Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image bearing member to form a toner image on a recording material with a liquid developer containing a toner and a carrier liquid, wherein the carrier liquid contains a first substance, charged to an opposite polarity to a charge polarity of the toner, for imparting an electrical polarity to the toner, and a second substance, higher in volume resistivity than the first substance, a cleaning portion to collect the liquid developer remaining on the image bearing member after the toner image is transferred onto the recording material, a toner separating device to separate the collected liquid developer into the toner and the carrier liquid, and a carrier separating device to separate the carrier liquid into the carrier liquid containing the first substance and the carrier liquid containing the second substance by applying an electric field to the carrier liquid.

Abstract: A separating device includes an electrode roller, an electrode member, a liquid developer supplying portion, a carrier liquid collecting portion, a collecting roller and a blade member. When a line passing through a center and a top of the electrode roller with respect to a gravitational direction is 0°, an upstream end portion of a gap between the electrode roller and the electrode member is positioned in a range of 0° or more and less than 180° with respect to an electrode roller rotational direction. When a line passing through a center and a top of the collecting roller with respect to the gravitational direction is 0°, a contact position of the blade member with the collecting roller is in a range of 35° or more in an upstream side of a contact position between the collecting and electrode rollers with respect to a collecting roller rotational direction.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a main assembly, a first openable portion provided on a first side of the main assembly, a second openable portion provided on a second side of the main assembly, a single projector portion, a first projecting portion configured to project the image from above the first openable portion onto a projection object provided on the first side or onto the first openable portion when the first openable portion is open, and a second projecting portion configured to project the image from above the second openable portion onto a projection object provided on the second side or onto the second openable portion when the second openable portion is open.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus and method for controlling an image forming apparatus is provided. The image forming apparatus includes a detecting unit, a projecting unit, and a control unit. The detecting unit is configured to detect an event that needs user work on the image forming apparatus. The projecting unit is configured to project an image onto a projection target. The control unit is configured to control projection by the projecting unit. When an event that needs user work on the image forming apparatus is detected, the projecting unit projects an image onto a projection target so that a target portion of the user work can be identified and also projects an instruction image for performing the user work.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a main assembly, a first openable portion provided on a first side of the main assembly, a second openable portion provided on a second side of the main assembly, a single projector portion, a first projecting portion configured to project the image from above the first openable portion onto a projection object provided on the first side or onto the first openable portion when the first openable portion is open, and a second projecting portion configured to project the image from above the second openable portion onto a projection object provided on the second side or onto the second openable portion when the second openable portion is open.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a main assembly including a feeding portion configured to feed a sheet and an image forming portion configured to form an image on the fed sheet, an openable cover provided on a side surface of the main assembly and openable for exposing a component part in the main assembly by opening a space above the component part with respect to a vertical direction, and a projecting portion provided above the openable cover with respect to the vertical direction and capable of projecting light toward the component part when the openable cover is opened.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image forming portion configured to form an image with a liquid developer containing a toner and a carrier liquid, a separating device, a first carrier supplying device, a second carrier supplying device, and an accommodating portion configured to accommodate a carrier liquid supplied from the first carrier supplying device and a carrier liquid, in which a ratio of a first substance is smaller than that in the carrier liquid collected from the separating device or no first substance is contained, supplied from the second carrier supplying device. The carrier liquid accommodated in the accommodating portion is capable of being supplied to the image forming portion.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image forming portion configured to form a toner image on a recording material with a liquid developer containing a toner and a carrier liquid, wherein the carrier liquid contains a first substance for imparting an electrical polarity to the toner and a second substance, higher in volume resistivity than the first substance, as a dispersion medium for dispersing the toner; and a carrier separating device configured to separate the carrier liquid into the first substance charged to an opposite polarity to a charge polarity of the toner and the second substance by applying an electric field to the liquid developer collected from the image forming portion so as to collect each of the first substance and the second substance.

Abstract: A separating device includes an electrode roller, an electrode member, a liquid developer supplying portion, a carrier liquid collecting portion, a collecting roller and a blade member. When a line passing through a center and a top of the electrode roller with respect to a gravitational direction is 0°, an upstream end portion of a gap between the electrode roller and the electrode member is positioned in a range of 0° or more and less than 180° with respect to an electrode roller rotational direction. When a line passing through a center and a top of the collecting roller with respect to the gravitational direction is 0°, a contact position of the blade member with the collecting roller is in a range of 35° or more in an upstream side of a contact position between the collecting and electrode rollers with respect to a collecting roller rotational direction.

Abstract: A sheet conveying apparatus includes a sheet conveying path through which a sheet is conveyed, and a burr pushing portion provided on the sheet conveying path and pushing down a burr, formed at one side edge in a width direction orthogonal to a sheet conveying direction of the sheet, in the width direction. The burr pushing portion includes a contact portion coming into contact with the burrs while inclining with respect to the side edge of the sheet conveyed thereto.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus and method for controlling an image forming apparatus is provided. The image forming apparatus includes a detecting unit, a projecting unit, and a control unit. The detecting unit is configured to detect an event that needs user work on the image forming apparatus. The projecting unit is configured to project an image onto a projection target. The control unit is configured to control projection by the projecting unit. When an event that needs user work on the image forming apparatus is detected, the projecting unit projects an image onto a projection target so that a target portion of the user work can be identified and also projects an instruction image for performing the user work.

Abstract: A sheet conveying apparatus includes a sheet conveying path through which a sheet is conveyed, and a burr pushing portion provided on the sheet conveying path and pushing down a burr, formed at one side edge in a width direction orthogonal to a sheet conveying direction of the sheet, in the width direction. The burr pushing portion includes a contact portion coming into contact with the burrs while inclining with respect to the side edge of the sheet conveyed thereto.

Abstract: An image heating apparatus includes: first and second rotatable members configured to heat an image on a sheet at a nip; a roughening member configured to perform roughening of a surface of the first rotatable member when at least the first rotatable member of the first and second rotatable members rotates; a moving mechanism configured to move the roughening member relative to the first rotatable member so that the roughening member is movable between a contact position where the roughening member is contacted to the first rotatable member and a spaced position where the roughening member is spaced from the first rotatable member; an obtaining portion configured to obtain information indicating that the first rotatable member is new; and a controller configured to control the moving mechanism to perform the roughening upon obtaining of the information by the obtaining portion.

Abstract: An image heating apparatus includes: first and second rotatable members configured to heat an image on a sheet at a nip; a roughening member configured to perform roughening of a surface of the first rotatable member when at least the first rotatable member of the first and second rotatable members rotates; a moving mechanism configured to move the roughening member relative to the first rotatable member so that the roughening member is movable between a contact position where the roughening member is contacted to the first rotatable member and a spaced position where the roughening member is spaced from the first rotatable member; an obtaining portion configured to obtain information indicating that the first rotatable member is a new one; and a controller configured to control the moving mechanism to perform the roughening upon obtaining of the information by the obtaining portion.

Abstract: An image heating apparatus includes: a rotatable member; a pair of frames; a separating unit including a separating plate and a pair of spacers; and a holding unit including a holding portion and an urging portion. The holding unit is rotatable between a first position where the spacers are abutted against the rotatable member and a second position where the spacers are spaced from the rotatable member. The frames include a pair of shaft portions, and the separating unit includes a pair of guiding slots with movement of the holding unit from the second position to the first position. The holding portion permits inclination of the separating unit so that only one of the shaft portions is abutted against a stopper portion of its associated guiding slot with the abutment of the spacers against the rotatable member.

Abstract: An inner heating member is disposed in contact with an inner circumferential surface of a heating belt and an outer heating member is disposed in contact with an outer circumferential surface of the heating belt to heat the heating belt. A restricting member configured to restrict an orbit of the heating belt is disposed between the inner and outer heating members. Then, at least either one of an area of contact between the inner circumferential surface of the heating belt and the inner heating member and an area of contact between the outer circumferential surface of the heating belt and the outer heating member is changed to quickly change a quantity of heat applied to the outer circumferential surface or inner circumferential surface of the heating belt.

Abstract: An image heating apparatus, including: a heat rotary member configured to heat an image on a recording material; a rubbing rotary member configured to rub the heat rotary member; a separation plate configured to separate the recording material from the heat rotary member; and a first and a second contact member which are in contact with the heat rotary member to position the separation plate with a predetermined gap from the heat rotary member, wherein, in a width direction of the heat rotary member, the first and second contact members are out of contact with the heat rotary member within a range in which the rubbing rotary member rubs the heat rotary member, and are in contact with the heat rotary member outside the range, and wherein the first and second contact members are in contact with on one end and the other end of the heat rotary member, respectively.

Abstract: The present invention provides an image forming apparatus capable of appropriately curing curl which is apt to be generated at a fixing-completed sheet. An intersection angle ?2 between respective axis lines 81c, 82c of an upper conveying roller 81 and a lower conveying roller 82 in a conveying apparatus 80 is set to be in the opposite direction to an intersection angle ?1 between respective axis lines 50c and 51c of a fixing roller 50 and a pressure roller 51 in the fixing apparatus 40. Accordingly, curl generated at a sheet S at the time of pressure fixing at the fixing apparatus 40 can be returned into a state before fixing as being appropriately corrected in the opposite direction by the upper conveying roller 81 and the lower conveying roller 82.

Abstract: An image heating apparatus includes: a rotatable member; a pair of frames; a separating unit including a separating plate and a pair of spacers; and a holding unit including a holding portion and an urging portion. The holding unit is rotatable between a first position where the spacers are abutted against the rotatable member and a second position where the spacers are spaced from the rotatable member. The frames include a pair of shaft portions, and the separating unit includes a pair of guiding slots with movement of the holding unit from the second position to the first position. The holding portion permits inclination of the separating unit so that only one of the shaft portions is abutted against a stopper portion of its associated guiding slot with the abutment of the spacers against the rotatable member.

Abstract: A fixing apparatus includes a fixing belt configured to fix a toner image on a sheet at a nip portion, a rotating member configured to convey the sheet cooperatively with the fixing belt at the nip portion, a supporting roller configured to rotatably support the fixing belt and to press the fixing belt toward the rotating member, a separation pad provided in a position which is downstream of the supporting roller in a sheet conveyance direction and configured to press the fixing belt toward the rotating member to separate the sheet from the fixing belt, a holder configured to hold the separation pad, the holder being swingable around a center which is further away from the rotating member than the nip portion and which is downstream of the supporting roller, and an urging member configured to urge the holder in a rotational direction of the fixing belt.