Abstract: An image forming apparatus comprising: an image bearing member, a developing member that forms a toner image with a toner including a metal soap having a polarity opposite to that of the toner, a supply member that supplies the toner to the developing member, and a control unit that executes a metal soap supply operation of supplying the metal soap from the developing member to the image bearing member when an operation other than the image forming operation is executed, wherein the metal soap supply operation includes a first mode and a second mode, and a potential difference between the supply member and the developing member, which causes an electrostatic force in the direction from the supply member to the developing member to act on the metal soap, is smaller in the metal soap supply operation in the second mode than in the first mode.

Abstract: A developing device includes a stirring member including a flexible sheet member having a first sheet portion and a second sheet portion overlapping each other with respect to a thickness direction of the sheet member. With respect to a lateral direction of the sheet member which is a direction from a fixed end fixed to a rotating shaft portion to the free end, a length of the first sheet portion is longer than a length of the second sheet portion, and when the stirring member is rotated, a free end of the first sheet portion is capable of contacting an inner wall surface of a toner accommodation chamber. The sheet member is provided with a through hole penetrating in a thickness direction of the sheet member in a region where the first sheet portion and the second sheet portion overlap each other.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus comprising: an image bearing member, a developing member that forms a toner image with a toner including a metal soap having a polarity opposite to that of the toner, a supply member that supplies the toner to the developing member, and a control unit that executes a metal soap supply operation of supplying the metal soap from the developing member to the image bearing member when an operation other than the image forming operation is executed, wherein the metal soap supply operation includes a first mode and a second mode, and a potential difference between the supply member and the developing member, which causes an electrostatic force in the direction from the supply member to the developing member to act on the metal soap, is smaller in the metal soap supply operation in the second mode than in the first mode.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus comprising an image bearing member, a developer bearing member, a drive unit for driving the image bearing member and the developer bearing member in varied peripheral speeds, a control unit, a developing voltage application unit, a supply member for supplying a developer to the developer bearing member, and, a supply member voltage application unit, wherein the control unit executes a first image forming mode in which a rotational peripheral speed ratio between surface movement speeds of the developer bearing member and the image bearing member is not more than 1 and a second image forming mode in which the rotational peripheral speed ratio is larger than 1, and, the control unit controls the drive unit so that a difference between developing voltage and supply voltage becomes larger in the second image forming mode than in the first image forming mode.

Abstract: A developing device includes a frame having an accommodation chamber where a developer is accommodated, and a replenishing port replenishing a developer to the accommodation chamber from outside; and a stirring member stirring the developer in the accommodation chamber, the stirring member including a rotating shaft portion rotatably supported by the frame and a sheet member having one end fixed to the rotating shaft portion and another end as a free end and being rotatable with the rotating shaft portion. When the stirring member is rotated, the free end of the sheet member is capable of contacting an inner wall surface of the accommodation chamber in which the replenishing port is formed, and a through hole penetrating in a thickness direction of the sheet member is provided in a region of the sheet member that comes into contact with the inner wall surface of the accommodation chamber.

Abstract: A developing device includes a frame having an accommodation chamber where a developer is accommodated, and a replenishing port replenishing a developer to the accommodation chamber from outside, and a stirring member stirring the developer in the accommodation chamber. The stirring member includes a rotating shaft portion rotatably supported by the frame and a sheet member having one end fixed to the rotating shaft portion and another end as a free end and being rotatable with the rotating shaft portion. When the stirring member is rotated, the free end of the sheet member is capable of contacting an inner wall surface of the accommodation chamber in which the replenishing port is formed, and a through hole penetrating in a thickness direction of the sheet member is provided in a region of the sheet member that comes into contact with the inner wall surface of the accommodation chamber.

Abstract: A developing device includes a frame having an accommodation chamber where a developer is accommodated, and a replenishing port replenishing a developer to the accommodation chamber from outside; and a stirring member stirring the developer in the accommodation chamber, the stirring member including a rotating shaft portion rotatably supported by the frame and a sheet member having one end fixed to the rotating shaft portion and another end as a free end and being rotatable with the rotating shaft portion. When the stirring member is rotated, the free end of the sheet member is capable of contacting an inner wall surface of the accommodation chamber in which the replenishing port is formed, and a through hole penetrating in a thickness direction of the sheet member is provided in a region of the sheet member that comes into contact with the inner wall surface of the accommodation chamber.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a regulating member that regulates a developing agent that a developing agent carrying member carries in order to develop an electrostatic image, and a regulatory bias application portion that applies a regulatory bias to the regulating member, wherein the developing agent includes a toner containing a toner particle, inorganic silicon fine particles present on the surface of the toner particle, and a metal soap, wherein the amount of water-washing migration of the inorganic silicon fine particles is 0.20 mass % or less, wherein a peripheral speed ratio, which is a ratio of a peripheral speed of the developing agent carrying member to a peripheral speed of an image bearing member, has a range of 120% to 300%, and a dark portion potential Vd on the surface of the image bearing member and a regulatory bias Vb satisfy the relationship of Vd<Vb.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus has a photosensitive drum configured to bear a developer image, a developing apparatus having a developing roller that bears developer and a developing blade that regulates the amount of the developer on the developing roller, and a detection portion that detects information on the amount of the developer stored in the developing apparatus. The image forming apparatus performs a discharging operation for discharging a coating agent, applied to a developing roller in an unused state, from the developing apparatus to the photosensitive drum, while varying an operational condition for the discharging operation varied based on the information.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus has a photosensitive drum configured to bear a developer image, a developing apparatus having a developing roller that bears developer and a developing blade that regulates the amount of the developer on the developing roller, and a detection portion that detects information on the amount of the developer stored in the developing apparatus. The image forming apparatus performs a discharging operation for discharging a coating agent, applied to a developing roller in an unused state, from the developing apparatus to the photosensitive drum, while varying an operational condition for the discharging operation varied based on the information.

Abstract: Provided is an image forming apparatus, including an apparatus main body, an image bearing member unit having at least an image bearing member and a charging member, and a developing unit having at least a developer bearing member. The apparatus main body has a controller, the image bearing member unit further has a first storage unit that stores first correction information corresponding to life information of the developing unit, the developing unit further has a second storage unit that stores second correction information corresponding to life information of the developing unit, and the controller acquires the first correction information and the second correction information, uses the acquired first correction information and the acquired second correction information to correct a charging bias to be applied to the charging member, and applies the corrected charging bias to the charging member.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a regulating member that regulates a developing agent that a developing agent carrying member carries in order to develop an electrostatic image, and a regulatory bias application portion that applies a regulatory bias to the regulating member, wherein the developing agent includes a toner containing a toner particle, inorganic silicon fine particles present on the surface of the toner particle, and a metal soap, wherein the amount of water-washing migration of the inorganic silicon fine particles is 0.20 mass % or less, wherein a peripheral speed ratio, which is a ratio of a peripheral speed of the developing agent carrying member to a peripheral speed of an image bearing member, has a range of 120% to 300%, and a dark portion potential Vd on the surface of the image bearing member and a regulatory bias Vb satisfy the relationship of Vd<Vb.

Abstract: An image bearing member unit and a developing unit are respectively configured to be attachable to and detachable from an apparatus main body of an image forming apparatus, the image bearing member unit has a first memory that stores information related to a toner amount during a toner supply in accordance with a use amount of the image bearing member unit, the developing unit has a second memory that stores information related to a toner amount during the toner supply in accordance with a use amount of the developing unit, and a control device controls, during the toner supply, the toner supply with a toner amount based on the information stored in the first memory and the information stored in the second memory.

Abstract: A developing device includes developer, a developer bearing member, and a supply member that is in contact with the developer bearing member and supplies the developer. The developing device further includes a developing chamber in which the developer bearing member and the supply member are disposed, a developer containing chamber that contains the developer, a partition wall that partitions the developing chamber and the developer containing chamber from each other and is provided with an opening that communicates the developing chamber and the developer containing chamber with each other, and a conveyance member that conveys the developer from the developer containing chamber to the developing chamber. The conveyance member is provided with a hole through which the developer can pass or has a protrusion that generates a gap between the conveyance member and the partition wall.

Abstract: An image bearing member unit and a developing unit are respectively configured to be attachable to and detachable from an apparatus main body of an image forming apparatus, the image bearing member unit has a first memory that stores information related to a toner amount during a toner supply in accordance with a drive amount of the image bearing member, the developing unit has a second memory that stores information related to a toner amount during the toner supply in accordance with a use amount of the developing unit, and a control device controls, during the toner supply, the toner supply with a toner amount based on the information stored in the first memory and the information stored in the second memory.

Abstract: Provided is an image forming apparatus, including an apparatus main body, an image bearing member unit having at least an image bearing member and a charging member, and a developing unit having at least a developer bearing member. The apparatus main body has a controller, the image bearing member unit further has a first storage unit that stores first correction information corresponding to life information of the developing unit, the developing unit further has a second storage unit that stores second correction information corresponding to life information of the developing unit, and the controller acquires the first correction information and the second correction information, uses the acquired first correction information and the acquired second correction information to correct a charging bias to be applied to the charging member, and applies the corrected charging bias to the charging member.

Abstract: A developing device includes developer, a developer bearing member, and a supply member that is in contact with the developer bearing member and supplies the developer. The developing device further includes a developing chamber in which the developer bearing member and the supply member are disposed, a developer containing chamber that contains the developer, a partition wall that partitions the developing chamber and the developer containing chamber from each other and is provided with an opening that communicates the developing chamber and the developer containing chamber with each other, and a conveyance member that conveys the developer from the developer containing chamber to the developing chamber. The conveyance member is provided with a hole through which the developer can pass or has a protrusion that generates a gap between the conveyance member and the partition wall.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a developing device including a developer carrying member, a developer supplying member and a regulating member. Also provided are a first power source for the developer carrying member, a second power source for the regulating member, and a controller. In a period from a start of a developing operation to an end of the developing operation for printing an image on a single recording material, the controller effects control of a potential difference between the developer carrying member and the developing blade so that a force for urging the developer from the regulating member toward the developer carrying member acts on the developer at a contact portion between the regulating member and the developer carrying member. The force acting on the developer being is stronger at the end of the developing operation than at the start of the developing operation.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus has a photosensitive drum configured to bear a developer image, a developing apparatus having a developing roller that bears developer and a developing blade that regulates the amount of the developer on the developing roller, and a detection portion that detects information on the amount of the developer stored in the developing apparatus. The image forming apparatus performs a discharging operation for discharging a coating agent, applied to a developing roller in an unused state, from the developing apparatus to the photosensitive drum, while varying an operational condition for the discharging operation varied based on the information.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus has a photosensitive drum configured to bear a developer image, a developing apparatus having a developing roller that bears developer and a developing blade that regulates the amount of the developer on the developing roller, and a detection portion that detects information on the amount of the developer stored in the developing apparatus. The image forming apparatus performs a discharging operation for discharging a coating agent, applied to a developing roller in an unused state, from the developing apparatus to the photosensitive drum, while varying an operational condition for the discharging operation varied based on the information.