Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: a fixing apparatus configured to fix onto a sheet-shaped recording medium a toner image formed on a surface of the recording medium, the fixing apparatus is detachable from an apparatus main body of the image forming apparatus, and the fixing apparatus includes: a fixing member configured to fix the toner image onto the recording medium; a case that houses the fixing member; a cable whose first end is connected to the fixing member; and a connector that is connected to a second end on a side opposite to the first end of the cable, and the connector is fixed to an outer wall surface of the case that faces in a direction opposite to an attaching direction in which the fixing apparatus is attached to the apparatus main body.

Abstract: A sheet regulating portion includes a body portion including a regulating surface facing an edge of a sheet, a pressing member having a pressing portion capable of projecting out of the body portion, an upper portion formed integrally with an upper part of the pressing portion so as to project to a sheet side and regulating an upward move of the sheet, and an urging member to urge the pressing member so that the pressing portion presses the edge of the sheet. In addition, a holding portion holds the pressing portion movably from a projecting position where the pressing portion projects out of the body portion to a retracting position where the upper portion enters within the body portion while inclining the pressing portion with respect to the regulating surface by resisting against the urging member when the upper portion is pressed from above.

Abstract: A sheet feeding device includes a stacking portion, a first roller, a second roller, a third roller rotatable to provide peripheral movement in a predetermined direction and to provide peripheral movement in a direction opposite to the predetermined direction, a detecting unit, a driving unit for executing a feeding operation by the first roller, and a control unit for providing an instruction to the driving unit so as to continue or stop the feeding operation. The predetermined rotational frequency is larger than 0 and is smaller than a rotational frequency of the third roller in a period in which the third roller is rotated in the predetermined direction in a state in which a single recording material is fed to the nip.

Abstract: A sheet regulating portion includes a body portion including a regulating surface facing an edge of a sheet, a pressing member having a pressing portion capable of projecting out of the body portion, an upper portion formed integrally with an upper part of the pressing portion so as to project to a sheet side and regulating an upward move of the sheet, and an urging member to urge the pressing member so that the pressing portion presses the edge of the sheet. In addition, a holding portion holds the pressing portion movably from a projecting position where the pressing portion projects out of the body portion to a retracting position where the upper portion enters within the body portion while inclining the pressing portion with respect to the regulating surface by resisting against the urging member when the upper portion is pressed from above.

Abstract: A sheet regulating portion includes a body portion including a regulating surface facing an edge of a sheet, a pressing member having a pressing portion capable of projecting out of the body portion, an upper portion formed integrally with an upper part of the pressing portion so as to project to a sheet side and regulating an upward move of the sheet, and an urging member to urge the pressing member so that the pressing portion presses the edge of the sheet. In addition, a holding portion holds the pressing portion movably from a projecting position where the pressing portion projects out of the body portion to a retracting position where the upper portion enters within the body portion while inclining the pressing portion with respect to the regulating surface by resisting against the urging member when the upper portion is pressed from above.

Abstract: A height regulating portion is integrally formed with a pressing member provided in a first side regulating plate configured to regulate a position of a sheet in a sheet feed cassette, and the pressing member is provided turnably in the first side regulating plate and movably to project and retract positions. Then, when the sheet abuts with the height regulating portion and the height regulating portion is pressed from above by the sheet when the sheet is stored, the pressing member is moved, while turning, to the retract position.

Abstract: A sheet feeding device includes a stacking portion, a first roller, a second roller, a third roller rotatable to provide peripheral movement in a predetermined direction and to provide peripheral movement in a direction opposite to the predetermined direction, a detecting unit, a driving unit for executing a feeding operation by the first roller, and a control unit for providing an instruction to the driving unit so as to continue or stop the feeding operation. The predetermined rotational frequency is larger than 0 and is smaller than a rotational frequency of the third roller in a period in which the third roller is rotated in the predetermined direction in a state in which a single recording material is fed to the nip.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image bearing member for bearing a toner image, a rotatable endless belt, a first driving member for rotationally driving the endless belt and in contact with an inner peripheral surface of the endless belt, and a second driving member for rotationally driving the endless belt and in contact with an outer peripheral surface of the endless belt. In addition, a tension detecting unit detects a state of tension of the endless belt and a controller controls a rotational speed of the second driving member. A driving force applied from the second driving member to the endless belt is smaller than a driving force applied from the first driving member to the endless belt, and the tension detecting unit includes a metal roller contacting the inner peripheral surface of the endless belt and detects the tension by movement of the metal roller which follows the endless belt.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image carrying belt for carrying a toner image; an image forming station for forming toner image on the image carrying belt; a sheet feeding belt for feeding a sheet; a transfer member for transferring the toner image from the carrying belt onto the sheet fed on the feeding belt; and a controller for controlling speeds of the carrying belt and the feeding belt. The controller is capable of controlling a relative speed between the carrying belt and the feeding belt at multiple levels. The image forming station forms a first toner pattern on the carrying belt in a state that the relative speed is at a first level, and forms a second toner pattern on the carrying belt in a state that the relative speed is at a second level which is different from the first level. The transfer member transfers the first toner pattern and the second toner pattern onto the sheet carried on the feeding belt.

Abstract: The image forming apparatus includes an endless and movable transfer material bearing belt, a transfer member, an opposing member and a belt guide member, wherein a conveyance direction of the transfer material in a first area is substantially the same as a conveyance direction of the transfer material in a second area, the first area corresponding to a nip area formed by the opposing member and the transfer member and the second area corresponding to an area in which the belt guide member bringing the transfer material bearing belt and the image bearing belt come into contact with each other. By the virtue of the present invention, a transfer material is restrained from scraping off the leading end of a toner image before the leading end of the toner image enters a transfer nip portion, while suppressing spattering of the toner image on the upstream of the transfer nip portion.

Abstract: In order to provide a sheet conveying apparatus and an image forming apparatus capable of alleviating a bumping noise generated between a sheet and an inner guide member when the sheet passes through a curved sheet conveying path, a pair of intermediate conveying rollers is arranged in positions corresponding to both lateral sides in a width direction of the feeding roller and subsidiary feeding roller in a sheet conveyance direction. In addition, the subsidiary intermediate conveying roller abuts on the intermediate conveying roller with an inclination such that the sheet conveyance force is directed to the center of the sheet conveying path in a width direction. As a result, the sheet makes contact with the inner guide member of the facing guide member of the sheet conveying path by undulating the sheet in a width direction when the sheet is extracted and conveyed by the pair of intermediate conveying rollers.

Abstract: A toner image formed on an image bearing member is transferred onto a recording material so as to overflow from an edge portion of the recording material, thereby enabling the toner image to be formed so as to extend to the edge portion of the recording material. To suppress the deposition of the toner in the edge portion of the recording material, a cleaning member for cleaning the edge portion of the recording material obtained after the fixing is provided. In order to make a trailing edge of the recording material come into contact with the cleaning member, the recording material which has passed through a fixing apparatus is temporarily switched back, thereby allowing the trailing edge portion of the recording material to collide with the cleaning member.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image bearing member; a rotatable endless belt; a first driving member for driving the belt in contact to an inner surface of the belt; a second driving member for driving the belt in contact to an outer surface of the belt; a tension detecting unit for detecting a state of tension of the belt; and a controller for controlling a rotational speed of the second driving member. A driving force applied from the second driving member to the belt is smaller than a driving force applied from the first driving member to the belt. The controller controls, on the basis of a detection result of the tension detecting unit, the rotational speed of the second driving member so that the state of tension of the belt is a predetermined state.

Abstract: In order to provide a sheet conveying apparatus and an image forming apparatus capable of alleviating a bumping noise generated between a sheet and an inner guide member when the sheet passes through a curved sheet conveying path, a pair of intermediate conveying rollers is arranged in positions corresponding to both lateral sides in a width direction of the feeding roller and subsidiary feeding roller in a sheet conveyance direction. In addition, the subsidiary intermediate conveying roller abuts on the intermediate conveying roller with an inclination such that the sheet conveyance force is directed to the center of the sheet conveying path in a width direction. As a result, the sheet makes contact with the inner guide member of the facing guide member of the sheet conveying path by undulating the sheet in a width direction when the sheet is extracted and conveyed by the pair of intermediate conveying rollers.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image carrying belt for carrying a toner image; an image forming station for forming toner image on the image carrying belt; a sheet feeding belt for feeding a sheet; a transfer member for transferring the toner image from the carrying belt onto the sheet fed on the feeding belt; and a controller for controlling speeds of the carrying belt and the feeding belt. The controller is capable of controlling a relative speed between the carrying belt and the feeding belt at multiple levels. The image forming station forms a first toner pattern on the carrying belt in a state that the relative speed is at a first level, and forms a second toner pattern on the carrying belt in a state that the relative speed is at a second level which is different from the first level. The transfer member transfers the first toner pattern and the second toner pattern onto the sheet carried on the feeding belt.

Abstract: An electrophotographic image forming apparatus includes a cartridge supporting member movable between an inside position in the main assembly of the apparatus and an outside position outside the main assembly. The apparatus further includes a first opening through which the cartridge supporting member passes between the inside position and the outside position and a first openable member for openably closing the first opening. A second opening is provided continuing from the first opening and provided above the first opening, with the second opening being effective to permit the cartridge to be removed from the cartridge supporting member in the state that the cartridge supporting member takes the outside position and being effective to permit the supporting member to support the cartridge. The apparatus also includes a second openable member for openably closing the second opening.

Abstract: A compact image forming apparatus is provided in which stains on the back of a transfer material can be prevented. In particular, in a marginless print mode in which a toner image can be formed to the edge of a transfer material, a large amount of toner adheres to a transfer-material bearing member. The image forming apparatus includes a collecting member that can temporarily collect the toner adhering to the transfer-material bearing member. The toner that is temporarily collected by the collecting member is transferred to an intermediate transfer member and is cleaned by a cleaning unit.

Abstract: A color electrophotographic image forming apparatus is disclosed. The apparatus includes a cartridge supporting member supporting a plurality of cartridges and moving between a position inside a main body of the apparatus and a mounting and detaching position for mounting and detaching the cartridges. The apparatus further includes an engaging portion provided to one of the supporting member and the main body at a position corresponding to the mounting and detaching position for at least one cartridge, and a pressure member provided to the other and elastically urged to disengageably engage with the engaging portion. When the supporting member is moved from the inside position to the mounting and detaching position, a load required for movement of the supporting member at the mounting and detaching position is made larger than a load required for movement at other positions than the mounting and detaching position.

Abstract: The image forming apparatus includes an endless and movable transfer material bearing belt, a transfer member, an opposing member and a belt guide member, wherein a conveyance direction of the transfer material in a first area is substantially the same as a conveyance direction of the transfer material in a second area, the first area corresponding to a nip area formed by the opposing member and the transfer member and the second area corresponding to an area in which the belt guide member bringing the transfer material bearing belt and the image bearing belt come into contact with each other. By the virtue of the present invention, a transfer material is restrained from scraping off the leading end of a toner image before the leading end of the toner image enters a transfer nip portion, while suppressing spattering of the toner image on the upstream of the transfer nip portion.

Abstract: Provided is an image forming apparatus in which the image forming apparatus has a marginless mode in which the toner image is formed on said image bearing member in an area that covers the recording material and an area outside the recording material, and the toner image is transferred to extend beyond an edge of the recording material carried by said recording material carrying member, the image forming apparatus further including: a detecting device which detects the toner image that extends beyond the edge of the recording material and is transferred to said recording material carrying member in the marginless mode; and a control device which uses a detection result provided by said detecting device to control where said exposure device forms a latent image on said image bearing member.