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US-12625457-B2 - Medium transport apparatus

US12625457B2US 12625457 B2US12625457 B2US 12625457B2US-12625457-B2

Abstract

A medium transport apparatus includes an apparatus body provided with a medium transport path, first and second components disposed in the apparatus body, a first cover covering a first area in which the first component is housed, a second cover covering a second area in which the second component is housed, a first coupling portion coupling both covers, and a second coupling portion coupling the apparatus body and the second cover. The second cover has a wall portion located between the first and second areas in a state where the first cover opened and the second cover are closed. In a state where the first cover is opened, the first component is attachable and detachable while the wall portion restricts access to the second area. In a state where the second cover is opened, the first component and the second component are attachable and detachable.

Inventors

  • Naruhiko HORIKAWA

Assignees

  • OKI ELECTRIC INDUSTRY CO., LTD.

Dates

Publication Date
20260512
Application Date
20241112

Claims (13)

  1. 1 . A medium transport apparatus, comprising: an apparatus body in which a medium transport path is provided; a first component and a second component that are disposed in the apparatus body; a first cover covering a first area in which the first component is housed; a second cover covering a second area in which the second component is housed; a first coupling part coupling the first cover and the second cover and supporting the first cover so that the first cover is openable and closable with respect to the first area; and a second coupling part coupling the apparatus body and the second cover and supporting the second cover so that the second cover is openable and closable with respect to the second area, wherein the second cover has a wall portion located between the first area and the second area in a state where the first cover is opened and the second cover is closed, wherein when the first cover is opened, the first component in the first area is attachable and detachable while access to the second area is restricted by the wall portion, and wherein when the second cover is opened, the first component in the first area and the second component in the second area are attachable and detachable.
  2. 2 . The medium transport apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the first cover is rotatable about a first rotation axis, wherein the second cover is rotatable about a second rotation axis parallel to the first rotation axis, and wherein an arrangement direction of the first cover and the second cover is perpendicular to the first rotation axis and the second rotation axis.
  3. 3 . The medium transport apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the second component is disposed adjacent to the medium transport path, and wherein the medium transport path is made accessible by opening the second cover and detaching the second component.
  4. 4 . The medium transport apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the first area is located on one side with respect to the medium transport path, and wherein the second area is located on a same side as the first area with respect to the medium transport path and adjacent to the first area.
  5. 5 . The medium transport apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising: a lock part that locks the second cover in a state where the second cover is closed; and a lock-release part that releases the lock of the second cover by the lock part, wherein the lock-release part is made operable by opening the first cover.
  6. 6 . The medium transport apparatus according to claim 5 , wherein the lock part comprises: a locking portion provided in the second cover, and a lock lever provided in the apparatus body, the lock lever engaging with the locking portion in a state where the second cover is closed, and wherein when the lock-release part is operated, the lock-release part moves the lock lever to release engagement between the lock lever and the locking portion.
  7. 7 . The medium transport apparatus according to claim 6 , wherein the medium transport apparatus is an image forming apparatus, wherein the apparatus body is provided with an image forming unit that forms an image on a medium and a fixing unit that fixes the image on the medium, wherein a developer container is mounted on the image forming unit, wherein the second cover supports an exposure section that faces the image forming unit in a state where the second cover is closed, wherein the lock lever is disposed between the fixing unit and the exposure section in a state where the second cover is closed, and wherein the lock-release part is operable from the developer container side to release lock of the second cover by the lock lever.
  8. 8 . The medium transport apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the first coupling part protrudes from surfaces of the first cover and the second cover, and wherein the apparatus body has a display section that is adjacent to the first coupling part in a width direction of a medium and protrudes from a surface of the apparatus body toward a same side as the first coupling part.
  9. 9 . The medium transport apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the apparatus body has an ejection section through which a medium having passed through the medium transport path is ejected, wherein the first cover has a first stacker portion where the medium ejected from the ejection section is placed, wherein the second cover has a second stacker portion where the medium ejected from the ejection section is placed, wherein the first stacker portion is disposed downstream of the second stacker portion in an ejection direction of the medium ejected from the ejection section, and wherein when the first cover is opened, the first cover overlaps the second cover so that the first stacker portion and the second stacker portion face each other.
  10. 10 . The medium transport apparatus according to claim 9 , wherein the first coupling part is disposed on an outer side of the first stacker portion and the second stacker portion in a width direction of the medium.
  11. 11 . The medium transport apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising: a holder rotatably mounted to the second cover; an exposure section held by the holder; and a link mechanism that moves the holder and the exposure section to approach the wall portion when the second cover is closed, the link mechanism moving the holder and the exposure section away from the wall portion to approach the second coupling part when the second cover is opened.
  12. 12 . The medium transport apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the medium transport apparatus is an image forming apparatus, wherein the first component is a developer container, wherein the second component includes an image bearing body, wherein the second cover supports an exposure section that faces the image bearing body of the second component in a state where the second cover is closed, and wherein the first cover is located on a side opposite to the exposure section in the second cover in a state where the second cover is opened.
  13. 13 . The medium transport apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein an opening/closing angle of the second cover is less than 90 degrees, and wherein when the first cover side is defined as a forward side and the second cover side is defined as a rearward side, the first cover and the second cover do not protrude rearward beyond the apparatus body or do not protrude rearward beyond a specified space set behind the apparatus body, in a state where the second cover is opened.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present disclosure relates to a medium transport apparatus that has the function of transporting media. 2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, there is an apparatus in which a top cover is openable and closable with respect to an apparatus body (main body) in order to replace components or perform maintenance of the apparatus. See Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2007-65125 (see Abstract). However, when there is not enough space above the apparatus, the top cover cannot be fully opened. For this reason, it is necessary to pull the apparatus out of the narrow space before opening the top cover. Thus, the operational burden on users is large. The present disclosure is made to solve the above-described problem, and an object of the present disclosure is to enable the replacement of components or maintenance within a narrow space to thereby reduce the operational burden on users. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION A medium transport apparatus of the present disclosure includes an apparatus body in which a medium transport path is provided, a first component and a second component that are disposed in the apparatus body, a first cover covering a first area in which the first component is housed, a second cover covering a second area in which the second component is housed, a first coupling part coupling the first cover and the second cover and supporting the first cover so that the first cover is openable and closable with respect to the first area, and a second coupling part coupling the apparatus body and the second cover and supporting the second cover so that the second cover is openable and closable with respect to the second area. The second cover has a wall portion located between the first area and the second area in a state where the first cover is opened and the second cover is closed. When the first cover is opened, the first component in the first area is attachable and detachable while access to the second area is restricted by the wall portion. Furthermore, when the second cover is opened, the first component in the first area and the second component in the second area are attachable and detachable. According to the present disclosure, even when the medium transport apparatus is disposed in a narrow space, the first component becomes attachable and detachable by opening the first cover. Further, by opening the second cover, both the first component and the second component become attachable and detachable. Thus, the operational burden on users can be reduced. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating an internal configuration of an image forming apparatus as a medium transport apparatus of an embodiment. FIG. 2 is a perspective view illustrating an outer appearance of the image forming apparatus of the embodiment. FIGS. 3(A) and 3(B) are top perspective views illustrating a first cover of the embodiment, and FIGS. 3(C) and 3(D) are top perspective views illustrating a second cover of the embodiment. FIGS. 4(A) and 4(B) are bottom perspective views illustrating the second cover of the embodiment, and FIGS. 4(C) and 4(D) are top perspective views illustrating a housing of the embodiment. FIG. 5(A) is a perspective view illustrating a state in which the first cover and the second cover of the image forming apparatus of the embodiment are closed, FIG. 5(B) is a perspective view illustrating a state in which only the first cover is opened, and FIG. 5(C) is a perspective view illustrating a state in which the first cover and the second cover are opened. FIG. 6 is a bottom view illustrating the first cover of the embodiment. FIG. 7(A) is a perspective view illustrating a state in which the first cover of the image forming apparatus of the embodiment is opened, and FIG. 7(B) is a perspective view illustrating a first lock lever and its surroundings of the embodiment. FIG. 8(A) is a perspective view illustrating an engagement state between a locking claw of the first cover and the first lock lever in the embodiment, and FIG. 8(B) is an enlarged view illustrating a portion where the locking claw and the first lock lever engage with each other. FIG. 9 is a bottom perspective view illustrating the second cover of the embodiment. FIG. 10(A) is a perspective view illustrating an engagement state between a locking portion of the second cover and a second lock lever of the embodiment, and FIGS. 10(B) and 10(C) are enlarged perspective views illustrating a portion where the locking portion and the second lock lever engage with each other. FIG. 11(A) is a perspective view illustrating a state in which the first cover and the second cover of the image forming apparatus of the embodiment are opened, and FIG. 11(B) is an enlarged perspective view illustrating a portion of the image forming apparatus. FIG. 12(A) is a perspective view illustrating the portion shown in FIG. 11(B) with a lever holder being removed, and FIG. 12(B