Abstract: In one embodiment, in a development apparatus in which at least a first screw conveyor has been provided in a case, a developer affixing prevention member that prevents a developer from affixing to the first screw conveyor is disposed in the vicinity of a toner resupply port provided in the case. More specifically, the developer affixing prevention member is formed with a torsion coil spring formed from the wire rod whose middle has been wound in a coil-like shape, and in a state with the wound portion of this torsion coil spring supported by a support plate of the case, one arm portion is fixed to the support plate, and another arm portion is extended so as to contact a fin and a rotating shaft of the first screw conveyor.

Abstract: A used toner conveyance device includes a lateral conveyance member for conveying used toner substantially in the horizontal direction, and a vertical conveyance member for upwardly conveying the used toner transferred from the lateral conveyance member. The vertical conveyance member transfers the used toner to either a collection space or a next conveyance path. The vertical conveyance member stops its operation when a prescribed delay time has elapsed after the lateral conveyance member stops conveyance operation.

Abstract: A developing apparatus is incorporated in an image forming apparatus. An electrostatic latent image is formed on an image bearing body. A developing member supplies a developer material to the electrostatic latent image. A supplying member supplies the developer material to the developing member. A developer material chamber holds the developer material therein. A layer forming member is provide in the proximity to the supplying member, and forms a layer of the developer material. The layer forming member is positioned such that a gap ?g is defined between the layer forming member and the supplying member. When the supplying member rotates, the surface of the layer forming member applies pressure to the toner on the supplying member to form the layer having a smooth surface not more than 0.5 mm.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: a latent image holder that holds on its surface an electrostatic latent image in which an image portion and a non-image portion have different potentials; a toner carrying roller that carries a toner layer including both contact toner which directly contacts a surface of the roller and non-contact toner which contacts the contact toner but does not contact the surface of the roller; and an electric field forming unit that forms an alternating electric field to cause an electric field strength exerted between the non-image portion on the surface of the latent image holder and the surface of the toner carrying roller to be lower than a contact toner fly start electric field strength and higher than a non-contact toner fly start electric field strength, between the latent image holder and the toner carrying roller, as a toner fly electric field.

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 method for loading a replenishment developer into a developer accommodating container such that when the replenishment of the replenishment developer inside the loaded developer accommodating container is started, the developer composed of a toner and a carrier, or a toner is discharged from a developer discharge port of the developer accommodating container, wherein when a premix toner that is a replenishment developer composed of a replenishment toner and a replenishment carrier is loaded into a toner bottle serving as the developer accommodating container, the replenishment carrier is loaded and then the replenishment toner is loaded.

Abstract: When there are a plurality of candidate image forming apparatuses that are to be turned ON, a CPU refers to an MFP wearout degree table and obtains wearout degree of each candidate. Then, the CPU determines whether there is any candidate of which wearout degree is lower than a prescribed lower threshold value or not. If there is a candidate of which wearout degree is lower than the prescribed lower threshold value, the CPU determines the image forming apparatus as the object to be powered ON.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus including a primary transfer unit to transfer toner images of plural colors on image carriers onto an intermediate transfer member; a secondary transfer unit to transfer the toner images onto a transfer material; and a pre-secondary transfer discharge unit to discharge charges of the toner images, wherein the discharge unit includes a scorotron having a grid electrode and a discharging electrode; an opposing electrode opposed to the grid electrode through the intermediate transfer member; a first voltage unit to apply a reverse polarity voltage of the toner images to the discharging electrode; a second voltage applying unit to apply a same polarity voltage of the toner images to the grid electrode; a cleaning unit of the grid electrode; a current detecting unit; and a controller to control a timing to clean the grid electrode according to the detected current.

Abstract: A driving apparatus includes a driving unit, a driven unit driven by the driving unit, a driving control unit configured to control the driving unit by performing feed-forward control based on feed-forward target data determined in advance to reduce a speed change of the driven unit. The speed change of the driven unit is expressed substantially as a positive half cycle of a sinusoidal waveform having an amplitude and a time duration, and the feed-forward target data is calculated from the amplitude and the time duration to represent a rectangular waveform approximating the positive half cycle of the sinusoidal waveform.

Abstract: A developer storage case includes: a storage case that includes: a developer storage space that stores a developer therein; and a discharge opening that discharges the developer stored in the developer storage space, the storage case defining an opening through which a developer passes into the developer storage space; a delivery member including: a rotation shaft that has one end supported on the storage case; and a main body that is supported on the rotation shaft, and that is disposed in contact with the wall surface of the developer storage space while being flexed, the delivery member delivering the developer stored in the developer storage space to the discharge opening; and an opening closing member that is removably supported on the storage case, and that closes the opening and supporting the other end of the rotation shaft.

Abstract: There are provided a developing unit and a developer stirring and transporting method in which the amount of developer in the developing unit can always be kept at a specified amount without being influenced by a use environment. A developing unit 10 includes a developing roller 12, a containing unit 16 to contain the developer and having a discharge port 14 to discharge the overflown developer in its side wall, a stirring and transporting member 20 to stir and transport the developer along a passage 18 formed in the containing unit 16, and a guide unit 22 provided in the passage 18 correspondingly to the discharge port 14 of the containing unit 16 and to guide the developer transported in the passage 18 by the stirring and transporting member 20 to the discharge port 14 side.

Abstract: In accordance with the invention, there are printing apparatuses and methods of marking and forming an image. The printing apparatus can include one or more digital heating elements disposed in a fuser subsystem, the digital heating element can include an array of hotplates, wherein each hotplate of the array of hotplates can be thermally isolated and can be individually addressable, wherein each hotplate can be configured to attain a temperature up to approximately 200° C. from approximately 20° C. in a time frame of milliseconds.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus according to one aspect comprises: a main unit; and a developer cartridge detachably attached to the main unit. The developing cartridge comprises: a rotation body having a rotational axis and rotatable in a rotation direction; and one rotational arm of a first rotational arm or two rotational arms of the first rotational arm and a second rotational arm which are rotatable around the rotational axis. The main unit comprises: a swingable detecting arm; an elastic member that urges the detecting arm toward a neutral position. When the developer cartridge is attached to the main unit, the first rotational arm contacts with the detecting arm to swing in a first swing direction from the neutral position. When the rotation body rotates by a predetermined rotation amount, the second rotational arm contacts with the detecting arm in a second direction from the neutral position.

Abstract: A developing device includes a toner particle-bearing roller that bears toner particles on its surface and develops a latent image borne by an image-bearing member with those toner particles, the toner particle-bearing roller has a projection portion disposed on its surface, the projection portion having a top surface having a flat portion, and a width of the top surface being equal to or more than a volume average particle diameter of the toner particles.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus can include a body casing and a photosensitive member unit configured to be inserted into and withdrawn from the body casing. The photosensitive member unit can be moved between a first position where the photosensitive member unit is stored in the body casing and a second position where the photosensitive member unit is withdrawn from the body casing, and between the second position and a third position where the photosensitive member unit is withdrawn from the body casing. The image forming apparatus may further include a control member disposed in the body casing, The control member can be configured to move between a holding position in which the photosensitive member unit is prevented from moving between the second position and the third position and a release position where the photosensitive member unit is allowed to move between the second position and the third position.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus configured to prevent damage to an opening/closing member when external force is applied in a direction perpendicular to a direction where a scanner unit is opened or closed with respect to an image forming unit.

Abstract: In an image forming apparatus capable of communicating with a monitoring device for monitoring the operating states of a plurality of image forming apparatuses, the operating amount of a part is detected, information about the operating amount is stored in relation to the part, and the stored information is sent to the monitoring device, the first consumed level of the part, which is calculated by the monitoring device based on the sent information, is acquired, and the acquired first consumed level is output in relation to the part. The second consumed level is calculated based on the stored information. When the first consumed level is acquired from the monitoring device, the first consumed level is output. When the first consumed level cannot be acquired from the monitoring device, the calculated second consumed level is output.

Abstract: A developer storage case includes: a storage case that includes a discharge opening formed in the horizontal direction side surface thereof, that is formed in a flat shape having a horizontal direction width larger than the vertical direction height thereof, and that stores a developer therein; a delivery member that has a center of rotation disposed shifted to the discharge opening, that is rotatably supported on one end wall of the storage case, and that delivers the developer stored within the storage case; and a drive transmission member that is supported on the end portion of the delivery member, and that drives and rotates the delivery member.

Abstract: A heat roller of a fixing apparatus according to an embodiment of the invention has a slidable metal belt on an outer side of an elastic roller. At the room temperature, the outer diameter of the elastic roller is smaller than the inner diameter of the metal belt. On the other hand, when the elastic roller is thermally expanded, the metal belt and the elastic roller fit onto each other in a state in which the metal belt fastens the elastic roller.

Abstract: The tandem photosensitive-member unit includes a plurality of photosensitive-member and a pair of side plates. The plurality of photosensitive-member holding units each extends in a first direction. The plurality of photosensitive-member holding units is arranged in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction. The pair of side plates each extends in the second direction. The pair of side plates is disposed at both ends of the arranged plurality of photosensitive-member holding units with respect to the first direction. The tandem photosensitive-member unit is configured to be detachably mounted as an integral unit in a main body of an image-forming device.