Abstract: A cleaning device includes: a first scraping member that scrapes off a developer on a surface of a moving body that circularly moves; a second scraping member that is disposed downstream from the first scraping member in a moving direction of the moving body, and that scrapes off residuals remaining on the surface of the moving body; a container having: a first housing portion that houses the developer scraped off by the first scraping member, as a recovered material; and a second housing portion that houses the residuals scraped off by the second scraping member; a discharge port that is disposed in the first housing portion, wherein the developer in the first housing portion is discharged to an outside of the container through the discharge port; and a conveying member that conveys the recovered material housed in the first housing portion to the discharge port.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: an image carrier that carries a developed image that has been developed on a surface thereof using a developer; a transfer member that transfers the developed image from the image carrier to a belt-shaped member; an electric power supply unit that supplies electric power to the transfer member; a measurement unit that measures a combined resistance value of the image carrier, the belt-shaped member, and the transfer member; and a controller that controls the electric power supply unit. The controller controls the electric power supply unit such that the electric power supplied to the transfer member is changed from a predetermined first supply value to a second supply value, the second supply value being larger than the first supply value, when the combined resistance value measured by the measurement unit is lower than a predetermined combined resistance value.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image carrier that holds a toner-image; an intermediate transfer member onto which the toner-image that has been held on the image carrier is transferred; a transfer unit that transfers onto a recording medium the toner-image that has been transferred onto the intermediate transfer member, the transfer unit transferring thereon a color-toner-image for checking toner-image, which has been formed in a non-image forming region on the intermediate transfer member; an application unit that applies an adhesion force reducing agent to a surface of the transfer unit before the color-toner-image for checking formed on the intermediate transfer member passes through the transfer unit, the adhesion force reducing agent reducing adhesion force to the transfer unit of the color-toner-image for checking; and a cleaning unit that removes the color-toner-image for checking that has been transferred onto the transfer unit and the adhesion force reducing agent.

Abstract: A warpage leveling unit includes a surface roughening member that is provided to oppose to a side end portion of an image carrier which has an endless-belt-shape, is entrained around a plurality of rollers, and carries an image on a surface of the image carrier, wherein the surface roughening member comes into contact with a surface of the side end portion which is warped.

Abstract: The invention provides an annular body provided at an image forming apparatus, the annular body has at least an outermost periphery layer and an innermost periphery layer, each of which comprise carbon black, and a content of carbon black contained per unit of volume of the outermost periphery layer being smaller than a content of carbon black contained per unit of volume of the innermost periphery layer. The invention further provides an annular body stretching device, having at least the annular body and a plurality of annular body stretching units rotatably stretching the annular body at an inner surface of the annular body. The invention further provides an image forming apparatus having at least an image holder, a charging device, an exposing device, a developing device, a first transferring device, a second transferring device, and a fixing device, in which the intermediate transfer belt is the annular body.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a transparent image forming unit having a transparent image carrier; plural color image forming units arranged on a downstream side in a process direction of the transparent image forming unit, the color image forming units having color image carriers; a black image forming unit arranged between the transparent image forming unit and the color image forming unit or on the downstream side of the color image forming units, the black image forming unit having a black image carrier; an intermediate transfer member to which the toner images formed in the respective image carriers are transferred; a retracting mechanism that brings the transparent image carrier into contact with or separates it from the intermediate transfer member; and a moving unit that brings the intermediate transfer member into contact with or separates it from the color image carrier.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus comprises a first image forming unit that transfers a base toner image formed on a first image carrier to an intermediate transfer member and forms an image and second image forming units that are plurally disposed downstream of the first image forming unit in a moving direction of the intermediate transfer member, transfer different color toner images formed on second image carriers to the intermediate transfer member and form images. The base toner image is formed beforehand in a single color region transferred onto the intermediate transfer member from the second image carriers of the second image forming units.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image carrier that holds a toner-image; an intermediate transfer member onto which the toner-image that has been held on the image carrier is transferred; a transfer unit that transfers onto a recording medium the toner-image that has been transferred onto the intermediate transfer member; the transfer unit transferring thereon a color-toner-image for checking toner-image, which has been formed in a non-image forming region on the intermediate transfer member; an application unit that applies an adhesion force reducing agent to a surface of the transfer unit before the color-toner-image for checking formed on the intermediate transfer member passes through the transfer unit, the adhesion force reducing agent reducing adhesion force to the transfer unit of the color-toner-image for checking; and a cleaning unit that removes the color-toner-image for checking that has been transferred onto the transfer unit and the adhesion force reducing agent.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a transparent image forming unit having a transparent image carrier; plural color image forming units arranged on a downstream side in a process direction of the transparent image forming unit, the color image forming units having color image carriers; a black image forming unit arranged between the transparent image forming unit and the color image forming unit or on the downstream side of the color image forming units, the black image forming unit having a black image carrier; an intermediate transfer member to which the toner images formed in the respective image carriers are transferred; a retracting mechanism that brings the transparent image carrier into contact with or separates it from the intermediate transfer member; and a moving unit that brings the intermediate transfer member into contact with or separates it from the color image carrier.

Abstract: The present invention discloses a carrier, which comprises a core and a resin coating layer formed thereon containing electroconductive powder, wherein, when the magnetic brush is formed only of the core, the dynamic electrical resistance of the core forming the magnetic brush under an electric field of 104 V/cm is 1 &OHgr;·cm or less and the electrical resistance of the resin coating layer is from 10 to 1×108 &OHgr;·cm, a developer using the carrier, and an image-forming method using the developer. Owing to the present invention, a superior solid image, which is free of brush marks and carrier beads carry over, can be obtained.

Abstract: The present invention discloses a carrier, which comprises a core and a resin coating layer formed thereon containing electroconductive powder, wherein, when the magnetic brush is formed only of the core, the dynamic electrical resistance of the core forming the magnetic brush under an electric field of 104 V/cm is 1 &OHgr;·cm or less and the electrical resistance of the resin coating layer is from 10 to 1×108 &OHgr;·cm, a developer using the carrier, and an image-forming method using the developer. Owing to the present invention, a superior solid image, which is free of brush marks and carrier beads carry over, can be obtained.

Abstract: In image forming method comprising an exposure step of forming an electrostatic latent image and a developing step of developing the electrostatic latent image, a developer comprises a magnetic carrier and a toner; a developing curve of the developer at the time when the developer is used has a saturated characteristic, the developing curve being as expression of the relation between the amount of toner transferred to the latent image support member and contrast potential, the contrast potential being determined by the developing bias potential applied to the developer support member and the potential of an exposed portion of the latent image support member; a proportion of the toner in the developer is in a range from 5 to 10% by weight; a time constant of the developer is less than or equal to 40 msec; and the developing step comprises applying developing bias voltage to the developer support member such that an amount of the toner transferred to the latent image support member reaches a saturated range.