Abstract: A developing device includes a developer container that accommodates an electrostatic image developer including toner containing a toner particle and a zinc stearate particle, a ratio (DT/DS) of a volume-average particle size (DT) of the toner particle to a volume-average particle size (DS) of the zinc stearate particle being about 1.9 or more; a developer carrier that supplies the toner to an image carrier; a supply conveyor that supplies the electrostatic image developer while conveying the electrostatic image developer; a mixing conveyor that conveys the electrostatic image developer while mixing the electrostatic image developer; and a partition disposed between the supply conveyor and the mixing conveyor. The electrostatic image developer is moved from the supply conveyor to the mixing conveyor through a first passage and is moved from the mixing conveyor to the supply conveyor through a second passage.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a carrier that carries a toner image formed by a toner, the toner including a toner body and an external additive, a circularity of the external additive being about 0.5 to about 0.9, a transfer member that holds a transferred body between the transfer member and the carrier, the transfer member transferring the toner image to the transferred body, and a removing member that includes a contact portion, the contact portion contacting the transfer member, the removing member removing toner that adheres to the transfer member from the toner image carried by the carrier, the contact portion being made of an elastic material that satisfies an inequality (1) below: A??2.5×B+102??(1) where A denotes a pure water contact angle (°) at 23° C. and 55% RH, and B denotes a 100% modulus (MPa) at 23° C.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a developing unit and a supply amount increasing unit. The developing unit supplies oil-impregnated particles to an image carrier and develops an electrostatic latent image by a developer on the image carrier which is electrically charged to a polarity that is opposite a polarity of the developer which is electrically charged to a positive polarity or a negative polarity, based on a potential difference between a developing part and the image carrier. The supply amount increasing unit increases an amount of supply of the oil-impregnated particles to the image carrier by adjusting the potential of the image carrier, while a developing operation is not being performed by the developing unit.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a developing unit and a supply amount increasing unit. The developing unit supplies oil-impregnated particles to an image carrier and develops an electrostatic latent image by a developer on the image carrier which is electrically charged to a polarity that is opposite a polarity of the developer which is electrically charged to a positive polarity or a negative polarity, based on a potential difference between a developing part and the image carrier. The supply amount increasing unit increases an amount of supply of the oil-impregnated particles to the image carrier by adjusting the potential of the image carrier, while a developing operation is not being performed by the developing unit.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a latent image carrier, a first developing unit, a second developing unit, a transfer unit, a removing member, and a fixing unit. An average circularity of particles having an average particle diameter of no less than 100 nm and no more than 300 nm among particles included in a second external additive is less than an average circularity of particles having an average particle diameter of no less than 100 nm and no more than 300 nm among particles included in a first external additive.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a carrier that carries a toner image formed by a toner, the toner including a toner body and an external additive, a circularity of the external additive being about 0.5 to about 0.9, a transfer member that holds a transferred body between the transfer member and the carrier, the transfer member transferring the toner image to the transferred body, and a removing member that includes a contact portion, the contact portion contacting the transfer member, the removing member removing toner that adheres to the transfer member from the toner image carried by the carrier, the contact portion being made of an elastic material that satisfies an inequality (1) below: A??2.5×B+102??(1) where A denotes a pure water contact angle (°) at 23° C. and 55% RH, and B denotes a 100% modulus (MPa) at 23° C.

Abstract: A recording medium conveying apparatus includes a conveying path, a conveying section, recording medium detection sensors, a medium interval calculation section, a control section, and a difference calculation section. The difference calculation section sets a medium interval based on an output from the recording medium detection sensor serving as a reference sensor to a reference value and calculates a difference by subtracting a medium interval based on the output from each of the other recording medium detection sensors from the reference value. When, during the continuous conveyance of recording media, a value obtained by subtracting the difference from the medium interval based on the output from any of the other recording medium detection sensors is equal to or less than zero, the control section controls the conveying section to extend the medium interval.

Abstract: A recording medium conveying apparatus includes a conveying path, a conveying section, recording medium detection sensors, a medium interval calculation section, a control section, and a difference calculation section. The difference calculation section sets a medium interval based on an output from the recording medium detection sensor serving as a reference sensor to a reference value and calculates a difference by subtracting a medium interval based on the output from each of the other recording medium detection sensors from the reference value. When, during the continuous conveyance of recording media, a value obtained by subtracting the difference from the medium interval based on the output from any of the other recording medium detection sensors is equal to or less than zero, the control section controls the conveying section to extend the medium interval.

Abstract: A collected developer conveying device includes: a conveying passage through which collected developer is conveyed; a conveying member that is disposed in the conveying passage, and conveys the developer in the conveying passage by rotation thereof; a developer carrying body that holds developer on a surface thereof, and that is relatable; and a ventilation passage through which air passes from a developing container including the developer carrying body, wherein the conveying passage includes an air flow region formed in a part thereof upper than a rotational center of the conveying member in a gravitational direction, in a side of the conveying passage in which the conveying member rotates from an upper part of the conveying passage to a lower part thereof in the gravitational direction.

Abstract: A cleaning device has: a cleaning member contacting a body-to-be-cleaned at a predetermined nip width, and cleaning a surface of the body-to-be-cleaned; and a supporting member supporting a peripheral surface of the cleaning member. The cleaning member is supported with predetermined degrees of freedom by the supporting member and a surface of the body-to-be-cleaned.

Abstract: A collected developer conveying device includes: a conveying passage through which collected developer is conveyed; a conveying member that is disposed in the conveying passage, and conveys the developer in the conveying passage by rotation thereof; a developer carrying body that holds developer on a surface thereof, and that is relatable; and a ventilation passage through which air passes from a developing container including the developer carrying body, wherein the conveying passage includes an air flow region formed in a part thereof upper than a rotational center of the conveying member in a gravitational direction, in a side of the conveying passage in which the conveying member rotates from an upper part of the conveying passage to a lower part thereof in the gravitational direction.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing a droplet ejection head includes a step of forming recessed sections for forming nozzles by etching half way through a first face of a silicon substrate, a step of bonding a first support substrate to the first face of the silicon substrate, a step of reducing the thickness of the silicon substrate by processing a second face of the silicon substrate that is opposite to the first face thereof, and making the recessed sections through holes, and a step of removing the first support substrate from the silicon substrate after the reduction of the thickness of the silicon substrate.

Abstract: A cleaning device has: a cleaning member contacting a body-to-be-cleaned at a predetermined nip width, and cleaning a surface of the body-to-be-cleaned; and a supporting member supporting a peripheral surface of the cleaning member. The cleaning member is supported with predetermined degrees of freedom by the supporting member and a surface of the body-to-be-cleaned.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing a droplet ejection head includes a step of forming recessed sections for forming nozzles by etching a first face of a silicon substrate, a step of bonding a support substrate to the first face of the silicon substrate, a step of reducing the thickness of the silicon substrate by processing a second face of the silicon substrate that is opposite to the first face thereof, and a step of removing the support substrate from the silicon substrate after the reduction of the thickness of the silicon substrate. A droplet ejection head manufactured by the method is provided. A droplet ejection apparatus includes the droplet ejection head.