Abstract: A container to store residual transfer toner remaining on an intermediate transfer belt is disposed in a region of a transfer unit, where the region is defined by the inner circumferential surface of the intermediate transfer belt. A single conveyance member, which rotates to convey toner conveyed from an inlet toward the container, is disposed in the inside of the container. An end portion of the conveyance member that is opposite to an end portion on a side of the inlet is located in a central region of the container.

Abstract: A driving-force transmission member includes a coupling portion that includes a driving-force transmission surface and that transmits a driving force to a cartridge coupling, a first helical gear portion that engages with a driven gear of a cartridge to transmit the driving force, and a second helical gear portion that engages with a drive gear to receive the driving force. The portions rotate integrally with each other when the driving-force transmission member rotates about the axis of rotation. The driving-force transmission surface is shaped with a twist in the same direction as the driving-force transmission member. Helical teeth of the first helical gear portion are shaped with a twist in the same direction as the driving-force transmission surface. Helical teeth of the second helical gear portion are shaped with a twist in a direction opposite to the twist direction of the helical teeth of the first helical gear portion.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image bearing drum; an exposing unit for exposing the drum; an electric circuit board provided substantially perpendicularly to an apparatus installing floor; a driving unit for supplying a driving force; a first metal plate supporting the exposing unit; a second metal plate supporting the electric circuit board; and a third metal plate supporting the driving unit. At least one of the first, second and third plates is provided at each of four sides of the apparatus, the four sides being substantially perpendicular to the floor. The first, second and third plates are electrically connected with each other.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a main assembly and a cartridge including at least an image bearing member. The apparatus further includes a tray drawable from the main assembly, wherein the cartridge is mountable to and dismountable from the tray in one direction and an opposite direction, respectively; and a light emission unit provided in the tray and including a plurality of light emission elements arranged in an axial direction of the image bearing member to form a latent image on the image bearing member. The cartridge is capable of being inserted into the tray by moving it in the one direction, in response to which the light emission unit is moved in a direction crossing with the one direction to outside of a movement range of insertion of the cartridge.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus is provided, in which a light emission unit is disposed upstream from a belt in the insertion direction. In a state where the insertion of a cartridge into the apparatus main body is completed, in the normal direction to the surface of the belt, a distance from the surface of the transfer member to the rotational shaft of a photosensitive drum is longer than a distance from the surface of the belt to an image forming position where light emitted by the light emission unit forms an image on the surface of the photosensitive drum.

Abstract: A driving-force transmission member includes a coupling portion that includes a driving-force transmission surface and that transmits a driving force to a cartridge coupling, a first helical gear portion that engages with a driven gear of a cartridge to transmit the driving force, and a second helical gear portion that engages with a drive gear to receive the driving force. The portions rotate integrally with each other when the driving-force transmission member rotates about the axis of rotation. The driving-force transmission surface is shaped with a twist in the same direction as the driving-force transmission member. Helical teeth of the first helical gear portion are shaped with a twist in the same direction as the driving-force transmission surface. Helical teeth of the second helical gear portion are shaped with a twist in a direction opposite to the twist direction of the helical teeth of the first helical gear portion.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image bearing drum; an exposing unit for exposing the drum; an electric circuit board provided substantially perpendicularly to an apparatus installing floor; a driving unit for supplying a driving force; a first metal plate supporting the exposing unit; a second metal plate supporting the electric circuit board; and a third metal plate supporting the driving unit. At least one of the first, second and third plates is provided at each of four sides of the apparatus, the four sides being substantially perpendicular to the floor. The first, second and third plates are electrically connected with each other.

Abstract: A driving-force transmission member includes a coupling portion that includes a driving-force transmission surface and that transmits a driving force to a cartridge coupling, a first helical gear portion that engages with a driven gear of a cartridge to transmit the driving force, and a second helical gear portion that engages with a drive gear to receive the driving force. The portions rotate integrally with each other when the driving-force transmission member rotates about the axis of rotation. The driving-force transmission surface is shaped with a twist in the same direction as the driving-force transmission member. Helical teeth of the first helical gear portion are shaped with a twist in the same direction as the driving-force transmission surface. Helical teeth of the second helical gear portion are shaped with a twist in a direction opposite to the twist direction of the helical teeth of the first helical gear portion.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image bearing drum; an exposing unit for exposing the drum; an electric circuit board provided substantially perpendicularly to an apparatus installing floor; a driving unit for supplying a driving force; a first metal plate supporting the exposing unit; a second metal plate supporting the electric circuit board; and a third metal plate supporting the driving unit. At least one of the first, second and third plates is provided at each of four sides of the apparatus, the four sides being substantially perpendicular to the floor. The first, second and third plates are electrically connected with each other.

Abstract: To provide a structure for the process cartridge for receiving input of driving force from outside thereof. The main assembly of the electrophotographic image forming apparatus includes a driving output member provided with an output gear portion and an output coupling portion. The process cartridge that can be mounted to and dismounted from the main assembly of the electrophotographic image forming apparatus includes a photosensitive member, an input coupling portion provided at the end of the photosensitive member and capable of coupling with the output coupling portion, and an input gear portion capable of meshing with the output gear portion.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a main assembly; a cartridge including at least an image bearing member. The cartridge includes a tray drawable from the main assembly, wherein the cartridge is mountable to and dismountable from the tray in one direction and the opposite direction, respectively; and a light emission unit provided in the tray and including a plurality of light emission elements arranged in an axial direction of the image bearing member to form a latent image on the image bearing member. The cartridge is capable of being inserted into the tray by moving it in the one direction, in response to which the light emission unit is moved in a direction crossing with the one direction to an outside of a movement range of insertion of the cartridge.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus is provided, in which a light emission unit is disposed upstream from a belt in the insertion direction. In a state where the insertion of a cartridge into the apparatus main body is completed, in the normal direction to the surface of the belt, a distance from the surface of the transfer member to the rotational shaft of a photosensitive drum is longer than a distance from the surface of the belt to an image forming position where light emitted by the light emission unit forms an image on the surface of the photosensitive drum.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image bearing drum; an exposing unit for exposing the drum; an electric circuit board provided substantially perpendicularly to an apparatus installing floor; a driving unit for supplying a driving force; a first metal plate supporting the exposing unit; a second metal plate supporting the electric circuit board; and a third metal plate supporting the driving unit. At least one of the first, second and third plates is provided at each of four sides of the apparatus, the four sides being substantially perpendicular to the floor. The first, second and third plates are electrically connected with each other.

Abstract: A driving-force transmission member includes a coupling portion that includes a driving-force transmission surface and that transmits a driving force to a cartridge coupling, a first helical gear portion that engages with a driven gear of a cartridge to transmit the driving force, and a second helical gear portion that engages with a drive gear to receive the driving force. The portions rotate integrally with each other when the driving-force transmission member rotates about the axis of rotation. The driving-force transmission surface is shaped with a twist in the same direction as the driving-force transmission member. Helical teeth of the first helical gear portion are shaped with a twist in the same direction as the driving-force transmission surface. Helical teeth of the second helical gear portion are shaped with a twist in a direction opposite to the twist direction of the helical teeth of the first helical gear portion.

Abstract: A transfer device can make more stable contact with a belt, thus yielding preferable transfer performance. In an image-forming apparatus in which the transfer device has a sheet member, the sheet member includes a conductive sheet, and an electrical connection path section (power source connecting section) for supplying voltage to the conductive sheet from the primary transfer power source, and the power source connecting section is arranged outside an image formation enabling region where a toner image can be formed on a photosensitive drum, in a direction perpendicular to the direction of movement of the intermediate transfer belt.

Abstract: A belt unit used for an image forming apparatus is provided. The belt unit includes a rotatable endless belt, a plurality of stretching members configured to stretch the belt, an urging member, and a contact and separation unit configured to be able to switch a position of the stretching member urged by the urging member. In moving the stretching member urged by the urging member from the separation position to the contact position, the contact and separation unit makes one end side of the stretching member urged by the urging member in a longitudinal direction coming into contact with the inner surface of the belt faster than the other end side, and temporarily decreases the movement speeds of the both ends of the stretching member in the longitudinal direction respectively before arriving at the contact position.

Abstract: The formation position of a primary-transferred toner image is corrected by using, as a reference, a timing at which a marker that rotates together with a rotating member is detected by a marker detecting unit for detecting the marker, after part of a preparation operation in which a processing unit is caused to contact or depart from the rotating member is finished.

Abstract: A sheet feeding apparatus includes a stacking member configured to be rotatably provided and to stack a sheet, a feeding member configured to feed the sheet by rotating in a state of coming in contact with the sheet stacked on the stacking member, an elastic member configured to generate a pressing force to make the sheet stacked on the stacking member come in contact with the feeding member, and a restricting unit configured to abut on an uppermost sheet stacked on the stacking member and to restrict a position of the uppermost sheet to a position separated from the feeding member.

Abstract: An object of the invention is to cause a transfer device to make more stable contact with a belt, thus yielding preferable transfer performance. In an image-forming apparatus 100 in which the transfer device has a sheet member 52, the sheet member 52 includes a conductive sheet 52b, and an electrical connection path section (power source connecting section 55) for supplying voltage to the conductive sheet 52b from the primary transfer power source 16, and the power source connecting section 55 is arranged outside an image formation enabling region Lp where a toner image can be formed on a photosensitive drum 1, in a perpendicular direction to the direction of movement of the intermediate transfer belt 7.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus including: guide portions provided in strips on opposite ends of an inner circumferential surface of an endless belt; a driving roller supporting the endless belt; a driven roller supporting the endless belt; first restriction members having first contact surfaces which come into contact with the guide portions when the endless belt moves in a belt width direction; and second restriction members having second contact surfaces which come into contact with the guide portions when the endless belt moves in the belt width direction, the second contact surfaces are placed nearer to a center in the belt width direction than the first contact surfaces, and an angle between the first contact surfaces and the inner circumferential surface in the belt width direction is larger than an angle between the second contact surfaces and the inner circumferential surface in the belt width direction.