Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha Corporation

Yoshiya Kinoshita

Yasushi Nakamura

Kazuhiro Matsuyama

Hiroyuki Nagao

Hidenobu Mandai

Kazuhisa Yoneda

Toshio Yamanaka

Hideaki Kadowaki

Masaru Tsuji

Hiroshi Tachiki

Naoyuki Harada

Atsuyuki Katoh

Takashi Kikutani

Kenji Sugimura

Toshiaki Kagawa

Toshihiro Tamura

Kouichi Yamauchi

Shogo Yokota

Shigenori Morimoto

An operating device includes a first support frame, a support shaft, an operating panel, a second support frame, and a spring. The first support frame is fixed to a front side of a main apparatus. The support shaft projects from the first support frame in a widthwise direction of the main apparatus. The second support frame is pivotally supported on the support shaft in such a manner as to be displaceable within a predetermined range in the widthwise direction while supporting the operating panel. The spring biases the second support frame in a first direction which the second support frame is pressed against the first support frame. The first support frame has a plurality of recesses on a circumference of a circle that is concentric with the support shaft. The second support frame has a first projection capable of being engaged into any one of the recesses.

Operating device, information processing apparatus, and image forming apparatus

An image forming apparatus in one embodiment of the present invention is an image forming apparatus that includes a main body that performs processing to form an image on a recording paper, the image forming apparatus including, an ion generating section that is external to the main body, generates ions and emits those ions to the outside.

Image forming apparatus

An image processing device includes a processing section, a load section, an operating section, and a display unit. The processing section performs processing upon sheets of a recording medium. The operating section includes input keys which receive input operation for controlling the processing section, and is disposed over the load section. The display unit displays information corresponding to input operation from the operating section. And the operating section can be freely shifted between a pulled out position in which its input keys are exposed to the exterior, and a storage position in which it is stored internally, and, in the storage position, is disposed below the display unit.

Image processing device

An image reading device includes an image reading section, a frame, and an operating unit. The image reading section is configured to obtain image data by reading an image carried on a document. The frame supports the image reading section. The operating unit has an operating section including a plurality of input keys adapted to receive an input operation for controlling the image reading section, and an operating unit body supporting the operating section for displacement between a drawn-out position in which the input keys are exposed to outside and a housed position in which the input keys are housed inside. The operating unit is supported by the frame.

A light-sensitive unit used in an image-forming device such as an electrostatic copier or printer, which enables one to easily mount and demount a light-sensitive drum without removing an electrically charging device and with no fear of damaging an edge of a cleaning blade. A second process unit (light-sensitive unit) has a resin-made frame having a cleaning device and includes a light-sensitive drum and an electrically charging device, which are removably mounted therein respectively. The light-sensitive drum is mounted in the frame by first axially inserting its rear-end bearing portion into a rear-side drum-holder and by horizontally turning its front-end bearing portion and placing it in a front-side drum-holder along a guide groove provided in the side thereof. Finally, a stopper is fitted in the front-side drum-holder to prevent the drum from slipping out of the holder.

Light-sensitive drum mounting/demounting structure, light-sensitive unit provided with the same structure and image-forming device with the same unit

A charging device which has a grid disposed between a discharge element and the photosensitive drum. The grid is formed of a regulating portion having a mesh configuration for the range opposing the image area on the photosensitive drum and non-regulating portions with openings for the range opposing the non-image area. The flow of ions discharged from the discharge element is regulated as to their passage through the grid thereby so as to be uniform and charge the image area on the photosensitive drum uniformly. The flow of ions reaches the non-image area without being shaded by the grid, so as to enhance the surface potential for prevention against toner adherence.

Charging device

By application of a voltage from a power source, a transfer roller carries out both transfers of (A) a first transfer for transferring a toner image on a photoreceptor to an intermediate transfer medium and (B) a second transfer for transferring overlapped color toner image on the intermediate transfer medium at once onto a recording sheet. A transfer voltage in accordance with, for example, a sheet thickness, as detected by sheet type detection of a sheet type detecting section is applied to the transfer roller in each stage. When the sheet type detecting section detects that the recording sheet is longer than a periphery of a fixing belt, a heater lamp is turned on in advance at any instant between a time when the recording sheet is brought into contact with the fixing roller and a time when the fixing roller completes one rotation, taking into consideration a time required for conduction of heat from the heater lamp to the fixing belt. As a result, it is possible to reduce ozone generated and make the device compact, and desirable transfer characteristics in accordance with a sheet type are obtained, thus realizing uniform fixing of an unfixed toner image onto the recording sheet, from the front end to the rear end.

Image forming apparatus having improved image transfer characteristics

An image forming apparatus which applies a voltage from a power source, to a transfer roller for performing a first transfer for transferring a toner image on a photoreceptor to an intermediate transfer medium, and a second transfer for transferring overlapped color toner image on the intermediate transfer medium to a recording sheet. A transfer voltage based on sheet thickness is detected by a sheet type detecting section and applied to the transfer roller in each transfer stage. When the sheet type detecting section detects that the recording sheet is longer than a periphery of a fixing belt, a heater lamp is turned on between a time when the recording sheet is brought into contact with the fixing roller, and a time when the fixing roller completes one rotation. As a result, it is possible to reduce ozone generated in the image forming apparatus and to make the apparatus compact. Further, with the image forming apparatus, desirable transfer characteristics in accordance with a sheet type are obtained, thus realizing uniform fixing of an unfixed toner image onto the recording sheet.

Energy saving in a fixing unit having a low heat capacity is achieved by reducing a loss of heat transferring from a temperature sensing element to temperature sensing unit and by improving response of the safety device. A heat-insulating member is formed to cover a temperature fuse being a temperature sensing element and a heat-conductive filler or heat-conductive elastic member is formed between the temperature fuse and a sliding sheet. A temperature sensing means having the temperature sensing element abuts on a fixing roller through a sliding sheet interposed therebetween. A contacting portion of the temperature sensing means with the heat-insulating member and the filler or elastic member has a curved contacting surface fitting a cylindrical surface of the fixing roller. The heat-insulating member has a groove or a slit for engaging with a protrusion of the temperature sensing element to be secured to the heat-insulating member.

Safety device for a toner image fixing device

Opening/closing mechanisms for an image formation apparatus is provided to facilitate operations for exchange of, e.g., a fixing unit and paper jam. To exchange the fixing unit, a releasing lever 99a allows a pressing strip 55 to pivot a contact maker 67 of the first opening/closing mechanism X1 and pivot a pivoting member 65. Thus, a contact pad 71 can release an upper coupling strip 61 from a pin 62 of an intermediate frame 23, and an upper frame 24 can be independently opened. To remove a jammed paper, a switch lever 103b allows the pressing strip 55 to move horizontally. Thereafter, the pressing strip 55 is contacted with a lower releasing strip 54 of the second opening/closing mechanism X2 in response to operation of the releasing lever 99a. Thus, an engaging member 83 is released from a pin 81 of a lower frame 21 so that the upper frame 24 is released from the intermediate frame 23. Further, the contact maker 67 of the first opening/closing mechanism X1 is lowered by a spring 74, and transferred below a movement locus of the pressing strip 55. Therefore, the intermediate frame 23 never drops even if the releasing lever 99a is operated.

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Osaka, Japan

Yoshiya Kinoshita