Abstract: A shield case includes a cabinet main body and a lid. The cabinet main body accommodates a board for mounting electronic components. The cabinet main body includes a main body side wall and a main body outer edge portion. The lid includes an opposed outer edge portion, a recessed portion and a plurality of contact points. The recessed portion includes opposed side wall portions that are disposed in an opposed configuration in relation to the main body side wall, and a lid bottom portion. A plurality of contact points is formed on the opposed side wall portions. The plurality of contact points is biased toward the main body side wall to form an electrical connection between the cabinet main body 401 and the lid.

Abstract: In an apparatus which controls the bias of an intermediate transfer belt, the position shift of the width direction between a toner image and a recording material is reduced. Based on the results of estimating the variation moving in the width direction of the intermediate transfer belt, the position in the width direction of the recording material conveyed to a transfer position is changed to match the positions in the width direction of the toner image and the recording material.

Abstract: An image formation apparatus comprises an opening and closing cover, a cover fulcrum shaft, a roller shaft, and a grounding member. The cover fulcrum shaft pivotably supports the opening and closing cover. The roller shaft is disposed on the opening and closing cover. The grounding member has a first portion connected to the roller shaft and a second portion connected to the cover fulcrum shaft. The cover fulcrum shaft has a bent part that is bent so as to extend in a direction intersecting the pivot axis direction of the opening and closing cover, the opening and closing cover includes an engaging part that engages with the bent part, and the cover fulcrum shaft integrally pivots with the opening and closing cover when the opening and closing cover is opened and closed.

Abstract: A toner cartridge for an imaging apparatus having a housing including two opposed end walls and an elongated body therebetween and an exit port. An inner surface of the body defines a toner reservoir that is communication with the exit port. A drive shaft is rotatably mounted within the housing. A toner platform is provided in slidable contact with the inner surface of the body and is nonrotatable relative to the housing. A drive shaft coupling couples the toner platform to the drive shaft. An exit paddle is positioned adjacent the exit port and is rotatable by the drive shaft. Rotation of the drive shaft translates the toner platform toward the exit port and rotates the exit paddle. As the toner platform moves, toner within the reservoir moves toward the exit paddle and exit port and rotation of the exit paddle moves toner through the exit port.

Abstract: A fixing device includes a first roller rotatable about a first axis of rotation, a second roller rotatable about a second axis of rotation, a fixing belt rotatably wound between the first roller and the second roller, and auxiliary rings. At least one of the rollers of the first roller and the second roller includes a rotation maintaining part configured to hold the fixing belt rotatably and a restricting flange protruding from an outer peripheral surface of each of opposite end parts in a direction of an axis of rotation of the rotation maintaining part. The auxiliary rings are located outside the opposite end parts in the direction of the axis of rotation of the rotation maintaining part, have an outer diameter larger than the restricting flange, and are rotatable independently of the restricting flange.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: a main body casing; a fixing unit accommodated in the casing and including a heating member and a pressing member; a first wall provided inside the casing at a position above the heating member and the pressing member and extending diagonally downward and forward; an uneven portion provided on the first wall at a position rearward of front end portion of the pressing member to restrain a dew droplet condensed on the first wall from running down along the first wall; a sheet ejection opening formed in the casing such that the recording sheet conveyed out from the fixing unit is ejected outside the casing through the sheet ejection opening; and an exhaust opening formed in the casing at a position rearward of the heating member such that air heated in the fixing unit is discharged outside the casing through the exhaust opening.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image bearing member which bears an electrostatic latent image, a development device which includes a developer bearing member conveying developer, a developing container containing the developer, and a stirring member stirring the developer inside the developing container. In addition, a first detecting portion detects information regarding humidity of the developer, a second detecting portion is disposed at a different position from the first detecting portion and detects information regarding humidity of the developer, and a controller starts image forming after driving the stirring member for a predetermined period after receiving an image forming signal. The controller controls to extend the predetermined period when a difference between the detecting result from the first detecting portion and the second detecting portion is larger than a predetermined value.

Abstract: A developing device includes: a developing chamber provided with a developing agent-holding body; a first developing agent-accommodating chamber for accommodating a developing agent and arranged below the developing chamber; a first rotating member disposed in the first developing agent-accommodating chamber, elastically deformable and configured to rotate to slidably contact with an inner surface of the first developing agent-accommodating chamber; a second developing agent-accommodating chamber arranged adjacent to the developing chamber and an upper portion of the first developing agent-accommodating chamber, and to which the developing agent in the first developing agent-accommodating chamber is supplied by the first rotating member; and a second rotating member disposed in the second developing agent-accommodating chamber, elastically deformable and configured to rotate to slidably contact with an inner surface of the second developing agent-accommodating chamber and to transport the developing agent in

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: a fixing device having a heat source, a heating member, and a backup member; a temperature detecting member; a driving source configured to rotate at least one of the heating member and the backup member; a transmitting mechanism configured to transmit a driving force of the driving source; and a control device configured to control the heat source and the driving source, wherein, after a power is turned on, the control device turns on the heat source before the driving source is driven for the first time, and wherein, when at least one of a condition, where the temperature detected by the temperature detecting member becomes a first temperature, and a condition where a predetermined period elapses after the power is turned on, is satisfied, the control device turns off the heat source and then drives the driving source.

Abstract: A switching-mode power supply (SMPS) for an image forming apparatus which may prevent an overvoltage supplied to the SMPS, and damage to circuits in the SMPS in the image forming apparatus. The SMPS includes a rectifying circuit to rectify an alternating-current (AC) voltage input from an external power supply source into a direct-current (DC) voltage, a transformer to transform the rectified DC voltage input to a primary coil and output the transformed DC voltage to a secondary coil, a main switch that is connected to the primary coil and switches an output of the transformer, a first overvoltage detecting unit to determine whether the rectified DC voltage is an overvoltage by comparing the rectified DC voltage with a first reference voltage, and a switching control unit to control a switching operation of the main switch based on a result of the determination.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image forming portion; a supplying device for supplying a toner; a transfer device capable of transferring the toner image from the image forming portion onto a toner image receiving member; a first detecting portion for detecting a transfer current of the transfer device; a second detecting portion for detecting information on a toner amount of the transferred toner image; and a controller for controlling, during non-image formation, a supplying operation of the supplying device on the basis of a detection result of the first detecting portion when a toner image for measurement formed at the image forming portion is transferred by the transfer device at a transfer voltage lower than a discharge start voltage and on the basis of a detection result when the toner image for measurement transferred on the toner image receiving member is detected by the second detection portion.

Abstract: A rotation driving force transmitting member is disposed between a motor section and a main body of a photoreceptor drum. The rotation driving force transmitting member has a convex member which is provided on the photoreceptor drum side and includes a twisted convex portion with an elliptical cross-section and a concave member which is provided on the motor section side and includes a twisted concave portion with an elliptical cross-section, the concave portion being fitted in the convex portion. The rotation driving force transmitting member transmits rotation driving force by the motor section to the photoreceptor drum via the convex member and the concave member in a state where the convex member is subjected to a drawing force toward the concave member side, due to rotation of the motor section in a state where the convex portion and the concave portion are fitted in each other.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: a body frame having an opening; a cover configured to open/close the opening; an exposure unit configured to expose a photosensitive member and being swingable between an exposure position and a retreated position; an urging member configured to urge the exposure unit from the exposure position towards the retreated position; and an interlocking mechanism configured to: swing the exposure unit from the retreated position to the exposure position against an urging force of the urging member in conjunction with the rotation of the cover when the cover is closed; and allow the exposure unit to swing from the exposure position to the retreated position by the urging force of the urging member in conjunction with the rotation of the cover when the cover is opened.

Abstract: A fixing device includes a heating rotating member, a pressing rotating member, a motor, a fixing pressure adjustment mechanism, a control section, a motor drive section, a detecting member, and a stop control circuit. The heating rotating member heats a paper sheet. The pressing rotating member is pressed to the heating rotating member. The motor can rotate in both forward and backward directions. The fixing pressure adjustment mechanism moves a rotating member to be moved between first and second positions. The control section includes a control device, issues an instruction of voltage to be applied to the motor. The motor drive section controls the voltage to be applied to the motor. The detecting member detects that the rotating member to be moved reaches the first position. The stop control circuit stops the motor without software control when the rotating member to be moved reaches the first position.

Abstract: An apparatus includes a unit configured to judge a border between two patch images among a plurality of patch images formed on the recording material, based on change in the amount of the light beam of at least one noticed wavelength detected by a detection unit; a unit configured to calculate a color value of a patch image from the amount of the light beam of each wavelength detected by the detection unit; and a control unit configured to control an accumulation period of charge for the photoelectric conversion at the detection unit. The control unit is further configured to make the accumulation period of the detection unit shorter when judging the border between the two patch images than when calculating the color value of each of the two patch images.

Abstract: A fixing device includes an endless flexible belt, a stationary pad, a rotary pressure member, and a lubrication mechanism. The endless flexible belt is looped into a generally cylindrical configuration extending in an axial direction thereof for rotation in a rotational, circumferential direction thereof. The stationary pad is stationarily disposed inside the loop of the belt. The rotary pressure member is disposed parallel to the belt. The rotary pressure member presses against the stationary pad via the belt to form a nip therebetween, through which a recording medium is conveyed in a conveyance direction. The lubrication mechanism supplies lubricant between the stationary pad and the belt, and includes a first sheet of lubricant-impregnated material and a second sheet of lubricant-impregnated material.

Abstract: A fixing device for thermally fixing an unfixed image on a recording sheet, comprising: a heating rotor including a cylindrical resistance heating layer, and fixing an unfixed image on a recording sheet by thermal fusion bonding using heat generated by the resistance heating layer supplied with power; a power supply unit supplying power to the resistance heating layer; an elongated heat sensitive resistor extending along an entire length of an axis of the resistance heating layer, located to face a portion of a circumferential surface of the resistance heating layer, and exhibiting a change in resistance according to a temperature of the portion of the resistance heating layer; and an abnormal heat determination unit determining whether the temperature of the portion has reached an abnormal temperature by detecting the change in resistance of the heat sensitive resistor, the abnormal temperature possibly causing damage to the resistance heating layer.

Abstract: The present application discloses a developing device including a housing having a connection surface to which the container connects. The connection surface is provided with a feed port for feeding the developer. The developing device includes a shutter mechanism configured to selectively open and close the feed port. The shutter mechanism includes a shutter piece, which moves between a closing position for closing the feed port and an opening position for opening the feed port, and a squeezing mechanism, which protrudes from the shutter piece situated in the closing position to squeeze the developer into the housing through the feed port.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image forming unit to form an image on a print medium, a fixing unit to fix the image formed by the image forming unit on the print medium, and a guide member installed in a moving path where air moves along between the image forming unit and the fixing unit so that air inhaled through an inhaling unit formed at one side of a main frame can be exhausted to an exhaust unit formed at the other side of the main frames, and to guide a moving direction of the air so that the air inhaled through the inhaling unit can move to the image forming unit along the moving path.

Abstract: A removable unit for an electrophotographic image forming device according to one example embodiment includes a housing having an inner volume forming a toner reservoir and a channel for accumulating toner. The removable unit further includes an auger for advancing toner within the channel. The auger has a rotational axis and a flight. An agitator is pivotally mounted within the toner reservoir. The agitator has at least one agitating member extending near the auger and a cam surface operatively connected to the at least one agitating member and positioned to engage the auger. When the auger rotates, the flight of the auger engages the cam surface causing pivotal movement of the agitator to move the at least one agitating member to agitate toner accumulated near the auger.