Abstract: A drying apparatus includes a heater and a heat-transfer portion. The heat-transfer portion comes into contact with a second surface of a belt-like medium to transmit thermal energy supplied from the heater to the medium, the second surface being a surface on a back side of a first surface of the medium onto which ink is ejected. Further, the heat-transfer portion includes a base material portion, a first layer portion, and a second layer portion. The base material portion is provided closer to an opposing surface that opposes the heater than a contact surface that comes into contact with the medium. The first layer portion forms the contact surface and has higher abrasion resistance than the base material portion. The second layer portion is provided between the first layer portion and the base material portion and has higher heat conductivity than the base material portion.

Abstract: The image forming apparatus includes an ejection portion, a guide portion, a plurality of heating elements, a determination processing portion, and a drive control portion. The ejection portion ejects ink toward a first surface of a strip-shaped medium. The guide portion is provided at a position sandwiching the medium between the guide portion and the ejection portion, and forms a guide surface that guides the medium by coming into contact with a second surface on a rear side of the first surface of the medium. The plurality of heating elements are arranged along a width direction of the medium below the guide surface. The determination processing portion determines the heating elements to be driven based on the width of the medium. The drive control portion drives the heating elements determined by the determination processing portion as heating elements to be driven.

Abstract: A developing device (33) includes a developing roller (331) disposed so as to face a photosensitive drum (31), a supply roller (332) and a layer thickness regulating member (334). The supply roller (332) supplies the toner to the developing roller (331) while collecting the toner from the developing roller (331). The layer thickness regulating member (334) has a fixed end portion (334T), a base side straight portion (A), a tip side straight portion (B), a first arc portion (C) and a second arc portion (D). The radius of curvature of the second arc portion (D) is set to be smaller than that of the first arc portion (C).

Abstract: A developing device capable of stably collecting untransferred toner collected from the photoconductor drum to the developing roller to the feed roller and suppressing occurrence of development ghosts, and an image forming apparatus including the same are provided. A developing device has a developing roller facing a photoconductor drum, a feed roller, and a restriction blade. The feed roller forms a feed nip part with the developing roller by contacting with the circumferential surface of the developing roller, and collects toner from the developing roller while feeding the toner to the developing roller. The Asker-C hardness of the developing roller is in the range of 50 to 80, both inclusive, the width of the feed nip part is in the range of 0.2 to 1.5 mm, both inclusive, and a compressive load to be applied to the feed roller is in the range of 0.2 to 1.5N, both inclusive.

Abstract: A developing device capable of stably collecting untransferred toner collected from the photoconductor drum to the developing roller to the feed roller and suppressing occurrence of development ghosts, and an image forming apparatus including the same are provided. A developing device has a developing roller facing a photoconductor drum, a feed roller, and a restriction blade. The feed roller forms a feed nip part with the developing roller by contacting with the circumferential surface of the developing roller, and collects toner from the developing roller while feeding the toner to the developing roller. The Asker-C hardness of the developing roller is in the range of 50 to 80, both inclusive, the width of the feed nip part is in the range of 0.2 to 1.5 mm, both inclusive, and a compressive load to be applied to the feed roller is in the range of 0.2 to 1.5N, both inclusive.

Abstract: A developing roller includes a base portion, an elastic layer disposed on the outer circumference of the base portion, and a coating disposed on the outer peripheral surface of the elastic layer. The ten-point mean roughness of the coating according to JIS B 0601:1994 is from 2 to 4 micrometers. Furthermore, the mean spacing of profile irregularities of the coating according to JIS B 0601:1994 is from 120 to 290 micrometers. Furthermore, the surface free energy of the coating according to the Owens-Wendt-Rabel-Kaelble method is from 5 to 25 millinewtons per meter.

Abstract: A developing roller includes a base portion, an elastic layer disposed on the outer circumference of the base portion, and a coating disposed on the outer peripheral surface of the elastic layer. The ten-point mean roughness of the coating according to JIS B 0601:1994 is from 2 to 4 micrometers. Furthermore, the mean spacing of profile irregularities of the coating according to JIS B 0601:1994 is from 120 to 290 micrometers. Furthermore, the surface free energy of the coating according to the Owens-Wendt-Rabel-Kaelble method is from 5 to 25 millinewtons per meter.

Abstract: A development device includes a development housing, a development roller, a supply roller and a layer thickness regulating member. The development housing stores a nonmagnetic one-component toner. The development roller is formed by a cylindrical elastic body. The supply roller includes a metal shaft member and a cylindrical foamed elastic body, and supplies the toner to the development roller and collects the toner from the development roller. The supply roller has an electric resistance within a range of 1×102? or more and 1×104? or less. The supply roller comes into contact with the circumferential face of the development roller in a state where a compression load within a range of 0.2 N or more and 1.5 N or less is applied to the shaft member of the supply roller in a direction perpendicular to an axial direction of the shaft member.

Abstract: A development device includes a development housing, a development roller, a supply roller and a layer thickness regulating member. The development housing stores a nonmagnetic one-component toner. The development roller is formed by a cylindrical elastic body. The supply roller includes a metal shaft member and a cylindrical formed elastic body, and supplies the toner to the development roller and collects the toner from the development roller. The supply roller has an electric resistance within a range of 1×102? or more and 1×104? or less. The supply roller comes into contact with the circumferential face of the development roller in a state where a compression load within a range of 0.2 N or more and 1.5 N or less is applied to the shaft member of the supply roller in a direction perpendicular to an axial direction of the shaft member.

Abstract: An information processing apparatus manages an image forming apparatus installed in a building having a plurality of areas. The information processing apparatus includes an installation area information storage device, containing installation area information indicating each of the areas where the image forming apparatus is installed, a communication device that makes communication with an external apparatus, and a control device including a processor, and configured to acts as a controller, when the processor executes an operation control program. The controller transmits, when an abnormality detection device, provided in each of the areas to detect an abnormality that has occurred in the area, detects the abnormality, a command notice to turn off power for the image forming apparatus installed in the area where the abnormality has occurred, from the communication device to the image forming apparatus, according to the installation area information stored in the installation area information storage device.

Abstract: An information processing apparatus manages an image forming apparatus installed in a building having a plurality of areas. The information processing apparatus includes an installation area information storage device, containing installation area information indicating each of the areas where the image forming apparatus is installed, a communication device that makes communication with an external apparatus, and a control device including a processor, and configured to acts as a controller, when the processor executes an operation control program. The controller transmits, when an abnormality detection device, provided in each of the areas to detect an abnormality that has occurred in the area, detects the abnormality, a command notice to turn off power for the image forming apparatus installed in the area where the abnormality has occurred, from the communication device to the image forming apparatus, according to the installation area information stored in the installation area information storage device.

Abstract: A development device includes a developer carrier, a blade and a cover. The developer carrier carries a developer containing a toner. The blade regulates a thickness of the developer carried on the developer carrier. The cover includes a cover main body covering an outer side of the blade and a facing rib protruding from an inner face of the cover main body and facing the developer carrier at an interval. A storage space to store the toner which contacts the facing rib and falls is formed below the facing rib.

Abstract: A development device includes a developer carrier, a blade and a cover. The developer carrier carries a developer containing a toner. The blade regulates a thickness of the developer carried on the developer carrier. The cover includes a cover main body covering an outer side of the blade and a facing rib protruding from an inner face of the cover main body and facing the developer carrier at an interval. A storage space to store the toner which contacts the facing rib and falls is formed below the facing rib.

Abstract: A developing device includes a housing, a developing roller, a developer conveyance path, a partition plate, a developer supply port and a developer conveying member. The developer conveying member rotates such that an outer peripheral part thereof moves from top to bottom in a first area between a second shaft portion and the partition plate and moves from bottom to top in a second area between the second shaft portion and the side wall. The developer supply port is obliquely open above the second area. The housing includes a first space formed above the second area of the first conveyance path and a second space formed up to a position higher than the partition plate above the first area of the first conveyance path. The ceiling plate includes a ceiling portion. The ceiling portion restricts a movement of replenishing developer in the first direction.

Abstract: A developing device includes a housing, a developing roller, a developer conveyance path, a partition plate, a developer supply port and a developer conveying member. The developer conveying member rotates such that an outer peripheral part thereof moves from top to bottom in a first area between a second shaft portion and the partition plate and moves from bottom to top in a second area between the second shaft portion and the side wall. The developer supply port is obliquely open above the second area. The housing includes a first space formed above the second area of the first conveyance path and a second space formed up to a position higher than the partition plate above the first area of the first conveyance path. The ceiling plate includes a ceiling portion. The ceiling portion restricts a movement of replenishing developer in the first direction.

Abstract: A toner includes a binder resin, a colorant, and a benzilic acid compound. The binder resin contains a polyester resin A obtained by subjecting aromatic dicarboxylic acid, rosin and trivalent or higher-valent alcohol as starting materials to polycondensation, a content of the rosin in a sum of the starting materials being 60% by weight or more, and a polyester resin B obtained by subjecting aromatic dicarboxylic acid and polyhydric alcohol as starting materials to polycondensation.

Abstract: A toner includes a binder resin and a colorant. The binder resin contains a polyester resin A obtained by subjecting aromatic dicarboxylic acid, rosin, and trivalent or higher-valent alcohol as starting materials to polycondensation, a content of the rosin in a sum of the starting materials being 60% by weight or more, and a polyester resin B obtained by subjecting aromatic dicarboxylic acid and polyhydric alcohol as starting materials to polycondensation, the polyester resin B having a viscosity of 103 Pa·s or more and 105 Pa·s or less at a softening temperature of the polyester resin A, the polyester resin B being contained in an amount of 50 parts by weight or more and 200 parts by weight or less relative to 100 parts by weight of the polyester resin A.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a toner is provided which is excellent in low temperature fixation property, whose fixable temperature width is large, as well as excellent in durability while giving consideration to the global environment conservation. The method of manufacturing a toner includes a step of producing a polyester resin by a reaction of dicarboxylic acid and diol, and a step of producing a toner base particle having the polyester resin and a colorant. The dicarboxylic acid is a biomass monomer having carboxyl groups introduced into ends of one, or two or more monocarboxylic acids selected from pimaric acid, isopimaric acid, and sandaracopimaric acid.

Abstract: A capsule toner in which fine solid particles constituting a shell layer are less likely to become detached from the surfaces of toner particles in spite of a long-term use within an image forming apparatus and which is capable of prevention of occurrence of filming on a photoreceptor drum, and a method of manufacturing the capsule toner are provided. The capsule toner includes core particle and shell layers for covering the surface of the core particle. The shell layer is formed of a plurality of fine polyester resin particles. The polyester resins contained in the fine polyester resin particles, respectively, are cross-linked to each other by a cross-linking agent.

Abstract: There is provided a method of manufacturing coalesced resin particles for obtaining coalesced resin particles by coalescing aggregated resin particles in a grain boundary-free state in a short period of time while keeping a grain size distribution within a narrow range. In a coalescence process, a slurry of aggregated resin particles is flowed through an inside of a pipe under predetermined heating and pressurizing conditions. In a before-cooling decompression process, a slurry of coalesced resin particles flowing through the inside of the pipe in a heat and pressure-applied state is subjected to pressure reduction before it is cooled down to a predetermined temperature in a cooling process. Then, in a decompression process, a coalesced resin particle slurry that has been cooled in the cooling process while being flowed through the inside of the pipe is decompressed to an atmospheric pressure.