Abstract: A developing device mountable on an image forming apparatus includes a main body, a fixing portion, a connecting portion and a developing side electric contact. The fixing portion is fixed to the image forming apparatus in a state where the main body and the fixing portion are positioned in the image forming apparatus. A developing side electric contact is provided on the fixing portion and to contact a main assembly side electric contact of the image forming apparatus in a state in which the main body and the fixing portion are positioned. When the developing device is pressed by a pressing portion of the image forming apparatus in a state where the fixing portion is fixed to the image forming apparatus, the main body is rotated about the connecting portion as a rotation center so that the developer carrying member is moved from a separated position to a developing position.

Abstract: A fixing apparatus includes first and second rotating members, a heater having a heating element and a substrate, and first and second contact members. A direction of a longer side on a surface of the substrate where the heating element is disposed is a longitudinal direction. A direction intersecting the longitudinal direction is a widthwise direction. The first contact member is disposed in a region outside a region where a maximum size recording material conveyed to a nip portion passes through the nip portion on one end side in the longitudinal direction on an outer circumferential surface of the first rotating member, and the second contact member is disposed in the region outside the region where the maximum size recording material conveyed to the nip portion passes through the nip portion on an other end side in the longitudinal direction on an outer circumferential surface of the second rotating member.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a rotatable image bearing member, a developing member, a transfer member, and a brush contacting a surface of the image bearing member in a contact portion downstream of a transfer portion and upstream of a developing portion with respect to a rotational direction of the image bearing member. The toner which is not transferred onto a toner image receiving member is collected by the developing member. In a charging series, the toner is positioned on the same side as a normal charge polarity of the toner relative to the brush. In the contact portion, a maximum value of a contact pressure of 0.7 gf/mm2 or more and 3.5 gf/mm2 or less, a maximum contact area ratio is 18% or more and 74% or less, and a Clark-Evans index of the brush is 1 or more.

Abstract: A roller cleaning mechanism includes a cleaning member making contact with a conveying roller, a holder holding the cleaning member, a housing for the holder, and an urging member. The holder is supported on the housing swingably about a swing shaft parallel to the axial direction of a driving roller. The urging member urges the holder oppositely to the rotation direction of the conveying roller. When the conveying roller rotates, its rotative driving force keeps the holder at a cleaning position where a cleaning face of the cleaning member makes contact with the outer circumferential face of the conveying roller. When the conveying roller is halted, the urging force of the urging member keeps the holder at a retracted position where a part of the cleaning member different from the cleaning face makes contact with the outer circumferential face of the conveying roller.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an electrophotographic photoreceptor that includes a conductive substrate, an undercoat layer provided on the conductive substrate, containing a binder resin and an electron transport material, and satisfying Expression 1-1, and a photosensitive layer provided on the undercoat layer, a charging device that charges a surface of the electrophotographic photoreceptor, an electrostatic latent image forming device that forms an electrostatic latent image on the charged surface of the electrophotographic photoreceptor, a developing device that develops the electrostatic latent image formed on the surface of the electrophotographic photoreceptor with a developer containing a toner to form a toner image, and a transfer device that transfers the toner image to a surface of a recording medium, in which a moving time of an outer peripheral surface of the electrophotographic photoreceptor, required from charging performed by the charging device to development performed by the developin

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image forming unit configured to form an image on a sheet, a reversing unit configured to convey a sheet conveyed from the image forming unit in a first direction, stop the conveyance, and then convey the sheet in a second direction, which is opposite to the first direction, an image detection unit disposed to detect at least a portion of the image on the sheet stopped by the reversing unit, and a control unit configured to control the reversing unit and the image detection unit. The control unit is configured to detect the image on the sheet by the image detection unit while the sheet conveyance is stopped by the reversing unit.

Abstract: Yellow toner with excellent cleanability, transferability and device contamination resistance is provided. When intensity of spectrum at wavenumber ?, at which total intensity of Raman spectrums of toner particles from 950 cm?1 through 3,250 cm?1 in Raman spectroscopy of toner is maximum, is normalized to 1, and distribution is generated for ?300 particles regarding LC calculated by [LC (%)=CH5 rate (%)?CHc rate (%)] based on CHc rate (%) defined as [(Inc?Iave)/Iave]×100 and CHs rate (%) defined as [(Ins?Iave)/Iave]×100 where In and Ins represent integrated intensities of spectrums of center and surface portions of each particle from 2,750 cm?1 through 3,250 cm?1, and Iave represents average of Inc and Ins of all particles, percentage by number of particles having LC deviating from LC distribution median by absolute value of ?25.0; is ?1.0% by number and ?25.0% by number.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a charging unit that charges an image bearing member, a developing unit that forms a toner image on an latent image formed on the image bearing member, a transfer unit that transfers the toner image onto a transfer material, a charge neutralizer that neutralizes a charge of the image bearing member downstream of a transfer portion and upstream of a charging portion in a rotating direction of the image bearing member, a conductive collecting unit that collects a material adhering on the image bearing member downstream of the transfer portion and upstream of the charging portion, wherein the developing unit collects residual toner on the image bearing member, an voltage application unit sets a potential difference between the voltage applied to the collecting unit and the surface electric potential of the image bearing member not more than a discharge threshold.

Abstract: A powder cartridge with a cartridge interface at a proximal, open end of a cartridge body. The cartridge interface has a dispense mechanism opened to the cartridge body and a coupling mechanism coupled with the dispense mechanism. The coupling mechanism includes at least one coupling extension and at least one shuttle configured for movable coupling with the dispense mechanism.

Abstract: A heating device includes a heat generating element, a switching element, a capacitor, a connecting portion, and a controller. When the connecting means is changed in state from an on state to an off state, the controller causes the capacitor to discharge an electric charge of the capacitor by bringing the switching element into a conduction state for a predetermined time after the connecting means is changed in state to the off state.

Abstract: A developing device includes a developing container, a developing roller, a supplying roller, a first magnet including a first magnetic pole, a second magnet including second to fifth magnetic poles, and a regulating member. A maximum magnetic flux density of the second magnetic pole is larger in absolute value than a maximum magnetic flux density of the third magnetic pole in a normal direction to the supplying roller, and a maximum magnetic flux density of the third magnetic pole is larger in absolute value than a maximum magnetic flux density of the fourth magnetic pole in the normal direction. With respect to a rotational direction of the supplying roller, an angle between maximum magnetic flux density positions of the second and third magnetic poles is smaller than an angle between maximum magnetic flux density positions of the third and fourth magnetic poles.

Abstract: A positioning member defines a facing distance between a first rotating body and a second rotating body. The positioning member includes a fitting portion, a groove, and a restricting member. A fitted portion of the first rotating body is to be rotatably fitted into the fitting portion. The groove has a groove shape extending in a predetermined direction from an opening to an abutting portion. A shaft portion of the second rotating body is to be slidably movable in the groove. The restricting member restricts movement of the shaft portion in the predetermined direction in a state in which the shaft portion abuts on the abutting portion in the groove. The restricting member is detachably disposed on the groove.

Abstract: A reciprocating mechanism reciprocates by drive force from a drive source and to press a chute to move from a first position to a second position. In response to determining that a parameter is greater than a threshold for the parameter, a controller executes a first mode of actuating the drive source when conveying one sheet. The parameter decreases as a conveyance speed of the sheet at the fixing nip increases. The threshold is such a value that, when the parameter is greater than the threshold, a difference between a conveyance speed of the sheet at a transfer nip and the conveyance speed of the sheet at the fixing nip is greater than a particular level. In response to determining that the parameter is smaller than or equal to the threshold, the controller executes a second mode of not actuating the drive source when conveying one sheet.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a body, an intermediate transfer assembly, a secondary transfer assembly, and a drive motor. The intermediate transfer assembly is held by the body and includes an intermediate transferor. The secondary transfer assembly is held by the intermediate transfer assembly and includes a secondary transfer assembly and a cam. The secondary transferor assembly includes a secondary transferor rotatably held by the secondary transfer assembly. The secondary transferor presses the intermediate transferor. The cam contacts the secondary transferor assembly and adjusts a contact pressure of the secondary transferor against the intermediate transferor. The drive motor is held by the body and rotates the cam.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image bearer, a charger, a developing device, and a transferor. The charger is disposed in contact with the image bearer to charge the image bearer. The developing device supplies toner to the image bearer to form a toner image on the image bearer. The transferor transfers the toner image on the image bearer to a recording medium or an intermediate transferor. The developing device collects transfer residual toner remaining on the image bearer after transfer of the toner image. The toner contains base particles and an external additive. The external additive has a volume average particle diameter of 5 nm or more and 50 nm or less. A content of the external additive is 1.8% by mass or less in the toner.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a photoconductor, an exposure device, and a shutter assembly. The exposure device includes a light source configured to expose the photoconductor. The light source is repositionable between a proximity position at a first distance from the photoconductor and a separation position at a second distance from the photoconductor. The first distance is less than the second distance. The shutter assembly is configured to move away from the light source in response to the light source moving toward the proximity position. The shutter assembly is configured to move to cover the optical path of the light source in response to the light source moving toward the separation position.

Abstract: A sheet conveyance apparatus includes an apparatus body including a first guide configured to form a conveyance path along which a sheet to be conveyed is guided, an opening/closing member including a second guide disposed opposite the first guide and configured to form the conveyance path, the opening/closing member being openable and closable with respect to the apparatus body around a rotation axis, a light source configured to emit light, and a reflection unit configured to reflect light from the light source. The light source and the reflection unit are disposed such that, in an open state where the opening/closing member is open to expose the conveyance path, the first guide is irradiated, in a direction from a side farther from the rotation axis to a side closer to the rotation axis, with the light reflected by the reflection unit.

Abstract: Provided is a cleaning member, comprising an elastic member that includes polyurethane, wherein: when tan ? of a test piece sampled from the elastic member is measured in the temperature range of ?20° C. to +60° C., the peak temperature of a peak indicating the maximum value of tan ? is at 15.0° C. or below; the maximum value of tan ? is 0.20 to 0.55; tan ? at a temperature of 55° C. is 0.13 or larger; and where the detected quantity of all ions obtained when the test piece is heated at a rate of temperature increase of 10° C./second to 1000° C. using a direct-sampling mass spectrometer is M1 and the integrated intensity of a peak in a derived ion thermogram that corresponds to a range of m/z values originating in multifunctional isocyanate with at least three isocyanate groups is M2, M2/M1 is at least 0.001.

Abstract: A toner cartridge includes: a toner casing configured to accommodate toner therein; a toner memory; a memory holder holding the toner memory; a memory holder cover; a gear positioned at an outer surface of the toner casing; and a gear cover. The memory holder cover movably holds the memory holder. The memory holder cover has a pawl. The gear cover is positioned at one end portion of the toner casing at one side in a first direction. The gear cover covers at least a part of the gear and has a hook in which the pawl is inserted.

Abstract: A transfer device includes a pressed unit, a rotatable roller, and a pressing member. The pressed unit is movably supported and includes a first non-rotatable shaft portion and a second non-rotatable shaft portion. The rotatable roller is rotatably supported by the first non-rotatable shaft portion of the pressed unit. The pressing member contacts the second non-rotatable shaft portion of the pressed unit and presses the pressed unit. The second non-rotatable shaft portion has an axial center aligned with an axial center of the first non-rotatable shaft portion.