Abstract: The invention is to provide a recording apparatus and a recording method, capable of automatically specifying a type of a recording medium by a simple and inexpensive structure, thereby automating a sheet type setting operation and avoiding an error of user in such sheet type setting operation. The apparatus is equipped with first detectors for detecting a width dimension of a recording medium, a second detector for detecting a surface characteristic of the recording medium, and a discriminator for discriminating the type of the recording medium based on the results of the first and second detectors.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus, includes: a plurality of image carriers each carrying a developer image; a primary transfer belt opposed to the plurality of image carriers and configured to carry a multicolor developer image; a secondary transfer unit opposed to the primary transfer belt and configured to transfer the multicolor developer image carried on the primary transfer belt onto a transfer medium; and a fixing unit configured to fix the multicolor developer image transferred by the secondary transfer unit on the transfer medium. The primary transfer belt is provided along a substantial vertical direction. The secondary transfer unit is provided on the opposite side of the image carrier on the primary transfer belt. The fixing unit is provided above the secondary transfer unit.

Abstract: A fixing device has a fixing unit and a temperature detection unit. The fixing unit includes a heat roller provided with a roller section and a heater section, and a pressure roller in pressure contact with the heat roller. These rollers are disposed in a protective cover. The roller section includes a base layer of aluminum formed into a hollow cylindrical shape, a black radiation layer, and a toner parting layer. The heater section is disposed in a hollow space of the base layer. In this heat roller, when heat is emitted from the heater section, and the heat is transmitted to the radiation layer via the base layer, greater amount of infrared radiation is emitted from the radiation layer than in the case of a heat roller that is not equipped with the radiation layer. The temperature detecting unit includes an infrared radiation sensor.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an apparatus main body and a plurality of sets each including a photosensitive member and a transfer member. The plurality of sets is disposed in a linear arrangement in the apparatus main body. The photosensitive member and the transfer member of each set sequentially interpose a transfer medium therebetween, thereby sequentially transferring a developer image borne on each photosensitive member onto the transfer medium. A contact distance is defined for each set. The contact distance is a distance from a contact start position at which the photosensitive member starts contacting the transfer medium to a contact end position at which the photosensitive member separates from the transfer medium. The contact distance is greatest for the set farthest downstream in a conveying direction for conveying the transfer medium.

Abstract: A toner cartridge for use in a printer includes a developing roller and an electrode. The toner cartridge is mountable in the printer by moving in a mounting direction and removable from the printer by moving in a removal direction. The developer roller supplies toner to a photosensitive member of the printer. The electrode is for electrically connecting with a bias supply electrode of the printer to supply a bias to the developing roller. The electrode moves, in a direction from outside the housing toward the interior of the housing and orthogonal to the mounting direction and the removal direction, under contact with the printer while the developing cartridge is being mounted in the printer. The electrode is electrically connected with the bias supply electrode of the printer while the developing cartridge is mounted in the printer.

Abstract: A toner cartridge for use in a printer includes a developing roller and an electrode. The toner cartridge is mountable in the printer by moving in a mounting direction and removable from the printer by moving in a removal direction. The developer roller supplies toner to a photosensitive member of the printer. The electrode is for electrically connecting with a bias supply electrode of the printer to supply a bias to the developing roller. The electrode moves, in a direction from outside the housing toward the interior of the housing and orthogonal to the mounting direction and the removal direction, under contact with the printer while the developing cartridge is being mounted in the printer. The electrode is electrically connected with the bias supply electrode of the printer while the developing cartridge is mounted in the printer.

Abstract: A recording apparatus having a discriminating unit for discriminating the type of a recording medium loaded on a loading unit. The discriminating unit discriminates the type of a subsequent recording medium responsive to the previous recording medium being fed by a predetermined length during recording of the previous recording medium. The recording apparatus also includes a sensor for detecting the trailing edge of the recording medium. The recording apparatus confirms whether image data for recording on the subsequent recording medium is stored before or after detection of the trailing edge of the previous recording medium.

Abstract: A thermal fixing device is provided in an image forming device having a main casing. The thermal fixing device includes a thermal fixing unit provided with a heat roller and a pressure roller for heatingly fixing a visible image onto a sheet, and a temperature sensor unit for detecting a temperature of the thermal fixing unit. The temperature sensor unit is mounted to the main casing, and the thermal fixing unit is detachably mounted to the temperature sensor unit.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus, includes: a mainframe having an opening portion; an electrostatic latent image carrier being loadable in and unloadable from the main frame through the opening portion; a transport path; a first opening and closing member provided openably and closably on the mainframe so as to open and close the opening portion; and a second opening and closing member disposed on a side opposite to the electrostatic latent image carrier with respect to the first opening and closing member and provided openably and closably on the mainframe so as to open and close the transport path. The first opening and closing member and the second opening and closing member are openable and closable integrally with each other. The second opening and closing member is openable and closable independently of the first opening and closing member.

Abstract: It is an object of the present invention to provide a printing apparatus and a printing method which can perform an appropriate printing operation on a print medium while keeping an ink ejection range to a minimum required even when the print medium transported is deviated from a theoretical position, and which can also reduce a running cost and ink mist. Thus, the present invention is characterized by determining the actual position of the print medium transported to the printing position; based on the determined print medium position, setting an area slightly larger than the print medium lying area as a print area; and performing the printing operation on that area.

Abstract: If a plurality of print jobs is received irregularly, this invention makes it possible to perform a proper double-sided printing on a print medium. The printing apparatus of this invention comprises: print medium transport unit; printing means; discharge unit for discharging the print medium from the transport path; and double-sided printing control unit for controlling these unit. When the printing of a last page of print data based on a preceding print command is ended on the first surface of a print medium, the double-sided printing control unit does not discharge the print medium and has the print medium, whose first surface was printed, stand by in the transport path. Then, when the next print command is input, a first page of print data in the next print command is printed on the second surface of the print medium.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus, includes: a mainframe having an opening portion; an electrostatic latent image carrier being loadable in and unloadable from the mainframe through the opening portion; a transport path; a first opening and closing member provided openably and closably on the mainframe so as to open and close the opening portion; and a second opening and closing member disposed on a side opposite to the electrostatic latent image carrier with respect to the first opening and closing member and provided openably and closably on the mainframe so as to open and close the transport path. The first opening and closing member and the second opening and closing member are openable and closable integrally with each other. The second opening and closing member is openable and closable independently of the first opening and closing member.

Abstract: A developing device 31 includes three shielding members 20 that divide an inner space of the developing device 31 into a developing chamber 23 and toner hopper chambers 21. The shielding members 20 in predetermined conditions prevent toner inside the developing chamber 23 from entering the toner hopper chambers 21. When toner empty condition of the developing chamber 23 is detected, the shielding member 20a is driven to rotate so as to supply toner 22a into the developing chamber 23. When the toner empty condition is detected for the second time, then the shielding members 20a, 20b are driven to rotate for supplying toner 22b to the developing chamber 23. In this manner toner can be supplied to the developing chamber 23 without allowing the toner returning to the toner hopper chambers 21.

Abstract: An apparatus for feeding a sheet to a processing device processing the sheet is disclosed that includes: a feeder tray displaceable to a selected one of a retracted position and an unfolded position relative to the processing device, and having a sheet-loaded plane on which the sheet to be fed is to be loaded; a pair of edge guides disposed at the sheet-loaded plane, having a pair of corresponding respective side walls co-extending along a feeding direction of the sheet in opposed relation with each other, to thereby guide lateral edges of the sheet; and a supporting device supporting each of the edge guides pivotably about a pivot axis perpendicular to the feeding direction, to thereby allow the each edge guide to be displaced to a selected one of a standing position on the sheet-loaded plane and an inclined position inclined to the standing position,

Abstract: An image forming apparatus, includes: a mainframe having an opening portion; an electrostatic latent image carrier being loadable in and unloadable from the mainframe through the opening portion; a transport path; a first opening and closing member provided openably and closably on the mainframe so as to open and close the opening portion; and a second opening and closing member disposed on a side opposite to the electrostatic latent image carrier with respect to the first opening and closing member and provided openably and closably on the mainframe so as to open and close the transport path. The first opening and closing member and the second opening and closing member are openable and closable integrally with each other. The second opening and closing member is openable and closable independently of the first opening and closing member.

Abstract: A fixing device has a fixing unit and a temperature detection unit. The fixing unit includes a heat roller provided with a roller section and a heater section, and a pressure roller in pressure contact with the heat roller. These rollers are disposed in a protective cover. The roller section includes a base layer of aluminum formed into a hollow cylindrical shape, a black radiation layer, and a toner parting layer. The heater section is disposed in a hollow space of the base layer. In this heat roller, when heat is emitted from the heater section, and the heat is transmitted to the radiation layer via the base layer, greater amount of infrared radiation is emitted from the radiation layer than in the case of a heat roller that is not equipped with the radiation layer. The temperature detecting unit includes an infrared radiation sensor.

Abstract: A recording apparatus having a discriminating unit for discriminating the type of a recording medium loaded on a loading unit. The discriminating unit discriminates the type of a subsequent recording medium responsive to the previous recording medium being fed by a predetermined length during recording of the previous recording medium. The recording apparatus also includes a sensor for detecting the trailing edge of the recording medium. The recording apparatus confirms whether image data for recording on the subsequent recording medium is stored before or after detection of the trailing edge of the previous recording medium.

Abstract: A recording apparatus has a feed mechanism for feeding a recording medium loaded on a recording-medium loading section; a recording unit for recording on the recording medium fed by the feed mechanism; and a recording-medium discriminating device for discriminating the type of recording medium loaded on the recording-medium loading section. The type of recording medium is discriminated by the recording-medium discriminating device before the feeding operation by the feed mechanism, and the operation of the recording unit is controlled according to the type of recording medium stored in a memory.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus, includes: a plurality of image carriers each carrying a developer image; a primary transfer belt opposed to the plurality of image carriers and configured to carry a multicolor developer image; a secondary transfer unit opposed to the primary transfer belt and configured to transfer the multicolor developer image carried on the primary transfer belt onto a transfer medium; and a fixing unit configured to fix the multicolor developer image transferred by the secondary transfer unit on the transfer medium. The primary transfer belt is provided along a substantial vertical direction. The secondary transfer unit is provided on the opposite side of the image carrier on the primary transfer belt. The fixing unit is provided above the secondary transfer unit.

Abstract: Image deterioration due to contact of a cleaning roller and a photosensitive member when an image forming operation stops can be prevented. When the image forming operation stops, a photosensitive belt is stopped in a condition that a stop position of the photosensitive belt corresponds to a photosensitive belt cleaning roller. Even if a stain is caused in the stop position of the photosensitive belt by the contact with the photosensitive belt cleaning roller, an image is formed in an image region of the photosensitive belt, separate from the stop position, in the image forming operation and the image is not deteriorated by the stain.