Abstract: A charger is provided. The charger includes a discharge electrode, a cleaner, and a holder. The discharge electrode is composed of a wire, and the wire has a surface plated with palladium. The cleaner removes foreign substances adhered to the discharge electrode. The cleaner includes a first cleaner composed of a glass-containing resin and a second cleaner. The first cleaner scrapes off the foreign substances by press-contacting the wire while moving, and the second cleaner wipes off the foreign substances by press-contacting the wire while moving. The holder movably holds the cleaner in a direction parallel to the discharge electrode.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a first image forming device, a plurality of second image forming devices, a first bias voltage supply device, and a second bias voltage supply device. The first image forming device and the second image forming device form a toner image. The first bias voltage supply device applies a bias voltage to a first component of the first image forming device. The second bias voltage supply device applies a bias voltage to a second component of each of the plurality of second image forming devices.

Abstract: A lubricant applicator includes a lubricant, a supply member contactable against the lubricant to supply the lubricant to a target, and a lubricant gauge to detect whether an amount of lubricant remaining is less than a threshold value. The lubricant gauge includes a rotary member rotatable about a shaft, a pressing member to press and rotate the rotary member as the lubricant is consumed, a contact part of the rotary member pressed by the pressing member, and a detection part of the rotary member opposite to the contact part across the shaft of the rotary member.

Abstract: A cleaning unit, which is included in a process cartridge or an image forming apparatus, includes a brush rotary body to remove toner, a toner collecting rotary body to collect the toner, a toner collecting blade to scrape the toner, and a cleaning blade to scrape the toner falling from the brush rotary body. The image carrier, the brush rotary body, and the toner collecting rotary body rotate in the same direction. The cleaning blade, the brush rotary body, and the toner collecting rotary body are located to cause a tangential line passing through a contact area of the brush rotary body and the toner collecting rotary body on an outer peripheral circle around a shaft of the brush rotary body to have an intersection point intersecting a non-contact surface of the cleaning blade disposed opposite to a contact portion of the cleaning blade with the image carrier.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image carrier, a toner-image forming unit, a transfer unit, a cleaner, a plurality of cylindrical transport path forming members, a falling transport path forming member, and a discharge port. The falling transport path forming member has through holes in a side wall thereof. A second end of each of the transport path forming members is inserted into a corresponding one of the through holes. The falling transport path forming member forms a falling transport path that causes toner ejected from an ejection port disposed in the second end to fall. The discharge port is disposed in a lower part of the falling transport path forming member to discharge the toner to a discharge destination. The second ends of the transport path forming members are disposed offset from each other in a horizontal direction on the side wall of the falling transport path forming member.

Abstract: A powder container includes a cylindrical container body to contain a powder, having an opening in one end thereof, to convey the powder contained in the container body to the opening with rotation of the container body, and having a container-body projection provided on an outer circumferential surface of the container body; and a cylindrical holder, into which the end of the container body having the opening is inserted, to hold the container body rotatably, having a powder outlet through which the powder is discharged from the holder and a holder projection provided on an inner circumferential surface thereof. The container-body projection repetitively contacts and separates from the holder projection with rotation of the container body to vibrate the container body and the holder.

Abstract: A charger positioning adjuster, which is included in an image forming apparatus and disposed facing a charger uniformly charging a surface of an image carrier using corona discharging, includes a mounting part provided at a position on which the charger is detachably attached, a positioning member attached to the mounting part and positioning the charger by contacting thereto, and a spacer disposed between the mounting part and the positioning member and adjusting a distance between the surface of the image carrier and the charger.

Abstract: A lubricant applicator includes a lubricant, a supply member contactable against the lubricant to supply the lubricant to a target, and a lubricant gauge to detect whether an amount of lubricant remaining is less than a threshold value. The lubricant gauge includes a rotary member rotatable about a shaft, a pressing member to press and rotate the rotary member as the lubricant is consumed, a contact part of the rotary member pressed by the pressing member, and a detection part of the rotary member opposite to the contact part across the shaft of the rotary member.

Abstract: A cleaning device, which is included in a process cartridge or an image forming apparatus, includes a cleaning member including a brush rotary body that is disposed in contact with an image carrier provided in an image forming apparatus and that removes toner on the image carrier and holds the toner thereon, a toner conveying rotary body to collect and convey the toner removed by the cleaning member, a flicker contacting the cleaning member to flick off the toner held on the cleaning member, and an agitator that has a free end contacting the toner conveying rotary body and vibrating due to rotation of the toner conveying rotary body. The agitator further has a trajectory being formed between the opening and the toner conveying rotary body by movement of the free end. Alternatively, the free end of the agitator is disposed facing the flicker.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image bearer; a toner image forming unit to form a toner image on the image bearer; a transfer device to transfer the toner image from the image bearer onto a transfer medium; a cleaning device to remove untransferred toner from the image bearer; and a lubrication device including a solid lubricant, an applicator to apply lubricant scraped off from the solid lubricant to the image bearer while rotating, and an applicator driving device to rotate the applicator; and a controller to control the applicator driving device according to a predetermined variable to change a rotational frequency of the applicator during idle running of the image bearer.

Abstract: A charger is provided. The charger includes a discharge electrode, a cleaner, and a holder. The discharge electrode is composed of a wire, and the wire has a surface plated with palladium. The cleaner removes foreign substances adhered to the discharge electrode. The cleaner includes a first cleaner composed of a glass-containing resin and a second cleaner. The first cleaner scrapes off the foreign substances by press-contacting the wire while moving, and the second cleaner wipes off the foreign substances by press-contacting the wire while moving. The holder movably holds the cleaner in a direction parallel to the discharge electrode.

Abstract: An image carrier surface treatment device is disposed opposite an image carrier rotatable in a first rotation direction and carrying a toner image. The image carrier surface treatment device includes a roller rotatable in a second rotation direction while contacting an outer circumferential surface of the image carrier. The roller includes a shaft projecting from each lateral end of the roller in an axial direction thereof. A rolling-element bearing is fitted on the shaft of the roller to support and position the roller inside the image carrier surface treatment device.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image carrier removably installed in the apparatus to carry an image; a transfer member contacting with the image carrier to transfer the image onto the transfer member or a recording medium; a contact and separation mechanism causing the transfer member to contact with or separate from the image carrier; and a removable unit removably installed in the apparatus from the same direction as an installation direction of the image carrier to be disposed proximal of the image carrier and the transfer member in the installation direction, and at least partially overlapping the image carrier and the transfer member as viewed in the installation direction. The removable unit interferes with the contact and separation mechanism and is prevented from being installed in the apparatus, when the transfer member is separated from the image carrier by the contact and separation mechanism.

Abstract: A cleaning device, which is included in a process cartridge or an image forming apparatus, includes a cleaning member including a brush rotary body that is disposed in contact with an image carrier provided in an image forming apparatus and that removes toner on the image carrier and holds the toner thereon, a toner conveying rotary body to collect and convey the toner removed by the cleaning member, a flicker contacting the cleaning member to flick off the toner held on the cleaning member, and an agitator that has a free end contacting the toner conveying rotary body and vibrating due to rotation of the toner conveying rotary body. The agitator further has a trajectory being formed between the opening and the toner conveying rotary body by movement of the free end. Alternatively, the free end of the agitator is disposed facing the flicker.

Abstract: A process cartridge detachably installable in an image forming apparatus including a first sub-unit to hold an image carrier, a second sub-unit to hold a developer bearing member, a first positioning member to position first ends of the image carrier and the developer bearing member in a longitudinal direction, respectively, and a second positioning member to position second ends of the image carrier and the developer bearing member opposite the first ends in the longitudinal direction, respectively. The second sub-unit has a protruding portion protruding outward to a first end of the second sub-unit beyond the first positioning member in the longitudinal direction. An opposing surface of the protruding portion provided to face the first positioning member is dimensioned to conform to a cross-section of the first positioning member perpendicular to the longitudinal direction.

Abstract: A toner supply device including a casing and a shutter member. The casing includes a toner container for containing toner, a discharge aperture for discharging the toner from the toner container, and an aperture. The shutter member includes an elastic part having at least one bending portion and the elastic part is elastically deformable. The shutter member is insertable into the casing through the aperture to be movable between a closed position at which the discharge aperture is closed and an opened position at which the discharge aperture is opened while the elastic part is kept elastically deformed.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image carrier, a toner-image forming unit, a transfer unit, a cleaner, a plurality of cylindrical transport path forming members, a falling transport path forming member, and a discharge port. The falling transport path forming member has through holes in a side wall thereof. A second end of each of the transport path forming members is inserted into a corresponding one of the through holes. The falling transport path forming member forms a falling transport path that causes toner ejected from an ejection port disposed in the second end to fall. The discharge port is disposed in a lower part of the falling transport path forming member to discharge the toner to a discharge destination. The second ends of the transport path forming members are disposed offset from each other in a horizontal direction on the side wall of the falling transport path forming member.

Abstract: A charger positioning adjuster, which is included in an image forming apparatus and disposed facing a charger uniformly charging a surface of an image carrier using corona discharging, includes a mounting part provided at a position on which the charger is detachably attached, a positioning member attached to the mounting part and positioning the charger by contacting thereto, and a spacer disposed between the mounting part and the positioning member and adjusting a distance between the surface of the image carrier and the charger.

Abstract: A cleaning unit, which is included in a process cartridge or an image forming apparatus, includes a brush rotary body to remove toner, a toner collecting rotary body to collect the toner, a toner collecting blade to scrape the toner, and a cleaning blade to scrape the toner falling from the brush rotary body. The image carrier, the brush rotary body, and the toner collecting rotary body rotate in the same direction. The cleaning blade, the brush rotary body, and the toner collecting rotary body are located to cause a tangential line passing through a contact area of the brush rotary body and the toner collecting rotary body on an outer peripheral circle around a shaft of the brush rotary body to have an intersection point intersecting a non-contact surface of the cleaning blade disposed opposite to a contact portion of the cleaning blade with the image carrier.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a first image forming device, a plurality of second image forming devices, a first bias voltage supply device, and a second bias voltage supply device. The first image forming device and the second image forming device form a toner image. The first bias voltage supply device applies a bias voltage to a first component of the first image forming device. The second bias voltage supply device applies a bias voltage to a second component of each of the plurality of second image forming devices.