Hitachi Koki Co., Ltd.

Ricoh Printing Systems, Ltd.

Kazuo Sunou

Junji Shirakawa

Takayuki Muneyasu

Koji Kato

Takashi Suzuki

Yoshitaka Fujinuma

Masayuki Ainoya

An image forming apparatus includes: a first image forming unit having a first printing section for forming a first image on the paper; a second image forming unit having a second printing section for forming a second image on the paper; and a paper conveying unit for conveying the paper from the first image forming unit to the second image forming unit. Accordingly, two kinds of image can be formed employing one image forming apparatus. The first image and the second image may be formed using the same recording material (toner) or different recording materials (toners).

Image forming apparatus

A sheet accommodating device comprises a first pinion (,) rotatably disposed at a center of a table; second, third, fourth, and fifth pinions (,) which are rotatably disposed on the both sides of the table; a first regulating member (,) which has rack portions (,) that can be engaged with the first pinion, second pinion and fourth pinion; a second regulating member (,) which has rack portions (,) that can be engaged with the first pinion, third pinion and fifth pinion; and lock means (,) for positioning any one of the first and second regulating members.

Sheet accommodating device

There are disposed optical sensors (S1, S2, S3,S4, S5, and S6) outside sheet trays (1, 2, 3). The optical axes of the optical sensors are respectively set in such a manner that they are parallel to their associated up-down tables (1a, 2a, and 3a) and pass upwardly of contact positions (A, B and C) between sheets (P) and sheet supply rollers (20, 21, and 22). Using these optical sensors, the present image forming apparatus is able to detect a first condition based on information as to whether a sheet is positioned at a sheet suppliable position on the up-down table of the sheet tray or not, a second condition based on information as to whether a sheet position restrict member (23) removably mounted on the sheet tray is set properly or not, a third condition based on information as to whether a foreign object has invaded the apparatus main body side or not when the sheet tray was removed from the apparatus main body, and a fourth condition based on information on the warped amount and/or folded amount of the sheet.

Growing community of inventors

Ibaraki, Japan

Kazuo Sunou