Abstract: A developing apparatus includes a developer carrying member for carrying a developer; a developer regulating member, contacted to the developer carrying member, for regulating a thickness of a layer of the developer on the developer carrying member: and a lubricant provided between the developer carrying member and the developer regulating member, wherein a charge polarity of the lubricant is opposite to a charge polarity of the developer, and a weight average particle size of the lubricant is not more than ⅓ of a weight average particle size of the developer.

Abstract: An image forming and apparatus is provided in which a halftone density of an image is stabilized irrespective of a timing at which writing on scanning lines is started, even when using multiple laser beams. First, it is determined whether or not a portion exposed by adjacent laser beams (i.e., exposed by both of two beams simultaneously) is present. If the result of the determination is affirmative, it is then determined whether or not a portion adjacent to the exposed portion and not exposed by a laser beam is present. If the result of this determination is affirmative, exposure by fine dots is added to the portion not exposed by a laser beam.

Abstract: An image forming and apparatus is provided in which a halftone density of an image is stabilized irrespective of a timing at which writing on scanning lines is started, even when using multiple laser beams. First, it is determined whether or not a portion exposed by adjacent laser beams (i.e., exposed by both of two beams simultaneously) is present. If the result of the determination is affirmative, it is then determined whether or not a portion adjacent to the exposed portion and not exposed by a laser beam is present. If the result of this determination is affirmative, exposure by fine dots is added to the portion not exposed by a laser beam.

Abstract: In an image processing apparatus that includes an order placement means for executing an operation associated with order placement of an expendable used in an image forming apparatus, data associated with image formation is accumulated to have a timing associated with order placement as a trigger, and the operation of the order placement means is controlled on the basis of the accumulated value. In this manner, redundant orders for expendables can be prevented.

Abstract: There is provided an image forming apparatus such as a latent image forming apparatus, in which the density of a half tone is stable independent on a write position of a main scanning line, even if a plurality of semiconductor lasers are used. The image forming apparatus has a latent image forming unit for pulse-width-modulating a drive signal of the semiconductor laser in response to the write position of image data. The latent image forming unit has an image sorting circuit for sorting the image data into an odd line and an even line, a memory for storing a turning on position, a pulse generating position control circuit for generating a pulse generating position signal, a PWM circuit for generating a triangular wave in accordance with the pulse generating position signal, and a beam-A-circuit and a beam-B-circuit, which control beams from the semiconductor laser.

Abstract: An agitating member for agitating a developer includes a metal shaft, a plate member joined to the metal shaft, and a sheet member joined to the plate member, the sheet member being free to curve. A developing apparatus includes a developer bearing member bearing a developer thereon, a developer container containing the developer therein, and the above-described agitating member provided in the developer container for agitating the developer and supplying it to the developer bearing member. A process cartridge detachably attachable to the main body of an image forming apparatus, includes an electrophotographic photosensitive member and the above-described developing apparatus.

Abstract: A charging member is disposed in contact with an electrophotographic photosensitive member and charges the surface of the electrophotographic photosensitive member electrostatically upon application of a voltage. The charging member has a conductive support, a base layer and a surface layer which are formed on the conductive support. The surface layer contains fluorine resin particles as a filler and a fluorine resin as a binder resin.

Abstract: This specification discloses an agitating member for agitating a developer comprising a metal shaft, a plate member joined to the metal shaft, and a sheet member joined to the plate member, the sheet member being free to curve. The specification also discloses a developing apparatus comprising a developer bearing member bearing a developer thereon, a developer container containing the developer therein, and the above-described agitating member provided in the developer container for agitating the developer and supplying it to the developer bearing member. The specification further discloses a process cartridge detachably attachable to the main body of an image forming apparatus, comprising an electrophotographic photosensitive member and the above-described developing apparatus.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus having at least: an image carrying member for carrying an electrostatic latent image, the image carrying member having a photosensitive layer on a conductive substrate; a developer for developing the electrostatic latent image carrying member on the image carrying member; a developer carrying member for carrying the developer and conveying it to a development area; a control member making contact with the developer carrying member for controlling the coating amount of the developer; and a cleaning member for cleaning the surface of the photosensitive layer of the image carrying member by making contact with the surface of the image carrying member with a contact pressure of 0.15N (15 gf) to 0.89N (90 gf). The photosensitive layer contains at least one kind of polycarbonate resin (I) having a viscosity average molecular weight of 1.5×104 or less and at least one kind of polycarbonate resin (II) having a viscosity average molecular weight of more than 1.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image bearing member, a developer carrying member for carrying thereon a developer to transport the developer to a developing zone, and a regulation member provided in touch with the surface of the developer carrying member to regulate coat weight of the developer carried thereon. The image bearing member includes a conductive substrate and a photosensitive layer formed thereon, and the photosensitive layer contains at least one polycarbonate resin (I) having a viscosity-average molecular weight not more than 1.5×104 and at least one polycarbonate resin (II) having a viscosity-average molecular weight more than 1.5×104, the polycarbonate resin (I) being contained in a proportion of from 30% by weight to 95% by weight based on the total weight of the polycarbonate resins (I) and (II). On the developer carrying member, the developer is in a coat weight not more than 1.5 mg/cm2 at the developing zone after its regulation by the regulation member.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image bearing member for bearing an electrostatic image; a developer carrying member for carrying a developer and for forming a developing zone with the image bearing member, wherein the developer is externally added with additive having a charging polarity opposite from that of the developer; a voltage applying device for applying a developing voltage to the developer carrying member; voltage a control device for controlling the developing voltage so as to change force for directing the additive toward a non-image portion of the image bearing member in accordance with a number of image forming operations.

Abstract: A cartridge detachably attachable on an image forming apparatus a photosensitive member as an image bearing member and a cleaning blade member polycarbonate resin having a viscosity average molecular weight of 1.5.times.10.sup.4 or less is blended with the surface layer of the image bearing member, and the peak value of tan .delta. of the dynamic viscoelastic characteristic of the cleaning blade member appears at 12.degree. C. or less.

Abstract: A developing apparatus includes magnetic members, which are provided at ends of a developing agent bearing member with gaps therebetween and adapted to form magnetic seals between the magnetic members and the developing agent bearing member, are charged so that leakage between the magnetic seals and magnetic members, such as the developing agent bearing member, disposed in the vicinity of the magnetic seals is prevented.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes, an image bearing member, a charger which may be a main charger and auxiliary charger for charging the image bearing member, a developing unit for forming a toner image by developing an electrostatic latent image formed on the image bearing member using a toner having the same polarity as that of the charger, a transfer electrode, having a width different from that of the charger and contacting a transfer material, for applying a bias voltage having a polarity opposite to that of the charger to the transfer material, the cleaning blade contacting the image bearing member in a counter direction relative to a moving direction of the image bearing member in order to scrape and remove toner particles remaining on the image bearing member after the image transfer due to the potential of the image bearing member, and a member for reducing a charging potential difference between the charger and the transfer electrode generated on the image bearing member.

Abstract: This specification discloses an image forming apparatus having an image bearing member, developing means for causing a developer to adhere to the image bearing member to thereby develop a latent image, the developing means having a developer carrying member carrying the developer thereon, residual amount detecting means for detecting the amount of developer residual in the developing means, the residual amount detecting means measuring the electrostatic capacity between an electrode disposed near the developer carrying member and the developer carrying member, comparing means for comparing the electrostatic capacity measured by the residual amount detecting means with a reference value, and judging whether the amount of residual developer is greater or smaller than a predetermined value, memory means for memorizing information for correcting the reference value, and correcting means for correcting the reference value in conformity with the correcting information.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus for detecting the useful life of an image bearing member includes an image bearing member; a charging member contactable to the image bearing member for charging the image bearing member, the charging member being supplied with a voltage. The image forming apparatus also includes a discharging member for electrically discharging the image bearing member, the discharging member discharging a first region of the image bearing member and a second region of the image bearing member, different from the first region in a direction of a generating line of the image bearing member; and a detecting device for detecting a current flowing through the charging member when the charging member is supplied with a predetermined voltage and charges the first region having been discharged by the discharging member and when the charging member also charges the second region having been discharged by the discharging member.

Abstract: A charging member contactable to a member to be charged and capable of being supplied with a voltage to charge the member to be charged, the charging member including a core member having a stepped portion to provide a smaller diameter portion at an end portion side than at a longitudinally central side; and an elastic member supported by the core member, the elastic member covering the stepped portion.

Abstract: A charging member for charging a member to be charged includes a base member: a surface elastic member supported by the base member, the elastic member comprises a foamed member and a coating layer covering the foamed member; wherein a surface of the charging member has an Asker-C hardness of not more than 55 degrees and an international rubber hardness (IRHD) of not more than 80 degrees.

Abstract: A developing apparatus includes a developer carrying member for carrying developer, opposed to an image bearing member for bearing an electrostatic image; a regulating member for regulating an amount of the developer to be applied on the developer carrying member; and electric field generator for generating an oscillating electric field between the developer carrying member and the regulating member; wherein the amount of the developer to be applied on the developer carrying member is regulated to no less than 0.6 mg/cm.sup.2 and no more than 1.5 mg/cm.sup.2 by the regulating member.

Abstract: A cleaning device for an electrophotographic apparatus including an image carrier has a cleaning blade with an edge slidably contracting with an image carrier to remove foreign matter remaining on a surface of the image carrier. A lubricant including indefinite-form lubricant particles is applied to zones on the edges of the cleaning blade near both longitudinal ends of the cleaning blade and a lubricant including spherical lubricant particles is applied to a zone on the edge of the cleaning blade between the zones to which the lubricant including indefinite-form lubricant particles has been applied. A process cartridge includes the cleaning device, and an image forming apparatus incorporates the process cartridge.