Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a sheet accommodating portion, an image forming portion, an accommodating portion opening portion, a lifter plate, a lifter plate lifting and lowering mechanism, a lower-limit detecting portion, a control unit lowering the lifter plate and opening the accommodating portion in accordance with an operation in a set mode of a plurality of modes when the control unit receives an instruction to open the accommodating portion, wherein the modes includes a first mode in which the accommodating portion is opened irrespective of whether or not the lifter plate lowers to the lower-limit position and a second mode in which the accommodating portion is opened after the lifter plate lowers to the lower-limit position; and an operating portion operable by an operator for changing setting of the mode, between the modes, executed when the control unit receives the instruction to open the accommodating portion.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a first detector that detects an operation from which input of a start instruction for forming an image is predicted, a second detector that detects a human body, and a controller that controls starting a preparation operation even without input of the start instruction in a case where the operation is detected. The controller controls ending the preparation operation where the start instruction is not input even after a first predetermined time has passed since the start of the preparation operation and the second detector does not detect the human body, and controls continuing the preparation operation in a case where the start instruction is not input even after the first predetermined time has passed since the start of the preparation operation and the second detector detects the human body.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a sheet accommodating portion, an image forming portion, an accommodating portion opening portion, a lifter plate, a lifter plate lifting and lowering mechanism, a lower-limit detecting portion, a control unit lowering the lifter plate and opening the accommodating portion in accordance with an operation in a set mode of a plurality of modes when the control unit receives an instruction to open the accommodating portion, wherein the modes includes a first mode in which the accommodating portion is opened irrespective of whether or not the lifter plate lowers to the lower-limit position and a second mode in which the accommodating portion is opened after the lifter plate lowers to the lower-limit position; and an operating portion operable by an operator for changing setting of the mode, between the modes, executed when the control unit receives the instruction to open the accommodating portion.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a first image forming unit and a second image forming unit to form first toner images and second toner images, respectively, of different colors, a transfer member to transferred received toner images to a position, and a contact/separation unit to switch between first and second modes. Where a first, second, and third image are formed in order on sheets, the mode is switched from the first to the second mode after the transfer member receives the first image to the transfer member and before formation of the second image by the first image forming unit is started if a first image length in a conveyance direction is smaller than a predetermined length. After the sheet receives the first image, the contact/separation unit switches the mode from the first to the second mode if the first image length is greater than the predetermined length.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a first image forming unit and a second image forming unit to form first toner images and second toner images, respectively, of different colors, a transfer member to transferred received toner images to a position, and a contact/separation unit to switch between first and second modes. Where a first, second, and third image are formed in order on sheets, the mode is switched from the first to the second mode after the transfer member receives the first image to the transfer member and before formation of the second image by the first image forming unit is started if a first image length in a conveyance direction is smaller than a predetermined length. After the sheet receives the first image, the contact/separation unit switches the mode from the first to the second mode if the first image length is greater than the predetermined length.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a manual feed tray for placing a sheet to be subjected to image formation; a pickup roller configured to abut against the placed sheet to feed the sheet; a controller; and a human detection sensor. The controller maintains an abutment state, in which the pickup roller is held in abutment against the sheet, until a time period during which the abutment state is maintained reaches an abutment timeout. When a time period during which no human is detected by the human detection sensor in the vicinity of the image forming apparatus reaches a human detection timeout even before the time period during which the abutment state is maintained reaches the abutment timeout, the controller brings the pickup roller into a non-abutment state against the sheet.

Abstract: A screw is rotated to replenish toner from a hopper to a developing device. Rotation of the screw, toner stored in the hopper, and a toner density in the developing device are detected. Whether or not to replenish toner from the hopper to the developing device is controlled based on a detection result of rotation of the screw. The number of rotations of the screw during a predetermined time period is acquired. The predetermined time period corresponds to a time period during which the replenishment processing is being executed and over which a state in which toner in the hopper is detected is changed to a state in which toner in the hopper is not detected. An abnormality of the hopper is detected if the number of rotations in the predetermined time period is larger than a predetermined number.

Abstract: A screw is rotated to replenish toner from a hopper to a developing device. Rotation of the screw, toner stored in the hopper, and a toner density in the developing device are detected. Whether or not to replenish toner from the hopper to the developing device is controlled based on a detection result of rotation of the screw. The number of rotations of the screw during a predetermined time period is acquired. The predetermined time period corresponds to a time period during which the replenishment processing is being executed and over which a state in which toner in the hopper is detected is changed to a state in which toner in the hopper is not detected. An abnormality of the hopper is detected if the number of rotations in the predetermined time period is larger than a predetermined number.

Abstract: In a case where a controller executes formation of a first image which is a monochrome image, a second image which is a monochrome image, a third image which is a color image, and a fourth image which is a color image in order, the controller forms the first image by one image formation unit while other image forming units are in a separated state, and controls a mechanism to switch to a contact state after the formation of the first image completes and transfer to a sheet by an intermediate transfer member completes, and prior to starting formation of the second image. The controller forms the second image by the one image formation unit and forms the third image by one of the other image formation units.

Abstract: Provided is an image forming apparatus including: a manual feed tray for placing a sheet to be subjected to image formation; a pickup roller configured to abut against the placed sheet to feed the sheet; a controller; and a human detection sensor. The controller maintains an abutment state in which the pickup roller is held in abutment against the sheet until a time period during which the abutment state is maintained reaches an abutment timeout. When a time period during which no human is detected by the human detection sensor in the vicinity of the image forming apparatus reaches a human detection timeout even before the time period during which the abutment state is maintained reaches the abutment timeout, the controller brings the pickup roller into a non-abutment state against the sheet.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a first detector that detects an operation from which input of a start instruction for forming an image is predicted, a second detector that detects a human body, and a controller that controls starting a preparation operation even without input of the start instruction in a case where the operation is detected. The controller controls ending the preparation operation where the start instruction is not input even after a first predetermined time has passed since the start of the preparation operation and the second detector does not detect the human body, and controls continuing the preparation operation in a case where the start instruction is not input even after the first predetermined time has passed since the start of the preparation operation and the second detector detects the human body.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image forming unit, an adjustment unit configured to select a type of adjustment processing and execute the selected type of adjustment processing for the image forming unit, and a determination unit to determine an adjustment time based on the selected type of adjustment processing. The determination unit determines, in a case where the adjustment unit causes the image forming unit to stop the image forming operation for executing the selected type of adjustment processing in a downtime, a first adjustment time, and wherein the determination unit determines, in a case where the image forming unit has finished the image forming operation, a second adjustment time longer than the first adjustment time.

Abstract: In a case where a controller executes formation of a first image which is a monochrome image, a second image which is a monochrome image, a third image which is a color image, and a fourth image which is a color image in order, the controller forms the first image by a fourth image formation unit in a separated state, controls a mechanism to switch to a contact state after the formation of the first image completes and transfer to a sheet by an intermediate transfer member completes, and prior to starting formation of the second image. The controller forms the second image by the fourth image formation unit and forms the third image by the first image formation unit.

Abstract: Disclosed is an image forming apparatus which includes: a feeding portion configured to feed a sheet; an image forming portion configured to form an image on the sheet; a conveying portion configured to stop the sheet fed by the feeding portion at a predetermined position and to convey the sheet to the image forming portion in accordance with a timing of forming the image by the image forming portion; a type discriminating portion configured to discriminate whether a type of the sheet to be fed belongs to a first sheet type group including plain paper or to a second sheet type group including coated paper; and a controlling portion configured to control feeding of the sheet, wherein the controlling portion is configured to change a sheet feeding start timing of the feeding portion in accordance with the type discriminated by the type discriminating portion.

Abstract: Provided is an image forming apparatus including a manual feed tray for placing a sheet subjected to image formation, a sheet sensor configured to detect whether or not the sheet is placed on this manual feed tray, a pickup roller configured to feed the sheet placed on the manual feed tray, and a controller. When a size of a sheet to be fed is designated by a user, and it is determined that the sheet is placed, the controller causes at least one of the pickup roller and the manual feed tray to start movement to a position of enabling the pickup roller to feed the placed sheet.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus including a normal power mode and a power saving mode includes a fixing unit configured to bring first and second rotary members into contact with each other to form a nip portion and fix a toner image onto a sheet with a pressing force of the nip portion. The image forming apparatus executes a rotation operation or a separation operation to separate the first and second rotary members from each other in order to prevent a deformation of the nip portion in the fixing unit. The image forming apparatus measures a time during which the first and second rotary members are in contact with each other without rotating. The image forming apparatus determines whether to execute the separation operation or the rotation operation based on a result of the power mode determination and the measured time.

Abstract: Provided is an image forming apparatus capable of reducing a downtime for switching between a monochrome image forming mode and a color image forming mode. In the image forming apparatus, images formed by a plurality of image forming stations are transferred in superimposition onto a transfer member. Further, the image forming apparatus controls image formation in each of a first mode of performing image formation using only an image forming station located at the most downstream position in a moving direction of the transfer member among the plurality of image forming stations, and a second mode of performing image formation using the plurality of image forming stations.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus performs a first preparation operation in a full color mode when power is supplied. The apparatus performs, when an image formation request is inputted after the first preparation operation completes, a second preparation operation in a designated color mode in accordance with the image formation request. When an image formation request is inputted during the first preparation operation, the apparatus skips the second preparation operation and performs image formation after the first preparation operation completes.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image forming unit, an adjustment unit to select a type of adjustment processing for the image forming unit, a determination unit to determine a required time of the selected type of adjustment processing, and a display unit counting down and displaying a remaining time of the selected type of adjustment processing. The display unit controls a resolution of the remaining time based on the selected type of adjustment processing. A first type of adjustment processing is executed again if the first type of adjustment processing fails, and a second type of adjustment processing is not executed again if the second type of adjustment processing fails. The resolution includes a first resolution corresponding to the first type of adjustment processing and a second resolution corresponding to the second type of adjustment processing and being finer than the first resolution.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: an image forming unit configured to perform image formation in a first mode, in which image formation is performed by a plurality of image forming stations, or a second mode, in which image formation is performed by a predetermined image forming station among the plurality of image forming stations; and a controller configured to: control the image forming unit to perform a preparation operation in accordance with color mode information; set a restricted operation state in which the controller prohibits the image formation in the first mode and permits the image formation in the second mode when any one image forming station, except for the predetermined image forming station, is incapable of performing image formation; and prevent the image forming unit from performing the preparation operation when the first mode is set as the color mode information and the restricted operation state is set.