Abstract: A job separator includes a conveyance port communicating with a paper conveyance path in a main body of an image forming apparatus, an exit port open toward a second exit tray, and a reversing port configured to switch back paper in forming images on both surfaces of the paper. A branch guide, which is configured to switch a paper conveyance direction between toward the exit port and toward the reversing port, is arranged upstream of the exit port and the reversing port in a paper ejection direction.

Abstract: A fixing unit is provided with a heat roller having a plurality of heaters provided therein for applying heat to a toner image formed on a sheet of paper, an upper-side casing for holding the heat roller, a holding member detachably fitted to the upper-side casing, and a plurality of fitting portions that are provided in the holding member and to which first to third terminal portions of the plurality of heaters can be detachably fitted from a same direction.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an apparatus body, a conveyance unit withdrawably mounted on the apparatus body, and a driving mechanism disposed in the apparatus body. The conveyance unit has a power transmission member which transmits the driving force generated by the driving mechanism to the conveyance member. The power transmission member has a drive input section disposed on the outside of a housing for receiving the driving force. The driving mechanism is disposed on the apparatus body side, and has a drive output section engageable with the drive input section. The drive input section and the drive output section engage with each other in a mounted state that the conveyance unit is mounted on the apparatus body, and the engagement between the drive input section and the drive output section is released in a withdrawn state that the conveyance unit is withdrawn from the apparatus body.

Abstract: A cam driving mechanism has: a cam; a motor which drives the cam; a gear train which transmits, while reducing the speed of, the output of the motor to the cam; a pulse disk which is formed integrally with a gear coupled in the gear train and in which a plurality of slits are formed at equal intervals; a home position detecting member which is arranged coaxially with the pulse disk so as to be rotatable independently thereof and which, by meshing with another gear coupled in the gear train, rotates at a lower rotation speed than the pulse disk; and a cam position detecting sensor which has a detecting portion including a light-emitting portion and a light-receiving portion, the cam position detecting sensor detecting the amount of driving of the cam based on the number of slits of the pulse disk that have passed through the detecting portion, the cam position detecting sensor detecting the home position of the cam based on the timing with which the home position detecting member shields the detecting portion.

Abstract: A fixing unit is provided with a heat roller having a plurality of heaters provided therein for applying heat to a toner image formed on a sheet of paper, an upper-side casing for holding the heat roller, a holding member detachably fitted to the upper-side casing, and a plurality of fitting portions that are provided in the holding member and to which first to third terminal portions of the plurality of heaters can be detachably fitted from a same direction.

Abstract: An embodiment of a toner conveying mechanism may include a housing, a conveying member, and a protrusion. In some embodiments, the housing configured to hold toner. An embodiment of a conveying member may be disposed in the housing and may be configured to convey the toner by rotation. In some embodiments, a protrusion may be disposed on the surface of the inner wall of the housing. An embodiment of the protrusion may protrude toward the conveying member. In some embodiments, the protrusion may intermittently contact the conveying member during rotation of the conveying member.

Abstract: A sheet bending apparatus and a sheet postprocessing apparatus are provided for improved alignment of recording sheets during center-folding. A center-folding unit mounted in a sheet postprocessing apparatus performs a center-folding processing to a stack of recording sheets aligned on their sides and placed in a sheet holding member. Side aligning is performed near a central portion in a sheet conveyance direction of the sheet holding member. The center-folding unit includes: two upper end aligning members positioned upstream in the sheet conveyance direction on the sheet holding member and movable equally in opposite width directions of the sheet holding member; and a pair of lower side end aligning members positioned on downstream in the sheet conveyance direction on the sheet holding member and are movable equally in opposite width directions of the sheet holding member and independently from the upper end aligning members.

Abstract: A sheet bending apparatus and a sheet postprocessing apparatus are provided for improved alignment of recording sheets during center-folding. A center-folding unit mounted in a sheet postprocessing apparatus performs a center-folding processing to a stack of recording sheets aligned on their sides and placed in a sheet holding member. Side aligning is performed near a central portion in a sheet conveyance direction of the sheet holding member. The center-folding unit includes: two upper end aligning members positioned upstream in the sheet conveyance direction on the sheet holding member and movable equally in opposite width directions of the sheet holding member; and a pair of lower side end aligning members positioned on downstream in the sheet conveyance direction on the sheet holding member and are movable equally in opposite width directions of the sheet holding member and independently from the upper end aligning members.