Abstract: A method of forming a registration pattern to enable detection of registration errors in an image forming device includes forming a first registration mark on a substrate at a first image forming station, and partially erasing the first registration mark formed on the substrate at a second image forming station to form the registration pattern. A method of automatically detecting the registration errors further comprises sensing the registration pattern, and detecting registration errors based on the registration pattern.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus provided with an image bearing member bearing a toner image, the loss tangent tan ?1 of the image bearing member being 0.05?tan ?1?0.

Abstract: An electrostatic latent image transferring apparatus applies a transferring bias to a transfer member in a transferring portion, wherein a transferring bias value is determined on the basis of a first detection result detected when the surface of the image bearing member which has passed a portion opposed to the developer carrying member when the developing bias is not applied passes the transferring portion, and a second detection result detected when the surface of the image bearing member which has passed the portion opposed to the developer carrying member when the transferring bias is applied passes the transferring portion.

Abstract: A fixing device includes: a fixing belt member configured to be endless and rotatable; driving force transmission members that are disposed on respective ends of the fixing belt member, and transmits a rotational driving force to the fixing belt member; and a pressing member that is disposed to push an outer surface of the fixing belt member and forms a fixing nip part between the pressing member and the fixing belt member, wherein each of the driving force transmission members is fixed to the fixing belt member over an entire peripheral area of the corresponding end of the fixing belt member.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus including: an image forming apparatus main unit; an image carrier provided in the image forming apparatus main unit; at least one developing device supported retractable from the image carrier; and a developer supply portion adapted to supply developer to the developing device, wherein: a developer inlet port provided in the developing device is slidably joined with a developer supply port provided in the developer supply portion; a seal portion is provided between the developer inlet port and the developer supply port; the seal portion includes a seal portion body made of an elastic material, a sliding portion provided on at least one of surfaces of the seal portion body, and a drawing-out portion connected to the seal portion body and to the sliding portion; and the seal portion is enabled to be drawn out by using the drawing-out portion.

Abstract: A developing device includes a developer carrier capable of carrying a developer, and a thickness regulating member having a resistance of 103 ? or less and regulating a thickness of a layer of a developer carried by the developer carrier.

Abstract: It is intended to provide an image forming apparatus capable of conducting charge adjustment of post-transfer residual toner appropriately by securing a contact area of a temporarily-collecting member and an electrode, without applying excessive deformation load to the temporarily-collecting member. There are arranged a brush roller for temporarily collecting post-transfer residual toner, and an electrode of which inwardly-curved face being in contact with the brush roller in a toner charge apparatus. Thereby, charged-in-opposite-polarity toner, out of post-transfer residual toner, is collected by the brush roller, polarity of the toner is reversed to original polarity, and then, returned to a photosensitive drum. The inner face of the electrode, i.e., a contact face of the electrode and the brush roller is formed in an inwardly-curved face. Thereby, a large contact area and light pushing force of the electrode to the brush roller can go together.

Abstract: An attachable/detachable transfer device, an attachable/detachable cartridge and an image forming apparatus that can employ the attachable/detachable transfer device and/or the attachable/detachable cartridge are provided. The transfer device and the cartridge are attachable to and detachable from each other as well as the image forming apparatus. The cartridge includes an image holding member. The transfer device includes a transfer body, a supporting member, which supports the transfer body, and a connector. The connector is provided on the supporting member and detachably connects the supporting member and the attachable/detachable cartridge together.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus including an intermediate transfer device capable of making a change in a degree of expansion and contraction of an intermediate transfer belt slow is provided. A position and a moving range of a cleaning roll are set in order to make a rear surface contact position on a rear surface of the intermediate transfer belt relative to the contact position where the cleaning roll comes in contact with the intermediate transfer belt, away from a cleaning backup roll while an intermediate transfer belt cleaner rocks and moves to a contact position of the cleaner. Because of the intermediate transfer belt being not sandwiched between the cleaning and backup rolls, the change in the degree of expansion and contraction of the intermediate transfer belt is made slow, and the intermediate transfer belt is kept to have the degree of expansion and contraction within a predetermined range.

Abstract: In a method or system for operation of at least one electrophotographic printing or copying system, at least one setting value of a parameter of a printing unit of the printing or copying system is displayed via a graphical user interface with a graphical representation. At least the setting value is input via the user interface.

Abstract: A multifunction apparatus according to the present invention transmits an electromagnetic wave signal to a memory card carried by a user who enters a detection area, scans identification information of the user for user authentication, and starts a warm-up operation immediately after the authentication. Accordingly, the time period spent by the user starting from the user's arrival at the multifunction apparatus until the completion of the warm-up operation is shortened. In addition, the multifunction apparatus determines whether the user remains in the detection area after a job is completed, and transitions from a normal mode to an energy-save mode when it is determined that the user is not remaining in the detection area, the normal mode being in a state where sufficient electrical power is supplied for a job execution, the energy-save mode being in a state where the power supply is decreased compared to the normal mode.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus has an image forming unit together with a fixing unit which uses two rotating members to form a nip in which the recording material with an unfixed image is fed. A driving unit drives the rotatable fixing members and a flywheel is used for increasing an inertial force of that drive, there also being a connecting device which selectively connects the flywheel with the driving unit together with a switching device that switches operation of that connecting device in accordance with the type of recording material being used or the density of the image to be printed.

Abstract: A developer carrier includes: an opposing region that opposes a latent image-carryable region on an image carrier, and a solid portion that is solid at an end portion of the developer carrier in a longitudinal direction of the developer carrier. An end of the solid portion, which is on a side of a center of the developer carrier in the longitudinal direction, is located closer to the center of the developer carrier than an edge of the opposing region.

Abstract: A fixing unit that is provided in an image forming device and fixes a toner image transferred to paper is constructed of two belts, belt guides each of which guides the inner periphery of each of the belts, a heating member arranged in one of the belts or heating members arranged in both of the belts, a drive roller for driving the inner periphery of the belt, wherein the belts pinch paper on both surfaces thereof by the belt guides and carry the paper. This construction can realize a fixing unit reduced in size and capable of printing images at high speeds and shortening a rise time that elapses until the fixing unit reaches a fixable temperature.

Abstract: A fixing apparatus includes a fixing roller, a separator, and spacers. The fixing roller is heated while rotating. The fixing roller is in pressure contact with a recording medium that is advancing so that the developer deposited on the recording medium is fused. The separator extends across a path of the recording medium so that a predetermined amount of gap is defined between the separator and the fixing roller. The separator guides the recording medium to separate from the fixing roller. The spacers are disposed at longitudinal end portions of the separator outside of the path between the fixing roller and the separator to define the predetermined amount of gap. The spacers are movable in a direction at an angle with a surface of the recording medium. The urging member urges the spacers against the fixing roller.

Abstract: A control program is previously stored in a flash ROM, and when update of the control program stored in the flash ROM is requested, control is changed to that based on a program stored in a mask ROM, and a control program as the subject of update is received and written into the flash ROM under the control of the program stored in the mask ROM. When writing of the new control program into the flash ROM has ended and the update of the control program in the flash ROM has been completed, the control is changed to that based on the updated control program. Further, information indicating whether or not the update of the control program has been normally completed is stored in an EEPROM, and control processing is performed based on the control program stored in the flash ROM or the control program stored in the mask ROM in accordance with the information.

Abstract: The image heating apparatus for heating an image formed on a recording material includes a flexible sleeve and a regulating member disposed at a position opposed to an end surface of the sleeve for regulating the movement of the sleeve in a generatrix direction thereof, the regulating member having a first surface opposed to the end surface of the sleeve, and a second surface opposed to the inner peripheral surface of the end portion of the sleeve in the generatrix direction thereof, wherein the regulating member is a combination of a first part having the first surface and a second part having the second surface. Thereby, the damage of the end portion of the flexible sleeve can be suppressed.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes image forming means for forming a superposed image on an image bearing member by using at least toners which have an identical hue and different color densities; transfer means for electrostatically transferring the superposed image on the image bearing member onto a transfer material; and changing means for changing a mixing ratio between the toners which have an identical hue and different color densities depending on information on a water content of the transfer material, thereby to prevent a deterioration of an image, particularly a halftone image even in the case where the image is formed under a specific image forming condition, such as in a low humidity environment, liable to cause image deterioration due to a discharge phenomenon in the vicinity of a transfer portion.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus has an image forming unit together with a fixing unit which uses two rotating members to form a nip in which the recording material with an unfixed image is fed. A driving unit drives the rotatable fixing members and a flywheel is used for increasing an inertial force of that drive, there also being a connecting device which selectively connects the flywheel with the driving unit together with a switching device that switches operation of that connecting device in accordance with the type of recording material being used or the density of the image to be printed.

Abstract: A developing unit includes a developer containing unit that contains developer, a developer carrier that has a moving surface, and carries the developer, a magnetic force generator that attracts the developer onto the moving surface by a magnetic force generated from a plurality of magnets, and a restricting member that restricts a layer thickness of the developer. The magnets includes a restricting magnet arranged closest to the restricting member and has a restricting magnetic pole of which a first surface toward the moving surface and a second surface toward an upstream adjacent magnet that is arranged so as to be adjacent to an upstream side of the developer carrier in a direction of movement of the moving surface and has an upstream adjacent magnetic pole form a ridged corner portion, and the ridged corner portion is chamfered.