Abstract: A fusing device is provided. The fusing device includes a heating roller having two end regions and an inner region between the two end regions, a coil module, and a controller. The coil module includes a first coil arranged along an axial direction of the heating roller; two second coils, one second coil arranged in each end region of the heating roller; and a third coil arranged in the inner region of the heating roller. The controller controls current directions of currents in the first coil, the second coils, and the third coil.

Abstract: The image forming apparatus includes a cooling device for cooling a plurality of cartridges, and a plurality of shielding members for shielding the plurality of openings, respectively. Each developing member is movable between a first position at which the developing member is brought into contact with a photosensitive member and a second position at which the developing member is caused to separate from the photosensitive member. Each of the plurality of shielding members is caused to move in association with a position of the developing member of the cartridge opposed to the opening to be shielded by the each of the shielding members. A gap between the opening and the shielding member the second position of the developing member is smaller than a gap therebetween at the first position of the developing member is.

Abstract: A chassis structure includes: a chassis that houses a component used for an image forming apparatus inside and that includes an opening; a cover member that covers the opening of the chassis; and a seal member that is provided between the cover member and the chassis and that, when the cover member is attached to the chassis, is compressed and deformed so as to seal a gap between the cover member and the chassis. An attached section of the cover member to which the seal member is attached is provided with a hole.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image forming unit that forms an image on a recording sheet. A casing constituting an outer shell of the image forming apparatus is formed in a table shape including a top plate and a leg portion supporting the top plate, the top plate including a flat working surface. The image forming unit is located inside the top plate. The top plate includes a recording sheet outlet from which the recording sheet having an image formed thereon is discharged.

Abstract: In an image forming apparatus that includes a collection container for collected toner, the collection container is not easily pushed back by a reaction force against a closing force of a shutter provided in a feeding portion for the collected toner. A spiral rib guides a contact rib to move the sealing shutter in a direction of opening a transfer opening against an urging force of a twisted coil spring in the process of connecting a collected toner box to a feeding pipe. A low reaction force area guides the contact rib after the spiral rib in the process of connecting the collected toner box to the feeding pipe. An inclination angle of the low reaction force area relative to the direction of connecting the collected toner box is less than an inclination angle of the spiral rib relative to the direction of connection of the collected toner box.

Abstract: A developing device includes a developer bearer disposed facing a latent image bearer in a developing range to transport developer by rotation, a support to support the developer bearer and including a holder mount, a rod-shaped developer regulator disposed facing a surface of the developer bearer across a gap, and a holder secured to the holder mount of the support to hold the rod-shaped developer regulator. The rod-shaped developer regulator extends in an axial direction of the developer bearer.

Abstract: An optical writing control device and method are provided, for controlling light emission of a plurality of light sources to form an electrostatic latent image on a photosensitive element, the light sources including a plurality of light emitting elements disposed in a line and classified into a plurality of groups, including frequency converter circuitry configured to acquire image information to be formed as the electrostatic latent image; and a light source controller configured to control the plurality of light sources based on pixel information generated from the acquired image information, wherein the light source controller is further configured to control the light emission of the plurality of light sources by classifying the light emitting elements into the plurality of groups, and shifting a timing of light emission from one group of the plurality of groups to a next group of the plurality of groups, and determine a common illuminating period for the light emitting elements of at least one light sou

Abstract: A composite element chip includes a substrate; and a plurality of semiconductor thin-films disposed on the substrate and arranged in a predetermined direction which is a first direction. Each semiconductor thin-film includes an array of a plurality of light emitting portions which are arranged so that adjacent light emitting portions are displaced from each other by a predetermined distance in a second direction which is perpendicular to the first direction, the plurality of light emitting portions being arranged along an imaginary line. Each semiconductor thin-film has a first end that is parallel to the second direction; and a second end that extends along a pattern in which the plurality of light emitting portions are arranged and is parallel to the imaginary line. A semiconductor device and manufacturing method thereof, a printing head, and an image forming apparatus are also disclosed.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a main casing, a plurality of photosensitive drums, a retaining unit, and an endless belt. The retaining unit retains the plurality of photosensitive drums, and is movable between an internal position within the main casing and an external position outside of the main casing. The endless belt is configured to contact the plurality of the photosensitive drums, when the retaining unit is in the internal position and retains the plurality of the photosensitive drums therein. The retaining unit includes a plurality of pressing portions configured to exert pressure on the plurality of photosensitive drums toward the endless belt, when the retaining unit is in the internal position and retains the plurality of the photosensitive drums therein.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a sheet stacking portion, a feed portion, a transfer portion transferring a toner image on a sheet fed by the feed portion, and a switching portion. The switching portion switches the sheet stacking portion between a grounded condition in which the sheet stacking portion is electrically earthed and an insulated condition in which the sheet stacking portion is electrically insulated. The sheet stacking portion is switched into the insulated condition in a state in which the transfer bias is applied and the sheet stacking portion is switched into the grounded condition in a state in which no transfer bias is applied.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus which can prevent deformation of a sheet due to heat generated at a fixing section as much as possible, and can reduce the amount of waste paper even when the sheet is partially deformed, in which: an upper fixing section and a lower fixing section form a fixing nip for conveying a continuous sheet in a tightly sandwiching manner in a state where the upper fixing section and the lower fixing section are in pressure contact with each other; the upper fixing section and the lower fixing section are separated from each other when image formation is not performed; and a detection section detects deformation of the continuous sheet at a closest part between the upper fixing section and the lower fixing section.

Abstract: A humidification device for humidifying a sheet, comprising a control unit that rotates a water-supply roller in a separate state where the water-supply roller and a humidification roller are separated from each other.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image forming section configured to form an image on a recording paper sheet and a housing accommodating the image forming section. The housing includes: an enclosed and bottomed housing body having an enclosed sidewall and a bottom formed continuously and integrally with the sidewall; and a lid removably attached to the housing body to cover an opening of the housing body. The image forming section is separate from the housing body and is placed on top of the bottom in the housing body. When the lid is removed from the image forming apparatus and the image forming section is lifted above the opening, the image forming section is taken out of the housing body through the opening and the housing body is removed from the image forming apparatus.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an electrophotographic photoreceptor that includes a conductive substrate, an organic photosensitive layer provided on the conductive substrate, and an inorganic protective layer provided on the organic photosensitive layer; a charging unit that charges a surface of the electrophotographic photoreceptor; an electrostatic latent image forming unit that forms an electrostatic latent image on a charged surface of the electrophotographic photoreceptor; a developing unit that develops the electrostatic latent image formed on the surface of the electrophotographic photoreceptor to thereby form a toner image, by using a developer which contains a toner, and a carrier in which a ratio occupied by carrier particles having a particle diameter of 50 ?m or greater is equal to or smaller than 1% by number; and a transfer unit that transfers the toner image to a surface of a recording medium.

Abstract: Provided is a toner recycling device for an image forming apparatus, including a waste toner conveying screw which conveys waste toner collected out of a surface of a photosensitive drum to one side; a toner recycling means which is connected with the waste toner conveying screw to be rotated by rotation of waste toner conveying screw, filters a foreign substance out of the waste toner conveyed by the waste toner conveying screw, supplies the recycled toner from which the foreign substance is removed toward a developing unit, and discharges the foreign substance filtered out of the waste toner to an outside of a drum unit; and a collecting case which is integrally formed with the drum unit at one side of the drum unit to collect the foreign substance filtered by the toner recycling means, wherein the foreign substance like paper dust contained in the waste toner is filtered, and then the recycled toner is supplied again toward the developing unit, thus it is possible to prevent the quality of a printed image

Abstract: A developing device includes a casing configured to accommodate developer, a developing roller, a seal member, at least portion of which is disposed between the developing roller and the casing, and which includes a fabric member including a plurality of first fibers extending in a first direction, and a heat radiation member configured to contact end surfaces of the first fibers of the seal member and radiate heat of the seal member.

Abstract: In an image forming apparatus, a drawer includes a first biasing part and a second biasing part. A process cartridge includes: a first protruding part provided on one end of the process cartridge in an axial direction of a photosensitive drum; and a second protruding part provided on another end of the process cartridge in the axial direction. Each of the first and second protruding parts extends in a sliding direction, in which the drawer moves, and overlaps with a center of the process cartridge. In a state that the drawer supporting the process cartridge is at an internal position inside of a main casing, the process cartridge moves from a first position to a second position positioned above the first position by the first protruding part being biased by the first biasing part and the second protruding part being biased by the second biasing part.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a toner containing portion, a first conveying member, an image conveying portion, and an image forming portion. The first conveying member is configured to convey the toner in a conveyance direction within the toner containing portion. The image conveying portion includes a surface layer portion having a first end portion located at an upstream side in the conveyance direction and a second end portion located at a downstream side in the conveyance direction. The first end portion has a larger layer thickness than second end portion. The image conveying portion is configured to convey a toner image formed on a surface of the surface layer portion at a predetermined image forming position, to a transfer position for transfer to a transfer target medium. The image forming portion is configured to form the toner image on the surface layer portion by using the toner being conveyed.

Abstract: A developing device to develop a latent image on a rotatable image bearer includes an upstream developing roller disposed opposite the image bearer at a first developing position, and a downstream developing roller disposed adjacent to and downstream from the upstream developing roller in a direction of rotation of the image bearer, disposed opposite the image bearer at a second developing position. Each of the upstream developing roller and the downstream developing roller has a most approachable surface that approaches closest to the image bearer and a most withdrawn surface that withdraws farthest from the image bearer. In a state in which a reference surface point of the image bearer is disposed opposite the most approachable surface of the upstream developing roller at the first developing position, the reference surface point opposes the most withdrawn surface of the downstream developing roller at the second developing position.

Abstract: A tension roller which is brought into contact with an inner circumferential surface of an endless belt and is rotated and which can be moved to a first position where the belt is in a relaxed state and a second position where the belt is in a tensioned state, a butting member which butts against the belt, a force application unit which applies, to the butting member, a force acting in a direction opposite to a rotation direction of the belt and a movement mechanism which moves the tension roller to the first position and the second position are provided. When the belt is rotated, the butting member is moved in the rotation direction of the belt by a friction force with the belt, and the movement mechanism moves the tension roller from the first position to the second position by the movement of the butting member in the rotation direction of the belt.