Image forming apparatus and processing unit

1 . An image forming apparatus comprising:

a main unit including an image forming portion configured to form an image on a sheet;

a discharge portion provided on the main unit and configured to discharge the sheet from the main unit in a first direction; and

a processing unit installed on an installation surface of the main unit and configured to process the sheet discharged from the discharge portion,

wherein the processing unit includes:

a first connector electrically connected to the main unit; and

a first guide pin that extends in a second direction crossing the first direction in a state where the processing unit is installed on the installation surface,

wherein the main unit includes:

a second connector disposed, in the second direction, on a first side with respect to a sheet discharging position onto which the sheet is discharged from the discharge portion, the second connector being electrically connected to the processing unit in a manner that the first connector is inserted into the second connector along the second direction; and

a first guide hole disposed on the first side with respect to the sheet discharging position in the second direction, the first guide pin passing through the first guide hole, and

wherein at least a part of the first guide pin is disposed in a position different from a position of the second connector in a third direction crossing both the first direction and the second direction,

wherein the main unit further includes:

a connector disposing surface on which the second connector is disposed, the connector disposing surface being disposed on the first side with respect to the sheet discharging position in the second direction, and

a discharge portion disposing surface on which the discharge portion is disposed,

wherein the installation surface, the connector disposing surface, and the discharge portion disposing surface define an inside space that includes an opening portion on a second side opposite the first side with respect to the sheet discharging position in the second direction, and

wherein the processing unit is installed in the inside space.

2 . The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 ,

wherein the first guide pin is a cylindrical shaft member that extends in the second direction, and

wherein the cylindrical shaft member includes a plane portion at a tip of the cylindrical shaft member in an insertion direction, a diameter of the plane portion being less than an outer diameter of the cylindrical shaft member.

3 . The image forming apparatus according to claim 2 ,

wherein an entirety of the plane portion is disposed in the position different from the position of the second connector in the third direction.

4 . The image forming apparatus according to claim 2 ,

wherein the cylindrical shaft member includes a tapered portion whose outer diameter becomes less as it becomes closer to the plane portion at the tip in the insertion direction to the first guide hole.

5 . The image forming apparatus according to claim 2 ,

wherein the second connector includes a group of terminals and a housing that encloses the group of terminals, and

wherein an entirety of the plane portion of the first guide pin is disposed above an upper end of the housing of the second connector in the third direction.

6 . The image forming apparatus according to claim 2 ,

wherein the second connector includes a group of terminals and a housing that encloses the group of terminals, and

wherein an entirety of the plane portion of the first guide pin is disposed below a lower end of the housing of the second connector in the third direction.

7 . The image forming apparatus according to claim 2 ,

wherein the plane portion of the first guide pin has a circular shape and the diameter of the plane portion is equal to or less than half the outer diameter of the cylindrical shaft member.

8 . The image forming apparatus according to claim 2 ,

wherein the second connector includes a group of terminals and a housing that encloses the group of terminals,

wherein the second connector is supported such that the second connector can be shifted in the third direction for a first distance with respect to the main unit, and

wherein the first guide pin is disposed such that the plane portion and the housing of the second connector are distanced from each other in the third direction for a second distance that is greater than the first distance.

9 . The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 ,

wherein the processing unit includes a second guide pin that extends in the second direction in a state where the processing unit is installed on the installation surface,

wherein the main unit includes a second guide hole that is disposed on the first side with respect to the sheet discharging position in the second direction, the second guide hole being configured such that the second guide pin passes through the second guide hole,

wherein at least one portion of the first guide pin is disposed above an upper end of the second connector in the third direction, and

wherein at least one portion of the second guide pin is disposed below a lower end of the second connector in the third direction.

10 . The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 ,

wherein in the third direction, a center position of the of the first guide pin in the third direction is different from a center position of the second connector in the third direction.

11 . An image forming apparatus comprising:

a main unit including an image forming portion configured to form an image on a sheet;

a discharge portion provided on the main unit and configured to discharge the sheet from the main unit in a first direction; and

a processing unit installed on an installation surface of the main unit and configured to process the sheet discharged from the discharge portion,

wherein the processing unit includes:

a first connector electrically connected to the main unit; and

a first guide pin that extends in a second direction crossing the first direction in a state where the processing unit is installed on the installation surface,

wherein the main unit includes:

a second connector disposed, in the second direction, on a first side with respect to a sheet discharging position onto which the sheet is discharged from the discharge portion, the second connector being electrically connected to the processing unit in a manner that the first connector is inserted into the second connector along the second direction;

a first guide hole disposed on the first side with respect to the sheet discharging position in the second direction, the first guide pin passing through the first guide hole, and

wherein at least a part of the first guide hole is disposed in a position different from a position of the second connector in a third direction crossing both the first direction and the second direction,

wherein the main unit further includes:

a connector disposing surface on which the second connector is disposed, the connector disposing surface being disposed on the first side with respect to the sheet discharging position in the second direction, and

a discharge portion disposing surface on which the discharge portion is disposed,

wherein the installation surface, the connector disposing surface, and the discharge portion disposing surface define an inside space that includes an opening portion on a second side opposite the first side with respect to the sheet discharging position in the second direction, and

wherein the processing unit is installed in the inside space.

12 . An image forming apparatus comprising:

a main unit including an image forming portion configured to form an image on a sheet; and

a discharge portion provided on the main unit and configured to discharge the sheet from the main unit in a first direction,

wherein a processing unit configured to process the sheet discharged from the discharge portion is attachable to the image forming apparatus,

wherein the main unit includes:

an installation surface on which the processing unit is to be installed,

a main body side connector disposed, in a second direction, on a first side with respect to a sheet discharging position onto which the sheet is discharged from the discharge portion, the second direction crossing the first direction, and the main body side connector being configured to be electrically connected to the processing unit when a processing side connector of the processing unit is inserted into the main body side connector along the second direction; and

a guide hole disposed on the first side with respect to the sheet discharging position in the second direction, the guide hole being configured such that a guide pin of the processing unit passes through the guide hole, and

wherein at least a part of the guide hole is disposed in a position different from a position of the main body side connector in a third direction crossing both the first direction and the second direction,

wherein the main unit further includes:

a connector disposing surface on which the main body side connector is disposed, the connector disposing surface being disposed on the first side with respect to the sheet discharging position in the second direction, and

a discharge portion disposing surface on which the discharge portion is disposed,

wherein the installation surface, the connector disposing surface, and the discharge portion disposing surface define an inside space that includes an opening portion on a second side opposite the first side with respect to the sheet discharging position in the second direction, and

wherein the processing unit is installed in the inside space in a state where the processing unit is attached to the image forming apparatus.

13 . A processing unit detachably attachable to an image forming apparatus including a main unit, the main unit including (i) an image forming portion configured to form an image on a sheet, (ii) an installation surface on which the processing unit is installable, (iii) a main body side connector disposed, in a second direction crossing a first direction, on a first side with respect to a sheet discharging position onto which the sheet is discharged from a discharge portion provided on the main unit and configured to discharge the sheet from the main unit in the first direction, (iv) a guide hole disposed on the first side with respect to the sheet discharging position in the second direction, (v) a connector disposing surface on which the main body side connector is disposed, the connector disposing surface being disposed on the first side with respect to the sheet discharging position in the second direction, and (vi) a discharge portion disposing surface on which the discharge portion is disposed, wherein the installation surface, the connector disposing surface, and the discharge portion disposing surface define an inside space that includes an opening portion on a second side opposite the first side with respect to the sheet discharging position in the second direction, the processing unit being configured to process the sheet discharged from the discharge portion of the image forming apparatus in the first direction, the processing unit comprising:

a processing unit side connector to be electrically connected to the image forming apparatus when the processing unit side connector is inserted into the main body side connector included in the main unit of the image forming apparatus along the second direction crossing the first direction; and

a guide pin that extends in the second direction, the guide pin being configured to pass through the guide hole included in the main unit of the image forming apparatus,

wherein at least a part of the guide pin is disposed in a position different from a position of the processing unit side connector in a third direction crossing both the first direction and the second direction, and

wherein the processing unit is installed on the installation surface and in the inside space defined by the installation surface, the connector disposing surface, and the discharge portion disposing surface in a state where the processing unit is attached to the image forming apparatus.