Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image carrier to carry a toner image, a transfer member to form a transfer nip by contacting the image carrier surface, and a power supply to output a voltage to the recording material captured in the transfer nip so as to transfer the toner image formed on the image carrier surface. The voltage is switching alternately between a voltage in the transfer direction and a voltage opposite to the voltage in the transfer direction, and a time average value (Vave) of the voltage is set to have a polarity of the transfer direction, and is set to a value in the transfer voltage side, and a change mode to change a cycle of the voltage output from the power supply can be changed based on the toner deterioration information which determines the deterioration status of the toner.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image carrying member to carry a toner image, a nip forming member to form a transfer nip with the image carrying member, and a transfer bias outputting unit to output a transfer bias to transfer the toner image from the image carrying member to a recording medium. The transfer bias is composed of a direct current (DC) component and an alternating current (AC) component, and a least one of the DC component and the AC component is subjected to constant voltage control. When constant current control is conducted at a timing other than when the toner image is being transferred from the image carrying member to the recording medium, a detection bias voltage at the transfer nip is detected, and the voltage of at least one of the DC component and the AC component is controlled based on the detected detection bias voltage.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image carrier to carry a toner image, a transfer member to form a transfer nip by contacting the image carrier surface, and a power supply to output a voltage to the recording material captured in the transfer nip so as to transfer the toner image formed on the image carrier surface. The voltage is switching alternately between a voltage in the transfer direction and a voltage opposite to the voltage in the transfer direction, and a time average value (Vave) of the voltage is set to have a polarity of the transfer direction, and is set to a value in the transfer voltage side, and a change mode to change a cycle of the voltage output from the power supply can be changed based on the toner deterioration information which determines the deterioration status of the toner.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: an image carrier; a toner image forming unit that forms a toner image on the image carrier; a transfer unit that transfers the toner image on the image carrier to a transfer target having ridges and valleys on a surface thereof; an adjusting unit that adjusts a ratio of A/B, where A is a transfer ratio [%] from the image carrier to a valley portion of the transfer target while B is a transfer ratio [%] from the image carrier to a ridge portion of the transfer target, based on an adjustment input by a user; and a control unit that controls a transfer condition of the transfer unit based on the ratio of A/B adjusted by the adjusting unit.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a transfer member configured to abut against an image carrier for carrying a toner image to form a transfer nip; and a power supply configured to output a bias voltage for transferring the toner image on the image carrier onto a recording medium nipped in the transfer nip. The bias voltage includes a first voltage for transferring the toner image from the image carrier onto the recording medium in a transfer direction and a second voltage having an opposite polarity of the first voltage, the first and the second voltages being alternately output. A time-averaged value of the bias voltage is set to a polarity in the transfer direction and is set in the transfer direction side with respect to a median between a maximum and a minimum of the bias voltage.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: an image carrier; a toner image forming unit that forms a toner image on the image carrier; a transfer unit that transfers the toner image on the image carrier to a transfer target having ridges and valleys on a surface thereof; an adjusting unit that adjusts a ratio of A/B, where A is a transfer ratio [%] from the image carrier to a valley portion of the transfer target while B is a transfer ratio [%] from the image carrier to a ridge portion of the transfer target, based on an adjustment input by a user; and a control unit that controls a transfer condition of the transfer unit based on the ratio of A/B adjusted by the adjusting unit.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a nip forming member and a transfer bias output device that outputs a transfer bias to form a transfer electric field in a transfer nip between the nip forming member and an intermediate transfer member. Upon transfer of a composite toner image including a particular toner image onto a recording medium in the transfer nip, the transfer bias output device outputs the transfer bias including a first superimposed bias in which a direct current (DC) component is superimposed on an alternating current (AC) component. Upon transfer of the composite toner image without the particular toner image onto the recording medium in the transfer nip, the transfer bias output device outputs one of the transfer bias including a second superimposed bias having a peak-to-peak value of the AC component smaller than that of the first superimposed bias and the transfer bias including only the DC component.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image carrying member to carry a toner image, a nip forming member to form a transfer nip with the image carrying member, and a transfer bias outputting unit to output a transfer bias to transfer the toner image from the image carrying member to a recording medium. The transfer bias is composed of a direct current (DC) component and an alternating current (AC) component, and a least one of the DC component and the AC component is subjected to constant voltage control. When constant current control is conducted at a timing other than when the toner image is being transferred from the image carrying member to the recording medium, a detection bias voltage at the transfer nip is detected, and the voltage of at least one of the DC component and the AC component is controlled based on the detected detection bias voltage.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image carrier to carry a toner image, a transfer member to form a transfer nip by contacting the image carrier surface, and a power supply to output a voltage to the recording material captured in the transfer nip so as to transfer the toner image formed on the image carrier surface. The voltage is switching alternately between a voltage in the transfer direction and a voltage opposite to the voltage in the transfer direction, and a time average value (Vave) of the voltage is set to have a polarity of the transfer direction, and is set to a value in the transfer voltage side, and a change mode to change a cycle of the voltage output from the power supply can be changed based on the toner deterioration information which determines the deterioration status of the toner.

Abstract: According to an embodiment, a transfer device includes: an image carrier from which an image is transferred onto a transfer medium using electrostatic toner, the image carrier being applied with a direct current voltage superimposed with an alternating current (AC) voltage as a transfer bias. An output voltage of a power source for applying the voltage is controlled so that a current level of a direct current component output from the power source is kept at a specified current level.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a transfer bias generator including a transfer bias supply that supplies a transfer bias to a transfer nip formed between an image carrier and a first rotary body, and a controller that detects a toner adhesion amount at a predetermined region of the image carrier located immediately upstream from the transfer nip and having a predetermined length in a moving direction of the image carrier. The transfer bias generator outputs at least an alternating current component under one of constant voltage control and constant current control and changes a target output value of the alternating current component according to the toner adhesion amount detected by the controller.

Abstract: A transfer device includes a controller that controls a transfer bias supply to cause a transfer bias to increase, between an image carrier and a first rotary body disposed opposite the image carrier, a potential of the first rotary body toward an opposite polarity to a charge polarity of toner of a toner image on the image carrier to be higher than a potential of the image carrier, and to change, on the basis of identified recording medium type, a returning peak value which is one of a peak value of positive polarity and a peak value of negative polarity of the transfer bias and which generates an electric field that causes the toner having moved to the recording medium from the image carrier to return to the image carrier from the recording medium in a transfer nip.

Abstract: A transfer device includes an image carrier that carries a toner image; a nip forming member that forms a transfer nip between the nip forming member and the image carrier by contacting with a front surface of the image carrier; and a transfer bias applying unit that applies a transfer bias, thereby transferring the toner image carried on the image carrier to a recording material at a position of the transfer nip. The transfer bias applying unit applies the transfer bias in which an AC component and a DC component are superimposed and in which a peak-to-peak voltage of the AC component is larger than 6 times an absolute value of a voltage of the DC component.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a first image bearer that bears a latent image to be developed as a toner image, and a second image bearer that includes an intermediate transfer member. A first transfer device transfers the toner image from the first to the second image bearers. A second transfer device transfers the toner image from the second image bearer to a printing medium. One of the below described inequalities is satisfied when the toner has been subjected to a centrifugal force of 2.6×104 (N/m2) per particle, wherein Ftp represents a non-electrostatic adherence between toner particles, Fpp represents a non-electrostatic adherence between the toner and the first image bearer, and Fbp represents a non-electrostatic adherence between the toner and the second image bearer; Fbp>Ftp, and Fbp>Fpp.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: an image carrier; a toner image forming unit that forms a toner image on the image carrier; a transfer unit that transfers the toner image on the image carrier to a transfer target having ridges and valleys on a surface thereof; an adjusting unit that adjusts a ratio of A/B, where A is a transfer ratio [%] from the image carrier to a valley portion of the transfer target while B is a transfer ratio [%] from the image carrier to a ridge portion of the transfer target, based on an adjustment input by a user; and a control unit that controls a transfer condition of the transfer unit based on the ratio of A/B adjusted by the adjusting unit.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a first image bearer that bears a latent image to be developed as a toner image, and a second image bearer that includes an intermediate transfer member. A first transfer device transfers the toner image from the first to the second image bearers. A second transfer device transfers the toner image from the second image bearer to a printing medium. The below described one of inequalities is satisfied when the toner is compressed by centrifugal force of 2.6×104 (N/m2) per particle, wherein Ftp represents a non-e electrostatic adherence caused between toner particles, Fpp represents a non-e electrostatic adherence caused between the toner and the first image bearer, and Fbp represents a non-e electrostatic adherence caused between the toner and the second image bearer; Fbp>Ftp, and Fbp>Fpp.

Abstract: A vehicular headlamp includes a first reflector disposed fixed with respect to the light source; a second reflector rotatable in a direction that opens and closes a reflective surface of the first reflector; a bracket rotatably supporting the second reflector via a shaft that extends in a direction generally perpendicular to the optical axis of the light source; an actuator attached to the bracket; an attachment includes an insertion hole into which the driving rod of the actuator is inserted and first and second connection holes into which the connecting shaft of the second reflector is inserted. The second reflector includes a connecting shaft that projects in a direction generally perpendicular to an optical axis of the light source. The actuator includes a body and a driving rod that projects from a portion other than a center portion of the body and moves in an axial direction. The first connection hole and the second connection hole of the attachment open one way and open in opposite directions.

Abstract: A vehicular headlamp includes a first reflector disposed fixed with respect to the light source; a second reflector rotatable in a direction that opens and closes a reflective surface of the first reflector; a bracket rotatably supporting the second reflector via a shaft that extends in a direction generally perpendicular to the optical axis of the light source; an actuator attached to the bracket; an attachment includes an insertion hole into which the driving rod of the actuator is inserted and first and second connection holes into which the connecting shaft of the second reflector is inserted. The second reflector includes a connecting shaft that projects in a direction generally perpendicular to an optical axis of the light source. The actuator includes a body and a driving rod that projects from a portion other than a center portion of the body and moves in an axial direction. The first connection hole and the second connection hole of the attachment open one way and open in opposite directions.

Abstract: A toner for electrophotography satisfies Ft/Dt?3.0 [nN/?m], where Ft is an inter-toner non-electrostatic adhesion force after a compressive stress within 0.7×10?2 [N m2] to 1.5×10?2 [N/m2] is applied, and Dt is a diameter of a toner particle. The inter-toner non-electrostatic adhesion force is obtained by filling a two-dividable cell for an Agrobot AGR manufactured by Hosokawa Micron Corporation having a diameter of 15 mm, measuring a tensile rupture stress required for dividing the cell after a compressive stress is applied, and substituting the tensile rupture stress into Rumpf's equation.

Abstract: A toner for electrophotography satisfies Ft/Dt?3.0 [nN/?m], where Ft is an inter-toner non-electrostatic adhesion force after a compressive stress within 0.7×10?2 [N/m2] to 1.5×x10?2 [N/m2] is applied, and Dt is a toner particle diameter. The inter-toner non-electrostatic adhesion force is obtained by filling a two-dividable cell for an Agrobot manufactured by Hosokawa Micron Corporation having a diameter of 15 mm, measuring a tension rupture stress required for dividing the cell after a compressive stress is applied, and substituting the tension rupture stress into Rumpf's equation.