Abstract: A charging device includes a discharge electrode that is attached to a base member and discharges electricity to supply an electric charge to a latent-image carrier that carries an electrostatic latent image, a control electrode that is located on the latent-image-carrier side of the discharge electrode attached to the base member, that is curved along the latent-image carrier, and that controls a potential of the latent-image carrier, a support member that is fixed to the base member by a fixing member and includes a curved support surface that supports both ends of the control electrode in a longitudinal direction at a side at which the discharge electrode is provided, and first and second pressing members that are provided at respective ends of the control electrode in the longitudinal direction and that press the control electrode against the support surface.

Abstract: A charging device includes a discharge electrode that extends along an axial direction of a member to be charged; and a potential control plate disposed between the member to be charged and the discharge electrode and curved along a peripheral surface of the member to be charged. The potential control plate includes three or more structural lines that are arranged in a circumferential direction of the member to be charged and that linearly extend along the axial direction, and connecting portions arranged in the axial direction, each connecting portion connecting two or more of the three or more structural lines to each other, the two or more structural lines being next to each other in the circumferential direction. The structural lines connected by one of the connecting portions and those connected by another one of the connecting portions are at least partly different from each other.

Abstract: A transfer device includes a first support member that supports a wound member, an endless transferred body being wound around the wound member; a second support member that supports a transfer member, the transfer member and the wound member pinching the transferred body and a recording medium, the transfer member causing a developer image on the transferred body to be transferred onto the recording medium; a coupling portion that couples the second support member to the first support member so that an angle of the second support member is changeable relative to the first support member; and an urging portion that is provided at the first support member and urges the second support member in a direction in which the transfer member presses the wound member.

Abstract: A charging device includes a charging member that charges an outer peripheral surface of a cylindrical image carrier; an electrode member that has the shape of a plate having a longitudinal direction in an axial direction of the image carrier and that is disposed above the charging member; an attachment member that has a curved surface which is curved along the outer peripheral surface of the image carrier, the electrode member being attached thereon; and a pushing member disposed between the electrode member and the image carrier, the pushing member pushing the electrode member toward the curved surface so that the electrode member is curved to follow the curved surface.

Abstract: A charging device includes a discharge electrode that extends along a rotational axis direction of a member to be charged that rotates and has an arc-shaped outer peripheral surface, the discharge electrode being arranged to face the outer peripheral surface; a potential control plate arranged between the outer peripheral surface of the member to be charged and the discharge electrode and extending in the rotational axis direction of the member to be charged, the potential control plate being plastically deformed so as to independently maintain the shape of the potential control plate; and a support member that supports the potential control plate only at both end portions of the potential control plate in a long-side direction of the potential control plate.

Abstract: A cleaning device includes a device body, a cleaning member, and a support member. The device body is moved in a longitudinal direction of a plate-like grid member of a charging device. The cleaning member is disposed in the device body and cleans a first face of the grid member while pressing against the first face when the device body is moved. The support member is provided in the device body and has a support surface that is in contact with and supports a second face opposite to the first face of the grid member pressed by the cleaning member. The support surface is in contact with a mesh portion and a non-mesh portion of the grid member.

Abstract: A charging device includes a charging member that charges an outer peripheral surface of a cylindrical latent-image carrier; an electrode member including a curved portion that is formed by press working so as to extend along the outer peripheral surface of the latent-image carrier, the curved portion having an electrode to which a voltage is applied, the electrode being disposed between the charging member and the latent-image carrier; a cleaning member that is movable along the curved portion in an axial direction of the latent-image carrier and that cleans the electrode; and a receiving portion formed in the curved portion at a position outside the electrode, the receiving portion receiving the cleaning member to release a contact pressure between the curved portion and the cleaning member.

Abstract: A charging device includes a discharge electrode that charges a surface of a rotatable image carrier and extends along the image carrier, a case that extends along and encloses the discharge electrode with a side thereof nearest to the image carrier being open, a grid electrode provided between the image carrier and the discharge electrode, a cleaning member that cleans at least one of the discharge electrode, the case, and the grid electrode by moving along the case, a regulating portion that is provided between the cleaning member and the case and regulates a distance between the cleaning member and the case in a direction orthogonal to the direction of movement of the cleaning member by coming into contact with the cleaning member or the case, and a supporting portion that supports the regulating portion and allows the regulating portion to move away from the cleaning member or the case.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a latent-image forming member including a latent-image carrier and support portions, a charging member including a discharge electrode and a control electrode, restraining portions that restrain both ends of the control electrode in a width direction, and abutting portions that are provided on the support portions, that include curved surfaces, and that are abutted against the control electrode. The curved surfaces have a center of curvature that coincides with a rotational center of the latent-image carrier, and are at a position where a distance from the latent-image carrier in a radial direction is equal to a distance between the latent-image carrier and the control electrode. When the charging member is attached to the latent-image forming member, the control electrode is abutted against the curved surfaces by the restraining portions and is deformed along the curved surfaces.

Abstract: A control electrode includes attachment portions that are at least partially flat and provided at either end of the control electrode in a longitudinal direction, frame portions that are at least partially flat and provided at either end of the control electrode in a lateral direction, the frame portions extending in the longitudinal direction so as to be connected to the attachment portions, and an electrode portion that is surrounded by the attachment portions and the frame portions and curved. The attachment portions, the frame portions, and the electrode portion are formed integrally with each other. One of the attachment portions has first holes on extension lines of the frame portions. The other one of the attachment portions has second holes on the extension lines of the frame portions.

Abstract: A charging device includes a discharge electrode that is attached to a base member and discharges electricity to supply an electric charge to a latent-image carrier that carries an electrostatic latent image, a control electrode that is located on the latent-image-carrier side of the discharge electrode attached to the base member, that is curved along the latent-image carrier, and that controls a potential of the latent-image carrier, a support member that is fixed to the base member by a fixing member and includes a curved support surface that supports both ends of the control electrode in a longitudinal direction at a side at which the discharge electrode is provided, and first and second pressing members that are provided at respective ends of the control electrode in the longitudinal direction and that press the control electrode against the support surface.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a latent-image forming member including a latent-image carrier and support members disposed at both ends of the latent-image carrier to support the latent-image carrier, a charging member including a discharge electrode that supplies an electric charge to the latent-image carrier and a control electrode that is disposed between the discharge electrode and the latent-image carrier and controls a potential of the latent-image carrier, a first connecting portion and a second connecting portion that are respectively formed on the latent-image forming member and the charging member and that are connected to each other to connect the latent-image forming member and the charging member to each other, and an urging member that is disposed between the latent-image forming member and the charging member to urge them away from each other.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus has a latent image forming portion that includes a latent image carrier having a cylindrical shape, and a supporting member disposed at both ends of the latent image carrier and rotatably supporting the latent image carrier, a charging unit that includes a discharge electrode supplying electric charge to the latent image carrier, and a grid electrode having a shape curved around the latent image carrier, a first supporting portion that supports the curved grid electrode from the latent image carrier side, a second supporting portion that supports the curved grid electrode from the discharge electrode side, and a pinching unit that pinches the grid electrode between the first supporting portion and the second supporting portion in a contact state.

Abstract: A charger includes: a first electrode; a second electrode that has a mesh pattern and is arranged on a side closer to a photoconductor than the first electrode; a cleaner that moves along the second electrode to clean the second electrode by a brush thereof. The second electrode has the mesh pattern successively arranged in a certain direction, and a peripheral region of the mesh pattern of the second electrode has been changed to prevent catching of the brush of the cleaner.

Abstract: A charging device includes a discharge electrode that extends along an axial direction of a member to be charged; and a potential control plate disposed between the member to be charged and the discharge electrode and curved along a peripheral surface of the member to be charged. The potential control plate includes three or more structural lines that are arranged in a circumferential direction of the member to be charged and that linearly extend along the axial direction, and connecting portions arranged in the axial direction, each connecting portion connecting two or more of the three or more structural lines to each other, the two or more structural lines being next to each other in the circumferential direction. The structural lines connected by one of the connecting portions and those connected by another one of the connecting portions are at least partly different from each other.

Abstract: A cleaning device includes a device body, a cleaning member, and a support member. The device body is moved in a longitudinal direction of a plate-like grid member of a charging device. The cleaning member is disposed in the device body and cleans a first face of the grid member while pressing against the first face when the device body is moved. The support member is provided in the device body and has a support surface that is in contact with and supports a second face opposite to the first face of the grid member pressed by the cleaning member. The support surface is in contact with a mesh portion and a non-mesh portion of the grid member.

Abstract: A charging device includes a discharge electrode that extends along a rotational axis direction of a member to be charged that rotates and has an arc-shaped outer peripheral surface, the discharge electrode being arranged to face the outer peripheral surface; a potential control plate arranged between the outer peripheral surface of the member to be charged and the discharge electrode and extending in the rotational axis direction of the member to be charged, the potential control plate being plastically deformed so as to independently maintain the shape of the potential control plate; and a support member that supports the potential control plate only at both end portions of the potential control plate in a long-side direction of the potential control plate.

Abstract: A charging device includes a charging member that charges an outer peripheral surface of a cylindrical latent-image carrier; an electrode member including a curved portion that is formed by press working so as to extend along the outer peripheral surface of the latent-image carrier, the curved portion having an electrode to which a voltage is applied, the electrode being disposed between the charging member and the latent-image carrier; a cleaning member that is movable along the curved portion in an axial direction of the latent-image carrier and that cleans the electrode; and a receiving portion formed in the curved portion at a position outside the electrode, the receiving portion receiving the cleaning member to release a contact pressure between the curved portion and the cleaning member.

Abstract: A charging device includes a charging member that charges an outer peripheral surface of a cylindrical image carrier; an electrode member that has the shape of a plate having a longitudinal direction in an axial direction of the image carrier and that is disposed above the charging member; an attachment member that has a curved surface which is curved along the outer peripheral surface of the image carrier, the electrode member being attached thereon; and a pushing member disposed between the electrode member and the image carrier, the pushing member pushing the electrode member toward the curved surface so that the electrode member is curved to follow the curved surface.

Abstract: A droplet ejection apparatus includes: a droplet ejection head that ejects droplets; a conveying member that retains a recording medium and conveys the recording medium with facing the recording medium to the droplet ejection head; a coating member that coats the conveying member with a coating liquid having a repellant property to the liquid ejected from the droplet ejection head; and a cleaning member that cleans the conveying member. The droplet ejection apparatus satisfies the following formulae L3?L1, L2?L1??(1) wherein, in a direction orthogonal to the conveying direction; L1 is the width of ink droplet ejecting of the droplet ejection head; L2 is the width of coating the coating liquid on the conveying member by the coating member; and L3 is the width of the cleaning of the conveying member by the cleaning member.