Abstract: A developing device includes a container that contains a developer including a carrier and a toner; a transport member that is rotatably disposed in the container and that agitates and transports the developer in a rotation-axis direction thereof; a discharge outlet that has an opening in a side wall of the container facing in a direction perpendicular to the rotation-axis direction, the discharge outlet allowing the developer to be discharged to an outside of the container when a height of a surface of the developer becomes greater than a height of a lower surface of the discharge outlet; and a magnetic member that is disposed at a position that is above the lower surface of the discharge outlet and that overlaps the lower surface in an up-down direction, the magnetic member attracting a part of the developer that is lifted up by the transport member.

Abstract: A developing device includes a container that contains a developer including a carrier and a toner; a transport member that is rotatably disposed in the container and that agitates and transports the developer in a rotation-axis direction thereof; a discharge outlet that has an opening in a side wall of the container facing in a direction perpendicular to the rotation-axis direction, the discharge outlet allowing the developer to be discharged to an outside of the container when a height of a surface of the developer becomes greater than a height of a lower surface of the discharge outlet; and a magnetic member that is disposed at a position that is above the lower surface of the discharge outlet and that overlaps the lower surface in an up-down direction, the magnetic member attracting a part of the developer that is lifted up by the transport member.

Abstract: A developing device includes a developer containing body having an opening and containing developer, a developer carrier that is disposed facing the opening of the developer containing body, and rotates while carrying the developer, and a seal member attached over the opening of the developer containing body to seal the gap between the developer containing body and the developer carrier. The seal member includes an upstream seal part that seals between the developer containing body, and a part of the developer carrier located upstream with respect to its rotational direction, a first side seal part that seals between the developer containing body, and one axial end side of the developer carrier, and a second side seal part that seals between the developer containing body, and the other axial end side of the developer carrier. The upstream seal part, and the first and second side seal parts are integrated together.

Abstract: An information processing apparatus includes an acquiring unit that acquires diagnosis information regarding an operating condition of an image forming apparatus that forms an image, a communication connection unit that establishes a communication connection with the image forming apparatus and a management server via a communication line, a storage controller that stores the diagnosis information acquired by the acquiring unit in a predetermined memory, where the storage controller reduces a data amount of the diagnosis information stored when a communication connection is not established to less than that stored when a communication connection is established, and a transmitting unit that transmits the diagnosis information stored in the memory to the management server if a communication connection is established by the communication connection unit.

Abstract: An information processing apparatus includes an acquiring unit that acquires an information item regarding an operating condition of an image forming apparatus, a first storage controller that stores the information item in a memory, an extracting unit that extracts samples from among the information items stored in the memory in accordance with a predetermined algorithm if an amount of space remaining in the memory is smaller than a predetermined threshold value, where the samples represent results of detection of the operating condition of the image forming apparatus, a statistical unit that computes a statistical value using the samples, a second storage controller that deletes the samples from the memory and stores the statistical value in the memory, and a transmitting unit that transmits the information items to a server via a communication line.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image reader that covers an image recorded material placed on a reading surface with an openable cover plate so as to press thereof and optically reads an image of the image recorded material, an image output unit that forms an image on a recording sheet and outputs the image, a detecting unit that detects an opened/closed state of the cover plate when the image output unit forms a gradation test image on the recording sheet, the recording sheet having the gradation test image formed thereon is placed on the reading surface of the image reader, and an operation of reading the gradation test image is performed, and a gradation correction unit that conducts a gradation correction of the image forming apparatus based on an image read by the image reader when the detecting unit detects the closed state of the cover plate.

Abstract: A package is to be installed in an image forming apparatus that forms an image on a recording medium by forming a toner image on an image carrier, causing the image carrier to carry the toner image, and fixing the toner image carried by the image carrier to the recording medium. The package includes a holding structure that holds an endless band that has not been installed in the image forming apparatus yet such that the band is elongated so as to have a longer peripheral length than in the case where the band is relaxed, the endless band transferring the toner image on the image carrier to the recording medium from the image carrier while the endless belt being wound around multiple rollers so as to be tensioned rotates. The band is packaged in the package while being elongated.

Abstract: An information processing apparatus includes an acquiring unit that acquires diagnosis information regarding an operating condition of an image forming apparatus that forms an image, a communication connection unit that establishes a communication connection with the image forming apparatus and a management server via a communication line, a storage controller that stores the diagnosis information acquired by the acquiring unit in a predetermined memory, where the storage controller reduces a data amount of the diagnosis information stored when a communication connection is not established to less than that stored when a communication connection is established, and a transmitting unit that transmits the diagnosis information stored in the memory to the management server if a communication connection is established by the communication connection unit.

Abstract: An information processing apparatus includes an acquiring unit that acquires an information item regarding an operating condition of an image forming apparatus, a first storage controller that stores the information item in a memory, an extracting unit that extracts samples from among the information items stored in the memory in accordance with a predetermined algorithm if an amount of space remaining in the memory is smaller than a predetermined threshold value, where the samples represent results of detection of the operating condition of the image forming apparatus, a statistical unit that computes a statistical value using the samples, a second storage controller that deletes the samples from the memory and stores the statistical value in the memory, and a transmitting unit that transmits the information items to a server via a communication line.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image carrier and a detection unit. The image carrier is stretched around a plurality of rolls. The detection unit detects a density of a toner image formed on the image carrier, based on an amount of regularly reflected light from a surface of the image carrier. A detection length where the detection unit performs the detection in a movement direction of the image carrier is longer than a length, in the movement direction of the image carrier, of a deformation area where a deformation of the image carrier is caused.

Abstract: The image forming apparatus is provided with: an image forming unit that forms an image on a medium; a speed changing unit that changes an image forming speed of the image forming unit; a detecting unit that detects a state quantity indicating a state of the image on the medium formed by the image forming unit; and an adjusting unit that adjusts an image forming condition set by the image forming unit according to a detection result of the state quantity detected by the detecting unit and a target value for the state quantity. The adjusting unit changes the target value for the state quantity according to the state quantity detected by the detecting unit after the speed changing unit changes the image forming speed.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image reader that covers an image recorded material placed on a reading surface with an openable cover plate so as to press thereof and optically reads an image of the image recorded material, an image output unit that forms an image on a recording sheet and outputs the image, a detecting unit that detects an opened/closed state of the cover plate when the image output unit forms a gradation test image on the recording sheet, the recording sheet having the gradation test image formed thereon is placed on the reading surface of the image reader, and an operation of reading the gradation test image is performed, and a gradation correction unit that conducts a gradation correction of the image forming apparatus based on an image read by the image reader when the detecting unit detects the closed state of the cover plate.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus is provided with: an image forming unit that forms an image on a medium according an image forming condition; a speed changing unit that changes an image forming speed of the image forming unit between a plurality of image forming speeds including a first image forming speed; an adjusting unit that adjusts the image forming condition set in the image forming unit; a measuring unit that measures an elapsed state after the image forming condition is adjusted for the last time at the first image forming speed in the image forming unit, and outputs a measured value indicative of the elapsed state; and a determination unit that determines, according to the elapsed state, whether or not to adjust the image forming condition before the image forming unit starts forming an image at the first image forming speed.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: an image carrying member; a developing unit that develops an electrostatic latent image formed on the image carrying member using toner; a toner dispensing unit that dispenses the toner to the developing unit; and a toner dispense control unit that controls the toner dispensing unit in accordance with an operation speed of the developing unit or the image carrying member.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image carrier and a detection unit. The image carrier is stretched around a plurality of rolls. The detection unit detects a density of a toner image formed on the image carrier, based on an amount of regularly reflected light from a surface of the image carrier. A detection length where the detection unit performs the detection in a movement direction of the image carrier is longer than a length, in the movement direction of the image carrier, of a deformation area where a deformation of the image carrier is caused.

Abstract: An image density control device includes a first detecting unit that detects a light amount of first specular reflected light which is reflected from a surface of an image carrier, a second detecting unit that detects a light amount of first diffuse reflected light which is reflected from an image on the surface of the image carrier, a surface change information acquiring unit that acquires a surface change information which shows changes with time, and a control unit that corrects the light amount of the first specular reflected light by using the surface change information to a light amount of second specular reflected light, and controls the density of the image by using the light amount of the first diffuse reflected light and the light amount of the second specular reflected light.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image carrier on which an electrostatic latent image is formed, a rotary developing device having N developer carriers, where N defines a total number of developer carriers, the N developer carriers carrying developers to develop the electrostatic latent image, and the rotary developing device moves the N developer carriers to a development position opposite to the image carrier, and a toner concentration sensor that measures toner concentrations of the developers carried in the developer carriers. A measurement position of the toner concentration sensor is set on a second virtual straight line with the second virtual straight line having a first angle or an angle that is double the first angle toward a first virtual straight line on a rotation orbit of the rotary device, and the first virtual straight line connects a rotation center of the rotary developing device and the development position.

Abstract: An image display device and image display method are provided. The device and method can prevent changes in image density and contrast, which are caused by repeated displaying over long periods of time and changes in environment, by employing accurate electric current detection, due to the following operations. Voltage measurement is initiated with a detection circuit. Next, the application of drive voltage is initiated with a drive power source. An electric current value is calculated from the measured voltage value and the electric current value is temporarily stored. The electric current values are stored every set amount of time and the storage thereof accumulates. Application of the drive voltage is terminated and the integral value of the electric current is calculated in accordance with formulas.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus includes an image information acquiring unit that acquires image information; a line region setting unit that sets a line region in an image indicated by the image information acquired by the image information acquiring unit; and a background correcting unit that corrects an image density of a background portion of the image in a region set to be the line region by the line region setting unit.

Abstract: An image density control device includes a first detecting unit that detects a light amount of first specular reflected light which is reflected from a surface of an image carrier, a second detecting unit that detects a light amount of first diffuse reflected light which is reflected from an image on the surface of the image carrier, a surface change information acquiring unit that acquires a surface change information which shows changes with time, and a control unit that corrects the light amount of the first specular reflected light by using the surface change information to a light amount of second specular reflected light, and controls the density of the image by using the light amount of the first diffuse reflected light and the light amount of the second specular reflected light.