Abstract: A joint method includes a groove formation step of removing part of a first projection and part of the second projection to form a groove region between the first projection and the second projection, a first welding step of joining a first member and a second member to each other by butt welding, and a second welding step of filling the groove region by buildup welding. The groove formation step forms a first inclined surface in the first projection facing the groove region to be gradually distant from a joint position joined with the second projection so as to be closer to an outer surface of the first projection, and forms a second inclined surface in the second projection facing the groove region to be gradually distant from the joint position joined with the first projection so as to be closer to an outer surface of the second projection.

Abstract: A paper feeder capable of reducing its installation space and manufacturing cost, wherein a paper feed table which can be lifted or lowered being held horizontal is provided with an opening section. In order to load paper sheets onto the paper feed table directly from above, the opening section is made openable at the upper part thereof when the paper feeder is in a paper feeding state during which paper sheets are picked up and fed to a photosensitive drum or other device. The paper feeder also has a pick-up member for picking up the paper sheets thus loaded onto the paper feed table one after another starting with the top sheet in order to feed them to the photosensitive drum or other device.

Abstract: A paper feeder capable of reducing its installation space and manufacturing cost, wherein a paper feed table which can be lifted or lowered being held horizontal is provided with an opening section. In order to load paper sheets onto the paper feed table directly from above, the opening section is made openable upwards when the paper feeder is in a paper feeding state during which paper sheets are picked up and fed to a photosensitive drum or similar device. The paper feeder also has a pick-up member for picking up the paper sheets thus loaded onto the paper feed table one after another starting with the top sheet in order to feed them to the photosensitive drum or similar device.

Abstract: A gear power transfer mechanism for driving a developing unit in an image forming apparatus wherein the developing unit is selectively located closely to and separated from a photoconductive drum unit in conjunction with opening and closing operations of a cover. This gear power transfer mechanism includes a first bevel gear provided on a rotation axis on a side of the photoconductive drum unit coupled with a drive motor, a second bevel gear always engaging with the first bevel gear, a third bevel gear provided on a rotating axis on a side of the developing unit, a fourth bevel gear always engaging with the third bevel gear and a rotation coupling device coupling the second bevel gear and fourth bevel gear.

Abstract: A skew of a print medium sheet generally occurs when the sheet is fed to an image-forming area in an image-forming apparatus, for example, an electronics image-forming printer, from a pile of such sheets. An apparatus according to the present invention is provided with a plurality of pairs of feed rollers between the pile and the image-forming area, and a skew of a sheet is corrected every time the sheet comes in contact with each pair of rollers which are not rotating for a predetermined time, so that even a large skew can be corrected by the time the sheet reaches the image-forming area.

Abstract: A gap produced between a sheet intruding guide and a surface of a drum is kept to a predetermined value with an allowable tolerance by positioning the sheet intruding guide together with an image transcription unit placed under the drum and constantly pushed toward the drum surface so that a space between the drum surface and the image transcription unit is kept constant. The sheet intruding guide can be lifted up and held away from the image transcription unit when the drum is removed upward, and released from the holding and set back to its regular position mechanically when the drum is lowered back to its regular position.