Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a transfer member that retains developer; a housing provided with a removing member that removes the developer and having an intake opening that is opposed to the transfer member, the developer removed by the removing member being taken into the housing through the intake opening; a guiding pipe connected to the housing and having a suction hole through which the developer is sucked and an outlet through which the developer is discharged; and a suction member that applies a suction force to an inner space of the housing through the guiding pipe. A capturing area for capturing the developer that flows through a flow channel from the suction hole to the outlet is provided in the flow channel. A cross section of the capturing area in a radial direction of the flow channel is larger than that of other areas.

Abstract: A powder container includes a containing portion having an opening; an opening/closing member that is movable between an open position and a closed position and supported with play; an opening restraining portion provided on the containing portion; an opening restrained portion provided on the opening/closing member; an urging member that urges the opening/closing member; and an opening/closing contact portion provided on the opening/closing member and contactable with an opening/closing contacted portion of an apparatus into which the containing portion is installed, wherein the opening restrained portion is disposed such that a direction of force generated when the containing portion is installed into the apparatus is inclined with respect to the direction in which the opening/closing member moves, and the opening restrained portion is disposed downstream of an imaginary line extending from a contact position at which the opening/closing contact portion contacts the opening/closing contacted portion.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a sensor member having first and second ends opposite to each other in a longitudinal direction of the sensor member and supported by support structures consisting of the first and second ends, and first and second support portions supporting the first and second ends; a first support structure including a first protruding portion fitted on a first recess portion supporting the first protruding portion; and a second support structure including a second protruding portion fitted on a second recess portion supporting the second protruding portion. The second protruding portion has first and second cylinder portions extending in a longitudinal direction of the second protruding portion. The second recess portion has an insertion portion allowing the second protruding portion to be inserted, a pass portion allowing the first cylinder portion to pass therethrough, and a positioning portion fitted on the second cylinder portion.

Abstract: A developer collecting device includes a housing provided with an opening opposed to a developer carrying member, a collecting member provided on a support member and capable of coming into contact with and separating from the developer carrying member, a suction path provided between the opening and a suction member for sucking developer removed from the developer carrying member, an opening-closing plate that opens or closes the suction path, an urging member that urges the opening-closing plate, a retaining member that retains the opening-closing plate, and an opening-closing unit including a rotating member and an elastic member whose ends are connected to the rotating member and the support member. The elastic member is pulled so as to rotate the rotating member in association with a movement of the collecting member, thereby rotating the opening-closing plate so as to open or close the suction path.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus including: an image carrier, provided to a main body of the image forming apparatus, that carries a toner image; an opening and closing member provided to be openable and closable against the main body; a transfer unit movably provided against the opening and closing member, the transfer unit including: a transfer body transferring the toner image onto a transfer receiving medium; and a holding member holding the transfer body and having a contact portion that is in contact with a counterpart contact portion provided to the main body when the opening and closing member is closed; and a maintaining unit maintaining a posture of the transfer unit against the opening and closing member when the contact portion is brought into contact with the counterpart contact portion during the course of transition of the opening and closing member from an opened state to the closed state.

Abstract: A cleaning device includes at least one first cleaning member that removes residual substances that remain on a surface of an endless belt by being in contact with the surface of the endless belt while rotating in a direction that is opposite to a movement direction in which the endless belt moves; a second cleaning member that is brought into contact with and separated from the surface of the endless belt at a predetermined timing and removes the residual substances that remain on the surface of the endless belt; and a switching unit that switches a rotation direction of the first cleaning member to a direction the same as the movement direction of the endless belt when the second cleaning member is brought into contact with the surface of the endless belt and cleans the surface.

Abstract: A cleaning device includes first to third cleaning members that clean a surface of an endless belt that is looped over rollers including a driving roller. The first cleaning member is brought into contact with and separated from the surface at a predetermined timing. The second cleaning member is disposed upstream of the first cleaning member and downstream of the driving roller in a movement direction of the endless belt. The second cleaning member is in contact with the endless belt so as to prevent a tension variation of the endless belt caused by the first cleaning member from affecting the driving roller. The third cleaning member is disposed downstream of the first cleaning member. A contact state in which the third cleaning member is in contact with the endless belt is switched from a first contact state to a second contact state so as to reduce the tension variation.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a body frame, a transport unit, an image carrier, a transfer device, a fixing device, a guide member assembly, a door, and a positioning member. The guide member assembly includes a guide member, a positioned portion, and a support member. The support member supports the guide member and has a side wall that extends in such a direction as to intersect a line drawn in the width direction and that has a hole through which the support shaft is inserted with some play being present. The guide member assembly is supported by the door with some play being present between the guide member assembly and the base plate and is urged by the urging member. The hole is a long hole having a major axis extending in an opening direction of the door away from the center line of rotation of the door.

Abstract: A transfer assembly includes a support member having a side wall that extends in such a direction as to intersect a line extending from the rotation axis of a transfer roller and that has a hole through which a support shaft is inserted with some play being present. The hole has such a shape that, at the beginning of a period when a door is rotated from an open state to a closed state and a positioned portion is in contact with a positioning member, gaps are formed between the support shaft and a wall surface of the hole on both sides of the support shaft in a radial direction crossing an arc that is drawn from a center of the arc at the center line of rotation of the door and that passes through the support shaft.

Abstract: A transfer device includes: a transfer roll that transfers a toner image formed on an image holding body to a transfer subject medium; a first holding member that holds the transfer roll rotatably; a pressure contact member that brings, via the first holding member, the transfer roll into pressure contact with the image holding body; a second holding member that holds the first holding member swingably and movably; and a pressing member that produces a pressing force for bringing the pressure contact member into pressure contact with the first holding member and the second holding member in a state that the first holding member is inclined from the second holding member.

Abstract: A feeding apparatus includes: an insulative feeding apparatus main body; plural first feeder lines; and a second feeder line, the feeding apparatus main body having: a first support member that supports the plural first feeder lines; and a second support member that supports the second feeder line, the first support member having: a wall surface part having a wall surface; and at least one projection projected from the wall surface in a direction crossing the wall surface, the plural first feeder lines being provided in space formed between the first support member and the second support member, and mutually partitioned from each other with the at least one projection, and the second feeder line being provided on a side of a surface of the second support member opposite to a surface on a side opposite to the plural first feeder lines.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: an image carrier carrying a toner image; a transfer unit including: a transfer body transferring the toner image onto a recording medium; and a positioning portion positioning the transfer body with respect to the image carrier; a guide portion guiding the recording medium to a position where the toner image is to be transferred onto the recording medium; and an opening and closing unit supporting the transfer unit and the guide portion and provided to be openable and closable by rotating with respect to a main body of the apparatus about a predetermined rotation center, the opening and closing unit forming different angles with the main body between when a force required to position the transfer unit with respect to the main body reaches a maximum value, and when a force required to position the guide portion with respect to the main body reaches a maximum value.

Abstract: A powder container includes a containing portion having an opening; an opening/closing member movable between an open position and a closed position; an opening restrained portion on one of the opening/closing member and the containing portion; an opening restraining portion on the other of the opening/closing member and the containing portion at a position corresponding to the opening restrained portion when the opening/closing member is at the closed position, the opening restraining portion restraining movement of the opening/closing member toward the open position by contacting the opening restrained portion; an urged portion on one of the containing portion and the opening/closing member; and an urging portion on the other of the containing portion and the opening/closing member at a position corresponding to the urged portion when the opening/closing member is at the closed position, the urging portion making the opening restraining portion contact the opening restrained portion.

Abstract: A developer collecting device includes a housing provided with an opening opposed to a developer carrying member, a collecting member provided on a support member and capable of coming into contact with and separating from the developer carrying member, a suction path provided between the opening and a suction member for sucking developer removed from the developer carrying member, an opening-closing plate that opens or closes the suction path, an urging member that urges the opening-closing plate, a retaining member that retains the opening-closing plate, and an opening-closing unit including a rotating member and an elastic member whose ends are connected to the rotating member and the support member. The elastic member is pulled so as to rotate the rotating member in association with a movement of the collecting member, thereby rotating the opening-closing plate so as to open or close the suction path.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a transfer member that retains developer; a housing provided with a removing member that removes the developer and having an intake opening that is opposed to the transfer member, the developer removed by the removing member being taken into the housing through the intake opening; a guiding pipe connected to the housing and having a suction hole through which the developer is sucked and an outlet through which the developer is discharged; and a suction member that applies a suction force to an inner space of the housing through the guiding pipe. A capturing area for capturing the developer that flows through a flow channel from the suction hole to the outlet is provided in the flow channel. A cross section of the capturing area in a radial direction of the flow channel is larger than that of other areas.

Abstract: A powder container includes a containing portion having an opening; an opening/closing member that is movable between an open position and a closed position and supported with play; an opening restraining portion provided on the containing portion; an opening restrained portion provided on the opening/closing member; an urging member that urges the opening/closing member; and an opening/closing contact portion provided on the opening/closing member and contactable with an opening/closing contacted portion of an apparatus into which the containing portion is installed, wherein the opening restrained portion is disposed such that a direction of force generated when the containing portion is installed into the apparatus is inclined with respect to the direction in which the opening/closing member moves, and the opening restrained portion is disposed downstream of an imaginary line extending from a contact position at which the opening/closing contact portion contacts the opening/closing contacted portion.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a sensor member having first and second ends opposite to each other in a longitudinal direction of the sensor member and supported by support structures consisting of the first and second ends, and first and second support portions supporting the first and second ends; a first support structure including a first protruding portion fitted on a first recess portion supporting the first protruding portion; and a second support structure including a second protruding portion fitted on a second recess portion supporting the second protruding portion. The second protruding portion has first and second cylinder portions extending in a longitudinal direction of the second protruding portion. The second recess portion has an insertion portion allowing the second protruding portion to be inserted, a pass portion allowing the first cylinder portion to pass therethrough, and a positioning portion fitted on the second cylinder portion.

Abstract: A developer collecting device includes a housing provided with an opening opposed to a developer carrying member, a collecting member provided along an edge of the opening at a downstream end of the opening in a transporting direction in which the developer carrying member transports the developer, a sealing member provided along an edge of the opening at an upstream end of the opening in the transporting direction, a suction path that extends along a longitudinal direction of the housing and that is connected to a suction unit for sucking the developer into the housing, a developer transporting unit that is provided between the opening and the suction path and that transports the developer collected in the housing, a filter member disposed between the developer transporting unit and the suction path, and a hood member disposed between the opening and the filter member and separated from the filter member.

Abstract: A cleaning unit includes: a cleaning member that cleans the surface of the image carrier; a cleaning container that stores developer removed by the cleaning member; a cleaning support that is formed by bending a plate and includes a cleaning-supporting portion supporting the other end portion of the cleaning member and a supported portion angled with respect to the cleaning-supporting portion by bending; a supporting-portion-of-support that includes a facing portion facing the supported portion, is provided at the cleaning container, and supports the cleaning support; a damping member that is disposed between the supported portion and the facing portion, is formed so as to be elastically deformable, and regulates vibration of the cleaning member; and a securing member that secures the cleaning support to the supporting-portion-of-support at a position adjacent to the damping member.

Abstract: A feeding apparatus includes: an insulative feeding apparatus main body; plural first feeder lines used for supply of electric power; and a second feeder line used for supply of electric power at a voltage different from a voltage of the electric power respectively supplied with the plural first feeder lines, the feeding apparatus main body having: a first support member that supports the plural first feeder lines; and a second support member that supports the second feeder line, the first support member having: a wall surface part having a wall surface; and at least one projection projected from the wall surface in a direction crossing the wall surface, the plural first feeder lines being provided in space formed between the first support member and the second support member, and mutually partitioned from each other with the at least one projection, and the second feeder line being provided on a side of a surface of the second support member opposite to a surface on a side opposite to the plural first feeder