Konica Minolta Business Technologies, Inc.

Kenji Tsuru

Teruo Nagashima

Osamu Okada

Hideyuki Kurahashi

Yoshito Hashimura

Hiroshi Sendo

Shigeo Nakamura

An image forming apparatus includes a feeder having a longer side direction orthogonal to a conveyance direction of a recording medium, and feeds a maximum size recording medium with a longer side first, an image forming unit having a maximum sheet feed width corresponding to a longer side length of the maximum size recording medium, and prints a toner image onto the recording medium, and a sub feeder that can feed the maximum size recording medium to the image forming unit independently from the feeder. A post processing apparatus receives a printed recording medium and executes post processing on a side of the recording medium. A feeding source of the maximum size recording medium is selected from the feeder and the sub feeder for executing the post processing on the longer and shorter sides of the maximum size recording medium, respectively.

Image forming apparatus, image forming system, and post processing method

A feeder is configured to feed a recording medium. An image forming unit has a maximum sheet feed width corresponding to a longer side length of a maximum size recording medium to be accommodated in the feeder, and is disposed above the feeder in such a manner as to allow the maximum size recording medium to enter the image forming unit with a longer side first.

Image forming apparatus

The print performance of an image forming apparatus is improved by adequately estimating the behavior of a sheet receiving separation air and controlling the output of separation air. A fixing control unitcontrols a shutter drive unitdefining the flow passage area on the basis of the displacement detected of the separation clawto control the output of separation air. Since the sheet receiving separation air exerts a force on the separation clawit is possible to estimate whether or not the behavior of the sheet is appropriate by monitoring the displacement of the separation clawWhile different types of paper may move in different ways, the influence of separation air is dominant in the behavior of a sheet which is conveyed, and therefore the sheet can be prevented from moving in an inappropriate condition by controlling the output of separation air.

Fixing unit and image forming apparatus

In an image forming apparatus wherein a developing unit forms a toner image on an image carrier by using a developer including a toner and a carrier, wherein a toner recovery unit recovers the toner remaining on the image carrier after the transfer of the toner image to a transfer receiving body and wherein the recovered toner is returned to the developing unit by a return transport mechanism, a recovered toner reservoir for storing the toner recovered by the toner recovery unit is disposed independently from the return transport mechanism.

Image forming apparatus with a toner recovery unit

A feeder has a longer side direction orthogonal to a conveyance direction of a recording medium, and is configured to feed a maximum size recording medium with a longer side first. An image forming unit has a maximum sheet feed width corresponding to a longer side length of the maximum size recording medium, and is configured to print a toner image corresponding to digital image data onto the recording medium. An electrical component unit is configured to control the feeder and the image forming unit. The image forming unit and the electrical component unit are respectively disposed on both sides of the feeder in a shorter side direction.

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Hachioji, Japan

Kenji Tsuru