Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: an image former that forms, on an end surface of each layer of a layered printed matter or on a layered surface formed by layering cross sections of printed matter cut in the post-processing step, a layer image for expressing a predetermined image on each layer; and a hardware processor that corrects a printing position of the layer image on each layer.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: an image former that forms, on an end surface of each layer of a layered printed matter or on a layered surface formed by layering cross sections of printed matter cut in the post-processing step, a layer image for expressing a predetermined image on each layer; and a hardware processor that corrects a printing position of the layer image on each layer.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: an image carrier; an exposing device; a developing device with a developing roller; a development current detector that detects development current between the image carrier and the developing roller; and a hardware processor. Under an image forming condition, the hardware processor causes the exposing device to draw, on the image carrier, a development current-detection pattern that includes a solid image and a halftone image that follows the solid image in an image-conveying direction of the image carrier, causes the developing device to develop the development current-detection pattern, obtains information on a chronological change of the detected development current from the development current detector, and determines whether or not a ghost image due to the solid image occurs based on a temporary drop of the detected development current during development of the halftone image.

Abstract: Provided is an image forming apparatus including a developer that performs development with toner, the image forming apparatus including a vibrator that applies vibrations to a vibrated portion of the developer, and a hardware processor that controls the vibrator. The hardware processor determines a toner leakage level based on a result of detecting toner leakage adhering to a sheet caused by the image forming apparatus, settles a vibrating condition of the vibrator in accordance with the toner leakage level, and causes the vibrator to perform a vibrating operation under the settled vibrating condition.

Abstract: An operation status prediction system includes a hardware processor. The hardware processor acquires data, which is relevant to an operation status at each timing of an operation device to be monitored, so as to be associated with information of the timing. The hardware processor predicts a future operation status according to the acquired operation status for each of a plurality of periods having different lengths from the present.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: a developer carrier; a screw-shaped developer feeder that feeds developer to the developer carrier; an image carrier on which an image is imaged with toner of the developer; a developing current detector that detects developing current between the image carrier and the developer carrier during imaging; and a controller that detects image density failure that is periodic and oblique to a rotation direction of the image carrier. The controller causes a stripe image to be imaged on the image carrier and analyzes change of the developing current with time during imaging of the stripe image, thereby detecting the image density failure. The stripe image has a width in a length direction of the image carrier narrower than a period of a blade of the developer feeder and has a length in the rotation direction longer than a period of the image density failure.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: an image carrier; an exposing device; a developing device with a developing roller; a development current detector that detects development current between the image carrier and the developing roller; and a hardware processor. Under an image forming condition, the hardware processor causes the exposing device to draw, on the image carrier, a development current-detection pattern that includes a solid image and a halftone image that follows the solid image in an image-conveying direction of the image carrier, causes the developing device to develop the development current-detection pattern, obtains information on a chronological change of the detected development current from the development current detector, and determines whether or not a ghost image due to the solid image occurs based on a temporary drop of the detected development current during development of the halftone image.

Abstract: Provided is an image forming apparatus including a developer that performs development with toner, the image forming apparatus including a vibrator that applies vibrations to a vibrated portion of the developer, and a hardware processor that controls the vibrator. The hardware processor determines a toner leakage level based on a result of detecting toner leakage adhering to a sheet caused by the image forming apparatus, settles a vibrating condition of the vibrator in accordance with the toner leakage level, and causes the vibrator to perform a vibrating operation under the settled vibrating condition.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: a developer carrier; a screw-shaped developer feeder that feeds developer to the developer carrier; an image carrier on which an image is imaged with toner of the developer; a developing current detector that detects developing current between the image carrier and the developer carrier during imaging; and a controller that detects image density failure that is periodic and oblique to a rotation direction of the image carrier. The controller causes a stripe image to be imaged on the image carrier and analyzes change of the developing current with time during imaging of the stripe image, thereby detecting the image density failure. The stripe image has a width in a length direction of the image carrier narrower than a period of a blade of the developer feeder and has a length in the rotation direction longer than a period of the image density failure.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image former and a hardware processor. The image former includes, an image carrier; a developer; a conductive rotating member; and a voltage applier which applies voltage to the rotating member. The hardware processor executes an attached material detection mode which detects material attached to a surface of the rotating member. In such mode, the hardware processor controls the voltage so that the developing bias is a value between a surface potential in a region of the image carrier in contact with a portion in which attached material exists on a surface of the rotating member if a reference voltage is applied by the voltage applier, and a surface potential in a region of the image carrier in contact with a portion in which the attached material does not exist on the surface of the rotating member if the reference voltage is applied.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image former and a hardware processor. The image former includes, an image carrier; a developer; a conductive rotating member; and a voltage applier which applies voltage to the rotating member. The hardware processor executes an attached material detection mode which detects material attached to a surface of the rotating member. In such mode, the hardware processor controls the voltage so that the developing bias is a value between a surface potential in a region of the image carrier in contact with a portion in which attached material exists on a surface of the rotating member if a reference voltage is applied by the voltage applier, and a surface potential in a region of the image carrier in contact with a portion in which the attached material does not exist on the surface of the rotating member if the reference voltage is applied.

Abstract: A developing device includes a hardware processor that performs control not to cause an image to be formed on an image bearing member by a first developer bearing member and to cause a first image to be formed on the image beating member by a second developer bearing member, in which the hardware processor corrects developing conditions of the plural developer bearing members based on a developability detection result of the first image formed by the second developer bearing member.

Abstract: A developing device includes a hardware processor that performs control not to cause an image to be formed on an image bearing member by a first developer bearing member and to cause a first image to be formed on the image beating member by a second developer bearing member, in which the hardware processor corrects developing conditions of the plural developer bearing members based on a developability detection result of the first image formed by the second developer bearing member.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a plurality of image formers each capable of forming, on a sheet, an overlap image and a non-overlap image, a fixer that fixes, on the sheet, a whole image composed of the overlap images and the non-overlap images, and a hardware processor that controls each of the plurality of image formers such that a difference in image at a boundary between the overlap image and the non-overlap image is reduced in the whole image.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a development current detector that detects an actual measurement value of a development current, a development current calculator that calculates a provisional calculation value of a development current based on an image formation condition, and an image-defect determiner that determines whether or not an image defect occurs, based on the actual measurement value of the development current detected by the development current detector and the provisional calculation value of the development current calculated by the development current calculator.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a plurality of image formers each capable of forming, on a sheet, an overlap image and a non-overlap image, a fixer that fixes, on the sheet, a whole image composed of the overlap images and the non-overlap images, and a hardware processor that controls each of the plurality of image formers such that a difference in image at a boundary between the overlap image and the non-overlap image is reduced in the whole image.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a development current detector that detects an actual measurement value of a development current, a development current calculator that calculates a provisional calculation value of a development current based on an image formation condition, and an image-defect determiner that determines whether or not an image defect occurs, based on the actual measurement value of the development current detected by the development current detector and the provisional calculation value of the development current calculated by the development current calculator.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: a charging section configured to charge a surface of an image bearing member; an air-intake duct having an air-supply port, and configured to guide air sucked from an outside to the charging section through the air-supply port; an exhaust duct having an air-intake port, and configured to suck air around the charging section through the air-intake port and eject the air thus sucked. The air-intake duct has a configuration in which air guided to the charging section through the air-supply port flows in a direction orthogonal to a longitudinal direction of the charging section, or flows toward a center of the charging section in the longitudinal direction.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: a charging section configured to charge a surface of an image bearing member; an air-intake duct having an air-supply port, and configured to guide air sucked from an outside to the charging section through the air-supply port; an exhaust duct having an air-intake port, and configured to suck air around the charging section through the air-intake port and eject the air thus sucked. The air-intake duct has a configuration in which air guided to the charging section through the air-supply port flows in a direction orthogonal to a longitudinal direction of the charging section, or flows toward a center of the charging section in the longitudinal direction.

Abstract: A cleaning device for cleaning a belt member, includes a cleaning blade; a removing member coming in contact with the surface of the belt member so as to remove foreign matter adhering on the surface of the belt member; and a contact pressure changing section to change a contact pressure between the removing member to the belt member, wherein, when the contact pressure between the removing member and a region of the belt member corresponding in position to a toner image to be not transferred to a paper sheet is made P1, and the contact pressure between the removing member and a region of the belt member corresponding in position to a toner image to be transferred to a paper sheet is made P2, the contact pressure changing section changes the contact pressure to satisfy the conditional formula: (P1<P2).