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 or a cartridge detachably attachable to the image forming apparatus is provided, wherein the apparatus comprises a developer container for containing developer, a developer amount detector 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 detector and an output unit for outputting the information concerning the amount of the developer. The output unit outputs the information concerning the developer memorized in the memory until the detection result of the detector is confirmed.

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: 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 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: 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: 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 recording apparatus for recording image data from an external apparatus is provided, which receives the image data as an image signal from the external apparatus, records the received image signal, and outputs a characteristic signal regarding a recording characteristic of the recording apparatus to the external apparatus.

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 has a developer bearing member for bearing and carrying a nonmagnetic developer, a layer thickness regulating member for regulating a layer thickness of the developer borne by the developer bearing member, developing bias applying device for applying an alternating current voltage to the developer bearing member, and regulating member bias applying device for applying a direct current voltage to the layer thickness regulating member, and wherein |DC1|>|DC2| is satisfied when DC1 is an effective value of the alternating current voltage applied to the developer bearing member and DC2 is a value of the direct current voltage applied to the layer thickness regulating member, the direct current voltage value DC2 has a polarity, which is reverse to a charging polarity of the developer with respect to the effective value DC1.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus has a developer container for containing a developer, a developer amount detecting device for detecting the amount of the developer contained in the developer container, a consumed amount calculating device for calculating the consumed amount of the developer, and a remaining amount calculating device for calculating the remaining amount of the developer from an output of the detecting device and an output of the consumed amount calculating device.

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 able to prevent the service life of an image bearing member thereof from expiring sooner than expected, without requiring an increase in size, complication, or increased cost of the apparatus. In an image forming apparatus adapted to form images by employing a plurality of image bearing members, when a monocolor mode wherein only a black toner is used to produce a monochrome image 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. This means that the photosensitive drums of the remaining colors wastefully slide against cleaning blades and the intermediary transfer belt, leading to wear or scratches.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image bearing member, a container for containing a developer removed from the image bearing member, a detector for detecting an amount of developer removed from the image bearing member and contained in the container, and a failure detector for detecting a failure of the developer amount detector on the basis of the degree of use of the image bearing member and a detection result of the developer amount detector.

Abstract: A use situation reporting system reports the use situations of a developer and the 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 output apparatus capable of receiving multi-level dot information of a first recording dot density, generating multi-level dot information of a second recording dot density, and transmitting the thus-generated second dot information in a visible way. The output apparatus comprises: a receiving device capable of receiving multi-level dot information of a first recording dot density; a generating device capable of generating multi-level interpolation dot information by applying a predetermined calculation to the thus-received multi-level dot information; and a dot density conversion device capable of generating multi-level dot information of a second, higher recording dot density from said interpolation dot information and the received multi-level dot information, whereby high density image data can be generated from low density image data.