Abstract: A transfer device includes a transfer bias power source, a switching device, and a sheet dependent condition setting device. The transfer bias power source applies to a transfer member, based on sheet dependent conditions for a recording medium onto which a toner image is transferred, one of a DC transfer bias and a superimposed transfer bias including an alternating current (AC) component superimposed on a DC component. The switching device switches a transfer mode between a DC transfer mode in which the DC transfer bias is applied to the transfer device and a superimposed-bias transfer mode in which the superimposed transfer bias is applied to the transfer device. The sheet dependent condition setting device sets arbitrarily at least one of the sheet dependent conditions for the recording medium at the superimposed-bias transfer mode. The sheet dependent conditions include a DC component value and an AC component value.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a transfer device to transfer a toner image formed on an image bearing member onto a recording medium, a sheet separation device to separate the recording medium from the image bearing member, a sheet separation bias application device to apply to the sheet separation device a sheet separation bias in which an alternating current (AC) component is superimposed on a direct current (DC) component, and a transfer bias application device to selectively apply to the transfer device one of a DC transfer bias having a DC component and a superimposed transfer bias in which an AC component is superimposed on a DC component. Upon application of the superimposed transfer bias to the transfer device, the sheet separation bias applied to the sheet separation device is changed from the sheet separation bias applied upon application of the DC transfer bias to the transfer device.

Abstract: A lens driving control apparatus includes an image pickup element that includes an imaging pixel and a focus detection pixel and that performs a photoelectric conversion of an object image, a readout unit that reads image signals from the focus detection pixel with a predetermined period, a storage unit that stores the image signals read by the readout unit, an addition unit that adds a plurality of signals in time-series continuous frames of the image signals, a focus detection unit that performs focus detection based on an addition result by the addition unit, and a lens controller that controls a driving speed of a lens based on the addition number of times by the addition unit and a result of the focus detection unit, and the lens controller performs a control so that the driving speed of the lens is reduced when the addition number of times increases.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image bearing member, a transfer member disposed facing the image bearing member to form a transfer region therebetween, a transfer bias application device to apply to the transfer region a transfer bias including a direct current (DC) component and an alternating current (AC) component to transfer the toner image onto the recording medium as the recording medium passes through the transfer region, and a controller operatively connected to the transfer bias application device to allow, during a bias change period in a sheet absent period in which the image bearing member rotates and no recording medium passes through the transfer region, the transfer bias application device to selectively apply to the transfer region one of the transfer bias without the AC component and the transfer bias with a peak-to-peak voltage of the AC component less than that applied in image formation.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image carrier, a transfer member, a power supply, and a control device that controls the power supply to output a DC-AC superimposed bias or a DC bias to transfer a toner image on the image carrier onto a recording medium. The control device controls the power supply to alternately output a first bias being a DC component the same in polarity as the DC bias and a second bias being a DC component opposite in polarity to the DC bias to clean the transfer member when image formation is not taking place. The first bias is output with two target output values including a first value and a second value lower than the first value. The second bias is output with one target output value. An output time of the second bias is longer than an output time of the first bias.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image bearing member, a transfer member disposed facing the image bearing member to form a transfer region therebetween, a transfer bias application device to apply to the transfer region a transfer bias including a direct current (DC) component and an alternating current (AC) component to transfer the toner image onto the recording medium as the recording medium passes through the transfer region, and a controller operatively connected to the transfer bias application device to allow, during a bias change period in a sheet absent period in which the image bearing member rotates and no recording medium passes through the transfer region, the transfer bias application device to selectively apply to the transfer region one of the transfer bias without the AC component and the transfer bias with a peak-to-peak voltage of the AC component less than that applied in image formation.

Abstract: For obtained raw moving image data, an image processing apparatus decides a focal distance at which a specific subject is focused on. The respective pixels of image signals in each frame of the raw moving image data correspond to light beams having different combinations of pupil regions through which the light beams have passed, and incident directions in an imaging optical system. More specifically, the image processing apparatus generates, from the image signals of each frame of the raw moving image data, a pair of images corresponding to light beams having passed through different pupil regions, and decides, based on a defocus amount at the position of the specific subject that is calculated from the pair of images, the focal distance at which the specific subject is focused on.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image bearing member, a transfer member disposed facing the image bearing member to form a transfer region therebetween, a transfer bias application device to apply to the transfer region a transfer bias including a direct current (DC) component and an alternating current (AC) component to transfer the toner image onto the recording medium as the recording medium passes through the transfer region, and a controller operatively connected to the transfer bias application device to allow, during a bias change period in a sheet absent period in which the image bearing member rotates and no recording medium passes through the transfer region, the transfer bias application device to selectively apply to the transfer region one of the transfer bias without the AC component and the transfer bias with a peak-to-peak voltage of the AC component less than that applied in image formation.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a power source to output a voltage having an alternating waveform to transfer a toner image from an image bearing member to a recording medium. A time-averaged value (Vave) of the voltage has a polarity in a transfer direction, in which the toner image is transferred from the image bearing member to the recording medium, and an absolute value of the time-averaged value is greater than a midpoint value (Voff) of the voltage intermediate between a maximum value and a minimum value of the voltage. As a roughness of the recording medium increases, a duty ratio (Duty) expressed by A/(A+B) is reduced, where A is an area of the waveform of the voltage in a return direction opposite the transfer direction relative to the midpoint value in one cycle and B is an area in the transfer direction relative to the midpoint value.

Abstract: An image capturing apparatus includes: an imaging element including a first photoelectric conversion cell that outputs a first signal for phase difference detection obtained by detecting a plurality of light fluxes transmitted through different exit pupils of a photographing optical system using a plurality of focus detection pixels and a second photoelectric conversion cell that outputs a second signal for image generation obtained by detecting an object image transmitted through the photographing optical system using an imaging pixel. A contrast calculating unit calculates contrast information on the object image based on at least one of the first signal and the second signal; a focus detecting unit performs focus detection using a phase difference method on the basis of the first signal, and outputs an estimate for focus adjustment; a reliability estimating unit estimates reliability of a result obtained by the focus detecting unit.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a rotatable image bearing member, a nip forming member, and a power source. The rotatable image bearing member bears a toner image on a surface thereof and rotates. The nip forming member contacts the surface of the image bearing member to form a transfer nip therebetween. The power source applies a transfer bias to the transfer nip to transfer the toner image from the image bearing member onto a recording medium interposed in the transfer nip. The transfer bias includes a superimposed transfer bias in which an alternating current (AC) component is superimposed on a direct current (DC) component and a polarity of the superimposed transfer bias changes with time. A phase difference between an AC voltage and an AC current output from the power source is equal to or less than 0.47 cycles.

Abstract: For obtained raw moving image data, an image processing apparatus decides a focal distance at which a specific subject is focused on. The respective pixels of image signals in each frame of the raw moving image data correspond to light beams having different combinations of pupil regions through which the light beams have passed, and incident directions in an imaging optical system. More specifically, the image processing apparatus generates, from the image signals of each frame of the raw moving image data, a pair of images corresponding to light beams having passed through different pupil regions, and decides, based on a defocus amount at the position of the specific subject that is calculated from the pair of images, the focal distance at which the specific subject is focused on.

Abstract: A detection apparatus configured to detect a focus state based on an output signal from an image pickup element capable of outputting an image pickup signal and a phase-difference detection signal includes, a first calculation unit configured to calculate information related to a first phase difference based on the phase-difference detection signal output from the image pickup element, a second calculation unit configured to calculate information related to a second phase difference based on the image pickup signal output from the image pickup element, and a detection unit configured to detect the focus state based on the information related to the first phase difference and the second phase difference.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a toner forced consumption control unit that performs toner forced consumption control in which toner in a developing unit is forcibly consumed when a certain condition to perform the toner forced consumption control is met. The certain condition to perform the toner forced consumption control includes a specific performance condition that a transfer bias switching condition to switch a transfer bias to a superimposed transfer bias in which an alternating current component is superimposed on a direct current component, from a direct current transfer bias is met. When the specific performance condition is met, the toner forced consumption control unit performs preliminary toner forced consumption control in which the toner forced consumption control is performed before an image forming operation using the superimposed transfer bias is started.

Abstract: A transfer device comprises a freely rotatable transferring member contacting an image bearing member to form a transfer nip therebetween; a transfer bias applying member to apply a first bias created by superimposing an alternating current component on a direct current component to the transferring member to transfer a toner image borne on the image bearing member to a recording medium in the transfer nip; and an applicator to apply a protective agent to a surface of the transferring member.

Abstract: A transfer device comprises a freely rotatable transferring member contacting an image bearing member to form a transfer nip therebetween; a transfer bias applying member to apply a first bias created by superimposing an alternating current component on a direct current component to the transferring member to transfer a toner image borne on the image bearing member to a recording medium in the transfer nip; and an applicator to apply a protective agent to a surface of the transferring member.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image carrier, a transfer member, a power supply, and a control device that controls the power supply to output a DC-AC superimposed bias or a DC bias to transfer a toner image on the image carrier onto a recording medium. The control device controls the power supply to alternately output a first bias being a DC component the same in polarity as the DC bias and a second bias being a DC component opposite in polarity to the DC bias to clean the transfer member when image formation is not taking place. The first bias is output with two target output values including a first value and a second value lower than the first value. The second bias is output with one target output value. An output time of the second bias is longer than an output time of the first bias.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image carrier that carries a toner image; a transfer member that forms a transfer nip between the transfer member and the image carrier; and a power supply capable of outputting a superimposed transfer bias in which an alternating current component is superimposed onto a direct current component. The toner image on the image carrier is transferred onto a recording medium in the transfer nip by the superimposed transfer bias or a direct current bias consisting of the direct current component output by the power supply. The apparatus also includes a controller that controls the power supply so that an output target value of the direct current component when the direct current component rises up is larger than an output target value of the direct current component when the toner image is transferred onto the recording medium.

Abstract: A transfer device includes a transfer member and a bias applicator. The transfer member contacts a surface, on which a toner image is borne, of an image bearing body, to form a transfer nip. The bias applicator applies a DC voltage and an AC voltage as transfer bias to transfer the toner image on the image bearing body to a recording sheet in the transfer nip. The bias applicator applies a DC voltage having a same polarity as the DC voltage of the transfer bias and an AC voltage having an amplitude smaller than the AC voltage of the transfer bias or applies the DC voltage having the same polarity as the DC voltage of the transfer bias without applying an AC voltage, when an inter-sheet area that exists on the image bearing body passes through the transfer nip during a continuous image formation period.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a transfer device to transfer a toner image formed on an image bearing member onto a recording medium, a sheet separation device to separate the recording medium from the image bearing member, a sheet separation bias application device to apply to the sheet separation device a sheet separation bias in which an alternating current (AC) component is superimposed on a direct current (DC) component, and a transfer bias application device to selectively apply to the transfer device one of a DC transfer bias having a DC component and a superimposed transfer bias in which an AC component is superimposed on a DC component. Upon application of the superimposed transfer bias to the transfer device, the sheet separation bias applied to the sheet separation device is changed from the sheet separation bias applied upon application of the DC transfer bias to the transfer device.