Abstract: A printing apparatus includes: a printing device configured to print an image on a sheet; a temperature detector configured to detect a temperature in the printing apparatus; and a controller. The controller executes: a first processing in which the controller changes a first indicator based on printing performed by the printing device; a second processing in which the controller changes the first indicator based on a first temperature detected by the temperature detector at a first point in time and a second temperature detected by the temperature detector at a second point in time; and a third processing in which the controller suppresses a rise in the temperature in the printing apparatus when the first indicator reaches a predetermined value.

Abstract: A changing voltage is applied to a first charging roller. A voltage obtained by superimposing an alternating voltage on a direct voltage is applied to a second charging roller disposed on the downstream side of the first charging roller in the rotation direction of a photosensitive member. During image formation, the changing voltage applied to the first charging roller is changed so that the magnitude relationship between the potential of the photosensitive member which has been charged by using the first charging roller and which has reached a position at which the photosensitive member is charged by using the second charging roller and the direct voltage applied to the second charging roller is alternately switched.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image carrier configured to carry an electrostatic latent image, a toner carrier configured to carry a toner and develop the electrostatic latent image, a switching member configured to perform a switching operation between a contact state where the toner carrier contacts the image carrier and a separation state where the toner carrier is separated from the image carrier, a first electrode member, a second electrode member arranged such that the electrostatic capacity between the first and second electrode members in the contact state is different from the electrostatic capacity therebetween in the separation state, a detection device configured to detect the electrostatic capacity between the first and second electrode members.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus is configured to perform a collecting operation for moving the attached matter held on a holding roller onto the photosensitive drum and collecting the attached matter by a collecting unit. A bias control unit for controlling a bias applied to the holding roller is configured to: during an image forming operation, apply a first bias for moving the matter onto the holding roller; and during the collecting operation, apply a second bias for moving the attached matter onto the photosensitive drum. A speed control unit is configured to: control the holding roller to rotate at a first rotating speed during the image forming operation; and in a progress of the collecting operation, control the holding roller to rotate at a second rotating speed for a first period after the bias control unit applies the second bias to the holding roller.

Abstract: An image heating apparatus includes first and second rotatable members configured and positioned to form a nip for heating a toner image on a sheet; a rubbing rotatable member configured to rub a surface of the first rotatable member; a moving mechanism configured to move the rubbing rotatable member relative to the first rotatable member between a rubbing position for carrying out a rubbing process for the first rotatable member and a retracted position retracted the rubbing position; and an executing portion configured to execute the rubbing process in accordance with a number and a kind of the sheet processed by the image heating apparatus.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a count section configured to count time during which no image forming is performed and a control section configured to allow heating of a heat generating section at temperature for decolorizing after the time counted by the count section reaches the a predetermined threshold time.

Abstract: An image heating apparatus includes a rotatable heating member for heating an image on a recording material in a nip; a nip-forming member for forming the nip together with the heating member; a rotatable rubbing member for rubbing the heating member; a temperature sensor for detecting a temperature of the heating member; a moving mechanism for moving the rubbing member from a position where it is spaced from the heating member to a position where it rubs a surface of the heating member; and a controller for executing, by moving the rubbing member to the position where it rubs the surface of the heating member, a rubbing operation such that the rubbing member rubs the surface of the heating member. The controller executes the rubbing operation depending on the temperature detected by the temperature sensor when the recording material passes through the nip.

Abstract: A heating apparatus includes a switching circuit configured to switch on/off current-feeding from an AC power source to the heater, a temperature detector configured to detect a temperature of the heater, and a current-feed controller configured to execute a first current-feed mode of changing a current-feed ratio of current-feeding time to unit time by controlling switching of the switching circuit so that the temperature detected by the temperature detector falls within a target range. The current-feed controller executes a second current-feed mode of fixing the current-feed ratio to almost 100% or almost 0% during execution of the first current-feed mode in place of the first current-feed mode.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a latent image carrier, a charging device, a latent image forming device, a developing device, a transfer device, a toner amount detector, and a control circuit to execute an imaging condition determination process. The control circuit obtains a linear approximation formula of a developing potential and an amount of toner according to an exposure potential of the patch pattern and a detected amount of toner to calculate a developing gamma and a developing start voltage according to a gradient of the linear approximation formula, determines target charging potential, exposure potential and developing bias according to the developing gamma and the developing start voltage, determines an amount of a background potential to be corrected according to a difference between the developing start voltage and a target developing start voltage obtained according to environmental information, and corrects the target charging potential.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus is provided. The image forming apparatus includes a developing unit which contains a mixture of toner and carrier, a toner sensor which is disposed in the developing unit, and a controller which determines a control voltage for the toner sensor using change information on a change in a quantity of electric charge which changes according to a time during which the image forming apparatus is used or paused, and drives the toner sensor using the determined control voltage and compensates for an output value of the toner sensor. Accordingly, toner can be prevented from being supplied excessively.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to realizing a suitable electrical setting of a transferring unit as well as calculating the setting earlier than a conventional method. To achieve this, an image forming apparatus performs forcible light emission at an activation of a laser beam and automatic transferring voltage control (ATVC) concurrently. Then the image forming apparatus further corrects a result obtained by the ATVC during the forcible light emission and performs suitable electrical setting of a transferring unit.

Abstract: An image formation apparatus includes an exposure unit to form an electrostatic latent image with image dots on a rotatable image carrier by exposing the image carrier to irradiation light, a development unit to form a developer image by attaching a developer to the electrostatic latent image, a voltage supply unit to supply the development unit with a development voltage, a cleaning unit to clean up the developer left on the image carrier after the development, and a developer discard amount controller to control an amount of the developer to be forcibly attached to the image carrier based on a total rotation number of the image carrier if the number of image dots printed during a prescribed number of rotations of the image carrier is smaller than a reference value, and to forcibly attach the controlled amount of the developer to the image carrier to discard the developer.

Abstract: This invention provides an image forming apparatus which performs sleep control for a shift to the sleep mode for each function and provides a user-friendly operation system, and a method of controlling the same. To accomplish this, the image forming apparatus sets a shift time until a power state of the image forming apparatus shifts to the low-power state after execution of image formation; and performs control to shift the power state of the image forming apparatus to the low-power state, when the shift time is not more than the predetermined time, before an elapse of the shift time after execution of image formation by the printing function, while shifting the power state of the image forming apparatus to the low-power state, in response to an elapse of the shift time after execution of image formation by the copying function.

Abstract: The image forming apparatus includes: an image bearing member; a developer storage portion; a developer bearing member; a toner replenishing device that replenishes toner to the developer storage portion; a power supply that supplies an AC voltage or a voltage in which a DC voltage and an AC voltage are superimposed to the developer bearing member at least during an image forming period; and a controller that performs control such that a scattering toner discharge control mode in which the DC voltage only is applied to the developer bearing member in a non-image forming period so as to generate force such that normally charged toner moves from the developer bearing member to the image bearing member so that the toner is discharged from the developer bearing member to the image bearing member.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus having; image supporting members provided for a plurality of colors; chargers to be impressed with charging biases to charge the respective image supporting members; developing devices to be impressed with developing biases to develop latent images formed on the image supporting members; a charging bias power supply, including high-voltage DC power supply circuits and an AC power supply circuit, for applying the charging biases, which are generated by superposition of direct-current voltages and an alternate-current voltage, to the chargers; and a control circuit that performs stop processing to stop applications of the charging biases and the developing biases.

Abstract: A print control apparatus that controls a printing unit is provided. A determination unit determines print quality of a print image printed by the printing unit. A first counting unit counts the number of pages of each of sets whose print quality is determined by the determination unit not to satisfy a predetermined criterion. A second counting unit counts the number of same pages of the sets whose prnt quality is determined by the determination unit not to satisfy a predetermined criterion. A control unit stops printing by the printing unit if a count value counted by the first counting unit reaches a first predetermined value and stops printing by the printing unit if a count value counted by the second counting unit reaches a second predetermined value.

Abstract: A fixing device includes a fixing unit, a power controller, a pressure applying unit, and a timing controller. The fixing unit fixes toner onto a recording medium transported in a determined transport direction, by using heat generated by a heat generator. The power controller controls supply of power for heating the fixing unit. The pressure applying unit applies pressure to the recording medium in a nip part formed between the pressure applying unit and the fixing unit. The timing controller controls the power controller to start supply of the power at a time which is a determined time period prior to an arrival time at which a leading edge of the recording medium in the transport direction arrives at the nip part.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a transfer unit configured to transfer a toner image onto a recording medium; a power supply unit configured to output one of an alternating-current-based voltage including at least an alternating-current voltage and a direct-current voltage to the transfer unit; and a power supply control unit configured to cause the power supply unit to start switching to the alternating-current-based voltage a first time after the power supply unit stops outputting the direct-current voltage in the case that output of the power supply unit is switched to the alternating-current-based voltage, and cause the power supply unit to start switching to the direct-current voltage a second time after the power supply unit stops outputting the alternating-current-based voltage in the case that output of the power supply unit is switched to the direct-current voltage. The second time is longer than the first time.

Abstract: An image heating apparatus includes: an endless belt configured to heat an image on a sheet at a nip; a heating mechanism configured to heat the endless belt; a fan configured to send air toward a predetermined region of the endless belt; a heat pipe configured to move heat in a direction of uniformizing a temperature distribution of the endless belt with respect to a widthwise direction of the endless belt; and a controller configured to operate the fan such that an air flow rate is larger during heating of the image on a predetermined sheet providing an overlapping positional relationship with the predetermined region, than an air flow rate during the heating of the image on a sheet providing a non-overlapping positional relationship with the predetermined region.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a fixing unit fixing toner images to paper sheets, a timing adjusting unit adjusting the timing of supplying paper sheets to the fixing unit, a temperature detecting unit detecting the temperature of a predetermined section of a heating rotating body included in the fixing unit, and a timing control unit selecting a first mode or a second mode immediately after start-up of the image forming apparatus in accordance with whether the number of paper sheets to be printed exceeds a predetermined number, wherein in the first mode, when the temperature detected by the temperature detecting unit exceeds a first temperature, the first paper sheet is supplied to the fixing unit and, in the second mode, when the detected temperature exceeds a second temperature different from the first temperature, the first paper sheet is supplied to the fixing unit.

Abstract: A processor places a printer apparatus in a reduced activity mode after printing requests have not been received for an “inactivity” time period. A belt support device rotates a photoreceptor belt at a reduced speed when the printer apparatus enters the reduced activity mode and for a “delay” time period after the printer apparatus enters the reduced activity mode. The belt support device returns the rotational speed of the photoreceptor belt to the original speed if a new printing request is received during the delay time period. However, the belt support device stops rotation of the photoreceptor belt and reduces the belt tension if the delay time period expires without receiving a new printing request.

Abstract: A fixing apparatus capable of reducing deterioration in productivity while preventing a fixing roller from being heated to a high temperature. The fixing roller has a heating unit incorporated therein, and a rotatable pressurization roller abuts on the fixing roller. A thermistor detects a surface temperature of the fixing roller. A fixing operation is controlled by selectively switching between a first mode and a second mode in which the number of sheets subjected to fixing per unit time is smaller than in the first mode. One of the first and second modes is selected based on a first temperature detected by the thermistor at a first time, a second temperature detected by the thermistor at a second time, and a minimum temperature of the fixing roller at which the toner image can be fixed.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus includes an image forming section, a fixing section, a mode switching section that selectively switches a fixing mode between a fast heating mode and a heat accumulation mode, a selecting section that selects the fast heating mode or heat accumulation mode based on the relationship between operation expressions F1+P1×N and W+F2+P2×N, where N is the number of sheets to process, F1 is the time from instruction of processing in fast heating mode to processing start, P1 is the per-sheet processing time in fast heating mode, W is the warm-up time for the heat accumulation mode, F2 is the time from instruction of processing in heat accumulation mode to processing start, and P2 is the per-sheet processing time in heat accumulation mode, and a switching controller that controls the mode switching section to switch to the fast heating or heat accumulation mode based on the selected mode.

Abstract: A control apparatus, which controls a processing apparatus for processing recording media and includes a storage unit configured to store medium number information indicating a number of recording media processable altogether by the processing apparatus, includes a counting unit and a control unit. The counting unit counts a number of recording media processed by the processing apparatus for each processing. The control unit determines whether the counted number of recording media reaches the number indicated by the medium number information. In response to determining that the number of the recording media counted by the counting unit reaches the number indicated by the medium number information, the control unit changes the medium number information stored in the storage unit to expanded medium number information indicating a number of recording media larger than the number indicated by the stored medium number information and processable altogether by the processing apparatus.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a developing device including a developing roller to bear a developing agent to develop a latent image formed on an image bearing member, a cooling device to reduce an internal temperature of the image forming apparatus, a controller to calculate a travel distance of the developing roller to control the cooling device, and a memory unit to store the total travel distance of the developing roller. The controller calculates the total travel distance of the developing roller every Y minutes in the last X minutes, and a difference between the latest total travel distance of the developing roller and the total travel distance stored Z minutes ago by the memory unit to obtain the total travel distance during Z minutes and operate the cooling device for W minutes after image forming operation where the difference is equal to or greater than a threshold value M.

Abstract: Provided is an image forming apparatus capable of performing stable charging and thus stable image formation over a long term by changing a charge control method based on various environments. An engine control section serves as a first applied voltage determining unit, obtains a relationship between an applied voltage and a discharge current amount to a charging roller, and determines a voltage value of an applied voltage corresponding to a predetermined discharge current amount. The engine control section serves as a second applied voltage determining unit and determines a voltage value of a voltage to be applied to the charging roller based on the environment information detected by the environmental sensor. The engine control section selects, as the voltage to be applied to the charging roller, any one of the voltage values determined by the first and the second applied voltage determining units based on the environment information.

Abstract: A charging device includes a charging member and a pulling device. The charging member charges a surface of an image carrier and includes a charging member body and axial-end members. The charging member body is arranged so as to face the image carrier and extends along an axial direction of a rotation shaft of the image carrier. The axial-end members are supported at both ends of the charging member body in the axial direction and do not extend through the inside of the charging member body in the axial direction. The pulling device pulls the charging member in the axial direction.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes first and second developer carrying members and a control device. The apparatus is operable in a first mode where an image of a single color is formed using the first developer carrying member and is operable in a second mode, wherein an image of a plurality of colors is formed using the first and second developer carrying members. The control device controls a first discharging operation for discharging developer from the first developer carrying member and a second discharging operation for discharging developer from each of the first and second developer carrying members. When the apparatus executes only the first mode, the control device performs more image formations, in a period between completion of the second discharging operation and start of the first discharging operation, compared to a period between completion of the first discharging operation and start of a subsequent first discharging operation.

Abstract: A lubricant supplying device includes a lubricant supplying roller configured to rotate in a certain direction and makes a sliding contact with an image carrier on which a toner image is carried; a solid lubricant arranged to slide in contact with the lubricant supplying roller; a changing unit configured to change a revolution of the lubricant supplying roller to adjust an amount of the solid lubricant supplied onto the image carrier; and a calculation unit configured to obtain a product life or total consumption of the solid lubricant from a total running distance or total operating time of the image carrier or the lubricant supplying roller, the product life or the total consumption of the solid lubricant being corrected based on the amount of the solid lubricant supplied onto the image carrier.

Abstract: A fixing apparatus capable of reducing deterioration in productivity while preventing a fixing roller from being heated to a high temperature. The fixing roller has a heating unit incorporated therein, and a rotatable pressurization roller abuts on the fixing roller. A thermistor detects a surface temperature of the fixing roller. A fixing operation is controlled by selectively switching between a first mode and a second mode in which the number of sheets subjected to fixing per unit time is smaller than in the first mode. One of the first and second modes is selected based on a first temperature detected by the thermistor at a first time, a second temperature detected by the thermistor at a second time, and a minimum temperature of the fixing roller at which the toner image can be fixed.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, a motor control apparatus includes a timer to measure a period in which a job is not executed, a sensor to detect a temperature of a physical object, an acquisition part to acquire time information measured by the timer and temperature information detected by the sensor, and a drive control part that determines a current value of a motor provided in the physical object based on the time information and the temperature information acquired by the acquisition part, and controls the motor current value by applying a voltage level corresponding to the determined current value to a drive element of the motor.

Abstract: An image forming device includes a carrying part, an image forming part, a fuser, a fusion temperature controller, a winding part, a storage part and a controller. The controller stops a carrying of recording medium by the carrying part and heating by the fusion temperature controller, after the carrying part carries the recording medium by a predetermined length while the fusion temperature controller heats the fuser, when printing is started in a state where the recording medium is not wound on the winding part, and resumes the carrying of the recording medium by the carrying part and the heating by the fusion temperature controller upon detection that the time measured by the measurement part has reached the stop time for the recording medium stored in the storage part.

Abstract: A control method for a control apparatus includes obtaining an amount of a recording material applied on a first area of a sheet and an amount of a recording material applied on a second area of the sheet on the basis of image data recorded on the sheet stacked on a stacking unit; and performing control, in a case where a plurality of sheets are stacked on the stacking unit, so that a difference between a total amount of the recording material applied on the first area of the sheets and a total amount of the recording material applied on the second area of the sheets does not exceed a predetermined value on the basis of the obtained amount of the recording material. With this method, a limit of the number of stacked sheets is relieved while stability of the stacked sheets is maintained.

Abstract: A fixing device includes a pressing rotary body pressed against a fixing rotary body to form a fixing nip therebetween through which a recording medium bearing a toner image is conveyed; a heater to heat the fixing rotary body, disposed opposite a circumferential surface of the fixing rotary body and upstream from the fixing nip a predetermined circumferential distance along the circumferential surface of the fixing rotary body in a direction of rotation of the fixing rotary body; a heater driver to turn on and off the heater; a timing calculator to calculate a reference time at which a trailing end portion of the recording medium in a conveyance direction of the recording medium reaches the fixing nip; and a heater driver controller to cause the heater driver to turn off the heater at a turn-off time earlier than the reference time.

Abstract: A fixing device includes first and second rollers forming a nip for fixing a toner image on a sheet; a heat absorption roller for absorbing heat from said first roller by contacting said first roller; a moving mechanism for moving said heat absorption roller to and away from said first roller; a counter for counting a number of continuously executed fixing process operations without said heat absorption roller contacting said first roller; a controller for determining, based on an output of said counter, whether to carry out an operation of a mode in which said heat absorption roller is contacted to said first roller by said moving mechanism and is rotated for a predetermined period, during non-fixing process period.

Abstract: A fixing device includes a fixing device including rollers which form a nip therebetween to fix a toner image on a sheet; a reciprocating mechanism, including a motor, for reciprocating the fixing device within a predetermined range by moving the fixing device in a longitudinal direction thereof for each passages of a predetermined number of sheets through the nip; and a controller for controlling the motor so that a drive time of the motor per the predetermined number of the sheets is longer in a first range including a point at which a moving direction of the fixing device reverses than in a second range in which the moving direction of the fixing device does not reverse.

Abstract: A printing apparatus includes: a conveyor configured to convey a sheet along a conveyance path; a driving device configured to drive the conveyor; a printing device configured to print an image on the sheet conveyed by the conveyor; and a controller. The controller executes a first processing in which, when a first indicator reaches a preset first value, the controller suppresses rise of a temperature in the printing apparatus. The first indicator is a value that changes based on an increase in the number of sheets printed by the printing device. The controller further executes a second processing in which the controller reduces frequency of execution of the first processing when the number of printings performed by the printing device within a set specific period is equal to or greater than a set reference number.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image forming unit forming an image on a sheet transported along a transport path in a printing operation; a sheet stacking unit in which the sheet ejected at the end of the transport path is stacked; a sheet detecting unit detecting the presence or absence of the sheet in the transport path; a counting unit counting number-of-sheet data of the sheet detected by the sheet detecting unit; and a control unit controlling the printing operation in accordance with a first print request from a print instructing unit for a print job and based on a count value obtained by the counting unit. The control unit clears the count value in the absence of a next print request from the print instructing unit within a predetermined time after completion of the printing operation.

Abstract: A fixing device includes a fixing member, a pressing member, a heating member, a movement mechanism, and a control unit. The fixing member fixes a toner image onto a recording material. The pressing member is pressed against an outer circumferential surface of the fixing member to form a fixing pressure part between the pressing member and the fixing member. The heating member heats the outer circumferential surface of the fixing member. The movement mechanism moves the heating member to contact with and be apart from the fixing member. The control unit controls the movement mechanism to move the heating member relatively apart from the fixing member after a predetermined time elapses after a trailing end of a recording material in a transport direction thereof passes through the fixing pressure part each time when a recording material passes through the fixing pressure part.

Abstract: In a method or system for automatic controlling of jobs to be processed, the jobs to be associated with input and output material bundles, the jobs to be processed are collected into multiple groups or clusters. The groups or clusters are automatically sorted according to rules. The input material bundles are fed to a processing device at a central station, at least one post-processing apparatus being connected to and down stream from the processing device.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a fixing roller, a heating section, a pressurizing roller, an oil roller, a first cleaning roller, and a control section. The pressurizing roller is pressed against the fixing roller. The oil roller abuts against the fixing roller and is capable of being rotated by rotation of the fixing roller to apply oil onto a surface of the fixing roller. The first cleaning roller abuts against the oil roller and is capable of being rotated by rotation of the oil roller to clean a surface of the oil roller. When the control section determines that the fixing roller and the pressurizing roller have performed fixing on a predetermined number and more of consecutive sheet surfaces, the control section carries out a first control process which causes the heating section to stop and the fixing roller to rotate for a first predetermined time period after the fixing.

Abstract: The image forming device includes a main body and a cartridge that is detachably mountable on the main body. The cartridge includes the image bearing member, the first and second cleaning roller, and the state changing unit. The first cleaning roller cleans the image bearing member and the second cleaning roller cleans the first cleaning roller. The state changing unit is configured to irreversibly change an electrically disconnected state between the first cleaning roller and the second cleaning roller into an electrically connected state between the first cleaning roller and the second cleaning roller. The resetting unit is configured to reset the cumulative value when the current detecting unit does not detect current before the image bearing member rotates and detects current after the image bearing member rotates.

Abstract: A representative configuration of an image forming apparatus according to the present invention includes a torque meter configured to gauge a rotation load of a photosensitive drum, and a controller configured to control whether to drive a development sleeve when the photosensitive drum is rotated during non image formation or control a driving speed of the development sleeve when the photosensitive drum is rotated during non image formation, based on a difference between first dynamic torque of the photosensitive drum when the development sleeve is rotated at a first speed and second dynamic torque of the photosensitive drum when the development sleeve is stopped or when the development sleeve is rotated at a second speed smaller than the first speed.

Abstract: An image forming device fusing a developer transferred to a recording medium surface based on inputted print data includes a heat source, a fusion member supported in a freely rotatable manner and heated by the heat source, a pressure application member positioned to face the fusion member and pressing against the fusion member, a temperature detection device positioned to face the pressure application member and detecting a surface temperature of the pressure application member, and a temperature control part controlling a heating temperature by the heat source based on a detection result by the temperature detection device. The temperature control part selects a second set temperature that is lower than a preset first set temperature when the surface temperature of the pressure application member detected by the temperature detection device is less than a predetermined temperature, to control a temperature of the fusion member.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a first image carrier forming a black toner image, a plurality of second image carriers forming a yellow, magenta, or cyan toner image, a third image carrier forming a special color toner image, and a transfer target member or an intermediate transfer belt. The apparatus further includes first and second detachment units. The first detachment unit detaches only the third image carrier from the transfer target member, and the second detachment unit detaches the second image carriers and the third image carrier. When switching from a special color image mode to either a normal color image mode or a monochrome image mode is performed during continuous printing of the recording media, the first detachment unit or the second detachment unit controls the detachment operation based on the number of recording media continuously printed by the normal color image mode or the monochrome image mode.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image carrier, a developing unit that visualizes an electrostatic latent image formed on a surface of the image carrier, using a developing material, and a supply unit that supplies a periodic wave as a developing bias to the developing unit. A single period of the periodic wave is formed by a first time period in which a voltage in which a DC voltage and an AC voltage are superimposed is applied and a second time period in which only a DC voltage is applied. In addition, a count unit counts an amount of electrostatic latent images that have been formed in succession, and a control unit changes the duration of the second time period according to the amount of electrostatic latent images counted by the count unit without stopping image formation to continue the image formation.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a rotatable drum; a developing device for developing a latent image formed on the drum into a developer image; and a cleaning blade for removing developer remaining on the drum after the developer image is transferred from the drum onto a developer image receiving member. After image formation, a predetermined amount of strain of the cleaning blade is released and the drum is subsequently rotated. The drum is subsequently rotated in a direction identical to a rotation direction of the drum during image formation.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes first and second image bearing members configured to bear electrostatic latent images, a rotatable belt configured to receive toner images from the first and second image bearing members, and an executing portion configured to execute an operation in a correction mode for determining timing at which formation of the electrostatic latent image starts on at least one of the first and second image bearing members with respect to a widthwise direction of the belt between test toner images transferred onto the belt from the first and second image bearing members. In addition, first and second detecting members detect positions of the belt with respect to the widthwise direction, and a calculating portion calculates a movement distance of a predetermined point on the belt with respect to the widthwise direction.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes first and second developer carrying members and a control device. The apparatus is operable in a first mode where an image of a single color is formed using the first developer carrying member and is operable in a second mode, wherein an image of a plurality of colors is formed using the first and second developer carrying members. The control device controls a first discharging operation for discharging developer from the first developer carrying member and a second discharging operation for discharging developer from each of the first and second developer carrying members. When the apparatus executes only the first mode, the control device performs more image formations, in a period between completion of the second discharging operation and start of the first discharging operation, compared to a period between completion of the first discharging operation and start of a subsequent first discharging operation.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image bearing member for bearing a developer image; a developing device including a developer carrying member for forming the developer image on the image bearing member; a fixing device for fixing the developer image on a sheet material, on which the developer image has been transferred, by heating the sheet material; a memory medium for storing an operation hysteresis value, of the developing device, which varies depending on a state of an operation of the developing device from start of the operation; and a controller for controlling a temperature of the fixing device. The controller controls, when the operation hysteresis value stored in the memory medium reaches a preset threshold, the temperature of the fixing device so as to be lower than that before the operation hysteresis value reaches the preset threshold.