Abstract: A charging device is detachably attachable with respect to a body of an image forming apparatus. The charging device includes a charging roller and a cleaning member. The charging roller charges an image bearer. The cleaning member cleans the charging roller. The cleaning member has a higher cleaning performance on the charging roller during detachment in which the charging device is detached from the body of the image forming apparatus than during attachment in which the charging device is attached to the body of the image forming apparatus.

Abstract: A charging device is detachably attachable with respect to a body of an image forming apparatus. The charging device includes a charging roller and a cleaning member. The charging roller charges an image bearer. The cleaning member cleans the charging roller. The cleaning member has a higher cleaning performance on the charging roller during detachment in which the charging device is detached from the body of the image forming apparatus than during attachment in which the charging device is attached to the body of the image forming apparatus.

Abstract: A cleaning device, which is included in a process cartridge and an image forming apparatus, includes a cleaning blade configured to remove a material attached to a surface of an image bearer, a cleaning case configured to contain the material removed by the cleaning blade, and a removed material receiver configured to receive the material failed to enter into the cleaning case when the material is removed by the cleaning blade, the removed material receiver having a first range at both ends in a width direction of the cleaning blade and a second range at a center in the width direction of the cleaning blade. A volume per unit length in a width direction of the first range is greater than a volume per unit length in a width direction of the second range.

Abstract: A device disposed opposing an image bearer includes a roller to rotate while contacting a surface of the image bearer, a rolling bearing fitted around a shaft located at an end of the roller in an axial direction of the roller, a frame to house the roller, and a bearing support removably attached to the frame. The rolling bearing includes an outer ring, an inner ring, and a rolling element disposed between the outer ring and the inner ring. The bearing support holds, from an outer-ring side, the rolling bearing interposed between the bearing support and the frame. The bearing support includes a receiving portion to contact the outer ring of the rolling bearing and bias the rolling bearing toward the frame in a direction in which the rolling bearing is interposed between the bearing support and the frame.

Abstract: A cleaning device, which is included in a process cartridge and an image forming apparatus, includes a cleaning blade configured to remove a material attached to a surface of an image bearer, a cleaning case configured to contain the material removed by the cleaning blade, and a removed material receiver configured to receive the material failed to enter into the cleaning case when the material is removed by the cleaning blade, the removed material receiver having a first range at both ends in a width direction of the cleaning blade and a second range at a center in the width direction of the cleaning blade. A volume per unit length in a width direction of the first range is greater than a volume per unit length in a width direction of the second range.

Abstract: A toner conveyance device includes a toner conveyance path through which toner is transported. The toner conveyance path includes a flexible portion, a toner conveyor inside the conveyance path to convey the toner, and a restrictor outside the toner conveyance path to restrict deformation of the toner conveyance path.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image bearer; a charger to charge a surface of the image bearer; an exposure device to expose the surface of the image bearer and form an electrostatic latent image on the image bearer; a developing device to adhere electrically charged toner to the electrostatic latent image on the image bearer, to thereby form a toner image; a microprocessor to control rotation of the image bearer; and a sensor to detect temperature and humidity. In a state of suspended rotation of the image bearer, the microprocessor controls the image bearer to rotate a predetermined amount at a predetermined interval and determines whether a rotation operation of the image bearer is to be performed, based on a detection result of the sensor.

Abstract: A device disposed opposing an image bearer includes a roller to rotate while contacting a surface of the image bearer, a rolling bearing fitted around a shaft located at an end of the roller in an axial direction of the roller, a frame to house the roller, and a bearing support removably attached to the frame. The rolling bearing includes an outer ring, an inner ring, and a rolling element disposed between the outer ring and the inner ring. The bearing support holds, from an outer-ring side, the rolling bearing interposed between the bearing support and the frame. The bearing support includes a receiving portion to contact the outer ring of the rolling bearing and bias the rolling bearing toward the frame in a direction in which the rolling bearing is interposed between the bearing support and the frame.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image bearer; a charger to charge a surface of the image bear; a developing device to develop a toner image on the surface of the image bearer; an image bearer cleaner to remove residual toner remaining on the surface of the image bearer after a transfer process; and a controller to cause the image forming apparatus to perform, before a start of printing operation, a corona products removal mode. In the image forming apparatus further including a temperature and humidity sensor to measure temperature and humidity of an ambient environment of the image bearer, the controller to cause the image forming apparatus to perform, before a start of an image forming operation, a corona products removal mode based on an absolute humidity obtained by the temperature and humidity detected by the temperature and humidity sensor.

Abstract: A toner conveyance device includes a toner conveyance path through which toner is transported. The toner conveyance path includes a flexible portion, a toner conveyor inside the conveyance path to convey the toner, and a restrictor outside the toner conveyance path to restrict deformation of the toner conveyance path.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image bearer; a charger to charge a surface of the image bearer; an exposure device to expose the surface of the image bearer and form an electrostatic latent image on the image bearer; a developing device to adhere electrically charged toner to the electrostatic latent image on the image bearer, to thereby form a toner image; a microprocessor to control rotation of the image bearer; and a sensor to detect temperature and humidity. In a state of suspended rotation of the image bearer, the microprocessor controls the image bearer to rotate a predetermined amount at a predetermined interval and determines whether a rotation operation of the image bearer is to be performed, based on a detection result of the sensor.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image bearer; a charger to charge a surface of the image bear; a developing device to develop a toner image on the surface of the image bearer; an image bearer cleaner to remove residual toner remaining on the surface of the image bearer after a transfer process; and a controller to cause the image forming apparatus to perform, before a start of printing operation, a corona products removal mode. In the image forming apparatus further including a temperature and humidity sensor to measure temperature and humidity of an ambient environment of the image bearer, the controller to cause the image forming apparatus to perform, before a start of an image forming operation, a corona products removal mode based on an absolute humidity obtained by the temperature and humidity detected by the temperature and humidity sensor.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image bearer; a toner image forming unit to form a toner image on the image bearer; a transfer device to transfer the toner image from the image bearer onto a transfer medium; a cleaning device to remove untransferred toner from the image bearer; and a lubrication device including a solid lubricant, an applicator to apply lubricant scraped off from the solid lubricant to the image bearer while rotating, and an applicator driving device to rotate the applicator; and a controller to control the applicator driving device according to a predetermined variable to change a rotational frequency of the applicator during idle running of the image bearer.

Abstract: A charger is provided. The charger includes a discharge electrode, a cleaner, and a holder. The discharge electrode is composed of a wire, and the wire has a surface plated with palladium. The cleaner removes foreign substances adhered to the discharge electrode. The cleaner includes a first cleaner composed of a glass-containing resin and a second cleaner. The first cleaner scrapes off the foreign substances by press-contacting the wire while moving, and the second cleaner wipes off the foreign substances by press-contacting the wire while moving. The holder movably holds the cleaner in a direction parallel to the discharge electrode.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus including multiple image forming units; a waste-toner container; and a waste-toner conveyance device including a common conveyance channel member disposed in an arrangement direction of the image forming units and provided with toner inlets to receive the waste toner from toner outlets of the cleaning units, communicating channel members identical in structure and respectively disposed between the toner outlets and the toner inlets of the common conveyance channel member, and a rotatable conveying member to transport the waste toner inside the common conveyance channel member linearly along a rotation axis thereof. The common conveyance channel member is shaped to equalize relative positions of each of the toner outlets and a corresponding one of the toner inlets of the common conveyance channel member among the multiple image forming units among which a distance from the toner outlet to the rotation axis differs.

Abstract: A solid lubricant supply system includes a solid lubricant supplier to receive and supply solid lubricant to a solid lubricant supplying target. A pair of first and second moveable planar electrodes is opposed to each other. The second moveable planar electrode is partially moved toward the first moveable planar electrode as the solid lubricant is consumed. A residual solid lubricant quantity detecting unit is provide to detect a quantity of the residual solid lubricant at a first stage, in which the residual solid lubricant quantity is below a given level, by detecting electric conduction between the pair of first and second moveable planar electrodes when the pair of first and second moveable planar electrodes contacts each other. The first moveable planar electrode is enabled to further move together with the second moveable planar electrode when it is contacted and pressed by the second moveable planar electrode.

Abstract: A cleaning device, which is included in a process cartridge or an image forming apparatus, includes a cleaning member including a brush rotary body that is disposed in contact with an image carrier provided in an image forming apparatus and that removes toner on the image carrier and holds the toner thereon, a toner conveying rotary body to collect and convey the toner removed by the cleaning member, a flicker contacting the cleaning member to flick off the toner held on the cleaning member, and an agitator that has a free end contacting the toner conveying rotary body and vibrating due to rotation of the toner conveying rotary body. The agitator further has a trajectory being formed between the opening and the toner conveying rotary body by movement of the free end. Alternatively, the free end of the agitator is disposed facing the flicker.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image bearer; a toner image forming unit to form a toner image on the image bearer; a transfer device to transfer the toner image from the image bearer onto a transfer medium; a cleaning device to remove untransferred toner from the image bearer; and a lubrication device including a solid lubricant, an applicator to apply lubricant scraped off from the solid lubricant to the image bearer while rotating, and an applicator driving device to rotate the applicator; and a controller to control the applicator driving device according to a predetermined variable to change a rotational frequency of the applicator during idle running of the image bearer.

Abstract: A charger is provided. The charger includes a discharge electrode, a cleaner, and a holder. The discharge electrode is composed of a wire, and the wire has a surface plated with palladium. The cleaner removes foreign substances adhered to the discharge electrode. The cleaner includes a first cleaner composed of a glass-containing resin and a second cleaner. The first cleaner scrapes off the foreign substances by press-contacting the wire while moving, and the second cleaner wipes off the foreign substances by press-contacting the wire while moving. The holder movably holds the cleaner in a direction parallel to the discharge electrode.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus including multiple image forming units; a waste-toner container; and a waste-toner conveyance device including a common conveyance channel member disposed in an arrangement direction of the image forming units and provided with toner inlets to receive the waste toner from toner outlets of the cleaning units, communicating channel members identical in structure and respectively disposed between the toner outlets and the toner inlets of the common conveyance channel member, and a rotatable conveying member to transport the waste toner inside the common conveyance channel member linearly along a rotation axis thereof. The common conveyance channel member is shaped to equalize relative positions of each of the toner outlets and a corresponding one of the toner inlets of the common conveyance channel member among the multiple image forming units among which a distance from the toner outlet to the rotation axis differs.