Image forming apparatus and sheet adjusting device incorporated therein

摘要

An image forming apparatus includes an image forming device and a sheet adjusting device to adjust a lateral position of the sheet by moving a sheet in a lateral direction perpendicular to a sheet conveyance direction. The sheet adjusting device moves a driving roller in one of a first direction and a second direction for adjusting a lateral position of the sheet between the driving roller and a driven roller and then adjusting a lateral position of the driven roller to the driving roller by moving the driving roller in the second direction until the misaligned driven roller laterally contacts respective stoppers to restrict a range of lateral movement of the driven roller while the sheet is separated from the driving roller and the driven roller and by further moving the driving roller to a predetermined position while the driven roller remains contacting the stoppers.

主权项

1. An image forming apparatus comprising:
an image forming device to form an image on a surface of a sheet of recording media; a sheet adjusting device positioned upstream from the image forming device to adjust a lateral position of the sheet by moving the sheet in a lateral direction perpendicular to a sheet conveyance direction, the sheet adjusting device comprising:
a driving unit;a moving unit connected to the driving unit;a driving roller rotatable by the driving unit and movable laterally by the moving unit;a driven roller rotatable with rotation of the driving roller while pressing and holding the sheet with the driving roller and movable laterally with movement of the driving roller; andstoppers disposed contactable with both end portions of the driven roller to restrict a range of movement of the driven roller laterally; and a controller operatively connected to the sheet adjusting device to drive the driving unit, the controller causing the moving unit to move the driving roller in one of a first direction toward one axial end of the driving roller and a second direction toward the other axial end of the driving roller for adjusting a position of the sheet interposed between the driving roller and the driven roller laterally, and then adjusting the lateral position of the driven roller with respect to the driving roller by moving the driving roller in a second direction that is opposite to the first direction until the driven roller in misregistration with respect to the driving roller laterally contacts the stoppers with the sheet separated from the driving roller and the driven roller and then by moving the driving roller in the second direction to a predetermined position with the driven roller remaining in contact with the stoppers.