Kyocera Document Solutions Inc.

Tatsuro Arata

Satoshi Ando

Takashi Morita

Koju Yamamoto

A process unit includes a unit frame detachable from a main body frame, a plurality of development cartridges mounted so as to be mutually independently attachable and detachable with respect to the unit frame, and a lock mechanism. The lock mechanism has a lock member that restrains movement of the unit frame by being held at a first position at which the lock member is engageable with the main body frame. The lock member is caused, by all the development cartridges being detached from the unit frame, to shift from the first position to a second position at which the lock member does not engage with the main body frame.

Image forming apparatus having a process unit with a lock mechanism

An image forming apparatus includes a plurality of image carrying member units and an intermediate transfer unit. The image carrying member units include image carrying members and image carrying member support frames. The intermediate transfer unit includes an intermediate transfer belt. The image forming apparatus includes: a locating member; image carrying member-side guide rails that are formed on upper end portions of the image carrying member support frames and extend along a horizontal direction; and a main body-side guide rail that is formed as a bridge in the horizontal direction between the image carrying member-side guide rails. When the intermediate transfer unit is fitted to the main body of the apparatus, the intermediate transfer unit slides on the image carrying member-side guide rails and the main body-side guide rail and is guided by the locating member to be located in a fitting position.

Image forming apparatus adopting an intermediate transfer method

An image forming apparatus includes an image forming part, a fixing device, a fixing temperature sensor, a drive device, a printed sheet number counting part, a fixing voltage power supply, a controller, and an apparatus external temperature sensor. The controller can perform a cooling mode in which, when a number of continuous printed sheets at a reference speed exceeds an upper limit number, a number of printed sheets per unit time is gradually decreased to suppress an increase of an apparatus internal temperature. The controller sets the upper limit number based on a temperature difference between the fixing temperature detected by the fixing temperature sensor and the apparatus external temperature detected by the apparatus external temperature sensor.

Image forming apparatus

An intermediate transfer unit includes an intermediate transfer belt, a driving roller, a tension roller, and a roller supporting frame. The roller supporting frame includes first and second supporting frames, and has a coupling portion formed on it. The coupling portion includes a rotary shaft and a shaft hole. The roller supporting frame shifts from a first state to a second state by rotating the first supporting frame in the forward direction to have the intermediate transfer belt wound around it. The rotary shaft includes a projection. A shaft hole has a restricting wall portion. As the first supporting frame in the second state rotates in the forward direction, the projection makes contact with the restricting wall portion to restrict rotation of the first supporting frame in the forward direction.

Intermediate transfer unit and image forming apparatus therewith

An image forming apparatus includes an image forming section, a discharging roller pair, a plurality of trays, a guide member, and a controller. The image forming section forms an image on each of a plurality of sheets. The discharging roller pair discharges each of the sheets. The sheets discharged by the discharging roller pair are to be stacked on the trays (first through third trays). The guide member guides each of the sheets from the discharging roller pair toward a discharge destination tray among the plurality of trays. Every time the discharging roller pair discharges one of the sheets, the controller controls the guide member to change the discharge destination tray. The trays are configured such that leading ends of the sheets are superposed on one another.

Image forming apparatus, sorting device, and tray unit

A sheet discharge port is provided with a guide piece extending obliquely downward in a discharge direction from an upper edge of the sheet discharge port to oppose an outlet port. The guide piece blocks flow of cooling air, which has been blown out from the outlet port, into the sheet discharge port and also abuts the sheet discharged from the sheet discharge port to guide the sheet obliquely downward in the discharge direction.

A toner case includes a case main body, a rotator, a transmitter and a mover. The transmitter is arranged outside the case main body and transmits rotation to the rotator. The transmitter moves along a rotation axis direction of the rotator between a first position and a second position arranged at an outside of the first position in the rotation axis direction. The mover attached to the transmitter moves along the rotation axis direction between a first moved position and a second moved position arranged at an outside of the first moved position in the rotation axis direction. As the mover moves from the second moved position to the first moved position, the transmitter moves from the second position to the first position. As the mover moves from the first moved position to the second moved position, the transmitter moves from the first position to the second position.

Toner case and image forming apparatus

An image forming apparatus includes a housing, a duct member, and a board. The housing has a support plate extending in a vertical direction. The duct member is attached to the support plate and has a first air duct through which air sent by a blower passes. The board has an element that is mounted thereon and generates heat when energized, and has a part supported by the duct member so as to cover an outer surface of the first air duct.

Image forming apparatus including duct member for cooling

An image forming apparatus includes a laser scanning unit, an upper guide member, a plurality of reinforcing ribs, and an air blower. The upper guide member is provided below the laser scanning unit and forms an upper guide surface of a sheet conveyance path extending in a direction along a bottom surface of the laser scanning unit. The plurality of reinforcing ribs are provided on an upper surface of the upper guide member and extend in a predetermined direction. The air blower is configured to send air to a space between the plurality of adjacent reinforcing ribs.

Image forming apparatus including air blower, and sheet guide used in image forming apparatus

A cooling device includes an air blower, a first support frame, and a second support frame. The first support frame supports the air blower and has a first groove portion extending from a blowing port of the air blower to a predetermined discharge port. The second support frame supports a driving portion for transmitting a driving force to a portion to be driven of an image forming apparatus, and is configured such that the first support frame is connectable thereto. The second support frame has a second groove portion. The second groove portion is engaged with the first groove portion, in a state where the first support frame is connected to the second support frame, to form an air duct configured to guide air blown from the air blower, to the discharge port.

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Osaka, Japan

Tatsuro Arata