Abstract: An exposure unit which exposes photoconductive drums having rotary axes thereof arranged parallel to each other on a single plane by light beams, includes one or more polygon mirrors each having a plurality of reflection surfaces, where the one or more polygon mirrors rotate about a common rotary axis. Each light beam is deflected by the one or more polygon mirrors and scans the surface of a corresponding photoconductive drum. The common rotary axis is separated from the rotary axes of the photoconductive drums by identical distances along respective normals which are perpendicular to both the common rotary axis and the rotary axes of the photoconductive drums.

Abstract: An endless belt is supported by a plurality of rollers. A transfer roller comes in contact with an outer surface of the belt to form a transfer nip. An auxiliary member makes contact with a recording medium on an upstream side of the transfer nip in a movement direction of the belt, to cause the recording medium to be in close contact with the outer surface of the belt. A bias applying unit applies to the auxiliary member a bias for electrostatically transferring a toner adhered to the auxiliary member to the outer surface of the belt.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image carrier, an intermediate transferring body and a contact type secondary transferring member transferring an image from the intermediate transferring body to a recording medium. The apparatus forms an image with respective developers for multiple colors and uses a predefined adjustment pattern to make density adjustment and position adjustment of respective color images. After execution of the density adjustment and/or the position adjustment, a stain prevention pattern is formed with a yellow developer to cover an area where the adjustment pattern is attached to the secondary transferring member.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image carrier, a toner image forming unit configured to form a toner image having a predetermined polarity on the image carrier, an intermediate transfer body facing the image carrier, a primary transfer member configured to transfer the toner image on the image carrier onto the intermediate transfer body, a secondary transfer member configured to transfer the toner image on the intermediate transfer body onto a recording medium, and a contacting member in contact with the image carrier and configured to remove residual toner remaining on the image carrier after the toner image is transferred by the primary transfer member onto the intermediate transfer body and to pass the removed residual toner to the intermediate transfer body. A bias voltage with the same polarity as the predetermined polarity of the toner image is applied to the contacting member.

Abstract: A belt including a first roller is supported by a plurality of rollers, and is driven to rotate in a predetermined direction. An abutting member makes contact with at least one edge of the belt in its width direction. A pressing member applies a pressure on an extended surface of the belt in its thickness direction at a position near a contact portion of the belt with the abutting member and on an upstream side of the contact portion in its moving direction.

Abstract: In an image forming apparatus, an intermediate transfer belt is made of a resin film and is supported by a plurality of rollers. A driving roller that is one of the plurality of rollers, drives the intermediate transfer belt, and also functions as an opposing unit with respect to a secondary transfer roller. The driving roller is made of metal, and applies a bias to at least secondary transfer units, at least at a time of performing primary transfer to a plurality of image bearing bodies.

Abstract: A powder container is configured to be installed in a substantially horizontal manner in an apparatus in which the powder container is used. A powder inlet is provided, through which a powder enters into the powder container. A powder detecting unit includes a powder detector for detecting a full of the powder. A powder conveying unit is provided between the powder inlet and the powder detecting unit. A space between the powder inlet and the powder detecting unit is divided into a plurality of areas.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a dual purpose tray that accommodates a document and a transfer sheet, a document transport mechanism to transport the document from the dual purpose tray to an image reading position, an image reading mechanism disposed beneath the document transport mechanism, an image forming mechanism disposed beneath the image reading mechanism, a transfer sheet transport mechanism to transport the transfer sheet from a bifurcation point through the image reading mechanism, a sheet feeding path that bifurcates into a first transport path through which the document is transported to the image reading position and a second transport path through which the transfer sheet is transported through the image reading mechanism to an image forming position by switching a switching member in accordance with one of a type of a recording medium set on the dual purpose tray and an operation mode of the image forming apparatus.

Abstract: An image forming unit includes four photoconductors, a belt extended around a driving roller and an extension-cum-primary transfer roller. Three primary transfer rollers sandwich the belt in association with a corresponding photoconductor. The extension-cum-primary transfer roller serves both as an extension roller and a primary transfer roller.

Abstract: A dust container includes a container body, an inlet, a dust detector, and a dust-conveying unit. The dust-conveying unit conveys the dust from the inlet to the interior of the container body. The dust-conveying unit includes a plurality of conveying members that are arranged at different positions in the dust conveying unit. A direction in which the dust is conveyed and an amount of the dust conveyed by at least one of the conveying members is different from those of the other conveying members. As the dust accumulates in the container body, the dust detector detects whether the container body is substantially full with the dust.

Abstract: An exposure unit which exposes photoconductive drums having rotary axes thereof arranged parallel to each other on a single plane by light beams, includes one or more polygon mirrors each having a plurality of reflection surfaces, where the one or more polygon mirrors rotate about a common rotary axis. Each light beam is deflected by the one or more polygon mirrors and scans the surface of a corresponding photoconductive drum. The common rotary axis is separated from the rotary axes of the photoconductive drums by identical distances along respective normals which are perpendicular to both the common rotary axis and the rotary axes of the photoconductive drums.

Abstract: A belt including a first roller is supported by a plurality of rollers, and is driven to rotate in a predetermined direction. An abutting member makes contact with at least one edge of the belt in its width direction. A pressing member applies a pressure on an extended surface of the belt in its thickness direction at a position near a contact portion of the belt with the abutting member and on an upstream side of the contact portion in its moving direction.

Abstract: A belt is supported by a plurality of rollers and is driven to move in a predetermined direction. A flange member is configured to make contact with a portion of an edge surface of the belt in its width direction. A pressing member presses on a surface of the belt in its thickness direction at a position near a contact portion of the belt with the flange member.

Abstract: An endless belt is supported by a plurality of rollers. A transfer roller comes in contact with an outer surface of the belt to form a transfer nip. An auxiliary member makes contact with a recording medium on an upstream side of the transfer nip in a movement direction of the belt, to cause the recording medium to be in close contact with the outer surface of the belt. A bias applying unit applies to the auxiliary member a bias for electrostatically transferring a toner adhered to the auxiliary member to the outer surface of the belt.

Abstract: A primary transfer unit includes transfer units for performing a toner transfer from image carriers onto a transfer belt. Each of the transfer units is formed with a metallic roller. The metallic roller is arranged so as to satisfy ?1<?2, where an angle of the endless belt with respect to a tangent to the image carrier, on a side upstream of rotation of the endless belt to a transfer nip region where the image carrier and the endless belt are in contact is ?1, and an angle of the endless belt with respect to the tangent, on a side downstream of rotation of the endless belt to the transfer nip region is ?2.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image carrier, an intermediate transferring body and a contact type secondary transferring member transferring an image from the intermediate transferring body to a recording medium. The apparatus forms an image with respective developers for multiple colors and uses a predefined adjustment pattern to make density adjustment and position adjustment of respective color images. After execution of the density adjustment and/or the position adjustment, a stain prevention pattern is formed with a yellow developer to cover an area where the adjustment pattern is attached to the secondary transferring member.

Abstract: A disclosed image forming apparatus includes an image carrier; a toner image forming unit configured to form a toner image having a predetermined polarity on the image carrier; an intermediate transfer body facing the image carrier; a primary transfer member configured to transfer the toner image on the image carrier onto the intermediate transfer body; a secondary transfer member configured to transfer the toner image on the intermediate transfer body onto a recording medium; and a contacting member that is in contact with the image carrier and configured to remove residual toner remaining on the image carrier after the toner image is transferred by the primary transfer member onto the intermediate transfer body and to pass the removed residual toner to the intermediate transfer body, to which contacting member a bias voltage with the same polarity as the predetermined polarity of the toner image is applied.

Abstract: A transfer belt unit satisfies the following conditions. An intermediate transfer belt has a thickness not less than 100 micrometers and not more than 200 micrometers, a tension not less than 80 N/m and not more than 180 N/m, and a tensile elastic modulus not less than 1000 megapascals and not more than 2000 megapascals. A secondary-transfer bias roller has an Asker C hardness not less than 35 degrees and not more than 50 degrees. Stretching rollers for stretching the intermediate transfer belt have an outer diameter not less than 6 millimeters.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus including a developer regulating member and sealing members. The developer regulating member regulates an amount of the developer carried by a developer carrying member, and has a center region having a first outer diameter of a first longitudinal cross-sectional region which increases toward an axial center portion of the developer regulating member according to a predetermined calculated amount of deflection of the developer regulating member, side regions located at axial end portions and having a second outer diameter of a second longitudinal cross-sectional region greater than a third outer diameter of a third longitudinal cross-sectional region obtained according to deflection of the developer regulating member. The sealing members have respective inner edges which sandwich boundaries of the center region and each of the side regions.

Abstract: A powder container is configured to be installed in a substantially horizontal manner in an apparatus in which the powder container is used. A powder inlet is provided, through which a powder enters into the powder container. A powder detecting unit includes a powder detector for detecting a full of the powder. A powder conveying unit is provided between the powder inlet and the powder detecting unit. A space between the powder inlet and the powder detecting unit is divided into a plurality of areas.