Abstract: An image forming apparatus can include an image forming unit that prints a plurality of toner images formed by using toners of first, second and third toners onto a recording material in a superimposed manner, the image forming unit forms first to third toner images; a transfer unit for transferring onto the recording material in a superimposed manner the first to third toner images in this order, which is an order closer to the recording material; and a fixing unit including heating unit for heating the recording material from the side where the toner images are transferred, the fixing unit being configured to heat and melt the toner images to fix the toner images onto the recording material. Among the first to third toners, the first toner has the highest elastic modulus, and the second toner has the lowest elastic modulus.

Abstract: Provided is a heater that performs heat processing when a sheet bundle is stacked on a holding plate. A storage elastic modulus of a toner image by an adhesive toner formed on a sheet of interest closest to the heater in an N?1-th sheet bundle second closest to the heater in a booklet is greater than a storage elastic modulus of a toner image by the adhesive toner formed on any sheet included in another sheet bundle located farther from the heater than the N?1-th sheet bundle in the booklet.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus can include an image forming unit that prints a plurality of toner images formed by using toners of first, second and third toners onto a recording material in a superimposed manner, the image forming unit forms first to third toner images; a transfer unit for transferring onto the recording material in a superimposed manner the first to third toner images in this order, which is an order closer to the recording material; and a fixing unit including heating unit for heating the recording material from the side where the toner images are transferred, the fixing unit being configured to heat and melt the toner images to fix the toner images onto the recording material. Among the first to third toners, the first toner has the highest elastic modulus, and the second toner has the lowest elastic modulus.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a rotatable photosensitive member, a charging member, a developing member, a transfer member, a voltage applying portion, and a controller. The controller is capable of changing a trailing end voltage to a first trailing end voltage lower than a transfer voltage applied to the transfer member by the voltage applying portion when a toner image is transferred from the photosensitive member to a recording material and to a second trailing end voltage higher than the first trailing end voltage. In an image forming operation after rotation of the photosensitive member is stopped in a state in which the image forming operation is not completed, the controller carries out control so that the second trailing end voltage is applied when a trailing end of the recording material with respect to a feeding direction passes through a transfer portion.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a photosensitive drum and an exposure unit for exposing a surface of the photosensitive drum to form an image by a first exposure amount. In a rotational axis direction of a charging portion, a width of a transfer portion is shorter than that of a developing portion, a width of the transfer portion is shorter than that of the charging portion and an end portion of the surface includes a non-transfer area in contact with the charging portion and not in contact with the transfer portion. The voltage having the normal polarity is applied to the transfer portion when no recording material exists at the transfer portion, and the exposure unit exposes an area, including the non-transfer area of the surface that has passed through the transfer portion during application of the voltage, by a second exposure amount less than the first exposure amount.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a photosensitive drum, a charging member, an exposure unit, a developing member, and a transfer member. In a rotational axis direction of the charging member, a width of a transfer portion of the transfer member is shorter than that of a charging portion of the charging member, and an end of the surface of the photosensitive drum in the axis direction includes a non-transfer area in contact with the charging member and not in contact with the transfer member. The exposure unit exposes the non-transfer area during rotation of the photosensitive drum, and forms a surface potential on the surface downstream of an exposing portion and upstream of the transfer portion with respect to a rotational direction. A controller controls such that an absolute value of the surface potential of the non-transfer area is lower than that of the transfer outside paper passing area.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image forming unit configured to form a toner image on a recording material, a fixing unit configured to fix the toner image formed on the recording material by the image forming unit to the recording material, and a controller configured to cause the image forming unit to form an image on a basis of image information, the controller being configured to cause the image forming unit to form the image in which a first toner image and a second toner image is superimposed on each other on the recording material, the first toner image being a toner image corresponding to the image information, the second toner image being constituted by a pattern having anisotropy such that glossiness of the image changes depending on a direction in which the image is viewed.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a photosensitive drum and an exposure unit for exposing a surface of the photosensitive drum to form an image by a first exposure amount. In a rotational axis direction of a charging portion, a width of a transfer portion is shorter than that of a developing portion, a width of the transfer portion is shorter than that of the charging portion and an end portion of the surface includes a non-transfer area in contact with the charging portion and in no contact with the transfer portion. The voltage having the normal polarity is applied to the transfer portion when no recording material exists at the transfer portion, and the exposure unit exposes an area, including the non-transfer area of the surface passed through the transfer portion during application of the voltage, by a second exposure amount smaller than the first exposure amount.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a photosensitive drum, a charging member, an exposure unit, a developing member, and a transfer member. In a rotational axis direction of the charging member, a width of a transfer portion of the transfer member is shorter than that of a charging portion of the charging member, and an end of the surface of the photosensitive drum in the axis direction includes a non-transfer area in contact with the charging member and in no contact with the transfer member. The exposure unit exposes the non-transfer area during rotation of the photosensitive drum, and forms a surface potential on the surface downstream of an exposing portion and upstream of the transfer portion in a rotational direction. A controller controls such that an absolute value of the surface potential of the non-transfer area is smaller than that of the transfer outside paper passing area.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a rotatable photosensitive member, a charging member, a developing member, a transfer member, a voltage applying portion, and a controller. The controller is capable of changing a trailing end voltage to a first trailing end voltage smaller than a transfer voltage applied to the transfer member by the voltage applying portion when a toner image is transferred from the photosensitive member to a recording material and to a second trailing end voltage larger than the first trailing end voltage. In an image forming operation after rotation of the photosensitive member is stopped in a state in which the image forming operation is not completed, the controller carries out control so that the second trailing end voltage is applied when a trailing end of the recording material with respect to a feeding direction passes through a transfer portion.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image forming unit configured to form a toner image on a recording material, a fixing unit configured to fix the toner image formed on the recording material by the image forming unit to the recording material, and a controller configured to cause the image forming unit to form an image on a basis of image information, the controller being configured to cause the image forming unit to form the image in which a first toner image and a second toner image is superimposed on each other on the recording material, the first toner image being a toner image corresponding to the image information, the second toner image being constituted by a pattern having anisotropy such that glossiness of the image changes depending on a direction in which the image is viewed.

Abstract: A cylindrical fixing member for use with a fixing device includes a heat generating layer and an electrode layer contacting the heat generating layer. The electrode layer is smaller in volume resistance value than the heat generating layer. The electrode layer is formed in a helical shape so that a helical axis thereof extends in a direction along a generatrix direction of the fixing member. One end and the other end of the electrode layer are electrically open.

Abstract: Method for manufacturing an optical display device which allows for appropriately correcting a linear deformation generated on a pressure-sensitive adhesive layer in laminating an optical functional film with a panel member includes steps of peeling a sheet of optical functional film together with the pressure-sensitive adhesive layer from a carrier film up to a predetermined head-out length, stopping the conveyance of the carrier film for detecting the front edge, making the front edge of the sheet of optical functional film proceed to the laminating position, laminating from the front edge to a predetermined position upstream of the head-out length on the sheet of optical functional film with the panel member at a first lamination speed, and laminating at least a part from the predetermined position to a rear edge of the sheet of optical functional film with the panel member at a speed faster than the first lamination speed.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing an optical display device from a web of optical film laminate including a carrier film, a pressure-sensitive adhesive layer formed on one of opposite surfaces of the carrier film, and a plurality of sheets of optical functional film continuously supported on the carrier film via the pressure-sensitive adhesive layer, comprises folding the other of opposite surfaces of the carrier film inside via a tip end of a releasing body to wind the carrier film, peeling the sheet of optical functional film to a head-out state while exposing the pressure-sensitive adhesive layer, stopping winding of the carrier film, detecting a front end of the peeled sheet of optical functional film in the head-out state, and rewinding the carrier film integrally with the sheet of optical functional film in the head-out state to mend a deformation of a pressure-sensitive adhesive, at the tip end of the releasing body.

Abstract: A cylindrical fixing member for use with a fixing device includes a heat generating layer and an electrode layer contacting the heat generating layer. The electrode layer is smaller in volume resistance value than the heat generating layer. The electrode layer is formed in a helical shape so that a helical axis thereof extends in a direction along a generatrix direction of the fixing member. One end and the other end of the electrode layer are electrically open.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a fixing portion for fixing a toner image on a sheet by heating the sheet while feeding the sheet, the fixing portion including a cylindrical film, a heater contacting an inner surface of the film, a roller cooperative with the heater to form the nip between the film and the roller; a sensor for detecting a heater temperature; a feed controller for controlling sheet feeding. In image formation on a second sheet continuously after forming the image on a first sheet, the sensor detects a temperature change in a predetermined period in which the nip does not feed the sheet and which is after the first sheet passes through the nip and before the second sheet reaches the nip, and the feed controller changes a feeding interval between the first and second sheets in accordance with the temperature change.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus uses the difference in time taken for each patch to reach a color sensor, which occurs upon reversing the conveyance direction of a printing material. Due to this difference in time, the temperature of the printing material in detection by the color sensor differs among the respective patches. The error of a colorimetric value due to thermochromism is reduced by placing a patch with a colorimetric value which has a low temperature dependence so as to be detected earlier, and a patch with a colorimetric value which has a high temperature dependence so as to be detected later.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus uses the difference in time taken for each patch to reach a color sensor, which occurs upon reversing the conveyance direction of a printing material. Due to this difference in time, the temperature of the printing material in detection by the color sensor differs among the respective patches. The error of a colorimetric value due to thermochromism is reduced by placing a patch with a colorimetric value which has a low temperature dependence so as to be detected earlier, and a patch with a colorimetric value which has a high temperature dependence so as to be detected later.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus uses the difference in time taken for each patch to reach a color sensor, which occurs upon reversing the conveyance direction of a printing material. Due to this difference in time, the temperature of the printing material in detection by the color sensor differs among the respective patches. The error of a colorimetric value due to thermochromism is reduced by placing a patch with a colorimetric value which has a low temperature dependence so as to be detected earlier, and a patch with a colorimetric value which has a high temperature dependence so as to be detected later.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a diode for restraining deterioration of an electric discharge device caused when a voltage applied to a discharge electrode and a shield electrode is switched. By switching the voltage at only one position using the diode, both of the voltage applied to the discharge electrode and the voltage applied to the shield electrode can be switched simultaneously.