Patent classifications
G03G21/1685
Connector attaching/detaching structure, fuser assembly, and image forming apparatus
A connector attaching/detaching structure detachably holds a connector in a housing. The connector attaching/detaching structure includes a first cable, a second cable, a terminal, a connector, and a housing. The terminal is provided on an end of the first cable. The connector is provided on an end of the second cable. The connector can establish an electrical connection with the terminal by inserting the terminal into the connector. The housing is provided with a connector holding portion that detachably holds the connector. A wall section, which forms an outer part of the connector holding portion, has a cutout wide enough to permit the first cable to pass therethrough.
Image forming apparatus and method for controlling image forming apparatus
An image forming apparatus, to which a replaceable unit with a nonvolatile memory is mounted, including: a storage portion configured to store data related to the replaceable unit read from the memory and hold stored contents even when the image forming apparatus is not activated; a door to be opened when the replaceable unit is replaced; a detector configured to detect whether the door is open or closed; a latch circuit configured to hold a specific state when the detector detects that the door is open when the image forming apparatus is not activated; and a controller configured to, when activating the image forming apparatus, read the data from the memory when the latch circuit is in the specific state, read the data from the storage portion when the latch circuit is not in the specific state, and perform an activation process based on the read data.
IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS
An image forming apparatus (1) includes a frame (61) supporting an attached object (23) inserted into an apparatus body (2) and an attachment device (62) fixing the attached object (23) supported by the frame (61). The frame (61) includes a leading end plate (61b) facing to a leading end in an inserting direction of the attached object (23). The attached object (23) includes a fixing pin (65) supported by the leading end plate (61b) in advanceable/retreatable state along the inserting direction and formed connectable to the attached object (23), a biasing member (66) biasing the fixing pin (65) toward the inserting direction and a locking member (67) restricting dropout of the fixing pin (65). The attachment device (62) holds the attached object (23) being connected to the fixing pin (65) and receiving the biasing force of the biasing member (67) at a position gravitated to the leading end plate (61b).
Snap ring, rotator device, fixing device, and image forming apparatus
A snap ring is set to a set portion of a shaft of a rotator from a direction orthogonal to an axial direction of the shaft. The snap ring includes a first arcuate portion and a second arcuate portion facing each other, being elastically deformable in directions away from each other, holding the set portion by elastic deformation restoring force. One ends of the first and second arcuate portions are away from each other to form an insertion portion to insert the set portion. When the snap ring is not used, the first arcuate portion has a same radius of curvature as the second arcuate portion and the set portion, and a center of curvature closer to the second arcuate portion than the first arcuate portion, and the second arcuate portion has a center of curvature closer to the first arcuate portion than the second arcuate portion.
Fixing device, heating device, and image forming device with a substrate covering member covering a relay substrate
A fixing device is configured to be detachably attached to an image forming device main body. The fixing device includes a fixing member, a heating source, a pressing member, a conveyance guide member, an exterior member, a relay substrate, and a substrate covering member. The fixing member is configured to heat a toner image so as to fix the toner image on a recording medium. The heating source is configured to heat the fixing member. The pressing member is configured to press against the fixing member to form a nip part. The conveyance guide member is configured to guide the recording medium to the nip part. The exterior member houses at least the fixing member and the pressing member. The substrate covering member covers the relay substrate. The substrate covering member extends from and is integrated with the conveyance guide member.
FIXING DEVICE AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS
A fixing device is configured to fix a toner image to a sheet by heat and includes: a heating rotator; a pressurizing roller contacting with the heating rotator; a heater configured to heat the heating rotator such that the heat is transferred to the sheet passing through a contact portion between the heating rotator and the pressurizing roller; a plurality of separation claws configured to separate the sheet from the heating rotator such that the sheet passing through the contact portion is not caught in the heating rotator, the separation claws being provided opposite to the heating rotator; and an adjustor configured to adjust positions of the separation claws relative to the heating rotator such that distances between the separation claws and the heating rotator are equal to each other.
GUIDE AND END GUIDE PROVIDED IN FIXING DEVICE, AND METHODS OF MANUFACTURING GUIDE AND END GUIDE
There is provided a guide incorporated in a fixing device including a belt configured to circularly move in a moving direction. The guide includes: a guide portion elongated in a longitudinal direction orthogonal to the moving direction; a first gate mark; and a second gate mark arranged spaced apart from the first gate mark in the longitudinal direction. The guide portion includes a resin and a plurality of elongated-shaped fillers dispersed in the resin. The guide portion has a guide surface configured to guide movement of the belt in the moving direction, a peripheral surface of the belt being configured to contact the guide surface.
Configuration for an image forming apparatus having an upright recording medium storage unit
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.
Image forming apparatus that achieves stable positioning of unit
An image forming apparatus includes an apparatus main body and a unit. The apparatus main body includes a positioning hole extending in a first direction intersecting with a mounting direction of the unit, and a pair of first inner edges extending in the first direction. The unit includes a sheet metal member and a positioning unit formed on a distal end side of the sheet metal member in the mounting direction. The sheet metal member includes a first surface extending along the mounting direction and a second surface located on an opposite side from the first surface. The positioning unit includes a projection piece inserted into the positioning hole, and a protrusion. The protrusion is formed by deforming the sheet metal member such that the second surface of the projection piece is partially perpendicular to the mounting direction and projects to a second direction perpendicular to the first direction.
IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS
An image forming apparatus includes a photosensitive drum, a fixing unit including a fixing roller, a sheet ejection tray, a switchback roller, a re-feeding roller, a first frame, a second frame, a first motor, a first transmission mechanism, a second motor, and a second transmission mechanism. The switchback roller is configured to rotate in a forward direction to convey a sheet to the tray and in a reverse direction to convey the sheet back toward the photosensitive drum. The first motor and the first transmission mechanism are disposed to the first frame. The first transmission mechanism is configured to transmit the drive force from the first motor to the fixing roller. The second motor and the second transmission mechanism are disposed to the second frame. The second transmission mechanism is includes a clutch mechanism configured to intermittently transmit the drive force from the second motor to the re-feeding roller.