Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image bearing member on which a latent image is formed, a developer carrying member for developing the latent image, and an electroconductive regulating member for regulating a layer thickness of the developer in contact with the developer carrying member. A voltage source applies, to the electroconductive regulating member, a voltage of the same polarity as a polarity of the developer on a surface of the developer carrying member at least during a developing operation. The developer remaining on the surface of the image bearing member, after a developer image formed on the image bearing member is transferred, is collected by the developer carrying member.

Abstract: Fluctuations in chargeability in an initial state are expected to be small. If a charging member is new, an image forming apparatus performs a supply operation for supplying a developer or a lubricant prior to an image forming operation in such a manner that the developer or the lubricant adheres to a surface of the charging member.

Abstract: In an image forming apparatus configured such that a developer remaining on an image bearing member 1 without being transferred to a recording material P is moved from the image bearing member to a developer bearing member 31 and then recovered in a developer storage portion 35, when forming a second image on a rear face of the recording material P having a surface on which a first image is fixed with a fixing device 6, a second potential difference between surface potential of the image bearing member 1 after charging with a charging member 2 when forming the second image and potential of the developer bearing member 31 is less than a first potential difference when forming a first image.

Abstract: A developing device includes a developer bearing member, a regulating member configured to regulate an amount of the developer borne by the developer bearing member, and a toner seal member being in contact with a peripheral surface of the developer bearing member. The regulating member includes a flexible support member and a blade member supported by the support member and being in contact with the developer bearing member, an end portion of the regulating member more protrudes toward the developer bearing member than a central portion thereof in a rotation axial direction of the developer bearing member. The toner seal member is pressed along the rotation axial direction to the end portion of the regulating member in the rotation axial direction.

Abstract: Fluctuations in chargeability in an initial state are expected to be small. If a charging member is new, an image forming apparatus performs a supply operation for supplying a developer or a lubricant prior to an image forming operation in such a manner that the developer or the lubricant adheres to a surface of the charging member.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: an image bearing member; a charging member for electrically charging the image bearing member in contact with the image bearing member; and a developing member for supplying developer in contact with the image bearing member. The developer remaining on the image bearing member after transfer is collected by the developing member. A Martens hardness HMR of a surface of the charging member and a Martens hardness HMD of a surface of the developer satisfy the following relationship: HMD>HMR.

Abstract: Fluctuations in chargeability in an initial state are expected to be small. If a charging member is new, an image forming apparatus performs a supply operation for supplying a developer or a lubricant prior to an image forming operation in such a manner that the developer or the lubricant adheres to a surface of the charging member.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: an image bearing member; a developer carrying member; an electroconductive regulating member; and a bias applying portion for applying, to the regulating member, a bias of the same polarity as a polarity of the developer on a surface of the developer carrying member at least during a developing operation. The developer remaining on the surface of the image bearing member after transfer of a developer image is transferred is collected by the developer carrying member. At timing when the developer carrying member is driven in a period other than during the developing operation, a potential difference between the regulating member and the developer carrying member is made zero or a voltage which is different from a voltage applied to the developer carrying member toward a side of a polarity opposite the polarity of the developer is applied to the regulating member.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a controller that executes a collection sequence to collect developer of opposite polarity adhering to a charging member. The controller executes the collection sequence by setting a first potential difference to allow the developer of opposite polarity to move from the charging member to an image bearing member, setting a second potential difference to allow the developer of opposite polarity to move from the image bearing member to a developer bearing member and to allow the developer of regular polarity to move from the developer bearing member to the image bearing member, setting a third potential difference to not allow the developer of regular polarity to move from the image bearing member to the charging member, and setting a fourth potential difference to allow the developer of regular polarity to move from the image bearing member to the developer bearing member.

Abstract: A collection sequence, according to the present invention, is executed by controlling the charging bias to the first charging bias in such a manner that the difference ?V1 between the charging bias and the surface potential of the image bearing member is predetermined difference; by controlling the developing bias to the first developing bias in such a manner that the difference ?V2 between the developing bias and the surface potential is predetermined difference; and by controlling the developing bias to the second developing bias in such a manner that the difference ?V3 between the developing bias and the surface potential is predetermined difference.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: an image bearing member; a charging member for electrically charging the image bearing member in contact with the image bearing member; and a developing member for supplying developer in contact with the image bearing member. The developer remaining on the image bearing member after transfer is collected by the developing member. A Martens hardness HMR of a surface of the charging member and a Martens hardness HMD of a surface of the developer satisfy the following relationship: HMD>HMR.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a developing unit including a developer bearing member configured to bear a developer, the axis of the developer bearing member being inclined with respect to the axis of an image bearing member. The developing unit includes a developer accommodating chamber that accommodates the developer; and a conveying member provided in the developer accommodating chamber and supplying the developer from the developer accommodating chamber to the developer bearing member by rotation. The axis of the conveying member is inclined with respect to the axis of the developer bearing member. The developer conveying force of the conveying member differs depending on the position in the axial direction thereof and increases as the distance from the axis of the conveying member to the surface of the developer bearing member increases.

Abstract: Fluctuations in chargeability in an initial state are expected to be small. If a charging member is new, an image forming apparatus performs a supply operation for supplying a developer or a lubricant prior to an image forming operation in such a manner that the developer or the lubricant adheres to a surface of the charging member.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a developing unit including a developer bearing member configured to bear a developer, the axis of the developer bearing member being inclined with respect to the axis of an image bearing member. The developing unit includes a developer accommodating chamber that accommodates the developer; and a conveying member provided in the developer accommodating chamber and supplying the developer from the developer accommodating chamber to the developer bearing member by rotation. The axis of the conveying member is inclined with respect to the axis of the developer bearing member. The developer conveying force of the conveying member differs depending on the position in the axial direction thereof and increases as the distance from the axis of the conveying member to the surface of the developer bearing member increases.

Abstract: Provided is a technology that enhances the detection precision of the residual amount of a developer. An apparatus according to the invention includes: an accommodating portion in which a developer is accommodated; a sheet-like stirring member that, by rotating, stirs the developer accommodated in the accommodating portion; a piezoelectric element that is affixed to the stirring member and that outputs voltage when being deformed; and a deflection forming portion that comes in contact with the stirring member, thereby causing the stirring member to deflect, when a free end of the rotating stirring member is outside a developer accumulation region in the accommodating portion.

Abstract: A developer container unit includes a container containing developer and a piezoelectric film for detecting an amount of developer in the container. A sensitivity of the piezoelectric film to a stress in a direction parallel to a film surface is greater than a sensitivity of the piezoelectric film to a stress in a direction perpendicular to the film surface, and the piezoelectric film is deformable with a movement thereof relative to the developer.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus detects the presence or absence of a toner seal and whether a cartridge is loaded on a main body of the image forming apparatus without use of an additional redundant detection means, due to the provision of an electrically-conductive layer at the toner seal for sealing and closing an opening in a process cartridge including a developer container.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus detects the presence or absence of a toner seal and whether a cartridge is loaded on a main body of the image forming apparatus without use of an additional redundant detection means, due to the provision of an electrically-conductive layer at the toner seal for sealing and closing an opening in a process cartridge including a developer container.