Abstract: A document feeder includes: a first conveyer that picks up sheets from a sheet bundle sheet by sheet, where rear edge of a preceding sheet overlaps front edge of a succeeding sheet; a second conveyer that conveys each sheet picked up by the first conveyer; a front edge sensor that is disposed on a conveyance path from the first conveyer to the second conveyer, and senses whether the sheet falls within a sensing range; and a shift unit that shifts, while the first and second conveyers convey the sheet, positional relation between the sheet and the front edge sensor by increasing distance therebetween in a direction crossing a sheet conveyance direction, such that the sheet falls outside the sensing range. When the preceding sheet falls outside the sensing range, the first conveyer picks up the succeeding sheet such that the front edge of the succeeding sheet enters the sensing range.

Abstract: A document feeder includes: a first conveyer that picks up sheets from a sheet bundle sheet by sheet, where rear edge of a preceding sheet overlaps front edge of a succeeding sheet; a second conveyer that conveys each sheet picked up by the first conveyer; a front edge sensor that is disposed on a conveyance path from the first conveyer to the second conveyer, and senses whether the sheet falls within a sensing range; and a shift unit that shifts, while the first and second conveyers convey the sheet, positional relation between the sheet and the front edge sensor by increasing distance therebetween in a direction crossing a sheet conveyance direction, such that the sheet falls outside the sensing range. When the preceding sheet falls outside the sensing range, the first conveyer picks up the succeeding sheet such that the front edge of the succeeding sheet enters the sensing range.

Abstract: In a retainer member for retaining a noise reduction member, a retaining portion for retention of a noise reduction member wound with a cable is provided with a claw for locking the cable wound on the noise reduction member.

Abstract: In a retainer member for retaining a noise reduction member, a retaining portion for retention of a noise reduction member wound with a cable is provided with a claw for locking the cable wound on the noise reduction member.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image carrier that carries a toner image, an image forming device that forms the toner image on the image carrier, a sensing device that senses a toner concentration of the image carrier and a control device that makes the image forming device form a test toner image on the image carrier, and determines necessity to execute each adjustment operation for adjusting a plurality of kinds of driving conditions for the image forming device at the time of forming the toner images, based upon a toner concentration of the test toner image.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image carrier that carries a toner image, an image forming device that forms the toner image on the image carrier, a sensing device that senses a toner concentration of the image carrier and a control device that makes the image forming device form a test toner image on the image carrier, and determines necessity to execute each adjustment operation for adjusting a plurality of kinds of driving conditions for the image forming device at the time of forming the toner images, based upon a toner concentration of the test toner image.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus of the present invention includes a first identification section for identifying whether a print target page in a print target document is color or monochrome and its page attribute, a second identification section for identifying a system speed during printing of an immediately preceding page of the print target page, a third identification section for identifying a presence of a subsequent page of the print target page and its page attribute, and a system speed determination section for selecting a print mode in conformity to a monochrome/color discrimination result based on an identification result in the first identification section and determining a system speed of the print target page based on the page attribute identified by the first identification section and identification results in the second and third identification sections.

Abstract: A toner cartridge and a process cartridge, individually, have a shutter which makes sliding movement by opening and closing their toner inlet and toner outlet. When those cartridges are attached to a color printer and fixed together by a fixing lever, the shutters of both cartridges and the fixing lever can move together as one. When they make sliding movement together, both of the shutters are opened and toner supply becomes available. There are thus realized a toner cartridge, a process cartridge, an imaging cartridge, and an image forming apparatus to which those cartridges are attachable, all of which can prevent toner leakage from both a toner housing portion and a process portion and enables even an unaccustomed user to attach each cartridge without making surroundings dirty.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus of the present invention includes a first identification section for identifying whether a print target page in a print target document is color or monochrome and its page attribute, a second identification section for identifying a system speed during printing of an immediately preceding page of the print target page, a third identification section for identifying a presence of a subsequent page of the print target page and its page attribute, and a system speed determination section for selecting a print mode in conformity to a monochrome/color discrimination result based on an identification result in the first identification section and determining a system speed of the print target page based on the page attribute identified by the first identification section and identification results in the second and third identification sections.