US 11,815,829 B2
Image forming apparatus
Atsushi Oguni, Kanagawa (JP); Tetsuji Suzuki, Kanagawa (JP); and Takuji Uesugi, Kanagawa (JP)
Assigned to CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA, Tokyo (JP)
Filed by CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA, Tokyo (JP)
Filed on Sep. 13, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/943,539.
Application 17/943,539 is a continuation of application No. 17/340,146, filed on Jun. 7, 2021, granted, now 11,474,449.
Claims priority of application No. 2020-102666 (JP), filed on Jun. 12, 2020; and application No. 2020-102724 (JP), filed on Jun. 12, 2020.
Prior Publication US 2023/0004103 A1, Jan. 5, 2023
Int. Cl. G03G 15/00 (2006.01); G03G 21/16 (2006.01); G03G 15/08 (2006.01); G03G 21/18 (2006.01)
CPC G03G 15/0863 (2013.01) [G03G 15/0886 (2013.01); G03G 15/5029 (2013.01); G03G 21/1647 (2013.01); G03G 21/1842 (2013.01)] 6 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An image forming apparatus for forming an image on a recording material, comprising:
an apparatus main body;
an attachable/detachable unit that is attachable to/detachable from the apparatus main body;
an optical sensor comprising a light-emitting portion and a light-receiving portion;
a flag member capable of rotating around a rotation axis between a transmission position in which light from the light-emitting portion is allowed to be received by the light-receiving portion and a light-shielding position in which the light is not allowed to be received by the light-receiving portion;
a flag spring configured to bias the flag member so as to rotate the flag member in one direction;
a first sheet moving member provided on one end side of the flag member in a direction of the rotation axis, the first sheet moving member capable of moving between a first position which is a position not in contact with the recording material and a second position which is a position in contact with the recording material;
a second sheet moving member provided on another end side of the flag member in the direction of the rotation axis, the second sheet moving member capable of moving between a third position which is a position not in contact with the recording material and a fourth position which is a position in contact with the recording material;
a lever provided on the one end side of the flag member in the direction of the rotation axis, the lever capable of moving between a non-contact position which is a position not in contact with the attachable/detachable unit and a contact position which is a position in contact with the attachable/detachable unit;
wherein rotation by the flag spring in the one direction of the flag member is restricted by contact of the flag member with the first sheet moving member at the first position and the second sheet moving member at the third position, and
wherein in a state where the flag member contacts with both the first sheet moving member at the first position and the second sheet moving member at the third position, the flag member rotates in a direction opposite to the one direction by pushing of the lever which moves from the contact position to the non-contact position.