Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image forming unit having a developer accepting part accepting supplied developer and a developer supply unit having a developer supply part supplying the developer to the developer accepting part, wherein the developer accepting part is provided near one end in the longitudinal direction of the image forming unit, the developer supply unit is provided near one end in the longitudinal direction of the developer supply unit, and the image forming unit and the developer supply unit are arranged in a position where one end in the longitudinal direction of the developer supply unit is nearly orthogonal to the image forming unit near one end in the longitudinal direction of the image forming unit.

Abstract: A jointed assembly includes a first joining member having a face to be welded at at least an end face thereof and a second joining member having a joint receiving part to which the end face of the first joining member is joined. One of the first and second joining members includes on an outer face thereof an engaged part with which a receiving jig is engaged when the first and second joining members are welded to each other by a heat welding process. The other of the first and second joining members includes on an outer face thereof an abutting part against which a welding jig abuts. A welded part at which the first and second joining members are welded is interposed between the abutting part and the engaged part.

Abstract: There is provided an image forming device which has an opening/closing portion rotatably mounted to a device main body, and at which plural cartridges accommodated in the device main body can be exposed due to the opening/closing portion being rotated. In the image forming device, a portion of an outer peripheral surface of a belt, which is provided at the opening/closing portion, is positioned at a cartridge side of the opening/closing portion. An opposing member is provided at the opening/closing portion so as to oppose the portion of the outer peripheral surface of the belt. A guide portion, which guides the opposing member such that the opposing member can slide with respect to the device main body, is provided at the device main body.

Abstract: A position adjusting mechanism, straddling a holding section for rotatably holding rollers and an opposed holding section for holding an opposed member disposed opposite to the rollers, wherein mutual positions between the holding section and the opposed holding section are adjusted, whereby mutual positions between the rollers and the opposed member are adjusted, the position adjusting mechanism including: a revolution sustainment structure provided at an end on one side in the longitudinal direction of the rollers and rotatably sustaining the opposed holding section with respect to the holding section; and a slide sustainment structure sustained at another end on the other side in the longitudinal direction of the rollers at two or more positions and sustaining the opposed holding section with respect to the holding section in a slidable manner.

Abstract: An image forming device of the present invention has: a plurality of process cartridges which are provided in a device main body so as to be installable and removable in a lateral direction, and which are disposed in a vertical row; cartridge guides formed at the device main body, and guiding the plurality of process cartridges respectively to installed positions; handles provided at end portions of the plurality of process cartridges respectively, and grasped at times of installing and removing the plurality of process cartridges respectively; and concave portions provided at insert-in portions of the plurality of cartridge guides respectively, and forming spaces for grasping of the handles.

Abstract: An image forming device including: plural process cartridges which are provided in a device main body so as to be installable and removable in a lateral direction, and which are disposed in a vertical row; a belt body disposed so as to face the process cartridges, and able to withdraw from installation and removal routes of the process cartridges; an inner frame supporting both ends of an entraining roller around which the belt body is entrained; an outer frame provided at an outer side of the inner frame, and supporting the inner frame; and handles provided at end portions of the plural process cartridges respectively, the handles projecting-out from between the inner frame and the outer frame, and being grasped at times when the process cartridges are installed and removed.

Abstract: A developing device includes: a developing unit having a developer storage chamber for storing a developer composed of a toner and a carrier, in which a developer agitating carrying member and a developer holding member capable of holding and carrying the developer agitated and carried by the developer agitating carrying member are disposed in the developer storage chamber; and an auxiliary developing unit for supplementing development for the developing unit, wherein: the developer storage chamber of the developing unit and the auxiliary storage chamber of the auxiliary developing unit are disposed adjacently via a bulkhead; a dispenser chamber that can supply or withdraw a fixed amount of developer is formed in communication with the developer storage chamber and the auxiliary storage chamber inside the bulkhead; and a dispenser member for carrying a fixed amount of developer is disposed within the dispenser chamber.

Abstract: A process cartridge provided attachably and detachably to and from an image forming apparatus main body, and including an image carrier, a developing unit for visualizing an electrostatic latent image on the image carrier and a toner replenishing unit for replenishing at least a toner to the developing unit, includes: an image carrier cartridge unitized by including at least the image carrier and positioned and supported by the image forming apparatus main body; and a developing cartridge unitized by including at least the developing unit and urged to press to the image carrier cartridge in a state of being positioned relative to the image carrier cartridge, wherein: the toner replenishing unit is included in at least either of the image carrier cartridge and the developing cartridge; and at least a portion of the toner replenishing unit is supported by the image forming apparatus main body.

Abstract: A development device includes: a development unit which includes a developer housing room in which developer composed of toner and carrier is housed, sets a developer agitating and transporting member in the developer housing room, and sets a developer bearing member which can bear and transport the developer agitated and transported by the developer agitating and transporting member; and a toner supply unit which includes a toner supply room in which at least supply toner is housed, sets a toner transporting member in the toner supply room, and communicates the toner supply room with the developer housing room of the development unit through a toner supply port, wherein the toner supply port of the toner supply unit opens so that its lower end is located in the lower position than the surface position of the developer housed in the developer housing room.

Abstract: A cleaning unit includes: a cleaning housing which is open toward an image carrier and has a waste toner accommodating part; a cleaning member which scrapes and collects the waste toner on the image carrier; a waste toner storage part storing the waste toner temporarily; and a waste toner conveying member which conveys the waste toner scraped and collected by the cleaning member from the waste toner storage part toward the waste toner accommodating part, wherein: the waste toner conveying member moves in the advancing/retracting direction along the waste toner storage part; and when the waste toner conveying member moves in the retracting direction, the waste toner conveying member moves in contact with the waste toner, and when the waste toner conveying member moves in the advancing direction, the waste toner conveying member moves without contacting the waste toner.

Abstract: A print head device, which includes a plurality of image carrying bodies, a plurality of developing units, a plurality of charging units, and at least one intermediate transfer unit, is constructed as a unit assembly, and the unit assembly is inserted into and removed from image forming apparatus main body. The image forming apparatus contains a mechanism that the image carrying bodies are minutely movably supported by a frame of the unit assembly with a gap being located therebetween, and are positioned and fixed to a housing of the image forming apparatus main body.

Abstract: A housing 10 of a development apparatus is vertically divided into two segments; a lower housing 20 and an upper housing 30. The housings 20, 30 are fixedly joined together without use of fixing means such as screwing or welding means but by means of causing a plurality of engaging projection pieces 26 formed on a joining surface section 25 to engage with engage holes 36 formed on a joining surface section 35, and causing resiliently-deformable snap-fit engaging sections 27 to engage with engaged sections 37. Side brackets 40, 50 are fitted to respective sides of the thus-joined housings 20, 30, thereby reinforcing the joined state of the housings 20, 30. No damage arises at the time of assembly or disassembly of the housing, and the housing can be reused.

Abstract: A housing 10 of a development apparatus is vertically divided into two segments; a lower housing 20 and an upper housing 30. The housings 20, 30 are fixedly joined together without use of fixing means such as screwing or welding means but by means of causing a plurality of engaging projection pieces 26 formed on a joining surface section 25 to engage with engage holes 36 formed on a joining surface section 35, and causing resiliently-deformable snap-fit engaging sections 27 to engage with engaged sections 37. Side brackets 40, 50 are fitted to respective sides of the thus-joined housings 20, 30, thereby reinforcing the joined state of the housings 20, 30. No damage arises at the time of assembly or disassembly of the housing, and the housing can be reused.

Abstract: An print head device 02, which includes plurality of image carrying bodies, a plurality of developing units, a plurality of charging units, and at least one intermediate transfer unit, is constructed as a unit assembly, and the unit assembly is inserted into and removed from a image forming apparatus main body 01. The image forming apparatus contains a mechanism that the image carrying bodies are minutely movably supported by a frame of the unit assembly with a gap being located therebetween, and are positioned and fixed to a housing of the image forming apparatus main body.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus for developing an electrostatic latent image formed on an image carrier, which is rotatable around an central shaft thereof, with plural colors of toner comprises a developing unit assembly an outer peripheral portion of which retains a plurality of developing units each of which includes a developing roller being to be contacted with the image carrier to supply the associated color of the toner thereon, the developing unit assembly rotatable around a central shaft thereof, a first drive member for rotatively driving the developing roller positioned at a contact position of the developing roller and the image carrier, a second drive member for rotatively driving the developing unit assembly to subsequently position each of the developing roller at the contact position so a rotational direction of the developing unit assembly as to be opposed to a rotational direction of the developing unit assembly according to a reaction force derived from the driving of the first drive member.

Abstract: A rotating type developing apparatus, having a plurality of developing devices which convey developer, which at least includes toner and carrier, to a developing roll while accommodating and circulating the developer; and a rotating body which holds and rotates the plurality of developing devices, in a rotating type developing apparatus in which the plurality of developing devices successively oppose a photosensitive drum due to the rotation of the rotating body so as to form a multicolor image, the apparatus having developer supplying equipment which supplies the developer to the developing devices; and collecting equipment which collects excess developer within the developing devices due to the rotation of the rotating body.

Abstract: When an operator manually rotates flanges for holding roll paper, flange placement rollers rotate accordingly. Paper is supplied from the roll paper, and rotational force of one of the flange placement rollers is transmitted to a drive roller by a gear mechanism. Once the tip portion of the paper is held between the drive roller and an idler roller, the paper is semi-automatically fed to a set position by rotation of the drive roller. A torque limiter is provided in the gear mechanism to prevent an undesirably large load from being exerted on the paper.

Abstract: When an electromagnetic clutch 45 is turned on, a rotating force of a main motor 62 is transmitted to a shaft 42 of a drive roller 41a of transport rollers 41 through a double gear 49 and a high-speed gear 46. As a result, the drive roller 41a rotates so as to produce a transport speed higher than the circumferential speed of a photoreceptor drum 13, thereby looping a transfer material P. When the electromagnetic clutch 45 turned off, the rotating force of the main motor 62 is transmitted to the shaft 42 through the double gear 49 and a low-speed gear 47. Accordingly, the drive roller 41a rotates so as to produce a transport speed lower than the circumferential speed of the photoreceptor drum 13. As a result, the loop of the transfer material P gradually shrinks and finally disappears. The drive roller 41a is therefore separated from the main motor 62 by the action of a one-way clutch 48, to follow the rotation of the photoreceptor drum 13 while exerting tension on the transfer material P.