Abstract: A fixing device and an image forming apparatus including the fixing device. The fixing device includes a heat source, an endless, flexible fixing member to fix a toner image by heating and melting the toner image onto a recording medium, a pressure member to press against the fixing member, a stationary facing member to face an inner surface of the fixing member and heat the fixing member while contacting the pressure member via the fixing member at a nip portion formed between the fixing member and the pressure member, and a reinforcement member to reinforce the facing member at the nip portion by contacting an inner surface of the facing member in a fixed manner.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a fixing roller to fix a toner on a recording medium; a heater to heat the fixing roller; an alternating current (AC) power source to generate an AC electric power such that the heater heats the fixing roller according to the AC electric power; a unit interposed between the heater and the AC power source to selectively supply the AC electric power from the AC power source to the heater so as to control the heater to heat the fixing roller; a relay including a first relay contact point disposed on a first AC power supply line between the AC power source and the unit and a relay coil to open and close the first relay contact point; the relay selectively supplying the AC electric power from AC power source to the heater and the power control switch; a direct current (DC) power supplier to supply a DC power to the relay coil; and a thermoswitch interposed on a DC power supply line between the DC power supplier and the relay coil to control the supply of the AC electric power fr

Abstract: A toner cartridge includes a toner container which contains toner, the toner container having at one end portion thereof a discharge port which discharges the toner, and a member which is attached to an outer peripheral surface of the one end portion. The member has a first part which is disposed at the one end portion and has a shape corresponding to the toner cartridge, and a second part which has, at a position corresponding to the discharge port, a passage hole through which the toner discharged from the discharge port passes.

Abstract: The present invention provides a charging device which comprises a charging roller (14a) and a cleaning component (14b). The charging roller charges a surface of an image-recording medium (11) with a voltage which is applied from an external source. The cleaning component cleans a surface of the charging roller. The charging roller includes a resistance adjustment layer which is made of a resin composite and formed on an outer periphery of a core metal. The hardness of the charging roller is 45 degrees or more in JIS D hardness. The cleaning component has a portion which is in contact with the charging roller. This portion is made of resin foam which has a continuous foam structure. The density of the resin foam is 5 to 15 kg/m3 and its tensile strength is 1.7±0.5 kg/cm2.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: an electrostatic latent image bearing member; a toner cartridge; a developing member; a transfer member; a developing device; a toner-circulating member; a drive-force output unit; and a circulating-member driving unit. The toner cartridge is removably coupled to the developing device. The toner-circulating member is incorporated in the developing device and circulates toner between the developing device and the toner cartridge. The drive-force output unit is provided in the toner cartridge and is configured to output to the developing device a drive force for driving the toner-circulating member. The circulating-member driving unit is provided in the developing device and is configured to drive the toner-circulating member upon receiving the drive force outputted from the drive-force output unit while the toner cartridge is being coupled to the developing device.

Abstract: There is displayed, in a display section, a photocopy processing setting screen having a setting information display area to display information indicating various setting particulars of photocopy processing, a button display area to display various icons indicating the setting particulars of the photocopy processing, and a graphic to associate each setting particular displayed in the setting information display area with each icon to set the setting particular displayed in the setting information display area among the icons displayed in the button display area.

Abstract: An image forming device includes an image forming section; a storage section that stores a target darkness of a standard image; a measurement section that measures the darkness of the image formed by the image forming section; a user calibration section that causes the image forming section to form a standard image causes the measurement section to measure the darkness of that standard image, and if there is a discrepancy between the darkness of the standard image specified by the measurement of the physical quantity and the target darkness stored in the storage section, adjusts the image formation conditions to eliminate the discrepancy; a manual darkness adjustment section that changes the image formation conditions to content that is specified by the user; a control section that causes the image forming section to follow image formation conditions that do not reflect the content changed by the manual darkness adjustment section.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus in which surplus tabbed sheets produced in one set of output can be utilized for the next set of output, without requiring a user to perform a laborious task. In the image forming apparatus, a CPU calculates the number of tabbed sheet groups which will be used for one set of image formation and the number of tabbed sheets which will be used from among the last tabbed sheet group. Among the last tabbed sheet group, surplus tabbed sheets which will be left unused in the one set of image formation are determined. If the number of tabbed sheets is equal to or less than the number of the surplus tabbed sheets, at least one of the surplus tabbed sheets is used to carry out two sets of image formation.

Abstract: A replenishment and image mottle reduction system for adding carrier particles to a developer housing in a two-component developer toner imaging machine. The replenishment system includes (i) a carrier-only hopper for receiving and containing a first quantity of carrier particles; (ii) metering valves connected to a discharge end of the carrier-only hopper; (iii) a pneumatic plenum connected to the metering valves; (v) an air blower connected to the carrier-only hopper and to the pneumatic plenum for pressurizing the carrier-only hopper and for pneumatically conveying a metered quantity of carrier particles in an air stream from the pneumatic plenum; and (vi) a carrier separator assembly connected to the pneumatic plenum, located above each developer housing and including a carrier current collector, for separating fresh carrier from the air stream, and for allowing the carrier separated as such to drop by gravity into the developer housing.

Abstract: In a method or system for printing of a recording medium, potential images are generated on a potential image carrier. A developer liquid is used that comprises a transparent photo-polymerizable carrier liquid and charged colorant particles. The developer is transported via an applicator roller to the potential image carrier to form a developer film in a developing zone. The developer film adjacent to the potential image carrier comprises the photo-polymerizable carrier liquid enriched with the colorant particles in regions in which potential images are present on the potential image carrier and said photo-polymerizable liquid substantially depleted of said colorant particles in regions in which no potential images are present. The developer film splits at an end of the developing zone into an image film adhering to the potential image carrier comprising the developed potential image and a film adhering to the applicator roller comprising the photo-polymerizable liquid with residual colorant particles.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus, a process cartridge, and a developing unit includes a developer carrying member to carry developer, first and second rotary members arranged in parallel to each other and configured to rotate to agitate and convey the developer, and an enclosure having an inside space to contain the developer, the inside space being divided by a partition with communication openings formed therein at opposite ends thereof into a first chamber configured to maintain the developer above a first level and to hold the first rotary member therein which supplies the developer to the developer carrying member while agitating and conveying the developer, and a second chamber configured to communicate with the first chamber through the communication openings, to maintain the developer at a second level lower than the first level, and to hold the second rotary member therein which circulates the developer with the first chamber through the communication openings.

Abstract: A development cartridge and an electrophotographic image forming apparatus using the same are provided. The development cartridge includes a reception unit including at least one auger. A toner supply unit is disposed on the reception unit and connects a toner cartridge with the reception unit. A transfer means transfers the toner supplied from the toner cartridge to the reception unit. The transfer means engages the at least one auger, and includes a plurality of main wings arranged radially about a rotation axis.

Abstract: Reprographic device provides collated and uncollated subset finishing selections at the local Graphical User Interface to allow the user to program different types of finishing within a single job to construct mixed subset finished output. Subset finishing provides a user with the ability to select different finishing options, stapling/folding/offset/hole-punching to a portion of a larger job. Print jobs can make use of software based solutions to create custom print subset finishing. Methods allow different finishing options to be applied to portions of a larger collated or uncollated job from the local GUI. A new group of subset programming attributes can be made available on the local UI. A user can then construct a mixed subset job of both print and scanned images and apply custom finishing operations on each subset.

Abstract: A developing unit for developing an electrostatic latent image formed on the outer peripheral surface of a latent image bearer rotating in one direction utilizes an electrified developer that is prepared by mixing two components, or an electrostatically chargeable toner and magnetic carrier. The developing unit includes a developing roller for supplying the developer to the latent image bearer and a carrier collecting roller disposed on the downstream side of the developing roller with respect to the rotational direction of the latent image bearer. The carrier collecting roller includes first and second magnetic pole elements of different magnetic polarities, both presenting a magnetic field intensity of 400 G to 750 G. The first magnetic pole element is disposed at a position on the opposite side across the center of the carrier collecting roller from the position opposing the latent image bearer. The second magnetic pole element is disposed at a position opposing the developing roller.

Abstract: A device management system for a plurality of devices, including a data collecting device that acquires device data for one or more of the plurality of devices, and a transmission circuit that transmits the device data to a device management, wherein the device management station determines any outlying devices within the plurality of devices. Moreover, a device management method for a plurality of devices that includes acquiring device data for one or more of the plurality of devices, transmitting the device data to a device management station, generating a control chart on the basis of the transmitted device data, determining whether at least one of the plurality of devices is outside at least on of the upper limit and the lower limit, and providing an appropriate action to take on the basis of the determination.

Abstract: A developer supply container detachably mountable to a developer receiving apparatus, the developer supply container includes an containing portion for containing a developer; a discharge opening, provided in the containing portion, for permitting discharge of the developer; a shutter for opening and closing the discharge opening; an elastic member, provided around the discharge opening, for sealing between the developer supply container and the developer receiving apparatus; and a film member for unsealably sealing the discharge opening.

Abstract: A device and a method for detecting the position of a developing unit mounted in an image forming apparatus are provided.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image forming mechanism and an image fixing unit. The image forming mechanism forms a toner image on a recording sheet. The image fixing unit fixes the toner image onto the recording sheet. The image fixing unit includes a magnetic flux generator, a heat member, a magnetic flux adjuster, and a controlling member. The magnetic flux generator generates a magnetic flux. The heat member is heated inductively by the magnetic flux generated by the magnetic flux generator. The magnetic flux adjuster reduces the magnetic flux active on the heat member to form a heat reduction area in an outer circumferential surface of the heat member in a width direction thereof. The controlling member moves the magnetic flux adjuster to change the heat reduction area.

Abstract: During a first operation, at least one of a first pattern and a second pattern is formed on a first area of an image carrier, and at least the other pattern is formed on a second area of the image carrier. The first area corresponds to a half of the image carrier, while the second area corresponds to the remaining half of the image carrier. During a second operation, a second pattern is formed on an area of the image carrier where a first pattern is formed during the first operation, and a first pattern is formed on an area of the image carrier where a second pattern is formed during the first operation.

Abstract: In a printing apparatus, a charged amount to be charged when printing is carried out under a predetermined condition is calculated in advance. If the charged amount is lower than an upper limit of the charged amount set by a user, printing is performed. Meanwhile, if the charged amount exceeds the upper limit, image processing for suppressing the charged amount or processing for changing a parameter is performed. Then, when the charged amount becomes lower than the upper limit, printing is performed.