Abstract: A coupling structure is provided in an image forming apparatus that forms an image on a recording material and constituted to couple a first sheet metal and a second sheet metal having an insulative layer on a surface of a metal layer, respectively. The coupling structure includes a first conductive portion, a second conductive portion and a coupling portion. The metal layer of the first conductive portion is exposed by the insulative layer being exfoliated by laser working in the first sheet metal. The metal layer of the second conductive portion is exposed by the insulative layer being exfoliated by laser working in the second sheet metal. The coupling portion couples the first sheet metal and the second sheet metal in a state in which at least a part of the first conductive portion and at least a part of the second conductive portion are contacted with each other.

Abstract: A minute-particle trapping device includes: an air duct having a duct space through which air containing minute particles flows; a first filter disposed to block the duct space in the air duct and having a honeycomb structure to trap the minute particles contained in the air; and a second filter disposed in the air duct at a position downstream from the first filter in an air flow direction to block the duct space, the second filter being formed from a nonwoven fabric folded in a wave pattern to trap minute particles contained in the air that has passed through the first filter.

Abstract: A channel switching device includes: an accommodation portion in which a unit is detachably accommodated; a first channel; a second channel passing through the accommodation portion; and a switch separating the first channel and the second channel, the switch including: a first communication portion communicating with the first channel and the second channel; and a second communication portion disposed at a different position with the first communication portion, the second communication portion communicating with the first channel and the second channel, and the switch configured to switch to one of the first communication portion or the second communication portion in response to an attachment or detachment of the unit to the accommodation portion.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an apparatus main body that includes an image formation unit forming an image on a recording material, a fixation unit that includes a fixing unit fixing the image formed by the image formation unit onto the recording material and that is attachable to and detachable from the apparatus main body, a first duct that is attached to the fixation unit to face the fixing unit and through which a gas that cools the fixing unit flows, and a second duct that is attached to the apparatus main body to be adjacent to the first duct and through which a gas that cools the fixing unit flows.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a first collecting container provided detachably and configured to collect residual toner discharged from an image forming portion, a second collecting container provided detachably and configured to collect the residual toner discharged from the image forming portion, and a feeding device to feed the residual toner, discharged from the image forming portion, toward the first collecting container and the second collecting container selectively. The first collecting container and the second collecting container are provided below an intermediary transfer belt and disposed side by side in a widthwise direction perpendicular to a rotational axis direction of an image bearing member, and at least a part of the first collecting container overlaps with the intermediary transfer belt as viewed in the vertical direction, and at least a part of the second collecting container overlaps with the intermediary transfer belt as viewed in the vertical direction.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: a transfer unit that transfers an image onto an object by making contact with the object; a holding unit that holds the object having a circumferential surface so that the circumferential surface rotates along a transfer direction of the transfer unit; and a transport unit that transports the holding unit holding the object along a transport path, and the transfer unit transfers an image onto the circumferential surface of the object in a circumferential direction as the object rotates, by making contact with the circumferential surface of the object maintained at a transfer position.

Abstract: A light emitting device includes: a base that extends in one direction, and has an opening; plural light emitting units that are disposed to be displaced from each other in the one direction on the front surface side of the base, the light emitting units each including a support that extends in the one direction, and plural light sources that are disposed in the one direction on the support; and an air blowing unit that blows air toward the light emitting units through the opening.

Abstract: An example developing device includes a developing roller, a regulation blade to regulate a thickness of a toner layer attached to an outer circumference of the developing roller, a blade bracket for supporting the regulation blade, and an inner duct including an air supply port and extending in a longitudinal direction of the developing roller to form a flow path of air to cool the blade bracket.

Abstract: A fixing device includes a fixing member, a pressure member, a separation claw which is provided so as to be contactable on a surface of the fixing member and comes into contact with the surface of the fixing member to separate the recording medium from the fixing member at a fixing operation and a moving mechanism which moves the separation claw in a rotational axis direction of the fixing member. The moving mechanism includes a thrust gear having a protrusion on the lower surface of the thrust gear and a thrust cam disposed below the thrust gear having a hole on the upper surface into which the protrusion can be fitted when the fixing device is assembled.

Abstract: A system for sensing material within a container includes a container having a reservoir for storing material and an impact member configured to selectively impart an impulse force on the container to cause vibration of the container. A sensor is configured to sense the vibration of the container upon the impact member imparting the impulse force on the container. Processing circuitry in communication with the sensor is configured to determine an estimate of an amount of the material in the container based on the sensed vibration of the container.

Abstract: A fixing device includes a fixing rotator, a pressure rotator, a heater inside the fixing rotator, a reflector, and a sliding member. The pressure rotator is in contact with the fixing rotator to form a nip and presses a recording medium passing through the nip. The reflector includes a reflecting portion that reflects radiant heat radiated by the heater toward an inner circumferential surface of the fixing rotator and a pressure receiving portion that receives a pressing force of the pressure rotator via the fixing rotator. The pressure receiving portion is thermally coupled to the reflecting portion. The sliding member is between the pressure receiving portion and the fixing rotator and in contact with the pressure receiving portion and the fixing rotator. With respect to the inner circumferential surface of the fixing rotator, the sliding member has a smaller friction coefficient than a surface of the pressure receiving portion.

Abstract: A cartridge includes a shutter that opens and closes when the cartridge is attached and detached to a developing unit or image forming apparatus. The cartridge includes a casing having a chamber with a first opening at one end portion allowing toner to flow out of the casing. The cartridge includes a cover that covers the first opening, movable with the casing and having a second opening allowing toner to flow out of the cover. The shutter is located at the one end portion and has a protrusion further from the one end portion than the cover. The developing unit supports the protrusion when the cartridge is mounted thereon, and the casing pivots with the cover relative to the developing unit between a first position where the shutter closes the second opening and a second position where a third opening of the shutter overlaps the second opening.

Abstract: A transfer device includes a transfer drum that rotates in conjunction with a fixing roller, a transfer belt that transfers an image onto a medium while rotating along with the transfer drum in a state where the medium is nipped between the transfer belt and the transfer drum, a pressing member that is disposed in a space enclosed by the transfer belt, and a switching unit that moves the pressing member and switches between a pressed state in which the transfer belt is pressed against the transfer drum and a separated state in which the transfer belt is separated from the transfer drum.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus comprises a grip member, a support portion, and a housing. The support portion is provided in the housing and supports the grip member to be able to slide between a first position where the grip member is stored further inside than a side surface of the housing and a second position where the grip member protrudes outward from the side surface and can be gripped. The grip member has an upper grip portion and a lower grip portion that are separated in the up-down direction and supported by the support portion to be able to slide substantially horizontally. The image forming apparatus includes restricting mechanisms configured to restrict both grip portions from sliding toward the first position in a state in which the grip member is at the second position and an upward force is applied to at least one of the grip portions.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: a body housing; an access opening closure; a rotary member rotatable relative to the body housing; a first link member coupled to the rotary member; a second link member coupling the access opening closure to the first link member, having a first end pivotally movable relative to the access opening closure and a second end slidable along the first link member, and including a slit connecting the first end and the second end; a cutaway communicating with the slit near the second end and then turning around, and narrower than the slit; a pin mounted on the body housing and located within the slit; a boss projecting from the first end; and an elongated socket mounted on the access opening closure and receiving the boss slidably. A sliding resistance between the boss and the elongated socket is larger than between the pin and the slit.

Abstract: A fixation device according to an embodiment may include: an annular belt including an elastic layer with a thickness of more than 300 ?m; and a counter member opposed to an outer peripheral surface of the annular belt to form a nip region with the annular belt. A ratio (A/B) of a first hardness value (A) to a second hardness value (B) of the outer peripheral surface of the annular belt is 0.566 or more, where the first hardness value is measured, in hardness measurement using a hardness meter, at a time when a passage time, which is a time it takes for a certain point of the outer peripheral surface to pass through the nip region, has just passed from the start of the hardness measurement, and the second hardness value is measured at a time when the measured value of the hardness meter has just been saturated.

Abstract: An example developing device includes a developing case, a developer supply portion connected to the developing case and including a supply port, a shutter to open or close the supply port, and a sealing member attached to an outer circumferential portion of the developer supply portion to prevent leakage of a developer through the developer supply portion and the shutter. The developer supply portion includes a slit portion adjacent to the supply port. The sealing member includes a film member having an opening in communication with the supply port, a fixing portion inserted into the slit portion, and an elastic sealing member. An upper surface of the film member contacts an inner circumferential portion of the shutter, and the elastic sealing member is attached onto a lower surface of the film member along an edge of the opening and surrounds the supply port.

Abstract: A developer supply device according to an embodiment may include: a developer container; and a developer container holder to which the developer container is to be attached in a first direction. The developer container includes: a shutter movable between a closing position to close a supply port of a housing thereof and an opening position to open the supply port; and a sealing member provided between the housing and the shutter. The shutter includes: a cover portion including a cover surface configured to close the supply port; and a protruding portion projected in the first direction from the cover portion and provided at a position spaced apart from the cover surface to a side of the developer container holder. The developer container holder includes an engagement portion to be engaged with the protruding portion in a state where the developer container is attached to the developer container holder.

Abstract: An imaging system includes a housing to define a housing space, a collection device to collect fine particles in the housing space, a detection device to detect a collection performance of the collection device, and a cleaning device to clean the collection device.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus, for forming an image with a fixing unit that fixes a toner image to a recording material and with a first transport path, includes: a first guide unit that guides one side of a recording material discharged from the fixing unit and transported through the first transport path; a second guide unit that guides the other side of the recording material transported thorough the first transport path; a blowing part through which gas is sent to the one side of the recording material transported through the first transport path; and a gas guiding part that faces the second guide unit with the first transport path interposed between the gas guiding part and the second guide unit and that guides, in a direction away from the first transport path, gas that is sent from the blowing part and whose traveling direction is changed by a recording material.