Abstract: A fixing device includes a film, a heater contacting the film which has a substrate, a first heat generating segment on a first surface of the substrate, and a second heat generating segment on a second surface opposite to the first surface, a pressure member forming the nip portion, a temperature detection unit detecting a temperature of the second surface, and a control unit supplying power to the heater so that the detected temperature becomes a target temperature, wherein the control unit can perform a first heater control so as to supply power only to the first heat generating segment, and a first heater control so as to supply power only to the second heat generating segment, and wherein the target temperature during performing the second heater control is higher than the target temperature during performing the first heater control.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a transport module that is capable of being pulled out from an apparatus body of the image forming apparatus and in which a transport path along which a recording material, to which a toner image has been transferred, is to be transported is formed and a fixing unit that is provided in the transport module and that includes a fixing member, which fixes the toner image onto the recording material, and a pressure member, which forms a pressing part to which the recording material is to be transported between the fixing member and the pressure member. When the recording material whose length in a transport direction is longer than that of the transport module is present in the transport path, the transport module is pulled out from the apparatus body while the recording material is being nipped by the fixing member and the pressure member.

Abstract: A cover opening/closing device includes an engage mechanism and a lock mechanism. The engage mechanism is provided in an apparatus body. The lock mechanism is provided in a cover. The lock member includes a button, a lock member, and an interlocking mechanism. The button is provided to be able to move linearly. The lock member is provided to be able to move linearly between a lock position and an unlock position. The interlocking mechanism interlocks a movement of the button with a movement of the lock member. The interlocking mechanism includes a return member, an oblique groove, and a projection part. The return member returns the button to an initial position. The projection part fits movably along the oblique groove. The oblique groove guides a relative movement of the projection part so as to interlock an operation of the button with a movement of the lock member.

Abstract: A releasing mechanism usable for a toner supply container includes a groove fixable to the toner supply container, a releasing portion slidably fixable to the toner supply container, and a hook member. The releasing portion has an opening for releasing toner, and a fixing structure disposed over the groove. The hook member is disposed between the groove and the fixing structure, and has a first hook received in the groove, and a fixing portion fixable to the fixing structure. By operations of first and second forces pushing the releasing portion toward or away from the toner supply container, the first hook is slidable along the groove and is stoppable at first and second positions of the groove that are close to or away from the toner supply container, such that the releasing portion is movable relative to the toner supply container to provide or stop providing the toner.

Abstract: A fixing device includes a fixing belt, a cap member, a first elastic member, and a second elastic member. The cap member is attached to an end portion of the fixing belt. The first elastic member is mounted in the cap member so as to be opposite to an outer circumferential surface of the fixing belt. The first elastic member is ring-shaped. The second elastic member is mounted in the cap member so as to be opposite to an inner circumferential surface of the fixing belt. The second elastic member is ring-shaped. The first elastic member is in pressed contact with the cap member and with the outer circumferential surface of the fixing belt. The second elastic member is disposed with a space from the inner circumferential surface of the fixing belt and thermally expands toward the inner circumferential surface of the fixing belt.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus (1) includes an image carrier unit (15) and a positioning member (30) configured to position the image carrier unit (15) to the apparatus main body (2). The image carrier unit (15) has a concentric circumference part (51L), (51R) formed on a concentric circle with a rotating shaft (9a) of the image carrier (9) and the apparatus main body (2) has an edge part (42L), (42R) facing the concentric circumference part (51L), (51R) at the attachment position. The positioning member (30) has an intervening part (37) formed with an edge side abutment face (37a) facing the edge part (42L), (42R) of the apparatus main body (2) and a unit side abutment face (37b) facing the concentric circumference part (51L), (51R) of the image carrier unit (15).

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a first heater disposed opposite and heating at least a center of a fixing belt in an axial direction thereof and a second heater disposed opposite and heating at least a lateral end of the fixing belt in the axial direction thereof. A power supply supplies power to the first heater and the second heater. A controller that controls the power supply includes a calculator to calculate an elapsed time elapsed after at least one of the first heater and the second heater starts heating the fixing belt. The controller controls the power supply to supply power to the first heater and the second heater such that a power density of the second heater is greater than a power density of the first heater when the elapsed time calculated by the calculator is smaller than a predetermined time.

Abstract: Provided is an electroconductive member for electrophotography which is suppressed in adhesion of a contaminant to a surface thereof. The electroconductive member for electrophotography includes, in this order, an electroconductive support, an electroconductive elastic layer, and a surface layer. The surface layer contains a binder resin and electroconductive fine particles having a number average particle diameter of 5.0 nm or more and 50.0 nm or less. At least part of the electroconductive fine particles are exposed from the surface layer. The surface layer has, on a surface thereof, protruded portions derived from exposed portions of the electroconductive fine particles. The surface layer has a volume resistivity of 1.0×1010 ?cm or more and 1.0×1016 ?cm or less and a universal hardness at a depth of 1 ?m from the surface thereof of 1.0 N/mm2 or more and 7.0 N/mm2 or less.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image bearing member, a transfer section, a transfer bias applying section, a conveyance section, an element, a current measurement section, and a control section. The transfer section forms, in conjunction with the image bearing member, a pressing part where a recording medium is pressed. The transfer bias applying section supplies transfer current to the transfer section to apply a transfer bias to the transfer section. The element conducts when a voltage equal to or greater than a prescribed value is applied thereto. The current measurement section measures a value of leak current. The leak current is a current flowing through the element. The control section controls a value of the transfer current. The control section changes the absolute value of the transfer current based on the absolute value of the leak current.

Abstract: A semiconductive roller (1) according to the present invention has a nonporous single-layer structure formed from a rubber composition which includes: a rubber component including a styrene butadiene rubber and an epichlorohydrin rubber; and a salt of an anion having a fluoro group and a sulfonyl group in its molecule; the salt being present in the rubber composition in a proportion of 0.05 to 5 parts by mass based on 100 parts by mass of the overall rubber component.

Abstract: Disclosed is a cylindrical rotary member including a conductive layer; a coil disposed inside the rotary member, the coil including a helical portion having a helical axis that is substantially parallel to a generatrix direction of the rotary member, the coil forming an alternating magnetic field to generate heat in the conductive layer by electromagnetic induction; a core disposed inside the helical portion, the core inducing a line of magnetic force of the alternating magnetic field; a roller coming in contact with an outer surface of the rotary member to form a fixing nip portion; and a metal stay disposed inside the rotary member, in which an image on a recording material is fixed to the recording material by being heated at the fixing nip portion and the stay is disposed outside the coil and has a shape that does not form an electrical loop around the coil.

Abstract: A replaceable unit for an electrophotographic image forming device includes a housing and a positioning stop on the housing that is translatable between a latching position and an unlatching position. The positioning stop limits the travel of the replaceable unit in the image forming device when the positioning stop is in the latching position. A compression spring that biases the positioning stop toward the latching position is positioned in line with the translation of the positioning stop between the positioning stop and a first side of a post on the housing. A deflectable arm extends from the positioning stop in line with the translation of the positioning stop proximate the compression spring. The deflectable arm includes a hook that wraps over the post in position to contact a second side of the post to limit translation of the positioning stop away from the post.

Abstract: The present wet-type developing device includes: a developer carrier for carrying a wet-type developer, which contains a charged toner particle and carrier liquid, and supplying the wet-type developer to an image carrier on which an electrostatic latent image is formed; a charge neutralizing unit for neutralizing a charge of the toner particle contained in the wet-type developer remaining on the developer carrier after supplying the wet-type developer to the image carrier; a dispersing unit for dispersing the toner particle in the carrier liquid by acting on the toner particle contained in the wet-type developer neutralized in charge by the charge neutralizing unit; and a removing unit for removing, from the developer carrier, the wet-type developer containing the toner particle dispersed by the dispersing unit.

Abstract: A cartridge detachably mountable to a main assembly of an image forming apparatus includes: a frame; an accommodating portion, constituted by the frame, for accommodating a developer; a seal portion for preventing the developer from being leaking out from the accommodating portion, wherein the seal portion is formed by injection molding at a seal forming portion provided on the frame and is projected from the seal forming portion; and a sprue which is formed integrally with the seal portion by a resin material remaining in a path for permitting flow of the resin material melted when the seal portion is formed by the injection molding and which is projected from the frame in a position different from a position of the seal portion so as to be higher than the seal portion on the basis of the frame.

Abstract: A developing cartridge includes a housing configured to accommodate a developing agent and including a first frame and a second frame, a developing agent carrying member rotatable on an axial line and configured to carry the developing agent, and a layer thickness regulating member configured to regulate a layer thickness of the developing agent carried by the developing agent carrying member. The first frame has a first facing surface facing the layer thickness regulating member. The second frame has a second facing surface facing the layer thickness regulating member. A welded region where the first frame and the second frame are welded and include a first welded portion extending from the first facing surface in a first direction intersecting with and away from the first facing surface, and a second welded portion extending from the first welded portion inward in a second direction intersecting with the first direction.

Abstract: A transferring device includes a conveying belt, a transferring roller, a stretching roller and a guide member. The conveying belt comes into contact with an image carrier carrying a toner image and conveys a sheet via a contact position to the image carrier. The transferring roller takes applying of voltage with a reversed polarity to a charged polarity of the toner forming the toner image and transfers the toner image carried on the image carrier onto the sheet at the contact position. The stretching roller stretches the conveying belt at a downstream side from the contact position in a conveying direction of the conveying belt and at a separation position of the sheet separated from the conveying belt. The guide member is arranged at a position facing to the sheet conveyed from the stretching roller to a fixing device to take applying of the voltage with the reversed polarity.

Abstract: A method of supplying a developing unit with toner and an image forming apparatus using the method are provided. The method may include supplying toner to a developing unit separate from a toner bottle in an image forming apparatus. The method includes: detecting a remaining amount of toner in the developing unit during printing; comparing the remaining amount of toner with a first reference value; if the remaining amount of toner is greater than the first reference value, continuing printing; and if the remaining amount of toner is not greater than the first reference value, determining whether to supply toner based on a preset mode. Deterioration of printing quality in a toner supply mode may be markedly reduced according to a user's settings.

Abstract: An optical scanning device that performs optical scanning across an object to be scanned with a light deflected, comprises: a deflection unit that causes a deflection mirror driven by a driving source to deflect the travel direction of light emitted from a light source and generates the light deflected; a resonator that includes a resonance space for reducing sound emitted from the deflection unit and a resonance passage communicating with the resonance space to direct sound from outside to inside the resonance space; a housing that accommodates the deflection unit and the resonator, and a partition wall that partitions a deflection unit accommodating space acting as a space for accommodating the deflection unit in the housing and a resonator accommodating space acting as a space for accommodating the resonator in the housing.

Abstract: There is provided an image forming apparatus including a main body, a process unit, an exposure unit, and a developing agent container unit. The main body includes a first end portion and a second end portion. The process unit is disposed at the first end portion and includes a photosensitive drum and a developing roller. The exposure unit is disposed at the second end portion and is configured to expose the photosensitive drum. An optical path of light irradiated from the exposure unit extends above the developing roller. The developing agent container unit includes a developing agent storage configured to store a developing agent and a waste developing agent storage configured to store the developing agent collected from a surface of the photosensitive drum. The developing agent container unit is disposed above the optical path and is detachably attachable to the process unit.

Abstract: A fixing device includes a pressure rotator pressed against a fixing rotator to form a fixing nip therebetween, through which a recording medium bearing a toner image is conveyed. A first heater is disposed opposite and heats a first heated span on the fixing rotator spanning in an axial direction thereof. A second heater is disposed opposite and heats a second heated span on the fixing rotator spanning in the axial direction thereof. A temperature sensor unit is disposed opposite an outer circumferential surface of the fixing rotator and includes a first temperature detection element to detect a first temperature of the first heated span on the outer circumferential surface of the fixing rotator and a second temperature detection element to detect a second temperature of the second heated span on the outer circumferential surface of the fixing rotator.