Abstract: A powder processing apparatus includes a processing engine, a carrying region forming unit, a door, a powder storage unit. The processing engine is mounted inside an apparatus housing. The processing engine includes one or plural processing units each at least including a movable powder carrier that carries powder, and a powder supply unit. The carrying region forming unit forms a region in the powder carrier where powder can be carried. The door opens and closes an opening formed in a side wall of the apparatus housing. The powder storage unit stores the powder. The powder storage unit moves along with the opening and closing of the door. When the door is opened, an insertion and extraction path that is wide enough to insert and extract the processing engine is ensured in the opening, excluding a region blocked by the powder storage unit that moves along with the door.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: a drawer movable between an inner position and an outer position and supporting a first cartridge including a first photosensitive drum and a first discharge part and a second cartridge including a second photosensitive drum and a second discharge part; and a waste toner box including a first coupling part coupled with the first discharge part and a second coupling part coupled with the second discharge part, in a state where the first cartridge and the second cartridge are supported by the drawer at an inner position and the waste toner box is mounted to the apparatus main body, the waste toner box being movable between a first/second position where the first coupling part and the first discharge part are coupled/decoupled and the second coupling part and the second discharge part are coupled/decoupled.

Abstract: A fixing device includes a fixing film, a heater for heating the fixing film, a heater holder including a heater holding portion holding the heater, and a pressing roller forming a nip between itself and the fixing film to be heated by the heater. In the nip, a toner image carried on a recording material is fixed. The heater holder includes an opposing surface which is provided on a side upstream of the heater holding portion with respect to a recording material feeding direction and which opposes the pressing roller, a lubricant holding portion provided on the opposing surface, for supplying a lubricant to between the fixing film and the heater, and a projected portion provided on the side upstream of the heater holding portion with respect to the recording material feeding direction and projecting toward the pressing roller from the opposing surface.

Abstract: A belt unit according to an embodiment may include: an endless belt including a first surface and a second surface opposite to the first surface; and a drive roller in contact with the second surface and configured to drive the endless belt. A surface potential of the first surface of the belt is a voltage of not more than 20 volts, 0.1 seconds after an application of a voltage of 6000 volts.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image forming unit configured to form an image on a sheet; a detection unit configured to detect a characteristic value of the sheet; a reading unit configured to optically read the sheet; and a control unit configured to perform determination processing for determining whether or not an image failure has occurred, by comparing a determination value acquired by causing the reading unit to read a non-image area of the sheet after an image has been formed on the sheet, with a reference determination value that is based on the characteristic value detected by the detection unit.

Abstract: It is an object of the present invention to diagnose image quality of a print image without using an open communication network and output the print image, a diagnosis result of image quality, and information of the print parameters while avoiding disclosure of confidential information to users. A test print control portion causes a print device to execute a test print process to form a test image on a sheet. An image quality diagnosis portion diagnoses image quality of the test image included in the image read by an image reading device. A code image generating portion generates a code image that represents information of print parameters adopted in the test print process. An output control portion causes an output device to output a diagnosis image that includes an image representing a diagnosis result of image quality of the test image, and the code image.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image forming device, a corrector, and a controller. The image forming device is configured to form an image on a sheet using a rotating body under a predetermined image forming condition. The corrector is configured to correct the image forming condition to adjust image density unevenness corresponding to a rotation cycle of the rotating body. The controller is configured to control the image forming device to form on at least one sheet (i) plural test images that are different in correction amount for the image forming condition and (ii) pointing portions indicating intervals corresponding to the rotation cycle of the rotating body, in a state where the rotating body is continuously rotated.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: a conveyer that conveys a recording medium; a transfer part that forms a transfer nip between with the conveyer, and conveys, toward the transfer nip, an image to be transferred onto the recording medium; and an inclination part that inclines the recording medium conveyed by the conveyer with respect to a conveyance direction of the recording medium in the conveyer.

Abstract: In a state that a first voltage is applied to a charging member so as to form a surface potential on a region of an image bearing member and a second voltage the same in polarity as the first voltage is applied to a transfer member, a detection unit detects a transfer current in the region of the image bearing member during one rotation of the image hearing member after the region passes through a charging portion, when an absolute value of the surface potential formed on the region immediately before entry into the charging portion is larger than an absolute value of the surface potential formed on the region when it is positioned upstream of a transfer portion and downstream of the charging portion in a rotational direction of the image bearing member.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a detection member configured to detect a conveyance state of a recording medium, a control unit configured to sequentially execute a first operation for continuously executing a rotation operation of an image bearing member and an intermediate transfer member without stopping them when the detection member detects a failure, and a second operation for stopping the rotation operation of the image bearing member when the surface of the image bearing member is moved by a predetermined distance through the rotation operation of the image bearing member after the failure is detected.

Abstract: A fixing unit includes an endless fixing belt, a rotary member configured to form a fixing nip portion, a resin-made pad configured to press an inner circumferential surface of the fixing belt by a peripheral surface toward the fixing nip portion, and a stay configured to support the pad. The stay includes a projection configured to protrude toward the pad. The pad includes a hole formed at a center in the width direction on the opposite surface and configured to fit with the projection.

Abstract: A toner cartridge according to one example embodiment includes a housing having a reservoir for holding toner. A first latch-receiving shelf is positioned on a first longitudinal end of the housing and a second latch-receiving shelf is positioned on a second longitudinal end of the housing. Contact surfaces on top portions of the first and second latch-receiving shelves are positioned to contact corresponding first and second latches in an image forming device. The contact surface of the first latch-receiving shelf is positioned lower than a first rotational axis of a first drive coupler of the toner cartridge and higher than a second drive coupler of the toner cartridge. The contact surface of the second latch-receiving shelf is positioned lower than at least a portion of a first electrical contact of the toner cartridge and higher than at least a portion of a second electrical contact of the toner cartridge.

Abstract: An exposure head that exposes a photosensitive member to light includes a plurality of light-emitting element array chips mounted on one surface of a board, a connector mounted on the other surface of the board, and a first driver IC and a second driver IC that are connected to the connector and drive the light-emitting element array chips, wherein the first driver IC is placed on one side of the board with respect to the connector in the longitudinal direction of the board, and the second driver IC is placed on the other side of the board with respect to the connector in the longitudinal direction of the board.

Abstract: The heater including a substrate, a first heat generation member, a second heat generation member having a length substantially a same in a longitudinal direction as a length of the first heat generation member, a third heat generation member having a length shorter than lengths of the first heat generation member and the second heat generation member in the longitudinal direction, and a fourth heat generation member having a length shorter than length of the third heat generation member in the longitudinal direction, wherein the first heat generation member, the second heat generation member, the third heat generation member and the fourth heat generation member are arranged on the substrate.

Abstract: A driving apparatus comprising a driving circuit is provided. The driving circuit includes an output terminal to which the load element is connected, a current output circuit configured to supply a current to the load element, a voltage supply circuit configured to apply a voltage to the load element, a first signal line configured to control a timing at which the current output circuit starts supplying a current to the load element and a second signal line configured to control a timing at which the voltage supply circuit is turned off. The voltage supply circuit starts applying a voltage before the current output circuit supplies a current to the load element, and a timing at which the current output circuit starts supplying a current differs from a timing at which the voltage supply circuit turns off application of a voltage.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a density detector, a determination unit, and a change unit. The density detector detects a density of a patch image formed on an image carrier over plural places. The determination unit determines whether plural detection results of the density detector are within a threshold. When the number of determination results, by the determination unit, that the density of the patch image is not within the threshold exceeds a predetermined number, the change unit changes (i) a detection timing at which the patch image is detected by the density detector or (ii) a formation position of the patch image on the image carrier.

Abstract: A fixing device includes a flexible endless belt, a pressure rotator disposed outside the belt and facing the belt, a nip formation pad disposed inside a loop of the belt and configured to form a fixing nip between the belt and the pressure rotator, a heater configured to heat the belt, a flange configured to support an end portion of the belt, a first lubricant, and a second lubricant. The first lubricant is applied between the nip formation pad and an inner surface of the belt. The second lubricant is applied between the flange and the inner surface of the belt. The second lubricant has a temperature characteristic different from a temperature characteristic of the first lubricant.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes first and second casings, a support portion, a control panel, and a USB port. The first casing houses an image forming unit and includes a sheet discharge tray configured to support a sheet discharged by a discharge roller. The second casing is disposed above the first casing, and houses an image scanner. The support portion is disposed at a top surface of the first casing such that the support portion support raises the second casing, and partially defines an open portion that enables an access to the sheet discharged on the sheet discharge tray. The control panel is disposed at the second casing. A downstream end portion of the control panel is positioned downstream of the discharge roller in a discharging direction. The USB port is positioned above the sheet discharge tray, and overlaps, when viewed from the top, with the sheet discharge tray.

Abstract: A process cartridge includes: a drum cartridge including a photosensitive drum; and a toner cartridge which is mountable on the drum cartridge and stores toner, wherein the drum cartridge includes: a cleaner configured to collect waste toner on the photosensitive drum; a waste toner conveyance tube configured to convey the waste toner collected by the cleaner; and a developing unit which includes a developing roller configured to supply toner to the photosensitive drum and is swingable about a swing axis with respect to the photosensitive drum, and wherein the toner cartridge has a waste toner storing chamber for storing the waste toner conveyed by the waste toner conveyance tube.

Abstract: An image heating apparatus includes an endless film, a pressing member forming a nip portion together with the film, and a film holding member provided at a longitudinal end portion of the film. The film holding member includes a movable member including a restriction surface configured to restrict a longitudinal movement of the film and a guide surface configured to guide a rotation of the film, the guide surface including a lubricant application unit. The film holding member further includes a biased member supporting the movable member and including a force reception portion, and is configured to cause the movable member to move upstream in a conveyance direction of the recording material at the nip portion relative to the biased member and cause the lubricant application unit to abut against an inner peripheral surface of the fixing film, when the movable member moves longitudinally.