Abstract: A waste-developer collecting device includes a developing device that develops a latent image with developer, a storage section that stores the developer transported from the developing device, and a path section extending from the developing device to the storage section, and including a downward path through which the developer in the developing device flows together with air in the developing device, the downward path guiding the flowing developer downward. An opening is provided on an upper side and an upstream side of a lowermost level of the downward path so that a part of the air flowing in the path section is released out through the opening.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image forming portion, a first side frame and a second side frame facing each other and supporting a part of the image forming portion, a lower frame connecting the first side frame and the second side frame below the image forming portion, a lower voltage power supply board including a low voltage circuit configured to lower a voltage from an external power supply to a specified voltage and supply the specified voltage to other units, and a cover. The lower frame has an upper surface facing upward and includes a plurality of fixing portions. The low voltage power supply board is fixed to the fixing portions of the lower frame. The cover covers the lower voltage power supply board on a side thereof opposite to the lower frame.

Abstract: A developing device includes a developer carrier that has a cylindrical shape and that rotates while holding developer to supply the developer to an image carrier on which an electrostatic latent image is formed; a container that contains the developer carrier; a discharge-path forming member that forms a discharge path along which air is discharged out of the container from inside the container; and a magnetic member that generates a magnetic field that acts on the developer in the discharge path and causes the developer to stay in the discharge path.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus may include exposure members, a drum supporting member, guide members configured to support the drum supporting member, a main body circuit board and a relay board. The drum supporting member may include a pair of side walls spaced apart from each other and configured to support photoconductor drums and the exposure members therebetween. Additionally or alternatively, the guide members may be configured to support the drum supporting member while allowing movement of the drum supporting member through an opening formed in the main body. The relay board and the main body circuit board may be connected by a cable and the relay board and the plurality of exposure members may be connected by one or more other cables. In some arrangements, the relay board may be fixed to a first side wall of the pair of side walls of the drum supporting member.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a fixing portion, including: a heating member and a back-up member forming a nip; and an air feeding portion for feeding air to a non-sheet-passing area of at least one of the heating member and the back-up member, the air feeding portion including a fan for feeding the air, a duct, including an opening, for guiding the air fed from the fan through the opening to the non-sheet-passing area, and an adjusting member for adjusting an opening amount of the opening. The apparatus executes a first air feeding operation with a first opening amount and a first rotational frequency of the fan and a second air feeding operation with a second opening amount and a second rotational frequency, when the fixing portion fixes the images on sheets having the same widths.

Abstract: A detachable device, which can be included in an image forming apparatus, includes a unit drive mechanism, and a cover disposed at one end and an opposite end in the given attachment/detachment direction to cover the unit drive mechanism thereof. The cover includes a first cover and a second cover. The first cover includes at least one first inlet port to intake air from the apparatus body and guide the air to the detachable unit. The second cover includes a second inlet port to intake the air guided into the detachable unit and an air outlet port to exhaust the air introduced from the second inlet port to the apparatus body.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus prevents heat in an in-body copy receiving portion from reaching a bottom face of a scanner portion disposed above the in-body copy receiving portion. The image forming apparatus includes an in-body copy receiving portion, a scanner portion, and an air blow portion. The in-body copy receiving portion includes a copy receiving tray to stack image-formed sheets thereon. The in-body copy receiving portion is disposed in the image forming apparatus. The scanner portion reads a document. The scanner portion is disposed above the in-body copy receiving portion. The air blow portion generates airflow between a maximum sheet loadable position on the copy receiving tray and the scanner portion so as to flow along a bottom face of the scanner portion.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an apparatus body, an image forming portion, a hold portion, a cooling air passage, and a communication opening. The apparatus body includes a front wall, and a side wall standing perpendicularly to the front wall, the front wall and the side wall defining an internal space. The image forming portion is disposed in the internal space, and forms an image on a sheet. The hold portion is in the form of a hollow at a part of the side wall, and adapted to be held when moving the apparatus body. The cooling air passage extends in the internal space vertically along the side wall. The communication opening allows communication between a space defined by the hold portion and a lower part of the cooling air passage.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: a fixing portion for fixing an image on a recording material by heating the image carried on the recording material while conveying the recording material by a fixing nip; a first cooling portion for cooling one end region of the fixing portion with respect to a direction perpendicular to a recording material conveyance direction; and a second cooling portion for cooling the other end region of the fixing portion with respect to the direction perpendicular to the recording material conveyance direction. The first cooling portion and the second cooling portion are operable independently from each other.

Abstract: An image heating apparatus includes: first and second rotatable members configured to form a nip for heating a toner image on a recording material; a rotatable rubbing member configured to rub the first rotatable member to substantially refresh a surface property of the first rotatable member; and an air blowing mechanism configured to blow air onto the rotatable rubbing member to clean the rotatable rubbing member.

Abstract: An ink jet recording apparatus includes a carriage movable in a main scanning direction and relatively movable with respect to a recording medium in a sub-scanning direction perpendicular to the main scanning direction. An ink ejector is mounted on the carriage and includes a plurality of ink nozzles which are provided in the sub-scanning direction to eject ultraviolet-ray curable inks and which are arranged in a plurality of pass areas to record a plurality of bands. An ultraviolet-ray irradiator is mounted on the carriage to irradiate the recording medium with ultraviolet rays and includes a plurality of light sources to irradiate the plurality of bands with ultraviolet rays, respectively. A gas flowing device includes at least one of an air sucking device to suck air on the recording medium side and a blowing device to blow a gas toward the recording medium side.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus which may include an apparatus main body and a module unit. The module unit may include a communication member having an opening that allows communication between inside and outside of the module unit and a unit-side positioning portion located adjacent to the opening of the communication member. Further, the apparatus main body may include a ventilation member having an opening located so as to oppose the opening of the communication member. Further, the apparatus main body may include a main body-side positioning portion located adjacent to an opening of the ventilation member. Also, the apparatus main body may include an urging member that is configured to urge the module unit so as to bring the unit-side positioning portion into contact with the main body-side positioning portion.

Abstract: The present invention prevents condensation on a pressure roller and excessive temperature rise of a non-paper-passage portion of a fixing unit by switching a blower unit that cools the fixing unit between a blowing mode in which the blower unit sends air to the non-paper-passage portion and an exhausting mode in which a fan of the blower unit is rotated reversely and the air in the fixing unit is exhausted out of the apparatus.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: a main body casing; a fixing unit accommodated in the casing and including a heating member and a pressing member; a first wall provided inside the casing at a position above the heating member and the pressing member and extending diagonally downward and forward; an uneven portion provided on the first wall at a position rearward of front end portion of the pressing member to restrain a dew droplet condensed on the first wall from running down along the first wall; a sheet ejection opening formed in the casing such that the recording sheet conveyed out from the fixing unit is ejected outside the casing through the sheet ejection opening; and an exhaust opening formed in the casing at a position rearward of the heating member such that air heated in the fixing unit is discharged outside the casing through the exhaust opening.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a transfer unit configured to transfer a formed image that is formed by an image forming portion to sheet, a first carrying path configured to guide the sheet in a set direction, a fixing unit configured to fix the formed image to the sheet that is guided by the first carrying path, a second carrying path configured to guide the sheet that is fixed by the fixing unit in a set direction, a communicating unit configured to communicate between the first carrying path and the second carrying path, a first air flowing unit configured to flow air from the first carrying path to the second carrying path, an ejection unit configured to vent the air in the second carrying path to outside.

Abstract: A developing device of the present disclosure includes a developing roller, a toner feeding roller, a regulating blade, a blade holding member, a toner receiving member, and a casing. The regulating blade regulates a thickness of toner carried on the toner feeding roller. An air flow path is formed inside the blade holding member. The toner receiving member, the regulating blade, and the blade holding member each include a slit hole that leads to the air flow path.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus may includes: an apparatus body; a fixing device removably mounted to the apparatus body and including a first fixing member, a heat generation member which heats the first fixing member, a second fixing member forming a fixing nip between the first fixing member and the second fixing member, and a housing accommodating at least the heat generation member and the first fixing member and provided with a communication part communicating between inner and outer sides of the housing; a transfer member arranged upstream of the fixing device in a conveyance direction of a recording sheet, and to which developer is configured to be transferred; a sensor configured to detect the developer transferred to the transfer member; and a film arranged to cover the sensor between the communication part and the sensor.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus including a main duct forming an airflow path of air blown by an air blower such that the air flows through the main duct from a first side to a second side in an extending direction of the airflow path, the main duct including a plurality of air outlets opening in a direction intersecting the extending direction and discretely disposed along the extending direction, and an image forming unit including a plurality of air inlets disposed apart from the plurality of air outlets such that the air flowing out from the plurality of air outlets is introduced into the plurality of air inlets, each air inlet formed such that a second-side end thereof in the extending direction is positionally shifted toward the second side in the extending direction, relative to a second-side end of a corresponding air outlet in the extending direction.

Abstract: A cooling device including a heat pipe to cool a sheet, a radiator provided to an end of the heat pipe, and a duct accommodating the radiator and having a closably openable cover member. The cover member is openable to enable attachment and detachment of the heat pipe to and from the cooling device in a predetermined direction.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a developing unit to form a visible image on a printing medium using developer, a fixing device to fix the developer to the printing medium, and a heat plate placed between the developing unit and the fixing device such that heat generated from the fixing device is absorbed by the heat plate, and transmission of heat to the developing unit is restricted.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus having; a fusing unit that heats and presses a recording medium with an image transferred thereto, thereby fixing the image thereon; a first duct section in which air that contains emissions generated by the fusing unit flows; an ion generation unit provided away from the first duct section to generate ions; a second duct section in which air that contains the ions generated by the ion generation unit flows; a third duct section connected to the first and second duct sections, such that air flows in from the first and second duct sections, whereby the emissions are charged by the ions; a filter unit provided in the third duct section to trap the charged emissions; and a blowing unit that generates air flows from the connections with the first and second duct sections in the third duct section toward the filter unit.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a plurality of fans, a drive part and a controller. The drive part drives each of the fans. The controller controls the drive part in such a way that while the apparatus is operated, a part of the plurality of fans are stopped and the fan to be stopped is changed and the amount of change in a noise level of all the fans before and after the change of the fan to be stopped is limited to within a specified range.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: a fixing portion for heat-fixing the image on a recording material; a duct including a suction port for sucking air from an outside of the image forming apparatus and an exhaust port for delivering the air to the outside of the image forming apparatus; and a fan for forming a flow of the air from the suction port toward the exhaust port in the duct. The duct includes a merging portion, between the suction port and the exhaust port, for merging the air from the neighborhood of the fixing portion with the flow of the air by taking the air from the neighborhood of the fixing portion inside the duct. The recording material on which the image is fixed at the fixing portion is cooled by the air delivering through the exhaust port.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus has a casing, an opening/closing cover, an exposure device, an image forming unit, an airflow generator, a cooling air path, and a partition member. The partition member is disposed between the exposure device and the image forming unit, and is configured to change a state thereof between a first state and a second state. The first state is such that the partition member constitutes part of the cooling air path when the opening/closing cover is in a closed state. The second state is such that the image forming unit is allowed to be dismounted from an inner space of the casing, while passing between the exposure device and the image forming unit when the opening/closing cover is in an opened state.

Abstract: An image heating apparatus includes a rotatable fixing member; an air-blowing unit for blowing air onto an end portion of the rotatable fixing member with respect to a generating line direction of the rotatable fixing member, wherein the air-blowing unit includes a fan, a duct for guiding the air generated by drive of the fan, and a shutter, provided at an outlet of the duct, for switching an outlet width of the duct with respect to the generating line direction; and a partition, provided in the duct, for partitioning an air passing region inside the duct into a plurality of regions with respect to the generating line direction, wherein the partition extends to a neighborhood of the shutter with respect to an air-blowing direction.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a casing, a cover unit, and a liquid channel. The cover unit is disposed above an image forming unit. The cover unit includes a first member, a second member, and a neighboring portion positioned between the first member and the second member. The liquid channel is configured to guide liquid and includes a first channel and a second channel. The first channel is disposed between the neighboring portion and the image forming unit. The first channel includes a recess part and a liquid outlet. The recess part is disposed below the neighboring portion and extending toward the frame in an extending direction. The liquid outlet is positioned at an end portion of the recess part in the extending direction. The second channel is disposed at the frame. The second channel is configured to allow liquid to pass through the frame in the extending direction.

Abstract: An exhaust fan, an exhaust duct through which a discharged gas flows and a filter which is provided in the exhaust duct are included. A curved portion is provided in the exhaust duct, and the filter is provided on a downstream side in a direction of flow of the gas with respect to the curved portion. On an inside wall of the curved portion of the exhaust duct on an outer side in a radial direction, a first flow control member that uniformizes the amount of the gas flowing through the filter is provided so as to be perpendicular to the shaft of the curved portion, and a space is formed between the first flow control member and an inside wall of the curved portion on an inner side in the radial direction.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image forming section, a housing, an image scanning section, an airflow generation section, a guiding air path, and a blow-off port. The image forming section forms an image on a sheet. The housing accommodates the image forming section therein. The image scanning section has a bottom portion and is disposed above the housing. The airflow generation section generates an airflow inside the housing. The guiding air path guides the airflow upward inside the housing. The blow-off port is communicated with the guiding air path and arranged so as to face the bottom portion of the image scanning section.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a toner containing portion, an air blowing portion, and an air blowing control portion. The toner containing portion contains toner that is used in image formation. The air blowing portion generates an airflow that contacts an outer side surface of the toner containing portion. The air blowing control portion narrows a vertical range of the airflow, which is generated by the air blowing portion and contacts the outer side surface of the toner containing portion, downward in a vertical direction in correspondence with reduction of toner amount in the toner containing portion.

Abstract: Provided is a suction pipe including a suction port that has an opening shape which is long in one direction parallel with a longitudinal-direction part of an object structure long in one direction, and is arranged to face the longitudinal-direction part of the object structure to suction the air, an exhaust port that has an opening shape which is different shape from the opening shape of the suction port, and suctions out the air suctioned from the suction port, a flow path that connects the suction port and the exhaust port and has at least one bended portion which bends an air flow direction, and at least one flow control members that are disposed at flow path in one direction parallel with the suction port, and controls a flow of the air.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus provided with a resin frame made of a resin, an image forming unit and a fixing unit includes a duct for allowing air to flow between the image forming unit and the fixing unit. The resin frame includes a main frame to which the image forming unit is attached, and a fixing unit attachment frame that is separate from the main frame and to which the fixing unit is attached, and the fixing unit attachment frame has a duct portion that constitutes at least one part of the duct.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to cool a sheet discharged onto an output sheet stacking surface while keeping the sheet from floating up.

Abstract: A rotor support structure includes: an operable unit including a rotor and a casing rotatably supporting the rotor; a support member includes a support member main body configured to accommodate therein the operable unit, and an attachment part to attach the support member main body to a base; and a press part configured, when the support member with the operable unit accommodated therein is attached to the base, to press the operable unit to hold the operable unit in the support member main body.

Abstract: A drawer member that is capable of being drawn out from an image forming apparatus body and that includes a fixing unit that heats and fixes an image onto a recording medium, a first flow path that is formed around the fixing unit and that causes air that is heated by heat, which is discharged from the fixing unit, to circulate, and a second flow path that is formed adjacent to the first flow path on a side opposite to the fixing unit and in which air having a temperature lower than a temperature of air, which circulates in the first flow path, circulates.

Abstract: A removal mechanism includes a removing member, an accommodation section, a receiver, and a cooling path. The removing member rubs against an extraneous-matter-adhered member, to which extraneous matter is adhered, so as to remove the extraneous matter therefrom. The accommodation section accommodates therein the extraneous matter removed by the removing member. The receiver receives, at a lower side of the accommodation section, the extraneous matter spilling out and dropping from the accommodation section. The cooling path allows gas so flow therethrough so as to cool the accommodation section from outside thereof. The cooling path is spatially isolated from a passage chamber through which the extraneous matter dropping from the accommodation section toward the receiver passes, an accommodation chamber for the extraneous matter in the accommodation section, and a chamber above the receiver that receives the extraneous matter.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image forming unit to form an image on a print medium, a fixing unit to fix the image formed by the image forming unit on the print medium, and a guide member installed in a moving path where air moves along between the image forming unit and the fixing unit so that air inhaled through an inhaling unit formed at one side of a main frame can be exhausted to an exhaust unit formed at the other side of the main frames, and to guide a moving direction of the air so that the air inhaled through the inhaling unit can move to the image forming unit along the moving path.

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

Abstract: Provided is a developing device including a storage container that stores a developer, a rotating body that supplies the developer to an image holding member in a supply region by being rotated with holding the developer, an inflow portion that is provided with an inflow port placed on a downstream side of the supply region in a rotation direction of the rotating body, and flows air into the storage container, and an outflow portion that is provided with an outflow port and emits air in the storage container from the outflow port, wherein the outflow port and the inflow port are placed to be adjacent to each other.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus, comprising: a housing having an opening through which a recording medium passes, the housing comprising a container unit configured to support at least a part of the recording medium passed through the opening; a feed roller configured to feed the recording medium supported in the container unit to an image formation unit; and a fan configured to cause air in the housing to flow, wherein the container unit comprises: a stacker part to support at least the part of the recording medium; and a pair of side parts disposed to sandwich the stacker part between the pair of side parts, in an orthogonal direction perpendicular to a feeding direction of the feed roller, and the fan is disposed at one of the pair of side parts and at a position closer to the opening relative to the feed roller in the feeding direction.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus including a fan cover including a wall portion disposed to overlap a rotational axis of a fan in an axis direction along the rotational axis, the wall portion extending in an orthogonal direction perpendicular to the axis direction, a first section disposed on one side relative to the wall portion in the orthogonal direction, the first section having a first opening disposed on one side relative to the fan in the axis direction and on the one side relative to the rotational axis in the orthogonal direction, and a second section disposed on an other side relative to the wall portion in the orthogonal direction, the second section having a second opening disposed on the one side relative to the fan in the axis direction and on the other side relative to the rotational axis in the orthogonal direction.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an apparatus body, an image forming portion, a hold portion, a cooling air passage, and a communication opening. The apparatus body includes a front wall, and a side wall standing perpendicularly to the front wall, the front wall and the side wall defining an internal space. The image forming portion is disposed in the internal space, and forms an image on a sheet. The hold portion is in the form of a hollow at a part of the side wall, and adapted to be held when moving the apparatus body. The cooling air passage extends in the internal space vertically along the side wall. The communication opening allows communication between a space defined by the hold portion and a lower part of the cooling air passage.

Abstract: In one example, a climate control system for a printer includes: an air flow path from an intake for receiving warmer, dirtier aft from a printing area of the printer to an exhaust for returning cooler, cleaner air to the printing area of the printer; a first heat exchanger in the flow path for exchanging heat between warmer air coming from the intake and cooler air going to the exhaust; and a second heat exchanger in the flow path for receiving warmer, dirtier air from the first heat exchanger and passing cooler, cleaner air to the first heat exchanger. The second heat exchanger is configured to cool the air to a predetermined dew point temperature corresponding to a desired level of a contaminant in the air.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus is provided that can prevent a winding jam of a sheet, which can be caused owing to curling of the sheet at the front end in the sheet conveying direction.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus according to one aspect of the present disclosure includes a blowing portion and an air guide portion. The blowing portion blows air to a conveyance path of a sheet from a fixing device to a sheet discharge port. The air guide portion guides air blown from the blowing portion toward the downstream side in a sheet conveyance direction toward the sheet discharge port on the conveyance path.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an air-conditioning section to control at least one of temperature and humidity of air, a first passage to guide the air sent off by the air-conditioning section to a temperature-controlled portion in the image forming apparatus, an air-intake section to take in the air from outside of the image forming apparatus, and a second passage to guide the air taken in by the air-intake section to the temperature-controlled portion.

Abstract: A fixing apparatus includes first and second fixing rotatable members configured to fix a toner image on a sheet at a nip portion therebetween, a rubbing rotatable member configured to rub an outer surface of the first fixing rotatable member, a moving mechanism configured to move the rubbing rotatable member between a contact position, in which the rubbing rotatable member is in contact with the outer surface of the first fixing rotatable member, and a separate position, in which the rubbing rotatable member is away from the outer surface of the first fixing rotatable member, and an air blowing mechanism configured to blow air to between the rubbing rotatable member and the first fixing rotatable member at least when the rubbing rotatable member moves from the contact position to the separate position.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a sheet conveyance passage, a photosensitive drum, a transfer unit, a fixing section, a conveyance unit, one or more detection sensors, an airflow generating section, a cooling airflow passage, and a shielding member. The conveyance unit is at an opposite side of the transfer unit from the photosensitive drum with a predetermined clearance from the transfer unit. Each detection sensor is disposed to face the transfer unit in cross section intersecting the axial direction of the photosensitive drum. The sheet detection sensor performs a predetermined detection. The airflow generating section causes a cooling airflow to flow between the transfer unit and the conveyance unit in the axial direction. The cooling airflow passage guides the cooling airflow toward each detection sensor. The shielding member blocks an airflow from a location around the transfer unit toward the cooling airflow passage in a direction intersecting the axial direction.

Abstract: In a charging device, a holding member holding a discharge electrode is provided in a shield case. The holding member includes a first guide and a second guide defining a slit therebetween. In the slit, the rear face of the discharge electrode other than a first long side is fixed to the internal side face of the first guide. The holding member holds the discharge electrode so that the entire surface of the discharge electrode and the rear face of the first long side are positioned in an air path extending from the air inlet to a gap and the first long side faces a grid electrode.

Abstract: A heat fixing device includes a rotatable member for heating, a pressing roller configured to form a fixing nip portion that nips and conveys a recording material bearing a toner image, and a cooling fan configured to cool a recording material non-passing region in the rotatable member for heating in a direction orthogonal to a recording material conveying direction, wherein the pressing roller includes a rubber layer, between a cored bar and a release layer, containing a needle-shaped heat conductive filler oriented in a roller axis direction.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus, includes: an image heating device for heating an image on a sheet; a cooling belt for cooling the sheet in close contact with the sheet heated by the image heating device; a heat sink for cooling the cooling belt; a first fan for forming airflow in the heat sink; and a second fan for forming airflow in a space between the image heating device and the cooling belt.