Abstract: Provided is a method for removing a first holder member from a second holder member in a cartridge. The cartridge includes: a housing; the first holder member holding an electrical contact surface; and the second holder member supported by the housing. The first holder member includes a pawl, and the second holder member includes a corner part engageable with the pawl of the first holder member. The electrical contact surface is held at one end surface of the first holder member in a first direction crossing the electrical contact surface. The method includes: disengaging the pawl from the corner part; and separating the housing and the second holder member from the first holder member in the first direction away from the one end surface of the first holder member.

Abstract: A cartridge including: a first unit including an image bearing member and a first portion, and configured to take a removal posture when the cartridge is to be removed from a main body; a second unit including a developer bearing member and a second portion, the second unit being movable between a first position where the developer bearing member is in contact with the image bearing member and a second position where the developer bearing member is separated from the image bearing member and where the second portion is in contact with the first portion, wherein when the first unit takes the removal posture, the second unit is located at the second position, and when the second unit is located at the second position, movement of the second unit in a direction, in which the developer bearing member is separated from the image bearing member, is restricted.

Abstract: A cam driver includes a support, a cam, a motor, and a retracting torque applicator. The support supports an object. The cam moves the support. The motor rotates the cam and maintains a position of the cam. The retracting torque applicator applies torque to the cam in a direction to move the object away from a counter object that faces the object.

Abstract: A nip forming device includes an endless belt that is flexible and rotates and a nip former that is disposed opposite an inner circumferential face of the endless belt. A pressure rotator presses against the nip former via the endless belt to form a nip between the endless belt and the pressure rotator, through which a conveyed object is conveyed. A separator is disposed downstream from the nip in a conveyance direction of the conveyed object. The separator separates the conveyed object from the endless belt. The separator includes a non-contact portion separated from the endless belt and a contact portion that contacts the endless belt. The contact portion retains a gap having a predetermined size between the non-contact portion and the endless belt.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus to and from which a replenishment container accommodating toner is detachable and which forms an image on a recording material includes an apparatus body, and a cartridge including an image bearing member, a developer container to accommodate toner, and a developing portion to develop an electrostatic latent image formed on the image bearing member into a toner image by using the toner. A replenishment port allows replenishment of toner from the replenishment container, which is arranged outside of the image forming apparatus, to the developer container therethrough in a state where the replenishment container is attached to the replenishment port, and a controller notifies a user of information related to a toner amount if it is determined that a lifetime of the cartridge will expire before a sum of toner accommodated in the developer container and toner accommodated in the replenishment container is consumed.

Abstract: A cartridge includes: a housing; a storage medium; and a holder. The storage medium has an electrical contact surface. The holder is movable relative to the housing. The holder includes: a first holder member; and a second holder member. The first holder member has a pawl portion and is configured to hold the electrical contact surface. The second holder member includes a corner portion. The pawl portion is engageable with the corner portion. The second holder member has a through-hole. An engagement part of the pawl portion engaging with the corner portion is accessible from outside the second holder member through the through-hole in a state where the pawl portion engages with the corner portion.

Abstract: An electrophotographic image forming system forms an electrostatic latent image on at least a photoreceptor, develops an image using an electrostatic charge image developing toner, and removes the toner using a cleaning blade. A tip ridge of the cleaning blade is pressed against a surface of the photoreceptor. The system includes a photosensitive layer of the photoreceptor and a surface protecting layer that is provided on a surface of the photosensitive layer. The surface protecting layer includes a polymerizable monomer having at least two polymerizable groups in a molecule and a polymer of a hole transporting compound having a polymerizable group represented by General formula (1). The tip ridge of the cleaning blade has an edge angle that is obtuse and less than 120° and is pressed against the surface of the photoreceptor at an effective contact angle that is in a range of 8 to 20°.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus that forms an image on a recording material includes a frame body, an image forming unit, a first electric component unit, a first electric component board, a second electric component unit, and a second electric component board. The second electric component board communicates with the first electric component board and controls the image forming unit. The first electric component unit pivots about a first pivot axis positioned on a first side in a width direction. The second electric component unit pivots about a second pivot axis positioned on a second side in the width direction. When the first electric component unit and the second electric component unit are in closed states, the second electric component unit is positioned between the first electric component unit and the image forming unit in a front-back direction of the image forming apparatus.

Abstract: A cartridge includes a photosensitive drum and a developing roller, with the developing roller being configured to develop a latent image formed on the photosensitive drum with toner. The cartridge also includes a first electrical contact electrically connected to the charging roller and the second electrical contact electrically connected to the developing roller. As viewed along the axis of the photosensitive drum, the first electrical contact and the second electrical contact are positioned on opposite sides with respect to a line that passes through an axis of the photosensitive drum and an axis of the developing roller.

Abstract: A fixing apparatus includes a belt, a steering roller, a slide member, and a pressing rotation member that forms a nip portion by pressing the belt and is disposed to face the slide member. The belt applies heat to a recording material and has an inner circumferential surface that receives a lubricant applied onto the inner circumferential surface. The pressing rotation member fixes a toner image onto the recording material by applying heat and pressure to an unfixed toner image in the nip portion, in cooperation with the belt. An end portion of the belt on one end side in a belt width direction takes a position outside an end portion of the slide member on the one end side and a position inside the end portion of the slide member on the one end side while the steering roller is in operation.

Abstract: A toner container according to one example embodiment includes a latch catch projecting upward on a top of a body of the toner container. The latch catch is spaced from a second longitudinal end of the body and positioned closer to the second longitudinal end of the body than to a first longitudinal end of the body. The latch catch includes a first contact surface that faces toward the second longitudinal end of the body for contacting a first corresponding surface of a latch in an image forming device to restrain the toner container along a longitudinal dimension of the toner container in a direction from the first longitudinal end of the body toward the second longitudinal end of the body when the toner container is in an installed position in the image forming device.

Abstract: A drum cartridge includes: a drum frame to which a developing cartridge is attachable; a photosensitive drum rotatable about an axis extending in a first direction; a memory having an electrical contact surface; and a resilient member positioned between the electrical contact surface and the drum frame. The resilient member is configured to expand and compress in a second direction crossing the electrical contact surface between a first state and a second state, the resilient member having a shorter length in the second state than in the first state. A distance between the drum frame and the electrical contact surface in the second direction when the resilient member is in the second state is smaller than a distance between the drum frame and the electrical contact surface in the second direction when the resilient member is in the first state.

Abstract: An electrophotographic member includes a base layer, an elastic layer, and a surface layer stacked in this order. The surface layer contains a fluorine resin and a fluorine rubber, the fluorine rubber is contained at a proportion of 0.5 parts by mass or more and 1.0 parts by mass or less with respect to 1 part by mass of the fluorine resin, and the surface layer further contains a compound represented by formula (1): CH3(CH2)m—O—((CH2)lO)n—OH??(1) In formula (1), m, l, and n each independently represent an integer of 1 or more.

Abstract: A locking mechanism for an opening/closing cover supported by an apparatus case in an openable and closable manner includes a rotational gear, a rack gear, a locking member and a spring member. The rotational gear rotates with an opening and closing operation of the opening/closing cover. The rack gear slides with a rotating of the rotational gear. The locking member has a hooking part facing the rack gear. The spring member pushes the hooking part toward the rack gear. The hooking part restricts a sliding of the rack gear in an opened state of the opening/closing cover.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a cartridge including a portion-to-be-engaged; a main assembly to which the cartridge is detachably mountable; and an operating portion configured to be operated when the cartridge is disengaged from the main assembly.

Abstract: A container for accommodating a content of powder or a liquid includes an accommodating portion for accommodating the content; a top end portion including a discharging portion and a shielding member, wherein the discharging portion includes a discharge opening for discharging the content to an outside of the container and a passage for permitting passing of the content toward the discharge opening, and the shielding member shields the discharge opening; and a cap detachably mounted to the top end portion, wherein the cap includes a main body portion covering at least a part of the top end portion and a fixing portion fixed to the top end portion and connected to the main body portion, and wherein the main body portion of the cap is separated from the fixing portion by being rotated about a rotational axis thereof relative to the top end portion.

Abstract: An endless belt includes a resin and conductive particles, in which a content of the conductive particles with respect to the endless belt is 5% by volume or more and 20% by volume or less in terms of a volume ratio, a Young's modulus of the endless belt is 3,000 MPa or more, and the number of times of bending endurance of the endless belt measured by an MIT test specified in JIS P8115:2001 is 10,000 or more.

Abstract: A heater includes a substrate, a first heating element and a second heating element disposed on a first surface of the substrate, a temperature detection element, and a conductor. The temperature detection element is disposed on a second surface of the substrate opposite the first surface of the substrate. The conductor is disposed on the second surface and connected to the temperature detection element. The first heating element has a first distance from the temperature detection element in a lateral direction of the substrate orthogonal to a longitudinal direction of the substrate, and the second heating element has a second distance that is greater than the first distance from the temperature detection element in the lateral direction. As viewed in a thickness direction of the substrate orthogonal to the lateral direction and the longitudinal direction of the substrate, the conductor overlaps the first heating element and the second heating element.

Abstract: A charging member for an image forming apparatus may include a conductive support and a surface layer on the conductive support and spaced apart from a photosensitive member. The surface layer may include a urethane foam including foam cells and having a foam structure based on the foam cells, the foam cells including open cells.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus to which a toner container is detachably mountable includes a mounting portion to which the toner container is detachably mountable and which includes a receiving port for receiving toner supplied from the toner container, a passage for permitting passing of the toner received through the receiving port and provided with a through hole, and a filter portion provided so as to cover the through hole and for permitting passing of air; and an accommodating portion configured to accommodate the toner received through the receiving port. At least a part of the through hole overlaps with the receiving port as viewed in a horizontal direction perpendicular to a direction of gravitation.