Abstract: Certain embodiments provide an image forming apparatus, includes: a photoconductive drum; a developing container having a first chamber that contains a developer made of toner and a toner additive therein, and a receive port that communicates with the first chamber; a developing roller that develops the electrostatic latent image on the photoconductive drum with toner in the developing container; a toner cartridge having a second chamber that contains a supply of toner to the developing container therein, and a discharge port that communicates with the second chamber and transports the supply of toner to the receive port; a storage medium fixed to the toner cartridge, and is rewritable and stores specific data therein; a sensor that detects a toner concentration in the toner cartridge; and a controller that rewrites specific data stored in the storage medium by random data upon detecting the toner empty by the sensor.

Abstract: Certain embodiments provide an image forming apparatus, includes: a photoconductive drum; a developing container having a first chamber that contains a developer made of toner and a toner additive therein, and a receive port that communicates with the first chamber; a developing roller that develops the electrostatic latent image on the photoconductive drum with toner in the developing container; a toner cartridge having a second chamber that contains a supply of toner to the developing container therein, and a discharge port that communicates with the second chamber and transports the supply of toner to the receive port; a storage medium fixed to the toner cartridge, and is rewritable and stores specific data therein; a sensor that detects a toner concentration in the toner cartridge; and a controller that rewrites specific data stored in the storage medium by random data upon detecting the toner empty by the sensor.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus irradiates a polygon mirror with laser beams from different directions. The polygon mirror reflects the laser beams toward different optical axis directions to scan the laser beams at a predetermined deflection angle. First and second beam detectors are disposed at the beam incident ends in the scanning direction of first and second light scanning sections such that the second beam detector detects the start of the light beam scanning operation at an earlier timing than the first beam detector does. The detection result of the first beam detector is used to set sampling start timing in common between first and second image data. Based on the detection results of the first and second beam detectors, first and second image data are written into a memory, and the first and second laser source sections are controlled based on the image data read out from the memory.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus irradiates a polygon mirror with laser beams from different directions. The polygon mirror reflects the laser beams toward different optical axis directions to scan the laser beams at a predetermined deflection angle. First and second beam detectors are disposed at the beam incident ends in the scanning direction of first and second light scanning sections such that the second beam detector detects the start of the light beam scanning operation at an earlier timing than the first beam detector does. The detection result of the first beam detector is used to set sampling start timing in common between first and second image data. Based on the detection results of the first and second beam detectors, first and second image data are written into a memory, and the first and second laser source sections are controlled based on the image data read out from the memory.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus according to the present invention irradiates a polygon mirror with laser beams from different directions, allows the polygon mirror to reflect the laser beams toward different optical axis directions to perform main scanning operation for the laser beams at a predetermined deflection angle. First and second beam detectors are disposed at the beam incident ends in the scanning direction of first and second light scanning sections to detect the start of light beam scanning operation such that the second beam detector detects it at an earlier timing than the first beam detector does. The detection result of the first beam detector is used to set sampling start timing in common between first and second image data. Based on the detection results of the first and second beam detectors, first and second image data are written into a memory, and the first and second laser source sections are controlled based on the image data read out from the memory.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus according to the present invention irradiates a polygon mirror with laser beams from different directions, allows the polygon mirror to reflect the laser beams toward different optical axis directions to perform main scanning operation for the laser beams at a predetermined deflection angle. First and second beam detectors are disposed at the beam incident ends in the scanning direction of first and second light scanning sections to detect the start of light beam scanning operation such that the second beam detector detects it at an earlier timing than the first beam detector does. The detection result of the first beam detector is used to set sampling start timing in common between first and second image data. Based on the detection results of the first and second beam detectors, first and second image data are written into a memory, and the first and second laser source sections are controlled based on the image data read out from the memory.

Abstract: An exposure method for use in an image forming apparatus for having each of edge emission type electroluminescent (EL) devices emit light a plurality of times to form one pixel of an image. The gradient of the image outline relative to the horizontal scanning direction is checked to see if it falls in one of two ranges: between 0.degree. and 45.degree., or between 45.degree. and 90.degree.. If the gradient falls between 0.degree. and 45.degree., the edge emission type EL devices are made to emit light selectively according to the proportion of image-filled regions in the pixels intersected by the outline. If the gradient falls between 45.degree. and 90.degree.