Patent ID: 8511818

Claim:
A multifunctional peripheral comprising: a main body; an upper unit arranged on the main body; and an opening and closing mechanism connected to the upper unit and the main body, such that the upper unit moves between a closed position covering an upper surface of the main body and an open position exposing the upper surface of the main body, wherein the opening and closing mechanism includes: a supporting shaft configured to support the upper unit such that the upper unit is rotatable with respect to the main body; a guide forming a sliding path; a slider configured to slide between a first position and a second position along the sliding path, such that the slider is in the first position when the upper unit is in the open position and the slider is in the second position when the upper unit is in the closed position; and a damping unit including an engaging member configured to move in a predetermined direction and a spring configured to resiliently urge the engaging member in a direction opposite to the predetermined direction by a force corresponding to a sliding amount of the engaging member in the predetermined direction; wherein, during sliding of the slider from the first position to the second position in accordance with a closing operation of the upper unit with respect to the main body, the slider moves from the first position along the sliding path to engage the engaging member at an engaging position on the sliding path and moves the engaging member in the predetermined direction as the slider slides toward the second position, and the slider disengages the engaging member at a disengaging position between the engaging position and the second position such that the slider is released from receiving the force of the spring via the engaging member when the slider is in the second position, wherein the engaging position is located between the first position and the disengaging position.