Abstract: A conveyance device includes a conveyance path having a curved portion and a pair of conveyers which are disposed in the conveyance path and convey a medium while nipping it, wherein the medium enters the pair of conveyers in a state of being at least partially curved in the curved portion, and the conveyance path guides the medium toward one of the pair of conveyers.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes first, second, and third covers, first and second ducts, and a plurality of image forming units, including first and second image forming units. The second cover is between the first cover and the plurality of image forming units to cover the plurality of image forming units. The first duct is disposed on the second cover to guide air absorbed from outside of the image forming apparatus through an air intake to the first image forming unit. The second duct is disposed on the second cover to guide air absorbed from the outside of the image forming apparatus through the air intake to the second image forming unit. The third cover is attachable to and detachable from the second cover to cover an opening of the second cover. At least part of the first image forming unit is insertable and extractable through the opening.

Abstract: A developing device includes a developer cartridge and a developing unit. The developer cartridge, in some instances, may include a shutter. This shutter may have a wall for closing a developer supply hole, and be movable, with respect to a developer cartridge casing, between an open position where the supply hole is opened by the wall and a closed position where the supply hole is closed by the wall. The shutter may further include a protrusion that is movable with respect to the wall of the shutter between a first position and a second position in an axial direction. The protrusion, in the first position, is engageable with a developing unit and, in the second position, would be disengaged from the developing unit.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a first roller pair including a first roller and a second roller, a first driving unit, a second roller pair, a second driving unit, an image forming unit, and a control unit configured to execute a first mode and a second mode. The second mode includes (1) a first processing, (2) a second processing, and (3) a third processing of controlling the first driving unit such that the rotational speed of the first roller pair becomes faster than the second rotational speed. The first mode includes (1) a fourth processing, (2) a fifth processing, and (3) a sixth processing of controlling the first driving unit such that the rotational speed of the first roller pair is decelerated from the first rotational speed to equal to or less than the second rotational speed.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a casing, an image forming unit, an outer cover, a first inner cover arranged to face an inner side of the outer cover in a closed state, the first inner cover being made of resin, a second inner cover arranged to face the inner side of the outer cover in the closed state, the second inner cover being made of resin, a first fan, and a second fan. The first inner cover includes a first duct configured to guide air taken in from an exterior of the image forming apparatus by rotation of the first fan to the image forming unit. The second inner cover includes a second duct configured to guide air taken in from the exterior of the image forming apparatus by rotation of the second fan to the image forming unit.

Abstract: A medium conveying apparatus includes a conveying roller to convey a medium, a width detection sensor for detecting a width of the medium conveyed by the conveying roller in a direction perpendicular to a conveying direction, an overlap detection sensor for detecting an overlap of the medium conveyed by the conveying roller, and a processor to determine whether to execute an abnormality processing for a multi-feed, based on the width of the medium acquired based on a detection result by the width detection sensor and a detection result by the overlap detection sensor. The processor acquires an overlap detection width being a width in which the medium is estimated to overlap in the direction perpendicular to the conveying direction, based on the detection result by the overlap detection sensor. The processor executes the abnormality processing when the width of the medium and the overlap detection width are equal.

Abstract: A medium conveying apparatus includes a conveying roller to convey a medium, a width detection sensor for detecting a width of the medium conveyed by the conveying roller in a direction perpendicular to a conveying direction, an overlap detection sensor for detecting an overlap of the medium conveyed by the conveying roller, and a processor to determine whether to execute an abnormality processing for a multi-feed, based on the width of the medium acquired based on a detection result by the width detection sensor and a detection result by the overlap detection sensor. The processor acquires an overlap detection width being a width in which the medium is estimated to overlap in the direction perpendicular to the conveying direction, based on the detection result by the overlap detection sensor. The processor executes the abnormality processing when the width of the medium and the overlap detection width are equal.

Abstract: A sheet conveying apparatus may comprise a first conveying roller configured to convey a sheet and a second conveying roller disposed on a downstream side of the first conveying roller in a conveyance direction of the sheet. In a case where the second conveying roller rotates at a first speed by a driving force being transmitted to the second conveying roller, the first conveying roller rotates by being driven with respect to the second conveying roller. In a case where the second conveying roller rotates at a second speed faster than the first speed by the driving force being transmitted to the second conveying roller, the first conveying roller rotates at the second speed.

Abstract: A gear includes a gear body to be attached to a distal end of a driving shaft in an axial direction of the driving shaft and including teeth each extending obliquely with respect to the axial direction, and a stopping portion included in the gear body and configured in such a manner as to allow the driving shaft to which the gear body is attached to move in a circumferential direction. When the driving shaft moves in the circumferential direction, the stopping portion is enabled to stop the gear body from moving in the axial direction, the stopping portion stopping the gear body by coming into contact with a portion of the driving shaft.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus including: a restricting member; a driven gear including a portion to be restricted; a planetary gear mechanism including input portion to transmit a driving force from a driving source, output portion for transmitting the driving force to the driven gear; and a stopping member that is configured to stop rotation, which is oriented in a first rotation direction, and allow rotation of the portion to be stopped in a second rotation direction opposite to the first rotation direction, wherein when the input portion rotates in a first direction, the stopping member stops the rotation, and the output portion rotates the driven gear in a release direction opposite to the restriction direction, and when the rotation of the driven gear in the restriction direction is restricted and the input portion rotates to be oriented in a second direction opposite to the first direction.

Abstract: A sheet conveying device includes a separation member, a second conveyance member, a third conveyance member, and a first drive control portion. The separation member separates a sheet in contact with a first conveyance member from another at a first position where the first conveyance member comes into contact with the sheet. The second and third conveyance members are respectively downstream of the first and second positions. The first drive control portion stops driving the first conveyance member (1) after the leading edge of the sheet reaches the second position and before the trailing edge of the sheet passes through the first position when the sheet length is not exceeding a specific distance based on a distance between the first and third positions and (2) after the leading edge reaches the third position and before the trailing edge passes through the first position when the length exceeds the specific distance.

Abstract: A paper separating roller, including a shaft body, a first friction member and a second friction member is provided. The first friction member covers a first surface of an outer periphery of the shaft body. The second friction member covers a second surface of the outer periphery of the shaft body, wherein the first friction member and the second friction member are formed of two different materials. With the design of the friction members being formed of composite materials, the paper separating roller has the advantages of two different material features at the same time, such that a wider range of performance capabilities can be achieved.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image forming unit configured to form an image on a sheet, a discharge conveyance path configured to discharge the sheet on which the image is formed by the image forming unit to outside, a reverse conveyance path configured to reverse a conveyance direction of the conveyed sheet and convey the sheet, a first conveyance path configured to guide the sheet conveyed from the image forming unit to the reverse conveyance path, a second conveyance path configured to guide the sheet reversed in the reverse conveyance path from the reverse conveyance path to the discharge conveyance path, and a reading unit configured to read the image of the sheet in the second conveyance path.

Abstract: An image forming system includes: an image forming device that is disposed at a first conveyance path and forms an image on a recording medium that is a continuous sheet or a long sheet; a first conveyor that conveys the recording medium on the first conveyance path in a conveyance direction; an image reader that reads the image formed on the recording medium at a second conveyance path on a downstream side of the first conveyance path in the conveyance direction; a second conveyor that conveys the recording medium on the second conveyance path; and a controller that controls a speed of a drive source of the first conveyor and controls a torque of a drive source of the second conveyor.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a belt, an image forming unit, a first roller configured to form a transfer portion where the toner image is transferred from the belt to a recording material, a second roller disposed upstream of the first roller, a pressing member disposed upstream of the first roller and downstream of the second roller, a guide member disposed upstream of the transfer portion, and a connecting member configured to electrically connect the guide member and the pressing member to each other.

Abstract: According to one aspect of the present invention, an image forming apparatus includes a fixing unit comprising a fixing member configured to fix a toner image to a recording material, and a pressure member configured to form a first nip portion, a conveyance portion configured to form a second nip portion, and a control unit configured to execute, a conveyance mode of conveying the recording material so that the recording material is not looped between the first nip portion and the second nip portion prior to a predetermined timing during passing of the recording material of the first nip portion, and conveying the recording material so that the recording material is looped toward the pressure member from the predetermined timing until a trailing edge of the recording material has passed through the first nip portion.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image bearing member, a developing portion, a transfer member, a conveyance portion, a guide member disposed on the same side as the image bearing member with respect to a conveyance path, the guide member being configured to guide the sheet conveyed by the conveyance portion toward the transfer portion, a rotary member disposed to oppose the guide member and configured to be movable between a first position and a second position, and an urging portion. An urging force of the urging portion is set such that the rotary member is positioned at the first position in a case where a first sheet having a first stiffness is conveyed, and such that the rotary member is positioned at the second position by being pushed by a second sheet having a second stiffness.

Abstract: A retaining ring 1 for a shaft 2a usable with a bearing 3 having an outer ring 3a and an inner ring 3b fixed on the shaft, wherein the inner ring 3b and the outer ring 3a are rotatable relative to each other, and the retaining ring 1 is provided on the shaft 2a adjacent to the bearing 3 in a thrust direction to restrict a position of the bearing 3 in the thrust direction, the retaining ring 1 includes a protrusion 1a protruding in the thrust direction from a surface opposing the inner ring 3b in the thrust direction to contact the inner ring 3b so that the retaining ring 1 is out of contact from the outer ring 3a.

Abstract: A developing device includes a developer container configured to contain a developer, a developing carrying member configured to carry and feed the developer to a developing position, and a regulating member configured to regulate an amount of the developer carried by the developer carrying member, wherein the developer carrying member includes a magnet provided non-rotatably and stationarily inside the developer carrying member, and wherein the developer carrying member is provided with information regarding magnetic flux density of the magnet.

Abstract: An upper unit includes a feed tray configured to support a document to be fed such that the document is inclined, a transport path configured to reverse the document fed in a direction having a vertically downward component by a feed tray in a direction having a vertically upward component, a first reader disposed on the transport path, and a discharge tray configured to support the discharged document such that the document is inclined. A lower unit includes a document positioning plate on which a document is mounted, and includes a second reader disposed vertically below the document positioning plate and configured to read the document mounted on the document positioning plate. A portion of the first reader and a portion of the document positioning plate overlap when viewed from vertically above.

Abstract: A controller starts sheet feeding at a primary sheet feeding speed, then momentarily stops a sheet feeding rotary member, and thereafter starts secondary sheet feeding. When the secondary sheet feeding speed equals a first speed, the controller momentarily stops the sheet feeding rotary member such that the leading end of a document sheet stops at a first stop position. When the secondary sheet feeding speed equals a second speed, the controller momentarily stops the sheet feeding rotary member such that the leading end of a document sheet stops at a second stop position. The second stop position is located downstream of the first stop position in the document conveying direction.

Abstract: A device for applying segments of absorbent articles includes a cutting station for cutting a continuous web into segments and an applicator station for applying each segment on a respective absorbent article. A plurality of carrier units, each includes a pad for retaining and transferring a segment from the cutting station to the applicator station. The pad fully rotates about a main axis to transfer the segment from the cutting station to the applicator station and return to the cutting station and, from the cutting station to the applicator station, rotates at least 90° about its axis of rotation to orient the segment transverse to the feed direction of the absorbent article. A first movement member moves one or more first carrier units about the main axis and a second movement member moves one or more second carrier units separately from the first carrier units about the main axis.

Abstract: A sensor unit includes a first housing constituting a first conveying face of a sheet conveying passage, a second housing constituting a second conveying face arranged opposite the first conveying face with a predetermined gap, an edge detection sensor detecting a side edge along the sheet conveying direction, and a gap adjuster supporting the first housing movably in a direction in which the size of the gap increases. When, with the first housing arranged at the first position, a sheet with a thickness greater than a reference value passes through the sheet conveying passage, the first housing moves in the direction in which the size of the gap increases as the sheet enters the sheet conveying passage, to allow the passage of the sheet.

Abstract: A transport guide device includes: a first guide unit including a guide portion configured to guide a sheet-shaped object along a transport path; and a second guide unit including a fixed first end portion and a non-fixed second end portion opposite to the fixed first end portion, the second end portion (i) approaching the guide portion toward a downstream side in a transport direction of the sheet-shaped object and then contacts with the guide portion or (ii) approaching the guide portion toward the downstream side in the transport direction of the sheet-shaped object, the second guide unit being configured to guide the sheet-shaped object such that the sheet-shaped object comes into contact with the guide portion, in which the second guide unit includes a tip end protrusion at a tip end of the second end portion, the tip end protrusion protruding in a direction away from the guide portion.

Abstract: A medium conveying apparatus includes a processor to determine that a conveyance abnormality of a medium has occurred when a first medium sensor does not detect the medium when a motor is driven by a first predetermined amount after starting feeding of the medium, or when a second medium sensor does not detect the medium when the motor is driven by a second predetermined amount after the first medium sensor detects the medium, and calculate a degree of a slip occurred between the medium and a feed roller from when a front end of the medium passes through a position of the first medium sensor until the front end of the medium passes through a position of the second medium sensor. The processor changes the first predetermined amount or the second predetermined amount based on the degree of the slip of a medium fed in the past.

Abstract: In an image forming system, a hardware processor controls whether the first sheet is conveyed to an upstream side of the image former via a first conveying path which reverses sides of the first sheet or via a second conveying path which does not reverse the sides of the first sheet as well as the first conveying path, when images are formed on both sides of a plurality of the first sheets by the image former, in order to narrow a space between a plurality of the first sheets.

Abstract: The image forming apparatus includes a transfer section that transfers an image to a sheet; a sheet conveying member that is provided on an upstream side of the transfer section in a conveying direction of the sheet and that conveys the sheet; and a hardware processor that controls displacement of the sheet conveying member such that the sheet is displaced in a width direction of the sheet. The hardware processor causes a detector that detects an edge of the sheet in the width direction to detect the edge of the sheet after displacement of the sheet conveying member has been started, and causes the displacement to be terminated on the basis of the detected result such that the edge of the sheet reaches a target position.

Abstract: A printing apparatus includes a first feeding roller, a feeding motor configured to drive the first feeding roller, a second feeding roller, a conveyance roller, a conveyance motor configured to drive the conveyance roller, a printing unit configured to print the printing sheet, a detection sensor configured to detect the leading edge of the printing sheet, and a control unit configured to, when the printing unit performs a printing operation on a preceding sheet, drive the feeding motor in synchronization with the conveyance motor before the detection sensor detects the leading edge of a succeeding sheet, and continuously drive the feeding motor so that the conveying speed of the succeeding sheet by the feeding motor becomes higher than that of the preceding sheet after the detection sensor detects the leading edge of the succeeding sheet.

Abstract: According to one or more embodiments, a sheet conveying device includes a reading device, a roller, a downstream guide, and a transition guide. The reading device reads a surface of the sheet. The roller faces the reading device. The downstream guide is downstream of the roller in the sheet conveyance direction. The transition guide guides the sheet at least during a sheet transition from the reading position to s an upstream end of the downstream guide.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, an image forming apparatus includes: a registration roller; a motor configured to drive the registration roller; and a controller configured to control the motor. The registration roller is disposed at a first position on a conveyance path of paper on which an image is to be formed, and sends out the paper toward a second position on the conveyance path. The second position is downstream from the first position on the conveyance path and is an image transfer position on the paper. The controller controls the motor by using both speed control and position control when the leading end of the paper is at a position from the first position to the second position, and controls the motor by using only the speed control when the leading end of the paper reaches the second position.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a sheet feed section, a sheet feed roller, an intermediate roller pair, an intermediate sensor, and a controller. The intermediate roller pair is provided downstream of the sheet feed roller in a conveyance direction and conveys a sheet downstream of the conveyance direction. The intermediate sensor is provided upstream of the intermediate roller pair in the conveyance direction and detects the sheet conveyed to the intermediate roller pair. The sheet feed roller feeds a leading sheet and feeds a following sheet just after the leading sheet. The controller calculates a first interval between a trailing edge of the leading sheet and a leading edge of the following sheet based on an output of the intermediate sensor. According to the first interval, the controller performs control so that the sheet feed roller and the intermediate roller pair are driven.

Abstract: A sheet conveyance device includes a conveyance roller pair to convey a sheet, a skew correction roller pair to correct a skew of the sheet in a state in which the skew correction roller pair is being stopped, first and second conveyance guides, and a protrusion. The first conveyance guide includes a bend contact portion to come into contact with a portion forming a bend on the first surface of the sheet. The second conveyance guides the sheet. The protrusion is disposed between the skew correction roller pair and the bend contact portion to come into contact with the first surface of the sheet. The protrusion protrudes toward the second conveyance guide from the first conveyance guide in a manner as to intersect with a straight line connecting two nip portions and the bend contact portion in a cross section perpendicular to a width direction.

Abstract: A detection device is disclosed for detecting an abnormal object in a printing path. The detection device includes a first frame body, a first rotation shaft, two flexible portions and a detection module. The first rotation shaft is pivotally connected to the first frame body and has a first central axis. The two flexible portions are disposed at two opposite ends of the first rotation shaft along the first central axis, to provide an initial torque. Each flexible portion is connected between the first rotation shaft and the first frame body. The detection module includes a detection plate connected to the first rotation shaft. When the detection plate is forced by the abnormal object, the detection plate drives the first rotation shaft against the initial torque to rotate around the first central axis, so that the detection module detects the rotation of the first rotation shaft and the detection plate.

Abstract: In some examples, a system includes query path determination circuitry to identify an aggregate projection to consider for generating a query path for the query. The aggregate projection may include an aggregated value calculated from a table column of a database table using an aggregate function. The query path determination circuitry may further be to compare candidate query paths for the query derived using the aggregate projection with candidate query paths for the query derived using a non-aggregate projection, determine a selected query path among the candidate query paths derived using the aggregate projection and the non-aggregate projection and use the selected query path as part of the query path for handling the query.

Abstract: A medium transport device includes a first transport route for discharging a medium processed by a processing unit, a second transport route for discharging the medium processed by the processing unit, and a medium receiving tray that is capable of switching a state between a medium receiving state of receiving the medium that is discharged through the first transport route and a medium unreceivable state achieved by performing state switching from the medium receiving state. The first transport route comes into a non-formed state and at least a part of the medium receiving tray forms the second transport route when the medium receiving tray is in the medium unreceivable state, and the second transport route comes into the non-formed state and the first transport route is formed when the medium receiving tray comes into the medium receiving state.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an exterior housing, an image forming unit in the exterior housing, the image forming unit, to form an image on a sheet, a scanner to read the image on a document, a first region in the exterior housing, the image forming unit being disposed in the first region in view from a front side of the exterior housing, a second region arranged side by side with the first region in a lateral direction in the exterior housing in view from the front side of the exterior housing, the scanner being disposed in the second region, and an opening defining a space in a front face of the exterior housing. The opening extends across the first region and the second region in a lower part of the exterior housing below the image forming unit and the scanner.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes plural first transfer units, a second transfer unit, a first transport unit, and a drive unit. The first transfer units transfer an image formed on plural image holding units to an intermediate transfer unit. The second transfer unit transfers the image, which is transferred to the intermediate transfer unit, to a recording medium. The first transport unit transports the recording medium to the second transfer unit. The drive unit drives the intermediate transfer unit with at least some of the plural first transfer units separated from the intermediate transfer unit and with the second transfer unit contacting the intermediate transfer unit when the recording medium, which has been subjected to a transport failure, is transported to a feeding position by the first transport unit.

Abstract: A sheet conveying apparatus to convey a sheet to an image forming unit includes a main body, an opening/closing member, and first, second, and third portions. The opening/closing member can be opened and closed with respect to the main body, and the first, second, and third portions pivotably support the opening/closing member. The second support portion is provided below the first support portion and above the third support portion. Each of the first, second, and third portions include a projecting portion and a hole portion. A difference between a greatest length of the third projecting portion and a diameter of the third hole portion is larger than a difference between a greatest length of the first projecting portion and a diameter of the first hole portion and is larger than a difference between a greatest length of the second projecting portion and a diameter of the second hole portion.

Abstract: A sheet feeding device and a printing apparatus capable of estimating a number of remaining sheets without error include a loading member on which sheets are loaded, a lift unit that moves the loading member up and down, a position detection unit that detects a lift-up position to which the loading member moves up, a sheet detection unit that detects that a sheet at an uppermost position of the sheets loaded on the loading member has moved up to a feeding position by an upward movement of the loading member, a feeding roller that feeds a sheet at the feeding position, and an estimation unit that estimates the number of remaining sheets loaded on the loading member based on a combination of detection results of the sheet detection unit and the position detection unit.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a feeding member, a conveying member, and a detecting unit. The feeding member feeds a recording material stacked on a stacking unit. The conveying member convey the fed recording material. The detecting unit detect the conveyed recording material. Where the recording material is a first type, the feeding member feeds the stacked recording material at a first speed, and the conveying member changes the first speed to a second speed that is faster than the first speed before the detecting unit detects the recording material. Where the recording material is a second type that is different from the first type, the feeding member feeds the stacked recording material a third speed that is different from the first speed, and the conveying member changes the third speed to a fourth speed that is different from the third speed after the detecting unit detects the recording material.

Abstract: A sheet conveying device, which is included in an image forming apparatus, includes a detector to detect a lateral end face of a sheet, a first pair of rollers to hold and convey the sheet and swing in a direction parallel to a plane of the sheet, a second pair of rollers to convey the sheet together with the first pair of rollers, and a controller to rotate the first pair of rollers to multiple angles, detect time changes at each angle at the lateral end face while conveying the sheet, and determine a home position corresponding to a position where respective rates of the time changes of the sheet at the first and second nip regions are substantially identical to each other or a home position having a least difference of rates of the time changes of the sheet at the first and second nip regions.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: a transfer section that transfers an image onto a sheet; a sheet conveying member that conveys the sheet, the sheet conveying member being provided upstream of the transfer section in a sheet conveyance direction; and a hardware processor that controls displacement of the sheet conveying member so that the sheet is displaced along a width direction of the sheet. The hardware processor sets a displacement speed of the sheet conveying member for the sheet during transfer of the image by the transfer section to be lower than the displacement speed of the sheet conveying member for the sheet before the transfer of the image by the transfer section.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image bearing member and transfer and control units. The transfer unit and image bearing member form a nip portion where a recording material receives a toner image. The control unit controls image formation based on a timing when a recording material leading edge is detected. To perform sheet conveyance, the control unit changes a first recording material conveyance speed to a second speed before a fed first recording material leading edge is detected. Before the first recording material leading edge reaches the nip portion, the control unit changes the first recording material conveyance speed to a first speed, slower than the second speed, based on when the fed first recording material leading edge is detected. The control unit obtains a timing for the image formation to the image bearing member based on when the conveyance speed is changed from the faster to slower speed.

Abstract: A sheet conveying device, which is included in an image forming apparatus and a post processing device, includes a position corrector and either one of a rolling body and a contact resistance reducer. The position corrector is configured to convey a sheet and correct a position of the sheet. The rolling body is disposed at least one of an upstream side and a downstream side of a sheet conveyance passage from the position corrector in a sheet conveying direction and is configured to roll in at least a direction intersecting the sheet conveying direction. The contact resistance reducer is configured to reduce contact resistance generated due to contact of the sheet to a neighboring part when the position of the sheet is corrected by the position corrector.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image forming controller forming a toner image on an image carrying member, and transferring at a transfer position the toner image formed on the image carrying member onto a sheet being conveyed on a conveyance path, and a hardware-processor. The hardware-processor determines an image position indicating a position for an image to be formed on the sheet, determines a grace period based on the image position, stops the sheet at a waiting position on an upstream side from the transfer position, restarts paper conveyance at a second point when a predetermined period elapses from a first point of starting formation of the toner image on the image carrying member, and conveys the sheet to the transfer position if paper conveyance can be restarted before the grace period elapses from the second point though paper conveyance cannot be restarted at the second point.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a conveying member, an image forming unit, an image reading unit, a background member and a color sample member. The image reading unit reads a surface of long paper being conveyed by the conveying member, the surface having an image formed by the image forming unit. The long paper is conveyed by the conveying member to pass through between the image reading unit and the background member and avoid passing through between the image reading unit and the color sample member. A switch between a first arrangement where the image reading unit faces the background member via the long paper and a second arrangement where the image reading unit faces the color sample member is made by moving the image reading unit or by moving the background member, the color sample member and the conveying member.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus including an image bearing member, an image forming portion, a transfer portion, a moving portion, a re-conveyance portion, a detection portion, a detection portion, and a control portion is provided. The moving portion includes a sheet in a width direction, and the re-conveyance portion inverts the sheet bearing a toner image transferred onto a first surface thereof and conveys the sheet to the transfer portion again. The control portion controls the image forming portion to form the toner image for the first surface on a first image position and a toner image for a second surface on a second image position and controls the moving portion to move the sheet to a position corresponding to the first image position or the second image position.

Abstract: A photo interrupter unit includes a photo interrupter and a supporting portion configured to support the photo interrupter detachably. The photo interrupter includes a light emitting portion configured to emit light, a photo sensing portion configured to receive the light emitted from the light emitting portion, and a claw portion configured to be elastically deformable. The supporting portion includes a mounting surface on which the photo interrupter is mounted, a hole portion defining a hole into which the claw portion is inserted, provided in the mounting surface and configured to engage with the claw portion, and a projection projecting from the mounting surface, and configured to regulate a position of the photo interrupter in a deforming direction in which the claw portion is elastically deformable in a state where the claw portion and the hole portion are engaged.

Abstract: A sheet conveying device, which is included in an image forming apparatus, includes a first guide, a second guide, and a lever. The first guide is fixedly disposed to the sheet conveying device. The second guide is disposed opposite the first guide and defining a sheet conveyance passage with the first guide and is configured to rotate about a support shaft thereof operable to open and close the sheet conveyance passage. The lever is configured to rotate about a rotation shaft thereof operable to rotate the second guide. The second guide is configured to change from a closed state in which the sheet conveyance passage is closed to an open state in which the sheet conveyance passage is open, after an angle of rotation of the lever exceeds a threshold value.

Abstract: A system for controlling an operation of feeding recording media from a plurality of physical medium containers of an output apparatus includes at least one memory to store output-related media/container information including logical information, property information of the recording media, and information of the plurality of physical medium containers by associating the logical information and the property information of the recording media, and associating the logical information and the information of the plurality of physical medium containers, and circuitry configured to generate an output instruction including logical information, extract the logical information from the output instruction, and identify one or more physical medium containers each containing a specific recording medium to be used in performing an image forming operation by referring the property information of the recording media and the information of the plurality of physical medium containers each associated with the extracted logical