Patent ID: 8923720

Claim:
A control panel support mechanism for supporting a control panel of an image forming apparatus so that the control panel is vertically swingable with respect to the image forming apparatus, the control panel support mechanism comprising: a first support member configured to be attached to the image forming apparatus; a second support member configured to support the control panel and axially supported by the first support member to be vertically swingable with respect to the first support member; a lock member configured to be slidable towards or away from a swing axis of the second support member; and a biasing unit configured to bias the lock member to slide towards the swing axis, wherein the first support member has a plurality of engaging grooves each positioned along a radial direction with respect to the swing axis and having an opening at an end of the first support member opposite the swing axis, the plurality of engaging grooves being aligned vertically, the biasing unit biases the lock member so that the lock member enters one of the plurality of engaging grooves through the opening to lock in engagement with the engaging groove, and each of the plurality of engaging grooves has an upper edge and a lower edge, respectively located above and below the lock member when the lock member has entered the engaging groove through the opening, and a distance between the upper edge and the lower edge continually decreases towards the swing axis so that the lock member locks in engagement with the engaging groove by coming into point-contact with the upper edge and the lower edge.