IP Library › Granted Patent US 11,802,015
Granted Patent B2
US 11,802,015 · App. 17/370,465 · Granted Oct 31, 2023

Image forming apparatus

Inventor: Takahiro Okubo (Yokohama, JP)
Assignee: KONICA MINOLTA, INC.
B65H5/36B65H5/26B65H85/00G03G15/6529B65H2407/21
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,802,015
App. No.
17/370,465
Granted
Oct 31, 2023
Kind
B2
Abstract

An image forming apparatus includes: as a conveyance to convey an object formed with an image, an upstream-side conveyance path; an intermediate conveyance path connected to a downstream end part of the upstream-side conveyance path via a first bent part; and a downstream-side conveyance path connected to the intermediate conveyance path via a second bent part, wherein the second bent part is bent to a side opposite to the first bent part, on an inner side of a bend of the first bent part, a friction reducing part capable of abutting with the object conveyed in the first bent part is provided, and the intermediate conveyance path includes: a pair of guide parts forming the intermediate conveyance path; and a friction reducing part that is provided on both a pair of the guide parts and is capable of abutting with the object conveyed between a pair of the guide parts.

Claims (57)

1. An image forming apparatus comprising:

a conveyance device to convey an object formed with an image, the conveyance device including:

an upstream-side conveyance path;

an intermediate conveyance path connected to a downstream end part of the upstream-side conveyance path via a first bent part; and

a downstream-side conveyance path connected to the intermediate conveyance path via a second bent part, wherein

the second bent part is bent to a side opposite to the first bent part,

on an inner side of a bend of the first bent part, a friction reducing part capable of abutting with the object conveyed in the first bent part is provided, and

the intermediate conveyance path includes:

a pair of guide parts facing each other and forming the intermediate conveyance path; and

a friction reducing part that is provided on both guide parts of the pair of the guide parts and is capable of abutting with the object conveyed between a pair of the guide parts; and

wherein

the downstream-side conveyance path includes a pair of guide parts facing each other and forming the downstream-side conveyance path, and

frictional resistance of a pair of the guide parts in the intermediate conveyance path is set to be smaller than frictional resistance of a pair of the guide parts in the downstream-side conveyance path.

2. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein

the friction reducing part of one or more of the first bent part or the guide parts is a roller or a bearing.

3. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein

at least one of a pair of the guide parts is movable to increase a guide gap on an upstream side.

4. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein

the downstream-side conveyance path includes a pair of guide parts facing each other and forming the downstream-side conveyance path, and

a guide gap between a pair of the guide parts in the intermediate conveyance path is set to be larger than a guide gap between a pair of the guide parts in the downstream-side conveyance path.

5. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising:

a friction reducing part that is provided on an outer side of a bend of the first bent part and the second bent part, and is capable of abutting with the object conveyed in the first bent part and the second bent part.

6. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein

a distance in a height direction and a distance in a conveyance direction in plan view between the second bent part and the first bent part are set in a range of 2:1 to 1:2.

7. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein

the intermediate conveyance path has a merging part from a duplexing reversing path in which the object formed with an image on one side is conveyed.

8. The image forming apparatus according to claim 7 , wherein

the friction reducing part provided in the intermediate conveyance path is a roller or a bearing provided to avoid interference with the merging part.

9. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein

the intermediate conveyance path or the second bent part has a merging part from a manual feed conveyance path in which the object provided on a manual feed tray is conveyed.

10. The image forming apparatus according to claim 9 , wherein

the merging part between the manual feed conveyance path and the intermediate conveyance path or the second bent part is bent, and

the merging part between the manual feed conveyance path and the intermediate the merging part between the manual feed conveyance path and the intermediate conveyance path or the second bent part includes a friction reducing part that is provided on an inner side of a bend of the merging part and is capable of abutting with the object conveyed in the merging part.

11. The image forming apparatus according to claim 9 , wherein

the manual feed conveyance path includes: a pair of guide parts facing each other and forming the manual feed conveyance path; and a friction reducing part that is provided on both guide parts of the pair of the guide parts and is capable of abutting with the object conveyed between the pair of the guide parts.

12. An image forming apparatus, comprising:

a conveyance device to convey an object formed with an image, the conveyance device including:

an upstream-side conveyance path;

an intermediate conveyance path connected to a downstream end part of the upstream-side conveyance path via a first bent part; and

a downstream-side conveyance path connected to the intermediate conveyance path via a second bent part, wherein

the second bent part is bent to a side opposite to the first bent part,

on an inner side of a bend of the first bent part, a friction reducing part capable of abutting with the object conveyed in the first bent part is provided, and

the intermediate conveyance path includes:

a pair of guide parts facing each other and forming the intermediate conveyance path; and

a friction reducing part that is provided on both guide parts of the pair of the guide parts and is capable of abutting with the object conveyed between a pair of the guide parts, wherein

a distance in a height direction and a distance in a conveyance direction between the second bent part and the first bent part are set in a range of 2:1 to 1:2.

13. An image forming apparatus, comprising:

a conveyance device to convey an object formed with an image, the conveyance device including:

an upstream-side conveyance path;

an intermediate conveyance path connected to a downstream end part of the upstream-side conveyance path via a first bent part; and

a downstream-side conveyance path connected to the intermediate conveyance path via a second bent part, wherein

the second bent part is bent to a side opposite to the first bent part,

on an inner side of a bend of the first bent part, a friction reducing part capable of abutting with the object conveyed in the first bent part is provided, and

the intermediate conveyance path includes:

a pair of guide parts facing each other and forming the intermediate conveyance path; and

a friction reducing part that is provided on both guide parts of the pair of the guide parts and is capable of abutting with the object conveyed between a pair of the guide parts, wherein

the intermediate conveyance path has a merging part from a duplexing reversing path in which the object formed with an image on one side is conveyed.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jul 9, 2021
From: OKUBO, TAKAHIRO
To: KONICA MINOLTA, INC.
Reel/Frame 056806/0106 →
Priority Claims (1)
JP 2020-119446 · Jul 10, 2020 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20220011708A1 · Jan 13, 2022