US5327206A — Image forming apparatus including a sheet refeedi…

Claim 1

Independent Claim 90 words

An electrophotographic image forming apparatus comprising: a frame; image forming means for forming an image on a sheet, the image forming means being fixed on the frame; a refeeding unit comprising an intermediate tray for temporarily containing image-formed sheets as a pile thereon and refeeding means for feeding the sheets from the intermediate tray toward the image forming means; and adjusting means for adjusting a position of the sheets to be fed by said refeeding unit in a direction perpendicular to a sheet transporting direction by shifting said refeeding unit.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 90 words

An electrophotographic image forming apparatus comprising: a frame; image forming means for forming an image on a sheet, the image forming means being fixed on the frame; a refeeding unit comprising an intermediate tray for temporarily containing image-formed sheets as a pile thereon and refeeding means for feeding the sheets from the intermediate tray toward the image forming means; and adjusting means for adjusting a position of the sheets to be fed by said refeeding unit in a direction perpendicular to a sheet transporting direction by shifting said refeeding unit.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 32 words

An image forming apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the refeeding unit can be pushed into and pulled out of the frame in the direction perpendicular to the sheet transporting direction.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 21 words

An image forming apparatus as claimed in claim 2, further comprising locking means for locking said refeeding unit in said frame.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 36 words

An image forming apparatus as claimed in claim 3, wherein the locking means is provided in the refeeding unit at two points along the sheet transporting direction, each locking means being provided with the adjusting means.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 25 words

An image forming apparatus as claimed in claim 2, wherein the adjusting means is provided on a side where the refeeding unit is pulled out.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 168 words

An electrophotographic image forming apparatus comprising: a frame; image forming means for forming an image on a sheet, the image forming means being fixed on the frame; a refeeding unit comprising an intermediate tray for temporarily containing image-formed sheets as a pile thereon and refeeding means for feeding the sheets from the intermediate tray toward the image forming means; adjusting means for adjusting a position of the sheets to be fed by said refeeding unit in a direction perpendicular to a sheet transporting direction by shifting said refeeding unit; locking means which can be engaged with the frame to regulate the position of the refeeding unit in the direction perpendicular to the sheet transporting direction, wherein the refeeding unit can be pushed into and pulled out of the frame in the direction perpendicular to the sheet transporting direction; and urging means for urging the refeeding unit elastically in the direction of pulling the refeeding unit out of the frame while the locking means is engaged with the frame.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 168 words

An electrophotographic image forming apparatus comprising: a frame; image forming means for forming an image on a sheet, the image forming means being fixed on the frame; a refeeding unit comprising an intermediate tray for temporarily containing image-formed sheets as a pile thereon and refeeding means for feeding the sheets from the intermediate tray toward the image forming means; adjusting means for adjusting a position of the sheets to be fed by said refeeding unit in a direction perpendicular to a sheet transporting direction by shifting said refeeding unit; locking means which can be engaged with the frame to regulate the position of the refeeding unit in the direction perpendicular to the sheet transporting direction, wherein the refeeding unit can be pushed into and pulled out of the frame in the direction perpendicular to the sheet transporting direction; and urging means for urging the refeeding unit elastically in the direction of pulling the refeeding unit out of the frame while the locking means is engaged with the frame.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 180 words

An electrophotographic image forming apparatus comprising: an intermediate tray for temporarily containing image-formed sheets as a substantially horizontal pile thereon; transporting means for transporting the image-formed sheets to the intermediate tray, the transporting means being provided adjacent to an upper portion of the intermediate tray; refeeding means for feeding the sheets contained on the intermediate tray one by one from a most bottom sheet to subject the sheets to an image forming operation; an front end aligning member for aligning front ends, in a view of the refeeding direction, of the sheets on the intermediate tray; a rear end aligning member for aligning rear ends, in a view of the refeeding direction, of the sheets on the intermediate tray; a sheet pressing member for pressing each sheet which is transported to the intermediate tray by the transporting means toward the refeeding means; and controlling means for starting an operation of the pressing member when the rear end of each sheet passes through the transporting means so that the sheet will be aligned with sheets already contained on the intermediate tray.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 180 words

An electrophotographic image forming apparatus comprising: an intermediate tray for temporarily containing image-formed sheets as a substantially horizontal pile thereon; transporting means for transporting the image-formed sheets to the intermediate tray, the transporting means being provided adjacent to an upper portion of the intermediate tray; refeeding means for feeding the sheets contained on the intermediate tray one by one from a most bottom sheet to subject the sheets to an image forming operation; an front end aligning member for aligning front ends, in a view of the refeeding direction, of the sheets on the intermediate tray; a rear end aligning member for aligning rear ends, in a view of the refeeding direction, of the sheets on the intermediate tray; a sheet pressing member for pressing each sheet which is transported to the intermediate tray by the transporting means toward the refeeding means; and controlling means for starting an operation of the pressing member when the rear end of each sheet passes through the transporting means so that the sheet will be aligned with sheets already contained on the intermediate tray.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 42 words

An image forming apparatus as claimed in claim 7, wherein an aligning position of the rear end aligning member is set according to a length, in a view of the refeeding direction, of the sheets to be contained on the intermediate tray.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 45 words

An image forming apparatus as claimed in claim 7, wherein the refeeding means is provided below an end of the intermediate tray; the transporting means is provided above the end of the intermediate tray; and the sheet pressing member is provided beside the transporting means.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 154 words

An electrophotographic image forming apparatus comprising: an intermediate tray for temporarily containing image-formed sheets as a substantially horizontal pile thereon; refeeding means for feeding the sheets contained on the intermediate tray one by one from a most bottom sheet to subject the sheets to an image forming operation; a sheet pressing member for pressing each sheet transported to the intermediate tray toward the refeeding means, the sheet pressing member being movable between a retreating position and a pressing position where the sheet pressing member can supply a suitable pressure for sheet feeding; and controlling means for controlling the sheet pressing member to move to the retreating position when each sheet is coming to the intermediate tray, to move to the pressing position when each sheet is refed from the intermediate tray and to move to an intermediate position between the retreating position and the pressing position when a refeeding of each sheet is finished.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 154 words

An electrophotographic image forming apparatus comprising: an intermediate tray for temporarily containing image-formed sheets as a substantially horizontal pile thereon; refeeding means for feeding the sheets contained on the intermediate tray one by one from a most bottom sheet to subject the sheets to an image forming operation; a sheet pressing member for pressing each sheet transported to the intermediate tray toward the refeeding means, the sheet pressing member being movable between a retreating position and a pressing position where the sheet pressing member can supply a suitable pressure for sheet feeding; and controlling means for controlling the sheet pressing member to move to the retreating position when each sheet is coming to the intermediate tray, to move to the pressing position when each sheet is refed from the intermediate tray and to move to an intermediate position between the retreating position and the pressing position when a refeeding of each sheet is finished.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 149 words

An electrophotographic image forming apparatus comprising: an intermediate tray for temporarily containing image-formed sheets as a substantially horizontal pile thereon; refeeding means for feeding the sheets contained on the intermediate tray one by one from a most bottom sheet to subject the sheets to an image forming operation; separating means for separating the most bottom sheet from the other sheets when the refeeding means starts refeeding; a separating plate for positioning the most bottom sheet to be closer to the separating means than the other sheets; a rear end aligning member for aligning rear ends, in a view of a refeeding direction, of the sheets on the intermediate tray; and driving means for moving the rear end aligning member in the refeeding direction so that front ends, in a view of the refeeding direction, of the sheets on the intermediate tray will come in contact with the separating plate.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 149 words

An electrophotographic image forming apparatus comprising: an intermediate tray for temporarily containing image-formed sheets as a substantially horizontal pile thereon; refeeding means for feeding the sheets contained on the intermediate tray one by one from a most bottom sheet to subject the sheets to an image forming operation; separating means for separating the most bottom sheet from the other sheets when the refeeding means starts refeeding; a separating plate for positioning the most bottom sheet to be closer to the separating means than the other sheets; a rear end aligning member for aligning rear ends, in a view of a refeeding direction, of the sheets on the intermediate tray; and driving means for moving the rear end aligning member in the refeeding direction so that front ends, in a view of the refeeding direction, of the sheets on the intermediate tray will come in contact with the separating plate.

Claim 17

Dependent Claim 40 words

An image forming apparatus as claimed in claim 11, wherein an aligning position of the rear end aligning member is set according to a length, in a view of the refeeding direction, of the sheets contained on the intermediate tray.

Claim 18

Dependent Claim 169 words

An electrophotographic image forming apparatus comprising: an intermediate tray for temporarily containing image-formed sheets as a substantially horizontal pile thereon; transporting means for transporting the image-formed sheets to the intermediate tray; refeeding means for feeding the sheets contained on the intermediate tray one by one to subject the sheets to an image forming operation; a side aligning member for aligning both sides, in a view of the refeeding direction, of the sheets on the intermediate tray, the side aligning member being movable in a direction perpendicular to the refeeding direction to align the sides of the sheets; and a guiding member for guiding each sheet to the intermediate tray, the guiding member being set above the intermediate tray and configured to form a space between the guiding member and the intermediate tray, said space being narrowest at the center of the guiding member in the refeeding direction and becoming wider gradually in the refeeding direction to decrease friction between the guiding member and the leading end of the sheet.

Claim 19

Dependent Claim 169 words

An electrophotographic image forming apparatus comprising: an intermediate tray for temporarily containing image-formed sheets as a substantially horizontal pile thereon; transporting means for transporting the image-formed sheets to the intermediate tray; refeeding means for feeding the sheets contained on the intermediate tray one by one to subject the sheets to an image forming operation; a side aligning member for aligning both sides, in a view of the refeeding direction, of the sheets on the intermediate tray, the side aligning member being movable in a direction perpendicular to the refeeding direction to align the sides of the sheets; and a guiding member for guiding each sheet to the intermediate tray, the guiding member being set above the intermediate tray and configured to form a space between the guiding member and the intermediate tray, said space being narrowest at the center of the guiding member in the refeeding direction and becoming wider gradually in the refeeding direction to decrease friction between the guiding member and the leading end of the sheet.

Claim 20

Dependent Claim 28 words

An image forming apparatus as claimed in claim 13, wherein the sheets are aligned by the side aligning member after each sheet is transported to the intermediate tray.

Claim 21

Dependent Claim 178 words

An electrophotographic image forming apparatus comprising: an intermediate tray for temporarily containing image-formed sheets as a substantially horizontal pile thereon; transporting means for transporting the image-formed sheets to the intermediate tray; refeeding means for feeding the sheets contained on the intermediate tray one by one to subject the sheets to an image forming operation; a sheet pressing member for pressing each sheet transported to the intermediate tray, the sheet pressing member being movable between a retreating position where the sheet pressing plate does not interrupt the sheet transportation to the intermediate tray and a pressing position where the sheet pressing plate presses the sheet; position detecting means for detecting a position of the sheet pressing member; driving means for moving the sheet pressing member from the retreating position to the pressing position every time a rear end of a sheet passes through the transporting means; and checking means for, when the sheet pressing means is supposed to reach the pressing position, checking whether the position detecting means indicates that the sheet pressing means is in the pressing position.

Claim 22

Dependent Claim 178 words

An electrophotographic image forming apparatus comprising: an intermediate tray for temporarily containing image-formed sheets as a substantially horizontal pile thereon; transporting means for transporting the image-formed sheets to the intermediate tray; refeeding means for feeding the sheets contained on the intermediate tray one by one to subject the sheets to an image forming operation; a sheet pressing member for pressing each sheet transported to the intermediate tray, the sheet pressing member being movable between a retreating position where the sheet pressing plate does not interrupt the sheet transportation to the intermediate tray and a pressing position where the sheet pressing plate presses the sheet; position detecting means for detecting a position of the sheet pressing member; driving means for moving the sheet pressing member from the retreating position to the pressing position every time a rear end of a sheet passes through the transporting means; and checking means for, when the sheet pressing means is supposed to reach the pressing position, checking whether the position detecting means indicates that the sheet pressing means is in the pressing position.

Claim 23

Dependent Claim 34 words

An image forming apparatus as claimed in claim 15, wherein the checking means outputs a transporting malfunction signal when the checking means judges that the sheet pressing member does not reach the pressing position.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1997-07-04	1998-01-03	1998-07-05	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	2001-07-04	2002-01-03	2002-07-05	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	2005-07-04	2006-01-03	2006-07-05	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Image forming apparatus including a sheet refeeding unit

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