Abstract: An image forming unit to be attached to an apparatus body of an image forming apparatus includes a first cartridge including a driven portion configured to rotate on a first rotational axis; and a second cartridge configured separable from the first cartridge. The second cartridge includes an input portion configured to receive driving force from the apparatus body; and a drive transmission portion configured to rotate on a second rotational axis and to transmit the driving force to the driven portion.

Abstract: In an example, a method includes determining a first scaling to be applied to a first print operation and a second scaling to be applied to a second print operation. Each print operation includes selectively removing charge from a charged photoconductor by irradiating the photoconductor in a plurality of scans, forming a first print agent pattern on the photoconductor and delivering the first print agent pattern to a substrate. If the first and second scalings are different, a control instruction may be determined to change the scan-to-scan spacing between the first and second print operations.

Abstract: A developing device includes a container having an opening, a developer roller disposed within the container to supply toner to a photosensitive body through the opening, and an air flow passage. The air flow passage receives air from inside of the container and supplies the air, via an end of the container in a longitudinal direction of the developer roller, to an upstream side, in a rotation direction of the developer roller, of a closest position between the developer roller and the photosensitive body. The air flow passage has an outlet that is aligned with a central area in the longitudinal direction of the developer roller.

Abstract: An organic photoconductor includes a cylindrical body having a surface on which an electrostatic latent image is to be formed, and an optical tag provided on an outer circumferential surface of the cylindrical body. The organic photoconductor may be included in a development cartridge for an image forming apparatus.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a cassette, an image forming unit configured to form an image on a sheet fed from the cassette a set position, a guide rail configured to draw out the cassette from the set position, and a movable stopper unit that regulates a movement of the cassette in a draw-out direction by abutting with the cassette while the cassette is drawn out from the set position along the guide rail. The movable stopper unit includes a regulating portion movable between a regulating position where the regulating portion regulates a movement of the cassette within a moving trajectory of the cassette in moving in the draw-out direction and a retracting position where the regulating portion is located outside of the moving trajectory and does not regulate the movement of the cassette, and an urging portion configured to urge the regulating portion to the regulating position.

Abstract: In a cartridge structure employing an inclinable coupling member engaging with a rotational force transmitting portion of an electrophotographic image forming apparatus, the coupling member is unable to engage with the rotational force transmitting portion of the electrophotographic image forming apparatus when the mounting and dismounting direction and the developing/spacing direction relative to the electrophotographic image forming apparatus of different from each other. Under the circumstances, a coupling lever contacting and retracting relative to the coupling member in interrelation with the mounting and dismounting operation of a developing cartridge B1, and a coupling spring for the coupling lever to apply an urging force to the coupling member are provided.

Abstract: An example toner cartridge includes a housing to accommodate toner and having a toner discharge port at one side, a conveying member inside the housing to rotate to convey the toner toward the toner discharge port, a driven coupler to rotate by a rotational force, and an ejector to rotate by the driven coupler. Either one of the driven coupler and the ejector is rotatably supported by a side wall of the housing in the longitudinal direction and connected to the conveying member to rotate the conveying member. The other one of the driven coupler and the ejector moves in a direction spaced apart from the side wall with respect to either one of the driven coupler and the ejector when the driven coupler rotates in a reverse direction which is an opposite direction to a forward direction in which the toner is conveyed toward the toner discharge port.

Abstract: A method for detecting a non-authentic slave component in an electronic printer device which includes receiving a command from a master component in the device, identifying a response to the command based upon a frequency of a plurality of clock pulses used by the master component while sending the command, and sending the response to the master component for use as a basis in determining whether the slave component is one of an authentic slave component and a non-authentic slave component. The disclosed method may be performed by a replaceable slave component in an imaging device including a slave circuit communicating with a master circuit of the master component along a serial communications interface. The master circuit includes an instruction to change a clock frequency when sending a command to the slave circuit to trigger a unique response from slave circuits of authentic slave components.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a transfer nip control member being movable to a pressing position, where a pressing force for positioning a transfer roller in a transfer nip releasing position is applied to a transfer unit in a closed position, and to a releasing position, where application of the pressing force is released; a fixing nip control mechanism for changing a relative position between a fixing roller and an opposing member to a fixing position, where a fixing nip is formed, and to a fixing nip releasing position; and an interlocking mechanism for moving the transfer nip control member in the releasing position to the pressing position in conjunction with a fixing nip releasing operation by the fixing nip control mechanism. The transfer nip control member in the pressing position is moved to the releasing position when the transfer unit is moved from the closed position to an open position.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a drum cartridge and a toner cartridge. The drum cartridge includes a photosensitive drum, a developing device, and a cushion member. The developing device includes a developing roller and a developing housing having a toner receiving port. The developing housing is movable with respect to the photosensitive drum. The toner cartridge includes a toner housing having a toner discharge port and a toner shutter. The toner shutter opens and closes the toner discharge port. The cushion member allows the developing housing to move with respect to the developing shutter in a state where the developing shutter is engaged with the toner cartridge.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a print engine, a power supply apparatus, and a processor. The print engine is to print an image. The power supply apparatus is to supply power to the image forming apparatus and have a zero cross detection circuit to output zero cross information of input alternating circuit (AC) power. The processor is to determine whether the AC power is input using an output signal of the zero cross detection circuit. In response to an operation mode of the image forming apparatus being a normal mode, the zero cross detection circuit outputs zero cross information on a full wave of the input AC power. In response to an operation mode of the image forming apparatus being a power-saving mode, the zero cross detection circuit outputs zero cross information on a half wave of the input AC power.

Abstract: A first cam moves between: a first position at which the first cam causes a development frame to be located at a contact position; and a second position at which the first cam causes the development frame to be located at a separation position. A second cam moves between: a third position at which the second cam, in cooperation with the first cam, causes the development frame to be located at the contact position in a state where the first cam is located at the first position; and a fourth position at which the second cam, in cooperation with the first cam, causes the development frame to be located at the separation position in a state where the first cam is located at the second position. The first cam is located at a higher position than the second cam in a vertical direction.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a photosensitive drum, a developing roller, a cam, a developing motor, a first transmission mechanism, and a second transmission mechanism. The cam moves the developing roller between a contacting position where the developing roller is in contact with the photosensitive drum and a separated position where the developing roller is separated from the photosensitive drum. The developing motor drives both the developing roller and the cam, and is rotatable in a normal rotating direction and a reverse rotating direction. The first transmission mechanism engages power transmission from the developing motor to the developing roller when the developing motor rotates in the normal rotating direction, and disengages the power transmission when the developing motor rotates in the reverse rotating direction. The second transmission mechanism can engage power transmission from the developing motor to the cam, irrespective of the rotating direction of the developing motor.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus, having a first developing roller, a second developing roller, a third developing roller, a fourth developing roller, a first photosensitive drum, a second photosensitive drum, a third photosensitive drum, a fourth photosensitive drum, a motor, a first output gear, a first gear train, and a second gear train, is provided. The first output gear is arranged coaxially with the motor and outputs a driving force from the motor. The first gear train includes a first intermediate gear meshing with the first output gear and transmits the driving force from the motor through the first output gear to the first, second, third, and fourth developing rollers. The second gear train includes a second intermediate gear meshing with the first output gear and transmits the driving force from the motor through the first output gear to the first, second, third, and fourth photosensitive drums.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an electric board extending to a first direction and a second direction, a board accommodating portion cover the electric board, a recording medium accommodating portion to cover a recording medium and a connecting portion. The recording medium accommodating portion is arranged side by side with the board accommodating portion in the first direction. The connecting portion is arranged to overlap with the board accommodating portion and the recording medium accommodating portion as seen in a third direction perpendicular to the first and second directions, and connects the board accommodating portion and the recording medium accommodating portion. The board accommodating portion and the recording medium accommodating portion are directly fixed to the connecting portion, respectively.

Abstract: Provided is an image forming apparatus that together with being able to suppress rotation unevenness is capable of preventing unexpected downtime due to a broken belt. A guide member guides the swing of a swing gear on an arc that connects a first position where the swing gear is engaged with an idle gear, and a second position where the swing gear is not engaged with the idle gear. A transmission cutoff mechanism cuts off transmission of a drive force transmitted to a driven pulley via a belt to a driven shaft when a motor rotates in the reverse direction. A control unit, in a case where rotation unevenness meets a condition, causes the swing gear to swing to the first position by reverse rotation of the motor, which causes the drive force to be transmitted to the driven shaft.

Abstract: A process cartridge includes a first unit including an image bearing member configured to carry an electrostatic latent image, and a second unit including a developer bearing member configured to develop the electrostatic latent image carried on the image bearing member into a toner image, the second unit being capable of being mounted on the first unit in a mounting direction. The first unit includes a moving member that moves the second unit mounted on the first unit at a mounting position to a detachment position. The second unit includes a storage unit that stores information about the second unit. The moving member is disposed on a first side of the process cartridge in a longitudinal direction of the image bearing member. An electrode of the storage unit is disposed on a second side of the process cartridge in the longitudinal direction.

Abstract: In a photosensitive drum, a drum flange is press-fitted to each end of a drum element tube. The drum flange includes a flange facing the drum element tube, and a press-in boss formed on a drum-facing surface side of the flange and press-fitted to the inner circumferential side of the drum element tube. The outer circumferential surface of the press-in boss is configured so that partial cylindrical surfaces to be in contact with the inner circumferential surface of the drum element tube and oppositely-facing partial cylindrical surfaces not to be in contact with the inner circumferential surface of the drum element tube are alternately formed along the circumferential direction. First openings formed to penetrate at least a part of the press-in boss are respectively provided on the proximal end side of the partial cylindrical surfaces in the press-in boss.

Abstract: An electrical connector includes a power feeding portion and a powered portion that contacts the power feeding portion. At least one of the power feeding portion and the powered portion includes a surface layer, a primary coat layer, and an exposed portion. The surface layer is made of a first conductive metal and includes a contact portion where the power feeding portion contacts the powered portion. The primary coat layer mounts the surface layer and is made of a second conductive metal. The exposed portion is separated from the contact portion and exposed to an atmosphere.

Abstract: A printing device includes a door, a display, and a colorant supply. The printing device detects that the door has been opened. In response to detecting that the door has been opened, the printing device displays, on its display, current status information of the colorant supply within the printing device.