Abstract: The sheet feeding apparatus includes a feeding roller that includes an arc-shaped friction portion and a notch portion, and causes the friction portion to feed the sheet; a feeding motor rotationally driving the feeding roller; a separation pad that presses the sheet fed by the friction portion on a surface other than a surface at the friction portion, and separates a double-fed sheet; and a feeding spring that causes the sheet supporting portion to wait below the feeding roller such that the sheet supported on the sheet supporting portion is not in contact with the friction portion until the friction portion reaches the separation pad, and, when the friction portion reaches the separation pad, moves up the sheet supporting portion to an abutting position at which the sheet supported on the sheet supporting portion is pressed against the friction portion and the friction portion feeds the sheet.

Abstract: A reversely-rotatable roller conveys a sheet having an image formed on its one side at a sheet conveying velocity faster than that of a conveying roller by normal rotation and then, the reversely-rotatable roller conveys the sheet to a re-conveying path by reverse rotation. The sheet conveying velocity of the reversely-rotatable roller when the reversely-rotatable roller reversely rotates is made slower than the sheet conveying velocity when the reversely-rotatable roller normally rotates so that the sheet conveying velocity of the re-conveying roller is substantially equal to or slower than the sheet conveying velocity of the conveying roller.

Abstract: The sheet feeding apparatus includes a feeding roller that includes an arc-shaped friction portion and a notch portion, and causes the friction portion to feed the sheet; a feeding motor rotationally driving the feeding roller; a separation pad that presses the sheet fed by the friction portion on a surface other than a surface at the friction portion, and separates a double-fed sheet; and a feeding spring that causes the sheet supporting portion to wait below the feeding roller such that the sheet supported on the sheet supporting portion is not in contact with the friction portion until the friction portion reaches the separation pad, and, when the friction portion reaches the separation pad, moves up the sheet supporting portion to an abutting position at which the sheet supported on the sheet supporting portion is pressed against the friction portion and the friction portion feeds the sheet.

Abstract: A reversely-rotatable roller conveys a sheet having an image formed on its one side at a sheet conveying velocity faster than that of a conveying roller by normal rotation and then, the reversely-rotatable roller conveys the sheet to a re-conveying path by reverse rotation. The sheet conveying velocity of the reversely-rotatable roller when the reversely-rotatable roller reversely rotates is made slower than the sheet conveying velocity when the reversely-rotatable roller normally rotates so that the sheet conveying velocity of the re-conveying roller is substantially equal to or slower than the sheet conveying velocity of the conveying roller.

Abstract: An image heating apparatus is for heating an image formed on a recording material, and has a first roller, a second roller cooperating with the first roller to form a conveying nip portion for passing the recording material therethrough, and heating means for heating the first roller from the outer peripheral surface side thereof, and each of the first roller and the second roller has an adiabatic layer formed of a porous ceramics material and an elastic layer disposed outside the adiabatic layer. Thereby, consumed power during the passing of the recording material can be suppressed.

Abstract: An image heating apparatus is for heating an image formed on a recording material, and has a first roller, a second roller cooperating with the first roller to form a conveying nip portion for passing the recording material therethrough, and heating means for heating the first roller from the outer peripheral surface side thereof, and each of the first roller and the second roller has an adiabatic layer formed of a porous ceramics material and an elastic layer disposed outside the adiabatic layer. Thereby, consumed power during the passing of the recording material can be suppressed.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a sheet feeding apparatus that has sheet supporting device for supporting a sheet, a driving rotary member driven and rotated by a driving source, a rocking member disposed rockably on the driving rotary member, a sheet feeding rotary member rotatably disposed on the rocking member and can be brought into contact with the sheet supported by the sheet supporting device, a following rotary member coupled with the sheet feeding rotary member on the rocking member, a winding and hanging member hung around the driving rotary member and the following rotary member, a separating slant surface disposed on a side of leading ends of sheets fed out by the sheet feeding rotary member for separating the sheets one by one, and rocking force generating device disposed on the rocking member for guiding a tensed side of the winding and hanging member in a direction away from the sheets, and for generating a rocking force, on the rocking member, which brings the sheet feeding ro

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a sheet feeding apparatus in which double-feeding of thin sheets can be prevented positively and a thick sheet can be fed positively. To achieve the above object, the present invention provides a sheet feeding apparatus comprising sheet feeding means abutting against a sheet contained in sheet containing means to feed out the sheet, and a separating inclined surface for separating and feeding the sheet fed out by the sheet feeding means one by one, wherein the separating inclined surface can be shifted along a sheet advancing direction with the sheet fed out by the sheet feeding means.

Abstract: A paper feeder has a sheet stacking surface for stacking sheets, a paper feeding roller which is in contact with the uppermost surface of the sheets stacked on the sheet stacking surface to feed sheets, a movable separation slope surface against which the stacked sheets abut and which is rotatable between a first position and a second position that differ in the inclination angle made between it and the sheet stacking surface, and a separation control cam for rotating the movable separation slope surface between the first position and the second position. The angle made by the movable separation slope surface and the sheet stacking surface is set to be smaller than the angle when the sheets are separated so that the forward end portion of the pile of sheets stacked will not deform and when the sheets are fed by the paper feeding roller, the angle is set to be the angle when the movable separation slope surface separates the sheets by using the separation control cam.

Abstract: A sheet feed roller is urged into contact with the upper surface of a sheet at the top of a stack of sheets supported on a sheet support and an inclined separation plane separates a sheet, fed forward by the sheet feed roller, from the other sheets of the stack of the sheets. A rotatable separation roller is disposed between the inclined separation plane and the sheet feed roller such that the separation roller is urged into contact with the upper surface of the sheet fed forward by the sheet feeding roller. The separation roller is movable depending on the rigidity of the sheet so that when the sheet being fed forward has low rigidity, the sheet is bent starting from a line where the sheet is in contact with the separation roller, but when the sheet being fed forward has high rigidity, the separation roller is moved upward thereby allowing the sheet is bent starting from a line where the sheet is in contact with the sheet feed roller.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a sheet feeding apparatus which has load transmitter for converting a load of a sheet applied to a rear end side in a sheet feeding-out direction of sheet stacker to a biasing force for biasing a leading end side of the sheet stacker toward sheet feeder.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a sheet feeding apparatus in which double-feeding of thin sheets can be prevented positively and a thick sheet can be fed positively. To achieve the above object, the present invention provides a sheet feeding apparatus comprising sheet feeding means abutting against a sheet contained in sheet containing means to feed out the sheet, and a separating inclined surface for separating and feeding the sheet fed out by the sheet feeding means one by one, wherein the separating inclined surface can be shifted along a sheet advancing direction with the sheet fed out by the sheet feeding means.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a sheet feeding apparatus that has sheet supporting device for supporting a sheet, a driving rotary member driven and rotated by a driving source, a rocking member disposed rockably on the driving rotary member, a sheet feeding rotary member rotatably disposed on the rocking member and can be brought into contact with the sheet supported by the sheet supporting device, a following rotary member coupled with the sheet feeding rotary member on the rocking member, a winding and hanging member hung around the driving rotary member and the following rotary member, a separating slant surface disposed on a side of leading ends of sheets fed out by the sheet feeding rotary member for separating the sheets one by one, and rocking force generating device disposed on the rocking member for guiding a tensed side of the winding and hanging member in a direction away from the sheets, and for generating a rocking force, on the rocking member, which brings the sheet feeding ro

Abstract: The present invention provides a sheet feeding apparatus which has a sheet stacking surface for supporting sheets, sheet feeding device for feeding out the sheets supported on the sheet stacking surface, a movable separation inclined surface against which leading ends of the sheets supported on the sheet stacking surface abut and which is provided rotatably between a first position and a second position different in an inclination angle of the movable separation inclined surface with respect to the sheet stacking surface, and operation device for switching the movable separation inclined surface between the first position and the second position.

Abstract: This specification discloses a sheet feeding device for feeding a sheet comprising sheet supporting means for supporting the sheet thereon, a sheet feeding roller for contacting with the sheet supported on the sheet supporting means and feeding the sheet, and cleaning means for contacting with that portion of the sheet feeding roller which contacts with the sheet, and cleaning the contacting portion, the sheet feeding roller having a cut-away portion which does not contact with the sheet, secondary cleaning means for cleaning the cleaning means being provided in the cut-away portion. The specification also discloses an image forming apparatus provided with such sheet feeding device.

Abstract: An exhaust mechanism for use in an image development apparatus exhausts air from within the apparatus, taking advantage of an air flow generated by the heating of a fixing unit without the need for an air blower. The apparatus includes a transport path for allowing a recording medium, to which a toner image formed on a photoconductive body, is transferred, to pass therethrough, a transfer unit disposed below the photoconductive body for transferring the toner image to the recording medium, the fixing unit having a heater, and a partitioning plate which separates a space formed below the transfer unit from a space that accommodates the photoconductive body, a toner image forming unit, and the fixing unit, and which is provided with an opening for permitting air to flow near the transfer unit.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus usable with a process cartridge comprising an image bearing member and a process device actable on the image bearing member includes guide device, contactable with the process cartridge, for guiding in the loading direction the process cartridge to be loaded into a main assembly of the apparatus; a positioning device for positioning the process cartridge, which is in the disengaged state from the guide device, into the loading location; and a pressing device for pressing the process device onto the positioning device.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus, to which a process cartridge is detachably mountable, for forming an image on a recording material. The image forming apparatus includes a first guiding device for guiding the process cartridge toward a predetermined mounting position when the process cartridge is mounted to the image forming apparatus. The first guiding device is disposed upstream of the predetermined mounting position with respect to a mounting movement direction of the process cartridge. A second guiding device is provided for guiding the process cartridge toward the predetermined mounting position when the process cartridge is mounted to the image forming apparatus The second guiding device is disposed (i) closer to the predetermined position than the first guiding device, and (ii) downstream of the first guiding device with respect to the mounting movement direction. Also provided is a feeding device for feeding the recording material.

Abstract: A process cartridge is detachably mountable to an image forming apparatus for forming an image on a recording material. The process cartridge includes an image bearing member, a process device for acting on the image bearing member, which includes a developing device for developing an image on the image bearing member, a frame, and a projection disposed on the upper surface of the frame and extending toward the developing device, the projection having (i) an upward inclined surface, (ii) a flat surface continuing from the upper inclined surface, and (iii) a downward inclined surface that is inclined toward the developing device.

Abstract: A sheet supplying device having a sheet support for supporting sheets, a sheet supply provided in a laterally deviated position with respect to the sheet supplying direction for supplying sheets supported by the sheet support and a stacking reference guide for impinging on a lateral end of the sheets supported by the sheet support to thereby define the position of the sheets. The guide defining the position of the sheets is supported by the sheet support in such a manner that the sheets are supported in a state inclined by a predetermined angle with respect to the sheet supplying direction.