Abstract: A toner conveying device includes a conveying screw and a swinging member. The conveying screw includes a shaft portion and a screw portion spirally wound around the shaft portion. The swinging member has a substantially comb shape and swings between the shaft portion and the screw portion with rotation of the conveying screw, and includes a plurality of overhanging portions arranged side by side at intervals in an axial direction of the conveying screw and a plurality of tip portions, each one of which is bent at a predetermined angle from a free end side of a corresponding one of the plurality of overhanging portions in a direction away from the shaft portion. A width of each one of the plurality of tip portions gradually increases at least from a portion to contact the screw portion toward a free end side of each one of the plurality of tip portions.

Abstract: A powder container includes a toner storage disposed at an upper portion of the powder container and a powder collection portion disposed at a lower portion of the powder container. There is a conveying rotator inside the powder collection portion, the conveying rotator including a shaft portion and one of a screw blade and a coil wound around the shaft portion. There is further a flexible sheet to contact the conveying rotator and swing in a flow path from the outlet port to the conveying rotator. The flexible sheet includes a contact portion that contacts one of the screw blade and the coil; and a tip that does not contact the screw blade and does not contact the coil, the tip having a greater width than the contact portion.

Abstract: A toner conveying device includes a conveying screw and a swinging member. The conveying screw includes a shaft portion and a screw portion spirally wound around the shaft portion. The swinging member has a substantially comb shape and swings between the shaft portion and the screw portion with rotation of the conveying screw, and includes a plurality of overhanging portions arranged side by side at intervals in an axial direction of the conveying screw and a plurality of tip portions, each one of which is bent at a predetermined angle from a free end side of a corresponding one of the plurality of overhanging portions in a direction away from the shaft portion. A width of each one of the plurality of tip portions gradually increases at least from a portion to contact the screw portion toward a free end side of each one of the plurality of tip portions.

Abstract: A powder container includes a collection port to communicate with an outlet port of a body or removable component, and to receive and collect powder flowing out through the outlet port. There is a shutter to open and close the collection port, and a rotation portion to be engageable with an engagement portion which is to open and close a cartridge shutter to open and close the outlet port through which the powder flows out. An operation device is to rotate the rotation portion in conjunction with an operation of the operation device, and a contact portion is included in the rotation portion to contact a restriction member. The contact portion is to cancel the restriction member from restricting rotation of the engagement portion.

Abstract: A powder container includes a collection port to communicate with an outlet port of a body or removable component, and to receive and collect powder flowing out through the outlet port. There is a shutter to open and close the collection port, and a rotation portion to be engageable with an engagement portion which is to open and close a cartridge shutter to open and close the outlet port through which the powder flows out. An operation device is to rotate the rotation portion in conjunction with an operation of the operation device, and a contact portion is included in the rotation portion to contact a restriction member. The contact portion is to cancel the restriction member from restricting rotation of the engagement portion.

Abstract: A powder container includes a collection port to receive and collect powder from outside; a driven unit that is disposed on one end side in a width direction of the powder container and to which drive is transmitted from outside; a first rotary shaft that rotates by the drive transmitted to the driven unit; a first gear disposed on other end side of the powder container and rotating with the first rotary shaft; a second rotary shaft that is disposed on the other end side, that includes a second gear to which drive is transmitted from the first gear, and that rotates with the second gear; and a driving gear that is disposed on the second rotary shaft in a position between the second gear and a central portion in the width direction of the powder container, and that rotates with the second rotary shaft to transmit drive to outside.

Abstract: A powder container includes a discharge port configured to discharge powder stored in the powder container, a container shutter configured to open and close the discharge port, a first rotation portion configured to be engageable with an engagement portion of a removable component, an operation device configured to rotate the first rotation portion in conjunction with an operation of the operation device, and a contact portion included in the first rotation portion. The engagement portion opens and closes a cartridge shutter to open and close an inlet port of the removable component. A restriction member of the removable component is configured to restrict the rotation of the engagement portion. The contact portion contacts the restriction member to cancel the restriction member from restricting rotation of the engagement portion in conjunction with attachment of the powder container to the removable component.

Abstract: A powder container includes a discharge port configured to discharge powder stored in the powder container, a container shutter configured to open and close the discharge port, a first rotation portion configured to be engageable with an engagement portion of a removable component, an operation device configured to rotate the first rotation portion in conjunction with an operation of the operation device, and a contact portion included in the first rotation portion. The engagement portion opens and closes a cartridge shutter to open and close an inlet port of the removable component. A restriction member of the removable component is configured to restrict the rotation of the engagement portion. The contact portion contacts the restriction member to cancel the restriction member from restricting rotation of the engagement portion in conjunction with attachment of the powder container to the removable component.

Abstract: A toner conveyance device includes a conveying screw including a screw portion helically wound around an axis of rotation of the conveying screw in an axial direction of the conveying screw and a wall having an opening. The wall surrounds the conveying screw with a clearance relative to the conveying screw in a radial direction of the conveying screw. The toner conveyance device further includes a film attached to the wall at a predetermined distance away from an edge of the opening in the axial direction of the conveying screw.

Abstract: A powder container includes a collection port to receive and collect powder from outside; a driven unit that is disposed on one end side in a width direction of the powder container and to which drive is transmitted from outside; a first rotary shaft that rotates by the drive transmitted to the driven unit; a first gear disposed on other end side of the powder container and rotating with the first rotary shaft; a second rotary shaft that is disposed on the other end side, that includes a second gear to which drive is transmitted from the first gear, and that rotates with the second gear; and a driving gear that is disposed on the second rotary shaft in a position between the second gear and a central portion in the width direction of the powder container, and that rotates with the second rotary shaft to transmit drive to outside.

Abstract: A toner conveyance device includes a conveying screw including a screw portion helically wound around an axis of rotation of the conveying screw in an axial direction of the conveying screw and a wall having an opening. The wall surrounds the conveying screw with a clearance relative to the conveying screw in a radial direction of the conveying screw. The toner conveyance device further includes a film attached to the wall at a predetermined distance away from an edge of the opening in the axial direction of the conveying screw.

Abstract: A powder container includes a discharge port configured to discharge powder stored in the powder container, a container shutter configured to open and close the discharge port, a first rotation portion configured to be engageable with an engagement portion of a removable component, an operation device configured to rotate the first rotation portion in conjunction with an operation of the operation device, and a contact portion included in the first rotation portion. The engagement portion opens and closes a cartridge shutter to open and close an inlet port of the removable component. A restriction member of the removable component is configured to restrict the rotation of the engagement portion. The contact portion contacts the restriction member to cancel the restriction member from restricting rotation of the engagement portion in conjunction with attachment of the powder container to the removable component.

Abstract: A powder conveying device, including: a powder conveying path including a curved portion; and a conveying screw, wherein the conveying screw is disposed in the powder conveying path, and includes: a rotation axis portion having flexibility; and a blade portion, where the blade portion is helically formed on an outer periphery of the rotation axis portion, and is configured to convey a powder, wherein the conveying screw includes a conveying screw curved portion located in the curved portion of the powder conveying path, and wherein at least a surface of the blade portion of the conveying screw curved portion includes a slipping layer containing a silicon-containing compound.

Abstract: A retractor that is applicable to an image forming apparatus includes a moving unit to move a latent image forming device between an image forming position and a retracted position, a first guide into which a first projection of the latent image forming device is fitted in different ranges and changing an attitude of the one end side of the latent image forming device, and a second guide into which a second projection of the latent image forming device is fitted in different ranges and changing the attitude of the opposed end side of the latent image forming device. The different ranges include a first range and a second range. An amount of play in at least a part of the first range with respect to the corresponding projection is greater than an amount of play in the second range.

Abstract: A retractor that is applicable to an image forming apparatus includes a moving unit to move a latent image forming device between an image forming position and a retracted position, a first guide into which a first projection of the latent image forming device is fitted in different ranges and changing an attitude of the one end side of the latent image forming device, and a second guide into which a second projection of the latent image forming device is fitted in different ranges and changing the attitude of the opposed end side of the latent image forming device. The different ranges include a first range and a second range. An amount of play in at least a part of the first range with respect to the corresponding projection is greater than an amount of play in the second range.

Abstract: A powder conveying device, including: a powder conveying path including a curved portion; and a conveying screw, wherein the conveying screw is disposed in the powder conveying path, and includes: a rotation axis portion having flexibility; and a blade portion, where the blade portion is helically formed on an outer periphery of the rotation axis portion, and is configured to convey a powder, wherein the conveying screw includes a conveying screw curved portion located in the curved portion of the powder conveying path, and wherein at least a surface of the blade portion of the conveying screw curved portion includes a slipping layer containing a silicon-containing compound.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: an image carrier unit that includes an image carrier and is configured to be capable of being housed in and removed from an image-forming-apparatus main body; an exposure device that is arranged close to the image carrier to form an electrostatic latent image; a retracting mechanism that holds the exposure device close to the image carrier when the image carrier unit is housed in the image-forming-apparatus main body, and holds the exposure device away from the image carrier when the image carrier unit is being removed from the image-forming-apparatus main body; a covering member that covers the retracting mechanism in a state where backlash of the exposure device at least in a main-scanning direction is allowed; and a guide mechanism that positions the exposure device in the main-scanning direction when the exposure device comes closer to the image carrier through the retracting mechanism.

Abstract: A moving device includes a rotary member rotatably supported by a frame of the image forming apparatus to move a latent image forming device between a first position at which the latent image forming device forms a latent image on a latent image bearing member and a second position at which the latent image forming device is separated from the latent image bearing member, a biasing member for biasing the rotary member, and a restriction member for restricting rotation of the rotary member in a state in which the latent image forming device is at the first position. A direction of the force of the biasing member is changed from a stopping direction in which rotation of the rotary member is stopped to a direction opposite the stopping direction while the rotary member is rotated to move the latent image forming device from the second position to the first position.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a plurality of rotary members, a conveyance belt, an image forming device, and a switchback device. The conveyance belt is looped around the plurality of rotary members so as to circulate to intermittently feed a sheet in a sheet transport direction. The image forming device is disposed opposing the conveyance belt to form an image on the sheet fed by the conveyance belt. The switchback device is disposed downstream from the image forming device in the sheet transport direction to feed the sheet having passed the image forming device to a position downstream from the conveyance belt in the sheet transport direction and switch back the sheet. When the sheet is fed by the conveyance belt and the switchback device, a drive start timing of the switchback device is delayed from a drive start timing of the conveyance belt.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a body, a conveyance belt, an image forming device, a refeeding unit, a reverse passage, a charging unit, an openable cover, and a unit-interlocked moving device. The charging unit forms part of the reverse passage and includes a charger between an inner side of the reverse passage and one of rotation members. The cover is pivotable between a closed position to cover an internal area including at least the charger and the reverse passage and an open position to open the internal area to an outside of the body. With a pivoting movement of the cover from the closed position to the open position, the moving device moves the charging unit toward an outside of the reverse passage to a removable position at which the charging unit is removable from the body with the cover placed at the open position.