Abstract: A supporting unit is mounted on a body of an image forming apparatus in a swingable manner around a swing fulcrum. A through shaft serves as the swing fulcrum, which is inserted into the supporting unit through the swing fulcrum so that both ends of the through shaft are supported by supporting members. The through shaft includes at least one of an operation member that is slidable on the through shaft in an axial direction and a biasing unit that biases a sliding force in one direction of the axial direction. When the supporting unit is opened with respect to the body, at least a part of a conveying path on which the recording medium is conveyed is exposed.

Abstract: A sheet conveying device, that can be included in an image forming apparatus, includes first and second conveying units configured to hold and convey a sheet, a first sheet conveying path between the first and second conveying units, and a registration unit to change a positional condition of the sheet conveyed by the second conveying unit. In at least one embodiment, the second conveying unit includes a moving and guiding unit and a rotary conveyance unit facing each other and forming a sheet holding section therebetween to hold and convey the sheet, and the moving and guiding unit and the rotary conveyance unit are disposed in the vicinity of the first conveying unit so that a distance between the second conveying unit and the registration unit is relatively increased.

Abstract: A sheet feeding apparatus includes a sheet tray, a pickup roller, a feed roller, a driving motor to drive the feed roller via a feed clutch, and a reverse roller connected to a reverse shaft driven by the driving motor via a torque limiter. The feed clutch is turned OFF when a trailing edge of a sheet passes through a nip formed between the feed and reverse rollers so as to disconnect the driving motor in order to enable the feed roller to freely rotate. The rotation of the reverse shaft is transmitted to the reverse roller by the operation of the torque limiter so as to enable the reverse roller to rotate and return the next sheet nipped by the reverse and feed rollers in a counter sheet feeding direction.

Abstract: A sheet conveying device, that can be included in an image forming apparatus, includes a first conveying unit to convey a sheet in a first direction, a second conveying unit disposed on a downstream side of the first conveying unit to convey the sheet in a second direction, and a first path formed between the first and second conveying units. At least the second conveying unit has a holding section to hold and convey the sheet. The sheet conveying device further includes a belt conveying unit disposed along an outer side of the first path and includes a belt to convey the sheet toward the holding section. The belt is stretched around a first belt holding and rotating member and a second belt holding and rotating member disposed on an upstream side of the second conveying unit in the second direction.

Abstract: An easy-to-use, inexpensive, and small sheet conveying device, which can stably and separately convey not only sheets of a fixed size that are normally used, but also highly rigid sheets and special sheets, and can further separately convey a bent sheet reliably. In a sheet conveying path switching device having a sheet carrying-in path and a switching separating nail, outlines of two separating/conveying paths out of a plurality of separating/conveying paths positioned on a downstream side of the switching separating nail are configured by a movable belt surface, the two separating/conveying paths being located closer to the separating nail than the other separating/conveying paths.

Abstract: A disclosed sheet conveying apparatus includes a first conveying unit configured to convey a sheet in a first sheet conveying direction; and a second conveying unit arranged on a downstream side of the first conveying unit in the first sheet conveying direction and configured to convey the sheet conveyed by the first conveying unit in a second sheet conveying direction different from the first sheet conveying direction. At least the second conveying unit acts as a holding/conveying unit with a holding section to hold and convey the sheet and includes a moving/guiding unit arranged along an outer side of a sheet conveying path extending between the first conveying unit and the second conveying unit. The moving/guiding unit moves/guides the sheet toward the holding section of the second conveying unit, and is arranged in a discontinuous manner along a sheet width direction orthogonal to the first sheet conveying direction so as to contact at least one part of the sheet in the sheet width direction.

Abstract: A first conveying unit conveys a sheet. A second conveying unit conveys the sheet conveyed by the first conveying unit in a direction different from a sheet conveying direction of the first conveying unit, and is disposed on a downstream side in the sheet conveying direction of the first conveying unit. A guiding unit reduces a sheet conveying load. The guiding unit is disposed in an outer area of a sheet conveying path formed between the first conveying unit and the second conveying unit.

Abstract: A sheet-feeding auxiliary device includes a sheet guiding member that is provided outside of a feed turning portion for changing a direction of feeding a sheet in a sheet path, a rotating member that is provided inside of the feed turning portion in opposite to the sheet guiding member, and a driving unit that drives the rotating member.

Abstract: A recording medium conveying device for an image forming apparatus of the present invention includes a conveying member for conveying a sheet or similar recording medium by nipping it. After the sheet being conveyed by the conveying member has abutted against a registering member, the registering member rotates in synchronism with the rotation of an image carrier carrying an image thereon for thereby conveying the recording medium toward an image transfer position. After the recording medium has slackened on abutting against the registering member, a nip canceling mechanism cancels the nip of the conveying member acting on the recording medium.

Abstract: A sheet feeding apparatus includes a sheet tray stacking one or more sheets, a pickup roller feeding the sheet, and a feed roller forwarding the sheet downstream in a sheet feeding direction. A driving motor is provided to drive the feed roller via a feed clutch selectively connecting the driving motor to the feed roller. A reverse roller connected to a reverse shaft driven by the driving motor via a torque limiter is also provided to contact the feed roller. The feed clutch is turned OFF when a trailing edge of a sheet passes through a nip formed between the feed and reverse rollers so as to disconnect the driving motor in order to enable the feed roller to freely rotate. The rotation of the reverse shaft is transmitted to the reverse roller by a function of the torque limiter so as to enable the reverse roller to rotate and return the next sheet nipped by the reverse and feed rollers in a counter sheet feeding direction.

Abstract: A recording medium conveying device for an image forming apparatus of the present invention includes a conveying member for conveying a sheet or similar recording medium by nipping it. After the sheet being conveyed by the conveying member has abutted against a registering member, the registering member rotates in synchronism with the rotation of an image carrier carrying an image thereon for thereby conveying the recording medium toward an image transfer position. After the recording medium has slackened on abutting against the registering member, a nip canceling mechanism cancels the nip of the conveying member acting on the recording medium.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus, which includes a pair of vertical paper feeding guides of a vertical paper path, one guide being fixed to a main body of the apparatus as a fixed guide and the other guide being held for movement relative to the main body as a movable guide. Both of the movable guide and the large capacity paper feeding unit are able to swing open and close relative to the main body around shafts provided parallel to the direction of vertical paper feeding at one end of each of the guide and the large capacity paper feeding unit. The provision of an improved image forming apparatus realizes capabilities of faster and more secured paper feeding and easier parts replacement.