Patent ID: 8498437

Claim:
A panel opening and closing structure of an electric operation apparatus having an apparatus main body and a panel for covering the apparatus main body from above, comprising: a plurality of pivot shafts provided on the apparatus main body so as to respectively correspond to a plurality of control panels constituting the panel and each mounted with operating elements, said pivot shafts being provided at different positions in a front-rear direction of the apparatus main body and extending in a left-right direction of the apparatus main body; and engagement portions provided on said plurality of control panels for engagement with respective ones of said pivot shafts, wherein each of said control panels is configured to be openable and closable about a corresponding one of said pivot shafts, with the engagement portion thereof in engagement with the pivot shaft, said plurality of control panels are configured to cover different portions in the front-rear direction of said apparatus main body when said control panels are each in a closed state and configured to open an interior of said apparatus main body when said control panels are each in an open state, a frontmost control panel of said plurality of control panels has an engagement portion thereof provided at a rear end portion of said frontmost control panel which is in the closed state, said frontmost control panel being configured to be opened by being rearwardly pivoted about the pivot shaft corresponding thereto, and a rearmost control panel of said plurality of control panels has an engagement portion thereof provided at a front end portion of said rearmost control panel which is in the closed state, said rearmost control panel being configured to be opened by being forwardly pivoted about the pivot shaft corresponding thereto.