Abstract: According to one embodiment, an image forming apparatus includes an image bearing member on which an electrostatic latent image is formed by exposure, an exposing device including a plurality of light sources and a plurality of lenses, which are provided along a longitudinal direction of the image bearing member, and configured to radiate light on the image bearing member, and a developing device arranged at a fixed distance apart from the image bearing member and configured to develop, according to application of a direct-current bias, the electrostatic latent image formed on the image bearing member into a visible image using a two-component developer.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, a developing device in which a decolorizable developing agent containing encapsulated colorant microparticles each including a core containing a color developable compound, a color developer, and a decolorizing agent is accommodated and a developing device in which a transparent developing agent containing a binder resin is accommodated are provided, respectively, and an image is formed by transferring a transparent developing agent image onto a region capable of covering a decolorizable developing agent image, followed by fusing the image. Further, in the second image formation and thereafter, the using amount of the transparent developing agent is decreased as compared with that in the first image formation.

Abstract: A fuser is equipped with a heating roller, fixing belt, pressure roller, pad, and spring. The heating roller is located on the downstream side of the fixing belt with respect to the sheet conveyance direction, and as the heating roller rotates, contacts the sheet toner side of a sheet, heating the sheet. The fixing belt contacts the side of the sheet opposite to the toner side of the sheet. The pressure roller comes into contact with the heating roller via the fixing belt. The pad is of a softer material than the fixing belt, and, as the pad exerts a force on the heating roller by pressing on the fixing belt, a downstream side of the pad with respect to the sheet conveyance direction is inclined away from the pressure roller. Springs urge the pad toward the pressure roller and the heating roller.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, a fuser includes a heat roller, an endless belt, a first press roller and a second press roller. The heat roller rotates and contacts a toner surface side of a sheet, and heats the sheet. The endless belt contacts a part of an outer peripheral surface of the heat roller. The first press roller contacts a part of an inner peripheral surface of the endless belt, and is provided at an insertion part of the sheet in a nip portion where the heat roller contacts the endless belt. The second press roller contacts a part of the inner peripheral surface of the endless belt, is provided at an exit part of the sheet in the nip portion, and has a lower rotational resistance than the first press roller.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, a fuser includes a fixing belt including a conductive layer, an induction-current generating section to electromagnetically induction-heat the conductive layer, an opposed section to form a nip in cooperation with the fixing belt, an auxiliary heat generating section electromagnetically induction-heated by the induction-current generating section, and a moving section to move the auxiliary heat generating section with respect to the fixing belt.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, a fuser includes a heating roller, an endless belt, and a pressing roller. The heating roller rotates and comes into contact with a toner surface side of a sheet to heat the sheet. The endless belt has hardness lower than the hardness of the heating roller. The pressing roller is an only rotating body provided in a space formed by the endless belt and having an outer diameter smaller than the inner diameter of the endless belt. The pressing roller has hardness lower than the hardness of the heating roller and presses the heating roller via a part of the endless belt.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus according to an embodiment includes: an image erasing section including a first member which has an elastic layer and heats a recording medium having a thermally decolorizable toner image on the toner image side and a second member which erases the toner image by allowing the recording medium in cooperation with the first member; an image forming section which transfers a thermally decolorizable toner image onto the recording medium on which the toner image is erased to form an unfixed toner image; and an image fixing section including a third member which does not have an elastic layer and heats the recording medium on the unfixed toner image side and a fourth member which fixes the unfixed toner image by allowing the recording medium in cooperation with the third member.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, there are provided a developing section storing a color erasable developing agent that includes capsule colorant particles with a core in which a color developable compound, a color developing agent, and a color erasing agent are contained, and a developing section storing a binder resin-containing transparent developing agent. A transparent developing agent image is transferred to a region capable of covering a color erasable developing agent image and the resulting image is fixed.

Abstract: An electrophotographic developer including: magnetic particles, and a toner containing toner particles charged with the magnetic particles and having a particle diameter distribution, wherein the toner exhibits cumulative toner weight distributions of both square of charge amount q2 [C2] and attachment force F [N] per particle with respect to a representative toner particle diameter in the particle diameter distribution, giving a linear approximation of plots of the attachment force F [N] versus the square of charge amount q2 [C2] per particle at a plurality of corresponding cumulative toner weight ratios, and the linear approximation satisfies a slope of the linear approximation of from 5×1020 to 3×1022 and a squared multiple correlation coefficient (R2) of 0.6 or more. As a result, the developer allows good control of transferability under the control of an electric field and allows a reduction in transfer residual amount of the toner.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a photoreceptor and a charging member. The photoreceptor includes a long-shaped raw pipe and a photoconductive layer that covers a center portion of the raw pipe in a longitudinal direction and forms exposed parts at ends of the raw pipe in the longitudinal direction. The charging member is arranged in parallel to the photoreceptor through a gap. The charging member includes a long-shaped conductive support body and a resistance adjustment layer that covers a center portion of the conductive support body in the longitudinal direction, and charges the photoconductive layer. Besides, the charging member includes a gap keeping member and a discharge preventing part. The gap keeping member is provided at a position outwardly spaced from a photoconductive layer opposite area by a specified distance in the longitudinal direction of the conductive support body, contacts the exposed part, and keeps a gap between the resistance adjustment layer and the photoconductive layer.

Abstract: The developing agent is selected to have a distribution of adhesive force to the surface of an image carrier, which is configured such that the ratio of the developing agent having an adhesive force which is not less than 2.5 times as high as an average value of a distribution of adhesive force is 3% by weight or less based on an entire weight of the developing agent.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: a photoconductor that rotates about a first rotation axis; and a charging roller that rotates about a second rotation axis which is parallel to the first rotation axis, wherein the charging roller includes a conductive roller portion that extends in parallel with the first rotation axis and contains an ion-conductive agent, a flange portion that is provided on an outer peripheral surface of the conductive roller portion further to the outside than an image forming area of the photoconductor in the second rotation axis direction so as to protrude outward from the outer peripheral surface in the radial direction of the conductive roller portion into a flange shape, and an insulating elastic layer that coats the outer peripheral surface of the flange portion and has an elasticity higher than that of a photoconductive surface of the photoconductor.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, a developing unit forms a visible image on the image carrying member by supplying a developer to the image carrying member. A first transferring unit transfers the visible image on the image carrying member to the primary transferring member. A secondary transferring member is in contact with the primary transferring member. A second transferring unit transfers the visible image transferred to the primary transferring member to the secondary transferring member by applying a pressure from 10 to 100 gf/cm2 and an electric field to a contact portion between the primary transferring member and the secondary transferring member. A transferring and fixing unit transfers and fixes the visible image transferred to the secondary transferring member to a recording medium.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, an image forming apparatus includes a photoconductive member, an intermediate transfer belt, a transfer and fixing belt, a fixing and pressing roller, and a heating device. The heating device heats a toner image on the transfer and fixing belt between a first toner image transfer position for transfer from the intermediate transfer belt onto the transfer and fixing belt and a second toner image transfer position for transfer from the transfer and fixing belt onto a sheet in a moving direction of a belt surface of the transfer and fixing belt and, at the same time, heats the sheet conveyed to the second toner image transfer position.

Abstract: The developing agent is selected to have a distribution of adhesive force to the surface of an image carrier, which is configured such that the ratio of the developing agent having an adhesive force which is not less than 2.5 times as high as an average value of a distribution of adhesive force is 3% by weight or less based on an entire weight of the developing agent.

Abstract: There is provided a technique capable of reducing a transfer residual ratio of a toner to an image carrier. A developer includes a magnetic particle, and a toner particle charged by the magnetic particle, and when a relation between an adhesion force F of the toner particle to an image carrier of an image forming apparatus and a square of a charge amount q of the toner particle is represented by a linear function approximate expression of F=K×q2+F0 based on a particle size distribution of the toner particle, a value of a proportional constant K of the square of the charge amount q of the toner particle and a value of a non-electrostatic adhesion force F0 satisfy a specified relation.

Abstract: The developing agent is selected to have a distribution of adhesive force to the surface of an image carrier, which is configured such that the ratio of the developing agent having an adhesive force which is not less than 2.5 times as high as an average value of a distribution of adhesive force is 3% by weight or less based on an entire weight of the developing agent.

Abstract: In an electrophotographic color image forming system, including: forming a color image by transferring and superimposing toners of plural colors in a non-fixed state from an image holding member to an intermediate transfer member or a final transfer medium, wherein each toner and the image holding member are selected to provide plots of attachment force F [C] between the toner and the image holding member versus square of charges q2 [C2] giving a linear approximation of F=K×q2+F0 . . . (1) (wherein K denotes a proportionality factor and F0 denotes an intercept), so that plotted values of F fall within a range of ±10% of F given by the linear approximation in a range of attached toner amount on the image holding member of 150 to 600 ?g/cm2. As a result, the controllability of the transfer characteristics by an electric field is improved while suppressing transfer residue and back transfer of a toner.

Abstract: The developing agent is selected to have a distribution of adhesive force to the surface of an image carrier, which is configured such that the ratio of the developing agent having an adhesive force which is not less than 2.5 times as high as an average value of a distribution of adhesive force is 3% by weight or less based on an entire weight of the developing agent.

Abstract: An electrophotographic developer including: magnetic particles, and a toner containing toner particles charged with the magnetic particles and having a particle diameter distribution, wherein the toner exhibits cumulative toner weight distributions of both square of charge amount q2 [C2] and attachment force F [N] per particle with respect to a representative toner particle diameter in the particle diameter distribution, giving a linear approximation of plots of the attachment force F [N] versus the square of charge amount q2 [C2] per particle at a plurality of corresponding cumulative toner weight ratios, and the linear approximation satisfies a slope of the linear approximation of from 5×1020 to 3×1022 and a squared multiple correlation coefficient (R2) of 0.6 or more. As a result, the developer allows good control of transferability under the control of an electric field and allows a reduction in transfer residual amount of the toner.