Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image bearing member, an image forming unit, a detection unit, and a control portion. The detection unit includes a casing, an optical sensor, a shutter portion, a moving member, a groove portion, and a projection portion. The optical sensor is disposed within the casing facing the image bearing member to detect the toner image and comprises a light emitting portion emitting light to the image bearing member through the opening portion and a light receiving portion receiving the light reflected from the image bearing member. The shutter is configured to open/close the opening portion as the projection portion moves in a direction intersecting with the predetermined direction as the moving member moves in the predetermined direction. The groove portion is disposed perpendicularly above an extension line of an optical axis of the light irradiated from the light emitting portion to the image bearing member.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a fixing device, and a controller. The controller acts as a print controller, a drawing controller, and an engine controller. The print controller receives a printing request. The drawing controller identifies an image to be drawn, through image processing of a page image designated by the printing request with respect to each page, and identifies a use amount of toner required for the image to be drawn. The engine controller executes a primary fixing temperature control including controlling the fixing temperature according to color information designated by the printing request with respect to each page, and executes, after executing the primary fixing temperature control, a secondary fixing temperature control including controlling the fixing temperature according to the use amount of toner identified by the drawing controller.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a main casing, a cartridge, and a controller. The cartridge is attachable to the main casing. The cartridge includes a cartridge memory configured to store identification information. The controller is configured to perform a rewriting process to rewrite the identification information to information indicating that the cartridge is the normal cartridge, in a case where the controller receives a cancellation instruction to instruct to cancel the service contract and the identification information, which is stored in a cartridge memory of the cartridge attached to the main casing, indicates that the cartridge is the contract cartridge.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus sets, in a case where a mode for executing a heating process a plurality of times is set, a target temperature of a fixing unit during a second heating process depending on image information about a toner image to be formed on a first surface of a recording medium immediately before a first heating process.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a photoconductor, a charger, a ventilation mechanism, an exposure device, a developing device, a transfer device, and a controller. The ventilation mechanism guides ozone generated in the charger to an ozone discharge port. The exposure device forms an electrostatic latent image on the photoconductor charged by the charger. The transfer device transfers a toner image on the photoconductor developed by the developer supplied from the developing device to a medium. The controller allows the ventilation mechanism to discharge the ozone generated in the charger from the ozone discharge port after stopping supply of the developer from the developing device to the photoconductor in an operation mode in which the ozone is discharged.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, a heating device includes a fixing belt configured to be rotated and a pressure roller configured to abut against the fixing belt and be driven to cause the fixing belt to rotate. A heater is configured to heat the fixing belt. A motor is configured to drive the pressure roller to rotate. A current sensor is configured to measure a driving current of the motor. A controller is configured to stop the heater based on the measured driving current.

Abstract: A fixing device includes a fixing rotator, a pressure rotator, a belt holder, a pressure gear, a thermal equalizer, a nip formation pad, and a support. The thermal equalizer includes a first face facing a fixing nip between the fixing rotator and the pressure rotator, and second and third faces bending and extending from upstream end and downstream end, respectively, of the first face in a direction of rotation of the fixing rotator. An upstream boundary portion between the first face and the second face and a downstream boundary portion between the first face and the third face each include, at least in a longitudinal end portion of the thermal equalizer proximate to the pressure gear, an inclined portion inclined to narrow the first face toward a longitudinal end of the thermal equalizer and having an angle of inclination not greater than 3°.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, an image forming apparatus includes: a registration roller; a motor configured to drive the roller; and a controller configured to control the motor. The roller is disposed at a first position on a conveyance path of paper on which an image is to be formed, and sends out the paper toward a second position on the conveyance path. The second position is downstream from the first position on the conveyance path and is an image transfer position on the paper. The controller controls the motor by using both speed control and position control when the leading end of the paper is at a position from the first position to the second position, and controls the motor by using only the speed control when the leading end of the paper reaches the second position.

Abstract: The power supply apparatus includes a control unit configured to output a pulse signal for driving a switching element, to drive a transformer to output a voltage from a secondary winding of the transformer, and a memory unit configured to store information associating the output voltage with the duty and the frequency of the pulse signal, and the control unit switches the frequency and the duty based on the output voltage and the information stored in the memory unit.

Abstract: A heating apparatus including: a first load; a first switch element configured to switch supply and shut-off of power from an AC power source to the first load; a second load; a second switch element configured to switch supply and shut-off of power from the AC power source to the second load; a control unit configured to control the first and the second switch elements to supply power to either the first load or the second load; a first detection unit configured to detect whether the first switch element is in a conductive state; a second detection unit configured to detect whether the second switch element is in a conductive state; and a determination unit configured to determine whether both of the first load and the second load are in a state of being supplied with power, based on detection results of the first and the second detection units.

Abstract: A fixing device includes a heater, a switching element, a zero-cross detecting portion, a controller, a power source, a driving portion. In a case that an amount of electric charge charged in the power source is predetermined value or more, the controller outputs a first signal to the driving portion so that a time in which a current is passed from the power source to the switching element is a first time. In a case that the amount of the electric charge is less than the predetermined value, the controller outputs a second signal to the driving portion so that the time in which the current is passed from the power source to the switching element is a second time shorter than the first time.

Abstract: A replaceable unit for an electrophotographic image forming device includes a housing having a reservoir for holding toner. An electrical connector is positioned on a first side of the housing. The electrical connector includes an electrical contact for contacting a corresponding electrical contact in the image forming device and a magnetic sensor electrically connected to the electrical contact. The electrical connector is movable between a first position and a second position. When the electrical connector moves from the first position to the second position, the electrical contact of the replaceable unit moves from a retracted position to an operative position. When the electrical connector moves from the first position to the second position, the magnetic sensor moves from a misaligned position to an aligned position with a point in a path of movement of a magnet for sensing a magnetic field of the magnet.

Abstract: A part includes a first member and a second member including an engagement portion engaging with an engagement protrusion of the first member and restricting separation of the first member in a predetermined direction with respect to the second member. The engagement portion includes: a facing portion facing the engagement protrusion from downstream in a separating direction of the first member with respect to the second member; a first coupling portion connected to one end of the facing portion and coupling a main body of the second member and the facing portion to each other; and a second coupling portion connected to the other end of the facing portion and coupling the main body and the facing portion to each other. The second coupling portion includes an escape portion in which the engagement protrusion is movable in the separating direction and an orthogonal direction to the separating direction.

Abstract: A light emitting device includes a light emitting unit in which a resin housing extending in one direction holds a light emitting element emitting light in a light emitting direction intersecting the one direction, a suppressing member that extends in the one direction and suppresses deformation of the housing caused by heat, the suppressing member having a linear expansion coefficient different from a linear expansion coefficient of the housing, and a fixing portion that fixes the housing and the suppressing member to each other at a position overlapping, in the light emitting direction, a neutral axis of the housing or the light emitting unit or a neutral axis of the suppressing member in the light emitting direction, at plural places separated away from each other in the one direction or in a state of extending in the one direction.

Abstract: A sheet discharge device includes at least one sheet discharge tray, a sheet discharge position adjustment actuator, and a controller. The sheet discharge tray receives discharged sheets. The discharge position adjustment actuator adjusts discharge positions of the discharged sheets on the at least one sheet discharge tray. The controller compares a first rotation amount of first print data printed on a first sheet with a second rotation amount of second print data printed on a second sheet. In response to a determination that the first rotation amount is different than the second rotation amount, the controller controls the sheet discharge position adjustment actuator to (a) discharge the first sheet to a first discharge position and (b) discharge the second sheet to a second discharge position different than the first discharge position.

Abstract: A heating device for an image forming unit includes a heater unit, a cylindrical film, a support member, a first heat transfer unit, and a second heat transfer unit. The cylindrical film is at least partially disposed around the heater unit. The support member is configured to support the heater unit above the cylindrical film and such that the heater unit is located between the support member and the cylindrical film. The first heat transfer unit is disposed between the cylindrical film and the heater unit and in confronting relation with a first surface of the heater unit. The first heat transfer unit has a first contact area with the heater unit. The second heat transfer unit is disposed between the heater unit and the support member and in confronting relation with a second surface of the heater unit. The second surface is opposite the first surface.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus measures, using a toner concentration sensor installed in a developing apparatus of the image forming apparatus, a toner concentration of a developer stored in the developing apparatus to obtain an output waveform. The image forming apparatus calculates, based on the output waveform, a first characteristic value corresponding to a volume of the developer. Based on a result of comparing the first characteristic value with a reference value calculated from a reference output waveform obtained in an initial state of the developing apparatus, the image forming apparatus determines whether to execute a discharge mode for discharging the developer from the developing apparatus and to control an amount of the developer. The image forming apparatus discharges, according to a result of the determining, a portion of the developer from the developing apparatus by controlling a driving speed of the developing apparatus when the discharge mode is executed.

Abstract: A developing apparatus includes a developer container that stores developer, a conveyance screw including a shaft portion and a blade, a bearing portion configured to engage with an engagement portion of the shaft portion of the conveyance screw, and a magnetic seal member having a magnetic property and disposed along a peripheral surface of the shaft portion in a noncontact manner with respect to the shaft portion between the blade and the engagement portion in the rotational axis direction of the conveyance screw.

Abstract: To provide a process cartridge, a drum unit capable of receiving a driving force from the main assembly, and an image forming apparatus including the process cartridge. A cartridge is provided with a movable member having a driving force receiving portion. The movable member moves between an advanced position and a retracted position.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a housing, a cover, a maneuver lever, a first locking member, and a second locking member. The cover is attached to the housing and is rotatable about a rotation axis. The maneuver lever is attached to the cover and extends parallel to the rotation axis. The first and second locking members are attached to the cover and are configured to engage with the maneuver lever. The first locking member is rotatable about a first axis perpendicular to the rotation axis between a locked position and an unlocked position. The second locking member is rotatable about a second axis parallel to the first axis between a locked position and an unlocked position. When the maneuver lever moves from the closed position to the open position, each of the first locking member and the second locking member rotates from the locked position to the unlocked position.