Abstract: A developing cartridge includes: a casing, a developing roller, a first agitator, a supply roller, and a second agitator. The casing is configured to accommodate toner. The developing roller is rotatable about a developing roller rotation axis extending in a first direction. The first agitator is configured to agitate the toner. The first agitator is rotatable about a first agitator rotation axis extending in the first direction. The supply roller is positioned between the first agitator and the developing roller. The supply roller is rotatable about a supply roller rotation axis extending in the first direction. The second agitator is positioned between the supply roller and the first agitator. The second agitator is rotatable about a second agitator rotation axis extending in the first direction. A rotation locus of the second agitator is positioned outside of a rotation locus of the first agitator.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image forming unit including a photosensitive drum, a developing device, a temperature detector for detecting an environment temperature; a storage storing accommodate sheets, wherein a heating unit for heating the sheets is detachably mountable to the storage; a cooling unit for cooling the developing device; a controlling unit for operating the cooling unit in response to an output of the temperature detection unit. When the heating unit is not mounted in the storage, the controlling unit actuates the cooling unit in response to a first temperature detected by the detector. When the heating unit is mounted in the storage, the controlling unit actuates the cooling unit in response to a second temperature detected by the detector. The second temperature is lower than the first temperature.

Abstract: Toner contained in a toner container is used for replenishing a developing unit via an intermediate hopper. A toner sensor detects emptiness for the toner on an upstream side of a conveyance screw of the intermediate hopper in terms of the toner conveyance direction. Every time the toner sensor detects emptiness, the controller drives a rotation mechanism so that the toner is ejected from the toner container. Based on a drive history of a conveyance-purpose motor, the controller calculates a toner conveyance amount conveyed from the intermediate hopper between a time when the toner sensor detects emptiness and a time when the toner sensor detects emptiness again. When the calculated toner conveyance amount has been equal to or smaller than a first conveyance amount threshold value successively, the controller determines that the toner container is in a nearly empty state.

Abstract: A photosensitive drum is rotatable about a drum axis extending in a first direction. A frame includes a first side plate located at first end in the first direction and a second side plate spaced from the first side plate in the first direction. The frame rotatably supports the photosensitive drum between the first side plate and the second side plate in the first direction. The frame holds a developer cartridge. A lock lever is pivotable about a pivot axis extending in a second direction intersecting with the first direction. The lock lever is movable between a lock position at which the developer cartridge is locked on the frame and a release position at which the developer cartridge is unlocked from the frame.

Abstract: An apparatus includes a photosensitive member on which an electrostatic latent image is formed, a developing unit that develops the electrostatic latent image as an image by using toner, an image bearing member to which the image is transferred, a detecting unit including a plurality of light-emitting elements that emit light toward the image bearing member and a light-receiving element that receives light reflected from a detection target, and a control unit that adjusts an image forming condition. The control unit adjusts a light-emission ratio between the light-emitting elements based on a difference between a reflected light amount at a first position on the image bearing member and a reflected light amount at a second position.

Abstract: In a case of performing a second rotation control to match the rotation phase of a first rotational polygon mirror with the rotation phase of a second rotational polygon mirror in a rising period, a period during which a non-image region is irradiated with light from both or one of a first light source and a second light source is controlled to be a second period longer than a first period.

Abstract: In accordance with an embodiment, a fixing device comprises a fixing belt configured to heat a toner image on a sheet to which the toner image is attached to fix the toner image to the sheet using heat; a heating roller, arranged to internally contact the fixing belt to carry the fixing belt, configured to heat the fixing belt; and a plurality of support rollers each configured to abut against a portion that does not abut against the fixing belt at an end in a longitudinal direction of the heating roller to support the heating roller, and have an outer diameter smaller than that of the portion that does not abut against the fixing belt.

Abstract: In a case where a controller executes formation of a first image which is a monochrome image, a second image which is a monochrome image, a third image which is a color image, and a fourth image which is a color image in order, the controller forms the first image by one image formation unit while other image forming units are in a separated state, and controls a mechanism to switch to a contact state after the formation of the first image completes and transfer to a sheet by an intermediate transfer member completes, and prior to starting formation of the second image. The controller forms the second image by the one image formation unit and forms the third image by one of the other image formation units.

Abstract: A process cartridge detachably mountable to an electrophotographic image forming apparatus including a main assembly side drive transmission member and a main assembly side urging member, the cartridge including a rotatable photosensitive drum; a rotatable developing roller for developing a latent image formed on the drum, the developing roller contactable to and spaceable from the drum; an urging force receiving portion for receiving an urging force from the urging member to space the roller from the drum; a cartridge side drive transmission portion capable of coupling with the main assembly side drive transmission member to receive a rotational force for rotating the roller; a releasing member capable of urging the main assembly side drive transmission member to decouple the cartridge side drive transmission member from the main assembly side drive transmission member by the urging force receiving portion receiving the urging force from the main assembly side urging member.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image former configured to form an image on a recording medium, and a hardware processor, wherein the hardware processor, before the image is formed on the recording medium by the image former, determines a medium type of a subject medium that is the recording medium on which the image is to be formed by the image former, and before the medium type of the subject medium is determined, determines whether an image forming speed at which the image former forms the image is a medium speed that is predetermined with respect to the medium type of the subject medium.

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: 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: 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: 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.