Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a developer bearing member that transports developer to an electrostatic latent image formed on an image bearing member; a supply roller, including a foam elastic member, that supplies the developer to the developer bearing member; a power source device that applies a developing voltage to the developer bearing member and applies a supply voltage to the supply roller; a power source control unit that controls supply of the developer from the supply roller to the developer bearing member by controlling the developing voltage and the supply voltage; and an image control unit that controls formation of the electrostatic latent image based on image information. The image control unit controls, based on a predetermined value, a change amount of the supply voltage in a period during which image formation is performed.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a housing in which an exhaust port is formed, a fan, a duct extending in an exhausting direction and configured to accommodate the fan, the duct including a downstream end in the exhausting direction, and an exhaust filter disposed between the duct and the exhaust port in the exhausting direction, the exhaust filter including a first surface facing the exhaust port and a second surface facing the duct. Dimensions of the duct each orthogonal to the exhausting direction are smaller than dimensions of the exhaust filter each orthogonal to the exhausting directions. A perimeter of the downstream end of the duct in the exhausting direction is in contact with the second surface of the exhaust filter.

Abstract: A fixing device is disclosed that has a heating rotating member configured to be rotatable and to heat the unfixed toner image; a pressing rotating member configured to be rotatable and to form a fixing nip portion by coming in contact with the heating rotating member; and a separating member configured to separate the recording material having passed through the fixing nip portion from the heating rotating member, the separating member being provided downstream of the fixing nip portion in a conveying direction of the recording material to be opposed to the heating rotating member with a gap in a non-contact state, wherein the pressing rotating member comes in contact with the heating rotating member to form the fixing nip portion that nips and conveys the recording material with a first pressure or a second pressure that is lower than the first pressure, and wherein the separating member moves more downstream in the conveying direction when the pressure of the fixing nip portion is the second pressure than

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image forming unit, a transfer unit and a control unit. The control unit switches between a first control in which the recording material is conveyed in the first direction and a second control in which the recording material is conveyed in a second direction. In performing a double-side printing in which an image is formed on first and second sides, the control unit performs a reciprocating control in which the first and second controls are alternately switched at least one time in a case in which it is predicted that the recording material reaches a transfer portion earlier than a toner image formed by the image forming unit to be transferred onto the second side when the recording material is being conveyed in a double-side conveyance path.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a main body housing, a drum cartridge, and a toner cartridge. The drum cartridge is movable inside the main body housing between a drum first position and a drum second position. The toner cartridge is movable between a toner first position and a toner second position in a state where the toner cartridge is coupled to the drum cartridge. In a state where the toner cartridge is coupled to the drum cartridge, the drum cartridge is at the drum second position, and the toner cartridge is at the toner second position, the toner cartridge is pivotally movable relative to the drum cartridge between a first pivot position at which coupling of the toner cartridge to the drum cartridge is not releasable and a second pivot position at which the coupling of the toner cartridge to the drum cartridge is releasable.

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: A fixing device includes a motor, a heater, a power supply stopping portion, and a threshold setting portion. The motor rotates a fixing member that fixes a toner image transferred to a sheet onto the sheet. The heater heats the fixing member upon being supplied with power. In a case where temperature of the fixing device exceeds a threshold, the power supply stopping portion stops supply of power to the heater. The threshold setting portion changes the threshold from a first temperature to a second temperature higher than the first temperature in an acceleration period in which rotation speed of the motor increases, and changes the threshold from the second temperature to the first temperature when a deceleration period in which the rotation speed of the motor decreases starts.

Abstract: A main body includes a first opening and a second opening. A first cover member is capable of opening and closing the first opening. A second cover member is capable of opening and closing the second opening. At least a part of a fixing device can be drawn out from the main body via the second opening. A latch mechanism latches the second cover member at a closing position. A release mechanism is arranged at a position that can be accessed from the first opening in the main body and releases the latch of the second cover member by the latch mechanism upon receiving an external force.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: a heating portion including a heating source; a pressing portion that presses the heating portion while in contact with it; a temperature detector that detects the temperature of the heating portion and/or the pressing portion; and a conveyer that guides a print sheet with a toner image through a nip portion where the heating portion and the pressing portion are in contact with each other; and a controller that controls the heat source and the conveyer. The controller controls the heating source to set the heating portion to target temperature during execution of a print job, determines a nip width magnitude, on the basis of the temperature variation of the heating portion and/or the pressing portion and heat generation of the heating source by rotating them when the print job is not being executed, and changes the target temperature on the basis of the determination.

Abstract: A fixing rubbing member including a metallic base material having a plurality of first protruded portions on at least one surface, and a resin layer covering a surface of the first protruded portions of the metallic base material, in which the resin layer is provided with a plurality of second protruded portions corresponding to the plurality of respective first protruded portions, on a surface of the resin layer on an opposite side of a side that faces the metallic base material; an apex of at least one of the plurality of second protruded portions is provided with at least one depressed portion; and, when a glass sheet is pressed against the surface of the fixing rubbing member provided with the second protruded portions, at 0.4 MPa, at a temperature of 25° C., a rim surrounding the depressed portion comes into contact with the glass sheet.

Abstract: An image forming device includes: an image bearing member to rotate; a charging member to charge a surface of the image bearing member; a developing member located in a rotation direction of the image bearing member and in downstream of the charging member along the rotation direction, and configured to supply developer to the image bearing member; a driving unit to drive the image bearing member, the charging member and the developing member to rotate; and a control unit, configured to adjust a control timing for applying a voltage to the charging member and the developing member, and control an operating state of the driving unit according to a current state of the image forming device, to eliminate charges in an area on the image bearing member between a position of the charging member and a position of the developing member.

Abstract: An image inspection device includes: an illumination part extending in a width direction of a medium, which intersects a medium transport direction, so as to face a medium transport path, and configured to radiate light on an image formed on a surface of the medium; a reading part configured to read reflected light from the image as image inspection information; and a cooling part configured to cool an entire area of the illumination part in the width direction of the medium.

Abstract: An electrophotographic belt having a base layer and a surface layer on the base layer, wherein the surface layer comprises an organosilicon polymer as a binder and a silica particle as a roughening particle, a content of the silica particle in the surface layer is 2.5 to 20.0% by mass, and when a reflectance of a surface layer side of the electrophotographic belt to light with a wavelength of from 800 to 1000 nm and an incident angle of 0° is measured, a minimum value of the reflectance at the wavelength of from 800 to 1000 nm is 1.5% or more, and a difference between a maximum value and a minimum value of the reflectance at the wavelength of from 800 to 1000 nm is 0.5% or less.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an apparatus body including a fan and a duct portion including (i) a first opening from which an airflow blows and (ii) a projecting portion configured to guide the airflow to the first opening, and a process cartridge including a photosensitive drum, a developing roller, and a casing including a first side surface in which a second opening is formed. The second opening communicates with a space inside the process cartridge, to which a surface of the photosensitive drum and a surface of the developing roller are exposed. When viewed in a rotational axis direction of the photosensitive drum, the first opening and the second opening overlap. In the rotational axis direction, the projecting portion projects in a direction away from an attachment space in which the process cartridge is attached.

Abstract: A molded body contains a resin and a filler dispersed in the resin, in which, in a case where a Martens hardness is measured at 10 locations within a region of 50 mm square on a maximum surface of the molded body, a difference between a maximum value and a minimum value of the Martens hardness is 200 N/mm2 or more.

Abstract: A heating device including a heater; a flange including a beam, wherein the flange rotatably supports an endless belt; a temperature detector to detect a temperature, the temperature detector disposed inside the endless belt; a lead wire connected to the temperature detector, the lead wire extending from an inside of the endless belt to an outside of the endless belt through an inside of the flange, wherein the inside of the flange is a side surrounded by the beam and the other surface of the flange; a heater holder to hold the heater; and a gap separates the flange from one of the heater, the heater holder, and a stay, when all of the heater, the heater holder, and the stay were pressed toward one side of the flange, and the gap is smaller than a diameter of the lead wire.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an attachable/detachable member, a fixing device, a shutter, an opening/closing interlocking part, and a pressing interlocking part. The fixing device is provided on an upstream side of the attachable/detachable member in a draw-out direction of the attachable/detachable member, and fixes a toner image on a medium passing through a pressurized area formed between a heating member and a pressing member. The opening/closing interlocking part moves the shutter to an opening position when the attachable/detachable member is attached, and moves the shutter to a closing position when the attachable/detachable member is drawn out. The pressing interlocking part moves the heating member in a direction of pressing it against the other when the shifter is moved to the closing position, and moves the heating member in a direction of separating it away from the other when the shutter is moved to the closing position.

Abstract: An electrophotographic roller comprising a substrate having a conductive surface and a conductive layer on the surface of the substrate, wherein the conductive layer is a surface layer of the electrophotographic roller, and has a skeleton comprising polyurethane and an electron conductive filler in the polyurethane, the conductive layer comprises at least one void, and at least a part of an inner wall of the void is configured of the skeleton, and when an electrode is brought into contact with an outer surface of the conductive layer and an AC voltage with an inter-peak voltage of 50 V is applied between the electrode and the surface of the substrate in a frequency range of 0.1 to 10 Hz, an absolute value of a phase delay ? of an AC impedance with respect to the AC voltage is 10 degrees or less.

Abstract: A carrier collecting device includes a rotatable sleeve and a magnet non-rotatably disposed inside the sleeve, and collects the carrier on the image bearing member. A first bias is applied to the sleeve during the image forming operation. A second bias is applied to the sleeve in a predetermined mode during non-image forming. When, a duration of a voltage of a reverse polarity to a charging polarity of the toner is t1, a duration of a voltage of a same polarity as the charging polarity of the toner is t2, and a ratio of t1 with respect to one period (t1+t2) of the AC voltage of the bias applied to the sleeve is a duty ratio, a duty ratio of the AC voltage of the second bias is lower than a duty ratio of the AC voltage of the first bias.

Abstract: A belt driving mechanism rotates a rotating body provided in a rotating device around a transmission shaft, and includes a driving device provided adjacent to the rotating device and a bearing structure supporting the transmission shaft extending from the rotating device to the driving device through the support frame. The driving device includes a housing, a fixed frame, a driving pulley, a driven pulley, a belt and a circumference correction part. The housing is fixed to the support frame. The fixed frame is fixed in the housing. The driven pulley is fixed to the transmission shaft. The belt is wound around the driving pulley and the driven pulley. The bearing structure includes a first bearing part provided in the fixed frame and the second bearing part provided in the housing on an opposite side to the first bearing part with respect to the driven pulley.