Abstract: A feeding device includes a receptacle, a conveyor, an elastic member, and a load adjuster. The receptacle is vertically movable and holds a stack of sheets. The conveyor feeds an uppermost sheet of the stack of sheets on the receptacle in a feeding direction in which a sheet of the stack of sheets is fed. The elastic member biases the receptacle to press the uppermost sheet of the stack of sheets on the receptacle against the conveyor. At least when a height of the stack of sheets on the receptacle is equal to or greater than a given value, the load adjuster applies a reduced magnitude of load downward to the stack of sheets on the receptacle in response to a decrease in the height of the stack of sheets.

Abstract: A sheet conveying device includes a first sheet conveyance passage, a second sheet conveyance passage, and a branching guide. The first sheet conveyance passage is a passage through which a sheet passes in a first direction. The second sheet conveyance passage shares a part of the first sheet conveyance passage and branches off from the first sheet conveyance passage in a second direction opposite the first direction of the first sheet conveyance passage. The branching guide is disposed at a position where the first sheet conveyance passage meets the second sheet conveyance passage. The branching guide is configured to move between a first position for the first direction and a second position for the second direction. A plurality of branching guides including the branching guide is spaced apart in a width direction of the sheet and separately switchable between the first position and the second position.

Abstract: A sheet loader includes a housing and a fence. The housing has a bottom face. The fence is movable in a fence moving direction and configured to regulate a position of an end face of the sheet to be loaded in the housing. The fence includes a sliding face and a bend. The sliding face is configured to slide on the bottom face of the housing as the fence moves. The bend is disposed at an end of the sliding face in the fence moving direction and bent in a direction away from the bottom face of the housing.

Abstract: A sheet conveying device includes a first sheet conveyance passage, a second sheet conveyance passage, and a branching guide. The first sheet conveyance passage is a passage through which a sheet passes in a first direction. The second sheet conveyance passage shares a part of the first sheet conveyance passage and branches off from the first sheet conveyance passage in a second direction opposite the first direction of the first sheet conveyance passage. The branching guide is disposed at a position where the first sheet conveyance passage meets the second sheet conveyance passage. The branching guide is configured to move between a first position for the first direction and a second position for the second direction. A plurality of branching guides including the branching guide is spaced apart in a width direction of the sheet and separately switchable between the first position and the second position.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image bearer, an image forming device to form an image on the image bearer, a transfer device to transfer the image formed on the image bearer onto a sheet, a storage to store the sheet, a sheet feeder to convey the sheet one by one to the transfer device, and a slip amount prediction controller. The slip amount prediction controller calculates a predicted slip amount between the sheet feeder and the sheet before forming the image and, subsequently calculates an interval between images based on the predicted slip amount. The slip amount prediction controller controls the image forming device based on the calculated interval between images to form the image on the image bearer.

Abstract: A sheet stacker includes a body to stack a sheet, a fence to regulate a position of the sheet, and a support. The body includes a groove extending in a predetermined direction. The support includes a support portion to support the fence and a projection extending in the predetermined direction. The groove engages with the projection in a sheet stacking direction to secure the support. The fence is supported to be rotatable about the support portion of the support.

Abstract: A sheet feeder, which is included in an image forming apparatus, includes a sheet loader on which a sheet is loaded, a sheet feeding body to feed the sheet from the sheet loader, and a sheet separator disposed to contact the sheet feeding body. The sheet is fed at a first average sheet feeding speed at which the sheet feeding body is in contact with the sheet separator without holding the sheet with the sheet separator. The sheet is fed at a second average sheet feeding speed at which the sheet feeding body is holding the sheet with the sheet separator. The first average sheet feeding speed is set smaller than the second average sheet feeding speed.

Abstract: A sheet feeder, which can be included in an image forming apparatus, includes a rotary body to contact and feed a recording medium to a downstream side along a sheet conveying path, a friction body disposed facing and contacting the rotary body with the sheet conveying path interposed therebetween, the friction body forming a separation nip region with the rotary body, a receiver to support the friction body at a position opposite to the separation nip region, and multiple projections to guide the recording medium toward the separation nip region. Each of the multiple projections extends toward the rotary body at respective axial ends of the rotary body and has a top face disposed upstream from the separation nip region in a sheet conveying direction between an outer circumferential surface of the rotary body and a surface of the friction body.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image bearer, an image forming device to form an image on the image bearer, a transfer device to transfer the image formed on the image bearer onto a sheet, a storage to store the sheet, a sheet feeder to convey the sheet one by one to the transfer device, and a slip amount prediction controller. The slip amount prediction controller calculates a predicted slip amount between the sheet feeder and the sheet before forming the image and, subsequently calculates an interval between images based on the predicted slip amount. The slip amount prediction controller controls the image forming device based on the calculated interval between images to form the image on the image bearer.

Abstract: A paper output tray, which can be included in a paper output unit in an image forming apparatus, includes a tray body, a paper support extension slidably attached to the tray body and arranged switchable between a stored state in which the paper support extension is stored in the tray body and an extended state in which the paper support extension is pulled out to extend from the tray body, and a stopper rotatably attached to the paper support extension and arranged switchable between a folded state in which the stopper is folded to the paper support extension and a standing state in which the stopper is raised from the paper support extension. With the paper support extension in the stored state and the stopper in the folded state, the stopper overlaps an outer surface of the tray body.

Abstract: A sheet feeder, which is included in an image forming apparatus, includes a sheet loader on which a sheet is loaded, a sheet feeding body to feed the sheet from the sheet loader, and a sheet separator disposed to contact the sheet feeding body. The sheet is fed at a first average sheet feeding speed at which the sheet feeding body is in contact with the sheet separator without holding the sheet with the sheet separator. The sheet is fed at a second average sheet feeding speed at which the sheet feeding body is holding the sheet with the sheet separator. The first average sheet feeding speed is set smaller than the second average sheet feeding speed.

Abstract: A sheet feeder of a friction pad separation type, which can be included in an image forming apparatus, includes a feeder body, a rotary feed body, a separation body, a holder, and a leaf spring. The rotary feed body is disposed in the feeder body and feeds a recording medium along a sheet conveying direction. The separation body is fixed to the feeder body while facing the rotary feed body. The separation body separates the recording medium with the rotary feed body. The holder has a rotary shaft and holds the separation body while being rotatably supported by the rotary shaft. The leaf spring has a flexible deforming part that contacts an area adjacent to the rotary shaft and a line of action of a pressing force of the flexible deforming part passing close by the rotary shaft.

Abstract: A sheet feeding device includes a rotary feeder to contact a first side of a sheet to feed the sheet downstream along a feed passage; a friction pad disposed opposing the rotary feeder with the feed passage interposed between the rotary feeder and the friction pad to form a separation nip, the friction pad having a first side facing the separation nip and a second side opposite the first side of the friction pad; a holder disposed on the second side of the friction pad and having a first side holding the friction pad and a second side opposite the first side of the holder; a guide support disposed on the second side of the holder; and a pair of guides disposed on the guide support to contact a second side of the sheet facing the friction pad to raise the sheet from a surface of the friction pad.

Abstract: A sheet conveying device includes a holder, a friction member, a rotary conveyance member having an outer circumferential surface and forming a nip area between the outer circumferential surface thereof and the friction member, the rotary conveyance member configured to rotate while contacting the friction member, and separate and convey multiple sheet-like materials one by one at the nip area, and a pair of guides configured to lift an underside of each of the sheet-like materials at a portion facing the friction member, the pair of guides disposed upstream from the nip area in a sheet conveying direction, outside both ends in an axial direction of the rotary conveyance member, separate from the nip area from the axial direction of the rotary conveyance member, and being overlaid with the outer circumferential surface of the rotary conveyance member.

Abstract: A sheet feeder includes a feeding member to contact a sheet and feed the sheet downstream in a sheet conveyance direction, a friction pad disposed facing the feeding member to contact the feeding member, and a receiving table including a pad mount to hold a side of the friction pad opposite a nip between the friction pad and the feeding member. The friction pad includes a fixed range secured to the pad mount upstream from the nip and a movable range extending downstream the nip in the sheet conveyance direction. A first friction force of the pad mount to act on the movable range of the friction pad is smaller than a second friction force of the sheet to act on the movable range of the friction pad.

Abstract: A sheet feeder of a friction pad separation type, which can be included in an image forming apparatus, includes a feeder body, a rotary feed body, a separation body, a holder, and a leaf spring. The rotary feed body is disposed in the feeder body and feeds a recording medium along a sheet conveying direction. The separation body is fixed to the feeder body while facing the rotary feed body. The separation body separates the recording medium with the rotary feed body. The holder has a rotary shaft and holds the separation body while being rotatably supported by the rotary shaft. The leaf spring has a flexible deforming part that contacts an area adjacent to the rotary shaft and a line of action of a pressing force of the flexible deforming part passing close by the rotary shaft.

Abstract: A sheet feeding device, which is incorporated in an image forming apparatus, includes a sheet container that contains a sheet therein, an outer end part connectable to the sheet container, a sheet feeding member, a swing shaft, a sheet loading member supported by the swing shaft to swing according to an amount of sheets loaded on the loading surface, a rotary shaft, and a sheet amount indicator being rotatably supported by the rotary shaft and having a contact end contacting the sheet loading member swinging according to a remaining amount of sheets and a sheet amount display end moving in a given display range visible from the outside of the sheet feeding device. The sheet loading member has a sloped surface sloped to a loading surface of the loading member and disposed at a portion where the contact end of the sheet amount indicator contacts the loading surface.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image bearer, an image forming unit, an intermediate transfer member, a secondary transfer member, an image detector, a computing device, and a conveyor device. The computing device calculates a traveling speed of the intermediate transfer member based on detection information provided by the image detector. The conveyor device continuously transports to a secondary transfer portion a plurality of recording media one by one at a predetermined interval between successive recording media. The image forming unit forms a test image at a space between successive recording-medium contact regions of the intermediate transfer member at which the recording medium contacts the intermediate transfer member. A travel distance of the intermediate transfer member from the detection position on the intermediate transfer member to the secondary transfer portion in a traveling direction thereof is shorter than the space between the successive recording-medium contact regions.

Abstract: A sheet feeding device includes a feeding device and a detector. The feeding device is configured to feed a sheet to a destination. The detector is configured to detect the sheet at the destination. If the detector does not detect the sheet within a predetermined time after the start of preparation for a feeding operation by the feeding device, it is determined that the sheet is misfed. Further, the start of the feeding operation of a sheet is changed in accordance with the result of detection by the detector of the presence or absence of a sheet standing by at the destination.

Abstract: A sheet feeding device includes a rotary feeder to contact a first side of a sheet to feed the sheet downstream along a feed passage; a friction pad disposed opposing the rotary feeder with the feed passage interposed between the rotary feeder and the friction pad to form a separation nip, the friction pad having a first side facing the separation nip and a second side opposite the first side of the friction pad; a holder disposed on the second side of the friction pad and having a first side holding the friction pad and a second side opposite the first side of the holder; a guide support disposed on the second side of the holder; and a pair of guides disposed on the guide support to contact a second side of the sheet facing the friction pad to raise the sheet from a surface of the friction pad.