Abstract: There is provided a consumable supply method for supplying a refill consumable stored in a refill consumable container to a consumable container installable in an equipment body. The consumable supply method includes removing a refill information storage device storing information on the refill consumable from the refill consumable container; removing an information storage device storing information on a consumable contained in the consumable container, the information being for exchange with the equipment body, from the consumable container; and attaching the refill information storage device removed from the refill consumable container as an information storage device to the consumable container in place of the information storage device removed from the consumable container.

Abstract: There is provided a consumable supply method for supplying a refill consumable stored in a refill consumable container to a consumable container installable in an equipment body. The consumable supply method includes removing a refill information storage device storing information on the refill consumable from the refill consumable container; removing an information storage device storing information on a consumable contained in the consumable container, the information being for exchange with the equipment body, from the consumable container; and attaching the refill information storage device removed from the refill consumable container as an information storage device to the consumable container in place of the information storage device removed from the consumable container.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a photoconductor, a charger, a charge remover, and control circuitry. The charger is configured to charge the photoconductor. The charge remover is configured to remove charge from a surface of the photoconductor by light and electric discharge. The control circuitry is configured to: estimate a surface potential that the photoconductor has after the photoconductor is charged by the charger, based on a characteristic value of the photoconductor and a value of a current flowing through the charger after the charge remover removes charge from the photoconductor; and control a charging bias applied to the charger, based on the surface potential estimated.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image bearer, an image forming section, an image density difference detector, and control circuitry. The image forming section is configured to form a gradation image pattern on a surface of the image bearer. The gradation image pattern includes gradation images having different image densities stepwise in a sub-scanning direction. The image density difference detector is configured to detect image density differences in a main scanning direction of the gradation images. The control circuitry is configured to execute an image density difference correction mode that corrects the image density differences in the main scanning direction based on detection results detected by the image density difference detector.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a photoconductor, a charger, a charge remover, and control circuitry. The charger is configured to charge the photoconductor. The charge remover is configured to remove charge from a surface of the photoconductor by light and electric discharge. The control circuitry is configured to: estimate a surface potential that the photoconductor has after the photoconductor is charged by the charger, based on a characteristic value of the photoconductor and a value of a current flowing through the charger after the charge remover removes charge from the photoconductor; and control a charging bias applied to the charger, based on the surface potential estimated.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image forming device to form an image on an image bearer and circuitry configured to accept, from a user, an input of a density level selected from a plurality of different density levels and control an image forming condition under which the image forming device forms the image. The circuitry is configured to correct density unevenness of the image formed on the image bearer by the image forming device and correct the density unevenness of the image at the density level accepted. The density unevenness is unevenness appearing in a main scanning direction orthogonal to a direction of conveyance of the image bearer during image formation.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image bearer, an image forming section, an image density difference detector, and control circuitry. The image forming section is configured to form a gradation image pattern on a surface of the image bearer. The gradation image pattern includes gradation images having different image densities stepwise in a sub-scanning direction. The image density difference detector is configured to detect image density differences in a main scanning direction of the gradation images. The control circuitry is configured to execute an image density difference correction mode that corrects the image density differences in the main scanning direction based on detection results detected by the image density difference detector.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image forming device to form an image on an image bearer and circuitry configured to accept, from a user, an input of a density level selected from a plurality of different density levels and control an image forming condition under which the image forming device forms the image. The circuitry is configured to correct density unevenness of the image formed on the image bearer by the image forming device and correct the density unevenness of the image at the density level accepted. The density unevenness is unevenness appearing in a main scanning direction orthogonal to a direction of conveyance of the image bearer during image formation.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image bearer to bear a black toner pattern formed with a black toner image under an increased exposure amount and an increased developing bias. A first optical sensor detects an amount of reflection light reflected by the black toner pattern on the image bearer. The first optical sensor includes a light-emitting element to emit light toward the black toner pattern on the image bearer and a light-receiving element to receive the reflection light reflected by the black toner pattern on the image bearer. A toner adhesion amount converter converts the amount of the reflection light detected by the first optical sensor into a toner adhesion amount of toner adhered to the image bearer and adjusts an image density according to the toner adhesion amount.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image bearing belt of a multi-layer structure, a toner image forming device, a nip forming device, a transfer power source, an environment-condition detector, and a controller. The toner image forming device forms a toner image on a surface of the image bearing belt. The transfer power source outputs a transfer bias including a superimposed voltage, in which a direct current voltage is superimposed on an alternating current voltage to transfer the toner image from the image bearing belt onto a recording medium at a transfer nip. The environment-condition detector detects an environment condition. The controller controls the transfer bias output from the transfer power source to perform a bias switching process to switch the transfer bias between a transfer bias including the superimposed voltage and a transfer bias including a direct current voltage based on a detected result of the environment-condition detector.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an endless belt-shaped image bearer that is rotatably supported and entrained around rollers; a transfer member positioned to contact an outer surface of the image bearer; a transfer device to transfer a toner image conveyed while being carried on the outer surface of the image bearer onto a transfer medium conveyed between the image bearer and the transfer member; a toner image sensor to detect the toner image transferred onto the transfer medium; and a conveyance speed controller to fine-tune a conveyance speed of the transfer medium. Based on fine-tuning data of the conveyance speed controller, a detection result of the toner image sensor is corrected and image forming conditions are corrected based on the corrected detection result.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image bearing belt of a multi-layer structure, a toner image forming device, a nip forming device a transfer power source, an environment-condition detector, and a controller. The toner image forming device forms a toner image on a surface of the image bearing belt. The transfer power source outputs a transfer bias including a superimposed voltage, in which a direct current voltage is superimposed on an alternating current voltage to transfer the toner image from the image bearing belt onto a recording medium at a transfer nip. The environment-condition detector detects an environment condition. The controller controls the transfer bias output from the transfer power source to perform a bias switching process to switch the transfer bias between a transfer bias including the superimposed voltage and a transfer bias including a direct current voltage based on a detected result of the environment-condition detector.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image bearer to bear a black toner pattern formed with a black toner image under an increased exposure amount and an increased developing bias. A first optical sensor detects an amount of reflection light reflected by the black toner pattern on the image bearer. The first optical sensor includes a light-emitting element to emit light toward the black toner pattern on the image bearer and a light-receiving element to receive the reflection light reflected by the black toner pattern on the image bearer. A toner adhesion amount converter converts the amount of the reflection light detected by the first optical sensor into a toner adhesion amount of toner adhered to the image bearer and adjusts an image density according to the toner adhesion amount.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an endless belt-shaped image bearer that is rotatably supported and entrained around rollers; a transfer member positioned to contact an outer surface of the image bearer; a transfer device to transfer a toner image conveyed while being carried on the outer surface of the image bearer onto a transfer medium conveyed between the image bearer and the transfer member; a toner image sensor to detect the toner image transferred onto the transfer medium; and a conveyance speed controller to fine-tune a conveyance speed of the transfer medium. Based on fine-tuning data of the conveyance speed controller, a detection result of the toner image sensor is corrected and image forming conditions are corrected based on the corrected detection result.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a controller to perform a primary image forming condition determination control to determine a primary image forming condition for each of a plurality of image forming devices in a multi-color image forming mode based on a toner adhesion amount adhered to a transferred image bearer that is detected by a toner adhesion detector and a secondary image forming condition determination control to determine a secondary image forming condition for a particular at least one of the plurality of image forming devices in a particular color image forming mode based on the toner adhesion amount. The controller performs the primary image forming condition determination control at a predetermined time and determines whether or not to perform the secondary image forming condition determination control based on the toner adhesion amount detected under the primary image forming condition determination control.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image density detector, an image forming device, a rotator, an image density controller, and a timing correction data obtainer. The image density detector detects a toner density of an image formed on an image bearing member. An image forming device forms the image using a density adjustable element that adjusts the density of the image. The rotator forms an image pattern while the density adjustable element is changed, and a density thereof is detected by the image density detector. The image density controller controls the image forming device using a density correction data for the density adjustable element corresponding to a rotational period of the rotator. The timing correction data obtainer obtains timing correction data for correction of driving timing of the image forming device based on a change in the density of the image pattern detected by the image density detector.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image carrier, a rotation-position detector, a development device, a transfer unit, a density sensor, and an image-forming-condition determination unit. The density sensor senses a density of a toner image on a transfer body. The image-forming-condition determination unit forms an image pattern, acquires periodical density variation information sensed by the density sensor and detection information of the rotation-position detector, and determines an image forming condition based on the periodical density variation information and the detection information acquired. The image carrier and the transfer body are different in linear velocity in an image formation in which the toner image is transferred to a recording medium.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image forming unit including rotary members to form a toner image corresponding to image data, in which the image forming unit forms a toner pattern for detecting image density fluctuation; and an image forming condition determination controller to perform image forming processing to ultimately transfer the toner image onto a recording medium. In the image forming apparatus, the controller measures a periodic image density fluctuation occurring in a rotation cycle of the rotary members based on a detection result of a toner pattern; performs image forming condition determination processing to determine an image forming condition to reduce the image density fluctuation based on measured image density fluctuation data; and determines whether or not the image density fluctuation data measured multiple times satisfies a predetermined control termination condition.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a latent-image bearing body, a charging unit, a latent-image writing unit, a development unit, a development power, and a bias control unit. After a start of an image forming operation, the bias control unit performs a process of constantly maintaining an output of a development bias at an adjustment bias value. The adjustment bias value is a central value in a periodic fluctuation range of the output of the development bias. At a timing at which a difference of the development bias from the adjustment bias value in the periodic fluctuation range is less than or equal to a predetermined threshold value, the bias control unit performs switching from the process of constantly maintaining the output of the development bias at the adjustment bias value to a process of periodically changing the output of the development bias based on development bias control data.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a latent-image bearing body, a charging unit, a latent-image writing unit, a development unit, a development power, and a bias control unit. After a start of an image forming operation, the bias control unit performs a process of constantly maintaining an output of a development bias at an adjustment bias value. The adjustment bias value is a central value in a periodic fluctuation range of the output of the development bias. At a timing at which a difference of the development bias from the adjustment bias value in the periodic fluctuation range is less than or equal to a predetermined threshold value, the bias control unit performs switching from the process of constantly maintaining the output of the development bias at the adjustment bias value to a process of periodically changing the output of the development bias based on development bias control data.