Brother Kogyo Kabushiki-Kaisha

Yusuke Murodate

Yasuhiro Maruyama

Naoyuki Iwata

Yuji Nishigaki

Tomoaki Hazeyama

Akihiro Kobayashi

Takashi Ohama

Junki Ueyama

Kyoko Sugiyama

An image reading apparatus includes a reading unit, a cover, and a hinge mechanism connecting the cover to the reading unit pivotably about a pivot axis which extends in a first direction. A center of gravity of the cover is closer to a first end of the cover in a first direction than to a second end of the cover. A first hinge is spaced from the center of gravity toward the second end of the cover in the first direction. A second hinge is disposed closer to the center of gravity in the first direction than the first hinge. The first hinge includes a base member disposed movably in the reading unit, a pivot member coupled to the cover, and an urging member exerting an urging force between the base member and the pivot member so as to maintain the cover at a pivoted position.

Image reading apparatus

A sheet conveyance apparatus includes: a supply-sheet supporter having a supply support surface that supports a sheet; a conveyor configured to convey the sheet from the supply-sheet supporter along a conveyance path; and a discharged-sheet supporter disposed above the supply-sheet supporter and configured to support the sheet conveyed by the conveyor. The discharged-sheet supporter includes: a particular end portion located farthest from the conveyor in the discharged-sheet supporter and opposed to the supply support surface from above; and a movable member including the particular end portion at one of opposite end portions of the movable member, which one is farther from the conveyor than another of the opposite end portions. The movable member is pivotable in a direction in which a distance between the particular end portion and the supply support surface is increased.

Sheet conveyance apparatus

A sheet conveying device includes a conveyor, a first cover, a second cover movable in conjunction with the first cover, and a restricting portion movable between a restricting position at which the second cover is restricted from being moved from a first position toward a second position and an allowable position at which the second cover is allowed to be moved from the first position toward the second position. The restricting portion is located at the restricting position when the first cover is located at the closed position, and the restricting portion is moved from the restricting position to the allowable position in conjunction with the first cover when the first cover is moved from the closed position toward the opened position.

Sheet conveying device and image reading apparatus

A sheet conveying device includes a conveyor, a first cover and a second cover movable in conjunction with the first cover. The second cover includes a restricted portion configured to be moved together with the second cover. The first cover includes a restricting portion configured to contact the restricted portion to prevent the second cover from being moved from a first position toward a second position when the first cover is located at a closed position. The restricting portion and the restricted portion are contacted to each other at a contact position at which a force, which is applied from the restricted portion toward the restricting portion when the second cover receives an external force, does not include a component force acting in a direction of moving the first cover from the closed position toward an opened position.

A fixing device configured to thermally fix a developing agent image to a recording sheet includes a fixing belt having a tubular shape defining an inner space, a heat generating member and a nip plate which are disposed in the inner space, and a rotating member disposed outside the inner space. The nip plate includes a plate-shaped portion holding the fixing belt against the rotating member, and a bent portion located downstream of the plate-shaped portion in a conveying direction of the recording sheet and bent to define a recess facing away from the rotating member. The bent portion protrudes farther away from the heat generating member than the plate-shaped portion. A temperature sensor for sensing a temperature of the nip plate is fitted in the recess of the bent portion so as not to be displaced in the conveying direction.

Fixing device with temperature sensor fitted in a recess of a nip plate

An image forming apparatus includes an image forming portion configured to form an image on a recording sheet, a main body including a pair of frames and a bridging member connecting the pair of frames, a feed roller, a sheet receiving plate, and a lifting member. The sheet receiving plate is configured to receive the recording sheet, and pivot between a nearby position where the sheet receiving plate is disposed near the feed roller and a remote position where the sheet receiving plate is disposed remote from the feed roller. The lifting member is disposed opposite to the feed roller relative to the sheet receiving plate and configured to lift the sheet receiving plate such that the sheet receiving plate is disposed in the nearby position. The lifting member includes a pivot shaft rotatably supported by the bridging member and a lift portion configured to contact the sheet receiving plate.

Image forming apparatus

The present invention provides a fixing device that may include a nip member, a rotating body and an endless belt. The endless belt may be in sliding contact with the nip member. The rotating body may constitute a nip region. The nip region may define a first, second and third imaginary planes. The first imaginary plane may be perpendicular to the sliding direction. The second imaginary plane may be perpendicular to the axial direction of the rotating body and may contain a first end portion of the nip region. The third imaginary plane may contain a second end portion of the nip region. The first surface may be a convex shape in a first cross-section along the first imaginary plane, and may be concave shape concaved in a direction opposite to the rotating body in second and third cross-sections along the second and third imaginary planes.

Fixing device provided with rotating member having concave shape

Some fixing devices include a nip member, an endless belt, a rotating member and a stay. The stay, in some arrangements, has a first supporting face. Additionally, the first supporting face includes a first downstream edge. The first downstream edge includes a first portion, a third portion, and a second portion. According to various aspects, the second portion is positioned between the first portion and the third portion. The second supporting face includes a second downstream edge. The second downstream edge has a fourth portion, a sixth portion, and a fifth portion. According to further aspects, the second portion and the fifth portion define a first distance while the first portion and the fourth portion define a second distance, and the third portion and the sixth portion define a third distance. The second distance and the third distance is longer than the first distance in some examples.

Fixing device fixing transferred developing agent image to sheet

A fixing device may include a nip member, an endless belt, a rotating body, and a stay. The endless belt may be in sliding contact with the nip member. The rotating body may nip the endless belt to constitute a nip region. The stay may be disposed opposite to the nip region, and may receive a pressure from the nip member. A pressure direction may be defined as a first direction. The rotating body may define an axial direction as a second direction. The stay may have a first wall. The first wall may include a center portion, a first end portion, a second end portion and a supporting portion. The first end portion may include a first low rigidity portion. The second end portion may include a second low rigidity portion. The supporting portion may provide a convex shape protruding toward the nip member upon receiving the pressure.

Fixing device provided with stay having rigidity distribution

A fixing device includes a metal plate, an endless belt, a rotating body, and a stay. The metal plate has a main part comprising a first end portion, a second end portion, and a center portion positioned therebetween and having rigidity higher than that of the first end portion and the second end portion. The endless belt has an inner peripheral surface configured to be in sliding contact with the metal plate. The main part is aligned with the rotating body in a direction from the metal plate to the rotating body. The stay is disposed opposite to the nip region with respect to the metal plate. The stay and the main part of the metal plate are deformable upon application of the load to the stay such that the main part provides a convex shape protruding toward the rotating body.

Fixing device provided with reinforced nip member

An optical scanning device including: a light source part that is provided in a resin-molded casing and emits a laser beam; a deflector that is arranged in the casing and deflects and scans the laser beam, the deflector including, a rotary polygon mirror that reflects the laser beam, a driving source that rotates the rotary polygon mirror, and a substrate member; and the casing including, a fixed wall that extends in a direction perpendicular to a mirror surface of the rotary polygon mirror, a first fixing part that is provided to the fixed wall and fixes the light source part, a second fixing part that is provided to the fixed wall and fixes the substrate member, and a reinforcing part that is provided to the fixed wall and extends toward the emission direction so as to continuously connect the first fixing part and the second fixing part.

Growing community of inventors

Nagoya, Japan

Yusuke Murodate