Abstract: An image recording apparatus includes a recording head including a plurality of nozzles from which ink is ejected, a memory, and one or more hardware processors coupled to the recording head and the memory. The one or more hardware processors are configured to: determine, for each of the plurality of nozzles, whether a position of the corresponding nozzle is a position to eject ink; determine whether a successive ejection operation is necessary for a nozzle out of the plurality of nozzles, whose position is determined as the position to eject ink; and cause ink to be successively ejected at the position to eject ink at a predetermined successive ejection frequency from the nozzle that is determined to have the necessity of the successive ejection operation.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus is configured to form an image on a recording medium by scanning of the image forming apparatus by a user. The image forming apparatus includes an image forming device and processing circuitry. The image forming device includes a plurality of image forming arrays. Each of the image forming arrays includes an image forming portion configured to form the image. The processing circuitry is configured to set an image forming array to be used to form the image, according to a use mode of the image forming apparatus.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus is configured to form an image on a recording medium by scanning of the image forming apparatus by a user. The image forming apparatus includes an image forming device and processing circuitry. The image forming device includes a plurality of image forming arrays. Each of the image forming arrays includes an image forming portion configured to form the image. The processing circuitry is configured to set an image forming array to be used to form the image, according to a use mode of the image forming apparatus.

Abstract: An image recording apparatus includes a recording head including a plurality of nozzles from which ink is ejected, a memory, and one or more hardware processors coupled to the recording head and the memory. The one or more hardware processors are configured to: determine, for each of the plurality of nozzles, whether a position of the corresponding nozzle is a position to eject ink; determine whether a successive ejection operation is necessary for a nozzle out of the plurality of nozzles, whose position is determined as the position to eject ink; and cause ink to be successively ejected at the position to eject ink at a predetermined successive ejection frequency from the nozzle that is determined to have the necessity of the successive ejection operation.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an apparatus body, a removable component configured to be removably installed in an installation position in the apparatus body, a cover configured to open and close when the removable component is removed from or installed in the installation position, a replacement removable component configured to be installable in and removable from the installation position in which the removable component is installed, and a holder configured to hold the replacement removable component at a different position from the installation position when the removable component is installed in the installation position and the cover opens. The replacement removable component held by the holder is configured to inhibit the cover from closing.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes image bearers, developing devices, developer containers, and developer supply devices. The image bearers are arranged side by side along a movement direction of an intermediate transferor or a sheet. The developing devices, the developer containers, and the developer supply devices are configured to be rearrangeable for each color in the movement direction in a manner that one or each of a developing device, a developer container, and a developer supply device corresponding to each color of the different colors is detached from and attached to the image forming apparatus, separately from a rest of the developing device, the developer container, and the developer supply device. The image forming apparatus is configured to be available for use when colors of the developing device, the developer container, and the developer supply device correspond to each other after rearrangement.

Abstract: A developing device includes a developer bearer opposed to an image bearer, configured to bear developer and rotate in a direction of rotation of the developer bearer, and configured to develop a latent image on the image bearer and a casing opposed to the developer bearer at a position downstream from an opposed position, at which the developer bearer is opposed to the image bearer, in the direction of rotation of the developer bearer. A casing gap between the developer bearer and the casing continuously decreases or increases from a first end of the developing device to a second end of the developing device across a center of the developing device in a longitudinal direction of the developing device.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an intermediate transferor to rotate in a predetermined rotation direction, a plurality of image bearers disposed along the intermediate transferor to bear latent images, a plurality of developing devices to develop the latent images, a plurality of developer containers to contain developers, and a plurality of conveyance paths each corresponding to a respective one of the plurality of developing devices and a respective one of the plurality of developer containers to supply the developers to the plurality of developing devices respectively. An arrangement of the plurality of developing devices in the predetermined rotation direction is configured to be changed without changing an arrangement of the plurality of developer containers. A layout of the plurality of conveyance paths is configured to be changed without changing connections between a supply source and a supply destination of the plurality of conveyance paths.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an apparatus body, a removable component configured to be removably installed in an installation position in the apparatus body, a cover configured to open and close when the removable component is removed from or installed in the installation position, a replacement removable component configured to be installable in and removable from the installation position in which the removable component is installed, and a holder configured to hold the replacement removable component at a different position from the installation position when the removable component is installed in the installation position and the cover opens. The replacement removable component held by the holder is configured to inhibit the cover from closing.

Abstract: A developing device includes a developer bearer opposed to an image bearer, configured to bear developer and rotate in a direction of rotation of the developer bearer, and configured to develop a latent image on the image bearer and a casing opposed to the developer bearer at a position downstream from an opposed position, at which the developer bearer is opposed to the image bearer, in the direction of rotation of the developer bearer. A casing gap between the developer bearer and the casing continuously decreases or increases from a first end of the developing device to a second end of the developing device across a center of the developing device in a longitudinal direction of the developing device.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes image bearers, developing devices, developer containers, and developer supply devices. The image bearers are arranged side by side along a movement direction of an intermediate transferor or a sheet. The developing devices, the developer containers, and the developer supply devices are configured to be rearrangeable for each color in the movement direction in a manner that one or each of a developing device, a developer container, and a developer supply device corresponding to each color of the different colors is detached from and attached to the image forming apparatus, separately from a rest of the developing device, the developer container, and the developer supply device. The image forming apparatus is configured to be available for use when colors of the developing device, the developer container, and the developer supply device correspond to each other after rearrangement.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an intermediate transferor, a plurality of image bearers, a plurality of developing devices, a plurality of developer containers, a plurality of conveyance paths, and a plurality of sub-hoppers. At least one set of an image bearer, a developing device, and a sub-hopper is disposed at a height different from other sets. The arrangement of the plurality of developing devices and the plurality of sub-hoppers in the rotation direction of the intermediate transferor is changed while satisfying the following. The arrangement of the plurality of developer containers is not changed and the connections between the plurality of developing devices and the plurality of sub-hoppers are not change, while the layout of the plurality of tubes as the plurality of conveyance paths is changed so that the connections between the plurality of tubes and the plurality of sub-hoppers are not changed.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an intermediate transferor to rotate in a predetermined rotation direction, a plurality of image bearers disposed along the intermediate transferor to bear latent images, a plurality of developing devices to develop the latent images, a plurality of developer containers to contain developers, and a plurality of conveyance paths each corresponding to a respective one of the plurality of developing devices and a respective one of the plurality of developer containers to supply the developers to the plurality of developing devices respectively. An arrangement of the plurality of developing devices in the predetermined rotation direction is configured to be changed without changing an arrangement of the plurality of developer containers. A layout of the plurality of conveyance paths is configured to be changed without changing connections between a supply source and a supply destination of the plurality of conveyance paths.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an intermediate transferor, a plurality of image bearers, a plurality of developing devices, a plurality of developer containers, a plurality of conveyance paths, and a plurality of sub-hoppers. At least one set of an image bearer, a developing device, and a sub-hopper is disposed at a height different from other sets. The arrangement of the plurality of developing devices and the plurality of sub-hoppers in the rotation direction of the intermediate transferor is changed while satisfying the following. The arrangement of the plurality of developer containers is not changed and the connections between the plurality of developing devices and the plurality of sub-hoppers are not change, while the layout of the plurality of tubes as the plurality of conveyance paths is changed so that the connections between the plurality of tubes and the plurality of sub-hoppers are not changed.

Abstract: A powder container for an image forming apparatus includes: a rotatable powder storage storing powder; an opening on one end of the powder storage, through which a nozzle can be inserted; and a scooping portion to scoop up powder on an opening side, and supply the powder to a powder receiving hole of the nozzle when the powder storage rotates. The scooping portion includes a scooping surface extending inwardly from an inner wall surface of the powder storage and an inner end portion extending in a rotation axis direction of the powder storage, with an edge approximately parallel to the rotation axis. In a cross-section perpendicular to the rotation axis, the scooping surface is inclined toward an upstream side in a rotation direction of the powder storage with respect to a virtual line that passes through the rotation axis and is tangent to the edge of the inner end portion.

Abstract: A powder container for an image forming apparatus includes: a rotatable powder storage storing powder; an opening on one end of the powder storage, through which a nozzle can be inserted; and a scooping portion to scoop up powder on an opening side, and supply the powder to a powder receiving hole of the nozzle when the powder storage rotates. The scooping portion includes a scooping surface extending inwardly from an inner wall surface of the powder storage and an inner end portion extending in a rotation axis direction of the powder storage, with an edge approximately parallel to the rotation axis. In a cross-section perpendicular to the rotation axis, the scooping surface is inclined toward an upstream side in a rotation direction of the powder storage with respect to a virtual line that passes through the rotation axis and is tangent to the edge of the inner end portion.

Abstract: A developing device includes a casing having an opening, the casing to contain developer, and a developer bearer including a magnetized range to cause developer to stand on end on a surface of the developer bearer and an end range outside the magnetized range in a longitudinal direction of the developer bearer. The developer bearer is disposed in the casing and partly exposed from the opening with a casing gap secured between the surface of the developer bearer and an inner face of the casing. The developer bearer generates, by rotation, sucked-in airflow to collect a floating toner from the opening into the casing, and the casing gap is smaller in the end range than the magnetized range.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a latent image bearer having a shaft to rotate in a normal direction for image formation and a reverse direction, a charging device, a latent image forming device, a developing device including a developer bearer having a shaft, a driving source, a drive transmission device to transmit a driving force from the driving source to the shaft of the latent image bearer and the shaft of the developer bearer. The developer bearer rotates in a predetermined direction during image formation and transports developer including toner to a developing range facing the latent image bearer, thereby developing the latent image on the latent image bearer. The drive transmission device is configured to inhibit transmission of the driving force to the shaft of the developer bearer when the latent image bearer rotates in the reverse direction.