Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: an image forming unit which forms a toner image on an image carrier; a conveying unit which conveys a recording medium; a transfer unit which transfers the toner image formed on the image carrier to the recording medium conveyed by the conveying unit in a transfer nip; a pre-transfer charging unit which imparts an electrical charge, having a polarity opposite to a normal charge polarity of a toner, to the recording medium conveyed by the conveying unit on an upstream side of the transfer nip in a conveyance direction; and a destaticizing unit which removes a part of the electrical charge that is imparted to a surface of the recording medium by the pre-transfer charging unit and corresponds to unevenness on the surface of the recording medium on an upstream side of the transfer nip in the conveyance direction.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a sheet feed conveying unit having an outlet for a recording medium on one side; at least one image forming unit having an inlet for the recording medium on one side and an outlet for the recording medium on the other side; and a sheet eject conveying unit having an inlet for the recording medium on one side, wherein the sheet feed conveying unit, the image forming unit, and the sheet eject conveying unit are arranged along a conveying direction of the recording medium; the outlet of the sheet feed conveying unit matches the inlet of the image forming unit; the outlet of the image forming unit matches the inlet of the sheet eject conveying unit; and the sheet feed conveying unit, the image forming unit, and the sheet eject conveying unit are connected to each other in a separable manner.

Abstract: This invention relates to a printing apparatus and control method thereof. The standard size of an envelope to be stored in each of a plurality of paper storage units configured to store an envelope to be used in printing is set. An offset amount to be used to print an image on an envelope of the set standard size is set. A paper storage unit which stores an envelope to be used in printing is selected from the plurality of paper storage units based on a standard size of an envelope that is designated by a user. The position of an image is shifted in accordance with the set offset amount, and the image is printed on an envelope fed from the selected paper storage unit.

Abstract: Provided is an image forming apparatus for driving a cassette pickup roller (17) and a registration roller (18) by using the same driving source, in which a conveyance control portion (221) starts conveyance speed control for a subsequent sheet, which is fed from a sheet feeding position subsequently to a preceding sheet fed therefrom earlier, when it is determined that a trailing edge of the preceding sheet has passed through the registration roller (18).

Abstract: An image forming device includes: a photosensitive drum; a first roller; a second roller; an intermediate transfer belt; a transfer roller; a cleaner; a waste toner accommodating portion; and a paper guide. The intermediate transfer belt is looped around the first roller and the second roller to circularly move in a moving direction. The intermediate transfer belt contacts the photosensitive drum. The transfer roller is disposed opposite to the first roller with respect to the intermediate transfer belt. The cleaner collects waste toner on the intermediate transfer belt. The cleaner is disposed upstream of the photosensitive drum in the moving direction and downstream of the transfer roller in the moving direction. The waste toner accommodating portion accommodates the waste toner collected by the cleaner. The paper guide guides a recording medium and disposed between the cleaner and the waste toner accommodating portion.

Abstract: A sheet feeding cassette according to one aspect of the present disclosure is a sheet feeding cassette that displaces a bottom plate loaded thereon with a sheet to a sheet feeding position by rotating a lift plate that abuts on a rear face of the bottom plate. The bottom plate is made of resin, and a wire is wired on the rear face of the bottom plate.

Abstract: There is provided an image forming apparatus, including: an image forming unit; a sheet detector positioned on a sheet conveyance path at an upstream side of the image forming unit; a conveyance belt; an image detector; and a controller. The controller is configured to perform: detecting a front end of the sheet; forming a mark image to extend over the conveyance belt and the sheet; detecting the mark image; measuring a mark conveyance time; obtaining a time elapsed based on the mark conveyance time; and forming the image when the obtained time passes from the front end of the sheet is detected.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an apparatus body, a sheet container, an image forming part to form an image, a sheet feeding rotary body to feed the recording medium, a sheet separating rotary body to contact the sheet feeding rotary body and rotate with the sheet feeding rotary body with a sheet separation nip region formed therebetween, a rotation adjusting unit to adjust rotation of the sheet separating rotary body, a sheet containing unit to contain the recording media therein, a sheet separating body storing unit disposed at one end of the sheet containing unit to store the sheet separating body therein, and a load resistance applying mechanism to apply a rotational load resistance different from a contact force generated by contacting of the sheet separating rotary body with the sheet feeding rotary body, to the sheet feeding rotary body with no rotation driving force applied thereto.

Abstract: A conveying apparatus or an image forming apparatus includes: a housing including an opening and closing member that can be opened and closed; a conveying path that conveys an object to be conveyed, at least a part of the conveying path being provided adjacent to an inner side of the opening and closing member; a first detector that detects whether the object is present in a predetermined region and outputs a detection signal corresponding to a result of the detection; and an interlocking mechanism that causes, when the opening and closing member is opened, the first detector to change at least one of a position and a structure of the first detector in mechanically association with movement of opening of the opening and closing member, and to output a detection signal which is the same as a detection signal output when the object is present in the predetermined region.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus is provided. The image forming apparatus includes a pair of register rollers including a driving roller and a dust remover roller, a dust scraper to scrape off dust from the dust remover roller, a dust container box, including a lateral plate and a protrusion, to contain the dust scraped off from the dust remover roller, a roller bearing attached to the lateral plate to be immovable and to rotatably support the dust remover roller, a scraper support swingably supported by the dust container box and to support the dust scraper, and a frame to swingably support the dust container box via a protrusion support, to rotatably support the driving roller, while a rotation axis of the driving roller is fixed to the frame, and to support the roller bearing to be slidable in an in-axes direction between the driving roller and the dust remover roller.

Abstract: A sheet conveyance apparatus includes a sheet conveyance unit configured to convey a sheet, a transfer unit disposed downstream of the sheet conveyance unit and configured to transfer a toner image onto the sheet, a shifting unit configured to shift the sheet conveyed by the sheet conveyance unit in a width direction by shifting the sheet conveyance unit, a detection unit configured to detect a position of the sheet in the width direction while the sheet is being conveyed by the transfer unit, and a control unit configured to control the shifting unit. The control unit causes the sheet conveyed by the sheet conveyance unit to shift in the width direction based on a result detected by the detection unit while the sheet is being conveyed by the transfer unit.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus and a method of reducing image banding of the image forming apparatus is provided. The image forming apparatus includes: a photoconductor unit on which an electrostatic latent image is formed; and a conveying unit configured to convey printing medium at a first conveying velocity toward the photoconductor unit, and configured to convey the printing medium at a second conveying velocity that is lower than the first conveying velocity when the printing medium approaches the photoconductor unit.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a recording-medium storing unit including a rotating member, the recording-medium storing unit being capable of being pulled out from an apparatus body; a support surface having an edge portion, the support surface supporting the rotating member when the recording-medium storing unit is pulled out from the apparatus body; and an image forming unit that forms an image on a recording medium fed from the recording-medium storing unit. The rotating member has a counter surface that faces the edge portion when the rotating member moves beyond the edge portion and drops off the support surface in a certain direction. In the state in which the counter surface faces the edge portion, the counter surface is inclined such that a point on the counter surface approaches the edge-portion side as the point moves in a direction opposite to the certain direction.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a toner-image carrying member, a transfer unit that transfers the toner image on the toner-image carrying member onto a recording medium at a transfer portion, a transport roller disposed along a transport direction to transport the recording medium to the transfer portion while being in contact with the recording medium, and a release unit that releases the contact of the transport roller with the recording medium. The release unit does not release the contact of the transport roller when it is detected that the recording medium passing through the transport roller is a thick recording medium or a recording medium having a high bending strength, and releases the contact when the recording medium is different from the thick recording medium and the recording medium. The release unit releases the contact before a leading edge of the recording medium reaches the transfer portion.

Abstract: Embodiments described herein are directed to characterizing a media curler for a printing. Test curls can be imposed on media having input curls with known input values using a media curler to be characterized. The media curler can impose the test curls based on curler settings of the media curler. Resulting output values from an interaction between the test curls and the input curls can be measured and the curler settings can be characterized based on the known input values and the resulting output values so that the media curler can be configured to respond to incoming media having a known input curl by applying curler setting to achieve a desired output curl.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus having a compact size includes a printing medium supplying unit to hold printing media and to supply a printing medium, an image forming unit disposed above the printing medium supplying unit to form images on a printing medium, and a printing medium feeding part substantially formed in a letter “C” shape, having a part which extends to the image forming unit and which is inclined in a downward direction along a printing medium moving direction to feed the printing medium from the printing medium supplying unit to the image forming unit

Abstract: An image forming apparatus has an image bearing member bearing a toner image, a transfer part transferring the toner image from the image bearing member onto a sheet, a separation/feeding part separating and feeding sheets stacked on a sheet stacking member, and a transport part transporting the sheet fed by the separation/feeding part to the transfer part, in which a transporting operation of the transport part is changed according to a length of the sheet to be transported in a transport direction of the sheet. A control is configured to control so that a timing to decelerate to the transfer speed by the transport part with respect to a start of image formation is changed according to a length of the transported sheet in a transport direction of the sheet.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a recording sheet storage unit for storing recording sheets substantially in an upright position, an image forming unit which forms an image on a recording sheet conveyed from the recording sheet storage unit, and a recording sheet receiving unit for storing the recording sheet conveyed from the image forming unit substantially in an upright position. In this image forming apparatus, a paper conveyance passage extends upward from a lower portion of the recording sheet storage unit toward the recording sheet receiving unit. The image forming unit positioned on the paper conveyance passage comprises a fixing device and a developer unit at least including a developer carrier, and the fixing device is arranged above the developer unit. Further, a developer receptacle for storing developer that is supplied to the image forming unit is arranged adjacent to one longitudinal end of the developer carrier.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a pre-transfer conveying portion that conveys a recording medium, an image bearing member that moves while bearing a toner image, a conveying belt that attracts the recording medium conveyed from the pre-transfer conveying portion and conveys the recording medium at the same speed as the image bearing member, a detecting portion that detects the recording medium attracted to the conveying belt, and a control unit that controls the speed at which the pre-transfer conveying portion conveys the recording medium. On the basis of the detection of the recording medium, the control unit changes the speed of the pre-transfer conveying portion from a speed slower than the speed of the conveying belt to a speed equal to or faster than the speed of the conveying belt, and thereby causes the leading edges of the toner image and the recording medium to coincide.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image forming unit, a sheet conveying unit, a TOD (Top of Data) control module for instructing the image forming unit to start generation of a toner image, a timing roller driving module for instructing the sheet conveying unit to start driving of the timing roller, an image synchronization module designed depending on the sheet conveying unit and the image forming unit, and a sheet information module for generating an image synchronization identifier for designating a pattern of image synchronization control related to printing of the toner image on the sheet, depending on a type of the sheet designated. The image synchronization module is activated when the formation of the toner image on the sheet has become possible, and activate each of the TOD control module and the timing roller driving module, with a relative time lag based on the image synchronization identifier.

Abstract: An apparatus adapted for presenting a sheet of media to an image transfer structure. The apparatus includes a registration baffle positioned in an offset relationship relative to the image transfer structure and a pre-transfer baffle assembly including a first baffle oppositely disposed to a second baffle, the pre-transfer assembly generally forms an “S” shape and is adapted for guiding the sheet of media from the registration baffle to the image transfer structure. The pre-transfer baffle assembly is arranged in a first position adapted for guiding the sheet of media toward the image transfer structure at an angle of less than ninety degrees, and the pre-transfer baffle automatically begins rotation to a second position as the sheet of media reaches a pre-determined position within a paper path.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image bearing member and a transfer member, which form a transfer nip portion, and a guide member for guiding a sheet to the transfer nip portion. The guide member includes a rigid restricting member including a guide surface, a cut portion formed at a leading edge part of the guide surface, and a sheet-like elastic restricting member to cover the cut portion. The elastic restricting member includes an end edge portion extending straight in the sheet width direction on a downstream side in the sheet conveying direction. A ridge defining the leading edge part of the guide surface is a ridge extending straight in the sheet width direction, and the end edge portion of the elastic restricting member is arranged at a position shifted toward an upstream side in the sheet conveying direction from the ridge of the guide surface.

Abstract: A sheet conveyance device for conveying a recording medium includes a fixed roller, a movable roller, an urging member, and a shock absorber, and an image forming apparatus including the sheet conveyance device. The position of the fixed roller is fixed. The movable roller is disposed opposite the fixed roller to contact the fixed roller, thereby defining a nip. The urging member urges the movable member to contact the fixed roller in the absence of the recording medium in the nip and allows the movable member to separate from the fixed roller by an amount corresponding to a thickness of a recording medium when the recording medium enters the nip. The shock absorber absorbs displacement energy generated when the urging member urges the movable roller to contact the fixed roller again after the recording medium passes through the nip.

Abstract: Disclosed is an image forming apparatus capable of preventing a paper jam in an arc-shaped sheet passing path for turning around a sheet and transporting the sheet in a double-sided transporting path. In this apparatus, a double-sided sheet passing path is formed so as to include: an arc-shaped interval that causes the sheet to turn around and to be transported to a registration sensor on an upstream side in the transport direction of a sheet and that includes the registration sensor as one end point; and an interval that transports the sheet having passed between ADU transport rollers, obliquely downward. A single-sided sheet passing path is formed so as to include an interval that transports the sheet having passed over the registration sensor in a substantially horizontal direction.

Abstract: In a transfer device, a flexible guide plate is disposed in a position upstream relative to a transfer position along a medium conveyance path, such that a first side of the guide plate faces to a recording medium being conveyed along the medium conveyance path. The guide plate has a downstream end portion that is angled by bending the guide plate. A support frame supports an upstream end portion of the guide plate and extends in a downstream direction beyond the downstream end portion to form an extension portion which is disposed opposite to a second side of the guide plate and toward which the downstream end portion extends obliquely downstream. The extension portion has a recess/hole formed in a position separated in an upstream direction from a first edge of the extension portion, to allow the downstream end portion to be moved without being blocked by the extension portion.

Abstract: Provided is an image forming apparatus including an image forming unit with a plurality of developing devices, a sheet transport unit, a sheet position measurement unit that measures a position of the sheet during the transport in a direction crossing a sheet passage, a displacement correction unit that moves the sheet during the transport in the sheet-passage crossing direction to correct a displacement of the sheet, and a control unit that carries out the displacement correction for the sheet by the displacement correction unit for the measured sheet depending on the measurement result by the sheet position measurement unit if the developing device located on a upstream side is used, and carries out position correction for an image and reduces an interval of the image formation for each sheet if the developing device located on the upstream side is not used.

Abstract: An image processing device includes an operating unit and a plurality of control units each configured to control the operating unit in order to execute a function on image data. The plurality of control units include at least a first control unit and a second control unit. When a first mode is selected, the control units control the operating unit to execute the function in cooperation with each other. When a second mode is selected, at least the second control unit controls the operating unit to execute the function without cooperating with the first control unit.

Abstract: An image-forming device includes a casing, a conveying path, a pair of registration rollers, and a process cartridge. The conveying path is disposed in the casing to convey a recording sheet. The pair of registration rollers is disposed on the conveying path to regulate a leading edge of the recording sheet conveyed along the conveying path. The process cartridge is detachably mounted on the casing, and includes a developer accommodating unit, a photosensitive member, and an upstream guide part. The photosensitive member is disposed on the conveying path. The upstream guide part is disposed upstream of the pair of registration rollers on the conveying path to guide the recording sheet toward the pair of registration rollers in cooperation with the conveying path. The upstream guide part is formed with a concaved part that is concaved in a direction away from the conveying path.

Abstract: A sheet supply device that is addable to a medium processing device includes a storage part storing a medium and a controller. The controller performs a first operation in which the medium is supplied from the storage part of the sheet supply device, and a second operation in which another medium supplied from an upstream side of a medium path is carried to a downstream side. When the second operation is performed, the controller operates the carrying part by transmitting a drive force to the carrying part via the transmission mechanism without operating the carrying transmission member.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus that is orientatable in either a first position or a second position, the second position being different from the first position in inclination with respect to a horizontal plane, comprising: a platform configured to be stacked with a plurality of recording sheets used for image formation; a pickup roller in contact with the recording sheets and configured to pick up the recording sheets one at a time; a pressing member applying pressure to the platform against the pick-up roller; and a pressure changer causing the pressing member to change an amount of the pressure according to whether the image forming apparatus is in the first position or in the second position.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a sheet feed unit which feeds a sheet to an image forming unit forming an image on the sheet, a re-transport roller which reverses the sheet with a toner image fixed on the sheet and re-transports the sheet to the image forming unit, and a control unit which controls a sheet feed operation of the sheet feed unit for feeding the sheet. As the temperature of the re-transport roller sensed by the temperature sensing unit is decreased, the control unit retards the timing at which the sheet feed unit starts the sheet feed operation when a duplex image formation in which the image is formed on both sides of the sheet is performed after a one-side image formation is completed.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus including an image forming unit; a first conveying path, along which a recording medium accommodated in a paper feeding cassette is conveyed to the image forming unit; and a second conveying path, along which a recording medium inserted into a manual paper feeding port is conveyed to the image forming unit; wherein the manual paper feeding port is formed at a front side of the image forming apparatus on an upper surface of an apparatus main body and wherein an inclined path obliquely extending from the manual paper feeding port to below and toward a rear of the apparatus main body is also formed, wherein the second conveying path is structured so that a recording medium inserted into the manual paper feeding port can fall into the inclined path due to the weight of the recording medium.

Abstract: A printing device and method for printing a latex ink on a printing medium is disclosed. The printing device comprises a heating stage for heating the medium at least during printing the latex ink on said medium, a further heating stage for curing the latex ink on the medium and a controller arrangement for individually controlling the heating stage and the further heating stage, whereby the controller arrangement is arranged to reduce the heat output of the heating stage during a non-printing mode of the printing device and to reduce the heat output of the further heating stage during a non-curing mode of the printing device.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a main body, a sheet stack unit, an endless intermediate transfer member, a first transfer member for transferring a toner image onto the sheets conveyed from the sheet stack unit, at a nip formed between the intermediate transfer member and the first transfer member, and a second transfer member. In addition, a first voltage applying device applies a voltage to the first transfer member, a second voltage applying device applies a voltage having an opposite polarity to the second transfer member, and a controller controls the first and second voltage applying devices.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: a photosensitive member configured to form a developer image thereon; a transfer member configured to transfer the developer image formed on the photosensitive member to a sheet; a conveyance roller configured to convey the sheet toward and between the photosensitive member and the transfer member; and a charge removal member configured to remove charges on the conveyance roller. The conveyance roller is arranged to face a surface of the sheet to which the transfer member faces. The charge removal member is provided at a position at which the charge removal member is not in contact with the conveyance roller, within a range in which charges on the conveyance roller can be discharged toward the charge removal member.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus has a pair of registration rollers which are moved in the width direction so that a sheet side end position is within a predetermined range in the width direction based on sheet side end position information from a lateral registration detection sensor. In the case that an image-formed sheet is conveyed to a sheet processing portion without being reversed, the pair of registration rollers are moved so that the sheet side end position is within the first range, and in the case that an image-formed sheet is conveyed to the sheet processing portion, the pair of registration rollers are moved so that the sheet side end position is within the second range being different from the first range before reversing and within the first range after reversing.

Abstract: In methods for operating a printer a sheet is provided in a printing path leading to a printing area, a receiver is provided having a cross edge to which a printed image is to extend in the printing path for movement with the sheet. The receiver and the sheet are moved through the printing area so that the cross edge is moved through printing area during transfer of a toner to form the print image. The receiver and the sheet are further moved through the printing area with the cross edge of positioned on the sheet to separate a portion of the sheet that is masked from transfer of the print image from an unmasked portion of the sheet and the unmasked portion of the sheet is positioned to receive any portion of the print image that is transferred when the receiver is not in the printing area.

Abstract: In a transfer device, a first side of a flexible guide plate faces to a recording medium being conveyed along a medium conveyance path to guide the recording medium toward an image carrying member. A support frame supports an upstream end portion of the guide plate, and includes an opposite portion disposed from and opposite to a second side (reverse to the first side) of the guide plate and a rib configured to protrude from the opposite portion toward the medium conveyance path. The rib has a first edge which is positioned at an upstream side and beyond which the guide plate protrudes downstream. The rib has an inclined surface extending from the first edge in a direction obliquely downstream toward the image carrying member. The guide plate includes an indentation to allow the guide plate to be deflected without being blocked by the rib.

Abstract: A control unit includes a memory storing correction data obtained by associating information acquired by a first acquisition unit (rotary encoder) with information acquired by a second acquisition unit (direct sensor) with respect to, at least one rotation of a conveying roller. When a plurality of images are sequentially printed on a first surface and a second surface of a continuous sheet, the control unit reads the correction data corresponding to the rotation information acquired by the first acquisition unit from the memory and corrects at least one of driving control of a print head and driving control of the roller. The correction data used in printing on the first surface of the sheet is different from that used in printing on the second surface of the sheet.

Abstract: A sheet detecting apparatus including: a sheet detecting member having a plurality of abutment surfaces in a peripheral direction thereof, the sheet detecting member being rotated by a conveyed sheet abutting against one of the plurality of abutment surfaces; a detection portion which operates in association with the sheet detecting member; a sensor which generates a signal based on a position of the detection portion; and an urging portion which generates an urging force for positioning the one of the plurality of abutment surfaces of the sheet detecting member in a waiting position in which the leading edge of a sheet conveyed by a conveying portion abuts against the one of the plurality of abutment surfaces, and thereafter the urging portion switching the urging force to an urging force for positioning, in the waiting position, another one of the plurality of abutment surfaces against which a succeeding sheet abuts.

Abstract: When a size of a reversing unit is smaller than that of a printing medium, errors can be detected without adding any other mechanism, and if such errors are not caused by a paper jam, the printing can be continued. A printing apparatus is provided with: an reversing unit provided with an reversing roller; a sensor ; and a control unit configured to, if when the detecting unit detects a load equal to or more than a predetermined value, a conveyance amount of the printing medium after the sensor has detected the fore end is longer than a threshold value that is a distance from a position of the fore end at the time of being detected by the sensor to a position of the fore end at the time of exiting from the conveyance path of the reversing unit, perform control to continue conveyance.

Abstract: A roller mechanism includes a roller and a support member that supports the rotation shaft. Herein, the support member includes a bearing having an outer ring and inner ring which rotate relatively to each other, and a sleeve that is fittingly fixed to the inner ring, wherein the sleeve and rotation shaft are fitted to each other by clearance fitting and further engaged with each other with respect to a rotation direction.

Abstract: A sheet sensing module and a duplex scanning apparatus having the sheet sensing module are provided. The sheet sensing module includes a first sensing arm, a second sensing arm, and an electronic sensor. The first sensing arm is partially exposed to a sheet feeding channel of the duplex scanning apparatus. The second sensing arm is partially exposed to an inverting channel of the duplex scanning apparatus. When a document is transferred through the sheet feeding channel to trigger said first sensing arm or the document is transferred through the inverting channel to trigger the second sensing arm, the electronic sensor generates a sensing signal.

Abstract: A medium carrying device includes a first carrying part and a second carrying part that are configured to carry a medium, making a nip part therebetween. The guide member includes a medium regulation part having a surface to regulate the medium, an arm part that is at a side of the surface and extend in a direction away from the surface, and a rotation supporting point that is on a distal end of the arm part, and the guide member is formed rotatable around the rotation supporting point between the guide position and a retreat position, the retreat position being more distant to the nip part than the guide position.

Abstract: To facilitate replacing photosensitive drums and/or developing devices in an image forming apparatus, a photosensitive member unit including a plurality of photosensitive members is loaded in a main casing. A developing device unit including a plurality of developing devices is also loaded in the main casing. Both an intermediate transfer belt and the photosensitive member unit are configured to be movable toward and away from the developing device unit. Further, when the photosensitive member unit is separated from the developing device unit, the intermediate transfer belt and the plurality of photosensitive members are also separated from each other.

Abstract: A recording medium conveying mechanism includes a conveying guide, a guide member, and a rotating mechanism. The conveying guide conveys recording paper to a nip zone between a mountable/demountable intermediate transfer unit and a secondary transfer roller. The guide member acting as a part of the conveying guide is rotated by the rotating mechanism so that a tip thereof is disposed up to a position just adjacent to the nip zone when the intermediate transfer unit is mounted in the apparatus main body. When the intermediate transfer unit is mounted/demounted in/from the apparatus main body, the guide member is rotated up to a position at which the tip thereof does not exceed an arrangement position of the intermediate transfer belt portion in a conveying direction of the recording paper, in a movement direction of the intermediate transfer unit during the mounting/demounting.

Abstract: A control apparatus for controlling an image forming apparatus that forms and outputs an image on paper, a method of controlling the image forming apparatus, and a program for controlling the image forming apparatus stored on a recording medium are described. The image forming apparatus includes a pair of rollers that sandwich the paper and the center of an axle of at least one of the rollers is displaceable. The control apparatus includes a roller position detection signal generator that generates a detection signal indicating a position of the roller, a roller position detection signal acquisition unit to acquire multiple detection signals in chronological order, a paper thickness calculator to calculate paper thickness based on the multiple detection signals acquired in chronological order, and a vibration detector to detect vibration of the image forming apparatus based on the multiple detection signals acquired in chronological order.

Abstract: A recording medium storage cassette includes a recording medium loading plate and a rear end cursor. The rear end cursor aligns rear end positions of recording media. The rear end cursor includes a cursor main body portion, an abutting portion that abuts rear ends of the recording media, a lock portion having a protrusion for engaging with a rack, and a biasing member disposed between the abutting portion and the lock portion so as to bias the abutting portion and the lock portion in a direction away from each other.

Abstract: A duplex scanning apparatus and a sheet-feeding control method thereof are provided. The duplex scanning apparatus includes a sheet feeding channel, a sheet transfer channel, an inverting channel, and a sheet sensing module. A first end of the inverting channel is connected to a junction between said sheet feeding channel and the sheet transfer channel. A second end of the inverting channel is connected to the sheet transfer channel. A distance between the sheet sensing module and the first end of the inverting channel is greater than a distance between the sheet sensing module and the second end of the inverting channel. When a document is transferred through the sheet sensing module at the second time, a next document is fed into the sheet feeding channel through a sheet entrance.

Abstract: The speed at which transfer-material enters a transfer region is controlled to prevent a phenomenon in which a toner image on an intermediate transfer belt is scraped by the leading edge of the transfer-material when the toner image is transferred onto the transfer-material. While the conveying speed of the transfer-material in a transfer nip coincides with the speed of the intermediate transfer belt, the transfer-material is conveyed at a speed lower than the peripheral speed of the intermediate transfer belt when the leading edge of the transfer-material comes into contact with the intermediate transfer belt, and the conveying speed of the transfer-material is increased by the time when the transfer-material enters the transfer nip.