Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a photosensitive member, a transfer unit having a transfer belt, a primary transfer roller, a secondary transfer inner roller below the primary transfer roller in a vertical direction, and a stretching roller, a secondary transfer outer roller, a support unit, and an air duct provided in the transfer unit. The secondary transfer outer roller faces the secondary transfer inner roller via the transfer belt and forms a nip portion for secondarily transferring a toner image on the transfer belt to a sheet. The air duct is located downstream of the nip portion in a sheet conveyance direction and below a portion of the transfer belt stretched between the secondary transfer inner roller and the stretching roller in the vertical direction. The air duct includes an air intake port and moves with the transfer unit with movement of the transfer unit from the support unit.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image forming unit, a casing sheet metal, a circuit board, and a support sheet metal. The casing sheet metal includes a first surface having an opening and a second surface. The support sheet metal is housed in the casing sheet metal in an orientation in which a first edge of the support sheet metal faces the first surface of the casing sheet metal and a second edge of the support sheet metal faces the second surface of the casing sheet metal. The first edge includes an insertion portion configured to be inserted into the opening, and the second edge includes a pressing portion configured to press the second surface of the casing sheet metal in a state in which the insertion portion is inserted into the opening. Grounding of the circuit board is established via the support sheet metal and the casing sheet metal.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a photosensitive member, a transfer unit having a transfer belt, a primary transfer roller, a secondary transfer inner roller below the primary transfer roller in a vertical direction, and a stretching roller, a secondary transfer outer roller, a support unit, and an air duct provided in the transfer unit. The secondary transfer outer roller faces the secondary transfer inner roller via the transfer belt and forms a nip portion for secondarily transferring a toner image on the transfer belt to a sheet. The air duct is located downstream of the nip portion in a sheet conveyance direction and below a portion of the transfer belt stretched between the secondary transfer inner roller and the stretching roller in the vertical direction. The air duct includes an air intake port and moves with the transfer unit with movement of the transfer unit from the support unit.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image forming unit, a casing sheet metal, a circuit board, and a support sheet metal. The casing sheet metal includes a first surface having an opening and a second surface. The support sheet metal is housed in the casing sheet metal in an orientation in which a first edge of the support sheet metal faces the first surface of the casing sheet metal and a second edge of the support sheet metal faces the second surface of the casing sheet metal. The first edge includes an insertion portion configured to be inserted into the opening, and the second edge includes a pressing portion configured to press the second surface of the casing sheet metal in a state in which the insertion portion is inserted into the opening. Grounding of the circuit board is established via the support sheet metal and the casing sheet metal.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a photosensitive member, a transfer unit having a transfer belt, a primary transfer roller, a secondary transfer inner roller below the primary transfer roller in a vertical direction, and a stretching roller, a secondary transfer outer roller, a support unit, and an air duct provided in the transfer unit. The secondary transfer outer roller faces the secondary transfer inner roller via the transfer belt and forms a nip portion for secondarily transferring a toner image on the transfer belt to a sheet. The air duct is located downstream of the nip portion in a sheet conveyance direction and below a portion of the transfer belt stretched between the secondary transfer inner roller and the stretching roller in the vertical direction. The air duct includes an air intake port and moves with the transfer unit with movement of the transfer unit from the support unit.

Abstract: A sheet position correction device includes a detection unit, a skew correcting portion, a moving unit, and a control unit. The detection unit is configured to detect inclination of a sheet, and a position of a sheet in a width direction. The skew correcting portion is configured to convey the sheet, and correct skewing of the sheet. The moving unit is configured to move the skew correcting portion in the width direction. The control unit is configured to perform control such that skew correction of the sheet by the skew correcting portion and movement of the skew correcting portion by the moving unit are performed in parallel based on a detection result of the detection unit.

Abstract: A sheet discharging apparatus includes an apparatus body, a discharge unit discharging a sheet out of the apparatus body, and a sheet stacking portion including a stacking surface on which the sheet discharged by the discharge unit is stacked. A sheet processing device processing the sheet discharged by the discharge unit can be mounted on the sheet stacking portion. The sheet discharging apparatus further includes a stiffness imparting unit removably attached to the apparatus body and imparting stiffness to the sheet discharged by the discharge unit. The stiffness imparting unit includes a pressing portion pressing and deflecting the sheet in a width direction intersecting with a sheet discharging direction and a projecting portion projecting from the apparatus body above the stacking surface such that at least a part of the projecting portion overlaps with the stacking surface in a plan view.

Abstract: A sheet discharging apparatus includes an apparatus body, a discharge unit discharging a sheet out of the apparatus body, and a sheet stacking portion including a stacking surface on which the sheet discharged by the discharge unit is stacked. A sheet processing device processing the sheet discharged by the discharge unit can be mounted on the sheet stacking portion. The sheet discharging apparatus further includes a stiffness imparting unit removably attached to the apparatus body and imparting stiffness to the sheet discharged by the discharge unit. The stiffness imparting unit includes a pressing portion pressing and deflecting the sheet in a width direction intersecting with a sheet discharging direction and a projecting portion projecting from the apparatus body above the stacking surface such that at least a part of the projecting portion overlaps with the stacking surface in a plan view.

Abstract: A sheet guiding rib protrudes below a sheet suction surface of a plurality of suction conveyer belts, the sheet guiding rib being provided at a position on a downstream side in a sheet conveying direction of a sheet suction region, in which a sheet can be sucked, of the sheet suction surface of the plurality of suction conveyer belts, and between the plurality of suction conveyer belts. At a time of conveying a topmost sheet sucked and deflected downward at a part of pressing a sheet surface detecting flag, a deflection amount of the topmost sheet is reduced by bringing the deflected part of the topmost sheet into abutment against the sheet guiding rib.

Abstract: A sheet feeding apparatus includes a sheet stacking unit, a suction conveyance unit configured to convey an uppermost sheet stacked on the sheet stacking unit, a suction unit configured to adsorb the sheets onto the suction conveyance unit, and an adsorption completion detection unit. In the sheet feeding apparatus, when the tab-attached sheets are stacked on the sheet stacking unit and fed such that their tab portions are on the downstream side in a sheet feeding direction, the suction unit starts to adsorb the sheet and the suction conveyance unit starts to convey the sheet immediately after the adsorption completion detection unit detects the completion of the adsorption. When the sheets other than the tab-attached sheets are fed, the suction unit previously adsorbs the sheet onto the suction conveyance unit, and the suction conveyance unit starts to convey the sheet in response to the sheet feeding signal.

Abstract: Provided is a sheet feeding device having a sheet surface detecting mechanism installed to be movable up and down between adjacent adsorption conveyance belts 21, and detects a position of the top surface of the sheet by a sheet surface detecting member 61 that moves upward higher than the adsorbing surface of an adsorption conveyance belt 21. The position of the lower surface of the sheet surface detecting member 61 being pushed up by the blown upward sheet is regulated such that the difference in height between the adsorbing surface of the adsorption conveyance belt 21 and the lower surface of the sheet surface detecting member 61 is smaller than the difference in a height direction between the adsorbing surface of the adsorption conveyance belt 21 and the upper surface of a separation nozzle by a sensor abutting portion 62 that regulates upward movement of the sheet surface detecting member 61.

Abstract: A sheet guiding rib protrudes below a sheet suction surface of a plurality of suction conveyer belts, the sheet guiding rib being provided at a position on a downstream side in a sheet conveying direction of a sheet suction region, in which a sheet can be sucked, of the sheet suction surface of the plurality of suction conveyer belts, and between the plurality of suction conveyer belts. At a time of conveying a topmost sheet sucked and deflected downward at a part of pressing a sheet surface detecting flag, a deflection amount of the topmost sheet is reduced by bringing the deflected part of the topmost sheet into abutment against the sheet guiding rib.

Abstract: Provided is a sheet feeding device having a sheet surface detecting mechanism installed to be movable up and down between adjacent adsorption conveyance belts 21, and detects a position of the top surface of the sheet by a sheet surface detecting member 61 that moves upward higher than the adsorbing surface of an adsorption conveyance belt 21. The position of the lower surface of the sheet surface detecting member 61 being pushed up by the blown-up sheet is regulated such that the difference in height between the adsorbing surface of the adsorption conveyance belt 21 and the lower surface of the sheet surface detecting member 61 is smaller than the difference in a height direction between the adsorbing surface of the adsorption conveyance belt 21 and the upper surface of a separation nozzle by a sensor abutting portion 62 that regulates upward movement of the sheet surface detecting member 61.