Abstract: An image forming apparatus changes over an electric potential on an image bearing member in response to an attenuation region in which a remaining potential on a developing member is attenuating after a developing bias applied to the developing member has been turned off after completion of an image forming operations. Accordingly, it is possible to mitigate adherence of developer due to a large potential difference between the developing member and the image bearing member.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus capable of preventing toner fusion between recording sheets to thereby offer high usability, with a construction that does not cause increase in cost and size of the apparatus and an undue reduction in productivity. In the image forming apparatus, a toner use amount in a partial region of an toner image transferred from an intermediate transfer belt to a recording sheet is detected. When it is determined that the toner use amount detected for the partial region is equal to or greater than a predetermined amount, a recording sheet conveyance interval is widened.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus capable of preventing toner fusion between recording sheets, with a construction that does not require increase in cost and size of the apparatus and does not unduly lower productivity, to thereby offer high usability. For image formation on plural pieces of recording sheets, a CPU controls a recording sheet conveyance interval for a first set based on a detected amount of toner used for the image formation on each page, stores the toner use amounts for respective pages of the first set into a RAM, and controls the recording sheet conveyance interval for second and subsequent sets based on the toner use amount stored in the RAM for each page.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a transfer unit configured to transfer a toner image based on image data onto a recording medium, a fixing device configured to thermally fix the toner image transferred onto the recording medium, a stack tray configured to stack a recording medium conveyed from the fixing device, and a controller configured to calculate based on the image data an amount of a toner on a top surface of the recording media stacked on the stack tray and an amount of a toner on a bottom surface of the recording media to be subsequently conveyed and discharged onto the stack tray and to control a recording medium discharge interval based on a result of calculating the amounts of the toners.

Abstract: A belt feeding apparatus includes an endless belt; a supporting member for rotatably supporting said belt; and setting means for setting, when said belt is deviated from a widthwisely normal zone, an inclination angle of said supporting member to a returning angle to return said belt toward the normal zone, and for setting, when said belt is in the normal zone, the inclination angle of said supporting member to a balance angle.

Abstract: A belt feeding apparatus includes an endless belt and a supporting member for rotatably supporting the belt. The belt feeding apparatus further includes a setting member for setting, when the belt is deviated from a widthwisely normal zone, an inclination angle of the supporting member to a return angle to return the belt toward the normal zone. The setting member also sets, when a predetermined time elapses from the belt returning to the normal zone, the inclination angle of the supporting member to a balance angle to keep the belt in the zone.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus having improved installability and operability. The image forming apparatus has an operation unit thereof disposed on an arm extending from the apparatus and pivotable around a support member in substantially the horizontal direction, and has sensors for detecting the pivot position of the operation unit. An initial-screen setting screen determined based on the pivot position of the operation unit detected by the sensors is displayed on the operation unit.

Abstract: In an image forming apparatus which requires the user to manually input sheet medium information, (when a bundle of sheets which include a plurality of types of print media are to be printed, the user must manually input setups of the image forming apparatus for each individual print medium. In manual setups by the user, some setups require user's knowledge about print media. When the user has made wrong setups, a print result cannot be obtained under an appropriate control condition Furthermore, when information about a print medium is sensed by the sensor without manual setups, the information cannot be often precisely detect depending on the type and thickness of the print medium, an environment, and the like, and it is consequently difficult to attain optimal image formation. It is an object of this invention to attain optimal image formation, saving user labor and shortening the print time by using a radio tag attached to the sheet medium.

Abstract: In an image forming apparatus includes a containing device for containing waste toner which is recovered, and a near-end position detecting device that detects that the waste toner is at a near-end position in the containing device, and a judgment feature that the waste toner is full based on image judgement means for judging whether the container after detecting means detects that an amount of toner in the container is full of toner, based on image information of an image formed on a recording material and the adjustment by the adjusting means.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus for carrying out an image forming process with a detachably mountable image forming unit mounted thereon, when the mounting of the image forming unit has been detected, whether the mounted image forming unit is a new one is discriminated. Then, unit control information held by an information holding portion for holding unit control information corresponding to the image forming unit is updated on the basis of the results of discrimination at the last time and this time. By such a construction, image formation becomes executable on the mounted image forming unit always in an optimized state.

Abstract: A belt feeding apparatus includes an endless belt and a supporting member for rotatably supporting the belt. The belt feeding apparatus further includes a setting member for setting, when the belt is deviated from a widthwisely normal zone, an inclination angle of the supporting member to a return angle to return the belt toward the normal zone, The setting member also sets, when a predetermined time elapses from the belt returning to the normal zone, the inclination angle of the supporting member to a balance angle to keep the belt in the zone.

Abstract: A belt feeding apparatus includes an endless belt and a supporting member for rotatably supporting the belt. A setting member is provided for setting, when the belt is deviated from a widthwisely normal zone, an inclination angle of the supporting member to a returning angle to return the belt toward the normal zone. The setting member also sets, when the belt is in the normal zone, the inclination angle of the supporting member to a balance angle.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus that is capable of normally performing second side printing on a transfer material, even if the transfer material put on standby after completion of first side printing is pulled out by a user. A transfer material having image formed on its first side is fed until it is partly exposed to the outside of a printer, and is then fed to a refeeding path in the printer and further fed to a standby position prior to image formation on the second side of the transfer material. When it is detected that the transfer material caused to stop at the standby position is pulled out by a user, a warning to stop pulling out the transfer material is given to the user.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus changes over an electric potential on an image bearing member in response to an attenuation region in which a remaining potential on a developing member is attenuating after a developing bias applied to the developing member has been turned off after completion of an image forming operations. Accordingly, it is possible to mitigate adherence of developer due to a large potential difference between the developing member and the image bearing member.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus which is capable of performing a failsafe image forming operation even when a memory device of a replaceable unit mounted thereon is faulty. A controller of the image forming apparatus determines whether or not a memory tag of a toner cartridge is faulty. If the memory tag is determined to be faulty, the controller causes image adjustment to be executed.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus that is capable of normally performing second side printing on a transfer material, even if the transfer material put on standby after completion of first side printing is pulled out by a user. A transfer material having image formed on its first side is fed until it is partly exposed to the outside of a printer, and is then fed to a refeeding path in the printer and further fed to a standby position prior to image formation on the second side of the transfer material. When it is detected that the transfer material caused to stop at the standby position is pulled out by a user, a warning to stop pulling out the transfer material is given to the user.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus changes over an electric potential on an image bearing member in response to an attenuation region in which a remaining potential on an image bearing member attenuates after a developing bias applied to the developing member has been turned off after completion of an image forming operation. Accordingly, it is possible to mitigate adherence of developer due to a large potential difference between the developing member and the image bearing member.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus changes over an electric potential on an image bearing member in response to an attenuation region in which a remaining potential on a developing member is attenuating after a developing bias applied to the developing member has been turned off after completion of an image forming operations. Accordingly, it is possible to mitigate adherence of developer due to a large potential difference between the developing member and the image bearing member.

Abstract: A belt feeding apparatus includes an endless belt; a supporting member for rotatably supporting the belt; setting means for setting, when the belt is deviated from a widthwisely normal zone, an inclination angle of the supporting member to a return angle to return the belt toward the normal zone, and for setting, when a predetermined time elapses from the belt returning to the normal zone, the inclination angle of the supporting member to a balance angle to keep the belt in the zone.

Abstract: A belt feeding apparatus includes an endless belt; a supporting member for rotatably supporting said belt; and setting means for setting, when said belt is deviated from a widthwisely normal zone, an inclination angle of said supporting member to a returning angle to return said belt toward the normal zone, and for setting, when said belt is in the normal zone, the inclination angle of said supporting member to a balance angle.