Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a device for forming a trace of an image fixing nip, primary transfer nip, secondary transfer nip or developing nip is formed, a detecting device for detecting a width of the nip from the trace of the nip, and a controller for controlling fixing, transferring, developing or image forming parameter in accordance with the nip width detected by the detecting device. Proper image forming conditions are provided against the change of the nip width.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: an image forming unit that forms an unfixed image on a sheet; and a fixing unit that includes a first rotary member and a second rotary member, which are in contact with each other to form a nip part, and that fixes the unfixed image formed in the image forming unit to the sheet by allowing the sheet to pass through the nip part. When a large-width sheet having a larger width than a preceding sheet that has previously passed through the nip part is allowed to pass through the nip part, adjustment in which the first rotary member and the second rotary member are displaced in directions away from each other, while forming the nip part, is performed in the fixing unit.

Abstract: An electrophotographic image forming apparatus for forming an image on a recording material includes an electrophotographic photosensitive drum and a developing cartridge including a developing roller for developing an electrostatic latent image formed on the electrophotographic photosensitive drum. A cartridge supporting member is movable, while detachably mounting the developing cartridge, between an inside position which is inside of the main assembly of the apparatus to mount the developing cartridge to the main assembly of the apparatus and an outside position that is outside of the main assembly of the apparatus to remove the developing cartridge from the main assembly of the apparatus.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a photosensitive member; a scan unit configured to scan the photosensitive member with light based on image data, and form a latent image on the photosensitive member; a developing unit configured to form an image on the photosensitive member by attaching toner to the latent image formed on the photosensitive member; and a correction unit configured to correct an exposure amount of the photosensitive member such that a density change of the image in a main scanning direction due to a configuration of the scan unit and a density of the image to be formed is reduced.

Abstract: Provided is an image forming apparatus capable of detecting a type of a sheet accommodated in a sheet feeding tray in advance. The image forming apparatus includes a conveyor, an image former, a fixer, a detector, and a processor. The conveyor conveys the sheet accommodated in the sheet feeding tray along a conveying path. The image former forms an image on the sheet. The fixer fixes the image onto the sheet. The detector is arranged on the conveying path and detects the type of the sheet. The processor executes a sheet type detection mode which is a mode for causing the detector to detect the type of the sheet conveyed by the conveyor before executing an image forming mode which is a mode for causing the image former to form the image and causing the fixer to fix the image.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a rotary member, a web, a moving unit, a detecting unit configured to detect a predetermined position, and a control portion. The control portion informs, in a case where an actual moving amount per one winding operation is a first moving amount, the replacement of the web, if a number of sheets of recording materials on which images have been formed after the predetermined position is detected reaches a first number of sheets. The control portion informs, in a case where the actual moving amount per one winding operation is a second moving amount which is greater than the first moving amount, the replacement of the web, if a number of sheets of recording materials on which images have been formed after the predetermined position is detected reaches a second number of sheets which is less than the first number of sheets.

Abstract: A drawer is moveable between an inner position and an outer position through an opening when a cover is located at an opening position. A waste toner conveying tube is movable in a second direction between a first connection position and a first disconnection position when a drum cartridge is attached to a drawer and the drawer is at the inner position. When the cover moves from a closing position toward the opening position, the waste toner conveying tube moves from the first connection position toward the first disconnection position in conjunction with the movement of the cover. The drawer is movable from the inner position toward to the outer position when the drum cartridge is attached to the drawer, the drawer is at the inner position, and the waste toner conveying tube is at the first disconnection position.

Abstract: A fixing device includes a pressure roller and a pressure pad that form a nip portion, and a nip member disposed opposite to the pressure roller as viewed from the pressure pad. The pressure pad is formed of an elongated flat-plate member and includes a first main surface located on a pressure roller side and a second main surface located on a nip member side. The nip member includes a receiving portion abutting against the pressure pad in a pressed state. A portion of the second main surface which corresponds to a passage region of the recording material provided at the nip portion is provided with a plurality of recesses, and the entire perimeter of each of the plurality of recesses is surrounded by projections. Top surfaces of the projections are in close contact with the receiving portion in the pressed state.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus and a control method of an image forming apparatus which offers high convenience are described. An image forming section forms a toner image in a print medium, and fixes the toner image by a heated fixing device. A power circuit supplies power to the image forming section to heat the fixing device. A communication interface receives a facsimile call signal and a facsimile image signal. A system controller controls the image forming section and the power circuit such that, when the facsimile call signal and the facsimile image signal are received, the image forming section and the power circuit are controlled to form an image by the image forming section on the basis of the facsimile image signal and, when the facsimile call signal is received and the facsimile image signal is not received, the power circuit supplies power to the image forming section to heat the fixing device.

Abstract: The image forming apparatus manages information on a consumable item by a management chip and includes a control unit configured to control the management chip, and the management chip includes: a chip-side storage unit whose storage area is made up in units of blocks; a simultaneous writing unit configured to simultaneously write information on the consumable item in units of the blocks in the chip-side storage unit; and a predetermined unit writing unit configured to write information on the consumable item in predetermined units smaller than the block unit in the chip-side storage unit, and the control unit performs control so as to write information on the consumable item by the simultaneous writing unit at timing at which there is time constraint and performs control so at to write information on the consumable item by the predetermined unit writing unit at timing at which there is no time constraint.

Abstract: An intermediate transfer belt (image carrier) includes a first layer and a surface layer disposed on the first layer and including an inorganic oxide containing an organic component, in which when the surface layer has a layer thickness of A ?m and the first layer has a ten-point average roughness of B ?m, a relationship of 0.25×A?B is satisfied.

Abstract: There is provided an image forming apparatus capable of suppressing fluctuation of sensor output. The image forming apparatus includes, an image bearing member, a photosensor and a hardware processor. The image bearing member has a layered structure in which a surface layer is laminated on a base material layer. The photosensor irradiates a surface of the image bearing member on which a toner image is formed with detection light on the basis of a predetermined detection condition, and receives reflected light of the detection light reflected from the surface of the image bearing member. The hardware processor controls at least a dominant wavelength of the photosensor among the predetermined detection conditions such that light interference and dark interference are included in the reflected light, and controls a toner adhesion amount onto the image bearing member on the basis of an output of the photosensor.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes image forming stations including respective electrophotographic photosensitive drums; an image transfer belt contactable to the drums; image transfer rollers, contactable to the transfer belt to urge the belt to the drums for transferring the toner images from the drums onto the belt, the rollers being provided with respective rotational shafts about an axis of which the rollers are rotatable; and a slidable member slidable in a direction in which the stations are arranged to retract the rollers away from the corresponding drums, the slidable member being provided with inclined surfaces contactable to the shafts, the inclined surfaces being disposed at such positions that the rollers are retracted from respective drums sequentially with the movement of the slidable member in the direction.

Abstract: A connecting member includes a plate body having first and second lateral sides, a tube portion extending from the first lateral side and defining a central axis, two resilient arms extending from the second lateral side, two pin holes provided at the two resilient arms respectively and defining an imaginary line passing therethrough and an imaginary plane orthogonal to the imaginary line in a way that the central axis is located on the imaginary plane, and two restricting portions extending from the second lateral side and located at two sides of the imaginary plane in a way that inner peripheries of the two restricting portions are spaced from the central axis at a distance smaller than a distance between inner peripheries of the two resilient arms and the central axis. A transmission unit of an electronic image-forming apparatus having the connecting member is also disclosed.

Abstract: Radius increased areas, radius decreased areas, and rotation stop areas are arranged in peripheral surfaces of first and second cams. In a state in which a portion in the peripheral surface of the first cam to which the first cam follower is contacting is positioned at an upstream end portion of the radius increased area, ?1 is a rotation amount of the first cam from the end portion needed until the first cam follower contacts the rotation stop area, and in a state in which a portion in the peripheral surface of the second cam to which the second cam follower is contacting is positioned at an upstream end portion of the radius increased area, ?2 is a rotation amount of the second cam from the end portion needed until the second cam follower contacts the rotation stop area. ?1<?2 is satisfied.

Abstract: In accordance with an embodiment, an image forming apparatus encompasses a heat roller, a lamp, a use amount acquisition section, a switching controller and a cycle controller. The heat roller heats a sheet printed with a toner image. The lamp heats the heat roller. The use amount acquisition section acquires a use amount of the lamp. The switching controller repeats a processing from a moment at which the lamp is charged until the lamp is charged next after the lamp is not charged in a predetermined control cycle. The cycle controller sets the cycle based on the use amount.

Abstract: A process unit has an image carrying unit having an image carrying member configured to be rotatable about a first axis extending in a first direction, and a developing agent removing member, a developing unit having a developing agent carrying member configured to be rotatable about a second axis parallel to the first axis, and a waste developing agent collecting unit configured to collect the developing agent removed by the removing member from the image carrying member. The waste developing agent collecting unit is arranged on one side in the first direction with respect to the developing unit such that the waste developing agent collecting unit faces the developing unit, and the developing unit is connected to the waste developing agent collecting unit such that the developing unit being movable in a second direction which is perpendicular to the first direction with respect to the waste developing agent collecting unit.

Abstract: A charging roller is configured to charge a surface of an image bearing member configured to bear an image. The charging roller includes: a shaft portion; an elastic layer formed around the shaft portion; and a surface layer formed around the elastic layer, wherein particles having particle diameters within a range of 2 ?m or larger and 15 ?m or smaller and dispersed in the surface layer, and wherein a reduced peak height Spk (?m), a reduced dale height Svk (?m), and a core height Sk (?m) with respected to the surface layer of the charging roller satisfy 4?Spk+Sk?8 and 0.5?Svk?1.

Abstract: A technique enabling downsizing of an image forming apparatus is provided. A cleaning unit 13 attachable to and detachable from an apparatus main body of an image forming apparatus 100 that forms an image on a recording material 12 is provided, with this cleaning unit 13 including: a photosensitive drum 1; and a cleaning frame body 14 that supports the photosensitive drum 1 and that includes an opening 14c through which laser light 3c for exposing the photosensitive drum 1 can pass, wherein the opening 14c is configured such that a width of the opening 14c in a scanning direction in an irradiation range of the light for exposing the photosensitive drum 1 becomes greater toward a side of the photosensitive drum 1 from a side of a light source of light for exposing the photosensitive drum 1.

Abstract: In a fixing device, a pressure roller is in contact with a fixing belt to form a fixing nip part with the fixing belt, a heating member heats the fixing belt when electrodes are energized, and a holding member holds the heating member. A connector in the fixing device includes a contact terminal that is in contact with the electrode, and by being mounted at a predetermined position of the holding member, the electrode and the contact terminal are in contact with each other. The holding member includes: a guide part having an inclined surface which is inclined with respect to a predetermined direction; and a positioning part that sets the position of the connector, inserted while being in contact with the inclined surface, in a rotatable state toward the predetermined position. The contact terminal is in contact with the electrode over a period before and after rotation of the connector.