Abstract: An in-vehicle controlling apparatus, comprising an evaluation unit configured to evaluate a sense-of-security level a passenger may feel with respect to an object present in a traveling direction of a self-vehicle, and a signal generation unit configured to generate a predetermined signal based on the sense-of-security level, wherein the evaluation unit evaluates the sense-of-security level based on a time headway and a temporal variation component of the time headway.

Abstract: An in-vehicle controlling apparatus, comprising an evaluation unit configured to evaluate a sense-of-security level a passenger may feel with respect to an object present in a traveling direction of a self-vehicle, and a signal generation unit configured to generate a predetermined signal based on the sense-of-security level, wherein the evaluation unit evaluates the sense-of-security level based on a time headway and a temporal variation component of the time headway.

Abstract: A notification system includes an acquirer configured to acquire acceleration of a vehicle and an operation state of a direction indicator, and a controller configured to cause an output unit to output a notification for prompting a user to suppress the acceleration of the vehicle in a case where the acceleration is equal to or more than a first predetermined value, the controller not performing the notification in a case where the acceleration is equal to or more than the first predetermined value and information that makes it possible to recognize that the direction indicator is operated is acquired.

Abstract: A tandem-type electrophotographic image forming apparatus includes multiple color image forming units using a dry toner, a first black image forming unit using the dry toner, and a second black image forming unit using a wet toner and performs an image formation with the dry toner in a first printing mode and an image formation with the wet toner in a second printing mode. The image formed in the second printing mode with the wet toner is fixed to a recording medium at a temperature lower than the image formed in the first printing mode with the dry toner. Each of the image forming units corresponds to a process cartridge that is removably installable in the tandem-type electrophotographic image forming apparatus and including an image carrier and other image forming components integrally therein.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image carrier removably installed in the apparatus to carry an image; a transfer member contacting with the image carrier to transfer the image onto the transfer member or a recording medium; a contact and separation mechanism causing the transfer member to contact with or separate from the image carrier; and a removable unit removably installed in the apparatus from the same direction as an installation direction of the image carrier to be disposed proximal of the image carrier and the transfer member in the installation direction, and at least partially overlapping the image carrier and the transfer member as viewed in the installation direction. The removable unit interferes with the contact and separation mechanism and is prevented from being installed in the apparatus, when the transfer member is separated from the image carrier by the contact and separation mechanism.

Abstract: A lubricant supplying device includes a compressing spring that has one end coming into contact with a holding member in order to bias a solid lubricant toward a lubricant supplying roller and a casing that covers the outside of the device. Then, the casing includes an opening portion that allows the other end of the compressing spring, having the one end coming into contact with the holding member, to be exposed therethrough, and the casing further includes a cover member that is installed in the opening portion in a removable manner so that the cover member comes into contact with the other end of the compressing spring.

Abstract: A charging device, which is incorporable in a process cartridge and an image forming apparatus, includes a charging roller and a cleaning device. The charging roller charges an image bearing member having a surface on which an electrostatic latent image is formed. The cleaning device cleans the charging roller. The cleaning device includes a cleaning roller, a shaft, and support members. The cleaning roller contacts the surface of the charging roller to clean the surface. The support members rotatably support the cleaning roller, each of which including a slot. The slot allows a variable distance between the charging roller and the cleaning roller, and is inclined, in the direction of rotation of the charging roller, relative to a straight line connecting the rotation center of the charging roller and the rotation center of the cleaning roller.

Abstract: A process cartridge detachably installable in an image forming apparatus including a first sub-unit to hold an image carrier, a second sub-unit to hold a developer bearing member, a first positioning member to position first ends of the image carrier and the developer bearing member in a longitudinal direction, respectively, and a second positioning member to position second ends of the image carrier and the developer bearing member opposite the first ends in the longitudinal direction, respectively. The second sub-unit has a protruding portion protruding outward to a first end of the second sub-unit beyond the first positioning member in the longitudinal direction. An opposing surface of the protruding portion provided to face the first positioning member is dimensioned to conform to a cross-section of the first positioning member perpendicular to the longitudinal direction.

Abstract: A lubricant applying device includes a solid lubricant, and a rotatable applying member scraping lubricant off the solid lubricant and applying the scraped lubricant onto an application subject. In the lubricant applying device, a pressing unit applies that applies an applying pressure of pressing the solid lubricant against the applying member and that varies the applying pressure in accordance with a rotation speed of the applying member.

Abstract: A lubricant applicator includes: a lubricant application unit that is arranged so as to be in contact with a surface of an image carrier, scrapes a solid lubricant, and applies the solid lubricant onto the surface of the image carrier while moving a surface of the lubricant application unit; a lubricant holding member that holds the solid lubricant; and a lubricant biasing unit that biases the solid lubricant against the lubricant application unit. The lubricant biasing unit is housed in a housing under a state that one end of the lubricant biasing unit is held by the lubricant holding member so that a position of the one end of the lubricant biasing unit is restricted, and another end of the lubricant biasing unit is held by a biasing-unit holding member that is provided to restrict a position of the another end of the lubricant biasing unit.

Abstract: A waste toner container includes a waste toner reservoir extending in a depth direction, an inlet portion provided above the waste toner reservoir, in which at least one waste toner inlet is formed, a first conveyance member provided in the waste toner reservoir to transport the waste toner in the depth direction, the first conveyance member movable upward as the amount of the waste toner in the waste toner reservoir increases, a second conveyance member provided in the inlet portion to transport the waste toner in a width direction and including a drive transmitter to transmit a driving force from the second conveyance member to the first conveyance member, and a waste toner detection unit to detect whether an amount of the waste toner in the waste toner container reaches a predetermined amount by detecting upward movement of the first conveyance member.

Abstract: A waste toner container used in an image forming apparatus includes a waste toner reservoir extending in a depth direction of the image forming apparatus for containing waste toner removed from an image bearer, an inlet portion provided above the waste toner reservoir, including a waste toner inlet to receive the waste toner flowing to the waste toner reservoir, a first agitator provided in the waste toner reservoir, to transport the waste toner therein in the depth direction, a rotary member provided in the inlet portion, including a rotary shaft extending in a width direction perpendicular to the depth direction, and a drive transmission unit provided outside the waste toner reservoir, to transmit a drive force from the rotary member provided in the inlet portion to the first agitator provided in the waste toner reservoir and to drive the first agitator in conjunction with rotation of the rotary member.

Abstract: A waste-toner collecting device includes a waste toner collector that collects and stores therein non-transferred toner as waste toner conveyed from a cleaning unit via the conveying path; and a leveling member that levels waste toner accumulated inside the waste toner collector, and drive of which is controlled so that driving conditions thereof are varied based on information of an image formed on the image carrier. The switching of the driving conditions of the leveling member is controlled so as to be performed after a delay time during which the non-transferred toner collected in the cleaning unit reaches the waste-toner collector via the conveying path.

Abstract: A lubricant applicator includes a solid lubricant, a lubricant applying member to apply the solid lubricant to a target object, a biasing member to bias the solid lubricant toward the lubricant applying member, and a regulating member to regulate the solid lubricant, which is biased toward the lubricant applying member by the biasing member, to prevent the lubricant from separating from the lubricant applying member by more than a predetermined distance. The regulating member is switchable between a regulating state for regulating the solid lubricant not to separate from the lubricant applying member by more than the predetermined distance and a non-regulating state.

Abstract: A cleaning device that can be incorporated in an image forming apparatus which includes an image carrier configured to form a toner image, and a cleaning device configured to clean residual toner on the surface of the image carrier. The cleaning device includes a cleaning blade having a blade member provided to contact the surface of the image carrier and a holder to hold the blade member. The cleaning device further includes a frame to hold the cleaning blade and a vibration suppression member provided across the cleaning blade and the frame to couple the cleaning blade and the frame together and suppress vibration.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image carrier removably installed in the apparatus to carry an image; a transfer member contacting with the image carrier to transfer the image onto the transfer member or a recording medium; a contact and separation mechanism causing the transfer member to contact with or separate from the image carrier; and a removable unit removably installed in the apparatus from the same direction as an installation direction of the image carrier to be disposed proximal of the image carrier and the transfer member in the installation direction, and at least partially overlapping the image carrier and the transfer member as viewed in the installation direction. The removable unit interferes with the contact and separation mechanism and is prevented from being installed in the apparatus, when the transfer member is separated from the image carrier by the contact and separation mechanism.

Abstract: A process cartridge detachably installable in an image forming apparatus including a first sub-unit to hold an image carrier, a second sub-unit to hold a developer bearing member, a first positioning member to position first ends of the image carrier and the developer bearing member in a longitudinal direction, respectively, and a second positioning member to position second ends of the image carrier and the developer bearing member opposite the first ends in the longitudinal direction, respectively. The second sub-unit has a protruding portion protruding outward to a first end of the second sub-unit beyond the first positioning member in the longitudinal direction. An opposing surface of the protruding portion provided to face the first positioning member is dimensioned to conform to a cross-section of the first positioning member perpendicular to the longitudinal direction.

Abstract: A lubricant applicator includes a lubricant and a rotatable lubricant application member. The rotatable lubricant application member contacts the lubricant and an application target to apply the lubricant to the application target while rotating. The lubricant application member includes a core member, a first wound portion including a bristle member wound spirally around the periphery of the core member in a first direction, and a second wound portion including a bristle member wound spirally around the periphery of the core member in a second direction opposite the first direction in an axial direction of the core member. A process unit includes the lubricant applicator. A transfer device includes the lubricant applicator. An image forming apparatus includes at least one of the process unit and the transfer device and the lubricant applicator.

Abstract: A cleaning roller cleaning a surface of a cleaning component, wherein the cleaning roller is provided in a roller configuration having a cylindrical shape and has a portion in contact with the cleaning component, the portion being made of a melamine resin foam having a continuous foam structure, the melamine resin foam being provided by heating compression from an original configuration in a radial direction, and wherein the portion in contact with the cleaning component has a continuous foam structure and a tensile strength in a range of 1.7±0.5 kg/cm2, and an image forming apparatus incorporating the same.

Abstract: A cleaning device includes a cleaning blade configured to clean a surface of a rotating subject, a solid lubricant configured to reduce the friction coefficient of the surface of the subject, and a lubricant coating device that includes a coating roller to shave the solid lubricant during normal rotation and a reverse rotation to coat the surface of the subject with the lubricant. The amount of lubricant supplied to the subject during normal rotation of the coating roller is different from a supply amount of the lubricant during reverse rotation of the coating roller, with more lubricant supplied during reverse rotation than during normal rotation.