An image forming apparatus includes an apparatus body and a moveable unit. The apparatus body includes an image forming device and a restriction portion. The moveable unit includes an image reading device and is detachably attached to the apparatus body. The moveable unit is opened and closed with respect to the apparatus body by rotation about a rotation shaft when the moveable unit is attached to the apparatus body. The moveable unit is attached to and detached from the apparatus body by moving in an axial direction of the rotation shaft. The moveable unit further includes a restricted portion that engages with the restriction portion that restricts a movement of the moveable unit in the axial direction. The restriction portion or the restricted portion further includes a deformation portion having elasticity. The deformation portion is deformed so that the moveable unit is attached to and detached from the apparatus body.

An image forming apparatus includes a power transmission member, a bias portion, a cam, and an interlocking mechanism. The power transmission member is displaceable between connected and released positions where the power transmission member is respectively connected to and disconnected from the detachable portion, and transmits the driving force of a drive portion to the detachable portion while connected to the detachable portion. The bias portion biases the power transmission member in a first direction to the connected position. The cam pivots from a first position to a second position to displace the power transmission member from the connected position to the released position, and is biased by the bias portion in a second direction to the first position when in the second position. The interlocking mechanism causes the cam to pivot from the first to the second position as a cover member changes its state from closed to open.

A document cover closer provided with a fire spread preventing cover capable of almost entirely covering internal features of the document cover closer, in order to prevent exposure of the internal features to flare in case of an ignition at peripheral electrical equipment, as well as office equipment using such a document cover closer. The document cover closer comprises a fire spread preventing cover capable of almost entirely covering internal features with their parts coated with oil being exposed and of almost securely preventing a contamination of an end of a document placed on a document platen by lubricant oil or rust-preventive oil. The document cover closer comprises an attaching part attached to the main body side of office equipment having a document cover; a supporting part rotatably and pivotally supported on the attaching part via a first hinge shaft; and a lift part attached to the document cover.

An image forming apparatus, having a housing with an opening, an openable/closable cover, a hinge supporting the openable/closable cover pivotably, LED units including LED heads, a first enhancing member, a second enhancing member, and a link member, is provided. The LED units are supported by the openable/closable cover. The first enhancing member, the second enhancing member, and the link member are attached to an inner surface of the openable/closable cover. The first enhancing member and the second enhancing member are located on one side and the other side, respectively, of the openable/closable cover in a first direction being parallel to a pivot axis of the hinge and extend in a second direction. The link member links the first enhancing member and the second enhancing member at a position farther from the hinge than one of the LED units located closest to the hinge in the second direction.

An image reading device includes a reading device body and a document feeder that is turnably attached on the upper side of the reading device body with hinge devices. An extended portion that extends outward from a rear frame is formed on a beam frame fixing the rear frame and a front frame of the document feeder at a predetermined interval, and a third coupling portion coupled to the turning member of the hinge device is formed in the extended portion.

An image forming apparatus includes an image forming unit that forms an image, a developer accommodation part that supplies a developer, a developer supply duct that is disposed between the image forming unit and the developer accommodation part, a shutter member that reciprocates between an open position and a closed position wherein the developer is allowed to pass through the shutter member when the shutter member is at the open position, and the developer is blocked with the shutter member when the shutter member is at the closed position, a first operation part that comprises an engaging part, which engages with the image forming unit, and moves the shutter member either to the open position or to the closed position, wherein the first operation part causes the engaging part to disengage from the image forming unit when the shutter member exists at the closed position.

Provided is an opening/closing unit including a cover member and a conveying unit. The cover member is provided to one side surface of an apparatus main body so as to open and close a sheet conveying path. The conveying unit is provided inside of the cover member in the apparatus main body. The sheet conveying path includes a first conveying path formed between the conveying unit and the apparatus main body, and a second conveying path formed between the conveying unit and the cover member. When an operating lever of the cover member is rotated to a second position, opening operation of the cover member is enabled. When the operating lever is rotated to a first position in a state where the cover member is opened, the conveying unit rotates with respect to the cover member so that the second conveying path is opened.

An image forming apparatus includes an opening closing unit openably arranged between first and second positions and an associating mechanism connecting a body unit with the opening closing unit and operating in association with the opening closing unit. The associating mechanism includes plural compression springs and a buffer member, urges the opening closing unit with a first compression spring among the plural compression springs when the opening closing unit is placed at the first position, urges the opening closing unit with the first compression spring and a second compression spring when the opening closing unit is placed at a third portion between the first portion and the second position, and buffers the motion of the opening closing unit with the buffer member when the opening closing unit is placed at a fourth position between the second position and the third position.

An image forming apparatus with a duplex printing function may include a closeable and openable portion. In one example, the portion may correspond to a cover of the image forming apparatus. The cover may include guiding portions configured to define a return path for duplex printing. In another example, the portion may correspond to a document reading unit including an outer casing. A portion of the outer casing may be configured to guide a recording sheet that is conveyed out of a housing of the image forming apparatus by a switchback roller. In one example, the switchback roller may convey a recording sheet to a position above an upper surface of the outer casing.

An image forming apparatus includes a power transmission member, a bias portion, a cam, and an interlocking mechanism. The power transmission member is displaceable between connected and released positions where the power transmission member is respectively connected to and disconnected from the detachable portion, and transmits the driving force of a drive portion to the detachable portion while connected to the detachable portion. The bias portion biases the power transmission member in a first direction to the connected position. The cam pivots from a first position to a second position to displace the power transmission member from the connected position to the released position, and is biased by the bias portion in a second direction to the first position when in the second position. The interlocking mechanism causes the cam to pivot from the first to the second position as a cover member changes its state from closed to open.