Abstract: The toner supply unit is provided with a preventing unit for preventing toner contamination due to toner leakage from that sealing valve. A mouth ring of the toner container is provided with the sealing valve. This valve is opened/closed by removing/inserting a nozzle.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus of the present invention includes a mount portion in which a toner container is expected to be set from above. When the toner container set in the mount portion runs out of toner, a spring causes the toner container to hop up away from a position where it is set. This promotes easy handling of the toner container in a limited space available in the apparatus.

Abstract: A toner replenishing device includes a toner conveyance path for connecting a toner storing device with a developing device, a toner conveying device for conveying the toner from the toner storing device to the developing device along the toner conveyance path, and an air supplying device connected to the toner conveyance path vie an air supply path for supplying the toner storing device with air from a bottom of the toner storing device so as to agitate the toner pooling in the toner storing device.

Abstract: A color image forming apparatus includes a main body and a toner container setting part configured to set a plurality of toner containers individually therein. Each toner container contains a toner of a different color, and the setting part includes a receiving member configured to receive the plurality of toner containers inserted therein. The plurality of toner containers, inserted in the receiving member, are partially exposed.

Abstract: The container includes a container body that has a structure in which its walls constructing an interior space are collapsible and an aperture in one section of the body when constructed. Encasement is made up of a volume-reducible inflated body that can be accommodated inside the container body. This encasement encases a toner. Contents display sections that display information on the toner inside the encasement are provided on the encasement and the container body.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus of a tandem method includes a conveying member configured to provide to a recording member a conveying force in a sub-scanning direction, a plurality of image carriers configured to contact the conveying member with an equal interval between contacting portions of the plurality of image carriers and the conveying member, a contact force adjusting mechanism configured to freely adjust a contact force of the conveying member to the plurality of image carriers between a predetermined contact force and a decreased contact force, a plurality of toner image forming devices configured to form toner images of a predetermined pattern on the plurality of image carriers respectively. A length of the pattern in the sub-scanning direction is set shorter than a length of the equal interval.

Abstract: A method of color displacement detection for use in a color image forming apparatus sequentially forming image layers in different colors on a photosensitive member and overlaying the image layers on one after another into a color image on a transferring member. This method includes steps of forming, detecting, and calculating. The forming step forms a predetermined number of mark sets within one circumferential length surface of the transferring member. Each of the predetermined number of mark sets includes a predetermined number of different color marks arranged in a line in a moving direction of the transferring member. The detecting step detects the predetermined number of mark sets formed on the transfer member. The calculating step calculates mean values of displacement amounts of same color marks in different mark sets in the predetermined number of mark sets relative to respectively corresponding reference positions.

Abstract: The present invention provides an electro photographic image forming apparatus comprising a replacement assembly having a toner container attachable to the image forming apparatus, a feeding unit to feed toner from the toner container to a development unit, and a read/write non-volatile memory, wherein, the image forming apparatus comprising an estimation unit which generates information in such way that first, the estimation unit obtains an amount of a toner feed period for the feeding unit during forming images, next, accumulates the amount of a toner feed period into an accumulated sum of the amount of a toner feed periods, then, generates the information on the amount of toner in the replacement assembly and stores the information in the read/write non-volatile memory.

Abstract: A toner conveying device for an image forming apparatus includes a nozzle capable of penetrating into a toner container when the toner container is mounted to the image forming apparatus. The nozzle has a tubular structure forming an air passage for sending air into the toner container and a toner passage for delivering toner discharged from the toner container. Air sent into the toner container via the air passage fluidizes toner existing in the toner container, so that the toner can be surely replenished to a developing unit.

Abstract: The toner supply unit is provided with a preventing unit for preventing toner contamination due to toner leakage from that sealing valve. A mouth ring of the toner container is provided with the sealing valve. This valve is opened/closed by removing/inserting a nozzle.

Abstract: The container includes a container body that has a structure in which its wails constructing an interior space are collapsible and an aperture in one section of the body when constructed. Encasement is made up of a volume-reducible inflated body that can be accommodated inside the container body. This encasement encases a toner. Contents display sections that display information on the toner inside the encasement are provided on the encasement and the container body.

Abstract: A color image forming apparatus includes a main body and a toner container setting part configured to set a plurality of toner containers individually therein. Each toner container contains a toner of a different color, and the setting part includes a receiving member configured to receive the plurality of toner containers inserted therein. The plurality of toner containers, inserted in the receiving member, are partially exposed.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus of a tandem method includes a conveying member configured to provide to a recording member a conveying force in a sub-scanning direction, a plurality of image carriers configured to contact the conveying member with an equal interval between contacting portions of the plurality of image carriers and the conveying member, a contact force adjusting mechanism configured to freely adjust a contact force of the conveying member to the plurality of image carriers between a predetermined contact force and a decreased contact force, a plurality of toner image forming devices configured to form toner images of a predetermined pattern on the plurality of image carriers respectively. A length of the pattern in the sub-scanning direction is set shorter than a length of the equal interval.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus of the present invention includes a mount portion in which a toner container is expected to be set from above. When the toner container set in the mount portion runs out of toner, a spring causes the toner container to hop up away from a position where it is set. This promotes easy handling of the toner container in a limited space available in the apparatus.

Abstract: A toner replenishing device includes a toner conveyance path for connecting a toner storing device with a developing device, a toner conveying device for conveying the toner from the toner storing device to the developing device along the toner conveyance path, and an air supplying device connected to the toner conveyance path vie an air supply path for supplying the toner storing device with air from a bottom of the toner storing device so as to agitate the toner pooling in the toner storing device.

Abstract: A multi-color image forming apparatus, method and computer program product storing computer instructions, wherein color information latent images corresponding to respective colors and color patch latent images corresponding to respective colors are formed on a first image bearing member, the color information and patch latent images formed on the first image being member are developed with respectively colored toners so as to form respective color toner images and color toner patches, and the color toner images and color toner patches are transferred from the first image bearing member onto a second image bearing member. The density of toner used in developing the color information and patch latent images is controlled in relation to the color toner patches.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an photoconductive drum, a charger, an exposing device, a developing device and a transferring device. A photo-sensor is disposed around the photoconductive drum. The photo-sensor senses the intensity of the reflected light from the surface of the photoconductive drum and the reflected light from the reference toner image formed on the photoconductive drum. The intensity of the emitted light from photo-sensor is changed corresponding to a continuous lighting time of the photo-sensor. Therefore, the intensity is compensated in response to the continuous lighting time of the photo-sensor. As a result, accurate toner density is detected.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an photoconductive drum, a charger, an exposing device, a developing device and a transferring device. A photo-sensor is disposed around the photoconductive drum. The photo-sensor senses the intensity of the reflected light from the surface of the photoconductive drum and the reflected light from the reference toner image formed on the photoconductive drum. The intensity of the emitted light from photo-sensor is changed corresponding to a continuous lighting time of the photo-sensor. Therefore, the intensity is compensated in response to the continuous lighting time of the photo-sensor. As a result, accurate toner density is detected.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus and method in which an image forming condition is controlled based on an output of a toner density sensor including a light emitting element that emits light toward a toner pattern image formed on an image carrier, and a light receiving element which receives light reflected from the toner image pattern to produce an output used to control an image forming condition of the image forming apparatus, wherein the light emitting element and the light receiving element are positioned such that a line connecting the light emitting element and the toner pattern image and a line connecting the light receiving element and the toner pattern image lie in a plane inclined at a predetermined angle relative to a normal extending from a surface of the image carrier.

Abstract: In an image forming apparatus, a toner density sensor has a light emitting element from emitting light toward a toner pattern image formed on an image carrier, and a light receiving element for receiving the resulting reflection from the image. The light emitting element and light receiving element each has a directivity. The optical axes of the light emitting element and light receiving element intersect each other at a point exiting on or in the vicinity of the surface of the image carrier. The light emitting and light receiving elements are positioned such that a plane containing their optical axes is inclined a predetermined angle relative to a normal extending from the surface of the image carrier through the above point.