Abstract: A communication control method and a communication device are provided by which the communication quality of an upper layer can be ensured at a lower layer. The communication device that is connected to another communication device to constitute a network, includes a upper-layer quality detection section (105, 106) that detects quality information of communication traffic of an upper layer higher than a predetermined layer, and a lower-layer control section (107) that controls communication of the predetermined layer based on the quality information on the upper layer so as to guarantee communication quality of the upper layer. When a plurality of paths passing through the communication device coexist, the lower-layer control section can share the quality information of the upper layer of these paths in respect to path control and further can switch the route of a path other than a path in which the communication quality of the upper layer has degraded.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a plurality of movable image carriers, a movable intermediate transfer body, and a contacting member separably contacting to the intermediate transfer body at a contacting position. A position for transfer between a first image carrier and the intermediate transfer body defines a first transfer position. A position for transfer between a second image carrier and the intermediate transfer body defines a second transfer position. A toner image formed on said intermediate transfer body is again transferred onto a transfer material after passing through said first transfer position and said second transfer position. The latent image formation on the first image carrier is done at a time different from a contacting operation of the contacting member.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image carrying member and an intermediate transfer body in an endless shape movable and receivable of toner images from said image carrying member at first and second transfer positions. The following relationship is satisfied where a distance from the first transfer position to the second transfer position along the moving direction of the intermediate transfer body is denoted as Lab, a circumference of the intermediate transfer in the moving direction is denoted as Lr, and a length of the toner image formed on the intermediate transfer body is denoted as Lm?Lr?Lm>Lab.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a first image bearing member for bearing a toner image; a second image bearing member for bearing the toner image; a transfer member opposed to the first image bearing member with the second image bearing member therebetween, wherein a voltage is applied to the transfer member to transfer the toner image from the first image bearing member onto the second image bearing member, and wherein a resistance Rt of the transfer member and a resistance Rb of the second image bearing member satisfy Rt/Rb?1.0.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a first image bearing member carrying a toner image, and a movable second image bearing member carrying a toner image. The toner image on the first image bearing member is transferred to the second image bearing member at a first transfer portion, and the toner image on the second image bearing member is transferred to a transfer material at a second transfer portion. The apparatus also includes a charging member contacting the second image bearing member arranged on a downstream side of the second transfer portion and on an upstream side of the first transfer portion in a moving direction of the second image bearing member, and a mark portion having a thickness and being formed on the second image bearing member. A contact region between the charging member and the second image bearing member does not overlap with the mark portion in a direction perpendicular to the moving direction of the second image bearing member.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a first image bearing member and a second shiftable image bearing member. A first transferring member transfers a toner image formed on the first image bearing member to the second image bearing member at a first region. A second transferring member transfers a toner image formed on the second image bearing member to a transferring material at a second region. A first electrifier is provided downstream of the second region and upstream of the first region in a shifting direction of the second image bearing member. A second electrifier is provided downstream of the second region and upstream of the first electrifier in the shifting direction. A voltage applying unit applies a voltage to the first and second electrifiers to transfer toner adhered to the first and second electrifiers onto the second image bearing member.

Abstract: The present invention provides an image forming apparatus comprising an image bearing member for bearing a toner image, a movable intermediate transferring member, a first charging member for charging toner on the intermediate transferring member when it is applied with a voltage including an AC component, and a second charging member for charging toner on the intermediate transferring member when it is applied with a DC voltage, the second charging member being located on an upstream side of the first charging member with respect to a moving direction of the intermediate transferring member, wherein a toner image on the image bearing member is temporarily transferred to the intermediate transferring member and then transferred to a transfer material.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image bearing means for bearing a toner image; an intermediary transfer member, wherein the toner image is electrostatically transferred from the image bearing means onto the intermediary transfer member, and then transferred from the intermediary transfer member onto a transfer material; wherein the intermediary transfer member includes a first layer and a second layer, provided on the first layer, for receiving the toner image from the image bearing means, and wherein the second layer has a volume resistivity smaller than that of the first layer.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus comprising image carrying means and an intermediate transfer body in an endless shape movable and receivable of toner images from said image carrying means at first and second transfer positions. The following formula is satisfied where a distance from said first transfer position to said second transfer position along the moving direction of said intermediate transfer body is denoted as Lab, a circumstance of said intermediate transfer in the moving direction is denoted as Lr, and a length of said toner image formed on said intermediate transfer body is denoted as Lm: Lr−Lm>Lab.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus comprising a plurality of movable image carriers, a movable intermediate transfer body, and contacting means separably contacting to said intermediate transfer body at a contacting position. Said image carrier located most closely to said contacting position in a direction extending along said intermediate transfer body on a downstream side in a moving direction of said intermediate transfer body with respect to said contacting position. Said image carrier located most closely to said contacting position in a direction extending along said intermediate transfer body on an upstream side in a moving direction of said intermediate transfer body with respect to said contacting position. A toner image formed on said intermediate transfer body is again transferred onto a transfer material after passing through said first transfer position and said second transfer position.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a first image bearing member for bearing a toner image; a second image bearing member for bearing the toner image; a transfer member opposed to said first image bearing member with said second image bearing member therebetween, wherein a voltage is applied to said transfer member to transfer the toner image from said first image bearing member on the second image bearing member, and wherein a resistance Rt of said transfer member and a resistance Rb of said second image bearing member satisfy Rt/Rb≧1.0.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image bearing member; a belt for transferring an image from the image bearing member onto a recording material; transferring means for transferring the image from the image bearing member toward the belt; wherein the transferring means presses against the image bearing member through the belt; a tension member for applying tension the belt; wherein the belt is extended around the transferring means and the tension member; releasing means for releasing a tension applied to the belt by the tension member; separating means for separating the transferring means from the belt.

Abstract: The present invention has an object for preventing toner from adhering to an electrifying member for electrifying the toner remaining on an image bearing member to cause deterioration of electrifying performance, and, to this end, an image forming apparatus according to the present invention includes a first image bearing member, a second shiftable image bearing member, a first transferring member for transferring a toner image on the first image bearing member to the second image bearing member at a first transferring portion, a second transferring member for transferring the toner image on the second image bearing member to a transferring material at a second transferring portion, a first electrifying member provided at a downstream side of the second transferring portion and at an upstream side of the first transferring portion in a shifting direction of the second image bearing member, a second electrifying member provided at a downstream side of the second transferring portion and at an upstream side of

Abstract: An image forming apparatus is provided with photosensitive drums for forming latent images by irradiation of light reflected by a polygon mirror and a fixing device for fixing toner images corresponding to the latent images on a sheet material. Deterioration of an image to be formed is prevented if reflective surfaces of a reflective polyhedron are thinned out in reducing a process speed of image formation. This apparatus is further provided with a control unit for, if the number of surfaces of the polygon mirror is m (where m is an integer of three or more), performing a control for selecting n such that m/(n+1) is not an integer as a relation between m and n and performing a control for making n surfaces unused as a reflective surface of light among continuous n+1 surfaces of the reflective polyhedron in decelerating the image forming process.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image bearing member; a belt for transferring an image from the image bearing member onto a recording material; transferring means for transferring the image from the image bearing member toward the belt; wherein the transferring means presses against the image bearing member through the belt; a tension member for applying tension the belt; wherein the belt is extended around the transferring means and the tension member; releasing means for releasing a tension applied to the belt by the tension member; separating means for separating the transferring means from the belt.

Abstract: The present invention provides an image forming apparatus comprising an image bearing member for bearing a toner image, a movable intermediate transferring member, a first charging member for charging toner on the intermediate transferring member when it is applied with a voltage including an AC component, and a second charging member for charging toner on the intermediate transferring member when it is applied with a DC voltage, the second charging member being located on an upstream side of the first charging member with respect to a moving direction of the intermediate transferring member, wherein a toner image on the image bearing member is temporarily transferred to the intermediate transferring member and then transferred to a transfer material.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image bearing means for bearing a toner image; an intermediary transfer member, wherein the toner image is electrostatically transferred from the image bearing means onto the intermediary transfer member, and then transferred from the intermediary transfer member onto a transfer material; wherein the intermediary transfer member includes a first layer and a second layer, provided on the first layer, for receiving the toner image from the image bearing means, and wherein the second layer has a volume resistivity smaller than that of the first layer.

Abstract: There is provided an image forming apparatus that is provided with photosensitive drums (11M), (11C), (11Y) and (11Bk) for forming latent images by irradiation of light reflected by a polygon mirror and a fixing device (40) for fixing toner images corresponding to the latent images on a sheet material to prevent deterioration of an image to be formed if reflective surfaces of a reflective polyhedron are thinned out in reducing a process speed of image formation. This apparatus is further provided with a control unit (35) for, if the number of surfaces of the polygon mirror is m (m is an integer of three or more), performing control for selecting n such that m/(n+1) does not make an integer as a relation between m and n and performing control for making n surfaces unused as a reflective surface of light among continuous n+1 surfaces of the reflective polyhedron in the decelerating image forming process.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus is capable of improving throughput, preventing deterioration of developer and preventing shortening of the life of a developing apparatus. In the image forming apparatus, an image holding member holds an electrostatic latent image and a developer carrier carries developer to a developing portion, and a speed ratio between the image holding member and the developer carrier varies according to an image ratio.

Abstract: A color image forming apparatus has developing unit, an image bearing member capable of bearing thereon toner images of plural colors formed by the developing unit, a rotatable intermediate transferring member, transferring unit for transferring the toner images of plural colors on the image bearing member to the intermediate transferring member at a first transferring position in electrostatically superposed relationship with one another, and a charger for charging any residual toner remaining on the intermediate transferring member after the toner images on the intermediate transferring member transferred by the transferring unit have been transferred to a transfer material at a second transferring position to a polarity opposite to the regular charging polarity of the toners in the developing unit.