Abstract: A sheet feeder, which can be included in an image forming apparatus, includes a rotary body to contact and feed a recording medium to a downstream side along a sheet conveying path, a friction body disposed facing and contacting the rotary body with the sheet conveying path interposed therebetween, the friction body forming a separation nip region with the rotary body, a receiver to support the friction body at a position opposite to the separation nip region, and multiple projections to guide the recording medium toward the separation nip region. Each of the multiple projections extends toward the rotary body at respective axial ends of the rotary body and has a top face disposed upstream from the separation nip region in a sheet conveying direction between an outer circumferential surface of the rotary body and a surface of the friction body.

Abstract: A sheet discharger including a pair of rotary bodies to discharge a sheet to a discharge part by rotating while sandwiching the sheet and to hold the sheet, a part of which is discharged and exposed from a discharge exit of the sheet discharger, and a separation unit operatively connected to the pair of rotary bodies, including an operating part provided closer to the discharge exit than the pair of rotary bodies to support the sheet held by the pair of rotary bodies, that separates the pair of rotary bodies from each other by withdrawal of the sheet held by the pair of rotary bodies toward the discharge exit of the sheet discharger.

Abstract: A feeding device includes a paper feed tray, a detector on an image forming apparatus main body, a control member rotatably supported by the paper feed tray, and spacers. The detector includes movable pieces and contact points corresponding to the movable piece, and switches each contact point by the position of the corresponding movable piece. The control member includes a control surface formed on its outer circumferential surface with projecting and recessed portions. The projecting and recessed portions are disposed in a pattern corresponding to rotation angles in an area of the control surface facing the movable pieces. Controlling the positions of the movable pieces according to the pattern encodes paper size. Each movable piece is lined in the circumferential direction facing the control surface. The outer circumferential surface of the projecting portions is formed in a cylindrical surface shape centering around the rotational axis of the control member.

Abstract: A sheet feeding mechanism incorporatable in an image forming apparatus includes a cover unit rotatably attached to one side of a main body of an image forming apparatus to cover a part of a sheet conveyance path, a first feeding member located in a main body of the apparatus, a second feeding member located in the cover unit in a displaceable manner and facing the first feeding member when the cover unit is closed and sandwiching and conveying a recording medium along the sheet conveyance path with the first feeding member, and a guide member disposed in the main body to guide the second feeding member. The guide member guides the second feeding member to move in a first direction that approaches the first feeding member when closing the cover unit and in a second direction that separates from the first feeding member when opening the cover unit.

Abstract: A sheet feeding device, which is incorporated in an image forming apparatus, includes a sheet container that contains a sheet therein, an outer end part connectable to the sheet container, a sheet feeding member, a swing shaft, a sheet loading member supported by the swing shaft to swing according to an amount of sheets loaded on the loading surface, a rotary shaft, and a sheet amount indicator being rotatably supported by the rotary shaft and having a contact end contacting the sheet loading member swinging according to a remaining amount of sheets and a sheet amount display end moving in a given display range visible from the outside of the sheet feeding device. The sheet loading member has a sloped surface sloped to a loading surface of the loading member and disposed at a portion where the contact end of the sheet amount indicator contacts the loading surface.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image forming unit to form an image on a sheet-shaped recording medium; a registration roller pair to convey the recording medium to the image forming unit; a sheet feed roller to convey the recording medium to the registration roller pair; and a controller to control driving of the registration roller pair and the sheet feed roller. In such an image forming apparatus, the controller starts driving of the sheet feed roller to feed the recording medium and stops driving of the sheet feed roller before the sheet feed roller has completed conveyance of the recording medium for a distance equal to a length of the settable minimum-sized recording medium in the conveyance direction.

Abstract: A base plate is selectively attached to a lower surface of a main body of an image forming apparatus or to an optional sheet feeder attachable to the main body.

Abstract: A sheet supplying device that is incorporatable in an image forming apparatus includes a recording media container, a sheet feeding unit to feed a recording medium from the recording media container, and a frame to support the recording media container and the sheet feeding unit. The recording media container is detachably attachable to the frame in a first operation in which the recording media container is moved in a sheet conveyance direction in which the recording medium is conveyed upstream or downstream by the sheet feeding unit, and the recording media container is separated from the frame and the sheet feeding unit with the sheet feeding unit remaining in the frame, and a second operation in which the recording media container is moved in a direction perpendicular to the sheet conveyance direction, and the recording media container is separated from the frame together with the sheet feeding unit.

Abstract: A sheet feed unit includes a medium container configured to contain sheet-like recording media; a bottom plate disposed in the medium container and configured to accommodate the recording media thereon; a sheet feed device configured to feed out the recording media contained in the medium container; a main body of the sheet feed unit, which the medium container can be inserted into and pulled out from, including the sheet feed device; and a displaying member configured to display a remaining level of the recording media in the medium container, the displaying member including a first display oriented in a first direction and a second display oriented in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction. The sheet feed unit improves a freeness in the observable range of the displaying member and the remaining level of the recording media in the medium container can be more accurately ascertained.

Abstract: A paper output tray, which can be included in a paper output unit in an image forming apparatus, includes a tray body, a paper support extension slidably attached to the tray body and arranged switchable between a stored state in which the paper support extension is stored in the tray body and an extended state in which the paper support extension is pulled out to extend from the tray body, and a stopper rotatably attached to the paper support extension and arranged switchable between a folded state in which the stopper is folded to the paper support extension and a standing state in which the stopper is raised from the paper support extension. With the paper support extension in the stored state and the stopper in the folded state, the stopper overlaps an outer surface of the tray body.

Abstract: An adjusting member is positioned in a sheet feeding opening. The adjusting member is adjusted according to the size of the paper sheet. The adjusting member does not jut out of an exterior surface of an apparatus body.

Abstract: A feeding device includes a paper feed tray, a detector on an image forming apparatus main body, a control member rotatably supported by the paper feed tray, and spacers. The detector includes movable pieces and contact points corresponding to the movable piece, and switches each contact point by the position of the corresponding movable piece. The control member includes a control surface formed on its outer circumferential surface with projecting and recessed portions. The projecting and recessed portions are disposed in a pattern corresponding to rotation angles in an area of the control surface facing the movable pieces. Controlling the positions of the movable pieces according to the pattern encodes paper size. Each movable piece is lined in the circumferential direction facing the control surface. The outer circumferential surface of the projecting portions is formed in a cylindrical surface shape centering around the rotational axis of the control member.

Abstract: A sheet conveying device includes a holder, a friction member, a rotary conveyance member having an outer circumferential surface and forming a nip area between the outer circumferential surface thereof and the friction member, the rotary conveyance member configured to rotate while contacting the friction member, and separate and convey multiple sheet-like materials one by one at the nip area, and a pair of guides configured to lift an underside of each of the sheet-like materials at a portion facing the friction member, the pair of guides disposed upstream from the nip area in a sheet conveying direction, outside both ends in an axial direction of the rotary conveyance member, separate from the nip area from the axial direction of the rotary conveyance member, and being overlaid with the outer circumferential surface of the rotary conveyance member.

Abstract: An open/close mechanism can be used for paper trays of an image forming apparatus. The open/close mechanism includes a plate member provided on a side of a housing of the image forming apparatus and configured to pivot upon an axis between an open position and a close position, and a box member that is arranged in the housing beneath the plate member and that can be drawn out of the housing from the side. The open/close mechanism includes also includes a restricting unit that is coupled to the plate member and that abuts against the box member when the box member is set in the housing and when the plate member is in the open position thereby restricting detachment of the box member from the housing.

Abstract: A sheet feed unit includes a medium container configured to contain sheet-like recording media; a bottom plate disposed in the medium container and configured to accommodate the recording media thereon; a sheet feed device configured to feed out the recording media contained in the medium container; a main body of the sheet feed unit, which the medium container can be inserted into and pulled out from, including the sheet feed device; and a displaying member configured to display a remaining level of the recording media in the medium container, the displaying member including a first display oriented in a first direction and a second display oriented in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction. The sheet feed unit improves a freeness in the observable range of the displaying member and the remaining level of the recording media in the medium container can be more accurately ascertained.

Abstract: A sheet supplying device includes a recording media container to accommodate a stack of recording media therein, a sheet feeding unit to feed a recording medium from the stack of recording media in the recording media container, a frame to support the recording media container and the sheet feeding unit, a holder to hold the recording media container by surrounding the outer circumference of the recording media container, and a locking mechanism to engage the frame and the holder with each other. The recording media container is detachably attachable to the frame in a first detaching and attaching operation and a second detaching and attaching operation. The locking mechanism causes the frame and the holder to engage at removal of the recording media container in the first detaching and attaching operation.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a main body and a sheet container. The main body includes an image forming device to form the image on a sheet. The sheet container is removably installable in the main body, accommodates a stack of sheets, and is movable between a first state that the sheet container is installed in the main body and a second state that the sheet container is removed from a first side surface of the image forming apparatus. The planar member includes a cutout opening in an upper end of the planar member, a lower edge of the opening forms a pull-out handle on the first side surface to assist in removal of the sheet container form the image forming apparatus, and an upper edge of the opening forms a lift-up handle to assist in lifting the image forming apparatus with the sheet container installed therein.

Abstract: A sheet feeding mechanism incorporatable in an image forming apparatus includes a cover unit rotatably attached to one side of a main body of an image forming apparatus to cover a part of a sheet conveyance path, a first feeding member located in a main body of the apparatus, a second feeding member located in the cover unit in a displaceable manner and facing the first feeding member when the cover unit is closed and sandwiching and conveying a recording medium along the sheet conveyance path with the first feeding member, and a guide member disposed in the main body to guide the second feeding member. The guide member guides the second feeding member to move in a first direction that approaches the first feeding member when closing the cover unit and in a second direction that separates from the first feeding member when opening the cover unit.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image forming unit to form an image on a sheet-shaped recording medium; a registration roller pair to convey the recording medium to the image forming unit; a sheet feed roller to convey the recording medium to the registration roller pair; and a controller to control driving of the registration roller pair and the sheet feed roller. In such an image forming apparatus, the controller starts driving of the sheet feed roller to feed the recording medium and stops driving of the sheet feed roller before the sheet feed roller has completed conveyance of the recording medium for a distance equal to a length of the settable minimum-sized recording medium in the conveyance direction.

Abstract: A sheet supplying device that is incorporatable in an image forming apparatus includes a recording media container, a sheet feeding unit to feed a recording medium from the recording media container, a frame to support the recording media container and the sheet feeding unit, and a holder to hold the recording media container by surrounding an outer circumference of the recording media container. The recording media container is detachably attachable to the frame in a first operation in which the recording media container is moved in a direction parallel to a sheet conveyance direction and the recording media container is separated from the frame and the holder with the holder remaining in the frame, and a second operation in which the recording media container is moved in a direction perpendicular to the sheet conveyance direction and the recording media container is separated from the frame together with the holder.