Abstract: In an image forming apparatus including a plurality of image forming devices, a first image forming device in which a leveling blade that functions as a lubricant leveling blade is easily worn away over time uses an obtuse-angle blade as a first leveling blade, and a second image forming device being other image forming device among the plurality of image forming devices uses a right-angle blade as a second leveling blade.

Abstract: A waste toner container includes a waste toner reservoir extending in a depth direction, an inlet portion provided above the waste toner reservoir, in which at least one waste toner inlet is formed, a first conveyance member provided in the waste toner reservoir to transport the waste toner in the depth direction, the first conveyance member movable upward as the amount of the waste toner in the waste toner reservoir increases, a second conveyance member provided in the inlet portion to transport the waste toner in a width direction and including a drive transmitter to transmit a driving force from the second conveyance member to the first conveyance member, and a waste toner detection unit to detect whether an amount of the waste toner in the waste toner container reaches a predetermined amount by detecting upward movement of the first conveyance member.

Abstract: A lubricant supplying device includes a compressing spring that has one end coming into contact with a holding member in order to bias a solid lubricant toward a lubricant supplying roller and a casing that covers the outside of the device. Then, the casing includes an opening portion that allows the other end of the compressing spring, having the one end coming into contact with the holding member, to be exposed therethrough, and the casing further includes a cover member that is installed in the opening portion in a removable manner so that the cover member comes into contact with the other end of the compressing spring.

Abstract: A charging device includes a charging roller, a drive transmission device, and a charging roller cleaner. The charging roller opposes an image carrier driven to rotate and rotates to charge the image carrier. The charging roller cleaner contacts the charging roller to clean the charging roller. The drive transmission device transmits torque from the image carrier to the charging roller, and includes an image carrier gear and a driven gear. The image carrier gear and the driven gear form a gear train to drive the charging roller in response to rotation of the image carrier. The charging roller cleaner is disposed facing a rear surface of the charging roller to prevent displacement of the charging roller due to a force generated by a pressure angle formed between the image carrier gear and the driven gear when the charging roller rotates in response to rotation of the image carrier.

Abstract: A charging device, which is incorporable in a process cartridge and an image forming apparatus, includes a charging roller and a cleaning device. The charging roller charges an image bearing member having a surface on which an electrostatic latent image is formed. The cleaning device cleans the charging roller. The cleaning device includes a cleaning roller, a shaft, and support members. The cleaning roller contacts the surface of the charging roller to clean the surface. The support members rotatably support the cleaning roller, each of which including a slot. The slot allows a variable distance between the charging roller and the cleaning roller, and is inclined, in the direction of rotation of the charging roller, relative to a straight line connecting the rotation center of the charging roller and the rotation center of the cleaning roller.

Abstract: A lubricant application apparatus including a lubricant application member and an elastic member. The lubricant application member applies lubricant to a lubricant receiving member moving in a given surface movement direction. The elastic member contacts the lubricant receiving member in a counter direction with respect to the surface movement direction of the lubricant receiving member, and smoothes the lubricant applied on the lubricant receiving member. The elastic member is in contact with the lubricant receiving member at a contact area of the elastic member, in the counter direction. The elastic member is positioned in a downstream side of the surface movement direction of the lubricant receiving member with respect to the contact area of the elastic member. The elastic member is in contact with the lubricant receiving member at the contact area with a contact angle of 85 degrees or more.

Abstract: A waste toner container used in an image forming apparatus includes a waste toner reservoir extending in a depth direction of the image forming apparatus for containing waste toner removed from an image bearer, an inlet portion provided above the waste toner reservoir, including a waste toner inlet to receive the waste toner flowing to the waste toner reservoir, a first agitator provided in the waste toner reservoir, to transport the waste toner therein in the depth direction, a rotary member provided in the inlet portion, including a rotary shaft extending in a width direction perpendicular to the depth direction, and a drive transmission unit provided outside the waste toner reservoir, to transmit a drive force from the rotary member provided in the inlet portion to the first agitator provided in the waste toner reservoir and to drive the first agitator in conjunction with rotation of the rotary member.

Abstract: A tandem-type electrophotographic image forming apparatus includes multiple color image forming units using a dry toner, a first black image forming unit using the dry toner, and a second black image forming unit using a wet toner and performs an image formation with the dry toner in a first printing mode and an image formation with the wet toner in a second printing mode. The image formed in the second printing mode with the wet toner is fixed to a recording medium at a temperature lower than the image formed in the first printing mode with the dry toner. Each of the image forming units corresponds to a process cartridge that is removably installable in the tandem-type electrophotographic image forming apparatus and including an image carrier and other image forming components integrally therein.

Abstract: A lubricant applying device includes a solid lubricant, and a rotatable applying member scraping lubricant off the solid lubricant and applying the scraped lubricant onto an application subject. In the lubricant applying device, a pressing unit applies that applies an applying pressure of pressing the solid lubricant against the applying member and that varies the applying pressure in accordance with a rotation speed of the applying member.

Abstract: In an image forming apparatus including a plurality of image forming devices, a first image forming device in which a leveling blade that functions as a lubricant leveling blade is easily worn away over time uses an obtuse-angle blade as a first leveling blade, and a second image forming device being other image forming device among the plurality of image forming devices uses a right-angle blade as a second leveling blade.

Abstract: A cleaning device includes a cleaning blade configured to clean a surface of a rotating subject, a solid lubricant configured to reduce the friction coefficient of the surface of the subject, and a lubricant coating device that includes a coating roller to shave the solid lubricant during normal rotation and a reverse rotation to coat the surface of the subject with the lubricant. The amount of lubricant supplied to the subject during normal rotation of the coating roller is different from a supply amount of the lubricant during reverse rotation of the coating roller, with more lubricant supplied during reverse rotation than during normal rotation.

Abstract: A switching transistor has a source connected to the ground and a drain connected to the first terminal. The other end of an inductor whose one end is to be connected to the first terminal is connected to the second terminal. An input voltage is applied to the third terminal. An auxiliary transistor is disposed between the second terminal and the third terminal. A first soft start circuit generates a first soft start voltage that increases with lapse of time, and a second soft start circuit generates a second soft start voltage that increases with a delay to the first soft start voltage. An error amplifier controls the gate voltage of the auxiliary transistor on the basis of the error voltage between the output voltage and the first soft start voltage.

Abstract: A lubricant application device including a solid lubricant, a brush, and a first lubricant scattering prevention member. The solid lubricant is in a non-contact state with a rotating member and provided below a horizontal line of an axis of the rotating member. The brush rotates and contacts both the solid lubricant and the rotating member. The first lubricant scattering prevention member is provided downstream from a first contact position at which the brush contacts the solid lubricant and upstream from a second contact position at which the brush contacts the rotating member in a direction of rotation of the brush.

Abstract: A charging device includes a charging roller, a drive transmission device, and a charging roller cleaner. The charging roller opposes an image carrier driven to rotate and rotates to charge the image carrier. The charging roller cleaner contacts the charging roller to clean the charging roller. The drive transmission device transmits torque from the image carrier to the charging roller, and includes an image carrier gear and a driven gear. The image carrier gear and the driven gear form a gear train to drive the charging roller in response to rotation of the image carrier. The charging roller cleaner is disposed facing a rear surface of the charging roller to prevent displacement of the charging roller due to a force generated by a pressure angle formed between the image carrier gear and the driven gear when the charging roller rotates in response to rotation of the image carrier.

Abstract: A switching transistor has a source connected to the ground and a drain connected to the first terminal. The other end of an inductor whose one end is to be connected to the first terminal is connected to the second terminal. An input voltage is applied to the third terminal. An auxiliary transistor is disposed between the second terminal and the third terminal. A first soft start circuit generates a first soft start voltage that increases with lapse of time, and a second soft start circuit generates a second soft start voltage that increases with a delay to the first soft start voltage. An error amplifier controls the gate voltage of the auxiliary transistor on the basis of the error voltage between the output voltage and the first soft start voltage.

Abstract: An input voltage Vin is supplied to a first terminal of a control circuit via an inductor connected to outside, and an output capacitor is connected to a second terminal. A switching transistor is provided between the first terminal and ground, and a synchronous rectifier transistor is provided between the first terminal and the second terminal. A first transistor is provided between a back gate of a synchronous rectifier transistor and the first terminal, and a second transistor is provided between the back gate and the second terminal. A switch control unit turns OFF the first transistor and the second transistor at a step-up stop interval; and turns OFF the first transistor and turns ON the second transistor at a step-up operation interval.

Abstract: A lubricant application apparatus including a lubricant application member and an elastic member. The lubricant application member applies lubricant to a lubricant receiving member moving in a given a surface movement direction. The elastic member contacts the lubricant receiving member in a counter direction with respect to the surface movement direction of the lubricant receiving member, and smoothes the lubricant applied on the lubricant receiving member. The elastic member is in contact with the lubricant receiving member at a contact area of the elastic member, in the counter direction. The elastic member is positioned in a downstream side of the surface movement direction of the lubricant receiving member with respect to the contact area of the elastic member. The elastic member is in contact with the lubricant receiving member at the contact area with a contact angle of 85 degrees or more.

Abstract: A lubricant application device including a solid lubricant, a brush, and a first lubricant scattering prevention member. The solid lubricant is in a non-contact state with a rotating member and provided below a horizontal line of an axis of the rotating member. The brush rotates and contacts both the solid lubricant and the rotating member. The first lubricant scattering prevention member is provided downstream from a first contact position at which the brush contacts the solid lubricant and upstream from a second contact position at which the brush contacts the rotating member in a direction of rotation of the brush.