Abstract: A cartridge for mounting in an image forming apparatus includes a developer storage chamber, a discharge port fluidly connected to the developer storage chamber, a toner storage chamber, a fluid communication path extending in a first direction and fluidly connecting the toner storage chamber to the developer storage chamber, an auger disposed in the fluid communication path, rotatable inside the fluid communication path about a rotation axis extending in the first direction, and configured to transport the toner from the toner storage chamber along the fluid communication path toward the developer storage chamber when rotated about the rotation axis, and a sealing member disposed on the auger and configured to seal a gap between the auger and an inner surface of the fluid communication path when the sealing member is inside the fluid communication path and move along the first direction when the auger is rotated about the rotation axis.

Abstract: One end portion and the other end portion of a rotating member, which face each other and form a joint portion, have a shape with projections and recesses. Projections of one end portion fit in recesses of the other end portion, while projections of the other end portion fit in recesses of the one end portion, so that the one end portion and the other end portion are interlocked. The projections have a first corner portion rounded in an arc, while the recesses have a second corner portion rounded in an arc in which the first corner portion fits. The first corner portion has a larger radius of curvature than that of the second corner portion.

Abstract: A fixing device includes a roller member that rotates and a belt member including an endless belt that moves circularly while being in contact with the roller member, a pressing member that is disposed in a space enclosed by the endless belt and that presses the endless belt against the roller member on both a downstream side and an upstream side relative to a direction of rotation of the roller member, and a rotation hindering member that is disposed in the space enclosed by the endless belt and that hinders the pressing member from rotating as a result of receiving a reaction force. The roller member and the endless belt nip a sheet that has been transported while holding a toner image on the sheet and cause the sheet to pass between the roller member and the endless belt, so that the toner image is fixed onto the sheet.

Abstract: A fixing device includes a heating member that heats a developer image on a recording medium; a controlling member that controls a surface temperature of the heating member by coming into contact with an outer circumferential surface of the heating member; a measuring member that measures, on a downstream of the controlling member and on an upstream of a pressing member in a rotation direction of the heating member, the surface temperature; and a supporting unit that causes the controlling member to come into contact with and be separated from the outer circumferential surface by rotating a supporting member around a rotation fulcrum. A distance between the rotation fulcrum and a contact position at which the controlling member comes into contact with the outer circumferential surface is longer than that between the rotation fulcrum and a measurement position at which the measuring member measures the surface temperature.

Abstract: A fixing device includes a first fixing member, a second fixing member that fixes a toner image transferred to a recording medium onto the recording medium by transporting the recording medium while holding the recording medium between the first fixing member and the second fixing member, a first support member that supports the first fixing member, a forcing member that supports the second fixing member and presses the second fixing member against the first fixing member, and a restricting member disposed on the first support member to fix a position of the first support member at an attachable member to which the first support member is attached, and to restrict a position of the forcing member.

Abstract: A cleaning device includes a cleaning member, a first bearing member, a second bearing member, and a moving mechanism. The cleaning member includes a shaft portion and an elastic layer disposed around the shaft portion. The elastic layer is brought into contact with a rotating charging body. The cleaning member cleans the charging body while rotating. The first bearing member supports a first end portion of the shaft portion while rendering the shaft portion rotatable. The second bearing member supports a second end portion of the shaft portion while rendering the shaft portion rotatable. The moving mechanism is supported by the first bearing member and the second bearing member. The moving mechanism periodically moves the shaft portion in an axial direction of the shaft portion together with a rotation of the cleaning member.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a CPU configured to change a parameter value used to control a developer bearing amount and form a plurality of patches for different parameter values changed, and a color sensor configured to measure the plurality of patches thereby acquiring color information thereof. The CPU detects, from values of color information of the plurality of patches, a value of the color information at which a change greater than or equal to a predetermined threshold value occurs, and the CPU sets a parameter used in forming an image based on the detected value of color information.

Abstract: A fixing device includes a fixing sleeve, a pair of holders, a heater, a nip formation pad, a pressing member, a pressing mechanism, and a controller. The nip formation pad has a regular crown-shaped surface abutted against an inner surface of the fixing sleeve. The pressing member forms a nip with the nip formation pad in a state of abutting against the fixing sleeve. The controller controls the pressing mechanism in a first mode in which the pressing mechanism presses the pressing member toward the nip formation pad with a first pressing force to equalize a width of the nip and a second mode in which the pressing mechanism presses the pressing member with a second pressing force greater than the first pressing force so that the width of the nip is smaller at both ends than at a center of the nip.

Abstract: A cartridge includes a cover member that includes a flat portion, a substantially circular hole portion formed in the flat portion, an arc portion inserted through the hole portion, a first cutaway portion having a shape formed by cutting in the hole portion radially outward, the first cutaway portion arranged in a position opposed to the protrusion portion when viewed in a direction of a rotational axis, and a second cutaway portion having a shape formed by cutting the flat portion toward a photosensitive drum in the direction of the rotational axis to expose a coupling member when viewed in a direction orthogonal to the rotational axis.

Abstract: A developing apparatus includes a rotatable developer bearing member, a first conveyance screw in a first chamber to convey the developer, and a second conveyance screw in a second chamber to convey the developer. The second conveyance screw includes a first screw portion facing a communication portion between the first and second chambers, a second screw portion downstream of the first screw portion, and a third screw portion downstream of the first screw portion and upstream of the second screw portion and facing the second communication portion. The first screw portion includes a first blade portion formed spirally around a rotation shaft of the second conveyance screw, the second screw portion has a second blade portion formed spirally around the rotation shaft of the second conveyance screw, and the third screw portion comprises no blade portion formed spirally around the rotation shaft of the second conveyance screw.

Abstract: It is determined whether a performing condition for first welding detection is satisfied. If the performing condition for the first welding detection is satisfied, the first welding detection is performed. On the other hand, if the performing condition for the first welding detection is not satisfied, the first welding detection is skipped. The performing condition for the first welding detection is that second welding detection has detected welding of a relay. The first welding detection is performed before image formation is performed. The second welding detection is performed after image formation has ended.

Abstract: The image forming apparatus includes a drum cartridge having a photosensitive drum and a drum drive input member; a developing cartridge configured to be movably mounted to the drum cartridge, the developing cartridge comprising a developing roller disposed so as to face the photosensitive drum and a developing drive input member; a drum drive transmission member configured to engage with the drum drive input member and configured to transmit drum driving force to the drum drive input member while permitting a positional gap of the drum drive input member within a predetermined range; and a developing drive transmission member configured to engage with the developing drive input member and configured to transmit developing driving force to the developing drive input member while permitting a positional gap of the developing drive input member within a predetermined range.

Abstract: An image heating apparatus includes an endless belt for heating a toner image on a sheet, a first detector for detecting a temperature of one longitudinal end portion of the endless belt, a second detector for detecting a temperature of the other longitudinal end portion of the endless belt, and a controller for controlling whether notification of generation of an error is provided on the basis of a change amount per unit time of a difference between the temperature detected by the first detector and the temperature detected by the second detector.

Abstract: An imaging device has a photoconductor with a surface that is selectively discharged by a light from a laser diode to create a latent electrostatic image for attracting toner for transfer to a media. A circuit drives the laser diode. The circuit has a switch for turning on and off the light, a resistor complementary to the laser diode selectively connectable to the switch, and a passive circuit component coupled to the laser diode. The passive circuit component is a delay line, inductor, choke, coiled wire, or ferrite bead is contemplated. It may also typify a length of copper tracing on a printed circuit board that supports the laser diode. The circuit causes an initial overshoot voltage spike in an on voltage pulse that is about 20% or more than the settled on voltage. The voltage spike dampens out in about one-fourth of a total voltage on time of the pulse.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a control unit configured to be able to perform density adjustment control of forming a reference toner image for image density control on an image bearing member and changing a target value of a toner density based on an image density of the reference toner image detected by an image density detection unit. The control unit limits the target value of the toner density within a predetermined range, and changes frequency of execution of the density adjustment control based on the fact that the target value of the toner density is placed at a boundary value.

Abstract: A drum cartridge includes: a drum frame to which a developing cartridge including a storage medium having an electrical contact surface is detachably attachable; a photosensitive drum; a transfer roller; and a conveying roller. The drum is rotatable about a first axis extending in a first direction and positioned at one end portion of the frame in a second direction. The transfer roller is rotatable about a second axis extending in the first direction and in contact with the drum. The conveying roller is rotatable about a third axis extending in the first direction and separated from the transfer roller in the second direction. A first opening of the frame is positioned between the transfer roller and the conveying roller in the second direction. The electrical contact surface is exposed to an outside through the first opening in a case where the developing cartridge is attached to the frame.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus is provided which is used in a system having a first group and one or more second groups into which a plurality of second image forming apparatuses are classified, and classified into the first group together with a third image forming apparatus. The image forming apparatus includes a transmitter configured to send target data to be shared to the plurality of second image forming apparatuses, one by one, classified into the second groups, and to send the target data to the third image forming apparatus.

Abstract: A powder sensing device includes: a housing formed of a transparent member and having powder housed therein; and a light transmission-type sensor capable of sensing that powder is housed in the housing, the light transmission-type sensor including a light emitting unit and a light receiving unit, the light transmission-type sensor being provided such that at least a part of the housing is disposed between the light emitting unit and the light receiving unit. The housing has a light incident surface, a light emission surface and an adjacent surface provided adjacent to the light emission surface. The adjacent surface extends so as to be farther away from an optical axis that connects the light emitting unit and the light receiving unit as the adjacent surface is closer to the light emission surface in a direction of the optical axis that connects the light emitting unit and the light receiving unit.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, there is provided a light emitting substrate which includes a transparent substrate, a plurality of light emitting element groups, and a control unit. The plurality of light emitting element groups are formed by overlapping a first light emitting element and a second light emitting element on the transparent substrate. The control unit controls light emitting of the first light emitting element and the second light emitting element of the plurality of light emitting element groups. Amounts of light emitted from the plurality of light emitting element groups are uniform.

Abstract: In a sensor, a light emitter outputs light with which a toner pattern on an image carrier or a surface material of the image carrier is irradiated, and a photodetector receives reflection light from the toner pattern or the surface material. The sensor light intensity control unit provides a control voltage to the light emitter and controls light intensity thereof. The density determining unit determines a toner density on the basis of output of the photodetector. Further, the density determining unit determines a reference control voltage of the light emitter to set as a predetermined value the output of the photodetector corresponding to the reflection light from the surface material, determines a correction parameter corresponding to the reference control voltage, determines a correction amount corresponding to the correction parameter and the toner density, and corrects the toner density on the basis of the correction amount.