Abstract: An image forming apparatus including: a cylindrical photoconductor; a laser scanning section for forming an electrostatic latent image on a peripheral surface of the photoconductor; an image development section for developing the electrostatic latent image by using a toner; a toner storage section for storing the toner to be supplied; and a transfer section for transferring the visualized image with use of the toner onto a printing sheet, wherein the image development section is disposed upstream of a rotation direction of the photoconductor from the transfer section, the toner storage section is disposed above the image development section while having a predetermined distance from the image development section so as to form a space therebetween for releasing heat, and the laser scanning section emits the scanning beam obliquely upwardly with respect to a horizontal direction so that the emitted scanning beam passes through the space and exposes the peripheral surface.

Abstract: In an image forming apparatus of the present invention, a scorotron charging device has a meshed grid electrode which is meshed more coarsely in a high-speed apparatus than a meshed grid electrode in a low-speed apparatus according to a circumferential velocity of a photoreceptor. With this arrangement, it is possible to charge the photoreceptor at a predetermined potential in the high-speed apparatus, without increase of the amount of ozone generation and upsizing of the image forming apparatus.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus for executing image forming process on a page by page basis including: a toner image forming section for producing a visible image formed of toner as a toner image on an image carrier; a transfer section which performs a transfer process for transferring the formed toner image onto a recording medium; a cleaning section which removes toner remaining on the image carrier after the transfer process; a waste toner storing section in which the removed toner is accumulated; and a waste toner amount detecting section which detects an amount of the toner accumulated in the waste toner storing section on the basis of at least three detection levels.

Abstract: Cleaning performance of a cleaning pad for cleaning a charging wire is maintained so that the charging voltage of an image carrier by a charging wire is stabilized. A charging wire cleaning apparatus is provided with a cleaning pad for cleaning a charging wire which charges an image carrier, a slider which is a supporting body for supporting the cleaning pad, and a screw shaft which is a moving mechanism for reciprocating the slider in parallel to the charging wire. When the slider is at a predetermined position of the reciprocation range, the cleaning pad and the charging wire are separated, and the cleaning pad is adapted to be shifted with respect to the charging wire in this state.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus is provided in which an electrostatic latent image formed on a surface of a photoreceptor is developed into a toner image with a developing device, and in which a printing paper transported on a transport belt is brought into contact with the surface of the photoreceptor and an electric field is applied to the printing paper from a rear surface of the transport belt by a transfer roller so as to transfer the toner image onto the printing paper, the transfer roller capable of applying different levels of electric field to the printing paper, so that a predetermined transfer electric field is applied to a region other than a leading edge of the printing paper being transported, and that a weak electric field weaker than the predetermined transfer electric field is applied to the leading edge of the printing paper being transported.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a history storage portion for storing the usage history involving the number of prints of the image forming apparatus, and a processing time controller for changing the time of the pre-processing operation before or the time of the post-processing operation after a printing process of the printing portion, based on the stored usage history so as to exclude the influence of the unfixed developer on the printing process.

Abstract: A volume management system includes a management server which includes a memory and a processor, the memory stores an area level indicative of released or unreleased, a priority level indicative of a priority for establishing a redundancy, a use status indicative of used or unused, and a state indicative of presence or absence of redundancies, for each of logic areas of a storage device. When there is a logic area whose capacity is insufficient among the logic areas of the storage, the arrangement performs a number of operations to allocate capacities of other logic areas to a logic area whose capacity is insufficient.

Abstract: In one embodiment of the present invention, an image forming apparatus is presumed that develops an electrostatic latent image on the surface of a photoreceptor, thus forming a visible image on the surface of the photoreceptor, transfers the visible image from the surface of the photoreceptor to recording paper, separates the recording paper from the surface of the photoreceptor with a separation claw, and cleans the surface of the photoreceptor with a cleaning blade. The cleaning blade is in sliding contact with the surface of the photoreceptor, and smoothes damage that has been formed on the surface of the photoreceptor by contact of the separation claw.

Abstract: A combined resistance R1=Vt1/I1 (MO) of a transfer belt (61) and a recording sheet obtained when a transfer current I1 (?A) passes through the transfer belt (61) and the recording sheet upon application of a first transfer bias voltage Vt1 (V) to a transfer roller (6b) from a high-voltage power source (6f) and a combined resistance R2=Vt2/I2 (MO) of the transfer belt (61) and the recording sheet obtained when a transfer current I2 (?A) passes through the transfer belt (61) and the recording sheet upon application of a second transfer bias voltage Vt2 (V) to the transfer roller (6b) from the high-voltage power source (6f), are established to have the relationship: R2/R1=7 ?(I2)?0.5 therebetween.

Abstract: A charging device includes a long electrode, a cleaning member, a timing device, a drive source, a load measuring device, and a control device. The drive source moves the cleaning member in the outward direction for a first time period after the outward passage time and then reverses the cleaning member in the homeward position. The load measuring device measures driving load imposed on the drive source while the cleaning member is being moved. The control device controls motion of the drive source to turn the cleaning member from the outward direction to the homeward direction at a predetermined objective point near the second end, based on sum of driving loads imposed on the drive source while the cleaning member is being moved from the first point to a second point located along the outward direction.

Abstract: A charging device includes a rotatable screw gear, a motor, a support, and a protruding member. The screw gear is positioned along length of a linear electrode. The motor rotates the screw gear in forward and reverse directions. The support holds the cleaning member mounted so as to be in contact with the electrode, and is mounted unrotatably but reciprocably between a first end and a second end of the electrode. The member extends perpendicular to the length of the electrode from the support, and has a projection for being elastically fitted into a thread groove of the screw gear along a radial direction of the screw gear. The member is configured in such a manner that a distance between a starting point of elastic deformation of the member and a contact point between the projection and a thread of the screw gear differs according to whether the support is moved forward or backward.

Abstract: Transfer roller(s) is/are such that either end thereof is formed from fibrous electrically conductive component(s) and such that cylindrical portion(s) in central region(s) is/are, for example, formed from metal roller-like structure(s), either fibrous electrically conductive component outer end being arranged so as to extend somewhat beyond either transfer/transport belt side. Furthermore, outside diameter(s) approximated by tips of respective individual fiber(s) of fibrous electrically conductive component(s) is/are somewhat larger than diameter(s) of metal roller-like structure(s). This makes it possible for electric field(s) to be applied, and for charging to occur, along the full width(s) of transfer/transport belt(s).

Abstract: An image forming apparatus and a maintenance method thereof are provided to enable rotation and replacement of a peeling claw at a suitable timing before the peeling claw is deformed or damaged. Several peeling members are disposed in a width direction of a drum-shaped photoreceptor. Each peeling member is disposed with a peeling claw and a collision sensor detecting that the peeling claw collides with a sheet. A collision history value of each peeling claw is stored and managed based on a collision detection signal from the collision sensor; if the peeling claw reaching a preset rotation request value exists in the read collision history values of the peeling claws, a rotation request of the relevant peeling claw is reported; the collision history value of the rotated peeling claw is rewritten; and if the peeling claw reaching the rotation request value does not exist, a print process is performed.

Abstract: An embodiment of a screw conveyor includes a rotating shaft and a conveying blade helically formed around and loosely coupled with the rotating shaft. One or both of two edges of the conveying blade is/are only fixed to the rotating shaft, and a gap is provided between the rotating shaft and the conveying blade. Thereby, the conveying blade can be vibrated in a center axis direction of the rotating shaft by rotation of the rotating shaft and conveyed waste developer.

Abstract: In an image forming apparatus of the present invention, a scorotron charging device has a meshed grid electrode which is meshed more coarsely in a high-speed apparatus than a meshed grid electrode in a low-speed apparatus according to a circumferential velocity of a photoreceptor. With this arrangement, it is possible to charge the photoreceptor at a predetermined potential in the high-speed apparatus, without increase of the amount of ozone generation and upsizing of the image forming apparatus.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus for executing image forming process on a page by page basis including: a toner image forming section for producing a visible image formed of toner as a toner image on an image carrier; a transfer section which performs a transfer process for transferring the formed toner image onto a recording medium; a cleaning section which removes toner remaining on the image carrier after the transfer process; a waste toner storing section in which the removed toner is accumulated; and a waste toner amount detecting section which detects an amount of the toner accumulated in the waste toner storing section on the basis of at least three detection levels.

Abstract: A timer clocks and accumulates time periods during each of which a recording sheet is transported or transfer bias is applied as transfer execution periods. When the accumulated value reaches a predetermined value, the timer outputs a time-up signal to a CPU and then clears the accumulated value. The CPU executes a cleaning operation at the time the time-up signal is inputted from the timer. In the cleaning operation, the CPU causes a high-voltage power source to apply cleaning bias to a transfer electrode roller while causing a high-voltage power source to apply delivery bias to an auxiliary cleaning roller, in order to return toner attracted to the auxiliary cleaning roller to a photosensitive drum via a transfer belt.

Abstract: A volume management system is provided which includes a storage device having plural logic areas, a computer which requests processes to the storage device, and a management server which communicates with the storage device and the computer. The management server includes a memory and a processor, the memory stores an area level indicative of released or unreleased, a priority level indicative of a priority for establishing a redundancy, a use status indicative of used or unused, and a state indicative of presence or absence of redundancies, for each of the logic areas of the storage device.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a history storage portion for storing the usage history involving the number of prints of the image forming apparatus, and a processing time controller for changing the time of the pre-processing operation before or the time of the post-processing operation after a printing process of the printing portion, based on the stored usage history so as to exclude the influence of the unfixed developer on the printing process.

Abstract: A combined resistance R1=Vt1/I1 (MO) of a transfer belt (61) and a recording sheet obtained when a transfer current I1 (?A) passes through the transfer belt (61) and the recording sheet upon application of a first transfer bias voltage Vt1 (V) to a transfer roller (6b) from a high-voltage power source (6f) and a combined resistance R2=Vt2/I2 (MO) of the transfer belt (61) and the recording sheet obtained when a transfer current I2 (?A) passes through the transfer belt (61) and the recording sheet upon application of a second transfer bias voltage Vt2 (V) to the transfer roller (6b) from the high-voltage power source (6f), are established to have the relationship: R2/R1=7?(I2)?0.5 therebetween.