Abstract: A waste toner collecting device includes: a tubular member provided with a toner inlet and a toner outlet; a roller that is provided upstream of the toner outlet in a toner transport direction inside the tubular member, that has a substantially horizontal rotation axis line, and that is elliptical in vertical section; a scraper that is provided on an inner wall of the tubular member on a downstream side of the toner outlet in a rotation direction of the roller, an edge of the scraper being in contact with the roller; and a waste toner collecting bag that is inflatable and is attached to the toner outlet of the tubular member.

Abstract: A fixing apparatus includes a control circuit which controls the electrifying to a first heater so that a temperature detected by a first temperature detection portion reaches a first target temperature and controls the electrifying to a second heater so that a temperature detected by a second temperature detection portion reaches a second target temperature, when warm-up is initiated, and, when the warm-up initiated, if an initial temperature of a rotary member is below a predetermined temperature, the control circuit sets the first target temperature to a temperature value greater than the first target temperature set when the initial temperature of the rotary member is greater than the predetermined temperature and sets the second target temperature to a temperature value greater than the second target temperature set when the initial temperature of the rotary member is greater than the predetermined temperature.

Abstract: A toner conveyance unit is provided that can reliably prevent a toner from leaking and scattering. And an image forming apparatus is also provided having the toner conveyance unit. When a circular arc-shaped shutter member and a rotary shutter member are closed, a first conveyance part and a second conveyance part are adapted to separate from each other. When the circular arc-shaped shutter member and the rotary shutter member are open, the circular arc-shaped shutter member and the rotary shutter member rotate integrally so as to be enclosed in the tubular cylinder part, and to move a through hole to a position such as to constitute a portion of a second toner conveyance path, whereby the first conveyance part and the second conveyance part are adapted to be connected to each other so that a first toner conveyance path and the second toner conveyance path communicate with each other.

Abstract: There is described a fixing device provided with a fixing belt, including a belt-shaped fixing member, which makes it possible to obtain a good image quality and an appropriate driving torque, by considering not only heights of the protrusions and depths of the depressions, but also widths of the protrusions and depressions included in an unevenness created on the inner circumferential surface of the belt-shaped fixing member. The maximum value of filtered waviness profile (W cm) of the unevenness is set at a value in a range of 0.8-10.0, while the profile bearing length (tp) of the unevenness, under 50% cutting level, is set in a range of 25%-70%. The fixing device also includes an rubbing member so that a lubricant agent is retained between the inner circumferential surface of the belt-shaped fixing member and the rubbing member.

Abstract: A process cartridge detachably mountable to a main assembly of an electrophotographic image forming apparatus, includes an electrophotographic photosensitive drum, a developing roller, a drum frame, a movable developing frame taking a position where the roller contacts the drum, and a force receiver having first and second force receivers for receiving first and second external forces. The second force receiver moves relative to the developing frame. The second force receiver takes a stand-by position retracted from an operating position when the first force receiver receives the first external force, and moves from the stand-by to the operating position for moving the developing frame from the contacting position to the spacing position. The distance the second force receiver moves from the stand-by to the operating position is larger than the distance the first force receiver moves by the first external force.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus which is capable of decreasing the failure rate by improving a photocatalytic material and utilization efficiency thereof, and by decomposing substances that cannot be completely removed with a cleaning member or by not causing the substances to adhere. A light emitting unit irradiates an object to be irradiated with light. A light receiving unit receives reflected light from the irradiated object. A protection sheet containing a photocatalytic material is disposed so as to cover the light emitting unit and light receiving unit. The light emitting unit emits light of a wavelength range adapted to a bandgap width of the protection sheet, and the light receiving unit has sensitivity in a wavelength range of light emitted from the light emitting unit.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus for forming an image on a recording material is constituted by an image bearing member, a driving source, a first pulley rotatable by actuation of the driving source, a second pulley, connected to a rotatable member, for transmitting rotation of the driving source to the image bearing member, a belt supported by the first pulley and the second pulley, a first pressing member which is disposed upstream from the first pulley with respect to a rotational direction of the drum and located closer to the second pulley than a rotation axis of the first pulley so as to press the first pulley through the belt, and a second pressing member disposed at a position substantially symmetrically opposite from the first pressing member with respect to a line connecting the rotation axis of the first pulley and a rotation axis of the second pulley so as to press the first pulley through the belt.

Abstract: In an image forming apparatus provided with a rotary type image developing apparatus, during monochrome print job processing, it is judged whether the amount of toner remaining in the developing chamber of the black developer unit is equal to or less than a predetermined amount M. If the judgement is affirmative, (i) the monochrome print job is suspended, (ii) the rotary rack is rotated to stop the black developer unit at the toner supply position temporarily, and is moved to the developing position again, and (iii) the monochrome print job is resumed. With the stated structure, the toner can be steadily supplied even when the amount of toner remaining in the developing chamber gets low during executing monochrome print jobs.

Abstract: An image-forming device includes a casing, a process unit, a first shutter, a toner cartridge, a second shutter, and a wall. The process unit is detachably mounted in the casing and formed with a first opening, the process unit having a developer roller carrying a toner. The first shutter opens and closes the first opening. The toner cartridge is detachably mounted in the casing, accommodates the toner, and is formed with a second opening, the second opening being in alignment with the first opening. The second shutter opens and closes the second opening. The wall is disposed between the developer unit and the toner cartridge and is formed with a third opening, the third opening being in alignment with the first opening and the second opening. By providing the wall, the process unit and toner cartridge can be detachably mounted in the casing, thereby avoiding a drop in precision for positioning the process unit and toner cartridge relative to the casing.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a sensor, a notification unit, and a controller. The sensor detects a supply-end condition of consumable supplies. The notification unit notifies a message based on the supply-end condition detected by the sensor, and provides an operation key used for setting a condition for the image forming apparatus. The notification unit includes a print-stop setting and a print-continue setting, settable for a consumable supply and used when a printing operation is suspended due to an occurrence of the supply-end condition. The controller suspends the printing operation based on the print-stop setting and continues the suspended printing operation based on the print-continue setting.

Abstract: A pressurizing member includes an elastic member having a uniform elastic modulus of K=EA/t, where E is a Young's modulus, A is an area of the nip portion, and t is a thickness of the elastic member in the direction of application of load. A supporting member that supports the pressurizing member has an entering portion, an exit portion, and a center portion between the entering portion and the exit portion. The thickness of the center portion in a direction of application of load is larger than thicknesses of the entering portion and the exit portion in the direction of application of load so that the supporting unit has a convex portion.

Abstract: Disclosed is a printing apparatus and method to correct for image non-uniformities. The printing apparatus comprises a photoreceptor (P/R) belt charging device positioned to charge the P/R belt after an image is transferred to a media sheet. Subsequently, an image sensing device scans the P/R belt residual image or patches to detect image non-uniformities.

Abstract: A tool used in the TC measurement in the field includes a venturi shaped container that when connected to vacuum pressure from a portable vacuum cleaner takes advantage of cyclone separator functionality to assist in separation of fine toner from carrier beads with the toner being caught in the vacuum cleaner and the carrier beads being caught by a plurality of screens covering an opening in the bottom of the container.

Abstract: The image processing apparatus includes an acquiring unit that acquires information on disaster; and a switching unit that switches an operational mode of the image processing apparatus from a first operational mode in which image processing is not performed when there is lack of a part of consumables or failure of a part of functions to a second operational mode in which the image processing is performed by using other consumables that are available and other functions that do not fail even when there is the lack of a part of consumables or the failure of a part of functions, in response to the information on disaster acquired by the acquiring unit.

Abstract: A felt that cleans the surface of a drive roller or secondary transfer supporting roller that stretches an intermediate transfer belt is supported by a Mylar at its one free end, the other end thereof being fixed to a bracket. The felt is swingably brought into contact with the drive roller or secondary transfer supporting roller by an elastic force of the Mylar.

Abstract: An image-forming apparatus has: an apparatus body; and a replacement part that is detachably mounted in the apparatus body, wherein the replacement part includes: a replacement part body; and a storage medium that is separably mounted on the replacement part body, and wherein the apparatus body includes a separation mechanism that separates the storage medium from the replacement part body when the replacement part body is mounted in the apparatus body.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus capable of minimizing a temperature rise of a cover by substantially preventing heat emission from a fusing device to an outside is disclosed. The image forming apparatus includes a main body, a fusing device mounted in the main body, the fusing device having an outlet to discharge paper, an opening/closing member opening and closing the outlet of the fusing device, a cam member moving the opening/closing member between a first position in which the opening/closing member closes the outlet to prevent heat in the fusing device from being emitted through the outlet and a second position in which the opening/closing member opens the outlet to permit the paper to pass through the outlet, a driving part rotating the cam member, and a control unit controlling the driving part to determine a rotational position of the cam member.

Abstract: An image fixing apparatus that senses temperature of a heater and controls the temperature accurately includes a pair of fixing rollers, a heater housed inside at least one of the pair of fixing rollers, and a sensor integrally formed with the heater to detect temperatures of the heater from a plurality of sensing positions. The sensor includes an array of sensing units connected in parallel to the plurality of sensing positions, and generates one sensing signal. An image forming apparatus includes the image forming apparatus. An image fixing temperature control method includes generating average temperature information of a heater; and controlling the driving of the heater based on the temperature information.

Abstract: A developing apparatus using a two-component developer constituted by a magnetic carrier and a toner, and an image forming apparatus comprising the developing apparatus. A developing unit and a stirring unit are provided, and in order to suppress toner scattering that may occur after a development operation has been halted for a long time, and thereby suppress contamination of the apparatus interior, the developer in a developing machine is transferred to a stirrer serving as a developer storage unit on the exterior of the developing machine when the development operation ends.

Abstract: An edge wear reducing pressure roller is provided and comprises (a) a roll member having a cylindrical elastomeric outer layer including a longitudinal axis and a length having a first position for supporting a first edge of a copy sheet and a second position for supporting a second edge of the copy sheet; and (b) a cylindrical core located within the cylindrical outer layer also having the longitudinal axis, and a length for supporting the cylindrical elastomeric outer layer. The cylindrical core includes a first segment having a first diameter, and a second segment having a second diameter less than the first diameter for creating variation in elastomeric layer thickness. The second segment advantageously is located directly underneath the first position for supporting the first edge of the copy sheet, and the second position is advantageously located underneath the second position for supporting the second edge of the copy sheet.