Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a process unit, a heating unit, and a controller unit. The process unit is configured to transfer an image onto a sheet. The heating unit is configured to fix the image transferred at the process unit onto the sheet, and to transfer a transfer layer onto an image formed on a sheet overlaid on a multilayer film. The controller unit is capable of operating in a first printing mode in which processes of transferring an image at the process unit, fixing the image at the heating unit, and transferring the transfer layer at the heating unit are executed, and a second printing mode in which processes of transferring an image at the process unit and fixing the image at the heating unit are not executed, and a process of transferring the transfer layer at the heating unit is executed.

Abstract: A memory holder cover holds a memory holder so as to be movable with respect to the memory holder cover. An electrical contact contacts an electrical contact surface of a memory from above in a state where a cartridge is located at an attached position at which the cartridge is attached to a main housing. The main housing includes a guide groove having upper and lower guide surfaces. The upper guide surface guides movement of a memory holder from above when the cartridge is attached and detached. The lower guide surface guides movement of the memory holder from below when the cartridge is attached and detached. In a state where the cartridge is located at the attached position, the electrical contact surface is parallel to at least part of the upper guide surface or at least part of the lower guide surface.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus according to this disclosure includes: a charging roller that charges a surface of a photoconductor drum; a development unit that forms a toner image on the surface of the photoconductor drum; an image density sensor that detects density of the formed toner image; a charge power supply that applies a bias voltage to the charging roller; a development power supply that applies a bias voltage to the development unit; and a controller. The controller causes the charge and development power supplies to output respective predetermined bias voltages for predetermined time, and is capable of executing a contact and separation determination mode in which a contact and separation state of the charging roller is determined based on whether or not an image is detected by the image density sensor after output of the respective bias voltages.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus, employs a constitution in which, in a case that a relative position between an inner roller and an outer member with respect to a circumferential direction of the inner roller is changed in a period after a preceding recording material passed through a transfer portion and until a recording material subsequent to the preceding recording material reaches the transfer portion during execution of a job for forming and outputting images on a plurality of recording materials, a controller controls a position changing mechanism so that the relative position between the inner roller and the outer member is changed in a state in which the outer member contacts an intermediary transfer belt.

Abstract: A fusing device includes: an endless rotatable fusing belt; a nip forming member that is disposed on an inner circumferential surface of the fusing belt; a pressure roller that is in pressure contact with the nip forming member from an outer side of the fusing belt and forms a fusing nip area between the pressure roller and the fusing belt; and a heat source that is disposed inside the fusing belt and heats the fusing belt. The fusing device further includes a heat-conductive member that is disposed on a lateral side of an outer circumference of the fusing belt. The heat-conductive member extends over a width area in a rotation axis direction of the fusing belt.

Abstract: A drum cartridge includes: a photosensitive drum; a drum frame; a drum coupling; and an electrical contact surface. The photosensitive drum is rotatable about an axis extending in a first direction. The drum frame has one end portion in a second direction at which the photosensitive drum is positioned. The drum coupling is rotatable together with the photosensitive drum. The drum coupling is positioned at an outer surface of one side in the first direction of the drum frame. The electrical contact surface is positioned closer to another side in the second direction of the drum frame than the drum coupling is to the another side in the second direction of the drum frame.

Abstract: A roll member includes: a conductive elastic layer that contains a fatty acid metal salt; and a surface layer that is provided on the conductive elastic layer and contains a filler, in which the surface layer includes a first layer provided on the conductive elastic layer side and a second layer provided immediately above the first layer, and a content of the filler in the first layer is less than a content of the filler in the second layer.

Abstract: A developing cartridge includes: a casing; a developing roller; a shaft extending in a first direction; a first inclined surface; a second inclined surface; an elastic member; and a first protrusion. The shaft is movable in the first direction relative to the casing and the developing roller, and is movable in the second direction together with the same. The first inclined surface is positioned at one end portion of the shaft, while the second inclined surface is positioned at another end portion of the shaft. The first and second inclined surfaces are inclined relative to the first direction. The first protrusion is movable in the first direction together with the second inclined surface. The shaft is movable from a first position to a second position when the second inclined surface receives a pressing force directed in a direction from the another end portion to the one end portion.

Abstract: A correction mechanism incorporated in a belt conveyance device includes a pair of inclined bearings and a pair of main body guides, and corrects meandering of an endless belt. The pair of inclined bearings include a pair of inclined portions, and support a shaft portion of a roller that stretches the belt. The pair of main body guides contact the pair of inclined portions, and, when the belt meanders, cause one end part side of the roller in the axial direction thereof to move in a direction perpendicular to the axial direction thereof. The pair of inclined portions and the pair of main body guides are disposed inward of opposite end parts of the roller in the axial direction thereof, as seen from a direction perpendicular to the axial direction of the roller.

Abstract: A developing roll has a metal core, an elastic layer, and a surface layer. A value X is 65.6 N/mm3 or more and a value Y is 229 ?m or more. The value X is P1/(D1×A)?P2/(D2×A). P1 is the load to displace the roll 100 ?m when a metal probe is pressed against the roll. D1 is the displacement of the roll caused by the probe under the load P1. A is the area of the probe. P2 is the load to displace a material roll by 100 ?m when the probe presses against the material roll with the core and the elastic layer and without the surface layer. D2 is the displacement of the material roll caused by the probe under the load P2. The value Y is the displacement of the roll when the probe pierces the surface layer.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus controls a feeding device to stop feeding residual toner to a first accommodating container and an image forming portion to continue an image forming operation, in a case the first accommodating container is not full and the first accommodating container is dismounted when the image forming operation is executed when the residual toner is fed to the first accommodating container. After detection of dismount of the first accommodating container until a predetermined time elapses, the feeding device stops feeding continuously the residual toner to the first accommodating container and does not start feeding the residual toner to the second accommodating container, and the image forming operation continues when the first accommodating container is not mounted, and the feeding device resumes feeding the residual toner to the first accommodating container and the image forming operation continues when the first accommodating container is mounted again.

Abstract: A fixing device includes a fixing rotator, a pressure rotator, a pressure plate, a pressing force, an entrance guide, an exit guide, and a transmission. The pressure rotator presses the fixing rotator to form a nip between the fixing rotator and the pressure rotator. The pressure plate rotates about a fulcrum to press the pressure rotator. The pressing force adjuster adjusts a pressing force of the pressure rotator. The entrance guide guides a recording medium entering the nip. The exit guide guides the recording medium ejected from the nip. The transmission transmits a displacement of the pressure plate to the entrance guide and the exit guide.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes first and second image bearing members and first and second developing members. The controller controls to execute first and second controls based on image information in a case that the first developing member is separated from the first image bearing member when an operation in which the image is sequentially transferred to a transferred member from the first and second image bearing members is terminated. The first developing member is started to separate from the first image bearing member in the first control after an end of an image forming area on the first image bearing member in a moving direction passes through the first transfer position, and in the second control after the end of the image forming area on the first image bearing member in the moving direction passes through the developing position and before the end of the image forming area reaches the first transfer position.

Abstract: In response to detecting that a remaining supply of print material of a first cartridge has reached a first threshold, a printing device transmits a request. In response to detecting that a second cartridge has replaced the first cartridge, the printing device determines whether the remaining supply had reached a second threshold and whether a token permitting usage of the second cartridge was received responsive to the request. In response to determining that the remaining supply had reached the second threshold and that the token was received, the printing device prints with print material from the second cartridge.

Abstract: An image forming device includes an LED head, a main controller board and an LED controller board. The main controller board comprises a main controller, a voltage output circuit, a first voltage terminal, a second voltage terminal. The voltage output circuit outputs a first voltage via the first voltage terminal and the second voltage via the second voltage terminal. The LED controller board includes a third voltage terminal, a fourth voltage terminal and an LED controller. The third voltage terminal is connected to the first voltage terminal, and the fourth voltage terminal is connected to the second voltage terminal. The LED controller board outputs a voltage according to the first voltage to the LED head. The LED controller is connected to the fourth voltage terminal. A voltage according to the second voltage is input to the LED controller.

Abstract: A belt unit, for use in an image forming apparatus, includes an endless belt that moves in a movement direction, a transfer member, a collecting member, a storage container, and a conveyance member. The conveyance member conveys toner in a conveyance direction, rotates about a rotational axis extending in a rotational axis direction, includes a shaft and a conveyance portion provided on a shaft outer surface, and has a helical shape having a helical axis extending in the rotational axis direction. The conveyance member further includes a protruding portion protruding from the shaft outer surface in a direction crossing the conveyance member rotational axis, which has a shape different from the helical shape, and which is provided on a shaft portion downstream of the conveyance portion in the conveyance direction. The rotational axis direction is a direction crossing both the endless belt movement direction and a transfer member longitudinal direction.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image forming unit to form an image on a sheet based on a mode selected from a plurality of modes having different image forming speeds, a memory to store first data for a first mode included in the plurality of modes, the first data indicating a correspondence for the first mode between a type of the sheet and the image forming speed, and second data for a second mode included in the plurality of modes, the second data indicating a correspondence for the second mode between a type of the sheet and the image forming speed, and a display. A controller determines a first image forming speed for the first mode from the first data based on the type of the sheet, and determines a second image forming speed for the second mode from the second data.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus connected to a user terminal includes: an apparatus side connecting part; a connection detecting part; an apparatus side mode switching part; and an apparatus side mode setting part. The apparatus side connecting part connects to the user terminal and outputs connection information. The connection detecting part detects whether or not the apparatus side connecting part is connected to the user terminal based on the connection information and outputs detection information. The apparatus side mode switching part outputs, based on the detection information, mode information indicating a mode to which a consumption amount of a resource consumed by the image forming apparatus is allocated. The apparatus side mode setting part sets, based on the mode information, an energy saving mode in which the consumption amount is reduced as compared with the consumption amount when the apparatus side connecting part and the user terminal are connected.

Abstract: An example image forming apparatus includes a frame, a first shaft supported by the frame, and a first coupler. The first coupler includes a body coupled to one end of the first shaft and a first protrusion protruding from the body in an axial direction of the first shaft, the first protrusion having a first surface and a second protrusion protruding from the first surface. The second protrusion is to lock with a groove to mount a cartridge on the frame, the first shaft is to provide a rotational force in a first rotational direction to rotate the second protrusion of the first coupler and to insert the second protrusion into the groove to lock with the cartridge, and the first surface of the first protrusion of the first coupler is to contact a second surface to transmit the rotational force to the second coupler in the first rotational direction.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a detachable unit that is attachable to and detachable from an apparatus main body; and a cleaning unit that is provided in the apparatus main body, and at the time of attachment or detachment of the detachable unit, comes into contact with a grip portion of the detachable unit to clean a floating substance adhered to the grip portion, the floating substance being in the apparatus main body.