Abstract: A paper transport device includes a transport mechanism that transports paper to which an image is transferred to a fixing device while sucking the paper and a switching mechanism that switches between suction regions in a width direction of the transport mechanism, which corresponds to a width direction of the paper, according to a size of the paper.

Abstract: A decurling device includes: a pair of decurling units configured to correct curl of a recording medium by sandwiching the recording medium; a switching unit configured to switch the pair of decurling units between a first state in which a pressure contact force is relatively large and a second state in which the pressure contact force is smaller than that in the first state; a release unit configured to release a pressure contact between the pair of decurling units; and a restricting unit configured to restrict release of the pressure contact between the pair of decurling units when the pair of decurling units are in the first state.

Abstract: A fixing device includes a device body, a fixing unit, a pair of decurling units, and an open/close unit. The fixing unit is disposed on the device body to perform a fixing operation on a recording medium, and includes a removal assistance unit to assist removal of the recording medium. The pair of decurling units are disposed on the device body to correct a curl of the recording medium by holding the recording medium therebetween. The open/close unit is openably and closeably disposed on the device body to separate, when opened, the removal assistance unit from the fixing unit and one of the decurling units from the other decurling unit.

Abstract: An assembly removable structure includes an assembly including a connectable member and attached to and removed from a receiving member of an apparatus body in a first direction, a connection member disposed on the apparatus body to be movable forward and backward in a cross direction that crosses the first direction, a switch member operated independently of a lid member and switching the connection member between a first position and a second position, the lid member rendering the receiving member open and closed, a restricting member that moves with an operation from a restriction position, at which the restricting member restricts the assembly from being removed from the receiving member, to a release position, at which the restricting member releases the assembly, and a blocking device restricting an operation of moving the restricting member to the release position when the switch member is switched to the first position.

Abstract: A fixing device includes a heating member that heats a developer image on a recording medium; a controlling member that controls a surface temperature of the heating member by coming into contact with an outer circumferential surface of the heating member; a measuring member that measures, on a downstream of the controlling member and on an upstream of a pressing member in a rotation direction of the heating member, the surface temperature; and a supporting unit that causes the controlling member to come into contact with and be separated from the outer circumferential surface by rotating a supporting member around a rotation fulcrum. A distance between the rotation fulcrum and a contact position at which the controlling member comes into contact with the outer circumferential surface is longer than that between the rotation fulcrum and a measurement position at which the measuring member measures the surface temperature.

Abstract: An assembly removable structure includes an assembly that includes a connectable member and that is attached to and removed from a receiving member of an apparatus body in a first direction, a connection member disposed on the apparatus body to be movable forward and backward in a cross direction that crosses the first direction, the connection member being connected to the connectable member while being in a projecting state, a switch member operated independently of a lid member and capable of switching the connection member between a first position, in which the connection member is connected to the connectable member, and a second position, in which the connection member is removed from the connectable member, the lid member rendering the receiving member open and closed, and a holding device that holds the switch member in the second position when the assembly is removed from the receiving member.

Abstract: A fixing device includes a heating member that heats a developer image on a recording medium; a controlling member that controls a surface temperature of the heating member by coming into contact with an outer circumferential surface of the heating member; a measuring member that measures, on a downstream of the controlling member and on an upstream of a pressing member in a rotation direction of the heating member, the surface temperature; and a supporting unit that causes the controlling member to come into contact with and be separated from the outer circumferential surface by rotating a supporting member around a rotation fulcrum. A distance between the rotation fulcrum and a contact position at which the controlling member comes into contact with the outer circumferential surface is longer than that between the rotation fulcrum and a measurement position at which the measuring member measures the surface temperature.

Abstract: An assembly removable structure includes an assembly that includes a connectable member and that is attached to and removed from a receiving member of an apparatus body in a first direction, a connection member disposed on the apparatus body to be movable forward and backward in a cross direction that crosses the first direction, the connection member being connected to the connectable member while being in a projecting state, a switch member operated independently of a lid member and capable of switching the connection member between a first position, in which the connection member is connected to the connectable member, and a second position, in which the connection member is removed from the connectable member, the lid member rendering the receiving member open and closed, and a holding device that holds the switch member in the second position when the assembly is removed from the receiving member.

Abstract: An assembly removable structure includes an assembly including a connectable member and attached to and removed from a receiving member of an apparatus body in a first direction, a connection member disposed on the apparatus body to be movable forward and backward in a cross direction that crosses the first direction, a switch member operated independently of a lid member and switching the connection member between a first position and a second position, the lid member rendering the receiving member open and closed, a restricting member that moves with an operation from a restriction position, at which the restricting member restricts the assembly from being removed from the receiving member, to a release position, at which the restricting member releases the assembly, and a blocking device restricting an operation of moving the restricting member to the release position when the switch member is switched to the first position.

Abstract: A detachable device includes: a detachable member that is provided to be attachable to and detachable from an apparatus main body in which a first rotating member is provided and that includes a second rotating member which is brought into press-contact with the first rotating member; a moving member that is provided in the apparatus main body, that holds the detachable member at an attachment position to the apparatus main body so as to maintain a press-contact load between the first rotating member and the second rotating member, and that is movable to a position at which the detachable member is not held by the moving member; and a release member as defined herein.

Abstract: An attachment structure for an attachable body includes an attachable body, a connecting unit, a first regulating device, and a second regulating device. The attachable body is attachable to an apparatus body and has a leading end and a trailing end in an attachment direction in which the attachable body is attached to the apparatus body. The connecting unit is provided on a leading end side of the attachable body in the attachment direction. The connecting unit is connected to the apparatus body. The first regulating device regulates a movement of the attachable body in the attachment direction from a trailing end side. The second regulating device is provided at a position closer to the connecting unit than to the first regulating device in a perpendicular direction perpendicular to the attachment direction. The second regulating device regulates the movement of the attachable body.

Abstract: An attachment structure for an attachable body includes an attachable body, a connecting unit, a first regulating device, and a second regulating device. The attachable body is attachable to an apparatus body and has a leading end and a trailing end in an attachment direction in which the attachable body is attached to the apparatus body. The connecting unit is provided on a leading end side of the attachable body in the attachment direction. The connecting unit is connected to the apparatus body. The first regulating device regulates a movement of the attachable body in the attachment direction from a trailing end side. The second regulating device is provided at a position closer to the connecting unit than to the first regulating device in a perpendicular direction perpendicular to the attachment direction. The second regulating device regulates the movement of the attachable body.

Abstract: A detachable device includes: a detachable member that is provided to be attachable to and detachable from an apparatus main body in which a first rotating member is provided and that comprises a second rotating member which is brought into press-contact with the first rotating member; a moving member that is provided in the apparatus main body, that holds the detachable member at an attachment position to the apparatus main body so as to maintain a press-contact load between the first rotating member and the second rotating member, and that is movable to a position at which the detachable member is not held by the moving member; and a release member as defined herein.

Abstract: A decurling device includes a shaft; a decurling roller that has a diameter larger than that of the shaft, that becomes concave along an outer periphery of the shaft by being pressed against the shaft, and that removes curl from a transported object by nipping the transported object between the decurling roller and the shaft; and a restriction unit that restricts a direction in which the shaft is bent due to a load that the shaft receives from the decurling roller so that a middle portion of the shaft in an axial direction is convexly curved downstream in a transport direction of the transported object.

Abstract: A decurling device includes a shaft; a decurling roller that has a diameter larger than that of the shaft, that becomes concave along an outer periphery of the shaft by being pressed against the shaft, and that removes curl from a transported object by nipping the transported object between the decurling roller and the shaft; and a restriction unit that restricts a direction in which the shaft is bent due to a load that the shaft receives from the decurling roller so that a middle portion of the shaft in an axial direction is convexly curved downstream in a transport direction of the transported object.

Abstract: A fixing device includes a fixing member that is rotated by a driving unit and that fixes a developer image on a recording medium; an external heating member that is driven and rotated while contacting an outer peripheral surface of the fixing member, and that heats the fixing member; a moving unit that moves the external heating member between a separation position and a contact position, and that moves the external heating member from the separation position to the contact position after starting the fixing by the fixing member; a drive transmitting mechanism including a fixing-side gear, an external-heating-member-side gear, and a drive transmitting member; and a driving force transmitting/non-transmitting unit that is provided at the drive transmitting mechanism.

Abstract: A driving mechanism includes: a first contacting member that comes into contact with a contacted member; a supporting member that supports the first contacting member and is reciprocatably provided, the supporting member moving the first contacting member into contact with or retracts from the contacted member; a cam that reciprocates the supporting member; and a driving force transmission member that is provided to transmit a driving force to the cam, the driving force transmission member is engaged with the cam by transmit a first driving force, and is disengaged from the cam by a second driving force. In the driving mechanism, the second driving force is applied to the driving force transmission member after the cam is stopped in a state where the cam comes into contact with the supporting member on a small radius end of the cam.

Abstract: A fixing device includes: a first rotating member; a second rotating member that extends along the first rotating member, sandwiches a recording medium with a toner image formed thereon between the first and second rotating members, rotates together with the first rotating member, and heats the recording medium to fix the toner image on the recording medium; a heating device whose circumferential surface circularly moves while contacting an external circumferential surface of the second rotating member, and the heating device heats the second rotating member; a temperature detecting device disposed to face the external circumferential surface of the second rotating member without contacting the external circumferential surface to detect a temperature thereof; and a cleaning device cleaning the circumferential surface of the heating device and disposed between the heating device and the temperature detecting device along the surface of the second rotating member.

Abstract: A fixing device includes: a fixing member that fixes a developer image on a recording medium while rotating; an external heating member that heats the fixing member, the external heating member being driven-rotated by rotation of the fixing member while contacting with an outer peripheral face of the fixing member; an oil supply member that supplies oil to a surface of the external heating member; a switching unit that switches between contact and non-contact of the external heating member to the outer peripheral face of the fixing member, the switching unit causing the external heating member to contact with the outer peripheral face of the fixing member after a fixing operation by the fixing member is started; and a rotation mechanism that rotates the fixing member and rotates the external heating member in a state where the external heating member is separated from the fixing member by the switching unit.

Abstract: A fixing device includes: a rotating member supporting section supporting a first rotating member rotatably and movable in direction in which the first rotating member approaches and leaves a second rotating member; a compression spring pushing the rotating member supporting section in the direction of approaching the second rotating member; and a pressing member pressing the compression spring to the rotating member supporting section.