Abstract: There is provided an image forming apparatus capable of image forming on both surfaces of a sheet, having a first transfer portion which transfers an image formed at an image forming unit to a first surface of the sheet, and a second transfer portion which transfers an image formed at the image forming unit to a second surface of the sheet, wherein the sheet on the first surface of which the image is formed at the first transfer portion is conveyed to the second transfer portion while keeping a front of the image to a front in a conveying direction, and the sheet is conveyed while keeping an end portion in a width direction of the sheet conveyed through the first transfer portion and the end portion in the width direction of the sheet conveyed through the second transfer portion on same end portion side relative to the sheet conveying direction.

Abstract: Disclosed is an image forming apparatus capable of increasing double-side-printing speed. The image forming apparatus comprises a paper transfer unit provided with a plurality of paper transfer sub-units for feeding a printing paper to a double-side-printing paper transfer path for reversing a printing paper. The paper transfer direction is switched by a switching unit selectively engaged with the respective paper transfer sub-units. According to the embodiments of the present invention, because the paper transfer sub-units always rotate in their own directions, it is possible to prevent the delay of printing caused in the process of switching reverse and forward rotations of a conventional paper transfer unit for reversing a paper, whereby the double-side-printing speed can be increased.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus that is capable of normally performing second side printing on a transfer material, even if the transfer material put on standby after completion of first side printing is pulled out by a user. A transfer material having image formed on its first side is fed until it is partly exposed to the outside of a printer, and is then fed to a refeeding path in the printer and further fed to a standby position prior to image formation on the second side of the transfer material. When it is detected that the transfer material caused to stop at the standby position is pulled out by a user, a warning to stop pulling out the transfer material is given to the user.

Abstract: In an image forming apparatus that uses a stackless ADU and executes image formation on both sides of a paper sheet in a facedown mode, a CPU confirms, when double-side image formation is to be executed with two paper sheets, image formation on reverse surfaces of which is finished, being stayed in the ADU, whether monochromatic image formation or color image formation is to be executed on an obverse surface of a first paper sheet that is stayed in the ADU and has a reverse surface on which image formation is finished. When the color image formation is to be executed, the CPU controls the image formation on the obverse surface of the first paper sheet that is stayed in the ADU and has the reverse surface on which image formation is finished. When the monochromatic image formation is to be executed, the CPU controls the image formation on a reverse surface of a second paper sheet that is stayed in the ADU.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus having a visible image forming device for forming a visible image on a recording material in a visible image forming area, a supplying device provided with a containing portion for containing the recording material therein, and for supplying the recording material from the containing portion to the visible image forming area, a conveying device for conveying the recording material from the visible image forming area to the containing portion, and an executing device for executing a mode in which the supplying device supplies the recording material having the visible image formed thereon to the visible image forming area, the visible image forming device forms a visible image so as to superimpose it on the visible image formed on the recording material, and the conveying device conveys the recording material having the visible images formed thereon in superimposing relationship with each other to the containing portion.

Abstract: A duplex printing apparatus having a main body housing, an image forming part accommodated in the main body housing for forming images, a fixing part for supplying heat and pressure to a paper, and a duplex printing part to reverse the paper passing through the fixing part on a conveyance path and to guide the paper to the image forming part for duplex printing. The duplex printing apparatus further includes a flapper to convert the conveyance path of the paper according to whether a duplex printing operation is set, a discharging roller to discharge the paper from the fixing part, and a guide frame comprising a flapper supporting part to rotatably support the flapper, a discharging roller supporting part to rotatably support the discharging roller, and a guide part to guide the paper, and which is detachably disposed between the fixing part and the duplex printing part in the main body housing for easy removal to provide access to paper jams.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus having: an image forming portion to form an image on a sheet; a fixing device to fix the image to the sheet by heating; a conveying path switching member to switch a conveying direction of the sheet, which is provided on downstream of the fixing device in a sheet conveying direction; a first conveying path which has a first curved portion and is provided on downstream of the conveying path switching member; a second conveying path which has a second curved portion and is provided on downstream of the conveying path switching member; a curl applying member which is provided on downstream of the fixing device, and on upstream of the first and second curved portions; and a control unit to control driving of the conveying path switching member and of the curl applying member.

Abstract: A conveying apparatus includes: a conveying unit that comprises a conveying passage for conveying a conveyed material; a positioning and holding unit that holds the conveying unit while positioning the conveying unit, wherein the positioning and holding unit comprises a plate-shaped member having at least one protruding portion, the plate-shaped member constituting a part of the conveying passage, and the at least one protruding portion protruding towards the conveying passage which the conveyed material passes through.

Abstract: A drive switching mechanism includes a first gear, a second gear, a support member for movably supporting the first gear and the second gear, and a switching unit that moves the support member to reverse an output direction of the first gear and the second gear.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus is provided that prevents paper from being scratched by a peeling claw and reducing the curl amount of the paper to be re-fed to a lower level. The rotational speed of a fixing and discharging roller is adequately kept higher than the rotational speed of a heating roller so as not to allow image stain to be produced in a paper due to scratching by a peeling claw in a fixing unit. Simultaneously, the rotational speed of reverse feeding rollers is set slightly higher than the rotational speed of the heating roller at the time when an automatic duplex unit performs paper re-feeding. As a result, “swelling” of the paper occurring in a reverse gate is eliminated by the reverse feeding roller which is rotated at a speed higher than the heating roller, thereby greatly reducing “curl amount” remaining in the paper due to the “swelling”.

Abstract: An image formation device enabling manual two-sided printing in which a user supplies the sheets, has a receiving unit, which receives printing page quantity information; a control unit, which based on the printing page quantity information determines the number of pages printed in the first pass of manual two-sided printing, issues a printing instruction for the number of pages printed, on condition that print processing has ended according to the printing instruction, issues an instruction to change image forming conditions when performing printing, and, after the change instruction, issues a printing instruction for the second pass of printing; and a printing unit, which changes the image forming conditions according to instructions to change the image forming conditions, and executes print processing according to the printing instruction.

Abstract: A printing system includes a marking engine which applies colorants to a print medium to render an image. The marking engine has a single pass color gamut which the marking engine is capable of rendering in a single pass of the print medium through the marking engine. The marking engine is capable of rendering an extended color gamut in a plurality of passes of the print medium through the marking engine. A control system is associated with the marking engine. The control system identifies an image which falls outside the single pass color gamut of the marking engine and schedules a plurality of passes for rendering the image.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus that forms an image on a surface of a transfer sheet, then, reverses the transfer sheet on which the image has been formed on the surface and then, forms an image on the reverse side of the transfer sheet, wherein there is provided a correcting section that changes a relative position between the transfer sheet and the image on the surface in accordance with an outer shape of the transfer sheet and further changes a relative position between the transfer sheet and the image on the reverse side of the transfer sheet in accordance with an outer shape of the transfer sheet.

Abstract: To provide a technique capable of contributing a reduction of user's uncomfortable feeling caused by noise while maintaining double-sided productivity in an intra discharge type image forming apparatus that uses an ADU to perform image forming processing for both sides of a sheet.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus has an image forming unit that forms an image on one side of a recording medium, and a return unit that returns the recording medium to the image forming unit so that an image can be formed on the other side. A control unit selects different transport speeds for different types of recording media on at least part of the return path, preferably selecting a comparatively high speed for normal recording media and a slower speed for recording media that are thicker or stiffer than normal, as sensed by a thickness or stiffness sensor or inferred indirectly from another setting such as a fusing temperature setting. Thick or stiff recording media can then negotiate tight turns on the return path without transport failure, while normal media can be transported at high speed on the entire return path.

Abstract: In a duplex printer with automatic duplex printing by recirculating the sheets printed on their first sides through a duplex path for printing their second sides before feeding them to the output path, electronic information corresponding to a pre-set maximum level of acceptable sheet weight for that printer is compared to a remote user job input with electronic information corresponding to the desired sheets to be printed. If exceeded, the printer automatically switches to a different duplex printing mode in which the heavyweight sheets are printed on only one side and fed to the output path, and a GUI at the printer automatically displays instructions to unload these simplex printed sheets and properly reload them in an input in the correct orientation to print their opposite sides with locally stored page images for those opposite sides, and printing is restarted at the printer rather than the remote job input site.

Abstract: A method of operating a fuser for duplex printing includes equilibrating the fuser roll surface temperatures by rotating the rolls at a speed faster than the process speed between fusing an image on a first side of the media and fusing an image on a second side of the media.

Abstract: A conveying device conveys a sheet of non-blank recording medium recorded with an image formed in an image forming unit, and includes a container that is detachable and contains a sheet of blank recording medium, a feeding unit that feeds the blank recording medium from the container, and a recirculating path that leads the non-blank recording medium to the feeding unit. The recirculating path is disposed lateral to the image forming unit. A part of the recirculating path is integrated into the container and forms a reversing path that leads to the feeding unit. At least one of surfaces of the reversing path can be exposed.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus, which realizes a buffering function which enables post-processing without decreasing the productivity and increasing the size. At least one image is formed on a sheet. A double-sided sheet conveying path is provided, which the sheet passes when being conveyed back to the image forming unit again to form an image on an opposite side surface of the sheet after an image is formed on one side surface of the sheet. A retaining member is provided on the double-sided sheet conveying path to retain the sheet on the double-sided sheet conveying path. A post-processing device carries out post-processing on sheets on which images have been formed by the image forming unit.

Abstract: A printer-processor is provided with a paper feed path that is constituted of a plural number of pairs of conveyer rollers, and a feedback path that branches off the paper feed path to feed a sheet of recording paper back to an upstream position of the paper feed path that is placed before an image recording section. For both-side printing, the paper sheet is first conveyed in a forward direction through the image recording section, to record an image on one side. After being conveyed further in the forward direction along the paper feed path to go past a branching section to the feedback path, the paper sheet is conveyed backward into the feedback path. Thus, the conveying direction through the image recording section is unchanged regardless of which side of the paper sheet is served for the image recording.

Abstract: A sheet transport path switching mechanism includes a movable guide to be moved rotatably about a support shaft parallel to the width direction of a transport path so as to selectively take either a main posture where the movable guide directs a sheet to the downstream side of a main transport path relative to a branch point, and a branch posture where the movable guide directs a sheet to a branch transport path. An engagement hook is provided in an apparatus body and supports a central region in the longitudinal direction of the movable guide to prevent the movable guide from being deformed due to interference with a sheet fed toward the branch transport path. The mechanism prevents deformation of the movable guide while facilitating reduction in material and production costs and adequately meeting requirements of waste treatment.

Abstract: An image forming device is provided in which erroneous printing on a sheet of paper rather than the rear surface of the desired paper during manual double-side printing can be prevented. An image forming device for executing manual double-side printing in which a user sets a paper sheet when printing is conducted on the other side of the paper sheet after printing on one side of the paper sheet, comprising at least one paper feed unit which feeds paper sheets, a control unit which instructs to feed paper from one of the paper feed units that was preset for printing on the other side when printing on the other side of the paper sheet, and a printing unit which carries out the paper feed from the preset paper feed unit, according to the paper feed instruction, and executes the printing of the other side on the paper sheet.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus and image forming method including a low-noise mode at paper sheet reverse section to decrease a reverse convey speed of reverse conveyance by a reverse roller pair, where necessary, a reverse convey speed of reverse conveyance.

Abstract: An apparatus for reversing a sheet, such as a banknote, from a front face to a rear face. In the reversing apparatus a first end of a common path communicates with an exit of a first conveyance path, a second end of common path communicates with an exit of a second conveyance path, and the first end of common path communicates with a merging path. Since the merging path is immediately after the common path, no delay is caused in the timing of feeding a banknote into the next processing step, improving reversing process performance. A first reversing roller rotates based on the on or off condition of a first electromagnetic clutch and a second reversing roller rotates based on or off condition of a second electromagnetic clutch. A banknote can be quickly and surely conveyed in the common path.

Abstract: This invention relates to a duplexer, comprising; a media input nip, an auxiliary roller nip located downstream of the media input nip such that the auxiliary roller nip comprises an auxiliary drive roller that exhibits slippage so that the auxiliary roller nip maintains constant contact with a sheet of media to be duplexed, a backstop located downstream from the auxiliary roller nip, and a media output nip located adjacent to the auxiliary roller nip.

Abstract: An apparatus and a method for duplex printing are disclosed. The apparatus includes a print zone where printing is performed and a duplex module configured to change the orientation of the media sheet. The duplex module is positioned so as to receive the media sheet from the print zone, trailing edge first. The method includes feeding a media sheet to the print zone and printing swaths of ink dots on a first side of the media sheet. Black ink density is calculated for each swath containing black ink dots. The highest black ink density is then determined. The media sheet is stopped from advancing after the last swath has been printed on the first side. The first side is allowed to dry for a drying period, which is based on the highest black ink density. After the drying period has elapsed, the media sheet is moved in the reverse direction from the print zone to the duplex module to change the orientation of the media sheet to an orientation suitable for printing on a second side.

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.

Abstract: A duplex image forming device includes an image forming device and a reversible transportation unit. The image forming device includes a paper transportation path, a paper feed unit which transports a paper to the paper transportation path, a printing unit which prints an image onto the paper, a discharge tray where the paper printed with the image is discharged, a manual paper feed tray which is attached to a side of the image forming device, and a storage opening which is provided at a side of the image forming device and stores the manual paper feed tray. The reversible transportation unit is inserted into a side of the image forming device to cover the upper part of the storage unit. The reversible transportation unit includes a reversible transportation path for transporting out to an upstream side of the printing unit, the paper transported from the downstream side of the printing unit of the paper transportation path. The reversible transportation path is formed by passing through the storage opening.

Abstract: To suppress generation of scratches and dirt on a printed face and to intend to reduce in size, a switchback device (1) provided in a conveyance path (12) for a printed medium (3), for reversing the direction of movement of the medium (3) sent from an upstream part (4) of the conveyance path (12) and then delivering the medium (3) to a downstream part (5) of the conveyance path (12), comprises a pair of operation rollers (15) including a drive roller (13) for conveying the medium (3) and a slave roller (14) cooperating with the drive roller (13) to pinch the medium (3); and a changeover mechanism (16) for changing a direction of the pair of operation rollers (15) including the drive roller (13) and the slave roller (14).

Abstract: A device and method of forming an image. The image forming apparatus transfers a toner image formed on an image carrier onto a recording medium and fixes, at a predetermined fixing temperature, a toner image transferred onto the recording medium. After a toner image has been transferred and fixed on one side surface of the recording medium, a toner image is transferred and fixed on the other side surface of the recording medium. A fixing temperature for fixing a toner image on one side surface of the recording medium is 100° C. or lower and a transfer condition for transferring a toner image on one side surface of the recording medium is the same as a transfer condition for transferring a toner image on the other side surface of the recording medium.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus capable of connecting to a sheet post-processing equipment, includes an image data inputting unit which inputs a plurality of pages of image data to be formed as images on sheets; an image forming unit configured to form the image on the sheet based on the image data inputted with the inputting unit; a retaining unit including a first conveying path branching from a second conveying path of the sheet post-processing equipment, the retaining unit temporarily retaining the sheet, and then while the sheet post-processing equipment is performing post-processing of a sheet bundle, conveying the sheet to the sheet post-processing equipment; and a control unit which differentiates an order of pages on which the image is formed from an order of pages at a time of normally forming the image in the sheet bundle, to which the sheet post-processing equipment performs the post-processing.

Abstract: Provided is a duplex printer and method of duplex printing. The duplex printer and method of printing includes a paper feeding belt that is vertically installed to form a first vertical surface; a photosensitive drum that is installed to contact the first vertical surface; and a transfer roller that is installed to contact an other surface of the first vertical surface contacting the photosensitive drum to transfer a toner image from the photosensitive drum onto a sheet of paper, which is supplied between the photosensitive drum and the paper feeding belt. A back surface feeding path of the paper is formed at an opposite side of the photosensitive drum in the paper feeding belt, and the paper is conveyed closely adhered to a surface of the paper feeding belt in the back surface feeding path of the paper.

Abstract: A front-oriented, front-access printer (FOFAP) is disclosed, the FOFAP configured with a front-mounted fuser, the FOFAP comprising a print mechanism, a main paper path passing through both the print mechanism and the fuser, a media flipper for directing the paper into a duplex path, a stapler/stacker mounted in proximity to the front-mounted fuser, and a redirector within the front-mounted fuser for redirecting the paper from the duplex path to the stapler/stacker in response to selection of a staple/stacking feature.

Abstract: An image forming device in a color printer or the like includes duplex printing. Multiple media sheets are moved through a media path which includes a primary path and a duplex path. Various parameters of the image forming device control the interpage gap between sheets. Parameters include peek-a-boo duplexing, sharing of motors within the drive rollers, and sharing of power supplies.

Abstract: An electrostatographic reproduction apparatus includes: a primary imaging member for producing an electrostatic latent image on a receiver, a development station for applying toner particles to the latent image to form a developed toner image on the receiver, a fuser assembly for fixing the developed toner image to form a fused toner image on the receiver, and a transport member for transporting the receiver to or from the fuser assembly. The transport member includes a substrate and an oil-absorbing layer that contains inorganic particles dispersed in an organic binder and is capable of absorbing release oil applied to the receiver bearing the fused toner image.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus, which realizes a buffering function which enables post-processing without decreasing the productivity and increasing the size. At least one image is formed on a sheet. A double-sided sheet conveying path is provided, which the sheet passes when being conveyed back to the image forming unit again to form an image on an opposite side surface of the sheet after an image is formed on one side surface of the sheet. A retaining member is provided on the double-sided sheet conveying path to retain the sheet on the double-sided sheet conveying path. A post-processing device carries out post-processing on sheets on which images have been formed by the image forming unit.

Abstract: A sheet guide device having a first sheet guide path and a second sheet guide path intersecting with each other for guiding a sheet and a pivotally movable guide member pivotally movably provided on a common downstream side corner of the first sheet guide path and the second sheet guide path in an intersecting portion between the first sheet guide path and the second sheet guide path, wherein the pivotally movable guide member is pushed and pivotally moved by the leading edge portion of the sheet passing the intersecting portion to thereby guide the sheet.

Abstract: A controller outputs a PRE CPF-N signal and a CPF-N signal following the PRE CPF-N signal to an electrophotographic printer. The electrophotographic printer 1 starts a predetermined preparation process in response to the PRE CPF-N signal, and starts irradiation in response to the CPF-N signal. The preparation process completes by the time of when a toner image for a first page formed on a photosensitive drum reaches a transfer point where the toner image is transferred onto a recording medium.

Abstract: An image formation device having a paper feed member which separates on a one-by-one basis sheets taken out of a paper feed tray by a take-out roller and feeds the separated sheets downstream in a sheet carrying direction; an upstream side sheet carrying path which the sheets are carried to an image recording position and which has a sheet size detecting path; an image recording member which records an image; a downstream side sheet carrying path which carries recorded sheets to an eject tray; and a sheet inverting path for inverting one side recorded sheets, and further having a sheet returning path for returning one side recorded sheets to the upstream side sheet carrying path; a sheet size detecting part which detects sheet sizes; an image magnification computing part which computes an image magnification, and an image recording member drive data output part which supplies image recording member drive data.

Abstract: When a reading unit reads information of a pattern image for correcting image quality printed on at least either side of a recording medium, a control unit compares the information of the pattern image for correcting image-quality with correction pattern information that is a basis of the pattern image for correcting image quality transferred to the at least either side of the recording medium, and controls an image forming unit based on a result of the comparison to correct image quality on the at least either side of the recording medium.

Abstract: A duplex image forming device includes an image forming device and a reversible transportation unit. The image forming device includes a paper transportation path, a paper feed unit which transports a paper to the paper transportation path, a printing unit which prints an image onto the paper, and a discharge tray where the paper printed with the image is discharged.

Abstract: A sheet treating apparatus is mountable in a space portion of an image forming apparatus including an image-forming portion for forming an image on a sheet and an image-reading portion for reading an image of an original. The image-reading portion is disposed above the image-forming portion. The sheet is delivered in the space portion formed between the image-forming portion and the image-reading portion. The sheet treating apparatus includes a connection path unit to be connected with a sheet delivery path for delivering the sheet from the image-forming portion, which connection path unit is mounted in the space portion from the outside of a side surface of the main body of the image forming apparatus, and a sheet-treating unit for performing a treatment of the sheet transported from the connection path unit, which sheet-treating unit is mounted in the space portion from the front side of the main body of the image forming apparatus.

Abstract: An apparatus for reversing a sheet, such as a banknote, from a front face to a rear face. In the reversing apparatus a first end of a common path communicates with an exit of a first conveyance path, a second end of common path communicates with an exit of a second conveyance path, and the first end of common path communicates with a merging path. Since the merging path is immediately after the common path, no delay is caused in the timing of feeding a banknote into the next processing step, improving reversing process performance. A first reversing roller rotates based on the on or off condition of a first electromagnetic clutch and a second reversing roller rotates based on on or off condition of a second electromagnetic clutch. A banknote can be quickly and surely conveyed in the common path.

Abstract: At the detection of an occurrence of a sheet feeder jam, in a case where media in the course of being printed on one face exist, printing this one face is continued, and this medium is inserted into the duplex printing unit. After this, relief of the sheet feeder jam is requested, and change in the duplex printing unit is monitored. In the case where there is no change in the duplex printing unit, after the printing process is re-started, re-use of the medium is allowed.

Abstract: Transporting print material covered on the front side with toner for back side printing in which the toner is prefused on the front side of the print material by heating the toner over its glass transition temperature prior to returning the print material for back side printing.

Abstract: A sheet which is again conveyed to an image forming section passes through a re-feeding passage. A reference member is provided on one end of the re-feeding passage which is perpendicular to a sheet-conveying direction, and is provided with a plurality of reference surfaces in a stepwise manner. Side ends of sheets having different sizes and passing through the re-feeding passage abut against the reference surfaces to adjust positions of the sheets in widthwise direction. The re-feeding passage is provided with obliquely conveying means which obliquely conveys the sheets having different sizes while pushing the sheets against the reference surfaces. A support member which is provided upstream of the obliquely conveying means supports the sheet such that one end of the sheet supported by the support surface extending from lower ends of the reference surfaces substantially horizontally and the other end of the sheet have substantially the same heights.

Abstract: A method of registering a sheet in a duplex copier to alleviate the misalignment between the images copied on the front and back of the same sheet and to compensate for paper cut tolerances. The error angle of skew between a target angle, e.g. 90°, and the trailing edge of the sheet is measured and stored during a first pass. When the same sheet is fed through a second pass, the error angle is retrieved and the target angle is adjusted to compensate for the skew error of the first pass so that any misalignment between front and back images is substantially improved over systems that register images to the sheet without any knowledge of the location of the opposite side image.

Abstract: In an image forming apparatus having a double side printing function, paper on which printing has been completed is prevented from being caught between paper ejection rollers.

Abstract: In a laser printer capable of printing on both sides of a sheet, alignment or skew of the sheet is corrected with register rollers before printing is performed first on a side of the sheet. The sheet with an image having been formed by a process unit is fed to a re-circulation path for printing on the other side of the sheet. The sheet alignment or skew is corrected in the re-circulation path by a guide plate while the sheet is fed by re-circulation feed rollers. The sheet fed back to the register rollers is fed toward the process unit without being temporarily stopped at the register rollers before printing on the other side of the sheet.

Abstract: The color image forming apparatus comprises a transfer belt device which feeds a transfer member such as a paper and a plurality of image forming units. The image forming units are disposed facing towards the transfer belt device. The transfer belt device, at least in a portion in which the image forming units have been disposed, is arranged such that it is inclined with respect to the ground. Each of the image forming unit forms a desired image and sequentially transfers the formed image on the transfer member fed by the transfer belt device.