Abstract: In an image forming apparatus, a lifetime detection unit acquires an activation time threshold using a threshold stored in an activation time storage unit and an environmental temperature detected by a temperature detection unit, and, in a case where activation time acquired by an activation time acquisition unit is shorter than the activation time threshold, makes a notification of at least one of a lifetime or replacement of a deflection unit or an optical scanning unit.

Abstract: Disclosed is an image forming apparatus including: a fixation unit configured to heat a toner image formed corresponding to image data and fix the heated toner image onto a recording material; and a control unit configured to determine a fixation target temperature used by the fixation unit to heat the toner image on the basis of the image data, wherein the control unit performs a first determination to calculate a first target temperature on the basis of image density information in each of a plurality of regions in which the image data is divided in a main-scanning direction and a sub-scanning direction and a second determination to determine whether the image data is a text image, and determines the fixation target temperature on the basis of results of the first determination and the second determination.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a first detector detecting an operation sound based on a sound wave received by a receiver; a second detector detecting basis weight of recording material based on an ultrasonic wave transmitted from a transmitter and received by the receiver; a switching unit that switches destination of a reception signal from the receiver between a first path to the first detector and a second path to the second detector; and a controller that controls the switching unit such that the reception signal is output to the first path at a first timing and to the second path at a second timing. When a predetermined condition is satisfied, the controller controls the switching unit such that the reception signal is output to the second path at the first timing or to the first path at the second timing.

Abstract: In an image forming apparatus, a CPU can perform in a normal mode and a low mode in which a photoconductive drum rotates at a rate m/n times the rotational rate in the normal mode, and lower than the rotational rate in the normal mode. In the low mode, the CPU causes a synchronizing signal generation portion to generate a line synchronizing signal at a cycle 1/m times the cycle of the line synchronizing signal generated in the normal mode, and causes a chip data conversion portion to transmit, to an exposure head, the same image data signal m times and transmit, to the exposure head, an image data signal that brings a light-emitting portion into no light emission n-m times, in synchronization with n number of line synchronizing signals.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: a drawer movable between an inner position and an outer position and supporting a first cartridge including a first photosensitive drum and a first discharge part and a second cartridge including a second photosensitive drum and a second discharge part; and a waste toner box including a first coupling part coupled with the first discharge part and a second coupling part coupled with the second discharge part, in a state where the first cartridge and the second cartridge are supported by the drawer at an inner position and the waste toner box is mounted to the apparatus main body, the waste toner box being movable between a first/second position where the first coupling part and the first discharge part are coupled/decoupled and the second coupling part and the second discharge part are coupled/decoupled.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a platen on which an original is to be placed, a feeder configured to feed an original placed on a tray, a sensor configured to detect a sheet on the tray, a lamp provided to the feeder, a reader configured to read the original placed on the platen and to read the original conveyed by the feeder, an image forming unit configured to form an image on a sheet, and a controller. The controller is configured to control the image forming unit to form a test image on a sheet, control the reader to read the test image formed on the sheet placed on the platen, control a density of the image to be formed by the image forming unit based on a reading result of the test image.

Abstract: A heater includes a heat-resistant insulating substrate, a plurality of heat generating members arrayed in a first direction on a first surface of the substrate, and a plurality of heat radiating bodies disposed on a surface different from the first surface of the substrate at positions corresponding to gap portions between the heat generating members to passively radiate heat generated thereby.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image forming device, a driving device, an external temperature detector, an internal temperature detector, a work amount detector, and control circuitry. When a temperature detected by the external temperature detector is lower than a temperature threshold, the circuitry shifts to a first restriction state based on a work amount and temporarily stops drive of the image forming device for a period every time the amount reaches a threshold. When the temperature is not lower than the temperature threshold, the circuitry shifts to a second restriction state based on an internal temperature. In the second state, in a case where the internal temperature is higher than a first threshold, the circuitry performs an intermittent operation of repeating a pause state and a printing state, until the internal temperature falls to be equal to or lower than a second threshold being lower than the first threshold.

Abstract: A fixing device includes a fixing film, a heater for heating the fixing film, a heater holder including a heater holding portion holding the heater, and a pressing roller forming a nip between itself and the fixing film to be heated by the heater. In the nip, a toner image carried on a recording material is fixed. The heater holder includes an opposing surface which is provided on a side upstream of the heater holding portion with respect to a recording material feeding direction and which opposes the pressing roller, a lubricant holding portion provided on the opposing surface, for supplying a lubricant to between the fixing film and the heater, and a projected portion provided on the side upstream of the heater holding portion with respect to the recording material feeding direction and projecting toward the pressing roller from the opposing surface.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus is capable of being attached with a toner supply container. The toner supply container stores a toner that is to be supplied to a developing portion. An attachment location of the toner supply container is below a light scanning portion in a vertical direction.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an exposing unit, an intermediary transfer belt, a cleaning blade to clean a remaining toner on the intermediary transfer belt, and a controller to control so as to form a toner image on the intermediary transfer belt to supply toner as a lubricant of the cleaning blade. The controller controls a first line count when a first toner image is formed to supply the toner to the cleaning blade to become fewer than a second line count when a second toner image is formed to transfer to a recording material.

Abstract: A fixing belt heats and fixes a toner image. A pressure roller rotates the fixing belt while in contact with the fixing belt. A heater heats the fixing belt. A lubricating oil forms an oil film between the heater and an inner peripheral surface of the fixing belt. A pressure roller driver rotates the pressure roller so that the lubricating oil causes the fixing belt to be out of contact with the heater.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus, including: a photoconductor; a developing device; a developer storage; a supplier configured to supply developer; an optical sensor; and a controller configured to execute: a developing process of developing an electrostatic latent image on the photoconductor; a usage-amount obtaining process of obtaining a usage amount of the developer; a supplying process of supplying the developer to the developing device every time when the obtained usage amount becomes equal to or greater than a first threshold; and a detecting process of detecting, by the optical sensor, an amount of the developer in the developing device every time when the obtained usage amount becomes equal to or greater than a second threshold larger than the first threshold, and wherein the controller is configured to execute the detecting process in a period different from a period in which the developing process is being executed.

Abstract: An image forming method includes supplying powder having metallic luster on a resin image arranged on a recording medium, wherein a color value of the resin image and a color value of the powder on the recording medium satisfy the following Equation (1): {(L*p?L*i?40)2+(a*p?a*i)2+(b*p?b*i)2}1/2?20??(1) wherein L*p, a*p, and b*p represent color values of the powder, and L*i, a*i, and b*i represent color values of the resin image on the recording medium.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a photosensitive drum which is rotatable; light-emitting portions arranged along a direction of a rotational axis of the photosensitive drum, the light-emitting portions emitting light based on image data in order to expose the photosensitive drum; a reference clock signal generation portion which generates a reference clock signal with a predetermined period; a modulated clock signal generation portion which generates a modulated clock signal with a predetermined modulation period by spreading a spectrum of the reference clock signal and by modulating the predetermined period, wherein the light-emitting portions emit light for a lighting time set based on the modulated clock signal; and a control signal generation portion which generates with a period of n times the predetermined modulation period (n is an integer greater than or equal to 1) a control signal for controlling a timing at which the light-emitting portions emit light.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a transfer belt, a forming unit, a detection unit, a correction unit, a drive system, a determination unit, and a notification unit. The forming unit forms an image-misregistration detection pattern of a plurality of colors on the belt. The correction unit corrects an image misregistration of an image of each color based on a detection result of the pattern. The determination unit detects a difference amount between a pattern interval of the pattern on the belt and a pattern interval serving as a reference value for each color and determines that an abnormality has occurred in a driving state of the drive system, in response to the difference amount equal to or greater than a threshold value. The notification unit notifies occurrence of the misregistration when the determination unit determines that the driving state is abnormal, based on the difference amount of any one color.

Abstract: An electrophotographic belt includes: a base body having an endless shape; and a surface layer on an outer peripheral surface of the base body, wherein grooves extending in a circumferential direction are provided on an outer surface of the surface layer; the base body contains a thermoplastic polyester resin and a filler; the surface layer contains an acrylic resin; a thickness T of the base body is 30 ?m or larger, and a content of the filler in the base body is 0.1% by volume or more and 10.0% by volume or less based on a total volume of the base body; and in a region having a thickness 0.25 times as thick as an average particle diameter of the filler, an average value A of ratios of elements derived from the filler is 0.0 atomic % or larger and 1.0 atomic % or smaller.

Abstract: A mountable unit set usable with an electrophotographic-image-forming apparatus includes a cartridge and an attachment. A cartridge includes a photosensitive drum and a coupling member for receiving a driving force for rotating the photosensitive drum, from a driving shaft. An attachment includes a cylindrical portion for being mounted to a periphery of the driving shaft to suppress tilting of the driving shaft. Tilting of a driving-force transmitting member is suppressed.

Abstract: An imaging system includes a transfer belt that is rotatable, a transfer roller that contacts the transfer belt, and a conductive device that contacts a surface of the transfer roller, to supply a bias to the transfer roller. The transfer roller has a hollow portion.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: a main casing; a drum cartridge; a toner cartridge; a display; and a controller. The drum cartridge is attachable to and detachable from the main casing. The drum cartridge includes a photosensitive drum and a drum memory. The toner cartridge is attachable to and detachable from the drum cartridge. The toner cartridge includes a toner memory. The controller is configured to: determine whether an error occurs in the drum cartridge through a communication with the drum memory; determine whether an error occurs in the toner cartridge through a communication with the toner memory; and when determining that an error occurs in the drum cartridge and determining that an error occurs in the toner cartridge, display on the display an error relating to the drum cartridge in preference to displaying on the display an error relating to the toner cartridge.