# US 11,079,704 B2 · Image forming apparatus with rotating guide member that guides sheet > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,079,704 B2 - Document ID: US11079704B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/783,367 - Filed: 2020-02-06 - Published: 2020-08-20 - Granted: 2021-08-03 - Earliest claimed: 2019-02-18 - Assignees: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha - Applicants: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha - Inventors: Hiroyuki Takahashi - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11079704B2 ## CPC - G03G 15/2028: {with means for handling the copy material in the fixing nip, e.g. introduction guides, stripping means} - G03G 15/5029: {by measuring the copy material characteristics, e.g. weight, thickness} - G03G 15/657: {Feeding path after the transfer point and up to the fixing point, e.g. guides and feeding means for handling copy material carrying an unfused toner image} - G03G 15/6573: {Feeding path after the fixing point and up to the discharge tray or the finisher, e.g. special treatment of copy material to compensate for effects from the fixing} - G03G 15/1675: {with means for controlling the bias applied in the transfer nip} - G03G 15/50: {Machine control of apparatus for electrographic processes using a charge pattern, e.g. regulating differents parts of the machine, multimode copiers, microprocessor control (sequencing control G03G21/14)} - G03G: ELECTROGRAPHY; ELECTROPHOTOGRAPHY; MAGNETOGRAPHY ## Abstract An image forming apparatus includes: a first conveying member that nips and conveys a sheet; a guide member rotatable between a first guiding position where the guide member guides a sheet that is conveyed by the first conveying member toward a first direction and a second guiding position where the guide member guides the sheet toward a second direction that is different from the first direction; a second conveying member that conveys a sheet that has been guided toward the first direction; a third conveying member that conveys a sheet that has been guided toward the second direction; a driver that drives the guide member; an acquiring portion configured to acquiring a basis weight of a sheet; and a controller that controls the driver such as to change torque for driving the guide member based on a basis weight of a sheet acquired by the acquiring portion. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An image forming apparatus comprising: a first conveying member that nips and conveys a sheet on which an image has been formed; a guide member rotatable between a first guiding position where the guide member guides a sheet that is conveyed by the first conveying member toward a first direction and a second guiding position where the guide member guides the sheet toward a second direction that is different from the first direction; a second conveying member that conveys a sheet that has been guided toward the first direction by the guide member; a third conveying member that conveys a sheet that has been guided toward the second direction by the guide member; a driver that drives the guide member so that the guide member rotates; an acquiring portion configured to acquire a basis weight of a sheet; and a controller that controls the driver such as to change torque for rotating the guide member based on a basis weight of a sheet acquired by the acquiring portion. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the controller changes a rotation speed of the guide member rotated by the driver such as to change torque for driving the guide member based on a basis weight of a sheet acquired by the acquiring portion. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the controller changes a current to the driver such as to change torque for rotating the guide member based on a basis weight of a sheet acquired by the acquiring portion. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the controller reduces a rotation speed of the guide member rotated by the driver, or increases a current to the driver, such as to increase torque for driving the guide member when a basis weight of a sheet acquired by the acquiring portion is greater than a predetermined value. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the controller reduces a rotation speed of the guide member rotated by the driver such as to increase torque for driving the guide member when a basis weight of a sheet acquired by the acquiring portion is greater than a predetermined value. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the controller increases a current to the driver such as to increase torque for rotating the guide member when a basis weight of a sheet acquired by the acquiring portion is greater than a predetermined value. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the acquiring portion is configured to allow for setting of a basis weight of a sheet and to allow for setting of a mode that gives priority to image quality or productivity, and wherein the controller changes a rotation speed of the guide member rotated by the driver or a current to the driver such as to change torque for driving the guide member based on a set basis weight of a sheet and a priority mode. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein when sheets successively conveyed by the first conveying member are guided alternately to the first direction and to the second direction by the guide member, the controller causes the guide member to rotate with a torque corresponding to a basis weight of a sheet acquired by the acquiring portion before a preceding sheet conveyed by the first conveying member passes through the guide member and before a succeeding sheet that is conveyed after the preceding sheet reaches the guide member. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the controller changes torque for rotating the guide member being contacted to the conveyed sheet, based on a basis weight of a sheet acquired by the acquiring portion. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein when guiding a sheet to the second conveying member, the controller causes the guide member to be at the first guiding position, and controls the driver such as to rotate the guide member to a third guiding position where an upstream end of the guide member comes close to a tangential line at a nip portion of the first conveying member, after a tip of the sheet being conveyed by the first conveying member has reached the guide member, and wherein when guiding a sheet to the third conveying member, the controller causes the guide member to be at the second guiding position, and controls the driver such as to rotate the guide member to a fourth guiding position where an upstream end of the guide member comes close to a tangential line at a nip portion of the first conveying member, after a tip of the sheet being conveyed by the first conveying member has reached the guide member. ### Claim 11 An image forming apparatus comprising: a first conveying member that conveys a sheet on which an image is formed; a guide member rotatable between a first guiding position where the guide member guides a sheet that is conveyed by the first conveying member toward a first direction and a second guiding position where the guide member guides the sheet toward a second direction that is different from the first direction; a second conveying member that conveys a sheet that has been guided toward the first direction by the guide member; a third conveying member that conveys a sheet that has been guided toward the second direction by the guide member; a driver that drives the guide member so that the guide member rotates; an acquiring portion configured to acquire a basis weight of a sheet; and a controller configured to control the driver so as to change a rotation speed of the guide member which contacts the sheet, based on the basis weight acquired by the acquiring portion. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The image forming apparatus according to claim 11, wherein when the basis weight of the sheet which the acquiring portion acquired is a first basis weight, the controller sets the rotation speed of the guide member slower than a case when the basis weight of the sheet which the acquiring portion acquired is a second basis weight which is smaller than the first basis weight. ### Claim 13 An image forming apparatus comprising: a first conveying member that conveys a sheet on which an image is formed; a guide member rotatable between a first guiding position where the guide member guides a sheet that is conveyed by the first conveying member toward a first direction and a second guiding position where the guide member guides the sheet toward a second direction that is different from the first direction; a second conveying member that conveys a sheet that has been guided toward the first direction by the guide member; a third conveying member that conveys a sheet that has been guided toward the second direction by the guide member; a driver that drives the guide member so that the guide member rotates; an acquiring portion configured to acquire a basis weight of a sheet; and a controller configured to change a current flowing to the driver when the driver rotates the guide member which contacts the conveyed sheet, based on the basis weight acquired by the acquiring portion. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The image forming apparatus according to claim 13, wherein when the basis weight of the sheet which the acquiring portion acquired is a first basis weight, the controller controls so to set the current flown to the driver larger than a case when the basis weight of the sheet which the acquiring portion acquired is a second basis weight which is smaller than the first basis weight. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the driver comprises a motor. ### Claim 16 (depends on 11) The image forming apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the driver comprises a motor. ### Claim 17 (depends on 13) The image forming apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the driver comprises a motor.