Abstract: A mode switching notification in a first mode is transmitted from a transmission device 10 to a reception device 20 according to a first protocol. In a second mode, training data is transmitted from the transmission device 10 to the reception device 20, clock training is performed in the reception device 20, and a mode switching notification for the first mode is transmitted from the transmission device 10 to the reception device 20 according to a second protocol simpler and faster than the first protocol.

Abstract: A sheet conveying device, which is included in an image forming apparatus and a post processing device, includes a position corrector and either one of a rolling body and a contact resistance reducer. The position corrector is configured to convey a sheet and correct a position of the sheet. The rolling body is disposed at least one of an upstream side and a downstream side of a sheet conveyance passage from the position corrector in a sheet conveying direction and is configured to roll in at least a direction intersecting the sheet conveying direction. The contact resistance reducer is configured to reduce contact resistance generated due to contact of the sheet to a neighboring part when the position of the sheet is corrected by the position corrector.

Abstract: A sheet conveying device, which is included in an image forming apparatus, includes a sheet holding roller to move while holding a sheet, a detector to perform a primary detection to detect a sheet position before the sheet holding roller holds the sheet and a secondary detection to detect a sheet position downstream from the sheet position detected by the primary detection, and a controller configured to cause the sheet holding roller to perform a first drive to move the sheet holding roller in at least one direction of a width direction of the sheet and a rotation direction in a sheet conveying surface based on a result of the primary detection and a second drive to move the sheet holding roller opposite to the at least one direction of the first drive, based on a result of the secondary detection.

Abstract: A rotating member control device that controls a first rotating member and a second rotating member to convey a sheet includes a processor configured to execute a program to implement processes of controlling the first rotating member and the second rotating member to come into contact or be separated from each other and acquiring a value that corresponds to or is proportional to a driving torque of a first driving unit that rotationally drives the first rotating member. The processor acquires the value upon separation when the first rotating member and the second rotating member are separated from each other and upon conveyance when the sheet is held between and conveyed by the first rotating member and the second rotating member. The processor further sets a rotational speed of the second rotating member such that the value acquired upon separation and the value acquired upon conveyance become equal.

Abstract: A sheet conveying device, which is incorporated in an image forming apparatus, includes a first detector to detect an angle deviation of a recording medium to a sheet conveying direction, a second detector to detect a lateral shift of the recording medium to a width direction, a third detector to detect at least one of the angle deviation and the lateral shift after correction of the angle deviation detected by the first detector and the lateral shift detected by the second detector, and a rotary body to perform a primary movement by (1) rotating in the sheet conveying direction and returning to a reference position and by (2) moving in the width direction and returning to the reference position, and a secondary movement by performing at least one of (1) and (2) after the primary movement.

Abstract: A sheet conveying device, which is incorporated in an image forming apparatus, includes a first detector to detect an angle deviation of a recording medium to a sheet conveying direction, a second detector to detect a lateral shift of the recording medium to a width direction, a third detector to detect at least one of the angle deviation and the lateral shift after correction of the angle deviation detected by the first detector and the lateral shift detected by the second detector, and a rotary body to perform a primary movement by (1) rotating in the sheet conveying direction and returning to a reference position and by (2) moving in the width direction and returning to the reference position, and a secondary movement by performing at least one of (1) and (2) after the primary movement.

Abstract: An image reading device, which is included in an image forming apparatus and used to perform a method of reading images, includes an image reading body configured to read one of a recording medium and the recording medium together with a background area adjacent to the recording medium, a moving body disposed facing the image reading body, and a reference body as a reference in shading correction. The moving body is configured to hold the recording medium and the reference body in a direction intersecting a sheet conveying direction of the recording medium such that the recording medium and the reference body contact to and separate from the image reading body.

Abstract: A transfer device includes a belt image bearer; a driving roller that rotates the belt image bearer; a transfer member; first and second driving motors that respectively rotate the driving roller and the transfer member; first and second speed detecting units that respectively detect rotational speeds of the belt image bearer and the transfer member; and a control unit that implements control such that the belt image bearer and the transfer member are rotated at rotational speeds corresponding to a relative speed at which a variation amount is less than a predetermined variation amount, the variation amount being the variation of values of driving torques of the first and second driving motors in a state where the belt image bearer and the transfer member are in contact, with respect to these values in a state where the belt image bearer and the transfer member are separated.

Abstract: A planetary gear mechanism includes a plurality of planetary gears, an outer gear, a sun gear, a carrier, and a stick mount. The outer gear meshes with the plurality of planetary gears. The sun gear is coaxially disposed on the same axis as the outer gear and transmits force to the planetary gears. The carrier rotatably supports the plurality of planetary gears and is rotatably and floatingly supported. The carrier includes a hole through which a stick member penetrates in a direction of axis of rotation of the carrier. The stick member penetrates through the hole and is mounted on the stick mount. The stick mount is disposed opposite the carrier. The outer gear and the sun gear are held such that one of the outer gear and the sun gear does not rotate.

Abstract: For serial data transmitted from a transmission device 10 to a reception device 20, a timing of transition from a first level to a second level is in each unit period. Image data serves as a first type of data for which two or more transitions from the second level to the first level are in each unit period. Control data serves as a second type of data for which one transition from the second level to the first level is in each unit period and the number of bits having the second level in each unit period corresponds to a control signal.

Abstract: A mode switching notification in a first mode is transmitted from a transmission device 10 to a reception device 20 according to a first protocol. In a second mode, training data is transmitted from the transmission device 10 to the reception device 20, clock training is performed in the reception device 20, and a mode switching notification for the first mode is transmitted from the transmission device 10 to the reception device 20 according to a second protocol simpler and faster than the first protocol.

Abstract: A transfer device includes a belt image bearer; a driving roller that rotates the belt image bearer; a transfer member; first and second driving motors that respectively rotate the driving roller and the transfer member; first and second speed detecting units that respectively detect rotational speeds of the belt image bearer and the transfer member; and a control unit that implements control such that the belt image bearer and the transfer member are rotated at rotational speeds corresponding to a relative speed at which a variation amount is less than a predetermined variation amount, the variation amount being the variation of values of driving torques of the first and second driving motors in a state where the belt image bearer and the transfer member are in contact, with respect to these values in a state where the belt image bearer and the transfer member are separated.

Abstract: A sheet conveying device, which is incorporated in an image forming apparatus, includes a first detector to detect an angle deviation of a recording medium to a sheet conveying direction, a second detector to detect a lateral shift of the recording medium to a width direction, a third detector to detect at least one of the angle deviation and the lateral shift after correction of the angle deviation detected by the first detector and the lateral shift detected by the second detector, and a rotary body to perform a primary movement by (1) rotating in the sheet conveying direction and returning to a reference position and by (2) moving in the width direction and returning to the reference position, and a secondary movement by performing at least one of (1) and (2) after the primary movement.

Abstract: A power transmission device includes a drive coupling, a driven coupling, and an intermediate transmission member. The drive coupling receives power from a drive source and rotates. The driven coupling is disposed coaxially on a first rotary shaft of the drive coupling and detachably attachable relative to the main body of the image forming apparatus. The intermediate transmission member meshes with the drive coupling and the driven coupling and is held by one of the drive coupling and the driven coupling in a state in which the driven coupling is disengaged from the main body. One of the drive coupling and the driven coupling, whichever holds the intermediate transmission member, constitutes a retaining coupling including an attachment member attached to one of a drive-side device and a driven-side device, and a stopper assembly facing the intermediate transmission member in an axial direction of the first rotary shaft.

Abstract: A reduction gear unit incorporatable in an image forming apparatus includes planetary gear mechanisms each including a sun gear, an outer gear, planetary gears arranged between the outer gear and the sun gear at equal intervals and meshing with the sun gear and the outer gear, and a carrier rotatable coaxially with the sun gear and the outer gear to rotatably support the planetary gears. An extreme upstream mechanism in the drive transmission direction includes an input element connected to a drive source. An extreme downstream mechanism includes an output element connected to a member outputting the drive force to a rotary member. Any mechanism other than the extreme downstream mechanism includes an output element connected to an input element of an adjacent mechanism located downstream of any other mechanism. The sun gear of the extreme downstream mechanism has a larger pitch diameter than any other mechanisms.

Abstract: A transfer device includes at least one pair of lateral plates, an intermediate transfer belt, a plurality of rollers, and a dynamic vibration absorber. The intermediate transfer belt is formed into an endless loop and is entrained about the plurality of rollers. The dynamic vibration absorber is disposed on at least one of the plurality of rollers and includes an inertial body. The inertial body is disposed inside the endless loop of the intermediate transfer belt, and both ends of the inertial body in an axial direction of the inertial body are rotatably supported by the at least one pair of lateral plates via shaft bearings.

Abstract: A driving device includes a drive source, a planetary gear decelerator, a drive-target shaft, a rotation speed detector, and a sensor mount. The planetary gear decelerator includes a planetary gear mechanism equipped with an output shaft, a sun gear, an outer gear, a plurality of planetary gears, and a rotatable first carrier. The outer gear is made of resin and includes a deformable portion at a drive target side, and the deformable portion is elastically deformable in a radial direction. The plurality of planetary gears engages the sun gear and the outer gear. The rotatable first carrier rotatably supports the planetary gears. The rotation speed detector detects a rotation speed of the planetary gear decelerator, and includes a sensor and a detection target disposed coaxially on the output shaft. The sensor mount supports the sensor and moves in the radial direction in accordance with elastic deformation of the outer gear.

Abstract: A rotating-body driving device that includes a rotating body; a driving source; a reduction gear that includes an output shaft and a gear rotating at a non-integer ratio of rotation period to a rotation period of the output shaft, and the reduction gear reducing rotation speed of the driving source; a pulse-signal generating unit; a pulse-count storage unit; a speed-fluctuation storage unit that stores therein a rotation speed fluctuation of the output shaft; and a driving-source control unit. The driving-source control unit detects the speed fluctuation information associated with the accumulated number of pulse signals from the speed-fluctuation storage unit, and performs for the driving source a feedforward control to set off the rotation speed fluctuation.

Abstract: A power transmission device includes a drive coupling, a driven coupling, and an intermediate transmission member. The drive coupling receives power from a drive source and rotates. The driven coupling is disposed coaxially on a first rotary shaft of the drive coupling and detachably attachable relative to the main body of the image forming apparatus. The intermediate transmission member meshes with the drive coupling and the driven coupling and is held by one of the drive coupling and the driven coupling in a state in which the driven coupling is disengaged from the main body. One of the drive coupling and the driven coupling, whichever holds the intermediate transmission member, constitutes a retaining coupling including an attachment member attached to one of a drive-side device and a driven-side device, and a stopper assembly facing the intermediate transmission member in an axial direction of the first rotary shaft.

Abstract: A rotator driving system for driving a rotator with a motor includes a dynamic vibration absorber attached to a rotary shaft of the rotator. The dynamic vibration absorber includes an inertia body, a viscosity-providing component to provide a viscosity, and a torsion spring unit to function as a torsion spring that includes a boss fixed to the rotary shaft. Multiple spokes extend radially outward from the boss. Multiple seats are provided at respective tips of the multiple spokes to fix the inertia body. The torsion spring unit is fixed by both the rotary shaft of the rotator and the boss fixed to the rotary shaft therebetween. The viscosity-providing component supports the inertia body via the multiple seats provided at the respective tips of the multiple spokes.