Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a transport device that transports fluid inside a body of an image forming apparatus; a counting unit that counts a cumulative number of image forming operations; and a transport control unit that controls a start and a stop of operation of the transport device so as to keep the transport device stopped when an image forming operation is started, and to start the transport device when the cumulative number of image forming operations has become larger than or equal to a preset number.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a transport device that transports fluid inside a body of an image forming apparatus; a counting unit that counts a cumulative number of image forming operations; and a transport control unit that controls a start and a stop of operation of the transport device so as to keep the transport device stopped when an image forming operation is started, and to start the transport device when the cumulative number of image forming operations has become larger than or equal to a preset number.

Abstract: A sheet supplying device has: a base; a tray; a feed roller provided rotatably at the base and positioned above the tray. When the feed roller rotates while frictionally engaging with a topmost sheet of the stack of sheets, the feed roller can convey the sheet. The sheet supplying device further includes a driving mechanism able to drive the feed roller to rotate; an urging member urging the tray toward the feed roller; a first eccentric cam rotatably provided at the base, and including a large-radius outer peripheral portion and a small-radius outer peripheral portion, the first eccentric cam rotating interlockingly with rotation of the feed roller; and a second eccentric cam rotatably provided at the tray, and including a large-radius outer peripheral portion and a small-radius outer peripheral portion, the second eccentric cam being able to engage with the first eccentric cam.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus has an image forming apparatus body, a process cartridge which is provided in this image forming apparatus body so as to be mounted or demounted, a paper feeding tray adapted to be loaded with recording paper, and a small cover which is provided between the process cartridge in a mounted state and the paper feeding tray, and adapted to open or close an insertion inlet of the process cartridge, wherein a space for operating the paper feeding tray is converted into a space for mounting or demounting the process cartridge, by opening the small cover.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus has an image forming apparatus body, a process cartridge which is provided in this image forming apparatus body so as to be mounted or demounted, a paper feeding tray adapted to be loaded with recording paper, and a small cover which is provided between the process cartridge in a mounted state and the paper feeding tray, and adapted to open or close an insertion inlet of the process cartridge, wherein a space for operating the paper feeding tray is converted into a space for mounting or demounting the process cartridge, by opening the small cover.

Abstract: A sheet supplying device has: a base; a tray; a feed roller provided rotatably at the base and positioned above the tray. When the feed roller rotates while frictionally engaging with a topmost sheet of the stack of sheets, the feed roller can convey the sheet. The sheet supplying device further includes a driving mechanism able to drive the feed roller to rotate; an urging member urging the tray toward the feed roller; a first eccentric cam rotatably provided at the base, and including a large-radius outer peripheral portion and a small-radius outer peripheral portion, the first eccentric cam rotating interlockingly with rotation of the feed roller; and a second eccentric cam rotatably provided at the tray, and including a large-radius outer peripheral portion and a small-radius outer peripheral portion, the second eccentric cam being able to engage with the first eccentric cam.

Abstract: Two paper trays 11, 12 are disposed in such a manner that they are superimposed on top of each other in the vertical direction, a first paper feed roller 13 for feeding out paper from the upper-side paper tray 11 is disposed backwardly of and obliquely upwardly of a second paper feed roller 14 with respect to a direction in which the paper is fed out, and the upper-side paper tray 11 is disposed backwardly of and adjacently to the second paper feed roller 14. The sheets of paper fed out from the upper- and lower-side paper trays are delivered along the upper or lower surface of the second paper feed roller 14 and a are then fed into a common registration roller 10 without providing a delivery roller on the way. A holder 18 for supporting a handling member 16 to be contacted with the second paper feed roller 14 is supported by the paper tray 12 and can be retreated downwardly when pulling out the paper tray 12.

Abstract: A registration roller 30 is preferably interposed between a first tangent line L1 passing through a handling portion between a first sheet feed roller 38 and a first handling member 42, and a second tangent line L2 passing through a handling portion between a second sheet feed roller 40 and a second handling member 44 (or the registration roller 30 may also be disposed so as to project out slightly from this range), and also the registration roller 30 may be preferably disposed downwardly of a horizontal line L3 passing through an upper end of the first sheet feed roller 38. In case where the first sheet feed roller 38, the second sheet feed roller 40 and the registration roller 30 are disposed so as to be as close as possible to one another, the height dimensions of a sheet feed apparatus 28 can be reduced to a minimum.

Abstract: A registration roller 30 is preferably interposed between a first tangent line L1 passing through a handling portion between a first sheet feed roller 38 and a first handling member 42, and a second tangent line L2 passing through a handling portion between a second sheet feed roller 40 and a second handling member 44 (or the registration roller 30 may also be disposed so as to project out slightly from this range), and also the registration roller 30 may be preferably disposed downwardly of a horizontal line L3 passing through an upper end of the first sheet feed roller 38. In case where the first sheet feed roller 38, the second sheet feed roller 40 and the registration roller 30 are disposed so as to be as close as possible to one another, the height dimensions of a sheet feed apparatus 28 can be reduced to a minimum.

Abstract: A sheet size detection device for detecting a size of sheets which are held in a cassette body comprises a first guide member for defining the position of the sheets which are held in the body of the cassette, in a first direction of the sheets, the first guide member being movable in accordance with the size of sheets, a second guide member for defining the position of the sheets, in a second direction of the sheets, the second direction being orthogonal to the first direction, the second guide member being movable in accordance with the size of sheets, a first arm having a first resistor and movable with the first guide member, a second arm having a second resistor and movable with the second guide member, the first and second resistors constituting a variable resistor, and a size detector for detecting the size of the sheets on the basis of the resistance value of the variable resistor.