Abstract: The present invention provides an image forming apparatus which has an image bearing member for bearing an image, a transferring member for forming a transfer nip portion between the image bearing member and the transferring member, wherein a recording material is pinched and conveyed and an image on the image bearing member is transferred onto the recording material in the transfer nip portion, a rotary member contacted with the image on the recording material, and a driving roller for forming a fixing nip portion between the rotary member and the driving roller and for driving the rotary member, wherein the recording material bearing the image is pinched and conveyed and the image is fixed to the recording material in the fixing nip portion, and wherein regarding at least a recording material having a maximum size, while the image is being transferred in the transfer nip portion, the image is fixed in the fixing nip portion, and wherein a peripheral speed of the driving roller is always greater than a conve

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a heater for heating an image which is not deformed easily even when a metal substrate is used as well as a manufacturing method of the heater and an image heating apparatus.

Abstract: A frame structure usable in an image forming apparatus for forming an image on a recording material using a laser source, the apparatus includes a first wall; a second wall opposed to the first wall; first and second connecting members bridging between the first wall and the second wall; a scanner supporting member for supporting an optical device between the first connecting member and the second connecting member; a motor supporting member for supporting a motor between the scanner supporting member and the first wall; wherein the walls, connecting members, scanner supporting member and motor supporting member are integrally molded.

Abstract: The present invention provides a drive controlling apparatus used in a sheet supplying apparatus including a lift/lower sheet supporting device for supporting a sheet, a sheet supply mechanism for feeding out the sheet supported by the sheet supporting device, a biasing mechanism for biasing the sheet supporting device toward the sheet supply mechanism, and a separating mechanism for separating the sheet supporting device from the sheet supply mechanism in opposition to a biasing force of the biasing mechanism, and wherein the sheet urged against the sheet supply mechanism by the biasing mechanism is fed out by the sheet supply mechanism, said drive controlling apparatus adapted to transmit a driving force for operating the separating mechanism from a drive source and comprising a drive side device connected to the drive source, a driven side device connected to the separating mechanism, and a play setting device for providing a play for not transmitting the driving force within a predetermined range between

Abstract: An image forming apparatus for forming an image on a recording material includes an image bearing member; and optical mechanism for projecting light corresponding to image information onto the image bearing member; a developer for developing a latent image formed on the image bearing member into a toner image; a transfer mechanism for transferring the toner image onto a recording material; a fixer for fixing the toner image transferred onto the recording material; a first support for supporting the recording material to be fed to the transfer mechanism; and a second support for supporting the recording material which has been subjected to a fixing operation of the fixer. Air ducts are provided along the back side supporting surfaces of the first support and the second support which overlap in a horizontal direction with the optical mechanism therebetween. A sheet feeding position, an image transfer position, and an image fixing position take lower positions in the order named.

Abstract: A gear unit usable with an image forming apparatus for forming an image on a recording material, the image forming apparatus including an image bearing member, an image fixing unit for fixing on a recording material a toner image formed on the image bearing member and transferred to the recording material from the image bearing member, and a feeder for feeding the recording material, the gear unit includes an image bearing member driving gear for transmitting a driving force to the image bearing member; fixing device driving gear for transmitting a driving force to the fixing unit; a feed drive gear for transmitting a driving force to the feeder: a supporting member for supporting the image bearing member driving gear, the image fixing device driving gear and the feed driving gear.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus for performing a recording operation with respect to a recording medium, includes an image forming device for forming an image on a recording medium, a recording medium receiver for receiving the recording medium on which the image is formed, and a laser beam emitter, arranged below the recording medium receiver, for emitting a laser beam in accordance with image information so as to cause the image forming device to form an image. The laser beam emitter is arranged below the recording medium receiver to emit a laser beam obliquely upward.

Abstract: A sheet conveying apparatus for use in an image forming apparatus such as a copying machine has a sheet conveyance path defining member that defines a curved path along which a sheet is conveyed, a conveyor roller for conveying the sheet along the curved path, a reference position regulating member that engages with a reference side edge of the sheet so as to regulate the sheet position in the breadthwise direction of the sheet during conveyance of the sheet along the curved path, and a guide member for restricting the position of the reference side edge of the sheet in the direction of thickness of the sheet pressed onto the position regulating member. The conveyor roller cooperates with a skewed roller which produces a skewing urging force to bring the reference side edge of the sheet into pressure contact with the reference position regulating member.

Abstract: An assembling method of an image forming apparatus for forming an image on a recording material includes preparing a frame, a feeding unit having a feeding roller, electrical component unit having electrical components and an outer cover; mounting the feeding unit and the electrical component unit to the frame from a position of the frame which takes a bottom position upon installation of the image forming apparatus; and then overturning of the frame; mounting the outer cover to the frame from a position which takes a top position upon installation of the frame.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus for forming an image on a recording material, to which a process cartridge is detachably mountable, the image forming apparatus including a mounting device for mounting a process cartridge having an image bearing member comprising a helical gear, and a process device actable on the image bearing member; a feeder for feeding the recording material; and projection device for projecting image information light onto the image bearing member in a direction from a projection reference disposed at one side of an axis of the image bearing member to the other side; a positioning reference for positioning the image bearing member in its axial direction; feed guide reference for guiding the recording material fed by the feeder; and wherein the positioning reference, the feed guide reference and the projection reference are disposed in a same side of a main assembly of the image forming apparatus.

Abstract: The present invention provides a sheet feed device having a sheet supporting device for supporting a sheet, a regulating member for regulating both one lateral edge and a rear edge of the sheet, and a positioning device for positioning the regulating member in a position depending upon the size of the sheet supported by the sheet supporting device.