Abstract: The joint mechanism includes an engagement pin; a first coupling having a pair of projections with engagement recessed portions formed respectively, the engagement recessed portions with which both end portions of the engagement pin are freely engaged or disengaged; a second coupling including a circumferential wall having an opening portion and a pair of projecting pieces; and a biasing member. The pair of projecting pieces are arranged in the engagement recessed portions so as to be opposed, on an upstream side in a rotation direction, to opening defining surfaces of the pair of projections, with the second coupling attached to the first coupling. Both end portions of the engagement pins are engaged with the engagement recessed portions so as to be each sandwiched between each of the pair of projecting pieces being applied a biasing force of the biasing member and each opening defining surface of the pair of projections.

Abstract: A waste ink storage mechanism of the present disclosure includes a waste ink tank, a waste ink tank fitting portion and a capacitance sensor. The waste ink tank stores a waste ink exhausted from a recording head. The waste ink tank is fitted to the waste ink tank fitting portion such that the waste ink tank can be fitted into and removed from the waste ink tank fitting portion. The capacitance sensor is provided in the waste ink tank fitting portion so as to detect that a liquid surface within the waste ink tank reaches a predetermined level. The waste ink tank includes: a first surface in which an inflow port through which the waste ink flows in is formed; and a second surface, and the capacitance sensor is arranged close to the second surface.

Abstract: The joint mechanism includes an engagement pin; a first coupling having a pair of projections with engagement recessed portions formed respectively, the engagement recessed portions with which both end portions of the engagement pin are freely engaged or disengaged; a second coupling including a circumferential wall having an opening portion and a pair of projecting pieces; and a biasing member. The pair of projecting pieces are arranged in the engagement recessed portions so as to be opposed, on an upstream side in a rotation direction, to opening defining surfaces of the pair of projections, with the second coupling attached to the first coupling. Both end portions of the engagement pins are engaged with the engagement recessed portions so as to be each sandwiched between each of the pair of projecting pieces being applied a biasing force of the biasing member and each opening defining surface of the pair of projections.

Abstract: A drive transmission mechanism includes a drive transmission gear, an output-side coupling, and a first drive transmission member. The drive transmission gear includes a cylindrical boss formed at the rotation center, a circular rim concentric with the boss, and a web coupling the boss with the rim. The output-side coupling outputs a driving force of the drive transmission gear to a driven member. The first drive transmission member has higher rigidity than the drive transmission gear, and transmits the driving force of the drive transmission gear to the output-side coupling by rotating together with the drive transmission gear. The output-side coupling incline in an arbitrary direction relative to the rotation axis of the first drive transmission member, and the driving force from the drive transmission gear is transmitted to the outer circumferential rim of the first drive transmission member.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes at least one conveyance roller pair, an image forming unit, at least one brushless motor, a motor drive control unit, a delay amount detector, and an image formation control unit. The image formation control unit controls the motor drive control unit to convey the sheets at a predetermined timing toward the image forming unit. The image formation control unit, during a continuous image formation in which a plurality of sheets are continuously conveyed by the conveyance roller pair with a predetermined sheet spacing and images are sequentially formed on the respective sheets, controls the motor drive control unit to sequentially perform an on and off control of the brushless motor corresponding to the respective sheets, and adjusts the sheet spacing and a rise time in the on control of the brushless motor corresponding to the rotation delay amount detected by the delay amount detector.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a cooling mechanism used for cooling, as a cooled object, either of a unit and a component forming the image forming apparatus. This cooling mechanism includes: a sub frame, a fan-attached part and a duct semi-completed part. The fan-attached part is formed on the frame in a manner such as to permit fan attachment thereto. The duct semi-completed part is provided on the frame for forming a duct introducing, to the cooled object, cooling wind generated by the fan attached to the fan-attached part, and has one non-formed wall part. Further, a circuit board can be attached to a portion of the non-formed wall part of the duct semi-completed part, and the duct is formed by the attached circuit board and the duct semi-completed part.

Abstract: A rotating force transmitting mechanism has a rotating member supported on a base plate. The base plate is formed with a bearing part in a bottomed cylindrical shape protruded by extruding. The rotating member is formed with a cylindrical rotating shaft part capable of fitting to the bearing part. The rotating member is supported on the base plate such that the rotating shaft part rotates while sliding with the bearing part.

Abstract: A drive transmission mechanism includes a drive transmission gear, an output-side coupling, and a first drive transmission member. The drive transmission gear includes a cylindrical boss formed at the rotation center, a circular rim concentric with the boss, and a web coupling the boss with the rim. The output-side coupling outputs a driving force of the drive transmission gear to a driven member. The first drive transmission member has higher rigidity than the drive transmission gear, and transmits the driving force of the drive transmission gear to the output-side coupling by rotating together with the drive transmission gear. The output-side coupling incline in an arbitrary direction relative to the rotation axis of the first drive transmission member, and the driving force from the drive transmission gear is transmitted to the outer circumferential rim of the first drive transmission member.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a cooling mechanism used for cooling, as a cooled object, either of a unit and a component forming the image forming apparatus. This cooling mechanism includes: a sub frame, a fan-attached part and a duct semi-completed part. The fan-attached part is formed on the frame in a manner such as to permit fan attachment thereto. The duct semi-completed part is provided on the frame for forming a duct introducing, to the cooled object, cooling wind generated by the fan attached to the fan-attached part, and has one non-formed wall part. Further, a circuit board can be attached to a portion of the non-formed wall part of the duct semi-completed part, and the duct is formed by the attached circuit board and the duct semi-completed part.

Abstract: A rotating force transmitting mechanism (20) has a rotating member (31) supported on a base plate (22). The base plate (22) is formed with a bearing part (41) in a bottomed cylindrical shape protruded by deep drawing. The rotating member (31) is formed with a cylindrical rotating shaft part (53) capable of fitting to the bearing part (41). The rotating member (31) is supported on the base plate (22) such that the rotating shaft part (53) rotates while sliding with the bearing part (41).

Abstract: A driving force transmission device includes a first driving member, a second driving member, a moving member, and a connection drive section. The connection drive section separates, in conjunction with movement of the moving member in a first direction, the first driving member and the second driving member respectively from a first rotating member and a second rotating member in such a manner as to cause a time difference between a separating operation for separating the first driving member from the first rotating member and a separating operation for separating the second driving member from the second rotating member.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an incorrect attachment or detachment preventing mechanism configured to prevent attachment and detachment of the image forming unit in the transmission state. The incorrect attachment and detachment preventing mechanism includes a locking member capable of moving to a restrict position where the locking member restricts movement of the image forming unit from the predetermined position and a permission position where the locking member permits movement of the image forming unit from the predetermined position. In the transmission state, the locking member is configured to engage with the first engaging part of the manual lever at the restrict position to prevent movement of the image forming unit. In the transmission release state, the locking member is configured to be moved to the permission position and then engaged with the second engaging part of the manual lever to permit movement of the image forming unit.

Abstract: A driving device includes a motor control unit and a clutch control unit. When the motor control unit stops a motor from an operating state, the clutch control unit controls the energization and de-energization of an exciting coil of each of electromagnetic clutches so as to switch one or more but not all of the electromagnetic clutches to a cutoff state while keeping the remaining electromagnetic clutches in a connected state.

Abstract: A torque transmission mechanism includes a cam member which is rotatably supported and is provided with a cam for pressing a joint member in an axial direction of a rotation shaft and bush which is fitted to the cam member. The bush has an engagement surface with which the cam of the cam member engages. Above mechanism rotates the cam member and moves the cam member along the bush, thereby moving the joint member between an advanced position in which the torque of a drive source is transmitted to a rotary member and a retracted position in which the transmission of the torque of the drive source to the rotary member is released. A rib to which the bush is fitted is formed on an end surface of the cam member existing at a side at which the cam member is fitted to the bush.

Abstract: A torque transmission mechanism includes a cam member which is rotatably supported and is provided with a cam for pressing a joint member in an axial direction of a rotation shaft and a bush which is fitted to the cam member. The bush has an engagement surface with which the cam of the cam member engages. Above mechanism rotates the cam member and moves the cam member along the bush, thereby moving the joint member between an advanced position in which the torque of a drive source is transmitted to a rotary member and a retracted position in which the transmission of the torque of the drive source to the rotary member is released. A rib to which the bush is fitted is formed on an end surface of the cam member existing at a side at which the cam member is fitted to the bush.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an incorrect attachment or detachment preventing mechanism configured to prevent attachment and detachment of the image forming unit in the transmission state. The incorrect attachment and detachment preventing mechanism includes a locking member capable of moving to a restrict position where the locking member restricts movement of the image forming unit from the predetermined position and a permission position where the locking member permits movement of the image forming unit from the predetermined position. In the transmission state, the locking member is configured to engage with the first engaging part of the manual lever at the restrict position to prevent movement of the image forming unit. In the transmission release state, the locking member is configured to be moved to the permission position and then engaged with the second engaging part of the manual lever to permit movement of the image forming unit.

Abstract: A transfer device includes a plurality of transfer members and a switch section. The switch section, in a first state, causes the transfer members to be pressed against a plurality of image bearing members. The switch section, in a second state, causes a transfer member opposed to a first image bearing member to be pressed against the first image bearing member, and causes a transfer member opposed to a second image bearing member to be separated from the second image bearing member. In the first state, toner images of different colors are transferred from the image bearing members to an intermediate transfer belt and superimposed together. In the second state, a single-color toner image is transferred from the first image bearing member to the intermediate transfer belt. The switch section changes a pressing force of the transfer member to the first image bearing member between the first and second states.

Abstract: A driving force transmission device includes a first driving member, a second driving member, a moving member and a connection drive section. The connection drive section separates, in conjunction with movement of the moving member in the first direction, the first driving member and the second driving member respectively from a first rotating member and a second rotating member in such a manner as to cause a time difference between a separating operation for separating the first driving member from the first rotating member and a separating operation for separating the second driving member from the second rotating member.

Abstract: A driving device includes a motor control unit and a clutch control unit. When the motor control unit stops a motor from an operating state, the clutch control unit controls the energization and de-energization of an exciting coil of each of electromagnetic clutches so as to switch one or more but not all of the electromagnetic clutches to a cutoff state while keeping the remaining electromagnetic clutches in a connected state.

Abstract: What is provided is an image formation apparatus including: an image formation part provided inside a main body so that the image formation part may be attached to the main body and detached from the main body; a plurality of opening-closing parts which may be opened and closed to attach the image formation part to the main body or detach the image formation part from the main body; and a plurality of locking parts latching each of the plurality of opening-closing parts to the main body, wherein when one of the plurality of locking parts undergoes a releasing operation, an other one of the plurality of locking parts also undergoes a releasing operation.