Abstract: A cutting device includes a main body unit and a support unit. The main body unit includes a cutting unit on a lower side. The cutting unit cuts off an edge portion of paper. The support unit supports the main body unit in such a way that the main body unit rotates. The main body unit exposes a blade of the cutting unit at least on a lateral side by rotating.

Abstract: A cutting device includes a main body unit and a support unit. The main body unit includes a cutting unit on a lower side. The cutting unit cuts off an edge portion of paper. The support unit supports the main body unit in such a way that the main body unit rotates. The main body unit exposes a blade of the cutting unit at least on a lateral side by rotating.

Abstract: A cutting device includes a cutting unit and a pre-processing unit. The cutting unit performs fore-edge cutting processing and top-edge/tail-edge cutting processing in a state in which a blade inclines toward a paper surface of a booklet. The fore-edge cutting processing is to cut off a first edge part of the booklet parallel to a spine of the booklet. The top-edge/tail-edge cutting processing is to cut off a second edge part of the booklet perpendicular to the spine. Of the top-edge/tail-edge cutting processing, in first top-edge/tail-edge cutting processing in which the blade cuts the booklet from a side opposite to the spine, before the blade abuts the spine, the pre-processing unit makes a cut at a point of the spine along a cutting direction in which the blade cuts the spine, the point where the blade abuts the spine.

Abstract: The fixing device and image forming apparatus employ a horizontally moving claw for separating a sheet on which a toner image has been fixed. The claw moves in a horizontally reciprocating manner at a velocity between 0.001 mm/seconds to 0.1 mm/seconds. Moving at that speed, it has been found to reduce scratching of the fixing drum. The device and image forming apparatus also employ a claw having a width between 1.0 mm and 5.0 mm. The claw contacts the drum with a pressure in a range of 3.0×9.8 mN to 7.0×9.8 mN.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: a photoreceptor; a charger that electrically charges the photoreceptor; an exposing unit having an LED printing head that forms a latent image on the photoreceptor; a developing unit that develops a toner image corresponding to the latent image on the photoreceptor; a blower unit that sends air to a space between the photoreceptor and the LED printing head; a first shielding member provided on the charger, which intercepts the air coming from the blower unit to enter inside the charger; and a second shielding member provided on the developing unit, which intercepts the air coming from the blower unit to enter inside the developing unit.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus including: a cleaning member for cleaning an image carrier after a toner image on the image carrier has been transferred; a toner recycling device for conveying toner removed by the cleaning member to a developing device; a collection section where the toner removed by the cleaning member is collected; a branch conveyance path, branched from the toner recycling device, for conveying the toner to the collection section; and an air pump, provided on the branch conveyance path, for sucking air with the toner; wherein, whether the toner is conveyed from the cleaning member to the collection section or to the developing device is switched corresponding to whether the air pump operates or does not operate.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: a photoreceptor; a charger that electrically charges the photoreceptor; an exposing unit having an LED printing head that forms a latent image on the photoreceptor; a developing unit that develops a toner image corresponding to the latent image on the photoreceptor; a blower unit that sends air to a space between the photoreceptor and the LED printing head; a first shielding member provided on the charger, which intercepts the air coming from the blower unit to enter inside the charger; and a second shielding member provided on the developing unit, which intercepts the air coming from the blower unit to enter inside the developing unit.

Abstract: A fixing device having: a fixing member fixes a toner image on a sheet; a separating claw which is in contact with the fixing member, to separate the sheet from the fixing member; and a claw moving section to move the separating claw along a surface of the fixing member at a velocity V which satisfies the following formula: 0.001 mm/s?V?0.

Abstract: An image apparatus comprising a toner supplying device; a toner receiving device; a first toner conduit communicating with the toner receiving device to feed a toner supplied from the toner supplying device; a first feeding device which forms an air stream to feed the toner through the first toner conduit; and a detector which monitors abnormality condition in the course of toner supplying in the apparatus.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus, including: an image carrier; a transfer device for transferring toner images carried on the image carrier onto the recording material; and a pressing section for pressing the transfer material onto the image carrier; wherein the pressing section is trapezoidal, including: a straight edge portion positioned at the center of the pressing section, perpendicular to the feeding direction of the recording material, and sloped edge portions, wherein the width of the straight edge portion is equal to or greater than 95% of the width of the recording material.

Abstract: A toner replenishment device has: a toner reservoir section for supplying a toner to a development device; a supply fluid conveyance section for conveying a fluid mixture of toner and air from the toner reservoir section through a supply conveying path; a toner separation section for separating the fluid mixture which has been conveyed by the supply fluid conveyance section into the toner and the air and supplying the toner to the development device; a circulation fluid conveyance section for circulating at least air separated from the fluid mixture, from the toner separation section to the toner reservoir section through a circulation conveyance path; and a capacity variable member connected with the supply conveying path or the circulation conveyance path, capable of absorbing a pressure fluctuation of the fluid mixture or the air by varying a capacity of the member.

Abstract: An electrophotographic image forming apparatus includes a toner image forming section, a recording material storing section, a sheet feeding and conveying section provided sideward of the recording material storing section, a toner reservoir section provided on a side opposite to the sheet feeding and conveying section, a toner separation section provided upward of the developing device to separate the toner, a supply pipe for interconnecting the toner reservoir section and the toner separation section to supply the toner, a collection pipe for interconnecting the toner reservoir section and the toner separation section to collect the toner, a first fluid conveyance device provided on the supply pipe between the toner reservoir section and the toner separation section for conveying a supply fluid, and a second fluid conveyance device provided on the collection pipe between the toner reservoir section and the toner separation section for conveying a collection fluid.

Abstract: A toner supplying apparatus for feeding a toner to a developing device to develop a latent image on an image bearing member. The apparatus includes: a toner separating member communicating to the developing device, to separate the toner from the mixed fluid containing the toner and an air stream; a separating side flow control mechanism disposed between the toner separating member and the developing device; a wall to cover at least a portion of the flow control mechanism, having a clearance therebetween; and an after-separation storage to store the toner separated from the mixed fluid.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus including: a cleaning member for cleaning an image carrier after a toner image on the image carrier has been transferred; a toner recycling device for conveying toner removed by the cleaning member to a developing device; a collection section where the toner removed by the cleaning member is collected; a branch conveyance path, branched from the toner recycling device, for conveying the toner to the collection section; and an air pump, provided on the branch conveyance path, for sucking air with the toner; wherein, whether the toner is conveyed from the cleaning member to the collection section or to the developing device is switched corresponding to whether the air pump operates or does not operate.

Abstract: A toner conveyance device for conveying toner particles including: a toner mixing unit having a toner introducing portion to introduce toner particles, for mixing the toner particles from the toner introducing portion with air to make a toner fluid; a first conveyor for receiving the toner fluid in the toner mixing unit and conveying; a toner separation unit for separating the toner fluid conveyed by the first conveyor into air and toner particles, the toner separation unit having a toner discharging portion for discharging the separated toner particles to an outside; a second conveyor for conveying the air separated by the toner separation unit back to the toner mixing unit; and a tightly closed circulation path of air, formed starting at the toner mixing unit which leads to the toner separation unit through the first conveyor and returning back to the toner mixing unit through the second conveyor.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus, including: an image carrier; a transfer device for transferring toner images carried on the image carrier onto the recording material; and a pressing section for pressing the transfer material onto the image carrier; wherein the pressing section is trapezoidal, including: a straight edge portion positioned at the center of the pressing section, perpendicular to the feeding direction of the recording material, and sloped edge portions, wherein the width of the straight edge portion is equal to or greater than 95% of the width of the recording material.

Abstract: A toner replenishment device has: a toner reservoir section for supplying a toner to a development device; a supply fluid conveyance section for conveying a fluid mixture of toner and air from the toner reservoir section through a supply conveying path; a toner separation section for separating the fluid mixture which has been conveyed by the supply fluid conveyance section into the toner and the air and supplying the toner to the development device; a circulation fluid conveyance section for circulating at least air separated from the fluid mixture, from the toner separation section to the toner reservoir section through a circulation conveyance path; and a capacity variable member connected with the supply conveying path or the circulation conveyance path, capable of absorbing a pressure fluctuation of the fluid mixture or the air by varying a capacity of the member.

Abstract: An image apparatus comprising a toner supplying device; a toner receiving device; a first toner conduit communicating with the toner receiving device to feed a toner supplied from the toner supplying device; a first feeding device which forms an air stream to feed the toner through the first toner conduit; and a detector which monitors abnormality condition in the course of toner supplying in the apparatus.

Abstract: An electrophotographic image forming apparatus includes a toner image forming section, a recording material storing section, a sheet feeding and conveying section provided sideward of the recording material storing section, a toner reservoir section provided on a side opposite to the sheet feeding and conveying section, a toner separation section provided upward of the developing device to separate the toner, a supply pipe for interconnecting the toner reservoir section and the toner separation section to supply the toner, a collection pipe for interconnecting the toner reservoir section and the toner separation section to collect the toner, a first fluid conveyance device provided on the supply pipe between the toner reservoir section and the toner separation section for conveying a supply fluid, and a second fluid conveyance device provided on the collection pipe between the toner reservoir section and the toner separation section for conveying a collection fluid.

Abstract: A toner supplying apparatus for feeding a toner to a developing device to develop a latent image on an image bearing member. The apparatus includes: a toner separating member communicating to the developing device, to separate the toner from the mixed fluid containing the toner and an air stream; a separating side flow control mechanism disposed between the toner separating member and the developing device; a wall to cover at least a portion of the flow control mechanism, having a clearance therebetween; and an after-separation storage to store the toner separated from the mixed fluid.