Abstract: An image forming apparatus provides a configuration capable of suppressing an increase in the resistance of an intermediate transfer belt. The image forming apparatus includes an electrification unit for electrifying an intermediate transfer belt to suppress an increase in resistance of the intermediate transfer belt.

Abstract: According to embodiments, an image forming apparatus includes a fixation member, a pressurization member, a heat source, a drive unit, a measurement unit, and a control unit. The measurement unit measures the time that elapses after the image forming apparatus ends image forming processing until the image forming apparatus receives an instruction to perform the next image forming processing. If the elapsed time does not exceed a predetermined threshold, the control unit causes the drive unit to start to drive the fixation member after a temperature of the fixation member reaches a first control temperature. If the elapsed time exceeds the predetermined threshold, the control unit causes the drive unit to start to drive the fixation member after the temperature of the fixation member reaches a second control temperature that is higher than the first control temperature.

Abstract: A toner conveying device includes a toner conveying portion having vertical and horizontal conveying portions, a conveying member arranged in the horizontal conveying portion, a toner loosening member, and first and second magnetic members. The toner loosening member is arranged in the vertical conveying portion to be movable vertically. The first magnetic member is attached to the bottom end of the toner loosening member. The second magnetic member is attached to a part of the conveying member facing the toner loosening member. The magnetic pole of the first magnetic member on its side facing the conveying member is the same as the magnetic pole of the second magnetic member on its side facing the toner loosening member. The toner loosening member vertically reciprocates as the repulsive magnetic field between the first and the second magnetic members changes periodically with the rotation of the conveying member.

Abstract: An image bearing member unit and a developing unit are respectively configured to be attachable to and detachable from an apparatus main body of an image forming apparatus, the image bearing member unit has a first memory that stores information related to a toner amount during a toner supply in accordance with a use amount of the image bearing member unit, the developing unit has a second memory that stores information related to a toner amount during the toner supply in accordance with a use amount of the developing unit, and a control device controls, during the toner supply, the toner supply with a toner amount based on the information stored in the first memory and the information stored in the second memory.

Abstract: A developing cartridge may include: a casing configured to accommodate developer therein, the casing extending in the first direction; a coupling rotatable about a first axis extending in the first direction, the coupling being positioned at one side of the casing in the first direction; a detection gear rotatable about a second axis extending in the first direction, the detection gear being positioned at another side of the casing in the first direction; and a storage medium including an electric contact surface, the electric contact surface being positioned at the one side of the casing in the first direction.

Abstract: A developing cartridge includes: a casing; a developing roller; a shaft; and a cam. The casing is configured to accommodate developer therein. The developing roller is rotatable about a first axis extending in an axial direction. The shaft extends along a second axis extending in the axial direction. The shaft is movable along the second axis. The cam is movable along the second axis in response to axial movement of the shaft. The cam has a cam surface non-parallel with the second axis.

Abstract: When a nip portion has a region through which a recording material passes, and a part of the region is an image heating region where an image region on the recording material passes through, and the rest of the region is a non-image heating region where a non-image region on the recording material passes through, a control portion controls heating elements corresponding to the non-image heating region, out of the plurality of heating elements, so as to maintain a control target temperature, which is set based on the amount of the image heating apparatus used.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus that forms an image on a sheet includes: a rotating body that forms the image; a motor that rotationally drives the rotating body; a current measurer that measures a motor current flowing through a current supply path including a winding of the motor at a measurement timing that is a timing after the motor is started; a torque acquisitor that acquires a torque value of the motor, based on a measured value of the motor current; and a corrector that performs correction to cancel a current change amount based on a characteristic change depending on a temperature state of the motor at the measurement timing, in acquisition of the torque value by the torque acquisitor.

Abstract: The separation holding member 36 includes a grip portion 36h for detaching the separation holding member 36 from the cartridge B, the grip portion 36h being configured so as to assume a first shape of protruding in a direction of separation from a surface of the cartridge B when the cartridge B mounted with the separation holding member 36 is detached from the apparatus main body A and to assume a second shape in which a gap with the surface of the cartridge B is smaller than in the first shape when the cartridge B mounted with the separation holding member 36 is mounted to the apparatus main body A.

Abstract: A fixing device comprises a cylindrical sheet heating body for heating a sheet; a heat generation section which includes a center heat element that generates heat in a central area, a first heat element that generates heat in a first area containing an end in the length direction, and a second heat element that generates heat in a second area between the central area and the first area; a center temperature measurement section which measures a temperature of a portion of the sheet heating body; a both-end temperature measurement section which measures a temperature of the sheet heating body at a destination by moving in the length direction; and a power controller configured to control electric power to be supplied to the center heat element, to the first heat element, and to the second heat element according to the center temperature measurement section and the both-end temperature measurement section.

Abstract: A developer container includes a developer accommodating body, a discharge body including a developer discharge opening, and a rotatable member including a plurality of rotation portions arranged in a rotational direction of the rotatable member with a space therebetween. In addition, a storing portion stores a predetermined amount of the developer to be discharged and forms a communication path for fluid-communication between an inside of the discharge body and the discharge opening. A coil spring is provided in the communication path and contractable and expandable in a direction of the communication path, with the coil spring capable of being urged by the rotation portions while the rotatable member rotates.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a first toner image forming unit, a second toner image forming unit, and a transfer section. The first toner image forming unit forms a first toner image with use of a first toner. The first toner includes a binder resin. The binder resin has a weight-average molecular weight that falls within a range of from 12297 to 14019, both inclusive. The second toner image forming unit forms a second toner image with use of a second toner. The transfer section transfers the first toner image onto a print medium, and transfers the second toner image onto the print medium in a region that overlaps a portion or all of a region where the first toner image has been transferred. The print medium includes a polymer compound.

Abstract: An image forming device of an intermediate transfer method of transferring a toner image formed on an image carrier to a sheet of paper through an intermediate transfer body, the image forming device including a transfer roller which is disposed facing the image carrier across the intermediate transfer body, and which forms a nip part with the image carrier; a movement mechanism which moves the transfer roller in a direction along a movement direction of the intermediate transfer body; a pressure varying mechanism which changes a pressing force of the transfer roller on the intermediate transfer body; and a hardware processor which controls the movement mechanism and the pressure varying mechanism, and which sets a contact position and the pressing force of the transfer roller on the intermediate transfer body based on paper information of the sheet of paper as an image formation target.

Abstract: There is provided a process for heat transfer printing, comprising: electrostatically printing a transparent release composition onto a transfer material (1) to form a release layer (2) disposed on the transfer material; (1) electrostatically printing an electrostatic ink composition to form an image layer (3) disposed on the release layer (2); applying a heat-activatable adhesive composition to the image layer to form a heat-activatable adhesive layer (4); contacting the heat-activatable adhesive layer (4) with a target substrate (5) under conditions such that the heat-activatable adhesive layer (4) is activated to adhere to the target substrate and the release layer (2) is softened; and separating the target substrate (5) and the transfer material (1) such that the heat-activatable layer (4), image layer (3) and release layer (2) are transferred to the target substrate.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: an image forming unit configured to form an image on a continuous transfer medium on the basis of image data of a job; and a controller configured to manage the job and control the image forming unit, wherein the controller has a function of adjusting an image print position on the continuous transfer medium when a job medium width size specified in the job is different from a fed medium width size used in printing.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus which includes a plurality of parts including a rotating unit and which uses the plurality of parts to form an image on a sheet is shown. The apparatus includes the following, a sheet conveyor, an image former, and an image reader. A hardware processor controls a conveying interval of the sheet by the sheet conveyor, controls the image former to form an image on the sheet and to output the sheet, detects a defect from the read image data, and diagnoses a failed part in which the defect is detected periodically based on information of the detected defect and a cycle of the part. When the failed part is diagnosed, the hardware processor controls the image former to form an image for failure diagnosis and sets a conveying interval of the sheet by the sheet conveyor larger than the conveying interval in normal image forming.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: a printing part including: an image carrier on a surface of which an electrostatic latent image is to be formed; a developing device that develops the electrostatic latent image to generate a toner image; a transfer device that transfers the toner image to a paper sheet; a fixing device that fixes the toner image; and a cleaner that removes toner remaining on the image carrier; a selection part that allows a user to select one of a plurality of automatic detection modes; a paper conveying part including: a paper feeder that supplies the paper sheet; a conveying roller that conveys the paper sheet; and a timing roller that supplies the paper sheet to a transfer position; a detector that detects a characteristic of the paper sheet; and a hardware processor that detects a paper type category, and controls the printing part under image forming conditions.

Abstract: A moving device, which is included in an image forming apparatus, includes a cam, a moving body, a biasing body, a drive source and a drive transmission device. The moving body is configured to be moved by the cam. The biasing body is configured to apply a biasing force to bias the moving body toward the cam. The drive source is configured to apply a driving force to the cam. The drive transmission device is configured to transmit the driving force to the cam and includes a load applying body configured to apply a load to a rotation of the cam.

Abstract: A fixing device includes a contact portion that comes into contact with a recording material transported; a heat source that heats the contact portion and has a counter surface and an opposite surface, the counter surface facing the contact portion; a high-thermal-conductivity portion provided on the opposite surface of the heat source and extending in a width direction intersecting a transport direction of the recording material, the high-thermal-conductivity portion having a higher thermal conductivity than the contact portion; a low-thermal-conductivity portion provided between the opposite surface of the heat source and the high-thermal-conductivity portion and having a lower thermal conductivity than the high-thermal-conductivity portion; and a temperature detector that detects a temperature of the heat source and is provided on the opposite surface of the heat source and at a position shifted from the high-thermal-conductivity portion and the low-thermal-conductivity portion in the transport direction.

Abstract: A magnet roller includes a magnet portion for generating magnetic force such that a plurality of peaks are formed in a magnetic force distribution. The magnet portion includes a plurality of magnetic poles. A cross section of the magnet portion includes a portion in which a distance from an axial center of the magnet portion to an outer edge of the magnet portion continuously changes in the circumferential direction. The magnetic force on a surface of a developing sleeve at a position corresponding to each of the plurality of magnetic poles is determined by (i) a distance from each of the plurality of magnetic poles to the developing sleeve in a radial direction of the developing sleeve and (ii) a magnitude of magnetic force in each of the plurality of magnetic poles. The distances from the plurality of magnetic poles to the developing sleeve in the radial direction are different.