Abstract: A developing apparatus for developing operation on an image bearing member, includes a rotatable developer carrying member for carrying a developer; a rubbing member for rubbing the developer carrying member with the developer therebetween to cause the developer to be carried on the developer carrying member; wherein the rubbing member includes a free end portion extending toward a downstream with respect to a rotational moving direction of the developer carrying member, the free end portion rubs the developer carrying member, and wherein the rubbing member is provided with a reinforcing portion for reinforcing the free end portion.

Abstract: A developing device usable with an image forming apparatus includes a developer carrying member for carrying a developer; a developer accommodating portion for accommodating a developer; a guiding member having an inclined surface contacting the developer carrying member, the inclined surface being effective to guide a developer to a contact portion where the inclined surface contacts the developer carrying member to cause the developer to be carried on the developer carrying member; and a regulating member for regulating an amount of the developer carried on the developer carrying member, wherein an inclination angle of the inclined surface is in a range not less than an angle of rest and less than 90 degrees.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a developing device, a detection mode execution unit, and a notice signal generating unit. The developing device supplies a toner bearing member with toner in a container by rotating a toner supply member in a contact manner with the toner bearing member. The detection mode execution unit executes a detection mode in which a predetermined period for changing a toner amount in the foam layer by rotating the toner supply member is provided, a capacitance C1 between the first and second electrode members is detected before the predetermined period, and a capacitance C2 between the first and second electrode members is detected after the predetermined period. The notice signal generating unit generates a low toner amount notice signal in response to an absolute value |C1?C2| of a difference between the capacitances C1 and C2 being smaller than a predetermined threshold.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus, including: an image bearing member; a charging device; an exposure device configured to expose intermittently for each unit area of the image bearing member charged by the charging device to form a latent image; a developing device configured to develop the latent image with developer; a signal output portion configured to output a first electric signal when the exposure device exposes a print area of the image bearing member, and output a second electric signal, which instructs the exposure device to shorten an exposure time per unit area more than an exposure time of the first electric signal, when the exposure device exposes a non-print area of the image bearing member; and a count portion, to which the first and the second electric signals are input from the signal output portion, configured to measure only the first electric signal without measuring the second electric signal.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image bearing member; developing devices, each of which includes a developer carrying member, having an electrode member, for carrying a developer, and a developer feeding member, having a core metal and a surface foam layer, for supplying the developer to the developer carrying member; a supporting member, supporting the developing devices, for sequentially rotating the developing devices to a developing position; and a controller for executing an operation for reducing non-uniform distributions of the developers in the developing devices on the basis of electrostatic capacities between the electrode members and the core metals, respectively.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image bearing member on which a developer image is formed, a developer bearing member configured to develop a surface of the image bearing member, and a cleaning member configured to clean a residual developer remaining on the surface of the image bearing member, wherein, when an image forming operation is interrupted, the image forming apparatus is capable of performing a recovery operation before resuming the image forming operation, and wherein the image forming apparatus is capable of, during the recovery operation, a potential difference between a potential applied to the developer bearing member and a surface potential of a non-image area within the surface of the image bearing member greater than that during the image forming operation according to a predetermined value such that the developer on the image bearing member is moved to the developer bearing member.

Abstract: The image forming apparatus includes an image bearing member; a transfer belt used to transfer a toner image from the image bearing member to a transfer material; a transfer unit adapted to form a transfer nip in conjunction with the image bearing member through the transfer belt; and a control part adapted to control a rotation direction of the transfer belt, wherein in a cleaning mode, the control part rotates the transfer belt in a direction opposite to the rotation direction of the transfer belt during image formation at least by an amount equal to or larger than width of the transfer nip in the rotation direction of the transfer belt. This prevents foreign material from being trapped between the transfer belt such as an intermediate transfer belt or transfer material conveyance belt and a sheet member and thereby reduces density irregularities in a longitudinal direction of the belt.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image bearing member; developing devices, each of which includes a developer carrying member, having an electrode member, for carrying a developer, and a developer feeding member, having a core metal and a surface foam layer, for supplying the developer to the developer carrying member; a supporting member, supporting the developing devices, for sequentially rotating the developing devices to a developing position; and a controller for executing an operation for reducing non-uniform distributions of the developers in the developing devices on the basis of electrostatic capacities between the electrode members and the core metals, respectively.

Abstract: A color image forming apparatus includes a supporting member, supporting developing devices, for moving the supporting member sequentially to a developing position; a detector for detecting at a position different from the developing position information relating to a developer remainder in the developing device; deducing means for deducing a developer consumption from image information. As to the developing device for which the detection is effected after the developing operation therefor, determining device determines the remainder from the information detected by the detector. As to the developing device for which the detection is effected before the developing operation therefor, the determining means determines the remainder from the information detected by the detector and the consumption amount deduced by the deducing means.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a cartridge detachably mountable to a main assembly thereof. The cartridge includes a developer carrying member for carrying a developer, a conductive member contactable to the carrying member, a developing chamber for holding the carrying member and the conductive member, a developer accommodating chamber for accommodating the developer, and a seal member for sealing an opening between the developing chamber and the developer accommodating chamber. The apparatus further includes a seal member removing device, and a control device. The control device controls concurrently performing seal member removal and driving of the carrying member when the cartridge is mounted to the main assembly and then sends a detection signal signaling failure of removal of the seal member when a potential difference is provided between the carrying member and said conductive member during the execution of the control.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a developing device, a detection mode execution unit, and a notice signal generating unit. The developing device supplies a toner bearing member with toner in a container by rotating a toner supply member in a contact manner with the toner bearing member. The detection mode execution unit executes a detection mode in which a predetermined period for changing a toner amount in the foam layer by rotating the toner supply member is provided, a capacitance C1 between the first and second electrode members is detected before the predetermined period, and a capacitance C2 between the first and second electrode members is detected after the predetermined period. The notice signal generating unit generates a low toner amount notice signal in response to an absolute value |C1?C2| of a difference between the capacitances C1 and C2 being smaller than a predetermined threshold.

Abstract: A developing apparatus includes a developer carrying member for carrying a developer to develop an electrostatic image formed on an image bearing member with a developer, and a developer feeding member, for supplying the developer to the carrying member. The developing apparatus also includes a regulating member for regulating an amount of the developer carried on the carrying member, the regulating member having a free end portion contacted to the carrying member. The developer feeding member is supplied with a voltage which is different from a potential of the developer member toward a regular charging polarity of the developer. The carrying member is provided with a surface facing substantially downward, in a range from a downstream-most edge of the developer member in the contact portion with respect to a rotational direction of the carrying member to a contact portion between the carrying member and the regulating member.

Abstract: In an image forming apparatus, when no image is being formed, an image bearing member is rotated at least one rotation, in a state in which a transfer bias is controlled such that a potential on a surface of the image bearing member on the upstream side in the rotational direction of a cleaning apparatus is a polarity opposite to that of a developer.

Abstract: The image forming apparatus includes an image bearing member; a transfer belt used to transfer a toner image from the image bearing member to a transfer material; a transfer unit adapted to form a transfer nip in conjunction with the image bearing member through the transfer belt; and a control part adapted to control a rotation direction of the transfer belt, wherein in a cleaning mode, the control part rotates the transfer belt in a direction opposite to the rotation direction of the transfer belt during image formation at least by an amount equal to or larger than width of the transfer nip in the rotation direction of the transfer belt. This prevents foreign material from being trapped between the transfer belt such as an intermediate transfer belt or transfer material conveyance belt and a sheet member and thereby reduces density irregularities in a longitudinal direction of the belt.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a cartridge detachably mountable to a main assembly thereof. The cartridge includes a developer carrying member for carrying a developer to develop with the developer a latent image formed on an image bearing member, an conductive member contactable to the carrying member, a developing chamber for holding the carrying member and the conductive member, a developer accommodating chamber for accommodating the developer, and a seal member for sealing an opening for permitting communication between the developing chamber and the developer accommodating chamber. The apparatus further includes a seal member removing device for removing the seal member, and a control device.

Abstract: A developing apparatus includes a developer carrying member for carrying a developer to develop an electrostatic image formed on an image bearing member with a developer; a developer feeding member, contactable to the carrying member, for supplying the developer to the carrying member, the developer feeding member is rotatable in a direction of peripheral movement opposite a peripheral movement of the carrying member at a contact portion relative to the developer feeding member, wherein a direction the peripheral movement of the developer feeding member at the contact portion is substantially upward; and a regulating member for regulating an amount of the developer carried on the carrying member, the regulating member having a free end portion contacted to the carrying member; wherein the developer feeding member is supplied with a voltage which is different from a potential of the developer member toward a regular charging polarity of the developer, and wherein the carrying member is provided with a surface