US-12619189-B2 - Image forming apparatus with a casing including particularly arranged frames and covers

US12619189B2US 12619189 B2US12619189 B2US 12619189B2US-12619189-B2

Abstract

An image forming apparatus includes an image forming unit including an image bearing member, and a casing on which a discharge port is formed, the casing including a first frame, a second frame disposed below the first frame in a vertical direction, a side cover, and a top cover, the first frame including a side plate that supports an end, in a longitudinal direction, of the image bearing member. At least one of the top cover and the first frame includes a first pillar portion. The second frame includes a second pillar portion. The side cover includes a third pillar portion disposed between the first pillar portion and the second pillar portion in the vertical direction, the third pillar portion being provided at a position at least partially overlapping with the first pillar portion and the second pillar portion when viewed in the vertical direction.

Inventors

Atsuyuki Yuzawa

Assignees

CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA

Dates

Publication Date: 20260505
Application Date: 20240708
Priority Date: 20211209

Claims (20)

1 . An image forming apparatus comprising: an image forming unit including an image bearing member which bears an image, the image forming unit being configured to form the image on a sheet; and a casing in which the image forming unit is accommodated and on which a discharge port is formed, the discharge port being configured to discharge the sheet on which the image is formed by the image forming unit, the casing including a first frame, a second frame, a side cover forming one side surface of the casing, and a top cover forming a top surface of the casing, wherein at least one of the top cover or the first frame includes a supported portion, wherein the second frame includes a first support portion disposed below the supported portion, and wherein the side cover includes a second support portion disposed between the supported portion and the first support portion in a vertical direction, the second support portion being configured to support the supported portion, wherein the first support portion supports the second support portion in the vertical direction, wherein the second support portion is provided at a position at least partially overlapping with the supported portion and the first support portion as viewed in the vertical direction, and wherein the first frame includes: a side plate that supports an end, in a longitudinal direction, of the image bearing member; and an extension member fixed to the side plate, the extension member extending more downstream than the side plate in a direction that intersects with the vertical direction, wherein the extension member forms at least a part of the supported portion and is configured to be supported by the second support portion.
2 . The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the first support portion is configured to receive a load acting on the supported portion from above via the second support portion.
3 . The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein a length of the second frame in the vertical direction is shorter than a length of the first frame in the vertical direction.
4 . The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein: the side plate is made of a metal material, and the side cover is made of a resin material.
5 . The image forming apparatus according to claim 4 , wherein the supported portion and the second frame are made of a resin material.
6 . The image forming apparatus according to claim 4 , wherein: the supported portion is made of a resin material, and the second frame is made of a metal material.
7 . The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the first support portion is disposed at a position at least partially overlapping with the supported portion as viewed in the vertical direction.
8 . The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the first support portion is disposed at a position not overlapping with the supported portion as viewed in the vertical direction.
9 . The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein: the second frame extends more downstream than the side plate in the discharge direction, and the first support portion is disposed right below the extension member.
10 . The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the supported portion, the first support portion, and the second support portion are disposed so as to overlap with the side plate in the longitudinal direction of the image bearing member.
11 . The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the supported portion, the first support portion, and the second support portion are disposed on a side opposite to the image bearing member with respect to the side plate in the longitudinal direction of the image bearing member.
12 . The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the supported portion, the first support portion, and the second support portion are disposed on a side opposite to the image bearing member with respect to the side plate in the longitudinal direction of the image bearing member, and disposed downstream of the side plate in a discharge direction in which the sheet is discharged from the discharge port.
13 . The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the top cover forms the supported portion and is configured to come into contact with the second support portion.
14 . The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the side cover is a cover that extends along a discharge direction in which the sheet is discharged from the discharge port and the vertical direction, and covers the side plate.
15 . The image forming apparatus according to claim 14 , wherein the second support portion engages with the side plate or the second frame in the longitudinal direction of the image bearing member.
16 . The image forming apparatus according to claim 14 , wherein: the side cover is a first side cover, the supported portion is a first supported portion, the casing includes a second side cover that extends along the discharge direction and the vertical direction and forms a side surface opposite to the one side surface of the casing in the longitudinal direction of the image bearing member, at least one of the top cover or the first frame includes a second supported portion, the second frame includes a third support portion disposed below the second supported portion, the second side cover includes a fourth support portion disposed between the second supported portion and the third support portion in the vertical direction, the fourth support portion being configured to support the second supported portion, the third support portion supports the fourth support portion in the vertical direction, and the fourth support portion is provided at a position at least partially overlapping with the second supported portion and the third support portion when viewed in the vertical direction.
17 . The image forming apparatus according to claim 16 , wherein: the first supported portion, the first support portion, and the second support portion are disposed on a first end side in the longitudinal direction of the casing, and the second supported portion, the third support portion, and the fourth support portion are disposed on a second side in the longitudinal direction of the casing.
18 . The image forming apparatus according to claim 17 , wherein the second support portion and the fourth support portion are engaged with the side plate or the second frame in the longitudinal direction of the image bearing member.
19 . The image forming apparatus according to claim 17 , wherein: the casing includes a third side cover extending along the longitudinal direction and the vertical direction, and the third side cover includes a first engagement portion and a second engagement portion, and connects the first side cover and the second side cover, the first engagement portion being engaged with the second support portion, the second engagement portion being engaged with the fourth support portion.
20 . The image forming apparatus according to claim 19 , wherein the first engagement portion and the second engagement portion are disposed at substantially the same height in the vertical direction.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus that forms an image on a sheet. Description of the Related Art Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2003-84517 proposes an image forming apparatus in which a structure of an image forming unit is formed by a mold frame, and the mold frame is supported by a metal bottom plate forming a bottom surface of an image forming apparatus body excluding a sheet feeding cassette portion. The image forming apparatus includes three pillars made of sheet metal erected at three corners of the bottom plate, a box-shaped side plate provided at the remaining one corner, and a document reading unit supported by the three pillars and the side plate. However, in the image forming apparatus described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2003-84517, the weights of the three pillars and the side plate forming the frame of the image forming apparatus are heavy, and the image forming apparatus is heavy. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION According to one aspect of the present invention, an image forming apparatus includes an image forming unit including an image bearing member which bears an image, the image forming unit being configured to form the image on a sheet, and a casing in which the image forming unit is accommodated and on which a discharge port is formed, the discharge port being configured to discharge the sheet on which the image is formed by the image forming unit, the casing including a first frame, a second frame disposed below the first frame in a vertical direction, a side cover forming one side surface of the casing, and a top cover forming a top surface of the casing, the first frame including a side plate that supports an end, in a longitudinal direction, of the image bearing member. At least one of the top cover and the first frame includes a first pillar portion. The second frame includes a second pillar portion disposed below the first pillar portion. The side cover includes a third pillar portion disposed between the first pillar portion and the second pillar portion in the vertical direction, the third pillar portion being configured to come into contact with the first pillar portion and the second pillar portion in the vertical direction, the third pillar portion being provided at a position at least partially overlapping with the first pillar portion and the second pillar portion when viewed in the vertical direction. Further features of the present invention will become apparent from the following description of exemplary embodiments with reference to the attached drawings. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1A is an overall schematic view illustrating a printer according to a first exemplary embodiment. FIG. 1B is a perspective view illustrating a casing. FIG. 2A is a perspective view illustrating a state in which a pillar and a bottom frame are attached to a frame body. FIG. 2B is a perspective view illustrating a state in which a top cover is attached to the frame body. FIG. 2C is a perspective view illustrating a state in which a left cover and a right cover are attached to the frame body. FIG. 3A is a perspective view illustrating a state in which a front cover is attached to a frame body. FIG. 3B is a perspective view illustrating a state in which an inner rear cover is attached to the frame body. FIG. 3C is a perspective view illustrating a state in which the inner rear cover and an inner cover are attached to the frame body. FIG. 3D is a perspective view illustrating a state in which a sheet discharge tray is attached to the inner cover. FIG. 3E is a perspective view illustrating a state in which an image reading apparatus is attached to a printer body. FIG. 4A is a perspective view illustrating the printer body immediately before attaching the inner cover. FIG. 4B is a cross-sectional view along line 4B-4B of FIG. 4A and a partially enlarged view thereof. FIG. 4C is a perspective view illustrating the printer body when the inner cover starts to be attached. FIG. 4D is a cross-sectional view along line 4D-4D of FIG. 4C and a partially enlarged view thereof, illustrating the printer body when the inner cover starts to be attached. FIG. 5A is a perspective view illustrating the printer body in a state where the inner cover is positioned. FIG. 5B is a cross-sectional view along line 5B-5B of FIG. 5A and a partially enlarged view thereof, illustrating the printer body in a state where the inner cover is positioned. FIG. 5C is an enlarged view of the printer body and a part thereof in a state where the inner cover is fixed with a screw. FIG. 6A is a perspective view illustrating a printer body in a state in which each frame and an exterior are assembled. FIG. 6B is a cross-sectional view illustrating a cross-sectional view along line 6B-6B of FIG. 6A and a partially enlarged view thereof. FIG. 7A is a perspective view illustrating a printer body immediately before attaching a left cov