Sheet conveying apparatus, image reading apparatus and image forming apparatus

Abstract

Disclosed is a sheet conveying apparatus including an opening and closing member rotatable; a rotating member provided on the opening and closing member and which is rotatable by a sheet; and an assist member which is provided on the opening and closing member, and is at a first position when the opening and closing member is at the closed position, and is at a second position when the opening and closing member is at the open position, wherein the assist member urges the rotating member toward the opening and closing member side when the assist member is at the second position.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An apparatus comprising:
 an opening and closing member configured to be rotatable and configured to be located at a closed position and an open position;   a rotating member rotatablely provided on the opening and closing member and configured to be rotatable by a sheet; and   an assist member provided on the opening and closing member, the assist member being configured to be located at a first position when the opening and closing member is located at the closed position and configured to be located at a second position when the opening and closing member is located at the open position, wherein the assist member is configured to be displaceable from the first position to the second position by a weight of the assist member with a rotation of the opening and closing member from the close position toward the open position,   wherein the assist member is configured to urge the rotating member toward a side of the opening and closing member when the assist member is located at the second position.   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the assist member is provided on the opening and closing member such that the assist member is rotatable, the assist member being configured to be separated from the rotating member when the assist member is located at the first position, the assist member being configured to rotate from the first position to the second position by the weight of the assist member according to a movement of the opening and closing member from the closed position to the open position so that the assist member presses the rotating member and urges the rotating member toward the side of the opening and closing member.   
     
     
         3 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein a center of rotation of the rotating member is disposed at a lower portion of the opening and closing member when the opening and closing member is located at the closed position. 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein a direction of a rotational moment by the weight of the assist member is switched while the opening and closing member is moved from the closed position to the open position.   
     
     
         5 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the opening and closing portion comprises an accommodating portion configured to accommodate the rotating member.   
     
     
         6 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein a conveying unit is located in a vicinity of the rotating member, the conveying unit having a conveying member which conveys a sheet, the conveying unit being configured to be detachably attachable to the opening and closing member.   
     
     
         7 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein an abutting portion of the assist member, which presses the rotating member is of a circular arc shape.   
     
     
         8 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein, a center of gravity of the rotating member is disposed in a vicinity of a center of rotation of the rotating member when the opening and closing member is located at the closed position.   
     
     
         9 . The apparatus according to  claim 2 ,
 wherein a center of gravity of the assist member is disposed in a vicinity of a center of rotation of the assist member when the opening and closing member is located at the closed position.   
     
     
         10 . The apparatus according to  claim 2 ,
 wherein a center of gravity of the assist member is moved from one side of a center of rotation of the assist member to the other side of the center of the rotation of the assist member in a horizontal direction while the opening and closing member is moved from the closed position to the open position.   
     
     
         11 . The apparatus according to  claim 2 ,
 wherein the assist member rotates in the direction opposite to that of the rotational member to urge the rotational member toward the side of the opening and closing member when the opening and closing member is moved from the closed position to the open position.   
     
     
         12 . The apparatus according to  claim 2 ,
 wherein the assist member rotates in the same direction as that of the rotational member to urge the rotational member toward the side of the opening and closing member when the opening and closing member is moved from the closed position to the open position.   
     
     
         13 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , further comprising
 a sheet supporting portion configured to support the sheet to be conveyed; and   a sensor configured detect a rotation of the rotating member,   the rotating member is rotated by the sheet on the sheet supporting portion.   
     
     
         14 . The apparatus according to  claim 13 , wherein
 a rotation center of the rotating member is above the sheet supporting portion in a state that the opening and closing member is located at the closed position.   
     
     
         15 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the assist member is configured not to act on the rotating member when the assist member is located at the first position.   
     
     
         16 . An image reading apparatus which reads an image of a sheet, comprising:
 an opening and closing member configured to be rotatable and configured to be located at a closed position and an open position;   a rotating member rotatablely provided on the opening and closing member and configured to be rotatable by the sheet;   an assist member provided on the opening and closing member, the assist member being configured to be located at a first position when the opening and closing member is located at the closed position and configured to be located at a second position when the opening and closing member is located at the open position, wherein the assist member is configured to be displaceable from the first position to the second position by a weight of the assist member with a rotation of the opening and closing member from the close position toward the open position; and   a reading portion configured to read an image formed on a sheet,   wherein the assist member is configured to urge the rotating member toward a side of the opening and closing member when the assist member is located at the second position.   
     
     
         17 . An image forming apparatus which forms an image on a sheet, comprising:
 an opening and closing member configured to be rotatable and configured to be located at a closed position and an open position;   a rotating member rotatablely provided on the opening and closing member and configured to be rotatable by a sheet;   an assist member provided on the opening and closing member, the assist member being configured to be located at a first position when the opening and closing member is located at the closed position and configured to be located at a second position when the opening and closing member is located at the open position, wherein the assist member is configured to be displaceable from the first position to the second position by a weight of the assist member with a rotation of the opening and closing member from the close position toward the open position; and   an image forming portion configured to form an image on a sheet,   wherein the assist member is configured to urge the rotating member toward a side of the opening and closing member when the assist member is located at the second position.