Abstract: An electromagnetically operated sheet diverter for an image forming apparatus. The sheet diverter diverts a sheet from a common path to one of two possible paths upon discharge from the image forming apparatus. The sheet diverter is small and compact, making the sheet diverter suitable for desktop image forming devices. A main controller operates the sheet diverter to divert sheets depending on the tray of origin. The sheet diverter has a holding bracket. An electromagnet is mounted to the holding bracket. A spring-biased paper diverting member is selectively attracted by and brought into contact with the electromagnet only when the magnet is activated. A longitudinal shaft is tightly held by the paper diverting member and is selectively rotated along with the paper diverting member. The longitudinal shaft has a plurality of fitting grooves, which are spaced out at regular intervals and have a D-shaped cutting configuration.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus operable in any one of a facsimile transmitting operation, facsimile receiving operation and a copy operation, wherein the image forming apparatus comprises a common paper transmission path. Paper, i.e., a document having an image thereon or a print paper to be printed on, is fed from a paper input part to the paper transmission path. A scanner, uses an image sensor, disposed along the paper transmission path generates an image signal by reading the image on the fed paper when the image forming apparatus is being operated in one of the facsimile transmitting or copy operations. The image signal is transmitted to a remote facsimile system when the image forming apparatus is being operated in the facsimile transmitting operation, or the image signal is converted to bit map data and stored when the image forming apparatus is being operated in the copy operation.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus having an air flow structure capable of generating an airflow along a direction substantially perpendicular to a photosensitive drum through a charging device in order to prevent contamination of a corona wire (i.e., discharge wire). The image forming apparatus constructed according to the principles of the present invention includes a main frame having parallel side walls with a side wall having an air intake port. A cover is pivotally connected at one end of said main frame so as to allow closing and opening of the image forming apparatus and an image carrier is installed in the main frame so as to form a latent image. A ventilation fan installed at the port in the side wall generates an air flow through an air duct installed to guide the air flow.

Abstract: A power saving method of an image forming apparatus, such as a laser beam printer, warms up the image forming apparatus when a given time period has elapsed after entering a power saving mode for reducing energy consumption, thereby reducing the amount of time in waiting for a printing operation. The power saving method of the present invention includes the steps of: determining whether the image forming apparatus is in the power saving mode, performing a timing operation while the image forming apparatus is in the power saving mode and no print data is input, and warming up the image forming apparatus when a duration of the timing operation exceeds a predetermined time period.