Abstract: A developer container holder for holding a developer container including a developer supply port and a shutter for opening and closing the developer supply port guides the developer container in a first direction when the developer container is attached to the developer container holder and in a second direction when the developer container is removed from the developer container holder, and includes: a holder that holds the developer container; a support that supports the holder slidably within a region in a direction in which the developer container is attached to and removed from the developer container holder; and an elastic member placed between the holder and the support to urge the holder in the first direction when the holder is on a first side of a position in the region and in the second direction when the holder is on a second side of the position in the region.

Abstract: A first gear cover has a first cover portion that covers an outer peripheral surface of a joint and that protrudes from a third outer surface in a first direction. A gear rotates about a third axis extending in the first direction by receiving driving force from coupling, and is located at a second outer surface. A second gear cover covers at least part of the gear, and has a second cover portion protruding in the first direction, and is located at the second outer surface. A first protruding portion protrudes from the first cover portion in a second direction, and is located at an opposite side from the developing roller with respect to the joint in the second direction. A second protruding portion protrudes from the second cover portion in the second direction, and is located at a same position as the first protruding portion in the second direction.

Abstract: A supporting shaft extending in the direction of A heating unit is provided on A plate. A first bracket configured to support, on the supporting shaft, a center portion in a longitudinal direction of the heating unit and allow the heating unit to move in a rotating direction and a vertical direction with respect to the plate is provided in the heating unit. Receivers are provided at both end portions in the longitudinal direction in one unit of the heating unit and A fuser unit. Inserters are provided in the other unit to be opposed to the receivers. If the fuser unit is attached to the plate, the inserters are coupled to the receivers to restrict the heating unit from moving in the rotating direction and the vertical direction.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a scanner to read an image on an original and an electric box disposed below the scanner and extended horizontally with respect to the scanner. The electric box includes an electric cabinet having a box shape and an electrical device disposed inside the electric cabinet.

Abstract: An imaging device has a photoconductive drum with a surface that is selectively discharged to create a latent electrostatic image for attracting toner for transfer to a media moving in a process direction. The image is divided into multiple segments along the process direction and discharged pixels per segment are counted. An accumulator keeps track of the numbers of pixels per revolutions of a roller that applies the toner to the drum. Upon meeting a predetermined deficiency in the counts of pixels in any given segment, an artificial image gets generated on the surface of the photoconductive drum that supplies the missing pixels, per segment. The image gets developed with toner, but does not transfer to the media. Lubrication occurs on the surface of the drum and each segment retains a relatively common number of imaging pixels that get developed over time.

Abstract: A cover member attachment/detachment structure includes a first engagement part and a second engagement part. The first engagement part is formed in one of a portion to be protected or a cover member attached to the portion to be protected. The second engagement part is formed in the other of the portion to be protected or the cover member attached to the portion to be protected. The second engagement part is capable of engaging with the first engagement part. The first engagement part is made of magnetic material. The first engagement part is magnetically movable from an outside of the cover member without contact between a locking position where the first engagement part is engaged with the second engagement part and a lock releasing position where the first engagement part is disengaged with the second engagement part.

Abstract: A feeding device for feeding developer includes a first feeding member for feeding the developer in a feeding direction and including a drive transmitting portion, and a second feeding member including a drive receiving portion and a helical blade as a feeding portion. In addition, a bearing portion rotatably supports the second feeding member in a portion between the drive receiving portion and the helical blade, wherein the drive transmitting portion and the drive receiving portion engage with each other so as to enable delivery of the developer from the first feeding member to the second feeding member while transmitting a driving force of the first feeding member to the second feeding member. The bearing portion is provided on one side of a second rotational axis of the second feeding member with respect to the feeding direction.

Abstract: A process cartridge, including a process cartridge housing, a photosensitive drum driving component, a driving force receiver, a flange component and a control mechanism. Opening parts are arranged on the driving force receiver and a retaining component is arranged on the process cartridge. When the control mechanism controls the driving force receiver to retract, the retaining component keeps the driving force receiver at a position non-interferential with a driving head of an image forming device. The driving force receiver and the flange component of the process cartridge are disengaged in a retracting state. In this state, the driving force receiving protrusion do not interfere with the front end column body of a machine driving head, and the process cartridge can be mounted and dismounted more smoothly.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus including: a plurality of cartridges; a belt configured to abut against the photosensitive drums of the plurality of cartridges; a frame configured to axially support a plurality of rollers around which the belt is extended; and a movable member configured to be movable while supporting the plurality of cartridges, the movable member being movable between a first position in which the plurality of cartridges are in an main body of the apparatus and a second position in which the plurality of cartridges are drawn out from the main body of the apparatus, wherein the frame is provided with a plurality of positioning portions configured to allow abutment of the plurality of cartridges and determine the positions of the plurality of cartridges in the main body of the apparatus.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a temperature/humidity sensor 112 for detecting temperature/humidity information and a controller 101 for executing, on the basis of information detected by this detecting means, an operation in a control mode in which charging by a corona charger 2 and discharging by a discharging means 9 are carried out while rotating a photosensitive member after end of cleaning by the cleaning means and before image formation is started.

Abstract: A sheet transport apparatus is equipped with a sheet transport guide section for guiding a sheet to be transported. The sheet transport guide section includes a first transport guide member swingable about a first axis, and a second transport guide member swingable about a second axis, the second transport guide member forming a sheet transport path between the second transport guide member and the first transport guide member. The second transport guide member is arranged at a first position when the first transport guide member is closed, at a second position where the second transport guide member is opened from the first position when the first transport guide member is opened, or at a third position where the second transport guide member is opened from the second position.

Abstract: An optical sensor including an abutment part configured to abut one edge of an object to be measured, a wall extending along a side of the object to be measured and having a first opening to pass light emitted to the object to be measured, and a first concave portion formed between the first opening and the abutment part on a side of the wall to position the object to be measured. A paper-type discrimination device including the optical sensor, and a controller configured to discriminate a paper type of the object using the reflection light from the object measured by the optical sensor. An image forming apparatus including the optical sensor or the paper-type discrimination device.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an optical scanning unit including a rotatable polygonal mirror and a detecting portion; and a controller. A rotation center of the rotatable polygonal mirror is made eccentric with respect to a center of gravity of the rotatable polygonal mirror by 7.5 ?m or more. The controller identifies one of reflecting surfaces of the rotatable polygonal mirror as a reference surface by using a signal outputted from the detecting portion for each of the reflecting surfaces of the rotatable polygonal mirror and a period of signals from light beams reflected by consecutive two reflecting surfaces with respect to a rotational direction of the rotatable polygonal mirror.

Abstract: A CPU selects which speed to execute a contact control of photosensitive drums and developing rollers of a plurality of process stations at, a normal speed or a speed higher than the normal speed. The CPU selects which speed to execute a separation control of the photosensitive drums and the developing rollers of the plurality of process stations at, a normal speed or a speed higher than the normal speed. The CPU further selects contact controls and separation controls so that a difference between the number of times of execution of the contact control at the speed higher than the normal speed and the number of times of execution of the separation control at the speed higher than the normal speed becomes less than or equal to a predetermined number of times.

Abstract: The image forming apparatus includes an open/close cover, a side cover, and a fan configured to take in ambient air through a vent hole, and generate airflow to cool an inside of the image forming apparatus, wherein the side cover includes an outside surface C, at least part of which faces the open/close cover, and a vent hole is provided in the outside surface C.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: an image forming unit configured to perform image formation in a first mode, in which image formation is performed by a plurality of image forming stations, or a second mode, in which image formation is performed by a predetermined image forming station among the plurality of image forming stations; and a controller configured to: control the image forming unit to perform a preparation operation in accordance with color mode information; set a restricted operation state in which the controller prohibits the image formation in the first mode and permits the image formation in the second mode when any one image forming station, except for the predetermined image forming station, is incapable of performing image formation; and prevent the image forming unit from performing the preparation operation when the first mode is set as the color mode information and the restricted operation state is set.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: a first roller having an elastic part; a second roller configured to form a nip between the first roller and the second roller; a holding member configured to hold the second roller; and a control section configured to control the position of the holding member such that the center distance between the first roller and the second roller is maintained at a constant value when a sheet passes through the nip.

Abstract: A cleaning blade has an elastic body formed of a urethane elastomer, and a treated surface layer formed at least at a portion which comes into contact with a contact target of the elastic body. The treated surface layer is formed through impregnating a surface portion of the elastic body with a surface treatment liquid containing a bifunctional isocyanate compound, at least one polyol, and an organic solvent; or a surface treatment liquid containing an isocyanate group-containing compound having an isocyanate group at an end thereof, which compound is a reaction product of the bifunctional isocyanate compound with the at least one polyol, and an organic solvent, and curing the surface treatment liquid. The difference between the nitrogen concentration at the surface and the nitrogen concentration in the elastic body at a depth of 0.5 mm from the surface of the treated surface layer is 0.02 to 0.15 mass %.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a charging member, a light source, and a light quantity lowering member. The light quantity lowering member is provided so that a lowering amount of a quantity of a part of light reflected by a surface of a member at each of end portions of a charging region where the surface of the image bearing member is charged by the charging member is larger than that at a portion inside an associated end portion with respect to a rotational axis direction of the image bearing member.

Abstract: An image reading apparatus includes: a light emission section including a light emitting element, and a light guiding member configured to irradiate a sheet with light emitted from the light emitting element; a reading section configured to read an image formed on the sheet; a heat dissipation section configured to dissipate heat of the light emitting element; and a cooling section configured to cool the heat dissipation section, in which the light emitting element and the heat dissipation section are disposed at positions outside a sheet passing region of the sheet in the width direction.