rotation axis L1 between a first position that closes the opening of the housing 2 and a second position that opens the opening of the housing 2, an arm unit 4 that is fixed to the opening / closing cover 2B and supports the opening / closing cover 2B rotatably with respect to the frame 3, and a restricting unit 5 that restricts displacement of the arm unit 4 when the opening / closing cover 2B is in the second position. The restricting unit 5 has a first stopper 5A provided on the arm unit 4 and a second stopper 5B that is provided on the side cover 2A and engages with the first stopper 5A when the opening / closing cover 2B is in the second position. The first stopper 5A has a regulating surface including a first region 50A extending in a direction intersecting the radial direction of the rotation axis and a second region 50B extending in a direction intersecting the direction parallel to the rotation axis L1, thereby increasing the sense of rigidity when operating the opening / closing cover 2B. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0007] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2018-060085 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0008] In the image forming apparatus described in Patent Document 1, it is possible to increase the sense of rigidity when the opening / closing cover is operated, but there is room for further improvement in the rigidity of the opening / closing cover.

[0009] Therefore, the present invention provides an image forming apparatus in which the rigidity of the opening / closing cover can be increased to improve the operability of the opening / closing cover. [Means for solving the problem]

[0010] The image forming apparatus that solves the above problem has the following features.

[0011] That is, the image forming apparatus includes an image forming unit that forms an image on a sheet, a housing that houses the image forming unit and has a first side surface and a second side surface adjacent to the first side surface, the housing having an opening formed in the first side surface, a first frame that is housed in the housing and arranged along the second side surface, a second frame that is housed in the housing and arranged on the opposite side of the first frame in a first direction with the image forming unit sandwiched between them, and a frame that is rotatable about a rotation axis that extends along the first direction, and that by rotating about the rotation axis, has a closed position that closes the opening and a second position that opens the opening. a first arm that connects the open / close cover to the first frame and has a first rotation shaft that supports the open / close cover so that it can rotate about the rotation axis; and a second arm that connects the open / close cover to the second frame and has a second rotation shaft that supports the open / close cover so that it can rotate about the rotation axis, wherein the first arm is engaged with the open / close cover and is arranged across an end portion of the first frame that is closer to the second side surface and an end portion of the first frame that is farther from the second side surface in the first direction.

[0012] This increases the rigidity of the opening / closing cover, improving its operability. Also, if the opening / closing cover has a rigid portion in the center in the first direction, the first arm can be positioned close to the rigid portion, increasing the rigidity of the opening / closing cover.

[0013] The first arm also has a first locking portion that is located closer to the second side surface in the first direction than the first frame and that is engaged with the opening / closing cover, and a second locking portion that is located farther from the second side surface in the first direction than the first frame and that is engaged with the opening / closing cover.

[0014] This increases the rigidity of the opening / closing cover in the first direction, improving the operability of the opening / closing cover.

[0015] The first arm is located closer to the second side surface than the first frame in the first direction, and is located closer to the first pivot axis than the first engaging portion in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction, and has a third engaging portion that engages with the opening / closing cover.

[0016] This improves the rigidity of the openable cover in the diagonal direction along the straight line connecting the second locking portion and the third locking portion.

[0017] In addition, the second arm has a fourth locking portion located at the end of the second arm away from the second pivot axis and engaged with the opening / closing cover, and the fourth locking portion is located closer to the first pivot axis than the first locking portion and the second locking portion in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction.

[0018] This increases the rigidity of the portion of the opening / closing cover on the first arm side in the first direction, effectively preventing deformation of the opening / closing cover.

[0019] The first arm is fastened to the openable cover by fastening members at the first locking portion, the second locking portion, and the third locking portion.

[0020] This allows the first arm to be stably fixed to the openable cover.

[0021] The first rotation shaft extends from the second side surface toward the first frame in the first direction and is rotatably supported by the first frame.

[0022] This makes it possible to ensure a large gap in the first direction between the first rotation shaft and the second rotation shaft, allowing the open-close cover to move smoothly.

[0023] Furthermore, the length of the first frame in the first direction is greater than the length of the second frame in the first direction.

[0024] This allows the rigidity of the portion of the opening / closing cover on the first frame side in the first direction to be increased over a wide range by the first arm, thereby improving the operability of the opening / closing cover.

[0025] The apparatus also includes a motor that drives the image forming unit, and a cam member that is supported on the first frame so as to be movable in a third direction that is perpendicular to the first direction and intersects with a second direction that is perpendicular to the first direction, and that moves in the third direction in conjunction with the movement of the opening / closing cover between the open position and the closed position, thereby switching between transmitting and disconnecting the driving force from the motor to the image forming unit, and the first arm is connected to the cam member.

[0026] This increases the rigidity over a wide range of the opening / closing cover at the first frame side portion where the load from the cam member is applied, thereby improving the operability of the opening / closing cover.

[0027] The opening / closing cover also has an opening / closing button that releases the opening / closing cover from being held in the closed position, and the opening / closing button is positioned closer to the second frame than the first frame in the first direction.

[0028] When a user grasps the side of the cover where the open / close button is located and moves the cover, the cam member applies a load to the first frame side of the cover, making it more likely to experience a twisting force. However, the first frame side of the cover is secured by the first arm, increasing its rigidity over a wide area. This reduces deformation of the cover and improves its operability. This means:

[0029] The first frame also includes a sensor that detects that the opening / closing cover has moved to the closed position.

[0030] The first arm engages with the cover on the side where the sensor is located in the first direction, increasing the rigidity over a wide area, improving the torsional rigidity of the cover overall. This prevents the cover from closing on one side when moved to the closed position, improving the detection accuracy of the sensor.

[0031] The housing also includes a drawer that can be attached to and detached from the housing through the opening, and the first frame includes a guide rail that guides the drawer in the attachment / detachment direction, and the guide rail is located closer to the first pivot axis in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction than the first locking portion and the second locking portion when the opening / closing cover is in the closed position, and is located farther from the first pivot axis than the third locking portion when the opening / closing cover is in the closed position.

[0032] This prevents the first, second and third locking portions from interfering with the movement of the drawer in the attachment / detachment direction.

[0033] In addition, the first arm is disposed at a position overlapping the first frame in a third direction that is perpendicular to the first direction and intersects with a second direction that is perpendicular to the first direction.

[0034] This allows the first frame and the first arm to be disposed close to each other in the third direction, thereby reducing the length of the image forming apparatus in the third direction. [Effects of the Invention]

[0035] According to the present invention, the rigidity of the opening / closing cover can be increased, and the operability of the opening / closing cover can be improved. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0036] [Figure 1] FIG. 2 is a central cross-sectional view showing the image forming apparatus. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the image forming apparatus with the opening / closing cover in the closed position. [Figure 3] FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the image forming apparatus with the access cover in the open position. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is a plan view showing the first main body frame, the second main body frame, the opening / closing cover, and the drawer of the image forming unit. [Figure 5] FIG. 2 is a front view showing the opening / closing cover, the first arm, and the second arm. [Figure 6] FIG. 2 is a rear view showing the opening / closing cover, the first arm, and the second arm. [Figure 7] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the opening / closing cover, the first arm, and the second arm, seen obliquely from the rear right. [Figure 8] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the opening / closing cover, the first arm, and the second arm, seen obliquely from the rear left. [Figure 9] FIG. [Figure 10] 10 is a side cross-sectional view showing how the first and third locking portions of the first arm are fastened to the openable cover with screws. FIG. [Figure 11] FIG. 2 is a front view showing the first main body frame, the second main body frame, the first arm, and the second arm. [Figure 12] 10 is a perspective view showing the first main body frame and the first arm when the openable cover is in the closed position. FIG. [Figure 13] FIG. 2 is a side view showing the opening / closing cover, the first main body frame, and the first arm in the closed position. [Figure 14] FIG. 2 is a side view showing the opening / closing cover, the first main body frame, and the first arm in the open position. [Figure 15] FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a first main body frame. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0037] Next, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0038] [Image forming equipment] The image forming apparatus 1 shown in FIGS. 1 to 3 is one embodiment of the image forming apparatus according to the present invention, and is a color laser printer that forms a multi-color image on a sheet S by electrophotography.

[0039] In the following description, the right side in Fig. 1 is defined as the front side of the image forming apparatus 1, the left side in Fig. 1 is defined as the rear side of the image forming apparatus 1, the front side of the paper in Fig. 1 is defined as the left side of the image forming apparatus 1, and the back side of the paper in Fig. 1 is defined as the right side of the image forming apparatus 1. In addition, the upper and lower sides in Fig. 1 are defined as the upper and lower sides of the image forming apparatus 1, respectively.

[0040] As shown in Figures 1 to 3, the image forming apparatus 1 includes a housing 2, a paper feed unit 3 having a paper feed tray 10 that supports sheets S and a sheet conveying unit 30 that conveys the sheets S, and an image forming unit 5 that forms an image on the sheets S conveyed by the paper feed unit 3.

[0041] The housing 2 is formed in a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape and houses the paper feed unit 3 and the image forming unit 5. The housing 2 has a front cover 2A that forms the front surface of the housing 2, a left side cover 2B that forms the left surface of the housing 2, a right side cover 2C that forms the right surface of the housing 2, a rear cover 2D that forms the rear surface of the housing 2, and a top cover 2E that forms the top surface of the housing 2.

[0042] The front surface of the housing 2 is an example of a first side surface, and the front cover 2A forms the first side surface. The left surface of the housing 2 is an example of a second side surface adjacent to the first side surface, and the left side cover 2B forms the second side surface.

[0043] An opening 2F is formed in the front cover 2A. The housing 2 has an opening / closing cover 21 that can open and close the opening 2F. The opening / closing cover 21 is rotatable about a rotation axis C that extends along the left-right direction. By rotating about the rotation axis C, the opening / closing cover 21 can move between a closed position (position shown in FIG. 2) that closes the opening 2F and an open position (position shown in FIG. 3) that opens the opening 2F. The left-right direction is an example of a first direction.

[0044] The paper feed unit 3 is disposed at the bottom of the housing 2, and transports the sheets S supported on the paper feed tray 10 to the image forming unit 5 by the sheet transport unit 30. The paper feed tray 10 is configured to be slidable in the front-to-rear direction, and is configured to be movable between a storage position where it is stored in the housing 2 and a separation position where it is pulled out forward from the storage position.

[0045] The sheet conveying unit 30 includes a paper feed roller 32, a separation roller 33, a separation pad 33a, a conveying roller pair 34, and a registration roller pair 35. Within the housing 2, a conveying path P for the sheet S is configured, which runs from the paper feed tray 10 to the paper discharge tray 22 via the image forming unit 5.

[0046] The sheets S supported on the paper feed tray 10 are separated one by one by the paper feed roller 32, separation roller 33, and separation pad 33a and sent out to the conveying path P. The paper feed roller 32 is a roller that conveys the sheets S from the paper feed tray 10 toward the image forming unit 5. The separation roller 33 and separation pad 33a constitute a separating means that separates the sheets S supported on the paper feed tray 10 one by one.

[0047] The sheet S sent to the conveying path P is conveyed toward the image forming unit 5 by a pair of conveying rollers 34 and a pair of registration rollers 35. The pair of registration rollers 35 regulates the movement of the leading edge of the sheet S being conveyed, stops the sheet S temporarily, and then conveys the sheet S toward the image forming unit 5 at a predetermined timing.

[0048] The opening / closing cover 21 has a paper feed opening 21a through which the sheet S can be fed toward the image forming unit 5. The opening / closing cover 21 supports an MP tray cover 23 that is rotatable about a rotation shaft 23a.

[0049] The MP tray cover 23 can be moved between an open position where the paper feed opening 21a is opened and a closed position where the paper feed opening 21a is closed by rotating about a rotation shaft 23a. The rotation shaft 23a extends in the left-right direction.

[0050] The MP tray cover 23 supports the MP tray 24. The MP tray 24 can support the sheet S when the MP tray cover 23 is in the open position. The sheet S supported by the MP tray 24 is supplied to the image forming unit 5 through the paper feed opening 21 a.

[0051] The image forming apparatus 1 includes a sheet feeding device 36 that feeds the sheet S supported on the MP tray 24 to the image forming unit 5. The sheet feeding device 36 includes a feeding roller 337, a separation roller 38, and a separation pad 39. The feeding roller 37 is a roller that feeds the sheet S.

[0052] The sheets S supported on the MP tray 24 are separated one by one by a feeding roller 37, a separation roller 38, and a separation pad 39, and sent out to a conveying path P. The sheets S sent out to the conveying path P are conveyed towards the image forming unit 5 by a pair of registration rollers 35.

[0053] The image forming unit 5 is disposed above the paper feeding unit 3 and includes four toner cartridges 50 arranged side by side in the front-to-rear direction, and a photosensitive drum 51 corresponding to each toner cartridge 50. Each toner cartridge 50 is provided corresponding to one of the colors: black, yellow, magenta, and cyan. Each toner cartridge 50 includes a developing roller 52.

[0054] The toner cartridge 50 is detachably supported in a drawer 59. By opening the access cover 21, the drawer 59 can be attached to and detached from the housing 2 through the opening 2F of the housing 2. By moving the drawer 59 in the front-to-rear direction, which is the attachment / detachment direction, the drawer 59 can be positioned between an internal position where it is located inside the housing 2 and an external position where at least a portion of it is located outside the housing 2. The drawer 59 has a handle 591 that the user grips when moving the drawer 59 between the internal position and the external position. The handle 591 is located at the front end of the drawer 59.

[0055] The photosensitive drum 51 is formed in a generally cylindrical shape with its axis extending in the left-right direction, and is rotatably supported by a drawer 59. The developing roller 52 extends in the left-right direction, and is rotatably supported by a toner cartridge 50. In other words, the drawer 59 supports the photosensitive drum 51 and the developing roller 52. Toner is an example of a developer. The developing roller 52 supplies toner to the photosensitive drum 51.

[0056] The image forming unit 5 is not limited to a configuration in which the drawer 59 supports the photosensitive drum 51 as in this embodiment, but may be a configuration in which the toner cartridge 50 supports the photosensitive drum 51.

[0057] The housing 2 has an exposure device 56 that exposes the surfaces of the photosensitive drums 51. The exposure device 56 includes a laser diode, a polarizer, a lens, and a mirror (not shown). The exposure device 56 is configured to emit a light beam toward each photosensitive drum 51 to expose the surface of each photosensitive drum 51.

[0058] A transfer belt 41 is disposed below the photosensitive drum 51, facing the photosensitive drum 51 across the transport path P. The transfer belt 41 is in contact with the photosensitive drum 51. The transfer belt 41 is stretched between a drive roller 42 and a driven roller 43 disposed in front of the drive roller 42. A transfer roller 44 is disposed at a position facing each photosensitive drum 51 across the transfer belt 41. In the image forming unit 5, a belt device 40 is configured by the transfer belt 41, the drive roller 42, the driven roller 43, the transfer roller 44, etc.

[0059] The image forming unit 5 includes a charger 54 for charging each photosensitive drum 51. The charger 54 is supported by a drawer 59. The photosensitive drums 51 are uniformly charged by the charger 54 and are selectively exposed to light by an exposure device 56. This exposure selectively removes charge from the surface of the photosensitive drum 51, and an electrostatic latent image is formed on the surface of the photosensitive drum 51.

[0060] The toner contained in the toner cartridge 50 is positively charged and carried on the surface of the developing roller 52. A developing bias is applied to the developing roller 52, and when the electrostatic latent image formed on the photosensitive drum 51 faces the developing roller 52, the potential difference between the electrostatic latent image and the developing roller 52 causes toner to be supplied from the developing roller 52 to the electrostatic latent image. As a result, a toner image is formed on the surface of the photosensitive drum 51.

[0061] When the sheet S transported toward the image forming unit 5 reaches the transfer belt 41, it is transported by the transfer belt 41 and passes sequentially between the transfer belt 41 and each photosensitive drum 51. Then, when the toner image carried on the surface of the photosensitive drum 51 faces the sheet S, it is transferred onto the sheet S by a transfer bias applied to the transfer roller 44.

[0062] In this embodiment, the transfer belt 41 is configured as a conveying belt that conveys the sheet S onto which the toner image is transferred, but it can also be configured as an intermediate transfer belt in which the toner image is transferred to the belt itself and the toner image transferred to the belt is further transferred to the sheet S.

[0063] The sheet S onto which the toner image has been transferred is transported to a fixing device 60. The fixing device 60 includes a heating roller 61 and a pressure roller 62 that is in pressure contact with the heating roller 61, and the toner image on the sheet S transported to the fixing device 60 is thermally fixed while the sheet S passes between the heating roller 61 and the pressure roller 62. In other words, the fixing device 60 fixes the toner image on the sheet S.

[0064] The sheet S on which the toner image has been thermally fixed is transported downstream in the transport direction from the fixing device 60, and further transported by a pair of intermediate paper discharge rollers 63 and a pair of paper discharge rollers 64 arranged downstream in the transport direction of the pair of intermediate paper discharge rollers 63, and is discharged to a paper discharge tray 22 formed in the top cover 2E.

[0065] 3 and 4, a first main body frame 25 and a second main body frame 26 are housed within the housing 2. The first main body frame 25 and the second main body frame 26 are arranged spaced apart in the left-right direction. The first main body frame 25 is an example of a first frame, and the second main body frame 26 is an example of a second frame.

[0066] The first main body frame 25 is located at the left end portion within the housing 2. The first main body frame 25 is disposed along the left side frame 2B, and extends in the front-rear and up-down directions.

[0067] The second main body frame 26 is located at the right end within the housing 2. The second main body frame 26 is disposed along the right side frame 2C and extends in the front-to-rear and up-down directions. The second main body frame 26 is disposed on the opposite side of the first main body frame 25 in the left-to-right direction, with the image forming unit 5 sandwiched between them. The drawer 59 of the image forming unit 5 is located between the first main body frame 25 and the second main body frame 26.

[0068] Lock levers 211 for holding the open-close cover 21 in the closed position are provided at the left and right ends of the open-close cover 21. A lever insertion hole 251 is formed at the front end of the first main body frame 25, into which the lock lever 211 located at the left end of the open-close cover 21 can be inserted.

[0069] A lever insertion hole 261 is formed at the front end of the second main body frame 26, into which the lock lever 211 located at the right end of the opening / closing cover 21 can be inserted. By inserting the left and right lock levers 211 into the lever insertion hole 251 and the lever insertion hole 261, the opening / closing cover 21 can be held in the closed position.

[0070] The opening / closing cover 21 is provided with an opening / closing button 213 that releases the state in which the opening / closing cover 21 is held in the closed position. The opening / closing button 213 is located at the right end on the top surface of the opening / closing cover 21. In other words, the opening / closing button 213 is located closer to the second main body frame 26 than to the first main body frame 25 in the left-right direction.

[0071] When a user of the image forming device 1 opens the opening / closing cover 21 held in the closed position, the user presses the opening / closing button 213, for example, and then grasps the upper end of the opening / closing cover 21 held in the closed position to move the opening / closing cover 21 toward the open position.

[0072] The first main body frame 25 is equipped with an opening / closing sensor 91 that detects that the opening / closing cover 21 has moved to the closed position. The opening / closing sensor 91 is an example of a sensor. The opening / closing sensor 91 is located at the front and upper end of the first main body frame 25. A contactor 212 is provided at the left end of the opening / closing cover 21, which comes into contact with the opening / closing sensor 91 when the opening / closing cover 21 has moved to the closed position. When the contactor 212 comes into contact with the opening / closing sensor 91, the opening / closing sensor 91 detects that the opening / closing cover 21 has moved to the closed position.

[0073] 3, image forming apparatus 1 includes a first arm 71 that connects opening / closing cover 21 to first main body frame 25, and a second arm 72 that connects opening / closing cover 21 to second main body frame 26. First arm 71 is connected to the left end of opening / closing cover 21, and second arm 72 is connected to the right end of opening / closing cover 21.

[0074] [Opening and closing cover] As shown in FIGS. 5 to 9, openable cover 21 has rigid portion 21A, first connecting portion 21B, and second connecting portion 21C.

[0075] The rigid body portion 21A is located between the first main body frame 25 and the second main body frame 26 in the left-right direction. The rigid body portion 21A is formed in a box shape that is open at the front, and has a first wall 21Aa, a second wall 21Ab, a third wall 21Ac, a fourth wall 21Ad, a fifth wall 21Ae, a sixth wall 21Af, and a seventh wall 21Ag.

[0076] The first wall 21Aa is formed of a plate-like member facing in the front-rear direction and has ventilation louvers that allow ventilation in the front-rear direction. The second wall 21Ab is formed of a plate-like member facing in the front-rear direction and is located below and in front of the first wall 21Aa. The upper end of the second wall 21Ab is connected to the lower end of the first wall 21Aa.

[0077] The third wall 21Ac extends forward from the left ends of the first wall 21Aa and the second wall 21Ab. The fourth wall 21Ad extends forward from the right ends of the first wall 21Aa and the second wall 21Ab. The fifth wall 21Ae extends forward from the upper end of the first wall 21Aa. The sixth wall 21Af extends diagonally downward and forward from a midpoint in the up-down direction of the second wall 21Ab. The seventh wall 21Ag extends downward from the lower end of the sixth wall 21Af.

[0078] The rigid portion 21A is formed into a box shape with an open front by the walls 21Aa to 21Ag, and has high rigidity. By forming the rigid portion 21A into a box shape, it is possible to improve the torsional rigidity in particular.

[0079] Rigid portion 21A has ribs 21Ah that protrude rearward from the rear surfaces of second wall 21Ab, sixth wall 21Af, and seventh wall 21Ag. When opening / closing cover 21 is moved to the closed position, ribs 21Ah include ribs that extend in the left-right direction, ribs that extend in the up-down direction, ribs that extend in a direction sloping diagonally downward from the left to the right, and ribs that extend in a direction sloping diagonally downward from the right to the left. By having ribs 21Ah on rigid portion 21A, the rigidity of rigid portion 21A, such as torsional rigidity, is further improved.

[0080] The first connecting portion 21B is formed in a plate shape facing in the front-rear direction. The first connecting portion 21B is disposed adjacent to the left of the rigid portion 21A and faces the first main body frame 25 in the front-rear direction. A lock lever 211 and a contact 212 are disposed on the first connecting portion 21B. A first arm 71 is connected to the first connecting portion 21B.

[0081] First connecting portion 21B is formed with rib 21Ba that protrudes rearward from the rear surface of first connecting portion 21B. When opening / closing cover 21 is moved to the closed position, rib 21Ba includes a rib that extends in the up-down direction, a rib that extends in the left-right direction, and a rib that extends in a direction that slopes diagonally from the right to the downward left. Having rib 21Ba in first connecting portion 21B improves the rigidity of first connecting portion 21B, such as torsional rigidity.

[0082] The second connecting portion 21C is formed in a plate shape facing in the front-rear direction. The second connecting portion 21C is disposed adjacent to the right of the rigid portion 21A and faces the second main body frame 26 in the front-rear direction. A lock lever 211 is disposed on the second connecting portion 21C. A second arm 72 is connected to the second connecting portion 21C.

[0083] First wall 21Aa of rigid portion 21A is located rearward of first connecting portion 21B and second connecting portion 21C. In other words, rigid portion 21A protrudes rearward further than first connecting portion 21B and second connecting portion 21C.

[0084] The first main body frame 25 is located to the left of the rigid body portion 21A, and the front end of the first main body frame 25 is located forward of the first wall 21Aa of the rigid body portion 21A. The second main body frame 26 is located to the right of the rigid body portion 21A, and the front end of the second main body frame 26 is located forward of the first wall 21Aa of the rigid body portion 21A.

[0085] [First Arm] 5 to 8, the first arm 71 has a first rotation shaft 711, a locking arm 712, and a connecting arm 713. The first rotation shaft 711 is supported by the first main body frame 25 so as to be rotatable about a rotation axis C.

[0086] The locking arm 712 is positioned away from the first rotating shaft 711 in a second direction that is perpendicular to the first direction, the left-right direction. The second direction is the radial direction of the first rotating shaft 711, and is the up-down direction when the opening-closing cover 21 is in the closed position. When the opening-closing cover 21 is in the closed position, the locking arm 712 is positioned above the first rotating shaft 711.

[0087] The locking arm 712 has a first portion 712A extending in the left-right direction and a second portion 712B extending from the left end of the first portion 712A in the second direction toward the first rotation shaft 711. The locking arm 712 has a first locking portion 712a, a second locking portion 712b, and a third locking portion 712c that are locked to the open-close cover 21.

[0088] The first locking portion 712a is located at the left end of the first part 712A, the second locking portion 712b is located at the right end of the first part 712A, and the third locking portion 712c is located at the end of the second part 712B on the first rotating shaft 711 side.

[0089] 10, first arm 71 is fastened to first connecting portion 21B of opening / closing cover 21 at first locking portion 712a, second locking portion 712b, and third locking portion 712c with screws 92 (first locking portion 712a and third locking portion 712c are shown in FIG. 10). First locking portion 712a, second locking portion 712b, and third locking portion 712c are fastened to opening / closing cover 21 by screws 92. Screw 92 is an example of a fastening member.

[0090] The first arm 71 is fastened to the opening / closing cover 21 by screws 92 at the first locking portion 712a, the second locking portion 712b, and the third locking portion 712c, so that the first arm 71 can be stably fixed to the opening / closing cover 21.

[0091] The first locking portion 712a, the second locking portion 712b, and the third locking portion 712c are locked to the open-close cover 21, thereby connecting the first arm 71 and the open-close cover 21. Furthermore, the first locking portion 712a, the second locking portion 712b, and the third locking portion 712c are locked to the open-close cover 21, thereby supporting the open-close cover 21 by the first arm 71 so as to be rotatable about the rotation axis C.

[0092] 5 and 11, the first main body frame 25 has a left side surface 25A facing left and a right side surface 25B facing right, which is the side surface opposite to the left side surface 25A. The left side surface 25A faces the left side cover 2B of the housing 2, and the right side surface 25B is positioned farther away from the left side cover 2B in the left-right direction than the left side surface 25A.

[0093] The left side surface 25A is the end of the first main body frame 25 closer to the left side cover 2B in the left-right direction, and the right side surface 25B is the end of the first main body frame 25 farther from the left side cover 2B in the left-right direction.

[0094] The locking arm 712 of the first arm 71 is disposed across the left side surface 25A and the right side surface 25B of the first main body frame 25 in the left-right direction.

[0095] Specifically, the first locking portion 712a and the third locking portion 712c of the first arm 71 are positioned closer to the left side cover 2B in the left-right direction than the first main body frame 25, and the second locking portion 712b is positioned farther from the left side cover 2B in the left-right direction than the first main body frame 25. The third locking portion 712c is positioned closer to the first rotating shaft 711 in the second direction than the first locking portion 712a.

[0096] In other words, the length D1 between the first locking portion 712a and the second locking portion 712b in the left-right direction is greater than the length D2 in the left-right direction of the portion of the locking arm 712 of the first main body frame 25 that faces the first portion 712A when the opening / closing cover 21 is in the closed position.

[0097] The rigidity of first connection portion 21B can be improved by locking locking arm 712 of first arm 71 to first connection portion 21B of opening / closing cover 21. In particular, because locking arm 712 is disposed across left side surface 25A and right side surface 25B of first main body frame 25 in the left-right direction, it is possible to increase the rigidity of first connection portion 21B in the left-right direction.

[0098] Here, when a user of the image forming device 1 operates the opening / closing button 213 of the opening / closing cover 21 held in the closed position to move the opening / closing cover 21 toward the open position, the opening / closing button 213 is located at the right end of the opening / closing cover 21, which causes the user opening and closing the opening / closing cover 21 to grasp the right end of the opening / closing cover 21.

[0099] When the right end of opening-closing cover 21 is grasped and opening-closing cover 21 is moved, if opening-closing cover 21 has low rigidity, there is a risk of torsional deformation occurring in opening-closing cover 21. In particular, there is a high risk of deformation occurring in first connecting portion 21B, which has lower rigidity than rigid portion 21A.

[0100] However, by engaging first arm 71 with first connecting portion 21B of opening / closing cover 21, it is possible to increase the rigidity of first connecting portion 21B and prevent deformation of first connecting portion 21B. This increases the rigidity of opening / closing cover 21 and improves the operability of opening / closing cover 21.

[0101] In particular, since the locking arm 712 of the first arm 71 is arranged across the left side surface 25A and the right side surface 25B of the first main body frame 25 in the left-right direction, the locking arm 712 can be arranged close to the rigid portion 21A, thereby further increasing the rigidity of the opening / closing cover 21.

[0102] Furthermore, in the left-right direction, the first locking portion 712a of the first arm 71 is positioned closer to the left side cover 2B than the first main body frame 25, and the second locking portion 712b is positioned farther from the left side cover 2B than the first main body frame 25. Therefore, the first arm 71 can be locked to the opening-closing cover 21 over a wide range in the left-right direction. This further increases the rigidity of the opening-closing cover 21 in the left-right direction, improving the operability of the opening-closing cover 21.

[0103] Furthermore, the third locking portion 712c of the first arm 71 is located closer to the left side cover 2B in the left-right direction than the first main body frame 25, and is located closer to the first rotation shaft 711 in the second direction than the first locking portion 712a. This makes it possible to improve the rigidity of the open-close cover 21 in the diagonal direction along the straight line connecting the second locking portion 712b and the third locking portion 712c.

[0104] The connecting arm 713 connects the first rotating shaft 711 and the locking arm 712. When the open-close cover 21 is in the closed position, the connecting arm 713 extends diagonally downward and rearward from the lower end of the locking arm 712, then extends downward and further forward to reach the first rotating shaft 711.

[0105] 5 and 11, the first rotation shaft 711 of the first arm 71 protrudes to the right from the connecting arm 713. The first rotation shaft 711 extends in the left-right direction from the left side surface 25A of the first main body frame 25 toward the first main body frame 25, and is rotatably supported by the first main body frame 25.

[0106] [Second Arm] 5 to 8, the second arm 72 has a second rotation shaft 721, a locking arm 722, and a connecting arm 723. The second rotation shaft 721 is supported by the second main body frame 26 so as to be rotatable about a rotation axis C.

[0107] The locking arm 722 is positioned away from the second rotating shaft 721 in the second direction. The second direction is the radial direction of the second rotating shaft 721, and is the up-and-down direction when the open-close cover 21 is in the closed position. When the open-close cover 21 is in the closed position, the locking arm 722 is positioned above the second rotating shaft 721.

[0108] The locking arm 722 extends in the second direction and has a fourth locking portion 722a that is locked to the openable cover 21. The fourth locking portion 722a is located at the end of the locking arm 722 that is farther from the second rotation shaft 721 in the second direction.

[0109] The second arm 72 is fastened at the fourth locking portion 722a to the second connecting portion 21C of the opening-closing cover 21 with the screw 92. The fourth locking portion 722a is fastened to the opening-closing cover 21 with the screw 92. The second arm 72 is fastened to the opening-closing cover 21 with the screw 92 at the fourth locking portion 722a, so that the second arm 72 can be stably fixed to the opening-closing cover 21.

[0110] The second arm 72 and the opening-closing cover 21 are connected by engaging the fourth locking portion 722a with the opening-closing cover 21. Furthermore, the fourth locking portion 742a is engaged with the opening-closing cover 21, so that the opening-closing cover 21 is supported by the second arm 72 so as to be rotatable about the rotation axis C. By engaging the locking arm 722 of the second arm 72 with the second connection portion 21C of the opening-closing cover 21, the rigidity of the second connection portion 21C can be improved.

[0111] The fourth locking portion 722a is located closer to the first rotation shaft 711 in the second direction than the first locking portion 712a and the second locking portion 712b of the first arm 71. In other words, the first locking portion 712a and the second locking portion 712b of the first arm 71 are located farther from the first rotation shaft 711 in the second direction than the fourth locking portion 722a of the second arm 72.

[0112] Here, first connecting portion 21B and second connecting portion 21C of opening / closing cover 21 are formed in a plate shape, which makes them less rigid than rigid portion 21A, which is formed in a box shape.

[0113] 6, the length W1 in the left-right direction of first connecting portion 21B is greater than the length W2 in the left-right direction of second connecting portion 21C, and when a force in the opening / closing direction is applied to opening / closing cover 21, first connecting portion 21B is more likely to deform than second connecting portion 21C. Furthermore, when a force in the opening / closing direction is applied to opening / closing cover 21, the effect on deformation of opening / closing cover 21 increases with increasing distance from first rotation shaft 711 in the second direction.

[0114] However, in first connecting portion 21B, first locking portion 712a and second locking portion 712b of first arm 71 are locked at a position farther from first rotating shaft 711 in the second direction than fourth locking portion 722a of second arm 72. This increases the rigidity of the portion of opening-closing cover 21 on the first arm 71 side in the left-right direction, particularly the portion of first connecting portion 21B farther from first rotating shaft 711 in the second direction, making it possible to effectively prevent first connecting portion 21B from deforming.

[0115] The connecting arm 723 connects the second rotating shaft 721 and the locking arm 722. When the open-close cover 21 is in the closed position, the connecting arm 723 extends diagonally downward and rearward from the lower end of the locking arm 722, then extends downward and further forward to reach the second rotating shaft 721.

[0116] 5 and 11, the second main body frame 22 has a right side surface 26A facing right and a left side surface 26B facing left, which is the side surface opposite to the right side surface 26A. The right side surface 26A faces the right side cover 2C of the housing 2, and the left side surface 26B is farther from the right side cover 2C in the left-right direction than the right side surface 26A.

[0117] The second rotation shaft 721 of the second arm 72 protrudes leftward from the connecting arm 723. The second rotation shaft 721 extends in the left-right direction from the right side surface 26A of the second main body frame 26 toward the second main body frame 26, and is rotatably supported by the second main body frame 26.

[0118] In this way, the second rotation shaft 721 extends from the right side surface 26A of the second main body frame 26 toward the second main body frame 26 and is supported by the second main body frame 26, so that a large distance can be secured in the left-right direction between the second rotation shaft 721 of the second arm 72 and the first rotation shaft 711 of the first arm 71. This reduces the amount of twisting that occurs in the open-close cover 21 between the first arm 71 and the second arm 72 when the open-close cover 21 is moved between the open position and the closed position, allowing the open-close cover 21 to move smoothly.

[0119] Similarly, the first rotating shaft 711 extends from the left side surface 25A of the first main body frame 25 toward the first main body frame 25 and is supported by the first main body frame 25, which makes it possible to ensure a large gap in the left-right direction between the first rotating shaft 711 of the first arm 71 and the second rotating shaft 721 of the second arm 72. This makes it possible to reduce twisting that occurs in the opening-closing cover 21 between the first arm 71 and the second arm 72 when the opening-closing cover 21 is moved between the open position and the closed position, allowing the opening-closing cover 21 to move smoothly.

[0120] [Relative length between the first and second body frames in the left-right direction] 5, the length of the first main body frame 25 in the left-right direction at a location where the second portion 712B of the locking arm 712 of the first arm 71 is located in the second direction is D3. Furthermore, the length of the second main body frame 26 in the left-right direction at a location where the locking arm 722 of the second arm 72 is located in the second direction is D4. The length D3 of the first main body frame 25 in the left-right direction is greater than the length D4 of the second main body frame 26 in the left-right direction.

[0121] In this way, because the length D3 of the first main body frame 25 is greater than the length D4 of the second main body frame 26, the left-right length W1 of the first connecting portion 21B facing the first main body frame 25 is greater than the left-right length W2 of the second connecting portion 21C facing the second main body frame 26. Therefore, when a force is applied to the opening / closing cover 21 in the opening / closing direction, the first connecting portion 21B is more likely to be deformed than the second connecting portion 21C.

[0122] However, because first arm 71 is locked to first connecting portion 21B over a wide range in the left-right direction by first locking portion 712a and second locking portion 712b, the rigidity of first connecting portion 21B is increased over a wide range in the left-right direction, thereby suppressing deformation of first connecting portion 21B and improving the operability of opening / closing cover 21.

[0123] [First main body frame] As shown in Figures 12 to 14, the first main body frame 25 includes a motor 80 that drives the photosensitive drum 51 and developing roller 52 of the image forming unit 5, and a cam member 81 that switches between transmitting and disconnecting the driving force from the motor 80 to the photosensitive drum 51 and developing roller 52.

[0124] The cam member 81 is supported on the left side surface 25A of the first main body frame 25 so as to be movable in the front-rear direction. The front-rear direction is an example of a third direction that is perpendicular to the first direction and intersects with the second direction that is perpendicular to the first direction. A link arm 82 that extends forward from the cam member 81 is formed at the front end of the cam member 81.

[0125] A link 83 is fixed to the first arm 71, which is connected to the first connection part 21B of the opening / closing cover 21. The link 83 protrudes rearward from the first arm 71. An arc-shaped slot 83a is formed in the link 83. A front end part 82a of the link arm 82 engages with the slot 83a of the link 83. The front end part 82a of the link arm 82 is configured to be slidable within the slot 83a.

[0126] The cam member 81 is connected to the first arm 71 by a link arm 82 and a link 83. The cam member 81 is movable between a rearward transmission position and a disengagement position forward of the transmission position.

[0127] 13, the cam member 81 is in a rearward transmitting position when the open / close cover is in the closed position. When the cam member 81 is in the transmitting position, the driving force from the motor 80 to the photosensitive drum 51 and the developing roller 52 is switched to a disconnected state.

[0128] 14, the cam member 81 is moved to the front disconnection position when the open / close cover is in the open position. When the cam member 81 is moved to the disconnection position, the cam member 81 switches to a state in which the driving force from the motor 80 is transmitted to the photosensitive drum 51 and the developing roller 52.

[0129] When the opening / closing cover 21, which is in the closed position, moves to the open position, the cam member 81, which is in the transmission position, is pulled forward by the opening / closing cover 21 via the link arm 82 and the link 83 and moves to the disengagement position. In other words, the cam member 81, which is in the transmission position, moves to the disengagement position in conjunction with the movement of the opening / closing cover 21 from the closed position to the open position.

[0130] When the opening / closing cover 21, which is in the open position, moves to the closed position, the cam member 81, which is in the disengaged position, is pressed rearward by the opening / closing cover 21 via the link arm 82 and the link 83 and moves to the transmitting position. In other words, the cam member 81, which is in the disengaged position, moves to the transmitting position in conjunction with the movement of the opening / closing cover 21 from the open position to the closed position.

[0131] In this way, the cam member 81 moves back and forth in conjunction with the movement of the opening / closing cover 21 between the open and closed positions, thereby switching between transmitting and disconnecting the driving force from the motor 80 to the photosensitive drum 51 and the developing roller 52.

[0132] When the opening / closing cover 21 is moved between the open position and the closed position, a load generated by moving the cam member 81 in the front-to-rear direction is applied to the first connecting portion 21B, which is the portion of the opening / closing cover 21 on the first main body frame 25 side in the left-right direction. In other words, the cam member 81 is a load member that generates a load on the opening / closing cover 21 when the opening / closing cover 21 is opened or closed. Therefore, when the opening / closing cover 21 is opened or closed, the load from the cam member 81 makes it easy for the opening / closing cover 21 to deform.

[0133] However, because locking arm 712 of first arm 71 is locked to first connecting portion 21B of opening / closing cover 21, the rigidity of first connecting portion 21B is increased over a wide range, thereby suppressing deformation of first connecting portion 21B and improving the operability of opening / closing cover 21.

[0134] In image forming apparatus 1, opening / closing sensor 91, which detects that opening / closing cover 21 has moved to the closed position, is provided on first main frame 25 opposite first connecting portion 21B of opening / closing cover 21.

[0135] When a user moves opening-closing cover 21 to the closed position, if opening-closing cover 21 has low rigidity, it may twist, resulting in a so-called one-sided closed state, in which one side of opening-closing cover 21 is closed and the other side is open. For example, if first connection portion 21B located at the left end of opening-closing cover 21 is closed and second connection portion 21C located at the right end of opening-closing cover 21 is open, opening-closing sensor 91 located on the side of first connection portion 21B will detect that opening-closing cover 21 is in the closed position, even though second connection portion 21C is open, which will cause a decrease in the detection accuracy of opening-closing sensor 91.

[0136] However, in the case of the opening / closing cover 21, the first arm 71 is engaged with the first connection part 21B on the side where the opening / closing sensor 91 is located, and the rigidity of the first connection part 21B is increased over a wide range, thereby improving the torsional rigidity of the opening / closing cover 21 as a whole. This makes it possible to prevent the opening / closing cover 21 from closing on one side, and improve the detection accuracy of the opening / closing sensor 91.

[0137] Furthermore, in the image forming device 1, the opening / closing button 213, which releases the opening / closing cover 21 from being held in the closed position, is located at the right end of the opening / closing cover 21, which can cause a user who tries to press the opening / closing button 213 to move the opening / closing cover 21 to the open position to grab the right end of the opening / closing cover 21.

[0138] When a user grasps the right end of the opening / closing cover 21 and moves the opening / closing cover 21 to the open position, a load is applied by the cam member 81 to the first connection portion 21B, which is the portion of the opening / closing cover 21 on the first main body frame 25 side in the left-right direction, making it easier for a torsional force to be applied to the opening / closing cover 21.

[0139] However, because locking arm 712 of first arm 71 is locked to first connecting portion 21B of opening / closing cover 21, the rigidity of first connecting portion 21B is increased over a wide range, thereby suppressing deformation of first connecting portion 21B and improving the operability of opening / closing cover 21.

[0140] Furthermore, the first arm 71 is disposed in a position overlapping with the first main body frame 25 in the front-to-rear direction when the open-close cover 21 is in the closed position. In other words, the first arm 71 is positioned entirely behind the front end surface 25C, which is the foremost part of the first main body frame 25. Furthermore, the locking arm 712 of the first arm 71 and the front end portion 25D, which is a portion of the first main body frame 25 positioned at the same height as the locking arm 712, partially overlap when viewed from the left-to-right direction.

[0141] In this way, by arranging the first arm 71 at a position overlapping the first main body frame 25 in the front-rear direction, the first main body frame 25 and the first arm 71 can be arranged close to each other in the front-rear direction, thereby reducing the length of the image forming apparatus 1 in the front-rear direction.

[0142] As shown in Figures 4, 11, and 15, the drawer 59 has a left guide pin 592 that protrudes leftward from the left end at the front end of the drawer 59, and a right guide pin 593 that protrudes rightward from the right end at the front end of the drawer 59.

[0143] The first main body frame 25 has a first guide rail 25R formed at a front end 25D of the first main body frame 25, and the second main body frame 26 has a second guide rail 26R formed at a front end 26D of the second main body frame 26. The first guide rail 25R is an example of a guide rail provided on the first frame that guides the drawer in the attachment / detachment direction.

[0144] The first guide rail 25R of the first main body frame 25 is a rail that guides the left guide pin 592 of the drawer 59 in the attachment / detachment direction when the drawer 59 is moved between the external position and the internal position. The second guide rail 26R of the second main body frame 26 is a rail that guides the right guide pin 593 of the drawer 59 in the attachment / detachment direction when the drawer 59 is moved between the external position and the internal position.

[0145] The left guide pin 592 and the right guide pin 593 of the drawer 59 are guided by the first guide rail 25R and the second guide rail 26R, respectively, so that the drawer 59 can be moved appropriately to an internal position.

[0146] The first guide rail 25R of the first main body frame 25 is located closer to the first rotation shaft 711 in the second direction than the first locking portion 712a and the second locking portion 712b when the open-close cover 21 is in the closed position, and is located farther from the first rotation shaft 711 than the third locking portion 712c when the open-close cover 21 is in the closed position. In other words, the first guide rail 25R is located between the first locking portion 712a and the second locking portion 712b and the third locking portion 712c in the second direction.

[0147] In this way, the first guide rail 25R that guides the drawer 59 is located between the first locking portion 712a, the second locking portion 712b, and the third locking portion 712c in the second direction, so that movement of the drawer 59 in the attachment / detachment direction is not hindered by the first locking portion 712a, the second locking portion 712b, and the third locking portion 712c. [Explanation of symbols]

[0148] 2. Case 2A Front cover 2B Left side cover 2F opening 5. Image forming unit 21 Opening and closing cover 25 First body frame 25A left side 25B Right side 25R 1st guide rail 26 Second body frame 59 Drawer 71 First Arm 72 Second Arm 80 Motor 81 Cam member 91 Open / close sensor 92 screws 213 Open / close button 711 First rotating shaft 712a 1st locking part 712b Second locking part 712c 3rd locking part 721 Second rotating shaft 722a 4th locking part C rotation axis D3 (length in the left-right direction of the first main frame) D4 (length in the left-right direction of the second main frame) S seat

Claims

1. an image forming unit that forms an image on a sheet; a housing having a first side surface and a second side surface adjacent to the first side surface, the housing accommodating the image forming unit, the housing having an opening formed in the first side surface; a first frame housed in the housing and disposed along the second side surface; a second frame housed in the housing and disposed on the opposite side of the first frame across the image forming unit in the first direction; an opening / closing cover that is rotatable about a rotation axis extending along the first direction and that is movable between a closed position that closes the opening and an open position that opens the opening by rotating about the rotation axis; a first arm that connects the openable cover and the first frame and has a first rotation shaft that supports the openable cover so that the openable cover can rotate about the rotation axis; a second arm having a second rotation shaft that connects the openable cover and the second frame and supports the openable cover so that the openable cover can rotate about the rotation axis; Equipped with An image forming device in which the first arm is engaged with the opening / closing cover and is positioned across the end of the first frame closer to the second side surface and the end of the first frame farther from the second side surface in the first direction.

2. The first arm is a first latching portion located closer to the second side surface than the first frame in the first direction and latched to the openable cover; 2. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising: a second latching portion that is positioned farther from the second side surface than the first frame in the first direction and latches onto the opening / closing cover.

3. 3. The image forming apparatus of claim 2, wherein the first arm is positioned closer to the second side surface than the first frame in the first direction, and is positioned closer to the first pivot axis than the first engaging portion in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction, and has a third engaging portion that engages with the opening / closing cover.

4. the second arm has a fourth locking portion located at an end of the second arm away from the second rotation shaft and locked to the openable cover, 4. The image forming apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the fourth locking portion is located closer to the first rotation axis than the first locking portion and the second locking portion in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction.

5. The image forming apparatus according to claim 3 , wherein the first arm is fastened to the opening / closing cover by fastening members at the first locking portion, the second locking portion, and the third locking portion.

6. 3. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first rotation shaft extends from the second side surface side toward the first frame in the first direction and is rotatably supported by the first frame.

7. 3. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the length of the first frame in the first direction is greater than the length of the second frame in the first direction.

8. a motor that drives the image forming unit; a cam member supported by the first frame so as to be movable in a third direction perpendicular to the first direction and intersecting a second direction perpendicular to the first direction, the cam member moving in the third direction in conjunction with movement of the opening / closing cover between an open position and a closed position to switch between transmission and disconnection of a driving force from the motor to the image forming unit; 3. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first arm is connected to the cam member.

9. the opening / closing cover includes an opening / closing button that releases the opening / closing cover from a state in which the opening / closing cover is held in a closed position; The image forming apparatus according to claim 8 , wherein the open / close button is disposed at a position closer to the second frame than to the first frame in the first direction.

10. The image forming apparatus according to claim 8 , wherein the first frame includes a sensor that detects that the opening / closing cover has moved to the closed position.

11. a drawer that is detachable from the housing through the opening; the first frame includes a guide rail that guides the drawer in an attachment / detachment direction; 4. The image forming apparatus of claim 3, wherein the guide rail is positioned closer to the first pivot axis than the first engaging portion and the second engaging portion when the opening / closing cover is in the closed position, in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction, and is positioned farther from the first pivot axis than the third engaging portion when the opening / closing cover is in the closed position.

12. 3. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first arm is positioned so as to overlap the first frame in a third direction that is perpendicular to the first direction and intersects with a second direction that is perpendicular to the first direction.

Images