Abstract: A foil transfer device includes a foil transfer unit configured to perform foil transfer processing of transferring a foil to a sheet with a toner image formed thereon, a first conveyance path configured to convey the sheet from a reception portion to the foil transfer unit and convey the sheet passed through the foil transfer unit to a discharge portion, and a second conveyance path configured to convey the sheet from the reception portion to the discharge portion without the sheet passing through the foil transfer unit.

Abstract: In a developer receiving portion 45, a receiving port 51 for receiving a liquid developer and a discharging port 57 for permitting discharge of the received liquid developer. A film forming electrode 44 is provided opposed to a developing roller 41 with a predetermined gap G and forms a film, on a surface of the developing roller 41, of the liquid developer supplied to the predetermined gap G through the discharging port 57. Further, the developer receiving portion 45 includes a partition plate 47 which partitions an inside space 45a, filled with the liquid developer supplied through the receiving port 51, into a first chamber 61 on the receiving port 51 side and a second chamber 62 on the discharging port 57 side. The partition plate 47 is provided with a plurality of communication ports 50 formed with respect to a liquid developer so as to communicate the first chamber 61 and the second chamber 62 with each other.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a controller configured to control first and second image forming units to form a plurality of groups of detection images, the plurality of groups of detection images being scaled based on a scaling factor, determine a plurality of detection start timings that respectively correspond to the plurality of groups based on the scaling factor, control a detection unit to detect the plurality of groups based on the determined detection start timings, and control the detected misregistration of a first image to be formed by the first image forming unit and a second image to be formed by the second image forming unit.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: a controller configured to: control first and second image forming units to form a plurality of groups of detection images, the plurality of groups of detection images being scaled based on a scaling factor, determine a plurality of detection start timings that respectively correspond to the plurality of groups based on the scaling factor, control a detection unit to detect the plurality of groups based on the determined detection start timings, and control the detected misregistration of a first image to be formed by the first image forming unit and a second image to be formed by the second image forming unit.

Abstract: A belt feeding device includes a belt, a first roller, an opposing roller, a second roller, and a brush roller. (|D2s?D2m|/2)×10???(|D2s?D2m|/2)×(b/(a+b)) is satisfied, where D2m is a minimum diameter of the first roller, D2s is a maximum diameter of the first roller, ? is an entering amount of the opposing roller into the brush roller with respect to a reference line A between a portion of the first roller having the minimum diameter D2m and the second roller, a is a distance between a line passing through a rotation center of the first roller and a line passing through a rotation center of the opposing roller, and b is a distance between a line passing through a rotation center of the second roller and a line passing through the rotation center of the opposing roller.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a detection unit configured to detect a test pattern formed on an image carrier by image forming units; and an adjustment unit configured to control the image forming units to form the test pattern, and adjust relative positions of images based on a detection result of the test pattern. The adjustment unit is further configured to control the image forming units to form the test pattern after the image forming units have formed on the image carrier an image to be transferred to a sheet with a basis weight less than a threshold, and before the image forming units form on the image carrier an image to be transferred to a sheet with a basis weight greater than the threshold.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a member-to-be-cleaned, a first cleaner unit including a first attracting member, a first rotatable member and a first blade member, a second cleaner unit including a second attracting member, a second rotatable member and a second blade member, and a feeding member. The feeding member rotates around its rotational axis and is provided vertically below a first position where a toner drops by gravitation and a second position where the toner drops by gravitation. The feeding member is disposed such that vertical lines passing through the first position and the second position cross the feeding member.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: a detection unit configured to detect a test pattern formed on an image carrier by image forming units; and an adjustment unit configured to control the image forming units to form the test pattern, and adjust relative positions of images based on a detection result of the test pattern. The adjustment unit is further configured to control the image forming units to form the test pattern after the image forming units has formed on the image carrier an image to be transferred to a sheet with a basis weight smaller than a threshold, and before the image forming units form on the image carrier an image to be transferred to a sheet with a basis weight larger than the threshold.

Abstract: A belt feeding device includes a belt, a first roller, an opposing roller, a second roller, and a brush roller. (|D2s?D2m|/2)×10???(|D2s?D2m|/2)×(b/(a+b)) is satisfied, where D2m is a minimum diameter of the first roller, D2s is a maximum diameter of the first roller, ? is an entering amount of the opposing roller into the brush roller with respect to a reference line A between a portion of the first roller having the minimum diameter D2m and the second roller, a is a distance between a line passing through a rotation center of the first roller and a line passing through a rotation center of the opposing roller, and b is a distance between a line passing through a rotation center of the second roller and a line passing through the rotation center of the opposing roller.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a member-to-be-cleaned, a first cleaner unit including a first attracting member, a first rotatable member and a first blade member, a second cleaner unit including a second attracting member, a second rotatable member and a second blade member, and a feeding member. The feeding member rotates around its rotational axis and is provided vertically below a first position where a toner drops by gravitation and a second position where the toner drops by gravitation. The feeding member is disposed such that vertical lines passing through the first position and the second position cross the feeding member.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a stretch roller and a steering roller rotatably supporting an intermediate transfer belt and a control portion executing a meandering control operation of controlling a widthwise position of the intermediate transfer belt by operating a tilting portion tilting the steering roller. The control portion tilts the steering roller to a reference position when transfer biases are applied to first and second transfer members in forming an image to perform the meandering control operation from the reference position. The control portion is also configured to be able to update the reference position stored in a storage portion based on an inclined position of the steering roller during the meandering control operation in the state in which the transfer members are applied.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a stretch roller and a steering roller rotatably supporting an intermediate transfer belt and a control portion executing a meandering control operation of controlling a widthwise position of the intermediate transfer belt by operating a tilting portion tiling the steering roller. The control portion tilts the steering roller to reference position when transfer biases are applied to first and second transfer members in forming an image to perform the meandering control operation from the reference position. The control portion is also configured to be able to update the reference position stored in a storage portion based on an inclined position of the steering roller during the meandering control operation in the state in which the transfer members are applied.

Abstract: An auction apparatus includes a reception unit, an item information obtaining unit, a selling information generation unit, and an auction execution unit. The reception unit receives selling request including item ID and user ID. The item information obtaining unit obtains item information corresponding to the user ID and the item ID included in the received selling request from a kept item management apparatus storing item information associated with the item ID and the user ID when the reception unit receives the selling request. The selling information generation unit generates selling information including information required in an auction for selling using the item information obtained by the item information obtaining unit in response to the selling request. The auction execution unit executes the auction using the generated selling information.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image bearing member, a toner image forming unit, a sensor, and a control unit. The toner image forming unit is configured to form a toner image on the image bearing member. The sensor includes a light-emitting unit for emitting light, a light-receiving unit for receiving reflected light, an electrical circuit board in which the light-emitting unit is attached, and a frame supporting the electrical circuit board with the electrical circuit board bonded with three supporting portions. The sensor is configured to detect the toner image formed on the image bearing member. The control unit is configured to control a toner image forming condition of the toner image forming unit according to an output of the sensor.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a belt member which bears a toner image, a transfer portion for forming a transfer nip portion, a changing unit for changing an advancing angle of the belt member advancing into the transfer nip portion, a guide member which is arranged at an upstream side of the transfer nip portion in a recording material conveying direction and face to a untransfered face of the recording material and guide a recording material to the transfer nip portion, and a controller for controlling the changing unit so that a belt face advancing into the transfer nip portion and conveying a recording material having a first thickness is at a position farther from the guide member than the belt face advancing into the transfer nip portion and conveying a recording material having a second thickness smaller than the first thickness.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image bearing member, a toner image forming unit, a sensor, and a control unit. The toner image forming unit is configured to form a toner image on the image bearing member. The sensor includes a light-emitting unit for emitting light, a light-receiving unit for receiving reflected light, an electrical circuit board in which the light-emitting unit is attached, and a frame supporting the electrical circuit board with the electrical circuit board bonded with three supporting portions. The sensor is configured to detect the toner image formed on the image bearing member. The control unit is configured to control a toner image forming condition of the toner image forming unit according to an output of the sensor.

Abstract: A consumable component sorting system which make it possible to prolong the service life of a consumable component and reduce cost burdened on a user. An image forming apparatus collects information on its own operational environment or operational condition. A data server estimates a change in characteristics of the consumable component used in the image forming apparatus based on the information on the operational environment or the operational condition of the same collected thereby. A component managing server sorts out a consumable component suited to the operational environment or the operational condition of the image forming apparatus, based on the result of the estimation of the data server.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a belt member which bears a toner image, a transfer portion for forming a transfer nip portion, a changing unit for changing an advancing angle of the belt member advancing into the transfer nip portion, a guide member which is arranged at an upstream side of the transfer nip portion in a recording material conveying direction and face to a untransfered face of the recording material and guide a recording material to the transfer nip portion, and a controller for controlling the changing unit so that a belt face advancing into the transfer nip portion and conveying a recording material having a first thickness is at a position farther from the guide member than the belt face advancing into the transfer nip portion and conveying a recording material having a second thickness smaller than the first thickness.

Abstract: An image reading apparatus accurately determines the positions of image forming mirrors formed with an off-axis reflecting surface, while enabling any thermal expansion caused by a rise in temperature due to a rise in the surrounding temperature to be absorbed. Each image forming mirror formed with an off-axis reflecting surface comprises respective and independent units for determining the positions in the longitudinal direction, in the lateral position, and in the direction orthogonal to the reflecting surface. Holes with which the longitudinal position determining units and the lateral position determining units engage have gaps in the directions orthogonal to the position determining directions to absorb the thermal expansion caused by a rise in the temperature of the image forming mirror when the position determining units engage with the holes.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image bearing member, which rotates and bears a toner image, a thickness of the image bearing member having a periodical variation in a rotation direction of the image bearing member, a first image forming device, which forms a toner image on the image bearing member at a first region with a first toner; and a second image forming device, which forms a toner image on the image bearing member at a second region with a second toner. A distance between a central position of the first region in the rotation direction of the image bearing member and a central position of the second region in the rotation direction of the image bearing member is approximately integer multiples of a periodical length in the periodical variation of the thickness of the image bearing member.