Abstract: A sheet feeding apparatus includes an opening and closing portion including a supporting portion, the opening and closing portion configured to move to a closed position and to an opened position that is a sheet feeding position, a sheet feeding portion, an opening and closing detection portion configured to detect the sheet feeding position, a separating portion configured to blow air toward the plurality of sheets supported on the supporting portion to separate the sheets, and a control portion configured to execute a separating mode of performing an air blowing operation by the separating portion in feeding the sheets by the sheet feeding portion. In the separating mode, the control portion is configured to stop the air blowing operation in a case where movement of the opening and closing portion from the sheet feeding position toward the closed position has been detected by the opening and closing detection portion.

Abstract: A sheet feeding apparatus includes a supporting portion, a sheet feeding unit, a side edge regulation plate, a separation unit configured to separate the sheets by blowing air onto the plurality of sheets supported by the supporting portion, a regulation plate position detection unit configured to detect a position of the side edge regulation plates in the width direction, and a control unit configured to execute a separation mode so as to perform an air-blow operation by the separation unit in feeding the sheets by the sheet feeding unit. In the separation mode, in a case where the position of the side edge regulation plate detected by the regulation plate position detection unit does not correspond to size of the sheets supported by the supporting portion in the width direction, the control unit is configured to stop the air-blow operation.

Abstract: A sheet feeding apparatus includes a supporting portion, a feeding portion, a separating portion, a type detection portion, a control portion, and a type input portion. The type input portion inputs information on a type of the sheet supported by the supporting portion. The control portion selectively executes a first mode in which the type of the sheet supported by the supporting portion is set by information detected by the type detection portion while the sheet is fed, and a second mode in which the type of the sheet supported by the supporting portion is set by the information input by the type input portion to execute feeding of the sheet. The control portion executes a setting process of setting an air blowing operation to be executed in the first mode, and a choosing process of choosing one of the first mode and the second mode.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a photoconductor, a developing unit, a transfer unit, a detecting unit, a fan, cleaning unit, and a controller. The developing unit develops a latent image with a developer. The transfer unit transfers a developer image onto a sheet. The detecting unit detects a temperature outside the apparatus. The fan takes outside air into the apparatus. The cleaning unit collects toner supplied onto the photoconductor. The controller determines whether dew condensation has occurred. If the controller determines that dew condensation has occurred, the controller executes a first dew condensation recovery operation for rotating the fan, and when an image forming job is input, the controller executes a second dew condensation recovery operation, in addition to the first dew condensation recovery operation, the second dew condensation recovery operation comprising supplying toner to the photoconductor and collecting the toner, before executing the image forming job.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a photoconductor, a developing unit, a transfer unit, a detecting unit, a fan, cleaning unit, and a controller. The developing unit develops a latent image with a developer. The transfer unit transfers a developer image onto a sheet. The detecting unit detects a temperature outside the apparatus. The fan takes outside air into the apparatus. The cleaning unit collects toner supplied onto the photoconductor. The controller determines whether dew condensation has occurred. If the controller determines that dew condensation has occurred, the controller executes a first dew condensation recovery operation for rotating the fan, and when an image forming job is input, the controller executes a second dew condensation recovery operation, in addition to the first dew condensation recovery operation, the second dew condensation recovery operation comprising supplying toner to the photoconductor and collecting the toner, before executing the image forming job.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus which performs toner discharge control for held toners of respective colors, comprises: an image carrier; a transfer member on which toner images of the respective colors formed on the image carrier are transferred and superposed; a calculation unit configured to calculate toner amounts used to form the toner images of the respective colors; and a control unit configured to superpose toners of at least two colors onto the transfer member when the toner amounts calculated by the calculation unit are smaller than a predetermined consumption amount, wherein the control unit decides a combination of colors of the toners to be superposed in accordance with differences between the toner amounts and the predetermined consumption amount.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus accumulates the number of input print jobs when a control circuit of the image forming apparatus recognizes that, during the execution of the first print job having a sheet post-processing setting, a subsequent new print job having no sheet post-processing settings is input. If the accumulated number of input print jobs is less than or equal to a predetermined value, the image forming apparatus allows the interruption of the first print job by the subsequent new job.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus having improved installability and operability. The image forming apparatus has an operation unit thereof disposed on an arm extending from the apparatus and pivotable around a support member in substantially the horizontal direction, and has sensors for detecting the pivot position of the operation unit. An initial-screen setting screen determined based on the pivot position of the operation unit detected by the sensors is displayed on the operation unit.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a transfer unit configured to transfer a toner image based on image data onto a recording medium, a fixing device configured to thermally fix the toner image transferred onto the recording medium, a stack tray configured to stack a recording medium conveyed from the fixing device, and a controller configured to calculate based on the image data an amount of a toner on a top surface of the recording media stacked on the stack tray and an amount of a toner on a bottom surface of the recording media to be subsequently conveyed and discharged onto the stack tray and to control a recording medium discharge interval based on a result of calculating the amounts of the toners.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus which performs toner discharge control for held toners of respective colors, comprises: an image carrier; a transfer member on which toner images of the respective colors formed on the image carrier are transferred and superposed; a calculation unit configured to calculate toner amounts used to form the toner images of the respective colors; and a control unit configured to superpose toners of at least two colors onto the transfer member when the toner amounts calculated by the calculation unit are smaller than a predetermined consumption amount, wherein the control unit decides a combination of colors of the toners to be superposed in accordance with differences between the toner amounts and the predetermined consumption amount.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus capable of preventing toner fusion between recording sheets, with a construction that does not require increase in cost and size of the apparatus and does not unduly lower productivity, to thereby offer high usability. For image formation on plural pieces of recording sheets, a CPU controls a recording sheet conveyance interval for a first set based on a detected amount of toner used for the image formation on each page, stores the toner use amounts for respective pages of the first set into a RAM, and controls the recording sheet conveyance interval for second and subsequent sets based on the toner use amount stored in the RAM for each page.

Abstract: A belt feeding apparatus includes an endless belt and a supporting member for rotatably supporting the belt. The belt feeding apparatus further includes a setting member for setting, when the belt is deviated from a widthwisely normal zone, an inclination angle of the supporting member to a return angle to return the belt toward the normal zone. The setting member also sets, when a predetermined time elapses from the belt returning to the normal zone, the inclination angle of the supporting member to a balance angle to keep the belt in the zone.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image bearing member; toner image formation means for forming a toner image on the image bearing member; removing means for removing deposited matter deposited on the image bearing member; detecting means for detecting a toner image to be detected, formed on the toner image formation means; control means for controlling a toner image forming condition of the toner image forming means in accordance with a result of detection of the toner image to be detected by the detecting means; the apparatus being operable in a mode in which the removing means operates to remove the deposition, and the detecting means operates to detect the toner image to be detected, executing means for executing an operation in the mode; and an operating portion for manually starting execution of the operation in the mode by the executing means.

Abstract: A punching apparatus having a punching member which effects punching on a sheet, and a driving mechanism which moves the punching member in a sheet width direction intersecting with a sheet conveying direction. On the basis of the difference between the position of a current sheet and the position of a next sheet succeeding thereto detected by a detecting sensor which detects the position of each conveyed sheet in the sheet width direction, at a position upstream of the punching member, the punching member is moved by the driving mechanism along the sheet width direction from a punching position for the current sheet to a punching position for the next sheet.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus capable of reducing a part of a sheet exposed outside the apparatus on standby after finishing printing a first side in both-sided printing. A transfer material P having an image formed on its first side is fed until a part thereof gets exposed outside a full-color printer 1 and is fed to a refeeding path in the full-color printer 1. The transfer material P inverted by a flapper 44 is fed to a standby position to form an image on a second side thereof and is stopped there. In the case where a preparation for forming the image on the second side is not completed, the standby position for having the transfer material P stopped is changed corresponding to length of the inverted transfer material P in a feeding direction.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus capable of preventing toner fusion between recording sheets to thereby offer high usability, with a construction that does not cause increase in cost and size of the apparatus and an undue reduction in productivity. In the image forming apparatus, a toner use amount in a partial region of an toner image transferred from an intermediate transfer belt to a recording sheet is detected. When it is determined that the toner use amount detected for the partial region is equal to or greater than a predetermined amount, a recording sheet conveyance interval is widened.

Abstract: A belt feeding apparatus includes an endless belt; a supporting member for rotatably supporting said belt; and setting means for setting, when said belt is deviated from a widthwisely normal zone, an inclination angle of said supporting member to a returning angle to return said belt toward the normal zone, and for setting, when said belt is in the normal zone, the inclination angle of said supporting member to a balance angle.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus which is capable of performing a failsafe image forming operation even when a memory device of a replaceable unit mounted thereon is faulty. A controller of the image forming apparatus determines whether or not a memory tag of a toner cartridge is faulty. If the memory tag is determined to be faulty, the controller causes image adjustment to be executed.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image bearing member; toner image formation means for forming a toner image on the image bearing member; removing means for removing deposited matter deposited on the image bearing member; detecting means for detecting a toner image to be detected, formed on the toner image formation means; control means for controlling a toner image forming condition of the toner image forming means in accordance with a result of detection of the toner image to be detected by the detecting means; the apparatus being operable in a mode in which the removing means operates to remove the deposition, and the detecting means operates to detect the toner image to be detected, executing means for executing an operation in the mode; and an operating portion for manually starting execution of the operation in the mode by the executing means.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image bearing member; toner image formation means for forming a toner image on the image bearing member; removing means for removing deposited matter deposited on the image bearing member; detecting means for detecting a toner image to be detected, formed on the toner image formation means; control means for controlling a toner image forming condition of the toner image forming means in accordance with a result of detection of the toner image to be detected by the detecting means; the apparatus being operable in a mode in which the removing means operates to remove the deposition, and the detecting means operates to detect the toner image to be detected, executing means for executing an operation in the mode; and an operating portion for manually starting execution of the operation in the mode by the executing means.