Abstract: A CPU 26 sets the value of the applied voltage to a first set value when the absolute value of the amount of charge on the toner remaining on the intermediate transfer belt 8 is lower than a threshold value, and sets the value of the applied voltage to a second set value when the absolute value of the amount of charge on the toner remaining on the intermediate transfer belt 8 is equal to or greater than the threshold value, and when the first set value is VC1 and the second set value is VC2, the relationship |VC1|<|VC2| is established.

Abstract: A roller used for a fixing apparatus has: a core; a first elastic layer that is formed outside the core and includes a first tapered portion on an edge of the roller in an axis direction; and a second elastic layer that is formed outside the first elastic layer and includes a second tapered portion on the edge in the axis direction on the same side as the first elastic layer. The second elastic layer has a hardness that is higher than the hardness of the first elastic layer. A second start point, which is a start point of the second tapered portion, is set in a position closer to the center of the roller in the axis direction than a first start point, which is a start point of the first tapered portion.

Abstract: A roller used for a fixing apparatus has: a core; a first elastic layer that is formed outside the core and includes a first tapered portion on an edge of the roller in an axis direction; and a second elastic layer that is formed outside the first elastic layer and includes a second tapered portion on the edge in the axis direction on the same side as the first elastic layer, the second elastic layer having hardness that is higher than hardness of the first elastic layer. A second start point, which is a start point of the second tapered portion, is set in a position closer to the center of the roller in the axis direction than a first start point, which is a start point of the first tapered portion.

Abstract: A CPU 26 sets the value of the applied voltage to a first set value when the absolute value of the amount of charge on the toner remaining on the intermediate transfer belt 8 is lower than a threshold value, and sets the value of the applied voltage to a second set value when the absolute value of the amount of charge on the toner remaining on the intermediate transfer belt 8 is equal to or greater than the threshold value, and when the first set value is VC1 and the second set value is VC2, the relationship |VC1|<|VC2| is established.

Abstract: A sheet interval, serving as the distance between conveyed recording materials, is properly controlled based on a kind of a recording material and any one of a printing ratio, an adhesion amount of toner, and the presence or absence of graphic data, thus allowing printing at throughput suitable for, for example, the kind of the recording material and the printing ratio without changing an image forming condition such that image quality does not vary.

Abstract: A sheet interval, serving as the distance between conveyed recording materials, is properly controlled based on a kind of a recording material and any one of a printing ratio, an adhesion amount of toner, and the presence or absence of graphic data, thus allowing printing at throughput suitable for, for example, the kind of the recording material and the printing ratio without changing an image forming condition such that image quality does not vary.

Abstract: In an image forming apparatus using an optical sensor for detecting light reflection characteristics of a toner image fixed on a transfer material, occurrence of gloss unevenness in a printed image can be prevented. The image forming apparatus includes a first transfer material conveying path for normal printing, a second transfer material conveying path for image density control, a sensor contact member integral with the optical sensor and a transfer material supporting member contacting a transfer material rear surface in a position opposing the sensor contact member. At the time of normal printing, the sensor contact member and the transfer material supporting member are disposed in a spaced position against the transfer material, and at the time of image density control, the sensor contact member or the transfer material supporting member moves so that the sensor contact member and the transfer material supporting member contact the transfer material.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image bearing member for carrying a toner image; an image forming unit for forming a toner image on the image bearing member; a transfer material carrying member, for carrying a transfer material, wherein the toner image is transferred onto a transfer material carried on the transfer material carrying member or onto the transfer material carrying member; a density detecting unit for detecting a density of the toner image transferred to the transfer material carrying member; wherein a transfer intensity is smaller when the toner image for density detection is transferred onto the transfer material carrying member than when the toner image is transferred onto the transfer material carried on the transfer material carrying member.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a transfer material conveying apparatus for conveying a transfer material to which an image is fixed, comprising, an image surface roller located on an imaging surface side of the transfer material and disposed on a downstream side in a conveyance direction of the transfer material of a heating member and a pressing member for fixing an image to the transfer material and a facing roller located in facing to the image surface roller and disposed on a downstream side in a conveyance direction of the transfer material of a heating member and a pressing member for fixing an image to the transfer material. The image surface roller has a length equal to or longer than an image area on the transfer material in a direction perpendicular to the transfer material conveyance direction, and wherein the facing roller is spaced from the image surface roller with a prescribed distance.

Abstract: In image forming apparatus using an optical sensor for detecting light reflection characteristics of a toner image fixed on transfer material, occurrence of gloss unevenness in a print image is prevented. In the image forming apparatus with image density controlling apparatus for, detecting the light reflection characteristics of the post-fixing toner image formed on the transfer material with an optical sensor so as to control image forming conditions in accordance with the detecting results thereof, a first transfer material conveying path for the transfer material to be conveyed at the time of normal printing and a second transfer material conveying path for the transfer material to be conveyed at the time of implementing the image density control are respectively provided.

Abstract: An image heating apparatus for heating an image formed on a recording material includes a flexible movable member: a supporting member, having a sliding surface for sliding relative to the movable member, for supporting the movable member; a pressing member for forming a nip with the supporting member with the movable member therebetween; wherein the supporting member is provided adjacent the sliding surface with a projection which is projected toward the pressing member beyond the sliding surface, the projection being extended in a longitudinal direction of the supporting member, and wherein the supporting member is provided at a longitudinal end portion with a cut-away portion providing a projection height which is smaller than that of the projection or providing a portion substantially flush with the sliding surface.

Abstract: An image heating apparatus for heating an image formed on a recording material, including a rotation member; an excitation coil for generating a magnetic field to induce an eddy current in the rotation member; a temperature detecting element for detecting a temperature of the rotation member; and a controller for controlling an electrical supply to the excitation coil so that the temperature detected by the temperature detecting element is maintained at a set temperature, wherein while the set temperature is set a stand-by temperature, the controller controls the electrical supply to the excitation coil and the rotation member is maintained in a stoppage of rotation.

Abstract: An image heating apparatus for heating an image formed on a recording material includes a flexible movable member: a supporting member, having a sliding surface for sliding relative to the movable member, for supporting the movable member; a pressing member for forming a nip with the supporting member with the movable member therebetween; wherein the supporting member is provided adjacent the sliding surface with a projection which is projected toward the pressing member beyond the sliding surface, the projection being extended in a longitudinal direction of the supporting member, and wherein the supporting member is provided at a longitudinal end portion with a cut-away portion providing a projection height which is smaller than that of the projection or providing a portion substantially flush with the sliding surface

Abstract: The present invention relates to a transfer material conveying apparatus for conveying a transfer material to which an image is fixed, comprising, an image surface roller located on an imaging surface side of the transfer material and disposed on a downstream side in a conveyance direction of the transfer material of a heating member and a pressing member for fixing an image to the transfer material and a facing roller located in facing to the image surface roller and disposed on a downstream side in a conveyance direction of the transfer material of a heating member and a pressing member for fixing an image to the transfer material. The image surface roller has a length equal to or longer than an image area on the transfer material in a direction perpendicular to the transfer material conveyance direction, and wherein the facing roller is spaced from the image surface roller with a prescribed distance.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image bearing member, image forming device for forming a toner image on the image bearing member, the image forming device including a charging member for electrically charging the image bearing member, an intermediary transfer member, voltage applying device for applying a voltage to send intermediary transfer member to electrically transfer the toner image on the image bearing member formed by the image forming device onto the intermediary transfer member, wherein the toner image on the intermediary transfer member is transferred onto a transfer material, and a controller for controlling the voltage applied to send intermediary transfer member by the voltage applying device in accordance with the voltage applied to the charging member when the voltage applied to the charging member is controlled to change a surface potential of the image bearing member.

Abstract: An image heating apparatus for heating an image formed on a recording material, including a rotation member; an excitation coil for generating a magnetic field to induce an eddy current in the rotation member; a temperature detecting element for detecting a temperature of the rotation member; and a controller for controlling an electrical supply to the excitation coil so that the temperature detected by the temperature detecting element is maintained at a set temperature, wherein while the set temperature is set a stand-by temperature, the controller controls the electrical supply to the excitation coil and the rotation member is a maintained in a stoppage of rotation.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus has an image bearing member for bearing a different color toner image; a movable intermediate transfer member; voltage applicator for applying a voltage to the intermediary transfer member to effect electrostatic, sequential and superimposing transfer of the different color toner images from the image bearing member onto the intermediary transfer member at a transfer position A first toner image on the intermediary transfer member passes through the transfer position in the period which is after a first toner image is transferred from the image bearing member onto the intermediary transfer member by the voltage applicator and which is before a second toner image which is immediately subsequent to the first toner image is transferred from the image bearing member onto the intermediary transfer member; and a control for switching a voltage applied to the intermediary transfer member from a first voltage for transferring the first toner image from the image bearing member onto the inte

Abstract: A developing device mounted on a main body of an electrophotographic image forming apparatus and adapted to develop an electrostatic latent image formed on an electrophotographic photosensitive member, includes: a developer container including a developing portion with a developer bearing member for containing a developer therein and feeding the developer to the electrophotographic photosensitive member and a hopper for containing the developer therein and feeding the developer to the developing portion in order to develop the electrostatic latent image formed on the electrophotographic photosensitive member; and a developer residual amount detecting electrode pair having first and second electrodes disposed to interpose the developing portion and the hopper portion therebetween in order to detect the residual amount of developer by the main body of the electrophotographic image forming apparatus; wherein the first electrode of the developer residual amount detecting electrode pair comprises the developer bea

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an intermediate transfer member, an image forming device for forming a toner image on the intermediate transfer member, a charging device for charging residual toner remaining on the intermediate transfer member after the toner image formed by the image forming device and located on the intermediate transfer member is electrostatically transferred onto a transfer material. The residual toner charged by the charging device and remaining on the intermediate transfer member is electrostatically transferred onto the image forming device.

Abstract: A developing device mounted on a main body of an electrophotographic image forming apparatus and adapted to develop an electrostatic latent image formed on an electrophotographic photosensitive member includes a developer container having a developing portion with a developer bearing member for containing a developer and feeding the developer to the electrophotographic photosensitive member, and a hopper portion for containing the developer and supplying the developer to the developing portion, in order to develop the electrostatic latent image formed on the electrophotographic photosensitive member, and a developer residual amount detecting electrode pair having first and second electrodes disposed to interpose said developing portion and the hopper portion therebetween in order to detect the residual amount of developer by the main body of the electrophotographic image forming apparatus, wherein the developer residual amount detecting electrode pair are shaped such that a space region defined between the fi