Abstract: The carriage is coupled to the traveling device including a driving wheel and is towed and moved by the traveling device. The carriage includes: a traveling wheel provided in a bottom portion of the carriage; an accommodating part for accommodating the traveling device; and a passage which is provided on a side surface of the carriage and through which light emitted from a detector passes, the detector being provided in the traveling device to detect an obstacle around the traveling device.

Abstract: Provided is a traveling device being inserted into an accommodator of a carriage including a traveling wheel, being coupled to the carriage, and traveling while pulling the carriage. The traveling device includes a driving wheel provided at a bottom of the traveling device, and a first guide roller contactable with the carriage when the traveling device is inserted into the accommodator of the carriage, at least one of a corner and a side surface of the traveling device.

Abstract: The carriage is coupled to the traveling device including a driving wheel and is towed and moved by the traveling device. The carriage includes: a traveling wheel provided in a bottom portion of the carriage; an accommodating part for accommodating the traveling device; and a passage which is provided on a side surface of the carriage and through which light emitted from a detector passes, the detector being provided in the traveling device to detect an obstacle around the traveling device.

Abstract: A recording paper conveying device includes a registration roller pair and a conveyor roller pair adjacent to the registration roller pair. By rotating the conveyor roller pair, a sheet of recording paper is fed until leading edge of the sheet abuts the registration roller pair in stationary state so that the sheet is deflected by a prescribed amount. Then, conveyor roller pair is rotated at the constant velocity, and while the sheet is kept deflected, rotation of the registration roller pair is started, to start feeding of the sheet by the registration roller pair. While the registration roller pair is kept rotating, rotation of the conveyor roller pair is suspended, and then, the conveyor roller pair is returned to the state of rotation before suspension. Thus, unnecessary deflection of the sheet just in front of the registration roller pair can be prevented.

Abstract: A cleaning apparatus using a web sheet includes: a send-out roller that is wound with the web sheet; a take-up roller that is connected to an end of the web sheet; and a rotation-regulating and canceling portion that regulates rotation of the send-out roller and cancels the regulation according to tension of the web sheet between the send-out roller and the take-up roller; wherein the web sheet is sent out from the send-out roller and taken up by the take-up roller, the web sheet is brought into contact with another roller during the sending out and taking up operation, and extraneous matters that have adhered to the other roller are removed.

Abstract: A recording medium discharge mechanism is provided with a side wall member capable of changing position between an upright state in which small size sheets are caught when small size sheets are discharged and a laid flat state in which a placement surface of a discharge space is extended for placement of large size sheets when large size sheets are discharged by a discharge mechanism having the discharge space, whose downstream side in a paper discharge direction has been opened. In the upright state, the side wall member does not protrude laterally from an apparatus. Furthermore, in the laid flat state, large size sheets can be placed.

Abstract: A needle electrode and a cleaning member are provided. A plurality of needles are arrayed upon the needle electrode in a straight line, and protrude towards a surface of a photoreceptor. The cleaning member is disposed movably along the array direction of the plurality of needles between the surface of the photoreceptor and the needle electrode. When the cleaning member moves, the tip portion of each of the plurality of needles in the arranged order, after having been embedded from the surface of the cleaning member into its interior, then exits to the exterior of the cleaning member.

Abstract: A cleaning apparatus using a web sheet includes: a send-out roller that is wound with the web sheet; a take-up roller that is connected to an end of the web sheet; and a rotation-regulating and canceling portion that regulates rotation of the send-out roller and cancels the regulation according to tension of the web sheet between the send-out roller and the take-up roller; wherein the web sheet is sent out from the send-out roller and taken up by the take-up roller, the web sheet is brought into contact with another roller during the sending out and taking up operation, and extraneous matters that have adhered to the other roller are removed.

Abstract: A lock mechanism includes an opening and closing member (10) that is openably and closably provided on an apparatus frame (1a), a shaft member (15) that is provided on the apparatus frame (1a) for rotatably supporting the opening and closing member (10), and three lock member sets (13) and (14) for sustaining a state in which the opening and closing member (10) is closed with respect to the apparatus frame (1a). The lock member sets (13) and (14) include secured members (13) provided on the opening and closing member (10), and bearing members (14) that are provided on the apparatus frame (1a) for elastically securing the secured members (13). The elastic force when a secured member (132) in one specific lock member set is secured to a bearing member (142) is set to be greater than that of the other lock member sets (131), (133), (141), and (143).

Abstract: A needle electrode and a cleaning member are provided. A plurality of needles are arrayed upon the needle electrode in a straight line, and protrude towards a surface of a photoreceptor. The cleaning member is disposed movably along the array direction of the plurality of needles between the surface of the photoreceptor and the needle electrode. When the cleaning member moves, the tip portion of each of the plurality of needles in the arranged order, after having been embedded from the surface of the cleaning member into its interior, then exits to the exterior of the cleaning member.

Abstract: A lock mechanism includes an opening and closing member (10) that is openably and closably provided on an apparatus frame (1a), a shaft member (15) that is provided on the apparatus frame (1a) for rotatably supporting the opening and closing member (10), and three lock member sets (13) and (14) for sustaining a state in which the opening and closing member (10) is closed with respect to the apparatus frame (1a). The lock member sets (13) and (14) include secured members (13) provided on the opening and closing member (10), and bearing members (14) that are provided on the apparatus frame (1a) for elastically securing the secured members (13). The elastic force when a secured member (132) in one specific lock member set is secured to a bearing member (142) is set to be greater than that of the other lock member sets (131), (133), (141), and (143).

Abstract: A recording medium discharge mechanism is provided with a side wall member capable of changing position between an upright state in which small size sheets are caught when small size sheets are discharged and a laid flat state in which a placement surface of a discharge space is extended for placement of large size sheets when large size sheets are discharged by a discharge mechanism having the discharge space, whose downstream side in a paper discharge direction has been opened. In the upright state, the side wall member does not protrude laterally from an apparatus. Furthermore, in the laid flat state, large size sheets can be placed.

Abstract: A stapling apparatus for forming a plurality of sheet bundles on a sheet tray comprises a sheet tray, a stapler, moving means, and movement controlling means. The stapler is moved upward by the moving means and the movement controlling means to the position where plural sheets placed on the sheet tray are to be stapled. Consequently, the stapling apparatus can staple the sheets in the position where the sheets are to be bound which changes upward each time the sheet bundle is formed by the stapler and form a plurality of sheet bundles on the sheet tray.

Abstract: Sheets stacked on the sheet tray are delivered and fed one by one along the sheet conveyance path by the rotation of a sheet-feed roller in cooperation with a frictional member. The sheet conveyance path has a sheet-feed actuator provided thereon for detecting a sheet being conveyed and further has a sheet-pass actuator provided thereon between the sheet-feed actuator and the sheet-feed roller. Two slit arms of the sheet-feed and sheet-pass actuators are arranged so as to interrupt the optical path of a common optical sensor. When the rear of a preceding sheet being conveyed has passed by the sheet-pass actuator, the optical sensor detects the state. In response to this detection, a signal for starting the delivery of the next sheet is launched, thus reducing the interval between sheets.

Abstract: A detecting device includes: an actuator with its end placed in a conveying path of a moving object such as a sheet etc., pivotally supported by a rotary shaft so that it can sway as the moving object passes by; a slit arm integrally formed with the actuator and having a slit therein and an optical sensor disposed below the actuator. In this arrangement, the slit arm having a slit therein is placed in the path of the optical sensor. An urging portion for returning the actuator to the standby position is provided for the slit arm. The abutment surface P of the urging portion abutting the unit base of the optical sensor is formed inclined. A component force E causing the actuator to bounce, which is proportional to a repulsive force D normal to the abutment surface P when the abutment surface abuts the unit base abutment surface P, is smaller than the repulsive force D. Therefore, the distance of the bouncing of the actuator becomes smaller, thus preventing chattering.

Abstract: A heat-resistant sheet, which has slits formed therein, is provided between a fixing roller and a pressure member. The heat-resistant sheet, which has a thickness of 300 .mu.m, is coated with a synthetic resin material having superior toner-releasing and heat-resisting properties, or incorporates such a synthetic resin material inside thereof. Here, a recording material is transported between the fixing roller and the heat-resistant sheet. As the surface temperature of the fixing roller rises, the heat-resistant sheet starts expanding gradually, causing its surface to be warped. However, unless the temperature of the fixing roller exceeds a set temperature, the expansion of the heat-resistant sheet and its surface deflection are all absorbed by the slits, and the slit width becomes zero.

Abstract: An object of the invention is to prevent a silicone gas generated in a fixing unit from entering into a charger. A corona wind rises when the charger corona-discharges, and air is taken in through an outside-air intake. The air flows in through the air passage and the air inlet and flows out through a front opening as an air flow. The silicone gas is isolated by the airflow and prevented from entering into the charger.