Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image carrier carrying a toner image, a developing device, and a cleaning blade. The developing device carries out developing process feeding toner to the image carrier during image forming. The cleaning blade comes into contact with the image carrier and removes waste toner remained on the image carrier. In order to restrain turning-up of the cleaning blade, turning-up restraining process is carried out to feed the toner from the developing device to the image carrier during non-image forming, every time a given cumulative printing number of image forming operation is finished. In the turning-up restraining process, larger toner is fed to the image carrier as a given small size printing number in the cumulative printing number becomes larger.

Abstract: In an image forming apparatus, a resistance component of an inner impedance of an electricity removing member is equal to or lower than a value that is obtained by multiplying a calculated resistance value by a first specific value, the calculated resistance value being calculated based on a predetermined formula as a DC resistance value of the electricity removing member that is required to reduce a pre-electricity-removal potential of a photoconductor to a predetermined post-electricity-removal potential during an electricity removal time, the first specific value being calculated based on a ratio of a linear speed of the electricity removing member to a linear speed of the photoconductor, and a resistance component of the contact impedance of the electricity removing member is equal to or lower than a value that is obtained by multiplying the calculated resistance value by a second specific value that is calculated based on the ratio.

Abstract: In an image forming apparatus, a resistance component of an inner impedance of an electricity removing member is equal to or lower than a value that is obtained by multiplying a calculated resistance value by a first specific value, the calculated resistance value being calculated based on a predetermined formula as a DC resistance value of the electricity removing member that is required to reduce a pre-electricity-removal potential of a photoconductor to a predetermined post-electricity-removal potential during an electricity removal time, the first specific value being calculated based on a ratio of a linear speed of the electricity removing member to a linear speed of the photoconductor, and a resistance component of the contact impedance of the electricity removing member is equal to or lower than a value that is obtained by multiplying the calculated resistance value by a second specific value that is calculated based on the ratio.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image carrier carrying a toner image, a developing device, and a cleaning blade. The developing device carries out developing process feeding toner to the image carrier during image forming. The cleaning blade comes into contact with the image carrier and removes waste toner remained on the image carrier. In order to restrain turning-up of the cleaning blade, turning-up restraining process is carried out to feed the toner from the developing device to the image carrier during non-image forming, every time a given cumulative printing number of image forming operation is finished. In the turning-up restraining process, larger toner is fed to the image carrier as a given small size printing number in the cumulative printing number becomes larger.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image carrier carrying a toner image, a developing device carrying out developing process feeding toner to the image carrier during image forming, and a cleaning blade coming into contact with the image carrier and removing waste toner on the image carrier. Turning-up restraining process feeds the toner of a constant feeding amount from the developing device to the image carrier. Replacing process feeds the toner of a variation feeding amount according to an average printing rate from the developing device to the image carrier. During non-image forming, every time a given cumulative printing number of image forming operation is finished, the replacing process is carried out in a case where the variation feeding amount according to the average printing rate in the cumulative printing number of developing process exceeds the constant feeding amount, but the turning-up restraining process is carried out otherwise.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a photoconductor and an electricity removing member electrically grounded and disposed to be in contact with a surface of the photoconductor. In the image forming apparatus, with regard to a capacitance component of an inner impedance of the electricity removing member and a capacitance component of a contact impedance of the electricity removing member that are calculated from a Cole-Cole plot obtained from measurement by an AC impedance method in a predetermined frequency range, a value obtained by dividing the capacitance component of the contact impedance by the capacitance component of the inner impedance is equal to or lower than a predetermined first specific value, and the capacitance component of the inner impedance is equal to or lower than a predetermined second specific value.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a photoconductor and an electricity removing member electrically grounded and disposed to be in contact with a surface of the photoconductor. In the image forming apparatus, with regard to a capacitance component of an inner impedance of the electricity removing member and a capacitance component of a contact impedance of the electricity removing member that are calculated from a Cole-Cole plot obtained from measurement by an AC impedance method in a predetermined frequency range, a value obtained by dividing the capacitance component of the contact impedance by the capacitance component of the inner impedance is equal to or lower than a predetermined first specific value, and the capacitance component of the inner impedance is equal to or lower than a predetermined second specific value.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a charging member, a charging bias power source, a developing member, a developing bias power source and a controlling device. The charging member electrically charged an image carrier. The charging bias power source applies a DC charging bias to the charging member. The developing member develops a toner image onto the image carrier. The developing bias power source applies an AC and DC developing bias to the developing member. The controlling device carries out, before image forming process, pre-charging control controlling the charging bias power source to electrically charge the image carrier. The controlling device carries out, after the image forming process is started, post-charging control controlling the charging bias power source and developing bias power source to adjust an electrical potential difference between a surface potential of the image carrier and developing bias to a significant electrical potential difference preventing occurrence of image failure.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a photosensitive drum, a charging roller, a transfer roller, a first bias application unit, a second bias application unit, and a control unit. The charging roller contains an ion conductive material. The first bias application unit applies a first bias to the charging roller. The second bias application unit applies a predetermined bias to the transfer roller. The control unit controls the first bias application unit not to apply the first bias to the charging roller in a non-image forming period in which a toner image is not formed on the photosensitive drum. The control unit controls the second bias application unit to apply the second bias, which is a bias that can electrically charge the surface of the photosensitive drum, to the transfer roller in the non-image forming period.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a charging member, a charging bias power source, a developing member, a developing bias power source and a controlling device. The charging member electrically charged an image carrier. The charging bias power source applies a DC charging bias to the charging member. The developing member develops a toner image onto the image carrier. The developing bias power source applies an AC and DC developing bias to the developing member. The controlling device carries out, before image forming process, pre-charging control controlling the charging bias power source to electrically charge the image carrier. The controlling device carries out, after the image forming process is started, post-charging control controlling the charging bias power source and developing bias power source to adjust an electrical potential difference between a surface potential of the image carrier and developing bias to a significant electrical potential difference preventing occurrence of image failure.

Abstract: A cleaning device includes a housing, a cleaning member, a cleaning blade, a collection member, a seal member, and a protection member. The housing is disposed above an image carrier, and an opening is formed in a face thereof facing the image carrier. The cleaning member rotates contacting a surface of the image carrier and the image carrier contact each other, and thereby, residual toner adhered to the image carrier is removed downstream of the image carrier in the rotation direction of the image carrier. The seal member is disposed at an upstream-side edge of the opening of the housing with respect to the rotation direction of the image carrier, and the seal member prevents leakage of waste toner through a gap between the housing and the image carrier. The protection member is disposed above the seal member with an interval therebetween, and the protection member contacts the cleaning member.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a photosensitive drum, a charging roller, a transfer roller, a first bias application unit, a second bias application unit, and a control unit. The charging roller contains an ion conductive material. The first bias application unit applies a first bias to the charging roller. The second bias application unit applies a predetermined bias to the transfer roller. The control unit controls the first bias application unit not to apply the first bias to the charging roller in a non-image forming period in which a toner image is not formed on the photosensitive drum. The control unit controls the second bias application unit to apply the second bias, which is a bias that can electrically charge the surface of the photosensitive drum, to the transfer roller in the non-image forming period.

Abstract: A grid wire cleaning mechanism is provided to prevent a reduction in image quality due to the surface of the electrostatic latent image carrier not being uniformly charged as a result of corona products adhering unevenly to the surface of the grid wires to extend the life of the grid wires and grid wire contact member. A first abrading member 71 abrades grid wires 224. A movement device 73 moves the first abrading member 71 in the same direction as the direction of extension of the grid wires 224. A humidity measurement unit 741 measures the humidity near the grid wires 224. The operation control unit 743 operates the movement device 73 when cleaning the grid wires 224, but does not operate the movement device 73 when the humidity measured by the humidity measurement unit 741 exceeds a predetermined threshold value.

Abstract: To provide an image forming device that is capable of preventing deterioration of the image quality through preventing deterioration of the toner even if frequency of making a copy is low. The image forming device includes: a developing part having a developing roller for achieving development by electrostatically attaching a toner onto an electrostatic latent image formed on a photoreceptor; a transferring part for transferring a developed toner image to a paper; and a cleaner part for removing and collecting the toner remained on the photoreceptor after transferring, wherein the developing roller is rotary-driven at a lower speed than a speed of development under a standby state. The image forming device includes a standby-state refresh control part for forcibly consuming an amount of the toner that is calculated based on accumulated time of the low-speed rotary drive.

Abstract: To provide an image forming device that is capable of preventing deterioration of the image quality through preventing deterioration of the toner even if frequency of making a copy is low. The image forming device includes: a developing part 44 having a developing roller 443 for achieving development by electrostatically attaching a toner onto an electrostatic latent image formed on a photoreceptor 41; a transferring part 46 for transferring a developed toner image to a paper; and a cleaner part 47 for removing and collecting the toner remained on the photoreceptor 41 after transferring, wherein the developing roller 443 is rotary-driven at a lower speed than a speed of development under a standby state. The image forming device includes a standby-state refresh control part 240 for forcibly consuming an amount of the toner that is calculated based on accumulated time of the low-speed rotary drive.

Abstract: A grid wire cleaning mechanism is provided to prevent a reduction in image quality due to the surface of the electrostatic latent image carrier not being uniformly charged as a result of corona products adhering unevenly to the surface of the grid wires to extend the life of the grid wires and grid wire contact member. A first abrading member 71 abrades grid wires 224. A movement device 73 moves the first abrading member 71 in the same direction as the direction of extension of the grid wires 224. A humidity measurement unit 741 measures the humidity near the grid wires 224. The operation control unit 743 operates the movement device 73 when cleaning the grid wires 224, but does not operate the movement device 73 when the humidity measured by the humidity measurement unit 741 exceeds a predetermined threshold value.

Abstract: In an image forming apparatus, a control section 41 adjusts the surface potential of a photoconductor or the developing potential of a developer carrying member based on the detection result of a surface potential sensor 44, and performs first correction whereby, relative to the reference value of the applied bias of a charger 2 or the developing bias of the developer carrying member in a developing unit 4 as observed during potential adjustment, the applied bias or the developing bias is varied so as to keep constant the potential difference between the surface potential of the photoconductor and the developing potential of the developer carrying member during image formation. The control section also performs second correction whereby the applied bias or the developing bias is restored to the reference value over a predetermined period after the completion of continuous image formation.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a corona discharger displacing mechanism and a grid electrode positioning mechanism which are used for a unit of an image forming section in an image forming apparatus. The displacing mechanism causes a corona discharger to advance or retreat in synchronism with the inserting or extracting operation of the unit. On the other hand, the positioning mechanism stretches a grid electrode in co-operation with the unit.

Abstract: A developing device includes a developing section provided with an applicator for applying a developer to a latent electrostatic image and a supporting section for supporting the developing section turnably between an operating position at which the developer held on the applicator acts on image-bearing member and a non-operating position at which the developer held on the applicator does not substantially act on the image-bearing member. According to a first aspect, positioning device acts on the developing section and holds it at the operating position. According to a second aspect, there is provided device for holding the developing section at the non-operating position at the time of mounting a main body of the developing device on an image-forming machine. According to a third aspect, when the main body of the developing device is mounted on the image-forming machine, electrical connecters provided thereon are electrically coupled to each other.