Canon Kabushiki Kaisha

Hisanori Iwasaki

Daisuke Yamabe

An image forming apparatus includes an image bearing member, a transfer portion, a fixing portion, a first sheet feeding portion including a first belt portion for forming a first feeding surface, a second sheet feeding portion including a second belt portion for forming a second feeding surface, a height detecting portion for outputting a signal depending on a height of a sheet from the first feeding surface at a detecting position, and a controller for receiving the signal outputted from the height detecting portion and for controlling the fixing portion.

Image forming apparatus with downstream end of first feeding surface positioned above upstream end of second feeding surface

A layer thickness regulating member includes: an opposing portion having an opposing surface to a peripheral surface of a developer carrying member; and a layer thickness regulating portion, projected from the opposing surface toward the developer carrying member, for regulating a layer thickness of a developer carried on the developer carrying member. The layer thickness regulating portion is integrally molded with the opposing portion. The layer thickness regulating member is, after being molded in a metal mold, separated by being pushed from a side opposite from the opposing portion of the layer thickness regulating member when the layer thickness regulating member is separated from the metal mold.

Method of manufacturing layer thickness regulating member

A sheet discharge device includes: a conveying portion which conveys the sheet in a conveying direction with the sheet interposed between a first roller and a second roller; a first conveying guide; a second conveying guide; a rotating portion which is disposed on a shaft of the first roller and has an outer diameter larger than that of the first roller; and a guide portion which is provided in the first conveying guide and in which an interval between the guide portion and the opposite second conveying guide becomes narrower toward a downstream side in the conveying direction, the guide portion being located at a position corresponding to the rotating portion in a sheet width direction orthogonal to the conveying direction.

Sheet discharge device and image forming apparatus

A sheet conveyance apparatus includes first and second conveyance rollers, a holding member configured to rotatably hold the second conveyance roller, and an urging member to urge the holding member in a pressing direction. In addition, a reduction portion reduces a force applied to an openable member by the urging member when the openable member is opened or closed. The reduction portion includes a swingable member swingably supported by the openable member and movable to a first position, at which the swingable member causes the second conveyance roller to be pressed against the first conveyance roller, and a second position at which the swingable member causes the second conveyance roller to be separated from the first conveyance roller. The urging member is disposed between the swingable member and the holding member and urges the swingable member to swing toward an abut portion.

Sheet conveyance apparatus and image forming apparatus

Layer thickness regulating member for regulating layer thickness of developer carried on developer carrying member and layer thickness regulating member manufacturing method

A sheet detecting device has a light emitting and receiving unit having a light emitting element for emitting detection light and a light receiving element for receiving the detection light, and a reflecting member for reflecting the detection light emitted from the light emitting element and making the reflected light incident to the light receiving element, and is constructed in a configuration wherein the light emitting and receiving unit and the reflecting member are placed with a sheet transport path between. The sheet detecting device is configured to detect a sheet on the basis of interruption of the detection light by the sheet transported through the sheet transport path. The sheet detecting device has an emission slit which restricts the detection light emitted from the light emitting element and which is arranged so as to be longitudinal along a sheet transport direction, and a reception slit which restricts the detection light incident to the light receiving element and which is arranged so as to be longitudinal along a direction intersecting with the sheet transport direction.

Growing community of inventors

Nagareyama, Japan

Hisanori Iwasaki