Abstract: An image forming apparatus is described that records with the developer a desired image on a recording medium, which is transported in a transporting direction through a gap between a control electrode and a counter electrode, by supplying a potential to the control electrode based on image data and selectively permitting the developer to pass through gates. The control electrode is a flat-shaped member interposed between the developer carrier and the counter electrode. It has a pair of support regions that are spaced apart from a central region, one supporting region on each side of said central region in the transporting direction. A first support member has a first flat surface and a first fixing member that holds one support region of the control electrode member fixedly on said first flat surface and (2) a second support member has a second flat surface and a second fixing member that holds the other support region of the control electrode member fixedly on said second flat surface.

Abstract: A feed roller is disposed opposite the bottom part of a placement tray on which a stack of sheet is placed, and a resilient pressing member made of sponge etc. is provided so that it will press the separator into surface contact with the peripheral surface of the feed roller. The separator is divided into two sections for individual functions, i.e., a separating portion which lies in a front surface contact area with the feed roller and performs a separating function of sheets, and a delivering portion which lies in a surface contact area immediately after the front surface contact area and performs a delivering function of the sheet. In order to achieve these functions, the coefficient of friction in the separating portion is set greater than that in the delivering portion and it is set lower than that of the feed roller.

Abstract: The present invention is intended to provide a cleaning sheet which is easy to handle and effective to clean a picker roller. A cleaning sheet coated with a cleaning adhesive is placed in a paper feeding cassette. A picker roller rotates thereby being cleaned with the cleaning sheet. The sheet has a certain stiffness so as not to disengage from a claw of the cassette when the picker roller rotates. The sheet is composed of a base sheet with a coat of cleaning adhesive and a releasable cover sheet. The base sheet and the releasable cover sheet are cut off by specified portions allowing for the multiple use of the sheet. A higher cleaning effect is obtained by using an adhesive containing abrasive grains as a cleaning adhesive applied onto the cleaning sheet.