Abstract: A processor acquires an output image density which is a density detected for a first toner image. The processor causes a cleaning portion to perform toner recovery processing when a second toner image passes through a recovery member. The processor causes a transfer portion to execute primary transfer processing for toner on a target area on the surface of a photoconductor where the second toner image was formed. The processor acquires a remaining toner density which is a density detected for an area on the surface of an intermediate transfer member corresponding to the target area. The processor compares the output image density with the remaining toner density to derive an index value of toner recovery performance of the recovery member.

Abstract: The fixing device includes a cylindrical heated member and a heating part. The cylindrical heated member is long in a width direction of a sheet, and is supported in a rotatable manner with coming into contact with a fixing face of the sheet. The heating part is provided in an inner space of the heated member and heating an inner circumferential face of the heated member. The heating part includes a plurality of heaters disposed side by side in a longitudinal direction of the heated member; and a first temperature sensor measuring a first heater of the plurality of heaters or a heated area of the heated member heated by the first heater. The plurality of heaters and the first temperature sensor are connected in series by a first power supply line.

Abstract: The fixing device includes a cylindrical heated member and a heating part. The cylindrical heated member is long in a width direction of a sheet, and is supported in a rotatable manner with coming into contact with a fixing face of the sheet. The heating part is provided in an inner space of the heated member and heating an inner circumferential face of the heated member. The heating part includes a plurality of heaters disposed side by side in a longitudinal direction of the heated member; and a first temperature sensor measuring a first heater of the plurality of heaters or a heated area of the heated member heated by the first heater. The plurality of heaters and the first temperature sensor are connected in series by a first power supply line.

Abstract: A heating unit includes a circuit board, a plurality of heating parts, and a plurality of wiring parts. The heating parts are arranged in a first direction on a surface of the circuit board. The wiring parts are provided on the surface of the circuit board and electrically connect the heating parts and a power source to feed the heating parts. The wiring parts respectively include electrode terminal parts electrically connected to the power source outside the heating parts in the first direction. Sizes in a second direction orthogonal to the first direction of the heating parts are set to decrease gradually or stepwisely with separating in the first direction from the electrode terminal parts.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a housing in which a developing device is disposed, a cover member attached to the housing, a developer storage container to be detachably attached to the developing device, and a sensor unit. The developer storage container includes a container body having a storage space for storing a developer and a developer discharge port, and a moving wall configured to move in the container body. The sensor unit is arranged at a detection position where a detection sensor faces a specific area located above the developer discharge port on an outer peripheral surface of the container body when the cover member is in a closing posture, and arranged at a detection disable position where the detection sensor is distant from the specific area when the cover member is in an opening posture.

Abstract: A heating unit includes a circuit board, a plurality of heating parts, and a plurality of wiring parts. The heating parts are arranged in a first direction on a surface of the circuit board. The wiring parts are provided on the surface of the circuit board and electrically connect the heating parts and a power source to feed the heating parts. The wiring parts respectively include electrode terminal parts electrically connected to the power source outside the heating parts in the first direction. Sizes in a second direction orthogonal to the first direction of the heating parts are set to decrease gradually or stepwisely with separating in the first direction from the electrode terminal parts.

Abstract: A developer container includes a container main body having an internal space and a developer discharge port; a movable wall moving in the internal space toward the developer discharge port; a detection surface which is a part of an inner peripheral surface that divides a storage space of a developer in the container main body and which becomes a detection region of a first detection sensor which detects the developer in the storage space; and a rotating body arranged in the storage space and capable of rotating around a rotary shaft along the first direction. The rotating body is mounted with a cleaning member which cleans the detection surface, a stirring member which stirs a developer in the storage space, and a detection target member to be a detection target of a second detection sensor which detects presence of the container main body.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a housing in which a developing device is disposed, a cover member attached to the housing, a developer storage container to be detachably attached to the developing device, and a sensor unit. The developer storage container includes a container body having a storage space for storing a developer and a developer discharge port, and a moving wall configured to move in the container body. The sensor unit is arranged at a detection position where a detection sensor faces a specific area located above the developer discharge port on an outer peripheral surface of the container body when the cover member is in a closing posture, and arranged at a detection disable position where the detection sensor is distant from the specified area when the cover member is in an opening posture.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a developer container having a movable wall therein, a determination unit, a movable wall driving unit, and a movable wall driving controller. The determination unit outputs first determination information when a number of outputs of a signal indicating that a detection sensor has detected a developer is less than a threshold value, and outputs second determination information when the number of outputs thereof is equal to or greater than the threshold value. The movable wall driving unit includes a first driving motor for moving the movable wall and a first driving circuit for controlling driving thereof. The movable wall driving controller includes a signal controller. The signal controller transmits a drive permission signal for the first driving motor when the first determination information is output, and transmits a drive non-permission signal for the first driving motor when the second determination information is output.

Abstract: A developer container includes a container main body having an internal space and a developer discharge port; a movable wall moving in the internal space toward the developer discharge port; a detection surface which is a part of an inner peripheral surface that divides a storage space of a developer in the container main body and which becomes a detection region of a first detection sensor which detects the developer in the storage space; and a rotating body arranged in the storage space and capable of rotating around a rotary shaft along the first direction. The rotating body is mounted with a cleaning member which cleans the detection surface, a stirring member which stirs a developer in the storage space, and a detection target member to be a detection target of a second detection sensor which detects presence of the container main body.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a developer container having a movable wall therein, a determination unit, a movable wall driving unit, and a movable wall driving controller. The determination unit outputs first determination information when a number of outputs of a signal indicating that a detection sensor has detected a developer is less than a threshold value, and outputs second determination information when the number of outputs thereof is equal to or greater than the threshold value. The movable wall driving unit includes a first driving motor for moving the movable wall and a first driving circuit for controlling driving thereof. The movable wall driving controller includes a signal controller. The signal controller transmits a drive permission signal for the first driving motor when the first determination information is output, and transmits a drive non-permission signal for the first driving motor when the second determination information is output.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a transferring member and a guiding part. The transferring member is configured to form a transferring nip with an image carrier and to transfer a toner image from the image carrier to a sheet at the transferring nip. The guiding part has an upper guiding member and a lower guiding member which are disposed oppositely to both faces of the sheet in a vertical direction along a sheet conveying path toward the transferring nip. The lower guiding member has a movable lower guiding plate and a plurality of elastic members. The movable lower guiding plate is made of a thin elastic material. The plurality of elastic members are disposed along a sheet width direction crossing the sheet conveying direction and supports the movable lower guiding plate to be displaceable in a direction apart from the image carrier.

Abstract: A fixing device according to one aspect of the disclosure includes a heat source, a fixing member, and a pressure member. The heat source generates infrared. The fixing member is heated from an inner circumferential surface side by the heat source. The pressure member forms a nip area in pressure contact with the fixing member. The nip area sandwiches a recording medium carrying an unfixed toner image between the fixing member and the pressure member. The nip area fuses the unfixed toner image to the recording medium. The fixing member has an inner circumferential surface, and the inner circumferential surface forms a heat absorbing portion that absorbs the infrared generated from the heat source. The heat absorbing portion is a polycondensate whose starting materials are silica and monosilane compounds. The heat absorbing portion has a fired film made of an organic-inorganic hybrid coating using an alcohol solution as a solvent.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a transferring member and a guiding part. The transferring member is configured to form a transferring nip with an image carrier and to transfer a toner image from the image carrier to a sheet at the transferring nip. The guiding part has an upper guiding member and a lower guiding member which are disposed oppositely to both faces of the sheet in a vertical direction along a sheet conveying path toward the transferring nip. The lower guiding member has a movable lower guiding plate and a plurality of elastic members. The movable lower guiding plate is made of a thin elastic material. The plurality of elastic members are disposed along a sheet width direction crossing the sheet conveying direction and supports the movable lower guiding plate to be displaceable in a direction apart from the image carrier.

Abstract: A transfer device includes an intermediate transfer belt, a driving roller, an environment sensor, a resistance detecting sensor, and a speed ratio adjusting section. The toner images are transferred from the plurality of image carriers onto a surface of the intermediate transfer belt in a superimposed manner. The driving roller circumferentially and rotationally drives the intermediate transfer belt. The environment sensor detects a temperature or a humidity around the intermediate transfer belt. The resistance detecting section detects a change in a resistance value of the intermediate transfer belt. The speed ratio adjusting section controls a rotation speed of the driving roller according to results of detection by the environment sensor and the resistance detecting section, thereby adjusting a speed ratio Vb/Vd between a circumferential rotating speed Vb of the intermediate transfer belt and a rotation speed Vd of the image carrier.

Abstract: Image forming apparatus corrects for color slippage in toner image of a plurality of colors that have been sequentially transferred onto moving transfer target from the plurality of respective image carriers. A temperature of an interior of image-developing device is detected by first detection part, and a temperature of an interior of exposure device is detected by second detection part. First determination part determines whether or not the correction with respect to color slippage during temperature elevation is to be carried out, on the basis of first temperature detected by first detection part and second temperature detected by first detection part earlier than first temperature. Second determination part determines whether or not the correction with respect to color slippage during temperature decrease is to be carried out, on the basis of third temperature detected by second detection part and fourth temperature detected by second detection part earlier than third temperature.

Abstract: A transfer device includes an intermediate transfer belt, a driving roller, an environment sensor, a resistance detecting sensor, and a speed ratio adjusting section. The toner images are transferred from the plurality of image carriers onto a surface of the intermediate transfer belt in a superimposed manner. The driving roller circumferentially and rotationally drives the intermediate transfer belt. The environment sensor detects a temperature or a humidity around the intermediate transfer belt. The resistance detecting section detects a change in a resistance value of the intermediate transfer belt. The speed ratio adjusting section controls a rotation speed of the driving roller according to results of detection by the environment sensor and the resistance detecting section, thereby adjusting a speed ratio Vb/Vd between a circumferential rotating speed Vb of the intermediate transfer belt and a rotation speed Vd of the image carrier.

Abstract: Image forming apparatus corrects for color slippage in toner image of a plurality of colors that have been sequentially transferred onto moving transfer target from the plurality of respective image carriers. A temperature of an interior of image-developing device is detected by first detection part, and a temperature of an interior of exposure device is detected by second detection part. First determination part determines whether or not the correction with respect to color slippage during temperature elevation is to be carried out, on the basis of first temperature detected by first detection part and second temperature detected by first detection part earlier than first temperature. Second determination part determines whether or not the correction with respect to color slippage during temperature decrease is to be carried out, on the basis of third temperature detected by second detection part and fourth temperature detected by second detection part earlier than third temperature.