Abstract: An image heating device is provided that includes: a film; a heater with a heat generator; a support member; a roller; and an electrical wire that is joined to the heater using a joining material; and a thermal conductive member that is in contact with the heater and the support member. The heater includes a first region in which the heat generator is provided, a second region in which the joining material is provided, and a third region between the first region and the second region. A surface of the third region of the heater that faces a seat of the support member includes a region that is not in contact with the support member. The thermal conductive member is in contact with the heater and the support member in at least one of the second region and the third region of the heater.

Abstract: A sound diagnosis system includes: a setting unit configured to set a threshold for each of a plurality of time sections, based on a sound wave level in each of the plurality of time sections of a plurality of first sound data classified in a first group; and a determination unit configured to determine whether or not an abnormal sound is generated by calculating a comparison value for each of the plurality of time sections based on a sound wave level in each of the plurality of time sections of one or more second sound data classified in the first group, and comparing the comparison value for each of the plurality of time sections with the threshold value of the corresponding time section of the first group, the threshold value being set by the setting unit.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an intermediary transfer belt, stretching rollers, a pressing member, a supporting member, a moving mechanism, and a controller. In a case that an operation in a toner image transfer mode is executed for recording materials of a predetermined kind in a predetermined environmental condition, when a sum of times each in which the operation was executed from a new state of the pressing member is a first time, a position of the supporting member during execution of the operation in the mode is a first position, and when the sum is a second time longer than the first time, the position of the supporting member during the execution of the operation is a second position where the pressing member is moved in a direction in which the pressing member presses the belt more than in the first position.

Abstract: An image forming device includes one or more image carriers on which a toner image is formed; a transfer belt that transfers a toner image formed on the image carrier; a presser that presses the transfer belt against the image carrier to transfer the toner image onto the transfer belt; and a switching mechanism that switches a position of the presser according to a rotation angle of a cam. The switching mechanism switches a position of the presser to one of a first position that presses the transfer belt against the image carrier, a second position that is separated from the image carrier, and a third position that is a position separated from the image carrier and having a smaller separation distance from the image carrier than the second position.

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: An image forming apparatus includes a housing, an exposure device attached to and detachable from the housing, an insertion slot on the housing for the exposure device, a positioning member disposed at a position higher than the insertion slot, the positioning member having an inclined plane, and space that appears under the exposure device when the exposure device is attached to the prescribed position. In the image forming apparatus, the positioning member guides the exposure device to a prescribed position of the exposure device.

Abstract: An image forming system includes an image forming apparatus, a varnish application apparatus, and a controller. The varnish application apparatus includes a varnish application unit configured to apply varnish to a recording material, a first conveyance unit configured to convey a recording material in a first conveyance path that passes through the varnish application unit, and a second conveyance unit configured to convey a recording material in a second conveyance path that does not pass through the varnish application unit. When failure is occurred to one or both of the varnish application unit and the first conveyance unit and failure is not occurred to the second conveyance unit, the controller is configured to permit execution of the second image forming job and to convey a recording material by the second conveyance unit in the varnish application apparatus.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus has an image forming unit to form a toner image on a first sheet and a fixing unit configured to heat the first sheet to fix the image to the first sheet. A control unit begins a cooling process for cooling the fixing unit when an overheating condition is met, then permits the image forming unit to form a toner image on a second sheet after the cooling process ends according to a first cooling condition if a person is detected near the image forming apparatus or after the cooling process ends according to a second cooling condition if a person not detected near the image forming apparatus. The cooling process under the first cooling condition ends in less time than under the second cooling condition.

Abstract: A process cartridge mountable on an image forming apparatus includes a photoconductive drum, a developing unit including a developing roller and a toner storage unit. The toner storage includes a first toner storage chamber, a second toner storage chamber located above the first toner storage chamber, a first toner conveying member located in the first toner storage chamber and configured to convey the toner in the first toner storage chamber upward toward the second toner storage chamber in an area wider than the toner discharge outlet in the first direction, and a second toner conveying member located in the second toner storage chamber and configured to convey, in the first direction, the toner in the second toner storage chamber toward the toner discharge outlet.

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 includes a main casing, a drum cartridge and a developing cartridge. The drum cartridge may include a first handle positioned at a first end of a frame of the drum cartridge. The developing cartridge may include a second handle positioned at a first end of a developing casing the developing cartridge. The main casing may include a first edge surface in the axial direction and a second edge surface opposite the first edge surface in the axial direction. The second handle may extend farther from the second edge surface than the first handle extends from the second edge surface in the axial direction in a state where the drum cartridge and the developing cartridge are attached to the main casing.

Abstract: A tubular fixing member includes a first layer and a second layer that is disposed in contact with an outer circumferential side of the first layer. In a case where thermal conductivities of the first layer in an axial direction, a circumferential direction, and a thickness direction are denoted by ?1x, ?1y, and ?1z, respectively, and thermal conductivities of the second layer in the axial direction, the circumferential direction, and the thickness direction are denoted by ?2x, ?2y, and ?2z, respectively, the following requirements (1), (2), and (3) are satisfied.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a conveyor configured to convey a printing medium, an image forming station that forms an image on the printing medium, a fixing device including a fixing roller, a pressurizing roller positioned opposite the fixing roller, and a heater configured to heat a paper passing region between the fixing roller and the pressurizing roller, a temperature sensor that detects a temperature of a first region, the first region including an end of the paper passing region in a paper width direction, and a controller. The controller is configured to lower a set temperature of the heater in response to a determination that (a) a determination condition is satisfied, the determination condition relating to a start of the conveyance of the printing medium to the fixing device by the conveyor and (b) the temperature detected by the temperature sensor is higher than a threshold temperature.

Abstract: A fixing device includes an endless fixing belt, a heating roller that heats the fixing belt, a steering roller, and a pressurization rotating member. The steering roller is controlled to swing to move the fixing belt to a prescribed position. The pressurization rotating member pressurizes and forms a fixing nip portion with the fixing belt. When a recording material bearing unfixed toner is nipped and conveyed to the fixing nip portion, an unfixed toner image is fixed to the recording material. A single inclination operation that inclines the steering roller results in an inclination angle that is smaller when a recording material having a length greater than a predetermined length in a recording material conveying direction is conveyed to the fixing nip portion than when a recording material having a length less than or equal to the predetermined length in the conveying direction is conveyed to the fixing nip portion.

Abstract: A developing roller comprising an electroconductive substrate and an electroconductive elastic layer constituted by a single layer on an outer periphery of the substrate. The elastic layer contains a diene-based rubber, has a thickness of 0.30 mm or more, and the elastic layer has a crown shape in which an outer diameter of a center portion in a longitudinal direction along an axis of the substrate is larger than an outer diameter of each of both end portions in the longitudinal direction. Elastic moduli E11, E12 and E13 in a first region of the elastic layer in cross-sections at positions P1, P2 and P3 of the elastic layer are each 500 MPa or more.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a photosensitive member, a charging member, an exposing unit to expose a surface of the photosensitive member, and a developing member to supply toner with normal polarity at a developing portion. A controller, during a non-image formation when a toner image is not formed on a surface of the photosensitive member, controls such that a developing voltage is changed in a predetermined voltage width by applying a first developing voltage while the area of the photosensitive member on which a first surface potential is formed passes through the developing portion and by applying a second developing potential of an opposite polarity side rather than the first developing voltage while the area of the photosensitive member on which a second surface potential is formed passes through the developing portion, and the controller controls such that the surface potential becomes a side of the normal polarity rather than the first developing voltage.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus configured to form an image on a recording material includes a detection unit configured to detect a temperature of a first member, and an estimation unit configured to estimate a temperature of a second member, which is different from the first member. The estimation unit is configured to estimate, based on the temperature of the second member estimated by the estimation unit at a first timing, which is a timing before the image forming apparatus is powered off, the temperature of the first member detected by the detection unit at a second timing, which is a timing after the image forming apparatus is powered on, and information representing an operation history of the image forming apparatus until when the image forming apparatus is powered off, the temperature of the second member at the second timing.

Abstract: A cartridge configured to be attachable to an apparatus main body of an image forming apparatus includes a first unit including a photosensitive drum, a second unit attached to the first unit and including a developing roller, and a second frame member including a toner storage portion and including a toner reception port, the toner storage portion including a first end portion and a second end portion in a rotational axis direction of the photosensitive drum, the toner reception port provided in the first end portion, a toner container configured to be attachable to the second unit, the toner container including a toner discharge port configured to discharge the toner to the toner storage portion through the toner reception port, and a memory, the memory provided in an end portion of the cartridge on the same side as the second end portion of the toner storage portion.

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 a photosensitive drum, a development device, a fixing device, an apparatus main body, and a fan including a rotating shaft that extends in a longitudinal direction of the photosensitive drum and a blade around the rotating shaft. The development device develops a toner image on the photosensitive drum. The fixing device fixes the toner image from the photosensitive drum to a recording material. The apparatus main body is provided with a discharge port from which the toner-fixed recording material is discharged. A length of the fan rotating shaft in the longitudinal direction is longer than a diameter of a rotational trajectory of the blade. The fan is provided on a downstream side of the fixing device in a discharge direction in which the recording material is discharged from the discharge port and overlaps a part of the development device when viewed in a vertical direction.