Abstract: A plurality of electric conductors provided on a substrate of a heater of an image heating device has a conductor group A including a plurality of first electric conductors and a conductor group B including a plurality of second electric conductors. The plurality of first electric conductors each have a first portion having a width W1 and a second portion having a width W2 smaller than the width W1, are provided on the substrate to be arranged side by side in a width direction. The plurality of second electric conductors each have a width W3 larger than the width W2, are provided on the substrate to be arranged side by side in a width direction so as to partially overlap the second portion.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an apparatus main body and a replacement unit that is detachable to the apparatus main body. The replacement unit includes a first sensor that detects first environmental information that is an ambient environment of the replacement unit, and a recording part that records the first environmental information as environmental history information, the apparatus main body includes a second sensor that detects second environmental information that is another ambient environment of the apparatus main body, and a control part that controls the replacement unit based on the environmental history information and the second environmental information, when the replacement unit is attached to the apparatus main body, the control part performs a return control based on the environmental history information, which is obtained before the replacement unit is attached, and the second environmental information.

Abstract: An image forming unit forms a toner image on an image carrier using toner. A transfer unit transfers the toner image to a sheet. A cleaner removes, from the image carrier, residual toner that was not transferred to the sheet by the transfer unit. In a detection mode for detecting a part of the image forming apparatus causing a streak, a controller may control the image forming unit to form a pattern on the image carrier, control the transfer unit so that the pattern passes through a transfer position without transferring the pattern to the sheet, control the cleaner to remove the pattern on the image carrier, and control the transfer unit to transfer a residual streak from the image carrier to the sheet. The residual streak occurs from the pattern image by causing an error of the cleaner.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an apparatus body, an image carrier, a developing device, a toner container, a container cover, a driver and a lock mechanism. The lock mechanism maintains the locking state if the container body is rotated in the first rotating direction by the driver, and receives a rotational drive force of the driver to switch the state thereof from the locking state to the unlocking state if the container body is rotated in the second rotating direction by the driver.

Abstract: There is provided an erroneous mounting prevention system in which, by moving a second cartridge in a mounting direction to mount the second cartridge on a first apparatus main body, a protruding portion is brought into abutment with a surface portion, and, by moving a first cartridge in the mounting direction to mount the first cartridge on the first apparatus main body, the first cartridge is mounted on the first apparatus main body without being restricted from being moved by the surface portion.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing a blade for electrophotographic devices and a blade for electrophotographic devices are provided. The method includes: an impregnation step of impregnating, from the surface of at least a part of a blade-shaped substrate containing urethane rubber, with a blocked isocyanate in which an isocyanate group is blocked with a blocking agent, wherein the part includes a portion that comes into contact with a mating member; and a curing step of dissociating the blocking agent from the blocked isocyanate impregnated into the substrate in the impregnation step, and then curing the released isocyanate in the substrate to form a cured portion in at least the part of the substrate including the portion that comes into contact with the mating member. In the method, the isocyanate released from the blocked isocyanate includes an aromatic isocyanate.

Abstract: An electrophotography device development roller in which an increase in the electric charge of a toner is suppressed is provided. This electrophotography device development roller 10 is provided with a shaft 12, an elastic layer 14 formed on the outer circumference of the shaft 12, and a surface layer 16 formed on the outer circumference of the elastic layer 14. The surface layer 16 contains components (a) to (c) below. Component (a) a binder comprising acrylonitrile-butadiene rubber having an acrylonitrile amount of 30 mass % or more; component (b) an ion-conducting agent comprising at least one selected from a phosphonium salt and a pyridinium salt; and component (c) an electric charge regulator comprising an acrylic polymer having a silicone group or fluorine-containing group and a cationic group.

Abstract: A fixating device has a first rotatable member in contact with an unfixated image borne on a recording medium, a second rotatable member forming a nip together with the second rotatable member, a first heater for heating the first rotatable member, a second heater for heating the second rotatable member, and power supply controlling means for controlling the supply of electric power to the first heater and the second heater. The power supply controlling means is adapted to control the supply of electric power so that when the electric power supplied to the first heater is Wa and the electric power supplied to the second heater is Wb and the ratio when the recording medium is nipped between and conveyed by the first rotatable member and the second rotatable member is Dp=Wa/Wb and the ratio during standby is Ds=Wa/Wb, there may be established Dp>Ds.