Patent ID: 8041285

Claim:
A moving member holding mechanism comprising: a moving member movable within a range, the moving member having a first surface facing a first end of the movable range and a second surface facing a second end of the movable range; a driving device for driving the moving member; and a locking member for locking the moving member at the first end of the movable range by contact with the moving member, wherein: the moving member has an opening that extends between the first and second surfaces; the locking member has: a supporting section fixed near the first end with a head turned to a side of the second end of the moveable range, and inserted in the opening of the moving member as locked at the first end of the moveable range; a securing section attached to the head of the supporting section, and positioned nearer to the side of the second end of the moveable range than the moving member as locked at the first end of the moveable range; and a deformable section secured between the securing section and the moving member as locked at the first end of the moveable range, brought into contact with the second surface of the moving member as locked at the first end of the moveable range, and deformed by a driving force applied, through the moving member as locked at the first end of the moveable range, by the driving device; and the locking member is brought out of contact with the moving member as locked at the first end of the moveable range by the deformable section deformed by the driving force applied through the moving member as locked at the first end of the moveable range.