Abstract: An image forming apparatus or a cartridge detachably attachable to the image forming apparatus is provided, wherein the apparatus comprises developer container for containing developer, developer amount detecting means for detecting an amount of the developer contained in the developer container, a memory for memorizing information concerning the amount of the developer detected by the detecting means and output means for outputting the information concerning the amount of the developer, and the output means outputs the information concerning the developer memorized in the memory until the detection result of the detecting means is confirmed.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image bearing member; a developing device including a carrying member for carrying a developer and for developing an electrostatic image formed on the image bearing member with a developer, a developer supplying means, contacted to the carrying member, for supplying the developer to the carrying member, and developer regulating means for regulating an amount of the developer carried on the carrying member; supply means for supplying the developer to the developing device; control means for controling supply of the developer to the developing device from the supply means, wherein the developing device further includes developer stirring means for stirring the developer supplied from the supply means and for supplying the developer to the supplying means, wherein the stirring means has a lower end disposed at a position which is vertically above an upper end of the supplying means and which is vertically above a contact portion between the carrying member and the developer

Abstract: An image forming apparatus, includes an image bearing device for bearing an image to be formed on a transferring material; a charger; an exposing device; a developing device; a transferring device, which transfers a developed image formed on the image bearing device to a transferring material; a current detector, which detects a transferring current flowing through the transferring device; and a controller. A voltage set in the developing device for an image forming area of the image bearing device is different from a voltage set in the developing device for the non-image-forming area of the image bearing device. The controller controls the voltage set in the developing portion, wherein a voltage for the non-image-forming area is controlled based on an output of the current detector.

Abstract: The present invention provides an image forming apparatus that has a plurality of image forming stations for forming an image on a recording material, each of the plurality of image forming stations having a memory, and writing device for writing data into the memories, wherein when the image is formed on the recording material without at least one of the image forming stations being used, the writing device writes use data into the memory of the station used and the memory of the station not used.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus is provided, which comprises a developer container for containing developer, a developer amount detector for detecting an amount of the developer contained in the developer container, a pixel number counter for counting the number of pixels required for forming an image, a sheet number counter for counting the number of sheets of a recording material on which an image is formed and a calculator for calculating the printable number of sheets from the present onward using the developer amount detected by the detector, the number of pixels counted by the pixel number counter and the number of sheets counted by the sheet number counter.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus or a cartridge detachably attachable to the image forming apparatus is provided, wherein the apparatus comprises developer container for containing developer, developer amount detecting means for detecting an amount of the developer contained in the developer container, a memory for memorizing information concerning the amount of the developer detected by the detecting means and output means for outputting the information concerning the amount of the developer, and the output means outputs the information concerning the developer memorized in the memory until the detection result of the detecting means is confirmed.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus is free of spots on reverse side of a sheet due to the accumulation of toner fog in a non-image-forming area (between sheets, initial rotation, post-rotation) of a photosensitive drum.

Abstract: A use situation reporting system reports the use situations of a developer and other consumables included in an image forming apparatus for forming images on a recording material. More particularly, the use situation reporting system reports an amount of remaining developer and the use times of consumables to a user. Thus, the timing of replacing a cartridge with a new one can be concisely reported to the user.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a developer container for containing a developer; a developer amount detector for detecting the amount of the developer contained in the developer container; a memory; and a calculator for calculating a display level of the remaining amount of the developer. At least the developer container and the memory are in a unit which is detachably mountable to a main assembly of the image forming apparatus. The memory stores information relating to a lifetime of the unit, and a device calculates the display level in accordance with the amount detected by the developer amount detector and the information relating to the lifetime of the unit.

Abstract: The present invention provides an image forming apparatus which has image forming device for forming an image on a recording material, at least one component element of the image forming means being formed in a unit and detachably attachable to a main body of said apparatus, and output device for outputting information of an expiration date of the unit for use.

Abstract: The present invention provides an image forming apparatus which has image forming device for forming an image on a recording material, at least one component element of the image forming means being formed in a unit and detachably attachable to a main body of said apparatus, and output device for outputting information of an expiration date of the unit for use.

Abstract: The present invention provides an image forming apparatus that has a plurality of image forming stations for forming an image on a recording material, each of the plurality of image forming stations having a memory, and writing device for writing data into the memories, wherein when the image is formed on the recording material without at least one of the image forming stations being used, the writing device writes use data into the memory of the station used and the memory of the station not used.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus or a cartridge detachably attachable to the image forming apparatus is provided, wherein the apparatus comprises developer container for containing developer, developer amount detecting means for detecting an amount of the developer contained in the developer container, a memory for memorizing information concerning the amount of the developer detected by the detecting means and output means for outputting the information concerning the amount of the developer, and the output means outputs the information concerning the developer memorized in the memory until the detection result of the detecting means is confirmed.

Abstract: A cartridge detachably mountable to a main body of an image forming apparatus which has a developing device for developing an electrostatic image formed on an image bearing member with two-component developer includes a toner and a carrier. The developing device has a density detecting portion for detecting toner density of a start agent of the developer and the main body of the apparatus performs a setting operation for setting a control value for controlling the density detecting portion on the basis of a detection result of the density detecting portion and storing device for storing information that the setting operation is performed.

Abstract: The present invention provides an image forming apparatus that has a plurality of image forming stations for forming an image on a recording material, each of the plurality of image forming stations having a memory, and writing device for writing data into the memories, wherein when the image is formed on the recording material without at least one of the image forming stations being used, the writing device writes use data into the memory of the station used and the memory of the station not used.

Abstract: A developer remaining amount detecting apparatus of a developing apparatus for developing an electrostatic image on an image bearing body, includes a counter means for counting a number of an image data, an integrator means for integrating a using amount on the image bearing body, and operating section for operating a developer remaining amount on the basis of a count value of the counter and an integrated value of said integrator.

Abstract: At Step Sb3, a duty factor, which was calculated at Step Sb2 on the basis of a data for a feed-back control, is compared with a limit value of the duty factor. If the duty factor is less than the limit value, a pulse for the PWM control is modulated to have the calculated duty factor at Step Sb4. If the duty factor is greater than the limit value, the pulse for the PWM control is modulated to have the duty factor of the limit value at Step Sb5. Accordingly, the duty factor provided for a current value instruction is not in excess of the limit value, so that the secondary battery is prevented from discharging overcurrent in excess of the limit current which can be discharged from the secondary battery. Accordingly, although the capacitance of the secondary battery is not large, the lifetime of the secondary battery is prevented from being shortened.

Abstract: In an image forming apparatus adapted to form images by employing a plurality of image bearing members, when a monocolor mode is selected, no toner image is formed on photosensitive drums of the colors other than the photosensitive drum on which a black toner image is formed. However, the photosensitive drums of the remaining colors continue to run while maintaining a speed difference in a four-full-color mode in relation to an intermediary transfer belt. As a result, some photosensitive drums reach their service life even if the toners contained in developing devices have not yet run out or even if images have not yet been formed on a predetermined number of transfer materials. To solve the problem, the peripheral speed of each of the photosensitive drums in the black monocolor mode for producing monochrome images is set to be faster than that in the full-color mode so as to make the peripheral speed virtually equal to the moving speed of the intermediary transfer belt.

Abstract: A developing apparatus and an image forming apparatus for agitating a two-component developer throughly in a short time, feeds a developer with an even toner concentration to a developer bearing body and stably forms a high-quality image free from defects at any time. A developer agitating and conveying assembly, which is provided in a developer container agitates and conveys the developer. A toner feed port feeds toner to the developer container. The agitating and conveying members are disposed to be partially exposed out of the developer.

Abstract: An electric power assisted, manually operated vehicle such as a wheelchair. A force sensor senses the manual input force and the power assist is generated in response to the sensed input force. A number of embodiments are disclosed wherein the amount of assist is varied in response to running conditions and/or operator conditions so as to improve the performance. In many of these embodiments, the assist is greater at low speeds and is held constant at higher speeds and then decreased as the speed exceeds a predetermined high speed. In some of these embodiments, a regenerative braking is also applied in the event the vehicle speed becomes excessive. Also, the null or dead band range of the sensor is adjusted so as to provide a wider range when stationary than when running. This decreases sensitivity for startup and yet provides good response during running.