Abstract: A protection device includes a pair of electrodes and an output unit. In the pair of electrodes, one electrode, connected to a connection line that connects a load and a power supply that supplies voltage to the load, performs discharge toward the other electrode in response to application, to one electrode, of an abnormal voltage greater than or equal to a pre-set voltage exceeding a steady-state voltage output by the power supply in a steady state. The output unit detects discharge current that flows in the other electrode and outputs the detected discharge current as a control signal.

Abstract: A conveying apparatus or an image forming apparatus includes: a housing including an opening and closing member that can be opened and closed; a conveying path that conveys an object to be conveyed, at least a part of the conveying path being provided adjacent to an inner side of the opening and closing member; a first detector that detects whether the object is present in a predetermined region and outputs a detection signal corresponding to a result of the detection; and an interlocking mechanism that causes, when the opening and closing member is opened, the first detector to change at least one of a position and a structure of the first detector in mechanically association with movement of opening of the opening and closing member, and to output a detection signal which is the same as a detection signal output when the object is present in the predetermined region.

Abstract: A protection device includes a pair of electrodes and an output unit. In the pair of electrodes, one electrode, connected to a connection line that connects a load and a power supply that supplies voltage to the load, performs discharge toward the other electrode in response to application, to one electrode, of an abnormal voltage greater than or equal to a pre-set voltage exceeding a steady-state voltage output by the power supply in a steady state. The output unit detects discharge current that flows in the other electrode and outputs the detected discharge current as a control signal.

Abstract: An displacement correcting device is provided and includes: a rotation supporting member having a rotation shaft and rotating to support the endless belt-shaped member; a shaft supporting frame supporting a one-end supporting portion of the rotation shaft movably relative to an opposite-end supporting portion and supporting one end of the rotation shaft to be tilted about the other end; and a shaft displacing member having a rotation center disposed closer to one end portion in the axial direction than a rotation shaft supporting body and intersected by the axial direction and a rotation shaft contact portion contacting with the one end of the rotation shaft. The shaft displacing member allows the rotation shaft contact portion to rotate about the rotation center to tilt the rotation shaft when a movement sensing member detects the movement of the endless belt-shaped member to the one end of the rotation shaft.

Abstract: A tandem electrophotographic image forming apparatus includes plural toner image forming units and a fixing unit. The plural toner image forming units are disposed in a conveyance direction of a printing medium. Each of the toner image forming units includes a photoreceptor on which a toner image is formed and a transfer member to which a transfer voltage is applied to cause the toner image to be transferred from the photoreceptor onto the printing medium. The fixing unit is disposed on a downstream side of the toner image forming units in the conveyance direction of the printing medium and heats and fixes, to the printing medium, the toner images that have been transferred onto the printing medium. The transfer voltages applied to the transfer members are made smaller the closer to the fixing unit.

Abstract: A conveying apparatus or an image forming apparatus includes: a housing including an opening and closing member that can be opened and closed; a conveying path that conveys an object to be conveyed, at least a part of the conveying path being provided adjacent to an inner side of the opening and closing member; a first detector that detects whether the object is present in a predetermined region and outputs a detection signal corresponding to a result of the detection; and an interlocking mechanism that causes, when the opening and closing member is opened, the first detector to change at least one of a position and a structure of the first detector in mechanically association with movement of opening of the opening and closing member, and to output a detection signal which is the same as a detection signal output when the object is present in the predetermined region.

Abstract: A belt feed apparatus, includes: an endless belt member; a belt back surface member including a close portion disposed close to the endless belt member to such a degree that, when the endless belt member stands stationary, the close portion is prevented from touching the endless belt member, and while the endless belt member is circulating, the close portion can be contacted with the endless belt member irregularly; and a non-sticking portion that includes a non-sucking surface contactable with the endless belt member to prevent the endless belt member from being electrostatically sucked to the close portion, the non-sucking surface being provided in an entire portion or part of a surface of the close portion opposed to the endless belt member, and due to the existence of the non-sucking surface, the non-sticking portion being able to prevent the endless belt member from sticking to the close portion.

Abstract: An displacement correcting device is provided and includes: a rotation supporting member having a rotation shaft and rotating to support the endless belt-shaped member; a shaft supporting frame supporting a one-end supporting portion of the rotation shaft movably relative to an opposite-end supporting portion and supporting one end of the rotation shaft to be tilted about the other end; and a shaft displacing member having a rotation center disposed closer to one end portion in the axial direction than a rotation shaft supporting body and intersected by the axial direction and a rotation shaft contact portion contacting with the one end of the rotation shaft. The shaft displacing member allows the rotation shaft contact portion to rotate about the rotation center to tilt the rotation shaft when a movement sensing member detects the movement of the endless belt-shaped member to the one end of the rotation shaft.

Abstract: An image forming device which transfers a toner image carried on an image carrying body from the image carrying body to a transfer receiving body in a transfer section, the device including a charge producing section provided at an upstream side, in a moving direction of the transfer receiving body, with respect to a position at which the image carrying body and the transfer receiving body oppose each other so as not to be contacted with the transfer receiving body.

Abstract: A belt feed apparatus, includes: an endless belt member; a belt back surface member including a close portion disposed close to the endless belt member to such a degree that, when the endless belt member stands stationary, the close portion is prevented from touching the endless belt member, and while the endless belt member is circulating, the close portion can be contacted with the endless belt member irregularly; and a non-sticking portion that includes a non-sucking surface contactable with the endless belt member to prevent the endless belt member from being electrostatically sucked to the close portion, the non-sucking surface being provided in an entire portion or part of a surface of the close portion opposed to the endless belt member, and due to the existence of the non-sucking surface, the non-sticking portion being able to prevent the endless belt member from sticking to the close portion.

Abstract: A tandem electrophotographic image forming apparatus includes plural toner image forming units and a fixing unit. The plural toner image forming units are disposed in a conveyance direction of a printing medium. Each of the toner image forming units includes a photoreceptor on which a toner image is formed and a transfer member to which a transfer voltage is applied to cause the toner image to be transferred from the photoreceptor onto the printing medium. The fixing unit is disposed on a downstream side of the toner image forming units in the conveyance direction of the printing medium and heats and fixes, to the printing medium, the toner images that have been transferred onto the printing medium. The transfer voltages applied to the transfer members are made smaller the closer to the fixing unit.

Abstract: An image forming device which transfers a toner image carried on an image carrying body from the image carrying body to a transfer receiving body in a transfer section, the device including a charge producing section provided at an upstream side, in a moving direction of the transfer receiving body, with respect to a position at which the image carrying body and the transfer receiving body oppose each other so as not to be contacted with the transfer receiving body.

Abstract: Provided is a cleaning sheet adapted to clean a surface of a heating roll in a fixing device, which causes a recording sheet bearing a toner image formed of a magnetic toner containing a magnetic material to pass through the fixing device under a state in which the recording sheet is in press contact with the surface of the heating roll having arranged thereon a contact component in contact with the surface of the heating roll and heated to a fixing temperature to rotate, to perform fixing of the toner image, including a synthetic resin sheet with a thickness of 100 ?m or more, which is made of a thermoplastic resin with a melting point higher than the fixing temperature and Rockwell hardness of M60 or more or thermosetting resin with Rockwell hardness of M60 or more.

Abstract: Provided is a cleaning sheet adapted to clean a surface of a heating roll in a fixing device, which causes a recording sheet bearing a toner image formed of a magnetic toner containing a magnetic material to pass through the fixing device under a state in which the recording sheet is in press contact with the surface of the heating roll having arranged thereon a contact component in contact with the surface of the heating roll and heated to a fixing temperature to rotate, to perform fixing of the toner image, including a synthetic resin sheet with a thickness of 100 &mgr;m or more, which is made of a thermoplastic resin with a melting point higher than the fixing temperature and Rockwell hardness of M60 or more or thermosetting resin with Rockwell hardness of M60 or more.

Abstract: In an image forming apparatus for executing an image forming cycle in which a toner image is formed in response to an image formation start command and an image consisting of a fixed toner image is formed on the recording medium by transferring and fixing the toner image onto a recording medium, and executing a predetermined post-process cycle when a subsequent image formation start command is not issued within a predetermined time after a final image forming cycle is ended, there is provided a sequence controlling means for stopping the post-process cycle and causing a process to shift to a subsequent image forming cycle when the subsequent image formation start command is received during when the post-process cycle is being carried out.

Abstract: In an image forming apparatus for executing an image forming cycle in which a toner image is formed in response to an image formation start command and an image consisting of a fixed toner image is formed on the recording medium by transferring and fixing the toner image onto a recording medium, and executing a predetermined post-process cycle when a subsequent image formation start command is not issued within a predetermined time after a final image forming cycle is ended, there is provided a sequence controlling means for stopping the post-process cycle and causing a process to shift to a subsequent image forming cycle when the subsequent image formation start command is received during when the post-process cycle is being carried out.

Abstract: A belt feeding device including a plurality of belt feeding rolls, a belt wrapped around the rolls, and at least a pair of guide members each having an edge guide surface against which either side edge of the belt abuts in crosswise movement of the belt. The outer circumferential surface of each roll is formed with a plurality of ring-shaped slits axially spaced a distance w from each other, each of the slits having a depth h and a width m. The values of h, m, and w are set so that a load to an axial displacement of the belt wrapped around the rolls at a position of each guide member becomes 80 N/mm or less. Accordingly, an edge force acting between either side edge of the belt and the corresponding guide member against which the side edge of the belt abuts can be reduced to 15N or less.