Abstract: A housing includes a first opening and a second opening, and encloses a light-emitting element and a first light receiving unit. The first opening is provided in a first light guide path, and is arranged so that light output from the light-emitting element travels toward a target surface. The second opening is provided in a second light guide path arranged between the target surface and the first light receiving unit. The first opening is an exit opening of a through-hole provided penetrating through the housing, and a shape of the through-hole is a shape in which diffracted light of the +1st order and higher orders and diffracted light of the ?1st order and higher orders produced at the target surface to be irradiated are not incident on the first light receiving unit.

Abstract: A housing includes a first opening and a second opening, and encloses a light-emitting element, a first light receiving unit, and a second light receiving unit. The first opening is provided in a first light guide path arranged between the light-emitting element and a first irradiated region of the target surface, and is arranged so that light output from the light-emitting element travels toward the first irradiated region. The second opening is provided in a second light guide path arranged between the first irradiated region and the first light receiving unit, and is arranged so that diffused reflection light from the toner image passes through when the toner image passes the first irradiated region.

Abstract: A housing includes a first opening and a second opening, and encloses a light-emitting element, a first light receiving unit, and a second light receiving unit. The first opening is provided in a first light guide path arranged between the light-emitting element and a first irradiated region of the target surface, and is arranged so that light output from the light-emitting element travels toward the first irradiated region. The second opening is provided in a second light guide path arranged between the first irradiated region and the first light receiving unit, and is arranged so that diffused reflection light from the toner image passes through when the toner image passes the first irradiated region.

Abstract: A housing includes a first opening and a second opening, and encloses a light-emitting element and a first light receiving unit. The first opening is provided in a first light guide path, and is arranged so that light output from the light-emitting element travels toward a target surface. The second opening is provided in a second light guide path arranged between the target surface and the first light receiving unit. The first opening is an exit opening of a through-hole provided penetrating through the housing, and a shape of the through-hole is a shape in which diffracted light of the +1st order and higher orders and diffracted light of the ?1st order and higher orders produced at the target surface to be irradiated are not incident on the first light receiving unit.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus including: a movable intermediate transfer member onto which a toner image borne by an image bearing member is to be transferred; a detection unit configured to irradiate the toner image on the intermediate transfer member with light to detect reflected light; and a control unit configured to adjust a condition for forming the toner image based on a detection result of the detection unit, wherein a plurality of grooves extending along a movement direction of the intermediate transfer member are formed in a surface of the intermediate transfer member in a width direction intersecting the movement direction, and wherein grooves, formed within a range of the intermediate transfer member to which the light is irradiated by the detection unit, among the plurality of grooves are formed so that intervals each between adjacent grooves with respect to the width direction are regularly changed within a predetermined range.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus including: a movable intermediate transfer member onto which a toner image borne by an image bearing member is to be transferred; a detection unit configured to irradiate the toner image on the intermediate transfer member with light to detect reflected light; and a control unit configured to adjust a condition for forming the toner image based on a detection result of the detection unit, wherein a plurality of grooves extending along a movement direction of the intermediate transfer member are formed in a surface of the intermediate transfer member in a width direction intersecting the movement direction, and wherein grooves, formed within a range of the intermediate transfer member to which the light is irradiated by the detection unit, among the plurality of grooves are formed so that intervals each between adjacent grooves with respect to the width direction are regularly changed within a predetermined range.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an intermediary transfer belt, first to third image bearing members, a driving member, and first and second drive transmission members, and includes first to third transfer positions. A first inter-transfer-position distance between the first and second transfer positions and a second inter-transfer-position distance between the second and third transfer positions are different from each other. The first inter-transfer-position distance is set at “N×A” and the second inter-transfer-position distance is set at “N×A±N×A/i”, where N is an integer of rotations of the driving member during to movement of the belt in the first inter-transfer-position distance, A is a distance of movement of the belt when the driving member rotates through one full circumference, and i is a transmission ratio between the first and second drive transmission members.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an intermediary transfer belt, first to third image bearing members, a driving member, and first and second drive transmission members, and includes first to third transfer positions. A first inter-transfer-position distance between the first and second transfer positions and the second inter-transfer-position distance between the second and third transfer positions are different from each other. The first inter-transfer-position distance is set at “N×A” and the second inter-transfer-position distance is set at “N×A±N×A/i”, where N is an integer of rotations of the driving member during to movement of the belt in the first inter-transfer-position distance, A is a distance of movement of the belt when the driving member rotates through one-full circumference, and i is a transmission ratio between the first and second drive transmission members.

Abstract: A conveyance apparatus includes a change conveyance unit. In a case where a first sheet in a sheet storage unit included in the feeding apparatus is fed in a landscape orientation to the conveyance apparatus, the change conveyance unit changes a conveyance orientation of the first sheet to a portrait orientation. The landscape orientation is an orientation in which a short side of the first sheet is parallel to a sheet conveyance direction of the first sheet. The portrait orientation is an orientation in which a long side of the first sheet is parallel to the sheet conveyance direction. The change conveyance unit changes the conveyance orientation of the first sheet from the landscape orientation to the portrait orientation on a substantially horizontal region between the image forming apparatus and the feeding apparatus.

Abstract: A discharge unit discharges a sheet having an image thereon. A switching unit switches between stacking the sheet discharged from the discharge unit on a stacking unit or conveying the sheet from the discharge unit toward an image reading apparatus. A conveyance unit conveys the sheet conveyed via the switching unit to a reading unit. A cooling unit cools the sheet discharged from the discharge unit or cools the reading unit.

Abstract: A toner detection unit (optical sensor) includes a first light receiving element configured to receive specular reflection light of first irradiating light, and a second light receiving element configured to receive diffused reflection light of second irradiating light, and a separation component configured to separate irradiating light emitted from an LED into the first and second irradiating light. A housing forms a first opening through which the first irradiating light and the second irradiating light pass and the diffused reflection light to be received by the second light receiving element passes, and a second opening through which the specular reflection light to be received by the first light receiving element passes.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a discharging portion to discharge a sheet on which the image has been formed, an image reading portion to read the image formed on the sheet, and a switching portion to switch between a first position where the discharged sheet is conveyed to a supporting portion and a second position where the discharged sheet is conveyed toward the image reading portion. The sheet conveyed toward the image reading portion is conveyed to a reading position after conveyance of the sheet by the discharging portion is finished, and the control portion conveys the sheet at a first conveyance speed in a period before a trailing end of the sheet is released from the discharging portion and conveys the sheet at a second conveyance speed different from the first conveyance speed in a period after the trailing end of the sheet is released from the discharging portion.

Abstract: A toner detection unit is configured by an LED that irradiates light toward an intermediate transfer belt, first and second light receiving elements that respectively receive specular reflection light and diffused reflection light of light irradiated toward the intermediate transfer belt from the LED, a circuit board, and a housing. The LED and the light receiving elements are mounted in a line on the circuit board. The housing is configured to guide, to the first light receiving element, the specular reflection light from a first region within an irradiation region on which light is irradiated from the LED on the intermediate transfer belt, and to guide, to the second light receiving element, the diffused reflection light from a second region which is different from the first region within the irradiation region.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus including an image forming unit, first and second discharging portions, first and second supporting portions, an image reading portion, and first and second switching portions is provided. The first switching portion switches between causing a sheet bearing an image formed by the image forming unit to be discharged to the first supporting portion by the first discharging portion and causing the sheet to be conveyed toward the image reading portion that reads the image. The second switching portion switches between causing the sheet whose image has been read to be conveyed toward the second discharging portion that discharges the sheet whose image has been read to the second supporting portion and causing the sheet to be conveyed toward the image forming unit. The image reading portion is disposed above the first discharging portion and further on the inside of the apparatus than the second switching portion.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a light-receiving unit that includes light-receiving elements arranged along a movement direction of a target formed on an image carrier, and is arranged so as to receive light emitted from a light-emitting unit and specularly reflected off the image carrier; a member configured to limit a size, in the movement direction, of diffused reflection light that is incident on the light-receiving unit; a selection unit configured to select whether or not each of the light-receiving elements in the light-receiving unit is an effective light-receiving element; a generation unit configured to generate a detection signal from an output of the effective light-receiving element; and a detection unit configured to detect a target formed on the image carrier based on the detection signal.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a light-receiving unit that includes light-receiving elements arranged along a movement direction of a target formed on an image carrier, and is arranged so as to receive light emitted from a light-emitting unit and specularly reflected off the image carrier; a member configured to limit a size, in the movement direction, of diffused reflection light that is incident on the light-receiving unit; a selection unit configured to select whether or not each of the light-receiving elements in the light-receiving unit is an effective light-receiving element; a generation unit configured to generate a detection signal from an output of the effective light-receiving element; and a detection unit configured to detect a target formed on the image carrier based on the detection signal.

Abstract: A toner detection unit (optical sensor) includes a first light receiving element configured to receive specular reflection light of first irradiating light, and a second light receiving element configured to receive diffused reflection light of second irradiating light, and a separation component configured to separate irradiating light emitted from an LED into the first and second irradiating light. A housing forms a first opening through which the first irradiating light and the second irradiating light pass and the diffused reflection light to be received by the second light receiving element passes, and a second opening through which the specular reflection light to be received by the first light receiving element passes.

Abstract: An image forming system includes an image forming apparatus, an image reading apparatus, and a connecting conveyance path that branches from a second main conveyance path of the image reading apparatus and joins a first sub conveyance path of the image forming apparatus, and is configured to convey an original from the image reading apparatus to the image forming apparatus. The system controls conveyance of the original so that a first side becomes a side that faces an image forming unit if the first side of the original is designated as the image formation side or so that a second side becomes the side that faces the image forming unit if the second side of the original is designated as the image formation side.

Abstract: A toner detection unit is configured by an LED that irradiates light toward an intermediate transfer belt, first and second light receiving elements that respectively receive specular reflection light and diffused reflection light of light irradiated toward the intermediate transfer belt from the LED, a circuit board, and a housing. The LED and the light receiving elements are mounted in a line on the circuit board. The housing is configured to guide, to the first light receiving element, the specular reflection light from a first region within an irradiation region on which light is irradiated from the LED on the intermediate transfer belt, and to guide, to the second light receiving element, the diffused reflection light from a second region which is different from the first region within the irradiation region.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a light-receiving unit that includes light-receiving elements arranged along a movement direction of a target formed on an image carrier, and is arranged so as to receive light emitted from a light-emitting unit and specularly reflected off the image carrier; a member configured to limit a size, in the movement direction, of diffused reflection light that is incident on the light-receiving unit; a selection unit configured to select whether or not each of the light-receiving elements in the light-receiving unit is an effective light-receiving element; a generation unit configured to generate a detection signal from an output of the effective light-receiving element; and a detection unit configured to detect a target formed on the image carrier based on the detection signal.