Abstract: The disclosed structure includes a belt-shaped conveying member configured to convey developer. The conveying member includes a partitioning portion, which is a partition for developer contained in a casing with respect to a conveying direction in which the developer is conveyed, wherein, when the developer container is new, a first developer amount which is an amount of the developer contained at an upstream side that is upstream of the partitioning portion in the conveying direction, is larger than a second developer amount which is an amount of the developer contained at a downstream side that is downstream of the partitioning portion in the conveying direction.

Abstract: A developer container includes a container, provided with an opening and configured to accommodate a developer; a sealing member configured to cover the opening; and an unsealing member configured to unseal the opening by moving the sealing member. The sealing member opposes the container at a central opposing portion positioned in a central side and at an end opposing portion positioned at an end side with respect to a longitudinal direction of the unsealing member. The sealing member and the container are bonded to each other at bonding portion which is at least a part of the central opposing portion. The bonding force at the bonding portion of the central opposing portion is larger than a bonding force between the sealing member and the container at the end opposing portion.

Abstract: Provided is a developer container, including: a frame body having an opening; a sealing member configured to seal the opening; an unsealing member configured to unseal the opening by moving the sealing member and accommodated inside the frame body; and a part of the sealing member peelably bonded to an outer peripheral edge of the opening on an opposite side of the unsealing member with respect to the opening.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes image forming portions each including an image bearing member, a charging portion, an exposure portion, a developing portion including a developing member, and a cleaning member; a contact-and-separation portion; a voltage source; and a control means. An operation is executed in a contact state of the developing member with the image bearing member at the image forming portion where the image is formed, in a separated state of the developing member from the image bearing member at the image forming portion where the image is not formed and in a state in which the image bearing members of the image forming portions where the image is formed and is not formed are driven. When the operation is continuously executed, the control means executes a contacting operation at the image forming portion where the image is not formed.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus operable in a mode of forming an image using only a part of image forming stations. In the mode, a developing device contacts an image bearing member in a part of the image forming stations, and the developing device is spaced from the image bearing member in the rest of the image forming stations. The contact pressure between the image bearing member and a transferring device is made smaller in the rest than in the part. The image forming operation in the mode is executed while the image bearing members of the part and the rest are rotated. A controller is configured such that when the operation in the mode is continuously executed for a time period longer than a predetermined period, the contact pressure in the rest is made larger than the above-mentioned smaller contact pressure.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes image forming portions each including an image bearing member, a charging portion, an exposure portion, a developing portion including a developing member, and a cleaning member; a contact-and-separation portion; a voltage source; and a control means. An operation is executed in a contact state of the developing member with the image bearing member at the image forming portion where the image is formed, in a separated state of the developing member from the image bearing member at the image forming portion where the image is not formed and in a state in which the image bearing members of the image forming portions where the image is formed and is not formed are driven. When the operation is continuously executed, the control means executes a contacting operation at the image forming portion where the image is not formed.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus, including: a rotatable image bearing member; a developing unit configured to supply a developer onto the image bearing member; a transfer unit configured to transfer the developer on the image bearing member to a recording medium by a transfer voltage being applied to the transfer unit by a voltage applying unit; and a cleaning unit configured to remove the developer on the image bearing member, wherein when the apparatus stops an image forming operation halfway, the apparatus executes a recovery operation in which the image bearing member is rotated while the voltage applying unit applies a voltage to the transfer unit so that a part of the developer remaining on the image bearing member is once transferred from the image bearing member to the transfer unit, transferred again from the transfer unit to the image bearing member, and then removed by the cleaning unit.

Abstract: A developing device includes a developer bearing member. A lubricant is applied to a surface of the developer bearing member. In an axial direction of the developer bearing member, an end of the developer bearing member is located further outward than an outer end of a seal member, and an end of a cleaning member is located further outward than the end of the developer bearing member. In the axial direction of the developer bearing member, a first application quantity of the lubricant applied to the surface of the developer bearing member at a position further outward than the outer end of the seal member is larger than a second application quantity of the lubricant applied to the surface of the developer bearing member at a position corresponding to an opening.

Abstract: A developing device includes a developer bearing member. A lubricant is applied to a surface of the developer bearing member. In an axial direction of the developer bearing member, an end of the developer bearing member is located further outward than an outer end of a seal member, and an end of a cleaning member is located further outward than the end of the developer bearing member. In the axial direction of the developer bearing member, a first application quantity of the lubricant applied to the surface of the developer bearing member at a position further outward than the outer end of the seal member is larger than a second application quantity of the lubricant applied to the surface of the developer bearing member at a position corresponding to an opening.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus, which executes, after an image forming operation is stopped, a cleaning operation in which toner that remains on an intermediate transfer belt is transferred to a photosensitive drum and is removed by a cleaning blade while the image forming apparatus causes the intermediate transfer belt to move for circulation, causes a charging roller or a laser scanner to change the surface potential of the photosensitive drum such that the toner to be transferred from the intermediate transfer belt to the photosensitive drum is part of the toner that is to remain on the intermediate transfer belt, when the cleaning operation is executed.

Abstract: A developing device includes a developer carrying member, rotatable while carrying a developer, for supplying developer to an image bearing member, a developer supplying member, which is provided with a foam layer at its surface and is rotatable in contact with the developer carrying member, for supplying the developer to the developer carrying member, and a first gear for transmitting a driving force to the developer supplying member. The first gear is movable to a first position where the driving force is not transmitted to the developer supplying member and to a second position where the driving force is transmitted to the developer supplying member. During initial drive of the developer carrying member, the developer supplying member is rotated by a frictional force generated between the developer supplying member and the developer carrying member, with the first gear to be moved from the first position to the second position.

Abstract: A developing device includes: a flexible container, provide with an opening, for accommodating the developer; a frame for accommodating the container; an urging member, rotatably provided inside the frame, for urging the container by rotation thereof to deform the container; and a developer carrying member for carrying the developer on its surface to feed the developer. A distance X from a rotation center of the urging member to the surface of the developer carrying member and a length T from the rotation center of the urging member to a free end thereof for urging the container satisfy a relationship of X<T. A shielding member for preventing contact of the urging member with the developer carrying member is provided between the rotation center of the urging member and the surface of the developer carrying member or in a neighborhood thereof.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: at least one image bearing member; a developing device for forming a developer image by developing a latent image formed on a surface of the image bearing member; a cleaning device, including a cleaning blade for collecting a developer on the image bearing member; a discriminating portion for discriminating whether or not a cleaning sequence in which an amount of the developer to be conveyed to the cleaning device is adjusted is to be performed; and a stop detecting portion for detecting the stop of an operation of the image forming apparatus. When the operation of the image forming apparatus is resumed after the stop detecting means detects stop of the operation of the image forming apparatus, the discriminating means discriminates, before the image bearing member is operated, whether or not the cleaning sequence is to be performed.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: at least one image bearing member; a developing device for forming a developer image by developing a latent image formed on a surface of the image bearing member; a cleaning device, including a cleaning blade for collecting a developer on the image bearing member; a discriminating portion for discriminating whether or not a cleaning sequence in which an amount of the developer to be conveyed to the cleaning device is adjusted is to be performed; and a stop detecting portion for detecting the stop of an operation of the image forming apparatus. When the operation of the image forming apparatus is resumed after the stop detecting means detects stop of the operation of the image forming apparatus, the discriminating means discriminates, before the image bearing member is operated, whether or not the cleaning sequence is to be performed.

Abstract: In a rotary-type image forming apparatus in which detection of electrostatic capacitance is performed when a developing apparatus is in a posture less affected by a toner density within the developing apparatus, a toner in the developing apparatus, which is located at a development position during the detection of the electrostatic capacitance, is avoided from being uselessly consumed. The image forming apparatus has a remaining amount detection mode of detecting a toner remaining amount on condition that a developing roller of one developing apparatus positioned opposite to another developing apparatus, for which the toner remaining amount is to be detected, stands by in a state spaced from a drum.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus, which executes, after an image forming operation is stopped, a cleaning operation in which toner that remains on an intermediate transfer belt is transferred to a photosensitive drum and is removed by a cleaning blade while the image forming apparatus causes the intermediate transfer belt to move for circulation, causes a charging roller or a laser scanner to change the surface potential of the photosensitive drum such that the toner to be transferred from the intermediate transfer belt to the photosensitive drum is part of the toner that is to remain on the intermediate transfer belt, when the cleaning operation is executed.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus, including: a rotatable image bearing member; a developing unit configured to supply a developer onto the image bearing member; a transfer unit configured to transfer the developer on the image bearing member to a recording medium by a transfer voltage being applied to the transfer unit by a voltage applying unit; and a cleaning unit configured to remove the developer on the image bearing member, wherein when the apparatus stops an image forming operation halfway, the apparatus executes a recovery operation in which the image bearing member is rotated while the voltage applying unit applies a voltage to the transfer unit so that a part of the developer remaining on the image bearing member is once transferred from the image bearing member to the transfer unit, transferred again from the transfer unit to the image bearing member, and then removed by the cleaning unit.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus is operable in a mode in which a speed of an intermediary transfer belt is changed after all of the toner images are primary-transferred onto the intermediary transfer belt, and the toner image primary-transferred on the intermediary transfer belt is passed through a secondary transfer position and primary transfer position in this order to reach the secondary transfer position, where the toner image is secondary transferred onto the transfer material, and a controller for making, before the image forming apparatus is operated in the mode to change the speed of the intermediary transfer belt, a potential difference between the intermediary transfer belt and the photosensitive member at the primary transfer position smaller than a potential difference between the intermediary transfer belt and the photosensitive member when the toner image is primary transferred from the photosensitive member onto the intermediary transfer belt.

Abstract: A developing device includes: a developer carrying member, rotatable while carrying a developer, for supplying the developer to an image bearing member; a developer supplying member, which is provided with a foam layer at its surface and is rotatable in contact to the developer carrying member, for supplying the developer to the developer carrying member; a first gear for transmitting a driving force to the developer supplying member; and a pressing member for pressing the first gear so that the first gear is, during initial drive of the developer carrying member, moved from a first position where the driving force is not transmitted to the developer supplying member to a second position where the driving force is transmitted to the developer supplying member.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus is operable in a mode in which a speed of an intermediary transfer belt is changed after all of the toner images are primary-transferred onto the intermediary transfer belt, and the toner image primary-transferred on the intermediary transfer belt is passed through a secondary transfer position and primary transfer position in this order to reach the secondary transfer position, where the toner image is secondary transferred onto the transfer material, and a controller for making, before the image forming apparatus is operated in the mode to change the speed of the intermediary transfer belt, a potential difference between the intermediary transfer belt and the photosensitive member at the primary transfer position smaller than a potential difference between the intermediary transfer belt and the photosensitive member when the toner image is primary transferred from the photosensitive member onto the intermediary transfer belt.