Abstract: A developer collecting device includes a suction duct, a collecting box, and a suction mechanism. The suction duct has one end adjacent to a development device and another end. The collecting box is connected to the other end and configured to suction and collect developer around the development device via the suction duct. The suction mechanism is disposed in the middle of the suction duct. The suction mechanism includes a suction port that is openable and closable. The suction mechanism is configured to suction the developer inside the suction duct from an outside of the suction duct.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a housing, a first discharge opening and a second discharge opening, a sheet discharge portion, a restricting member and a sheet discharge tray. The sheet discharge portion is connected at a position below the first discharge opening, and the sheet discharged through the first discharge opening is to be placed thereon. The restricting member stands up on a downstream side of the sheet discharge portion in a discharging direction of the sheet and can come into contact with a downstream end edge of the sheet discharged to the sheet discharge portion in the discharging direction. The sheet discharge tray includes a first fixing portion and a second fixing portion to be fixed to an upper end part of the restricting member and is attachable above the sheet discharge portion, and a sheet discharged through the second discharge opening is to be placed thereon.

Abstract: A sheet storage cassette includes a cassette base, a sheet stacking plate, a lift portion, and a pair of width adjustment cursors. At least one of the width adjustment cursors has an opposing surface facing a side edge of sheets, an opening formed in the opposing surface, a restriction member, a swing support shaft, and a first biasing member. The restriction member has an arm portion, a restriction portion selectively located at a first position where the restriction portion is retracted in an inner side of the opposing surface and a second position where the restriction portion projects from the opening, and a pressed portion extending to face an under surface of the sheet stacking plate. The swing support shaft swingably supports the arm portion of the restriction member. The first biasing member biases the restriction member in a direction of the second position.

Abstract: A developer collection apparatus is provided with a suction duct, a collection box, and an auxiliary fan. One end of the suction duct is arranged near a developing unit. The collection box is connected to the other end of the suction duct and includes a suction fan, where a developer around the developing unit is suctioned and collected via the suction duct by using the suction fan. The auxiliary fan blows air through the suction duct at a certain middle point thereof.

Abstract: A developer collection apparatus is provided with a suction duct, a collection box, and an auxiliary fan. One end of the suction duct is arranged near a developing unit. The collection box is connected to the other end of the suction duct and includes a suction fan, where a developer around the developing unit is suctioned and collected via the suction duct by using the suction fan. The auxiliary fan blows air through the suction duct at a certain middle point thereof.

Abstract: A sheet storage cassette includes a cassette base, a sheet stacking plate, a lift portion, and a pair of width adjustment cursors. At least one of the width adjustment cursors has an opposing surface facing a side edge of sheets, an opening formed in the opposing surface, a restriction member, a swing support shaft, and a first biasing member. The restriction member has an arm portion, a restriction portion selectively located at a first position where the restriction portion is retracted in an inner side of the opposing surface and a second position where the restriction portion projects from the opening, and a pressed portion extending to face an under surface of the sheet stacking plate. The swing support shaft swingably supports the arm portion of the restriction member. The first biasing member biases the restriction member in a direction of the second position.

Abstract: A developer collecting device includes a suction duct, a collecting box, and a suction mechanism. The suction duct has one end adjacent to a development device and another end. The collecting box is connected to the other end and configured to suction and collect developer around the development device via the suction duct. The suction mechanism is disposed in the middle of the suction duct. The suction mechanism includes a suction port that is openable and closable. The suction mechanism is configured to suction the developer inside the suction duct from an outside of the suction duct.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a housing, a first discharge opening and a second discharge opening, a sheet discharge portion, a restricting member and a sheet discharge tray. The sheet discharge portion is connected at a position below the first discharge opening, and the sheet discharged through the first discharge opening is to be placed thereon. The restricting member stands up on a downstream side of the sheet discharge portion in a discharging direction of the sheet and can come into contact with a downstream end edge of the sheet discharged to the sheet discharge portion in the discharging direction. The sheet discharge tray includes a first fixing portion and a second fixing portion to be fixed to an upper end part of the restricting member and is attachable above the sheet discharge portion, and a sheet discharged through the second discharge opening is to be placed thereon.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a housing, a first discharge opening and a second discharge opening, a sheet discharge portion, a restricting member and a sheet discharge tray. The sheet discharge portion is connected at a position below the first discharge opening, and the sheet discharged through the first discharge opening is to be placed thereon. The restricting member stands up on a downstream side of the sheet discharge portion in a discharging direction of the sheet and can come into contact with a downstream end edge of the sheet discharged to the sheet discharge portion in the discharging direction. The sheet discharge tray includes a first fixing portion and a second fixing portion to be fixed to an upper end part of the restricting member and is attachable above the sheet discharge portion, and a sheet discharged through the second discharge opening is to be placed thereon.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a housing, a first discharge opening and a second discharge opening, a sheet discharge portion, a restricting member and a sheet discharge tray. The sheet discharge portion is connected at a position below the first discharge opening, and the sheet discharged through the first discharge opening is to be placed thereon. The restricting member stands up on a downstream side of the sheet discharge portion in a discharging direction of the sheet and can come into contact with a downstream end edge of the sheet discharged to the sheet discharge portion in the discharging direction. The sheet discharge tray includes a first fixing portion and a second fixing portion to be fixed to an upper end part of the restricting member and is attachable above the sheet discharge portion, and a sheet discharged through the second discharge opening is to be placed thereon.

Abstract: A sheet cassette is provided with a sheet accommodating portion capable of accommodating a plurality of sizes of sheets, a side-fence member movable in conformity with the size of sheets to be accommodated into the sheet accommodating portion so as to be brought into contact with the sheets at a specified side, and a position defining portion for defining an arranged position of the side-fence member in correspondence with the size of the sheets. The position defining portion includes at least a first size display section having indices set based on a first index criterion, and a second size display section having indices set based on a second index criterion different from the first index criterion. The side-fence member includes a first pointer for indicating the indices of the first size display section and a second pointer for indicating the indices of the second size display section.

Abstract: A fixing device for use in an image forming apparatus in which a toner image is transferred and fixed onto recording paper. The image forming apparatus includes a housing made of a heat-resistant resin having an outside surface which serves as an outside surface of the fixing device. The housing includes two casings which are separable along a direction of conveyance or passage of the recording paper in the fixing device. One of the casing includes a mount section for holding a pair of rollers in a predetermined position in the fixing device. The other casing includes a paper outlet opening through which the paper is conveyed.

Abstract: A fixing device for use in an image forming apparatus in which a toner image is transferred and fixed onto recording paper, includes a housing made of a heat-resistant resin having an outside surface which serves as an outside surface of the fixing device. The housing includes two separable casings which are separable along the conveyance direction of recording paper in the fixing device. A mount section for holding a pair of rollers in a predetermined position in the fixing device is provided on the inside surface of one of the casing.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus is provided with a photosensitive member; a charger including a corona ion generator and a grid electrode provided between the photosensitive member and the corona ion generator, and adapted for charging the surface of the photosensitive member while regulating the surface potential of the photosensitive member by the grid electrode; a current supply circuit connected to the charger and capable of supplying to the charger a first current not lower than a specified level for charging the surface of the photosensitive member at a first voltage at which an image of high contrast can be formed and a second current lower than the specified level for charging the surface of the photosensitive member at a second voltage at which an image having an intermediate gradation thereof emphasized is formed, the second voltage being lower than the first voltage; and a current switch circuit for switching the level of the current to be supplied to the charger means according to needs.

Abstract: Improvements in a device for removing the electrostatic charge on a photoconductor in an image forming apparatus. The electrostatic charge-removing device has a plurality of light-emitting diodes (LEDs) incorporated in a case. The LEDs emit diffuse light to the photoconductor to remove the electrostatic charge. The LEDs are regularly spaced from each other in a orthogonal direction to a movement direction of the photoconductor in such a way that the successive diffuse light radiations emitted from the neighboring LEDs overlap with each other. The brightness is considerably higher in the locations where the diffuse light radiations overlap with each other than in the other locations. Light-blocking members are mounted upstream of their respective light radiations as viewed in the movement direction of the photoconductor, for uniforming the brightness of light in the orthogonal direction to the movement direction of the photoconductor. This evens out the image erasure line.