IP Library Granted Patent US 11,618,643
Granted Patent B2
US 11,618,643 · App. 17/088,688 · Granted Apr 4, 2023

Sheet storage apparatus and image forming apparatus

Inventor: Junpei Kamichi (Tokyo, JP)
Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
B65H1/266G03G15/6502B65H2402/412B65H2405/115B65H2405/12B65H2405/141
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,618,643
App. No.
17/088,688
Granted
Apr 4, 2023
Kind
B2
Abstract

A sheet storage apparatus includes a sheet housing portion, a handle for drawing the sheet housing portion, and a cover member. The sheet housing portion is drawably disposed in the apparatus main body and configured to house a sheet. The cover member is mounted to an end portion of the sheet housing portion in a drawing direction and having, in a portion facing the handle, a recess toward a sheet housing portion. A contact portion configured to come into contact with the sheet housing portion is disposed at a position corresponding to a portion in which the recess is formed, on a facing surface of the cover member, the facing surface facing the sheet housing portion.

Claims (25)

1. A sheet storage apparatus comprising:

a sheet housing portion drawably within an apparatus main body and configured to house a sheet, the sheet housing portion having a contacted portion extending therefrom in a drawing direction of the sheet housing portion;

a handle for drawing the sheet housing portion; and

a cover member mounted to an end portion of the sheet housing portion in the drawing direction and having, in a portion facing the handle, a recess toward the sheet housing portion, the cover member including a facing surface facing the sheet housing portion, the cover member having a contact portion that includes a rib protruding from the facing surface of the cover member at position corresponding to the recess, the rib configured to come into contact and engage with a contact recess of the contacted portion of the sheet housing portion,

wherein the rib protrudes from the facing surface by a length equal to or larger than 1 millimeter and equal to or smaller than 1.5 millimeters.

2. The sheet storage apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein

the cover member is not fixed to an upper portion of the sheet housing portion, and

the cover member includes a facing portion configured to face the upper portion of the sheet housing portion from below.

3. An image forming apparatus comprising:

the sheet storage apparatus of claim 1 ; and

the apparatus main body, wherein

the image forming apparatus is configured to convey a sheet stored in the sheet storage apparatus and form an image on the sheet.

4. The sheet storage apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein a distal end of the rib is configured to contact a bottom surface of the contact recess, when the contact portion engages with the contact recess.

5. The sheet storage apparatus according to claim 4 , wherein the contact recess of the contacted portion is configured to press the distal end of the rib in the drawing direction.

6. The sheet storage apparatus according to claim 5 , wherein the contact recess of the contacted portion is configured to press the distal end of the rib in the drawing direction to counteract warpage of the cover member.

7. A sheet storage apparatus, comprising:

a sheet housing portion drawably within an apparatus main body and configured to house a sheet, the sheet housing portion having a contacted portion extending therefrom in a drawing direction of the sheet housing portion;

a handle for drawing the sheet housing portion; and

a cover member mounted to an end portion of the sheet housing portion in the drawing direction and having, in a portion facing the handle, a recess toward the sheet housing portion, the cover member including a facing surface facing the sheet housing portion, the cover member having a contact portion that includes a rib protruding from the facing surface of the cover member at position corresponding to the recess, the rib configured to come into contact and engage with a contact recess of the contacted portion of the sheet housing portion,

wherein ends of the cover member are configured to fasten to a bottom portion of the sheet housing portion while a center of the cover member is not fastenable to the sheet housing portion.

8. A sheet storage apparatus, comprising:

a sheet housing portion drawably within an apparatus main body and configured to house a sheet, the sheet housing portion having a contacted portion extending therefrom in a drawing direction of the sheet housing portion;

a handle for drawing the sheet housing portion; and

a cover member mounted to an end portion of the sheet housing portion in the drawing direction and having, in a portion facing the handle, a recess toward the sheet housing portion, the cover member including a facing surface facing the sheet housing portion, the cover member having a contact portion that includes a rib protruding from the facing surface of the cover member at position corresponding to the recess, the rib configured to come into contact and engage with a contact recess of the contacted portion of the sheet housing portion,

wherein the rib protrudes from the facing surface by a length less than or equal to 1.5 millimeters.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Nov 4, 2020
From: KAMICHI, JUNPEI
To: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.
Reel/Frame 054273/0110 →
Priority Claims (1)
JP JP2019-211343 · Nov 22, 2019 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20210155426A1 · May 27, 2021