A sheet aligning mechanism includes first and second conveyance mechanisms disposed on first and second sides of a sheet conveyance path, respectively. A nip is formed between the first and second conveyance mechanisms. The first conveyance mechanism includes a first roller, a second roller, and a first conveyance belt wound around the first and second rollers. The first and second rollers are configured to rotate in a first direction along a sheet conveying direction for sheet conveyance, and stop rotation or rotate in a second direction opposite to the first direction for sheet alignment. The first conveyance belt includes an extended region between the first and second rollers in an extending direction inclined with respect to the sheet conveying direction, such that a width of the sheet conveyance path becomes narrower towards the nip in the sheet conveying direction.

According to one embodiment, an image forming apparatus includes a support shaft, a connecting member, and a detachable member. The support shaft extends in a first direction. The support shaft includes a protrusion. The protrusion protrudes in a second direction orthogonal to the first direction. The connecting member is formed of an elastic material. The connecting member interposes the protrusion therebetween. The connecting member is connected to the support shaft to surround an outer periphery of the support shaft. The detachable member is detachably connected to the support shaft via the connecting member.

According to one embodiment, an image forming apparatus includes a support shaft, a connecting member, and a detachable member. The support shaft extends in a first direction. The support shaft includes a protrusion. The protrusion protrudes in a second direction orthogonal to the first direction. The connecting member is formed of an elastic material. The connecting member interposes the protrusion therebetween. The connecting member is connected to the support shaft to surround an outer periphery of the support shaft. The detachable member is detachably connected to the support shaft via the connecting member.

A medium feeding device includes: a medium mounting section onto which a medium to be fed is mounted; a feeding unit that feeds the medium mounted on the medium mounting section; and a supporting member that supports an end in a width direction of the medium mounted on the medium mounting section and that supports the medium at a higher position than the medium mounting section in a direction of loading of the medium, the width direction being a direction crossing a feed direction.

A medium feeding device includes: a medium mounting section onto which a medium to be fed is mounted; a feeding unit that feeds the medium mounted on the medium mounting section; and a supporting member that supports an end in a width direction of the medium mounted on the medium mounting section and that supports the medium at a higher position than the medium mounting section in a direction of loading of the medium, the width direction being a direction crossing a feed direction.

An image forming apparatus includes: a toner image forming section; a transfer section; a fixing section; a conveyance roller section disposed on a downstream side of the fixing section in a sheet conveyance direction; a conveyance guide section disposed on a downstream side of the conveyance roller section and including a first guide member disposed on a fixing side of a sheet and a second guide member disposed on a rear surface side of the sheet; a feeding-path-switching section disposed on a downstream side of the conveyance guide section and configured to switch sheet feeding paths; and a nip angle adjusting section configured to change a nip angle of a conveyance nip in accordance with whether a sheet on which an image is formed on a first surface thereof is conveyed, or a sheet on which an image is formed on a second surface thereof is conveyed.

A printing machine includes a printing unit which performs printing while transferring a sheet at a printing transfer speed, a circulation transfer unit which receives the sheet after simplex printing and transfers the sheet by reversing the sheet upside down, during duplex printing; and a paper refeed unit which refeeds, to the printing unit, the sheet transferred by the circulation transfer unit after simplex printing, wherein the circulation transfer unit includes a reversing unit which receives the sheet at the printing transfer speed, reverses the sheet upside down by switching back the sheet and accelerates the sheet up to a circulation transfer speed which is higher than the printing transfer speed when sheet transfer is restarted after temporal stop in the switching back, and a horizontal transfer unit which transfers the sheet switched back by the reversing unit, at the circulation transfer speed.

An image forming apparatus includes a conveyance unit to convey a sheet toward an image forming position, a torque detection unit to detect a load torque applied to a motor driving the conveyance unit, and a control unit to perform a speed control for changing a rotational speed of the motor such that an interval at which a preceding sheet and a succeeding sheet pass through the image forming position approaches a target interval while the conveyance unit is conveying the succeeding sheet. The control unit executes an interval change processing for changing the target interval in the speed control based on a magnitude of a detected load torque when the conveyance unit is driven by the motor, the control unit controls power input to the motor by transmitting a command signal to a driving circuit of the motor, and the torque detection unit detects the command signal.

A sheet conveying device, which is included in an image forming apparatus, includes first and second sheet conveying bodies to contact each other, a cover to move relative to an apparatus body of the image forming apparatus, and a connecting body to connect the cover and the second sheet conveying body. The second sheet conveying body separates from the first sheet conveying body along with an opening movement of the cover. The connecting body includes a first connecting portion connected to the cover and a second connecting portion connected to the second sheet conveying body. At least one of a connection with the cover and a connection with the second sheet conveying body is released when the cover is closed. The connecting body is brought into connection with the cover or the second sheet conveying body.

A sheet conveyance apparatus includes a drive transmission mechanism configured to transmit a driving force from a driving source to a rotary conveyance member. The drive transmission mechanism includes a shaft, a first rotary member supported on the shaft and configured to rotate by being driven by the driving source, a second rotary member supported on the shaft and configured to rotate the rotary conveyance member, a drive transmission member provided movably in an axial direction of the shaft, and configured to transmit the driving force between the first rotary member and the second rotary member, and a moving unit configured to move the drive transmission member to a transmission position and a release position. The drive transmission member engages the first and second rotary members with each other at the transmission position, and releases engagement of the first and second rotary members at the release position.