Abstract: A transfer device of the invention includes an endless belt forming a loop-shaped path of movement passing over between a drive roller and an idle roller, a plurality of image bearing members disposed at positions along a direction of movement of the endless belt, and a plurality of transfer members disposed at positions on respective downstream sides of the plurality of image bearing members so as to oppose a plurality of respective image bearing members across the endless belt. The image bearing member disposed on the most upstream side in the direction of movement of the endless belt has a zone of contact in common with the opposed transfer member in the direction of movement of the endless belt. Whereas the other image bearing members do not have any zone of contact in common with the opposing respective transfer members in the direction of movement of the endless belt.

Abstract: A control portion obtains a first difference in a movement amount between paper passing period and paper non-passage period of a transfer belt, and determines whether or not a first absolute value thereof is a first threshold value or more. In a case where the first absolute value is the first threshold value or more, a transfer belt unit positional adjustment motor is driven to adjust a first angle with respect to a first direction of a transfer belt unit with respect to a photoreceptor drum. In a case where the first absolute value is less than the first threshold value, a second absolute value of a second difference between a movement amount and a designed value set in advance of the transfer belt is obtained, and whether or not the second absolute value is a second threshold value or more is determined.

Abstract: A belt conveyor member includes an endless belt and a cleaning blade. The cleaning blade is configured to remove residual toner remaining on a surface of the endless belt which is processed into a smooth surface. The endless belt has a first region and a second region. The first region is a region in contact with the cleaning blade which is located outside a region for a recording sheet of a maximum usable width to pass therethrough. The second region is located outside the first region. A contact surface between the cleaning blade and the first region is in a rough condition free from intimate contact.

Abstract: A transfer device includes a plurality of primary transfer rollers, a second link member and a regulatory member. The regulatory member restrains the second link member from moving further than a predetermined position toward the second direction. The second link member causes the primary transfer rollers to be displaced as it moves. The second link member is split into a plurality of link arms of which overall length is variable within a predetermined range; and its joint portion includes an elastic member urging the plurality of link arms toward a direction to which the overall length gets longer in a state where the second link member is most separate from a cam shaft, and a first locking section and a second locking section engaging the plurality of link arms with one another for the overall length not to get longer beyond a maximum value.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: a transfer portion that transfers a toner image from a first image forming element to a second image forming element when transfer voltage is applied; and a control portion, at time of cleaning the plurality of image forming elements, after integrally forming a cleaning toner image to be supplied to the first image forming element and the second image forming element on the surface of the photoreceptor along a revolving direction, that controls the application of the transfer voltage to the transfer portion to transfer the toner image in a manner such that the toner image is divided into at least four sections along the revolving direction, out of which at least two sections that are not adjacent to each other are transferred from the first image forming element to the second image forming element.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus is provided with an image bearing unit, an intermediate transfer unit, a primary transfer unit, a pre-transfer charger, and a control portion. The pre-transfer charger is located downstream of the primary transfer unit and upstream of the secondary transfer unit in a revolving direction, faces the outer peripheral surface of the intermediate transfer unit along a perpendicular direction perpendicular to the revolving direction, and charges the intermediate transfer unit when voltage is applied. The control portion, at time when determination is made as to the necessity of cleaning the pre-transfer charger, secondarily transfers a cleaning assessment toner image by switching between a state in which the voltage is applied to the pre-transfer charger and a state in which the voltage is not applied to the pre-transfer charger, the cleaning assessment toner image being in a uniform density.

Abstract: A secondary transfer unit stretches a transfer belt in an endless form over a driving roller, a driven roller, a transfer roller, an auxiliary roller, and a support roller therebetween. The transfer belt moves, by rotation of the driving roller, along a circulation path which passes through a transfer position. The transfer roller and the auxiliary roller press the transfer belt from the inner peripheral surface of the transfer belt toward an intermediate transfer belt in the transfer position. The transfer belt has an outer peripheral surface thereof which is pressed against the intermediate transfer belt and is roughened so that the surface roughness of the outer peripheral surface becomes 6 ?m to 10 ?m.

Abstract: Cleaning performance of a cleaning pad for cleaning a charging wire is maintained so that the charging voltage of an image carrier by a charging wire is stabilized. A charging wire cleaning apparatus is provided with a cleaning pad for cleaning a charging wire which charges an image carrier, a slider which is a supporting body for supporting the cleaning pad, and a screw shaft which is a moving mechanism for reciprocating the slider in parallel to the charging wire. When the slider is at a predetermined position of the reciprocation range, the cleaning pad and the charging wire are separated, and the cleaning pad is adapted to be shifted with respect to the charging wire in this state.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a waste toner box, a base, a detection sensor, a counter and a controller. The waste toner box collects toner not transferred to a sheet but remaining on a surface of a photoreceptor. The base is for placing the waste toner box thereon, and a position of the base changes with a weight of the waste toner box placed thereon. The detection sensor detects the position of the base to detect an amount of toner in the waste toner box placed on the base. The counter counts the number of sheets with images formed thereon. The controller determines whether or not to continue image formation on a sheet on a basis of a signal from the detection sensor and the counter.

Abstract: There is provided an image forming apparatus that is capable of reducing work burdens imposed on a user in terms of toner cartridge replacement. When a cartridge detection sensor detects that at least one of toner cartridges is emptied, a specified amount of toner is forcibly supplied from another toner cartridge than the toner cartridge subjected to detection to an intermediate hopper. After that, the amount of the toner within the another toner cartridge is detected. When an empty toner cartridge is newly detected, a request for replacement is issued as to both of the newly detected empty toner cartridge and the previously detected empty toner cartridge.

Abstract: An intermediate transfer belt includes a belt body and a first and a second travelling guide ribs. The first and the second travelling guide ribs are respectively provided in a first edge portion and a second edge portion in width direction in an internal perimetric face of the belt body. A first joint of the first travelling guide rib and a second joint of the second travelling guide rib are disposed so as to be apart from each other in a circumferential direction of the belt body at least not less than a distance corresponding to a semicircle of an intermediate transfer belt drive roller.

Abstract: In an image forming method, an electrostatic latent image formed on a surface of a photoreceptor is developed into a developer image with a developer, and a printing paper transported on a transfer belt is brought into contact with the surface of the photoreceptor so as to transfer the developer image onto the printing paper. The printing paper is transported in a proper transport direction, in which a projection generated in one direction on the printing paper as a result of cutting the printing paper in a printing paper manufacturing process does not face a surface of the transfer belt at a leading edge of the printing paper being transported on the transfer belt. In this way, even in the presence of the projection generated when the printing paper is cut, the printing paper naturally strips off from the surface of the photoreceptor, thereby preventing toner contamination caused by a striping claw in contact with the leading edge of the printing paper.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus is provided. When a user inputs a print request, life count values stored in a life management section are read out. A table of correlation between the life count values and a rotating speed of a driving roller is looked up, a rotating speed of the driving roller corresponding to the life count values read out is determined at which the driving roller is set to rotate. With the driving roller rotating at the set rotating speed, a printing process is performed so that a transfer belt turns at a constant running speed. Following the printing process, the life count values are updated based on the latest total number of printed copies and the latest revolving speed of the transfer belt.

Abstract: A separating device includes an intermediate transfer belt drive roller disposed in a convey path so as to convey a recording medium, a separating claw disposed to be opposed to the intermediate transfer belt drive roller so as to separate the recording medium by the tip. A part of the intermediate transfer belt drive roller to which the separating claw is opposed is made of material having higher hardness than the tip of the separating claw.

Abstract: A control portion obtains a first difference in a movement amount between paper passing period and paper non-passage period of a transfer belt, and determines whether or not a first absolute value thereof is a first threshold value or more. In a case where the first absolute value is the first threshold value or more, a transfer belt unit positional adjustment motor is driven to adjust a first angle with respect to a first direction of a transfer belt unit with respect to a photoreceptor drum. In a case where the first absolute value is less than the first threshold value, a second absolute value of a second difference between a movement amount and a designed value set in advance of the transfer belt is obtained, and whether or not the second absolute value is a second threshold value or more is determined.

Abstract: A transfer device includes a transfer belt, a transfer roller and a tension roller over which the transfer belt is passed in a tensioned condition and which is made to be in an electrically floated state; it also includes a guide member that is installed in the vicinity of the tension roller. A control section, in transfer processing, controls a first switch so that the guide member is in a grounded state while controlling a second switch so that an electric current being caused to flow to the transfer roller becomes a first electric current; and in cleaning processing, controls the first switch so that the guide member is in an electrically floated state while controlling the second switch so that an electric current being caused to flow to the transfer roller becomes a second electric current.

Abstract: A transfer device includes a transfer belt, a plurality of rollers, and meandering preventive ribs. The plurality of rollers entrain the transfer belt thereabout. The meandering preventive ribs are provided at opposite widthwise ends of an inner peripheral surface of the transfer belt for preventing the transfer belt from meandering on the plurality of rollers. The plurality of rollers include at least one hollow roller having a central shaft and a plurality of internal ribs connecting the central shaft with an inner periphery of the hollow roller in a radial manner. The internal ribs are located so as not to come into contact with the meandering preventive ribs.

Abstract: A belt carrying device includes supporting rollers, an endless belt supported by the supporting rollers, and guiding members provided on the endless belt. The endless belt is rotated by rotation of the supporting rollers. An outer peripheral surface of the endless belt is in contact with a cleaning member. The guiding members are provided on those projecting areas of the endless belt, which project in an axial direction of the supporting rollers from both end surfaces of the supporting roller. A guiding member suppresses meandering of the endless belt by coming into contact with an end surface of the supporting roller. Formed on the end, surfaces of at least one of the supporting rollers are projecting sections and groove sections, which are rotated around a rotation axis of the at least one of the supporting rollers in response to rotation of the at least one of the supporting rollers.

Abstract: A transfer device of the invention includes an endless belt forming a loop-shaped path of movement passing over between a drive roller and an idle roller, a plurality of image bearing members disposed at positions along a direction of movement of the endless belt, and a plurality of transfer members disposed at positions on respective downstream sides of the plurality of image bearing members so as to oppose a plurality of respective image bearing members across the endless belt. The image bearing member disposed on the most upstream side in the direction of movement of the endless belt has a zone of contact in common with the opposed transfer member in the direction of movement of the endless belt. Whereas the other image bearing members do not have any zone of contact in common with the opposing respective transfer members in the direction of movement of the endless belt.

Abstract: In an image forming method, an electrostatic latent image formed on a surface of a photoreceptor is developed into a developer image with a developer, and a printing paper transported on a transfer belt is brought into contact with the surface of the photoreceptor so as to transfer the developer image onto the printing paper. The printing paper is transported in a proper transport direction, in which a projection generated in one direction on the printing paper as a result of cutting the printing paper in a printing paper manufacturing process does not face a surface of the transfer belt at a leading edge of the printing paper being transported on the transfer belt. In this way, even in the presence of the projection generated when the printing paper is cut, the printing paper naturally strips off from the surface of the photoreceptor, thereby preventing toner contamination caused by a striping claw in contact with the leading edge of the printing paper.