Abstract: An opening/closing detection mechanism has a multifunctional peripheral body portion, a front cover, a side cover, and an interlock mechanism. The interlock mechanism contains a switch, a plate-like portion, a bulged portion, and a rocking mechanism. The bulged portion is provided on the side cover. When the side cover is in the closed state, the bulged portion abuts on a rear region located on the side opposite to the front cover with respect to a region where a projection portion is provided of the switch. The rocking mechanism rocks the switch in the opening/closing direction of the front cover according to the opened/closed state of the side cover.

Abstract: Provided is an opening/closing unit including a cover member and a conveying unit. The cover member is provided to one side surface of an apparatus main body so as to open and close a sheet conveying path. The conveying unit is provided inside of the cover member in the apparatus main body. The sheet conveying path includes a first conveying path formed between the conveying unit and the apparatus main body, and a second conveying path formed between the conveying unit and the cover member. When an operating lever of the cover member is rotated to a second position, opening operation of the cover member is enabled. When the operating lever is rotated to a first position in a state where the cover member is opened, the conveying unit rotates with respect to the cover member so that the second conveying path is opened.

Abstract: A rotation force transmission mechanism (30) includes a torque limiter (50), a breaking member (60) and a clutch member (55). The torque limiter (50) is configured to couple the first rotating member (35) and the driving source (40) to each other so as to able to transmit the rotation force until a torque of a predetermined value is applied, and to decouple from each other if a torque larger than the predetermined value is applied. The braking member (60) is configured to apply a torque exceeding the predetermined value to the first rotating member (35). The clutch member (55) is capable of being switched into a transmission state in which the rotation force can be transmitted to the first rotating member (35) and an interruption state in which the transmission of the rotation force is interrupted, in the second rotation force transmission path (P2).

Abstract: A sheet conveying device includes a driving roller, a driven roller and a pair of bearing members. The pair of bearing members is configured to rotatably support both ends of a rotating shaft of the driven roller. The bearing member has a supporting part and a pressing part. The supporting part is formed by winding an end portion on one side of a wire rod in a spiral shape. The supporting part has a shaft hole through which one end of the rotating shaft can be inserted. The pressing part is formed by winding an end portion on the other side of the wire rod in a spiral shape in an orthogonal direction to the rotating shaft. The pressing part is disposed so as to press the supporting part in a direction in which the driven roller comes into pressure contact with the outer face of the driving roller.

Abstract: An opening/closing detection mechanism has a multifunctional peripheral body portion, a front cover, a side cover, and an interlock mechanism. The interlock mechanism contains a switch, a plate-like portion, a bulged portion, and a rocking mechanism. The bulged portion is provided on the side cover. When the side cover is in the closed state, the bulged portion abuts on a rear region located on the side opposite to the front cover with respect to a region where a projection portion is provided of the switch. The rocking mechanism rocks the switch in the opening/closing direction of the front cover according to the opened/closed state of the side cover.

Abstract: A sheet conveying device includes a first conveyance roller, a sheet conveyance path, a second conveyance roller, and a pair of bearing portions. The first conveyance roller is provided in an apparatus main body. The sheet conveyance path has a guide surface that guides a sheet member in a sheet conveyance direction. The second conveyance roller is rotatably attached to the guide surface via a shaft and abuts on the first conveyance roller by a predetermined pressing force. The bearing portions are provided on the guide surface and support the shaft. Each bearing portion includes a concave groove portion and a bush member. The concave groove portion is formed on the guide surface such that a groove depth direction is perpendicular to the guide surface. The bush member is attached to the concave groove portion so as to be slidable in the groove depth direction and support the shaft.

Abstract: A rotation force transmission mechanism (30) includes a torque limiter (50), a breaking member (60) and a clutch member (55). The torque limiter (50) is configured to couple the first rotating member (35) and the driving source (40) to each other so as to able to transmit the rotation force until a torque of a predetermined value is applied, and to decouple from each other if a torque larger than the predetermined value is applied. The braking member (60) is configured to apply a torque exceeding the predetermined value to the first rotating member (35). The clutch member (55) is capable of being switched into a transmission state in which the rotation force can be transmitted to the first rotating member (35) and an interruption state in which the transmission of the rotation force is interrupted, in the second rotation force transmission path (P2).

Abstract: A sheet conveying device includes a driving roller, a driven roller and a pair of bearing members. The pair of bearing members is configured to rotatably support both ends of a rotating shaft of the driven roller. The bearing member has a supporting part and a pressing part. The supporting part is formed by winding an end portion on one side of a wire rod in a spiral shape. The supporting part has a shaft hole through which one end of the rotating shaft can be inserted. The pressing part is formed by winding an end portion on the other side of the wire rod in a spiral shape in an orthogonal direction to the rotating shaft. The pressing part is disposed so as to press the supporting part in a direction in which the driven roller comes into pressure contact with the outer face of the driving roller.

Abstract: A recording medium storage apparatus has a storage cassette and a lock mechanism. The lock mechanism restricts movement of the storage cassette in the drawing direction. The lock mechanism has an engaging portion on an apparatus body and an engaged portion on the storage cassette. While the storage cassette is drawn out of the apparatus body, an abutting portion of the engaging portion moves along a first slope on the engaged portion toward a peak portion while swinging in a second direction in which it retracts from the engaged portion, and meanwhile the engaged portion rotates in a third direction so that the peak portion is displaced from a protruding position to a guiding position.

Abstract: A sheet feed device includes a feed unit and a sheet loading cassette. The feed unit includes a separation conveyance portion that is composed of a feed member and a separation member, a separation holder that supports the separation member and is swingable, and a pressing member that presses the separation holder. The sheet loading cassette includes a grip portion, a pressure release member that, in conjunction with an operation of drawing out the sheet loading cassette, comes into contact with the pressing member, an operation lever that is provided at the grip portion. In a state where the sheet loading cassette is inserted in the apparatus main body, the operation lever is gripped together with the grip portion, and thus the pressure release member slides to come into contact with the pressing member, so that the pressing member is released from the separation holder.

Abstract: A recording medium storage apparatus has a storage cassette and a lock mechanism. The lock mechanism restricts movement of the storage cassette in the drawing direction. The lock mechanism has an engaging portion on an apparatus body and an engaged portion on the storage cassette. While the storage cassette is drawn out of the apparatus body, an abutting portion of the engaging portion moves along a first slope on the engaged portion toward a peak portion while swinging in a second direction in which it retracts from the engaged portion, and meanwhile the engaged portion rotates in a third direction so that the peak portion is displaced from a protruding position to a guiding position.

Abstract: A sheet feed device includes a feed unit and a sheet loading cassette. The feed unit includes a separation conveyance portion that is composed of a feed member and a separation member, a separation holder that supports the separation member and is swingable, and a pressing member that presses the separation holder. The sheet loading cassette includes a grip portion, a pressure release member that, in conjunction with an operation of drawing out the sheet loading cassette, comes into contact with the pressing member, an operation lever that is provided at the grip portion. In a state where the sheet loading cassette is inserted in the apparatus main body, the operation lever is gripped together with the grip portion, and thus the pressure release member slides to come into contact with the pressing member, so that the pressing member is released from the separation holder.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a fixing unit arranged in an apparatus main body and adapted to perform a fixing process to fix an image to a recording sheet by heat, first conveyance path for conveying the recording sheet via an image forming unit and the fixing unit, second conveyance path for conveying the recording sheet having the fixing process performed thereon to an upstream side of the image forming unit in the case of performing the image forming process on both sides of the recording sheet, a first cover openably and closably attached to the apparatus main body, a second cover for covering the second conveyance path, the second cover being openably and closably attached to the apparatus main body and openable and closable when the first cover is in an open state, and fans provided on the second cover for supplying air streams to the second conveyance path.

Abstract: An image formation apparatus has an image carrier for carrying a toner image, a transfer element for electrostatically transferring the toner image on the image carrier to a sheet, and a guide element for guiding the sheet. The image carrier and the transfer element form a nip portion for nipping the sheet, the guide element includes a main guide configured to guide the sheet toward the nip portion and a sub-guide protruding from the main guide toward the nip portion, and the sub-guide is conductive.

Abstract: A roller device includes a roller having a body and a pair of support shafts extending from both ends of the body; and a wire bearing made of a wire and having a pair of coils wound around each of the support shafts and a connection portion connecting the pair of coils.

Abstract: A synthetic grinding stone used for the polishing of a silicon wafer is composed of a structure containing cerium oxide fine particles as abrasive grains, a resin as a binder, a salt as a filler and a nano diamond as an additive. This synthetic grinding stone is characterized in that the purity of the cerium oxide is not less than 60% by weight, the content of the salt as a filler is not less than 1% but not more than 20%, the volume content of the nano diamond as an additive is not less than 0.1% but less than 20% relative to the total volume of the structure, and the porosity as the volume fraction relative to the total volume of the structure is less than 30%.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a fixing unit arranged in an apparatus main body and adapted to perform a fixing process to fix an image to a recording sheet by heat, first conveyance path for conveying the recording sheet via an image forming unit and the fixing unit, second conveyance path for conveying the recording sheet having the fixing process performed thereon to an upstream side of the image forming unit in the case of performing the image forming process on both sides of the recording sheet, a first cover openably and closably attached to the apparatus main body, a second cover for covering the second conveyance path, the second cover being openably and closably attached to the apparatus main body and openable and closable when the first cover is in an open state, and fans provided on the second cover for supplying air streams to the second conveyance path.

Abstract: A sheet feeder has a tray on which a sheet to be fed is to be placed. A lift plate is at a feeding end of the tray and has a first end at an upstream side in a feeding direction connected rotatably to the tray. The lift plate is displaceable between a feeding posture where a second end at a downstream side in the feeding direction is lifted up and a retracted posture where the second end is lower than in the feeding posture due to its own weight. A biasing member gives a biasing force to an elevating member in a direction to lift the lift plate to the feeding posture. A lowering mechanism gives a pressing force against the force of the biasing member to lower the lift plate to the retracted posture.

Abstract: An image formation apparatus has an image carrier for carrying a toner image, a transfer element for electrostatically transferring the toner image on the image carrier to a sheet, and a guide element for guiding the sheet. The image carrier and the transfer element form a nip portion for nipping the sheet, the guide element includes a main guide configured to guide the sheet toward the nip portion and a sub-guide protruding from the main guide toward the nip portion, and the sub-guide is conductive.

Abstract: A roller device includes a roller having a body and a pair of support shafts extending from both ends of the body; and a wire bearing made of a wire and having a pair of coils wound around each of the support shafts and a connection portion connecting the pair of coils.