Abstract: An image forming apparatus of the present disclosure includes a unit, a high-voltage contact point pin, and a protective member. The unit is mountable/demountable with respect to a main body of the image forming apparatus. With the unit mounted in the main body of the image forming apparatus, the high-voltage contact point pin is in contact with a contact point terminal that is provided at the unit. With the unit mounted in the main body of the image forming apparatus, the protective member is disposed at a first position at which a tip end of the high-voltage contact point pin being in contact with the contact point terminal is exposed, and with the unit demounted from the main body of the image forming apparatus, the protective member is disposed at a second position at which the tip end of the high-voltage contact point pin is covered.

Abstract: An image formation unit that forms an image on a transfer medium, a conveyance unit that conveys the transfer medium, a control unit that controls formation of the image and conveyance of the transfer medium are provided. The control unit has a sheet gap image forming function of forming a predetermined toner image in a sheet gap between the transfer media conveyed by the conveyance unit. When the transfer medium is conveyed, the control unit acquires information of a tilt angle on a conveyance surface of the transfer medium conveyed to the image formation unit, calculates a sheet gap between the transfer media based on the tilt angle, determines whether or not a toner image of a required amount is able to be formed in the sheet gap when performing the sheet gap image forming function, and controls formation of the sheet gap image based on the determination result.

Abstract: An image forming device includes: a main casing; a retaining unit; a feed tray; and a pickup roller. The retaining unit retains a plurality of photosensitive drums juxtaposedly arrayed and spaced away from each other in an array direction. The retaining unit is movable in the array direction between a mounted position in which the retaining unit is mounted in the main casing and a pulled-out position in which the retaining unit is pulled out of the main casing. The feed tray is configured to accommodate a first transferred medium. The pickup roller is configured to pick up the first transferred medium accommodated in the feed tray. The pickup roller is arranged to overlap with the retaining unit in the array direction.

Abstract: In a constitution in which a power source exclusively for primary-transfer is omitted and a predetermined voltage is generated in an intermediary transfer member, in a test mode in which a test voltage is applied to a secondary-transfer member in advance in order to obtain a proper secondary transfer voltage, in the case where the test voltage is low, a proper secondary-transfer voltage cannot be obtained in some cases. In a period of the test mode, the power source is controlled in order to maintain a Zener breakdown voltage, so that the proper secondary-transfer voltage can be obtained.

Abstract: A cartridge includes a housing, a drive-transmission member and a detected body. The housing has a first wall and a second wall opposing each other in a first direction from the second wall toward the first wall. The drive-transmission member is rotatable about a first axis parallel to the first direction for transmitting a drive force. The detected body is rotatable about a second axis parallel to the first axis upon receipt of the drive force to move the detected body irreversibly from a first position to a second position. The detected body includes: a detected portion; a receiving portion configured to receive the drive force; and a peripheral portion positioned downstream of the receiving portion in a radial direction of the detected body away from the second axis, at least a portion of the detected portion being positioned on the peripheral portion.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a frame configured to contain a developer, a conveyance member configured to convey the developer, a detection unit configured to detect a developer amount of the developer inside the frame, and an adjustment unit configured to adjust a vibration condition of the conveyance member, wherein the adjustment unit adjusts the vibration condition of the conveyance member according to a result of detection by the detection unit.

Abstract: A fixing device for improving heat efficiency and an image forming apparatus including the fixing device includes a heating roller, a pressing roller, a pressing portion, a halogen lamp, a reflection plate, a first reflection member including a first reflection unit configured to reflect light irradiated from a first halogen lamp to the heating rotator, and a second reflection member including a second reflection unit configured to reflect light irradiated from a second halogen lamp to the heating rotator, wherein a center portion of the first reflection unit has a higher reflectivity than opposite end portions of the first reflection unit, and opposite end portions of the second reflection unit have a higher reflectivity than a center portion of the second reflection unit.

Abstract: An excessive heating protection circuit to be connected to a first temperature sensor being configured to output less voltage with a rise in temperature and a second temperature sensor being configured to output more voltage with a rise in temperature. The excessive heating protection circuit includes: a multiplexer having a plurality of channels capable of receiving reference voltages predetermined for the first and second temperature sensors, the multiplexer being configured to output one of the reference voltages by selecting one of the channels with reference to input selection signals; a first comparator being configured to compare the output voltage of the first temperature sensor to the output reference voltage of the multiplexer and to output a comparison result; and a second comparator being configured to compare the output voltage of the second temperature sensor to the output reference voltage of the multiplexer and to output a comparison result.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a containing member that is detachably disposed in an interior space of the housing and that contains a color material, an opening and closing member that opens and closes an opening of the housing by rotating about an axis, which is formed in a lower portion of the housing, when the containing member is replaced, and a cover member that includes surface portions, a first end attached to the housing, and a second end attached to the opening and closing member and that forms a color-material-receiving surface by covering a region between the housing and the opening and closing member from above when the opening and closing member opens the opening, the cover member being formed to be folded such that one of the surface portions and the other surface portions face one another when the opening and closing member closes the opening.

Abstract: A fuser control device includes: a fusing portion having a heater; a chopper portion including a reactor, a free-wheeling element, and a switching element; and a processor portion being configured to implement a first current control during an implementation period, the implementation period including a first time interval and a second time interval, the implementation period being longer than a commercial power period, the first current control for transferring a control signal having a predetermined duty ratio to the switching element during the first time interval and transferring a control signal having a 100% duty ratio to the switching element during the second time interval.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: a photoconductor drum; an optical scanning device that drives a light source to scan a surface of the photoconductor drum and form a latent image on the surface; a developing device that develops the latent image; and a density detector to detect density variation of an image in a rotation direction of the photoconductor drum, the image being developed by the developing device. The optical scanning device includes a processing device that is capable of correcting a driving signal for driving the light source on a basis of an output signal of the density detector to adjust at least either one of a correction period and a correction strength of correction data for the driving signal for a rotation period of the photoconductor drum.

Abstract: An image-forming apparatus includes a light-irradiation unit configured to move a spot of laser light on a surface of a photosensitive member at a non-constant scanning velocity in a main scanning direction to form a latent image on the photosensitive member, an image data correcting unit configured to correct a length in the main scanning direction of image data by inserting one or more image data pieces into the image data, the number of the image data pieces increasing as the scanning velocity increases, and/or extracting one or more image data pieces from the image data, the number of the image data pieces increasing as the scanning velocity decreases, and a brightness correcting unit configured to correct a brightness of the laser light so that an emission brightness increases as the scanning velocity increases and/or the emission brightness decreases as the scanning velocity decreases.

Abstract: A cartridge includes: a casing including a developer accommodation part for accommodating developer; an agitator for agitating the developer and rotatable about a first rotational axis extending in an axial direction; a receiving member rotatable about a second rotational axis upon receipt of a drive force inputted thereto; a first drive-force transmission member rotatable about a third rotational axis upon receipt of the drive force from the receiving member; and a second drive-force transmission member rotatable about the first rotational axis together with the agitator. The second drive-force transmission member can contact the first drive-force transmission member and receive the drive force therefrom, the first rotational axis being positioned closer to the second rotational axis than the third rotational axis is to the second rotational axis when projected in the axial direction of the agitator.

Abstract: A fixing device includes a first rotary body, a second rotary body to contact the first rotary body, and a plain bearing that supports the first rotary body or the second rotary body. One rotary body of the first rotary body and the second rotary body has an outer diameter increasing, while the other rotary body has an outer diameter decreasing, in a curved line from an axial center portion to axial end portions of the first rotary body and the second rotary body at least between the first rotary body and the second rotary body. A recording medium passes between the first rotary body and the second rotary body with a circumferential component of a shear force generated between the first rotary body and the second rotary body by use of the plain bearing being in a range of from 15N to 25N.

Abstract: In an image forming apparatus, a duct portion provided on a side surface of a partition wall member on a first space side includes first and second internal passages. The first internal passage allows air that has flowed in from a first air passage to flow and guides the air to a second air passage. The second internal passage allows air that has flowed in from a second air passage to flow and guides the air to a second space via a communication port formed in a partition wall member. A first blower provided in the first space sucks air from the first air passage and blows out the air to the first internal passage. A second blower provided in the second space sucks air from the second air passage and blows out the air to the second space through the second internal passage and the communication port.

Abstract: A unit moving apparatus includes a unit provided to a main body in such a manner so as to be attached to and pulled out from the main body, a main-body guide portion provided to the main body and configured to guide the unit while restricting rotation of the unit at a time of attaching and pulling out the unit, a pull-in unit configured to apply a pulling force to the unit to pull the unit into the main body, and a unit restriction portion configured to restrict rotation of the unit in such a manner that the units rotates within an angle smaller than an angle to which the main-body guide portion restricts the unit's rotation when a rotation moment is generated by the pulling force of the pull-in unit applied to the unit and a load applied to the unit in a direction opposite to an attachment direction.

Abstract: A developing device includes a developer cartridge and a developing unit. The developing unit includes a first guide and a second guide. The second is movable with respect to the developing frame between a first position where the second guide is in continuous with the first guide and a second position where a continuous state of the second guide with the first guide is interrupted. The developer cartridge includes a developer frame that accommodates a developer and a first guided member movable with respect to the developer frame. The first guide and the second guide at the first position guide the first guided member in the course of attaching the developer cartridge to the developing unit. When an attachment of the developer cartridge to the developing unit completes, the first guide receives the first guided member, and the second guide is at the second position.

Abstract: A semiconductive roller is provided, which is capable of uniformly electrically charging a surface of a photoreceptor body particularly when being used as a charging roller, substantially free from defective image formation due to adhesion and accumulation of external additives even if repeatedly performing a charging operation, and less liable to contaminate the photoreceptor body, and has a lower roller resistance to make it possible to form higher-definition images at a higher process speed. The semiconductive roller (1) is formed from a semiconductive rubber composition which contains a rubber component including 15 to 80 mass % of an epichlorohydrin rubber, 5 to 50 parts by mass of titanium oxide based on 100 parts by mass of the rubber component, and a potassium salt as an electrically conductive agent. The semiconductive roller (1) has an oxide film (5) provided in an outer peripheral surface (4) thereof.

Abstract: A fixing device includes a belt member that moves circularly and has an inner peripheral surface to which an oil is applied, a pressure member that is disposed in such a manner as to be in contact with an outer peripheral surface of the belt member and that applies pressure to a recording material on which an image has been formed, a heating member that is disposed in such a manner as to be in contact with the inner peripheral surface of the belt member and that heats the belt member, the heating member having an upstream side end portion that is located on an upstream side in a rotation direction of the belt member and separated from the inner peripheral surface.

Abstract: A process cartridge comprises: a developing cartridge; and a photosensitive member cartridge receiving the developing cartridge. The photosensitive member cartridge comprises a photosensitive member, and a pressing member configured to press the developing cartridge. The developing cartridge is configured to be located at a first position at which it is pressed by the pressing member and at a second position at which it is separable from the photosensitive member cartridge. The developing cartridge comprises: a driving mechanism including a detected member, and a covering member configured to cover the driving mechanism. The covering member comprises: a receiving part protruding configured to receive at least a part of the detected member; and an abutting part continuing to the receiving part, the abutting part being configured to abut on a member in the image forming apparatus main body and to move the developing cartridge to the first position.