Abstract: The electrophotographic apparatus and process cartridge comprising an electrophotographic photosensitive member, a cleaning blade, and developing unit containing a toner, wherein the cleaning blade comprising a support member and an elastic member whose portion is abutting a surface of the electrophotographic photosensitive member; the elastic member has an elastic modulus of 15 to 470 MPa with coefficient of variation for the elastic modulus being not more than 7.0%, and the absolute value of a difference between Martens hardness values is not more than 0.30 N/mm2 as measured under prescribed conditions; the toner contains a toner particle and an external additive whose a number-average primary particle diameter is from 5 to 25 nm, when X1 is a coverage ratio of the toner particle by the external additive and X2 is a theoretical coverage ratio, X1 is 50 to 85 area %, and X1/X2??0.0042×X1+0.60 is satisfied.

Abstract: A heater is to face a pressure element via a belt and is to heat the belt. The pressure element sandwiches and conveys a sheet together with the belt. The heater includes a substrate, a heat generating element, and a protective layer. The heat generating element is on the substrate. The protective layer covers the heat generating element and the substrate and whose surface is concave with respect to the pressure element. In the protective layer, a curvature of a top surface of an upstream end in a conveyance direction of the sheet is smaller than a curvature of a top surface of a downstream end in the conveyance direction.

Abstract: A process cartridge detachably mountable to a main assembly of an image forming apparatus, the process cartridge includes a photosensitive drum unit including a photosensitive drum, and a first and second positioning portions Configured to position the photosensitive drum unit relative to the main assembly; and a developing unit connected with the photosensitive drum unit, the developing unit including a developing roller, a storing means having a contact surface electrically connectable with a main assembly contact of the main assembly to communicate with the main assembly. As seen in an axial direction of the photosensitive drum, a first line segment connecting the first positioning portion and the second positioning portion with each other and a first linear line passing through the contact surface and perpendicular to the contact surface crosses with each other.

Abstract: An image reading apparatus includes a conveyance roller to convey a sheet, a light source to illuminate an image on the sheet while being moved in a predetermined direction above the conveyed sheet, a reading sensor to read the image on the sheet while being moved in the predetermined direction above the conveyed sheet, and a controller. The controller controls the reading sensor to read a first image for generating a color profile on a first sheet after the light source emits light for a duration of a first time. The controller controls the reading sensor to read a second image for detecting density unevenness in a main scanning direction of the image forming apparatus on a second sheet after the light source emits light for a duration of a second time shorter than the first time.

Abstract: There is provided a reading apparatus that includes a conveyance roller, a light source, a light transmission member, a line sensor having a plurality of pixels and configured to receive reflected light from a sheet via the light transmission member while the sheet is conveyed by the conveyance roller, and a controller. The controller is configured to perform acquiring an output value of a first pixel, an output value of a second pixel, and an output value of a third pixel, determine a first value based on the output value of the second pixel and a first coefficient, determine a second value based on the output value of the third pixel and a second coefficient, and determine read data based on the output value of the first pixel, the first value, and the second value. The first coefficient is larger than the second coefficient.

Abstract: A process cartridge includes a developing cartridge and a drum cartridge. The developing cartridge includes: a casing; a developing roller rotatable about a developing axis extending in a first direction; and a development-side IC chip having a development-side electrical contact surface. The drum cartridge includes: a drum frame; a photosensitive drum rotatable about a drum axis extending in the first direction; a drum-side IC chip having a drum-side electrical contact surface; and a lock lever configured to lock the developing cartridge to the drum frame. The development-side electrical contact surface and the drum-side electrical contact surface are positioned opposite to the lock lever with respect to the casing in the first direction in a state where the developing cartridge is attached to the drum frame.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image processor configured to convert image data based on a first conversion condition; an image forming unit configured to form an image on a sheet based on the image data converted by the image processor, the image forming unit having an image bearing member on which the image is to be formed, a transfer unit configured to transfer the image from the image bearing member onto the sheet, and a fixing unit configured to fix the image to the sheet; a conveyance roller configured to convey the sheet having the image fixed thereto; a reading unit configured to read a pattern image on the sheet conveyed by the conveyance roller; and a detector configured to detect a pattern image on the image bearing member.

Abstract: An electrostatic charge image developing carrier includes a magnetic particle and a coating resin layer that covers the magnetic particle, and an amount of the coating resin layer that is peeled off from the magnetic particle when the carrier dispersed in water is irradiated with ultrasonic waves, relative to a coating amount of the coating resin layer before ultrasonic irradiation, is 800 mass ppm or more and 2,000 mass ppm or less, and a difference between an initial coating amount of the coating resin layer of a carrier having no travel history and a coating amount of the coating resin layer of a carrier having a travel history and being taken out from an electrostatic charge image developer, relative to the initial coating amount of the coating resin layer, is 0 mass ppm or more and 3,000 mass ppm or less.

Abstract: An optical scanning device according to the present invention has a 2-beam type first laser diode and a 1-beam type second laser diode. When resolution in a sub-scanning direction is 600 dpi, exposure processing is executed by a first laser beam and a second laser beam emitted from the first laser diode. And when the resolution in the sub-scanning direction is 1200 dpi, the exposure processing is executed by the first laser beam and a third laser beam emitted from the second laser diode.

Abstract: A system includes a light source, a deflection unit configured to deflect a light beam having a wavelength ? emitted from the light source, and a lens unit including a plurality of lenses that focuses deflected light on a surface to be scanned, at least one lens among the plurality of lenses has a micro concavo-convex structure in an optical surface, and the optical surface having the micro concavo-convex structure has a transmittance distribution for the light beam having the wavelength ? according to a light quantity distribution of the deflected light and entering the lens unit.

Abstract: A unit includes: a developing device configured to develop an electrostatic charge image that is formed on a surface of an image carrier, as a toner image with a developer including a brilliant toner containing a flat brilliant pigment, the developer being accommodated in the developing device; and a fixing device configured to fix the toner image onto a surface of a recording medium at a fixing temperature of 130° C. or higher and 230° C. or lower that includes a fixing belt, a first roller and a second roller that are disposed inside the fixing belt and support the fixing belt while applying tension to the fixing belt, and a pressure roller, the first roller and the pressure roller sandwiching the fixing belt to form a nip portion.

Abstract: An intermediate transfer belt has a first region and a second region in an outer circumferential surface thereof that is in contact with a blade. The first region has a first dynamic friction coefficient in a belt conveyance direction, and the second region has a second dynamic friction coefficient. The distance of the second region in the belt conveyance direction is less than the distance of the first region and is greater than the distance of a contact portion in which the blade is in contact with the intermediate transfer belt.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an accommodating portion, a motor, and a development sensor. In the accommodating portion, a replacement developing component is fitted. The replacement developing component is fitted with a rotary member including an operating member, and stores toner. The motor rotates the rotary member on the replacement developing component fitted in the accommodating portion. When a new replacement developing component is fitted, the development sensor is not in contact with the operating member before the motor rotates the rotary member and is in contact with the operating member on the rotary member that has moved as the motor rotates. The development sensor outputs a first level when in contact with the operating member and outputs a second level when not in contact with the operating member.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: an image forming unit configured to form an image on a sheet; a conveyance unit configured to convey the sheet having the image formed thereon along a conveyance path; a reading unit configured to read the image on the sheet conveyed to the conveyance path; and a controller configured to: receive a user-designated number of sheets as a condition for a timing at which the image forming unit forms a mark during a period in which a print job for forming a plurality of images on a plurality of sheets is being executed; control, when the print job is executed, the image forming unit to form the mark after the images are formed on sheets of a predetermined number smaller than a threshold number of sheets in a case in which the user-designated number of sheets is larger than the threshold number of sheets.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image forming unit configured to form an image on a sheet based on image forming condition, a reader configured to convey the sheet and read a test image on the sheet while the sheet is conveyed, and a controller configured to control the image forming unit to form the image and the test image on a same sheet, control the reader to read the test image on the same sheet, and generate the image forming condition for adjusting a density of an image to be formed by the image forming unit, based on a reading result of the test image by the reader.

Abstract: A metal frame of an image forming apparatus including an image forming unit which forms an image on a sheet, comprising: a first support which supports the image forming unit; and a second support which is arranged with an interval from the first support and supports the image forming unit together with the first support; wherein the second support includes: a first sheet metal which includes a first flat surface portion in which a through-hole is formed and a bent and raised portion which is bent and raised from the first flat surface portion at a position adjacent to the through-hole, and a second sheet metal which is supported to the first sheet metal on the first sheet metal and includes a second flat surface portion which is sandwiched between the first flat surface portion and the bent and raised portion and a protruded portion which protrudes from the second flat surface portion in a plate thickness direction of the second flat surface portion at a position overlapping with the through-hole in a ver

Abstract: A processor generates an extraction image by extracting, from a test image, a target specific part that is a horizontal stripe extending in a horizontal direction or a noise point. The processor derives a vertical data sequence from a target area in the extraction image and converts the vertical data sequence to primary conversion data of a frequency domain. The processor converts, to secondary conversion data of a space domain, correction data that is obtained by removing, from the primary conversion data, data of frequency bands other than a particular frequency band corresponding to a target specific part that was determined as having periodicities. The processor classifies the target specific parts into periodic specific part and non-periodic specific part by comparing positions of the target specific parts with a peak position in a waveform represented by the secondary conversion data.

Abstract: A conductive roller includes a support member, an elastic layer disposed on an outer peripheral surface of the support member, and an outer layer disposed on an outer peripheral surface of the elastic layer. The elastic layer includes a cylindrical elastic foam and has a Young?s modulus of 150 kPa or less.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, the developing device includes a developing case containing toner, a mixer configured to diffuse the toner in the developing case, and a developing roller configured to develop a latent image formed on an image carrier. The developing case includes a circulation path through which air containing the toner flows. The developing roller is partially exposed from the developing case. The developing roller includes a sleeve rotating along with the movement of the image carrier and a plurality of magnetic pole portions disposed inside the sleeve. The developing roller holds the toner on the sleeve and supplies the toner to the image carrier to develop the latent image. The developing device further includes a magnet disposed apart from the developing roller. The magnet faces one of the magnetic pole portions across the sleeve.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: a casing having an opening; a cover for opening and closing the opening; a cartridge attachable to the casing through the opening; and a controller. The casing includes a first memory. The cartridge includes a second memory storing consumption state information representing a consumption state of the cartridge. The controller performs: determining whether the cartridge attached to the casing is unused; storing, when the attached cartridge is unused, the consumption state information acquired from the second memory in the first memory; determining, when the image forming apparatus is powered on or the cover is closed, whether the consumption state information in the first memory and the consumption state information in the second memory match; permitting use of the cartridge when the two sets of consumption state information match; and prohibiting use of the cartridge when the two set of consumption state information does not match.