Abstract: A toner including a petroleum wax, wherein the petroleum wax comprises a paraffin wax having a polarity.

Abstract: A protective agent for an image bearing member of an image forming apparatus. The protective agent is applied onto a surface of the image bearing member and includes a hydrophobic organic compound (A), an inorganic fine particle (B), and an inorganic lubricant (C).

Abstract: An image forming apparatus including a charging unit configured to charge a surface of an image bearing member utilizing discharge generated by applying a voltage containing an alternating current component to a charging member disposed in contact with or close to the image bearing member, so that a latent electrostatic image is formed on the image bearing member; a developing unit configured to develop the latent electrostatic image formed on the image bearing member using a toner; a cleaning unit configured to clean the surface of the image bearing member using a blade; a protecting agent applying unit configured to rub and scrape a protecting agent by a brush roller and apply the protecting agent to the surface of the image bearing member; and a protecting agent charging member configured to charge the protecting agent, the member being disposed between the protecting agent applying unit and the charging unit.

Abstract: A protective agent for an image bearing member of an image forming apparatus. The protective agent is applied onto a surface of the image bearing member and includes a hydrophobic organic compound (A), an inorganic fine particle (B), and an inorganic lubricant (C).

Abstract: To provide an image-bearing member protecting agent used for forming a protective layer on a surface of an image bearing member, the agent including: a compressed powder body formed by pressurizing a powder containing at least a fatty acid metal salt (A) and an inorganic lubricant (B), wherein a ratio Db/Da of an average particle diameter Db of the inorganic lubricant (B) to an average particle diameter Da of the fatty acid metal salt (A) satisfies 0<Db/Da?0.40.

Abstract: To provide an image bearing member protecting agent that includes at least a hydrophobic organic compound and an amphiphile organic compound. Preferred embodiments are that the hydrophobic organic compound is a hydrocarbon wax, and the hydrocarbon wax is at least a wax selected from normal paraffins, isoparaffins, and cycloparaffins; and that the amphiphile organic compound is an polyalcohol esterified compound including a nonionic surface active surfactant, and the nonionic surface active surfactant is an alkyl carboxylic acid represented by a structural formula, CnH2n+1COOH.

Abstract: An image forming method including forming a toner image on a transfer medium with a toner comprising a wax having a polar group, and applying a varnish to the toner image. The wax may be a plant wax having an ester group, a wax having a polar group derived from a fatty acid, an oxidized wax, or a mixture thereof. The varnish may include a surfactant, such as a polyoxyethylene glycol, and may be photocurable.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus including a color toner image forming unit that forms a color toner image on a recording medium; a first colorless transparent toner image forming unit that forms a first colorless transparent toner image on the color toner image; a first fixing unit that fixes the image on the recording medium; a gloss level increasing device that increases a gloss level of the entire image on the recording medium that has been fixed; a second colorless transparent toner image forming unit that forms a second colorless transparent toner image on the image whose gloss level has been increased; and a second fixing unit that fixes the second colorless transparent toner image on the recording medium.

Abstract: A protective material block including a metal soap, wherein the surface of the protective material block has an X-ray diffraction pattern wherein a ratio (P2/P1) of a maximum peak height (P2) on a surface separation of from 3.6 to 5.0 ? to a maximum peak height (P1) on a surface separation of from 11 to 16 ? not greater than 0.5.

Abstract: A protecting layer is formed on a surface of an image carrier with a protecting agent that contains at least an organic compound having melting property of which penetration at 25° C. ranges from 3 millimeters to 30 millimeters, and organic compound particles having thermal decomposition property of which a weight average particle size ranges from 2 micrometers to 20 micrometers. A melting temperature of the organic compound is lower than a decomposition temperature of the organic compound particles, and a volume ratio of the organic compound to the organic compound particles ranges from 99/1 to 50/50.

Abstract: To provide an image-bearing member protecting agent used in an image forming method which includes applying or attaching the agent onto a surface of an image bearing member, the agent including: a fatty acid metal salt (A), and an inorganic lubricant (B), wherein the inorganic lubricant (B) has an average particle diameter of 0.1 ?m to 14 ?m.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus including an image bearing member and a developing device configured to develop an electrostatic image on the image bearing member with a toner to form a toner image thereon and including a developing unit configured to develop the electrostatic image, and a toner cartridge configured to supply the toner to the developing unit through at least one opening, wherein the developing device circulates the toner between the toner cartridge and the developing unit through the at least one opening, and wherein the internal temperature of the hopper is higher than that of the cartridge and the ratio of a charge quantity distribution parameter of the toner under a condition of 45° C. and 54% RH to that under a condition of 25° C. and 54% RH is greater than 0.9 and less than 1.5.

Abstract: A developing unit develops a latent image on an image carrier with toner. A toner cartridge is detachably arranged in parallel with the developing unit, and supplies the toner to the developing unit. An opening is disposed between the developing unit and the toner cartridge, through which the toner passes. The toner cartridge includes a space forming unit that forms a space in the toner stored in the toner cartridge. The space allows the toner to flow into from the developing unit.

Abstract: A protective layer forming device including an image-bearing member protecting agent which contains a fatty acid metal salt and an inorganic lubricant, a protecting agent supply member configured to apply a surface of the image bearing member with the image-bearing member protecting agent, and a leveling member configured to level off the image-bearing member protecting agent applied on the surface of the image bearing member, wherein the leveling member serves as a cleaning blade having a ridge part with an obtuse angle, which comes into contact with the surface of the image bearing member in a direction counter to the rotation of the image bearing member.

Abstract: A protective agent for forming a protective layer on the surface of an image carrier includes at least a hydrophilic organic compound and an amphiphilic organic compound at a ratio of 1/99 to 20/80. Preferably, the hydrophilic organic compound contains at least one selected from a polysaccharide and a polyether compound, or the amphiphilic organic compound contains a nonionic surfactant.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus including a charging unit configured to charge a surface of an image bearing member utilizing discharge generated by applying a voltage containing an alternating current component to a charging member disposed in contact with or close to the image bearing member, so that a latent electrostatic image is formed on the image bearing member; a developing unit configured to develop the latent electrostatic image formed on the image bearing member using a toner; a cleaning unit configured to clean the surface of the image bearing member using a blade; a protecting agent applying unit configured to rub and scrape a protecting agent by a brush roller and apply the protecting agent to the surface of the image bearing member; and a protecting agent charging member configured to charge the protecting agent, the member being disposed between the protecting agent applying unit and the charging unit.

Abstract: To provide an image-bearing member protecting agent used in an image forming method which includes applying or attaching the agent onto a surface of an image bearing member, the agent including: a fatty acid metal salt (A), and an inorganic lubricant (B), wherein the inorganic lubricant (B) has an average particle diameter of 0.1 ?m to 14 ?m.

Abstract: To provide an image-bearing member protecting agent used for forming a protective layer on a surface of an image bearing member, the agent including: a compressed powder body formed by pressurizing a powder containing at least a fatty acid metal salt (A) and an inorganic lubricant (B), wherein a ratio Db/Da of an average particle diameter Db of the inorganic lubricant (B) to an average particle diameter Da of the fatty acid metal salt (A) satisfies 0<Db/Da?0.40.

Abstract: A protective material block including a metal soap, wherein the surface of the protective material block has an X-ray diffraction pattern wherein a ratio (P2/P1) of a maximum peak height (P2) on a surface separation of from 3.6 to 5.0 ? to a maximum peak height (P1) on a surface separation of from 11 to 16 ? not greater than 0.5.

Abstract: A developing device including a developing unit configured to develop an electrostatic latent image with a toner; a toner cartridge configured to contain the toner and supply the toner to the developing unit, and including an agitator configured to agitate the toner, wherein the toner cartridge is detachably attached to the developing unit; at least one opening configured to pass the toner between the developing unit and the toner cartridge; and at least one control valve configured to open and shut the opening, wherein a toner replacement ratio (b/a) of the developing device satisfies relationship 0.05?b/a?2.0, wherein a represents an amount of the toner supplied to the developing unit from the toner cartridge per a unit time and b represents an amount of the toner discharged to the toner cartridge from the developing unit per the unit time.