Abstract: The image forming apparatus includes an image forming unit, a fixing unit including a heater, a necessary integral power calculation unit configured to calculate a necessary integral power required for the fixing unit to reach a predetermined fixable temperature, a suppliable integral power calculation unit configured to calculate a suppliable integral power capable of being supplied to the heater in a time elapsing until the recording material reaches the fixing unit, a power source condition detection unit configured to detect a power source condition of a power source for supplying power to the heater, and a controller configured to control a timing to start conveyance of the recording material according to the necessary integral power and the suppliable integral power, wherein the suppliable integral power calculation unit calculates the suppliable integral power according to a resistance value of the heater and the power source condition.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus has a fusing device in which a recording medium carrying an unfused toner image is nipped at a fusing nip formed between a heated member and a pressing member to fuse and fix the unfused toner image to the recording medium, and an exhaust duct unit through which air around the fusing device is expelled outside. The exhaust duct unit allows a choice between a first exhaust path through which outside air sucked into the image forming apparatus is passed through a space around the fusing device and is then expelled out of the image forming apparatus, and a second exhaust path in which a filter for collecting particles contained in an air stream is arranged and through which the air around the fusing device is passed through the filter and is then expelled out of the image forming apparatus.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes photosensitive drums, charging devices, an exposure unit configured to expose surfaces of photosensitive drums to generate a non-image portion potential and expose the surfaces to generate an image portion potential, developing members configured to make a developer adhere to an area where the image portion potential is generated to form a developer image on the photosensitive drums, a control unit configured to control an intensity of the charging voltage, and an acquisition unit configured to acquire thicknesses of photosensitive layers of the respective plurality of photosensitive drums, wherein the control unit is configured to set the intensity of a charging voltage applied to the common charging devices according to a maximum thickness among the thicknesses acquired by the acquisition unit, and individually control the output of the first laser power for the photosensitive drum according to surface potentials of the charged photosensitive drums.

Abstract: A developing device includes a development housing, a developer carrier, a toner carrier, a bias applying unit, a leakage detecting unit, a bias control unit and a leakage detection control unit. The developer carrier carries a developer layer. The toner carrier receives the toner from the developer layer and supplies the toner to an image carrier. The bias applying unit includes one transformer and applies direct-current voltages and alternating-current voltages to the developer carrier and the toner carrier. The leakage detecting unit detects leakage occurring between the image carrier and the toner carrier or between the toner carrier and the developer carrier. The leakage detection control unit detects a value of an inter-peak voltage at which the leakage occurs and determines whether the leakage occurs between the image carrier and the toner carrier or between the toner carrier and the developer carrier.

Abstract: A fixing device fixes a toner image on a recording medium transported to a fixing nip by applying pressure and heat to the recording medium. The fixing device includes an endless belt formed into a loop with both ends bonded together, the belt accommodating a heat source inside thereof, a pressing roller rotating in contact with the endless belt forming the fixing nip between the endless belt and the pressing roller, and a fixed member provided inside a loop of the endless belt to press the endless belt against a pressing roller. A reinforcing member is bonded to the fixed member inside the loop of the endless belt to reinforce the fixed member. A reflector is provided to reflect light emitted from the heat source toward the inner circumferential surface of the endless belt. The reflector is held on the reinforcing member by either plastically or elastically deforming by itself.

Abstract: A charging device according to an embodiment includes a surface potential sensor configured to output a result of detecting a surface potential of a photoconductor, on which charge is deposited by the charging device, of an image forming apparatus and a main control unit. The main control unit is configured to perform a charging-current determining process which determines a charging-current setpoint value, which is an output setpoint value for constant current control of a charging bias to be fed from a corona power supply, based on a difference between the result of detection output from the surface potential sensor and a grid setpoint value, which is an output setpoint value for constant voltage control of a grid bias to be fed from a grid power supply, at predetermined timing.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a forming unit configured to continuously form, on an image carrier, first and second detection patterns for detecting relative registration amounts and a density of each of a plurality of colors; and a control unit configured to control registration and the density. The forming unit forms the detection patterns such that a leading edge developer color of a detection pattern formed on a front side among the two detection patterns, in a direction in which the detection patterns are moved by rotation of the image carrier, is the same as a trailing edge developer color of the detection pattern formed on the front side, or a leading or trailing edge developer color of a detection pattern formed on a rear side among the two detection patterns.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus comprising: a built-in rotary driving member; a developing device detachably attachable to the body of the image forming apparatus; a developer driving part disposed at one end in a shaft direction of the developing roller and the agitation screw; a driving part duct enveloping the developer driving part of the developing device; a developer case surface duct formed along a surface parallel to the shaft direction of the developing roller and the agitation screw; and a blast fan or a exhaust fan to blow air from either the driving part duct or the developer case surface duct to each other.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a controller and an imaging unit having a developing device to develop a latent image on a surface of a latent image carrier with toner. When control target value of control parameters that influence a developing ability of the imaging unit becomes inappropriate, the controller performs target value correction processing of correcting the control target value to bring the control target value close to an appropriate value for stabilizing a development density of the imaging unit. In the target value correction processing, the controller corrects a control target value of a second control parameter having a response speed, obtained when the developing ability is changed by the correction, faster than a first control parameter, correct the control target value of the first control parameter, and then turn the control target value of the second control parameter back to the original value.

Abstract: A cam member has each of a plurality of first exposure-side surfaces provided in association with a first contact part of each exposure units and each of a plurality of second exposure-side surfaces provided in association with each first contact part. Each first contact part confronts but separates from the corresponding first exposure-side surface when the corresponding exposure unit is disposed in an adjacent position where the exposure unit is capable of exposing the corresponding photosensitive drum. Each first contact part is in contact with the corresponding second exposure-side surface when the corresponding exposure unit is disposed in a retracted position positioned farther than the adjacent position from the photosensitive drum.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus is characterized by including a first developing device configured to develop an electrostatic latent image using a developer, a second developing device configured to develop an electrostatic latent image using a developer, a common driving source unit configured to commonly drive the first developing device and the second developing device, and an execution unit configured, in a case where only the first developing device is a new developing device, to execute a predetermined initialization operation to drive the first developing device and a toner discharge operation to discharge toner from the second developing device during the initialization operation.

Abstract: A process cartridge includes a developing cartridge, drum cartridge, and end member. The developing cartridge and drum cartridge include first and second driving force receiving units, respectively. The second receiving unit is disposed on the same side on which the first receiving unit in an axis direction of photosensitive drum. A developing frame is movable within a prescribed distance in the axis direction relative to a photosensitive drum frame. The photosensitive drum is movable in the axis direction relative to the drum frame within a predetermined distance. The end member includes a drum contact surface, developing frame contact surface, and external member contact surface. When the first and second receiving units are in a predetermined state, a photosensitive drum contacts to the drum contact surface, the developing frame contacts to the developing frame contact surface, the external member contact surface contacts to an external member.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus including: a photosensitive member driving unit configured to rotate the photosensitive member; a charge unit having an opening portion and configured to charge the surface of the photosensitive member; a shield member movable between a closed position for closing the opening portion and an open position for opening the opening portion; a shield member driving unit configured to move the shield member between the closed position and the open position; and a control unit configured to control the photosensitive member driving unit to rotate the photosensitive member in a state in which the shield member is situated at the open position, and to prevent the photosensitive member from rotating in a state in which the shield member is situated at the closed position.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a charger having a case surrounding a discharge electrode, an opening on the photosensitive member side and a grid disposed in the opening and having a mesh area, a shutter that covers the opening, and first and second contact members. The contact members are disposed on a downstream side of the charger and an upstream side of a cleaning blade in a rotational direction of the photosensitive member and come in contact with areas of the photosensitive member corresponding to both longitudinal ends of the mesh area of the grid.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image forming part to form a developer image on a recording medium, a fuser part that includes a fuser member and a heat application member to fix the developer image on the recording medium, a heat application control part to control the heat application member so that a temperature of the fuser member falls within a target temperature range that has been set, a temperature setting part to set a first target temperature range and a second target temperature range. The first target temperature range is a target temperature range for a first fusion that is performed on a first surface of the recording medium, and the second target temperature range is another target temperature range, which is lower than the first target temperature range, for a second fusion that is performed on the first surface of the recording medium.

Abstract: The image forming apparatus includes a developing unit that is detachable and contains a developer, a detection member that includes an electrode to be detected and is rotatable around a rotation axis in the developing unit, an agitator that moves around the rotation axis in the developing unit; an electrostatic capacitance sensor electrode provided on an exterior of the developing unit, an electrostatic capacitance sensor that detects electrostatic capacitance between the electrode to be detected and the electrostatic capacitance sensor electrode, and outputs data on the detected electrostatic capacitance, and a CPU that determines an amount of developer in the developing unit based on the data output from the electrostatic capacitance sensor.

Abstract: A high-voltage power source can change a set value of a current to be supplied to an electroconductive brush from a first set current that has been set when the image formation has been started, to a second set current smaller than the first set current, at a previously set timing after the image formation for a recording material has been started. An absolute value of a potential difference between potentials of a photosensitive drum and an intermediate transfer belt, when a secondary transfer residual toner that has been charged by the electroconductive brush to which the second set current has been supplied is positioned in a primary transfer portion, is not larger than an absolute value of a potential difference which is shown when a toner image formed on the photosensitive drum is primarily transferred in the primary transfer portion.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image carrying member for carrying a toner image; an intermediary member for carrying the toner image transferred from the image carrying member; a first transfer member for transferring the toner image from the intermediary member onto a sheet, the first transfer member having a first resistance and being contacted to the intermediary member; a second transfer member for transferring the toner image from the intermediary member onto the sheet, the second transfer member having a second resistance higher than the first resistance and being contacted to the intermediary member at a position downstream of the first transfer member; and a voltage applying source, connected to both of said first and second transfer members, for applying the same voltage to the first and second transfer members to transfer the toner image onto the sheet.

Abstract: A process cartridge includes a developing cartridge, drum cartridge, and end member. The developing cartridge and drum cartridge include first and second driving force receiving units, respectively. The second receiving unit is disposed on the same side on which the first receiving unit in an axis direction of photosensitive drum. A developing frame is movable within a prescribed distance in the axis direction relative to a photosensitive drum frame. The photosensitive drum is movable in the axis direction relative to the drum frame within a predetermined distance. The end member includes a drum contact surface, developing frame contact surface, and external member contact surface. When the first and second receiving units are in a predetermined state, a photosensitive drum contacts to the drum contact surface, the developing frame contacts to the developing frame contact surface, the external member contact surface contacts to an external member.

Abstract: A driving device includes a motor, a pulley, a metal belt, a first unit, a second unit, a biasing member and a detector. The motor includes a drive shaft. The pulley includes an output shaft extending in parallel to the drive shaft. The pulley is rotatably supported on the first unit with the output shaft as a rotary shaft and the circumferential surface is arranged at a distance from the drive shaft in a radial direction of the rotation. The second unit supports the motor and is slidable relative to the first unit. The biasing member biases the second unit in a direction to move the drive shaft away from the output shaft in a state where the metal belt is mounted between the drive shaft and the pulley. The detector detects a change in an inter-axial distance between the drive shaft and the output shaft.