Abstract: The sheet thickness detector includes a fixed member, a displacement roller disposed opposite the fixed member and movable in such a linear direction as to be contacted with or separated from the fixed member when the sheet passes through a nip therebetween, bearings rotatably supporting a shaft of the displacement roller, a displacement member movable in the linear direction in conjunction with the displacement roller and integrated with at least one of the bearings, and a displacement sensor operatively connected to the displacement member and detecting displacement of the displacement member. The thickness of the sheet passing through the nip is determined based on the amount of displacement of the displacement member.

Abstract: A conveyer includes a first rotating body; a second rotating body pair; and an intermediate rotating body arranged between the first rotating body and the second rotating body pair. A curl of the recording medium is corrected by winding and bending the recording medium around and with the intermediate rotating body at a bent angle formed by a tangent line shared by the intermediate rotating body and the first rotating body, and a line on which such a tangent line of the intermediate rotating body is connected to a nip point of the second rotating body pair. The intermediate rotating body includes an escape mechanism that is capable of causing the intermediate rotating body to escape in a direction to increase the bent angle depending on the width of the recording medium.

Abstract: In a recording medium conveyer, a driver drives a feeding member and a conveying member provided downstream from the feeding member in a recording medium conveyance direction independently. A controller stops driving the feeding member when a first time period elapses after a recording medium reaches the conveying member. When a selector judges that the thickness of the recording medium identifies the recording medium as thin paper, the controller does not drive the feeding member after the controller starts driving the conveying member, and when the selector judges that the recording medium has a thickness greater than a thickness of the recording medium that identifies the recording medium as thin paper, the controller restarts driving the feeding member no later than when the controller starts driving the conveying member.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus is disclosed. The image forming apparatus includes an apparatus main body, a first unit to be attached inside the apparatus main body, a rotatable part attached to the apparatus main body and rotatable between an open position for opening the apparatus main body and a closed position for closing the apparatus main body, and a second unit removably attached to the rotatable part. When the rotatable part is rotated from the closed position to the open position, the first unit is allowed to be attached to or removed from the apparatus main body by being moved horizontally. By removing the second unit from the rotatable part, the first unit is attached to or removed from the apparatus main body without coming into contact with the second unit.

Abstract: A reciprocating-motion converting mechanism includes a cam that rotates around a rotation center; a reciprocating member that is reciprocated due to rotation of the cam; and a pressing unit that presses the reciprocating member to the cam. A first load torque is generated by a load applied at a point of contact of the cam and the reciprocating motion member. A load applying unit applies a load to the cam to generate a second load torque having a phase substantially opposite to a phase of the first load torque.

Abstract: A sheet transport mechanism that can be incorporated in an image forming apparatus includes a first sheet transport member, a second sheet transport member disposed downstream from the first sheet transport member in a sheet transport direction, a sheet transport path defined by and curved between the first and second sheet transport members and including a downstream section recessed from an upstream section in the sheet transport direction, and a contact member disposed at the downstream section and including a first contact portion to which the leading edge of a sheet contacts to move the contact member in a direction to recess from the sheet transport path and a second contact portion connected to the first contact portion to advance toward the sheet transport path at a position upstream from the first contact portion in the sheet transport direction to contact the surface of the sheet.

Abstract: An adjusting member is positioned in a sheet feeding opening. The adjusting member is adjusted according to the size of the paper sheet. The adjusting member does not jut out of an exterior surface of an apparatus body.

Abstract: A sheet feeding device includes a sheet feed cassette, a bottom plate and an end wall mechanism. When the number of recording media sheets decreases, the bottom plate hinged at a trailing edge thereof rises about the hinged end to keep the top sheet of the recording media sheets in contact with a sheet feed roller. The end wall mechanism includes a first urging member, a first pressing member, a support member, and a second pressing member, and aligns and presses the trailing edge of the recording medium. The first pressing member urged by the first urging member and supported by the support member presses the trailing edge of the recording medium. The second pressing member urged by the second urging member moves down due to the weight of the recording medium on the second pressing member and moves up when the number of the recording media sheets decreases.

Abstract: An adjusting member is positioned in a sheet feeding opening. The adjusting member is adjusted according to the size of the paper sheet. The adjusting member does not jut out of an exterior surface of an apparatus body.

Abstract: A sliding mechanism includes a sheet position limiting member having a sheet position limiting surface, the sheet position limiting member being configured to slide in a direction perpendicular to the plane of the sheet position limiting surface; and a guide member configured to guide the sliding of the sheet position limiting member.

Abstract: A sheet conveying apparatus includes a sheet containing unit that contains sheets; a sheet conveying unit that conveys the sheets; a separating unit that separates a single sheet from the sheets; a holding unit that holds the separating unit; and a vibration applying unit that applies a vibration to any one of the sheets conveyed by the sheet conveying unit and the separating unit before starting conveyance of the sheets.

Abstract: In a recording medium conveyer, a driver drives a feeding member and a conveying member provided downstream from the feeding member in a recording medium conveyance direction independently. A controller stops driving the feeding member when a first time period elapses after a recording medium reaches the conveying member. When a selector judges that the thickness of the recording medium identifies the recording medium as thin paper, the controller does not drive the feeding member after the controller starts driving the conveying member, and when the selector judges that the recording medium has a thickness greater than a thickness of the recording medium that identifies the recording medium as thin paper, the controller restarts driving the feeding member no later than when the controller starts driving the conveying member.

Abstract: A sheet feeding device includes a first roller that draws a recording medium at a first position and feeds the recording medium; a friction pad that comes into contact with the first roller with a predetermined contact pressure at a second position that is close to and downstream of the first position in a conveying direction of the recording medium and nips the recording medium with the first roller to convey the recording medium in the conveying direction; and a second roller that comes into contact with the first roller at a third position that is close to and downstream of the second position in the conveying direction and nips the recording medium with the first roller.

Abstract: A base plate is selectively attached to a lower surface of a main body of an image forming apparatus or to an optional sheet feeder attachable to the main body.

Abstract: A sheet discharge device discharges a sheet to a sheet discharge tray. The sheet discharge device includes a rotary shaft, two inside drive rollers, two outside drive rollers, two inside driven rollers, two outside driven rollers, two end retainers, and two inside retainers. The drive rollers are rotatably attached to the rotary shaft. Each of the driven rollers opposes a corresponding one of the drive rollers to be driven by the drive roller. The end retainers and the inside retainers rotatably extend from the rotary shaft across a common tangent of the driven rollers and the drive rollers. The end retainers are longer than the inside rollers and constructed so as to rest on the stacked sheets.

Abstract: A sheet conveying apparatus includes a sheet containing unit that contains sheets; a sheet conveying unit that conveys the sheets; a separating unit that separates a single sheet from the sheets; a holding unit that holds the separating unit; and a vibration applying unit that applies a vibration to any one of the sheets conveyed by the sheet conveying unit and the separating unit before starting conveyance of the sheets.

Abstract: A sheet feeding device includes a sheet feeding member, a friction separation member, a retaining member, a downstream guiding member, and a biasing member. The downstream guiding member is arranged downstream of a sheet conveyance direction than the friction separation member such that its guide surface is inclined at a predetermined angle to a front surface of the friction separation member towards the sheet feeding member. A line joining an apex of a sheet guiding member arranged upstream of the sheet conveyance direction than the friction separation member and an apex of the downstream guiding unit is positioned towards the sheet feeding member than a contact portion of the sheet feeding member and the friction separation member.

Abstract: An image forming device is disclosed. The device includes a toner-image forming unit which forms a toner image; a transfer unit; a fixing unit; a paper-output unit; a drive unit; a first drive-power transmission gear; a second drive-power transmission gear; a gear housing; a first positioning unit which positions the fixing unit relative to a device body; and a second positioning unit. The second positioning unit positions the paper-output unit relative to the device body in the direction of a gap between the first drive-power transmission gear and the second drive-power transmission gear by engaging the gear housing with the device body.

Abstract: In a color printer in which a drive force of a fixed gear that rotates not in both a forward direction and a reverse direction but in either one direction only is transmitted to a discharging unit, a swing gear is attached to a branch guide via a switching link and a transmission link as a link mechanism. When a solenoid mechanism starts driving, the transmission link rotates. In accordance with the rotation of the transmission link, the switching link rotates, so that a switching among a discharge conveying path, a duplex-printing conveying path, and a switchback conveying path by the branch guide and a switching of a rotating direction of a transmission gear can be simultaneously performed.

Abstract: A sheet cassette loads and houses therein a plurality of sheets. A separating unit separates the sheets loaded in the sheet cassette one by one. The separating unit is arranged in the sheet cassette in opposite to a feeding roller that conveys the sheets from the sheet cassette. A rib is formed on a rear surface of a bottom plate of the sheet cassette. The rib is pressed by a pressing member.