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:
Oct. 22, 2013
Filed:
Jan. 12, 2012
Toshikane Nishii, Osaka, JP;
Kazuhiro Wakamatsu, Ibaraki, JP;
Yasuhide Ohkubo, Osaka, JP;
Ippei Kimura, Osaka, JP;
Mizuna Tanaka, Osaka, JP;
Haruyuki Honda, Ibaraki, JP;
Masafumi Takahira, Ibaraki, JP;
Hiroshi Fujiwara, Osaka, JP;
Toshikane Nishii, Osaka, JP;
Kazuhiro Wakamatsu, Ibaraki, JP;
Yasuhide Ohkubo, Osaka, JP;
Ippei Kimura, Osaka, JP;
Mizuna Tanaka, Osaka, JP;
Haruyuki Honda, Ibaraki, JP;
Masafumi Takahira, Ibaraki, JP;
Hiroshi Fujiwara, Osaka, JP;
Ricoh Company, Ltd., Tokyo, JP;
Abstract
An open/close mechanism can be used for paper trays of an image forming apparatus. The open/close mechanism includes a plate member provided on a side of a housing of the image forming apparatus and configured to pivot upon an axis between an open position and a close position, and a box member that is arranged in the housing beneath the plate member and that can be drawn out of the housing from the side. The open/close mechanism includes also includes a restricting unit that is coupled to the plate member and that abuts against the box member when the box member is set in the housing and when the plate member is in the open position thereby restricting detachment of the box member from the housing.