Konica Minolta, Inc.

Konica Minolta Business Technologies, Inc.

Yoshito Hashimura

Kenji Tsuru

Yoshiaki Watanabe

Shimpei Kanamori

Daisuke Fujiyama

Provided is an inter-shaft distance measuring device for measuring a distance between two shafts or an amount of a change in the distance that includes: measuring elements that are respectively in contact with peripheral surfaces of the two shafts at a time of measurement and that are used as measurement references; a moving mechanism that includes an elastic member and that holds the measuring elements to move the measuring elements relatively and adds a force in opposite directions separating the measuring elements by an elastic force of the elastic member; and a measurer that measures the change in the distance between the measuring elements. In a state at the time of the measurement, the measuring elements between the two shafts add a pressing force by the moving mechanism respectively to the two shafts in directions widening the distance, and the state at the time of the measurement is maintainable.

Inter-shaft distance measuring device and image forming apparatus

A fixing apparatus comprises: a fixing member and a pressing member; and a pressing mechanism that forms a fixing nip part by pressing the pressing member against the fixing member. The pressing mechanism has: a pressure cam to press the pressing member against the fixing member; a camshaft that the pressure cam is attached to, and that is rotated integrally with the pressure cam; a stepping motor; and a power transmission part that transmits a driving force of the stepping motor to the camshaft. The power transmission part includes a worm provided on a power transmission path from the stepping motor to the camshaft.

Fixing apparatus and image forming apparatus

An image forming apparatus includes: a first suction path for sucking and recovering dust from a place where the dust is generated; and a second suction path for sucking and recovering a predetermined gas from a place where the gas is generated, wherein the first suction path includes a first filter that collects the dust, a first suction fan provided downstream of the first filter, and an exhaust path of the first suction path, the second suction path includes a second filter that collects the gas, a second suction fan provided downstream of the second filter, and an exhaust path of the second suction path, and a connection in which the exhaust path of the first suction path is connected upstream of the second filter in the second suction path is included.

Image forming apparatus with dust and gas recovery

The print performance of an image forming apparatus is improved by adequately estimating the behavior of a sheet receiving separation air and controlling the output of separation air. A fixing control unitcontrols a shutter drive unitdefining the flow passage area on the basis of the displacement detected of the separation clawto control the output of separation air. Since the sheet receiving separation air exerts a force on the separation clawit is possible to estimate whether or not the behavior of the sheet is appropriate by monitoring the displacement of the separation clawWhile different types of paper may move in different ways, the influence of separation air is dominant in the behavior of a sheet which is conveyed, and therefore the sheet can be prevented from moving in an inappropriate condition by controlling the output of separation air.

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Kawasaki, Japan

Yoshito Hashimura