Abstract: A rotation drive device includes a driven rotation member, a driving rotation member, a rotation relay member, a shaft, and a holder. The rotation relay member transmits only a unidirectional rotational driving force from the driving rotation member to the driven rotation member. The rotation relay member includes a housing and a cylindrical one-way clutch. A contact portion between the driving rotation member and the shaft is configured to rotate the driving rotation member and the shaft to transmit the driving force to an inner peripheral side of the cylindrical one-way clutch via the shaft. The driving rotation member includes a boss projected toward the holder and rotatably held in the holder. A portion of the shaft to support the driving rotation member and an inner wall surface of a through hole of the driving rotation member are shaped to rotate the shaft and the driving rotation member. together.

Abstract: An image reading device, which may be incorporated in an image forming apparatus, includes an image reader, a color reference body, a biasing body, a reading gap forming device, and a driving device. The image reader reads an image of an original document. The color reference body has a white reference face to position facing the image reader within a predetermined range in a document width direction. The biasing body biases the color reference body to the image reader. The reading gap forming device forms a reading gap while receiving a biasing force from the biasing body on the outside of the predetermined range. The driving device has a force drive transmission body engaged with a center of the color reference body in the document width direction and drives the color reference body in the document width direction at the center via the force drive transmission body.

Abstract: An image-reading unit includes an original document conveyor that includes a first original document tray to hold an original document to be read, a first original document feeding port to feed the original document placed on the first original document tray, and an original document conveying path to convey the original document from the first original document feeding port to an original document discharging port. The original document conveyor further includes an openable second original document tray attached near an intermediate portion of the original document conveying path to hold an original document when opened, and a second original document feeding port to feed the original document on the second original document tray. The image-reading unit further includes an image reader to read an image of the original document being conveyed along the original document conveying path.

Abstract: An automatic document feeding device includes a document tray, an ejection tray, and a document takeout port. The document tray is rotatably attached to a rotation fulcrum provided in a body of the automatic document feeder, to load a document. The document tray includes a first positioner and a second positioner. The first positioner is disposed at a front side of the body in a direction perpendicular to a document feed direction. The second positioner is disposed at a depth side of the body in the direction perpendicular to the document feed direction. The first positioner is disposed upstream from the rotation fulcrum in the document feed direction and above the document takeout port in the body. An upper portion and side surfaces of the first positioner in the direction perpendicular to the document feed direction are surrounded by the document tray in a closed state of the document tray.

Abstract: A sheet conveying device includes a sheet container, a separation feeder, a plurality of conveyance drivers, a multifeed detector, a sheet detector, and a conveyance controller. The conveyance drivers are driven to convey a sheet to a conveyance completion position on a sheet conveyance path. The multifeed detector detects occurrence of a multifeed on the conveyance path. The sheet detector detects presence or absence of the sheet at a sheet detection point on the conveyance path. The conveyance controller controls the conveyance drivers to be continuously driven until a preceding sheet preceding multifed sheets is conveyed to the conveyance completion position after the multifeed detector detects the occurrence of the multifeed. The conveyance controller controls the conveyance drivers to stop in a period in which at least one of the multifed sheets is present at the sheet detection point after the preceding sheet is conveyed to the conveyance completion position.

Abstract: An automatic document feeding device includes a conveyance unit, an image reading unit, a color reference member, a moving assembly, and a drive source. The drive source includes a rotation output shaft to drive the conveyance unit and the moving assembly. The drive source changes the rotation output shaft from a forward rotation direction to a reverse rotation direction to reversely rotate the rotation output shaft to a set reverse rotation angle set in advance, according to a condition of conveyance of the document. In a rotation transmission route from the rotation output shaft to the moving assembly, the movement regulator is disposed in a first reverse rotation drive region from when a rotation direction of the rotation output shaft is changed to the reverse rotation direction to when a rotation angle of the rotation output shaft after the change in the reverse rotation direction reaches the set reverse rotation angle.

Abstract: An automatic document feeder that is included in an image reader of an image forming apparatus includes a sheet conveying roller, a document feeder cover, a projection piece, a motor, a driving side gear, and a driving force transmission device including an idler gear, a driving force release gear, a slide body, a first elastic body to bias the idler gear and the driving force release gear to be separated, a second elastic body to bias the driving force release gear and the slide body to be separated, and a drive shaft. The driving force transmission device meshes the driving and driven side meshing portions together with a biasing force applied by the second elastic body when the document feeder cover is closed, and releases the driving and driven side meshing portions with a biasing force applied by the first elastic body when the document feeder cover is opened.

Abstract: An image reading device includes: a reading unit; a first detecting unit that detects a position of the reading unit in the sub-scanning direction; a second detecting unit that detects a position of the reading unit in the sub-scanning direction; and a calculating unit that calculates a skew quantity and a skew direction of the reading unit, based on a difference, introduced by the skew, between a travel distance by which the reading unit has travelled from a measurement reference position located on an upstream side of the first detecting unit and the second detecting unit in a moving direction to a point where the reading unit is detected by the first detecting unit, and a travel distance by which the reading unit has travelled from the measurement reference position to a point where the reading unit is detected by the second detecting unit.

Abstract: A document feeder, which may be incorporated in an image forming apparatus, includes a sheet conveying guide, at least one recess, a frame, and at least one protrusion. The sheet conveying guide is disposed facing an exposure glass on an apparatus body and guides an original document passing over the exposure glass when the document feeder is closed to the apparatus body. The recess is disposed on the apparatus body at both ends of the exposure glass in a lateral direction orthogonal to a document conveying direction. The frame is openably closable about one end side of the apparatus body in the lateral direction and vertically movably holds the sheet conveying guide. The protrusion is disposed on the frame facing the recess. The sheet conveying guide and the frame are secured to each other while the recess and the protrusion are engaged with each other in the closed state.

Abstract: An image reading device, which may be incorporated in an image forming apparatus, includes an image reader, a color reference body, a biasing body, a reading gap forming device, and a driving device. The image reader reads an image of an original document. The color reference body has a white reference face to position facing the image reader within a predetermined range in a document width direction. The biasing body biases the color reference body to the image reader. The reading gap forming device forms a reading gap while receiving a biasing force from the biasing body on the outside of the predetermined range. The driving device has a force drive transmission body engaged with a center of the color reference body in the document width direction and drives the color reference body in the document width direction at the center via the force drive transmission body.

Abstract: An image scanner includes a stationary original plate on which a stationary original is placed and a moving original plate, over which a moving original is conveyed, aligned with the stationary original plate in a sub-scanning direction and tilted relative to the stationary original plate by a given angle. A reader is movable in the sub-scanning direction between a stationary original reading span disposed opposite the stationary original via the stationary original plate to read an image on the stationary original and a moving original reading position disposed opposite the moving original via the moving original plate to read an image on the moving original. The reader pressingly contacts the stationary original plate and the moving original plate as the reader moves in the sub-scanning direction.

Abstract: An image-reading unit includes an original document conveyor that includes a first original document tray to hold an original document to be read, a first original document feeding port to feed the original document placed on the first original document tray, and an original document conveying path to convey the original document from the first original document feeding port to an original document discharging port. The original document conveyor further includes an openable second original document tray attached near an intermediate portion of the original document conveying path to hold an original document when opened, and a second original document feeding port to feed the original document on the second original document tray. The image-reading unit further includes an image reader to read an image of the original document being conveyed along the original document conveying path.

Abstract: An automatic document feeder that is included in an image reader of an image forming apparatus includes a sheet conveying roller, a document feeder cover, a projection piece, a motor, a driving side gear, and a driving force transmission device including an idler gear, a driving force release gear, a slide body, a first elastic body to bias the idler gear and the driving force release gear to be separated, a second elastic body to bias the driving force release gear and the slide body to be separated, and a drive shaft. The driving force transmission device meshes the driving and driven side meshing portions together with a biasing force applied by the second elastic body when the document feeder cover is closed, and releases the driving and driven side meshing portions with a biasing force applied by the first elastic body when the document feeder cover is opened.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a housing, an image forming device, an image reading device coupled with the housing via a first hinge and switchable between an overlapping state and a standing state, the image reading device configured to read an image on an original document, an automatic document feeder coupled with the image reading device via a second hinge and switchable between an overlapping state overlapping the image reading device and a standing state standing at the image reading device, the automatic document feeder configured to turn the original document and convey the original document to an image position, and an automatic coupling device to couple the automatic document feeder and the image reading device when the image reading device is opened while the automatic document feeder is overlapped on the image reading device.

Abstract: A light-emitting device for use in an image forming apparatus includes an apparatus body; a door disposed on and openably closable relative to the apparatus body; a lens mounted on the door; a light-emitting element that lights up the lens with light; and a bracket disposed on the apparatus body, configured to support the light-emitting element. The bracket is slidable in a direction in which the light-emitting element emits light. In a state in which the door is closed relative to the apparatus body, the bracket contacts at least one of a part of the door and a part of the lens, further movement of the bracket in the slidable direction is obstructed, and the light-emitting element and the lens are positioned adjacent to each other.

Abstract: An image scanner, which is incorporated in an image forming apparatus, includes a stationary-document reading section, a moving-document reading section disposed at an angle to the stationary-document reading section, a reader movable between the stationary-document reading section and the moving-document reading section, and a reading element movable to different angles while contacting the stationary-document reading section and the moving-document reading section to selectively read a document placed on the stationary-document reading section and a document moving over the moving-document reading section. The image scanner further includes any one of position detector, a combination of a moving device and at least one position sensor, and a combination of at least one pressing member, a framework, and an angle changer.

Abstract: An automatic document feeding device includes a document tray, an ejection tray, and a document takeout port. The document tray is rotatably attached to a rotation fulcrum provided in a body of the automatic document feeder, to load a document. The document tray includes a first positioner and a second positioner. The first positioner is disposed at a front side of the body in a direction perpendicular to a document feed direction. The second positioner is disposed at a depth side of the body in the direction perpendicular to the document feed direction. The first positioner is disposed upstream from the rotation fulcrum in the document feed direction and above the document takeout port in the body. An upper portion and side surfaces of the first positioner in the direction perpendicular to the document feed direction are surrounded by the document tray in a closed state of the document tray.

Abstract: An automatic document feeding device includes a conveyance unit, an image reading unit, a color reference member, a moving assembly, and a drive source. The conveyance unit conveys a document to an image reading position. The image reading unit reads an image of the document. The color reference member faces the image reading unit and includes a white reference face to correct shading. The moving assembly relatively moves the image reading unit and the color reference member. The movement regulator regulates a relative movement of the image reading unit and the color reference member by the moving assembly. The drive source includes a common rotation output shaft to drive the conveyance unit and the moving assembly. The drive source changes the rotation output shaft from a forward rotation direction to a reverse rotation direction to reversely rotate the rotation output shaft to a set reverse rotation angle set in advance, according to a condition of conveyance of the document by the conveyance unit.

Abstract: An image scanner, which is incorporated in an image forming apparatus, includes a stationary-document reading section, a moving-document reading section disposed at an angle to the stationary-document reading section, a reader movable between the stationary-document reading section and the moving-document reading section, and a reading element movable to different angles while contacting the stationary-document reading section and the moving-document reading section to selectively read a document placed on the stationary-document reading section and a document moving over the moving-document reading section. The image scanner further includes any one of position detector, a combination of a moving device and at least one position sensor, and a combination of at least one pressing member, a framework, and an angle changer.

Abstract: A sheet conveyance unit including a sheet tray on which a stack of sheets is placed, a sheet feed member to feed sheets from the stack of sheets, a separation/feed unit to separate a topmost sheet from the rest of sheets fed by the sheet feed member and feed the topmost sheet to a predetermined position, and a pre-separation unit disposed between the sheet tray and the separation/feed unit. The pre-separation unit includes a downward sloped portion to guide a leading edge of each sheet diagonally downward, and an upward sloped portion provided downstream from the downward sloped portion in a conveyance direction of the sheets to guide the leading edge of each sheet diagonally upward. Both ends of the upward sloped portion in a lateral direction are sloped upward more gently than the center of the upward sloped portion.