Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a first image forming device, a plurality of second image forming devices, a first bias voltage supply device, and a second bias voltage supply device. The first image forming device and the second image forming device form a toner image. The first bias voltage supply device applies a bias voltage to a first component of the first image forming device. The second bias voltage supply device applies a bias voltage to a second component of each of the plurality of second image forming devices.

Abstract: A belt positioning system for positioning a movable belt entrained about a plurality of generally parallel rollers for moving in a trans-axial direction perpendicular to an axial direction in which the rollers extend parallel to each other includes a flange. The flange is operatively connected to an axial end of a specific one of the plurality of generally parallel rollers to define a contact surface therealong which extends generally perpendicular to the axial direction to contact an adjoining edge of the belt. The contact surface of the flange is spaced apart from the axial end of the roller in the axial direction.

Abstract: A belt positioning system for positioning a movable belt entrained about a plurality of generally parallel rollers for moving in a trans-axial direction perpendicular to an axial direction in which the rollers extend parallel to each other includes a flange. The flange is operatively connected to an axial end of a specific one of the plurality of generally parallel rollers to define a contact surface therealong which extends generally perpendicular to the axial direction to contact an adjoining edge of the belt. The contact surface of the flange is spaced apart from the axial end of the roller in the axial direction.

Abstract: A cleaning unit, which is included in a process cartridge or an image forming apparatus, includes a brush rotary body to remove toner, a toner collecting rotary body to collect the toner, a toner collecting blade to scrape the toner, and a cleaning blade to scrape the toner falling from the brush rotary body. The image carrier, the brush rotary body, and the toner collecting rotary body rotate in the same direction. The cleaning blade, the brush rotary body, and the toner collecting rotary body are located to cause a tangential line passing through a contact area of the brush rotary body and the toner collecting rotary body on an outer peripheral circle around a shaft of the brush rotary body to have an intersection point intersecting a non-contact surface of the cleaning blade disposed opposite to a contact portion of the cleaning blade with the image carrier.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image carrier, a toner-image forming unit, a transfer unit, a cleaner, a plurality of cylindrical transport path forming members, a falling transport path forming member, and a discharge port. The falling transport path forming member has through holes in a side wall thereof. A second end of each of the transport path forming members is inserted into a corresponding one of the through holes. The falling transport path forming member forms a falling transport path that causes toner ejected from an ejection port disposed in the second end to fall. The discharge port is disposed in a lower part of the falling transport path forming member to discharge the toner to a discharge destination. The second ends of the transport path forming members are disposed offset from each other in a horizontal direction on the side wall of the falling transport path forming member.

Abstract: A cleaning device includes a brush to contact a photoconductive member, a roller to contact the brush, and a blade. The blade is located along the roller in a longitudinal direction. The blade has a first portion, a second portion, and a bent portion between the first portion and the second portion. A contact surface or edge of the first portion contacts a surface of the roller to remove toner therefrom.

Abstract: A belt positioning system for positioning a movable belt entrained about a plurality of generally parallel rollers for moving in a trans-axial direction perpendicular to an axial direction in which the rollers extend parallel to each other includes a flange. The flange is operatively connected to an axial end of a specific one of the plurality of generally parallel rollers to define a contact surface therealong which extends generally perpendicular to the axial direction to contact an adjoining edge of the belt. The contact surface of the flange is spaced apart from the axial end of the roller in the axial direction.

Abstract: A charger positioning adjuster, which is included in an image forming apparatus and disposed facing a charger uniformly charging a surface of an image carrier using corona discharging, includes a mounting part provided at a position on which the charger is detachably attached, a positioning member attached to the mounting part and positioning the charger by contacting thereto, and a spacer disposed between the mounting part and the positioning member and adjusting a distance between the surface of the image carrier and the charger.

Abstract: A cleaning device, which is included in a process cartridge or an image forming apparatus, includes a cleaning member including a brush rotary body that is disposed in contact with an image carrier provided in an image forming apparatus and that removes toner on the image carrier and holds the toner thereon, a toner conveying rotary body to collect and convey the toner removed by the cleaning member, a flicker contacting the cleaning member to flick off the toner held on the cleaning member, and an agitator that has a free end contacting the toner conveying rotary body and vibrating due to rotation of the toner conveying rotary body. The agitator further has a trajectory being formed between the opening and the toner conveying rotary body by movement of the free end. Alternatively, the free end of the agitator is disposed facing the flicker.

Abstract: Soil-water-air coupled analyzing computes various matrices with respect to a time rate of volume change of a soil skeleton, tangent stiffness and water permeability, air permeability, moisture characteristic and mass of soil, based on the settings of soils such as clay, intermediate soil and sand with regard to respective soil elements of a soil foundation, settings of a solid soil model and settings of analysis conditions, establishes simultaneous equations using these matrices, provides a boundary condition regarding deformation, a stress rate or the like, a hydraulic condition regarding pore water and an air boundary condition regarding pore air and determines solutions of unknown “jerk field”, pore water pressure field and pore air field. This enables the soil foundation made of any type of soil in any state to be analyzed with high accuracy.

Abstract: A cleaning device, which is included in a process cartridge or an image forming apparatus, includes a cleaning member including a brush rotary body that is disposed in contact with an image carrier provided in an image forming apparatus and that removes toner on the image carrier and holds the toner thereon, a toner conveying rotary body to collect and convey the toner removed by the cleaning member, a flicker contacting the cleaning member to flick off the toner held on the cleaning member, and an agitator that has a free end contacting the toner conveying rotary body and vibrating due to rotation of the toner conveying rotary body. The agitator further has a trajectory being formed between the opening and the toner conveying rotary body by movement of the free end. Alternatively, the free end of the agitator is disposed facing the flicker.

Abstract: A belt tracking system for controlling the lateral position of a movable belt entrained about a plurality of generally parallel rollers for moving in a trans-axial direction perpendicular to an axial direction in which the rollers extend parallel to each other includes a roller shaft, a stationary member, a slidable member, and a biasing mechanism. The roller shaft extends outward in the axial direction from an axial end of a specific one of the plurality of generally parallel rollers. The stationary member is fixed in position adjacent to the roller shaft to define a first interfacial surface therealong. The slidable member is co-movably coupled with the roller shaft to define a second interfacial surface therealong inclined relative to the axial direction. The biasing mechanism is connected to the roller shaft to press the slidable member against the stationary member.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image carrier, a toner-image forming unit, a transfer unit, a cleaner, a plurality of cylindrical transport path forming members, a falling transport path forming member, and a discharge port. The falling transport path forming member has through holes in a side wall thereof. A second end of each of the transport path forming members is inserted into a corresponding one of the through holes. The falling transport path forming member forms a falling transport path that causes toner ejected from an ejection port disposed in the second end to fall. The discharge port is disposed in a lower part of the falling transport path forming member to discharge the toner to a discharge destination. The second ends of the transport path forming members are disposed offset from each other in a horizontal direction on the side wall of the falling transport path forming member.

Abstract: A charger positioning adjuster, which is included in an image forming apparatus and disposed facing a charger uniformly charging a surface of an image carrier using corona discharging, includes a mounting part provided at a position on which the charger is detachably attached, a positioning member attached to the mounting part and positioning the charger by contacting thereto, and a spacer disposed between the mounting part and the positioning member and adjusting a distance between the surface of the image carrier and the charger.

Abstract: A cleaning unit, which is included in a process cartridge or an image forming apparatus, includes a brush rotary body to remove toner, a toner collecting rotary body to collect the toner, a toner collecting blade to scrape the toner, and a cleaning blade to scrape the toner falling from the brush rotary body. The image carrier, the brush rotary body, and the toner collecting rotary body rotate in the same direction. The cleaning blade, the brush rotary body, and the toner collecting rotary body are located to cause a tangential line passing through a contact area of the brush rotary body and the toner collecting rotary body on an outer peripheral circle around a shaft of the brush rotary body to have an intersection point intersecting a non-contact surface of the cleaning blade disposed opposite to a contact portion of the cleaning blade with the image carrier.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a first image forming device, a plurality of second image forming devices, a first bias voltage supply device, and a second bias voltage supply device. The first image forming device and the second image forming device form a toner image. The first bias voltage supply device applies a bias voltage to a first component of the first image forming device. The second bias voltage supply device applies a bias voltage to a second component of each of the plurality of second image forming devices.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus including a setting memory storing multiple voltage settings; two or more voltage applying members each contacting a voltage applied member at respective contact positions close to each other, which are simultaneously being applied with respective voltages selected from the voltage settings; two or more current detectors each detecting a current flowing in the respective contact positions; and a setting changer performing a setting changing processing in which the voltage applied to one of the voltage applying members is changed based on the current detected by the corresponding current detector while a predetermined voltage is applied to the other voltage applying members, so that an optimum current flows in the corresponding contact position.

Abstract: A cleaning device including a rotatable cleaning member contacting a rotatable image carrier bearing a toner image to electrostatically remove toner from the image carrier while rotating, and a control unit to control rotation of the cleaning member to satisfy a relation of (60/R)>(L/V) during removal of a toner pattern formed on the image carrier at a predetermined timing and remaining attached to the image carrier without being transferred from the image carrier onto a transfer member using the cleaning member, where R (rpm) is a number of rotations of the cleaning member, L (mm) is a length of the toner pattern in a direction of rotation of the image carrier, and V (mm/s) is a speed of the image carrier.

Abstract: A cleaning device includes a brush to contact a photoconductive member, a roller to contact the brush, and a blade. The blade is located along the roller in a longitudinal direction. The blade has a first portion, a second portion, and a bent portion between the first portion and the second portion. A contact surface or edge of the first portion contacts a surface of the roller to remove toner therefrom.

Abstract: A cleaning device including: multiple cleaning members arranged consecutively in a direction of movement of a cleaning target to remove adhered substances from the cleaning target; multiple casings to individually hold and at least partially enclose the multiple cleaning members, respectively, the casings and the cleaning members together constituting multiple sub-units; and a sub-unit holder to hold the multiple sub-units, from which the sub-units are individually removable.