Abstract: A reading apparatus that reads an image formed on a document while transporting the document, the reading apparatus includes a first reading section that reads, as a read image, one of specularly reflected light or diffusely reflected light which is reflected from the document on a reading glass through which the moving document passes, and a second reading section that reads, as a read image, the other of the specularly reflected light or the diffusely reflected light which is reflected from the document on one side of a transport path through which the document is transported.

Abstract: A reading apparatus that reads an image formed on a document while transporting the document, the reading apparatus includes a first reading section that reads, as a read image, one of specularly reflected light or diffusely reflected light which is reflected from the document on a reading glass through which the moving document passes, and a second reading section that reads, as a read image, the other of the specularly reflected light or the diffusely reflected light which is reflected from the document on one side of a transport path through which the document is transported.

Abstract: A powder container includes a bottle body that accommodates powder and has, at one end, an opening through which the powder flows out. The bottle body is positioned with the opening facing laterally and set rotatable about a rotation center line extending laterally through a center of the opening. The bottle body has an inner peripheral surface on which a spiral protrusion is formed to transport the accommodated powder toward the opening through the rotation. When the bottle body is sectioned vertically on a plane including the rotation center line, the spiral protrusion causes plural upwardly protruding projections to appear on a cross-section, the plural projections include a first projection and a second projection closer to the opening than the first projection, and an opening-facing face of the second projection has a bottom lower than a top of the first projection or the opening has a lower edge lower than the top of the first projection.

Abstract: A developer container includes a container body, a transport unit, a support unit, and a protrusion. The container body includes a cylindrical accommodating space that accommodates a developer, and a discharge port. The transport unit transports the accommodated developer toward the discharge port by a transport blade. The transport blade moves so as to pass closely to an inner wall of the accommodating space. The support unit rotatably supports a rotating shaft of the transport unit. The support unit includes a connecting component that connects to an external element to receive external rotational power. The protrusion protrudes inward from the inner wall. When the transport unit reversely rotates in an opposite direction to a rotational direction in transporting the developer, the transport blade passes in contact with the protrusion and vibrates so as to touch the inner wall of the accommodating space.

Abstract: A developer container includes a container body, a transport unit, a support unit, and a protrusion. The container body includes a cylindrical accommodating space that accommodates a developer, and a discharge port. The transport unit transports the accommodated developer toward the discharge port by a transport blade. The transport blade moves so as to pass closely to an inner wall of the accommodating space. The support unit rotatably supports a rotating shaft of the transport unit. The support unit includes a connecting component that connects to an external element to receive external rotational power. The protrusion protrudes inward from the inner wall. When the transport unit reversely rotates in an opposite direction to a rotational direction in transporting the developer, the transport blade passes in contact with the protrusion and vibrates so as to touch the inner wall of the accommodating space.

Abstract: A powder container includes a bottle body that accommodates powder and has, at one end, an opening through which the powder flows out. The bottle body is positioned with the opening facing laterally and set rotatable about a rotation center line extending laterally through a center of the opening. The bottle body has an inner peripheral surface on which a spiral protrusion is formed to transport the accommodated powder toward the opening through the rotation. When the bottle body is sectioned vertically on a plane including the rotation center line, the spiral protrusion causes plural upwardly protruding projections to appear on a cross-section, the plural projections include a first projection and a second projection closer to the opening than the first projection, and an opening-facing face of the second projection has a bottom lower than a top of the first projection or the opening has a lower edge lower than the top of the first projection.

Abstract: A powder accommodating device includes: an accommodating portion that has an opening at one end, is installed horizontally to accommodate powder, and transports the powder toward the opening by rotation; a lid portion that has a cylindrical inner wall surface, covers the opening and is held in a non-rotational state; and an agitation portion including: a cylindrical portion that is disposed in the lid portion, communicates with the opening, and rotates integrally with the accommodating portion; and plural agitation rods that each have a rod shape protruding from the cylindrical portion in a rotation axis direction in a direction away from the cylindrical portion and circulate along the inner wall surface to agitate the powder in the hollow portion, wherein at least some of the plural agitation rods are connected to each other via a beam provided at a position out of the cylindrical portion.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a transfer unit that transfers a toner image to a recording medium; a non-white toner image forming unit that forms a non-white toner image on the transfer unit by using non-white toner having a non-white color that differs from white; a white toner image forming unit that forms a white toner image on the transfer unit by using white toner that is white in color after the non-white toner image is formed on the transfer unit; and a control unit that controls an amount of the white toner used by the white toner image forming unit to form the white toner image so that the amount of the white toner is smaller when the non-white toner image is formed under the white toner image than when no toner image is formed under the white toner image.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a transfer unit that transfers a toner image to a recording medium; a non-white toner image forming unit that forms a non-white toner image on the transfer unit by using non-white toner having a non-white color that differs from white; a white toner image forming unit that forms a white toner image on the transfer unit by using white toner that is white in color after the non-white toner image is formed on the transfer unit; and a control unit that controls an amount of the white toner used by the white toner image forming unit to form the white toner image so that the amount of the white toner is smaller when the non-white toner image is formed under the white toner image than when no toner image is formed under the white toner image.

Abstract: A container for powder detachably mountable to an image forming apparatus body includes a discharge channel and a wall member. The discharge channel has an upper end. Powder is discharged through the discharge channel. The wall member is disposed such that a gap is formed between the wall member and the upper end of the discharge channel. A transport part that transports the powder toward the discharge channel is provided in the container.

Abstract: A container for powder detachably mountable to an image forming apparatus body includes a discharge channel and a wall member. The discharge channel has an upper end. Powder is discharged through the discharge channel. The wall member is disposed such that a gap is formed between the wall member and the upper end of the discharge channel. A transport part that transports the powder toward the discharge channel is provided in the container.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a first image forming unit that forms a metallic-color toner image having a metallic color, a second image forming unit that forms a non-metallic-color toner image having a color different from the metallic color, and a transfer unit that transfers the toner images onto a recording material so that the non-metallic-color toner image is superimposed on an upper side of the metallic-color toner image on the recording material.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a first image forming unit that forms a metallic-color toner image having a metallic color, a second image forming unit that forms a non-metallic-color toner image having a color different from the metallic color, and a transfer unit that transfers the toner images onto a recording material so that the non-metallic-color toner image is superimposed on an upper side of the metallic-color toner image on the recording material.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a transport unit that transports a recording medium; a forming unit that forms a toner image on the recording medium, the toner image including a resin and a flat metallic pigment; a fixing unit that fixes the toner image to the recording medium by heating and pressing the toner image; and a cooling unit that cools the toner image fixed by the fixing unit, the cooling unit being disposed at a position at which the cooling is started when a temperature of the toner image is higher than or equal to a glass transition temperature.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a transport unit that transports a recording medium; a forming unit that forms a toner image on the recording medium, the toner image including a resin and a flat metallic pigment; a fixing unit that fixes the toner image to the recording medium by heating and pressing the toner image; and a cooling unit that cools the toner image fixed by the fixing unit, the cooling unit being disposed at a position at which the cooling is started when a temperature of the toner image is higher than or equal to a glass transition temperature.

Abstract: A container for powder detachably mountable to an image forming apparatus body includes a discharge channel and a wall member. The discharge channel has an upper end. Powder is discharged through the discharge channel. The wall member is disposed such that a gap is formed between the wall member and the upper end of the discharge channel. A transport part that transports the powder toward the discharge channel is provided in the container.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image forming unit and a controller. The image forming unit forms an image on a continuous recording medium by transferring to the continuous recording medium a toner image obtained by developing a latent image formed on a photoreceptor. The controller controls the image forming unit such that an image based on image information is formed in a specific image area on the continuous recording medium, and at the same time, a specific image pattern is formed in a specific side area outside the image area on the continuous recording medium.

Abstract: A developing device includes a developer carrier that has a cylindrical shape and that rotates while carrying developer to supply the developer to an image carrier on which an electrostatic latent image is formed, a container that contains the developer carrier, and a discharge-path forming member that is provided along an outer peripheral surface of the developer carrier, that covers a top portion of a path along which the outer peripheral surface moves, the top portion being located at an uppermost position of the path, and that forms a discharge path, through which air is discharged from inside of the container to outside of the container, between the discharge-path forming member and an inner wall surface of the container, the discharge path having an outlet located closer to the developer carrier than the top portion.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image carrier that carries an electrostatic latent image; a developer supplying unit that supplies developer by being driven at a predetermined speed; a developing unit that develops the electrostatic latent image, while a transporting member transports the developer, a transport speed of the transporting member being switched to a plurality of speeds; a determining unit that determines whether or not an operation where a supply capacity of the developer supplying unit is greater than a transport capacity of the developing unit exceeds a predetermined threshold value and is continued; and a controller that performs control so that, when the determining unit determines that the operation exceeds the predetermined threshold value and is continued, an operation that was being executed immediately prior to the determination is stopped to forcefully drive the transporting member of the developing unit for a predetermined driving time.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image forming unit and a controller. The image forming unit forms an image on a continuous recording medium by transferring to the continuous recording medium a toner image obtained by developing a latent image formed on a photoreceptor. The controller controls the image forming unit such that an image based on image information is formed in a specific image area on the continuous recording medium, and at the same time, a specific image pattern is formed in a specific side area outside the image area on the continuous recording medium.