Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a drawer unit configured to be drawn out from a body of the image forming apparatus. The drawer unit includes a carriage path for carrying a recording medium, a lock unit configured to lock the drawer unit in the body, a driving unit configured to drive the lock unit, the driving unit including at least a driving source, and a drawer unit cover configured to cover at least the drawer unit. The drawer unit cover is a part of an outer cover of the body arranged on a side in a drawing direction of the drawer unit. The drawer unit cover is attached to the drawer unit so that the drawer unit cover is removed from the drawer unit in a state where the drawer unit is attached to the body.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus is provided, including an apparatus body; an image forming unit to form an image on a sheet member; and a sheet ejection container including a sheet ejection tray on which the sheet member ejected from the apparatus body is stacked. In the image forming apparatus, at least one side of the apparatus body is open and the sheet ejection container is disposed inside the apparatus body at the open side. The sheet ejection tray is configured to be movable between a first position in the sheet ejection container where the sheet member is ejected to the sheet member tray and a second position nearer to the open side than the first position.

Abstract: A fixing device for fixing an unfixed toner image on a recording medium includes a rotatable fixing member heated by a heater to contact the recording medium bearing the unfixed toner image while rotating, with the heater disposed inside a hollow of the fixing member and turned on and off intermittently at a start of a fixing process to heat the fixing member intermittently, a first pressing member disposed opposite the fixing member to press against and rotate the fixing member to define a fixing nip through which the recording medium passes to fix the unfixed toner image with heat and pressure, and a temperature detector to detect a change in the temperature of the fixing member when the heater turns on and off intermittently. When the temperature detector detects the change in the temperature of the fixing device, the heater is turned on continuously.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a drawer unit configured to be drawn out from a body of the image forming apparatus. The drawer unit includes a carriage path for carrying a recording medium, a lock unit configured to lock the drawer unit in the body, a driving unit configured to drive the lock unit, the driving unit including at least a driving source, and a drawer unit cover configured to cover at least the drawer unit. The drawer unit cover is a part of an outer cover of the body arranged on a side in a drawing direction of the drawer unit. The drawer unit cover is attached to the drawer unit so that the drawer unit cover is removed from the drawer unit in a state where the drawer unit is attached to the body.

Abstract: The present invention is concerning to an image forming apparatus comprising: a drawer unit that includes therein a paper-feeding conveying path for conveying a recording medium conveyed from a paper feeding unit on which the recording mediums are stacked to an image forming unit and/or a discharge conveying path for conveying the recording medium on which an image has been formed to a discharging unit, and be drawn out from an apparatus main body; a lock unit that locks the drawer unit to the apparatus main body; a straddle detecting unit that detects whether the recording medium straddles a conveying path in the apparatus main body and a conveying path in the drawer unit; and a controller that controls the lock unit to lock the drawer unit to the apparatus main body when the straddle detecting unit detects the straddle.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image forming unit configured to form an image; a drawer unit configured to be pulled out from a body of the image forming apparatus; a first lock unit configured to receive power from a power supply and perform at least one of lock and unlock of the drawer unit with respect to the body; and a second lock unit configured to perform lock and unlock of the drawer unit with respect to the body by a mechanical operation performed by an operator.

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: The image forming apparatus includes an image forming section; a conveyance path to convey a recording medium to the image forming section; a drawer unit including the conveyance path and configured to be pulled out relative to the apparatus; an electrical cable to electrically connect the drawer unit and an interior of the apparatus even when the drawer unit is pulled out from the apparatus; and a cable holder (a first regulating member) to ensure that that the cable is securely prevented from protruding from the drawer unit. According to the present invention, the electric cable is prevented from running off from the drawer unit due to the folding of the cable caused by the regulating member, so that the electric cable is prevented from getting hung up on the parts disposed in the body.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image forming unit, a first sheet stack portion, a sheet output section, and a post processing unit. The image forming unit forms an image on a sheet. The first sheet stack portion is provided at an upper face of the image forming unit. The sheet output section outputs the sheet on which the image is formed by the image forming unit from one side of the image forming apparatus to the first sheet stack portion. The post processing unit is provided adjacent to a lateral side of the image forming unit at an upstream side of the sheet output section to execute post processing on the sheet. A sheet subjected to post-processing by the post-processing unit is output to the first sheet stack portion from the same direction as a sheet not subjected to post-processing by the post-processing unit.

Abstract: An interlock mechanism includes first and second covers hinged to an apparatus body and openably closable relative to the apparatus body, an interlock switch provided inside the first and second coverts in the apparatus body, first and second pressing portions respectively provided on the first cover and the second cover, a first cam unit pivotably supported on the apparatus body by a first shaft to contact the first pressing portion, and a second cam unit pivotably supported on the first cam unit by a second shaft to contact the second pressing portion. When the first and second pressing portions respectively contact the first cam unit and the second cam unit, the first and second cam units rotate to push the interlock switch, the second cam unit turns on the interlock switch, and the closing of the first and second covers are detected simultaneously.

Abstract: A conveying device conveys a sheet of non-blank recording medium recorded with an image formed in an image forming unit, and includes a container that is detachable and contains a sheet of blank recording medium, a feeding unit that feeds the blank recording medium from the container, and a recirculating path that leads the non-blank recording medium to the feeding unit. The recirculating path is disposed lateral to the image forming unit. A part of the recirculating path is integrated into the container and forms a reversing path that leads to the feeding unit. At least one of surfaces of the reversing path can be exposed.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus that includes an image reading part, an image forming part, a sheet discharge part, and a sheet stack part. The image reading part has a front surface located on a downstream side in a discharge direction of a sheet relative to a front of the sheet stack part. The sheet stack part includes a first stacker surface provided on an upstream side in the discharge direction and including a surface having a slope extending upward in the discharge direction and a second stacker surface formed adjacent to the first stacker surface and sloping less steeply upward in the discharge direction than the slope of the first stacker surface with a boundary between the first stacker surface and the second stacker surface located at a rear of the front surface of the image reading part.

Abstract: In an image forming apparatus, when a first sheet discharger discharges a sheet bearing an image in a first direction from a proximal end to a distal end of the image forming apparatus, a post-processing device performs post-processing including at least one of stapling, punching, stamping, and sorting of the sheet discharged from the first sheet discharger. After a second sheet discharger discharges the processed sheet in a second direction opposite to the first direction in which the first sheet discharger discharges the sheet bearing the image, a sheet stacker stacks the sheet discharged from the second sheet discharger. A sheet conveyance path is provided between the first sheet discharger and the second sheet discharger. An opening is provided between the sheet stacker and an image reader so that the sheet discharged from the second sheet discharger can be retrieved from the sheet stacker in the second direction.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an apparatus body, a cover section, an image reading device including a document hold member and a document hold member cover, and a lock mechanism. When the document hold member cover is not in close contact with the document hold member, the lock mechanism prevents opening of the cover section or sliding of the image reading device.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus that includes an image reading part to read an image of an original, an image recording part to record the image read by the image reading part on a sheet, a sheet discharge part to discharge the sheet recorded by the image recording part from front to rear of a main body of the image forming apparatus, a sheet stack part to stack the sheet discharged by the sheet discharge part between the image reading part and the image recording part, first and second supporters provided outside the sheet stack part along a discharge direction of the sheet to form a space between the sheet stack part and the image reading part, and a lock mechanism to lock the image reading part. The image reading part slides relative to the first and second supporters in the discharge direction.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus including an image forming section; an upper unit located over the image forming section with a space therebetween and slidable in a direction of from the front side to the rear side of the apparatus and the opposite direction; a sheet discharger configured to discharge a sheet bearing an image in the first or opposite direction; a sheet stacker receiving the sheet from the sheet discharger; a support arranged outside of both side ends of the sheet stacker in the first direction and slidably supporting the upper unit; and at least one of a release preventing member for preventing releasing of the upper unit from the support, and a covering member movable from a first position to a second position in conjunction with sliding of the upper unit and covering an opening formed at an end portion of the support when acquiring the first position.

Abstract: An upper frame member is pivotally attached to an apparatus body so as to pivot between a closed position and an open position. The apparatus body is closed when the upper frame member is in the closed position, and the apparatus body is opened to expose an image forming unit when the upper frame member is in the open position. A locking member locks the upper frame member to the apparatus body when the upper frame member is in the closed position. An operation member positioned on a sheet stacking surface releases the locking member to unlock the upper frame member from the apparatus body.

Abstract: An interlock mechanism includes first and second covers hinged to an apparatus body and openably closable relative to the apparatus body, an interlock switch provided inside the first and second coverts in the apparatus body, first and second pressing portions respectively provided on the first cover and the second cover, a first cam unit pivotably supported on the apparatus body by a first shaft to contact the first pressing portion, and a second cam unit pivotably supported on the first cam unit by a second shaft to contact the second pressing portion. When the first and second pressing portions respectively contact the first cam unit and the second cam unit, the first and second cam units rotate to push the interlock switch, the second cam unit turns on the interlock switch, and the closing of the first and second covers are detected simultaneously.

Abstract: A conveying device conveys a sheet of non-blank recording medium recorded with an image formed in an image forming unit, and includes a container that is detachable and contains a sheet of blank recording medium, a feeding unit that feeds the blank recording medium from the container, and a recirculating path that leads the non-blank recording medium to the feeding unit. The recirculating path is disposed lateral to the image forming unit. A part of the recirculating path is integrated into the container and forms a reversing path that leads to the feeding unit. At least one of surfaces of the reversing path can be exposed.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an upper cover attached to a main body, an image forming part provided in the main body and configured to record an image on a sheet, an image reading part having a document press member, and a lock mechanism. The upper cover is configured to be pivotable on a support axis with respect to the main body. The image reading part is slidably mounted on the upper cover. The document press member is configured to open and close with respect to a housing of the image reading part in a direction similar to a direction in which the upper cover opens and closes. The lock mechanism is configured to prevent the document press member from opening over a slidable range of the image reading part when the upper cover is opened.