Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha Corporation

Kohichi Yamauchi

Norio Tomita

Hiroshi Tachiki

Shinichi Takeda

Masashi Hirai

Fumio Shimazu

Shinji Nakazawa

Noriaki Taguchi

Kyosuke Taka

Hiroshi Nakatani

Yoshiteru Kikuchi

Yuji Nakagawa

Ryosuke Sakai

Takumi Mori

Takashi Yamanaka

Yoshikazu Harada

Ayumu Oda

Nobuo Manabe

Yoshitaka Okahashi

Kousuke Namisaki

Takashi Makiura

Shigenori Morimoto

Kenichi Isomi

Takahiko Yoshida

Tomohiko Fujii

Koichi Nakamura

Hiroki Kanemitsu

Noritaka Okazaki

Shuichi Mochizuki

Kohichi Nakamura

An image forming apparatus includes a coating portion configured to perform a coating process that forms a coating film on a recording sheet with an image formed thereon, a main transport path configured to transport the recording sheet with the image formed thereon and to have a branching portion formed thereon, and a sub transport path configured to be once branched from the main transport path at the branching portion and to be returned to the main transport path again. The coating portion is disposed on the sub transport path.

Image forming apparatus, processing unit, and image forming method

An image forming apparatus includes an image forming portion that forms an image on a recording sheet, a transport path that transports the recording sheet with the image formed thereon by the image forming portion, a coating portion that performs a coating process that forms a coating film on the recording sheet that is being transported on the transport path, and a reading portion that reads a calibration chart on the recording sheet that is being transported on the transport path. The coating portion is disposed on the upstream side in a recording sheet transport direction of the reading portion on the transport path, a calibration process is performed for an image formed by the image forming portion, and the calibration chart is formed on the recording sheet by the image forming portion in order to perform the calibration process.

Image forming apparatus and processing unit

An image forming apparatus provided with a resin frame made of a resin, an image forming unit and a fixing unit includes a duct for allowing air to flow between the image forming unit and the fixing unit. The resin frame includes a main frame to which the image forming unit is attached, and a fixing unit attachment frame that is separate from the main frame and to which the fixing unit is attached, and the fixing unit attachment frame has a duct portion that constitutes at least one part of the duct.

Image forming apparatus

In one embodiment, an image forming apparatus () is provided with a resin frame () made of resin and an image forming unit (). The image forming apparatus further includes a first duct () that allows air to flow on one side of the image forming unit (), a second duct () that allows air to flow on the other side, and a third duct () that allows air to flow between the first duct and the second duct. The resin frame () has a first duct portion () that constitutes at least a portion of the first duct (), and a second duct portion () that constitutes at least a portion of the second duct ().

The present invention provides an image forming apparatus in which a recording paper to which a toner has been transferred is guided by a guide member and transported to a nip region between two rotatable members that are pressed against each other, and the toner on the recording paper is fixed at the nip region. In this image forming apparatus, a conductive or semiconductive region and an insulating region that are to be brought into contact with the recording paper are sequentially arranged in a recording paper transport direction on a guide face of the guide member, the conductive or semiconductive region is grounded, and the insulating region includes an end portion of the guide member oriented in the recording paper transport direction.

Image forming apparatus with charge eliminating guide member

An image forming apparatus of the present invention includes a resin frame composed of a resin and an image forming unit that is removably inserted in the resin frame. The resin frame includes a base having a supporting surface that supports the image forming unit, a guide portion that extends in the base in an insertion direction in which the image forming unit is inserted along the supporting surface and that guides the image forming unit in the insertion direction while limiting movement of the image forming unit in an orthogonal direction that is orthogonal to the insertion direction, and a side plate portion that is provided at a peripheral edge of the base so as to extend in a direction perpendicular to the supporting surface, the base, the guide portion, and the side plate portion being integrally molded from a resin. A mold opening direction of a mold for molding the guide portion is set to a direction parallel to the orthogonal direction, and downstream end portions of the side plate portion in the mold opening direction are integrally connected to each other and extend essentially parallel to the perimeter of the base.

Image forming apparatus with resin frame and method for molding the resin frame

In an image forming apparatus, a computing unit computes phase shift amounts A(i) for every correction relative phase angle &#x3b8;(j) based on an amplitude B of a reference compressional wave &#x3b1;a, an amplitude C(i) of a detection compressional wave &#x3b1;(i), and a relative phase angle &#x3c6;(i). A setting unit specifies the phase shift amounts A(i), and sets a correction relative phase angle &#x3b8;(j) corresponding to the specified phase shift amounts A(i). A correction unit corrects, based on the correction relative phase angle &#x3b8;(j) set by the setting unit, a relative phase shift between a periodic variation in the circumferential speed of a first image bearing member and a periodic variation in the circumferential speed of a second group image bearing member by operationally controlling at least one of first and second drive units.

A belt transfer device according to the present invention includes an intermediate transfer belt, a transfer member, a shifter, a detector, and a controller. The transfer member primarily transfers a toner image from an image carrier to the intermediate transfer belt. The shifter reciprocates in specified opposite directions so as to shift the transfer member between a transfer position where the transfer member is in compressive contact with the inner surface of the intermediate transfer belt and a home position where the transfer member is away from the belt surface. The detector outputs a signal representing the position of the shifter. Based on the state of the signal output from the detector while the shifter is reciprocating each time in the opposite directions, the controller determines whether the tensile force of the intermediate transfer belt is proper.

Belt transfer device

A paper feeding apparatus used in a state where the apparatus accumulates paper sheets for an image forming apparatus to form images thereon and the paper feeding apparatus is attached to a main body of the image forming apparatus, wherein an engaging-holding member is provided for an exterior wall face of the paper feeding apparatus, and the engaging-holding member engages and holds the paper feeding apparatus with an exterior housing of the image forming apparatus so as to enable the paper feeding apparatus to move into/from the exterior housing of the image forming apparatus, is provided for an exterior wall face of the paper feeding apparatus, and wherein the engaging-holding member is provided for a specific one of the exterior wall faces of the paper feeding apparatus corresponding to the moving direction determined according to the specification of the image forming apparatus.

Paper feeding apparatus

As a projection extending member is arranged adjacently to a projection, a sensor Sproduces an 'ON' state output when an eccentric cam starts turning even in non-printing mode. The time from when the eccentric cam starts turning until sensor Schanges its output from 'ON' to &#x201c;OFF&#x201d; becomes longer when a new intermediate transfer belt unit is used than when a used intermediate transfer belt unit is used. The length of this time is measured so as to detect whether the intermediate transfer belt unit is brand-new or old.

Transfer device including detecting mechanism for detecting replacement belt unit and image forming apparatus using the same

An exposure device includes a transmissive member and a shutter. The transmissive member allows passage therethrough of a light beam directed toward a scanning object. The shutter is mounted so as to be pivotable around a pivot shaft between a closed position and an open position. The shutter has a first member and a second member. In the closed position, the first member shields the transmissive member, and, in the open position, unshields the transmissive member so as to allow the light beam to pass through the transmissive member. In the closed position, the second member is positioned above the first member so as to extend at least beyond peripheral ends, including a free end, of the first member.

Exposure device with a transmissive member and members for shielding the same

Providing a simply-arranged detaching/attaching mechanism and image forming device which allow a transfer supporter device to be detached/attached through a space formed by opening an outer covering, the device includes photosensitive drums, detachable/attachable transfer belt unit, and rail members supporting a transfer belt unit. Each of the rail members includes a rail groove guiding the transfer belt unit, notch and positioning hole determining the position of the transfer belt unit when the belt is in contact with the photosensitive drums, and notch and convex section determining the position of the transfer belt unit when the belt is detached from the photosensitive drums. The transfer belt unit support with respect to the main body of the image forming device, performed by the rail members, is released in response to the action of opening the side cover, so that the transfer belt unit is in a free state.

Detaching/attaching mechanism and image forming device

A plurality of photosensitive drums are disposed in a sheet transport direction so as to be in contact with a transfer belt and a transfer voltage for transferring toner images on the photosensitive drums onto a sheet transported by the transfer belt is applied thereto. A sensor for sensing a temperature or humidity in the working atmosphere of the image forming apparatus is provided; when a jam occurs, sheet transportation is ceased at a first stage to thereby enable the sheet in the jam to be removed; at a second stage subsequent thereto, transportation of the sheet is restarted; and the transfer voltage applied onto the transfer belt is controlled based on a measurement result of the sensor.

A plurality of photosensitive drums are disposed in a sheet transport direction so as to be in contact with a transfer belt and a transfer voltage for transferring toner images on the photosensitive drums onto a sheet transported by the transfer belt is applied thereto. A sensor for sensing a temperature or humidity in the working atmosphere of the image forming apparatus is provided; when a jam occurs, sheet transportation is ceased at a first stage to thereby enable the sheet in the jam to be removed; at a second stage subsequent thereto, transportation of the sheet is restarted; and a transport distance of the sheet is controlled based on a printing ratio of an image formed on the sheet.

Growing community of inventors

Osaka, Japan

Kohichi Yamauchi