Abstract: An electrophotographic apparatus does not have a unit for maintaining a uniform surface temperature of an electrophotographic photosensitive member through its surface. The electrophotographic photosensitive member has temperature dependent characteristics and is equally divided into two regions in a cylindrical shaft direction such that absolute values of the temperature dependence of the photosensitive-member characteristics in the two regions are not the same. The electrophotographic photosensitive member is arranged so that when, among the two regions, a region which has a smaller absolute value of the temperature dependence of the photosensitive-member characteristics is defined as a first region, and a region which has a larger absolute value of the temperature dependence of the photosensitive-member characteristics is defined as a second region.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a housing, a detection unit provided in the housing to detect temperature or humidity, an image forming section provided in the housing and including a detected portion to be detected by the detection unit, a first air inlet provided in the housing, a suction unit that sucks air outside of the housing through the first air inlet, a substantially cylindrical duct provided at a position influenced by temperature or humidity of the detected portion and including an entrance from which air flows in and an exit from which air flows out, the duct allowing the air sucked by the suction unit to pass therethrough, and an opening provided in the housing. The detection unit is provided at a position on a path of air flowing into the housing through the opening and on a path of the air that has passed through the duct.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an outer cover in which an air intake and an exhaust outlet are formed, an image forming unit, a fixing device to fix an image on a recording medium and including a fixing casing in which a sheet inlet and a first exhaust opening are formed, and a thermal shield disposed above the sheet inlet of the fixing device and between the fixing device and a component adjacent to the fixing device, an air channel to guide air sucked in through the air intake to the exhaust outlet, defined by the thermal shield as well as the fixing casing. The first exhaust opening formed in the fixing casing communicates with the air channel formed by the thermal shield and the fixing casing to merge the hot air discharged from the fixing device into the air flowing in the air channel.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a corona charger, including a charging electrode, for charging a photosensitive member; a cleaning member for cleaning the charging electrode; a shutter in the form of a sheet for opening and closing an opening provided between the charging electrode of the corona charger and the photosensitive member; a driving unit for driving the shutter and the cleaning member; a fan for supplying the air toward the photosensitive member through the opening of the corona charger; and a controller for controlling the fan such that an air supply operation of the fan is stopped before the shutter operates to close the opening.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus including an image forming unit to develop an electrostatic latent image formed on an image carrier with toner, an intake fan to draw air used for cooling the image forming unit into the image forming apparatus, an exhaust fan to exhaust the air from the image forming apparatus, and an exhaust duct to form an airflow path between the image forming unit and the exhaust fan. One end of the exhaust duct is disposed below the exhaust fan.

Abstract: A fixing device includes a protected object disposed opposite an outer circumferential surface of a pressing rotary body and upstream from a fixing nip formed between the pressing rotary body and a fixing rotary body in a direction of rotation of the pressing rotary body; a stationary duct disposed upstream from the protected object in the direction of rotation of the pressing rotary body, the stationary duct including a blowoff outlet disposed opposite the outer circumferential surface of the pressing rotary body through which airflow impinges on the outer circumferential surface of the pressing rotary body; and a shield interposed between the blowoff outlet of the stationary duct and the protected object in the direction of rotation of the pressing rotary body to protect the protected object against airflow from the blowoff outlet.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: a switch member that selectively switches a blowing direction of an air drawn by a fan and passing through a duct to a direction toward a conveying roller pair or a direction toward a sheet conveying path between the conveying roller pair and a fixing device; and a control portion that switches the switch member, based on a setting by an operation portion to that a gloss mode for an image to be formed on the sheet is set, so that when a mode for forming a high gloss image is set, the blowing direction of the air is switched to the direction toward the pair of rollers, and when a mode for forming a low gloss image is set, the blowing direction of the air is switched to the direction toward the sheet conveying path.

Abstract: At the start of paper conveyance, a gate is turned upwards to a first position to thereby close a sixth conveying path and establish communication between a first conveying path and a second conveying path so that the paper having passed through a fixing unit starts to be conveyed from first conveying path to second conveying path. At the same time, air is exhausted from an exhausting mechanism arranged upstream of a cooling mechanism. When a first paper sensor detects the leading end of the paper, a cooling fan starts to rotate at a predetermined rotational rate to start blowing air at a predetermined volume of cooling airflow.

Abstract: A fixing device includes an auxiliary duct. The auxiliary duct is provided between a cover member attached to a coil bobbin so as to cover a magnetic core and a coil, and a core holder provided opposing to the coil bobbin, to which the magnetic core is attached. The auxiliary duct communicates with an intake hole provided at one end in a longitudinal direction of the cover member, and has opening holes overlapping with some of holder opening portions formed on the core holder. The fixing device causes air to flow into between the core holder and the coil bobbin via the auxiliary duct and the holder opening portions from the intake hole, and discharges the air warmed by heat of the coil from an exhaust hole formed at the other end of the cover member, thereby adjusting the flowing amount of air in a longitudinal direction of the coil.

Abstract: Provided is an image forming apparatus including a container which contains plural sheets, an image forming unit which forms an image on each of the sheets supplied from the container, a detecting unit which detects an image density of the image formed on the sheets by the image forming unit, a blowing unit which blows air to the sheet contained in the container, and a blowing control unit which controls the blowing unit based on the image density detected by the detecting unit.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a main body, exposing portions each forming a latent image on a photosensitive drum based on image data by driving of a polygon motor, developing portions each developing the latent image formed on each of the exposing portions using toner, and a partition member provided between each of the exposing portions and each of the developing portions. Projecting portions each including the polygon motor project from the partition member toward a side of the developing portion. Each of the projection portions is overlapped with at least a part of each of the developing portions on a vertical direction. The cooled air flows to the overlap portion in which the polygon motor of each of the exposing portions and each of the developing portions are overlapped.

Abstract: A cooling device, which is included in an image forming apparatus, includes multiple air blowers to cool a cooling target provided to the image forming apparatus and a duct to connect with the multiple air blowers and to flow airflow generated by the multiple air blowers therethrough and to have an opening formed thereon and disposed at a position shifted to a part of the multiple air blowers. Respective outputs of the multiple air blowers are different from each other according to respective positions of the multiple air blowers with respect to the opening.

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 development device which is provided so as to be detachably attachable to an apparatus body to develop an electrostatic image on a surface of an image bearing member with a developer; an airflow generating device which generates an airflow; a duct which induces the airflow generated by the airflow generating device into the apparatus body; and a support member which supports a lower surface of the development device along a longitudinal direction of the development device; wherein a tubular flow path is formed between the support member and a bottom of the development device such that air flows along the longitudinal direction, and the flow path is connected to the duct.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a mounting portion to which a plurality of kinds of cartridge having different configurations; a fan device for cooling the cartridges mounted to the mounting portion with air flow provided thereby; a changing device for changing a state of the air flow in accordance with the configuration of the cartridge mounted to the mounting portion.

Abstract: A charger according to an embodiment includes: a discharge member which faces an image carrier; a case which supports the discharge member and comprises an air hole in a first surface; a cleaner which contacts with the discharge member; and a cleaner support member which comprises an inlet port and an outlet port connecting with the air hole and a ventilation unit, supports the cleaner, and slides in relation to the case on the first surface.

Abstract: A fixing device includes a conveying unit configured to convey a recording medium; a conveyance stopping unit configured to stop conveyance of the recording medium; a heating unit having a heating plane and configured to heat a part of the recording medium, which part is laid over the heating plane; and a cooling unit configured to cool the part of the recording medium, whose conveyance has been stopped, by applying cooling air to the part of the recording medium from above.

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 for forming an image on a recording material by exposing a photosensitive member with a light emitting member in a state where a cartridge including the photosensitive member is mounted in an apparatus main body includes a light emitting member, a support member, and a duct formed in the support member. The light emitting member includes a plurality of light emitting portions arranged in an array. The support member supports the light emitting member. The duct forms an air supply path extending in a longitudinal direction of the cartridge to cool the cartridge mounted in the apparatus main body.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a plurality of image forming units which are provided side by side at least in a horizontal direction, each of which includes a rotatable image bearing member and an image forming section adapted to form a toner image on the image bearing member, and an air blow device configured to generate an air flow to cool the plurality of image forming units. In addition, a belt is placed above the plurality of image forming units, and a changing member is disposed in a space below the belt and between two image forming units located next to each other among the plurality of image forming units and configured to change flowing direction of the air flow generated by the air blow device. The changing member directs the air flow to flow along a rotation axis direction of the image bearing member from both ends of an upper area of the space toward a center of the upper area of the space, and then flow from the center of the upper area of the space to below the space.

Abstract: A fixing device includes: a fixing unit that transports a recording medium as nipped between a pressure rotary member and a heating rotary member, to thereby fix a developer image on the recording medium; temperature detectors that detect temperatures of regions of the pressure rotary member; cooling units that cool the detected regions; and a controller that controls the cooling units to, if a temperature difference between the regions is more than a set temperature difference, execute first cooling for reducing the temperature difference to the set temperature difference or less, and to, if a width of the recording medium perpendicular to a transport direction thereof used in an immediately preceding image formation is equal to or less than a preset width, execute, subsequently to the first cooling, second cooling for cooling the pressure rotary member for a preset time.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image forming device configured to form, in a first position, a toner image on a sheet using toner containing a parting material; a fixing device configured to fix the toner image formed on the sheet by the image forming device in a second position, by heat and pressure; a fan configured to flow air along an air flow path between the image forming device and the fixing device; and a partition configured and positioned to substantially separate between the air flow path and a sheet feeding path from the first position to the second position.

Abstract: An image forming device includes a plurality of power consumption parts that operate by power supply from a power source. The image forming device includes a failure detection part that detects occurrence of an unrecoverable failure, and a main controller that suppresses an amount of power supplied to the plurality of power consumption parts in response to detection by the failure detection part of the occurrence of an unrecoverable failure.

Abstract: A blower pipe includes an inlet port, an outlet port, a flow path that connects the inlet port and the outlet port to cause air to flow therethrough and that are divided by a partition wall, and plural flow control members that are respectively provided in different parts in an air flow direction in each of divided passage spaces that are divided by the partition wall and that control the flow of the air, wherein the inlet port and the outlet port are constituted by plural opening portions, respectively, the plural opening portions that constitute the outlet port have elongated opening shapes divided by the partition wall, and a flow control member of the plural flow control members closest to the inlet port is provided in the vicinity of the bent portion.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image forming device, a fixing device, a first fan configured to supply air to a first area of the fixing device, a second fan configured to supply air to a second area of the fixing device, a first temperature detector for detecting a temperature of the first area, a second temperature detector for detecting a temperature of the second area, and a control unit configured to start to operate the first fan and the second fan, wherein, when a displacement amount of a recording material with respect to a conveyance reference is a predetermined amount or larger and when the recording material is displaced toward the first area, the control unit sets a temperature for starting to drive the second fan to be lower than a temperature that is set when the positional displacement amount is less than the predetermined amount.

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: An image forming apparatus gas a photosensitive drum, an anti-static lamp, and a drum unit, The drum unit includes a unit main frame for holding the photosensitive drum, and a holder frame for holding the anti-static lamp, The holder frame is detachably attached to the unit main frame.

Abstract: A feeder has a longer side direction orthogonal to a conveyance direction of a recording medium, and is configured to feed a maximum size recording medium with a longer side first. An image forming unit has a maximum sheet feed width corresponding to a longer side length of the maximum size recording medium, and is configured to print a toner image corresponding to digital image data onto the recording medium. An electrical component unit is configured to control the feeder and the image forming unit. The image forming unit and the electrical component unit are respectively disposed on both sides of the feeder in a shorter side 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 a fixing device to fix an image on a recording medium, at least one temperature control target to be kept to or below a reference temperature, and a cooling system to insulate the temperature control target from the fixing device. The cooling system includes an air vent to introduce external air into an apparatus body, an exhaust duct assembly disposed between the fixing device and the temperature control target, a first inlet formed in the exhaust duct assembly to cause the external air to pass through a range in which the temperature control target is provided, and a first fan to generate airflow inside the exhaust duct assembly.

Abstract: The image forming apparatus includes a cooling device for cooling a plurality of cartridges, and a plurality of shielding members for shielding the plurality of openings, respectively. Each developing member is movable between a first position at which the developing member is brought into contact with a photosensitive member and a second position at which the developing member is caused to separate from the photosensitive member. Each of the plurality of shielding members is caused to move in association with a position of the developing member of the cartridge opposed to the opening to be shielded by the each of the shielding members. A gap between the opening and the shielding member the second position of the developing member is smaller than a gap therebetween at the first position of the developing member is.

Abstract: A blowing target structure includes an opening portion that (a) is an inlet into which the air flow from a blower pipe that has an elongated shape in one direction, (b) is elongated in the same direction as the one direction of an outlet of the blower pipe, (c) has a member that is provided at least on one end side in a lateral direction orthogonal to a longitudinal direction of the opening portion to set an air permeability of a member side region of the opening portion to a value smaller than an air permeability of a region other than the member side region of the opening portion.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image carrier, a charging member, a transferring member, a first voltage applying part, a current measuring part, a fan, a cleaning member and a controlling part. The controlling part carries out an aging operation rotating the image carrier and bringing the cleaning member in sliding contact with the image carrier before forming an image. The controlling part lengthens a running time of the aging operation in a case where a current value measured by the current measuring part is equal to or less than a first threshold value when the fan blows an outside air to the image carrier and the first voltage applying part applies voltage to one of the charging member and transferring member, in comparison with another case where the current value measured by the current measuring part exceeds the first threshold value.

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 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 fixing unit arranged in an apparatus main body and adapted to perform a fixing process to fix an image to a recording sheet by heat, first conveyance path for conveying the recording sheet via an image forming unit and the fixing unit, second conveyance path for conveying the recording sheet having the fixing process performed thereon to an upstream side of the image forming unit in the case of performing the image forming process on both sides of the recording sheet, a first cover openably and closably attached to the apparatus main body, a second cover for covering the second conveyance path, the second cover being openably and closably attached to the apparatus main body and openable and closable when the first cover is in an open state, and fans provided on the second cover for supplying air streams to the second conveyance path.

Abstract: A ventilation structure includes a duct unit between a heat generating structure and a heat insulating structure. The ventilation structure includes a heat generating structure side flow channel formed on the heat generating structure side in the duct unit to take in and let fresh air flow along a long side of the duct unit and a heat insulating structure side flow channel formed on the heat insulating structure side in the duct unit to exhaust air outputted from an exhaust system provided in the heat generating structure by letting the air flow and evacuate along the short side of the duct unit.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a housing; an image forming section that is provided within the housing and forms an image onto a recording medium; an output section that outputs the recording medium, having the image formed thereon by the image forming section, outward from the housing; a loading section on which the recording medium output from the output section is loaded and that is provided with an air hole; and a cooling unit that allows air to flow between an interior of the housing and the loading section via the air hole so as to cool a surface, which faces the loading section, of the recording medium loaded on the loading section.

Abstract: A blower pipe includes an inlet port, an outlet port, a flow path that connects the inlet port and the outlet port and is bent at least in one location, and plural flow control members that are provided in mutually different regions in a direction in which air in the flow path is caused to flow and that control the flow of the air, wherein a flow control member of the plural flow control members closest to the inlet port (a) cuts off a portion of a bent portion of the flow path while air crossing the portion, (b) makes an elongated gap to pass air, and (c) satisfies following condition; when a virtual straight line which passes through both end portions of the elongated gap is drawn, the virtual straight line lies downstream of an extension line of a wall immediately before the flow path is bent.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus comprising a process unit having a charger that charges a photosensitive member, a fixing unit having a heat source for thermally fixing a developer image formed on a recording sheet by the process unit, an apparatus body configured to accommodate the process unit and the fixing unit and having an ejection port above the fixing unit, the ejection port being used for ejecting the recording sheet ejected from the fixing unit to the outside of the image forming apparatus and an exhaust fan configured to discharge air inside the apparatus body to the outside of the image forming apparatus. The exhaust fan is disposed at a fixing-unit side of the process unit and is disposed lower than both the charger and the heat source such that air entering through the ejection port from outside the image forming apparatus flows through the fixing unit and is discharged by the exhaust fan.

Abstract: A fixing device includes a fixing rotary body to come into contact with a toner image on a recording medium and a pressing rotary body separably pressed against the fixing rotary body to press the recording medium against the fixing rotary body. A cooler, disposed opposite the pressing rotary body to cool the pressing rotary body, includes a fan to move air to the pressing rotary body and at least one inlet duct interposed between the fan and the pressing rotary body to supply air from the fan to the pressing rotary body. The at least one inlet duct selectively cools the pressing rotary body in a variable axial span in an axial direction thereof.

Abstract: A developer collecting device includes a housing provided with an opening opposed to a developer carrying member; a collecting member provided along an edge of the opening at a downstream end thereof in a transporting direction of the developer carrying member, the collecting member removing developer from the developer carrying member and collecting the developer into the housing when the collecting member is in contact with the developing carrying member; a suction unit that sucks air from the opening; a flow rate regulating member provided in a suction path between the suction unit and the housing, the flow rate regulating member changing a flow rate of the air; and an operation device that moves the collecting member and operates the flow rate regulating member such that the flow rate regulating member raises the flow rate before the separation of the collecting member from the developer carrying member.

Abstract: In order that the air surrounding a fixing member is prevented from entering a blowing section for blowing separation air, a wind speed setting section is provided with switchable control modes, namely, a first control mode (control mode for operating the blower fan at a wind speed for separation) and a second control mode (control mode for operating the blower fan at a low speed). This structure allows the blower fan to be controlled in conformity to any one of these first and second control modes.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image carrier, a charging member, a voltage applying part, a current measuring part and a controlling part. The image carrier carries a toner image. The charging member electrically charges the image carrier. The voltage applying part applies voltage to the charging member. The current measuring part measures current flowing into the charging member. The controlling part controls applied voltage of the voltage applying part. The controlling part decides, when a predetermined voltage is applied to the charging member for a predetermined time by the voltage applying part, if an increase quantity of the current measured by the current measuring part exceeds a predetermined threshold value, that at least one of the image carrier and the charging member is in an abnormal state.

Abstract: In accordance with one embodiment, an image forming apparatus includes an image forming section (1) configured to form a toner image on an image receiving medium; a fixing apparatus (20) configured to heat, using a heating component (21), the image receiving medium formed with the toner image to fix the toner image; a fan (66) configured to cool the heating component at least; and a control section (60) configured to enable, after the image forming section finishes an image forming operation, the fan to operate for a given time when the elapsed time for image forming operation is shorter than a first formation time, and enable the heating component to idle without generating heat while operating the fan, when the elapsed time for image forming operation is equal to or longer than the first time.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a plurality of process cartridges and a pair of frames. Each of the plurality of process cartridges includes a photosensitive drum, a charger and a charger supporting wall. One of the pair of frames has a plurality of first openings such that air outside the pair of frames is sucked between the pair of frames through the first openings. The other of the pair of frames has a plurality of second openings such that air between the pair of frames is discharged outside the pair of frames through the second openings. The first openings are positioned on an opposite side of the charger supporting wall from the photosensitive drum. The second openings are positioned on the same side of the charger supporting wall as the photosensitive drum.

Abstract: An air-conditioning unit includes an air conditioner to control air temperature, a first channel to guide air supplied from the air conditioner to a conditioning target, a heat exchange channel through which the air supplied from the air conditioner exchanges heat with the conditioning target, a second channel to guide air from the conditioning target either outside the air-conditioning unit or to the air conditioner, and a channel switching unit to cause the air conditioner to suck in either external air or the air guided from the conditioning target.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus, including an upper section including an image forming section to form an image on a recording sheet, a lower section arranged below the upper section including a sheet supplying tray to stack a plurality of recording sheets, a partitioning body to separate the upper section and the lower section in a vertical direction, wherein the lower section includes a dehumidification device to heat the inside of the lower section and to dehumidify the recording sheets stacked on the sheet supplying tray, the partitioning body includes a first shielding member to shield a bottom portion of the upper section, a second shielding member separated from the first shielding member to shield a top portion of the lower section, a clearance formed between the first shielding member and the second shielding member, and an air blowing section to blow air into the clearance.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image forming section, a paper supply section, a housing member and an ion generating unit. The housing member is disposed at least below the image forming section, and gives the same shape in plane view as the image forming section and the paper supply section. The ion generating unit is contained in the housing member. The ion generating unit includes a duct forming a pathway of flow to guide the air that is sucked in from outside of the housing member again to outside of the housing member, an ion generating device disposed inside the duct, and a fan for generating an air current in the duct.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a fixing device that has: a fixing roller heated by induction and a pressing roller brought into press-contact with the fixing roller to fix a toner image borne on a paper sheet conveyed toward the fixing device by a conveyor unit. When a paper sheet having a width smaller than a width of a maximum-width recording medium that can be passed through the fixing device is passed through the fixing device, a non-paper passing region is formed at each end portion of each of the fixing and pressing rollers. Sirocco fans cool the non-paper passing region at a part of an outer peripheral surface of the pressing roller. The pressing roller is disposed opposed to the outer side of the main body of the image forming apparatus.