G03G2215/00421

Image forming apparatus with laser scanning components positioned for enhanced compactness
11556076 · 2023-01-17 · ·

An image forming apparatus includes plural photosensitive members, a scanner unit for scanning the photosensitive members, and a fixing unit for fixing toner images. The scanner unit includes a rotatable polygonal mirror for reflecting laser beams emitted in correspondence to respective photosensitive members, reflecting members for reflecting the laser beams, and a box for accommodating the polygonal mirror and the reflecting members. The box includes plural outlets for the laser beams. Of the reflecting members, first and second reflecting members reflect laser beams toward corresponding first and second outlets respectively positioned farthest from and closest to the fixing unit. A distance between the first outlet and its corresponding photosensitive member is longer than a distance between the second outlet and its corresponding photosensitive member, whereas a distance between the first reflecting member and the polygonal mirror is shorter than a distance between the second reflecting member and the polygonal mirror.

IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS
20230010017 · 2023-01-12 ·

An image forming apparatus includes an apparatus body and a moveable unit. The apparatus body includes an image forming device and a restriction portion. The moveable unit includes an image reading device and is detachably attached to the apparatus body. The moveable unit is opened and closed with respect to the apparatus body by rotation about a rotation shaft when the moveable unit is attached to the apparatus body. The moveable unit is attached to and detached from the apparatus body by moving in an axial direction of the rotation shaft. The moveable unit further includes a restricted portion that engages with the restriction portion that restricts a movement of the moveable unit in the axial direction. The restriction portion or the restricted portion further includes a deformation portion having elasticity. The deformation portion is deformed so that the moveable unit is attached to and detached from the apparatus body.

Image forming apparatus which controls fan speed of first and second air outlet ports facing sheet
11693349 · 2023-07-04 · ·

An image forming apparatus includes a single fan, a first air outlet port disposed so as to supply air sent from the fan to an image surface of the sheet, a second air outlet port disposed so as to supply the air sent from the fan to a surface opposite to the image surface of the sheet, and a control unit configured to control the fan. The control unit includes a first mode of controlling a rotational speed of the fan at a first rotational speed in a case where the sheet is not present in a position facing the first air outlet port and control the rotational speed of the fan at a second rotational speed lower than the first rotational speed in a case where the sheet is present in the position facing the first air outlet port.

Sheet storage device and image forming apparatus
11584603 · 2023-02-21 · ·

There is provided a sheet storage device including a regulation unit that includes a first contact portion configured to contact a stacking unit, and a second contact portion configured to contact a facing member. The first contact portion contacts the stacking unit in a state of being urged toward the stacking unit. The second contact portion contacts the facing member in a state of being urged toward the facing member.

IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS
20230088254 · 2023-03-23 ·

An image forming apparatus includes an upper guide unit fixed to the image forming apparatus and configured to guide an upper surface of the sheet discharged by a roller pair, a stack unit provided at a position recessed from an upper exterior unit of the image forming apparatus, and an operation unit including a display unit. The discharged sheets are stacked on the stack unit. The upper guide unit extends more to a downstream side in the discharge direction than the roller pair. The operation unit and the upper guide unit each have a portion overlapping with each other. When viewed in an axial direction of the roller pair, the operation unit and the upper guide unit are arranged at positions through which a straight line orthogonal to a plane passing through axes of rollers of the roller pair and passing through a nip portion of the roller pair passes.

Sheet processing apparatus and image forming system

A sheet processing apparatus includes a conveyance unit configured to convey a sheet, a stacking portion on which the sheet conveyed by the conveyance unit is stacked, a first regulation member configured to regulate a position of an edge portion, in a conveyance direction, of the sheet stacked on the stacking portion, a second regulation member configured to regulate a position of an edge portion, in a width direction orthogonal to the conveyance direction, of the sheet stacked on the stacking portion, a binding unit supported movably in the conveyance direction and configured to perform a binding process of binding the sheet stacked on the stacking portion, and a moving unit configured to move the second regulation member in the conveyance direction accompanied with a movement, in the conveyance direction, of the binding unit.

IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS WITH LASER SCANNING COMPONENTS POSITIONED FOR ENHANCED COMPACTNESS
20230105311 · 2023-04-06 ·

An image forming apparatus includes a plurality of photosensitive members; a scanner unit including light sources, a rotatable polygonal mirror, and reflecting members; and a fixing portion. Parts of the laser beams emitted from the light sources are reflected by the rotatable polygonal mirror toward the fixing device side, and rest parts of the laser beams are reflected by the rotatable polygonal mirror toward a side opposite from the fixing device side. Of the parts of the laser beams reflected by the rotatable polygonal mirror toward the fixing device side, the laser beam reflected toward the reflecting member provided at a position remotest from the rotatable polygonal mirror travels downward relative to a horizontal direction. A rotational axis of the rotatable polygonal mirror is inclined relative to a vertical direction.

Sheet stacker and image forming apparatus incorporating the sheet stacker
11687022 · 2023-06-27 · ·

A sheet stacker includes a sheet stacking member, a biasing force applier, an angle setter, and a regulator. The sheet stacking member has an upstream portion in a sheet conveyance direction. The upstream portion is movable in a vertical direction. The biasing force applier is configured to apply a biasing force to bias the sheet stacking member upward. The angle setter is configured to set an angle of the sheet stacking member in the sheet conveyance direction, relative to a sheet conveying portion, between a first angle and a second angle. The regulator is configured to regulate movement of the sheet stacking member in a case in which the upstream portion of the sheet stacking member is located closer to the sheet conveying portion at either the first angle or the second angle.

Image formation air blowing device for blowing airflow toward a target space on a discharge table
11507018 · 2022-11-22 · ·

An image formation air blowing device includes an outlet and an airflow control portion. The outlet blows out an airflow toward a target space on a discharge table to which a sheet with an image formed thereon by an image forming portion is discharged. The airflow control portion controls a direction of the airflow at least in a horizontal plane in the target space.

IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS

An image forming apparatus including an image forming unit, a discharging portion, a supporting portion, an image reading portion, and a switching portion is provided. The image forming unit is configured to form an image on a sheet. The discharging portion is configured to discharge the sheet on which the image has been formed. The supporting portion is configured to support the sheet discharged by the discharging portion. The image reading portion is configured to read, at a reading position, the image formed on the sheet. The switching portion is configured to switch between causing the sheet discharged by the discharging portion to be conveyed to the supporting portion and causing the sheet discharged by the discharging portion to be conveyed toward the image reading portion. The sheet conveyed toward the image reading portion is conveyed to the reading position after conveyance by the discharging portion is finished.