Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: an image carrying unit; a unit-to-be-moved; a pulse motor; a moving mechanism including a rotatable member provided with a member-to-be-detected; a detecting portion; an executing portion; and a controller for causing the executing portion to execute a first stop mode on the basis of detection of the detecting portion when the unit-to-be-moved is changed in position from the second or third position to the first position and to execute a second stop mode on the basis of a pulse number of a driving signal when the unit-to-be-moved is changed in position from the first or third position to the second position and when the unit-to-be-moved is changed in position from the first or second position to the third position, and for making the change at least between the second and third positions by only unidirectional rotation of the pulse motor.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a toner image forming portion, an endless belt, first, second, and third rollers, and an urging roller, and satisfies: 25 (mm)>X>(R1+R2)2?(R1?R2)2)1/2?L1)+7 (mm), 3.5 (mm)?Y>0.5 (mm), and L1>0 (mm). X is a distance between Lb passing through a rotation center of the third roller and perpendicular to an outer common tangential line L between the first and second rollers and Lc passing through a rotation center of the urging roller and L, R1 is a radius of the first roller, R2 is a radius of the urging roller, L1 is a distance between Lb and a line La passing through a rotation center of the first roller and L, and Y is a distance between L and a tangential line Ld of the urging roller parallel to L.

Abstract: When a drive roller is at a stopped state, an execution portion executes a move mode in which a time from when a rotation of a drive roller has been stopped is measured, and based on the measured result, rotation of the drive roller is started and stopped. In the move mode, a portion of a secondary transfer belt having been at a first contact position in the stopped state is moved to a position other than the first contact position and the second contact position, and the rotation of the drive roller is stopped.

Abstract: A belt unit including a steering mechanism employing a belt auto alignment method includes a restricting portion configured to enable a steering roller to rotate about a steering axis line for correcting the deviation of the position of the belt in the width-wise direction, while restricting the inclination of the steering roller due to the rotation.

Abstract: An intermediate transfer belt for use in electrophotography is provided. The intermediate transfer belt includes a thermoplastic resin having a vinylidene difluoride (VdF) structure. The intermediate transfer belt has a degree of crystallinity in the range of 17% to 39%.

Abstract: There is provided herein an intermediate transfer member. The intermediate transfer member includes conductive particles having thereon a shell comprising polyhedral oligomeric silsequioxane dispersed in a polymer. A method of manufacturing and intermediate transfer member is also disclosed.

Abstract: An intermediate transfer member (ITM) for use in a printing system to transport an ink image from an image forming station to an impression station for transfer of the ink image from the ITM onto a printing substrate, wherein the ITM is an endless flexible belt of substantially uniform width which, during use, passes over drive and guide rollers and is guided through at least the image forming station by means of guide channels that receive formations provided on both lateral edges of the belt, wherein the formations on a first edge differ from the formations on the second edge by being configured for providing the elasticity desired to maintain the belt taut when the belt is guided through their respective lateral channels.

Abstract: An ink-based digital printing system suitable for use with hydrophilic and/or aqueous dampening fluids includes an imaging member having an imaging member material that is hydrophilic at the imaging surface.

Abstract: An intermediate transfer member (ITM) for use in a printing system to transport an ink image from an image forming station to an impression station for transfer of the ink image from the ITM onto a printing substrate, wherein the ITM is an endless flexible belt of substantially uniform width which, during use, passes over drive and guide rollers and is guided through at least the image forming station by means of guide channels that receive formations provided on both lateral edges of the belt, wherein the formations on a first edge differ from the formations on the second edge by being configured for providing the elasticity desired to maintain the belt taut when the belt is guided through their respective lateral channels.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus sequentially transfers toner images formed on a plurality of photosensitive drums onto an intermediate transfer member or a transfer material to form an image. The image forming apparatus includes an intermediate transfer belt provided with electrical conductivity, and a power supply for applying a voltage to a secondary transfer roller to pass a current from the secondary transfer roller to the plurality of photosensitive drums via the intermediate transfer belt, thus primarily transferring the toner images from the plurality of photosensitive drums onto the intermediate transfer belt.

Abstract: An information processing apparatus includes a sound collector configured to collect an operation sound of a sound collection target device to obtain sound data; a context information obtaining unit configured to obtain context information at a time of an operation of the sound collection target device; a feature generator configured to generate feature of sound data corresponding to the context information; and a clustering unit configured to generate an operation status table of the sound collection target device by using the feature.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an intermediate transfer belt, a plurality of belt rollers, a plurality of transfer rollers, a cleaning member, a first driving portion, a second driving portion, and a running control portion. The first driving portion is capable of causing the respective transfer rollers to come into contact with or separate from the intermediate transfer belt. The second driving portion is capable of changing orientation of predetermined one or a plurality of movable rollers among the plurality of belt rollers. The running control portion executes a running process including: causing the first driving portion to separate the respective transfer rollers from the intermediate transfer belt; causing the second driving portion to change the orientation of the movable roller to orientation different from that during execution of an image forming process; and causing the intermediate transfer belt to run.

Abstract: A developing device includes a storing unit that stores an electrostatic charge image developing toner, and a developer holding member that is provided to have a gap with an image holding member and holds the toner on a surface, wherein the developing device develops an electrostatic charge image formed on a surface of the image holding member by the toner on the developer holding member through a non-contact development to form a toner image, and wherein the toner has a sea and island structure of a sea portion containing a binder resin and an island portion containing a release agent, a maximum frequent value in distribution of the eccentricity B of the island portion is from 0.75 to 0.95, and a skewness in the distribution of the eccentricity B is from ?1.10 to ?0.50, and the eccentricity B is defined in the specification.

Abstract: To provide an intermediate transfer belt having a high ability to transfer images to recording media with irregular surface, and an image forming apparatus including the intermediate transfer belt. The intermediate transfer belt includes a base layer and an elastic layer formed on the base layer, the elastic layer being formed of a rubber composition, wherein the intermediate transfer belt satisfies a specific relational expression.

Abstract: A device for transferring images from an image donating member to an image receiving medium comprises a substrate, at least two electrodes disposed on the substrate, and at least one layer of coating disposed on the substrate having an outer surface for forming a nip region with the image donating member. The at least two electrodes are controllable to produce an electric field and control a position thereof at the nip region to allow transfer of an image from the image donating member to the image receiving medium in an image transfer operation.

Abstract: An impact reduction device includes a pressing mechanism in an open-close device to press a first member in a direction in which the first member returns to an initial state. The open-close device includes the first member independently rotatable around a shaft from the initial state to a first angle, and a second member integrally rotatable with the first member around the shaft from the initial state to a second angle greater than the first angle. The pressing mechanism presses the first member in the direction in which the first member returns to the initial state using a first force until the first angle is reached, and presses the first member in the direction in which the first member together with the second member returns to the initial state using a second force greater than the first force between the first angle and the second angle.

Abstract: In printing, a first power supply unit applies a transfer current with a polarity opposite to a charged polarity of toner to the transfer roller. A second power supply unit applies a toner scattering suppression current with a polarity opposite to the charged polarity of the toner to a stretching roller until a rear end of a sheet passes through a separation position after a front end of the sheet reaches the separation position. The first power supply unit applies a post-transfer current, which has a polarity opposite to the charged polarity of the toner and has an absolute value equal to or more than an absolute value of the toner scattering suppression current, to the transfer roller until the rear end of the sheet passes through the separation position after the rear end of the sheet passes through the nip position.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: a photosensitive body including a photosensitive layer having a first end and a second end, the first end having a larger thickness than the second end; a charging portion charges the photosensitive layer; a light irradiation portion applies light to the photosensitive layer; a developing device develops by toner charged with the same polarity as charge polarity of the photosensitive layer; an intermediate transfer medium including a surface layer having a third end and a fourth end, the third end having a larger thickness than the fourth end, the third end being opposed to the second end, the fourth end being opposed to the first end; and a transfer portion transfers a toner image developed on the photosensitive layer, onto the surface layer when a voltage having polarity opposite to the charge polarity is applied to the transfer portion.

Abstract: An intermediate transfer member, including: a layer containing a thermoplastic resin, an electroconductive resin, and electroconductive inorganic particles, wherein the layer has a sea-island structure where discontinuous phases formed from the electroconductive resin are present in a continuous phase formed from the thermoplastic resin, wherein in a cross-sectional surface of the layer perpendicular to a rotation direction of the intermediate transfer member, the discontinuous phases formed from the electroconductive resin each have a cross-sectional shape of an ellipse, and a minor axis b of the ellipse is from 0.5 ?m to 5.0 ?m, and wherein in the cross-sectional surface of the layer perpendicular to the rotation direction of the intermediate transfer member, a rate ? of a total area of the discontinuous phases formed from the electroconductive resin in an area of the cross-sectional surface thereof is from 2.0% to 20.0%.

Abstract: The intermediate transfer member is an intermediate transfer member for electrophotography, including a surface layer having a surface for carrying toner, in which: the surface layer contains a fluorine-modified curable resin having one of an acryloyl group and a methacryloyl group, and electro-conductive inorganic particles; and the surface layer has a ratio of the number of atoms of an element derived from the electro-conductive inorganic particles to the total number of atoms to be detected through analysis of the surface by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy of 2.5 atomic % or more and 10 atomic % or less, and a peak detected at a position corresponding to a mass-to-charge ratio [m/z] of one of m/z=71 and m/z=85 in analysis of the surface by time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry.

Abstract: An intermediate transfer element is included in an image formation apparatus, has a shape like an endless belt, and includes at least a resin base material layer and a surface layer. The surface layer is composed of a cured (meth)acrylic resin, the cured (meth)acrylic resin contains a constitutional unit derived from a polyfunctional (meth)acrylic monomer, the polyfunctional (meth)acrylic monomer contains n alkylene oxide structures and m (meth)acryloyl groups, with relation of n/m?5 and m?3 (n and m being a positive integer) being satisfied, and the alkylene oxide structure contains an alkylene group having a carbon number not smaller than 2.

Abstract: A developer bearing member, which bears developer to which additive particles have been added, and an image bearing member, on which an electrostatic latent image formed on the surface thereof is developed by rubbing contact with the developer bearing member, are configured so as to be separable; and during a first operation in which the image bearing member, while in a separated state from the developer bearing member, makes rubbing contact with a cleaning member, a second operation is carried out to place the developer bearing member temporarily in contact with the image bearing member and supply the additive particles to the contact portion between the cleaning member and the image bearing member.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a developing unit that develops an electrostatic charge image formed on an image holding member with a developer containing a toner, an intermediate transfer member, and a guide unit that guides at least one of the image holding member and the intermediate transfer member to a primary transfer position to cause a portion of the surface of the image holding member and a portion of the surface of the intermediate transfer member to follow each other, wherein the toner has a sea and island structure of a sea portion containing a binder resin and an island portion containing a release agent, and has a maximum frequent value in distribution of eccentricity B of the island portion containing the release agent and a skewness in the distribution of eccentricity B each falling within the specific ranges as described in the specification.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a latent image bearer, a charging roller, a first cleaner, a second cleaner, and a rotation controller. The latent image bearer bears a latent image on a surface thereof. The charging roller charges the latent image bearer. The first cleaner cleans the surface of the latent image bearer. The second cleaner cleans a surface of the charging roller. The rotation controller controls the latent image bearer to execute a set of backward rotation and first forward rotation at least once during a non-image formation time period, and either temporarily stop and start second forward rotation or continuously execute the second forward rotation by a rotation distance corresponding to at least one rotation of the charging roller.

Abstract: An outer roller is provided at a position offset upstream, in a rotation direction of an image carrying belt, of an inner roller. The inner and outer rollers are provided across the image carrying belt and form a transfer nip portion nipping and conveying a recording medium. A press member presses the image carrying belt from an inner circumferential side at upstream of the inner roller. The press member is provided such that a length along a belt surface of the image carrying belt between a downstream end of a part thereof in contact with the image carrying belt and an upstream end of the transfer nip portion is shorter than a length of an end margin formed on an upstream end area of the recording medium.

Abstract: A belt unit including a steering mechanism employing a belt auto alignment method includes a restricting portion configured to enable a steering roller to rotate about a steering axis line for correcting the deviation of the position of the belt in the width-wise direction, while restricting the inclination of the steering roller due to the rotation.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a main body of the apparatus, a plurality of cartridges each including a photosensitive member, and a transfer unit detachably mounted on the main body of the apparatus. The transfer unit includes an endless belt opposing the photosensitive member, a plurality of stretching members configured for stretching the belt, and a frame configured to axially support a plurality of rollers. The frame is provided with a plurality of positioning portions configured to allow abutment of the plurality of cartridges and determine the positions of the plurality of cartridges in the main body of the apparatus.

Abstract: An intermediate transfer member that contains a composition of an alcohol phosphate and carbon black, and where there is formed a chemical attachment between the carbon black and the alcohol phosphate, and processes thereof.

Abstract: In a constitution of primary-transfer-high-voltage-less in which a power source dedicated to primary-transfer, in the case where voltage applications for determining primary-transfer and secondary-transfer voltages are carried out concurrently, there is a possibility of improper primary-transfer. The possibility is decreased by controlling a power source so that a voltage drop of a Zener diode maintains a Zener breakdown voltage.

Abstract: It has been difficult to ensure satisfactory secondary transfer performance while ensuring satisfactory primary transfer performance by passing a current in the circumferential direction of an intermediate transfer belt from a current supply member. To satisfy a relationship of Rv>Rs, where Rv is resistance in the thickness direction of an intermediate transfer belt and Rs is resistance in the circumferential direction of the intermediate transfer belt over the distance between an image carrier located most upstream and an image carrier located most downstream in the movement direction of the intermediate transfer belt.

Abstract: In a constitution in which a power source exclusively for primary transfer is omitted and a predetermined voltage is generated in an intermediary transfer member by a constant-voltage element, a high power source voltage more than necessary is applied in order to avoid primary transfer defect, so that a transfer member is deteriorated by energization in some cases. By detecting a current flowing into the constant-voltage element, it becomes possible to obtain a minimum power source voltage at which the intermediary transfer member is capable of maintaining a predetermined voltage, so that it is possible to avoid the energization deterioration of the transfer member.

Abstract: A conveying belt is disposed so as to guide a recording medium on a side opposite to an image carrying belt across an extension line of a stretch surface formed by a transfer nip and a pressure member. Thus, the recording medium delivered from the transfer nip is guided on the side opposite to the image carrying belt across the extension line of the stretch surface. Therefore, even in a case of guiding a recording medium whose bending rigidity is high in particular, it is possible to suppress a rear end of the recording medium to move in a direction of separating from the image carrying belt at upstream of the transfer nip.

Abstract: A transfer device includes a nip forming member to contact a surface of an image bearing member to form a transfer nip therebetween, a pressing device, and a nip pressure changing device. The pressing device includes a plurality of elastic members, to produce a contact pressure between the nip forming member and the image bearing member according to a restoring force of at least one of the elastic members upon deformation of the elastic member. The nip pressure changing device changes an amount of elastic deformation of the elastic member between at least two stages to change a nip pressure of the transfer nip. While the contact pressure is produced by one of the elastic members, the nip pressure changing device changes the amount of elastic deformation of a different elastic member, different from the one that produces the contact pressure, to change the nip pressure of the transfer nip.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus sequentially transfers toner images formed on a plurality of photosensitive drums onto an intermediate transfer member or a transfer material to form an image. The image forming apparatus includes an intermediate transfer belt provided with electrical conductivity, and a power supply for applying a voltage to a secondary transfer roller to pass a current from the secondary transfer roller to the plurality of photosensitive drums via the intermediate transfer belt, thus primarily transferring the toner images from the plurality of photosensitive drums onto the intermediate transfer belt.

Abstract: A recording-material cooling device includes a first belt, a first cooling unit, and a second cooling unit. The first belt is disposed at a first face side of a recording material. The first cooling unit has a first heat absorbing surface to contact the first belt to absorb heat of the recording material. The second cooling unit has a second heat absorbing surface to directly or indirectly contact the recording material to absorb heat of the recording material. The second cooling unit is disposed at a second face side of the recording material. The first and second cooling units are offset from each other in a transport direction of the recording material. Each of the first and second surfaces has a shape in which an inner area protrudes beyond opposed ends in the transport direction. The first and second surfaces overlap each other in a direction crossing the transport direction.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus that forms an image by consecutively superposing toner images that have been formed on a plurality of photosensitive drums, on an intermediate transfer member or a transfer medium. The image forming apparatus is made compact and operates at a low cost. Since a current supply member supplies a current in a rotational direction of an intermediate transfer belt, multiple first transfer portions do not need corresponding voltage sources. Even in the case where a charging member supplies a current, the potential of the intermediate transfer belt is maintained at a predetermined potential by a constant-voltage element connected to support rollers.

Abstract: An endless belt includes an endless belt body, and a plurality of first tapes each wound around an outer peripheral surface of the belt body. Each of the first tapes has a length shorter than a full circumference of the endless belt, and the first tapes are superposedly applied onto the belt body so that positions of first edges of the first tapes and positions of second edges of the first tapes are different from each other, respectively. A recessed portion is formed in a region between the first edges and the other edges second. In addition, a second tape having a length longer than the length of a full circumference of the endless belt is wound around the first tapes so as to extend along the recessed portion, wherein a winding end edge of the second tape overlaps a winding start edge of the second tape.

Abstract: A transfer belt used in an image formation apparatus is provided with surface characteristics that Vickers hardness of an outer peripheral surface of the transfer belt is within a range between being equal to or above 39 N/mm2 and equal to or below 60 N/mm2, and a low-load creep of the outer peripheral surface is within a range between being equal to or above ?45% and equal or to below 0%.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are an image forming apparatus and a control method thereof. The image forming apparatus includes a plurality of photoconductors, a transfer belt, a plurality of transfer rollers arranged in parallel with the plurality of photoconductors, and a controller rotating the transfer belt under the condition that at least one of the plurality of transfer rollers presses the transfer belt toward at least one of the plurality of photoconductors, interrupting power transmitted to the transfer belt to cause at least another of the plurality of transfer rollers to press the transfer belt toward at least another of the plurality of photoconductors, standing by until rotation of the transfer belt is stopped, after interruption of the power, and controlling the at least another of the plurality of transfer rollers so as to press the transfer belt toward the at least another of the plurality of photoconductors.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image carrier; an intermediate transfer body that temporarily carries a color component image formed by the image carrier; a first-transfer member; a second-transfer member; a surface-positioning member that is disposed upstream of the second-transfer member in a transport direction of the intermediate transfer body, that is in contact with a back surface of the intermediate transfer body, that is movable forward and backward in a direction that intersects an in-plane direction of the intermediate transfer body, and that forms a transport path surface of the intermediate transfer body extending to a second-transfer region; and a tension adjustment member that adjusts a tension of the intermediate transfer body.

Abstract: According to an embodiment a method of making a fuser member is described. The method includes, obtaining a silicone layer disposed on a substrate and coating a primer composition including an aqueous dispersion of a fluorelastomer and a curing agent on the silicone layer. A topcoat composition is coated on the primer composition which includes a fluoroplastic dispersion. The primer composition and the topcoat composition are heated to form the fuser member.

Abstract: A belt driving device includes an endless belt; support members that extend in a width direction of the endless belt and support the endless belt, the support members including a control member that controls the widthwise position of the endless belt; a support body that supports the support members; and a driving mechanism that drives one end of the control member to cause the control member to pivot about a pivot axis in a direction in which stretching of the endless belt is prevented. A portion of the control member shifted from the midpoint toward an edge of the endless belt is pivotably supported by the support member to serve as the pivot axis, so that the moving distances of two points on the control member aligned with the edges of the endless belt when the control member is driven by the driving mechanism are close to each other.

Abstract: A transfer device includes an intermediate transfer belt that is stretched by multiple rollers, and transports a toner image on an outer peripheral surface, a second transfer member that performs second transfer that transfers the toner image to a recording medium at a second transfer position, an opposed member that abuts an inner peripheral surface of the intermediate transfer belt, and is opposed to the second transfer member at the second transfer position, and an abutment member that is rotatably arranged so as to contact the inner peripheral surface of the intermediate transfer belt at a contact point, the contact point being located on the second transfer member side of a region defined by an imaginary line extended orthogonally to an imaginary normal, the imaginary normal connecting a center of the opposed member and a center of the second transfer member at the second transfer position.

Abstract: The formation position of a primary-transferred toner image is corrected by using, as a reference, a timing at which a marker that rotates together with a rotating member is detected by a marker detecting unit for detecting the marker, after part of a preparation operation in which a processing unit is caused to contact or depart from the rotating member is finished.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an apparatus main body, an image bearing member capable of bearing a toner image, a current supply member, and an intermediate transfer unit which is removably mounted to the apparatus main body. When the intermediate transfer unit is attached to the apparatus main body, the intermediate transfer unit includes an endless belt whose outer peripheral surface is configured to contact the current supply member, onto which the toner image is transferred from the image bearing member by current supplied from the current supply member, a contact member configured to contact an inner peripheral surface of the endless belt at a position opposed to the image bearing member through the endless belt, an opposing member configured to contact the inner peripheral surface of the endless belt at a position opposed to the current supply member through the endless belt, and a voltage maintaining element which is connected to the opposing member and the contact member.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a stretch roller and a steering roller rotatably supporting an intermediate transfer belt and a control portion executing a meandering control operation of controlling a widthwise position of the intermediate transfer belt by operating a tilting portion tilting the steering roller. The control portion tilts the steering roller to a reference position when transfer biases are applied to first and second transfer members in forming an image to perform the meandering control operation from the reference position. The control portion is also configured to be able to update the reference position stored in a storage portion based on an inclined position of the steering roller during the meandering control operation in the state in which the transfer members are applied.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image carrier configured to carry thereon a developer image, an endless belt configured to be rotated while contacting the image carrier, a first cleaning roller having an outer surface made of semiconductor material and configured to electrically remove attachments attached on the endless belt, and a backup roller made of metal and arranged to oppose the first cleaning roller with the endless belt being interposed therebetween. The endless belt has a nip portion at which both the backup roller and the first cleaning roller contact the endless belt while opposing each other, and the first cleaning roller contacts the endless belt at a more upstream side than the nip portion in a moving direction of the endless belt.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus (100) is equipped with a plurality of photoreceptor drums (31A to 31D), an intermediate transfer belt (41), a separating and contacting mechanisms (20), a tension roller (44), a meandering correction mechanism, and a controller. The separating and contacting mechanism (20) displaces the intermediate transfer belt (41). The meandering correction mechanism increases and decreases a biasing force applied to each of the opposite end portions of the tension roller (44) according to the amount of movement of the intermediate transfer belt (41) in the axial direction (94) of the tension roller (44). The controller, during a non-image forming period, at a predetermined timing during rotation of the intermediate transfer belt (41), executes a belt displacement process in which the intermediate transfer belt (41) is displaced from a predetermined reference position and then returned to the reference position.

Abstract: There is described an intermediate transfer member that include a layer of a polyimide polymer, carbon black and an alcohol phosphate. The alcohol phosphate has the structure: where R is an alkyl having from about 2 to about 36 carbon atoms. A method of manufacturing the intermediate transfer member is provided.

Abstract: In existing image forming apparatuses, it is difficult to maintain each of a primary transfer member and a secondary transfer member at an optimum potential. An image forming apparatus includes a voltage maintenance element connected to a secondary transfer counter roller and a primary transfer member. The voltage maintenance element maintains each of the secondary transfer counter roller and the primary transfer member at a predetermined potential or higher. By using the voltage maintenance element, each of a secondary transfer roller and the primary transfer member is set to an optimum potential by a single transfer power supply.