Abstract: A fixing apparatus includes a belt, a pad member, a pressure member, a heating roller, a stretching roller, and, an outer stretching roller. The outer stretching roller disposed between the heating roller and the stretching roller and configured to press the heating roller from an outer surface of the belt and bring the belt into contact with the heating roller. In a cross section orthogonal to a rotation axis of the pressure member, a surface between the heating roller and the stretching roller of the belt in a state where the belt is pushed toward the heating roller by the outer stretching roller is located inside that of the belt in a state where the outer stretching roller is removed.

Abstract: A toner cartridge according to one example embodiment includes a housing having a reservoir for holding toner. A first electrical contact and a second electrical contact are positioned on a first longitudinal end of the housing. The first electrical contact is electrically connected to processing circuitry positioned on the housing. The second electrical contact is electrically connected to an imaging component positioned on the housing. The first electrical contact is positioned higher than the second electrical contact. A first drive coupler and a second drive coupler are positioned on a second longitudinal end of the housing. The first electrical contact and the second electrical contact are positioned higher than a first rotational axis of the first drive coupler. The first electrical contact is positioned higher than a second rotational axis of the second drive coupler and the second electrical contact is positioned lower than the second rotational axis.

Abstract: A fixing unit includes a tubular film, a pressure roller, a heater including a first heating element and a second heating element, a detector configured to detect a temperature of the heater, a switcher configured to switch which of the first heating element and the second heating element is supplied power from a power supply, and a controller configured to control the switcher. The controller is configured to execute a first control of determining a first electric energy and a second electric energy based on the temperature of the heater detected by the detector and a target temperature of the heater, and a second control of causing the switcher to switch between a state in which power is supplied to the first heating element by the first electric energy and a state in which power is supplied to the second heating element by the second electric energy.

Abstract: A fixing device includes a tubular body that forms a nip with a pressure member to fix a recording material onto a recording medium, a heater inside the tubular body and facing a heated region of the tubular body in a first direction, and a heat conductive member that has a thermal conductivity larger in a second direction crossing the first direction and parallel to an axial direction of the tubular body than in the first direction. The heat conductive member includes an end portion and a central portion along the second direction, and the end portion has a higher density than the central portion.

Abstract: In a cartridge, a housing has a developer accommodating portion and includes a first side wall and a second side wall. A coupling member is disposed at a position opposite to the developer accommodating portion with respect to the first side wall. A detection body is disposed at a position opposite to the developer accommodating portion with respect to the second side wall. A first driving force transmission member is positioned at the same side with the coupling member with respect to the first side wall, and transmits driving force from the coupling member to a rotating member. A second driving force transmission member is positioned at the same side with the detection body with respect to the second side wall, and transmits driving force from the rotating member to the detection body.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: a paper feeding part that houses a medium to be fed; a belt-shaped image holding part that holds an image on a surface of the image holding part and rotates; a transfer part disposed to face the image holding part and transfers an image onto a medium from the image holding part in a final transfer region; and a cleaning part that removes a deposit on the surface of the image holding part passed through the final transfer region, in which a downstream side of the paper feeding part in a transport direction of a medium is inclined to be closer than an upstream side of the paper feeding part to the final transfer region, and the image holding part is inclined upward on a downstream side of the final transfer region toward the downstream side in a rotation of the image holding part.

Abstract: In a cartridge, a housing has a developer accommodating portion and includes a first side wall and a second side wall. A coupling member is disposed at a position opposite to the developer accommodating portion with respect to the first side wall. A detection body is disposed at a position opposite to the developer accommodating portion with respect to the second side wall. A first driving force transmission member is positioned at the same side with the coupling member with respect to the first side wall, and transmits driving force from the coupling member to a rotating member. A second driving force transmission member is positioned at the same side with the detection body with respect to the second side wall, and transmits driving force from the rotating member to the detection body.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a chassis having an opening, a cover, photosensitive members, an intermediate transfer belt, a primary-transfer member, a secondary-transfer roller, a cleaner device, an external-sheet inlet, a waste toner container, a connector, and a conveying roller, which is arranged within the feeding path to feed the recording sheet inserted through the external-sheet inlet in the feeding path. The conveying roller is mounted on the waste toner container and removable from the chassis along with the waste toner container.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a photoconductive drum, a developing roller, a sheet supplier, a fixing unit, and a controller. The fixing unit includes a heating roller, a first heater, a second heater, a first temperature sensor, and a second temperature sensor. The controller is configured to control the first heater so that a first detected-temperature becomes a target temperature at a central area, and control the second heater so that a second detected-temperature becomes a target temperature at an end area, and in accordance with a heat storage amount of the fixing unit stored by the heating of the second heater, change (i) a timing when supply of the sheet is started or (ii) the target temperature at the end area.

Abstract: A heating unit includes a heater, an endless belt, a holder, a heat conductive sheet, and a connector including a connecting terminal connected to a supply terminal. The connector is configured to hold a first end of the heater in the longitudinal direction and a first end of the holder in the longitudinal direction. The holder includes a first surface supporting the heat conductive member, and a second surface supporting the first end of the heater. The second surface is located at a position nearer to the heater than the first surface in a direction orthogonal to the substrate. A height of a step formed between the first surface and the second surface is greater than a thickness of the heat conductive member.

Abstract: A position sensor system includes a magnetic source for generating a magnetic field, and a position sensor device movable relative to the magnetic source, or vice versa. The position sensor device comprises at least three magnetic sensor elements for measuring at least three magnetic field values of the magnetic field, and a processing circuit configured for determining at least two magnetic field gradients or magnetic field differences based on the at least three magnetic field values, and for deriving from the at least two magnetic field gradients or differences a first value indicative of a position of the position sensor device, and for deriving from the at least two magnetic field gradients or differences a second value indicative of integrity of the position sensor system.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image bearing member, an apparatus body including a transfer member movable between a first position and a second position, an opening/closing member. The apparatus body includes a movement mechanism configured to move the transfer member in accordance with a movement of the opening/closing member. The movement mechanism includes a first movable member and a second movable member. The first movable member is configured to move a first end portion of the transfer member from the first position to the second position. The second movable member is configured to move a second end portion of the transfer member from the first position to the second position.

Abstract: An image heating device includes a heater that includes a heating resistor; a rotatable tubular film in which the heater is provided in an inner space of the rotatable tubular film; a roller; and an electrification control portion configured to perform wave number control by changing the ratio of electrification ON to electrification OFF for each set control cycle. In the image heating device F1, relations tON?? and tOFF?? are satisfied, where tON represents a longest continuous electrification period in electrification patterns in which electrification is turned both on and off in the control cycle, tOFF represents a longest continuous shutoff period in the electrification patterns, and ? represents a time constant of thermal conduction with the shortest distance from the heating resistor to a contact surface of the heater that is in contact with the film.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a plurality of sheet storage receptacles configured to store a sheet. The image forming apparatus also includes a fixing device having a heating belt and a pressure roller configured to heat and fix toner on the sheet conveyed from one of the plurality of sheet storage receptacles. The image forming apparatus also includes a processor and a memory configured to store temperature information associated with each sheet storage receptacle and related to temperature control of the fixing device, acquire type information of a sheet to be printed, in response to a predetermined condition, specify the sheet storage receptacle storing the sheet to be printed, and perform a first heating control that controls a temperature of the fixing device based on the stored temperature information associated with the specified sheet storage receptacle.

Abstract: A method of evaluating a power storage device includes at least [a] to [f] below. [a] A power storage device is prepared. [b] A charge level of the power storage device is adjusted to produce a first potential difference between a positive electrode and a negative electrode. [c] The positive electrode or the negative electrode is selected as a reference electrode. [d] After the charge level is adjusted, an operation to insert a conductive rod-shaped member into a stack portion along a direction of stack of the positive electrode and the negative electrode is performed while a second potential difference between the reference electrode and the rod-shaped member is measured. [e] The rod-shaped member is stopped. [f] The power storage device is evaluated based on a state of the power storage device after the rod-shaped member is stopped.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a first sensor configured to detect a temperature; an image forming unit configured to form an image; a sheet container configured to contain sheets; a conveyance roller configured to convey a sheet from the sheet container; a transfer unit configured to transfer the image on the sheet conveyed by the conveyance roller; a fixing unit configured to fix the image on the sheet by heating the image on the sheet; a second sensor configured to detect a temperature of the fixing unit; a sheet container heater configured to heat the sheet in the sheet container, wherein the sheet container heater is provided at a position where a distance from the first sensor to the sheet container heater is closer than a distance from the fixing unit to the sheet container heater.

Abstract: An intermediate transfer body includes a base layer and a surface layer disposed on the base layer, in which surface layer includes a sea-island structure that includes a sea phase and an island phase, in which the sea phase includes a resin, the island phase including an organopolysiloxane.

Abstract: A processor selects a target sheet from a plurality of predetermined sheet candidates in accordance with selection information that is input via an input device. Furthermore, the processor derives feature information regarding a noise point from a target image that is obtained through an image reading process performed on an output sheet output from an image forming device, the noise point being a dot-like noise image included in the target image. Furthermore, the processor determines whether or not the noise point is a dot-like sheet noise by applying the feature information to a determination algorithm that corresponds to the target sheet, the sheet noise being included in a sheet of the output sheet itself, the determination algorithm being one of a plurality of determination algorithms that respectively correspond to the plurality of sheet candidates.

Abstract: A fixing device includes a fixing member, a pressurizing member, a charging portion, and a control portion. The fixing member rotates while being heated. The pressurizing member forms a nip portion between itself and a surface of the fixing member in such a way as to hold a sheet therebetween and conveys the sheet by rotating together with the fixing member, wherein an image of toner has been formed on the sheet. The charging portion electrically charges the surface of the fixing member to a polarity that is same as a charging polarity of the toner by supplying a charging current to a pair of electrodes that is disposed to face the surface of the fixing member. The control portion increases the charging current as time passes during a control time period that corresponds to a time period for which the sheet passes through the nip portion.

Abstract: Provided is an intermediate transfer member containing a thermoplastic resin and carbon black. The carbon black has a structure volume of 50 or more and 250 or less, and a content of the carbon black is from 15.0 mass % to 30.0 mass % with respect to the intermediate transfer member. When a region ranging from an inner peripheral surface on a back side with respect to an outer peripheral surface on which a toner image is borne to 10 ?m in a thickness direction is defined as an inner peripheral surface region, a value of an L-function indicating dispersibility of the carbon black with respect to the thermoplastic resin in the inner peripheral surface region is 150 nm or less.