Abstract: An image forming apparatus for forming an image on a recording medium includes a fixing unit configured to fix on a recording medium, a toner image formed on the recording medium, through heating and pressurization and a gloss control unit configured to lower gloss of a surface of the toner image by charging the surface of the toner image fixed onto the recording medium and heating the toner image such that toner contained in the toner image reaches a softening point or higher thereof.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a fixing device for heating and pressing a toner image on a recording medium, a non-contact heating device arranged downstream of the fixing device for heating the toner image without coming into contact with the toner image, and a pressure contact device arranged downstream of the non-contact heating device and having a smooth surface. The pressure contact device has first and second arrangement states switched according to the kind of the recording medium. In the first arrangement state, the pressure contact device is arranged so as to make pressure contact with the toner image. In the second arrangement state, the pressure contact device is arranged so as not to make pressure contact with the toner image.

Abstract: A developer device includes two developer rollers arranged opposite to an image carrier. A first developer bias voltage (waveform Z) of a rectangular waveform obtained by superimposing an AC voltage on a DC voltage is applied to one of the developer rollers. A second developer bias voltage (waveform A) obtained by superimposing an AC voltage on a DC voltage is applied to the other developer roller. The waveform A is a waveform obtained by deforming the rectangular wave in the first developer bias voltage such that toner adhered to the image carrier is prevented from being dislodged by toner being subsequently scattered. According to the developer device, an optimal image density can be obtained at a low-density potential.

Abstract: Provided is a development device and an image forming apparatus that realize high image quality with improved decrease in density at high speed development and with reduced occurrence of development hysteresis (ghost) in a hybrid developing method having a plurality of toner carriers, by reducing the decrease in the toner supplying ability to a downstream-side toner carrier, which decrease is caused by the supply of toner to an upstream-side toner carrier on an upstream side in a rotating direction of a developer carrier. By providing a magnetic pole between main magnetic poles, of the developer carrier, facing the toner carriers, a magnetically raised bristle of developer is moved by a magnetic force, while the developer in which development hysteresis due to supplying toner to the upstream-side toner carrier occurred is conveyed to supply toner to the downstream-side toner carrier, whereby a developer layer is stirred.

Abstract: A developer device includes two developer rollers arranged opposite to an image carrier. A first developer bias voltage (waveform Z) of a rectangular waveform obtained by superimposing an AC voltage on a DC voltage is applied to one of the developer rollers. A second developer bias voltage (waveform A) obtained by superimposing an AC voltage on a DC voltage is applied to the other developer roller. The waveform A is a waveform obtained by deforming the rectangular wave in the first developer bias voltage such that toner adhered to the image carrier is prevented from being dislodged by toner being subsequently scattered. According to the developer device, an optimal image density can be obtained at a low-density potential.

Abstract: A sheet conveying device configured to convey a sheet of paper from upstream to downstream of a conveying route includes a plurality of wire ropes configured to support and convey the sheet of paper in the conveying route, in which the plurality of wire ropes are arranged apart from each other, and at least two of the wire ropes are arranged so that a distance between them becomes larger as they come closer to downstream of the conveying route. The sheet conveying device can reduce an area of contact with the sheet of paper and reduce the occurrence of abnormal conveyance when conveying the sheet of paper.

Abstract: Provided are a development apparatus and an image forming apparatus which, in a hybrid development apparatus provided with a plurality of toner carriers, a toner supply capability to supply toner to each toner carrier is controlled independent of development electric fields between the toner carriers and an image carrier, whereby each toner carrier is allowed to exhibit a desired development capability, and even in the case of high speed development, a high quality image is provided. The phases, the frequencies, and/or the duty ratios of the alternating current components of the voltages applied to the plurality of the toner carriers are made to be different, whereby the toner supply amount for each toner carrier from the developer carrier is controlled independently of the development electric fields between the toner carriers and the image carrier.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus provided with an image carrying member to carry an electrostatic latent image, a toner carrying member to develop the electrostatic latent image on the image carrying member with toner; a first developer carrying member to carry developer containing toner, carrier, reverse polarity particles and to supply toner to the toner carrying member; and a second developer carrying member to carry developer and to recover toner on the toner carrying member, wherein an ability to move the reverse polarity particles from the toner carrying member to the first developer carrying member is larger than an ability to move the reverse polarity particles from the second developer carrying member to the toner carrying member.

Abstract: Provided is a development device and an image forming apparatus both using a hybrid development method and capable of forming high quality images without occurrence of development hysteresis (ghost). The nip portion of the toner carrier and the developer carrier is configured as follows: the rotating direction of a toner carrier and a developer carrier are in counter directions; a magnetic pole facing the toner carrier is positioned on the upstream side in the developer carrier rotating direction; and a counter charge generated by the toner supply reaches a toner recovering portion without being considerably attenuated.

Abstract: A wet-type image forming apparatus includes: a heating unit configured to heat a recording medium and to volatilize liquid carrier in a toner image; a fixing unit configured to fix the toner image on the recording medium and disposed at a downstream side of the heating unit in a conveyance direction of the recording medium; a conveyance unit configured to convey the recording medium from the heating unit to the fixing unit; and a housing disposed to cover the conveyance unit, wherein the recording medium is conveyed on the conveyance unit in the housing toward the fixing unit after heated by the heating unit, in the presence of gas containing the volatilized liquid carrier, and the volatilized liquid carrier is cooled and turned into fine mist liquid carrier and then the fine mist liquid carrier attaches to the recording medium before the recording medium reaches the fixing unit.

Abstract: An infiltration amount measuring unit is provided to measure the amount of carrier liquid infiltrated in recording paper. An output signal of the infiltration amount measuring unit is input to a control device to be used to calculate a voltage supplied to a heat source (heater) in a pre-fixing unit. A signal of a paper temperature measuring unit is input to the control device, which determines whether a target temperature is reached. The control device estimates the amount of carrier liquid in a toner layer based on the information from the infiltration amount measuring unit. Then, the pre-fixing unit is controlled such that the amount of carrier liquid in the toner layer falls within an appropriate range, based on the estimation result of the amount of carrier liquid.

Abstract: In a hybrid development method using a plurality of toner carriers, a development device and image forming apparatus are provided, wherein high image quality in which toner density is not reduced even in the case of high speed printing and the occurrence of development hysteresis (ghost) is controlled is ensured by accelerating the collection of the post-development residual toner on the toner carrier. The counter-charge having occurred in the developer remains in the developer without decreasing to disappear until the developer moves to the second toner carrier on the downstream-side, wherein this counter-charge is caused by supplying toner to the first toner carrier upstream in the rotating direction of the developer carrier.

Abstract: Provided are an image forming apparatus equipped with a hybrid developing apparatus including a toner-collecting developer-carrying member and a method for developing an electrostatic latent image, which apparatus is capable of stably forming high definition images without occurrence of a leakage current even under a high-humidity environment. In the apparatus, each of a toner-supplying developer-carrying member and the toner-collecting developer-carrying member has a conductive substrate to which a bias voltage is applied, and at least one of the surfaces of the conductive substrates of the toner-supplying developer-carrying member and the toner-collecting developer-carrying member has a resistive layer formed thereon.

Abstract: Provided are a developing device and an image forming apparatus which employ a hybrid development method, have a toner-collecting developer supporting member and keep toner collecting ability stable for a long period of time to form high-quality images without development hysteresis (ghost) over a long period of time. A toner separation member abutting the toner-collecting developer supporting member through a toner-collecting developer layer is provided, and the toner separation member is applied with a bias voltage to form an electric field in such a direction as to pull toner away from the toner-collecting developer supporting member to prevent the toner from accumulating on the surface of the toner-collecting developer supporting member.

Abstract: A developing device and image forming apparatus are provided, wherein high quality images, in which generation of development hysteresis (ghost image) is alleviated, are obtained over a long period using a hybrid development method including a toner-supplying developer supporting member and a toner-collecting developer supporting member. Bias voltage is applied in the direction in which the toner is supplied to the toner supporting member in the toner supply region and the toner collection region of the toner-supplying developer supporting member and the toner-collecting developer supporting member respectively so that the toner collecting capability in the toner collection region is higher than the toner collecting capability in the toner supply region.

Abstract: Provided is a deposited-toner measuring apparatus capable of accurate detection of the amount of toner deposited on the toner carrying member, and an image forming apparatus equipped with the aforementioned measuring apparatus and capable of controlling the amount of toner deposited on the toner carrying member to a desired level so as to provide stable image quality at all times. A deposited-toner measuring apparatus that removes a toner layer in a part of the surface of the toner carrying member, detects change in the capacitance at the portion with a toner layer and the portion without such a toner layer, and detects the amount of the deposited toner based on the detection result of the said change in the capacitance.

Abstract: Provided are a developing device and an image forming apparatus, the developing device which employs a two-component developer wherein development hysteresis (ghost) is reduced and deterioration of a carrier is stably suppressed, and high-quality images are thus realized for a long period of time. The developing device, which uses a developer including toner, carrier and reverse polarity particles which are charged to have a polarity reverse to that of the toner, performs a collecting operation for collecting the reverse polarity particles at a timing in which image formation is not affected by a collecting operation, where the reverse polarity particles are accumulated in the area enclosed by a toner carrying member, a developer carrying member for toner supply and developer carrying member for collecting toner are collected into a developer container.

Abstract: The purpose is to provide, in a development apparatus using a two-component developer, a compact development apparatus, image forming apparatus and development method that prevents carrier deterioration and that can carry out good image formation over a long time period. In a development apparatus using a developer in which are mixed a toner, a carrier, and opposite polarity particles that are charged to a polarity opposite to the charging polarity of the toner, the surface charge density of the opposite polarity particles should be in the range of 0.5 to 3.0 times the surface charge density of the carrier.

Abstract: The present invention is intended to provide an image forming apparatus capable of producing high-quality images for a long period of time wherein the consumption of the opposite polarity particles is reduced, and a reduction in the amount of toner charge resulting from carrier deterioration is minimized, even if a great number of images having a low image area ratio were printed. This image forming apparatus is characterized in that the surface of an image carrying member, which is placed face to face with a toner carrying member, and on which an electrostatic latent image to be developed with the toner supported on the toner carrying member is formed, has an contact angle of 95 degrees or more with respect to pure water.

Abstract: A development apparatus and an image forming apparatus wherein optical high-precision detection of the toner amount of a toner layer formed on a toner carrying member is ensured even when the great amount of the toner is deposited on the toner carrying member by transferring all or a part of the toner on the surface of the toner carrying member onto a detecting roller, and wherein stable images are provided at all times.