A toner collection device includes a casing, a fan unit and a filter. The casing has a suction port and an exhaust port. The fan unit is supported by the casing in a swingable manner and generates an air flow from the suction port to the exhaust port inside the casing. The filter is disposed inside the casing and supported by the casing or the fan unit, and collects a toner contained in the air flow flowed into the casing through the suction port. When the fan unit is driven to generate the air flow, a swinging of the fan unit is transmitted to the filter to vibrate the filter.

An image forming apparatus includes a casing in which multiple units are disposed. The casing has a front wall having a first opening and a stepped wall having a second opening. In the casing, an exposure unit is disposed in front of an image forming unit, above the first opening, and above a sheet loading section, and a fixing unit is disposed above the image forming unit. The exposure unit is disposed with a first gap between the exposure unit and the image forming unit, and the fixing unit is disposed with a second gap between the exposure unit and the image forming unit. The first gap and the second gap constitute a ventilation channel for distributing outside air flowing into the casing through the first opening to the second opening.

Collecting efficiency of UFP by a filter 53 is improved. Therefore, a sheet feeding guide 37 provided between a transfer portion and a fixing portion is provided with an air passing portion 37c in order to form an air passage toward the filter 53.

An apparatus for self-cleaning of a component in a machine, which includes at least one air nozzle disposed in air discharge communication with a surface of the component to be cleaned, such as a sensor surface or a gripper surface. The air nozzle is in air flow communication with air exhaust from an air cylinder of the component or a second component of the machine. Related, corresponding, or associated methods for self-cleaning the component in a machine are also disclosed.

In order to improve collecting efficiency of ultrafine particles (UFPs) by a filter in an image forming apparatus, a sheet feeding guide disposed between a transfer portion and a fixing portion is provided with an air passing portion in order to form an air passage toward the filter.

An apparatus for self cleaning of a photo eye sensor in a machine includes at least one air nozzle disposed in air discharge communication with a surface to be cleaned of the photo eye sensor. The air nozzle is in air flow communication with air exhaust from an air cylinder of a component of the machine. Related, corresponding, or associated methods for self cleaning a photo eye sensor in a machine are also disclosed.

Provided is an image forming apparatus in which, while image formation is prevented from being performed, scattered toner that has dropped from a filter and adhered to an outer peripheral surface of a developer carrying member is recovered by a cleaning unit through intermediation of an image bearing member. An absolute value of a perpendicular-magnetic-force gradient of a fixed magnet of the developer carrying member is 4.0 mT/ or less at a position where the fixed magnet faces a central portion of the filter in a rotation direction of a developing sleeve.

A developing device includes a bottom cover part that covers a bottom surface of a developing container and forms an air passage extending in a front and rear direction between the bottom surface and the bottom cover part, an air blowing fan that supplies air into the air passage, and an air receiving port that is provided at a front end part of the air passage and receives the air supplied from the outside of the air passage by the air supply unit. Air discharge ports are provided on wall parts on both right and left sides forming the air passage and discharge the air flowing into the air passage to the outside of the air passage.

An image forming apparatus includes a fixing device that fixes an image to a recording medium that is transported by applying heat; a guide member including a first guide surface that guides the recording medium to which the image has been fixed by the fixing device, a second guide surface that is opposite to the first guide surface and that guides the recording medium that is transported backward after being guided by the first guide surface, and a communicating portion that enables air to flow between the first guide surface and the second guide surface; and plural suction members that cool the recording medium guided by the first guide surface by sucking air in a direction toward the second guide surface of the guide member, the suction members being arranged in a transporting direction in which the recording medium is transported.

A toner collection device includes a casing, a fan unit and a filter. The casing has a suction port and an exhaust port. The fan unit is supported by the casing in a swingable manner and generates an air flow from the suction port to the exhaust port inside the casing. The filter is disposed inside the casing and supported by the casing or the fan unit, and collects a toner contained in the air flow flowed into the casing through the suction port. When the fan unit is driven to generate the air flow, a swinging of the fan unit is transmitted to the filter to vibrate the filter.