Abstract: A side wall surface of a carriage is disclosed with two first projection parts and a second projection part that define the inclination of a reflective optical sensor in its vertical direction. The two first projection parts are arranged at the same height position with a detection surface as a reference, and the second projection part is arranged at a position higher than the first projection parts with the detection surface as the reference. The second projection part has a first part higher in position from the side wall surface of the carriage than the first projection parts and has a second part lower in position than the first part. The second part has a screw hole into which a clamping member for fixing the reflective optical sensor to the second part is tightened.

Abstract: A rolled paper driving apparatus includes supporting rollers that support rolled paper in such a manner that an axis line of the rolled paper extends between the supporting rollers, the rolled paper having a core pipe in a shape of a pile; a driving roller that is pressed onto an inner circumferential surface of the core pipe of the rolled paper and gives force to rotate the rolled paper; a driving force transmission part that rotates the driving roller; and a pressing force adjustment part that adjusts a state of the driving roller being pressed onto the inner circumferential surface of the core pipe of the rolled paper. The driving roller is disposed in the inside of a triangle that has vertexes corresponding to the supporting rollers and a center of the rolled paper, respectively.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus including an image reading unit disposed in an upper portion of the image forming apparatus, an image forming unit disposed below the image reading unit to form an image on a sheet fed from a sheet roll, a pair of flange members attached to both lateral ends of the sheet roll in a width direction of the sheet roll, a sheet roll supporter disposed below the image reading unit in a rear portion of the image forming apparatus to support the sheet roll, an opening through which the sheet roll is set to the sheet roll supporter, and a guide assembly provided at upper and lower parts of the opening to position at least one of the pair of flange members attached to the sheet roll in the width direction to guide the sheet roll to the sheet roll supporter.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus including an image forming unit to form an image on a sheet, disposed in an upper portion of the image forming apparatus; at least upper and lower sheet roll supporters provided one above the other below the image forming unit to support a sheet roll, the lower sheet roll supporter offset proximally toward a front surface of the image forming apparatus from the upper sheet roll supporter; and multiple openings provided in the front surface of the image forming apparatus for the at least upper and lower sheet roll supporters through which the sheet roll is set to the at least upper and lower sheet roll supporters, an upper edge of the opening for the upper sheet roll supporter having a sloped portion tilting downward from the front surface to the back of the image forming apparatus.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus including an image reading unit to read an image of a document, disposed in an upper portion of the image forming apparatus; an image forming unit to form the image on a sheet, disposed below the image reading unit; at least upper and lower sheet roll supporters provided one above the other below the image forming unit to support a sheet roll, the lower sheet roll supporter offset proximally toward a front surface of the image forming apparatus from the upper sheet roll supporter; and multiple openings provided in the front surface of the image forming apparatus for the at least upper and lower sheet roll supporters through which the sheet roll is set to the at least upper and lower sheet roll supporters from a front surface side of the image forming apparatus.

Abstract: Disclosed is an image forming apparatus that includes an image forming unit that forms an image and a conveyance unit that conveys a medium to be recorded opposing the image forming unit. The conveyance unit includes a platen member that guides the medium to be recorded and has plural suction holes formed therein, plural air chambers that the plural suction holes formed in the platen member face, and plural suction units that suction air inside the plural air chambers through the suction holes. At least two or more of the plural air chambers are arranged in a direction crossing a conveyance direction of the medium to be recorded. One of the plural air chambers is connected to one of the plural suction units, and one or two or more of the plural air chambers is connected to at least one of the plural suction units.

Abstract: An image fixing device for use in an image forming apparatus. The fixing device includes a fixing member which fixes a toner image on a recording medium at a nip area, a pressurizing member which pressures the recording medium toward the fixing member at the nip area, a carbon lamp which emits infrared rays, and a reflecting member which reflects the infrared rays to the nip area.

Abstract: A disclosed image forming apparatus includes a carriage having a head for jetting droplets; a pattern forming unit configured to form, on a belt, a pattern used for detecting displacement of landing positions of the droplets; a reading unit configured to scan the belt before the pattern formation to output a first result, and scan the pattern to output a second result; a correcting unit configured to correct the displacement based on the second result; a frequency analyzing unit configured to calculate frequencies of the belt and amplitudes of respective frequency components based on the first result; and a peak frequency calculating unit configured to calculate peak frequencies of the belt based on the frequencies of the belt and the amplitudes of the frequency components, the peak frequencies being frequency components whose amplitude exceeds a predetermined level. The pattern is formed at a frequency different from the peak frequencies.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a carriage carrying a recording head configured to discharge a droplet. A landing position error detecting pattern is formed on a pattern forming member. Based on a result of reading the landing position error detecting pattern, a landing position error of the droplet discharged by the recording head is corrected. Either a first pattern or a second pattern is selected as the landing position error detecting pattern, depending on a surface condition of the pattern forming member. The first pattern produces a relatively small amount of specular reflection compared with diffused reflection, while the second pattern produces a relatively large amount of specular reflection compared with diffused reflection, upon irradiation with light.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a plurality of image carriers, a drive mechanism, a plurality of drive force transmission gears, a phase difference detector, and a shift unit. The plurality of image carriers forms images of separate colors. The drive mechanism including a single drive unit for driving the plurality of image carriers simultaneously. The plurality of drive force transmission gears, provided for each of the image carriers, transmits a driving force from the drive unit to the image carriers. The phase difference detector detects a phase difference in drive speed among the image carriers. The shift unit, provided for each of the plurality of drive force transmission gears, meshes or unmeshes the drive force transmission gear to the drive mechanism. The shift unit is activated to correct any phase difference in drive speed of the image carriers based on a detection result detected with the phase difference detector.

Abstract: A connector connects a rotatable body including an attachment hole and an engaging groove, and a shaft pressed into the attachment hole to integrally rotate. The connector includes at least one pin configured to fit in the engaging groove; and a screw having a head configured to be pressed against the rotatable body either directly or via another member. The at least one pin is fixed on the shaft and extends in a radial direction of the shaft to penetrate the shaft. The screw is screwed into a screw hole on an end face of the shaft and is tightened to press the at least one pin against a surface of the engaging groove.

Abstract: An inkjet-type image forming apparatus includes a recording head configured to eject ink to form an image; a carriage where the recording head is provided, the carriage being configured to reciprocate in a direction orthogonal to a sheet transport direction; a transport unit disposed upstream of a print area in the sheet transport direction, the transport unit being configured to intermittently transport a sheet to the print area; a transport control unit configured to control the transport unit; a platen guide plate; a suction unit configured to suction the sheet onto the platen guide plate; and a control unit.

Abstract: A disclosed image forming apparatus includes a carriage on which a recording head is mounted that has a nozzle array where plural nozzles for ejecting droplets are arranged, the carriage being configured to be moved in a direction orthogonal to a nozzle arrangement direction; a transport belt facing the recording head and configured to transport a sheet; a print pattern forming unit configured to form a print pattern on the transport belt by causing at least the nozzles at opposing ends of the nozzle array to eject the droplets onto the transport belt while stopping the carriage; a reading unit configured to read the print pattern; a measuring unit configured to measure print positions of plural points of the print pattern in a direction orthogonal to the nozzle arrangement direction; and a detecting unit configured to detect an inclination of the recording head.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a carriage carrying a recording head configured to discharge a droplet. A landing position error detecting pattern is formed on a pattern forming member. Based on a result of reading the landing position error detecting pattern, a landing position error of the droplet discharged by the recording head is corrected. Either a first pattern or a second pattern is selected as the landing position error detecting pattern, depending on a surface condition of the pattern forming member. The first pattern produces a relatively small amount of specular reflection compared with diffused reflection, while the second pattern produces a relatively large amount of specular reflection compared with diffused reflection, upon irradiation with light.

Abstract: A disclosed image forming apparatus includes a carriage having a head for jetting droplets; a pattern forming unit configured to form, on a belt, a pattern used for detecting displacement of landing positions of the droplets; a reading unit configured to scan the belt before the pattern formation to output a first result, and scan the pattern to output a second result; a correcting unit configured to correct the displacement based on the second result; a frequency analyzing unit configured to calculate frequencies of the belt and amplitudes of respective frequency components based on the first result; and a peak frequency calculating unit configured to calculate peak frequencies of the belt based on the frequencies of the belt and the amplitudes of the frequency components, the peak frequencies being frequency components whose amplitude exceeds a predetermined level. The pattern is formed at a frequency different from the peak frequencies.

Abstract: A side wall surface of a carriage is disclosed with two first projection parts and a second projection part that define the inclination of a reflective optical sensor in its vertical direction. The two first projection parts are arranged at the same height position with a detection surface as a reference, and the second projection part is arranged at a position higher than the first projection parts with the detection surface as the reference. The second projection part has a first part higher in position from the side wall surface of the carriage than the first projection parts and has a second part lower in position than the first part. The second part has a screw hole into which a clamping member for fixing the reflective optical sensor to the second part is tightened.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a carriage, a plurality of sub-tanks, a main tank, and a plurality of supply tubes. The carriage includes a plurality of recording heads that jet liquid droplets of a plurality of colored ink. The plurality of sub-tanks supply the plurality of recording heads with the corresponding colored ink. The main tank supplies the corresponding colored ink to each of the sub-tanks. The plurality of supply tubes connect the main tank and the sub-tanks. The plurality of supply tubes are fused in a band-shape at a position between the main tank and the carriage, and a maximum of two of the supply tubes are fused together at a position corresponding to a groove of a tube fixing unit provided to the carriage.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a carriage, a drive mechanism, a flexible harness, and a support member. The carriage includes a recording head to jet liquid droplets. The drive mechanism, which moves the carriage in a main scanning direction, includes a belt extending in the main scanning direction. The flexible harness, connecting the recording head and another unit, transmits signals between the recording head and another unit. The support member supports the flexible harness in an upright position over the belt. The flexible harness is routed at least partially in the main scanning direction of the carriage. The support member includes a regulation member at an exit portion of the support member to set a vertical height of the support member at the regulation member smaller than a width of the flexible harness.

Abstract: An image fixing device for use in an image forming apparatus. The fixing device includes a fixing member which fixes a toner image on a recording medium at a nip area, a pressurizing member which pressures the recording medium toward the fixing member at the nip area, a carbon lamp which emits infrared rays, and a reflecting member which reflects the infrared rays to the nip area.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a plurality of image carriers, a drive mechanism, a plurality of drive force transmission gears, a phase difference detector, and a shift unit. The plurality of image carriers forms images of separate colors. The drive mechanism including a single drive unit for driving the plurality of image carriers simultaneously. The plurality of drive force transmission gears, provided for each of the image carriers, transmits a driving force from the drive unit to the image carriers. The phase difference detector detects a phase difference in drive speed among the image carriers. The shift unit, provided for each of the plurality of drive force transmission gears, meshes or unmeshes the drive force transmission gear to the drive mechanism. The shift unit is activated to correct any phase difference in drive speed of the image carriers based on a detection result detected with the phase difference detector.