Abstract: A sheet conveyance device includes a frame, first and second rollers, a roller shaft, an urging member, and a bearing. The bearing includes a holding portion to slidably hold the roller shaft and held by the frame. The holding portion is deformable. As viewed in a rotational axis direction of the roller shaft, a direction in which the urging member urges the second roller is defined as a first direction, a direction that is perpendicular to the first direction is defined as a second direction, and a region where the roller shaft is present in the second direction is defined as a first region. The frame holds the bearing so as not to be in contact with the holding portion in the first region downstream of a rotation center of the roller shaft in the first direction.

Abstract: Provided is a novel Bifidobacterium strain capable of utilizing xylans. Bacteria belonging to the genus Bifidobacterium having a xylanase gene on a genome.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an apparatus body and a unit detachably mounted to the apparatus body and comprising a unit body, a cam, a first movement member, and a second movement member. The unit includes a first contact portion, an urging portion, and a second contact portion. The second movement member is attachable to the first movement member in a first manner or a second manner. A detection pattern of a detection signal differs between a state in which the second movement member is in contact with the first contact portion and a state in which the second movement member is in contact with the second contact portion, and differs between a state in which the second movement member is attached in the first manner and a state in which the second movement member is attached in the second manner.

Abstract: Provided is a toner transport mechanism including: a first movable member which is displaced in accordance with an amount of toner in a transport path for transporting toner; a second movable member which is displaced in accordance with a rotation of a transporting member provided in the transport path; and a flag member which is displaced to an acting position where the flag member acts on a sensor and a non-acting position where the flag member does not act on the sensor, in accordance with the displacement of the first movable member and the displacement of the second movable member, the sensor being arranged outside of a duct and detecting an anomaly of the toner transport mechanism.

Abstract: A separation cam is disposed on a shaft of an opposing roller. The separation cam rotates about the shaft in response to a separation unit separating an intermediate transfer belt from a photosensitive drum, and the separation cam thereby separates a secondary transfer roller from the intermediate transfer belt.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image bearing member configured to carry a toner image; a cleaning member contacted to the image bearing member to clean a surface of the image bearing member by movement of the surface of the image bearing member: a supporting member configured to support the cleaning member; a case provided with a space configured to hold the supporting member therein; a viscoelasticity member; and a vibration controlling member configured to suppress vibration of the cleaning member, wherein the vibration controlling member is mounted on an outer surface of the case by the viscoelasticity member.

Abstract: Provided is a toner transport mechanism including: a first movable member which is displaced in accordance with an amount of toner in a transport path for transporting toner; a second movable member which is displaced in accordance with a rotation of a transporting member provided in the transport path; and a flag member which is displaced to an acting position where the flag member acts on a sensor and a non-acting position where the flag member does not act on the sensor, in accordance with the displacement of the first movable member and the displacement of the second movable member, the sensor being arranged outside of a duct and detecting an anomaly of the toner transport mechanism.

Abstract: Provided is a toner transport mechanism including: a first movable member which is displaced in accordance with an amount of toner in a transport path for transporting toner; a second movable member which is displaced in accordance with a rotation of a transporting member provided in the transport path; and a flag member which is displaced to an acting position where the flag member acts on a sensor and a non-acting position where the flag member does not act on the sensor, in accordance with the displacement of the first movable member and the displacement of the second movable member, the sensor being arranged outside of a duct and detecting an anomaly of the toner transport mechanism.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an apparatus body and a unit detachably mounted to the apparatus body and comprising a unit body, a cam, a first movement member, and a second movement member. The unit includes a first contact portion, an urging portion, and a second contact portion. The second movement member is attachable to the first movement member in a first manner or a second manner. A detection pattern of a detection signal differs between a state in which the second movement member is in contact with the first contact portion and a state in which the second movement member is in contact with the second contact portion, and differs between a state in which the second movement member is attached in the first manner and a state in which the second movement member is attached in the second manner.

Abstract: A separation cam is disposed on a shaft of an opposing roller. The separation cam rotates about the shaft in response to a separation unit separating an intermediate transfer belt from a photosensitive drum, and the separation cam thereby separates a secondary transfer roller from the intermediate transfer belt.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image bearing member configured to carry a toner image; a cleaning member contacted to the image bearing member to clean a surface of the image bearing member by movement of the surface of the image bearing member: a supporting member configured to support the cleaning member; a case provided with a space configured to hold the supporting member therein; a viscoelasticity member; and a vibration controlling member configured to suppress vibration of the cleaning member, wherein the vibration controlling member is mounted on an outer surface of the case by the viscoelasticity member.

Abstract: Provided is a toner transport mechanism including: a first movable member which is displaced in accordance with an amount of toner in a transport path for transporting toner; a second movable member which is displaced in accordance with a rotation of a transporting member provided in the transport path; and a flag member which is displaced to an acting position where the flag member acts on a sensor and a non-acting position where the flag member does not act on the sensor, in accordance with the displacement of the first movable member and the displacement of the second movable member, the sensor being arranged outside of a duct and detecting an anomaly of the toner transport mechanism.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image bearing member configured to carry a toner image; a cleaning member contacted to the image bearing member to clean a surface of the image bearing member by movement of the surface of the image bearing member: a supporting member configured to support the cleaning member; a case provided with a space configured to hold the supporting member therein; a viscoelasticity member; and a vibration controlling member configured to suppress vibration of the cleaning member, wherein the vibration controlling member is mounted on an outer surface of the case by the viscoelasticity member.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image bearing member configured to carry a toner image; a cleaning member contacted to the image bearing member to clean a surface of the image bearing member by movement of the surface of the image bearing member: a supporting member configured to support the cleaning member; a case provided with a space configured to hold the supporting member therein; a viscoelasticity member; and a vibration controlling member configured to suppress vibration of the cleaning member, wherein the vibration controlling member is mounted on an outer surface of the case by the viscoelasticity member.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: a transfer unit including a stretching roller and a rotatable transfer belt stretched by the stretching roller; a cleaning unit, including a blade movable toward and away from the transfer belt, for collecting a toner removed from the transfer belt by the blade; a moving member for moving the blade between a contact position where the blade is contacted to the transfer belt and a retracted position where the blade is moved away from the transfer belt; and a drive transmission device for permitting transmission of a driving force between the stretching roller and the movable member. The drive transmission device has an idling region where the drive transmission device is rotatable by a predetermined amount without transmitting the driving force to the stretching roller when the driving force is transmitted from the moving member to the drive transmission device.

Abstract: A container is detachably mountable on an apparatus body in a mounting-detaching direction that is along the same direction as a mounting-detaching direction of a transfer unit and that is in the reverse direction of the mounting-detaching direction of the transfer unit. When the transfer unit and the container are mounted on the apparatus body, a belt, a cleaning device, and the container are arranged in that order in a transport direction of the belt. A discharge portion is provided, the discharge portion extending in the mounting-detaching direction of the container, for discharging the toner removed by the cleaning device to the container.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: a transfer unit including a stretching roller and a rotatable transfer belt stretched by the stretching roller; a cleaning unit, including a blade movable toward and away from the transfer belt, for collecting a toner removed from the transfer belt by the blade; a moving member for moving the blade between a contact position where the blade is contacted to the transfer belt and a retracted position where the blade is moved away from the transfer belt; and a drive transmission device for permitting transmission of a driving force between the stretching roller and the movable member. The drive transmission device has an idling region where the drive transmission device is rotatable by a predetermined amount without transmitting the driving force to the stretching roller when the driving force is transmitted from the moving member to the drive transmission device.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image bearing drum for carrying a toner image; an intermediary transfer member; a primary transfer device for primary transfer of a toner image from the drum onto the intermediary member; a secondary transfer device for secondary transfer of the toner image from the intermediary member onto a sheet; and a cleaning unit for removing the toner on the intermediary member. The cleaning unit includes a scraping member for removing the toner deposited on the intermediary member, an accommodating portion for the removed toner, a discharging member, provided downstream of the scraping member with respect to a moving direction of the intermediary member, for moving the toner in the accommodating portion to the intermediary member by application of a voltage, and a regulating member contacted to the discharging member to regulate an amount of the toner deposited on the discharging member.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image bearing drum for carrying a toner image; an intermediary transfer member; a primary transfer device for primary transfer of a toner image from the drum onto the intermediary member; a secondary transfer device for secondary transfer of the toner image from the intermediary member onto a sheet; and a cleaning unit for removing the toner on the intermediary member. The cleaning unit includes a scraping member for removing the toner deposited on the intermediary member, an accommodating portion for the removed toner, a discharging member, provided downstream of the scraping member with respect to a moving direction of the intermediary member, for moving the toner in the accommodating portion to the intermediary member by application of a voltage, and a regulating member contacted to the discharging member to regulate an amount of the toner deposited on the discharging member.

Abstract: This invention provides a built-up commutator which can effectively contribute to light weight and small size thereof due to decreasing the number of constitutional components and enhancing an assembling accuracy, and provides a micro-motor employing the built-up commutator. According to FIG. 1, a built-up commutator includes at least a supporting pedestal 13 and a plurality of commutator pieces each of which is disposed respectively, the supporting pedestal fixed in flange-shape to a rotating shaft, each of the commutator pieces including a foot piece formed as to abut on the supporting pedestal side and a uprising piece bent from the foot piece side and formed as to abut the rotating shaft side, each of the commutator pieces is positioned and fixed to the shaft 12 side and the pedestal 13 side with air gaps intervening between the commutator pieces and an insulating layer intervening on contact surfaces with the shaft 12 and with the pedestal 13.