Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image bearing member, a developer carrying member, and a cleaning member including an elastic blade and a regulating portion. When an average of a free length L1 [mm] of the elastic blade in the image bearing region in the widthwise direction of the elastic blade is an average free length L1a [mm], an average of a free length L2 [mm] of the elastic blade on an outside of the developing region in the widthwise direction of the elastic blade is an average free length L2a [mm], and an absolute value of a difference between the average free length L1a and the average free length L2a is a free length difference ?L [mm], the following relationships are satisfied: L2a ?1.2×L1a, L2?L2a??L×0.2, and L1?L1a+?L×0.2.

Abstract: A cleaning blade, which is to be brought into contact with a surface of a photosensitive drum, satisfies the following condition. First, the cleaning blade having a free length of 8 mm is brought into contact with an opposed object for measurement having a plurality of measurement recesses each having a partially spherical shape with a depth of 0.7 ?m and a radius of 15 ?m on a surface so that a linear pressure is 0.196 N/cm and 0.490 N/cm, and a contact angle with respect to the opposed object for measurement is 25°. In this case, a contact width of the cleaning blade in each of the measurement recesses is 4 ?m or more and 8 ?m or less when the linear pressure is 0.196 N/cm and is 4 ?m or more and 13.5 ?m or less when the linear pressure is 0.490 N/cm.

Abstract: A cleaning blade, which is to be brought into contact with a surface of a photosensitive drum, satisfies the following condition. First, the cleaning blade having a free length of 8 mm is brought into contact with an opposed object for measurement having a plurality of measurement recesses each having a partially spherical shape with a depth of 0.7 ?m and a radius of 15 ?m on a surface so that a linear pressure is 0.196 N/cm and 0.490 N/cm, and a contact angle with respect to the opposed object for measurement is 25°. In this case, a contact width of the cleaning blade in each of the measurement recesses is 4 ?m or more and 8 ?m or less when the linear pressure is 0.196 N/cm and is 4 ?m or more and 13.5 ?m or less when the linear pressure is 0.490 N/cm.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image forming portion for forming a toner image; an intermediary transfer belt for receiving the toner image; a blade for cleaning the belt by removing residual toner therefrom; an ambient condition sensor for detecting an ambient condition; a memory for storing information relating to a use amount of the belt; and a controller for executing an operation in a mode in which a toner is deposited on the belt in an area corresponding to between a preceding sheet and a succeeding sheet during execution of a continuous image forming job for continuously forming the images on the sheets to supply the toner to the blade. The controller controls a frequency of the operations in the mode, on the basis of an output of the sensor during an image formation job and the information stored in the memory.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image forming portion for forming form a toner image; an intermediary transfer belt for receiving the toner image; a blade for cleaning the belt by removing residual toner therefrom; an ambient condition sensor for detecting an ambient condition; a memory for storing information relating to a use amount of the belt; a controller for executing an operation in a mode in which a toner is deposited on the belt in a area corresponding to between a preceding sheet and a succeeding sheet during a execution of a continuous image forming job for continuously forming the images on the sheets to supply the toner to the blade, wherein the controller controls a frequency of the operations in the mode, on the basis of a output of the sensor during an image formation job in the information stored in the memory.