Abstract: An image forming device includes a main casing, a process unit, a fixing unit, and a duct. The duct is disposed between the process unit and the fixing unit with respect to a direction in which a recording medium is conveyed. The duct defines an exhaust channel for exhausting air out of the main casing. The duct includes at least two partitioning walls extending in a second direction intersecting with the first direction, and is formed with at least three inlet ports partitioned by the partitioning walls in the first 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.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a housing, a sheet conveyance path, a toner containing unit, a fixing unit, a fixing housing, a heat insulation member, a first hot air exhaust passage, a second hot air exhaust passage and a third hot air exhaust passage. The fixing housing houses the fixing unit and includes a wall portion facing the toner containing unit. The heat insulation member shields between the wall portion and the toner containing unit. The first hot air exhaust passage is arranged between the heat insulation member and the toner containing unit. The second hot air exhaust passage communicates with the first hot air exhaust passage. The third hot air exhaust passage is arranged between the wall portion and the heat insulation member and includes an opening facing the sheet conveyance path and a communication port communicating with the second hot air exhaust passage.

Abstract: A recording material cooling device includes: a transporting section that transports a recording material; a heat radiation section that radiates heat of the recording material through the transporting section, the heat radiation section coming into contact with the transporting section; an air current generating section that generates an air current which flows through the heat radiation section; and a pair of passages that are respectively located before and after a zone where the transporting section and the heat radiation section are brought into contact with each other, each of the pair of passages being formed on an outer side of the heat radiation section to flow a portion of the air current.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus has a structure which prevents contamination of charging units charging photoconductors. The image forming apparatus includes photoconductor units, charging units charging the photoconductor units, and a fan-motor unit changing the flow of air between the photoconductor units and the charging units to prevent substances of fine particles from flowing into the charging units.

Abstract: A fixing device includes: a rotatable fixing member configured to fix at a nip a toner image formed on recording paper; a rotatable pressing member configured to form the nip between itself and the rotatable fixing member; and a controller configured to control a temperature of the rotatable pressing member depending on smoothness of the recording paper.

Abstract: The image heating apparatus for heating a toner image beard on a recording material while conveying the recording material at a nip portion, the image heating apparatus including a heater; a fixing member; a pressure member; a first temperature detecting member; a second temperature detecting member configured to detect a temperature on a non-sheet-passing-area; a control device; and an air supplying member supplying an air to the non-sheet-passing-area, the air supplying member is started to drive when a temperature detected by the second temperature detecting member reaches a predetermined temperature which is higher than the target temperature, wherein the control device controls a quantity of the air in response to an information related to the power which is supplied to the heater when a temperature detected by the second temperature detecting member reaches the predetermined temperature.

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 has a chassis, an image forming section, a shield metal plate, and a plurality of substrates. The chassis has a first surface and a second surface on an opposite side to the first surface. The image forming section is disposed in an internal space formed between the first and second surfaces of the chassis and performs an image forming process on a sheet. The shield metal plate is provided vertically between the second surface and the image forming section and has a third surface facing a side of the first surface and a fourth surface facing a side of the second surface. The plurality of substrates are provided vertically on the third surface of the shield metal plate and have electrical components protruding toward the first surface.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image carrier on which an electrostatic latent image is formed, where the image carrier may include an image carrier body having a hollowness and image carrier flanges, which are installed at both ends of the image carrier body. Each image carrier flange may include a blower fan integrally formed therewith, so that air outside of the image carrier body is moved from one end of the image carrier body, at which a drive gear is positioned, to the other end of the image carrier body as the image carrier rotates. Waste developer which may accumulate on the drive gear is reduced, thereby preventing the operational error of the image carrier and thus avoiding the degradation of the image quality.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a chassis, an image forming section, a fan, a circuit board, and a first cooling air channel. The chassis includes a first surface and a second surface that is opposite to the first surface. The image forming section is arranged in an internal space formed between the first surface and the second surface of the chassis and performs an image forming process on a sheet. The fan is arranged between the first surface and the image forming section and is rotationally driven to cause an airflow to flow into the internal space. The circuit board is vertically arranged between the second surface and the image forming section. The first cooling air channel is arranged in the internal space and sends the airflow toward the circuit board.

Abstract: In an image forming apparatus, exhaust fans of a ventilation device and an intake port of an air purifier are provided on side wall portions respectively that are opposite each other in a main casing of the image forming apparatus, and the exhaust fans of the ventilation device are provided in a location higher than the intake port of the air purifier. With this configuration, silicone that is discharged from the exhaust fans of the ventilation device is almost never suctioned into the intake port of the air purifier, such that almost none of this silicone adheres to a discharging electrode of the ion generator, and an ion generating efficiency of the ion generator can be maintained over a long period without dropping.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image forming unit configured to form an image on a recording medium, wherein a first gas is generated during image formation, and a fixing unit configured to fix the image onto the recording medium by heat, wherein a second gas is generated during image fixing by heat. A body includes a chamber and an opening through which the first gas and the second gas are guided into the chamber to be mixed into a gas mixture. A fan discharges the gas mixture from the chamber.

Abstract: A system for cooling a developer roll inside an image forming device. In one embodiment of the invention, the system for cooling the developer roll includes an air duct for carrying an airflow, the air duct having at least one opening to allow airflow to pass therethrough, and at least one toner cartridge in fluid communication with the air duct. The at least one toner cartridge includes the developer roll and at least one input port. The at least one input port is coupled to the at least one opening of the air duct to receive the airflow and to direct the received airflow towards end portions of the developer roll via a conduit and nozzles located within the toner cartridge. The system provides an effective way for introducing the airflow into the toner cartridge for cooling the developer roll.

Abstract: The developing device of the present disclosure comprises a developing container, toner carrier, developer carrier, regulating member, and air outflow channel. The developing container accommodates a two-component developer. The toner carrier supplies toner to an image carrier. The developer carrier rotates so that a surface facing the toner carrier moves in the opposite direction of the toner carrier, and a toner layer is formed on the toner carrier. The regulating member regulates the amount of developer carried on the developer carrier. The air outflow channel communicates an airflow outlet formed in the top end of the developing container facing the toner carrier with the interior of a duct placed above the developing container, and the air outflow channel is inclined downstream in the rotational direction of the toner carrier relative to a straight line passing through the rotational axis center of the toner carrier and the airflow outlet.

Abstract: A blowing device includes a blower that blows air and an air duct including an inlet and an outlet. The air duct takes in the air through the inlet and guiding the air so that the air flows out through the outlet toward a corona discharge unit including a target component toward which the air is to be blown. The outlet of the air duct includes a through-portion in a non-overlapping region thereof, the non-overlapping region being a region of the outlet excluding an overlapping region of the outlet. The overlapping region corresponds to an interposed component of the corona discharge unit, the interposed component being located between the outlet and the target component at a position at which the interposed component overlaps the overlapping region.

Abstract: An image reader is provided, in its housing, with a first scanning unit made up of an LED array of a plurality of LED elements that are arranged in a row in the horizontal scanning direction and that emit light to a document. An air intake port and an air exhaust port are disposed on the housing of the image reader. An imaginary line of an air flow path coupling the air intake port and the air exhaust port to one another is configured to pass adjacent a center of the LED array of the first scanning unit in the horizontal scanning direction with the first scanning unit stopped at a reading position of the document transferred by a document transfer device.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an outside air inlet created between a cover and a body plate, through which outside air is taken in. A vent is created between the body plate and the cover. The outside air taken in through the outside air inlet travels through an air current channel upward to the vent in an outside air traveling direction. At least one hot air outlet is produced through the body plate at a position between the outside air inlet and the vent in the outside air traveling direction. Hot air is discharged into the air current channel through the at least one hot air outlet. The outside air taken in through the outside air inlet is mixed with the hot air discharged through the at least one hot air outlet and is exhausted through the vent.

Abstract: A fixing device including: a fixing member that is heated; a pressure member to form a nip portion between the pressure member and the fixing member; first blowing unit and second blowing unit both located close to an outlet of the nip portion and separate the recording medium from the fixing member by blowing air to the recording medium, a velocity of the air discharged from the first unit is higher than that of the air discharged from the second unit, whereas a volume of the air discharged from the first unit is smaller than that of the air discharged from the second unit; and the first unit starts discharging air before a leading edge of the recording medium reaches the outlet of the nip portion, whereas the second unit starts discharging air after the leading edge of the recording medium has passed through the outlet of the nip portion.

Abstract: A blowing device includes a blower and an air duct including an inlet, an outlet, and a body. The outlet faces a longitudinal portion of an oblong target structure toward which air is blown. The outlet allows air to be discharged in a direction that is substantially perpendicular to a longitudinal direction in which the longitudinal portion extends. The inlet has an opening and the outlet has an oblong opening, and the opening of the inlet and the opening of the outlet having different shapes. The body has a passage space formed therein. Plural restraining portions that restrain airflow are disposed at different positions in the passage space in the direction of airflow. A most downstream one of the restraining portions is formed so as to at least partially cover the passage space with an air-permeable member having plural air passage portions that are distributed the air-permeable member.

Abstract: Airflow management systems for a charger support area having a charger housing supporting a corona charger that is proximate to a primary imaging member are provided. In one embodiment an air flow management system has an air supply providing flow of air proximate an inlet side of the charger housing area and a deflection surface positioned to deflect the flow of air from a first direction to a second direction leading to an impact surface against which the flow of air is disbursed. The impact surface is outside of the width of the charger housing and the primary imaging member so that the air flow can supply a volume of disbursed air into the charger housing area that is sufficient to create a pressure that causes the disbursed air to move to an outlet on an opposite side of the area without exposing the charger or the primary imaging member to the flow.

Abstract: The image forming apparatus according to the present embodiment has a fixing part, a drawer, a case member, and an exhaust duct 71. The fixing part is equipped with a fixing member for transporting a sheet of paper on which a toner image is transferred while heating and pressing the sheet of paper in order to fix the image and a blowing part for blowing air to a nipping part N of the fixing member. The drawer electrically connects the fixing part with the main unit of the image forming apparatus. The case member communicates with the fixing part and contains the drawer. The exhaust duct guides the air inside the case member to the outside of the image forming apparatus. The case member is equipped on one side facing the exhaust duct with an opening H that guides the air inside the case member to the exhaust duct.

Abstract: Methods are provided for controlling airflow across a width of a charger support area having a charger housing supporting a corona charger that is proximate to a primary imaging member. In one method, a flow of air is provided proximate an inlet side of the charger housing area and a deflection surface is used to deflect the flow of air from a first direction to a second direction leading to an impact surface against which the flow of air is disbursed. The impact surface is outside of the width of the charger housing so that the air flow can supply a volume of disbursed air into the charger housing and primary imaging member that is sufficient to create a pressure that causes the disbursed air to move to an outlet on an opposite side of the area without directly exposing the charger or the primary imaging member.

Abstract: A method is provided for reading sequentially a manuscript group made of plural sheets and dividing the manuscript group into manuscript data. The manuscript group made of the plural sheets is read sequentially to produce reading data. Each reading data of the sheet produced at the reading step is analyzed and judged on whether or not the sheet is added with a predetermined mark. The manuscript group data is divided by the reading data of the sheet added with the predetermined mark into plural manuscript data in a case where the sheet is judged as being added with the predetermined mark at the judging step. Thereafter, each of the manuscript data including the reading data of the sheet added with the predetermined mark in a storing region is collectively stored.

Abstract: In a period that a first mode is executed, an image forming apparatus blows air at a first amount of flowing air in a period during which a recording material is conveyed on a conveying path and before a leading edge of the recording material reaches a fixing unit, and blows air at a second amount of flowing air smaller than the first amount in a period during which the recording material passes through the fixing unit. In a period that a second mode is executed, the image forming apparatus blows air at a third amount of flowing air larger than the second amount for at least a period during which a recording material on which an image is formed passes through the fixing unit.

Abstract: According to an aspect of the invention, a laser fixing device includes a laser beam generating device and an airflow generating unit. The laser beam generating device generates laser beams and irradiates a recording medium transported with the laser beams. The airflow generating unit generates airflow flowing between the laser beam generating device and the recording medium. A flow speed of the airflow in a transport direction of the recording medium in an irradiation position of the laser beams is higher than a transport speed of the recording medium.

Abstract: Apparatus for feeding sheets of paper printed by a printer to a sheet processing device is disclosed where the printer has a sheet discharge outlet and the processing device has a sheet inlet at a different location (e.g., a different height) than the discharge outlet. A sheet conveyor is provided for conveying the sheets from the sheet discharge outlet to the sheet inlet. The apparatus blows air to cool on each sheet as it is conveyed from the discharge outlet to the sheet inlet, and the apparatus at least partially eliminates static electricity from the sheets as they are conveyed.

Abstract: An electrophotographic apparatus suppresses the unevenness of image density, even though the electrophotographic apparatus has no heater for an electrophotographic photosensitive member.

Abstract: A developing device is disclosed which includes a developing tank, a developing roller, a carrying member, and a filter. Rotation of the developing roller causes a first airflow directed from the outside of the developing tank through an air path to the inside of the developing tank. Rotation of the carrying member causes a second airflow directed from below in an upward direction inside the developing tank. Collision between the first airflow and the second airflow causes a third airflow directed from the inside of the developing tank through the filter to the outside of the developing tank and further from the outside through the filter back to the inside of the developing tank. This arrangement prevents not only filter clogging but also a toner leak to the outside of the developing device.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus, in which a toner collection section is disposed in an air pathway between a ventilation duct and suction blower, and the toner collection section and a recovery container are connected via an opening and closing device, has a control device to control the opening and closing device to close the opening and closing device when the suction blower is suctioning air and to open the opening and closing device so that the recovery container recovers the toner collected by the toner collection section after the suction blower is stopped.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an imaging unit, a ventilator unit, and an electrical conductor. The imaging unit incorporates electrically powered equipment to which power is supplied from an external voltage source. The ventilator unit is connectable with the imaging unit to ventilate the imaging unit. The ventilator unit includes a fan and an air duct. The fan generates an airflow. The air duct extends from the fan to direct the airflow between the fan and the imaging unit. The electrical conductor is disposed within the air duct to electrically connect the imaging unit and the voltage source upon connection of the ventilator unit with the imaging unit.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: a heating device that heats images that have been formed on a sheet-like recording medium to thereby fix the images to the recording medium; an ejection member that rotates in a forward direction and ejects to the outside the recording medium that has been conveyed from the heating device; a blower member that blows air onto the recording medium conveyed between the heating device and the ejection member; and a controller that controls the blower member such that the blower member operates when a recording page count where images are continuously formed on the recording medium is equal to or greater than a predetermined recording page count.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus comprising: a built-in rotary driving member; a developing device detachably attachable to the body of the image forming apparatus; a developer driving part disposed at one end in a shaft direction of the developing roller and the agitation screw; a driving part duct enveloping the developer driving part of the developing device; a developer case surface duct formed along a surface parallel to the shaft direction of the developing roller and the agitation screw; and a blast fan or a exhaust fan to blow air from either the driving part duct or the developer case surface duct to each other.

Abstract: An image forming system is provided with an Image Forming Operation Unit, an Air Cleaning Operation Unit, a power source, and a Control Unit. The Control Unit has a coordinated OFF control function of coordinating a first power supply OFF control for turning off power supply from the power source to the Image Forming Operation Unit and a second power supply OFF control for turning off power supply from the power source to the Air Cleaning Operation Unit, and the coordinated OFF control function is configured to execute the second power supply OFF control when a preset time period elapses after executing the first power supply OFF control. Also, in the image forming system, an air cleaning operation of an air cleaning apparatus is stopped when an image forming apparatus is set to an a night mode or when a fixed time period elapses after the night mode is set. The air cleaning operation of the air cleaning apparatus is restarted when the image forming apparatus is resumed from the night mode.

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: The fixing apparatus is configured to include a fixing roller, a paper separation claw, a drive source that switches between a state in which the paper separation claw is in contact with the fixing roller and a state in which the paper separation claw is separated from the fixing roller, and a paper transport guide that is disposed on the downstream side of the fixing roller, the drive source including a heat generating element, and to further include a main ventilation channel that channels cooling air to a fixed paper sheet passing over the paper transport guide and a sub ventilation channel that is branched from the main ventilation channel and channels a portion of the cooling air to the heat generating element.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: a transfer belt having a surface onto which a toner image is transferred directly or through a transfer medium; plural image forming units that are aligned along a moving direction of the surface of the transfer belt and form the toner image; a support member that supports the transfer belt; a flow path forming member that forms a flow path along the moving direction of the surface of the transfer belt, has plural suction ports through which floating fine toner particles occurring in the plural image forming units are sucked into the flow path, and is disposed at the transfer belt side with respect to the support member; and an exhausting unit that sucks the floating fine toner particles through the suction ports into the flow path, and exhausts the sucked floating fine toner particles from the flow path.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus including a fixing device having a first nip to fix toner to a recording medium; a conveyance device provided at a position downstream from the fixing device in a direction of conveyance of the recording medium to convey the recording medium further downstream; a guide member provided along a conveyance path of the recording medium between the fixing device and the conveyance device to contact and convey the recording medium from the fixing device to the conveyance device, the guide member having multiple through-holes formed therein and penetrating from a front surface of the guide member facing the conveyance path of the recording medium to a back surface of the guide member; and an airflow generator to generate an airflow through the multiple through-holes.

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 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 comprises a fixing part for fixing a toner image formed on a transfer material to the transfer material, a fan provided on the downstream side of the fixing part, for blowing air to the transfer material having passed through the fixing part, and an airflow control part for controlling the amount of air to be blown from the fan. When the basis weight of the transfer material is larger than a first threshold value, the airflow control part sets the amount of air to be blown to a value smaller than that in a case where the basis weight of the transfer material is smaller than the first threshold value.

Abstract: An apparatus for reducing vapor emissions from a printer may include a treatment chamber having an inlet and an outlet. While the printer is operating, vapor-laden air may enter the treatment chamber via the inlet and treated air may exit the treatment chamber via the outlet. While the printer is idle, the inlet and outlet can be sealed to prevent vapors located in the treatment chamber from being emitted to the atmosphere.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: an image carrier; a charging member; a blast port that is provided in almost parallel with a longitudinal direction of the charging member; an air inlet that is provided on one of end sides in the longitudinal direction of the charging member; and a guiding passage that guides, to the blast port, the outside air taken in through the air inlet. A first guiding member is provided in the closest position to an air inlet side of the guiding passage. A second guiding member is provided in almost parallel with the longitudinal direction of the charging member in the guiding passage. A third guiding member is provided on the blast port side from the second guiding member in almost parallel with the longitudinal direction of the charging member in the guiding passage.

Abstract: In a fixing unit in which a recording material carrying a toner image is heated while conveying in a nip portion to fix the toner image onto the recording material, a measure is required, which can to prevent both of temperature rise at non-sheet-passing area and condensation slippage using at least one air supplying unit. Separately providing air supplying units for these two issues results in the need of a plurality of fans only for the fixing unit, increasing the size and cost of the apparatus. Thus, decreases in size and cost of a fixing unit and an image forming apparatus including the fixing unit can be achieved by using a common air supplying member to prevent both of temperature rise at non-sheet-passing area and condensation slippage.

Abstract: A fixing device including: a heated fixing member to fix a toner image on a recording medium; a pressing member to form a nip portion between the pressing member and the fixing member; a first blowing unit that blows air to a position close to a leading edge of the recording medium; and a second blowing unit that blows air to the recording medium, wherein a discharge pressure of the air discharged by the first blowing unit is larger than that of the air ejected by the second blowing unit; a discharged air volume discharged by the first blowing unit is less than that discharged by the second blowing unit; and a first discharge port from which air is blown by the first blowing unit is arranged upstream of a second discharge port from which air is blown by the second blowing unit.

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 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: Disclosed are a heating member having a resistive heating layer and a fusing device using the heating member. The heating member includes the resistive heating layer on an outer circumferential surface of a load support member. Electricity is supplied to an inner circumferential surface and an outer circumferential surface of the resistive heating layer in a direction perpendicular to the resistive heating layer.

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: A heating device includes: a heating member heating a recording medium; a pressure member forming a heating pressure portion between the pressure member and the heating member by coming into pressure contact with the heating member, the heating pressure portion passing through the recording medium; a tensioning member placed to face the pressure member across the heating member to provide a tension to the heating member; and a cooling unit cooling the pressure member, the cooling unit including: an air blower generating an air flow; a circulator circulating the air flow along the pressure member; and a group of protruding portions provided on the circulator to guide the air flow.