Abstract: Provided are an image bearing member; a charging member that charges the image bearing member; an exposure unit that exposes the image bearing member; a developing unit that develops an electrostatic latent image as a developer image by supplying a developer, charged to regular polarity, to the image bearing member; a transfer member that transfers the developer image to a transfer-receiving body; and a collecting member that collects a deposit on the image bearing member downstream of a transfer portion of the image bearing member at which the developer image is transferred to the transfer-receiving body by the transfer member, and upstream of a charging portion of the image bearing member charged by the charging member, in a rotation direction of the image bearing member. After transfer of the developer image to the transfer-receiving body, the developer remaining on the image bearing member is collected by the developing unit.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a photosensitive drum, a developing roller, fixing unit including a fixing film, a pressure roller, and a heating member that forms a fixing nip portion between itself and the pressure roller, and a driving source that transmits driving force to the developing roller and the pressure roller. Whether recording material is a normal-sized sheet or a small-sized sheet is determined, and in a case of the normal-sized sheet a first mode is executed in which a post-rotation operation is performed following the recording material passing the fixing nip portion, while in a case of the small-sized sheet a second mode is executed in which the post-rotation operation and processing to place in an image forming job-stop state are performed, the driving source is stopped, thereafter the driving source is driven, and thereafter the driving source is stopped.

Abstract: A cartridge attachable to and detachable from an image forming apparatus forming an image on a recording material, the cartridge includes: an image bearing member; a developer container that contains therein a developer; a developing member that is rotatable and carries the developer supplied from the developer container and supplies the developer to the image bearing member; a developer supplying member that is rotatable and provided in the developer container and in contact with the developing member to supply the developer to a surface of the developing member; and a contact member provided in the developer container and in contact with a surface of the developer supplying member, wherein the developer remaining on the image bearing member after image formation is collected to the developing member, and the developer collected to the developing member is collected into the developer container.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a photosensitive member; an exposure portion configured to expose the photosensitive member to light depending on image information to form a latent image on the photosensitive member; a developing portion configured to develop the latent image into a toner image with toner; and a transfer portion configured to transfer the toner image from the photosensitive member onto a recording material. The image forming apparatus changes a surface movement speed of the photosensitive member at timing prior to predetermined timing, when a moving speed of a recording material at the transfer portion changes, by a predetermined time.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a photosensitive member, a charging member, an electrostatic image forming portion, a developing member, a transfer member, a transfer voltage source, a brush member, a brush voltage source, and a controller capable of executing a cleaning operation. The controller carries out control so that the cleaning operation includes a first operation in which a potential difference is formed between the transfer member and the photosensitive member so that toner charged to a normal charge polarity is moved from the transfer member toward the photosensitive member, and a second operation in which a potential difference is formed between the brush member and the photosensitive member so that the toner charged to the normal charge polarity is moved from the photosensitive member toward the brush member.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an apparatus body, a cartridge attachable to and detachable from the apparatus body, a replenishment restriction portion configured to switch between a restricting state in which toner replenishment through a replenishment port is restricted and an allowing state in which toner replenishment through the replenishment port is allowed, a toner remainder amount detection portion, and a controller configured to, when the replenishment container is attached to the replenishment port, maintain the replenishment restriction portion in the restricting state in a case where a second printable sheet number is larger than a first printable sheet number, the first printable sheet number being obtained from a lifetime of the cartridge, the second printable sheet number being obtained from a sum of the amount of toner accommodated in the developer container and an amount of toner accommodated in the replenishment container.

Abstract: A heating device has a first rotating member that is heated by a heat source, and a second rotating member that forms a nip portion with the first rotating member, such that a recording material is heated up at the nip portion. The heating device further has: a first cover disposed along an outer peripheral surface of the first rotating member, so as to surround the first rotating member, and a second cover, disposed between the first cover and the first rotating member, and having a protruding portion that protrudes towards the first rotating member. In a longitudinal direction of the first rotating member, a length of the first rotating member is a first length, and a length of the protruding portion is a second length that is smaller than the first length.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image forming unit, a fixing unit, first and second rotating members, and a discharge unit to discharge a recording material to an outside. The fixing unit fixes an image from the image forming unit onto the recording material. The first rotating member comes into contact with and guides the image bearing recording material, and is driven to rotate by conveyance of the recording material. The second rotating member comes into contact with the image bearing recording material more on a downstream side than the first rotating member in a conveyance direction of the recording material, guides the recording material, and is driven to rotate by conveyance of the recording material. The first rotating member does not perform swinging motion by coming into contact with the recording material, and the second rotating member performs swinging motion by coming into contact with the recording material.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus to and from which a replenishment container accommodating toner is detachable and which forms an image on a recording material includes an apparatus body, and a cartridge including an image bearing member, a developer container to accommodate toner, and a developing portion to develop an electrostatic latent image formed on the image bearing member into a toner image by using the toner. A replenishment port allows replenishment of toner from the replenishment container, which is arranged outside of the image forming apparatus, to the developer container therethrough in a state where the replenishment container is attached to the replenishment port, and a controller notifies a user of information related to a toner amount if it is determined that a lifetime of the cartridge will expire before a sum of toner accommodated in the developer container and toner accommodated in the replenishment container is consumed.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a rotatable photosensitive member, a charging member, a developing device, a transfer member, a brush, a driving source and a control portion. The control portion controls the driving source to execute an image forming process, in which image formation on the recording material is executed, and a non-image-forming process, in which the photosensitive member is driven to rotate other than in the image forming process. The non-image-forming process between a first recording material and a second recording material, to which the image formation is executed following the first recording material, is defined as a first non-image-forming process, and the non-image-forming process between the second recording material and a third recording material is defined as a second non-image-forming process.

Abstract: A heating device has a first rotating member that is heated by a heat source, and a second rotating member that forms a nip portion with the first rotating member, such that a recording material is heated up at the nip portion. The heating device further has: a first cover disposed along an outer peripheral surface of the first rotating member, so as to surround the first rotating member, and a second cover, disposed between the first cover and the first rotating member, and having a protruding portion that protrudes towards the first rotating member. In a longitudinal direction of the first rotating member, a length of the first rotating member is a first length, and a length of the protruding portion is a second length that is smaller than the first length.

Abstract: A mechanism that enables developer replenishment by a simpler structure and a mechanism that enables more user-friendly developer replenishment are provided. An attachment port to which a developer supply bottle containing a developer stored therein is detachably attachable is disposed in an interior of an image forming apparatus. The developer supply bottle can be attached when the cover is in an open state. According to this image forming apparatus, when the developer supply bottle is attached to the attachment port, the developer inside the developer supply bottle moves into a developer housing chamber by its own weight.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a rotatable photosensitive member, a charging member, a developing device, a transfer member, a brush, a driving source and a control portion. The control portion controls the driving source to execute an image forming process in which image formation on the recording material is executed and a non-image-forming process in which the photosensitive member is driven to rotate other than in the image forming process. The non-image-forming process between a first recording material and a second recording material, to which the image formation is executed following the first recording material, is defined as a first non-image-forming process, and the non-image-forming process between the second recording material and a third recording material is defined as a second non-image-forming process.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a photosensitive drum, a charging member, a developing member, a transfer member, a brush, a drive unit, a control unit, and a memory. The charging member charges a surface of the photosensitive drum at a charging portion. The transfer member comes into contact with the photosensitive drum to form a transfer portion. The drive unit rotatably drive the photosensitive drum. The control unit controls the drive unit to perform an image forming operation. The memory stores information about the image forming operation. In a case where the image forming operation is performed and a non-image forming operation is performed after the image forming operation, the control unit performs control such that a switching operation for stopping the photosensitive drum after the photosensitive drum is driven and re-driving the photosensitive drum is performed a plurality of times based on the information about the image forming operation.

Abstract: A mechanism that enables developer replenishment by a simpler structure and a mechanism that enables more user-friendly developer replenishment are provided. An attachment port to which a developer supply bottle containing a developer stored therein is detachably attachable is disposed in an interior of an image forming apparatus. The developer supply bottle can be attached when the cover is in an open state. According to this image forming apparatus, when the developer supply bottle is attached to the attachment port, the developer inside the developer supply bottle moves into a developer housing chamber by its own weight.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus to and from which a replenishment container accommodating toner is attachable and detachable includes a replenishment port to allow replenishment of toner from the replenishment container, an opening/closing portion to open the replenishment port in an open position and close the replenishment port in a closed position, a locking member to move between a restricting position in which the locking member restricts movement of the opening/closing portion from the closed position to the open position, and an allowing position in which the movement of the opening/closing portion from the closed position to the open position is allowed. A developer container accepts more toner for replenishment in a case where a second display is in a second state than in a first state, and a first display more accurately displays information related to the toner accommodated in the developer container than the second display.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus to and from which a replenishment container accommodating toner is attachable and detachable includes an opening/closing portion moving from a closed position to an open position in a case where the toner replenishment container attached to a replenishment port is rotated, and a locking membered to move between a restricting position restricting movement of the opening/closing portion from the closed position to the open position, and an allowing position in which the movement of the opening/closing portion from the closed position to the open position is allowed. In addition, a controller, in a case where a replenishment operation, in which toner is supplied from the replenishment container to the replenishment port, displays, on a display, a ratio corresponding to an amount of toner accommodated in the developer container after the replenishment operation.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image forming unit, a fixing unit, first and second rotating members, and a discharge unit to discharge a recording material to an outside. The fixing unit fixes an image from the image forming unit onto the recording material. The first rotating member comes into contact with and guides the image bearing recording material, and is driven to rotate by conveyance of the recording material. The second rotating member comes into contact with the image bearing recording material more on a downstream side than the first rotating member in a conveyance direction of the recording material, guides the recording material, and is driven to rotate by conveyance of the recording material. The first rotating member does not perform swinging motion by coming into contact with the recording material, and the second rotating member performs swinging motion by coming into contact with the recording material.

Abstract: A fixing device includes a heating rotating member having a conductive layer and an exposed portion in which the conductive layer is partially exposed, and a roller including a metal core and an elastic portion, the roller forming a nip portion with the heating rotating member, the elastic portion being elastically deformed in a region where the nip portion is formed, wherein an annular conductive member provided in a longitudinal end portion of the metal core is in contact with the exposed portion of the heating rotating member while elastically deformed, and wherein in a state where the roller is not mounted to the fixing device, an outer diameter of the conductive member is smaller than an outer diameter of the elastic portion.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus controls the number of rotations of a photosensitive drum based on information related to the use of the photosensitive drum and a suspension time in a rotation operation of rotating the photosensitive drum after a lapse of the suspension time between a first image forming operation of forming an image on a transfer material and a second image forming operation performed after the first image forming operation.