The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Dec. 08, 1998
Filed:
Mar. 11, 1997
Yoshihiro Ueda, Osaka, JP;
Kunio Nakai, Osaka, JP;
Mita Industrial Co., Ltd., Osaka-fu, JP;
Abstract
An electrophotographic type image forming apparatus is provided with a base frame for supporting an image forming unit and an optical unit frame located above the base frame for supporting an optical unit, the optical unit frame having an extension portion positioned above the discharge tray. The apparatus is further provided with a reinforcing member attached to the optical unit frame. The reinforcing member has an attachment portion extending in a horizontal direction for reinforcing the extension portion of the optical unit frame, and a restricting portion extending in a vertical direction and having a lower end operable to come into contact with a specified portion of the base frame when the optical unit frame is subjected to an excessive load. The optical unit frame is prevented from deformation because the lower end of the restricting portion comes into contact with the base frame when an excessive load is applied to the optical unit frame, which assures high quality image formation.