Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a first conveying path guiding a sheet such that the sheet passes through the image forming portion, a second conveying path guiding the sheet on which the image is formed by the image forming portion to the first conveying path. A document is fed to the second conveying path and the image forming apparatus includes a first drive transmission portion transmitting a drive force to the image forming portion and a second drive transmission portion transmitting the drive force to a document feeding portion, a conveyance portion and a document discharge portion.

Abstract: A reading apparatus including: a first conveyance path in which a sheet is conveyed; a second conveyance path different from the first conveyance path, the second conveyance path allowing the sheet switched back after having passed through the first conveyance path to be conveyed therein; a reading unit configured to read the sheet, the reading unit being movable to a first position where a first surface of the sheet in the first conveyance path is read, a second position where a second surface as a back surface of the first surface of the sheet in the second conveyance path is read, and a third position different from the first position and the second position; and a reference portion that the reading unit reads for correcting information read by the reading unit, the reference portion being read by the reading unit moved to the third position.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus has a first conveying path guiding a sheet such that the sheet passes through the image forming portion, a second conveying path guiding the sheet on which the image is formed by the image forming portion to the first conveying path. A document is fed to the second conveying path and the image forming apparatus has a first drive transmission portion transmitting a drive force to the image forming portion and a second drive transmission portion transmitting the drive force to a document feeding portion, a conveyance portion and a document discharge portion.

Abstract: The image forming apparatus includes an image forming unit, a reading unit, first and second original sheet conveyance paths, a common conveyance path in which a recording material or the original sheet is conveyed to form an image, a third original sheet conveyance path that connects the first original sheet conveyance path and the second original sheet conveyance path and is used for conveying the original sheet conveyed in the second original sheet conveyance path to the common conveyance path, and a control unit that controls so as to convey the original sheet conveyed in the second original sheet conveyance path to the common conveyance path via the third original sheet conveyance path, and form an image on the original sheet.

Abstract: In a reading apparatus including a first conveying device including a first and a second movable unit to cause the sheet to pass through the first position; and a second conveying device including a third and a fourth movable unit to cause the sheet to pass through the second position; characterized in that when the reading device reads the sheet at the first position, a moving velocity of the second movable unit is larger than a moving velocity of the first movable unit, and when the reading device reads the sheet at the second position, a moving velocity of the fourth movable unit is larger than a moving velocity of the third movable unit.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a first conveying path guiding a sheet such that the sheet passes through the image forming portion, a second conveying path guiding the sheet on which the image is formed by the image forming portion to the first conveying path. A document is fed to the second conveying path and the image forming apparatus includes a first drive transmission portion transmitting a drive force to the image forming portion and a second drive transmission portion transmitting the drive force to a document feeding portion, a conveyance portion and a document discharge portion.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a sheet feed portion configured to feed a sheet, an image forming portion configured to form an image on the sheet, a first conveying path configured to guide the sheet fed from the sheet feed portion such that the sheet passes through the image forming portion, a second conveying path configured to guide the sheet on which the image has been formed on one surface thereof by the image forming portion to the first conveying path again, a document feed portion configured to feed a document to the second conveying path, an image reading portion configured to read an image of the document fed by the document feed portion, and a control portion configured to control the sheet feed portion and the document feed portion such that the document and the sheet are conveyed on the second conveying path in a sequence in which the document and the sheet are mixed in a case where an operation of forming images respectively on both surfaces of a plurality of sheets overlaps with an operati

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a first conveying path which connects between a sheet feed portion and a sheet discharging portion, and on which a image forming portion is arranged. The image forming apparatus further includes a second conveying path configured to guide the sheet on which the image has been formed on one surface thereof by the image forming portion to the first conveying path again, a document conveying path, and a reading portion. The document conveying path includes a document feeding path, a document discharging path, and a common conveying path which serves as at least a part of the second conveying path, and guides the document from a document feed portion to a document discharging portion through the document feeding path, the common conveying path and the document discharging path without causing the document to pass through the image forming position. The reading portion reads a first face and a second face of the document which is fed from the document feed portion.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a sheet feeding unit, an image forming unit, a first conveyance path configured to guide the sheet fed from the sheet feeding unit, a second conveyance path configured to guide the sheet on one surface of which an image has been formed by the image forming unit to the first conveyance path again, a document feeding unit configured to feed a document to the second conveyance path, an image reading unit configured to read the document, a third conveyance path branching off from the second conveyance path and configured to guide the document, a switch back conveyance unit configured to convey the document in the third conveyance path, a fourth conveyance path configured to guide the document conveyed by the switch back conveyance unit, and a document discharge unit configured to discharge the document guided by the fourth conveyance path.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a document separation and feed portion separating and feeding a document, a document discharge roller pair discharging the document, and a sheet discharge roller pair discharging a sheet. The document separation and feed portion or the document discharge roller pair is disposed so as to overlap with the sheet discharge roller pair in a vertical direction.

Abstract: An image reading apparatus includes a reading unit having a reading surface and being rotatable about an axis of rotation, and a facing member that comes into contact with the reading unit and faces the reading surface when the reading unit is at a reading position. The reading unit is capable of reading a portion of an object that faces the reading surface when the reading unit is at the reading position. When the reading unit is at a position other than the reading position, the reading surface is positioned nearer to the axis of rotation than when the reading unit is at the reading position and the reading unit is spaced apart from the facing member.

Abstract: Provided is an image forming apparatus, including first and second drive portions respectively transmitting a drive force to first and second photosensitive drums, the first and second drive portions each including: a transmission gear rotated by the drive force; an idler gear rotated in mesh with the transmission gear; and a drive gear rotated in mesh with the idler gear. When a meshing angle of the idler gear is an angle from a meshing position between the idler gear and the transmission gear to a meshing position between the idler gear and the drive gear with respect to a rotation center of the idler gear, the meshing angles of the idler gears of the first and second drive portions are substantially equal to each other, and rotational phases of the idler gears of the first and second drive portions match with each other.

Abstract: A reading apparatus including: a first conveyance path in which a sheet is conveyed; a second conveyance path different from the first conveyance path, the second conveyance path allowing the sheet switched back after having passed through the first conveyance path to be conveyed therein; a reading unit configured to read the sheet, the reading unit being movable to a first position where a first surface of the sheet in the first conveyance path is read, a second position where a second surface as a back surface of the first surface of the sheet in the second conveyance path is read, and a third position different from the first position and the second position; and a reference portion that the reading unit reads for correcting information read by the reading unit, the reference portion being read by the reading unit moved to the third position.

Abstract: A driving device to be used in an image forming apparatus includes an input gear; a partly non-toothed gear having a toothed portion engageable with the input gear and having a non-toothed portion; a holding member capable of placing the partly non-toothed gear in a holding state in which the non-toothed portion opposes the input gear and the partly non-toothed gear is not engaged with the input gear and capable of placing the partly non-toothed gear in a released state in which the holding state is released; a cylindrical member rotatable by receiving a rotational force; and an entering portion which is rotatable together with the partly non-toothed gear and which is capable of entering an inside of the cylindrical member and capable of receiving the rotational force from the cylindrical member by a frictional force between the entering portion and the cylindrical member.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes first and second drums subjected to image formation by exposure to light at exposure positions to form latent images and then transferring toner images, formed by developing the latent images with toner, onto a transfer material at transfer positions; first and second gears provided coaxially and integrally with the drums; a driving source for rotationally driving the drums; and a branch gear, meshable with the first and second gears at first and second mesh points, for transmitting a driving force from the driving source to the first and second gears. A sum of a time of movement of a portion of the branch gear located at the first mesh point to the second mesh point and a time of integer-time rotation of the branch gear is equal to a time of movement of the transfer material from the transfer position of the first drum to that of the second drum.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a photosensitive drum, an optical unit provided below the photosensitive drum and including a cover glass for transmitting light emitted toward the photosensitive drum, and a cleaning member configured to clean a surface of the cover glass. The cleaning member includes a cleaning sheet configured to move foreign substances on the surface, and a wiping member configured to wipe foreign substances from the surface. The cleaning sheet and the wiping member move in contact with the surface of the cover glass when the cleaning member cleans the surface. The wiping member moves in contact with a portion of the surface of the cover glass after the cleaning sheet moves in contact with the portion. Accordingly, the cover glass can be reliably cleaned even when an unexpectedly large number of foreign substances that vary in particle size and shape adhere to the cover glass.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus including a laser scanner configured to irradiate a photoconductive drum with light and having a cover glass transmitting the light, a laser shutter movable between a closed position, where the laser shutter blocks an optical path of the light emitted from the laser scanner through the cover glass toward the photoconductive drum, and an open position, where the laser shutter opens the optical path, and a cleaning member with which the cover glass is cleaned, the cleaning member being supported by the laser shutter in such a manner as to be movable along the laser shutter.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a photosensitive drum, an optical unit provided below the photosensitive drum and including a cover glass for transmitting light emitted toward the photosensitive drum, and a cleaning member configured to clean a surface of the cover glass. The cleaning member includes a cleaning sheet configured to move foreign substances on the surface, and a wiping member configured to wipe foreign substances from the surface. The cleaning sheet and the wiping member move in contact with the surface of the cover glass when the cleaning member cleans the surface. The wiping member moves in contact with a portion of the surface of the cover glass after the cleaning sheet moves in contact with the portion. Accordingly, the cover glass can be reliably cleaned even when an unexpectedly large number of foreign substances that vary in particle size and shape adhere to the cover glass.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a photosensitive drum, an optical unit provided below the photosensitive drum and including a cover glass for transmitting light emitted toward the photosensitive drum, and a cleaning member configured to clean a surface of the cover glass. The cleaning member includes a cleaning sheet configured to move foreign substances on the surface, and a wiping member configured to wipe foreign substances from the surface. The cleaning sheet and the wiping member move in contact with the surface of the cover glass when the cleaning member cleans the surface. The wiping member moves in contact with a portion of the surface of the cover glass after the cleaning sheet moves in contact with the portion. Accordingly, the cover glass can be reliably cleaned even when an unexpectedly large number of foreign substances that vary in particle size and shape adhere to the cover glass.

Abstract: An image heating apparatus includes a flexible sleeve, a sliding member for sliding on the inner periphery of the sleeve, and a back-up member for forming a nip portion together with the sliding member through the sleeve. A recording material for bearing an image is heated while being held and conveyed by the nip portion, and a regulation member is set by facing the edge surface of the sleeve in the generatrix direction to regulate the movement of the sleeve in the generatrix direction, the regulation member having a regulation surface with which the edge surface of the sleeve contacts when the sleeve moves in the generatrix direction. The regulation surface of the regulation member has a curved-surface area in which a line when the regulation surface is cut at a virtual plane almost parallel with the nip portion is a curved line expanded toward the edge surface of the sleeve. Thereby, an image heating apparatus is provided which is able to restrain deterioration of the durability of the flexible sleeve.