Abstract: An image forming apparatus for communicating with a management apparatus for storing a plurality of electronic prepaid information and authentication information related to the plurality of electronic prepaid information, and replaying to inquiry request for electronic prepaid information based on authentication information through a portable communication terminal storing authentication information.

Abstract: There is described an image forming apparatus equipped with a cleaning unit to clean a belt-type transfer member. The cleaning unit includes: a conductive opposing roller that contacts an inner surface of the intermediate transfer member; a first conductive brush member and a second conductive brush member, both of which are pressed against the conductive opposing roller while putting the intermediate transfer member between them; a cleaning-voltage applying power source to apply a cleaning voltage having a polarity opposite to that of the residual toner onto the first conductive brush member; and an opposing-roller potential controlling unit to control an electric potential state of the conductive opposing roller, so that an electric potential difference, between the first conductive brush member and the conductive opposing roller at a time when the secondary transferring unit is deactivated, is larger than that at a time when the primary transferring unit is activated.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus providing services for general users, capable of getting rid of trouble to collect use charges.

Abstract: In an image recording apparatus equipped with plural printing heads each for jetting ink drops having a photo-setting property towards a recording medium, a conveyance unit for conveying the recording medium to the printing heads, and each of plural light radiation devices for radiating light to the ink drops landed on the recording medium to harden, is arranged at the downstream side of each of the plural printing heads, one having largest light energy, which is located at the most downstream position among the plural light radiation devices is determined at least to satisfy the light energy necessary for hardening of the ink drops jetted by any one of the printing heads positioned upstream thereof, and the light energy becomes smaller gradually for every light radiation device in the order from the light radiation device at the most downstream position to those at more upstream positions.

Abstract: The invention prevents the phenomenon of occurrence of toner scattering or density fluctuations by changing the appropriate transfer conditions according to the toner charge of the toner images formed on an intermediate image transfer member. The density of toner images formed under prescribed image forming conditions on an intermediate image transfer member is detected, the toner charge is obtained from the detected density, and the pre-transfer charging section is controlled according to the obtained toner charge.

Abstract: There is described an image forming apparatus equipped with a cleaning unit to clean a belt-type transfer member. The cleaning unit includes: a conductive opposing roller that contacts an inner surface of the intermediate transfer member; a first conductive blush member and a second conductive blush member, both of which are pressed against the conductive opposing roller while putting the intermediate transfer member between them; a cleaning-voltage applying power source to apply a cleaning voltage having a polarity opposite to that of the residual toner onto the first conductive blush member; and an opposing-roller potential controlling unit to control an electric potential state of the conductive opposing roller, so that an electric potential difference, between the first conductive blush member and the conductive opposing roller at a time when the secondary transferring unit is deactivated, is larger than that at a time when the primary transferring unit is activated.

Abstract: There is described an image forming apparatus equipped with a cleaning unit to clean a belt-type transfer member. The cleaning unit includes: a conductive opposing roller that contacts an inner surface of the intermediate transfer member; a first conductive blush member and a second conductive blush member, both of which are pressed against the conductive opposing roller while putting the intermediate transfer member between them; a cleaning-voltage applying power source to apply a cleaning voltage having a polarity opposite to that of the residual toner onto the first conductive blush member; and an opposing-roller potential controlling unit to control an electric potential state of the conductive opposing roller, so that an electric potential difference, between the first conductive blush member and the conductive opposing roller at a time when the secondary transferring unit is deactivated, is larger than that at a time when the primary transferring unit is activated.

Abstract: A color image forming apparatus may have an image forming unit composed of a plurality of groups which have image carriers and image forming devices.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus providing services for general users, capable of getting rid of trouble to collect use charges.

Abstract: An image printing apparatus including a conveyance-printing section for printing on a recording medium sheet; a first printing device including a plurality of black printing heads for jetting image-setting black ink drops onto the recording medium sheet; a second printing device including a plurality of color printing heads for jetting image-setting color ink drops onto the recording medium sheet; first light radiating devices which radiate ultraviolet rays to harden the image-setting black ink drops; and second light radiating devices which radiate the ultraviolet rays to harden the image-setting color ink drops.

Abstract: There is disclosed a color image forming apparatus, which makes it possible to prevent a reproduced image from generating image defects, such as a color unevenness, a toner scattering, etc.

Abstract: The color image forming apparatus, having: an intermediate transfer member; a plurality of image forming sections provided along the intermediate transfer member; a primary transfer device provided along the intermediate transfer member to transfer toner images formed on each image forming section so that the toner images are superimposed on the intermediate transfer member; a secondary transfer device provided downstream side of the primary transfer device to transfer superimposed toner images through bias voltage; a discharging device having a grid and a discharge electrode provided between the primary transfer device and secondary transfer device; a image density sensor provided along the intermediate transfer member to detect an amount of toner adhesion on the intermediate transfer member; and a control device to control the applied voltage for the discharge electrode in accordance with output of the image density sensor.

Abstract: A color image forming apparatus includes primary transferring units that transfer toner images of different colors from photoreceptors to an intermediate transfer body, a secondary transferring unit that transfers a color toner image from the intermediate transfer body onto a transfer material, a pre-charging unit placed downstream of the primary transferring units and upstream of the secondary transferring unit and that applies electric charge to the color toner image on the intermediate transfer body before the secondary image transfer with the polarity of the applied electrical charge identical to polarity of the potential of the toner, and a potential adjustment unit placed downstream of the pre-charging unit and upstream of the secondary transferring unit, and that applies an electric charge that has a polarity opposite to that of the potential of the toner to the color toner image on the intermediate transfer body.

Abstract: An ink jet printer for recording an image on a recording medium by jetting ink from nozzles having: an ink jet section which is provided with the nozzles; and an ink droplet detection section for detecting an impact force generated when an ink droplet jetted from the nozzles lands with a piezoelectric element, which is provided ahead in an ink droplet jetting direction from the nozzles.

Abstract: There is described an image forming apparatus, which makes it possible to conduct a sufficient discharging operation for a toner image. The apparatus includes an image forming section, an image bearing member, an intermediate transfer belt, a part of which is supported in a state of a flat plane by supporting members, a primary transferring device to transfer a toner image from the image bearing member onto the intermediate transfer member, a secondary transferring device to transfer the toner image onto a transfer material, a scorotron discharging device that is disposed at an upstream side of the secondary transferring device, where the part of the intermediate transfer member is supported in the state of the flat plane, and includes a discharging electrode and a grid to discharge the toner image; and a conductive brush that opposes to the scorotron discharging device and contacts the rear surface of intermediate transfer member.

Abstract: A color image forming apparatus includes plural developing units that respectively form toner images of different colors on plural photoreceptors, plural primary transferring devices that successively transfer each of the toner images of the plural photoreceptors onto an intermediate transfer belt, which holds a color toner image transferred and superimposed by primary transfer, a secondary transferring device that transfers concurrently the color toner image onto a transfer material, a drive roller that drives the intermediate transfer belt and that is placed between one of the plurality of primary transferring devices which is arranged on the most downstream side in the direction of movement of the intermediate transfer belt and the secondary transferring device, and a controller that controls a discharger discharging the color toner image and the drive of the drive roller.

Abstract: An ink jet printer has an ink jet section for jetting ink from nozzles, a vibration detection section for detecting a jet failure of the nozzles, which is provided ahead in an ink droplet jetting direction from the nozzles, an ink droplet receiving section for receiving an ink droplet jetted from the nozzles, which is interposed between the nozzles and the vibration detection section, and a control section for controlling a maximum diameter of an ink droplet jetted from the nozzles when detecting a jet failure of the nozzles to be larger than that when recording an image.

Abstract: An ink jet printer has: a vibration detection section to receive ink jetted from the nozzles and output a detection signal having an amplitude corresponding to a vibration generated when the ink lands; a sampling section to sample an amplitude value of the detection signal by a predetermined sampling clock signal; a storing section to store an amplitude value data of the detection signal sampled by the sampling section; a judging section to judge a jet failure of the nozzles based on the amplitude value data of the detection signal in the storing section; and a control section to control to jet the ink continuously a plurality of times with a jet drive cycle which is set by multiplying a standard drive waveform time of an ink jet signal from the nozzles by an odd number not less than five when detecting a jet failure of the nozzles.

Abstract: A color image forming apparatus is described, which makes highly durable image transferring possible.

Abstract: In an image recording apparatus equipped with plural printing heads each for jetting ink drops having a photo-setting property towards a recording medium, a conveyance unit for conveying the recording medium to the printing heads, and each of plural light radiation devices for radiating light to the ink drops landed on the recording medium to harden, is arranged at the downstream side of each of the plural printing heads, one having largest light energy, which is located at the most downstream position among the plural light radiation devices is determined at least to satisfy the light energy necessary for hardening of the ink drops jetted by any one of the printing heads positioned upstream thereof, and the light energy becomes smaller gradually for every light radiation device in the order from the light radiation device at the most downstream position to those at more upstream positions.