Abstract: In one example, a flow structure for an ink supply in a liquid electrophotographic developer unit includes an elongated basin having a volume that shrinks progressively from an upstream part of the basin to a downstream part of the basin such that a rate of shrinkage increases towards the downstream part.

Abstract: The present invention relates to the technical field of printer consumables, and particularly relates to a consumable chip, a consumable and a consumable communication method. A session key for communication authentication is determined based on a communication session chip count which is selected by the consumable chip and stored in a storage device. The calculation process of the communication session chip count is avoided, thereby increasing the response speed of the consumable chip for a read request of an imaging device, and reducing the error rate.

Abstract: A particle collecting device includes: an air pipe having a flow space in which air including particles flows; and a collecting unit that is disposed in such a way as to block the flow space of the air pipe and that collects the particles included in the air. The collecting unit is a plate-shaped air-permeable member having a honeycomb structure such that a number of cells per square inch is 600 or larger and 1400 or smaller.

Abstract: A heater includes: a substrate; a first heating element being provided on one surface of the substrate and extending in a longitudinal direction of the substrate; a second heating element being provided on one surface of the substrate, extending in the longitudinal direction of the substrate, and being provided side by side with the first heating element in a direction orthogonal to the longitudinal direction; a first detecting section being provided on one surface of the substrate and detecting a temperature; a wiring being electrically connected to one ends of the first heating element, the second heating element, and the first detecting section; a first terminal being electrically connected to the other end of the first heating element; a second terminal being electrically connected to the other end of the second heating element; and a third terminal being electrically connected to the other end of the first detecting section.

Abstract: A heating device includes a rotating unit, a transport belt, a heater, and at least one heat pipe. The rotating unit rotates. The transport belt rotates together with the rotating unit while nipping a heated member together with the rotating unit so as to transport the heated member. The heater has a contact surface in contact with an inner peripheral surface of the transport belt and a non-contact surface not in contact with the inner peripheral surface of the transport belt, and generates heat so as to heat the heated member via the transport belt. The heat pipe is disposed in an oblique direction relative to a belt width direction of the transport belt such that the heat pipe is in contact with the non-contact surface of the heater, and transfers heat in the oblique direction in accordance with a function of a working fluid enclosed inside the heat pipe.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a first frame member, a second frame member opposing the first frame member, a cartridge, a cartridge holding member, an air blowing portion, a first opening, a second opening opposing the first opening, an air discharge passage member, and an outer casing member provided so as to cover an outside of the second frame member and permitting discharge of the air to an outside of the image forming apparatus through the air discharge passage member.

Abstract: A transport device includes a first transport member that orbits in a predetermined direction and transports a sheet-like medium; a second transport member that forms a first sandwiching region that is curved and a second sandwiching region that is curved in a direction opposite to the first sandwiching region between the first transport member and the second transport member, and sandwiches and transports the medium in the first sandwiching region and the second sandwiching region; and a changing unit that changes a positional relationship between the first transport member and the second transport member so as to increase a width of the other of the first sandwiching region and the second sandwiching region in a transport direction of the medium without increasing a width of one of the first sandwiching region and the second sandwiching region in the transport direction of the medium.

Abstract: An image heating apparatus including: a first rotating member; a second rotating member which forms a nip portion between the first rotating member and the second rotating member; a frame member which supports the second rotating member; a biasing member which biases the first rotating member toward the second rotating member; a moving member which supports the biasing member at an end portion of the biasing member on an opposite side to a side of an end portion where the first rotating member is arranged; and an adjustment member which comes into contact with the moving member and which adjusts a position of the moving member with respect to the frame member, wherein a contact portion between the moving member and the adjustment member in the biasing direction regulates relative movement of the moving member and the adjustment member in a direction perpendicular to the biasing direction.

Abstract: A heating device includes a base, a plurality of resistance heating elements, a power control circuit, a first temperature sensor, a second temperature sensor, and control circuitry. The resistance heating elements is disposed in a longitudinal direction of the base and electrically connected in parallel with each other. The power control circuit is configured to supply electrical power to the resistance heating elements. The control circuitry is configured to control an electrical power amount of the power control circuit so that temperatures of the resistance heating elements become equal to a first predetermined temperature based on a result of sensing with a first temperature sensor of the resistance heating elements and cut off the electrical power supplied from the power control circuit to the resistance heating elements in response to sensing of a second predetermined temperature with a second temperature sensor of the resistance heating elements.

Abstract: Discloses herein is a storage component disassembly tooling, which can be used to disassemble a storage component on a process cartridge. The process cartridge comprises a housing and a storage component mounting bracket provided on the housing for supporting the storage component. The storage component disassembly tooling comprises: a drilling portion; and a positioning portion, wherein the positioning portion can position the storage component disassembly tooling on the housing of the process cartridge, and the drilling portion can be drilled into the storage component mounting bracket and destroy at least a part of the storage component mounting bracket. The storage component disassembly tooling not only has simple operation, shortens the disassembly time of the storage component, improves the disassembly efficiency, and saves time and labor. Moreover, the storage component disassembly tooling has a relatively simple structure, and the manufacturing difficulty and manufacturing cost are relatively low.

Abstract: A heater includes a base layer, a heat generator mounted on the base layer, and a slide layer mounted on the base layer. A sliding face of a counterpart slides over the slide layer. The slide layer is made of a material containing fluorine and includes a slide face that contacts the sliding face of the counterpart. The slide face of the slide layer has a surface roughness that is greater than a surface roughness of the sliding face of the counterpart.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a photoconductor, a charger; a charge voltage applier that applies first and second charge voltages to the charger; an exposure device; a development device; a development voltage applier that applies first and second development voltages to the development device; a transfer device; a fixing device; a motor that drives the photoconductor simultaneously with at least one of the transfer device, the fixing device, and the transporter; and a controller. When the motor is driven for image formation, the first charge voltage and the first development voltage are respectively applied to the charge voltage applier and the development voltage applier. When the motor is driven for an operation other than image formation, the second charge voltage and the second development voltage are respectively applied to the charge voltage applier and the development voltage applier.

Abstract: An intermediate transfer medium onto which a toner image is transferred is provided. The intermediate transfer medium comprises a base layer and an elastic layer overlying the base layer. The elastic layer contains spherical fine particles to form an irregular surface, and the spherical fine particles have a volume resistivity of 1×10?4 ?·cm or more and less than 1×100 ?·cm.

Abstract: A heater fixing holder is configured to be detachably attached on a heating roller and a heater inside the heating roller. The heating roller constitutes part of a fixing device configured to fix an image onto a recording medium. The heater fixing holder includes a fitting portion configured to be penetrated with and fit with an end portion of the heater and a gripping portion configured to hold an outer peripheral surface of the heating roller. The heater fixing holder is configured to hold and fix the heater at a position at which the heater does not contact an inner wall of the heating roller.

Abstract: A fixing device includes a cylindrical film, a support member disposed on an inner peripheral surface of the film, a heating member supported by the support member and provided slidably with the film, and a pressing member that forms a pressure contact portion together with the heating member through the film. The fixing device heats a recording medium while pressing the recording medium at the pressure contact portion. A first thermally conductive member and a second thermally conductive member are provided between the heating member and the support member. The first and second thermally conductive members having thermal conductivity higher than that of the support member are configured to engage with each other.

Abstract: A positioning structure includes a positioning aiding member attached to a horizontal beam of a sheet feeder and having a positioning hole formed at an opposed portion thereof opposed to the horizontal beam. The positioning aiding member has a guide part that, when an image forming apparatus is installed onto a top of the sheet feeder, guides a horizontal beam of the image forming apparatus such that a positioning hole formed in a lower surface of the horizontal beam of the image forming apparatus approaches a first positioning pin coupled with the positioning aiding member as viewed in an extending direction of the horizontal beam of the sheet feeder.

Abstract: A gear mechanism includes: at least one gear including a rotation shaft; and at least one bearing portion. The at least one gear can meshingly engage with another gear that applies a force to the at least one gear. The at least one bearing portion includes: a collar portion supporting the rotation shaft; and a notched portion exposing a portion of the rotation shaft to an outside. A first imaginary plane defines a first region and a second region of the at least one bearing portion. The first imaginary plane extends in an axial direction and contains a first linear line passing through a center of the rotation shaft and perpendicular to a direction of a line of action of the force. The first region is positioned downstream of the first linear line in the direction of the line of action. The notched portion is formed in the second region.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: an image carrier configured to carry an image; a transfer unit configured to transfer the image to a medium; and a cleaner configured to remove deposits on a surface of the image carrier after passing through a position of the transfer unit, in which when a type of a medium to be used is a first medium, the cleaner improves an ability to remove the deposits from the image carrier as compared with a case where the medium to be used is a second medium having a lower transfer sensitivity than the first medium.

Abstract: A cleaning device includes a sheet conveyance roller, and a cleaning unit that cleans a surface of the sheet conveyance roller. The cleaning unit includes a cleaning member that can come in contact with the surface of the sheet conveyance roller, and a pressing roller that presses the cleaning member against the surface of the sheet conveyance roller. The pressing roller includes a low Young's modulus area formed at least on a part of the pressing roller in a radial direction, the low Young's modulus area having a Young's modulus lower than a Young's modulus of the sheet conveyance roller. When the surface of the sheet conveyance roller is cleaned, the pressing roller is pressed against the sheet conveyance roller so as to elastically deform in the radial direction in a state where the cleaning member is sandwiched between the pressing roller and the sheet conveyance roller.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, a fixing device, includes a fixing member having a first surface configured to be pressed against a recording medium and a heater on a second surface of the fixing member. A first heat conducting member contacts aback surface side of the heater, and a second heat conducting member is provided to be moveable between a first state, in which the second heat conducting member is in contact with the first heat conducting member and the second surface of the fixing member, and a second state, in which the second heat conducting member is contacting the first heat conducting member, but separated from the second surface of the fixing member.