A continuous sheet transport device transports a continuous sheet along a sheet transport path passing through a transfer position at which a toner image is transferred. The device includes a first transport unit that is provided on an upstream side of the transfer position on the sheet transport path and transports the continuous sheet, a sheet feeding unit that is provided on an upstream side of the first transport unit on the sheet transport path and that feeds the continuous sheet, a leasing end of which is placed on the sheet feeding unit, toward a downstream side on the sheet transport path, and an operation controller that controls the first transport unit to temporarily operate in a reverse transport direction so that the continuous sheet is transported to the upstream side at a timing before the leading end of the continuous sheet reaches the first transport unit.

A sealing member sealing a gap between one member and another member includes a mounting portion that is mounted on the one member and an extension portion that extends from a mounting portion side to another member side and contacts with the other member. In the sealing member, the extension portion includes an assist portion that is formed in one end toward the other member side and assists spring-up of the extension portion in accordance with sliding of the other member or the one member.

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

An image forming apparatus includes an output unit to which a recording medium on which an image has been formed is output, the output unit including an output unit body, and an extension portion that is disposed on the output unit body so as to be extendable from the output unit body in an output direction of the recording medium, the extension portion including a handle portion that is recessed in a direction away from a back surface of the recording sheet so as allow a finger to be hooked in a direction in which the extension portion is extended in the output direction of the recording medium, the back surface being a surface that is in contact with the output unit body, and a protrusion that protrudes toward the back surface of the recording medium from the extension portion.

A state change of a status occurred during a communication interrupted state is stored as a state change status. Thus, a video controller 102 can recognize the change of the status during a period when communication between the video controller 102 and an engine control unit 103 is interrupted, based on the state change status.

A staple-less binding unit is provided with upper and lower die portions having pluralities of concave and convex teeth engaging with each other. A control portion causes the staple-less binding unit to carry out a binding process of binding a sheet bundle by biting the sheet bundle by the upper and lower die portions and to carry out a cleaning process of engaging the upper and lower die portions in a non-binding process in which no binding process is carried out.

A staple-less binding unit is provided with upper and lower die portions having pluralities of concave and convex teeth engaging with each other. A control portion causes the staple-less binding unit to carry out a binding process of binding a sheet bundle by biting the sheet bundle by the upper and lower die portions and to carry out a cleaning process of engaging the upper and lower die portions in a non-binding process in which no binding process is carried out.

An example method for operating a printing system in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure includes receiving, at a printing unit, a print job, receiving, at the printing unit, a trigger generated by a finishing unit, and initiating the print job based on the generated trigger.

Provided is a cleaning blade including an elastic member configured to abut on a surface of a cleaning target member and remove residual material deposited thereon, wherein elastic member satisfies requirements a to c below, a. an abutment part of the elastic member to abut on the surface of the cleaning target member has a reformed layer, b. Martens hardness at a surface of the reformed layer is from 1.5 to 15 N/mm.sup.2, and c. a relationship H/L between maximum Martens hardness H among Martens hardnesses H in a region inward from the abutment part thicknesswise and distance L from the surface of the reformed layer is from 0.010 to 0.2 (N/mm.sup.2.Math.1/μm), where distance L represents minimum distance among distances to the surface of the reformed layer, from positions at which a measured Martens hardness and a measured elastic power are equal to those of the elastic member.

A power controlling device includes a detecting unit that detects a person in a detection area, a first imaging unit that takes an image of the person in a detecting range in an operating state, a second imaging unit that takes an image of a face of the person for use in user authentication in an operating state, and a power controller that supplies power to and brings the first imaging unit into the operating state if the person is detected, supplies power to and brings a processing unit that performs a process into an operating state if the approach of the person is determined on the basis of the taken image of the person, and supplies power to an brings the second imaging unit into the operating state during a period from the detection of the person to the shift of the processing unit to the operating state.