Ricoh Company, Ltd.

Yoshikazu Yamazoe

Osamu Saito

Shigeo Nanno

Yutaka Naitoh

Takuya Etoh

Shin Yamamoto

Yasunobu Ogata

Yutaka Naito

An image forming apparatus includes a transfer unit, a fixing unit, a discharging unit, and multiple guide members. The transfer unit transfers an image onto a transfer sheet. The fixing unit fixes the image to the transfer sheet by application of heat and conveys the fixed transfer sheet to a further downstream portion of the image forming apparatus. The discharging unit discharges the transfer sheet to an external portion of the image forming apparatus. The multiple guide members form a sheet conveyance path that has first and second paths including a hollow portion defined by the multiple guide members to enable an air current generated during image forming to pass therethrough.

Image forming apparatus including a collecting portion inside guide members to collect and store liquid droplets

A fixing device includes a pair of fixing members opposing each other and a pressing lever that is rotatable around a shaft. The pressing lever can be moved either to a pressing position in which one of the fixing members is pressed against the other fixing member, or to a pressure releasing position in which the one of the fixing member is separated from the other fixing member. When the pressing lever moves between the pressing position and the pressure releasing position, a first control unit located near an end of the pressing lever controls displacement of the end.

Fixing device and image forming apparatus

A fixing device includes a pair of first frames that support an axis of each of a fixing roller and a pressing roller and a pair of second frames arranged in parallel to an axial direction of the fixing roller to connect the first frames to each other. The second frames include cover portions that cover an upper peripheral surface and a lower peripheral surface of the rollers. A coupling member couples the cover portions to each other and has a bridge structure between the cover portions.

An intermediate transfer unit can be detached from a device main body through an opening that is covered by an openable and closable front cover. A sheet path is provided between the intermediate transfer unit and the front cover. A portion of a convey-guiding unit of the sheet path falls in the way when detaching the detachable intermediate transfer unit. The portion of the convey-guiding unit, which falls in the way when detaching the detachable intermediate transfer unit, is formed as a detachable convey-guiding member that is detachably attached to the device main body.

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Osaka, Japan

Yoshikazu Yamazoe