Abstract: A method of attaching a regulating blade made of resin to an attachment portion of a development frame which is made of resin and includes the attachment portion for attaching the regulating blade includes applying an adhesive to the attachment portion, applying a hardening accelerator to the regulating blade, and attaching the regulating blade to the attachment portion via the adhesive applied to the attachment portion and the hardening accelerator applied to the regulating blade. The regulating blade is disposed opposite to and not in contact with a development rotary member configured to bear and convey a developer toward a position at which an electrostatic image formed on an image bearing member is developed, and configured to regulate an amount of the developer to be borne on the development rotary member.

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: A controller controls a first image forming unit and a second image forming unit to form a test image having a pattern. The test image is formed by the first image forming unit based on a first image forming condition in which an absolute value of a developing potential of a first developing sleeve is greater than an absolute value of a charging potential of a first photosensitive member. The pattern is formed by a second image forming unit based on a second image forming condition in which an absolute value of a developing potential of a second developing sleeve is smaller than an absolute value of a charging potential of a second photosensitive member. A controller controls a sensor to read the test image having the pattern.

Abstract: There is disclosed an image post-processing method for adjusting glossiness of a fixed toner image. The image post-processing method includes a glossiness control step of, with a non-contact heating device, heating a toner image fixed to a recording medium so as to reduce glossiness of the toner image. The non-contact heating device is configured to heat the toner image fixed to the recording medium to a temperature which reduces the glossiness of the fixed toner image.

Abstract: In an image forming apparatus, if a path for transferring heat generated by a drive integrated circuit to a frame (a heat dissipation plate) of an apparatus main body has a point that divides the path, foreign matter such as dirt and dust can be caught at the point, so that heat dissipation efficiency can decrease due to presence of such foreign matter. Therefore, a configuration is provided in which a drive integrated circuit and a frame (a heat dissipation plate) provided in a cover are connected by a heat transfer member, so that a heat transfer path from the drive integrated circuit to the frame has no point that divides the path.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image carrier; a charging section that charges the surface of the image carrier; an electrostatic-charge-image-forming section that forms an electrostatic charge image on the charged surface of the image carrier; a developing section that contains toner for electrostatic charge image development and develops the electrostatic charge image on the surface of the image carrier into a toner image using the toner; a replenishment toner supplying section that supplies the toner to the developing section, the replenishment toner supplying section including a replenishment toner cartridge, the replenishment toner cartridge containing the toner, having a cap and a body, and detachably attached to the image forming apparatus, the cap being at a first axial end of the replenishment toner cartridge and having an outlet for the replenishment toner to be ejected therethrough, whereas the body having a ridged portion by which the toner inside is moved in the direction from a second axi

Abstract: A toner detection device of a waste toner container having a housing includes a rotational wheel, a transmission member and a resilient member. The rotational wheel is rotatably disposed to the housing and provided with a first abutment portion. The transmission member including a second abutment position is connected with the rotational wheel in a way that the transmission member is rotatable with the rotational wheel and moveable relative to the rotational wheel between a first position and a second position. Two ends of the resilient member are respectively abutted against the first and second abutment portions in a way that the second abutment portion approaches the first abutment portion and the transmission member is rotatable relative to the rotational wheel with the transmission member moving from the first position to the second position.

Abstract: There is provided a fixing device, in which an operation delay of a safety element is unlikely to occur even if a heater tilts. The fixing device includes a spacer disposed between the heater and the safety element, wherein an area of the spacer in contact with the safety element is smaller than an area of the spacer in contact with the heater, and the spacer is tiltable relative to the safety element.

Abstract: Provided is a developing roller comprising an electroconductive substrate and an electroconductive layer thereon, the electroconductive layer retaining resin particles so that at least a part of each of the resin particles is exposed on an outer surface of the developing roller; the outer surface of the developing roller constituted by electrically insulating domains and an electroconductive matrix, assuming that a square region 200-?m in a side is put on the outer surface of the developing roller, the square region including the domains, among the domains in the square region at least two of them satisfying specific condition, and assuming that the outer surface of the developing roller is charged, and creating a potential map of the charged outer surface of the developing member, the two domains satisfying the specific condition being ascertained in the potential map.

Abstract: A cartridge includes a photosensitive member assembly including a photosensitive member, a flange, and a coupling member. The cartridge includes a photosensitive member limiting portion configured to limit movement of the photosensitive member assembly to a first position in a second direction and to a second position in a first direction, and a coupling member limiting portion configured to limit movement of the coupling member to a third position in the second direction and to a fourth position in the first direction. The cartridge is constituted so that the photosensitive member assembly is in the second position and the coupling member is in the fourth position when the cartridge is mounted in the main assembly and an engaging portion of the cartridge member engages with a main assembly driving portion and the cartridge member is urged in the first direction by the main assembly driving portion.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus, including: an image former; and a hardware processor which detects a density of an image formed by the image former, controls the image former to continuously perform image formation on a predetermined number of sheets and thereafter form a plurality of types of halftone test images on a sheet, determines whether an image defect is generated and determines a factor causing the image defect by analyzing densities of the plurality of types of test images, executes a recovery mode which is set for each of the factor when the image defect is determined to be generated, and controls the image former to form a charged test image which is formed by the charger charging the surface of the image carrier and an uncharged test image which is formed without charging of the surface of the image carrier by the charger.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image forming unit, an input unit and a control unit. The image forming unit forms an image by using a plurality of consumables . The input unit receives an input of information designating the consumables to be used for forming the image. The control unit selectably displays other candidates of the consumables to be used for forming the image, based on the designated consumables.

Abstract: In a housing, an installation surface (44g) of an image forming lens unit (42L) is formed at a higher position by a level difference than an installation surface (44f) of a polygon motor (41), and when viewed from a rotation axis direction of a polygon mirror unit (40), a diameter (r) of a circumscribed circle passing each apex of the polygon mirror unit (40) is larger than an outer diameter (R) of a rotor part (41a) of the polygon motor (41).

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image forming device to form an image on an image bearer and circuitry configured to accept, from a user, an input of a density level selected from a plurality of different density levels and control an image forming condition under which the image forming device forms the image. The circuitry is configured to correct density unevenness of the image formed on the image bearer by the image forming device and correct the density unevenness of the image at the density level accepted. The density unevenness is unevenness appearing in a main scanning direction orthogonal to a direction of conveyance of the image bearer during image formation.

Abstract: A moving mechanism includes a moving object to be moved between a first position and a second position where the moving object takes a stationary orientation different from a stationary orientation for the first position; a first projection and a second projection provided at different positions, respectively, on the moving object; a member having a first guiding groove that guides the first projection when the moving object is moved between the first position and the second position; and a member having a second guiding groove that guides the second projection when the moving object is moved between the first position and the second position, the second guiding groove having a different shape from the first guiding groove.

Abstract: A drum cylinder unit includes a photoconductive drum and a flange member. The flange member includes a fixing portion fixed to an end of the photoconductive drum, a cylindrical portion which forms a hollow portion therein, a groove portion provided at an edge of the cylindrical portion, and a gear portion. The groove portion and the hollow portion open to an outside of an axial direction of the photoconductive drum.

Abstract: An image formation apparatus according to an embodiment may include: an apparatus housing including a stacker formed on a periphery of the apparatus housing, wherein the stacker includes an opening; an image formation part provided in the apparatus housing and configured to form an image on a medium; and a fixation unit detachably attached in the apparatus housing and configured to fix the image formed by the image formation part on the medium, wherein in a state where the fixation unit is attached in the apparatus housing, a part of the fixation unit is exposed through the opening of the stacker to constitute a part of the stacker such that the opening of the stacker allows the fixation unit to be taken out from the apparatus housing therethrough.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a controller to execute a first mode for forming a toner image on a recording medium, in which a maximum toner carrying amount per unit area is a first maximum toner carrying amount, and a second mode for forming a toner image on the recording medium, in which the maximum toner carrying amount per unit is a second maximum toner carrying amount larger than the first maximum toner carrying amount. In the first mode, the controller sets a circumferential speed ratio of the toner bearing member against an image bearing member at a first circumferential speed ratio, and in the second mode the controller sets the circumferential speed ratio at a second circumferential speed ratio higher than the first circumferential speed ratio. The controller executes the second mode upon an order of the second mode by an operator.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a rotatable photosensitive drum, an optical print head that exposes the photosensitive drum and is insertable and removable through a front side of the apparatus body by an operator, a front plate that forms a part of a housing of the apparatus body and that includes an opening through which the optical print head passes when inserted and removed, a cable having one end connected to the optical print head and running along the optical print head toward the front side of the apparatus body when the optical print head is mounted to the apparatus body, and a connector which is arranged so as to have at least a part located on an outer side of the opening and to which another end of the cable is connected to be detachably attachable in order to transmit a drive signal to the optical print head.

Abstract: A process cartridge includes a photoconductor unit and a development unit, which are assembled together while being allowed to be separated from each other. The photoconductor unit and the development unit include fitting portions that fix positions of the units to assemble the units, assembly guides that guide the units to an assembly position, and stopper portions that hold the units in the assembly position.