Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a latent-image forming unit that forms an electrostatic latent image onto an image carrier, a developing member that develops the electrostatic latent image held on the image carrier with a developer, a container that contains the developer supplied to the developing member, a stirring member that stirs the developer by rotating in the container, a density detecting unit that is disposed in the container and that detects a density of the developer, and a switching unit that switches an image formation condition by using a period of a signal output by the density detecting unit.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a photoconductive drum, a primary transfer belt, a secondary transfer counter roller, a secondary transfer roller, a bias control circuit, a belt cleaner, and a processor. The photoconductive drum forms a toner image. The primary transfer belt comes in contact with the photoconductive drum and receives the toner image from the photoconductive drum. The secondary transfer counter roller moves the primary transfer belt. The secondary transfer roller presses a printing medium against the primary transfer belt to transfer the toner image on the primary transfer belt to the printing medium. The bias control circuit applies a bias to the secondary transfer roller. The belt cleaner is in contact with the primary transfer belt and removes attached matters from the primary transfer belt. When a printing operation is interrupted, a cleaning operation can be executed to remove residuals on the primary transfer belt.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an exhaust unit. The exhaust unit includes a first duct. The first duct includes a plurality of communication ports, and an exhaust fan for discharging air of the first duct to an outside. The plurality of communication ports are each formed such that distances to the exhaust fan are different from each other. Further, the first duct includes an inflow port which is formed on an upstream of flow of air from the communication port formed on the most upstream side of the flow of the air among the plurality of communication ports, and to which the auxiliary air is supplied from a first exhaust fan provided in the outside.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a stopper movable between a stopping position in which the stopper contacts with a downstream end portion of a cartridge, having a first contacting portion and a second contacting position, in a mounting direction, to stop the cartridge from being moved in the mounting direction and a non-stopping position in which the stopper is retracted from the stopping position so as not to stop the cartridge from being moved in the mounting direction. The stopper moves from the stopping position to the non-stopping position in conjunction with movement of a movable member from a first position to a second position.

Abstract: A belt includes a first layer defining an outer peripheral surface of the belt and a second layer arranged adjacent to the first layer. The first and second layers include a polyimide-based resin. The first layer includes carbon black particles. A part of the carbon black particles which are exposed at the outer peripheral surface of the belt have a size of 5 nm or more and 150 nm or less. The area fraction of the part of the carbon black particles which are exposed at the outer peripheral surface of the belt to the outer peripheral surface of the belt is 2% or more and 35% or less. The belt includes 80 or more conducting points per square micrometer and has a volume resistivity of 10 log ?·cm or more.

Abstract: A developing device includes a developer storing unit that stores a developer before use of the developing device, a developer containing unit that contains, when the developing device is used, the developer stored in the developer storing unit such that the developer is capable of being stirred by the developer containing unit, a developer holding unit that is provided in a portion of the developer containing unit and that holds the developer contained in the developer containing unit and moves the developer in a rotation direction, a sealing unit including a sealing tape portion that seals a slit-shaped opening formed in the developer storing unit along a longitudinal direction of the developer storing unit while the sealing tape portion is capable of being pulled out and that seals the slit-shaped opening of the developer storing unit by being removably fixed onto an edge of the opening and an extended tape portion that is folded at an end of the sealing tape portion in a longitudinal direction of the seal

Abstract: Certain examples described herein relate to splice detection. In certain cases, a splice is detected in a web being conveyed towards a transfer member of the printing system. In certain cases, a print frame is identified from a sequence of pending print frames using successive repeat lengths of the sequence and a distance of the splice from the transfer member. The identified print frame is to be transferred from the transfer member across the splice. In certain cases, writing of the identified print frame onto a photo-imaging plate of the printing system is deferred. In certain examples, the web is disengaged from the transfer member following transfer of an image of a print frame preceding the identified print frame. The web is re-engaged with the transfer member so as to transfer an image of the identified print frame to the web from the transfer member after the splice is conveyed beyond the transfer member.

Abstract: Provided is an image forming apparatus, having: a fixing portion which includes a plurality of heating elements and heats a plurality of heating regions independently using the plurality of heating elements respectively so as to fix an image formed on a recording material to the recording material; an acquiring portion which acquires information on an image formed on a recording material, and thermal history information on a plurality of regions corresponding to the plurality of heating regions in the fixing portion respectively; and a control portion which controls heating of the heating regions by the fixing portion. The control portion corrects a control setting used for the temperature control of the heating regions, based on the thermal history information on a region of the fixing portion corresponding to a thermal history calculating region generated by dividing each of the heating regions in a direction orthogonal to the transport direction.

Abstract: An image heating apparatus includes an endless belt in contact with a toner image on a recording material, a separation member that separates the recording material from the endless belt, a regulation member that regulates a longitudinal position of the endless belt, and an interlocking mechanism. The interlocking mechanism interlocks a movement of an end portion of the separation member on the same side as a first edge of the endless belt with movement of the regulation member. The interlocking mechanism performs interlocking so that, when the regulation member moves toward an upstream in a conveyance direction, the end portion of the separation member moves toward the upstream in the conveyance direction.

Abstract: In one example, a developer roller for liquid electrophotographic printing includes a cylindrical metal inner core, a rigid conductive plastic outer core surrounding the inner core, and a compliant exterior surrounding the outer core.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes first and second image bearing members; first and second charging members; first and second developing members; a transfer member configured to sequentially transfer toner images from the first and second image bearing members to a transfer-receiving member; and a control portion configured to, at a timing determined based on information relating to the toner image formed on the first image bearing member, perform a cleaning operation of decreasing toner that adheres to the second charging member at a time of non-image formation.

Abstract: An apparatus identifies reflective surfaces used for scanning a first photosensitive member and a second photosensitive member. A first storage stores correction data corresponding to each of reflective surfaces of a first rotating polygonal mirror. A first correction unit corrects, on a basis of the correction data and information indicating the reflective surface, image data in association with the reflective surface. A second storage stores correction data corresponding to each of reflective surfaces of a second rotating polygonal mirror. A second correction unit corrects, on a basis of the correction data and information indicating the reflective surface, image data in association with the reflective surface.

Abstract: In an image forming apparatus, a cover 558 rotates from an open position to a closed position, so that an urging portion 561 urges a first portion-to-be-urged 566, and a slidable portion 525 moves from a rear side toward a front side. By this, an optical print head 105 moves from a retracted position toward an exposure position. Thereafter, when the cover 558 further rotates, the urging portion 561 moves from the first portion-to-be-urged 566 onto a second portion-to-be-urged 567 and moves on the second portion-to-be-urged 567. By this, the slidable portion 525 and link portions 651-654 are kept in a rest state without being moved with rotation of the cover 558.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a photoconductive drum, a charging roller, and a cleaning member. The charging roller is positioned to contact a surface of the photoconductive drum and configured to charge the surface of the photoconductive drum. The cleaning member is configured to contact a surface of the charging roller. The cleaning member includes a shaft extending along a rotational axis and a spiral portion spiraling around the shaft along a length of the shaft parallel to the rotational axis. A width of the spiral portion at a central region of the cleaning member is greater than a width of the spiral portion at an end region of the cleaning member.

Abstract: A toner cartridge according to one example includes first and second alignment guides that extend outward from a first side and a second side of the toner cartridge, respectively, for positioning the toner cartridge. The first and second alignment guides define a pivot axis about which the toner cartridge is pivotable relative to an imaging unit when the toner cartridge is installed on the imaging unit. An engagement member is positioned on a rear of the toner cartridge for receiving a bias force for biasing the toner cartridge about the pivot axis when the toner cartridge is installed on the imaging unit. The engagement member is positioned next to the bottom of the housing. The engagement member includes an angled contact surface that faces upward and rearward for contacting a corresponding hold-down on the imaging unit when the toner cartridge is installed on the imaging unit.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: an image bearing member; a developer carrying member to correspond to the image bearing member; drive portion to rotationally drive the developer carrying member; control unit to control the rotational drive by the drive portion, and detection portion to detect information from the toner patch. Modes for controlling, by control unit, the rotational drive of the drive portion include (i) a first mode which uses a first driving condition including a first peripheral speed ratio between the developer carrying member and the image bearing member and (ii) a second mode which uses a second driving condition including a second peripheral speed ratio which is higher than the first peripheral speed ratio. The control unit controls the image bearing member to form the toner patch for each of peripheral speed ratios and sets the second driving condition on the basis of the detected information.

Abstract: An image heating apparatus includes a first rotary member, a second rotary member a retaining portion, and a regulating portion. An end portion of the first rotary member abuts against the regulating portion and the regulating portion regulates movement of the first rotary member to the sheet width direction. The regulating portion comprises a curved surface shape having a radius of curvature of 10 mm or greater and 500 mm or smaller and protruding toward the first rotary member. An apex portion of the curved surface shape is, when viewed in the sheet width direction, positioned in an area outside of the retaining portion and on a side of the first rotary member from a tangent of the first rotary member at the nip portion. The apex portion is positioned in an area upstream in the sheet conveyance direction of a straight line that is orthogonal to the tangent.

Abstract: A fuser includes a rotatable member, a belt, a pressure member, and a sliding member. The pressure member sandwiches the belt together with the rotatable member to form a nip portion. The sliding member is sandwiched between an inner peripheral surface of the belt and the pressure member. The sliding member includes a front surface, which faces the inner peripheral surface of the belt. The front surface includes a plurality of first dimples and a plurality of second dimples. The first dimples are arranged in a first zone, which corresponds to the nip portion. The second dimples are arranged in a second zone, which corresponds to a portion of the sliding member outside the nip portion. Each of the first dimples is of a shape that can release lubricant more easily than each of the second dimples.

Abstract: A fuser may include a rotatable member, a belt, a pressure member, and a sliding member. The belt and rotatable member may form a nip portion. The sliding member may be sandwiched between an inner peripheral surface of the belt and the pressure member. The sliding member may include a front surface, which faces the inner peripheral surface of the belt. The front surface may include a plurality of dimples designed to catch lubricant that moves along ridges between the dimples.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus according to an embodiment may include: an apparatus body; a first cover attached to the apparatus body to open and close a first opening of the apparatus body; a second cover attached to the apparatus body to open and close a second opening of the apparatus body; an image forming section in the apparatus body configured to form a latent image and including a first contact part; a second contact part provided to the apparatus body and opposed to the first contact part; a withdrawing mechanism that moves along with movement of the first cover to bring the second contact part into contact with and separated away from the first contact part; and a withdrawal holding mechanism that moves along with movement of the second cover and holds the separation of the second contact part from the first contact part.