Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a plurality of members for forming an image; a transmitting unit configured to transmit a sonic wave; a receiving unit configured to receive a first sonic wave that has been transmitted from the transmitting unit and has passed through a sheet and a second sonic wave that is generated from at least one of the plurality of members; a detection unit configured to detect information regarding a type or state of the sheet based on the first sonic wave; and a determination unit configured to determine a state of a member that has generated the second sonic wave based on the second sonic wave.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image forming unit configured to perform a first image forming process and a second image forming process to form an image and a test image on a sheet; a reader, arranged in a conveyance path along which the sheet is conveyed, configured to read the test image on the sheet, the test image being formed by the image forming unit; a member; a controller configured to obtain, from the reader, reading data related to the test image on the sheet.

Abstract: A heating device includes a heating rotator, a pressing rotator, and a housing. The heating rotator extends in a longitudinal direction and is configured to heat a sheet. The pressing rotator extends in a longitudinal direction and is configured to press against the heating rotator to form a nip with the heating rotator. The housing houses the heating rotator and the pressing rotator. The housing includes a pair of openings and shutters. The pair of openings face both end portions of the heating rotator in the longitudinal direction of the heating rotator. The shutters are configured to rotate about an axis extending in the longitudinal direction of the heating rotator to open and close the pair of openings.

Abstract: According to an embodiment, a heater unit includes a substrate. A first heating element is on a first side of the substrate. A second heating element is on a second side of the substrate. A first wiring is on the first side of the substrate and connected to the first heating element. A first electrode is on the first side of the substrate and connected to the first heating element. A second wiring is on the second side of the substrate and connected to the second heating element. A second electrode is on the second side of the substrate and connected to the second heating element via the second wiring. A portion of the second heating element overlaps a first portion of the first heating element.

Abstract: In an image heating device including a heater including a substrate, a first conductor provided on the substrate, a second conductor provided at a position different from the first conductor on the substrate in a direction orthogonal to a longitudinal direction of the substrate, and a plurality of heat-generating resistors, each having the same shape and electrically connected in parallel between the first conductor and the second conductor on the substrate and a plurality of temperature detection elements for detecting a temperature of the heater and heating an image formed on a recording material by the heater, the plurality of temperature detection elements includes at least two temperature detection elements whose relative positions with respect to the closest heat-generating resistor in the plurality of heat-generating resistors are the same, respectively, the closest heat-generating resistors corresponding to the at least two temperature detection elements are independently controlled.

Abstract: A fixing apparatus includes an endless first rotary member, a heating element, a second rotary member configured to form a nip portion, and a nip member configured to receive radiant heat from the heating element and heat the nip portion. The nip member includes a main-body portion that contains aluminum or aluminum alloy and a protective layer that includes an oxide film formed on a surface of the main-body portion. The main-body portion contains a heat receiving surface that faces the heating element and receives radiant heat from the heating element, and a rubbed surface that is rubbed against the inner circumferential surface of the first rotary member. The protective layer contains coloring agent that causes an emissivity of the heat receiving surface and the rubbed surface to be higher than an emissivity of a natural color oxide film.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus for forming a toner image on a recording material includes a fixing unit and a blower unit to blow air around a roller. The fixing unit includes a tubular shape film, a heating member disposed in a space surrounded by the film, and the roller forming a nip portion with the heating member. The fixing unit heats and fixes the toner image onto the recording material at the nip portion. For printing that forms toner images on continuously conveyed recording materials where a roller surface temperature is lower than a predetermined temperature, fan stop and operation periods are set. During the fan stop period, the blower unit is stopped and an interval between preceding and subsequent recording materials is widened. During the fan operation period, the blower unit is in operation and the interval is narrower than the interval during the fan stop period.

Abstract: An information processing apparatus is different from an image forming apparatus, with the image forming apparatus forming an image by using toner supplied from a toner container mounted on the image forming apparatus. The information processing apparatus includes a communication unit to communicate with the image forming apparatus, an acquisition unit to acquire, via the communication unit, a remaining day count until a date which is expected as a date that the toner container mounted on the image forming apparatus is replaced, and acquire, via the communication unit, a stock request signal for stock request of a toner container for stocking different from the toner container mounted on the image forming apparatus, and a display to display stock information relating to the toner container for stocking based on the stock request signal, and display the remaining day count.

Abstract: A developing cartridge includes: a developing roller rotatable about an axis extending in a first direction; a casing; and a first cam provided at an outer surface of one end portion of the casing in a second direction. The first cam is movable in a third direction between a first position and a second position closer to the developing roller than the first position is in the third direction. The first cam has: a first inclined surface for receiving a pressing force in the first direction; and a second inclined surface. A distance between the second inclined surface and the casing in the second direction varies as the second inclined surface extends away from the developing roller in the third direction. The first cam is movable between the first position and the second position in response to application of the pressing force to the first inclined surface.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a driving unit having a first drum gear, a first coupling member, a second drum gear, and a second coupling member. The first coupling member is provided at a first position of the first drum gear. The second coupling member is provided at a second position of the second drum gear and is configured to rotate together with the second drum gear. A first angle from a first meshing position to a first transfer position in a first direction and a second angle from a second meshing position to a second transfer position in a second direction are different from each other. The second position of the second drum gear is shifted from a position corresponding to the first position of the first drum gear by a difference between the first angle and the second angle in a direction opposite of the second direction.

Abstract: In an image forming apparatus, a fixing member has a surface layer having conductivity. A developer is a toner having a toner particle including a binder resin, a reactant of a polyhydric acid and a compound containing a group 4 element is present on a surface of the toner particle, and Tv/Fv>100 is satisfied where Tv represents a volume resistivity upon being unfixed, and Fv represents a volume resistivity after fixing. A bias applying unit can selectively apply a bias of a positive polarity and a bias of a negative polarity, and applies a bias of the same polarity as the charged polarity of a filler included in a recording material when the recording material passes through a fixing nip portion, and when the recording material does not pass through the fixing nip portion, respectively.

Abstract: A development roller for an electrophotographic device that can both reduce resistance and suppress bleeding-out of an ion-conducting agent is provided. A development roller for an electrophotographic device 10 is provided with a shaft body 12, an elastic body layer 14 formed on the outer periphery of the shaft body 12, and a surface layer formed on the outer periphery of the elastic body layer 14. The surface layer 16 includes the following constituents (a) to (c), and the content of constituent (b) is 3.0 to 60 parts by mass, relative to 100 parts by mass of constituent (a). Constituent (a) is a binder comprising acrylonitrile-butadiene rubber, where the content of acrylonitrile is 31 mass % or more and 36 mass % or less. Constituent (b) is an ion-conducting agent. Constituent (c) is an acrylic polymer comprising at least one selected from among a silicone group and a fluorine group.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a control unit configured to perform a first mode, a second mode, and a third mode. The first mode is a mode in which a sheet conveyance unit is controlled so that an arrival time from a passage of a trailing edge of a preceding sheet through a nip portion to an arrival of a leading edge of a succeeding sheet succeeding to the preceding sheet at the nip portion becomes a first time. The second mode is a mode in which the sheet conveyance unit is controlled so that the arrival time becomes a second time. The third mode is a mode in which the sheet conveyance unit is controlled so that the arrival time becomes a third time. The second time is longer than the first time, and the third time is longer than the second time.

Abstract: A transport device includes: a first nipping part having an outer surface; a second nipping part having an outer surface, the second nipping part being configured to form, with the first nipping part, a nip region in which a recording medium is nipped by bringing the outer surface of the second nipping part into contact with the outer surface of the first nipping part, the second nipping part being relatively movable between a first position at which a distance from the second nipping part to the first nipping part is a first distance at which the nip region is formed and a second position at which the distance from the second nipping part to the first nipping part is longer than the first distance; a transport part including a holder that holds a front end side of the recording medium, the transport part being configured to move the holder to transport the recording medium to pass through the nip region together with the holder while the recording medium is being held by the holder; and a moving mechanism co

Abstract: An image carrier unit, insertable into and removable from an apparatus housing, includes: an image carrier; a protection cover removable from and attachable to the image carrier and including a covering portion and a block, the covering portion covering an exposed portion of the image carrier, the block being disposed on a near side in an insertion-removal direction and protruding in a direction crossing the insertion-removal direction; and a surface opposing a far side of the block in the insertion-removal direction, wherein the block is pressed by a protrusion movable toward the apparatus housing.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus having a fixing unit, a belt, a conveyance unit, a heat sink, first and second rollers, a belt position detection unit, a steering unit, and a control unit further includes an image forming unit to form a toner image on a recording material, and perform a state transition to a power-off state and to a standby state where image forming by the image forming unit is possible. The belt position detection unit detects a position of the belt. The steering unit swings the first roller relative to the second roller based on a detection result by the belt position detection unit to widthwisely move the belt relative to the first roller. When the image forming apparatus enters the power-off state, the control unit controls the steering unit to make a rotational axis of the first roller approximately parallel to a rotational axis of the second roller.

Abstract: A developing cartridge includes: a developing roller rotatable about a first axis extending in a first direction; a casing; a first shaft extending in the first direction and movable in the first direction between a first position and a second position; a first inclined surface movable together with the first shaft; a second shaft extending in the first direction and movable in the first direction between a third position and a fourth position; a second inclined surface movable together with the second shaft; and a link mechanism connecting the first shaft to the second shaft. The link mechanism shifts to a first state to move the second shaft to the third position when the first shaft is at the first position. The link mechanism shifts to a second state to move the second shaft to the fourth position when the first shaft is at the second position.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a discharge guide provided downstream of a fixing device in a sheet transport direction, and configured to guide a sheet on which a toner image has been fixed, to a sheet discharge port formed in a main body of the image forming apparatus, the discharge guide including an air vent for cooling the sheet, and a cooling fan that blows air to the sheet passing the discharge guide, through the air vent. A fixing device housing includes an air inlet that allows an airflow generated by the cooling fan toward the sheet and reflected thereby, to be introduced into inside the fixing device housing.

Abstract: A developing roller includes a base portion, an elastic layer disposed on the outer circumference of the base portion, and a coating disposed on the outer peripheral surface of the elastic layer. The ten-point mean roughness of the coating according to JIS B 0601:1994 is from 2 to 4 micrometers. Furthermore, the mean spacing of profile irregularities of the coating according to JIS B 0601:1994 is from 120 to 290 micrometers. Furthermore, the surface free energy of the coating according to the Owens-Wendt-Rabel-Kaelble method is from 5 to 25 millinewtons per meter.

Abstract: A cartridge includes a photosensitive drum and a discharge opening for permitting discharge of toner removed from the photosensitive drum to outside of the cartridge. The cartridge also includes a coupling member provided adjacent to the discharge opening and configured to output a rotational force, with the coupling member being movable relative to the photosensitive drum between (i) a first position and (ii) a second position retracted from the first position.