Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: multiple intermediate-transfer-member density sensors that are disposed in the axial direction of an intermediate transfer member and that detect corresponding densities of a developer image having been subjected to first transfer onto the intermediate transfer member; and a processor configured to: in response to occurrence of a variation of density on a recording medium, if a relationship between the highest density value and the lowest density value among the density values detected by the respective intermediate-transfer-member density sensors indicates a first density state, output information indicating that the variation of density is caused in a process of or after a second-transfer process in which the developer image having been subjected to first transfer onto the intermediate transfer member is transferred onto the recording medium; and if the relationship indicates a second density state opposite to the first density state, output information indicating that t

Abstract: A hydraulic pump includes a casing; a cylinder block disposed in the casing so as to prevent rotation and including a plurality of cylinder bores that are open on one end surface of the cylinder block; a swash plate rotatably housed in the casing facing the one end surface; a plurality of pistons respectively inserted into the cylinder bores to reciprocate therewithin by rotation of the swash plate; and a variable capacity mechanism that changes an effective stroke length of at least one of the pistons. The mechanism includes a shaft portion inserted through the cylinder block that moves with the swash plate; and a swash plate portion provided on the shaft portion that is movable back and forth in an axial direction and prevents relative rotation of the swash plate portion. The shaft portion is pivotally supported at positions spaced apart in the axial direction in the cylinder block.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: multiple intermediate-transfer-member density sensors that are disposed in the axial direction of an intermediate transfer member and that detect corresponding densities of a developer image having been subjected to first transfer onto the intermediate transfer member; and a processor configured to: in response to occurrence of a variation of density on a recording medium, if a relationship between the highest density value and the lowest density value among the density values detected by the respective intermediate-transfer-member density sensors indicates a first density state, output information indicating that the variation of density is caused in a process of or after a second-transfer process in which the developer image having been subjected to first transfer onto the intermediate transfer member is transferred onto the recording medium; and if the relationship indicates a second density state opposite to the first density state, output information indicating that t

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: multiple image carriers holding developers; multiple potential detectors that are mounted in a first scanning direction on each of the image carriers and detect surface potentials of the image carriers; an intermediate transfer body to which the developers held by the image carriers are transferred; and multiple density detectors that are mounted in the first scanning direction of the intermediate transfer body and detect densities of the developers transferred to the intermediate transfer body. A subset of the potential detectors is mounted at a location corresponding to a location where the density detectors are mounted and a subset of the potential detectors is mounted at a location that is common to the image carriers.

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.