Abstract: There is provided a developing device for developing an electrostatic latent image formed on a photoreceptor with a developer to form an image, including: a developing container that contains the developer; and a developing roller that faces the photoreceptor, is arranged adjacent to the developing container, and conveys the developer contained in the developing container to the photoreceptor, wherein the developing roller includes a magnetic pole forming part to be formed with a plurality of magnetic poles along a circumferential direction of the developing roller, at least a catch pole is formed as one of the plurality of magnetic poles, and in the catch pole, an amount of a total magnetic charge in an axial direction of the developing roller is kept constant, and a part of magnetic flux density distribution is different from another part of magnetic flux density distribution along the axial direction of the developing roller.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: a developer casing that accommodates a developer; a developer detector that is disposed in the developer casing, and that detects, based on magnetic force, the developer from a plurality of detection ranges that is close to each other and is disposed side by side in a vertical direction in the developer casing; and a hardware processor that performs control of detecting a liquid level position of the developer in the developer casing, based on a detection result detected by the developer detector.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: an image former that forms a toner image based on input image information by superposing toners of plural colors on a recording material; a fixer that fixes the toner image formed on the recording material; a toner amount calculator that calculates, from the input image information, an amount of toners to be superposed on the recording material; and a hardware processor that controls the image former to supply an assistance toner that assists melting of the toners used for forming the toner image based on the input image information by an amount corresponding to the calculated amount of toners.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus that forms an image on a transfer material in an image forming mode, includes: a photoreceptor rotatable in a predetermined rotation direction; a developer that forms a toner image on the photoreceptor using a two-component developing agent including toner and a carrier; a transferor that transfers the toner image on the photoreceptor onto the transfer material; a carrier collector that applies an electric field corresponding to a collecting bias to a carrier adhering to the photoreceptor to collect the carrier; a carrier detector that detects a carrier remaining on the photoreceptor after collecting the carrier by the carrier collector; and a hardware processor that sets the collecting bias in the image forming mode on the basis of the amount of carriers detected by the carrier detector when a carrier adhesion detecting mode for forcibly causing a carrier to adhere to the photoreceptor is executed.

Abstract: A developing apparatus includes: a developer carrying body that carries a developer and is rotationally driven; a developer stirring member that is rotationally driven and thereby stirs the developer and conveys the developer to the developer carrying body; and a developer recovery member that is rotationally driven and thereby returns and recovers the developer stripped from the developer carrying body after development of the electrostatic latent image, to the developer stirring member, wherein a driving speed of the developer stirring member and a driving speed of the developer recovery member are independently controllable from each other.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: a developer casing that accommodates a developer; an developer detector that is disposed in the developer casing, and that detects, based on magnetic force, the developer from a plurality of detection ranges that is close to each other and is disposed side by side in a vertical direction in the developer casing; and a hardware processor that performs control of detecting a liquid level position of the developer in the developer casing, based on a detection result detected by the developer detector.

Abstract: There is provided a developing device for developing an electrostatic latent image formed on a photoreceptor with a developer to form an image, including: a developing container that contains the developer; and a developing roller that faces the photoreceptor, is arranged adjacent to the developing container, and conveys the developer contained in the developing container to the photoreceptor, wherein the developing roller includes a magnetic pole forming part to be formed with a plurality of magnetic poles along a circumferential direction of the developing roller, at least a catch pole is formed as one of the plurality of magnetic poles, and in the catch pole, an amount of a total magnetic charge in an axial direction of the developing roller is kept constant, and a part of magnetic flux density distribution is different from another part of magnetic flux density distribution along the axial direction of the developing roller.

Abstract: A developing device includes: an image bearing member; a plurality of developing rollers each supplying toner to the image bearing member, and developing an electrostatic latent image on the image bearing member into a toner image; and a hardware processor analyzing values representing density fluctuations during the toner being supplied from the developing rollers to the image bearing member, for the respective developing rollers, and correcting a control value for an image density of at least one developing roller among the developing rollers based on an result of the analyzing so as to eliminate the density fluctuations, in consideration of an effect caused at the developing roller on a downstream side in a rotational direction of the image bearing member by correcting the control value for the image density of the developing roller on an upstream side.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: an image former that forms on a recording material a toner image based on input image information; a fixer that fixes a toner image formed on the recording material; and a hardware processor that controls the image former and the fixer in which the hardware processor controls the image former to supply, to a region where no toner is provided between toner images based on the input image information, complementing toner having a thermal conductivity higher than a thermal conductivity of toner for forming the toner image based on input image information.

Abstract: A developing device includes: an image bearing member; a plurality of developing rollers each supplying toner to the image bearing member, and developing an electrostatic latent image on the image bearing member into a toner image; and a hardware processor analyzing values representing density fluctuations during the toner being supplied from the developing rollers to the image bearing member, for the respective developing rollers, and correcting a control value for an image density of at least one developing roller among the developing rollers based on an result of the analyzing so as to eliminate the density fluctuations, in consideration of an effect caused at the developing roller on a downstream side in a rotational direction of the image bearing member by correcting the control value for the image density of the developing roller on an upstream side.

Abstract: A developing device, includes a first storage chamber that stores developer; a first conveyor that is disposed in the first storage chamber and conveys developer; a developer supporter that is disposed so as to face an image supporter, supports developer conveyed from the first conveyor, and conveys the supported developer to a developing position where an electrostatic latent image formed on the image supporter is developed; a second storage chamber that stores developer conveyed via the developing position and communicates with the first storage chamber at a confluent opening; a second conveyor that is disposed in the second storage chamber and conveys developer conveyed via the developing position toward the confluent opening; and a third storage chamber that stores developer overflowing in a case where an amount of developer in the second storage chamber becomes a predetermined amount or more.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: a primary transfer unit configured to transfer a toner image formed on an image carrier onto an intermediate transfer belt through primary transfer; and a secondary transfer unit configured to transfer the toner image formed on the intermediate transfer belt onto a recording medium through secondary transfer, wherein the secondary transfer unit extends along a width direction of the recording medium and includes a roller pair and a switching unit, the roller pair being configured to nip the intermediate transfer belt and the recording medium such that the intermediate transfer belt and the recording medium are in pressure contact with each other, the switching unit being configured to switch a length of at least one of the roller pair in a shaft direction.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus that forms an image on a transfer material in an image forming mode, includes: a photoreceptor rotatable in a predetermined rotation direction; a developer that forms a toner image on the photoreceptor using a two-component developing agent including toner and a carrier; a transferor that transfers the toner image on the photoreceptor onto the transfer material; a carrier collector that applies an electric field corresponding to a collecting bias to a carrier adhering to the photoreceptor to collect the carrier; a carrier detector that detects a carrier remaining on the photoreceptor after collecting the carrier by the carrier collector; and a hardware processor that sets the collecting bias in the image forming mode on the basis of the amount of carriers detected by the carrier detector when a carrier adhesion detecting mode for forcibly causing a carrier to adhere to the photoreceptor is executed.

Abstract: A developing device, includes a first storage chamber that stores developer; a first conveyor that is disposed in the first storage chamber and conveys developer; a developer supporter that is disposed so as to face an image supporter, supports developer conveyed from the first conveyor, and conveys the supported developer to a developing position where an electrostatic latent image formed on the image supporter is developed; a second storage chamber that stores developer conveyed via the developing position and communicates with the first storage chamber at a confluent opening; a second conveyor that is disposed in the second storage chamber and conveys developer conveyed via the developing position toward the confluent opening; and a third storage chamber that stores developer overflowing in a case where an amount of developer in the second storage chamber becomes a predetermined amount or more.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: an image former that forms a toner image based on input image information by superposing toners of plural colors on a recording material; a fixer that fixes the toner image formed on the recording material; a toner amount calculator that calculates, from the input image information, an amount of toners to be superposed on the recording material; and a hardware processor that controls the image former to supply an assistance toner that assists melting of the toners used for forming the toner image based on the input image information by an amount corresponding to the calculated amount of toners.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: an image former that forms on a recording material a toner image based on input image information; a fixer that fixes a toner image formed on the recording material; and a hardware processor that controls the image former and the fixer in which the hardware processor controls the image former to supply, to a region where no toner is provided between toner images based on the input image information, complementing toner having a thermal conductivity higher than a thermal conductivity of toner for forming the toner image based on input image information.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: a primary transfer unit configured to transfer a toner image formed on an image carrier onto an intermediate transfer belt through primary transfer; and a secondary transfer unit configured to transfer the toner image formed on the intermediate transfer belt onto a recording medium through secondary transfer, wherein the secondary transfer unit extends along a width direction of the recording medium and includes a roller pair and a switching unit, the roller pair being configured to nip the intermediate transfer belt and the recording medium such that the intermediate transfer belt and the recording medium are in pressure contact with each other, the switching unit being configured to switch a length of at least one of the roller pair in a shaft direction.

Abstract: A distance between a reference position and a reference image of a sheet is accurately measured without adding a special device even when an attitude of the sheet is not stable. An aspect of the present invention obtains image data by reading a sheet surface formed with the reference image such as a trim mark by a reading portion. A height calculation portion calculates edge-blur amounts of the reference position and the reference image on the sheet surface from the image data. Furthermore, a height calculation portion detects heights from a focus position to the sheet surface for the reference position and the reference image, from the edge-blur amount and a reflected light amount of a white solid portion. Moreover, a distance detection portion calculates a distance between the reference position and the reference image on the sheet surface, on the basis of a detection result.

Abstract: A distance between a reference position and a reference image of a sheet is accurately measured without adding a special device even when an attitude of the sheet is not stable. An aspect of the present invention obtains image data by reading a sheet surface formed with the reference image such as a trim mark by a reading portion. A height calculation portion calculates edge-blur amounts of the reference position and the reference image on the sheet surface from the image data. Furthermore, a height calculation portion detects heights from a focus position to the sheet surface for the reference position and the reference image, from the edge-blur amount and a reflected light amount of a white solid portion. Moreover, a distance detection portion calculates a distance between the reference position and the reference image on the sheet surface, on the basis of a detection result.

Abstract: Disclosed are a method for detecting or quantitatively determining a single-stranded DNA fragment having a specific nucleic acid sequence through hybridization, and a reagent kit for the detection or determination. A carrier-bonded DNA probe comprising (a) a single-stranded DNA probe having a nucleic acid sequence complementary to the specific nucleic acid sequence of the single-stranded DNA fragment to be detected or quantitatively determined in a sample, and (b) a carrier comprising a substance with a very low adsorbance for DNA, as bonded together via or without a spacer therebetween, is hybridized with DNA fragments in the sample, and the hybridized DNA fragment is detected or quantitatively determined.