Abstract: An image forming apparatus, having a casing, a cover, a photosensitive drum, a developing roller, a photo-interrupter, a moving mechanism to move the developing roller between a contacting position and a separated position, and a controller, is provided. The moving mechanism has a cam including, a first cam portion, a phase-detector wall including a first slit and a second slit, and a cam follower. When the cover moves from the open position to the closed position, the controller conducts a first initializing control to cause the cam to rotate in a reverse direction, and after detecting the first slit based on a time period, in which light in the photo-interrupter passes through one of the first slit and the second slit, cause the cam to stop rotating.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus, having a first photosensitive drum, a second photosensitive drum, a first developing roller, a second developing roller, a first moving mechanism, a second moving mechanism, a driving gear, a motor, a first gear train, a second gear train, and a third gear train, is provided. The first gear train having a first gear transmits a driving force from the motor to the first developing roller. The second gear train having a second gear transmits the driving force from the motor to the second developing roller. The second gear train is provided separately from the first gear train. The third gear train having a third gear transmits the driving force from the motor to at least one of the first moving mechanism and the second moving mechanism. The third gear train is provided separately from the first gear train and the second gear train.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus, having first, second, third, and fourth photosensitive drums, first, second, third, and fourth developing rollers, a development-driving gear, a development motor, a first development gear train having a first gear, a second development-gear train having a second gear, a process-driving gear, a process motor, a first process-gear train having a third gear, and a second process gear-train having a fourth gear, is provided. The first development-gear train transmits a driving force from the development motor to the first and second developing rollers. The second development-gear train transmits the driving force from the development motor to the third and fourth developing rollers. The first process-gear train transmits a driving force from the process motor to the first and second photosensitive drums. The second process-gear train transmits the driving force from the process motor to the third and fourth photosensitive drums.

Abstract: An image-forming apparatus includes: a cover; and a separation mechanism. The separation mechanism includes a cam; a cam follower; and a release member. The release member is configured to move the cam follower from an operating position to a non-operating position in accordance with movement of the cover from a closed position to an open position. In a state where the cam follower is at the operating position, the cam follower is guided by the cam in accordance with rotation of the cam to allow the cam follower to slidably move between a protruding position and a standby position. In a state where the cam follower is at the non-operating position, the cam follower is not guided by the cam to allow the cam follower to be maintained at the standby position independently of the rotation of the cam.

Abstract: A controller is configured to: when an inter-sheet time is shorter than or equal to a first time, maintain a developing roller in contact with a photosensitive drum during an inter-sheet time; when the inter-sheet time is longer than the first time and shorter than or equal to a second time longer than the first time, perform, during the inter-sheet time, at least part of temporary separation processing of temporarily separating the developing roller from the photosensitive drum in a state where the photosensitive drum is rotating; and when the inter-sheet time is longer than the second time, perform, during the inter-sheet time, at least part of temporary stop processing of separating the developing roller from the photosensitive drum and then stopping rotation of the photosensitive drum, and subsequently restarting rotation thereof and then bringing the developing roller into contact with the photosensitive drum.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a photoconductive body, a light source, a deflector to deflect a light beam from the light source, a scanning optical system to image the deflected light beam onto the photoconductive body, a developing unit to supply developer to the photoconductive body, an optical sensor to detect the deflected light beam, a moving mechanism to move the developing unit to a first position and to a second position, and a controller configured to start driving the deflector, when the developing unit is in the second position, the light source to emit the light beam, thereby obtaining a detection signal of the light beam from the optical sensor, and after obtaining the detection signal of the light beam from the optical sensor, control the moving mechanism to move the developing unit to the first position.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a photosensitive drum, a developing roller, a cam, a developing motor, a first transmission mechanism, and a second transmission mechanism. The cam moves the developing roller between a contacting position where the developing roller is in contact with the photosensitive drum and a separated position where the developing roller is separated from the photosensitive drum. The developing motor drives both the developing roller and the cam, and is rotatable in a normal rotating direction and a reverse rotating direction. The first transmission mechanism engages power transmission from the developing motor to the developing roller when the developing motor rotates in the normal rotating direction, and disengages the power transmission when the developing motor rotates in the reverse rotating direction. The second transmission mechanism can engage power transmission from the developing motor to the cam, irrespective of the rotating direction of the developing motor.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a first transport unit, a second transport unit, a cover, a flap, a drive unit for moving the flap, a first sensor for detecting opening and closing of the cover, a second sensor for detecting a position of a sheet, and a controller. The controller switches the drive unit to move the flap to the second position, upon determining it is necessary to move the flap to the second position, subsequent to determining that the cover is opened based on a detection result by the first sensor. The controller switches the drive unit to move the flap from the second position to the first position, upon determining, based on a detection result by the second sensor, that a leading edge of the sheet reaches a position downstream, in a sheet transport direction, of a swing end portion of the flap at the second position.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a photosensitive drum, a developing roller, a cam, a developing motor, a first transmission mechanism, and a second transmission mechanism. The cam moves the developing roller between a contacting position where the developing roller is in contact with the photosensitive drum and a separated position where the developing roller is separated from the photosensitive drum. The developing motor drives both the developing roller and the cam, and is rotatable in a normal rotating direction and a reverse rotating direction. The first transmission mechanism engages power transmission from the developing motor to the developing roller when the developing motor rotates in the normal rotating direction, and disengages the power transmission when the developing motor rotates in the reverse rotating direction. The second transmission mechanism can engage power transmission from the developing motor to the cam, irrespective of the rotating direction of the developing motor.

Abstract: A controller is configured to, when forming an image on one sheet, in a case where a length of one sheet in a conveyance direction is larger than a first length, drive a moving mechanism to move a plurality of developing rollers from a separation position to a contact position, temporarily stop driving of the moving mechanism, and then, at a first timing, again drive the moving mechanism to move the plurality of developing rollers from the contact position to the separation position; and in a case where the length of the one sheet in the conveyance direction is smaller than or equal to the first length, drive the moving mechanism to move the plurality of developing rollers from the separation position to the contact position and then to move the plurality of developing rollers from the contact position to the separation position without stopping driving of the moving mechanism.

Abstract: In an image forming apparatus, a sheet is guided into a first conveyor path or a second conveyor path selectively when a first cover is in a closed position, and is ejected onto the first cover when the first cover is in an open position. Upon power-up, a controller causes a first conveyor roller to rotate but if the first cover is in the open position, when a sheet sensor detects a sheet, the controller does not cause a second conveyor roller to rotate, and causes a flapper to swing from a first position to a second position, and when a front end of the sheet reaches a position downstream of an upstream end of the flapper in a conveyance direction of the sheet conveyed by the first conveyor roller, the controller causes the flapper to swing from the second position to the first position.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus, having a casing, a cover, a photosensitive drum, a developing roller, a photo-interrupter, a moving mechanism to move the developing roller between a contacting position and a separated position, and a controller, is provided. The moving mechanism has a cam including, a first cam portion, a phase-detector wall including a first slit and a second slit, and a cam follower. When the cover moves from the open position to the closed position, the controller conducts a first initializing control to cause the cam to rotate in a reverse direction, and after detecting the first slit based on a time period, in which light in the photo-interrupter passes through one of the first slit and the second slit, cause the cam to stop rotating.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a developing roller, a photo-interrupter, and a separation mechanism. The developing roller is movable between a contact position and a separated position. The photo-interrupter includes a light emitting element and a light receiving element. The separation mechanism includes a cam configured to move the developing roller between the contact position and the separated position. The cam includes a phase detection wall extending in a circumference direction. The phase detection wall has a first slit and a second slit. The first slit allows the light emitted from the light emitting element to pass therethrough when the developing roller is at the separated position. The second slit allows the light emitted from the light emitting element to pass therethrough when the developing roller is at the contact position. A size of the first slit in the circumferential direction is different from that of the second slit.

Abstract: A sheet conveyer having a conveyer path to convey a sheet therein, a first path and a second path branched from the conveyer path, a flapper, a pair of pivot-shaft portions, and a supporting section, is provided. The flapper is movable between a first position to guide the sheet from the conveyer path to the first path and a second position to guide the sheet from the conveyer path to the second position. The pivot-shaft portions are located apart from each other in a widthwise direction. The pivot-shaft portions support the flapper pivotably. The supporting section is located between the pair of pivot-shaft portions in the widthwise direction. The supporting section supports the flapper pivotably. The supporting section includes a rotation-shaft portion being rotatable, a bearing portion, in which the rotation-shaft portion is fitted, and a buffer member located between the rotation-shaft portion and the bearing portion.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: a first developing roller movable between a first contact position and a first separated position; a second developing roller movable between a second contact position and a second separated position; and a controller. When a sheet interval is shorter than a first interval and is longer than or equal to a second interval, the controller maintains the first developing roller at the first contact position even after the completion of its development for a preceding sheet, controls the first developing roller to start development for a subsequent sheet, moves the second developing roller to the second separated position after the completion of its development for the preceding sheet, moves the second developing roller again to the second contact position, and controls the second developing roller to start development for the subsequent sheet after the second developing roller is moved again to the second contact position.

Abstract: A multi-function apparatus employs an in-body sheet discharge type configuration. The image forming device includes a front door and a multi-purpose tray. The front door is movable between a closed position set along a side surface at one side of a case of the image forming device and an opened position opened at the one side with respect to the side surface. The front door has an opening formed therein. The multi-purpose tray is provided to be selectively located at a non-use state at which the multi-purpose tray closes the opening and an in-use position at which the multi-purpose tray opens the opening. When the front door is located at the closed position and the multi-purpose tray is located at the non-use position, an upper end surface of the multi-purpose tray is exposed upward.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a photosensitive drum, a developing roller, a cam, a developing motor, a first transmission mechanism, and a second transmission mechanism. The cam moves the developing roller between a contacting position where the developing roller is in contact with the photosensitive drum and a separated position where the developing roller is separated from the photosensitive drum. The developing motor drives both the developing roller and the cam, and is rotatable in a normal rotating direction and a reverse rotating direction. The first transmission mechanism engages power transmission from the developing motor to the developing roller when the developing motor rotates in the normal rotating direction, and disengages the power transmission when the developing motor rotates in the reverse rotating direction. The second transmission mechanism can engage power transmission from the developing motor to the cam, irrespective of the rotating direction of the developing motor.

Abstract: An image-forming apparatus includes: a cover; and a separation mechanism. The separation mechanism includes a cam; a cam follower; and a release member. The release member is configured to move the cam follower from an operating position to a non-operating position in accordance with movement of the cover from a closed position to an open position. In a state where the cam follower is at the operating position, the cam follower is guided by the cam in accordance with rotation of the cam to allow the cam follower to slidably move between a protruding position and a standby position. In a state where the cam follower is at the non-operating position, the cam follower is not guided by the cam to allow the cam follower to be maintained at the standby position independently of the rotation of the cam.

Abstract: A multi-function apparatus employs an in-body sheet discharge type configuration. The image forming device includes a front door and a multi-purpose tray. The front door is movable between a closed position set along a side surface at one side of a case of the image forming device and an opened position opened at the one side with respect to the side surface. The front door has an opening formed therein. The multi-purpose tray is provided to be selectively located at a non-use state at which the multi-purpose tray closes the opening and an in-use position at which the multi-purpose tray opens the opening. When the front door is located at the closed position and the multi-purpose tray is located at the non-use position, an upper end surface of the multi-purpose tray is exposed upward.

Abstract: A sheet conveying device includes a sheet supporting portion, a first lever pivotable by contact with a sheet supported by the sheet supporting portion, a hook movable together with the first lever, a first cam configured to, when engaging the hook, stop rotating in a rotation direction of the first cam, a spring configured to urge the first cam in a rotation direction, a sector gear rotatable together with the first cam, a drive gear configured to, when engaging the sector gear, transmit a drive force to the sector gear, a feed roller rotatable in contact with the sheet, and a drive mechanism configured to receive a drive force from the sector gear and move one of the feed roller and the sheet supporting portion toward the other of the feed roller and the sheet supporting portion, to increase contact pressure between the feed roller and the sheet.