Abstract: A development device includes a development container, a stirring conveyance member, a developer carrier, a vent hole, a filter, and a developer leakage prevention sheet. The stirring conveyance member conveys, while stirring, the developer containing toner inside the development container. The developer carrier carries on its outer circumferential surface the developer to feed the toner to an image carrier on which an electrostatic latent image is formed. The vent hole is formed in the development container to allow the inside and outside of the development container to communicate with each other. The filter is arranged to cover the vent hole from outside the development container. The developer leakage prevention sheet is flexible and is arranged inside the development container, opposite the vent hole so as to overlap the entire vent hole. A gap is formed between the developer leakage prevention sheet and the opening edge of the vent hole.

Abstract: A cartridge includes a first unit including an image bearing member and a second unit including a developer bearing member. The second unit is swingable with respect to the first unit. The second unit includes a pressed portion to be pressed by a pressing member of the apparatus body. When viewed in an axial direction, (i) the swing axis and the pressed portion are arranged on opposite sides to each other with respect to a virtual straight line, (ii) the pressed portion, the swing axis, and the first axis are arranged in the named order in an interaxial direction, and (iii) a distance from the pressed portion to the swing axis in the interaxial direction is longer than a distance from the swing axis to the first axis in the interaxial direction.

Abstract: A developing cartridge includes a housing for accommodating a toner, a developing roller rotatably mounted in the housing, a doctor blade in contact with the developing roller, and a driving device located at a longitudinal end of the housing. The driving device includes a driving force receiving part for receiving a driving force from the outside of the developing cartridge, and is configured to drive the developing roller to rotate. The doctor blade is in contact with a surface of the developing roller to adjust a thickness of a toner layer on the surface of the developing roller. When viewed along a longitudinal direction of the developing cartridge, at least the driving force receiving part does not overlap with the doctor blade.

Abstract: An electrophotographic image forming apparatus, which utilizes a line head in which a plurality of light-emitting elements is arranged as a light source, includes at least one controller having at least one processor and at least one memory. The controller is configured to obtain print data to perform printing, perform halftone processing for the obtained print data, generate a plurality of pieces of correction information for correcting variations of light amount on a photosensitive body by light radiated from the plurality of light-emitting elements, and correct the print data for which the halftone processing has been performed by using the correction information. The correction information includes various profiles for correcting the variations of light amount.

Abstract: A powder collection container that is attachable to and detachable from a mount part of an apparatus and stores powder includes a plurality of walls that form a storage space to store the powder. The plurality of walls include a first wall that faces the mount part of the apparatus and a second wall that does not to face the mount part of the apparatus. A thickness of the first wall is smaller than a thickness of the second wall.

Abstract: A cartridge includes: a housing; a storage medium including an electrical contact surface; and a storage medium holder holding the storage medium and movable relative to the housing. The storage medium holder is positioned at one end portion of the housing in a first direction and includes: a first holder holding the electrical contact surface; a second holder positioned spaced away from the first holder in a second direction crossing the first direction; and an elastic member expandable and shrinkable in the second direction between the first holder and the second holder. The first holder has a first hole penetrating the first holder in the second direction. The first hole is positioned farther from the housing in the first direction than the second holder and the elastic member are from the housing in the first direction and is overlapped with the electrical contact surface as viewed in the second direction.

Abstract: Presented is an image forming apparatus that includes a plurality of photoconductors, a sensor, a first memory, and a processor. The photoconductors include first and second photoconductors on which a toner image is formed in response to an image being formed. The sensor detects a physical amount that changes in response to a deterioration state of the first photoconductor. The first memory collects and stores a history of the physical amount and usage status information relating to a usage status of the first photoconductor. The processor performs a prediction of a lifespan of the second photoconductor and determination of a failure of the second photoconductor based on the history of the physical amount and the usage status information of the first photoconductor, and usage status information relating to a usage status of the second photoconductor.

Abstract: A developing device includes a developing case, a toner concentration sensor, and a positioner. The developing case stores a developer containing toner and carrier to develop a latent image on a surface of an image bearer. The developing case includes at least a part of a conveyance path of the developer. The toner concentration sensor detects a toner concentration of the developer in the developing case. The positioner engages with an engaging portion at a center of a sensor main section of the toner concentration sensor to determine a position of the sensor main section in the developing case.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a casing accommodating an image forming unit, a fan, a duct member, an electric component, and a sensor unit. The casing includes a cover member, an air inlet opening, and an air outlet opening. The fan is configured to take in air from an upstream side with respect to a second direction and blow out the air to a downstream side with respect to the second direction such that the air flow flowing through the air inlet opening, the fan, the duct member, and the air outlet opening is generated. The sensor unit is arranged within a region between the air inlet opening and a rotational axis of the fan with respect to a first direction, and is arranged on an upstream side of the fan with respect to the second direction.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: a plurality of stations and a plurality of stays arranged along a first direction; and a first board support member supporting a first electric board. Each of the plurality of stations includes: a rotation shaft extending in a second direction intersecting the first direction; and a photosensitive member and a flywheel provided to the rotation shaft. The first board support member is attached to two of the plurality of stays so as to bridge a gap between the two stays, and provided, in the second direction, on a first side opposite to a second side of the flywheel on which the photosensitive member is provided. The first board support member overlaps with the flywheel of at least one of the plurality of stations when viewed from a viewpoint along the second direction.

Abstract: A developing cartridge may include a casing capable of containing a developer material. A lever is movable relative to the casing between a first position and a second position, and has one end portion that functions as the point of effort, another end portion that functions as the point of application, and a cam surface that functions as a pivot point that is not directly connected to the casing. When the lever moves around the cam surface from the first position to the second position, the casing moves relative to the lever according to the movement of the lever.

Abstract: A heating device includes a rotator that rotates and a heater that is disposed opposite an inner circumferential face of the rotator. The heater heats the rotator. A rotator holder is disposed opposite the inner circumferential face of the rotator. The rotator holder holds a lateral end of the rotator in a longitudinal direction of the rotator. The rotator holder is adhered with a lubricating substance. A heat shield is disposed between the heater and the rotator and between the heater and the rotator holder. The heat shield blocks radiant heat radiated from the heater and is separated from the rotator holder. The heat shield includes a first portion and a second portion that is disposed outboard from the first portion in the longitudinal direction of the rotator. The second portion is separated from the inner circumferential face of the rotator farther than the first portion is.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an operation unit including a contact of the operation unit, a voltage control board including a contact of the voltage control board, a wire electrically connecting the voltage control board and the operation unit, a first holding unit configured to hold a first end of the wire electrically connected to the contact of the voltage control board, and a second holding unit configured separately from the first holding unit, the second holding unit configured to hold a second end of the wire electrically connected to the contact of the operation unit. The wire does not linearly connect the first holding unit and the second holding unit. At least one portion, of the wire, between the first holding unit and the second holding unit is not held by the first holding unit and the second holding unit.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a fixing portion, a conveyance path, a roller pair, and a duct. The roller pair includes a first roller and a second roller, the first roller and the second roller being configured to nip a sheet conveyed in the conveyance path to cool the sheet. The duct is provided to extend in a width direction orthogonal to a sheet conveyance direction. The duct includes a ventilation path forming portion and an opening portion continuous with the ventilation path forming portion and facing the conveyance path, the ventilation path forming portion being disposed to face a side of the roller pair opposite to a nip of the roller pair across a center line of the first roller and configured to form a ventilation path configured to allow air to pass therethrough between the first roller and the ventilation path forming portion.

Abstract: A cleaning rod includes a rod-like member, a slidable portion which is provided on a free end side of the rod-like member with respect to a direction in which the cleaning rod is inserted and which is slidable on a light emergent surface of a lens of an image forming apparatus, and a restricting portion configured to restrict movement of the slidable portion in a direction away from the light emergent surface with respect to an optical axis direction by contacting the holder at each of free ends of opposing wall portions of a holder of the image forming apparatus from a side opposite from a side where a photosensitive member of the image forming apparatus is provided with respect to the optical axis direction in a state in which the slidable portion contacts the light emergent surface.

Abstract: A fixing device includes an endless belt, a rotatable pressing member contacting an outer circumferential surface of the belt, and a sliding member inside of the belt. The sliding member forms a nip portion by nipping and feeding the belt between itself and the rotatable pressing member and slides on an inner circumferential surface of the belt. The rotatable pressing member nips and feeds the recording material in the nip portion in cooperation with the belt and fixes a toner image on the recording material by applying heat and pressure. The sliding member includes a substrate extending in a widthwise direction of the belt, and the substrate is made of metal and includes a plurality of projections projecting toward the rotatable pressing member.

Abstract: A toner conveying device includes a drop conveyance passage, an inclined conveyance passage, a conveyor, and a flexible sheet. Toner drops by its own weight through the drop conveyance passage. The inclined conveyance passage communicates with a lower end of the drop conveyance passage and extends obliquely downward. The conveyor has a coil shape or screw shape, is disposed in the inclined conveyance passage, and rotates in a specified direction to convey the toner obliquely downward. The flexible sheet is disposed in the drop conveyance passage, has a leading end to contact the conveyor, and swings in conjunction with rotation of the conveyor.

Abstract: A toner conveying device (7a to 7d) includes a toner conveying path (26), a conveying screw (29), and a flicker (31). The conveying screw (29) includes a rotation shaft (29a) and a helical blade (29b) formed on an outer circumferential surface of the rotation shaft (29a). The flicker (31) includes a plurality of first contact pieces (33) that press the conveying screw (29) in a first direction toward a bottom of the toner conveying path (26), and a plurality of second contact pieces (34) that contact the conveying screw (29) from a side opposite to the first contact pieces (33) and press the conveying screw (29) in a second direction opposite to the first direction. A force with which the first contact pieces (33) press the conveying screw (29) is greater than a force with which the second contact pieces (34) press the conveying screw.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a cartridge, including a photosensitive drum and a cleaning member, and an apparatus main body to and from which the cartridge and a toner container are independently attached and detached The apparatus main body includes a toner conveying apparatus receive toner removed from the cartridge and convey the removed toner to the toner container. The toner conveying apparatus includes a first conveying portion to convey the removed toner received from the cartridge toward the toner container, and a second conveying portion to convey the removed toner conveyed by the first conveying portion to the toner container.

Abstract: A developer container includes a pouch, a communication member, and a cap. A marking including an arrowhead part and a parting line are formed on an outer peripheral surface of the cap. A rear end of the arrowhead part is disposed between a first position that is a position 45° upstream from a reference position in a direction of rotation and a second position that is a position 45° downstream in the direction of rotation. The rear end of the arrowhead part overlaps the parting line.