Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: a main body housing; a developing cartridge attachable to and detachable from the main body housing; a drum cartridge attachable to and detachable from the main body housing; and a developing guide for guiding attachment and detachment of the developing cartridge to and from the main body housing. The developing cartridge includes a developing roller and a developing memory for storing information. The drum cartridge includes a photosensitive drum. The developing guide is movable together with the developing cartridge between a first position where the developing roller is in contact with the photosensitive drum and a second position where the developing roller is separated from the photosensitive drum. The developing guide includes a developing memory terminal configured to be in contact with the developing memory in a state where the developing cartridge is attached to the main body housing.

Abstract: Provided are a method for designing a vane, which can reduce peaks of secondary flow losses appearing locally in secondary flow regions and a vane obtained by the designing. The method for designing a vane includes: a step of determining a base vane formed by stacking profiles having airfoil shapes in a spanwise direction along a stacking line which is configured as a smooth curved line having no inflection point or a straight line; and a step of changing the stacking line of the base vane to a smooth wavy curved line which waves in an axial direction of a fan, a compressor or a turbine and has no elbows.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: a main body housing; a developing cartridge attachable to and detachable from the main body housing; a drum cartridge attachable to and detachable from the main body housing; and a developing guide for guiding attachment and detachment of the developing cartridge to and from the main body housing. The developing cartridge includes a developing roller and a developing memory for storing information. The drum cartridge includes a photosensitive drum. The developing guide is movable together with the developing cartridge between a first position where the developing roller is in contact with the photosensitive drum and a second position where the developing roller is separated from the photosensitive drum. The developing guide includes a developing memory terminal configured to be in contact with the developing memory in a state where the developing cartridge is attached to the main body housing.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a main casing, a drum cartridge and a developing cartridge. The drum cartridge may include a first handle positioned at a first end of a frame of the drum cartridge. The developing cartridge may include a second handle positioned at a first end of a developing casing the developing cartridge. The main casing may include a first edge surface in the axial direction and a second edge surface opposite the first edge surface in the axial direction. The second handle may extend farther from the second edge surface than the first handle extends from the second edge surface in the axial direction in a state where the drum cartridge and the developing cartridge are attached to the main casing.

Abstract: A toner cartridge includes: a casing having a first toner accommodating portion and a second toner accommodating portion; an agitator; an auger; a first protrusion positioned at one side in a first direction of the second toner accommodating portion; a second protrusion positioned at another side in the first direction of the second accommodating portion; a memory; and a toner-side electrical contact surface electrically connected to the memory. The toner cartridge is attachable to a drum cartridge by the casing pivotally moving from a first position to a second position relative to the drum cartridge about the first protrusion and the second protrusion. When the casing is at the first position, the toner-side electrical contact surface does not contact a first electrical contact surface of the drum cartridge. When the casing is at the second position, the toner-side electrical contact surface contacts the first electrical contact surface.

Abstract: Provided is a blade capable of optimizing an outflow angle in substantially the entire hub region and tip region, particularly in a blade-end-side hub region and a blade-end-side tip region. The blade includes: a base blade part; a suction-side elevated portion provided on a suction surface near a trailing edge in at least one of the blade-end-side tip region and the blade-end-side hub region of the base blade part; and a pressure-side elevated portion provided on a pressure surface near the trailing edge in at least one of a midspan-side tip region and a midspan-side hub region of the base blade part. An airfoil at each spanwise position where the elevated portion is provided is such that a trailing-edge curve of a base airfoil is changed to a modified trailing-edge curve.

Abstract: A cartridge includes: a housing; a storage medium including an electrical contact surface; and a storage medium holder holding the storage medium and movable relative to the housing. The storage medium holder is positioned at one end portion of the housing in a first direction and includes: a first holder holding the electrical contact surface; a second holder positioned spaced away from the first holder in a second direction crossing the first direction; and an elastic member expandable and shrinkable in the second direction between the first holder and the second holder. The first holder has a first hole penetrating the first holder in the second direction. The first hole is positioned farther from the housing in the first direction than the second holder and the elastic member are from the housing in the first direction and is overlapped with the electrical contact surface as viewed in the second direction.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a main housing, a drawer, and a cartridge. The drawer is movable between an inside position inside the main housing and an outside position outside the main housing. The cartridge is installable into and removable from the drawer. The cartridge includes a photosensitive drum configured to rotate about a drum axis. The drawer comprises a lock member movable between a lock position in which the drawer is locked to the main housing, and an unlock position in which the drawer is unlocked from the main housing. The cartridge installed in the drawer is rotatable about the drum axis between a first position and a second position. The lock member is positioned in the lock position when the cartridge is positioned in the first position, and positioned in the unlock position when the cartridge is positioned in the second position.

Abstract: A sensor is located upstream of a conveyance roller in a sheet conveyance direction. A switch switches driving and stopping of a photosensitive drum. A controller performs a first mode process as a warm-up process of driving the conveyance roller and a fuser. The first mode process includes: driving the photosensitive drum for a particular time; in response to detecting a sheet within the particular time by the sensor, controlling the switch to continue driving the photosensitive drum after the particular time elapses and to discharge the detected sheet to a sheet discharge tray; and in response to not detecting the sheet within the particular time by the sensor, controlling the switch to stop driving the photosensitive drum at a time point when the particular time elapses, and driving the conveyance roller and the fuser to complete the warm-up process in a state where the photosensitive drum is stopped.

Abstract: A toner cartridge includes: a casing having a first toner accommodating portion and a second toner accommodating portion; an agitator; an auger; a first protrusion positioned at one side in a first direction of the second toner accommodating portion; a second protrusion positioned at another side in the first direction of the second accommodating portion; a memory; and a toner-side electrical contact surface electrically connected to the memory. The toner cartridge is attachable to a drum cartridge by the casing pivotally moving from a first position to a second position relative to the drum cartridge about the first protrusion and the second protrusion. When the casing is at the first position, the toner-side electrical contact surface does not contact a first electrical contact surface of the drum cartridge. When the casing is at the second position, the toner-side electrical contact surface contacts the first electrical contact surface.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus is configured to execute image forming processing of forming an image on a sheet. The apparatus includes a photosensitive drum, a fixing device including a heater and a roller, a main motor configured to generate a driving force, a driving mechanism having a connected state in which the driving force is transmittable to both the roller and the photosensitive drum, and a disconnected state in which the driving force is transmittable to the roller but is not transmitted to the photosensitive drum, a temperature sensor configured to detect a temperature of the fixing device, and a controller. In a case where the image forming processing is started, the controller sets the driving mechanism into the disconnected state, rotates the main motor at a preheating speed, and executes preheating processing in which the fixing device is heated by the heater.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus is configured to perform image forming processing. The image forming apparatus includes a photosensitive drum, a main motor configured to generate a driving force, a drum clutch having a transmission state in which the driving force is transmitted to the photosensitive drum and a disconnected state in which the driving force is not transmitted to the photosensitive drum, a sheet sensor configured to detect a rear edge of a sheet upstream of the photosensitive drum in a sheet conveying direction, and a controller. In a case where a start command for subsequent image forming processing is not received after the sheet sensor detects a rear edge of a last sheet in image forming processing performed based on received print data, the controller executes drum clutch disconnection processing, and then executes main motor rotation stop processing.

Abstract: A process cartridge including a drum cartridge, a developing cartridge, and a waste toner container, is provided. The drum cartridge includes a photosensitive drum including a photosensitive layer and a rotation axis extending in an axial direction, a drum cleaner arranged to contact the photosensitive drum, a cleaner frame configured to accommodate the drum cleaner therein, and a waste toner conveyer tube connected with the cleaner frame. The developing cartridge is movable to be attached to and detached from the drum cartridge and includes a developer roller. The waste toner container is movable to be attached to and detached from the drum cartridge. When the developing cartridge and the waste toner container are attached to the drum cartridge, the waste toner container is connected with the waste toner conveyer tube and is located on an opposite side of the developing cartridge to the photosensitive drum.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: a casing having an opening; a developing cartridge configured to accommodate toner therein; and a drum cartridge to which the developing cartridge is attachable. The drum cartridge is attachable to the casing through the opening in a state where the developing cartridge is attached to the drum cartridge. The drum cartridge includes: a photosensitive drum; a drum frame; a charge roller; a cleaning blade configured to clean a circumferential surface of the photosensitive drum; a waste toner collecting unit having an internal space allowing waste toner removed from the circumferential surface of the photosensitive drum by the cleaning blade to be collected therein; a waste toner accumulating unit having an internal space allowing the waste toner to be accumulated therein; and a waste toner conveying unit configured to convey the waste toner from the waste toner collecting unit to the waste toner accumulating unit.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: a main casing; a photosensitive drum rotatable about an axis extending in a first direction; a developing cartridge; a transfer unit; a solvent cartridge accommodating solvent for dissolving toner; an applicator applying the solvent to the toner on a sheet; and a cover movable between an open position and a closed position. The developing cartridge and the solvent cartridge are detachably attachable to the main casing independently of each other. The developing cartridge and the solvent cartridge are positioned between the applicator and the cover in a second direction crossing the first direction, and the solvent cartridge is positioned closer to the applicator than the developing cartridge is to the applicator in a state where the developing cartridge and the solvent cartridge are attached to the main casing and the cover is at the closed position.

Abstract: A toner cartridge includes: a casing having a first toner accommodating portion and a second toner accommodating portion; an agitator; an auger; a first protrusion positioned at one side in a first direction of the second toner accommodating portion; a second protrusion positioned at another side in the first direction of the second accommodating portion; a memory; and a toner-side electrical contact surface electrically connected to the memory. The toner cartridge is attachable to a drum cartridge by the casing pivotally moving from a first position to a second position relative to the drum cartridge about the first protrusion and the second protrusion. When the casing is at the first position, the toner-side electrical contact surface does not contact a first electrical contact surface of the drum cartridge. When the casing is at the second position, the toner-side electrical contact surface contacts the first electrical contact surface.

Abstract: A process cartridge including a drum cartridge, a developing cartridge, and a waste toner container, is provided. The drum cartridge includes a photosensitive drum including a photosensitive layer and a rotation axis extending in an axial direction, a drum cleaner arranged to contact the photosensitive drum, a cleaner frame configured to accommodate the drum cleaner therein, and a waste toner conveyer tube connected with the cleaner frame. The developing cartridge is movable to be attached to and detached from the drum cartridge and includes a developer roller. The waste toner container is movable to be attached to and detached from the drum cartridge. When the developing cartridge and the waste toner container are attached to the drum cartridge, the waste toner container is connected with the waste toner conveyer tube and is located on an opposite side of the developing cartridge to the photosensitive drum.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a main casing, a drum cartridge and a developing cartridge. The drum cartridge may include a first handle positioned at a first end of a frame of the drum cartridge. The developing cartridge may include a second handle positioned at a first end of a developing casing the developing cartridge. The main casing may include a first edge surface in the axial direction and a second edge surface opposite the first edge surface in the axial direction. The second handle may extend farther from the second edge surface than the first handle extends from the second edge surface in the axial direction in a state where the drum cartridge and the developing cartridge are attached to the main casing.

Abstract: A toner cartridge includes: a casing extending in a first direction; a toner conveying unit; a first cover; a shutter; a memory; and an electrical contact surface electrically connected to the memory. The casing includes a first toner accommodating portion having an opening. The first cover and the shutter are positioned at one end portion of the first toner accommodating portion in the first direction. The first cover has a discharge opening. The shutter has a shutter opening and a first protrusion extending in the first direction and positioned farther from the one end portion of the first toner accommodating portion than the first cover is in the first direction. When the toner cartridge is mounted to a developing device, the first protrusion is fixed in position relative to the developing device and the casing is pivotable together with the first cover relative to the developing device.

Abstract: A toner cartridge includes a first casing, a second casing, an auger screw, and a shutter. The first casing has a first internal space. The second casing has: a second internal space smaller than the first internal space; a first opening allowing toner in the second internal space to be discharged; and a second opening allowing air in the second internal space to be sent to an outside. The auger screw is rotatable about a first rotation axis and configured to convey toner in the first internal space to the second internal space. The shutter is rotatable relative to the second casing about a second rotation axis between a first position in which the shutter closes the first opening and a second position in which the shutter opens the first opening. In a state where the shutter is at the second position, the shutter does not close the second opening.