Abstract: A setting jig to which a housing is set is prepared, a light diameter detection sensor for detecting a light diameter of light beam is arranged, instead of a photosensitive drum, at a position corresponding to a part at which the light beam is scanned on the photosensitive drum, the housing is set to the setting jig, an adhesive is coated on a lens fixing surface of the housing, a collimator lens is grasped by a grasping member to adjust a position of the collimator lens, and the adhesive coated on the lens fixing surface is hardened. When the housing is set to the setting jig, the housing is obliquely arranged such that the light diameter detection sensor does not interfere with the grasping member. The lens fixing surface is formed to be horizontal in a state in which the housing has been set to the setting jig.

Abstract: A powder storage device includes a powder container that has an opening at one end, stores powder therein, and has, on an inner peripheral surface, a rib configured to transport the powder toward the opening with rotation of the powder container, a lid member that is configured to cover the opening, has an outflow opening through which the powder flows, and is held in a non-rotatable state, and a driving-force transmission member interposed between the powder container and the lid member and having a driving-force receiving portion penetrating the lid member in a rotation axis direction, the driving-force transmission member transmitting a rotating force to the powder container.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus that forms a toner image on a recording material includes: a temperature detection portion that detects the temperature of a heating member; a controller that controls the power to be supplied to the heating member so that the temperature detected by the temperature detection portion becomes the target temperature; and an acquisition portion that acquires information on a ratio of a region, where the toner image is formed, in a predetermined region located in an end portion of the recording material in a width direction thereof, and this controller changes the target temperature in accordance with the ratio.

Abstract: A fixing device includes: a rotatable member; a helical coil; a magnetic core; and a controller for controlling the frequency of an AC current caused to flow through the coil. The AC current is caused to flow through the coil to cause an electroconductive layer of the rotatable member to generate heat through electromagnetic induction heating, thereby heating and fixing the toner image on the recording material by heat of the rotatable member. The controller controls the frequency in a period so that when the frequency is f and a resistance of the electroconductive layer with respect to a circumferential direction is R, f/R is substantially constant.

Abstract: An image heating apparatus includes: a rotatable member; and a first heater and a second heater, for heating the rotatable member. The ratio of the second-heater heat generation amount at an end portion thereof to that at a central portion thereof is larger than that of the first heater at an end portion thereof to that at a central portion thereof with respect to the longitudinal direction. The apparatus also includes: a back-up member; a sensor; and an electric power supply controller capable of controlling the heaters independently. The controller effects switching to decrease the ratio of the power to the second heater to the power to the first heater, when heating a small width sheet. Immediately after the switching, the power to the second heater is smaller and the power to the first heater is larger than those immediately before the switching.

Abstract: A fixing device includes a fixing belt, a pressuring member, a heat source, a pressing member, a temperature sensor and a controller. A detected region whose temperature is detected by the temperature sensor is formed in the fixing belt, and an elastic layer of the detected region is provided with a hole in a part thereof in a circumferential direction. The controller judges that the fixing belt is rotating in a case where the temperature detected by the temperature sensor alternately increases and decreases in a state that the heat source is heating the fixing belt, and judges that the fixing belt is not rotating in a case where the temperature detected by the temperature sensor does not alternately increase and decrease in the state that the heat source is heating the fixing belt.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a mounting portion for mounting a process cartridge, the process cartridge including a first unit having an image bearing drum, and a second unit having a developing roller, the second unit being movable between a contact position in which the roller contacts the drum and a spaced position in which they are mutually spaced; an engageable member engageable with a force receiving portion provided on the second unit; wherein the engageable member is movable between a first position for maintaining the second unit in the spaced position by engaging with the force receiving portion, a second position for permitting movement of the second unit from the spaced position to the contact position; and a third position for permitting the process cartridge to be mounted, by being pressed by the process cartridge to retract, when the process cartridge is mounted to the mounting portion.

Abstract: A fixing device according to the present invention includes a fixing belt (22), a pressuring member (23), a heat source (24), a reflecting member (25) reflecting the radiant heat radiated from the heat source (24) to an inner circumference face of the fixing belt (22), a pressing member (27) pressing the fixing belt (22) to a side of the pressuring member (23) and a supporting member (26) supporting the pressing member (27). The reflecting member (25) is arranged between the heat source (24) and the supporting member (26) and configured to be curved or bent so as to project toward a side of the heat source (24). Straight lines (L) connecting a center (Z) of the heat source (24) with both end parts of the supporting member (26) in a conveying direction of a recording medium pass through the reflecting member (25).

Abstract: In absence of a paper feed source matching paper information specified in settings that are input by a user for a job to be executed, permission information associated with the user may not permit use of a manual feed tray as a substitute paper feed source. Upon completion of the job executed in response to selection of a forced execution key, a forced execution determination section determines whether or not an execution number exceeds a predetermined threshold. The execution number indicates how many times a job has been executed in response to selection of the forced execution key. When the execution number exceeds the threshold, a permission information updating section updates the permission information associated with the user so as to permit use of the manual feed tray as the substitute paper feed source.

Abstract: A drive transmission mechanism includes an electromagnetic clutch and a drive output gear. The electromagnetic clutch includes a clutch shaft, a clutch input gear, a clutch idler gear, and a clutch output gear. The drive transmission mechanism transmits driving power using a first drive transmission path or a second drive transmission path. The first drive transmission path includes the clutch idler gear, a first idler gear, and a first output gear unit to transmit driving power to a rotated member connected to a first output gear unit irrespective of the energizing or the non-energizing an electromagnetic clutch. The second drive transmission path includes the clutch output gear, a second idler gear, and a second output gear unit to transmit driving power to a rotated member connected to the second output gear unit only when the electromagnetic clutch is energized.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a first power supply unit to output first output power, a first device to which the first output power is supplied, a second power supply unit to output second output power, a second device to which the second output power is supplied, a detection unit to detect an overcurrent of the second power supply unit, a power source control unit to which the first output power is supplied and to switch between supplying and shutting-off of the second output power to the second device, and a control unit to which the first output power is supplied and to control an operation of the power source control unit. When the detection unit detects an overcurrent of the second output power, the power source control unit shuts off the second output power to the second device, and the control unit executes finish processing for the first device.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an elongated exposure unit having a plurality of light emitting elements configured to expose a photoconductive member and a holding case to hold the plurality of light emitting elements. A supporting frame supports the exposure unit via an elastic member. The holding case, supporting member and elastic member are made of resin.

Abstract: A toner-amount detection sensor includes a light-emitting element, a first light-receiving element, and a toner-amount calculating unit. The light-emitting element emits light toward the surface of the transfer body at a predetermined incident angle. The first light-receiving element is disposed on a side opposite to the light-emitting element with respect to a plane normal to the surface of the transfer body. The first light-receiving element receives light reflected from the surface of the transfer body. The toner-amount calculating unit calculates the amount of toner from the quantity of the reflected light received by the first light-receiving element. The sensor has a relationship of A1<A2<1.5A1 where A1 represents the predetermined incident angle with respect to the plane normal to the surface of the transfer body, and A2 represents an angle of disposition of the first light-receiving element with respect to the plane normal to the surface of the transfer body.

Abstract: According to the present disclosure, a light scanning device includes a housing, a light source, a polygon mirror, a polygon motor, a cooling duct, and a fastening portion. The housing is constituted by a housing main body and an upper lid. The light source is supported at one end side of the housing main body. The cooling duct is provided in the housing main body to extend from a light-source side to a side opposite from the light source. The fastening portion is constituted by first and second fastening portions disposed on the light-source side so as to sandwich the light source therebetween and a third fastening portion disposed at a position that is on the side opposite from the light source and that does not overlap the cooling duct as seen from a screw-fastening direction.

Abstract: An optical sensor configured to irradiate an object area with light and receive reflected light, amplify a voltage in accordance with the reflected light by an amplifier circuit and a resulting voltage, the optical sensor comprising a recording medium recorded with information indicating a noise component calculated, based on characteristics of an input voltage and an output voltage of the amplifier circuit.

Abstract: A developing cartridge is provided. The developing cartridge includes a housing which accommodates developer therein, a receiving member which receives a driving force output member provided in an image forming apparatus, a developing roller which rotates by the driving force received by the receiving member, and a detectable rotary member including a detectable portion, which is a detection target to be detected by a detection member provided in the image forming apparatus, and a contact portion which is provided away from the detectable portion. The detectable rotary member rotates from a retreat position to an initial position where the detectable rotary member is rotated by the driving force received by the receiving member, by the contact portion contacting an interference member fixed in the image forming apparatus in a process of mounting the developing cartridge into the image forming apparatus.

Abstract: A cleaning device includes a cleaner, a plurality of cleaning sub-units, a sub-unit holder, a detachable transmission assembly, and a plurality of joint couplers. The cleaner scrapes off adhered material from a surface of a cleaning target while contacting the surface of the cleaning target. The cleaning sub-units each includes a holder to hold the cleaner and a drive-receive rotator to receive a driving force. The sub-unit holder holds the cleaning sub-units. The detachable transmission assembly includes a driving-force receive rotator to receive a driving force from an external unit and a plurality of drive transmission rotators to transmit the driving force received by the driving-force receive rotator to the drive-receive rotators of the cleaning sub-units. The joint couplers mounted on the drive-receive rotators and the drive transmission rotators couple the drive-receive rotators with the drive transmission rotators in a rotation axial direction.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a plurality of image forming units that charge a surface of a photoconductor to form an image, a static eliminator that outputs static elimination light to eliminate a charge remaining on the photoconductor after image formation by the image forming unit, and a controller that controls the image forming unit and the static eliminator. The static eliminator includes a light source that emits the static elimination light, a light guide unit that guides the static elimination light from the light source to the photoconductors, and outputs the guided static elimination light to surface of the photoconductors, and a light shield unit provided inside the light guide unit, or between the light guide unit and the photoconductors in an optical path between the light source and the surface of each of the photoconductors, and configured to transmit or block the static elimination light.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for adjusting a gap in a printing system in which a first roller and a second roller are provided, wherein at least one of said first roller and said second roller comprises a seam, said seam corresponding to a variation of the diameter of said first roller and said second roller, respectively, along a circumference thereof. An interaction zone is provided, wherein said second roller is in rolling contact with said first roller under pressure, said interaction zone defining a gap for inserting a media to be printed. A size of said gap is controlled by varying a relative position of said first roller and said second roller when said at least one seam passes through said interaction zone, and said gap is adjusted in accordance with a length of said media to be printed and/or in accordance with a length of an image to be printed.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a toner-image forming part that forms a toner image; a first transfer part that transfers the toner image to an intermediate transfer body; a second transfer part that contacts a back surface of a recording medium to transfer the toner image on the intermediate transfer body to the recording medium; and a fixing part including a fixing member that is heated to fix the toner image to the recording medium and a pressure member that transports the recording medium in cooperation with the fixing member by pinching the recording medium therebetween. The maximum width, in the axial direction, of the second transfer part in which it is capable of transferring the toner image to the recording medium is larger than the maximum width, in the axial direction, of the fixing member in which it is capable of fixing the toner image to the recording medium.