Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image forming unit, a fixing unit, first and second rotating members, and a discharge unit to discharge a recording material to an outside. The fixing unit fixes an image from the image forming unit onto the recording material. The first rotating member comes into contact with and guides the image bearing recording material, and is driven to rotate by conveyance of the recording material. The second rotating member comes into contact with the image bearing recording material more on a downstream side than the first rotating member in a conveyance direction of the recording material, guides the recording material, and is driven to rotate by conveyance of the recording material. The first rotating member does not perform swinging motion by coming into contact with the recording material, and the second rotating member performs swinging motion by coming into contact with the recording material.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: a transport unit that transports a recording medium whose image formation surface has electric conductivity; a transfer unit that makes contact with the image formation surface of the recording medium transported by the transport unit and transfers an image formed with particles onto the image formation surface by an electric field formed between the transfer unit and the image formation surface; and a support unit that has electric conductivity, supports the recording medium so as to be conductive with the image formation surface of the recording medium, and is transported to the transfer unit together with the recording medium by the transport unit.

Abstract: A fixing device includes a heater, a fixing rotator, a first temperature sensor, a second temperature sensor, a contact rotator, and circuitry. The fixing rotator has an outer circumferential surface having a first area and a second area. The first area contacts both a first sheet and a second sheet having a width narrower than the width of the first sheet. The second area contacts the first sheet but does not contact the second sheet. The first temperature sensor detects a first temperature of the first area. The second temperature sensor detects a second temperature of the second area. The contact rotator contacts both the first area and the second area and rotates at the one of at least two relative velocities with respect to the fixing rotator. The circuitry sets one of the at least two relative velocities based on the first temperature and the second temperature.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image forming unit, a fixing unit, first and second rotating members, and a discharge unit to discharge a recording material to an outside. The fixing unit fixes an image from the image forming unit onto the recording material. The first rotating member comes into contact with and guides the image bearing recording material, and is driven to rotate by conveyance of the recording material. The second rotating member comes into contact with the image bearing recording material more on a downstream side than the first rotating member in a conveyance direction of the recording material, guides the recording material, and is driven to rotate by conveyance of the recording material. The first rotating member does not perform swinging motion by coming into contact with the recording material, and the second rotating member performs swinging motion by coming into contact with the recording material.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus including a print engine, a gloss treatment device, a medium conveying device, and a processor. The print engine is to form an image on a print medium. The gloss treatment device is to perform a gloss treatment on the print medium on which an image is formed. The medium conveying device to provide the print medium to the print engine and selectively provide the print medium on which an image is formed to the gloss treatment device. The processor is to control the print engine to form an image based on print data and control the medium conveying device to selectively provide the print medium to the gloss treatment device depending on whether a gloss treatment option is set in the print data.

Abstract: An imaging device has a fuser assembly and a removably insertable cartridge with an activation device. The fuser assembly has a fusing nip that heats during use. A shutter moves between a fully opened and fully closed position to allow or block access to the fusing nip. A frame has an opening to allow passage of the activation device of the cartridge. During use, the shutter blocks access to the fusing nip until the activation device of the cartridge passes through the opening of the frame and contacts a corresponding activation surface, whereby the shutter begins opening and travels through a range of movement until reaching the fully opened position when the cartridge is fully inserted into the imaging device. Removal of the cartridge reverses the action of the shutter.

Abstract: A transport device includes a transport unit that transports a sheet-like transport material without holding a one-end-side portion of the transport material in a transport direction; and a blowing unit that blows air against a lower surface of the transport material that is transported by the transport unit via multiple blowing holes that open with respect to the lower surface, an arrangement interval of the multiple blowing holes in a direction of intersection with respect to the transport direction being smaller at two end portions than at a central portion of the blowing unit.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus sets, in a case where a mode for executing a heating process a plurality of times is set, a target temperature of a fixing unit during a second heating process depending on image information about a toner image to be formed on a first surface of a recording medium immediately before a first heating process.

Abstract: A decurling device includes: a first transporter including a transport roller, the first transporter that sandwiches a transported sheet and transports the transported sheet further downstream; and a second transporter including an endless belt that is in contact with the transport roller. The transport roller has an elasticity that, when the belt is pressed against the transport roller, allows the belt to bite into the transport roller by a bite amount corresponding to a pressing force, the second transporter includes an abutting member disposed inside the belt, the abutting member includes an upstream protrusion, an downstream protrusion, the upstream protrusion and the downstream protrusion being provided at positions away from each other at an upstream portion and a downstream portion in a sheet transport direction.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a motor, an image formation-transfer section, a switching mechanism, a fixing section, and a controller. The motor generates driving force. The image formation-transfer section state-changes between a first contact state and a first separate state by the driving force. The switching mechanism transmits and cuts off the driving force to the image formation-transfer section. The fixing section includes first and second rotating members, and state-changes between a second contact state and a second separate state by the driving force. The controller controls the motor and the switching mechanism and thereby causes part or all of a first period, in which the fixing section state-changes from the second separate state to the second contact state, and part or all of a second period, in which the image formation-transfer section state-changes from the first separate state to the first contact state, to overlap each other.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: a conveyer that conveys a recording medium; a transfer part that forms a transfer nip between with the conveyer, and conveys, toward the transfer nip, an image to be transferred onto the recording medium; and an inclination part that inclines the recording medium conveyed by the conveyer with respect to a conveyance direction of the recording medium in the conveyer.

Abstract: A device includes a rotator, a belt facing the rotator and having an outer peripheral surface which contacts the rotator to form a nip therebetween, a first pad configured to press the belt toward the rotator to form one part of the nip, a second pad configured to press the belt toward the rotator, to form another part of the nip, a holder holding the first pad and the second pad, a stay supporting the holder, and an urging member urging the stay toward the rotator in an urging direction. The second pad is located upstream of the first pad in a conveyance direction in the nip orthogonal to the urging direction. At least a portion of a contact area between the stay and the holder is located downstream of a center of the nip and upstream of a front edge of the first pad in the conveyance direction.

Abstract: A fixing device includes an endless belt that rotates and a pressure rotator that rotates and presses against the endless belt to form a fixing nip between the endless belt and the pressure rotator, through which a recording medium bearing an image is conveyed. A heater is disposed inside a loop formed by the endless belt. The heater heats the endless belt. A conductor is disposed upstream from the pressure rotator in a recording medium conveyance direction and grounded. The conductor contacts and detects the recording medium.

Abstract: In an image forming apparatus, a removal unit includes a sheet member that has elasticity and contacts a rotator, and an absorption member that is thicker than the sheet member and arranged opposite to the rotator via the sheet member to absorb a water droplet, and the absorption member absorbs the water droplet removed by the sheet member from the rotator.

Abstract: A fusing device including a heating member, a pressing member to press a recording medium while facing the heating member, a first guide member to guide the recording medium to a nip formed between the heating member and the pressing member, a second guide member to be hingeably connected to the first guide member, the second guide member to move to a first position and to a second position, and an actuator configured to move the second guide member to the first position and the second position, the second guide member being further away from the heating member at the second position than at the first position, and the second guide member is to move to the first position before a front end of the recording medium enters the nip, and is to move to the second position after the front end of the recording medium enters the nip.

Abstract: A fixing device includes first and second rotatable members; a movable member; a first supporting side plate including an opening; a second supporting side plate; a detecting portion; a supporting plate; a holding portion; a slit portion; a first projected portion; a second projected portion; and a hole. When the position of the holding portion with respect to the height direction is regulated by the second projected portion in contact with the supporting plate, in a projection plane in which the outside of the first supporting side plate is viewed in the longitudinal direction of the first rotatable member, the flag portion is accommodated inside the opening and is in a non-overlapping position with the detecting portion. When the projected portion is engaged in the hole, in the projection plane, the flag portion is in an overlapping position with the detecting portion.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an executing portion for cleaning a rotatable heating member by introducing, into a nip, sheets, of a plurality of sheets, on which a predetermined toner image is formed by an image forming portion, a changing mechanism for making positional relationships of first and second sheets, of the plurality of sheets, relative to the rotatable heating member, different from each other with respect to a widthwise direction of the rotatable heating member when the first and second sheets are successively introduced into the nip in a cleaning mode, and a re-introducing mechanism for re-introducing the first and second sheets into the nip, the first and second sheets having passed through the nip and having been turned upside down, wherein the changing mechanism changes the relative positional relationship of the first and second sheets, which are turned upside down, relative to the rotatable heating member.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a first image forming section configured to form an image on a sheet with a decolorable color material decolorable, a second image forming section configured to form an image on the sheet with a non-decolorable color material, a fixing device configured to heat the sheet on which the images are formed with the decolorable color material and the non-decolorable color material, and a cooling section configured to cool the heated sheet.

Abstract: A sheet conveyance apparatus includes a rotary drive member configured to rotate by receiving transmission of driving force from a driving source, a driven rotary member arranged with a predetermined distance in a sheet conveyance direction from the rotary drive member, an endless belt member supported on the rotary drive member and the driven rotary member, and configured to be rotated by a rotation of the rotary drive member, and a guide member configured to guide a sheet conveyed by the belt member. The guide member is mounted to a shaft configured to support the rotary drive member, and the rotary drive member is supported on the shaft in a rotatable manner with respect to the shaft.

Abstract: An image heating apparatus for use with an image forming apparatus. The image heating apparatus includes a pair of rotatable members configured to form a nip for heating an image on a recording material, a guide member configured to guide the recording material toward the nip, a supporting mechanism configured to rotatably support the guide member about an axis so that the guide member is movable between a first position at which the guide member guides the recording material and a second position at which the guide member blocks at least a portion of a feeding path of the recording material, and a locking mechanism configured to lock the guide member being in the first position. The locking mechanism releases locking with sliding movement of the guiding member in a direction of the axis.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to downsize the main body and achieve a good image quality at a low cost. A rotation shaft of a first discharge roller is tilted with respect to that of a second discharge roller. The center of oscillation C of a first discharge roller holding member is provided more upstream in the direction in which a sheet is discharged than a straight line made by the rotation center of the first discharge roller and the rotation center of the second discharge roller.

Abstract: Provided is an image forming apparatus including a fixing member that transports a recording medium on which an image is transferred while nipping the recording medium to fix the image to the recording medium, a discharge member that discharges the recording medium by rotating forwardly, a guide member that guides the recording medium to a reverse transport path in which a front surface and a rear surface of the recording medium are reversed by coming in contact with the recording medium transported by the discharge member that reversely rotates, and a waving member that is disposed at a downstream side of the fixing member in the transport direction of the recording medium, and waves the recording medium transported by the fixing member in a width direction of the recording medium.

Abstract: An electrophotographic image forming apparatus, including: a fixing device including a heater and a presser; a discharge-roller unit including a first frame and a discharge roller pair; and an arm supporting the heater or the presser, wherein, when the first frame is located at a first position, a nip position of the discharge roller pair is located at a first nip position and the arm supports the heater or the presser at a first press-contact position such that the heater and the presser are held in pressing contact at a predetermined pressure, and wherein, when the first frame is located at a second position, the nip position is located at a second nip position shifted from the first nip position and the arm supports the heater or the presser at a second press-contact position such that the heater and the presser are held in pressing contact at a lower pressure.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a fixing device, an ejection device and a conveyance guide. The fixing device is configured to fix a toner image onto a sheet. The ejection device is configured to eject the sheet having fixed toner image by the fixing device. The conveyance guide is configured to guide the sheet along a conveyance path from the fixing device to the ejection device. The conveyance guide is provided with a plurality of main ribs formed along a sheet conveyance direction so as to be located inwardly by a predetermined length from both side edges of sheets of a plurality of sizes in a sheet width direction intersecting with the sheet conveyance direction. The conveyance guide is provided with a sub-rib formed to be lower than the main ribs arranged at a space where the interval between the main ribs is wider than a predetermined interval.

Abstract: Disclosed is an image forming system, which makes it possible to effectively eject the jam-subsequent paper sheet remaining therein. In the system, a primary abnormal state in which the conveyance operation cannot be continued, and a secondary abnormal state in which an adverse influence is possibly incurred to the image formed on the paper sheet though it is possible to continue the conveyance operation, are defined. In the state that the primary abnormal state or the secondary abnormal state is detected in midcourse of the conveyance operation, when a pre-purge processing for conveying the jam-subsequent paper sheet is implemented so as to eject the jam-subsequent paper sheet onto the ejecting tray, controlling operations are conducted so as to continue the conveyance operation without halting the conveyance operation, even if the secondary abnormal state in respect to the jam-subsequent paper sheet is detected in midcourse of performing the pre-purge processing thereof.

Abstract: A heating device includes a heating member body having a surface that is configured to contact a continuous medium; plural heat sources that are arranged in a width direction of the continuous medium and that are configured to increase a temperature of the heating member body; an electric power circuit that is configured to supply electric power to the heat sources in accordance with a width of the continuous medium; a heat transfer member that is disposed so as to face the heat sources and that extends in the width direction of the continuous medium; and an overheat prevention device that is disposed in contact with the heat transfer member and that is configured to stop supply of electric power from the electric power circuit if a temperature of the heat transfer member exceeds a predetermined temperature.

Abstract: A fixing device includes a heater, a heating rotary member, a pressure rotary member, and a guide member. The heating rotary member is rotated while being heated by the heater. The pressure rotary member is in pressure contact with part of an outer circumferential surface of the heating rotary member so as to be rotated and so as to form a pressure contact portion which allows a recording medium to pass therethrough. The guide member has a guide portion which guides a leading end of the recording medium toward part of the outer circumferential surface of the heating rotary member. The guide portion has a guide ending portion having a central portion and left and right end portions in a direction parallel to a rotational axis direction of the heating rotary member. The central portion is recessed relative to the left and right end portions.

Abstract: An electrophotographic image forming apparatus has a developing roller, wherein a glossiness of a surface of the developing roller is in a range of about 4 to about 15, the developing roller includes a plurality of protruding beads, a number average distance (Rsm) between the protruding beads is in a range of about 200 ?m to about 400 ?m, a supplying roller includes a plurality of foam cells, a number average size of the foam cells is in a range of about 300 ?m to about 500 ?m, and the developing roller is arranged to rotate at a rotation linear velocity that is about 120% to about 150% of a rotation linear velocity of a photoreceptor.

Abstract: A fixing device and An image forming apparatus include: a first pressure roller having an elastic layer in a surface layer section; a fixing belt wound on the elastic layer of the first pressure roller; a second pressure roller that presses the elastic layer of the first pressure roller via the fixing belt, the second pressure roller forming a fixing nip portion between the fixing belt and the second pressure roller; and a guide member that guides the fixing belt in such a manner as to separate the fixing belt from a protruding portion of the elastic layer, the protruding portion being formed on an entrance side of the fixing nip portion in a sheet conveying direction.

Abstract: A fixing exit guide plate for use in a fixing device, which supports the conveyance of a paper while being curved in a direction opposite to a curl direction of the paper in a paper conveyance path downstream of conveyance support rollers, includes a conveyance downstream portion having a paper conveyance plane and a conveyance upstream portion having a paper conveyance plane, wherein the fixing exit guide plate is retracted in a paper jam process to move such that the paper conveyance plane of the conveyance downstream portion rotates about a rotation axis of the conveyance support driving roller to be substantially parallel to the paper conveyance plane of a conveyance upstream portion.

Abstract: A fixing device includes a heating member, a pressure member, and a conveyance guide. The heating member internally includes a heating element. The pressure member includes an elastic layer located to be pressed against the heating member to ensure a fixing nip area between the heating member and the pressure member. The conveyance guide is located upstream with respect to the fixing nip area in a conveying path of a sheet on which the toner image is formed, and assists the sheet to run. The conveyance guide includes a first guiding portion that guides a head of the sheet to a distal end position close to the heating member and a second guiding portion that guides a tail of the sheet from the distal end position to an intermediate position between the heating member and the pressure member.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a curved conveyance path being formed by an outer guide and an inner guide, and a control unit configured to control a first conveyance unit disposed on upstream of the conveyance path and a second conveyance unit disposed on downstream of the conveyance path such that a conveyance speed of the first conveyance unit is set greater than a conveyance speed of the second conveyance unit, in a case where an image surface of the recording material on which an image is formed faces the inner guide, and perform control of the first and the second conveyance units in such a manner that the conveyance speed of the first conveyance unit is set less than the conveyance speed of the second conveyance unit, in a case where the image surface of the recording material on which the image is formed faces the outer guide.

Abstract: A fixing device has a fixing member, a guide member, and a blowing member. The guide member is pivotable to be located selectively either in a first position where it guides a recording medium to a fixing nip and a second position where it shuts a recording medium transport passage. When the fixing member is driven to rotate, the guide member is located in the first position to guide air blown from the blowing member to opposite ends of the fixing member. When the fixing member is not driven to rotate, the guide member is located in the second position to let air blown from the blowing member pass between the guide member and the fixing member.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image bearing member; a transfer unit for transferring a toner image from the image bearing member onto the recording material; a fixing unit for fixing the toner image on the recording material; an electroconductive member contactable to the recording material; a resistance element connected with the electroconductive member; and a capacitor element connected with the electroconductive member. The electroconductive member is disposed so as to be nipped simultaneously by the transfer nip and the fixing nip and so as to be contacted by the recording material, and the electroconductive member and the capacitor element are connected in parallel between the electroconductive member and a ground potential.

Abstract: To prevent a flap of an envelope from sticking to an envelope main body, an image forming apparatus includes: an image forming portion forming a toner image on the envelope; a fixing device fixing the toner image onto the envelope by heating the envelope while conveying the envelope on which the toner image is formed by the image forming portion; and a conveying roller pair that rotates while nipping the envelope, onto which the toner image is fixed by the fixing device, to convey the envelope. A driven roller of the conveying roller pair includes driven runners divided in a rotary shaft center direction, and one driven runner located at one end is inclined in a direction separating from another driven runner so that an outer peripheral surface of the one driven runner is brought into contact with a corner portion of a rubber roller.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a casing, an image-forming unit, a circuit board for controlling operations of the image-forming unit, a receiving unit for receiving liquid entering into the casing. The casing includes: a wall portion constituting a top surface and positioned upward of the image-forming unit; a first frame supporting the circuit board; and a second frame opposing the first frame in an orthogonal direction orthogonal to a vertical direction. The wall portion includes a first member and a second member positioned adjacent to each other to provide a first gap therebetween. The image-forming unit is disposed between the first frame and the second frame. The receiving unit is positioned below the first gap and includes a receiving wall for receiving the liquid entering into the casing through the first gap, the receiving wall being slanted downward toward the second frame.

Abstract: A fixing device for fixing processing to fix a developer to a medium where the developer is transferred onto the medium, according to the invention, includes: a fixing processing unit for the fixing processing of the medium fed from an upstream side in a medium conveyance direction; a medium guide unit for guiding the medium fed from the upstream side in a medium conveyance direction, to the fixing processing unit; and a conductive member having a relatively high conductivity, being connected to a ground level, and contacting to the medium guide unit.

Abstract: High-temperature heat generated from a fixing device is efficiently discharged to an outside an apparatus. A printer includes: a photosensitive drum; a transfer roller; a fixing device; and a duct frame that is mounted between two side plates disposed to oppose each other and disposed right over the fixing device with a lower surface opened. An upper inner surface of the duct frame is inclined in a short-edge direction of the duct frame, and an inclined upper end portion of the upper inner surface is provided with an aperture portion that discharges heat generated from the fixing device to an outside of the duct frame.

Abstract: A medium transporting apparatus includes a first transporting section and first guide. The first transporting section transports a medium. The first guide guides the medium transported by the transporting section, and is disposed downstream of the first transporting section with respect to a first direction in which the medium is transported. The first guide includes a first guide portion and a second guide portion. The first guide portion extends in the first direction. The second guide portion extends in a second direction substantially perpendicular to the first direction.

Abstract: A fixing device includes a fixing member, a pressing member and a separating member. The fixing member is provided with a sheet passing region and a non-sheet passing region. The separating member has a separating plate and a restricting piece. The restricting piece is provided with a curving surface on a region including the contacting portion with the non-sheet passing region. The curving surface has a first curving area and a second curving area. The first curving area is provided on a downstream side from the contacting portion in a rotating direction of the fixing member. The second curving area is provided on an upstream side from the contacting portion in the rotating direction of the fixing member. The second curving area has a radius of curvature larger than that of the first curving area.

Abstract: A printing apparatus includes a controller that, upon receipt of a printing suspension instruction during printing on a print medium by a printing device, causes a conveyor to stop a conveyance of the print medium from an upstream side to a downstream side after printing a mark on the print medium, causes the conveyor to convey the print medium from the downstream side to the upstream side, then to stop the conveyance of the print medium after a sensor detects the mark printed on the print medium, and upon receipt of a printing restart instruction, causes the conveyor to convey the print medium from a returned position where the print medium is stopped to the downstream side and controls a timing of a printing based on a detection of the mark by the sensor.

Abstract: A fixing device includes a fixing member, a pressure member, and a guiding member. The guiding member includes a first guide surface, a second guide surface, and a pair of third guide surfaces consecutively installing both end portions in the axial direction of the first guide surface and both end portions in the axial direction of the second guide surface. The first end edge of the first guide surface has a first circular arc shape arranged such that a center portion in the axial direction projects toward the downstream side in the rotation direction with respect to both end portions in the axial direction. The second guide surface is one of a curved surface in a second circular arc shape arranged such that a center portion in the axial direction is close to the first circumference surface with respect to both end portions in the axial direction.

Abstract: A sheet manufacturing apparatus includes a web forming unit configured to form a web which includes fibers and resin, and a first pressurizing unit and a second pressurizing unit configured to pressurize the web. The first pressurizing unit has a separation layer, is positioned on an upstream side of the second pressurizing unit in a transfer direction of the web, and is configured to heat the web. The second pressurizing unit is positioned on a downstream side of the first pressurizing unit in the transfer direction of the web, does not have a separation layer, and is configured not to heat the web. The pressurizing force from the first pressurizing unit is smaller than the pressurizing force from the second pressurizing unit.

Abstract: A fixing device includes a pair of fixing members that contact each other and that rotate or circulate, and that heat and press a sheet that is transported with a toner image being carried thereby and that is interposed between the fixing members, to fix the toner image to the sheet; and a guide member that guides to a fixing area the sheet that is transported towards the fixing members. The guide member includes a metallic member and resin members. The metallic member has a guide surface that faces the sheet that is transported towards the guide member. The resin members are disposed at the guide surface so as to be spaced apart from each other in a widthwise direction. The resin members protrude from the guide surface and are struck by a front edge of the sheet in the transport direction of the sheet.

Abstract: A fixing apparatus includes: a fixing device for fixing a toner image on a sheet at a nip; and a guiding member for guiding the sheet toward the nip. The guiding member includes: an electroconductive metal plate which is electrically grounded; and an insulating resin member, provided to cover a part of the metal plate, slidable with the sheet. The resin member includes: a plurality of openings, provided at different positions with respect to a direction perpendicular to a sheet conveyance direction, for permitting exposure of the metal plate along the sheet conveyance direction; and a downstream portion, substantially free from a stepped portion, which is provided at a downstreammost portion with respect to the sheet conveyance direction and which is extended flat in the direction perpendicular to the sheet conveyance direction in a sheet conveyance region.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus comprising a drum for carrying a toner image; a transfer member for contacting the drum to form a transfer nip, the transfer member being capable of electrostatically transferring the toner image from the drum onto a sheet; a fixing unit provided, downstream of the transfer member with respect to a sheet feeding direction, for fixing the toner image on the sheet by a fixing nip; a first current path provided between the fixing nip and a ground potential; a feeding unit, provided downstream of the fixing unit, for feeding the sheet while nipping by a feeding nip; a guiding member, disposed downstream of the feeding unit, for feeding the sheet passing through the transfer nip; and a second current path provided between the feeding nip and the ground potential, the second path having an electric resistance which is lower than that of the first path.

Abstract: Provided is a fixing device including a fixing member that fixes toner onto a recording material, a pressurizing member that forms a nip portion, through which the recording material passes, between the fixing member and the pressurizing member, a moving member that is disposed to be movable in response to passage of the recording material in a transport path of the recording material which passes through the nip portion, a detection unit that detects a presence or absence of the moving member, a displacement mechanism that changes a position of the pressurizing member with respect to the fixing member, and an attachment/detachment member that is disposed in a detachable manner at a facing position facing the displacement mechanism and comes into contact with the moving member.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a fixing unit, a housing having a sheet ejection opening, a plurality of sheet ejection rollers disposed in the sheet ejection opening and configured to eject the sheet fed from the fixing unit to the outside of the housing, a heat generating member spaced apart from the fixing unit and configured to generate heat, and a first guide member. The first guide member is disposed above the heat generating member, and configured to guide the sheet fed from the fixing unit to the ejection rollers. The first guide member includes a base portion having a plurality of outlet ports, and a plurality of ribs protruding upward from the base portion. The outlet ports are disposed between each pair of adjacent ones of the ribs and positioned closer to a downstream end of the first guide member than to an upstream end thereof.

Abstract: A fixing device includes: a heating unit; a rotatable body; an urging mechanism; first and second bearings; a frame; first and second positioning members. The first and second bearings support first and second axial end portions of the rotatable body, respectively. The frame supports the heating unit and has two side walls. One of the side walls supports the first bearing, and the other supports the second bearing. Each side wall includes: a first wall portion supporting the first or second bearing; and second and third wall portions supporting the heating unit while interposing the heating unit therebetween. The first and second positioning members extend from the heating unit toward the first and second bearings, respectively. The heating unit is fixed in position relative to the first and second bearings upon engagement of the first and second positioning members with the first and second bearings, respectively.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus having a compact size includes a printing medium supplying unit to hold printing media and to supply a printing medium, an image forming unit disposed above the printing medium supplying unit to form images on a printing medium, and a printing medium feeding part substantially formed in a letter “C” shape, having a part which extends to the image forming unit and which is inclined in a downward direction along a printing medium moving direction to feed the printing medium from the printing medium supplying unit to the image forming unit