Abstract: It is enabled to prevent packing of toner and supply toner stably. A toner supplying device has a toner cartridge attached to an upper part thereof a storage tank in which toner supplied from the toner cartridge is stored temporarily and discharges the toner from a toner discharge port provided in a lower end of the storage tank. A conveyance screw for discharging the toner from the toner discharge port is provided inside the storage tank and the storage tank has a shaft support hole for supporting a shaft of the conveyance screw that coincides with a rotational center axis of the conveyance screw. The shaft support hole is formed as along hole in which the shaft is able to be displaced in one direction or a direction opposite to the one direction.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a cartridge; and a drawer frame. The cartridge includes first and second frames; and first and second engagement portions. The first frame supports a photosensitive drum. The second frame supports a developing roller and moves relative to the first frame between a contact position where the developing roller is in contact with the photosensitive drum and the second engagement portion disengages from the first engagement portion and a separated position where the developing roller is spaced away from the photosensitive drum and the second engagement portion engages with the first engagement portion. The drawer frame is configured to move between an inside position inside a housing and an outside position outside the housing, and has a releasing part configured to release engagement of the first and second engagement portions so as to move the second frame from the separated position to the contact position.

Abstract: A printing control apparatus includes an acquiring unit, a storing unit, a replacing unit, and a generating unit. The acquiring unit is configured to acquire apparatus configuration information of a printing apparatus that forms an image based on image data. The storing unit is configured to store therein gloss control plane data in which a type of a surface effect imparted to a recording medium and a control value for specifying an area in the recording medium, to which the surface effect is imparted, are designated. The replacing unit is configured to replace, based on the apparatus configuration information, the type of the surface effect imparted to the recording medium in the gloss control plane data with a predetermined type of a surface effect. The generating unit is configured to generate the image data based on the gloss control plane data subjected to the replacement by the replacing unit.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes process units and developer cartridges; a process unit supporting member; a cartridge supporting member; and a moving mechanism. Each developer cartridge includes a transporting member configured to transport developer to a corresponding process unit. The moving mechanism is configured to move each transporting member between a communicated position, in which developer is transported to the corresponding process unit, and an interrupted position, in which transporting of developer to the corresponding process unit is interrupted.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a cooling conveyor to cool a recording material having an image fixed by heat while sandwiching and conveying the recording material. The cooling conveyor includes a conveyance belt, a cooling member, and a cooling unit. The conveyance belt sandwiches and conveys the recording material. The cooling member absorbs heat of the recording material via the conveyance belt. The cooling unit maintains the cooling member at low temperature. The cooling conveyor performs control of stopping the cooling unit in a standby state of the image forming apparatus, activating the cooling unit and performing a preliminary cooling operation to decrease temperature of the cooling member after a shift from the standby state to image forming operation, and then bringing the recording material into contact with the conveyance belt.

Abstract: A transfer device includes a transfer member provided so as to be able to revolve, and a voltage application unit. The transfer member has an upper layer and a lower layer arranged in a thickness direction, the upper layer has a larger volume resistivity than the lower layer. The transfer member receives a developer image transferred from an image bearing member to the upper layer at a first transfer portion and transfers the developer image to a recording medium at a second transfer portion. The voltage application unit applies an alternating-current voltage having a polarity that alternates in a moving direction of the transfer member to the transfer member, between the second transfer portion and the first transfer portion.

Abstract: A fixing device for thermally fixing a developing agent image to a sheet includes: a flexible tubular member having an inner peripheral surface and circularly moving in a moving direction while the developing agent image is thermally fixed; a heater; a nip member being in sliding contact with the tubular member; a backup member nipping the tubular member in cooperation with the nip member; a stay covering the heater and supporting the nip member; an electric component positioned opposite to the heater with respect to the stay; and a frame supporting the electric component. The frame includes: an isolating portion interposed between the tubular member and the electric component for isolating the electric component from the tubular member; and a guide portion guiding the inner peripheral surface of the tubular member while the flexible tubular member is moving in the moving direction.

Abstract: An improved laser print cartridge having a reduced defect rate. The improved laser print cartridge includes a printing assembly, a primary cleaning assembly, and a paper cleaning assembly. The printing assembly includes a drum, a primary charge roller, and a toner roller for applying toner to printer paper. The primary cleaning assembly includes a wiper blade for removing large debris particles from the drum into a large particle receiving volume. The paper cleaning assembly provides a wicking flange for removing smaller particles of debris not removed by the wiper blade. As such, the wicking flange is positioned in between the wiper blade and the primary charge roller and is mounted to the wiper blade. A cleaning portion of the wicking flange is pressed against the drum and either absorbs the debris or wipes the debris into a small particle receiving volume delineated by the drum, wicking flange, and wiper blade.

Abstract: An attachment mechanism of an optical scanning device includes a frame body provided with a supporting base having engaging parts; and a position fixing member arranged between the optical scanning device and the supporting base to have an erection plate, a first supporting plate and a second supporting plate. The first or second supporting plate includes a fitted hole fitting with a positioning boss of the optical scanning device. The first and second supporting plates respectively include first engaged parts and second engaged parts. The position fixing member is attached to the supporting base by engaging one of the first engaged parts and one of the second engaged parts with the engaging parts. The position fixing member changes a plane position of the fitted hole by engaging positions of the engaging parts with the first and second engaged parts and changes a height of the fitted hole by inverting.

Abstract: A drive gear for a generally cylindrical imaging component. The drive gear includes a body for engaging the generally cylindrical imaging component; a cylindrical shaft attached to the body, the cylindrical shaft having an end surface; and three prongs extending longitudinally outward from the end surface. Each prong may include an extension member extending perpendicular to the prongs and the cross-sectional area of the extension members may be less than the cross-sectional area of the prongs.

Abstract: A fixing device for thermally fixing a developing agent image to a sheet includes: a flexible tubular member defining an axis extending in an axial direction; a heater; a nip plate configured to be in sliding contact with the tubular member and having an engaging portion; a backup member configured to nip the flexible tubular member in cooperation with the nip plate; and a stay configured to support the nip plate and having an end portion in the axial direction. The stay includes: a support portion configured to support the nip plate; a plurality of hook portions provided at the end portion to support the nip plate; and a protruding portion protruding toward the backup member and configured to engage the engaging portion such that the nip plate is restricted from moving in a direction orthogonal to a direction in which the backup member confronts the nip plate.

Abstract: A liquid development device includes a storage section storing a liquid developer in which toner is dispersed, a development member to which the liquid developer stored in the storage section is applied using an application unit, a removing device that, after an electrostatic latent image in a latent image-holding member is developed, removes the liquid developer remaining in the development member, and a shearing device that is provided in a path through which the liquid developer removed using the removing device is returned to the storage section, and applies a shear force to the liquid developer by making the liquid developer pass through a contact section of two members either or both of which rotate and that have different circumferential velocities from each other.

Abstract: A cartridge includes: first and second cartridge constituent members assembled with each other; a memory for storing information on the cartridge; a color display member for displaying color information of a developer accommodated in the cartridge; first and second supporting portions provided on the first and second cartridge constituent members, wherein the first supporting portion is provided with a slit for permitting insertion of the memory, and the second supporting portion is provided with a slit for permitting insertion of the color display member; and first and second preventing portions provided on the other cartridge constituent member. When the first and second cartridge constituent members are assembled with each other, the first preventing portion prevents movement of the memory inserted in the first supporting portion, and the second preventing portion prevents movement of the color display member inserted in the second supporting portion.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image forming device configured to form a toner image on a sheet, a fixing device, including first and second rotatable members, for forming a nip, configured to fix the toner image formed on the sheet by the image forming device, a mounting portion to which the fixing device is detachably mountable substantially along a longitudinal direction thereof, a pressing mechanism configured to press the first rotatable member toward the second rotatable member by entrance thereof, along a direction substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal direction, into a space of the mounting portion through which the fixing device passes during mounting and demounting, and a retracting mechanism configured to retract the pressing mechanism from the space.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a developing unit configured to develop an electrostatic latent image, a mounting detection unit configured to detect that a container T is mounted on a mounting unit, a driving unit configured to rotate the container T, a rotation detection unit configured to detect rotation information about the container T, and a controller configured to control the driving unit based on the rotation information. If the container T is detected to be mounted on the mounting unit, control of the driving unit is not carried out based on the rotation information until replenishment information satisfies a predetermined condition.

Abstract: An image heating apparatus includes: an endless belt; a heater for heating the belt, the heater forms a sliding portion between an inner surface of the belt and the heater; a rotatable member cooperative with the heater to sandwich the belt to form a nip between an outer peripheral surface of the belt and the rotatable member; a temperature detector provided on a surface of the heater relatively more remote from the sliding portion than the heater; a controller for controlling the timing of feeding the sheet to the nip on the basis of an output of the detector; and lubricant provided in at least a part of the sliding portion except for a range which is in an opposing relation with the detector. The sliding portion is free of the lubricant in the range.

Abstract: A cover opening and closing mechanism includes a first cover member having a first sheet placing surface and a second cover member having a second sheet placing surface. The first cover member has a first engagement part at a distal end of the first sheet placing surface, the second cover member has a second engagement part at a distal end of the second sheet placing surface so that the first sheet placing surface is flush with the second sheet placing surface. During a process in which the first cover member swings in a close direction, a first contact part of the first cover member, which is other than the first sheet placing surface, contacts to a second contact part of the second cover member, which is other than the second sheet placing surface, before the first engagement part contacts to the second engagement part.

Abstract: A toner conveying device includes a first communication opening, a toner supply opening, a toner conveyance passage, an opening/closing member, and a moving member. The first communication opening communicates with a toner discharge outlet formed in a toner case in a state where the toner case is attached to a predetermined attachment position, the toner case including an operation portion. The toner conveyance passage connects the first communication opening to the toner supply opening. The opening/closing member moves between a closing position and an opening position. When the opening/closing member is at the closing position, the toner supply opening is closed, and when the opening/closing member is at the opening position, the toner supply opening is opened. The moving member is dislocated in conjunction with an operation of the operation portion in such a way as to move the opening/closing member from the closing position to the opening position.

Abstract: A rotatable heating member incorporating a heat source configured to heat a toner image on a sheet includes an elastic layer and a surface layer provided on the elastic layer. When thermal effusivity of the surface layer is Bs and thermal effusivity of the elastic layer is Be, the following relationship is satisfied: ?0.04<(Be?Bs)/Be<0.04.

Abstract: A power transmission device includes a drive coupling, a driven coupling, and an intermediate transmission member. The drive coupling receives power from a drive source and rotates. The driven coupling is disposed coaxially on a first rotary shaft of the drive coupling and detachably attachable relative to the main body of the image forming apparatus. The intermediate transmission member meshes with the drive coupling and the driven coupling and is held by one of the drive coupling and the driven coupling in a state in which the driven coupling is disengaged from the main body. One of the drive coupling and the driven coupling, whichever holds the intermediate transmission member, constitutes a retaining coupling including an attachment member attached to one of a drive-side device and a driven-side device, and a stopper assembly facing the intermediate transmission member in an axial direction of the first rotary shaft.