Abstract: A cleaning device cleans a toner forming surface of a rotating image bearing member. The cleaning device includes: a cleaning member for cleaning the image forming surface, the cleaning member having a first length in a width direction which is perpendicular to a rotational direction of the image bearing member, and being capable of coming in contact with and separating from the image forming surface; and a solid lubricating member which comes in contact with the cleaning member to give a lubricity to the image forming surface through the cleaning member, the solid lubricating member having a second length in the width direction which is shorter than the first length.

Abstract: A cleaning device for cleaning an image forming surface of a rotating image bearing member that bears a toner image includes a cleaning member that faces and cleans the image forming surface. An operating mechanism allows the cleaning member to come in press-contact with and separate from the image forming surface. A controller controls the operating mechanism. The image bearing member rotates so that in a state where a toner image is on the image forming surface, the toner image passes through a facing position at which the cleaning member faces the image forming surface, and the controller controls the operating mechanism so that the cleaning member comes in press-contact with the image forming surface during an interval period between passing of the toner image through the facing position and arriving of the toner image at the facing position again.

Abstract: A developing device includes a toner container, a developer carrier, end-portion sealing parts, and a regulating member. The toner container is disposed to be adjacent to the image carrier, and has an opening. The developer carrier is rotatably supported by the toner container so that a part of the developer carrier is exposed to the outside from the opening, and provides the image carrier with toner. The end-portion sealing parts are disposed in the axial end portions of the opening, and prevent toner leaking from the toner container. The regulating member regulates the amount of toner on the developer carrier while the tip side contacts the surface of the developer carrier, and tip edges of axial end portions of the regulating member contact the surface of the developer carrier while the axial end portions are pressed to the surface of the developer carrier by the end-portion sealing parts.

Abstract: A cleaning device cleans a toner forming surface of a rotating image bearing member. The cleaning device includes: a cleaning member for cleaning the image forming surface, the cleaning member having a first length in a width direction which is perpendicular to a rotational direction of the image bearing member, and being capable of coming in contact with and separating from the image forming surface; and a solid lubricating member which comes in contact with the cleaning member to give a lubricity to the image forming surface through the cleaning member, the solid lubricating member having a second length in the width direction which is shorter than the first length.

Abstract: A cleaning device for cleaning an image forming surface of a rotating image bearing member that bears a toner image includes a cleaning member that faces and cleans the image forming surface. An operating mechanism allows the cleaning member to come in press-contact with and separate from the image forming surface. A controller controls the operating mechanism. The image bearing member rotates so that in a state where a toner image is on the image forming surface, the toner image passes through a facing position at which the cleaning member faces the image forming surface, and the controller controls the operating mechanism so that the cleaning member comes in press-contact with the image forming surface during an interval period between passing of the toner image through the facing position and arriving of the toner image at the facing position again.

Abstract: An image forming device is disclosed which is provided with a simple lock mechanism for locking the position of the developing units on a rotary frame during toner supply. In the lock mechanism, a solenoid is turned off and a rod is moved downward by a spring so that a second member is rotated counterclockwise and a claw at the end thereof is engaged with a protruding portion of a first member. In this state, a rotary frame driving gear is prohibited from rotating, i.e., the rotary frame is locked. Thus, it is unnecessary to prepare a conventional two-way lock mechanism, and displacement of the rotary frame during toner supply is restrained with a simple structure.

Abstract: A toner supply device is disclosed that supplies toner contained in a toner container to a developing device in an image forming device. The toner supply device includes a conveyance pipe for conveying the toner from the toner container to the developing device downward, and at least one supply pipe for supplying the toner from the conveyance pipe to the developing device downward. The conveyance pipe is connected to the toner container for conveying the toner from the toner container to the developing device. The supply pipe has an upper portion connected to the conveyance pipe and a lower end capable of advancing into the developing device. In addition, a conveyance member is rotatably located in the supply pipe for conveying the toner downward. The supply pipe is located such that a center axis of the supply pipe is slanted relative to the horizontal line at a repose angle of the toner or more.

Abstract: An image forming device is disclosed which is provided with a simple lock mechanism for locking the position of the developing units on a rotary frame during toner supply. In the lock mechanism, a solenoid is turned off and a rod is moved downward by a spring so that a second member is rotated counterclockwise and a claw at the end thereof is engaged with a protruding portion of a first member. In this state, a rotary frame driving gear is prohibited from rotating, i.e., the rotary frame is locked. Thus, it is unnecessary to prepare a conventional two-way lock mechanism, and displacement of the rotary frame during toner supply is restrained with a simple structure.

Abstract: A toner supply device is disclosed that supplies toner contained in a toner container to a developing device in an image forming device. The toner supply device includes a conveyance pipe for conveying the toner from the toner container to the developing device downward, and at least one supply pipe for supplying the toner from the conveyance pipe to the developing device downward. The conveyance pipe is connected to the toner container for conveying the toner from the toner container to the developing device. The supply pipe has an upper portion connected to the conveyance pipe and a lower end capable of advancing into the developing device. In addition, a conveyance member is rotatably located in the supply pipe for conveying the toner downward. The supply pipe is located such that a center axis of the supply pipe is slanted relative to the horizontal line at a repose angle of the toner or more.

Abstract: In an image forming apparatus which uses a hollow space between an image reading section provided in an upper part of the apparatus and an image forming section provided in a lower part of the apparatus as a paper output space, the hollow space is used also as a space for temporarily holding a sheet of paper during a switchback operation. This arrangement helps prevent physical contact between the paper and the body of an operator or other objects and makes it easier to deal with a paper jam which is likely to occur during the switchback operation.

Abstract: A fixing unit has a heating roller for fusing a toner image on a copy sheet thereon, a pressing roller which is rendered in pressing contact with the heating roller while the copy sheet is transported through a clearance defined by the heating roller and the pressing roller, and a control lever which is operative to selectively move the pressing roller toward and away from the heating roller so as to set the fixing unit between a pressing-contact state where the pressing roller is pressed against the heating roller and a released state where the pressing roller is set away from the heating roller. A warning display member bearing information relating to manipulation of the control lever is detachably attached to the control lever in such a manner as to be removable from the control lever by pulling the warning display member generally in the same direction as manipulating the control lever to set the fixing unit to the pressing-contact state.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus is able to maintain an image density at a constant level. The apparatus has a FC mode selecting key for allowing a user to selectively designate a low FC mode indicating that the apparatus is in a less-used state where the number of times of image formation is smaller than a predetermined value and a high FC mode indicating that the apparatus is in a highly-used state where the number of times of image formation is not smaller than the predetermined value, and a CPU for correctively setting a target value of toner density at a value higher than a target value of toner density at the low FC mode when the apparatus is in the high FC mode.

Abstract: A fixing unit has a heating roller for fusing a toner image on a copy sheet thereon, a pressing roller which is rendered in pressing contact with the heating roller while the copy sheet is transported through a clearance defined by the heating roller and the pressing roller, and a control lever which is operative to selectively move the pressing roller toward and away from the heating roller so as to set the fixing unit between a pressing-contact state where the pressing roller is pressed against the heating roller and a released state where the pressing roller is set away from the heating roller. An warning display member bearing information relating to manipulation of the control lever is detachably attached to the control lever in such a manner as to be removable from the control lever by pulling the warning display member generally in the same direction as manipulating the control lever to set the fixing unit to the pressing-contact state.

Abstract: Disclosed is an image forming apparatus that enables to maintain an image density at a constant level. The apparatus has a FC mode selecting key for allowing a user to selectively designate a low FC mode indicating that the apparatus is in a less-used state where the number of times of image formation is smaller than a predetermined value and a high FC mode indicating that the apparatus is in a highly-used state where the number of times of image formation is not smaller than the predetermined value, and a CPU for correctively setting a target value of toner density at a value higher than a target value of toner density at the low FC mode when the apparatus is in the high FC mode.

Abstract: Image forming apparatus including a paper return device for feeding a sheet of paper ejected from a paper output port opening in a main body of the apparatus to its outside back to a paper feeding port also opening in the main body to its outside. For double-sided copying operation, the sheet of paper ejected from the paper output port carrying an image on one side only is returned to the paper feeding port and fed again to an image former from the paper feeding port so that it is not necessary to provide a dedicated paper path for re-feeding the paper. The apparatus includes a paper sensor which senses the paper inserted into the paper feeding port and outputs a paper sensing signal, a discriminator for judging whether the paper return device is in an operating condition, and a paper feed controller which controls a driver for driving a paper feeder such that the paper feeder initiates a paper feed operation when the paper sensing signal is output while the paper return device is in its operating condition.

Abstract: A transfer roller is spaced away from the outer surface of a photosensitive drum by a specified distance to prevent the abrasion and damage of the photosensitive drum by the contact of the transfer roller and the photosensitive drum. The transfer roller not in contact with the photosensitive drum can be formed to have a sufficient hardness without damaging the outer surface of the photosensitive drum. Further, since the transfer roller has a sufficient hardness, cleaning blades can be held in without damaging the transfer roller with a sufficiently large force without damaging the transfer roller, thereby securely scraping off toner and the line adhered to the transfer roller and preventing the rear surface of a transfer sheet from being smeared.

Abstract: A paper return device detachably fitted to an image forming apparatus having a paper feeding port for feeding paper from outside the image forming apparatus, a paper transport mechanism for transporting the paper from the paper feeding port to an image forming unit and a paper output port from which the paper carrying an image formed by the image forming unit is ejected to the outside of the image forming apparatus. The paper return device includes a paper return guideway which connects the paper output port of the image forming apparatus to its paper feeding port when the paper return device is fitted to the image forming apparatus, whereby the paper ejected from the paper output port is fed back to the paper feeding port through the paper return guideway.

Abstract: This invention relates to an image forming apparatus in which a cleaning device is arranged above a photosensitive drum close thereto. The image forming apparatus has an image processing unit provided with the photosensitive drum. The photosensitive drum is constructed such that a gear portion formed in a flange member at one axial end of the photosensitive drum has a diameter not greater than an outer diameter of the photosensitive drum. The image processing unit is constructed such that a driving force from the image forming apparatus is transmitted to the photosensitive drum via the gear portion formed in the one flange member to rotate the photosensitive drum and is transmitted to at least one of image processor means via a gear portion formed in a flange member at the opposite axial end of the photosensitive drum. With this arrangement, a poor image formation due to a blocking phenomenon resulting from long stay of toner residues can be prevented and downsizing of the image forming apparatus is realized.

Abstract: The present invention provides an image forming apparatus in which paper sheets are not forgotten in a paper discharging section so provided in the main body of the apparatus so as to open toward the front. An operation panel is arranged in an upper part on the front side of the main body of the image forming apparatus 16, and a side space 16 is provided on the right of the operation panel. An operator can visually confirm paper sheets discharged into a paper discharging section from above through the side space. The paper discharging section is in the main body of the image forming apparatus, whereby economy of space can be achieved.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus has an optical system, an image forming section and a paper conveying section provided in its main body. The main body includes a first portion containing the optical system and a second portion containing the image forming section and the paper conveying section below the first portion. A paper discharging section opening toward the front is provided between the first portion and the second portion. The first portion is shifted by a predetermined amount backward with the position where it is lined up to a second portion as a basis. It is easy to visually confirm whether or not there is a paper sheet in the paper discharging section below the first portion.