Abstract: A supply unit holds a supply unit including a pickup roller for supplying a sheet, enables the supply unit including the pickup roller to be installed into an image forming apparatus, and includes a roller-protecting member. The roller-protecting member has a roller-protecting surface that covers the pickup roller of the supply unit and includes engaging pawls that can engage and integrally hold the supply unit including the pickup roller with the roller-protecting surface covering the pickup roller.

Abstract: A stacking device includes a stacking unit, a regulation member, an interlocking member, a pivoting member provided on the interlocking member, a sensor having an output, and a determination unit. The stacking unit stacks a sheet on the stacking unit. The regulation member moves in a first direction and a second direction opposite to the first direction and regulates a position of the sheet by abutting on an edge of the sheet stacked in the stacking unit. The interlocking member interlocks with the regulation member. The pivoting member rotates. The sensor output changes based on positions of the interlocking member and the pivoting member. The determination unit determines a size of the sheet based on the output of the sensor.

Abstract: A supply unit holds a supply unit including a pickup roller for supplying a sheet, enables the supply unit including the pickup roller to be installed into an image forming apparatus, and includes a roller-protecting member. The roller-protecting member has a roller-protecting surface that covers the pickup roller of the supply unit and includes engaging pawls that can engage and integrally hold the supply unit including the pickup roller with the roller-protecting surface covering the pickup roller.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus that forms a toner image on a recording medium includes an image forming unit that forms an unfixed toner image on a recording medium; a fixing unit that heats the recording medium bearing the unfixed toner image and fixes the unfixed toner image onto the recording medium at a nip portion; a heating member and a pressurizing member that touches the heating member and forms the nip portion therebetween; a first blower that blows air to a non-sheet-passing area of a small-size recording medium in the heating member; and a second blower that blows air to a non-sheet-passing area of a small-size recording medium in the pressurizing member. Upon the temperature of the non-sheet-passing area of the heating member exceeding a threshold temperature, the first blower blows without the second blower blowing, then the two blowers start blowing together.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus that forms a toner image on a recording medium includes an image forming unit that forms an unfixed toner image on a recording medium; a fixing unit that heats the recording medium bearing the unfixed toner image and fixes the unfixed toner image onto the recording medium at a nip portion; a heating member and a pressurizing member that touches the heating member and forms the nip portion therebetween; a blower having a fan and duct, that blows air to a non-sheet-passing area of a small-size recording medium in the heating member; wherein the duct includes a second opening through which airflow from the fan is directed to the conveyance roller pair, and wherein the second opening of the duct is configured not to overlap with the non-sheet-passing area of the heating member in a longitudinal direction of the heating member.

Abstract: When an operating lever is moved from an operation position to a stand-by position, a standard size fixing member is lowered in advance of a non-standard size fixing member, so that a regulating member for regulating a position of an end portion of a sheet can be set to a desired position, enabling stable sheet feeding.

Abstract: When an operating lever is moved from an operation position to a stand-by position, a standard size fixing member is lowered in advance of a non-standard size fixing member, so that a regulating member for regulating a position of an end portion of a sheet can be set to a desired position, enabling stable sheet feeding.

Abstract: A driving device includes a motor; a stay supporting the motor; a gear configured to receive a driving force from the motor; and a supporting shaft rotatably supporting the gear, the supporting shaft being supported by the stay. The supporting shaft stands at a side of the stay opposite from a side thereof where the stay supports the motor. The stay supports the motor in a first region and supports the supporting shaft in a second region offset from the first region in a direction of being away from the motor.

Abstract: A lifter gear that is engaged with a drive gear when a sheet feeding cassette is mounted, and that releases the engagement with the drive gear when the sheet feeding cassette is dismounted, wherein when the engagement with the drive gear is released and when the lift plate is lowered, braking force caused by frictional force is applied to the lifter gear from a brake unit and a buffer member absorbs force exerted to the lifter gear.

Abstract: To enable placement of a regulating member which regulates a position of an end of a paper sheet at a desired position, and stable sheet feeding. A fixing member for standard size (33) is guided to engage with a fixing hole for standard size (42) and, in a state where the fixing member for standard size (33) positions a trailing end regulator (24), a fixing member for non-standard size (34) does not engage with a rack aear (43).

Abstract: A lifter gear that is engaged with a drive gear when a sheet feeding cassette is mounted, and that releases the engagement with the drive gear when the sheet feeding cassette is dismounted, wherein when the engagement with the drive gear is released and when the lift plate is lowered, braking force caused by frictional force is applied to the lifter gear from a brake unit and a buffer member absorbs force exerted to the lifter gear.

Abstract: A supply unit holds a supply unit including a pickup roller for supplying a sheet, enables the supply unit including the pickup roller to be installed into an image forming apparatus, and includes a roller-protecting member. The roller-protecting member has a roller-protecting surface that covers the pickup roller of the supply unit and includes engaging pawls that can engage and integrally hold the supply unit including the pickup roller with the roller-protecting surface covering the pickup roller.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus that forms a toner image on a recording medium includes an image forming unit that forms an unfixed toner image on a recording medium; a fixing unit that heats the recording medium bearing the unfixed toner image and fixes the unfixed toner image onto the recording medium at a nip portion; a heating member and a pressurizing member that touches the heating member and forms the nip portion therebetween; a first blower that blows air to a non-sheet-passing area of a small-size recording medium in the heating member; and a second blower that blows air to a non-sheet-passing area of a small-size recording medium in the pressurizing member. Upon the temperature of the non-sheet-passing area of the heating member exceeding a threshold temperature, the first blower blows without the second blower blowing, then the two blowers start blowing together.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus that forms a toner image on a recording medium includes an image forming unit that forms an unfixed toner image on a recording medium; a fixing unit that heats the recording medium bearing the unfixed toner image and fixes the unfixed toner image onto the recording medium at a nip portion; a heating member and a pressurizing member that touches the heating member and forms the nip portion therebetween; a first blower that blows air to a non-sheet-passing area of a small-size recording medium in the heating member; and a second blower that blows air to a non-sheet-passing area of a small-size recording medium in the pressurizing member. Upon the temperature of the non-sheet-passing area of the heating member exceeding a threshold temperature, the first blower blows without the second blower blowing, then the two blowers start blowing together.

Abstract: When an operating lever is moved from an operation position to a stand-by position, a standard size fixing member is lowered in advance of a non-standard size fixing member, so that a regulating member for regulating a position of an end portion of a sheet can be set to a desired position, enabling stable sheet feeding.

Abstract: A stacking device includes a stacking unit, a regulation member, an interlocking member, a pivoting member provided on the interlocking member, a sensor having an output, and a determination unit. The stacking unit stacks a sheet on the stacking unit. The regulation member moves in a first direction and a second direction opposite to the first direction and regulates a position of the sheet by abutting on an edge of the sheet stacked in the stacking unit. The interlocking member interlocks with the regulation member. The pivoting member rotates. The sensor output changes based on positions of the interlocking member and the pivoting member. The determination unit determines a size of the sheet based on the output of the sensor.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: a transfer portion for transferring an image onto a sheet at a transfer nip; a fixing portion for fixing the image on the sheet at a fixing nip; a sheet feeding guide, provided between the transfer portion and the fixing portion, having a sheet guide surface; a sheet detecting portion provided between the transfer portion and the fixing portion; and a controller for controlling a sheet feeding speed of at least one of the transfer portion and the fixing portion depending on an output of the sheet detecting portion so that a feeding attitude of the sheet sandwiched at both of the transfer nip and the fixing nip is maintained in a predetermined feeding attitude. The sheet guide surface of the sheet feeding guide has a most recessed region in a region between the transfer portion and the sheet detecting portion.

Abstract: A sheet transport apparatus includes: a transport portion that transports a sheet; a skew correction portion against which a leading edge of the sheet transported by the transport portion abuts for skew correction, the skew correction portion moving to a position where the skew correction portion does not hinder the transport of the sheet after the skew correction; and a plurality of sheet abutting portions that is provided in the skew correction portion and against that the leading edge of the sheet transported by the transport portion abuts, the plurality of sheet abutting portions respectively including a resin member, and an abutting portion which is provided in the resin member and having an abrasion resistance higher than that of the resin member, and against which the leading edge of the transported sheet abuts.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus that forms a toner image on a recording medium includes an image forming unit that forms an unfixed toner image on a recording medium; a fixing unit that heats the recording medium bearing the unfixed toner image and fixes the unfixed toner image onto the recording medium at a nip portion; a heating member and a pressurizing member that touches the heating member and forms the nip portion therebetween; a first blower that blows air to a non-sheet-passing area of a small-size recording medium in the heating member; and a second blower that blows air to a non-sheet-passing area of a small-size recording medium in the pressurizing member. Upon the temperature of the non-sheet-passing area of the heating member exceeding a threshold temperature, the first blower blows without the second blower blowing, then the two blowers start blowing together.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: a transfer portion for transferring an image onto a sheet at a transfer nip; a fixing portion for fixing the image on the sheet at a fixing nip; a sheet feeding guide, provided between the transfer portion and the fixing portion, having a sheet guide surface; a sheet detecting portion provided between the transfer portion and the fixing portion; and a controller for controlling a sheet feeding speed of at least one of the transfer portion and the fixing portion depending on an output of the sheet detecting portion so that a feeding attitude of the sheet sandwiched at both of the transfer nip and the fixing nip is maintained in a predetermined feeding attitude. The sheet guide surface of the sheet feeding guide has a most recessed region in a region between the transfer portion and the sheet detecting portion.