Fujitsu Corporation

Daiwa Seiko, Inc.

Fujitsu Isotec Limited

Takashi Maekawa

Hirofumi Nakayasu

Yoshiaki Hosokawa

Masaki Kanoh

Mitsugu Inomata

Akihiro Komuro

Fumio Nakao

Tetsu Endo

Kenji Umehara

Chikako Kawana

Akira Takahashi

Yoji Houki

Yasuhiro Ite

Harumichi Oishi

Mamoru Hokari

Kaneatsu Uchiyama

Makoto Matsuoka

Mitsuru Yamazaki

Tomokazu Akuta

Kazuyasu Sato

Kaneastu Uchiyama

Masaki Shimazaki

Shigeki Idouji

Kazuo Nobue

The present invention relates to an optical scanning unit used for exposing a photosensitive drum of an image forming apparatus to light, and an image forming apparatus using this optical scanning unit. This optical scanning unit comprises a light source; an optical scanning mechanism for scanning with light from the light source; a start detecting mechanism for detecting scan light of the optical scanning mechanism at an end portion of a scanning range of the scan light to detect beginning of light scanning; and a frame which has a higher rigidity than that of a frame of an image forming apparatus and to which the light source, the optical scanning mechanism and the start detecting mechanism are attached. The image forming apparatus comprises an endless photosensitive body; charging unit for charging the photosensitive body; an optical scanning unit for exposing the photosensitive body to light, including a light source, an optical scanning mechanism having the same structure as the aforementioned optical scanning unit; a developing unit for developing an electrostatic latent image formed on the photosensitive body by light exposure by the optical scanning unit; and a transfer unit for transferring a toner image on the photosensitive body onto a sheet. Alteration of the optical path of the optical scanning unit by external force applied is made smaller by making the frame of the optical scanning unit more rigid than that of the image forming apparatus.

Optical scanning unit and image forming apparatus using the same with

A printing apparatus includes a printing head for printing on a bank book, a platen disposed opposite the printing head, and a cam mechanism for moving the platen. A sensor detects the thickness of the bank book which is between the printing head and the platen, and a sensor moving mechanism moves the sensor toward or away from the platen. A controller controls the operation of the cam mechanism and the sensor moving mechanism as the sensor is moved to a measuring position approaching the printing head. The printing head is moved toward the platen according to a detected value and then the sensor is retracted from the measuring position. As a result, after moving the printing head, the sensor does not contact the surface of the bank book, and therefore does not produce jamming or oblique feeding of the bank book during a line feed or printing operation.

Printing apparatus having head gap adjusting device

There is disclosed an image forming apparatus which facilitates exchange of a process cartridge for forming an image and which can allow a large exchangeable process cartridge to be used. This image forming apparatus consists of an endless latent image carrier; a unit for forming an electrostatic latent image on the latent image carrier; a developing unit for developing the electrostatic latent image on the latent image carrier; a unit for transferring a toner image on the latent image carrier onto a sheet; a unit for fixing the toner image on the sheet; a unit for retaining the sheet; a process cartridge, provided detachable to the apparatus above the sheet retaining unit, for holding at least the latent image carrier and the developing unit; a stacker, provided above the process cartridge, for holding a discharged sheet; a feeding path along which the sheet from the sheet retaining unit is discharged on the stacker through the process cartridge; a front cover provided on the housing to be rotatable frontward of the apparatus; an upper cover provided on the housing to be rotatable upward of the apparatus, the stacker being formed in the upper cover, wherein the first cover is provided in such way that a distal end of the front cover covers that of the upper cover, a first discharge roller provided at the distal end of the front cover, a second discharge roller provided as the distal end of the upper cover, facing the first discharge roller, a movable support block provided on the upper cover, for supporting the second discharge roller, a positioning manner provided on the front cover and engageable with the support block, and wherein the support block has a sub-support block for supporting a shaft of the second discharge roller and a spring member for urging the sub-support block toward the front discharge roller.

Clamshell-type image forming apparatus

There is disclosed a process cartridge exchangeably provided to an image forming apparatus provided with an endless light-sensitive carrier, a mechanism for charging the light-sensitive carrier, a cleaner for cleaning residual toner on the light-sensitive carrier, a cartridge frame installed with at least the light-sensitive carrier, the charging mechanism and the cleaner, the cartridge frame having a fulcrum hole, and wherein a developing unit is detachably provided to the cartridge frame for developing an electrostatic image on the light-sensitive carrier, the developing unit including a developing unit frame having a free fit hole and connection rod freely fitted into the fulcrum hole and as well freely fitted to the free fit hole of the developing unit frame for installing the developing unit to the cartridge frame such that the developing unit is rotatably movable with respect to the cartridge frame.

Process cartridge and image forming apparatus

Disclosed are a single-side image forming device with a sheet inverting unit attached thereto for image forming on the reverse side of a sheet, and a double-side image forming apparatus that employs such a sheet inverting unit. The sheet inverting unit is detachable from an image forming apparatus, which has a sheet cassette; an image forming mechanism; a stacker; and a feeding path along which the sheet supplied from the sheet cassette is conveyed first to the image forming mechanism and then to the stacker. The sheet inverting unit comprises a switching lever for selectively guiding the image bearing sheet either toward the stacker or upward of the image forming device; switchback rollers for feeding the sheet guided upward by the switching lever and then inversely feeding the sheet; a guide path, which extends from the switchback rollers to a terminus in the vicinity of an inserting port of the image forming device; and feeding rollers provided along the guide path. The double-side image forming apparatus comprises: an image forming device, which has a sheet cassette, an image forming mechanism, a stacker, a feeding path along which the sheet is conveyed first to the image forming mechanism and then to the stacker, a manual inserting port, and a manual inserting path along which is conveyed an inserted sheet from the manual inserting port to the upstream origin of the feeding path for the image forming mechanism; and a sheet inverting unit that is structured as described above.

Sheet inverting unit and an imaging forming apparatus employing the same

A printer having a bail roller opening and closing apparatus including a bail roller for pressing a printing medium against a platen, a bail roller opening and closing mechanism for moving the bail roller between a closed position and an open position, and a clutch for connecting a space motor to the bail roller opening and closing mechanism. The bail roller opening and closing mechanism includes a rotating member rotationally driven by the space motor via the clutch, a transmission member causing the bail roller to be displaced by displacement of the transmission member and manual displacement of the bail roller, and a bidirectional motion transmission mechanism for transmitting bidirectional motion between the rotating member and the transmission member.

Printer having a bail roller opening and closing mechanism

A printer having an ink ribbon shift apparatus includes a carrier unit having a printer head and a ribbon guide which is movable upwardly and downwardly. Up and down shift means are provided to shift an ink ribbon cassette up and down. A shaft is disposed parallel to a platen and extends along the entire range of movement of the carrier unit. The shaft shifts up and down together with the ink ribbon cassette and is engaged with the said ribbon guide. The up and down shift means moves the ink ribbon cassette up and down and the ribbon guide is thereby shifted up and down via the shaft so that a predetermined color band of an ink ribbon is positioned on a printing line.

Printer having an ink ribbon shift apparatus

A printer comprises a cylindrical platen for supporting and feeding a printing sheet, a pinch roller in resilient contact with the platen to cooperate therewith to feed the cut sheet, and an inclined sheet guide on which a cut sheet is loaded. A leading edge of the cut sheet is inserted into a space between the platen and the pinch roller so that the cut sheet is ready to be compulsorily fed by the platen. When or after a cut sheet is loaded on the sheet guide, the platen is rotated in the reverse direction by a predetermined amount of rotation and then rotated in the forward direction to set the cut sheet at a given print start position. During the reverse rotation of the platen, the leading edge of the cut sheet is pushed up so that the posture of the cut sheet is corrected.

Process for setting a cut printing sheet

In a method and apparatus for changing the line of a sheet to be printed, the sheet is set in a print starting position, in which a front end of the sheet is located in front of bail rollers which feed the sheet together with a platen, and a carriage with a print head and a sheet guide is moved to a predetermined guide position in which the sheet guide is located at or near the center of width of the sheet, prior to every change of line, until the front end of the sheet is held between the bail rollers and the platen.

Lining method and apparatus for printers

Growing community of inventors

Kawasaki, Japan

Takashi Maekawa