Abstract: A process cartridge includes an image bearer to bear a toner image, a lubricant supply device to supply a lubricant to the surface of the image bearer, and a blade made of elastic material, with the leading end abutting the surface of the image bearer, wherein the leading end is formed to have an elasticity power of from 65 to 93 percent, wherein the process cartridge is detachably attachable to an image forming apparatus.

Abstract: A cleaning blade includes: a blade having plural layers formed with elastic materials having different degrees of hardness from each other, an edge line portion of the blade being brought into contact with a surface of a cleaning target performing surface movement to remove adhering matter from the surface of the cleaning target. A cleaning layer of the plural layers including the edge line portion is impregnated with a resin or is made of an elastic material having a high degree of hardness. A permanent elongation rate of the entire blade is set at 3.0% or lower.

Abstract: A belt control device includes a holder to movably support a rotation shaft of at least one of the plurality of rotators around which a belt is looped, a contact part to contact an end of the belt as the belt moves in a belt width direction, a stationary frame part disposed facing the holder, a shaft moving device to move the rotation shaft as the belt moves, and at least one projection disposed on one of the stationary frame part and the holder. The projection is to contact the other of the stationary frame part and the holder. The projection includes a long projection having a contact portion extending in a shaft moving direction in which the rotation shaft moves, and the contact portion is contactable with the other of the stationary frame part and the holder.

Abstract: An elastic blade may include an edge layer and at least one backup layer laminated on the edge layer. The edge layer may include a contact edge to contact a contact object and an opposing face to oppose the contact object, and the backup layer may be greater in elastic power than the edge layer.

Abstract: A belt control device includes a holder to movably support a rotation shaft of at least one of the plurality of rotators around which a belt is looped, a contact part to contact an end of the belt as the belt moves in a belt width direction, a stationary frame part disposed facing the holder, a shaft moving device to move the rotation shaft as the belt moves, and at least one projection disposed on one of the stationary frame part and the holder. The projection is to contact the other of the stationary frame part and the holder. The projection includes a long projection having a contact portion extending in a shaft moving direction in which the rotation shaft moves, and the contact portion is contactable with the other of the stationary frame part and the holder.

Abstract: A cleaning blade includes: a blade having plural layers formed with elastic materials having different degrees of hardness from each other, an edge line portion of the blade being brought into contact with a surface of a cleaning target performing surface movement to remove adhering matter from the surface of the cleaning target. A cleaning layer of the plural layers including the edge line portion is impregnated with a resin or is made of an elastic material having a high degree of hardness. A permanent elongation rate of the entire blade is set at 3.0% or lower.

Abstract: An elastic blade may include an edge layer and at least one backup layer laminated on the edge layer. The edge layer may include a contact edge to contact a contact object and an opposing face to oppose the contact object, and the backup layer may be greater in elastic power than the edge layer.

Abstract: An elastic blade includes an edge layer and at least one backup layer laminated on the edge layer. The edge layer includes a contact edge to contact a contact object and an opposing face to oppose the contact object, and the backup layer is greater in elastic power than the edge layer.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus, includes an image carrier; a power supply; a charging member, to which the power supply applies a direct current (DC) charging voltage, to charge a surface of the image carrier; and a controller. The controller causes the power supply to apply, to the charging member, the DC charging voltage of a sum of a reference voltage VC and a correction amount ?, so that a charged potential VD of the surface of the image carrier assumes a target value that is substantially equal to the reference voltage VC; and to increase an absolute value of the correction amount ? to be added to the reference voltage VC in inverse proportion to an absolute value of the reference voltage VC, when the absolute value of the reference voltage VC is smaller compared to a case in which the absolute value of the reference voltage VC is greater.

Abstract: A charging roller to apply voltage to a target to charge the target has a surface having a color set in one of a range according to CIE L*a*b* color space and a range according to CIE XYZ color space, and the range according to CIE L*a*b* color space is defined as 32.6?L*?50.9, 0.51?a*?1.12, and 6.0?b*?8.4; and the range according to CIE XYZ color space is defined as 8.8?X?21.0, 9.1?Y?21.3, and 5.7?Z?11.8.

Abstract: An elastic blade includes an edge layer and at least one backup layer laminated on the edge layer. The edge layer includes a contact edge to contact a contact object and an opposing face to oppose the contact object, and the backup layer is greater in elastic power than the edge layer.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a rotatable image bearer, a charging member to contact a surface of the image bearer and charge the image bearer, an exposure device to expose the image bearer and form a latent image, a developing device to develop the latent image on the image bearer into a toner image, a transfer device to transfer the toner image from the image bearer onto a transfer medium, and a cleaning blade to contact the surface of the image bearer and remove toner from the image bearer after image transfer. The charging member has surface unevenness created by projections and recesses extending in a direction of rotation of the image bearer. The cleaning blade is configured to abrade projections formed on the surface of the image bearer.

Abstract: A blade includes an elastic member including a tip ridgeline to contact the surface of a member to contact. The tip ridgeline includes an impregnation layer impregnated with a cured compound comprising an acrylate or methacrylate compound having an alicyclic structure including 6 or more carbon atoms in its molecule, and has an elastic power in the range of 50% to 80%.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus, includes an image carrier; a power supply; a charging member, to which the power supply applies a direct current (DC) charging voltage, to charge a surface of the image carrier; and a controller. The controller causes the power supply to apply, to the charging member, the DC charging voltage of a sum of a reference voltage VC and a correction amount ?, so that a charged potential VD of the surface of the image carrier assumes a target value that is substantially equal to the reference voltage VC; and to increase an absolute value of the correction amount ? to be added to the reference voltage VC in inverse proportion to an absolute value of the reference voltage VC, when the absolute value of the reference voltage VC is smaller compared to a case in which the absolute value of the reference voltage VC is greater.

Abstract: A blade includes an elastic member including a tip ridgeline to contact the surface of a member to contact. The tip ridgeline includes an impregnation layer impregnated with a cured compound comprising an acrylate or methacrylate compound having an alicyclic structure including 6 or more carbon atoms in its molecule, and has an elastic power in the range of 50% to 80%.

Abstract: A charging roller to apply voltage to a target to charge the target has a surface having a color set in one of a range according to CIE L*a*b* color space and a range according to CIE XYZ color space, and the range according to CIE L*a*b* color space is defined as 32.6?L*?50.9, 0.51?a*?1.12, and 6.0?b*?8.4; and the range according to CIE XYZ color space is defined as 8.8?X?21.0, 9.1?Y?21.3, and 5.7?Z?11.8.

Abstract: A cleaning blade includes a blade member formed of a strip-shaped rubber material and having a leading-edge ridge line portion to contact a moving surface of a cleaning target member and remove adhering matter from the surface of the cleaning target member. The blade member has a Martens hardness of 1.0 N/mm2 or more in a vicinity of the leading-edge ridge line portion measured from an opposing surface of the blade member, the opposing surface including the leading-edge ridge line portion and opposing the cleaning target member, or measured from a leading-edge surface of the blade member, the leading-edge surface including the leading-edge ridge line portion and disposed adjacent to the opposing surface of the blade member.

Abstract: A cleaner is provided. The cleaner includes a cleaning blade having an edge to be contacted with a surface of a member to be cleaned while moving relative to the member to clean the surface of the member. The cleaning blade includes the edge, and first and second side surfaces, wherein the edge is disposed between the first and second side surfaces. When the cleaning blade is not contacted with the surface of the member to be cleaned, the first side surface is opposed to the surface of the member, and when the cleaning blade is contacted with the surface of the member, the edge, and the first and second side surfaces of the cleaning blade are contacted with the surface of the member.

Abstract: A belt device incorporatable in an image forming apparatus includes an endless belt, multiple belt tension rollers disposed in contact with an inner surface of the endless belt, a rotary cleaning member to contact a belt wound area of the endless belt facing an opposing roller to form a cleaning nip between the rotary cleaning member and the endless belt and rotate the rotary cleaning member in a direction opposite the belt moving direction within the cleaning nip, and a voltage applier. The cleaning nip is formed by offsetting a center of the cleaning nip upstream from a center of the belt wound area of the endless belt in the belt moving direction and by at least contacting the rotary cleaning member in a range from the belt wound area to a tensioned belt area located upstream from the belt wound area in the belt moving direction.

Abstract: A cleaning blade includes a blade member formed of a strip-shaped rubber material and having a leading-edge ridge line portion to contact a moving surface of a cleaning target member and remove adhering matter from the surface of the cleaning target member. The blade member has a Martens hardness of 1.0 N/mm2 or more in a vicinity of the leading-edge ridge line portion measured from an opposing surface of the blade member, the opposing surface including the leading-edge ridge line portion and opposing the cleaning target member, or measured from a leading-edge surface of the blade member, the leading-edge surface including the leading-edge ridge line portion and disposed adjacent to the opposing surface of the blade member.