IMAGE FORMING DEVICE

Abstract

An image forming device includes: a housing; and a sheet feeding cassette that stores a stack of sheets. The housing includes: a cassette accommodation portion that is provided at a lower part of the housing; an insertion slot from which the sheet feeding cassette is detachably inserted in the cassette accommodation portion in an insertion direction; a first support portion that is formed on a bottom part of the housing on a side near to the insertion slot; a second support portion that is formed on the bottom part of the housing on a side remote from the insertion slot; and an opening that is formed between the first support portion and the second support potion to expose the bottom face. The sheet feeding cassette includes a roller that is disposed at the bottom face of the sheet feeding cassette at a downstream side end in the insertion direction.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

In the accompanying drawings:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an appearance of an image forming device according to an example of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a top plan view of an image forming unit of the image forming device in a state where an image scanning unit is removed;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged sectional view taken along line III-III shown in FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a housing of the image forming device;

FIG. 5 is a top plan view of the housing;

FIG. 6A is a side view as viewed from line VIa-VIa shown in FIG. 4;

FIG. 6B is a sectional view taken along line VIb-VIb shown in FIG. 7;

FIG. 7 is a sectional view taken along VII-VII shown in FIG. 6A;

FIG. 8 is a perspective top plan view of a sheet feeding cassette of the image forming device;

FIG. 9 is a perspective view taken from the back of the sheet feeding cassette;

FIG. 10 is a sectional side view of the sheet feeding cassette and the housing in a state where the sheet feeding cassette is housed in the housing;

FIG. 11 is a sectional side view, being partially cut-away and enlarged, of a positioning portion;

FIG. 12 is a sectional side view, being partially cut-away and enlarged, of the positioning portion in a state where rollers are fitted in releasing grooves;

FIG. 13 is an enlarged top plan view of a clicking mechanism; and

FIG. 14 is an enlarged top plan view of the clicking mechanism in a state where engaging pawls are fitted in the clicking mechanism.

Claims

1. An image forming device comprising: a housing; anda sheet feeding cassette that stores a stack of sheets,wherein the housing includes: a cassette accommodation portion that is provided at a lower part of the housing to accommodate the sheet feeding cassette;an insertion slot from which the sheet feeding cassette is detachably inserted into the cassette accommodation portion in an insertion direction that is substantially horizontal;a first support portion that is formed on a bottom part of the housing on a side near to the insertion slot to support a bottom face of the sheet feeding cassette;a second support portion that is formed on the bottom part of the housing on a side remote from the insertion slot to support the bottom face of the sheet feeding cassette; andan opening that is formed between the first support portion and the second support portion to expose the bottom face of the sheet feeding cassette, andwherein the sheet feeding cassette includes a roller that is disposed at the bottom face of the sheet feeding cassette, at a downstream side end in the insertion direction of the sheet feeding cassette.

2. The image forming device according to claim 1, wherein the housing includes side guide portions that are formed on the bottom part of the housing at both side edges of the cassette accommodation position, the side guide portions being configured to guide side edges that are formed at both side edges, in a direction perpendicular to the insertion direction, of the bottom face of the sheet feeding cassette, wherein the side guide portions are formed to be connected to the second support portion at positions outside the opening and to be extended in a direction toward the first support portion.

3. The image forming device according to claim 1, wherein in a state where the sheet feeding cassette is accommodated in the cassette accommodation portion, the bottom face of the sheet feeding cassette is supported by the first support portion and the second support portion to have a vertical clearance between the bottom face and an installation surface on which the housing is disposed.

4. The image forming device according to claim 1, further comprising a position retaining mechanism that retains the sheet feeding cassette in the cassette accommodation portion.

5. The image forming device according to claim 4, wherein the position retaining mechanism is provided on the bottom part of the housing on the side remote from the insertion slot.

6. The image forming device according to claim 5, wherein the position retaining mechanism is provided on at least one of the second support portion and a vertical member that is adjacent to the second support portion.

7. The image forming device according to claim 4, wherein the position retaining mechanism includes a clicking mechanism that creates a clicking sense upon completion of insertion of the sheet feeding cassette when the sheet feeding cassette is accommodated in the cassette accommodation portion.

8. The image forming device according to claim 7, wherein the clicking mechanism includes: a first engagement member that is provided at the downstream side end of the sheet feeding cassette; anda second engagement member that is provided at an end of the bottom part of the housing on the side remote from the insertion slots the second engagement member being configured to engage with the first engagement member when the sheet feeding cassette is accommodated in the cassette accommodation portion.

9. The image forming device according to claim 4, wherein the position retaining mechanism includes a positioning member that positions the sheet feeding cassette in the cassette accommodation portion.

10. The image forming device according to claim 9, wherein the positioning member includes: a first positioning member that is provided at the downstream side end of the sheet feeding cassette; anda second positioning member that is provided at an end of the bottom part of the housing on the side remote from the insertion slot, the second positioning member being configured to fit with the second engagement member when the sheet feeding cassette is accommodated in the cassette accommodation portion.

11. The image forming device according to claim 9, wherein the positioning member positions the sheet feeding cassette such that the roller floats above the second support portion and a part of the bottom face of the sheet feeding cassette is supported by the bottom part of the housing.

12. The image forming device according to claim 1, wherein the second support portion has an edge bordering the opening, the edge being slanted with respect to the insertion direction of the sheet feeding cassette.