Abstract: A cancellation operation of a fixing nip and movement of a transfer roller are interlocked with each other. In the image forming apparatus, at least a first state in which the relative position is arranged at a fixing position and the transfer roller is arranged at a transfer position, a second state in which the relative position is arranged at a transfer nip cancellation position and the transfer roller is arranged at a transfer nip cancellation position, and a third state in which the relative position is arranged at a fixing nip cancellation position and the transfer roller is arranged at one of an intermediate position between the transfer position and the transfer nip cancellation position and the transfer position may be taken as a combination state of the relative position between the fixing roller and the facing member and the position of the transfer roller.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an apparatus body including an opening portion, and an opening-and-closing member, a process unit detachably attached to and supported by the apparatus body, the process unit including an image bearing member, a toner storage portion, and a supply portion, a sheet supporting portion, and a rotary feeding member. When viewed in a gravity direction, the supply portion is disposed on a same side as a side on which the sheet supporting portion is disposed with respect to the image bearing member, and the opening portion is disposed on a side opposite to the side on which the sheet supporting portion is disposed with respect to the image bearing member. In a case where the opening-and-closing member is positioned at an opening position, the process unit is configured to be attached to and detached from the apparatus body through the opening portion.

Abstract: A belt unit, for use in an image forming apparatus, includes an endless belt that moves in a movement direction, a transfer member, a collecting member, a storage container, and a conveyance member. The conveyance member conveys toner in a conveyance direction, rotates about a rotational axis extending in a rotational axis direction, includes a shaft and a conveyance portion provided on a shaft outer surface, and has a helical shape having a helical axis extending in the rotational axis direction. The conveyance member further includes a protruding portion protruding from the shaft outer surface in a direction crossing the conveyance member rotational axis, which has a shape different from the helical shape, and which is provided on a shaft portion downstream of the conveyance portion in the conveyance direction. The rotational axis direction is a direction crossing both the endless belt movement direction and a transfer member longitudinal direction.

Abstract: A belt conveyance apparatus includes an endless belt, bearings, first and second adjustment members, and a stretching member. The first and second adjustment members are each rotatably supported by an outer circumferential surface of the bearings, face an end portion of the endless belt, and include a sliding surface. The stretching member includes a rotation unit. On a first end side or a second end side opposite to the first end side in a belt width direction, a distance from a first end portion which is an end portion of the rotation unit at a position closest to the sliding surface to the sliding surface is shorter than a distance from a second end portion at a position farthest from the sliding surface of the first adjustment member or the second adjustment member to the sliding surface.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a stacking portion which is a part of a top surface of an exterior of the image forming apparatus. The stacking portion is positioned downstream of a discharging outlet in a discharging direction and on which the recording material discharged from the discharging outlet is stacked and includes a first surface on which the recording material discharged from the discharging outlet is stacked, and a second surface which is positioned outward with respect to the discharging outlet in a width direction orthogonal to the discharging direction. A supplying inlet is located below the first surface, wherein a downstream end of the first surface is positioned downstream of a downstream end of the second surface in the discharging direction, and wherein the first surface is rotatable to expose the supplying inlet.

Abstract: A transfer unit, provided in an image forming apparatus having an image bearing member to bear a toner image, includes an endless belt, a transfer member, a collecting member, a storage container, a conveyance member, and a detection unit. The transfer member transfers the toner image from the image bearing member to the endless belt. The collecting member recovers toner remaining on the endless belt. The conveyance member rotates to convey toner from an inflow port inside the storage container. The detection unit detects a load which the conveyance member receives when rotating. The rotational axis direction is a direction which is perpendicular to neither a movement direction of the endless belt nor a width direction perpendicular to the movement direction of the endless belt. The conveyance member includes a force receiving portion configured to receive a force from the toner conveyed in a state the conveyance member is rotating.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a developer container including a storage portion and a supplying inlet, a discharging portion configured to discharge a recording material in a discharging direction, a discharging outlet through which the recording material is discharged to an outside of the image forming apparatus, and a stacking portion which is a part of a top surface of an exterior of the image forming apparatus. The stacking portion includes a first area on which the recording material discharged from the discharging outlet is stacked, and a second area which is positioned outward with respect to the discharging outlet in a width direction orthogonal to the discharging direction. The supplying inlet is disposed at a position corresponding to the first area in the width direction. At least a part of the second area is positioned below the discharging outlet.

Abstract: An attached portion of an image forming apparatus includes: a rotating member of which at least a part is exposed outside the image forming apparatus when the developer container is attached; and a rotation restricting mechanism that is movable between a restricting position to restrict rotation of the rotating member and an allowable position to allow rotation of the rotating member, and includes a restricting member that is at the restricting position when the developer container is not attached. The developer container is attached to the attached portion so that the discharging portion engaging portion and the shutter engaging portions are engaged with the frame engaged portions and the rotating member engaged portions respectively when the container shutter is in the close state, and the restricting member moves from the restricting position to the allowable position when the developer container is attached to the attached portion.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a photosensitive drum, a development device, a fixing device, an apparatus main body, and a fan including a rotating shaft that extends in a longitudinal direction of the photosensitive drum and a blade around the rotating shaft. The development device develops a toner image on the photosensitive drum. The fixing device fixes the toner image from the photosensitive drum to a recording material. The apparatus main body is provided with a discharge port from which the toner-fixed recording material is discharged. A length of the fan rotating shaft in the longitudinal direction is longer than a diameter of a rotational trajectory of the blade. The fan is provided on a downstream side of the fixing device in a discharge direction in which the recording material is discharged from the discharge port and overlaps a part of the development device when viewed in a vertical direction.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus is configured to allow a replenishment container to be detachably attached thereto. The image forming apparatus includes a drum unit including a photosensitive drum, and a development unit. The development unit includes a development roller, a reception portion configured to receive the replenishment container. The development unit is movable relative to the drum unit. The image forming apparatus further includes a housing including an opening/closing member movable between a cover position, at which the opening/closing member covers the reception portion, and an exposing position, at which the reception portion is exposed, and a support member configured to be movable between a support position, at which the support member supports the development unit, and a retracted position, at which the support member is retracted from the support position, in conjunction with the movement of the opening/closing member.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a transfer nip control member being movable to a pressing position, where a pressing force for positioning a transfer roller in a transfer nip releasing position is applied to a transfer unit in a closed position, and to a releasing position, where application of the pressing force is released; a fixing nip control mechanism for changing a relative position between a fixing roller and an opposing member to a fixing position, where a fixing nip is formed, and to a fixing nip releasing position; and an interlocking mechanism for moving the transfer nip control member in the releasing position to the pressing position in conjunction with a fixing nip releasing operation by the fixing nip control mechanism. The transfer nip control member in the pressing position is moved to the releasing position when the transfer unit is moved from the closed position to an open position.

Abstract: A container to store residual transfer toner remaining on an intermediate transfer belt is disposed in a region of a transfer unit, where the region is defined by an inner circumferential surface of the intermediate transfer belt. A single conveyance member, which rotates to convey toner conveyed from an inlet toward the container, is disposed in the inside of the container. An end portion of the conveyance member that is opposite to an end portion on a side of the inlet is located in a central region of the container.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus which can be replenished with toner using a replenishment cartridge and communicates with a memory device of the replenishment cartridge via a first electric contact portion and a second electric contact portion after a replenishment cartridge is attached to the image forming apparatus in an installation portion. The replenishment cartridge is prevented from being detached by a regulation unit when it is in the replenishment position.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image bearing member, a charging member to charge a surface of the image bearing member, an exposure unit, a developing member to form a toner image, a transfer member, an irradiation unit, and a blocking member. The irradiation unit includes a light source provided at one end of the irradiation unit in a rotation axial direction of the image bearing member and a guide that guides a light source emitted light in the rotation axial direction. The irradiation unit irradiates the surface of the image bearing member with the light after the transfer member transfers the toner image to a transfer-receiving member. The blocking member blocks the light irradiated from the irradiation unit in the rotation axial direction. The blocking member is configured so that a quantity of blocking the light irradiated from the irradiation unit is different in the rotation axial direction.

Abstract: A belt conveyance apparatus includes an endless belt, bearings, first and second adjustment members, and a stretching member. The first and second adjustment members are each rotatably supported by an outer circumferential surface of the bearings, face an end portion of the endless belt, and include a sliding surface. The stretching member includes a rotation unit. On a first end side or a second end side opposite to the first end side in a belt width direction, a distance from a first end portion which is an end portion of the rotation unit at a position closest to the sliding surface to the sliding surface is shorter than a distance from a second end portion at a position farthest from the sliding surface of the first adjustment member or the second adjustment member to the sliding surface.

Abstract: A cancellation operation of a fixing nip and movement of a transfer roller are interlocked with each other. In the image forming apparatus, at least a first state in which the relative position is arranged at a fixing position and the transfer roller is arranged at a transfer position, a second state in which the relative position is arranged at a transfer nip cancellation position and the transfer roller is arranged at a transfer nip cancellation position, and a third state in which the relative position is arranged at a fixing nip cancellation position and the transfer roller is arranged at one of an intermediate position between the transfer position and the transfer nip cancellation position and the transfer position may be taken as a combination state of the relative position between the fixing roller and the facing member and the position of the transfer roller.

Abstract: Image forming apparatus includes a transfer nip control member being movable to a pressing position where a pressing force for positioning a transfer roller in a transfer nip releasing position is applied to a transfer unit in a closed position and to a releasing position where application of the pressing force is released; a fixing nip control mechanism for changing a relative position between a fixing roller and an opposing member to a fixing position where a fixing nip is formed and to a fixing nip releasing position; and an interlocking mechanism for moving the transfer nip control member in the releasing position to the pressing position in conjunction with a fixing nip releasing operation by the fixing nip control mechanism. The transfer nip control member in the pressing position is moved to the releasing position when the transfer unit is moved from the closed position to an open position.

Abstract: A container to store residual transfer toner remaining on an intermediate transfer belt is disposed in a region of a transfer unit, where the region is defined by an inner circumferential surface of the intermediate transfer belt. A single conveyance member, which rotates to convey toner conveyed from an inlet toward the container, is disposed in the inside of the container. An end portion of the conveyance member that is opposite to an end portion on a side of the inlet is located in a central region of the container.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a developer container including a storage portion and a supplying inlet, a discharging portion configured to discharge a recording material in a discharging direction, a discharging outlet through which the recording material is discharged to an outside of the image forming apparatus, and a stacking portion which is a part of a top surface of an exterior of the image forming apparatus. The stacking portion includes a first area on which the recording material discharged from the discharging outlet is stacked, and a second area which is positioned outward with respect to the discharging outlet in a width direction orthogonal to the discharging direction. The supplying inlet is disposed at a position corresponding to the first area in the width direction. At least a part of the second area is positioned below the discharging outlet.

Abstract: A container to store residual transfer toner remaining on an intermediate transfer belt is disposed in a region of a transfer unit, where the region is defined by an inner circumferential surface of the intermediate transfer belt. A single conveyance member, which rotates to convey toner conveyed from an inlet toward the container, is disposed in the inside of the container. An end portion of the conveyance member that is opposite to an end portion on a side of the inlet is located in a central region of the container.