Abstract: A developing device includes an agitating member, a magnetic roller, a lower housing, an upper housing and a blade member. The lower housing includes a first housing part including a first edge having a first contact face and a first facing surface at a blade member's side. The upper housing includes a second housing part including a second edge having a second contact face contact with the first contact face and a second facing surface facing to the first facing surface. The blade member is attached to the upper housing and arranged at a gap to the lower housing. Between the first and second facing surfaces, a width at a blade member's side is broader than a width at a first contact face's side. The first and second facing surfaces are bonded by an adhesive agent. The gap is sealed by the adhesive agent.

Abstract: In one aspect an apparatus for use in an electrographic printer is described. The apparatus includes a housing having a base, a first wall, and a second wall, wherein the housing defines a cavity. The apparatus also includes a developer roller and an ink developer electrode for developing ink to the developer roller. The apparatus also includes an ink outlet, and a gutter for directing ink in the cavity towards the ink outlet, the gutter being disposed between the first wall and second wall, and between the developer roller and base. The gutter has a floor, a first side, and a second side, each extending along a length of the gutter. The floor slopes towards the ink outlet to direct ink towards the ink outlet, and the floor and sides of the gutter form a curve transverse to the length of the gutter to direct ink towards the floor.

Abstract: A fixing device includes a pressure roller including a rotation shaft, a bearing that rotatably supports the rotation shaft, a first bracket mounted on a first end of the pressure roller in an axial direction thereof, and a second bracket mounted on a second end of the pressure roller in the axial direction thereof. Each of the first bracket and the second bracket includes a rotation shaft support face through which the rotation shaft of the pressure roller is inserted and a bearing support face disposed opposite an outer circumferential surface of the bearing. A first tab is mounted on the bearing support face of the first bracket. A second tab is mounted on the bearing support face of the second bracket. The first tab and the second tab are disposed upstream from the rotation shaft of the pressure roller in a recording medium conveyance direction.

Abstract: A toner sealing system is described including a seal having first and second alignment features. The seal is selectably installable on one of a first toner container of a first type and a second toner container of a second type. The first alignment feature is matable with a first corresponding alignment feature on the first toner container when the seal is installed on the first toner container for aligning the seal to the first toner container. The second alignment feature is matable with a second corresponding alignment feature on the second toner container when the seal is installed on the second toner container for aligning the seal to the second toner container. Embodiments include those wherein the first alignment feature does not align the seal to the second toner container, and the second alignment feature does not align the seal to the first toner container.

Abstract: Downtime relating to formation and detection of a detection image is reduced. An image forming apparatus includes a controller configured to calculate a first conversion unit to convert a gradation of input image data so that density output for the input image data becomes a first density output characteristic based on a first detection result of the detection image detected by a density sensor in a first mode. The controller generates a second conversion unit to convert the gradation of the input image data so that the density output for the input image data becomes a second density output characteristic in a second mode based on the detection result in the first mode and correction information, and further updates the correction information based on a second detection result of the detection image detected by the density sensor in the second mode and the first detection result.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a fixing device, an image reading unit, and a control unit. The fixing device includes a heating elements arranged in a main scanning direction, a band-shaped thin film which slides on the surface of the heating element while in contact with the heating element, and a rotatable body configured to press against a surface of the thin film to cause the thin film to rotate. The fixing device heats the heating elements when an inspection sheet is passed through the fixing device, the inspection sheet having plural images formed by using a decolorable developer, each of the images having an image density that differs in a sub-scanning direction of the image forming apparatus. The image reading unit reads an image of the heated inspection sheet and the control unit determines an operative state of each heating element based on the read image.

Abstract: A process cartridge mountable in and dismountable from an image forming apparatus includes a frame, a storing portion provided on a mounting surface of the frame and configured to store information on the process cartridge, a projection projecting outwardly of the mounting surface in a direction normal to the mounting surface, and an electrical contact portion mounted on the projection and electrically connected to the storing portion.

Abstract: A process cartridge including a photosensitive drum; a developing roller; a rotatable roller having a rotation shaft in a position deviated from an axis of the developing roller; an Oldham coupling member at an end portion of the shaft of the rotatable roller; an urging member for urging the drive receiving portion; a supporting portion supporting the drive receiving portion; an abutting portion receiving the supporting portion urged by the urging member, an elastic sheet positioned to contact at least part of the Oldham coupling member, wherein the abutting portion is positioned outside an outer periphery of the drum on a plane perpendicular to the shaft of the rotatable roller.

Abstract: The developing roller includes an electro-conductive substrate and a covering layer on the electro-conductive substrate, the covering layer including a matrix and an electro-conductive particle dispersed in the matrix, an arithmetic mean value of the current value is 300 pA or less and the standard deviation of the current value is 0.1-fold or less of the current value, a standard deviation of a potential is 3.0 V or more, and an arithmetic mean value of a volume resistivity is 1010 ?·cm or less, and a standard deviation of the volume resistivity is 1-fold or more of the arithmetic mean value of the volume resistivity.

Abstract: A heating device includes a heater, a holder, a connector, and a guide pair. The heater includes an electrode through which power is conducted. The holder is configured to hold the heater. The connector includes a conduction terminal and an engagement portion. The conduction terminal is configured to contact the electrode. The engagement portion is configured to be engaged with the holder. The connector is attachable to the holder to engage the engagement portion with the holder and contact the conduction terminal with the electrode. The guide pair includes a convex portion and a recess. The convex portion is disposed in one of the holder and the connector. The recess is disposed in another one of the holder and the connector. The guide pair is configured to guide the connector in an attaching direction of the connector to attach the connector to the holder.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image bearing member, a charging member, an exposure unit which performs first exposure to form a non-image portion potential on the electrically charged surface of the image bearing member, and second exposure to form an image portion potential thereon, a developing member, a charging voltage application unit, a current detection unit which detects a current flowing from the image bearing member to the charging member, and a control unit which controls the exposure unit and the charging voltage application unit, wherein, in a case where a current value detected in a predetermined charging voltage application state is a second current value larger than a first current value, the control unit controls the exposure unit to perform image formation with a first exposure amount smaller than that in a case where the detected current value is the first current value.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, a fixing device includes a belt, a heater, and a holder. The belt is formed into a cylindrical shape, is rotated in a circumferential direction to transport a sheet, and applies heat to the sheet. The heater is arranged on an inner side of the belt and extends in a predetermined longitudinal direction to heat the belt. The holder extends in the longitudinal direction of the heater and holds the heater. The holder includes a support portion and a retraction portion. The support portion comes into contact with the heater and supports the heater. The retraction portion is provided at a position avoiding the support portion in the longitudinal direction of the heater, and includes a smaller contact area with the heater than the contact area between the support portion and the heater or does not come into contact with the heater.

Abstract: An image forming device includes a photoconductor, a motor, a charging member, a cleaning blade, and an abnormality determining unit. The motor is configured to drive the photoconductor to rotate. The charging member is configured to charge the photoconductor. The cleaning blade is configured to contact the photoconductor and remove residual toner from a surface of the photoconductor. The abnormality determining unit is configured to determine abnormality of the cleaning blade based on a motor current flowing in the motor and a gap between the photoconductor and the charging member.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus, including: a main body including a rear face cover; a photosensitive member on which an image is formed; a transfer unit configured to transfer the image onto a sheet; a motor supported by a rear plate of the main body and configured to rotate the photosensitive member; a box made of metal fixed to a fixing portion of the main body with a screw and located between the rear face cover and the motor; a first circuit board provided in the box; a second circuit board provided outside the box; and a flexible flat cable configured to connect the first circuit board and the second circuit board, wherein, with the flexible flat cable connecting the first circuit board and the second circuit board, a position of the screw overlaps with the flexible flat cable in a direction orthogonal to the first circuit board.

Abstract: An image forming system includes an image forming portion, a stack portion, a specific image processing portion, and a setting processing portion. The image forming portion forms an image on a sheet based on image data. The stack portion stores a stack of sheets on which images have been formed by the image forming portion. The specific image processing portion causes the image forming portion to form a specific image on a specific sheet that is discharged to the stack portion before or after one or more sheets on which one or more images have been formed by the image forming portion based on the image data. The setting processing portion sets a specific image formation position on the specific sheet so that the specific image is formed at the specific image formation position.

Abstract: A heating device includes a hollow portion that has an endless loop shape in a rotation direction and that has open ends in a rotation-axis direction, at least one heating unit that includes a heat-generating portion and that is inserted in the hollow portion, the heating unit being configured to heat the hollow portion from a space enclosed by the hollow portion as a result of heat generation of the heat-generating portion, and a driving-force transmission unit that is fixed to an end portion of the hollow portion in the rotation-axis direction and that transmits a driving force, which is transmitted to the driving-force transmission unit by a driving source, to the hollow portion so as to rotate the hollow portion, the driving-force transmission unit having an opening that is in communication with an interior of the hollow portion. The heat-generating portion is disposed at a position that does not overlap the driving-force transmission unit in the rotation-axis direction.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a printer unit that prints an image on a sheet using a line head in which a plurality of light emitting devices are arranged, and a storage unit that stores information regarding light amounts corresponding to the light emitting devices of the line head. The image forming apparatus generates a mask pattern based on the information regarding the light amounts obtained from the storage unit and a target light amount, and executes mask processing on halftone image data that is in positional correspondence with the light emitting devices using the generated mask pattern.

Abstract: An image fixing device for fixing an image on a sheet includes a rotatable fixing film, a heater, a rotatable pressing member, a holding member, and a metal sheet. The heater is provided on an inner surface of the fixing belt. The rotatable pressing member is provided in contact with an outer peripheral surface of the film to press against the heater through the film, thus forming a nip configured to nip and feed the sheet. The holding member includes a guide portion configured to guide the rotation of the fixing film and to hold the heater. The metal sheet covers the heater and an area of guide portion slidable relative to an inner surface of the fixing film. The metal sheet has a thermal conductivity ?10W/(m·° C.) and has a thickness more than 0 ?m and not more than 50 ?m.

Abstract: A container mounting structure includes a container, a container mounting portion, and a regulating section. The container has an opening, extends in one direction, and contains powder. When the container disposed at a predetermined temporarily placed position is rotated in a circumferential direction of the container, the container is mounted to the container mounting portion and the opening of the container is, with the container mounting portion, caused to be exposed. The regulating section regulates the rotation of the container in the circumferential direction in a case where the container is disposed at a position deviated from the temporarily placed position.

Abstract: A power supply device includes a first circuit, a second circuit and a second detector. The first circuit includes an adjustment unit, a first controller which controls the adjustment unit, a first detector which detects a parameter about electric power supplied to a load, a first communication unit. The second circuit includes a second communication unit which performs wireless communication with the first communication unit and a second controller. The second detector detects a temperature of the load. The first controller is operated by electric power supplied thereto by a voltage output to the second communication unit. The first communication unit transmits information about a result of detection by the first detector to the second communication unit. The second controller controls the first controller via the first communication unit and the second communication unit based on the information.