Abstract: A sheet conveying apparatus (20) includes a first sheet conveyance passage (3), a second sheet conveyance passage (5), a pair of feed rollers (3r1), a first pair of conveyance rollers (50), and a contact-release mechanism (60). The second sheet conveyance passage (5) branches from a branch section (31) on the first sheet conveyance passage (3). The first pair of conveyance rollers (50) has a first roller (51) and a second roller (52) and conveys a sheet along the first sheet conveyance passage (3). When, in the branch section (31), a sheet is conveyed from upstream with respect to the sheet conveyance direction in the first sheet conveyance passage (3) toward the second sheet conveyance passage (5), the sheet conveying apparatus (20) makes the contact-release mechanism (60) move the second roller (52) away from the first roller (51) and makes the pair of feed rollers (3r1) convey the sheet.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a fixing device, a shutter, a lock member and an attachment member. The fixing device is supported by an apparatus main body. The shutter is movable to a close position and to an open position. The lock member is movable to a holding position holding the shutter to the close position and an allowable position allowing the shutter to move from the close position to the open position. The lock member is moved to the holding position to hold the shutter to the close position in a state where the attachment member is detached from the apparatus main body. In the middle of attaching the attachment member to the apparatus main body, the attachment member moves the lock member from the holding position to the allowable position and then moves the shutter from the close position to the open position.

Abstract: A toner includes toner particles. The toner particles each include a toner mother particle containing a binder resin and an external additive attached to a surface of the toner mother particle. The external additive includes fluorine-containing particles. The fluorine-containing particles include a fluorine atom at least in surface layers thereof. The amount of the fluorine-containing particles is at least 0.10 parts by mass and no greater than 0.50 parts by mass relative to 100 parts by mass of the toner mother particles. When ultrasonication is performed, a residual amount ratio of remaining fluorine-containing particles is at least 0% by mass and no greater than 20% by mass relative to the amount of the fluorine-containing particles attached to the toner mother particles before the ultrasonication.

Abstract: In the image forming apparatus, a controller applies a collection voltage to a cleaning roller by a voltage application part in image formation process. The controller adjusts the collection voltage applied to the cleaning roller on bases of uncollected toner quantity of a toner image and residual charge of an image carrier, the uncollected toner being part of after-transfer remaining toner which results after formation of the toner image on an outer circumferential surface of the image carrier and transfer of the toner image onto a transfer-objective member, and which has missed being collected by the cleaning roller so as to remain even after one-round rotation of the image carrier.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image carrier, a charging device, an exposure device, a development device, and a development voltage power supply. The development device includes a development container storing a nonmagnetic one-component developer composed only of a toner, and a developer carrier on which a toner layer is formed on an outer circumferential surface thereof. The development voltage power supply applies a development voltage to the developer carrier. The image forming apparatus alternately forms white regions and exposed regions at a predetermined pitch repeatedly on a surface of the image carrier to form a solid image with an area ratio lower than 100%. Where V0 represents a white-region potential of the image carrier, VL represents an exposed-region potential of the image carrier, Vt represents a toner-layer potential, and Vd represents the development voltage, Vd?0.5*(V0?VL)+VL?Vt is fulfilled.

Abstract: A sheet post-processing device includes a discharge port, a discharge tray, and a sheet holding member. On the discharge tray, a sheet discharged through the discharge port is stacked. The sheet holding member is swingably attached above the discharge port, and holds the sheet stacked on the discharge tray. The sheet holding member has a plurality of link members and a joint portion. The plurality of link members are coupled to each other along a discharge direction of the sheet. The joint portion couples the plurality of link members to each other. The sheet holding member is capable of changing a shape thereof by being bent at the joint portion in an up-down direction.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image forming portion, a toner storage container, an odor generator, an odor sensor, and a control portion. The image forming portion includes an image carrying member and a development device that develops an electrostatic latent image formed on the image carrying member into a toner image, and forms the toner image based on image data. The toner storage container stores toner for forming the toner image, and is removably mountable in a main body of the image forming apparatus. The odor generator is provided on the toner storage container, and carries an odor substance. The odor sensor is provided in the main body of the image forming apparatus, and senses the odor substance diffusing from the odor generator. The control portion identifies the type of toner storage container based on the odor substance sensed by the odor sensor.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image forming portion, a toner storage container, an odor generator, an odor sensor, and a control portion. The image forming portion includes an image carrying member and a development device that develops an electrostatic latent image formed on the image carrying member into a toner image. The toner storage container is rotatable, stores toner for forming the toner image, and is removably mountable in the image forming apparatus. The odor generator is provided at a position where it is rotatable together with the toner storage container, and carries an odor substance. The odor sensor senses the odor substance diffusing from the odor generator. The control portion rotates the toner storage container after its mounting in the image forming apparatus before toner supplying operation, and senses the odor substance at a sensing position where the odor generator is closest to the odor sensor.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a forming device forming an image on a sheet in accordance with print data, a communication device receiving first display data and second display data included in display data related to print data from a data management apparatus, and a display device displaying the display data. The display device separately displays the first display data and the second display data in separate screens.

Abstract: A document reading apparatus includes a first discharge tray that assumes a closed state or an open state, by pivoting about a first pivotal shaft, a first transport route linearly extending from a document tray to the first discharge tray, a first reading device that reads an image of the document, a transport device that transports the document through the first transport route, and a controller that, when an instruction to read the document is inputted to an input device, restricts the transport device from transporting the document and the first reading device from reading the image, when the closed state or a full state of the first discharge tray is detected by a first detector, and allows the transport device to transport the document and the first reading device to read the image, when neither of the closed state and the full state is detected by the first detector.

Abstract: A development device includes an accommodation section that accommodates a developer and a developer bearing member that carries the developer in the accommodation section. The developer bearing member includes a magnetic member and a sleeve provided around the magnetic member rotatably around the magnetic member. The sleeve includes a metal substrate with a surface having projections and recesses and a plating layer covering the surface of the metal substrate. The plating layer contains chromium and cobalt. The developer contains a toner and the toner includes toner particles. The toner particles each include a toner mother particle and external additive particles attached to the surface of the toner mother particle. The toner mother particles contain a binder resin and a magnetic powder. The external additive particles include alumina particles with surfaces that are hydrophobized.

Abstract: An inkjet ink set includes a nonwhite ink and a white ink. The nonwhite ink contains a nonwhite pigment, a first polysaccharide, glycol ether, and water. The white ink contains a white pigment and water. The nonwhite ink has a first surface tension of at least 30 mN/m and no greater than 40 mN/m. The first surface tension of the nonwhite ink and a second surface tension of the white ink satisfy formula (1) “5 mN/m?Tc?Tw”. The nonwhite ink has a first viscosity of at least 5.0 mPa·s and no greater than 10.0 mPa·s. The first viscosity of the nonwhite ink and a second viscosity of the white ink satisfy formula (2) “2.0 mPa·s?Vc?Vw”.

Abstract: In an image forming apparatus, in a case of duplex printing, a sheet is transported toward an image forming device along a sheet transport route, the image forming device forms an image on a first face, which is one of faces of the sheet, a reverse transport device reverses the front and back faces of the sheet and transports the sheet to a position upstream of a show-through reading device in a sheet transport direction, and the show-through reading device reads a second face, which is another face of the sheet. Then the show-through detector decides whether a show-through has occurred, on a basis of the image that has been read.

Abstract: Scaling factors are applied during printing operations to account for a change in the size of sheets. A sensor within a printing device captures an image to measure dimensions of a front surface of a target sheet of paper. A first scaling factor is determined for the front surface of the target sheet based on the measured dimensions as compared to target dimensions for the sheet. The sensor also captures an image to measure dimensions of a rear surface of the target sheet of a paper after ink or toner is applied to the sheet. A second scaling factor is determined for the rear surface of the target sheet based on the measured dimensions. The first scaling factor and the second scaling factor are applied to processing of subsequent sheets to meet the change in the size of sheets during printing operations.

Abstract: Apparatuses and methods relating generally to pre-rendering prior receiving a command to print are disclosed. In such a method and system therefor, a determination is made that a document is open. An idle time is identified to pre-render at least a portion of the document prior to assertion of a print command therefor. At least the portion of the document is pre-rendered during the idle time thereof. In another method thereof, a determination is made that a document is offline. The document is determined to be a candidate to be pre-rendered. The document is pre-rendered to provide a rendered version thereof prior to assertion of a print command. The rendered version is cached.

Abstract: A development device includes a development container, a stirring conveyance member, a developer carrier, a vent hole, a filter, and a developer leakage prevention sheet. The stirring conveyance member conveys, while stirring, the developer containing toner inside the development container. The developer carrier carries on its outer circumferential surface the developer to feed the toner to an image carrier on which an electrostatic latent image is formed. The vent hole is formed in the development container to allow the inside and outside of the development container to communicate with each other. The filter is arranged to cover the vent hole from outside the development container. The developer leakage prevention sheet is flexible and is arranged inside the development container, opposite the vent hole so as to overlap the entire vent hole. A gap is formed between the developer leakage prevention sheet and the opening edge of the vent hole.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image carrying member, a charging device, an exposure device, a development device, a development voltage power supply, a humidity detection device and a controller. The exposure device exposes the surface of the image carrying member charged by the charging device to form an electrostatic latent image. The development device includes a development container which stores a developer including a toner and a developer carrying member which supplies, to the image carrying member, the toner in the developer, and develops the electrostatic latent image into a toner image. The development voltage power supply applies, to the developer carrying member, a development voltage with an alternating voltage superimposed on a direct voltage. The humidity detection device detects an absolute humidity around the development device. The controller stepwise increases the frequency of the alternating voltage as the absolute humidity detected by the humidity detection device is increased.

Abstract: An inkjet ink contains coloring particles and an aqueous medium. The coloring particles contain a reaction product between a reactive dye and a specific resin having a primary hydroxyl group. The reactive dye may have a chlorotriazinyl group. The specific resin may include a styrene-(meth)acrylic resin, a polyester resin, or a urethane resin.

Abstract: A display control device includes a display section and a display controller. The display controller controls the display section so as to cause the display section to display a first image (703a to 703f) and a second image. The first image (703a to 703f) is displayed in an upper layer for the second image. The first image (703a to 703f) represents a category item. The second image represents a setting item belonging to the category item. The display controller controls the display section so as to cause the display section to display a predetermined image (705) in the first image (703a to 703f) according to the setting item that has been entered.

Abstract: A developing device (3a-3d) is provided with a development container (20), a first stirring conveyance member (25), a second stirring conveyance member (26), and a developer carrier (31). The development container (20) has a first conveyance chamber (21), a second conveyance chamber (22), and a communication portion (20). The first stirring conveyance member (25) includes a first rotation shaft (23a) and a first stirring blade (24a). The second stirring conveyance member (26) includes a second rotation shaft (23b) and a second stirring blade (24b). The developer carrier (31) is opposed to the second stirring conveyance member (26). The first rotation shaft (23a) includes, at least in a partial region in an axial direction of the first rotating shaft (23a), a tapered portion (36) of which a shaft diameter increases toward a downstream side in a developer conveyance direction in the first conveyance chamber (21).