Image forming device with separable units
First Claim
1. In an image forming device comprising an upper unit, a middle unit which is joined with said upper unit rotatably around a first axis means and a lower unit which is joined with said middle unit rotatably around a second axis means whereby said upper unit and said middle unit form a first mutually openable pair and said middle unit and said lower unit form a second mutually openable pair, the improvement wherein said first and second axis means are symmetrically disposed, wherein each of said pairs is provided with an engaging mechanism for the corresponding one of said pairs, and wherein said device further comprises locking means for locking one of said engaging mechanisms when the pair corresponding to the other of said engaging mechanisms is open.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An image forming device such as a copier has separate upper, middle and lower units which are mutually openable. The axes of rotation around which the upper unit can rotate with respect to the middle unit and the middle unit with respect to the lower unit are symmetrically disposed and engaging and locking mechanisms are provided such that when one of the pairs of mutually openable units is opened, the other pair is prevented from opening. Thus, the overall equalibrium of the device is not lost even if both pairs of units are opened.
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Citations
8 Claims
- 1. In an image forming device comprising an upper unit, a middle unit which is joined with said upper unit rotatably around a first axis means and a lower unit which is joined with said middle unit rotatably around a second axis means whereby said upper unit and said middle unit form a first mutually openable pair and said middle unit and said lower unit form a second mutually openable pair, the improvement wherein said first and second axis means are symmetrically disposed, wherein each of said pairs is provided with an engaging mechanism for the corresponding one of said pairs, and wherein said device further comprises locking means for locking one of said engaging mechanisms when the pair corresponding to the other of said engaging mechanisms is open.
Specification