Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a sheet receiving portion configured to receive a sheet, a drum unit including a photosensitive drum configured to carry a developer image to be transferred onto the sheet, a contact member configured to contact the sheet fed from the sheet receiving portion toward the photosensitive drum, a roller configured to contact the contact member, an elastic member configured to exert an elastic force to press the contact member toward the roller, and a frame supporting the roller, the frame receiving the elastic force from the elastic member via the roller and the contact member when the roller is in contact with the contact member. The drum unit includes a restriction portion configured to restrict the frame from moving in a direction perpendicular to the width direction, the restriction portion being disposed on a side of the frame opposite to the elastic member.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a latent image forming unit, a developing unit, replenishing unit, and a control unit. The latent image forming unit forms an electrostatic latent image corresponding to an image information signal on an image carrier. The developing unit develops the electrostatic latent image using a two-component developer in which magnetic carriers are mixed with toner to form a visible image. The replenishing unit replenishes the toner to the developing unit. The control unit controls switching between first processing, which includes idling processing for replenishing at least part of residual toner, which is to be replenished to the developing unit and remains without being replenished to the developing unit, to the developing unit and stirring the toner within the developing unit, and second processing, which includes the idling processing and density correction processing for correcting a density of the toner within the developing unit.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a photosensitive member, a charge eliminating device eliminating charges on the photosensitive member, a charging device charging the photosensitive member, a developing device attaching charged developer to an electrostatic latent image formed on the charged photosensitive member and developing the electrostatic latent image, and a control device configured to switch a luminescence intensity of the charge eliminating device between a first luminescence intensity and a second luminescence intensity, the second luminescence intensity being lower than the first luminescence intensity, and to adjust a density of an image, which is obtained by developing the electrostatic latent image by the developing device, in response to the luminescence intensity being switched from the first luminescence intensity to the second luminescence intensity or from the second luminescence intensity to the first luminescence intensity.

Abstract: A lifespan determination device determines a lifespan of a fixing unit including a heating member and a pressing member and fixing a toner image onto a sheet passing through a feed area therebetween. The device includes a counting unit, a determining unit, and a notifying unit. The counting unit includes counters for respective sheet widths and adds, to a count value of a counter corresponding to a sheet width of the fed sheet, a count value obtained by multiplying the number of fed sheets having the sheet width by a first weight coefficient corresponding to a degree of damage given to the fixing unit by the fed sheet. The determining unit determines whether or not a count value of any one of the counters has reached a predetermined value. The notifying unit provides a notification indicating that the lifespan is reached if the count value has reached the predetermined value.

Abstract: A fuser assembly for an electrophotographic imaging device which transfers heat from overheated portions of the fuser assembly to portions having lesser temperatures. The fuser assembly includes a heating member; a backup roll disposed proximate to the heating member so as to form a fuser nip therewith; a heat transfer device in contact with backup roll; a positioning mechanism coupled to the heat transfer device for positioning the heat transfer device in a first position in which the heat transfer device contacts the backup roll and in a second position in which the heat transfer device is spaced apart from the backup roll; and a latch mechanism for latching the heat transfer device in the second position.

Abstract: A developing unit includes a developer bearer to bear developer on a surface thereof, first and second developer conveyors each having a spiral blade mounted on a rotary shaft thereof parallel to a rotary axis of the developer bearer to convey developer in opposite directions to each other. A developer drain hole is provided at a given height in a side wall of a second developer conveyance channel to face a communication opening across the second developer conveyor. The first developer conveyor rotates in a direction with its spiral blade rising between the rotary shaft of the first developer conveyor and the communication opening. Rotational phases of the first developer conveyor and the second developer conveyor are fixed and synchronized with each other to weaken momentum of developer flow generated by the first developer conveyor toward the developer drain hole via the second developer conveyor.

Abstract: In a cartridge, a housing has a developer accommodating portion and includes a first side wall and a second side wall. A coupling member is disposed at a position opposite to the developer accommodating portion with respect to the first side wall. A detection body is disposed at a position opposite to the developer accommodating portion with respect to the second side wall. A first driving force transmission member is positioned at the same side with the coupling member with respect to the first side wall, and transmits driving force from the coupling member to a rotating member. A second driving force transmission member is positioned at the same side with the detection body with respect to the second side wall, and transmits driving force from the rotating member to the detection body.

Abstract: A fixing device includes an endless heat generating section including a conductive layer, an induction-current generating section configured to generate an induction current in the conductive layer, a temperature-sensitive magnetic body present in a position opposed to the induction-current generating section via the heat generating section, and a magnetic plate present in a position opposed to the heat generating section via the temperature-sensitive magnetic body.

Abstract: A transfer device includes an endless rotating member that rotates; a first transfer section that transfers a toner image, which is formed by a first forming unit by using a flat toner containing a flat metallic pigment, onto an outer periphery of the rotating member; a second transfer section that transfers a toner image, which is formed by a second forming unit by using a non-flat toner, onto the outer periphery; a ground-connected section that is disposed downstream of the first transfer section in a rotating direction of the rotating member and that is connected to ground by being in contact with an inner periphery of the rotating member; and a power supply that applies an electric current to the first transfer section, which is lower than an electric current applied to the second transfer section, when the first transfer section transfers the toner image onto the outer periphery.

Abstract: A cleaning apparatus for an image carrier with toner on the image carrier, includes a cleaning member that is in contact with the image carrier and configured to remove toner on the image carrier as the image carrier moves in a conveying direction, and an air blower configured to generate an air flow in a region of the image carrier that is moving towards the cleaning member.

Abstract: The present invention provides a fixing pressure roller exhibiting excellent compression set and having low hardness and low heat capacity, as well as a fixing device including the fixing pressure roller. A pressure roller employed in a fixing unit of a fixing device includes a core, and an elastic layer provided around the core, wherein the elastic layer is formed of a silicone rubber product produced by mixing a silicone rubber raw material with resin microballoons and water, and then curing the silicone rubber raw material; and the silicone rubber product includes therein voids provided by breakage of the resin microballoons through application of pressure, and voids provided through evaporation of the water.

Abstract: The image forming apparatus includes an image processing section that converts image data into pixel data, an image forming section that forms a toner image based on the pixel data, and a fixing section that fixes the toner image to the recording material by heating the recording material with the toner image formed thereon while conveying the recording material through a nip portion. The image processing section divides the pixel data corresponding to one recording material into a plurality of areas each formed of a predetermined number of pixels and acquires density information on some of the pixels within each of the areas as representative values. The fixing section carries out a process of fixing the toner image for which the density information has been acquired, under a fixing condition according to a maximum value of the representative values.

Abstract: A substrate mounting structure includes: a substrate member including a substrate portion, the substrate portion having first and second surfaces opposite to each other in a thickness direction of the substrate portion, first to fourth edges, and a predetermined thickness in the thickness direction; a first mounting member on which the substrate member is placed; and a second mounting member attached to the first mounting member to hold the substrate member on the first mounting member. The first mounting member includes first, second, and third restricting portions abutting on the first edge, the second edge, and the second surface to restrict movement of the substrate member, respectively. The second mounting member includes fourth, fifth, and sixth restricting portions abutting on the third edge, the fourth edge, and the first surface to restrict movement of the substrate member.

Abstract: A fixing device includes a fixing member having a medium heating member and rotating while nipping a medium to fix an unfixed image onto a surface thereof; a pressing member disposed facing the fixing member and applying pressure to the medium in a fixing region between the pressing and heating members; a cleaning member; and an antistatic member. The cleaning member is disposed downstream of the fixing region in a rotational direction of the pressing member and comes into contact therewith in a cleaning region extending in a direction orthogonal to a medium transport direction to clean the pressing member. The antistatic member is disposed downstream of the cleaning member and comes into contact with a surface of the pressing member in an antistatic region, which overlaps the cleaning region in the direction orthogonal to the medium transport direction, so as to eliminate static electricity from the pressing member.

Abstract: An air-conditioning unit includes an air conditioner to control air temperature, a first channel to guide air supplied from the air conditioner to a conditioning target, a heat exchange channel through which the air supplied from the air conditioner exchanges heat with the conditioning target, a second channel to guide air from the conditioning target either outside the air-conditioning unit or to the air conditioner, and a channel switching unit to cause the air conditioner to suck in either external air or the air guided from the conditioning target.

Abstract: A toner housing container includes a container body housing a toner; a conveying portion conveying the toner from one end of the container body, in a longer direction of the container body, to its other end at which a container opening portion is provided; a pipe receiving port receiving a conveying pipe fixed to a toner conveying device; and an uplifting portion moving the toner toward a toner receiving port of conveying pipe. Such toner has a molecular weight distribution having a peak in a range of 103 to 104, and has C/R of from 0.03 to 0.55 between peak height C attributed to crystalline polyester resin and R attributed to non-crystalline resin when measured by FT-IR after stored at 45° C. for 12 hours.

Abstract: A cartridge detachably mountable to a main assembly of an image forming apparatus having a main assembly electric contact includes: a contact member for receiving pressure by the main assembly electric contact, wherein the contact member has a first surface as a contact portion for receiving the pressure by the main assembly electric contact and has a second surface bent from the first surface toward a side opposite from a side where the main assembly electric contact is provided; a holding member for holding the contact member; a portion to be limited provided at an end of the second surface; and a limiting portion, provided on the holding member, for limiting movement of the portion to be limited.

Abstract: A developer supply device including a developer carrying body, extending in a width direction, configured to carry developer and a casing including an wall, extending in the width direction, disposed between a first room on which the developer carrying body is disposed and a second room configured to store the developer is provided. The first room and the second room communicate each other through an opening formed above the wall. The wall includes end portions having a first height and a central portion. The central portion is disposed between the end portions and has a second height which is higher than the first height.

Abstract: A developing apparatus includes a developer carrying member configured to carry a developer including a toner and a carrier, a supply chamber provided opposite to a peripheral surface of the developer carrying member, and a collection chamber provided opposite to the peripheral surface of the developer carrying member. In addition, a first conveyance member is provided in the supply chamber, a second conveyance member is provided in the collection chamber, and a third conveyance member is provided opposite to the second conveyance member. The third conveyance member and the second conveyance member are directly opposed to each other in a predetermined position which overlaps with a developer carrying area of the developer carrying member, and the third conveyance member conveys a part of the developer conveyed by the second conveyance member in the predetermined position in the direction opposite to the second conveyance member.

Abstract: A process cartridge including: a photosensitive member cartridge including a photosensitive member; and a developing cartridge including a developer carrier. The developing cartridge further includes: an inputting portion; a first cover; and a second cover. The first cover has a first engagement portion configured to move the developer carrier away from the photosensitive member. The first engagement portion is positioned between an axis of the developer carrier extending in an axial direction and an axis of the inputting portion extending in the axial direction, when projected in the axial direction. The second cover has a second engagement portion configured to move the developer carrier away from the photosensitive member. The second engagement portion is positioned between the axis of the developer carrier and the axis of the inputting portion, when projected in the axial direction.