Abstract: Disclosed is an image forming apparatus comprising: a developing device to house a toner and to form a toner image on an image carrier; a transfer belt to transfer the toner image formed on the image carrier to a sheet, the transfer belt comprising an elastic layer; and a blade to remove the toner remaining on the transfer belt after the toner image has been transferred, the blade being in contact with the transfer belt, wherein the transfer belt and the blade are configured so that a stiffness of the transfer belt is larger than a stiffness of the blade, in a temperature range which is no higher than a glass transition temperature of the toner.

Abstract: In the recovery sequence after detecting recording medium conveyance jam or after detecting empty of recording medium in the sheet feeding tray, by applying a bias having the same polarity as that of the bias of the secondary transfer, remaining toner on the intermediate transfer member is transferred onto the secondary transfer roller side and a part of remaining toner not transferred by slipping through is cleaned by an intermediate member cleaning device disposed between the secondary transfer device and a bending roller being in contact with an outer surface of the intermediate transfer member.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus for forming a toner image on an image carrier and transferring the toner image to a recording medium including a developing device, cleaning device, first toner conveyer, second toner conveyer, third toner conveyer, and a controller for controlling whether the toner removed by the cleaning device is to be conveyed by the second toner conveyer on the basis of an amount of new toner conveyed to the developing device by the third toner conveyer.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus, including: an image carrier; a transfer device for transferring toner images carried on the image carrier onto the recording material; and a pressing section for pressing the transfer material onto the image carrier; wherein the pressing section is trapezoidal, including: a straight edge portion positioned at the center of the pressing section, perpendicular to the feeding direction of the recording material, and sloped edge portions, wherein the width of the straight edge portion is equal to or greater than 95% of the width of the recording material.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus having a photoconductor for carrying a toner image; a transfer device, provided with a discharge wire, for transferring the toner image onto a transfer material through discharge in a transfer area, after a transfer material is superposed with the photoconductor; a transfer-exposure device for carrying out light exposure of a surface of the photoconductor superposed with the transfer material, in the transfer area; a separator for separating the transfer material from the photoconductor after the toner image is transferred; and a controller for controlling the image forming apparatus. The controller controls such that light from the transfer-exposure device is applied to the photoconductor surface for the first time when the photoconductor surface superposed with the transfer material has reached the transfer area.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus, including: an image carrier; a transfer device for transferring toner images carried on the image carrier onto the recording material; and a pressing section for pressing the transfer material onto the image carrier; wherein the pressing section is trapezoidal, including: a straight edge portion positioned at the center of the pressing section, perpendicular to the feeding direction of the recording material, and sloped edge portions, wherein the width of the straight edge portion is equal to or greater than 95% of the width of the recording material.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus for forming a toner image on an image carrier and transferring the toner image to a recording medium including a developing device, cleaning device, first toner conveyer, second toner conveyer, third toner conveyer, and a controller for controlling whether the toner removed by the cleaning device is to be conveyed by the second toner conveyer on the basis of an amount of new toner conveyed to the developing device by the third toner conveyer.

Abstract: An image forming method includes the steps of: forming a plurality of electrostatic latent images of a non-solid control patch by converting a reference input density; detecting a patch potential of each of the plurality of electrostatic latent images; calculating a density value of image data corresponding to a desired patch potential from the detected plurality of patch potentials; detecting a density of each of the plurality of non-solid control patches which has been formed by an imagewise exposure according to the image data of the reference input density obtained by the calculating step; forming an image by controlling an image forming condition in accordance with a detected density signal.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus having a photoconductor for carrying a toner image; a transfer device, provided with a discharge wire, for transferring the toner image onto a transfer material through discharge in a transfer area, after a transfer material is superposed with the photoconductor; a transfer-exposure device for carrying out light exposure of a surface of the photoconductor superposed with the transfer material, in the transfer area; a separator for separating the transfer material from the photoconductor after the toner image is transferred ; and a controller for controlling the image forming apparatus. The controller controls such that light from the transfer-exposure device is applied to the photoconductor surface for the first time when the photoconductor surface superposed with the transfer material has reached the transfer area.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus having a photoreceptor, a developing section, a transferring section, and a cleaning section, wherein the toner is manufactured by a polymerization method, particle diameter is 3-8 &mgr;m, and a shape factor of the toner is 0.940-0.985. The cleaning section has a rubber blade, and a brush roller implanted with brush fibers, wherein a value of effective rubbing force F, defined by the following expression, of brush fibers is in a range of 2.5-10.5, F=nxyEt3/L3, wherein, “n” represents implanted density of the brush fibers (fibers/mm2), “x” represents a linear speed difference between the brush fibers and the photoreceptor (mm/s), “y” represents an encroaching amount (mm) of the brush fibers upon the photoreceptor, “E” represents Young's modulus (kgf/mm2), “t” represents a diameter (mm), and “L” represents a free length (mm) of the brush fibers.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus having a photoreceptor, a developing section, a transferring section, and a cleaning section, wherein the toner is manufactured by a polymerization method, particle diameter is 3-8 &mgr;m, and a shape factor of the toner is 0.940-0.985. The cleaning section has a rubber blade, and a brush roller implanted with brush fibers, wherein a value of effective rubbing force F, defined by the following expression, of brush fibers is in a range of 2.5-10.

Abstract: An image forming method includes the steps of: forming a plurality of electrostatic latent images of a non-solid control patch by converting a reference input density; detecting a patch potential of each of the plurality of electrostatic latent images; calculating a density value of image data corresponding to a desired patch potential from the detected plurality of patch potentials; detecting a density of each of the plurality of non-solid control patches which has been formed by an imagewise exposure according to the image data of the reference input density obtained by the calculating step; forming an image by controlling an image forming condition in accordance with a detected density signal.

Abstract: An image forming method, comprising steps of: forming a toner image on an organic electrophotographic photoreceptor having a siloxane based resin layer as a protective layer with a developer carried on a developing sleeve, wherein a distance Dsd (&mgr;m) between the organic electrophotographic photoreceptor and the developing sleeve and a thickness t (&mgr;m) of the protective layer of the organic electrophotographic photoreceptor satisfy formula (1): 35t+400<Dsd  (1)

Abstract: An image forming method, comprising steps of: forming a toner image on an organic electrophotographic photoreceptor having a siloxane based resin layer as a protective layer with a developer carried on a developing sleeve, wherein a distance Dsd (&mgr;m) between the organic electrophotographic photoreceptor and the developing sleeve and a thickness t (&mgr;m) of the protective layer of the organic electrophotographic photoreceptor satisfy formula (1):

Abstract: In an electrostatic recording apparatus equipped with an image carrying member having a surface where there is provided an image forming region on which the toner image is formed and the other region located next to the image forming region in the axial direction on the surface, a cleaning blade made of an elastic material comes in contact with the surface and to clean toner remaining on the surface after the toner image is transferred. The cleaning blade comes in contact with the image forming region and the other region and an edge of a portion of the cleaning blade substantially coming in contact with the other region is hardened by heat.

Abstract: A positive-electrification toner capable being fixed with a hot roller having a fluoro-resin covering layer is disclosed. The toner comprises mother particles containing a resin and a coloring agent, and vinyl resin fine particles fastened to the mother particles by mechanical impact force, wherein the resin has a softening point higher than that of the resin contained in the mother particles and not higher than 160.degree. C. and the vinyl resin fine particles have a frictional negative electrification quantity against iron powder not larger than 100 .mu.c/g. The toner is used for electrophotography, electrostatic printing and electroststic recording.