Abstract: A photoconductor unit for an electrophotographic image forming device according to one example embodiment includes a housing having a first end wall positioned at a first end of the housing. A photoconductive drum is mounted on the housing and has a rotational axis that runs from the first end to a second end of the housing. An electrically conductive first biasing member extends axially inward with respect to the photoconductive drum from an inner axial side of the first end wall. The first biasing member is exposed on the inner axial side of the first end wall to contact and force a developer unit toward the second end of the housing when the developer unit is operably mated with the photoconductor unit and to contact and form an electrical path with a corresponding electrical contact on the developer unit when the developer unit is operably mated with the photoconductor unit.

Abstract: An endless belt for heating an image on a sheet includes a resistance layer for generating heat by the supply of electric power; a first ring member provided in a widthwise end side of the endless belt so as to be electrically connected with the resistance layer; a second ring member, one of the first and second ring members being fitted around the other with the resistance layer sandwiched therebetween; and a fixing member configured to fix the first and second ring members to each other so that the first and second ring members are rotated integrally with the resistance layer.

Abstract: In a fixing device according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, a projection portion projected in a direction opposite to a direction biased by the biasing member, from a body part of the biasing member, is provided in a biasing member configured to push a thermosensitive member which receives heat from a heater, toward the heater, so that a crack in the heater at the time of an abnormal temperature rise is prevented.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: an image bearing member; a developer carrying member for carrying developer; a cartridge detachably mountable to a main assembly of the image forming apparatus, the cartridge includes a cleaning means for removing the developer remaining on the developer carrying member after a developer image is transferred onto a transfer material, a developer buffering portion for accommodating the developer removed by the cleaning portion, and a feeding member driven for feeding the developer from the developer buffering portion to a developer container provided in the main assembly; a storing portion for storing cartridge operation information; and a controller for controlling the feeding member to stop drive of the feeding member on the basis of the cartridge operation information stored in the storing portion.

Abstract: A toner supply device includes a toner storage, a supply opening, a toner conveyer, a toner supply opening, and an air passage. The toner storage stores toner. Through the supply opening, the toner is supplied to a developing device. The toner conveyer includes an area of space different from an area of space of the toner storage. The toner conveyer conveys the toner stored in the toner storage to supply the toner from the supply opening to the developing device. Through the toner supply opening, the toner is supplied from the toner storage to the toner conveyer. The air passage is at a position different from the toner supply opening. The air passage connects the toner storage to the toner conveyer so as to allow air flowing through the supply opening into the toner conveyer to be supplied to the toner storage through the air passage.

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: A fixing device includes a heater that heats a fixing rotator and includes a first heating portion and a second heating portion substantially aligned with the first heating portion in an axial direction of the fixing rotator. A multi-view thermopile array detects a temperature of an outer circumferential surface of the fixing rotator at a plurality of spots thereon. A heater controller controls the first heating portion and the second heating portion individually based on the temperature of the fixing rotator detected at the plurality of spots thereon. A recording medium conveyance controller determines whether or not to convey the recording medium to the fixing nip based on an increased temperature detected at at least one of the plurality of spots on the fixing rotator.

Abstract: Provided is a member for electrophotography that can achieve both an improvement in toner-conveying force under high temperature and high humidity, and excellent charge-providing performance for a toner, at high levels. The member for electrophotography includes a substrate, an electro-conductive elastic layer on the substrate, and a plurality of electrically insulating domains formed in a partial region on the electro-conductive elastic layer. The electro-conductive elastic layer has a Martens hardness of 0.10 N/mm2 or more and 3.00 N/mm2 or less. In the surface of the member for electrophotography, the exposure ratio of the electro-conductive elastic layer per the area of a square 300 ?m on a side is 50% to 90%, and the average of the areas of the portions of the respective plurality of electrically insulating domains to be brought into contact with the electro-conductive elastic layer is 300 ?m2 or more and 10,000 ?m2 or less.

Abstract: In a fixing device including a cap member mounted at an end portion of a fixing belt in a rotation shaft direction via a rotation transfer member, an axis center of a support shaft supporting the cap member is made eccentric with respect to a rotation axis center of the fixing belt.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image bearer to bear a toner image on a surface thereof, a transfer device to contact the image bearer to form a transfer nip, and a power source to output a voltage to transfer the toner image from the image bearer onto a recording medium interposed at the transfer nip. The voltage including a first voltage in a transfer direction in which the toner image is transferred from the image bearer to the recording medium and a second voltage having a polarity opposite that of the first voltage. The first voltage and the second voltage alternate upon transfer of the toner image from the image bearer to the recording medium. The power source is configured to output the voltage that is superimposed a plurality of the alternating current voltage having a basic waveform, and a waveform of the voltage is biased in the transferring direction.

Abstract: A fixing device includes: first and second rotatable members configured to fix, at a nip therebetween, a toner image formed on a sheet by using a toner containing a parting agent; a casing provided with a sheet introducing opening and a sheet discharging opening and configured to include the first and second rotatable members; a fan; a duct configured to guide air from the fan toward one longitudinal end portion of the first rotatable member; and a cover member configured to cover an outer surface of the first rotatable member. The cover member extends inside the casing from a neighborhood of the sheet introducing opening to the duct.

Abstract: According to an example, a liquid electrophotography printing (LEP) apparatus includes a fluid chamber to store fluid to be used to form an image and a filtration assembly to filter the fluid of the fluid chamber. The filtration assembly may store a filtration material to filter the fluid received from the fluid chamber and may provide the filtered fluid to the fluid chamber. The LEP apparatus may also include a detector assembly to detect a fluid parameter of the filtered fluid in the fluid chamber and a filtration adder unit to add a predetermined amount of the filtration material to the filtration assembly in response to a detection of the fluid parameter by the detector assembly.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus in which a sheet conveyance speed is changeable includes a development section, a replenishment section, and a control section. The development section performs development with a developer. The replenishment section replenishes the development section with the developer. The control section controls the replenishment section to control an amount of the developer for replenishment of the development section in response to a change of the sheet conveyance speed.

Abstract: Provided is an image forming apparatus, including first and second drive portions respectively transmitting a drive force to first and second photosensitive drums, the first and second drive portions each including: a transmission gear rotated by the drive force; an idler gear rotated in mesh with the transmission gear; and a drive gear rotated in mesh with the idler gear. When a meshing angle of the idler gear is an angle from a meshing position between the idler gear and the transmission gear to a meshing position between the idler gear and the drive gear with respect to a rotation center of the idler gear, the meshing angles of the idler gears of the first and second drive portions are substantially equal to each other, and rotational phases of the idler gears of the first and second drive portions match with each other.

Abstract: A development device includes a developer container, a developer bearing member, a mixing/transporting member, an opening/closing member, and a drive mechanism. The developer container contains a developer. The developer bearing member is rotatably supported by the developer container. The developer bearing member also has a surface facing an image bearing member on which an electrostatic latent image is to be formed. The developer is borne on the surface of the developer bearing member. The mixing/transporting member mixes and transports the developer in the developer container. The opening/closing member opens and closes a developer outlet for discharging an excess of the developer in the developer container. The drive mechanism drives the opening/closing member in association with driving of the developer bearing member or the mixing/transporting member to open the developer outlet.

Abstract: A fixing device includes: a fusing member; a heater; a nip member; a reflection member; a stay; and a backup member. The fusing member has an inner peripheral surface defining an internal space and is circularly movable. The inner peripheral surface is in sliding contact with the nip member. The reflection member reflects a radiant heat from the heater toward the nip member. The reflection member includes a reflection portion and an extending portion. The stay covers the reflection portion and supports the nip member. The extending portion extends outside of the stay. The backup member provides a nip region in cooperation with the nip member upon nipping the tubular flexible fusing member between the backup member and the nip member. The extending portion extends between the nip member and the stay. The extending portion is positioned exclusively downstream of the reflection portion in a sheet feeding direction.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes image carriers; an exposing unit that forms latent images on the image carriers; a developing unit that develops the latent images with toners of different colors from each other; a first transfer unit that forms a color image by superimposing and transferring the developed images onto a second image carrier; a test pattern forming unit that forms, on the image carriers, test patterns to be transferred onto the second image carrier; and test pattern detection units capable of detecting the test patterns transferred onto the second image carrier in different positions from each other in a main-scanning direction. The test pattern forming unit selectively switches, depending on a width of the test patterns in the main-scanning direction, whether to form each of the test patterns in a position detectable by the corresponding one of the test pattern detection units.

Abstract: A developer container includes a container body, a lid, a movable wall, and a sealing member. The container body includes an inner circumferential surface defining a cylindrical internal space extending in a first direction, and a wall part defining one end surface of the internal space in the first direction. The container body has a developer discharge port closer to the wall part. The movable wall includes an outer circumferential surface and a conveying surface defining a storage space for the developer. The movable wall is movable in the internal space in the first direction from an initial position closer to the lid of the container body to a terminal position closer to the wall part while conveying the developer in the storage space. The wall part has a developer filling port penetrating the wall part and communicating with the storage space. The sealing member seals the developer filling port.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image-bearing member, which is charged by a charge voltage in which direct and alternating-current voltages are superposed on each other. A toner image is formed on the charged image-bearing member. A current flowing through the charging member is detected when the charge voltage is applied to the charging member. A current, in a frequency band including a discharge current component, is extracted from the detected current. The alternating-current voltage is adjusted based on the current extracted by an extraction unit. Environmental information is acquired. Based on the environmental information acquired by an acquisition unit, a frequency band for extraction performed by the extraction unit is set.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus, including a body with an aperture, a processing unit movable between an inside position and an outside position, and a transfer unit, is provided. The processing unit includes first and second drum cleaners to remove waste toner from first and second photosensitive drums respectively; and a waste toner conveyer including a conveyer tube longitudinally extending in a movable direction of the processing unit, a port, a conveyer screw located inside the conveyer tube, and a shutter movable between an opening position and a closed position to open and close the port. The transfer unit includes a belt unit with a belt arranged to contact the first photosensitive drum and the second photosensitive drum, and a belt cleaner including a container with an opening which communicates with the port of the conveyer tube when the processing unit is in the inside position.