Abstract: A protective sheet is to be laid on an endless belt sheet and covers a surface of the endless belt sheet to protect the surface. When the protective sheet is laid on the endless belt sheet, the bending stiffness of the protective sheet is lower in the circumferential direction of the endless belt sheet than in the width direction that is orthogonal relative to the circumferential direction. Thus, the risk of being bent and damaged of the endless belt sheet is minimized and the cumbersomeness of the operation of replacing the endless belt sheet is remarkably reduced by using such a protective sheet.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a main assembly including an image forming portion configured to form an image on a sheet; a front cover mounted on a front side of the main assembly and configured to expose the image forming portion by being rotated from above toward below about a rotational axis crossing a vertical direction; a fixing portion configured to fix a position of the front cover in an open state; an exchange unit detachably mountable to the image forming portion in the open state of the front cover; and a projecting portion provided above the front cover in the vertical direction and configured to project information on exchange of the exchange unit onto an inner surface of the front cover in the open state when the exchange unit is to be exchanged.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a main assembly, a first openable portion provided on a first side of the main assembly, a second openable portion provided on a second side of the main assembly, a single projector portion, a first projecting portion configured to project the image from above the first openable portion onto a projection object provided on the first side or onto the first openable portion when the first openable portion is open, and a second projecting portion configured to project the image from above the second openable portion onto a projection object provided on the second side or onto the second openable portion when the second openable portion is open.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus and method for controlling an image forming apparatus is provided. The image forming apparatus includes a detecting unit, a projecting unit, and a control unit. The detecting unit is configured to detect an event that needs user work on the image forming apparatus. The projecting unit is configured to project an image onto a projection target. The control unit is configured to control projection by the projecting unit. When an event that needs user work on the image forming apparatus is detected, the projecting unit projects an image onto a projection target so that a target portion of the user work can be identified and also projects an instruction image for performing the user work.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a main assembly, a first openable portion provided on a first side of the main assembly, a second openable portion provided on a second side of the main assembly, a single projector portion, a first projecting portion configured to project the image from above the first openable portion onto a projection object provided on the first side or onto the first openable portion when the first openable portion is open, and a second projecting portion configured to project the image from above the second openable portion onto a projection object provided on the second side or onto the second openable portion when the second openable portion is open.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a main assembly including an image forming portion configured to form an image on a sheet; a front cover mounted on a front side of the main assembly and configured to expose the image forming portion by being rotated from above toward below about a rotational axis crossing a vertical direction; a fixing portion configured to fix a position of the front cover in an open state; an exchange unit detachably mountable to the image forming portion in the open state of the front cover; and a projecting portion provided above the front cover in the vertical direction and configured to project information on exchange of the exchange unit onto an inner surface of the front cover in the open state when the exchange unit is to be exchanged.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a main assembly including a feeding portion configured to feed a sheet and an image forming portion configured to form an image on the fed sheet, an openable cover provided on a side surface of the main assembly and openable for exposing a component part in the main assembly by opening a space above the component part with respect to a vertical direction, and a projecting portion provided above the openable cover with respect to the vertical direction and capable of projecting light toward the component part when the openable cover is opened.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus and method for controlling an image forming apparatus is provided. The image forming apparatus includes a detecting unit, a projecting unit, and a control unit. The detecting unit is configured to detect an event that needs user work on the image forming apparatus. The projecting unit is configured to project an image onto a projection target. The control unit is configured to control projection by the projecting unit. When an event that needs user work on the image forming apparatus is detected, the projecting unit projects an image onto a projection target so that a target portion of the user work can be identified and also projects an instruction image for performing the user work.

Abstract: An information processing apparatus control method achieves an improvement in terms of operability for a visually-impaired user, and while doing so, facilitates operation aid by another user. A control method for controlling an information processing apparatus having a display unit equipped with a touch panel, and an operation unit equipped with a hard numeric keypad unit, includes: assigning a function to move a pointer displayed on the display unit, to the hard numeric keypad unit; and effecting control to display a numeric keypad on the display unit in a case where the function to move the pointer is assigned to the hard numeric keypad unit.