Image forming device

Abstract

To provide an image forming apparatus that can prevent a rod-like maintaining member from coming off from a hole part, the rod-like maintaining member maintaining a state in which an image reading unit is opened with respect to an image forming unit.SOLUTION: An image forming apparatus 101 has an image forming apparatus main body 101A, and an image reading device 103 that is provided above the image forming apparatus main body 101A openably and closably by rotating centered on a rotation shaft 401 and reads an image of a document. A maintaining member 403 has one end provided on the image reading device 103 and the other end inserted into a hole part 502 provided in a top face 501 of the image forming apparatus main body 101A to maintain a state in which the image reading device 103 is opened with respect to the image forming apparatus main body 101A, and is provided with a projection 903 that regulates the maintaining member 403 from coming off from the hole part 502.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 9

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus equipped with an image reading device that reads an image on a document. [Background technology]

[0002] Conventionally, some image forming apparatuses such as copying machines and facsimiles are provided with an image reading unit that reads an image of an original document, above an image forming unit that forms an image on a sheet. A configuration is known for such image forming apparatuses in which the image reading unit provided above the image forming unit can be rotated relative to the image forming unit for maintenance of the image forming means inside the image forming unit (Patent Document 1).

[0003] Also, an image forming apparatus has been proposed in which the image reading unit is rotatably attached to the image forming unit, and which includes a holding member for holding the image reading unit in an open state relative to the image forming unit during maintenance of the image forming unit. Patent Document 1 describes a configuration in which one end of a rod-shaped holding member is rotatably attached to the image reading unit, and the other end of the holding member is inserted into a hole provided on the top surface of the image forming unit, thereby holding the image reading unit in an open state relative to the image forming unit. With this configuration, a service person can perform maintenance on the image forming means inside the image forming unit while keeping the image reading unit open relative to the image forming unit. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] JP 2002-223335 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] However, in the configuration described in Patent Document 1, since the tip of the holding member is simply inserted into the hole of the image forming unit, when the image reading unit is rotated in the opening direction, the tip of the holding member immediately comes out of the hole. Therefore, there is a risk that the tip of the holding member will come out of the hole if the service technician accidentally hits the image reading unit with his or her own body during maintenance.

[0006] SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE In view of the above, an object of the present invention is to provide an image forming apparatus capable of preventing a holding member, which holds an image reading unit in an open state relative to an image forming unit, from coming out of a hole. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] One aspect of the present invention is an image forming apparatus including an image forming unit having an image forming means for forming an image on a sheet, an image reading unit provided on an upper portion of the image forming unit so as to be openable and closable relative to the image forming unit by rotating about a rotation axis, and reading an image of a document, and a holding member which is a rod-shaped member having one end provided on the image reading unit and the other end inserted into a hole provided on the upper portion of the image forming unit, and which holds the image reading unit in an open state relative to the image forming unit, the holding member being: a support portion that supports the image reading portion by contacting an upper surface of a wall portion that forms the hole of the image forming portion; a first restriction portion that abuts against a lower surface of a wall portion that forms the hole of the image forming unit to restrict the other end of the holding member from coming out of the hole; and a recess provided between the support portion and the first restriction portion, the recess being pressed against an end of the hole by the weight of the image reading portion when the holding member holds the image reading portion in an open state relative to the image forming portion. The image forming apparatus is characterized in that:

[0008] Also, one aspect of the present invention is an image forming apparatus comprising an image forming unit having an image forming means for forming an image on a sheet, an image reading unit arranged on the upper part of the image forming unit so as to be openable and closable relative to the image forming unit by rotating around a rotation axis, and reading an image of a document, and a holding member which is a rod-shaped member having one end arranged on the image forming unit and the other end inserted into a hole provided on the lower part of the image reading unit, and which holds the image reading unit in an open state relative to the image forming unit, wherein the holding member has a regulating portion which abuts against the upper surface of a wall portion which forms the hole of the image reading unit and prevents the other end of the holding member from coming out of the hole. Effect of the Invention

[0009] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide an image forming apparatus capable of preventing a holding member, which holds an image reading unit in an open state relative to an image forming unit, from coming out of a hole. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0010] [Figure 1] 1 is a schematic cross-sectional view of an image forming apparatus according to a first embodiment. [Diagram 2] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an image reading apparatus according to a first embodiment. [Diagram 3] 1 is a schematic cross-sectional view of an image reading apparatus according to a first embodiment. [Figure 4] 1A is a perspective view showing a state in which the image reading device is closed relative to the image forming apparatus main body, and FIG. [Diagram 5] 1A is a perspective view showing a state in which the image reading device is rotated relative to the image forming apparatus main body, and FIG. [Figure 6] 1A is a perspective view showing a state in which the image reading device has been rotated to a maximum rotation angle relative to the image forming apparatus body, and FIG. [Figure 7] FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a direction in which a holding member according to the first embodiment moves. [Figure 8] 1A is a perspective view showing a state in which the holding member holds the image reading apparatus in a rotated position, and FIG. [Figure 9] FIG. 3 is a front view showing a tip member provided on the holding member according to the first embodiment. [Figure 10] FIG. 11 is a front view showing a tip member provided on a holding member according to a second embodiment. [Figure 11] FIG. 11 is a front view showing the operation of the tip member according to the second embodiment when it is removed from the hole. [Figure 12] FIG. 13 is a view showing a direction in which a holding member according to a third embodiment moves. [Figure 13] FIG. 13 is a front view showing a tip member of a holding member according to a third embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0011] [First embodiment] A first embodiment will be described below with reference to Figures 1 to 9. However, the first embodiment is merely an example of the present invention and does not limit the technical scope of the present invention.

[0012] <Schematic Configuration of Image Forming Apparatus 101> First, a schematic configuration of an image forming apparatus 101 according to the present embodiment will be described with reference to Fig. 1. Fig. 1 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the image forming apparatus 101. Note that the image forming apparatus 101 is merely one example of an image forming apparatus to which the present invention is applied, and a facsimile machine, inkjet printer, multifunction machine, etc. equipped with an image reading device also fall under the image forming apparatus 101 according to the present invention.

[0013] As shown in Fig. 1, the image forming apparatus 101 is configured to include an image reading device 103, which is an image reading unit, above an image forming apparatus main body 101A, which is an image forming unit. The image reading device 103 includes a reader 30 and an automatic document feeder (hereinafter referred to as ADF) 1, which is a document transport unit, and optically scans an original D to read image information. The original D may be paper such as paper or envelopes, plastic film such as sheets for overhead projectors, or sheets such as cloth. The image information converted into an electric signal by the image reading device 103 is transferred to a control unit 132 provided in the image forming apparatus main body 101A.

[0014] The image forming apparatus main body 101A has an image forming unit 133 as an image forming means for forming an image on a sheet P, which is a recording medium, and a sheet feeding section 134 for feeding the sheet P to the image forming unit 133. The sheet feeding section 134 has sheet storage sections 137a, 137b, 137c, and 137d capable of storing sheets P of different sizes. The sheets P stored in each sheet storage section are fed out by a pickup roller 112, separated one by one by a feed roller 113a and a retard roller 113b, and delivered to a corresponding conveying roller pair 131. The sheets P are then delivered in order to a plurality of conveying roller pairs 131 arranged along the sheet conveying path, and conveyed to a registration roller pair 136.

[0015] The sheet P placed on the manual feed tray 137e by the user is fed into the image forming apparatus main body 101A by a feed roller 138 and conveyed to the registration roller pair 136. The registration roller pair 136 stops the leading edge of the sheet P to correct skew. Furthermore, the registration roller pair 136 resumes conveyance of the sheet P in accordance with the progress of the image forming operation, which is the toner image forming process by the image forming unit 133.

[0016] The image forming unit 133 that forms an image on the sheet P is an electrophotographic image forming unit that includes a photosensitive drum 121 that is a photosensitive body. The photosensitive drum 121 can rotate along the conveying direction of the sheet P, and a charger 118, an exposure device 123, a developing device 124, a transfer charger 125, a separation charger 126, and a cleaner 127 are arranged around the photosensitive drum 121. The charger 118 uniformly charges the surface of the photosensitive drum 121. The exposure device 123 exposes the photosensitive drum 121 based on image information input from the image reading device 103 or the like, and forms an electrostatic latent image on the photosensitive drum 121. The developing device 124 contains a developer containing toner, and develops the electrostatic latent image into a toner image by supplying charged toner to the photosensitive drum 121. The toner image carried on the photosensitive drum 121 is transferred to the sheet P conveyed from the registration roller pair 136 by a bias electric field formed by the transfer charger 125. The sheet P onto which the toner image has been transferred is separated from the photosensitive drum 121 by a bias electric field formed by a separation charger 126, and is transported by a pre-fixing transport section 128 toward a fixing section 129. Note that any deposits such as residual toner that have not been transferred to the sheet P and remain on the photosensitive drum 121 are removed by a cleaner 127, and the photosensitive drum 121 prepares for the next image forming operation.

[0017] The sheet P conveyed to the fixing section 129 is subjected to a fixing process including pressurization and heating of the toner image while being conveyed while being sandwiched between the roller pair. This causes the toner to melt and then solidify, thereby fixing the image on the sheet P. When the image output is completed, the sheet P on which the fixed image has been obtained is discharged to a discharge tray 130 protruding outward from the image forming apparatus main body 101A via a discharge roller pair 116. When an image is formed on the back side of the sheet P in double-sided printing, the sheet P that has passed through the fixing section 129 has the front and back sides swapped by a reversing section 139, and is conveyed to a registration roller pair 136 by a double-sided conveying section 140. Then, the sheet P on which the image has been formed again by the image forming unit 133 is discharged to the discharge tray 130.

[0018] In this embodiment, the image forming device main body 101A in which the image forming means and the sheet storage unit are housed in one housing is exemplified as the image forming unit, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the present invention can also be applied to a printer in which the image forming means and the sheet storage unit are housed in separate housings, and the sheet transport paths of the respective housings are connected. In this case, the entire printer that performs the processes from feeding to discharging the sheets is considered to be the image forming unit.

[0019] <General Configuration of Image Reading Device 103> Next, a schematic configuration of the image reading device 103 will be described with reference to Fig. 2 and Fig. 3. Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the image reading device 103, and Fig. 3 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the image reading device 103. As described above, the image reading device 103 includes the reader 30 and the ADF 1. The ADF 1 transports the document D loaded on the document tray 2, which is a document loading section, to the reader 30, and discharges the document D read by the reader 30 onto the discharge tray 3.

[0020] The reader 30 is provided on the upper part of the image forming apparatus main body 101A, and is rotated by a rotation mechanism described later, so as to be openable and closable with respect to the image forming apparatus main body 101A. The reader 30 has a first reading unit 312 that reads an image on the front side of the document D. In addition, a first moving reading glass 314 and a document table glass 315, which are transparent members that transmit visible light, are provided on the upper surface of the reader 30. The document table glass 315 is arranged next to the first moving reading glass 314 in the sub-scanning direction (the direction of the arrow 316 in FIG. 3). The first reading unit 312 can move in the sub-scanning direction by being driven by a driving means such as a driving belt (not shown). The reader 30 reads an image of the document D placed on the document table glass 315 by moving the first reading unit 312 in the sub-scanning direction. In addition, the first reading unit 312 reads an image on the front side of the document D transported by the ADF 1 at the first reading position F1. Here, the sub-scanning direction in this embodiment is a direction perpendicular to the main scanning direction in which the multiple light receiving elements of the first reading unit 312 are arranged.

[0021] The ADF1 has a second reading unit 313 that reads an image of the back side of the document D. The second reading unit 313 reads an image of the back side of the document D transported by the ADF1 at a second reading position F2 downstream of the first reading position F1 in the transport direction of the document D. The ADF1 is supported rotatably with respect to the reader 30 by a hinge portion (not shown) disposed at the back side in FIG. 3 so that the document table glass 315 can be opened. That is, when the ADF1 is rotated upward and opened, the user can place or remove the document D on the document table glass 315. Furthermore, the ADF1 is configured to be able to press the document D by a resin plate (not shown) so that the document D placed on the document table glass 315 does not move when the ADF1 is closed.

[0022] The ADF 1 includes an original tray 2 on which originals D are stacked, and an output tray 3 onto which the originals D are output. The ADF 1 also includes a feed roller 301 that feeds the originals D stacked on the original tray 2, a separation roller pair 302 that separates the originals D one by one, and a first conveyance roller pair 303 that pulls out the separated originals D. The originals D separated from the other originals by the separation roller pair 302 are conveyed in order by the first conveyance roller pair 303, the second conveyance roller pair 304, the third conveyance roller pair 305, the fourth conveyance roller pair 306, the fifth conveyance roller pair 308, and the sixth conveyance roller pair 310. Downstream of the sixth conveyance roller pair 310 in the conveyance direction, a discharge roller pair 311 is disposed that discharges the originals D, whose images have been read, onto the output tray 3.

[0023] The ADF 1 includes a first platen roller 307 located between the fourth conveyor roller pair 306 and the fifth conveyor roller pair 308 and facing the first running reading glass 314. The first platen roller 307 is a roller member that can prevent the document D from lifting up from the first running reading glass 314 by rotating while coming into contact with the back surface of the document D. The ADF 1 also includes a second platen roller 309 located between the fifth conveyor roller pair 308 and the sixth conveyor roller pair 310 and facing the second running reading glass 317. The second platen roller 309 is a roller member that can prevent the document D from lifting up from the second running reading glass 317 by rotating while coming into contact with the front surface of the document D.

[0024] Next, an image reading operation by the image reading device 103 will be described. The image reading device 103 can execute an image reading operation in either a flow reading mode or a fixed reading mode based on an explicit operation by a user. The flow reading mode is a mode in which the image of the original is read by conveying the original D by the ADF1 and passing the original D through the reading positions F1 and F2 of the first reading unit 312 and the second reading unit 313. The fixed reading mode is a mode in which the image of the original placed on the original platen glass 315 by the user is read by moving the first reading unit 312 in the sub-scanning direction.

[0025] In the flow reading mode, the first reading unit 312 reads the image of the document while being fixed at position P1 in accordance with the first reading position F1. The document D placed on the document tray 2 is fed by the feeding roller 301 and separated one by one at the separation nip portion of the separation roller pair 302. The separated document D is pulled out by the first conveying roller pair 303, and then passes through the second conveying roller pair 304, the third conveying roller pair 305, and the fourth conveying roller pair 306 to reach the first reading position F1. Then, at the first reading position F1, the surface of the document D is optically scanned by the first reading unit 312 to read the image.

[0026] The document D that has passed the first reading position F1 reaches the second reading position F2 via the fifth conveying roller pair 308. Then, at the second reading position F2, the second reading unit 313 optically scans the back side of the document D to read the image. The document D that has passed the second reading position F2 passes through the sixth conveying roller pair 310 and is discharged to the discharge tray 3 by the discharge roller pair 311. Such a reading operation is repeatedly performed until it is confirmed by a sensor provided in the document tray 2 that all documents have been fed. In this embodiment, the ADF1 has the second reading unit 313, and the second reading unit can read the back side of the document D, but the ADF1 may be configured not to have the second reading unit 313. When the ADF1 is configured not to have the second reading unit, the ADF1 reads the image of the back side of the document D by inverting the document D whose front side image has been read at the first reading position F1 and transporting it again to the first reading position F1, thereby reading the image of the back side of the document D.

[0027] On the other hand, in the fixed reading mode, the first reading unit 312 scans the original placed on the platen glass 315 while moving back and forth between positions P1 and P2 in the sub-scanning direction, thereby reading the original image. The control unit 132 of the image forming apparatus main body 101A grasps the position of the first reading unit 312 from a position sensor (not shown) and the number of rotation pulses of the motor. In the fixed reading mode and the flow reading mode, the image information acquired by the first reading unit 312 and the second reading unit 313 is transferred sequentially to the control unit 132 of the image forming apparatus main body 101A.

[0028] Although the image reading device 103 in this embodiment is configured by the reader 30 and the ADF 1, the configuration of the image reading device 103 is not limited to this. For example, the image reading device 103 may be configured only by the reader 30 and a document pressing unit that presses the document placed on the document platen glass 315.

[0029] <Rotational Configuration of Image Reading Device 103> Next, the rotational configuration of the image reading device 103 relative to the image forming device main body 101A will be described with reference to Figs. 4 to 8. In the following drawings, the direction parallel to the rotation axis of the image reading device 103 is defined as the Y direction, the vertically upward direction as the Z direction, and the direction perpendicular to the Y direction and the Z direction as the X direction. In other words, the X direction is horizontal and perpendicular to the rotation axis of the image reading device 103. In the following drawings, the image forming device main body 101A is shown in a simplified form.

[0030] Fig. 4(a) is a perspective view showing a state in which the image reading device 103 is not rotated relative to the image forming device main body 101A (closed state), and Fig. 4(b) is a front view showing a state in which the image reading device 103 is not rotated relative to the image forming device main body 101A. As shown in Fig. 4(b), the image reading device 103 has a rotation shaft 401 at the right end in the X direction, and the image reading device 103 can rotate relative to the image forming device main body 101A around the rotation shaft 401 as a rotation center. The position of the rotation shaft 401 is not limited to the right end of the image reading device 103 in the X direction, and the rotation shaft 401 may be provided, for example, at the left end of the image reading device 103 in the X direction or at the rear end of the device in Fig. 4(b).

[0031] The image reading device 103 is provided with a gripping portion 402 that an operator such as a serviceman grips when rotating the image reading device 103, and a rod-shaped holding member 403 for holding the rotated position of the image reading device 103. Here, the rotated position is a position in which the image reading device 103 is open relative to the image forming device main body 101A. One end of the holding member 403 is rotatably provided on the image reading device 103, and the other end has a tip member 404. Furthermore, the image reading device 103 is provided with a wire 406 as a rotation restricting member for restricting the rotation angle of the image reading device 103, and a clamp 405 for holding the holding member 403 at a position 704 (see FIG. 7 described later) in a stored state. The entire length of the wire 406 is longer than the entire length of the holding member 403, and one end is fixed to the image reading device 103 and the other end is fixed to the image forming device main body 101A. In this embodiment, these members are provided at the left end in the X direction, which is the opposite side of the rotation shaft 401, but the positions of these members are not limited to this. For example, the holding member 403 and the wire 406 may be disposed near the center of the image reading device 103 in the X direction.

[0032] 4(a), when image reading device 103 is not rotated, image reading device 103 and image forming apparatus main body 101A are fixed by fixing member 407. In this state, image reading device 103 cannot be rotated relative to image forming apparatus main body 101A. An operator such as a serviceman can rotate image reading device 103 by removing fixing member 407 from image reading device 103.

[0033] 5(a) is a perspective view showing a state in which the image reading device 103 is rotated by an angle θ1 relative to the image forming device body 101A (open state), and FIG. 5(b) is a front view showing a state in which the image reading device 103 is rotated by an angle θ1 relative to the image forming device body 101A. As shown in FIG. 5(a), when the image reading device 103 is rotated relative to the image forming device body 101A, a top surface 501 of the image forming device body 101A is exposed to the outside of the device. The top surface 501 as a wall in this embodiment is provided with a hole 502 into which a tip member 404 provided at the tip of the holding member 403 is inserted. Even when the image reading device 103 is rotated, the holding member 403 is held at a position 704 (see FIG. 7) in the stored state by the clamp 405.

[0034] FIG. 6(a) is a perspective view showing a state where the image reading device 103 has been rotated to the maximum rotation angle θ2 with respect to the image forming device main body 101A, and FIG. 6(b) is a front view showing a state where the image reading device 103 has been rotated to the maximum rotation angle θ2 with respect to the image forming device main body 101A. As shown in FIG. 6(a), when the image reading device 103 is rotated to the maximum rotation angle θ2 (second angle), the wire 406 is in a taut state. As a result, the image reading device 103 connected to the image forming device main body 101A by the wire 406 cannot be rotated beyond the maximum rotation angle θ2. By providing the wire 406, it is possible to prevent the image reading device 103 from rotating to the opposite side (rotating 180°) and to prevent damage to members around the rotation shaft 401. Furthermore, if the image reading device 103 is rotated significantly beyond the maximum rotation angle θ2, there is a risk that the ADF 1 may unintentionally open relative to the reader 30. In this embodiment, the rotation angle of the image reading device 103 is restricted by the wire 406, thereby making it possible to prevent the ADF 1 from unintentionally opening relative to the reader 30. In this embodiment, the maximum rotation angle θ2 is 35°, but the maximum rotation angle θ2 is not limited to this and may be set arbitrarily within the range of 0°<θ2<90° by changing the length of the wire 406.

[0035] Next, a state in which the rotational posture of the image reading device 103 is held by the holding member 403 will be described with reference to Figs. 7 and 8. Fig. 7 is a diagram showing a direction (arrow 703) in which the holding member 403 moves from a position 704 in a storage state to a position 702 in a use state when the image reading device 103 is opened relative to the image forming apparatus main body 101A. Here, the storage state of the holding member 403 is a state in which the holding member 403 is held by the clamp 405, and the use state of the holding member 403 is a state in which the tip member 404 of the holding member 403 is inserted into the hole portion 502. In Fig. 7, the position 704 in the storage state and the position 702 in the use state of the holding member 403 are indicated by dotted lines. Fig. 8(a) is a perspective view showing a state in which the holding member 403 holds the rotational posture of the image reading device 103, and Fig. 8(b) is a front view showing a state in which the holding member 403 holds the rotational posture of the image reading device 103.

[0036] As shown in FIG. 7, when the image reading device 103 is rotated relative to the image forming apparatus main body 101A, an operator removes the holding member 403 from the clamp 405, so that the holding member 403 can rotate in the direction of the arrow 703. Here, a shaft extending in the X direction is disposed in the root portion 701 of the holding member 403, and the shaft of the root portion 701 is inserted into a long hole of the image reading device 103. The holding member 403 is rotatably supported by the image reading device 103 by the shaft provided in the root portion 701. The holding member 403 can rotate not only in the direction of the arrow 703 but also in the X direction by a gap (backlash) between the shaft provided in the root portion 701 and the long hole. The operator moves the holding member 403 to a position 702 in a use state, and inserts the tip member 404 provided at the tip of the holding member 403 into a hole portion 502 provided in the top surface 501 of the image forming apparatus main body 101A. As a result, the image reading device 103 is held in a state in which it is opened by an angle θ3 (first angle) relative to the image forming apparatus main body 101A. The second angle θ2 is an angle larger than the first angle θ3. In this embodiment, the angle θ3 is 30°, but the angle θ3 is not limited to this, and may be set arbitrarily within the range of 0°<θ3<θ2 by changing the length of the holding member 403.

[0037] In this embodiment, the wire 406 is provided on the rear side in the Y direction from the base portion 701 of the holding member 403. In other words, the wire 406 is disposed outside the moving area of ​​the holding member 403 indicated by the arrow 703. By providing the wire 406 at such a position, it is possible to prevent the wire 406 from getting in the way when an operator such as a serviceman moves the holding member 403. Furthermore, an operator such as a serviceman grasps the handle portion 402 with one hand to rotate the image reading device 103, and moves the holding member 403 to the position 704 for use with the other hand. For this reason, it is preferable that the holding member 403 can be attached to and detached from the clamp 405 with a single touch.

[0038] <Configuration of holding member 403> Next, the configuration of the tip member 404 of the holding member 403 according to the first embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. 9. FIG. 9 is a front view showing a state in which the tip member 404 provided on the holding member 403 is inserted into a hole 502 provided on a top surface 501 of the image forming apparatus main body 101A. In FIG. 9, for ease of explanation, only the top surface 501 is shown in cross section. The tip member 404 is formed with a support portion 902 having a support surface 901 for holding the rotational posture of the image reading device 103 by abutting against an upper surface 501a of the top surface 501. Furthermore, the tip member 404 is formed with a protruding portion 903 as a first restricting portion, which protrudes in a direction perpendicular to the extending direction of the holding member 403, on the lower side of the support portion 902 in the Z direction. The protruding portion 903 is formed so as to protrude from the tip member 404 on the opposite side to the rotation shaft 401 in the X direction (the left side in the X direction). When the image reading device 103 is lifted up, the protrusion 903 comes into contact with the lower surface 501b of the top surface 501, thereby preventing the tip member 404 from coming out of the hole 502. The tip member 404 is hook-shaped and has a recess 904 between the protrusion 903 and the support surface 901. When the tip member 404 of the holding member 403 is inserted into the hole 502, the protrusion 903 is positioned so as to sandwich the top surface 501 together with the support surface 901, and the recess 904 is in contact with the top surface 501.

[0039] In a state where the holding member 403 holds the rotational posture of the image reading device 103, the holding member 403 is inclined so that the angle θ4 between the holding member 403 and the top surface 501 on the rotation axis 401 side (right side in the X direction) when viewed from the Y direction is an acute angle (0°<θ4<90°). In addition, in this embodiment, the tip member 404 is formed of polyacetal (POM), which is a resin material having sliding properties. As a result, when the weight of the image reading device 103 is transmitted to the tip member 404, the tip member 404 slides in a direction away from the rotation axis 401 when viewed from the Y direction (left side in the X direction), and the recess 904 is pressed against the end of the hole 502. In other words, the tip member 404 moves along the top surface 501 due to the weight of the image reading device 103, and the end of the hole 502 receives the tip member 404. This allows the holding member 403 to stably support the image reading device 103. However, the material of the tip member 404 is not limited to this, and it may be PTFE resin, which is a fluororesin, sintered material impregnated with oil, or other materials. Also, the holding member 403 may not have the tip member 404, and the protrusion 903 may be integrally formed.

[0040] In this embodiment, tip member 404 provided on holding member 403 is formed with protrusion 903. As a result, even if the worker's body accidentally hits image reading device 103 or holding member 403 and instantaneous force F1 is applied in a direction in which holding member 403 comes out, protrusion 903 comes into contact with lower surface 501b of top surface 501, and tip member 404 can be prevented from coming out of hole 502.

[0041] When the worker removes the tip member 404 from the hole 502, the worker moves the tip member 404 in the opposite direction to the direction in which the protruding portion 903 protrudes (to the right in the X direction in FIG. 9 ) and then lifts the image reading device 103. In this manner, the worker can remove the tip member 404 from the hole 502 without the protruding portion 903 coming into contact with the lower surface 501b of the top surface 501.

[0042] In this embodiment, the protruding portion 903 as the first restricting portion is formed so as to protrude from the tip member 404 to the left in the X direction shown in FIG. 9. However, the protruding direction of the protruding portion 903 is not limited thereto, and for example, the protruding portion 903 may be formed so as to protrude from the tip member 404 to the rear side in the Y direction. Furthermore, the tip member 404 in this embodiment has a support portion 902 that abuts against the upper surface 501a of the top surface 501 of the image forming apparatus main body 101A to support the image reading device 103. However, the tip member 404 may be configured not to have the support portion 902, and to support the image reading device 103 by abutting the tip of the tip member 404 against a support surface (not shown) provided below the hole portion 502 of the image forming apparatus main body 101A.

[0043] [Second embodiment] Next, a second embodiment will be described with reference to Figs. 10 and 11. The second embodiment is also merely an example of the present invention, and does not limit the technical scope of the present invention. In the first embodiment, a configuration in which the tip member 404 has a protruding portion 903 is exemplified. On the other hand, in the second embodiment, a configuration in which the tip member 404 has a protruding portion 905 in addition to the protruding portion 903 will be described. However, in the second embodiment, the configuration of the holding member 403 other than the tip member 404 is the same as in the first embodiment, and therefore the description will be omitted.

[0044] <Configuration of holding member 403> Figs. 10(a) and (b) are front views showing a state where the tip member 404 provided on the holding member 403 is inserted into the hole 502 provided on the top surface 501 of the image forming apparatus main body 101A. Fig. 10(a) shows a state where an instantaneous external force F1 is applied to the holding member 403, and Fig. 10(b) shows a state where an external force F2 is slowly applied to the holding member 403 as the image reading apparatus 103 is slowly lifted. In the second embodiment, as shown in Fig. 10(a), in addition to the protruding portion 903 described in the first embodiment, a protruding portion 905 is further provided. The protruding portion 905 is formed so as to protrude from the tip member 404 toward the rotation axis 401 side (the right side in the X direction) in the X direction. And the tip member 404 has a recess 906 between the protruding portion 905 and the support surface 901, forming a hook shape.

[0045] As shown in Fig. 10(b), when the gap between the protruding portion 903 and the support surface 901 (the width of the recess 904) is H1, and the gap between the protruding portion 905 and the support surface 901 (the width of the recess 906) is H2, the gap H2 is larger than the gap H1 (H1 < H2). Further, when the width of the tip portion 903a of the protruding portion 903 and the width of the tip portion 905a of the protruding portion 905 are W1, and the width of the hole 502 in the X direction is W2, the width W1 is larger than the width W2 (W1 > W2). Thereby, the tip member 404 is configured to be difficult to come out of the hole 502. In order to enable the insertion and extraction of the tip member 404 into and from the hole 502, the protruding portion 903 is provided with an inclined surface 907 having an acute angle (0° < θ5 < 90°) with respect to the right side in the X direction with the top surface 501 in a state where the tip member 404 is inserted into the hole 502. The operation when the tip member 404 is removed from the hole 502 will be described later.

[0046] As shown in FIG. 10(a), when an instantaneous force F1 is applied to the holding member 403, similar to the first embodiment, the protruding portion 903 abuts against the lower surface 501b of the top surface 501, thereby suppressing the tip member 404 from coming out of the hole portion 502. Further, as shown in FIG. 10(b), when the image reading device 103 is slowly lifted and a force F2 is slowly applied to the holding member 403, the holding member 403 moves like a pendulum in the direction of arrow R due to its own weight. Then, since H1 < H2, when the holding member 403 moves in the direction of arrow R, as shown in FIG. 10(b), the concave portion 906 abuts against the end of the hole portion 502. Therefore, even when a force F2 in the direction of slowly coming out is applied to the holding member 403, the protruding portion 905 abuts against the lower surface 501b of the top surface 501, thereby preventing the tip member 404 from coming out of the hole portion 502.

[0047] <Operation when the tip member 404 is removed from the hole portion 502> Next, with reference to FIG. 11, the operation from the state where the tip member 404 is inserted into the hole portion 502 until it comes out will be described. FIG. 11 shows the operation when the tip member 404 is removed from the hole portion 502.

[0048] First, when the tip member 404 is inserted into the hole 502 and the weight of the image reading device 103 is applied to the holding member 403, the tip member 404 is in the position shown in FIG. 10(a). From that state, an operator such as a serviceman grips the handle 402 and rotates the image reading device 103 slightly. Then, as described above, the tip member 404 moves to a position where the protruding portion 905 abuts against the lower surface 501b of the top surface 501 (the state shown in FIG. 11(a)). The direction of movement at that time is the direction of arrow D1, and at this point, the tip portion 903a of the protruding portion 903 provided on the tip member 404 is above the hole 502. Next, the operator holds the holding member 403 from that state and moves the tip member 404 in the direction of arrow D2 shown in FIG. 11(b). Then, the left end of the hole 502 comes into contact with the inclined surface 907 provided on the protruding portion 903 of the tip member 404. When this state is reached, the worker moves the tip member 404 in the direction of the arrow D3 along the inclined surface as shown in (c) of Fig. 11. Thereafter, the worker can remove the tip member 404 from the hole 502 by moving the tip member 404 in the direction of the arrow D4, which is the Z direction, as shown in (d) of Fig. 11.

[0049] As described above, in the second embodiment, the tip member 404 provided on the holding member 403 is formed with the protrusions 903 and 905. The protrusions 903 and 905 come into contact with the lower surface of the top surface 501, respectively, thereby making it possible to prevent the tip member 404 from coming out of the hole 502.

[0050] [Third embodiment] Next, a third embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. 12 and FIG. 13. The third embodiment is also merely an example of the present invention, and does not limit the technical scope of the present invention. In the first and second embodiments, a configuration in which one end of the holding member 403 is rotatably provided on the image reading device 103, and a tip member 404 provided on the other end of the holding member 403 is inserted into a hole 502 formed on a top surface 501 of the image forming device main body 101A is exemplified. On the other hand, in the third embodiment, a configuration in which one end of the holding member 403 is rotatably provided on the image forming device main body 101A, and a tip member 404 provided on the other end of the holding member 403 is inserted into a hole 32 formed on a lower part of the image reading device 103 is described. However, in the third embodiment, the configuration other than the holding member 403 and the hole 32 in the image forming device 101 is the same as in the first embodiment, so that the description will be omitted.

[0051] <Configuration of holding member 403> 12 is a diagram showing a direction (arrow 705) in which the holding member 403 rotates when the image reading device 103 is open relative to the image forming device body 101A. In the third embodiment, as shown in FIG. 12, one end of the holding member 403 is rotatably provided on the top surface 501 of the image forming device body 101A, and the other end is provided with the tip member 404 described in the first embodiment. With the image reading device 103 open relative to the image forming device body 101A, an operator such as a serviceman moves the holding member 403 in the direction of the arrow 705 and inserts it into the hole 32 provided in the bottom surface 31 (wall in this embodiment) of the image reading device 103. This keeps the image reading device 103 open relative to the image forming device body 101A.

[0052] FIG. 13 is a front view showing a state in which the tip member 404 provided on the holding member 403 is inserted into the hole 32 provided on the bottom surface 31 of the image reading device 103. The tip member 404 is formed with a support portion 902 having a support surface 901 for holding the rotational posture of the image reading device 103 by contacting the lower surface 31a of the bottom surface 31. Furthermore, the tip member 404 is provided with a protruding portion 903 on the upper side in the Z direction of the support portion 902. The protruding portion 903 in this embodiment is formed so as to protrude from the tip member 404 on the rotation shaft 401 side (right side in the X direction) in the X direction. When the image reading device 103 is lifted up, the protruding portion 903 abuts against the upper surface 31b of the bottom surface 31, thereby restricting the tip member 404 from coming out of the hole 32. The tip member 404 is in a hook shape having a recess 904 between the protruding portion 903 and the support surface 901. When tip member 404 of holding member 403 is inserted into hole 32 , protrusion 903 is positioned to sandwich bottom surface 31 together with support surface 901 , and recess 904 is in contact with bottom surface 31 .

[0053] With the above-described configuration, even in the third embodiment, even if the worker's body accidentally hits the image reading device 103 and an instantaneous force F1 is applied in the Z direction, the protrusion 903 abuts against the upper surface 31b of the bottom surface 31, preventing the tip member 404 from falling out of the hole portion 32. [Explanation of symbols]

[0054] 1 ADF 30 Leader 101 Image forming device 101A Image forming apparatus body 403 Retaining member 404 Tip Parts 406 Wire 903, 905 Protrusion

Claims

1. an image forming section having an image forming means for forming an image on a sheet; an image reading unit that is provided above the image forming unit and can be opened and closed relative to the image forming unit by rotating about a rotation axis, and that reads an image of a document; a holding member which is a rod-shaped member, one end of which is provided in the image reading unit and the other end of which is inserted into a hole provided in an upper portion of the image forming unit, and which holds the image reading unit in an open state relative to the image forming unit; Equipped with The holding member is a support portion that supports the image reading portion by contacting an upper surface of a wall portion that forms the hole of the image forming portion; a first restricting portion that abuts against a lower surface of a wall portion that forms the hole of the image forming unit to restrict the other end of the holding member from coming out of the hole; a recess provided between the support portion and the first restriction portion; having an image forming apparatus characterized in that, when the holding member holds the image reading unit in an open state relative to the image forming unit, the recess is pressed against the end of the hole portion by the weight of the image reading unit.

2. 2 . The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the first restricting portion is formed so as to protrude from the other end of the holding member in a direction perpendicular to a direction in which the holding member extends.

3. the holding member has a second restricting portion that abuts against a lower surface of a wall portion that forms the hole of the image forming unit and restricts the other end of the holding member from coming out of the hole, 3. The image forming apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the second restricting portion is formed so as to protrude from the other end of the holding member in a direction opposite to a direction in which the first restricting portion protrudes.

4. 4. The image forming apparatus according to claim 3, wherein a gap between the second restricting portion and the support portion is larger than a gap between the first restricting portion and the support portion.

5. 5. An image forming apparatus according to claim 3, wherein a width from a tip of the first regulating portion to a tip of the second regulating portion in a direction horizontal and perpendicular to a rotation axis of the image reading portion is greater than a width of the hole portion.

6. An image forming apparatus as described in any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that when the holding member is holding the image reading unit in an open state relative to the image forming unit, and when the holding member is viewed from a direction parallel to the rotation axis of the image reading unit, the angle between the holding member and the upper surface of the wall portion on the rotation axis side is an acute angle.

7. The image reading unit includes: A reader that reads an image of a document; a document transport section that is rotatably provided on an upper portion of the reader, has a document stacking section on which documents are stacked, and transports the documents stacked on the document stacking section to the reader; 7. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

8. the holding member holds the image reading unit in a state in which the image reading unit is rotated at a first angle with respect to the image forming unit, 8. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a rotation restricting member that restricts the image reading unit from rotating with respect to the image forming apparatus to a second angle or more that is larger than the first angle.

9. 9. The image forming apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the rotation restricting member is a wire having one end fixed to the image reading unit and the other end fixed to the image forming unit, the wire being longer than the holding member.

10. 10. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a fixing member that fixes the image reading unit so as not to rotate with respect to the image forming unit when the image reading unit is closed relative to the image forming unit.

11. an image forming section having an image forming means for forming an image on a sheet; an image reading unit that is provided above the image forming unit and can be opened and closed relative to the image forming unit by rotating about a rotation axis, and that reads an image of a document; a holding member which is a rod-shaped member, one end of which is provided to the image forming unit and the other end of which is inserted into a hole provided in a lower portion of the image reading unit, and which holds the image reading unit in an open state relative to the image forming unit; Equipped with an image forming apparatus, characterized in that the holding member has a regulating portion that abuts against an upper surface of a wall portion that forms the hole portion of the image reading unit and prevents the other end of the holding member from coming out of the hole portion;

Images