Ricoh Company, Ltd.

Chuuji Ishikawa

Kunio Hibi

An image forming apparatus includes an image forming station for forming an image, a registration member, a registration motor, and a fixing unit. The registration member is configured to feed the recording medium in appropriate timing such that a recording medium is aligned with the toner image formed in the image forming station. The registration motor is configured to drive the registration member. The fixing unit is configured to fix the toner image on the recording medium and includes a rotary heating member to heat the recording medium, a rotary pressure member to contact and press against the heating member forming a fixing nip portion where the heating roller and the pressure roller meet, and a sheet separator to eject air to separate the recording medium from the rotary heating member based on a drive signal of the registration motor.

Image forming apparatus

A sheet separator using air includes a plurality of nozzles and a guide member. The plurality of nozzles, through which compressed air is ejected against a nip portion where a plurality of rotating members meets, presses each other, and carries a sheet of a recording medium therebetween, is disposed downstream in a direction of sheet transport and also in a direction of a width of the recording medium. The guide member holds and secures the nozzles, and includes a conduit to supply the compressed air to the nozzles, and a guide surface to direct the recording medium separated from the nip portion. A tip of each of the nozzles from which air is ejected projects beyond the leading edge of the guide member on the nip portion side. A fixing unit includes the sheet separator. An image forming apparatus includes the sheet separator.

Sheet separator and fixing unit using the same and image forming apparatus incorporating the fixing unit

An air discharging apparatus to discharge pressurized air at a predetermined timing is disclosed. The disclosed air discharging apparatus includes an air pump including a cylinder and a piston configured to reciprocate in the cylinder; an opening and closing member provided at an air discharge opening of the air pump and configured to open and close the air discharge opening; and a switching mechanism providing mechanical coupling between the piston and the opening and closing member. The mechanical coupling keeps the opening and closing member in a closed state until the piston reaches a predetermined position in a compression stroke and switches the opening and closing member to an opened state when the piston reaches the predetermined position.

Growing community of inventors

Kanagawa, Japan

Chuuji Ishikawa