Abstract: An image forming apparatus capable of preventing toner fusion between recording sheets, with a construction that does not require increase in cost and size of the apparatus and does not unduly lower productivity, to thereby offer high usability. For image formation on plural pieces of recording sheets, a CPU controls a recording sheet conveyance interval for a first set based on a detected amount of toner used for the image formation on each page, stores the toner use amounts for respective pages of the first set into a RAM, and controls the recording sheet conveyance interval for second and subsequent sets based on the toner use amount stored in the RAM for each page.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a transfer unit configured to transfer a toner image based on image data onto a recording medium, a fixing device configured to thermally fix the toner image transferred onto the recording medium, a stack tray configured to stack a recording medium conveyed from the fixing device, and a controller configured to calculate based on the image data an amount of a toner on a top surface of the recording media stacked on the stack tray and an amount of a toner on a bottom surface of the recording media to be subsequently conveyed and discharged onto the stack tray and to control a recording medium discharge interval based on a result of calculating the amounts of the toners.

Abstract: A method for measuring an amount of toner on a recording medium that can accurately measure the toner amount. Information on the recording medium to which the toner is fixed is acquired. The toner fixed to the recording medium is irradiated with laser light. A light intensity distribution of reflected light of the laser light is detected. The amount of the toner on the recording medium is calculated on the basis of the acquired recording medium information and the detected light intensity distribution.

Abstract: A support member for supporting a cleaning blade on an upstream side is arranged between a charging roller on an image forming unit of the upstream side and a developing sleeve of an image forming unit on a downstream side. The support member is formed using a conductive member (metallic plate), is arranged to completely go across a tangent between the charging roller and the developing sleeve, and is grounded. Even when a developing bias is applied to the developing sleeve during application of a charging bias to the charging roller, the support member can function as a shielding member to prevent noise in the charging bias, which makes it possible to reduce a distance between the image forming units.

Abstract: A support member for supporting a cleaning blade of an upstream side is arranged between a charging roller of an image forming unit of the upstream side and a developing sleeve of an image forming unit of a downstream side. The support member is formed using a conductive member (metallic plate), is arranged to completely go across a tangent between the charging roller and the developing sleeve, and is grounded. Even when a developing bias is applied to the developing sleeve during application of a charging bias to the charging roller, the support member can function as a shielding member to prevent noise in the charging bias, which makes it possible to reduce a distance between the image forming units.

Abstract: A method for measuring an amount of toner on a recording medium that can accurately measure the toner amount. Information on the recording medium to which the toner is fixed is acquired. The toner fixed to the recording medium is irradiated with laser light. A light intensity distribution of reflected light of the laser light is detected. The amount of the toner on the recording medium is calculated on the basis of the acquired recording medium information and the detected light intensity distribution.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus that is capable of carrying out processes such as an image forming process in an efficient manner while reducing downtime. Laser beam is emitted onto an intermediate transfer belt. The light intensities of light scattered from the laser beam reflected by at least a part of the surface of the intermediate transfer belt are detected, and light intensity distribution information on the distribution of the detected light intensities are acquired. Phase information on phases on the intermediate transfer belt is acquired based on the light intensity distribution information. An image forming process in which an image is formed on the intermediate transfer belt is carried out in synchronization with a predetermined phase included in the acquired phase information.

Abstract: An image heating apparatus including: a heating rotary member, which heats an image on a recording material in a nip portion; an air blowing unit, which blows air toward an air blowing port to cool a predetermined area of the heating rotary member; and a shutter, which opens and closes the air blowing port, wherein a cooling operation can be performed continuously with the shutter opened after image heating processing is completed, whereby a downtime required for making the temperature distribution over the entire heating area uniform after the continuous sheet supply of small-size recording materials is reduced remarkably.

Abstract: An image heating apparatus including: an image heating member, which heats an image on a recording material in a nip portion; an air blower, which blows air toward an air blowing port to cool a predetermined area of the image heating member; and a shutter, which opens and closes the air blowing port, in which the shutter is kept at a closed position when a temperature of the predetermined area of the image heating member is equal to or lower than a predetermined temperature, whereby a temperature rise in a non-sheet passing portion can be efficiently reduced by using the small air blower without lowering the productivity when small-size recording materials are continuously passed nor reducing the lifetime of the air blower.

Abstract: An image heating apparatus including: an image heating member for heating an image formed on a sheet at a nip portion; a temperature detector for detecting temperature of a predetermined region of the image heating member; a cooler for cooling the predetermined region; and an activating device for activating the cooler to perform a cooling operation in accordance with an output of the temperature detector, wherein the apparatus has a first mode of stopping a cooling operation in accordance with an output of the temperature detector; and a second mode of stopping the cooling operation in accordance with an end of image heating processing irrespective of the output of the temperature detecting device. The image heating apparatus is capable of suppressing unnecessary energy consumption, and of eliminating uneven glossiness due to a reduced temperature region at a boundary between a sheet passing portion and a non-sheet passing portion.

Abstract: In order to prevent a toner residual amount from being erroneously judged as “toner present” after the toner residual amount has been judged to be insufficient, a toner residual amount detection apparatus includes a developing device for developing an electrostatic image formed on an image bearing member by a toner, the developing device being provided for movement relative to an apparatus main body, a sensor for outputting information corresponding to the toner residual amount in the developing device, a judging device for comparing the output of the sensor with a reference value to thereby judge the toner residual amount, wherein image forming is inhibited via a predetermined number of times of image forming after the toner residual amount is judged to be not sufficient, and a changing device for changing the reference value to a smaller value with the judgement that the toner residual amount is not sufficient.

Abstract: A support member for supporting a cleaning blade of an upstream side is arranged between a charging roller of an image forming unit of the upstream side and a developing sleeve of an image forming unit of a downstream side. The support member is formed using a conductive member (metallic plate), is arranged to completely go across a tangent between the charging roller and the developing sleeve, and is grounded. Even when a developing bias is applied to the developing sleeve during application of a charging bias to the charging roller, the support member can function as a shielding member to prevent noise in the charging bias, which makes it possible to reduce a distance between the image forming units.

Abstract: In order to prevent a toner residual amount from being erroneously judged as “toner present” after the toner residual amount has been judged to be insufficient, the toner residual amount detection apparatus of the present invention has a developing device for developing an electrostatic image formed on an image bearing member by a toner, the developing device being provided for movement relative to an apparatus main body, a sensor for outputting information corresponding to the toner residual amount in the developing device, a judging device for comparing the output of the sensor with a reference value to thereby judge the toner residual amount, wherein image forming is inhibited via a predetermined number of times of image forming after the toner residual amount is judged to be not sufficient, and a changing device for changing the reference value to a smaller value with the judgement that the toner residual amount is not sufficient.

Abstract: In order to prevent a toner residual amount from being erroneously judged as “toner present” after the toner residual amount has been judged to be insufficient, the toner residual amount detection apparatus of the present invention has a developing device for developing an electrostatic image formed on an image bearing member by a toner, the developing device being provided for movement relative to an apparatus main body, a sensor for outputting information corresponding to the toner residual amount in the developing device, a judging device for comparing the output of the sensor with a reference value to thereby judge the toner residual amount, wherein image forming is inhibited via a predetermined number of times of image forming after the toner residual amount is judged to be not sufficient, and a changing device for changing the reference value to a smaller value with the judgement that the toner residual amount is not sufficient.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus for forming an electrostatic latent image on an electrophotographic photosensitive member, developing the electrostatic latent image and forming a developed image, and transferring the developed image to a recording medium to thereby form an image, the image forming apparatus including, a temperature sensor for detecting temperature in the image forming apparatus, and a controller for controlling a printing speed for forming the image so as to be reduced when the temperature detected by the temperature sensor is a predetermined temperature T1 or higher.

Abstract: In order to prevent a toner residual amount from being erroneously judged as “toner present” after the toner residual amount has been judged to be insufficient, the toner residual amount detection apparatus of the present invention has a developing device for developing an electrostatic image formed on an image bearing member by a toner, the developing device being provided for movement relative to an apparatus main body, a sensor for outputting information corresponding to the toner residual amount in the developing device, a judging device for comparing the output of the sensor with a reference value to thereby judge the toner residual amount, wherein image forming is inhibited via a predetermined number of times of image forming after the toner residual amount is judged to be not sufficient, and a changing device for changing the reference value to a smaller value with the judgement that the toner residual amount is not sufficient.

Abstract: An image reading apparatus has a placing member where an original is placed, a reading unit for reading an image of the original in a way that moves relatively to the placing member, and a press member for pressing the reading unit against the placing member. The reading unit includes a conductive abutting portion coming into a contact with the placing member, and a grounding member for grounding the conductive abutting portion.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus for forming an electrostatic latent image on an electrophotographic photosensitive member, developing the electrostatic latent image and forming a developed image, and transferring the developed image to a recording medium to thereby form an image, the image forming apparatus including, a temperature sensor for detecting temperature in the image forming apparatus, and a controller for controlling a printing speed for forming the image so as to be reduced when the temperature detected by the temperature sensor is a predetermined temperature T1 or higher.

Abstract: An image reading apparatus and an image forming apparatus comprise an original resting device having a light transmitting portion for resting an original thereon; an illuminating device for illuminating the original rested on the light transmitting portion; and an image reading device for reading image information of the original by receiving reflection lights from the original illuminated by the illuminating device, wherein an amount of illumination in the light transmitting portion by the illuminating device is 2,000 lux or less.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an image heating apparatus which has a heating member for heating an image on a recording material, and temperature setting means for setting the set temperature in accordance with a time period for waiting a printing command during the stand-by period.