Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: an image bearing member, on which an electrostatic image is formed; a development unit which is provided with a developer bearing member for bearing and conveying a developer, so as to develop the electrostatic image; a storage place which can store therein the developer spattering from the development unit; a shielding member which is disposed in a region outside of a development region in the storage place; and a foreign material collecting member which is disposed in a region farther outside of the shielding member in the storage place.

Abstract: The representative configuration of an image reading unit according to the present invention and an image forming apparatus comprising the same is an image reading unit comprising a document feeding unit, a lamp and a mirror for reading out the image on a document, a flow reading platen provided between the document feeding unit, and the lamp and the mirror for guiding the document while sliding the same against the surface, and an aluminum sheet for grounding the flow reading platen, wherein the aluminum sheet is conductive with the flow reading platen on the document feeding direction upstream side with respect to the document reading position for reading the image in the substantially entire document width by the lamp and the mirror.

Abstract: Toner remaining on a photosensitive drum may be prevented from being given out after a toner image is transferred, by causing a seal member to abut on both a photosensitive portion of the photosensitive drum and a flange disposed on each of ends of the photosensitive portion and having less hardness than the photosensitive portion, further a flange being configured to be smaller in outer diameter than the photosensitive portion so that a contact pressure of the seal member on the flange may be reduced, and accordingly, in an image formation apparatus, this may allow flange galling to reduce without seal characteristic degradation.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: an image bearing member, on which an electrostatic image is formed; a development unit which is provided with a developer bearing member for bearing and conveying a developer, so as to develop the electrostatic image; a storage place which can store therein the developer spattering from the development unit; a shielding member which is disposed in a region outside of a development region in the storage place; and a foreign material collecting member which is disposed in a region farther outside of the shielding member in the storage place.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus is provided with an image bearing member bearing a toner image thereon, a toner image forming device for forming the toner image on the image bearing member, a transferring member for transferring the toner image borne on the image bearing member to a recording medium being moved, a cleaning member for electrostatically removing the toner adhering to the transferring member, and an electric field forming device for forming an electric field between the transferring member and the cleaning member, wherein when the greatest length of the image formable by the toner image forming device in a direction orthogonal to the direction of movement of the recording medium is defined as L1, and the length of the transferring member is defined as L2, and the length of an area in which the electric field is formed is defined as L3, the relation that L2>L3>L1 is satisfied.

Abstract: Toner remaining on a photosensitive drum may be prevented from being given out after a toner image is transferred, by causing a seal member to abut on both a photosensitive portion of the photosensitive drum and a flange disposed on each of ends of the photosensitive portion and having less hardness than the photosensitive portion, further a flange being configured to be smaller in outer diameter than the photosensitive portion so that a contact pressure of the seal member on the flange may be reduced, and accordingly, in an image formation apparatus, this may allow flange galling to reduce without seal characteristic degradation.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus provided with an image bearing member bearing a toner image thereon, a toner image forming device for forming the toner image on the image bearing member, a transferring member for transferring the toner image borne on the image bearing member to a recording medium being moved, a cleaning member for electrostatically removing the toner adhering to the transferring member, and an electric field forming device for forming an electric field between the transferring member and the cleaning member, wherein when the greatest length of the image formable by the toner image forming device in a direction orthogonal to the direction of movement of the recording medium is defined as L1, and the length of the transferring member is defined as L2, and the length of an area in which the electric field is formed is defined as L3, the relation that L2>L3>L1 is satisfied.

Abstract: This present invention provides an image reading apparatus aiming at improving its operability while saving the cost and an image forming apparatus provided with the same. Sponges for pressing a pressing plate against a platen glass are constituted of nine sponges. Then, restoration forces Fa to Fc generated when sponges on a front side of a document feeding apparatus far from a fulcrum shaft of a hinge unit are crushed are set smaller than restoration forces Fg to Fi generated when sponges on a deep side of the document feeding apparatus near the fulcrum shaft 45 of the hinge unit are crushed.

Abstract: The representative configuration of an image reading unit according to the present invention and an image forming apparatus comprising the same is an image reading unit comprising a document feeding unit, a lamp and a mirror for reading out the image on a document, a flow reading platen provided between the document feeding unit, and the lamp and the mirror for guiding the document while sliding the same against the surface, and an aluminum sheet for grounding the flow reading platen, wherein the aluminum sheet is conductive with the flow reading platen on the document feeding direction upstream side with respect to the document reading position for reading the image in the substantially entire document width by the lamp and the mirror.

Abstract: This present invention provides an image reading apparatus aiming at improving its operability while saving the cost and an image forming apparatus provided with the same. Sponges for pressing a pressing plate against a platen glass are constituted of nine sponges. Then, restoration forces Fa to Fc generated when sponges on a front side of a document feeding apparatus far from a fulcrum shaft of a hinge unit are crushed are set smaller than restoration forces Fg to Fi generated when sponges on a deep side of the document feeding apparatus near the fulcrum shaft 45 of the hinge unit are crushed.

Abstract: A stack sheet supplying apparatus has a sheet stacking unit, a supply roller for supplying a sheet by contacting with an uppermost sheet in a sheet stack resting on the sheet stacking unit, a lift/lower device for controlling lifting and lower of the supply roller, a drive for driving the lift/lower device, a detector for detecting the fact that the supply roller reaches a supply position after the supply roller is lowered, and a control for turning OFF the drive on the basis of a detected result of the detector.

Abstract: The present invention provides an automatic original supplying apparatus in which originals are stacked on an original tray as an original bundle and the originals in the original bundle are separated one by one from an uppermost one or from a lowermost one by a separation portion disposed at one side of the original tray. The apparatus comprises a guide passage for directing the original bundle to the separation portion, and a guide member provided at a tip end of the guide passage for upward and downward pivotal movement so that, when the originals are separated from the uppermost one, the guide member is rocked upwardly to protrude upwardly from the guide passage in an inclined fashion to thereby push a tip end of the original bundle to be directed to said separation portion, and, when the originals are separated from the lowermost one, the guide member is rocked downwardly to be retarded from the guide passage.