Abstract: An image forming apparatus is capable of correcting a lateral deviation and/or a skew of a sheet. A pair of conveying rollers convey the sheet to a transfer position of an image. An image sensor reads the sheet on an upstream side of the transfer position in a sheet conveying direction. A control device senses a foreign substance on a reading surface of the image sensor as well as calculate a lateral deviation amount and/or a skew amount of the sheet based on an output signal of the image sensor.

Abstract: The image forming apparatus includes a sheet conveyance part, an image forming part, and a sheet reading unit. The sheet reading unit includes a line sensor. The line sensor includes split line sensors. The line sensor reads a conveyed sheet. The line sensor includes a plurality of split line sensors. The split line sensors are placed at non-stretching positions, respectively. Each non-stretching position is such a position that as in the main scanning direction, a main-scanning-direction distance from a gap between one split line sensor and another split line sensor to an ideal edge position of every usable regular size exceeds a permissible value.

Abstract: An image forming device includes an image forming unit, a reading unit, a registration-less unit, and an engine control unit. The reading unit reads a sheet to be conveyed. The engine control unit moves the other end side of the registration-less unit to correct skew. The engine control unit obtains a deviation amount (first deviation amount) of the position of the sheet based on the correction, and changes a sheet conveyance speed from a first speed to a second speed when the sheet enters the registration-less unit. The engine control unit adjusts the timing to change from the first speed to the second speed based on the first deviation amount.

Abstract: The image forming apparatus includes a sheet conveyance part, an image forming part, and a sheet reading unit. The sheet reading unit includes a line sensor. The line sensor includes split line sensors. The line sensor reads a conveyed sheet. The line sensor includes a plurality of split line sensors. The split line sensors are placed at non-stretching positions, respectively. Each non-stretching position is such a position that as in the main scanning direction, a main-scanning-direction distance from a gap between one split line sensor and another split line sensor to an ideal edge position of every usable regular size exceeds a permissible value.

Abstract: An image forming device includes a first control circuit, a second control circuit, a high-voltage substrate, and a polygon motor. The high-voltage substrate applies a voltage with a frequency of an application signal to a toner image forming member. The first control circuit generates a first clock signal, counts the number of the first clock signal, and generates a motor drive signal. The first control circuit counts the first clock signal and generates an adjustment signal. The second control circuit counts the number of actual measurements which is a count value of the second clock signal during one cycle of the adjustment signal. The second control circuit counts the second clock signal by a set value. A setting circuit in the second control circuit sets the set value in accordance with the difference between the number of actual measurements and a theoretical number of times.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a line sensor capable of reading a sheet being conveyed. A signal processing circuit generates, based on respective analog picture signals of pixels and in order of sequence of the pixels, detection signals each indicating whether or not a reflecting object has been read. A first counting circuit measures a duration time which is a time during which the detection signals maintain a level indicating that the reflecting object has been read. When the duration time reaches or exceeds a first specified time, the first counting circuit changes a level of a first detection result signal to a level indicating necessity of cleaning. A unit control circuit determines, based on the level of the first detection result signal, whether or not cleaning is necessary.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a paper transport unit, an image forming unit, a reading unit, a foreign matter detection signal generation circuit, and a foreign matter detection control circuit. The foreign matter detection signal generation circuit generates a first foreign matter detection signal, based on an analog image signal to be output from a line sensor. In foreign matter detection processing, when a pixel that reads foreign matter continues by a specific first consecutive number or more in a signal based on the analog image signal of each pixel to be output from the line sensor, the foreign matter detection signal generation circuit sets a level of the first foreign matter detection signal to a level indicating the presence of foreign matter.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a line sensor capable of reading a sheet being conveyed. A signal processing circuit generates, based on respective analog picture signals of pixels and in order of sequence of the pixels, detection signals each indicating whether or not a reflecting object has been read. A first counting circuit measures a duration time which is a time during which the detection signals maintain a level indicating that the reflecting object has been read. When the duration time reaches or exceeds a first specified time, the first counting circuit changes a level of a first detection result signal to a level indicating necessity of cleaning. A unit control circuit determines, based on the level of the first detection result signal, whether or not cleaning is necessary.

Abstract: An image forming device includes a first control circuit, a second control circuit, a high-voltage substrate, and a polygon motor. The high-voltage substrate applies a voltage with a frequency of an application signal to a toner image forming member. The first control circuit generates a first clock signal, counts the number of the first clock signal, and generates a motor drive signal. The first control circuit counts the first clock signal and generates an adjustment signal. The second control circuit counts the number of actual measurements which is a count value of the second clock signal during one cycle of the adjustment signal. The second control circuit counts the second clock signal by a set value. A setting circuit in the second control circuit sets the set value in accordance with the difference between the number of actual measurements and a theoretical number of times.

Abstract: An image forming device includes an image forming unit, a reading unit, a registration-less unit, and an engine control unit. The reading unit reads a sheet to be conveyed. The engine control unit moves the other end side of the registration-less unit to correct skew. The engine control unit obtains a deviation amount (first deviation amount) of the position of the sheet based on the correction, and changes a sheet conveyance speed from a first speed to a second speed when the sheet enters the registration-less unit. The engine control unit adjusts the timing to change from the first speed to the second speed based on the first deviation amount.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a paper transport unit, an image forming unit, a reading unit, a foreign matter detection signal generation circuit, and a foreign matter detection control circuit. The foreign matter detection signal generation circuit generates a first foreign matter detection signal, based on an analog image signal to be output from a line sensor. In foreign matter detection processing, when a pixel that reads foreign matter continues by a specific first consecutive number or more in a signal based on the analog image signal of each pixel to be output from the line sensor, the foreign matter detection signal generation circuit sets a level of the first foreign matter detection signal to a level indicating the presence of foreign matter.

Abstract: A belt drive device includes a first pulley, a second pulley, a first bulging portion, a belt, and a pressing portion. The first bulging portion is formed along an outer periphery of the second pulley to bulge outward in a radial direction of the second pulley at a center of the second pulley in an axial direction of the second pulley. The belt is stretched between the first pulley and the first bulging portion. The pressing portion presses an outer peripheral surface of the belt at a center of the belt in a width direction of the belt.

Abstract: A belt drive device includes a first pulley, a second pulley, a first bulging portion, a belt, and a pressing portion. The first bulging portion is formed along an outer periphery of the second pulley to bulge outward in a radial direction of the second pulley at a center of the second pulley in an axial direction of the second pulley. The belt is stretched between the first pulley and the first bulging portion. The pressing portion presses an outer peripheral surface of the belt at a center of the belt in a width direction of the belt.

Abstract: A maintenance system includes an image forming apparatus that performs image formation by a setting depending on the replacement part using a replaceably configured replacement part and a portable terminal that performs near field communication with the portable terminal. The portable terminal includes an image reading part that reads part information of the replacement part from a printed part affixed to the replacement part and a near filed communication part that transmits the part information read by the image reading part via the near filed communication. The image forming apparatus includes a non-contact IC tag in which the part information is written based on power generated from the near filed communication and an reflection processing part that reads the part information from the IC tag at the time of power on and reflects the part information in the setting.

Abstract: Provided is an image forming apparatus that is able to concentrate user access, and maintain a high degree of usability. The image forming apparatus is an image forming apparatus with a short-range wireless communication antenna that includes a main unit that performs image formation, and an operation unit that includes a touch-panel device and that is attached to the front of the main unit. The antenna is located in a space at the top inside a housing of the operation unit where the touch-panel device is not located.

Abstract: Provided is an image forming apparatus that optimizes the operating environment to correspond to a user. The image forming apparatus is capable of operating based on operation instructions received from a portable terminal of the user. The image forming apparatus includes a short-range-wireless-communication unit, an operating-environment-setting unit and an operation panel. The short-range-wireless-communication unit receives personal information data that includes either or both the physical condition and the nationality of the user by short-range wireless communication from the portable terminal. The operating-environment-setting unit sets an operating environment based on the received personal information data. The operation panel displays a display screen on which the operation instruction from the portable terminal is reflected in the set operating environment.

Abstract: Provided is a system that easily retrieves out various data from an image forming apparatus using a portable terminal and uses the various data. The image forming system of the present disclosure is an image forming system including an image forming apparatus that performs image formation and a portable terminal. The image forming apparatus has a non-contact IC tag. The portable terminal includes a selection part that receives selection of a maintenance screen to perform maintenance of the image forming apparatus from plural maintenance screens, a display part that displays the selected maintenance screen, a near field communication part that performs near field communication with the IC tag when the portable terminal comes close to the IC tag, and a control part that performs data communication with the image forming apparatus through the near field communication part.

Abstract: Provided is an image forming apparatus that is able to concentrate user access, and maintain a high degree of usability. The image forming apparatus is an image forming apparatus with a short-range wireless communication antenna that includes a main unit that performs image formation, and an operation unit that includes a touch-panel device and that is attached to the front of the main unit. The antenna is located in a space at the top inside a housing of the operation unit where the touch-panel device is not located.

Abstract: A toner container is removably mounted in a housing of an image forming apparatus. The toner container contains a toner and has a stirring member for stirring the toner. An electric motor drives the stirring member. A storage device stores a required load value set for the toner container. A load detecting section includes an electric current sensor that measures a drive electric current of the electric motor. The load detecting section detects an actual load value of the electric motor in driving of the stirring member based on the drive electric current measured. A determination section compares the actual load value detected by the load detecting section with the required load value stored in the storage device and determines whether or not the actual load value coincides with the required load value to determine whether or not the toner container mounted in the housing is a genuine product.

Abstract: Provided is a system that easily retrieves out various data from an image forming apparatus using a portable terminal and uses the various data. The image forming system of the present disclosure is an image forming system including an image forming apparatus that performs image formation and a portable terminal. The image forming apparatus has a non-contact IC tag. The portable terminal includes a selection part that receives selection of a maintenance screen to perform maintenance of the image forming apparatus from plural maintenance screens, a display part that displays the selected maintenance screen, a near field communication part that performs near field communication with the IC tag when the portable terminal comes close to the IC tag, and a control part that performs data communication with the image forming apparatus through the near field communication part.