US 12,117,768 B2
Image forming apparatus including a filter for collect foreign substances in air sucked into at least one intake
Takayuki Andoh, Kanagawa (JP); Masahiro Samei, Kanagawa (JP); Kota Shiodera, Tokyo (JP); Hiroshi Yoshinaga, Chiba (JP); Toshiyuki Kabata, Kanagawa (JP); and Tomoyuki Nishikawa, Saitama (JP)
Assigned to Ricoh Company, Ltd., Toyko (JP)
Filed by Takayuki Andoh, Kanagawa (JP); Masahiro Samei, Kanagawa (JP); Kota Shiodera, Tokyo (JP); Hiroshi Yoshinaga, Chiba (JP); Toshiyuki Kabata, Kanagawa (JP); and Tomoyuki Nishikawa, Saitama (JP)
Filed on Feb. 2, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/163,591.
Claims priority of application No. 2022-042530 (JP), filed on Mar. 17, 2022; and application No. 2022-190324 (JP), filed on Nov. 29, 2022.
Prior Publication US 2023/0297026 A1, Sep. 21, 2023
Int. Cl. G03G 21/20 (2006.01); G03G 15/20 (2006.01)
CPC G03G 21/206 (2013.01) [G03G 15/2053 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An image forming apparatus comprising:
a heating device configured to heat a recording medium having an image on one side of the recording medium;
a recording medium ejector configured to eject the recording medium with the one side facing downward;
a recording medium tray on which the recording medium ejected by the recording medium ejector is stacked;
an outer wall including a first intake, the first intake being open toward the recording medium tray and at a first position below the recording medium ejector, the first position being a position at which a maximum amount of recording media placeable on the recording medium tray does not cover at least a part of the first intake; and
a filter configured to collect foreign substances in air sucked into the first intake,
wherein the outer wall further includes second and third intakes, the second and third intakes facing both end portions of the heating device, and
wherein each of the end portions of the heating device has a length of one third of a total length of the heating device in a width direction of the recording medium orthogonal to a sheet conveyance direction.