Abstract: An intermediate transfer member including a base layer, wherein the base layer contains a thermoplastic resin and an electroconductive filler dispersed in the thermoplastic resin, and wherein the base layer has a volume resistivity of 1×106 to 1×1013 ?·cm, and the base layer has an electroconductive path index of 0.20 or less.

Abstract: An electrophotographic belt includes a base layer containing a binder resin and carbon black in the binder resin. The binder resin contains at least one resin selected from the group consisting of PEEK and PPS. A water content calculated by ((X2?X1)/X2)×100 is 0.6% where X1 is a mass of a specimen cut out of the base layer when in a nitrogen atmosphere a temperature of the specimen is increased from 30° C. to 100° C. at a rate of 20° C./min. and maintained at 100° C. for 30 min, and X2 is a mass of the specimen when in a nitrogen atmosphere the specimen is thereafter cooled from 100° C. to 30° C. at a rate of 20° C./min. and the specimen is left to stand in the air under an environment of a temperature of 23° C. and a relative humidity of 50% for 48 hours.

Abstract: An intermediary transfer belt having surface resistivity ?s of 1×109 ?/square or more and volume resistivity ?v of 1×1012 ?·cm or less includes a thermoplastic resin material containing carbon black. The carbon black contained in the thermoplastic resin material has a weight ratio of 22.5-28.5 weight % and include first carbon black and second carbon black. The first carbon black of the carbon black contained in the thermoplastic resin material has a weight ratio of 50-90 weight % and dibutyl phthalate absorption of 93-127 ml/100 g, and the second carbon black of the carbon black contained in the thermoplastic resin material has a weight ratio of 10-50 weight % and dibutyl phthalate absorption of 36-79 ml/100 g.

Abstract: The crystallinity of a thermoplastic resin is 8% or more and 25% or less, the average primary particle size of carbon black is 10 nm or more and 30 nm or less, the content of the carbon black is 15.0 parts by mass or more and 30.0 parts by mass or less with respect to 100 parts by mass of an intermediate transfer belt, and (Li+Lo+Lc)/3?100 nm, where Li, Lo, and Lc are values of an L-function indicating a dispersibility of the carbon black with respect to the thermoplastic resin in an inner peripheral surface region of the intermediate transfer belt, in an outer peripheral surface region, and in a central region that is a central portion of the intermediate transfer belt in a thickness direction of the intermediate transfer belt, respectively.

Abstract: The crystallinity of a thermoplastic resin is 8% or more and 25% or less, the average primary particle size of carbon black is 10 nm or more and 30 nm or less, the content of the carbon black is 15.0 parts by mass or more and 30.0 parts by mass or less with respect to 100 parts by mass of an intermediate transfer belt, and (Li+Lo+Lc)/3?100 nm, where Li, Lo, and Lc are values of an L-function indicating a dispersibility of the carbon black with respect to the thermoplastic resin in an inner peripheral surface region of the intermediate transfer belt, in an outer peripheral surface region, and in a central region that is a central portion of the intermediate transfer belt in a thickness direction of the intermediate transfer belt, respectively.

Abstract: An intermediary transfer belt having surface resistivity ?s of 1×109 ?/square or more and volume resistivity ?v of 1×1012 ?·cm or less includes a thermoplastic resin material containing carbon black. The carbon black contained in the thermoplastic resin material has a weight ratio of 22.5-28.5 weight % and include first carbon black and second carbon black. The first carbon black of the carbon black contained in the thermoplastic resin material has a weight ratio of 50-90 weight % and dibutyl phthalate absorption of 93-127 ml/100 g, and the second carbon black of the carbon black contained in the thermoplastic resin material has a weight ratio of 10-50 weight % and dibutyl phthalate absorption of 36-79 ml/100 g.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus that can reduce a toner bearing amount stably regardless of a density of an image. The image forming apparatus comprises a first generating unit which generates a reference pattern, and a second generating unit which generates, based on image data, a correction pattern for thinning out dots at a region from halftone density to high density. The image data is converted based on the reference pattern generated by the first generating unit and the correction pattern generated by the second generating unit. The image forming apparatus further comprises a photoreceptor. The photoreceptor is charged, the charged photoreceptor is exposed based on the converted image data to form an electrostatic latent image, and the electrostatic latent image is developed.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus that can reduce a toner bearing amount stably regardless of a density of an image. The image forming apparatus comprises a first generating unit which generates a reference pattern, and a second generating unit which generates, based on image data, a correction pattern for thinning out dots at a region from halftone density to high density. The image data is converted based on the reference pattern generated by the first generating unit and the correction pattern generated by the second generating unit. The image forming apparatus further comprises a photoreceptor. The photoreceptor is charged, the charged photoreceptor is exposed based on the converted image data to form an electrostatic latent image, and the electrostatic latent image is developed.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: an image bearing member; an electric potential sensor which detects electric potential of a toner image; a density sensor which acquires information of a density of the toner image; and a controller which controls contrast electric potential and the AC bias based on a result of the detection of the density sensor and a predetermined target value, wherein the controller decreases the development contrast, and increases the AC bias, when a charging electric potential difference, which is a potential difference between a potential of a predetermined toner image developed by the development device on the image bearing member and the DC bias applied to the development device when the predetermined toner image is developed, increases from a first predetermined value to a second predetermined value;

Abstract: In an image forming apparatus, in the case where a time necessary for a developer bearing member to rotate from a measurement position where an attracting unit attracts the toner on the developer bearing member to a developing position at which an electrostatic latent image on the photosensitive member is developed by a toner on the developer bearing member is represented by a time Tqcm, a time necessary for the photosensitive member to rotate from an exposure position at which an exposure unit exposes the photosensitive member to the developing position is represented by a time Tetd, and a time necessary for a control unit to control an exposing condition based on a charge amount measured by a measuring unit is represented by a time Tp, the attracting unit is disposed so that Tqcm?Tedt+Tp holds true.

Abstract: A detection device configured to detect a charge amount of toner on a developer carrier includes an assembly with a quartz oscillator and having a first surface and a second surface that are provided in the quartz oscillator. The first surface has a recess and a projection formed in a direction in which the quartz oscillator vibrates. In addition, a capacitor is connected to the assembly, a first measurement unit measures a potential difference between two ends of the capacitor, and a second measurement unit measures a frequency of the quartz oscillator. In a case where an alternating-current power is applied to the assembly, the direction in which the quartz oscillator vibrates is parallel to the first surface.

Abstract: In a detection device, in a case where toner on a developing material carrier is caused to adhere to an electrode, a controller connects an assembly havin a quartz oscillator to a first capacitor using a first switch and connects the assembly to a second capacitor using a second switch; and in a case where a detection unit detects the oscillation frequency of the quartz oscillator, the controller disconnects the assembly from the first capacitor using the first switch and disconnects the assembly from the second capacitor using the second switch.

Abstract: This invention is to provide a technique of always obtaining a stable output image in image formation using toner. A supplier (1217) supplies toner in a decided toner supply amount. A developing device (1206) agitates the supplied toner and supplies the agitated toner to an electrostatic latent image formed on a photosensitive drum (1203), thereby developing a toner image on the photosensitive drum (1203). A correction amount calculation unit (1106) estimates the toner charge amount by calculating a function model that approximates the variation characteristic of the toner charge amount using the toner consumption necessary for printing a print target image, the toner supply amount necessary for printing the print target image, and the toner agitation time. At least one of an image processing condition and a process condition is controlled using the estimated toner charge amount.

Abstract: A detection device configured to detect a charge amount of toner on a developer carrier, comprises: an assembly including a quartz oscillator and having a first surface and a second surface that are provided in the quartz oscillator, the first surface having a recess and a projection formed in a direction in which the quartz oscillator vibrates; a capacitor connected to the assembly; a first measurement unit configured to measure a potential difference between two ends of the capacitor; and a second measurement unit configured to measure a frequency of the quartz oscillator, wherein in a case where an alternating-current power is applied to the assembly, the direction in which the quartz oscillator vibrates is parallel to the first surface.

Abstract: At detection device, in the case where the toner on the developing material carrier is caused to adhere to the first electrode, the controller connects the assembly to the first capacitor using the first switch and connects the assembly to the second capacitor using the second switch; and in the case where the second detection unit detects the oscillation frequency of the quartz oscillator, the controller disconnects the assembly from the first capacitor using the first switch and disconnects the assembly from the second capacitor using the second switch.

Abstract: In an image forming apparatus, in the case where a time necessary for a developer bearing member to rotate from a measurement position where an attracting unit attracts the toner on the developer bearing member to a developing position at which an electrostatic latent image on the photosensitive member is developed by a toner on the developer bearing member is represented by a time Tqcm, a time necessary for the photosensitive member to rotate from an exposure position at which an exposure unit exposes the photosensitive member to the developing position is represented by a time Tetd, and a time necessary for a control unit to control an exposing condition based on a charge amount measured by a measuring unit is represented by a time Tp, the attracting unit is disposed so that Tqcm?Tedt+Tp holds true.

Abstract: The image forming apparatus includes an image carrier, a developer carrier, a magnetic field generation unit that is fixedly disposed in a hollow part of the developer carrier and includes a plurality of magnetic poles disposed in a circumferential direction of the developer carrier, a conductive member disposed so as to oppose a predetermined magnetic pole, of the plurality of magnetic poles, which is located odd-number pole upstream of a magnetic pole corresponding to a developing area D in a rotational direction of the developer carrier, a power source that can apply a voltage to the conductive member, a potential detection unit configured to detect pre-development and post-development potentials of a predetermined image formed on the image carrier, and a changing unit configured to change the voltage to be applied from the power source to the conductive member based on a detection result obtained by the potential detection unit.

Abstract: A terminal control apparatus for controlling data transfer between a terminal device and a central processor includes a terminal control unit for editing data and a communication control unit for transmission/reception of data. The terminal control unit and the communication control unit are operable independently of each other to carry out processings in parallel. In data transmission, when the terminal control unit completes the editing of a predetermined amount of data, the communication control unit transmits the edited data in parallel with edit processing of ensuing data by the terminal control unit. In data reception, when the communication control unit receives a predetermined amount of data, the terminal control unit edits the data in parallel with reception processing of ensuing data by the communication control unit.

Abstract: In an on-line system composed of a high rank unit and a plurality of terminal units connected thereto, various causes may produce a time-out in one of the terminal units. When a data link for a terminal unit is not established in a prescribed time resulting in a time-out, the status of the communication line during the attempted data communication is analyzed by a circuit provided for discriminating the cause of the time-out. Using the result of analysis, it is determined whether time-out has resulted from a busy condition of the line so as to diminish undesired work attendant upon occurrence of the time-out as far as possible and for obtaining a system with a high operation rate.