Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a plurality of developing units respectively including developer inlets, the developing units are arranged side by side in a first direction, a plurality of developer containers to contain developers to be supplied to the plurality of developing units and respectively including developer outlets, the developer units are arranged side by side in the first direction to face the plurality of developing units, and a plurality of developer supplying paths respectively to connect the developer inlets to the developer outlets, wherein the plurality of developer containers include first and second developer containers, and a position of the developer outlet of the second developer container is different from position of the developer outlet of the first developer container.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a fog controller to control a fogging level of a toner image carrier by adjusting a fog control parameter on the basis of the fogging level detected by a fogging level detection section and the target fogging level stored in a memory section. While varying a value of the fog control parameter, the fog controller makes a detection pattern forming section to form a series of detection patterns between toner images for each page on the toner image carrier, makes the fogging level detection section to detect each of fogging levels of the series of detection patterns, determines a target fog control parameter value on the basis of each fogging level of the series of detection patterns detected and the target fogging level stored, and adjusts the fog control parameter on the basis of the target fog control parameter value.

Abstract: A developer cartridge includes a storing portion that stores developer and has an opening, a shutter member that opens and closes the opening, and a seal member that seals between the shutter member and the storing portion. The seal member is so provided that both end portions thereof face each other. One end portion of the seal member has at least one angled portion provided inside both side end edges of the seal member in width direction of the seal member, and the other end portion has an angled portion along the angled portion of said one end portion.

Abstract: A developing cartridge that maintains a pressing condition to press a developer carrier against the image carrier is described. The developing cartridge may include a coil spring that presses the developer carrier against the image carrier. The coil spring may include a handle that transmits a pressing force to the coil spring via the contacting member. By doing so, every time the developing cartridge is replaced, a new coil spring and handle can be provided for the color laser printer with the developing cartridge attached. Therefore, a constant pressure by the coil spring can be continuously maintained. Thus, a preferable pressure condition of the developer carrier against the image carrier can be continuously maintained.

Abstract: A color printer 1 has a rotary type developing device 30 which rotated by an input gear 46 that receives power from a motor, and a plurality of developing units 13 supported on a frame 28. The plurality of developing units 13 accommodates toner of different colors therein. The frame 28 a first annular gear 29 being configured to be rotated by the input gear 46 and a second ring-shaped annular member 32 having a larger external diameter than the first annular gear 29. The second ring-shaped annular member 32 is disposed adjacent to and on the outer side of the first annular gear and on the same rotational axis.

Abstract: Image processing apparatus and method to perform an image processing job based on a received processing request, which includes a processing condition set by a user. Error protection is performed to detect a job setting error caused by a mismatching between the processing condition of the image processing job and a processing capability of the image processing apparatus. Error information relates to a previously detected air that is the job setting error previously detected. Error report conditions indicate whether the previously detected air has a same condition as the processing condition of the image processing job. Error information is managed to store information relating to the currently detected error when the currently detected error satisfies an error storage condition, determine whether the currently detected satisfies the error report condition and generate an error report to notify the user and an administrator when these conditions are satisfied.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus which is capable of adjusting the color density while improving the printing efficiency. A color density adjustment value-adjusting unit adjusts a color density adjustment value in predetermined adjustment timing so as to keep colors of an image constant. A color density adjustment value-storing unit stores the color density adjustment value in advance. An adjustment timing occurrence-determining unit determines whether or not the adjustment timing occurs during execution of an image forming job. A color density adjustment value-predicting unit predicts the color density adjustment value in the adjustment timing determined to occur, based on the color density adjustment value stored in advance. The color density adjustment value-adjusting unit is adapted to adjust the color density adjustment value based on the predicted color density adjustment value.

Abstract: A fixing device fixes a toner image carried on a recording medium. The fixing device includes a rotatable fixing roll member, a fixing belt member and a walk adjustment mechanism. The fixing belt member is wound on the fixing roll member so as to be rotatable. The walk adjustment mechanism changes a walk width of the fixing belt member in accordance with a width of the recording medium.

Abstract: A toner container includes a longitudinal container body and a held portion. The longitudinal container body has a first end and a second end distal to the first end in a length direction of the container body. The container body includes a gear configured to engage with a drive gear provided in the main body. The held portion is attached to the first end of the container body and configured to be detachably attached to the toner-container holder. The held portion includes a toner outlet, is configured to be held by the toner-container holder in non-rotating manner, and is biased downwardly by a force applied from the drive gear to the gear when the drive gear rotates.

Abstract: According to an embodiment of the invention, a revolver unit is rotationally driven by using three stepping motors. The weight of developing cartridges loaded on the revolver unit is identified on the basis of the quantity of remaining toner in toner cartridges. At the time of rotationally driving the revolver unit, output timing of the stepping motor closer to the developing cartridge which has a large quantity of remaining toner and has a heavy weight is made earlier, and output timing of the stepping motor far from this developing cartridge is delayed.

Abstract: A transfer residual toner that has not been electrostatically transferred onto a transfer paper P at a transfer nip and remains on a surface of a photosensitive element is temporarily retained by an elastic blade of a toner retaining unit in a mechanical manner before reaching a latent image forming area. When passing through the latent image forming area, the transfer residual toner is returned onto the surface of the photosensitive member at such a timing that writing is not performed by an exposing unit on the surface of the photosensitive element.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus is constituted by a rotatable image bearing member; a charging member for electrically charging the image bearing member in contact with the image bearing member; developing member, containing polishing particles, for collecting toner from the image bearing member and effecting development on the basis of an electrostatic latent image formed on the image bearing member; a transfer member for transferring a toner image formed on the image bearing member onto a transfer material; an auxiliary charging member, located downstream from a transfer portion and upstream from the charging member with respect to a movement direction of the image bearing member, for electrically charging toner remaining on the image bearing member after the transfer by contact with the image bearing member; and control means for performing a discharging mode, for discharging polishing particles from the auxiliary charging member onto the image bearing member on the basis of an image ratio of an image to be for

Abstract: A method of controlling gloss in a printing system having a fuser. The method includes: creating a gloss look-up table for temperature settings; using the look-up table for temperature settings to determine a desired gloss range; measuring an actual gloss range on a substrate continuously with an in-line gloss meter; and determining whether the actual gloss range is within the desired gloss range. Where the actual gloss range is outside the desired gloss range, the temperature settings of the fuser are adjusted.

Abstract: A lubricant applying unit, included in a process cartridge provided in an image forming apparatus, includes a solid lubricant, a lubricant supporting unit to support the solid lubricant, a lubricant holder to accommodate the solid lubricant supported by the lubricant supporting unit, a pressing mechanism located between the lubricant supporting unit and the lubricant holder and designed to press the solid lubricant against a lubricant applying member, and a frictional resistance reducing member to reduce a frictional resistance produced at sliding contact portions between the lubricant supporting unit and internal surfaces of the lubricant holder.

Abstract: A protective-agent applying device that applies a protective agent mainly containing paraffin to a photosensitive element. The protective-agent applying device applies a protective agent to a surface of the photosensitive element in such a manner that when applying the protective agent for 10 minutes, the protective agent equal to or more than 0.5 ?g/cm2 adheres to the surface, and when applying the protective agent for 60 minutes, the protective agent equal to or less than 8 ?g/cm2 adheres to the surface.

Abstract: A toner container detachably attached to a toner-container holder of a main body of an image forming apparatus includes a container body that includes an opening, and discharges toner contained in the container body, from the opening; and a held portion that is held by the toner-container holder in a non-rotating manner. The held portion includes an open/close member for opening/closing the toner outlet in synchronization with an attachment/detachment operation of the held portion to/from the toner-container holder.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus including an image forming device; an intermediate transfer member; a secondary transferring device; a first cleaning member; a second cleaning member; a contacting/separating device; a release-agent applying device; and a controlling unit which controls the contacting/separating device so that, at a predetermined timing, the first cleaning member is displaced to the state where the first cleaning member is separated from the surface of the intermediate transfer member.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus has a photoconductive member, and a developing roller develops a latent image on the photoconductive member by a first alternating-current bias in the form of a rectangular wave. The following relationships are satisfied in calculating the duty ratio (D1) of the first alternating-current bias using an application period of voltage in a direction to transfer the toner from the developing roller towards the photoconductive member as a positive period: a CV value in the number particle size distribution of the toner is ?25%, 4 ?m?Dt?7 ?m, 105 ?·cm?pv?109 ?·cm, 0.4 ?m?Ra?1.5 ?m, and 35%?D1?75%. where Dt denotes the volume average particle diameter of the toner, pv denotes the intrinsic resistance value of a developing roller surface, Ra denotes the arithmetic average roughness of the developing roller surface.

Abstract: A toner container includes a longitudinal container body, a held portion, and a standing inhibiting unit. The container body has a first end and a second end distal to the first end in length direction of the container body. The held portion is attached to the first end and has a toner outlet for discharging the toner contained in the container body. The held portion is held by the toner-container holder. The standing inhibiting unit is provided in the held portion and inhibits the toner container from being stood on a horizontal plane with the held portion directed vertically downward with respect to the container body.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus to enhance a user's convenience by adequately designing developer storage capacities of developing devices in consideration of an amount of consumed developer includes an image carrier, and plural developing devices arranged along a rotational direction of the image carrier to supply a developer to the image carrier. The plural developing devices include a first developing device having a largest developer storage capacity, and a second developing device disposed in a most downstream side with respect to the rotational direction of the image carrier. The second developing device has a second largest developer storage capacity.