Abstract: There are provided an image forming apparatus which can implement on-demand fusing with quick rise in temperature by using the upper current (power) limit of a commercial power supply more effectively and a control method for the apparatus. The image forming apparatus includes a rechargeable battery device capable of charging and discharging. A load other than the heating element of a fusing device is designed to be capable of receiving power from the commercial power supply and/or the rechargeable battery device. At turn-on or upon returning from the energy saving mode, the supply of power from the commercial power supply and rechargeable battery device to the load is controlled. The power supplied from the commercial power supply to the fusing device is limited to a limit level corresponding to the above control result.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus has image forming means for forming an unfixed toner image on a recording material, heating and fixing means for heating and fixing the unfixed toner image on the recording material, temperature sensing means for sensing the temperature of the heating and fixing means, and power controlling means for controlling power supplied to the heating and fixing means so that the heating and fixing means keeps a fixable temperature at least on fixing operation based on an output from the temperature sensing means.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image bearing means for bearing a toner image; an intermediary transfer member, wherein the toner image is electrostatically transferred from the image bearing means onto the intermediary transfer member, and then transferred from the intermediary transfer member onto a transfer material; wherein the intermediary transfer member includes a first layer and a second layer, provided on the first layer, for receiving the toner image from the image bearing means, and wherein the second layer has a volume resistivity smaller than that of the first layer.

Abstract: A cartridge includes at least a developing device and is detachably mountable to an image forming apparatus. The image forming apparatus includes an image controller for adjusting an image on a transferring material either by directly detecting the density of a toner image formed on an image bearing body or by transferring the toner image onto a second image bearing body and detecting a density of the transferred toner image. The cartridge includes a memory storing a correction parameter, which is used to determine how a control parameter of the image controller should be changed in accordance with the degree of wear of the process cartridge.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus comprising image carrying means and an intermediate transfer body in an endless shape movable and receivable of toner images from said image carrying means at first and second transfer positions. The following formula is satisfied where a distance from said first transfer position to said second transfer position along the moving direction of said intermediate transfer body is denoted as Lab, a circumstance of said intermediate transfer in the moving direction is denoted as Lr, and a length of said toner image formed on said intermediate transfer body is denoted as Lm: Lr−Lm>Lab.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a sliding member, and a pressure member which, together with the sliding member, forms a nip part, wherein a sliding surface of the nip part of the sliding member is crown shaped along a longitudinal direction of the sliding member, and the pressure roller is an inverse crown shape along the longitudinal direction. In accordance therewith, wrinkles in a recording material and springing-up of a conveying direction of the recording material can be suppressed.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus comprising a plurality of movable image carriers, a movable intermediate transfer body, and contacting means separably contacting to said intermediate transfer body at a contacting position. Said image carrier located most closely to said contacting position in a direction extending along said intermediate transfer body on a downstream side in a moving direction of said intermediate transfer body with respect to said contacting position. Said image carrier located most closely to said contacting position in a direction extending along said intermediate transfer body on an upstream side in a moving direction of said intermediate transfer body with respect to said contacting position. A toner image formed on said intermediate transfer body is again transferred onto a transfer material after passing through said first transfer position and said second transfer position.

Abstract: An image heating apparatus for heating an image formed on a recording material includes a heating member having a heat-generating layer, and magnetic field-generating means for generating a magnetic field to induce an eddy current in the heat-generating layer. The magnetic field-generating means includes a core and a coil disposed around the core in a longitudinal direction of the core. When the coil has a minimum length L1 and a maximum length L2 respectively in a longitudinal direction thereof; the core has a maximum length Lc in the longitudinal direction thereof; the core and the heating layer form a gap d therebetween; and the recording material has a prescribed maximum size giving a passing width Lp; these values satisfying the following relationship: Lp+2(2d+1)≦Lc≦L1<L2.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a charging apparatus, comprising a discharging member having a plurality of protrusions and an auxiliary member for assisting discharges by the discharging member. Discharge is made between the discharging member and the auxiliary member upon application of a voltage between the discharging member and the auxiliary member. Where an interval among the distal ends of the plural protrusions of the discharging member is denoted as P and an interval between the discharging member and the auxiliary member is denoted as D, P is equal to or greater than D.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide an image heating apparatus that has heating device for heating an image formed on a recording material, the heating device including a moving member moving as coming into contact with the recording material, a temperature detecting element for detecting a temperature of the heating device, and power supply control device for controlling an electrical power to the heating device so that the temperature detected by the temperature detecting element is maintained at a set temperature, wherein the power supply control device sets the electrical power in accordance with the temperature detected by the temperature detecting element and a moving speed of the moving member.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus is provided with photosensitive drums for forming latent images by irradiation of light reflected by a polygon mirror and a fixing device for fixing toner images corresponding to the latent images on a sheet material. Deterioration of an image to be formed is prevented if reflective surfaces of a reflective polyhedron are thinned out in reducing a process speed of image formation. This apparatus is further provided with a control unit for, if the number of surfaces of the polygon mirror is m (where m is an integer of three or more), performing a control for selecting n such that m/(n+1) is not an integer as a relation between m and n and performing a control for making n surfaces unused as a reflective surface of light among continuous n+1 surfaces of the reflective polyhedron in decelerating the image forming process.

Abstract: An image heating apparatus for heating an image formed on a recording material includes a flexible movable member: a supporting member, having a sliding surface for sliding relative to the movable member, for supporting the movable member; a pressing member for forming a nip with the supporting member with the movable member therebetween; wherein the supporting member is provided adjacent the sliding surface with a projection which is projected toward the pressing member beyond the sliding surface, the projection being extended in a longitudinal direction of the supporting member, and wherein the supporting member is provided at a longitudinal end portion with a cut-away portion providing a projection height which is smaller than that of the projection or providing a portion substantially flush with the sliding surface

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a sliding member, and a pressure member which, together with the sliding member, forms a nip part, wherein a sliding surface of the nip part of the sliding member is crown shaped along a longitudinal direction of the sliding member, and the pressure roller is an inverse crown shape along the longitudinal direction. In accordance therewith, wrinkles in a recording material and springing-up of a conveying direction of the recording material can be suppressed.

Abstract: An image heating apparatus for heating an image formed on a recording material includes a heating member having a heat-generating layer, and magnetic field-generating means for generating a magnetic field to induce an eddy current in the heat-generating layer. The magnetic field-generating means includes a core and a coil disposed around the core in a longitudinal direction of the core.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a transfer material conveying apparatus for conveying a transfer material to which an image is fixed, comprising, an image surface roller located on an imaging surface side of the transfer material and disposed on a downstream side in a conveyance direction of the transfer material of a heating member and a pressing member for fixing an image to the transfer material and a facing roller located in facing to the image surface roller and disposed on a downstream side in a conveyance direction of the transfer material of a heating member and a pressing member for fixing an image to the transfer material. The image surface roller has a length equal to or longer than an image area on the transfer material in a direction perpendicular to the transfer material conveyance direction, and wherein the facing roller is spaced from the image surface roller with a prescribed distance.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus has image forming means for forming an unfixed toner image on a recording material, heating and fixing means for heating and fixing the unfixed toner image on the recording material, temperature sensing means for sensing the temperature of the heating and fixing means, and power controlling means for controlling power supplied to the heating and fixing means so that the heating and fixing means keeps a fixable temperature at least on fixing operation based on an output from the temperature sensing means.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image bearing means for bearing a toner image; an intermediary transfer member, wherein the toner image is electrostatically transferred from the image bearing means onto the intermediary transfer member, and then transferred from the intermediary transfer member onto a transfer material; wherein the intermediary transfer member includes a first layer and a second layer, provided on the first layer, for receiving the toner image from the image bearing means, and wherein the second layer has a volume resistivity smaller than that of the first layer.

Abstract: The present invention provides an image forming apparatus that has unfixed toner image forming device for forming unfixed toner images, and fixing device for fixing on a recording material the unfixed toner image formed by the unfixed toner image forming device, wherein the fixing device includes a film, a first back up member and a second back up member which sandwich the film therebetween and are in pressure contact with each other to form a nip portion, and device for increasing a temperature of the film, nips and conveys the recording material bearing the unfixed toner image between the film and the second back up member at the nip portion, and fixes the unfixed toner image on the recording material, wherein toner of the unfixed toner image contains a releasing agent in a binder which contains a coloring material ingredient and have a melt index value of 0.5 g or more and 100 g or less in accordance with a Melt Index measuring method, and wherein an average surface pressure at the nip portion is 5.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a plurality of image bearing members for respectively bearing toner images, a moving member, a plurality of transfer devices for electrostatically transferring a toner image on each of the image bearing members onto the moving member or a transfer material borne by the moving member, a plurality of collecting devices for respectively collecting toner on each image bearing member, a selecting device for selecting an image bearing member to which toner on the moving member is to be transferred to the plural image bearing members.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus including a unit detachably mountable on the image forming apparatus, the unit having a developing device for developing a latent image formed on an image bearing member, a developing bias setter for setting a developing bias so that an image developed by the developing device maintains a predetermined density, and a life determiner for determining a life of the unit in accordance with a developing bias set by the developing bias setter and a reference bias. The reference bias is set in accordance with data relating to a used amount of the unit.