Abstract: An image forming cartridge includes a photoconductor; a charger with a charging member contactable with the photoconductor; a case that accommodates the photoconductor and the charger; a cover which is detachably attached to the case and covers at least a part of the photoconductor; and a separating member which is located, on the cover, between a region other than the region of the photoconductor where an image is formed and the charger and separated them from each other.

Abstract: An image-forming apparatus includes: an image-forming unit that includes an image holder having a rotating shaft, and forms an image on the image holder; a bearing made of a conductive sintered compact, that contacts and supports the rotating shaft so that the rotating shaft is able to rotate; and a metallic supporting portion that is electrically grounded, and has a cut that contacts and supports the bearing.

Abstract: An image-forming apparatus includes: an apparatus main body; a unit part that includes an electronic component and that can be installed in the apparatus main body by being guided in a first predetermined direction; a unit-side electrode that is provided to the unit part to be connected electrically with the electronic component; a main body-side electrode that is provided to the apparatus main body and is connected electrically with the unit-side electrode when the unit part is installed in the apparatus main body; and a ground electrode that is provided to the apparatus main body and is connected electrically with a ground, the ground electrode being disposed at a position upstream of the main body-side electrode with respect to the first predetermined direction.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image forming apparatus main body; an opening/closing part provided in the image forming apparatus main body; an image forming structure including an image holder that holds an image and an image holder covering member that moves between a protective position over the image holder and a moved-aside position beside the image holder, the image forming structure being installed and removed in/from the image forming apparatus main body through an open space which is opened by opening the opening/closing part; a displacement mechanism that moves the image holder covering member to the protective position in conjunction with opening of the opening/closing part and moves the image holder covering member to the moved-aside position in conjunction with closing of the opening/closing part; and a push mechanism that releases the image forming structure mechanically pushed and fit in the image forming apparatus main body in conjunction with opening of the opening/closing part and pu

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: an image forming apparatus main body; plural developer image forming parts provided in the image forming apparatus main body that form a developer image; and a discharged developer recovery container that recovers developer discharged from at least two of the plural developer image forming parts. At least one of the plural developer image forming parts has an image forming structure having an image holder that holds the developer image, and the image forming structure in the at least one developer image forming part and the discharged developer recovery container are attached/removed, integrally with each other, in/from the image forming apparatus main body.

Abstract: An image-forming apparatus includes: an image carrier; a latent image-forming unit for forming a latent image on the image carrier; a cleaning unit including a residue removal member a residue transport member; a residue collecting unit having an receiving port adapted to be able to connect to and be away from the ejecting port and to receive the residue ejected from the ejection port; a shield member capable of shifting between an ejection position and a shield position; and an approach and separation mechanism that moves the latent image-forming unit between an approach position where the latent image-forming unit approaches the image carrier and a separate position where the latent image-forming unit is separated from the image carrier, the approach and separation mechanism allowing the latent image-forming unit to move to the separation position as the shield member shifts to the shield position.

Abstract: A protection cover includes a cover base that covers and protects an external exposure portion of a photosensitive member and that comes into contact with an image forming apparatus housing body to movably guide a process cartridge; an extrusion member that is disposed in the cover base on a side opposite to an insertion direction of the process cartridge to the image forming apparatus housing body and that moves in the insertion direction of the process cartridge to extrude the process cartridge from the cover base; and a restriction portion that is disposed in the extrusion member to restrict the process cartridge in the cover base in a state where the process cartridge is located in the cover base and to release the process cartridge from the cover base in a state where the process cartridge is inserted and mounted to the image forming apparatus housing body.

Abstract: An image-forming apparatus includes: an image carrier; a latent image-forming unit for forming a latent image on the image carrier; a cleaning unit including a residue removal member a residue transport member; a residue collecting unit having an receiving port adapted to be able to connect to and be away from the ejecting port and to receive the residue ejected from the ejection port; a shield member capable of shifting between an ejection position and a shield position; and an approach and separation mechanism that moves the latent image-forming unit between an approach position where the latent image-forming unit approaches the image carrier and a separate position where the latent image-forming unit is separated from the image carrier, the approach and separation mechanism allowing the latent image-forming unit to move to the separation position as the shield member shifts to the shield position.

Abstract: A developer cartridge is constituted to be mounted attachably and detachably in a directional orthogonal to a rotating shaft of a developing unit main body and the developer cartridge has a developer containing portion and a developer recovery portion for recovering used developer from the developing unit. A supply port opens to supply the developer from the developer containing portion and a recovery port opens in the developer recovery portion to recover used and recovered developer. A supplying opening portion is formed in a shutter member at a position corresponding to the supply port and a recovering portion is formed in the shutter member at a position corresponding to the recovery port. The shutter member opens and closes both the supply port and the recovery port.

Abstract: A developer cartridge is constituted to be mounted attachably and detachably in a direction orthogonal to a rotating shaft of a developing unit main body and the image forming apparatus main body is constituted to provide an operation hampering member for hampering at least a portion of a developer cartridge which is not disposed at the interchanging position and exposed from a space of taking out the image forming unit from being attached or detached in a state of taking out the image forming unit.

Abstract: A developer cartridge is configured to be installed and removed in a direction orthogonal to a rotating shaft of a developing unit main body and the image forming apparatus main body is configured to provide an operation hampering member for hampering at least a portion of a developer cartridge which is not disposed at the interchanging position and which is exposed from a space for taking out the image forming unit from being installed or removed when the image forming unit is removed.

Abstract: An image forming device includes: an image carrier that carries an image; a development unit that develops, with toners, a latent image written on the image carrier; an intermediate transfer member to which the toner images formed on the image carrier by the development unit are primarily transferred; and a fixing unit that fixes, to paper, the toner images secondarily transferred from the intermediate transfer member. The image carrier and the intermediate transfer member are unitized to configure an image forming unit, and the image forming unit is disposed in a space sandwiched between the development unit and the fixing unit. The image forming unit further includes a loading/unloading allowing unit that allows the loading/unloading of the image forming unit.

Abstract: Regulatory member having a groove formed therein is provided at area where toner storage chamber and toner stirring chamber are in communication with each other. A quantity of toner supplied from toner storage chamber to toner stirring chamber is regulated by rotating regulatory member. Groove is formed in regulatory member.

Abstract: A developer cartridge is constituted to be mounted attachably and detachably in a direction orthogonal to a rotating shaft of a developing unit main body and the image forming apparatus main body is constituted to provide an operation hampering member for hampering at least a portion of a developer cartridge which is not disposed at the interchanging position and exposed from a space of taking out the image forming unit from being attached or detached in a state of taking out the image forming unit.

Abstract: An image forming device includes: an image carrier that carries an image; a development unit that develops, with toners, a latent image written on the image carrier; an intermediate transfer member to which the toner images formed on the image carrier by the development unit are primarily transferred; and a fixing unit that fixes, to paper, the toner images secondarily transferred from the intermediate transfer member. The image carrier and the intermediate transfer member are unitized to configure an image forming unit, and the image forming unit is disposed in a space sandwiched between the development unit and the fixing unit. The image forming unit further includes a loading/unloading allowing unit that allows the loading/unloading of the image forming unit.

Abstract: An image forming unit includes: an image carrier that carries a toner image; an intermediate transfer member being in contact with the image carrier in an area, onto which the toner image on the image carrier is transferred; and an image carrier cleaner that cleans residual toner on the image carrier, being disposed in contact with the image carrier at a point different from the area where the intermediate transfer member is in contact therewith. Each of the image carrier, intermediate transfer member and image carrier cleaner is detachably attachable to the image forming apparatus main body.

Abstract: Regulatory member having a groove formed therein is provided at area where toner storage chamber and toner stirring chamber are in communication with each other. a quantity of toner supplied from toner storage chamber to toner stirring chamber is regulated by rotating regulatory member. Groove is formed in regulatory member.

Abstract: A wet-type image forming apparatus which allows excess solvent to be effectively removed from the developed image is disclosed. A developing roller develops a latent image on the photoconductor member using the liquid developer composed of toner particles and a solvent. A squeezing roller squeezes excess solvent from a surface of a photoconductor member. A heater heats liquid developer existing on the photoconductor member to a temperature at which the solvent of the liquid developer is prone to vaporize. The heater is provided in one of the developing roller, the squeezing roller, and the liquid developer reservoir.

Abstract: The objects of the invention are to provide a liquid image forming apparatus in which the roughness of the surface of a squeeze roller to remove the carrier in the liquid developer or the excess developing material from the photosensitive member is kept as constant as possible and to provide a squeeze roller and a process for renewing the surface of a squeeze roller. In a liquid image forming apparatus having a squeeze roller 15 in pressure contact with a photosensitive member 1 for wiping off excess liquid developer 6 and a blade 11 for removing the liquid developer 6 adhering to the squeeze roller 15, the squeeze roller comprises a minutely foamed rubber.