Abstract: A sheet conveying device includes: a conveyance unit that conveys a sheet along a sheet conveying path; a paper dust removal roller that is provided in the sheet conveying path to cover a range that is longer than a width of the sheet, the paper dust removal roller removing paper dust that is adhered to the sheet by rotating as the sheet is conveyed; a first dust removing member that contacts with a first portion of the paper dust removal roller where contacts with edges of the sheet, and removes paper dust that is adhered to a surface of the paper dust removal roller; and a second dust removing member that contacts with a second portion of the paper dust removal roller where contacts with a surface of the sheet, and remove paper dust that is adhered to the surface of the paper dust removal roller.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus prevents defective fixing of a toner image from occurring and shortens a printout time for a first sheet by determining a start timing for conveying the recording medium to a transferring position of the toner image in accordance with a warm-up state of a fixing unit, a voltage state of a power supply, and an environmental temperature.

Abstract: A recording medium feeding device includes: a delivery roller provided so as to abut on a surface of recording media and for delivering the recording media to a downstream side in a direction of conveyance of the recording media in accordance with the rotation of the delivery roller; a separation member provided on the downstream side with respect of the delivery roller; and a feed roller provided opposite to the separation member to sandwich the recording media delivered by the delivery roller with the separation member, the feed roller rotating for separating and conveying the recording media one by one, wherein a diameter of the feed roller is larger than a diameter of the delivery roller.

Abstract: A sheet conveyance apparatus, includes: a paper feed cassette which is detachably attached to an apparatus body; a conveyance unit which separates and conveys a sheet from the paper feed cassette; a swing member which is swingably supported about a shaft relative to the apparatus body, and whose swing positions are respectively changed in a state where the paper feed cassette is detached from the apparatus body, a state where the paper feed cassette is attached to the apparatus body and where the sheet is not being conveyed, and a state where the paper feed cassette is attached to the apparatus body and where the sheet is not being conveyed; and a detection unit which detects a change of the swing positions.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a housing having a planar top surface and a plurality of legs projecting downward from end portions of the housing for supporting the housing on ground. A paper feed unit, an image forming unit, and an output unit are arranged in a substantially horizontal direction inside the housing.

Abstract: A belt rotating apparatus capable of improving a durability with respect to flexion fatigue of a belt and capable of reducing the occurrence of the breakage of the belt; and an image forming apparatus having the belt rotating device are supplied. The belt rotating device includes a belt that is wound on a roller driven by a predetermined driving means; and a meander prevention member that is slidably contacted with an end surface of the belt for preventing a meander of the belt. In the belt rotating device, a friction reduction agent for reducing slide friction with respect to the meander prevention member is used to coat at least an end surface of the belt.

Abstract: A starting unit starts, in parallel with a blowing operation for a first tray, a blowing operation for a second tray that is to perform a feeding operation next. When a predetermined time elapses after starting the blowing operation for the second tray, a feeding unit switches from the first tray to the second tray, and feeds the recording medium from the second tray. When the blowing operation is performed for a number of trays before switching the trays and the number of trays is equal to or larger than a predetermined number, a control unit limits the number of trays for performing the blowing operation.

Abstract: One paper sheet is extracted from a paper feeding cassette and fed to a process unit by plural rollers that are actuated by motors, respectively. In printing, the motors are actuated at low speed when first paper sheet is fed from the paper feeding cassette to the process unit and are actuated at high speed when second and subsequent paper sheets are fed to the process unit.

Abstract: In an electrophotographic printing apparatus for printing an image to an image transfer sheet medium by producing a latent image on a photosensitive unit and transferring the latent image to the image transfer sheet medium, a width-directional position of the image transfer sheet medium is detected before the latent image is produced and the same after the latent image is produced on the photosensitive unit by the width-directional positional sensor, and the detection results are compared with one another; and it is determined from the comparison result whether or not printing operation is continued.

Abstract: A sheet transport apparatus includes a pair of rollers for transporting a sheet and a sheet detection device for detecting the sheet transported by the pair of rollers. The sheet detection device includes a flag that is displaceable when urged by the sheet transported by the pair of rollers and a single-chip acceleration sensor attached to the flag to detect the arrival of the sheet. When the sheet is brought into contact with the flag to rotate the flag, the acceleration sensor detects the roll acceleration of the flag so as to determine the timing of stopping the pair of rollers on the basis of a detection signal.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image forming portion that superposes images on an intermediate transfer member by rotations of the intermediate transfer member to form a color image on the intermediate transfer member, a transfer portion that transfers the image formed on the intermediate transfer member in the image forming portion to a sheet, a fixing portion that fixes the image onto the sheet, and a switchback portion that switches back the sheet so as to return the sheet to the transfer portion for forming the image on a second face of the sheet, after the image has been formed on a first face of the sheet. The sheet is returned through a return path at a return speed equal to or lower than a delivery speed of the sheet in the transfer portion, when the image for the second face of the sheet is the color image.

Abstract: An image-forming device includes a casing, a photosensitive drum, a transfer roller, a first guide member, and a second guide member. The first guide member is disposed upstream of the transfer point between the photosensitive drum and the transfer roller in a conveying direction of the recording medium and selectively movable between a first position and a second position. The second guide member is disposed between the first guide member and the transfer point and selectively movable between a third position and a fourth position farther from the photosensitive drum than the third position. The second guide member is movable in association with the movement of the first guide member in such a manner that when the first guide member is disposed in the first position, the second guide member is disposed in the third position for guiding the recording medium received from the first guide member to move toward the photosensitive drum.

Abstract: Printing sheets (4) are placed on a sheet placing plate (103). A pickup roller (6) contacts a surface of the uppermost printing sheet (4) placed on the sheet placing plate (103) and feeds the printing sheet (4) out of the sheet placing plate (103). A spring (109) resiliently urges the sheet placing plate (103) toward the pickup roller (6). A ratchet (108) moves in accordance with the movement of the sheet placing plate (103). The printing sheets (4) on the sheet placing plate (103) urges the pickup roller (6) upward so that a pickup frame (115) moves upward to a position detected by a position detecting sensor (65). In accordance with the detection signal from the position detecting sensor (65), a solenoid (71) moves a lock lever (110) so that the lock lever (110) engages the ratchet (108) to thereby restrict the movement of the sheet placing plate (103).

Abstract: A sheet transport apparatus includes a fixed driving roller and a driven roller capable of coming into contact with or being separated from the driving roller, the driving roller and driven roller being capable of rotating and transporting a sheet interposed therebetween; a rotating-body acceleration sensor moving together with the driven roller and capable of detecting acceleration of movement of the driven roller; and a determining unit for determining, based on the acceleration detected by the rotating-body acceleration sensor, the arrival of a sheet at the driving roller and the driven roller, and the thickness of a sheet.

Abstract: When an image forming apparatus, after a feeding error of a recording material occurs in a fixing device, re-forms on the recording material an image corresponding to image data which image was formed on a sheet which caused the feeding error, an image forming condition is caused to be different from an operation condition used when the feeding error has occurred. This makes it possible to prevent a JAM corresponding to the same image from recurring in the fixing device.

Abstract: An image forming member has a first sheet conveying member arranged at upstream side of a sheet conveying path of a sheet material, a second sheet conveying member arranged at downstream side of said sheet conveying path, a guide member which is provided between the first and the second sheet conveying members and guides the sheet material and a movable portion which is provided in the guide member and executes front-and-far-side adjustment of the sheet material by moving a portion against which the tip of sheet material is abutted in parallel to a sheet width direction perpendicular to a conveying direction.

Abstract: A method for determining a media feature includes directing light toward a media path and a reflector. The reflector converges the light on a light detector. Intensity data is collected from the light detector and analyzed to determine the media feature.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus capable of setting a plurality of image forming speeds includes a transfer unit configured to transfer an image formed on an image carrier onto a sheet, a paper feed unit configured to feed the sheet, and a control unit configured to control the conveyance speed of the sheet to accelerate and decelerate without stopping the sheet in a section between the paper feed unit and the transfer unit to synchronize the sheet with the image formed on the image carrier. The control unit changes paper feed timing from the paper feed unit according to the image forming speed if the image forming speed is predetermined.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus has a photosensitive body on which an electrostatic latent image is formed. A developing unit develops the electrostatic latent image on the photosensitive body with a developer to form a developer image. The developer image on the photosensitive body is transferred onto an intermediate transfer belt in an intermediate transfer unit. The transfer unit transfers the developer image transferred on the intermediate transfer belt onto a printing medium. A cleaning unit cleans any developer remaining on the photosensitive body, and a printing medium guide unit is disposed on the cleaning unit to guide the printing medium until the printing medium enters the transfer nip between the intermediate transfer belt and the transfer unit.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a recording sheet storage unit for storing recording sheets substantially in an upright position, an image forming unit which forms an image on a recording sheet conveyed from the recording sheet storage unit, and a recording sheet receiving unit for storing the recording sheet conveyed from the image forming unit substantially in an upright position. In this image forming apparatus, a paper conveyance passage for conveying the recording sheet extends upward from a lower portion of the recording sheet storage unit toward the recording sheet receiving unit. The image forming unit positioned on the paper conveyance passage comprises a fixing device and a developer unit at least including a developer carrier, and the fixing device is arranged above the developer unit.

Abstract: An election ballot printing system includes a printer support structure which carries a printer. The printer and printer support structure are coupled together so that movement between them is restricted. A printer feed tray extension is carried by the printer support structure, wherein the printer feed tray extension includes a ramp and opposed guide rails which extend along the ramp. The opposed guide rails are positioned to guide a ballot into an input port of the printer.

Abstract: Parallel printing systems and methods incorporate inverter assemblies for not only inverting media during transport through the system but also to register the media or provide a velocity buffer transports with different drive velocities. The inverter assemblies can include the capability to optionally deskew the media and provide lateral registration corrections. The inverter assembly nip rollers are sufficiently spaced from process drive nip rollers to decouple a document in the inverter assembly from the highway paths. The method comprises combining the inverting function selectively with either the registering or the velocity buffering functions.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus comprises a paper feeder controller, a scanner and a printing controller. The paper feeder controller executes first paper and second paper feeding processes. The scanner executes a manuscript scanning process for optically scanning a manuscript and a graphics editing process for editing scanned image, transmits a first paper feeding start request at timing between start of the manuscript scanning process and completion of the graphics editing process, and transmits a second paper feeding start request after the graphics editing process is completed. The first paper feeding start request is for making the paper feeder controller start the first paper feeding process, and the second paper feeding start request is for making the paper feeder controller start the second paper feeding process.

Abstract: A conveying apparatus which synchronously conveys a conveyed object includes a first conveyance roller disposed at a downstream side of a conveyance path for conveyance of the conveyed object and a second conveyance roller disposed at an upstream side of the conveyance path, a first driving unit and a second driving unit for independently driving the first conveyance roller and the second conveyance roller, respectively, and a control unit for performing feedback control of the first driving unit and the second driving unit on the basis of amounts of rotation of the first conveyance roller and the second conveyance roller, respectively. The control unit defines a setting of driving control for the second conveyance roller different from driving of the first conveyance roller.

Abstract: A sheet feeding unit according to the invention includes a sheet stacking tray on which the sheet is stacked, a sheet feeding device which feeds the sheet stacked on the sheet stacking tray, and a unit frame which supports the sheet stacking tray and the sheet feeding portion and is attached to a apparatus main body. In the sheet feeding unit, the sheet feeding device is pivotable on the unit frame to change a sheet feeding direction.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an apparatus main body, a photoconductive drum, a transfer roller, a pair of guide supporting brackets, and an urging member. The guide supporting brackets include two paper transportation guides, and the brackets are mounted on both end portions of a drum shaft of the photoconductive drum in a manner capable of being swung about the drum shaft as a center. The paper transportation guides are arranged laterally at a predetermined interval therebetween on the guide supporting brackets. The urging member is provided in the apparatus main body. In a state in which the photoconductive drum is installed in the apparatus main body, swinging ends of the guide supporting brackets are pressed against the transfer roller by the urging member, and the paper transportation guides are positioned at a predetermined position in proximity of an upstream side of the nip portion in a paper transportation direction.

Abstract: A paper transporting apparatus transporting continuous paper to a paper processing part that performs designated processing on the continuous paper includes a drive roller that transports the continuous paper in a forward direction with respect to the paper processing part and a direction opposite to the forward direction by a frictional force, a pre-centering mechanism, disposed upstream of the drive roller with respect to the forward direction, that regulates a position of the continuous paper with respect to the forward direction and a direction orthogonal to the forward direction by abutting against the continuous paper, and a tension increasing mechanism, disposed upstream of the pre-centering mechanism with respect to the forward direction, that increases tension on the continuous paper.

Abstract: A toner image formed on a photosensitive drum 12a in an image forming unit 12 is transferred to an intermediate transfer belt 11. The toner image of the intermediate transfer belt is transferred onto recording paper by a transfer roller 15, and a paper transport path 18 is defined by an image forming device main body and a lateral cover 20 turnably mounted on the image forming device main body 20. When in a protected position, a cover member 19 protects the intermediate transfer belt at a position corresponding to a nip between the intermediate transfer belt and a transfer unit, while when in a withdrawn position, the cover member 19 guides the recording paper. An interlocking mechanism, moving in response to the turning of the lateral cover, places the cover member at the protected position when the lateral cover is open, and places the cover member at the withdrawn position when the lateral cover is closed.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes at least one image forming unit configured to form an image, a belt for transferring an image formed by the image forming unit onto a recording material, and an opening and closing unit having the belt and openable and closable relative to a main body of the apparatus. The belt is provided above the image forming unit, and the image forming unit is removable from the main body of the apparatus when the opening and closing unit is open. The opening and closing unit slides substantially horizontally, thereby opening and closing relative to the main body of the apparatus.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus according to the present invention includes first and second conveying mechanisms disposed at a predetermined distance, a feeding roller for feeding an output medium for supporting a developer image to a predetermined position capable of holding the developer image, a separation roller, or a conveying roller, a cassette for housing the output medium, and a plurality of sensors capable of detecting a time for conveying the output medium between the cassette and the feeding roller and the separation roller or the conveying roller, and is capable of setting its regulating a mount of an applied pressure regulating mechanism based on the detected results of the respective sensors.

Abstract: Embodiments herein include a transfer assist blade that is adapted to bias media toward a marking device. The transfer assist blade is somewhat flexible and has a media contact edge positioned adjacent the marking device. The shape of the media contact edge comprises a curved shape. More specifically, the transfer assist blade assembly comprises a base and a transfer assist blade operatively connected to (or made an integral part of) the base. The curved media contact edge of the transfer assist blade comprises a center portion and end portions distal to the center portion, and the center portion extends a different distance from the base than the end portions extend from the base. Thus, the shape of the media contact edge can comprise one of a convex shape, a concave shape, and an irregular shape.

Abstract: A manual paper supply device is equipped with a paper shear prevention member 35 for preventing shear of the paper 9 loaded into the manual feed paper supply tray. A brush 36 is arranged on the paper shear prevention member 35 to make contact with the paper 9; and the brush 36 is arranged to form an acute angle against the paper 9 in the paper 9 feed direction G. Skewing and floating of the paper 9 are prevented accordingly when the paper 9 is set. Further, the generation of multi-feed and marking of the paper 9 is avoided.

Abstract: A transport apparatus includes a transport unit that includes a transport path through which a transported material is transported; and a positioning-and-holding unit that includes a positioning-and-holding member that positions constituents of the transport apparatus to each other and supports the constituents, and a plate-shaped member that works as a part of the transport path and is detachably connected with the positioning-and-holding member.

Abstract: A guiding member is disposed at a frame upstream of a transfer roller in a conveying direction, thereby guiding a recording medium to a transfer position. The guiding member has front and back surfaces. A guiding portion of the guiding member is configured to contact the recording medium for guiding the recording medium to the transfer position. The base portion is positioned upstream of the guiding portion in the conveying direction. The base portion is formed with at least one through-hole having an inner edge. The frame includes a supporting portion and a protruding portion. The supporting portion is configured to contact the back surface of the guiding member, thereby supporting the guiding member. The protruding portion protrudes through the at least one through-hole and engages with the inner edge, thereby fixing the base portion of the guiding member to the frame.

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.

Abstract: In one embodiment of the invention, in an image forming apparatus that reverses the front and back of recording paper by performing switchback transport of the recording paper to perform duplex printing of the recording paper, the image forming apparatus is provided with a control means that, when performing duplex printing of the recording paper, forms a void area at a leading end and a trailing end of the recording paper, the void area preventing curling of the recording paper around a roller.

Abstract: An apparatus for providing delay signals to perform print scan line synchronizations within a laser printer is disclosed. The apparatus includes a voltage-control oscillator, a frequency divider and multiple output control modules. The voltage-control oscillator converts a clock signal to a higher frequency signal. The frequency divider then reduces the frequency of the higher frequency signal. Then, each of the output control modules generates a delay signal, and each of the delay signals is delayed by no more than one tenth of a clock cycle from an adjacent one of the delay signals.

Abstract: Provided are a paper arranging apparatus and an electrophotographic image forming apparatus. The paper arranging apparatus of an electrographic image forming apparatus has a driving roller and an idle roller facing closely to each other and forming a nip therebetween. A shutter arranges a sheet of paper by contacting a front edge portion of the paper before the front edge portion of the paper enters the nip and rotates after being pushed by the front edge portion of the paper to not interrupt the movement of the paper along the conveyance path. A flag is connected to a rotary shaft of the shutter to rotate in a same direction and at a same rotating angle as the shutter. A sensor senses position variations of the rotating flag and generates a signal representing a position of the paper that is being conveyed.

Abstract: The image forming apparatus has an image bearing member for bearing a toner, a transfer device which forms a transfer area in cooperation with the image bearing member for transferring the toner on the image bearing member onto a recording material, a charge elimination device which is opposed to the recording material at an upstream side of the transfer area in a conveying direction of the recording material thereby eliminating a charge on the recording material, and a control device which controls the recording material so as to form a loop in a position opposed to the charge elimination device, wherein the recording material forms a loop by the control device thereby approaching to the charge elimination device.

Abstract: A sheet feeding device includes: a conveying member of a conveying unit which conveys a sheet; and a cleaning member which is in sliding contact with a circumferential surface of the conveying member to clean the circumferential surface. The conveying member and the cleaning member rotate in the same tangential direction at a sliding contact position thereof, and drives of the conveyance member and the cleaning member are controlled so that the following expression is satisfied: V1>V2 where V1 represents a line speed of the circumferential surface of the conveying member during a rotation thereof, and V2 represents a line speed of a sliding contact portion of the cleaning member during a rotation thereof.

Abstract: A sheet feeding unit according to the invention includes a sheet stacking tray on which the sheet is stacked, a sheet feeding device which feeds the sheet stacked on the sheet stacking tray, and a unit frame which supports the sheet stacking tray and the sheet feeding portion and is attached to a apparatus main body. In the sheet feeding unit, the sheet feeding device is pivotable on the unit frame to change a sheet feeding direction.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus comprises: an intermediate transfer belt having a belt surface on which a toner image is formed while the belt surface is moved and transferring the toner image that has been formed on the belt surface onto a sheet to be fed by a feed section; a resist roller pair that is disposed at a position on the upstream side from a transfer position at which the toner image that has been formed on the belt surface is transferred onto the sheet in the sheet feeding direction and performs a resist operation before the sheet has been fed to the transfer position as well as constitutes the feed section; a belt surface sensor that is disposed at a position on the downstream side from the transfer position in the belt surface moving direction such that the sheet moving distance from the sheet holding position between the resist roller pair to the position becomes shorter than the length of the sheet in the feeding direction and detects the sheet on the belt surface; and a control unit that allows t

Abstract: The image forming apparatus of the present invention includes a first and a second main conveyance path, a first and a second processing unit, a transfer unit, and a fixing unit. The first and second main conveyance paths come together after having branched apart between a paper supply unit and a paper delivery unit. A recording medium is selectively conveyed along either one of the first and second main conveyance path. Image formation is performed by a method of electrophotography by, alternatively, either the first or second processing unit. Between the first and second main conveyance paths where they are branched apart, the transfer unit generates a transfer electric field between itself and one or the other of the first and second processing unit. The fixing unit controls the temperature of a first or a second fixing roller, which are disposed in the first and second main conveyance path after they have come together, alternatively.

Abstract: Devices and methods for directing a media sheet along a media path within an image forming apparatus. The media path includes rollers that form a media nip, one or more deflectors, and a transport belt. The media nip conveys the media sheet along the media path into one or more deflectors. The one or more deflectors are positioned between the nip and the transport belt. The one or more deflectors control the angle of the media sheet as it approaches the transport belt and facilitates attachment of the media sheet to the transport belt. The transport belt then moves the media sheet past one or more image forming units and receives a toner image.

Abstract: A sheet feeding apparatus, having: a first sheet feeding member to press a top surface of a sheet for sending out a sheet stored in a sheet storing section; a second sheet feeding member arranged on a downstream side of the first sheet feeding member with respect to a sheet feeding direction to further convey the sheet from the first sheet feeding member downstream; and a first cleaning member rotatably supported in contact with a circumference surface of the first feeding member and a circumference surface of the second feeding member to cleaning a circumference surface of the first feeding member and a circumference surface of the second feeding member by rotation.

Abstract: Storage box for storing stacked recording mediums comprises a two-part structure consisting of in-apparatus mounting portion and out-apparatus mounting portion which are coupled via a rotational support mechanism. In-apparatus mounting portion and out-apparatus mounting portion of storage box are kept integrally coupled via lock mechanisms for locking in-apparatus mounting portion and out-apparatus mounting portion of storage box in normal use. On the other hand, when an improper handling is performed such that the whole image forming apparatus is lifted up by gripping the out-apparatus mounting portion of paper feed cassette, lock mechanisms are released to pivot out-apparatus mounting portion thereby to avoid the improper handling so that paper feed cassette which is exposed outside from the image forming apparatus is prevented from damages and the risk of the whole apparatus falling is avoided beforehand.

Abstract: An image I/O apparatus has a paper feeding direction specifying control unit 125 which is constructed in a manner such that when a plurality of paper sizes exist mixedly in one image forming job, on the basis of paper mixture information which is set on a printer driver of a PC/WS 11 and shows which paper sizes exist mixedly in the one image forming job, the paper feeding direction for performing a paper feed in the vertical direction or a paper feed in the lateral direction to the paper which can be fed in both of the vertical direction and the lateral direction is specified.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a printing unit and a shutter arm unit. The shutter arm unit includes a shutter arm that swings to first and second positions, and a stopper arm, connected to the shutter arm, which protrudes toward a transportation path when the shutter arm swings to the second position in which the stopper arm prevents extra sheets of recording media from moving along the transportation path. The force of the paper moving along the transportation path swings the shutter arm unit into the second position, a protrusion cam and an escape cam prevent an increase in the return load of the shutter arm, and a pair of ends of the shutter arm aligns the front end of the sheet of paper.

Abstract: There is disclosed an image reading process has determining an estimated size of an original based on a width of the original, securing a memory region, the memory region having capacity to hold a maximum image data associated with the estimated size, generating an image data as the original is conveying over the read window, loading the image data into the memory region, after the original passed the read window determining a page size based on the width and the image data.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus provided with an image forming portion for forming an image on a sheet, a sheet containing portion provided below the image forming portion and containing sheets to be supplied to the image forming portion, and a re-conveying path for again conveying the sheet having an image formed thereon to the image forming portion, wherein a portion of the lower side of the re-conveying path is disposed in the sheet containing portion.