Abstract: In a fixing device, a first fixing member and a second fixing member are configured to form a nip in combination, and an arm biased by a first spring with a first biasing force provides a nip pressure. A cam rotatably arranged to cause the arm to move against the first biasing force has a first cam surface used to change the nip pressure from a first pressure to a second pressure smaller than the first pressure, and a second cam surface of which an angle of action is greater than that of the first cam surface to change the nip pressure from the second pressure to a third pressure smaller than the second pressure. A maximum pressure angle at the second cam surface is smaller than a maximum pressure angle at the first cam surface.

Abstract: A cartridge includes a first unit including a photosensitive member, and a second unit including a developer bearing member and a force receiving portion, the second unit being configured to be rotatable about a first axis to move with respect to the first unit between a first position and a second position. In a state where the first unit is in a same posture as when an image forming operation is performed, the second unit is disposed at the second position by its own weight. The developer bearing member is configured to be rotatable about a second axis. When seen in the direction of the first axis, a first distance between the force receiving portion and the second axis is smaller than a second distance between the first axis and the second axis and a third distance between the first axis and the force receiving portion.

Abstract: A processor derives a plurality of unit density values which are each an average value of sensed densities for each of a plurality of unit areas sectioned for each unit length in a test toner image. The processor derives a weighted average of the plurality of unit density values to derive a test image density used for adjusting a control parameter in a printing portion. The unit length is a greatest common factor of two target lengths corresponding to perimeters of two types of target rotating members out of the plurality of rotating members. When a number of the plurality of unit areas is represented by n, n is a value obtained by subtracting 1 from an added value of a first constant and a second constant. The first constant and the second constant are values obtained by respectively dividing the two target lengths by the unit length.

Abstract: Provided is an electrophotographic belt having a cylindrical film as a base layer. The cylindrical film contains crystalline polyester and carbon black, and a content of the carbon black in the cylindrical film is 2.0% by mass or more. Fc1 is 0.30 or more, and ?c1 being ?10° to +10°, where Fc1 denotes an average degree of arrangement of the carbon black in the circumferential direction observed in a cross section in a direction along a circumferential direction of the cylindrical film, and ?c1 denotes an average arrangement angle of the carbon black in the circumferential direction observed in a cross section in a direction along a circumferential direction of the cylindrical film.

Abstract: To provide an image forming device that can prompt a user to check whether a waste toner container is completely attached. The image forming device includes a housing, an access cover attached in an openable/closable manner to the housing, a waste toner container attachable to the housing with the access cover open, and a lock lever that locks the waste toner container and the housing. The access cover includes a protruding portion protruding toward an interior of the housing. The lock lever transitions between a locked state and a pressed state of being pressed by the waste toner container, and, when in the pressed state, moves to a preventing position at which the lock lever blocks the protruding portion and prevents the access cover from closing, and, when in the locked state, moves to a retracted position at which the lock lever does not block the protruding portion.

Abstract: An electrophotographic member including an electro-conductive substrate, an elastic layer, and a surface layer, the surface layer containing a fine particle and a binder resin, and having a thickness of less than 1.0 ?m, the fine particles having an average particle diameter of from 0.1 ?m to 0.9 ?m, the fine particles having a volume occupancy of 60 vol % to 99 vol % with respect to 100 vol % of the binder resin in the surface layer, the elastic modulus E1 of the fine particle being 1,000 MPa or more, and the elastic modulus E2 of the binder resin being 2 MPa to 200 MPa, and MD-1 hardness H1 of the surface layer being 50° to 100°, and a difference (H1?H2) between the H1 and MD-1 hardness H2 of the elastic layer being 5° or more.

Abstract: A charging member includes: an electrically conductive base; an elastic layer disposed on the electrically conductive base; and a surface layer disposed on the elastic layer. A PFVTF value of a surface of the surface layer is 1.5 or less. The PFVTF value is obtained by Fourier transforming a roughness curve of the surface of the surface layer that is measured in a circumferential direction to thereby obtain amplitude intensities at different periods, multiplying the amplitude intensities at different periods by VTF coefficients at respective periods that are obtained from a visual characteristic VTFL* (f=period) for lightness L* represented by Formula (V) below to thereby obtain corrected amplitude intensities at different periods, and integrating the corrected amplitude intensities in a period range of from 100 ?m to 1000 ?m inclusive: VTFL*(f)=5.05×(e(?0.843×1×f)?e(?1.454×1×f)).

Abstract: A tubular fuser device rotates and is in contact with a sheet on which a positively charged toner image is formed to fix the toner image to the sheet. The fuser device includes a tubular substrate made of a metal, a rubber layer covering the outer periphery of the substrate, an adhesion layer covering the outer periphery of the rubber layer, and a surface layer made of a resin covering the outer periphery of the adhesion layer. The adhesion layer has a first adhesion layer that is in contact with the rubber layer and a second adhesion layer interposed between the first adhesion layer and the surface layer. The first adhesion layer is made of a fluororesin-based adhesive, and the second adhesion layer is made of a silicone rubber-based adhesive containing an ionic conductor.

Abstract: A transfer unit includes a first and a second roller differing in one of the axial length, volume resistivity, and hardness of their elastic layer, a first and a second bearing members rotatably supporting the metal shafts of the first and second rollers, a roller holder, and a switching mechanism. The roller holder has a first and a second bearing holding portion that hold the first and second bearing members slidably. The switching mechanism drives the roller holder to rotate such that one of the first and second rollers is arranged at a reference position at which the first or second roller is kept in pressed contact with an image carrying member to form a transfer nip. The first and second bearing members have grounding member that ground the first and second rollers respectively.

Abstract: A belt unit includes a belt that is endless, a plurality of stretching rollers, a pair of side frames and one or more shafts. The side frames are each provided with bearing holes that rotatably support opposite end parts of the stretching rollers, and positioning holes into which opposite end parts of the shafts are inserted. The shafts each have formed therein a first engagement groove that engages with a first holding jig. The stretching rollers each have formed therein a second engagement groove that engages with a second holding jig. When the first engagement groove is in engagement with the first holding jig, the shafts are arranged opposite the positioning holes corresponding thereto, and have a phase thereof restricted in a circumferential direction thereof. When the second engagement groove is in engagement with the second holding jig, the stretching rollers are arranged opposite the bearing holes corresponding thereto.

Abstract: An image forming device of an embodiment includes an image forming unit, a first toner cartridge, an accommodating unit, and a transfer belt. The image forming unit is configured to form a toner image having at least one color. The first toner cartridge is configured to accommodate a toner having a first color to be supplied to the image forming unit. The accommodating unit is provided in a space where at least one toner cartridge accommodating a toner having a color different from the first color to be supplied to the image forming unit is disposable side by side with the first toner cartridge. The transfer belt is disposed to be travelable through the image forming unit, disposed to face the first toner cartridge and the accommodating unit, and is configured to transfer the toner image formed by the image forming unit.

Abstract: A mechanism that enables developer replenishment by a simpler structure and a mechanism that enables more user-friendly developer replenishment are provided. An attachment port to which a developer supply bottle containing a developer stored therein is detachably attachable is disposed in an interior of an image forming apparatus. The developer supply bottle can be attached when the cover is in an open state. According to this image forming apparatus, when the developer supply bottle is attached to the attachment port, the developer inside the developer supply bottle moves into a developer housing chamber by its own weight.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image forming device to form an image on an image bearer based on a prescribed image-forming condition, and circuitry to change the prescribed image-forming condition and correct image-density unevenness in an image-width direction orthogonal to an image conveyance direction of the image bearer. In the image forming apparatus, the circuitry calculates a corrective value of the prescribed image-forming condition for each one of positions in the image-width direction, based on unevenness-in-density corrective values for the multiple positions in the image-width direction and relational values indicating a relation between the multiple unevenness-in-density corrective values and the corrective value of the prescribed image-forming condition, and the circuitry corrects the image-density unevenness in the image-width direction based on the corrective value of the prescribed image-forming condition.

Abstract: A developer cartridge includes a developing roller, a developer housing supporting the developing roller, and a toner storage unit including a first storage chamber capable of storing toner, and a second storage chamber storing the developer housing. The toner storage unit supports the developer housing such that the developer housing is movable with respect to the first storage chamber.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a housing having an opening, a drum cartridge, and a development cartridge. The drum cartridge is movable in a first direction through the opening between a first position at which the drum cartridge is located inside the housing and a second position at which the drum cartridge is located outside the housing. The drum cartridge includes a photosensitive drum rotatable about an axis extending in the first direction and a first handle located at a downstream end of the drum cartridge in a movement direction in which the drum cartridge moves from the first position to the second position. The development cartridge is attachable to and detachable from the drum cartridge. The development cartridge includes a development roller and a second handle located upstream of the first handle in the movement direction in a state where the development cartridge is attached to the drum cartridge.

Abstract: A polygon mirror includes: a base body having a plurality of side surfaces, a first surface adjacent to the plurality of side surfaces, and a second surface adjacent to the plurality of side surfaces and opposite to the first surface; and a film formed on the plurality of side surfaces and extending from the plurality of side surfaces over the first surface and the second surface, wherein the film includes: a first region formed on the first surface along the plurality of side surfaces; a second region formed on the second surface along the plurality of side surfaces, and wherein a first volume of the first region and a second volume of the second region are different from each other.

Abstract: A fixing apparatus includes a fixing belt, a slide member, an opposing member, and a retaining member. The retaining member includes, in a groove portion, a bottom surface portion that is in contact with an opposite surface of the slide member from a slide surface, a side surface portion that is formed on a downstream side of the groove portion in a conveyance direction and intersecting the bottom surface portion, and a continuous portion that is formed between the bottom surface portion and the side surface portion. The slide member includes an abutment portion configured to abut against the side surface portion at a position downstream from a downstream edge of the opposite surface when the slide member is slidden against the fixing belt such that the downstream edge of the opposite surface is positioned upstream from the continuous portion in the conveyance direction.

Abstract: A lubricant solid contains, in a content of 92 mass % or more and 100 mass % or less, a lubricant having a polygonal network bond structure.

Abstract: A transport device includes a transport path that includes an opening through which a developer flows into the transport path, an opening and closing portion that is provided to be movable along the transport path and that opens and closes the opening, and a transport body that is disposed in the transport path, that includes a blade formed in a spiral shape on an outer periphery of a shaft portion, that transports the developer flowing into the transport path through the opening and moves the opening and closing portion to an opening position with the blade by rotating forward, and that idly rotates with respect to the opening and closing portion moved to the opening position in a case of forward rotation.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a latent image forming device and a visualizing device. The latent image forming device forms a latent image with an adhesive on a base material. The visualizing device causes particles to adhere to the latent image to visualize the latent image as an uneven image. The particles each contains an insoluble substance.