Abstract: A charging device including a charging roller having a metal cylinder and an elastic layer located thereon, and a cleaner for cleaning the surface of the charging roller. The cleaner includes a driving shaft and a cleaning roller which is rotatably mounted on the driving shaft. The cleaning roller is made of a non-cellular foam resin having a density of from 5 to 15 kg/m3 and a tensile strength of from 1.2 to 2.2 kg/cm2.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus including at least two image forming units arranged side by side in an arrangement direction and each of the image forming units contains a photoconductor configured to bear a latent electrostatic image thereon and at least one process device configured to form a toner image on the photoconductor, and a unit case having a notch thereon to grasp the unit case.

Abstract: A cleaning unit is equipped with a cleaning blade that is in contact with a surface of a photosensitive drum and cleans the surface. A peak temperature of a loss tangent (tan ?) is in a range of 2° C. to ?30° C. when a sine-wave vibration of 10 Hz is applied to the cleaning blade. Moreover, the cleaning unit lowers a coefficient of static friction of the surface of the photosensitive drum that is to be cleaned.

Abstract: A charging device including a charging roller having a metallic cylinder with an elastic layer disposed thereon, and a cleaner for cleaning the surface of the charging roller. The cleaner includes a driving shaft and a cleaning roller rotatably mounted on the driving shaft. The cleaning roller is made of a non-cellular foam resin having a density of from 5 to 15 kg/m3 and a tensile strength of from 1.2 to 2.2 kg/cm2.

Abstract: In a powder transport apparatus, powder is transported through a pipe having a powder transport member that exerts a force on the powder such that the powder is moved downstream in a transport direction. A part regulating the amount of the powder to be transported is provided in the pipe.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus, incorporating a process cartridge, capable of determining optimum light exposure conditions suitable for both a charging potential and a film thickness of image bearing member, and performing the image formation even during the period from initiating to completing the setting of light exposure conditions. The image forming apparatus includes at least a charger unit, a light exposure unit, a developer unit, a detection unit, and a control unit. The detection unit is adapted to detect the total of rotation of the image bearing member. The control unit computes light exposure conditions to operate the light exposure unit based on an estimated thickness for a film of the image bearing member, which is calculated from the total of rotation obtained by the detection unit, and a first target uniform charging potential to control a uniform charging potential of the image bearing member, and to control the light exposure unit to be brought into the light exposure conditions.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image carrying member, a charging roller for charging the image carrying member, a charging roller cleaning roller, and first and second shaft bearings. The charging roller cleaning roller contacts and cleans a surface of the charging roller. The first shaft bearing rotatably holds a rotation shaft of the charging roller cleaning roller, while the second shaft bearing rotatably holds a rotation shaft of the charging roller. The second shaft bearing integrally includes a first shaft bearing holding member which movably holds, by use of a resilient member, the first shaft bearing in a direction of moving the charging roller towards and apart from the charging roller cleaning roller.

Abstract: An imaging apparatus that is capable of realizing good cleaning characteristics and transfer characteristics, and obtaining a high quality image using toner having a high average roundness is provided. The imaging apparatus includes an image carrier, a charge unit, a developing unit, a transfer unit, and a cleaning unit. The transfer unit may directly transfer a toner image onto a recording medium that is carried by a transfer belt, or transfer the toner image onto the transfer belt first to then transfer the toner image onto the recording medium from the transfer belt. The cleaning unit includes a cleaning blade and a brush roller. The toner used in the imaging apparatus has an average roundness ? within a range of 0.93˜0.99, and a friction coefficient ?s of the image carrier satisfies a condition, friction coefficient ?s?3.6?3.3×average roundness ?.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a frame, a plurality of process cartridges, and a guide mounted to the frame. The guide mounted to the frame includes a plurality of guide portions having supporting surfaces arranged at predetermined different heights and on which the plurality of process cartridges are detachably placed, and is configured to guide the plurality of process cartridges placed on the supporting surfaces along a path between respective first positions and respective second positions.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus including an image support body; and a lubricant applying part configured to apply lubricant to a surface of the image support body, and including a lubricant containing member configured to seal the lubricant in the lubricant applying part.

Abstract: In an image forming apparatus configured to form a toner image on a photoconductive element and transfer it to a recording medium of the present invention, the photoconductive element and an image transferring member pressed thereagainst are constructed into an image transferring unit. The image transferring unit is removable from the casing of the apparatus independently of image forming devices arranged around the photoconductive element other than the image transferring member.

Abstract: A process cartridge of the present invention includes a casing capable of accommodating a plurality of units positioned one above the other in a space such that one unit is spaced, in the horizontal direction, from a vertical line extending through the other unit positioned below the one unit. The casing has a bottom wall inclined relative to a horizontal plane and oriented such that when the bottom wall is placed on a horizontal surface, the one unit is shifted toward the vertical line.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an endless transfer member and a plurality of image forming units. The endless transfer member is arranged at a transverse position in the image forming apparatus, and has a circulatory rotating surface declining at a predetermined angle to a horizontal plane. Each of the plurality of image forming units includes a first surface facing the endless transfer member and a second surface opposite to the first surface and angled in a similar direction to the endless transfer member. The plurality of image forming units perform an image forming operation and are arranged next to one another facing the endless transfer member such that, in any two adjacent image forming units of the plurality of image forming units, one of the any two adjacent image forming units has a portion overhanging the other one of the any two adjacent image forming units.

Abstract: In an image forming apparatus configured to form a toner image on a photoconductive element and transfer it to a recording medium of the present invention, the photoconductive element and an image transferring member pressed thereagainst are constructed into an image transferring unit. The image transferring unit is removable from the casing of the apparatus independently of image forming devices arranged around the photoconductive element other than the image transferring member.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a process cartridge, a toner storage, and a toner supplying unit. The process cartridge includes an image bearing member, a developer container, a developer bearing member, and a pair of side plates. The developer container includes a toner inlet mounted at a predetermined position on one of its top surface. The pair of side plates are arranged in parallel and separated by a predetermined distance which determines a predetermined longitudinal width of the process cartridge and configured to support the components in the process cartridge.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus of the present invention includes at least one process cartridge removably mounted on the apparatus body and including at least an image carrier on which a toner image is to be formed and a cleaning device configured to remove toner left on image transfer with a cleaning blade. A hole for passing a light beam emitted from an optical writing unit toward the image carrier therethrough is formed in part of the case bottom wall of the process cartridge higher in level than part of the case bottom wall below the cleaning blade.

Abstract: There is provided a cleaning device for an image-forming device configured so as to be capable of preventing the image quality from deteriorating by being able to prevent the deterioration of the charging state caused by deposits of foreign matter without increasing costs. There is also provided a cleaning member that can make contact with the cleaning target-members. The cleaning member has a portion composed of melamine resin foam for making contact with at least the cleaning target members, and the melamine resin foam has an Asker F hardness of 5 to 25 points and a hardness variation of 5 points or less, and is used on the cleaning target members in a state obtained by heat compression from the original shape. The pressing member is furthermore disposed in contact with the cleaning member.

Abstract: A highly reliable developing device, process cartridge, device unit, and image forming apparatus in which a developer is not spattered to the outside of the developing device even when the developing device where a developer is preset is included with shipment in an image forming apparatus main body. This developing device comprises a developer container for containing a developer, and a toner replenishing portion which is connected with a toner conveyance portion installed in the image forming apparatus main body and which is communicated with the developer container via an opening portion. Such a developing device is provided with a sealing member for sealing the opening portion until use of the developing device on the image forming apparatus main body is started.

Abstract: A developing device including a developer containing magnetic toner grains and includes a main pole for development disposed in a sleeve. Flux density generated by the magnetic pole in a direction normal to the surface of the sleeve outside of the surface has an attenuation ratio of 50% or above. The toner grains have a weight mean grain size of 6.0 ?m to 8.0 ?m while the toner grains having grain sizes of 5 ?m and below occupy 40% to 80% of the entire developer. The toner grains have magnetization strength of 10 emu/g to 25 emu/g in a magnetic field of 5 kOe or magnetization strength of 7 emu/g to 20 emu/g in a magnetic field of 1 kOe. The toner grains reduce toner scattering and image defects despite that they are magnetic, thereby implementing ultrahigh resolution.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image bearing member configured to form an electrostatic latent image on a surface thereof, and a separating mechanism configured to separate an irregular charge toner from a residual toner remaining on the surface of the image bearing member after a completion of an image forming process, to provide an extra travel passage to give a time delay to the irregular charge toner, and to return the irregular charge toner with the time delay to the surface of the image bearing member.