Oki Data Corporation

Oki Electric Industry Co., Ltd.

Moriaki Fukao

Kenichi Egawa

Hidenori Ueda

Shinjiro Hara

An image forming apparatus includes an image forming unit that forms an image, a developer accommodation part that supplies a developer, a developer supply duct that is disposed between the image forming unit and the developer accommodation part, a shutter member that reciprocates between an open position and a closed position wherein the developer is allowed to pass through the shutter member when the shutter member is at the open position, and the developer is blocked with the shutter member when the shutter member is at the closed position, a first operation part that comprises an engaging part, which engages with the image forming unit, and moves the shutter member either to the open position or to the closed position, wherein the first operation part causes the engaging part to disengage from the image forming unit when the shutter member exists at the closed position.

Image forming apparatus

An image forming apparatus includes: a plurality of developing units disposed in parallel with each other, a developer cartridge being detachably attached to each of the plurality of developing units, each of the plurality of developing units forming a developer image with a developer agent in the developer cartridge; a first cover covering at least one specified developer cartridge of a plurality of developer cartridges attached to the plurality of developing units, the first cover being openable to allow the at least one specified developer cartridge to be attached and detached; and a second cover covering at least one developer cartridge other than the at least one specified developer cartridge of the plurality of developer cartridges, the second cover being openable to allow the at least one developer cartridge other than the at least one specified developer cartridge to be attached and detached.

A medium feeding apparatus includes a feeding roller for picking up a sheet member, a separating member pressed against the feeding roller by a predetermined pressing force, for separating the sheet members sheet by sheet, a conveyance roller for conveying the separated sheet member, a sheet member detector for detecting the sheet member, disposed at an upstream side with respect to the conveyance roller in a direction of conveying the sheet member, and a pressing force varying processor for varying a pressing force during a period after the sheet member detector detects the sheet member before the conveyance roller starts conveyance of the sheet member.

Medium feeding apparatus

A medium tray () comprises a medium support () connected to a medium feeding section () of an image recording apparatus () and receiving record medium (P), and a medium guide () extending from the medium support () and supporting the record medium (P) such that an angle of a rear portion of the record medium (P) is changed. A lengthy record medium (P) having a length greater than the medium support () is supported by the medium guide () with the rear portion thereof directed at a different angle so that the length record medium (P) is loaded in the medium tray () without enlarging an area projecting from the image recording apparatus ().

Growing community of inventors

Tokyo, Japan

Moriaki Fukao