Abstract: A fixing apparatus for fixing a toner image to a recording material includes a cylindrical film, a heater configured to make contact with the film, the heater including a substrate and a heat generation resistor formed on the substrate, and a heat conduction member configured to make contact with a surface of the heater opposite to a surface thereof being in contact with the film, the heat conduction member having a higher thermal conductivity than that of the substrate, and being divided into parts in a generatrix direction of the film. The toner image formed on the recording material is fixed on the recording material by using heat of the film, and one of the parts of the heat conduction member is configured to make contact with the heater continuously from a center to an end of a heat generation region of the heater in the generatrix direction.

Abstract: A charged positive toner having a positive polarity that attaches to a charge roller is moved from the charge roller to a photosensitive drum, and the positive toner is transferred to an intermediate transfer belt at a primary transfer portion at which a primary-transfer power supply forms an electric potential having a negative polarity. The primary-transfer power supply forms an electric potential having the positive polarity at the primary transfer portion, and the positive toner transferred to the intermediate transfer belt is moved together with the intermediate transfer belt and is collected by the charge roller in contact with a downstream photosensitive drum.

Abstract: An intermediate transfer belt includes a region X having a first coefficient of dynamic friction in a belt conveying direction on an outer circumferential surface side where the intermediate transfer belt and a blade abut each other, and a region Y having a second coefficient of dynamic friction in the belt conveying direction greater in value than the first coefficient of dynamic friction. Further, in the belt conveying direction, a length of the region Y is shorter than a length of the region X and longer than a length at which the blade and the intermediate transfer belt are in contact with each other.

Abstract: In a case where fixing processing ends in a state where a power supply line is switched by a switching unit according to a first print command so that power is suppliable to a second heating element, the switching unit switches the power supply line from the second heating element to a first heating element so that power is suppliable to the first heating element, the switching occurring regardless of presence or absence of reception of a second print command subsequent to the first print command.

Abstract: An intermediate transfer belt includes a surface layer with a solid lubricant added therein on an outer peripheral surface side in abutment with a photosensitive drum and a cleaning blade in a thickness direction. Further, the surface layer includes a plurality of grooves formed along a movement direction of the intermediate transfer belt in a width direction of the intermediate transfer belt. The intermediate transfer belt including the grooves satisfies J×(1/K)×L×(Q/?P)/((Q/?P)+(100/?A))<240.

Abstract: A roller for use with an image fixing device for fixing an image on a recording material includes a core metal, and an elastic layer provided around the core metal. In the elastic layer, a filler bundle including a plurality of fiber-like fillers is dispersed.

Abstract: With respect to a width direction of an intermediate transfer belt perpendicular to a movement direction thereof, the width of a blade is larger than the width of an image forming region in which a toner image is able to be primarily transferred from a photosensitive drum to the intermediate transfer belt. Moreover, grooves are formed on the surface of the intermediate transfer belt, and, with respect to the width direction of the intermediate transfer belt, a dynamic friction coefficient in a first region that is in contact with the end portion side of the blade is smaller than a dynamic friction coefficient in a second region that is in contact with the central portion side of the blade.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus including an image carrying member, an intermediate transfer belt having conductivity, a toner image on the image carrying member being primarily transferred to the intermediate transfer belt, a secondary transfer member in contact with an outer peripheral surface of the intermediate transfer belt, the secondary transfer member secondarily transferring the toner image on the intermediate transfer belt to a transfer material, a power supply applying a voltage to the secondary transfer member, the toner image being primarily transferred from the image carrying member to the intermediate transfer belt by having a voltage be applied to the secondary transfer member from the power supply, a contact member in contact with the intermediate transfer belt, and a constant current diode, an anode side thereof being connected to the power supply, and a cathode side thereof being connected to the contact member.

Abstract: A charge roller includes, in a surface thereof, recesses that have sizes that are equivalent to or larger than a volume average particle diameter of a toner accommodated in a developing unit and that are capable of collecting the toner retransferred to a photosensitive drum.

Abstract: In a case where fixing processing ends in a state where a power supply line is switched by a switching unit according to a first print command so that power is suppliable to a second heating element, the switching unit switches the power supply line from the second heating element to a first heating element so that power is suppliable to the first heating element, the switching occurring regardless of presence or absence of reception of a second print command subsequent to the first print command.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a photosensitive member that rotates at a first speed, an intermediate transfer member that rotates at a second speed lower than the first speed, and a collecting member disposed in a state in which a fixed surface is pressed against the rotating intermediate transfer member. The collecting member collects toner remaining on the intermediate transfer member after a toner image is secondarily transferred from the intermediate transfer member to a transfer material.

Abstract: A voltage maintenance element is connected to a contact member that contacts a primary transfer surface area of an intermediate transfer belt to which toner images are transferred from a plurality of image carriers between stretch members, in such a way as to prevent the electric potential of the intermediate transfer belt from varying between respective stations.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus including an image carrying member, an intermediate transfer belt having conductivity, a toner image on the image carrying member being primarily transferred to the intermediate transfer belt, a secondary transfer member in contact with an outer peripheral surface of the intermediate transfer belt, the secondary transfer member secondarily transferring the toner image on the intermediate transfer belt to a transfer material, a power supply applying a voltage to the secondary transfer member, the toner image being primarily transferred from the image carrying member to the intermediate transfer belt by having a voltage be applied to the secondary transfer member from the power supply, a contact member in contact with the intermediate transfer belt, and a constant current diode, an anode side thereof being connected to the power supply, and a cathode side thereof being connected to the contact member.

Abstract: In a case where a collection mode in which an exposure unit forms a first potential on a photosensitive member and a developing unit collects discharging toner discharged from the developing unit to a position where the first potential is formed is executed, a potential forming unit forms, on an intermediate transfer member, a potential same as a normal charging polarity of toner and an absolute value greater than an absolute value of the first potential, and a charging power supply applies, to a charging member, a voltage having a polarity same as the normal charging polarity and an absolute value greater than an absolute value of the first potential.

Abstract: An intermediate transfer belt includes a base layer that has ionic conductivity and is a thickest layer out of multiple layers making up the intermediate transfer belt with respect to the thickness direction of the intermediate transfer belt, and an inner layer having electronic conductivity and a lower electrical resistance than the base layer.

Abstract: A charge roller includes, in a surface thereof, recesses that have sizes that are equivalent to or larger than a volume average particle diameter of a toner accommodated in a developing unit and that are capable of collecting the toner retransferred to a photosensitive drum.

Abstract: An exposing unit forms a latent-image electric potential on each photosensitive drum. A detecting toner image of each color is transferred to an intermediate transfer belt using a first potential difference between a latent-image electric potential and the potential of an intermediate transfer belt at each primary transfer portion. When the polarity of voltage to be applied from a transfer power source to a secondary transfer roller is to be switched to an opposite polarity while the detecting toner image of each color is passing through each primary transfer portion, the absolute value of a second potential difference between the potential of the intermediate transfer belt and the background electrical potential of each photosensitive drum is made equal to or greater than the absolute value of the first potential difference by a control unit.

Abstract: A voltage maintenance element is connected to a contact member that contacts a primary transfer surface area of an intermediate transfer belt to which toner images are transferred from a plurality of image carriers between stretch members, in such a way as to prevent the electric potential of the intermediate transfer belt from varying between respective image forming stations.

Abstract: A fixing apparatus for fixing a toner image to a recording material includes a cylindrical film, a heater configured to make contact with the film, the heater including a substrate and a heat generation resistor formed on the substrate, and a heat conduction member configured to make contact with a surface of the heater opposite to a surface thereof being in contact with the film, the heat conduction member having a higher thermal conductivity than that of the substrate, and being divided into parts in a generatrix direction of the film. The toner image formed on the recording material is fixed on the recording material by using heat of the film, and one of the parts of the heat conduction member is configured to make contact with the heater continuously from a center to an end of a heat generation region of the heater in the generatrix direction.

Abstract: An intermediate transfer belt includes a base layer that has ionic conductivity and is a thickest layer out of multiple layers making up the intermediate transfer belt with respect to the thickness direction of the intermediate transfer belt, and an inner layer having electronic conductivity and a lower electrical resistance than the base layer.