Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a driving source that rotates a first shaft around the first shaft; a feeding mechanism that includes a transmission mechanism that transmits rotation of the first shaft in a first direction to a second shaft and does not transmit rotation of the first shaft in a direction opposite the first direction to the second shaft; a roller that is fixed to the second shaft and feeds a sheet from a stack of sheets by rotating around the second shaft; and a releasing member that is fixed to the second shaft; and a holding mechanism that holds the feeding mechanism with the roller away from the stack, wherein when the transmission mechanism transmits the rotation of the first shaft to the second shaft, the releasing member releases the hold on the feeding mechanism by the holding mechanism.

Abstract: An image forming device is obtained in which a carrying member provided at an openable/closable door can accurately be positioned to a photoconductive drum. A printer includes a housing having an openable/closable door, a drum as a photoconductive drum for image formation, a guide member, and a transfer roll. The drum is arranged inside the housing at a part adjacent to the door. The guide member has a fixed relative position to the drum. The transfer roll is provided at the door and arranged to be adjacent to the drum when the door is in a closed state. A guide convex portion and a guide groove of the guide member are formed as a position determining portion for determining the position of the transfer roll such that the relative position of the transfer roll to the guide member is fixed when the door is in a closed state.

Abstract: An image forming device is obtained in which a carrying member provided at an openable/closable door can accurately be positioned to a photoconductive drum. A printer includes a housing having an openable/closable door, a drum as a photoconductive drum for image formation, a guide member, and a transfer roll. The drum is arranged inside the housing at a part adjacent to the door. The guide member has a fixed relative position to the drum. The transfer roll is provided at the door and arranged to be adjacent to the drum when the door is in a closed state. A guide convex portion and a guide groove of the guide member are formed as a position determining portion for determining the position of the transfer roll such that the relative position of the transfer roll to the guide member is fixed when the door is in a closed state.

Abstract: A sheet trailing edge restriction member (65) according to the present invention has a main body (68) disposed upright in a sheet holding portion. The main body (68) is provided with a hook (71) for fixing the main body upright to the sheet holding portion. The restriction member is attached to and detached from the sheet holding portion by deforming the hook (71) toward a space (72) defined between the hook and the main body. Unless the hook is deformed toward the space (72), the restriction member cannot be detached from the sheet holding portion. The main body (68) is provided with a rear support plate (70) for supporting a rear end of a sheet stack. The rear support plate (70) is displaceable so as to support the rear end of the sheet stack. An insert (82) is provided integrally with the rear support plate (70). The insert (82) is usually inserted in the space (72) to prevent the deformation of the hook (71).

Abstract: A helical gear connected to a lower discharge roller is made movable in its axial direction toward a bracket when a stepping motor is activated. A friction pad formed from felt or sponge rubber, for example, is attached to a side surface of the helical gear that is located face to face with the bracket. When the stepping motor is energized, the helical gear shifts toward the friction pad and the side surface of the helical gear comes in sliding contact with the friction pad. Resultant frictional resistance produces a braking force which acts on the rotating lower discharge roller. An overrun of the lower discharge roller due to a backlash between engaging gears is prevented even when an upper transfer roller exerts a forward-pushing force on a rear end of a sheet of an original document.

Abstract: A sheet member conveying mechanism, including a conveying guide for guiding a sheet member from a paper feed port to a paper discharge tray, a forwarding roller disposed on the most upstream side of the conveying guide, and a paper feed roller disposed on the downstream side of the forwarding roller to convey sheet members, forwarded by the forwarding roller, downstream one by one. An upper part of the outer peripheral surfaces of each of the forwarding roller and the paper feed roller is exposed above the upper surface of the conveying guide. The uppermost site of the paper feed roller is located at a lower position than the uppermost site of the forwarding roller.