Abstract: An image forming apparatus for forming an image on a recording medium, the image forming apparatus includes a discharge tray for supporting the recording medium, an internal unit disposed inside the apparatus main body, and a door serving as a part of outer surface members of the apparatus main body, the door being opened and closed to expose and cover an inside of the apparatus main body to the outside, wherein, by opening of the door, a fixing member that fixes the discharge tray to the apparatus main body is exposed to the outside, and removing of the fixing member from the apparatus main body allows the discharge tray to be detached from the apparatus main body without removing the outer surface members other than the door, and wherein detaching of the discharge tray from the apparatus main body allows the internal unit to be accessed.

Abstract: A sheet discharging apparatus includes a discharge portion including a first member configured to apply a force to a first region of a sheet from an upper surface and a second member configured to apply a force to a second region of the sheet from a lower surface, and a contact portion including a first guide surface disposed contactably with the first region and a second guide surface disposed contactably with the second region. The first guide surface is formed such that an angle with respect to a tangential line at a contact point between the first member and the first region of the sheet becomes a first angle. The second guide surface is formed such that an angle with respect to a tangential line at a contact point between the second member and the second region of the sheet becomes a second angle which is smaller than the first angle.

Abstract: A sheet discharging apparatus includes a discharge portion including a first member configured to apply a force to a first region of a sheet from an upper surface and a second member configured to apply a force to a second region of the sheet from a lower surface, and a contact portion including a first guide surface disposed contactably with the first region and a second guide surface disposed contactably with the second region. The first guide surface is formed such that an angle with to a tangential line at a contact point between the first member and the first region of the sheet becomes a first angle. The second guide surface is formed such that an angle to a tangential line at a contact point between the second member and the second region of the sheet becomes a second angle which is smaller than the first angle.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: a fixing portion for heat-fixing the image on a recording material; a duct including a suction port for sucking air from outside of the image forming apparatus and an exhaust port for delivering the air to the outside of the image forming apparatus; and a fan for forming a flow of the air from the suction port toward the exhaust port in the duct. The duct includes a merging portion, between the suction port and the exhaust port, for merging the air from the neighborhood of the fixing portion with the flow of the air by taking the air from the neighborhood of the fixing portion inside the duct. The recording material on which the image is fixed at the fixing portion is cooled by the air delivering through the exhaust port.

Abstract: An image fixing apparatus for heating and fixing an unfixed image formed on a recording material, comprising a heater including a substrate, a first electrode provided on one side of the substrate and a second electrode provided on the other side of the substrate; and a connector, connected with the heater, for receiving electric power, the connector including an electrically insulative housing, and a contact terminal provided inside the housing and having first spring contact contacted to the first electrode and a second spring contact contacted to the second electrode, wherein the contact terminal is swingable relative to the housing.

Abstract: A fixing apparatus includes a heater; a heater holding member for holding the heater; a temperature sensor, provided in contact with the heater through a hole provided in the heater holding member, for detecting a temperature of the heater; a holder for holding the sensor; and an urging member, provided between the sensor and the holder, for urging the sensor toward the heater, wherein the heater holding member includes a positioning portion for determining a position of the holder with respect to an urging direction of the urging member, and wherein the positioning portion is disposed at a position outside of a position of the sensor with respect to a direction perpendicular to a longitudinal direction of the heater.

Abstract: An image fixing apparatus for heating and fixing an unfixed image formed on a recording material, comprising a heater including a substrate, a first electrode provided on one side of the substrate and a second electrode provided on the other side of the substrate; and a connector, connected with the heater, for receiving electric power, the connector including an electrically insulative housing, and a contact terminal provided inside the housing and having first spring contact contacted to the first electrode and a second spring contact contacted to the second electrode, wherein the contact terminal is swingable relative to the housing.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: a fixing portion for heat-fixing the image on a recording material; a duct including a suction port for sucking air from an outside of the image forming apparatus and an exhaust port for delivering the air to the outside of the image forming apparatus; and a fan for forming a flow of the air from the suction port toward the exhaust port in the duct. The duct includes a merging portion, between the suction port and the exhaust port, for merging the air from the neighborhood of the fixing portion with the flow of the air by taking the air from the neighborhood of the fixing portion inside the duct. The recording material on which the image is fixed at the fixing portion is cooled by the air delivering through the exhaust port.

Abstract: An image fixing apparatus for heating and fixing an unfixed image formed on a recording material, comprising a heater including a substrate, a first electrode provided on one side of the substrate and a second electrode provided on the other side of the substrate; and a connector, connected with the heater, for receiving electric power, the connector including an electrically insulative housing, and a contact terminal provided inside the housing and having first spring contact contacted to the first electrode and a second spring contact contacted to the second electrode, wherein the contact terminal is swingable relative to the housing.

Abstract: A fixing apparatus includes a heater; a heater holding member for holding the heater; a temperature sensor, provided in contact with the heater through a hole provided in the heater holding member, for detecting a temperature of the heater; a holder for holding the sensor; and an urging member, provided between the sensor and the holder, for urging the sensor toward the heater, wherein the heater holding member includes a positioning portion for determining a position of the holder with respect to an urging direction of the urging member, and wherein the positioning portion is disposed at a position outside of a position of the sensor with respect to a direction perpendicular to a longitudinal direction of the heater.

Abstract: An image fixing apparatus for heating and fixing an unfixed image formed on a recording material, comprising a heater including a substrate, a first electrode provided on one side of the substrate and a second electrode provided on the other side of the substrate; and a connector, connected with the heater, for receiving electric power, the connector including an electrically insulative housing, and a contact terminal provided inside the housing and having first spring contact contacted to the first electrode and a second spring contact contacted to the second electrode, wherein the contact terminal is swingable relative to the housing.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus which attains a high quality image by suppressing fluctuation in speed of an intermediate transfer belt generated when a leading edge of a recording material having high rigidity such as a thick sheet is brought into contact with the belt in a single color mode. The single color mode is switched between a first single color mode in which a toner image on one photosensitive drum is primarily transferred onto the belt with only the one drum being in contact with the belt, and the toner image on the belt is secondarily transferred onto the recording material, and a second single color mode in which a toner image born on one of drums is primarily transferred onto the belt with the drums being in contact with the belt, and the toner image on the belt is secondarily transferred onto the recording material.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus which attains a high quality image by suppressing fluctuation in speed of an intermediate transfer belt generated when a leading edge of a recording material having high rigidity such as a thick sheet is brought into contact with the belt in a single color mode. The single color mode is switched between a first single color mode in which a toner image on one photosensitive drum is primarily transferred onto the belt with only the one drum being in contact with the belt, and the toner image on the belt is secondarily transferred onto the recording material, and a second single color mode in which a toner image born on one of drums is primarily transferred onto the belt with the drums being in contact with the belt, and the toner image on the belt is secondarily transferred onto the recording material.