Abstract: An image forming apparatus, including: an apparatus main body including an image forming portion configured to form an image on a sheet; an image reading apparatus provided on an upper portion of the apparatus main body; a document feeding apparatus located on the image reading apparatus and configured to feed a document to the image reading apparatus; and a support portion configured to support the document feeding apparatus on the apparatus main body without the image reading apparatus in a state in which the document feeding apparatus is openable and closable with respect to the image reading apparatus.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus, including: an image forming portion configured to form an image on a recording material; and a conveyance roller pair configured to nip and convey the recording material, at least one of the conveyance roller pair having: a contact portion configured to come into contact with the recording material when the recording material passes through the conveyance roller pair; and a non-contact portion configured to be out of contact with the recording material when the recording material passes through the conveyance roller pair, wherein the non-contact portion is provided with a static electricity eliminating function to discharge an electric charge imparted on the recording material.

Abstract: Provided is an image forming apparatus capable of accurately detecting deformation of a roller member. The image forming apparatus configured to form an image by forming an electrostatic latent image on a photosensitive drum (1) and developing the electrostatic latent image by a developer, includes: a rotatable roller member (2) configured to be held in press-contact with the photosensitive drum (1); and a deformation determining unit configured to determine deformation of the roller member (2), and the deformation determining unit configured to detect a value of a current flowing between the roller member (2) and the photosensitive drum (1) in response to application of a voltage to the rotating roller member (2), and determine the deformation of the roller member (2) based on the detection result.

Abstract: A sheet processing apparatus has a process tray onto which a sheet is stacked, an aligning member that conveys the sheet toward a sheet edge regulating member in a contact state in which the aligning member, the sheet edge regulating member regulating the edge of the sheet, and a switching member that switches a state of the aligning member between the contact state where the aligning member is in contact with the sheet, and a non-contact state where the aligning member is spaced apart from the process tray. While the sheet on the process tray is being conveyed toward the sheet edge regulating member by the aligning member, the switching member switches the aligning member from the contact state to the non-contact state, and further switches the aligning member from the non-contact state to the contact state.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to cool a sheet discharged onto an output sheet stacking surface while keeping the sheet from floating up.

Abstract: A printing apparatus includes a print head that ejects ink for printing, an ink tank from which ink is fed to the print head, a first channel provided between the print head and the ink tank to feed ink in the ink tank to the print head, a second channel through which the ink in the first channel is transferred, and a pump connected to the second channel to transfer the ink in the first channel. The pump allows air or the ink in the first channel to be discharged via the second channel.

Abstract: A fixing apparatus including: a cooling unit which cools a non-sheet-passing area for a small-sized sheet of a fixation area to suppress a temperature rise of the non-sheet-passing area; a temperature detecting unit which detects temperatures of a central portion of a sheet-passing area and the non-sheet-passing area; and a fixing-temperature controller which performs an early-heating, restart-control operation to decrease the temperature of the non-sheet-passing area by the cooling unit for a fixation operation of a large-sized sheet while the heat source is de-energized after a fixing operation of the small-sized sheet is completed, and thereafter restart the energization of the heat source during the cooling-down operation by the cooling unit when the temperature of the non-sheet-passing area is lowered to a set target value lower than a controlled fixing temperature for fixing a toner image to the sheet.

Abstract: A sheet processing apparatus includes a gripper unit which is moved to a retreat region along long grooves in advance when moving a stapler unit to any one of first and second binding positions. The stapler unit is moved to the binding position by being guided by a guide rail portion while passing above the long grooves. Therefore, moving operations of both of the gripper unit and the stapler unit can be smoothly performed under a state in which movement of both thereof is not prohibited by the long grooves and the guide rail portion. Further, an image forming apparatus including the sheet processing apparatus is provided.

Abstract: A toner collecting apparatus which transports collected toner through a discharge pipe to discharge the collected toner from a discharge port of the discharge pipe, the toner collecting apparatus including: a cover pipe having an open window and being rotatable around the discharge pipe in a substantially concentric fashion; a protective wall covering at least apart of the cover pipe; and a rotation member which rotates the cover pipe, wherein the cover pipe is rotated by the rotation member between an open position in which the open window is aligned with the discharge port and a closed position in which the open window is shifted from the discharge port so that at least the open window is covered with the protective wall.

Abstract: An image reading apparatus configured to read an image of an original, including: a light source configured to irradiate the original with light; an optical system configured to condense and image a light beam from the light source reflected from the original; a substrate member having a photoelectric conversion unit; a fixing member fixed to the substrate member; a support member configured to support the optical system; and an adhesive bonding the fixing member and the support member together, wherein one of the support member and the fixing member has a protruding portion which protrudes toward the other of the support member and the fixing member, the other has a recessed portion opposed to the protruding portion, the protruding portion protrudes in the recessed portion in a non-contact state to maintain a gap between the protruding portion and the recessed portion, and the adhesive is applied to the gap.

Abstract: An inkjet printing head prints an image on a printing medium located at a printing position facing the printing head, by a printing operation in which the printing head ejects ink onto the printing medium, and the printing head is capable of resuming the printing operation after suspension of the printing operation. A supporting unit supports the printing medium on which the image is printed by the printing head, and an adjusting unit is capable of adjusting a facing distance between the printing head and the supporting unit. A control unit controls the adjusting unit so that the facing distance is greater than that during the printing of a printed image, in case the printing operation is resumed and the printed image moves relative to the printing position. The control unit controls the adjusting unit based on the time elapsed between the suspension of the printing operation and the resumption of the printing operation, so that the facing distance is greater as the elapsed time is longer.

Abstract: A stapler includes an enclosing portion that encloses staples, a clinch portion that bends a staple, and a projecting portion that projects the staple from the enclosing portion, inserts the staple to a sheet bundle, and bends the staple in cooperation with the clinch portion to bind the sheet bundle. In addition, a guide portion guides the staple projected by the projecting portion toward the sheet bundle. The guide portion has guide surfaces for guiding the staple from an inlet adapted to receive the inserting ends of the staple to an outlet that is formed narrower than the inlet such that the staple is projected by the projecting portion toward the sheet bundle side, and the projecting portion projects the staple to the guide portion, moves the staple along the guide surfaces to deform the staple in a horseshoe shape, inserts the pair of inserting ends to the sheet bundle, and bends the staple in cooperation with the clinch portion to bind the sheet bundle.

Abstract: A recording system for relatively easily and rapidly performing a registration adjustment in a recording device having a plurality of recording units which record divided recording images on the same recording medium. The recording system causes each of recording units (108A-108F) to record a registration adjustment pattern. Based on the recorded pattern, an inter-unit adjustment that is a registration adjustment among the plurality of recording units and an intra-unit adjustment that is a registration adjustment among the plurality of recording heads in each recording unit are performed.

Abstract: A sheet processing apparatus has a process tray onto which a sheet is stacked, an aligning member that conveys the sheet toward a sheet edge regulating member arranged on an upstream end portion of the process tray in a contact state in which the aligning member, the sheet edge regulating member regulating the leading edge of the sheet, and a switching member that switches a state of the aligning member between the contact state where the aligning member is in contact with the sheet, and a non-contact state where the aligning member is spaced apart from the process tray. While the sheet on the process tray is being conveyed toward the sheet edge regulating member by the aligning member, the switching member switches the aligning member from the contact state to the non-contact state, and further switches the aligning member from the non-contact state to the contact state.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus is provided that can prevent a winding jam of a sheet, which can be caused owing to curling of the sheet at the front end in the sheet conveying direction.

Abstract: Provided is a structure capable of preventing shaking of an image reading unit (1) during movement at low cost. A first contact portion (T1) between the image reading unit (1) and a guide shaft (2A) supports force (F1) acting in a gravity direction and force (F2) acting in a horizontal direction in the case where the image reading unit (1) moves in a predetermined direction. In this case, the first contact portion is arranged so as to satisfy F1>F2×tan ?1, where ?1 represents an angle formed by a perpendicular line (?) with respect to a tangential plane (?) of the guide shaft (2A) and the horizontal direction. Thus, the image reading unit (1) can be prevented from being lifted due to rotation moment during movement.

Abstract: The present invention provides a print module, an information processing device, a print system, a print unit, an ink supply unit, a print method and program, all capable of quickly and easily meeting demands for a print medium size change, particularly to increased sizes, while at the same time coping with demands for faster printing speed. To this end, this invention constructs the print heads (811) in the form of print modules (M) so that their ink systems and signal systems are independent among the print modules. Each print module is set with identity information for its identification.

Abstract: Provided is a developing device capable of, with a simple structure, preventing occurrence of image degradation ascribable to a distribution of an amount of fall in a longitudinal direction due to developer replenishment within a developer container. An upper rim portion of a developer regulating wall for adjusting an amount of a developer falling along a developer transport direction of a developer transport path is inclined so as to become low in height in the developer transport direction of the developer transport path. A width of a surface in the developer transport direction of the developer transport path is enlarged along the developer transport direction of the developer transport path. A wall is formed by the developer transported on the developer transport path, and the developer transported in a longitudinal direction is transported in the longitudinal direction while breaking a wall of the developer itself.

Abstract: A developer replenishment container accommodating apparatus in which a developer replenishment container is removably put in a main body of the accommodating apparatus, which replenishes a developer while rotating the developer replenishment container, the accommodating apparatus including: a holding portion provided on the main body of the accommodating apparatus and configured to hold the developer replenishment container put in the main body in a replenishment position for replenishing the developer; and a pressing portion configured to press the developer replenishment container put in the main body toward an upstream side in a push-in direction in which the developer replenishment container is pushed in the main body, wherein, when the developer replenishment container is put in the main body, the developer replenishment container is secured while being biased and pressed against the holding portion by the pressing portion.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus, including: an image bearing member; a transfer member to which a transfer voltage is applied to transfer the toner image on the image bearing member to a recording medium; a transfer voltage applying unit configured to apply the transfer voltage to the transfer member to make a value of a current flowing through the transfer member into a set current value; and a control unit configured to control the transfer voltage applying unit by changing stepwise the set current value according to a resistance of the transfer member, wherein the control unit sets a set current value smaller than a target current value when a target voltage value is larger than a preset threshold voltage value, the target current value being set according to the resistance of the transfer member, the target voltage value being applied to flow a current of the target current value.