Abstract: Provided is a driving force transmission device including: an actuator (22) that, in a case where one of a first annular gear (11), a second annular gear (14), and a carrier (16) is an input member, another one is an output member, and the remaining one is a rotational member, causes one of the input member and the output member to rotate integrally with the rotational member. When driving force is inputted from the drive source to the input member and input member is rotated unidirectionally, the rotation direction of the output member in the case where one of the input member and the output member rotates integrally with the rotational member is reversed with respect to that in a case where one of the input member and the output member does not rotate integrally with the rotational member.

Abstract: Provided is a driving force transmission device including: an actuator (22) that, in a case where one of a first annular gear (11), a second annular gear (14), and a carrier (16) is an input member, another one is an output member, and the remaining one is a rotational member, causes one of the input member and the output member to rotate integrally with the rotational member. When driving force is inputted from the drive source to the input member and input member is rotated unidirectionally, the rotation direction of the output member in the case where one of the input member and the output member rotates integrally with the rotational member is reversed with respect to that in a case where one of the input member and the output member does not rotate integrally with the rotational member.

Abstract: Provided is a driving force transmission device including: an actuator (22) that, in a case where one of a first annular gear (11), a second annular gear (14), and a carrier (16) is an input member, another one is an output member, and the remaining one is a rotational member, causes one of the input member and the output member to rotate integrally with the rotational member. When driving force is inputted from the drive source to the input member and input member is rotated unidirectionally, the rotation direction of the output member in the case where one of the input member and the output member rotates integrally with the rotational member is reversed with respect to that in a case where one of the input member and the output member does not rotate integrally with the rotational member.

Abstract: A variable speed unit is driven by a drive unit to make a tooth-missing large gear of a sheet feed tooth-missing stage gear mesh with a small gear of an input stage gear rotating at a constant speed, to then rotate a rotating shaft of the feeding roller and a cam at a first speed to lift an intermediate plate. If a sheet stacked on the intermediate plate is pressed against the feeding roller, the variable speed unit makes a large gear of the input stage gear and a tooth-missing small gear of the sheet feed tooth-missing stage gear mesh with each other, so that the rotating shaft of the feeding roller is rotated at a second speed faster than the first speed to rotate the feeding roller at a fast speed.

Abstract: A drive transmission apparatus in which, when immobilization of a preceding gear (21) by a solenoid (22) is canceled, an urging portion urges the preceding gear (21) to rotate in a direction in which the preceding gear (21) meshes with an input gear (24) which rotates at a constant velocity. An interlocking portion causes an output gear (20) to mesh with the input gear (24) in association with the rotation of the preceding gear (21), to rotate the output gear (20) at a low velocity, and to rotate the output gear (20) at a high velocity when the output gear (20) rotates by a predetermined amount.

Abstract: When a stirring member that stirs developer in a developer containing portion rotates at high speed, toner flies and the detection accuracy of light transmission type toner remaining amount detection is degraded. A developing apparatus including a developer containing portion that contains developer, a stirring member that stirs the developer in the developer containing portion, and a partition member which is disposed to separate the developer containing portion from a space adjacent to the developer containing portion and which bends to block at least a part of a light path, which is formed in the space and used to detect an amount of the developer, when being pressed by the stirring member via the developer.

Abstract: The heating apparatus of a surface-heating type, includes a rotary member, an opposing member that forms a nip with respect to the rotary member, and a heating member for heating a portion of a rotary member surface other than the nip, in which temperature used for heating the rotary member by the heating member is controlled, and a heating material inserted in the nip to be nipped and conveyed therein is heated using heat of the rotary member. Accordingly, after insertion of the heating material in the nip starts, control temperature of the heating member is increased before the rotary member rotates by one revolution, thereby preventing an uneven heating phenomenon of the heating material in the first revolution and the second revolution or later, and preventing uneven gloss due to the uneven heating phenomenon in the fixing apparatus.

Abstract: Provided is a driving force transmission device including: an actuator (22) that, in a case where one of a first annular gear (11), a second annular gear (14), and a carrier (16) is an input member, another one is an output member, and the remaining one is a rotational member, causes one of the input member and the output member to rotate integrally with the rotational member. When driving force is inputted from the drive source to the input member and input member is rotated unidirectionally, the rotation direction of the output member in the case where one of the input member and the output member rotates integrally with the rotational member is reversed with respect to that in a case where one of the input member and the output member does not rotate integrally with the rotational member.

Abstract: A variable speed unit is driven by a drive unit to make a tooth-missing large gear of a sheet feed tooth-missing stage gear mesh with a small gear of an input stage gear rotating at a constant speed, to then rotate a rotating shaft of the feeding roller and a cam at a first speed to lift an intermediate plate. If a sheet stacked on the intermediate plate is pressed against the feeding roller, the variable speed unit makes a large gear of the input stage gear and a tooth-missing small gear of the sheet feed tooth-missing stage gear mesh with each other, so that the rotating shaft of the feeding roller is rotated at a second speed faster than the first speed to rotate the feeding roller at a fast speed.

Abstract: A drive transmission apparatus in which, when immobilization of a preceding gear (21) by a solenoid (22) is canceled, an urging portion urges the preceding gear (21) to rotate in a direction in which the preceding gear (21) meshes with an input gear (24) which rotates at a constant velocity. An interlocking portion causes an output gear (20) to mesh with the input gear (24) in association with the rotation of the preceding gear (21), to rotate the output gear (20) at a low velocity, and to rotate the output gear (20) at a high velocity when the output gear (20) rotates by a predetermined amount.

Abstract: A developing unit includes a developer storage unit, a developer bearing member, an agitation member, a flexible member, and a magnet member. The developer storage unit stores a developer. The developer bearing member develops an electrostatic latent image formed on an image bearing member with the developer. The agitation member agitates the developer in the developer storage unit. The flexible member, disposed in the developer storage unit, is distorted by pressure applied by the agitation member via the developer. The magnet member, disposed on the flexible member, is displaced in response to the flexible member being distorted.

Abstract: A printer includes a fixing device that fixes a toner image formed on a sheet and a sheet delivery roller pair for delivering the sheet on which the toner image is fixed by the fixing device onto a sheet delivery tray placed outside of a printer main body. The printer includes a supporting member that supports an upstream edge portion of the sheet in a delivery direction delivered from the sheet delivery roller pair so that the upstream edge portion does not fall down on the sheet delivery tray. The printer includes a blower unit that blows air along a lower surface of the sheet supported by the supporting member from the upstream edge portion of the sheet in the delivery direction toward a downstream edge portion of the sheet in the delivery direction.

Abstract: A toner container includes a toner accommodating portion: a rotatable toner stirring member; a sensor for detecting a remaining amount of the toner; wherein the sensor includes a first flexible sheet portion, a second sheet portion, a first opening, a first electroconductive portion, a second electroconductive portion, wherein the first sheet portion flexes by a stirring operation of the stirring member, and the first electroconductive portion is contacted to the second electroconductive portion, by which the remaining toner amount is detectable, and wherein the toner accommodating portion is provided with a second opening for communicating the first opening and an outside of the toner accommodating portion with each other.

Abstract: When a stirring member that stirs developer in a developer containing portion rotates at high speed, toner flies and the detection accuracy of light transmission type toner remaining amount detection is degraded. A developing apparatus including a developer containing portion that contains developer, a stirring member that stirs the developer in the developer containing portion, and a partition member which is disposed to separate the developer containing portion from a space adjacent to the developer containing portion and which bends to block at least a part of a light path, which is formed in the space and used to detect an amount of the developer, when being pressed by the stirring member via the developer.

Abstract: The image forming apparatus including a fixing part that heats and fixes an unfixed toner image formed on a recording material, onto the recording material, an electric field generation member that forms an electric field in a space in which a component evaporated from a wax flows, the component being generated during the heating and fixing, and a collection member to which a voltage is applied, the collection member electrostatically collecting the component passing through the space in which the electric field has been formed. The image forming apparatus prevents conveyance failures resulting from evaporated components of a release wax adhering to parts within the image forming apparatus.

Abstract: A developing unit includes a developer storage unit, a developer bearing member, an agitation member, a flexible member, and a magnet member. The developer storage unit stores a developer. The developer bearing member develops an electrostatic latent image formed on an image bearing member with the developer. The agitation member agitates the developer in the developer storage unit. The flexible member, disposed in the developer storage unit, is distorted by pressure applied by the agitation member via the developer. The magnet member, disposed on the flexible member, is displaced in response to the flexible member being distorted.

Abstract: A toner container includes a toner accommodating portion: a rotatable toner stirring member; a sensor for detecting a remaining amount of the toner; wherein the sensor includes a first flexible sheet portion, a second sheet portion, a first opening, a first electroconductive portion, a second electroconductive portion, wherein the first sheet portion flexes by a stirring operation of the stirring member, and the first electroconductive portion is contacted to the second electroconductive portion, by which the remaining toner amount is detectable, and wherein the toner accommodating portion is provided with a second opening for communicating the first opening and an outside of the toner accommodating portion with each other.

Abstract: The image forming apparatus including a fixing part that heats and fixes an unfixed toner image formed on a recording material, onto the recording material, an electric field generation member that forms an electric field in a space in which a component evaporated from a wax flows, the component being generated during the heating and fixing, and a collection member to which a voltage is applied, the collection member electrostatically collecting the component passing through the space in which the electric field has been formed. The image forming apparatus prevents conveyance failures resulting from evaporated components of a release wax adhering to parts within the image forming apparatus.

Abstract: A printer includes a fixing device that fixes a toner image formed on a sheet and a sheet delivery roller pair for delivering the sheet on which the toner image is fixed by the fixing device onto a sheet delivery tray placed outside of a printer main body. The printer includes a supporting member that supports an upstream edge portion of the sheet in a delivery direction delivered from the sheet delivery roller pair so that the upstream edge portion does not fall down on the sheet delivery tray. The printer includes a blower unit that blows air along a lower surface of the sheet supported by the supporting member from the upstream edge portion of the sheet in the delivery direction toward a downstream edge portion of the sheet in the delivery direction.

Abstract: The heating apparatus of a surface-heating type, includes a rotary member, an opposing member that forms a nip with respect to the rotary member, and a heating member for heating a portion of a rotary member surface other than the nip, in which temperature used for heating the rotary member by the heating member is controlled, and a heating material inserted in the nip to be nipped and conveyed therein is heated using heat of the rotary member. Accordingly, after insertion of the heating material in the nip starts, control temperature of the heating member is increased before the rotary member rotates by one revolution, thereby preventing an uneven heating phenomenon of the heating material in the first revolution and the second revolution or later, and preventing uneven gloss due to the uneven heating phenomenon in the fixing apparatus.