Kyocera Document Solutions Inc.

Hirotaka Ishida

Fumito Nakamoto

Shinji Furuta

Junta Maenishi

Son Rai

A sheet storage device includes a lift plate, a push-up member, a first gear, a second gear which meshes with the first gear, a transmission mechanism which includes a third gear that meshes with the second gear and a turning restriction member. The first gear includes a support portion. The turning restriction member includes: an annular portion which is slidable on the outer circumferential surface of the support portion in a direction of rotation; and a protrusion portion which protrudes outward in a radial direction from the annular portion to be able to engage with the second gear. The protrusion portion has a shape such that the protrusion portion cannot pass through a gap between the second gear and the annular portion and is located, relative to the gap, on a downstream side in a direction of rotation of the second gear caused by the power of a motor.

Sheet storage device and image forming apparatus including same

A drive transmission mechanism includes a first ratchet mechanism, a second ratchet mechanism, and a link member. The first ratchet mechanism includes a first drive input gear, a first drive output gear, and a first coupling member. The second ratchet mechanism includes a second drive input gear, a second drive output gear, and a second coupling member. The link member, due to a thrust movement of the first coupling member in a direction separating from the first drive output gear, causes the second coupling member to move in a direction approaching the second drive output gear, and the link member, due to a thrust movement of the second coupling member in a direction separating from the second drive output gear, causes the first coupling member to move in a direction approaching the first drive output gear.

Drive transmission mechanism, and fixing device and image forming apparatus including the same

The image forming apparatus includes: an image carrier, a developing unit, a moving mechanism, and a drive input gear. The developing unit, including a development container and a developer carrier, is supported so as to be swingable among a contact position, a first separate position, and a second separate position. The moving mechanism reciprocates the developing unit between the contact position and the second separate position. The drive input gear inputs, to the developing unit, driving force for driving rotation of the developer carrier. While the developing unit is in the contact position or the first separate position, the drive transmission gear is engaged with the drive input gear. While the developing unit is being moved from the first separate position to the second separate position, the drive transmission gear is separated from the drive input gear.

Image forming apparatus

A fixing member is supported so as to be displaceable in a crossing direction that crosses a sheet conveying direction. A pressure member rotationally drives the fixing member by being rotationally driven. A motor rotationally drives the pressure member. A biasing mechanism elastically biases the fixing member toward the pressure member. A sheet detection portion detects a sheet at a first position and a second position. The first position is a position between a mechanism that feeds the sheet to a fixing position and the fixing position in the conveyance path. The second position is a position between the fixing position and a mechanism that takes over conveyance of the sheet from the fixing device. A control device times a time required for detection results from the sheet detection portion to show a predetermined change, and controls a rotational speed of the motor according to the timed time.

A speed reduction device includes an input shaft, a fixed internal gear, an output internal gear and a planetary two-stage gear. The fixed internal gear is fixed on the input shaft. The output internal gear is rotatably disposed on the same axis as the fixed internal gear and has a different number of teeth from the fixed internal gear. The planetary two-stage gear is supported by the input shaft so as to be rotatable around an eccentric shaft. The planetary two-stage gear has a large diameter gear and a small diameter gear which are respectively meshed with the fixed internal gear and the output internal gear. A difference in number of teeth between the large diameter gear and the small diameter gear is equal to a difference in number of teeth between the fixed internal gear and the output internal gear.

Speed reduction device, development device and image forming apparatus

A cam mechanism includes a cam, an output object and a counter object. The cam has a profile including an ascending region where a radius gradually increases along a rotating direction and a descending region where the radius gradually decreases along the rotating direction. The ascending region and the descending region are shifted each other by 180 degrees. The output object abuts on the cam with a predetermined pressure and linearly moves in an abutting direction in which the output object abuts on the cam and in a counter-abutting direction opposite to the abutting direction by rotating of the cam. The counter object abuts on the cam with the predetermined pressure from the counter-abutting direction at a position shifted by 180 degrees with respect to an abutting position between the output object and the cam.

Cam mechanism, fixing device and image forming apparatus

In an image forming apparatus provided with a cover opening and closing mechanism, a cover opening and closing mechanism includes a button, an operating pin, and a belt-like elastic body that takes a first posture and a second posture, both of which have shape stability, by a snap-through buckling phenomenon. The belt-like elastic body takes the first posture in a state in which the cover has been closed and prevents the operating pin from being pressed to a side of the image forming apparatus body, and is pushed by a pushing operation of the button to take the second posture, operates the operating pin to be pressed to the side of the image forming apparatus body, and opens the cover by reaction force thereof.

Image forming apparatus including cover opening and closing mechanism

A control device for a stepper motor drives in a 1-2-phase excitation method in response to an input of a drive signal. The control device includes a control signal generating unit and a drive signal generating unit. The control signal generating unit generates a pulsed control signal. The drive signal generating unit generates the drive signal for rotating by a predetermined step angle every time the control signal is input. The predetermined step angle is a half of a step angle of a 2-phase excitation method. The control signal generating unit configures a higher pulse rate of a first to an n-th (n is an integer equal to or more than 2 and equal to or less than 3) control signals in an activation period of the stepper motor than a pulse rate of the control signals following the n-th control signal.

Control device and method for stepper motor that ensure improved performance of stepper motor during activation period

A sheet loading unit includes a main body, a sheet loading plate, a pair of positioning portions, a pair of racks, and a pinion. The sheet loading plate is disposed on an upper surface of the main body. The racks are connected to the positioning portions. The pinion engages with the pair of racks so that the positioning portions move in an interlocking manner. At least one of the racks includes a stopper capable of moving between a first position facing a lower surface of the pinion and a second position not facing the lower surface of the pinion when the rack moves along the width direction.

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Osaka, Japan

Hirotaka Ishida