Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a main tank that stores an ink, an ink head that ejects the ink, a first supply channel connected to the main tank, a second supply channel for supplying the ink from the first supply channel to the ink head, and a discharge channel for discharging the ink from the first supply channel without allowing the ink to pass through the ink head. The second supply channel is provided with a first supply valve, and the discharge channel is provided with a discharge valve.

Abstract: An ink supply device includes: a main tank that stores ink; a sub-tank that stores the ink supplied from the main tank and supplies the ink stored to a plurality of inkjet heads connected; and a heater that heats the ink before the ink flows into the sub-tank, wherein the heater includes a plurality of ink outlet ports that can supply the ink with different temperatures to the sub-tank midway in a flow path of the ink to be heated.

Abstract: An inkjet recording apparatus includes: an inkjet head that has nozzles that discharge ink; a pressure applicator that applies an external force to the ink; a hardware processor; and a flow detector. The hardware processor controls a maintenance mode in which the pressure applicator applies the external force to the ink and forces the ink to be discharged from the nozzles. The flow detector detects flow of the ink discharged from the nozzles by the pressure applicator during the maintenance mode. The hardware processor then determines an ink discharge status at the nozzles based on a detection result by the flow detector.

Abstract: An ink-jet recording apparatus includes a first electrification adjuster and a second electrification adjuster. The first electrification adjuster disposed to face the recording material to be conveyed supplies a charge with one polarity. The second electrification adjuster disposed downstream the first electrification adjuster in the conveying direction to face the recording material supplies the charge with opposite polarity to that of the charge supplied by the first electrification adjuster so that the ink-jet image is formed at the downstream side of the electrification adjuster.

Abstract: An electrification adjustment apparatus includes a first electrification adjuster facing the recording material conveyed for supplying charges each with one polarity, and a second electrification adjuster facing the recording material downstream of the first electrification adjuster in a conveying direction for supplying charges each with opposite polarity to that of the charge supplied by the first electrification adjuster. In the electrification adjustment apparatus, an electrostatic capacity between the recording material surface facing the second electrification adjuster, and an electrode partially or entirely formed from the conveyor member is smaller than the one between the recording material surface facing the first electrification adjuster and an electrode partially or entirely formed from the conveyor member. Either front or back surface of the recording material is in contact with the conveyor member in a region between the first and the second electrification adjusters.

Abstract: An ink-jet recording apparatus includes a first electrification adjuster and a second electrification adjuster. The first electrification adjuster disposed to face the recording material to be conveyed supplies a charge with one polarity. The second electrification adjuster disposed downstream the first electrification adjuster in the conveying direction to face the recording material supplies the charge with opposite polarity to that of the charge supplied by the first electrification adjuster so that the ink-jet image is formed at the downstream side of the electrification adjuster.

Abstract: An electrification adjustment apparatus includes a first electrification adjuster facing the recording material conveyed for supplying charges each with one polarity, and a second electrification adjuster facing the recording material downstream of the first electrification adjuster in a conveying direction for supplying charges each with opposite polarity to that of the charge supplied by the first electrification adjuster. In the electrification adjustment apparatus, an electrostatic capacity between the recording material surface facing the second electrification adjuster, and an electrode partially or entirely formed from the conveyor member is smaller than the one between the recording material surface facing the first electrification adjuster and an electrode partially or entirely formed from the conveyor member. Either front or back surface of the recording material is in contact with the conveyor member in a region between the first and the second electrification adjusters.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: an image bearing member to which a toner is supplied; a cleaning blade that removes the toner supplied onto the image bearing member; a hardware processor that performs control such that a tonner pattern for cleaning blade inspection is formed on the image bearing member; and a detector for detecting a toner that has slipped through the cleaning blade after the toner pattern has been allowed to reach the cleaning blade. The hardware processor performs control such that a contact portion of the cleaning blade with the image bearing member becomes a state in which slipping of a toner readily occurs, and identifies a defective site in the contact portion on the basis of a detected result by the detector.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: an image bearing member to which a toner is supplied; a cleaning blade that removes the toner supplied onto the image bearing member; a hardware processor that performs control such that a tonner pattern for cleaning blade inspection is formed on the image bearing member; and a detector for detecting a toner that has slipped through the cleaning blade after the toner pattern has been allowed to reach the cleaning blade. The hardware processor performs control such that a contact portion of the cleaning blade with the image bearing member becomes a state in which slipping of a toner readily occurs, and identifies a defective site in the contact portion on the basis of a detected result by the detector.

Abstract: The image forming system includes an image forming apparatus and a post-processing apparatus, wherein the image forming apparatus has a fixing unit configured to heat and press a recording sheet with a transferred toner image to fix the toner image to the recording sheet, and the post-processing apparatus has a humidifying unit configured to humidify the recording sheet with the toner image fixed by the fixing unit, and a voltage applying unit configured to apply a bias voltage to the recording sheet humidified by the humidifying unit.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus in which tension is applied to a recording medium during secondary transferring includes an image carrier, a first rotating member, a second rotating member, a tension releasing device, a voltage applier, a voltage measuring device, a nip width adjuster and a controller. The second rotating member sandwiches the image carrier with the first rotating member to from a nip. The tension releasing device releases the tension. The voltage measuring device measures the voltage between the first rotating member and the second rotating member applied by the voltage applier. The nip width adjuster adjusts a width of the nip. The controller controls the nip width adjuster so that a difference between a first voltage which is measured in a state where the tension is released and a second voltage which is measured in a state where the tension is applied within a predetermined range.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus in which tension is applied to a recording medium during secondary transferring includes an image carrier, a first rotating member, a second rotating member, a tension releasing device, a voltage applier, a voltage measuring device, a nip width adjuster and a controller. The second rotating member sandwiches the image carrier with the first rotating member to from a nip. The tension releasing device releases the tension. The voltage measuring device measures the voltage between the first rotating member and the second rotating member applied by the voltage applier. The nip width adjuster adjusts a width of the nip. The controller controls the nip width adjuster so that a difference between a first voltage which is measured in a state where the tension is released and a second voltage which is measured in a state where the tension is applied within a predetermined range.

Abstract: The image forming system includes an image forming apparatus and a post-processing apparatus, wherein the image forming apparatus has a fixing unit configured to heat and press a recording sheet with a transferred toner image to fix the toner image to the recording sheet, and the post-processing apparatus has a humidifying unit configured to humidify the recording sheet with the toner image fixed by the fixing unit, and a voltage applying unit configured to apply a bias voltage to the recording sheet humidified by the humidifying unit.

Abstract: A cleaning device includes a semiconductive transfer member which carries charged toner; a first cleaner disposed in contact with the transfer member to electrostatically remove the toner on the transfer member; a second cleaner disposed downstream of the first cleaner along a moving direction of the transfer member to electrostatically remove the toner on the transfer member; and a voltage applicator which applies a bias voltage to the first cleaner, the bias voltage having an opposite polarity to a polarity of the toner. The bias voltage to be applied by the voltage applicator to the first cleaner is higher than a voltage which allows the first cleaner to remove maximum amount of the toner.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus including: an image forming section having a intermediate transfer body to carry a toner image on a photoreceptor and transfer the toner image onto a sheet of paper; a cleaning section for removing residual toner on the intermediate transfer body by bringing a cleaning blade into close contact with the intermediate transfer body; and a control section for controlling a rotation of the intermediate transfer body so as to carry out a return action of a blade configuration which stops or reverses the rotation of the intermediate transfer body, when a rotation amount reaches a predetermined value, wherein the control section carries out the return action when the rotation amount reaches a value smaller than the predetermined value, in a case where a plurality of previous printing jobs is determined to be intermittent printing.

Abstract: A cleaning device for cleaning a belt member, includes a cleaning blade; a removing member coming in contact with the surface of the belt member so as to remove foreign matter adhering on the surface of the belt member; and a contact pressure changing section to change a contact pressure between the removing member to the belt member, wherein, when the contact pressure between the removing member and a region of the belt member corresponding in position to a toner image to be not transferred to a paper sheet is made P1, and the contact pressure between the removing member and a region of the belt member corresponding in position to a toner image to be transferred to a paper sheet is made P2, the contact pressure changing section changes the contact pressure to satisfy the conditional formula: (P1<P2).

Abstract: An image forming apparatus including: a transfer belt; a rotational body; a transfer roller that forms a transfer nip part between the transfer roller and the rotational body with the transfer belt therebetween; a pressing section that presses one of the rotational body and the transfer roller against the other of the rotational body and the transfer roller; and a controlling section that controls the pressing section so as to change the pressing direction of the rotational body or the transfer roller in accordance with a predetermined image formation condition.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus including a transfer section for transferring a toner image formed on an image bearing member onto a sheet by pressure contact of the sheet against the image bearing member with a transfer member; a cleaning section having a cleaning blade to remove residual toner on the image bearing member; and a control section for controlling a rotation of the image bearing member so as to carry out a return action of a blade configuration which stops or reverses the rotation of the image bearing member, when the rotation amount reaches a predetermined value, wherein the control section additionally carries out the return action when the rotation amount reaches a value smaller than the predetermined value, in a case where a size of a sheet in a current job is larger than a size a sheet having been passed through in a previous job.

Abstract: An electric charge eliminating device for eliminating electric charge on an image carrying member or on a recording medium carrying member which is incorporated in an image forming apparatus, comprises a needlelike electrode having a plurality of protruding sections which form a plurality of discontinuous discharge points; an insulating holder for holding the needlelike electrode; a discharging power source for applying an electric voltage to the needlelike electrode; and a conductive shielding member arranged between the needlelike electrode and the image carrying member or the recording medium carrying member.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus including: an image forming section having a intermediate transfer body to carry a toner image on a photoreceptor and transfer the toner image onto a sheet of paper; a cleaning section for removing residual toner on the intermediate transfer body by bringing a cleaning blade into close contact with the intermediate transfer body; and a control section for controlling a rotation of the intermediate transfer body so as to carry out a return action of a blade configuration which stops or reverses the rotation of the intermediate transfer body, when a rotation amount reaches a predetermined value, wherein the control section carries out the return action when the rotation amount reaches a value smaller than the predetermined value, in a case where a plurality of previous printing jobs is determined to be intermittent printing.