Abstract: An image forming apparatus including a cleaning member having a belt cleaning blade and a conductive brush. A value of a charging current that is generated when charging residual toner with the conductive brush is smaller when a color mode is executed compared to that when a monochrome mode is executed.

Abstract: In an adjustment step, an adjustment purpose toner image is formed on an intermediate transfer belt, and the adjustment purpose toner image is removed from the intermediate transfer belt by a cleaning member contacting the intermediate transfer belt and through an electrostatic cleaning step. This adjustment step is executed in a state where a toner attachment amount on a charging member is switched from a first limit value, which is allowed in the image forming step to a second limit value, which is allowed immediately before executing the adjustment step. This switching is performed by the execution of a toner discharging step, where a power supply changes the state of applying voltage to the charging member from that in the electrostatic cleaning step, so that toner attached to the charging member is transferred to the intermediate transfer belt.

Abstract: A grammage detection sensor according to an aspect of the present invention includes a transmission unit configured to transmit an ultrasonic wave, a reception unit configured to receive the ultrasonic wave transmitted from the transmission unit, and a control unit configured to detect a grammage of a recording material, when a plurality of recording materials are continuously conveyed between the transmission unit and the reception unit, on the basis of a first ultrasonic wave received by the reception unit after the ultrasonic wave is transmitted by the transmission unit between a preceding recording material and a recording material following the preceding recording material, and a second ultrasonic wave received via a recording material by the reception unit after the ultrasonic wave is transmitted by the transmission unit.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a controller for forming an adjustment toner image in a region corresponding to between a first region corresponding to a preceding sheet and a second region corresponding to a subsequent sheet, wherein the controller selectively executes a first mode for setting as a first length a gap between the adjustment image and a trailing edge of the first region and for setting as a second length a gap between the adjustment toner image and a leading end of the second region, or a second mode for setting as a third length a gap between the adjustment toner image and the trailing edge of the first region and for setting as a fourth length a gap between the adjustment image and the leading end of the second region. The third is shorter than the first, and the fourth length is longer than the first length.

Abstract: A fixing device includes: a cylindrical film; a nip forming member; and a back-up member for forming a nip. The nip forming member includes a projected portion. A projection amount of the projected portion is smaller in an end portion region positioned at an end portion of the projected portion with respect to a generatrix direction of the film than in a central region positioned at a central portion of the projected portion with respect to the generatrix direction, at least a part of the end portion region being inside a feeding region of a maximum-sized recording material usable in the fixing device. With respect to the recording material feeding direction, a width of the part, of the projected portion, inside the nip is broader in the end portion region than in the central region.

Abstract: A fixing device includes: a cylindrical film; a nip forming member; and a back-up member for forming a nip. The nip forming member includes a projected portion. The projection amount of the projected portion is smaller in an end portion region positioned at an end portion of the projected portion with respect to a generatrix direction of the film than in a central region positioned at a central portion of the projected portion with respect to the generatrix direction, at least a part of the end portion region being inside a feeding region of a maximum-sized recording material usable in the fixing device. With respect to the recording material feeding direction, the width of the part of the projected portion inside the nip is broader in the end portion region than in the central region.

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 sensor is attached to an apparatus having a fixing unit which fixes an image on a recording medium by heating the recording medium. The sensor includes: a transmission unit transmitting an ultrasonic wave to the recording medium; a reception unit receiving the ultrasonic wave via the recording medium, and output a signal corresponding to the received ultrasonic wave; and a detecting unit detecting information relating to a state of the recording medium which has changed by passing through the fixing unit, based on a first signal which the reception unit has output upon having received the ultrasonic wave before the recording medium has passed through the fixing unit, and a second signal which the reception unit has output upon having received the ultrasonic wave after the recording medium has passed through the fixing unit.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: an image forming portion; a transfer member; a fixing portion; and a cleaning member. The image forming apparatus includes a first toner container containing a first formulation toner rich in hydrocarbon wax and a second toner container containing a second formulation toner rich in ester wax. The image forming apparatus is capable of executing an image forming operation and an operation in a toner supplying mode for supplying the toner or the toners to an intermediary transfer member when the image forming operation is not performed. The image forming apparatus is capable of executing the operation in the toner supplying mode in which only the first formulation toner is used or a mixture of the first formulation toner and the second formulation toner is used so that the first formulation toner is used in a larger amount than the second formulation toner.

Abstract: A fixing device includes: a cylindrical film; a nip forming member; and a back-up member for forming a nip. The nip forming member includes a projected portion. A projection amount of the projected portion is smaller in an end portion region positioned at an end portion of the projected portion with respect to a generatrix direction of the film than in a central region positioned at a central portion of the projected portion with respect to the generatrix direction, at least a part of the end portion region being inside a feeding region of a maximum-sized recording material usable in the fixing device. With respect to the recording material feeding direction, a width of the part, of the projected portion, inside the nip is broader in the end portion region than in the central region.

Abstract: There is provided an image forming apparatus in which an image forming speed is changed in a state where toner is provided between a photosensitive drum and an intermediate transfer member. Therefore, even if a speed difference between the photosensitive drum and the intermediate transfer member is generated, a drive torque can be suppressed, and deterioration caused by abrasion of the photosensitive drum and the intermediate transfer member can be reduced.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a removal unit configured to remove developer that was not transferred to a recording material; and a control unit configured to control an image forming unit for supplying developer to the removal unit. The image forming unit is configured to form first developer image, and second developer image whose length in the sub-scanning direction is longer than that of the first developer image, and whose amount of developer per unit area is less than or equal to that of the first developer image, and the control unit is further configured to, based on a predetermined relationship between the recording material type and the supplying image, select a supplying image formed by the image forming unit before or after the developer image transferred to the recording material.

Abstract: A grammage detection sensor according to an aspect of the present invention includes a transmission unit configured to transmit an ultrasonic wave, a reception unit configured to receive the ultrasonic wave transmitted from the transmission unit, and a control unit configured to detect a grammage of a recording material, when a plurality of recording materials are continuously conveyed between the transmission unit and the reception unit, on the basis of a first ultrasonic wave received by the reception unit after the ultrasonic wave is transmitted by the transmission unit between a preceding recording material and a recording material following the preceding recording material, and a second ultrasonic wave received via a recording material by the reception unit after the ultrasonic wave is transmitted by the transmission unit.

Abstract: A sensor is attached to an apparatus having a fixing unit which fixes an image on a recording medium by heating the recording medium. The sensor includes: a transmission unit transmitting an ultrasonic wave to the recording medium; a reception unit receiving the ultrasonic wave via the recording medium, and output a signal corresponding to the received ultrasonic wave; and a detecting unit detecting information relating to a state of the recording medium which has changed by passing through the fixing unit, based on a first signal which the reception unit has output upon having received the ultrasonic wave before the recording medium has passed through the fixing unit, and a second signal which the reception unit has output upon having received the ultrasonic wave after the recording medium has passed through the fixing unit.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image bearing member, an intermediate transfer member, and a secondary transfer member having a plurality of protrusions which come into contact with the intermediate transfer member. A superficial layer of the intermediate transfer member includes a superficial layer and a plurality of insulating particles buried in the superficial layer so as to be partially exposed from she superficial layer. In the case where the insulating particles are present in a contact region in which the protrusions are brought into contact with the intermediate transfer member, a portion in which the protrusions are brought into direct contact with the superficial layer is present in the contact region.

Abstract: Provided is an image forming apparatus including an image bearing member, an intermediate transfer member, and secondary transfer member having a plurality of protrusions which come into contact with the intermediate transfer member. A superficial layer of the intermediate transfer member includes a superficial layer and a plurality of insulating particles buried in the superficial layer so as to be partially exposed from she superficial layer. In the case where the insulating particles are present in a contact region in which the protrusion brings into contact with the intermediate transfer member, a portion in which the protrusion brings into direct contact with the superficial layer is present in the contact region.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a removal unit configured to remove developer that was not transferred to a recording material; and a control unit configured to control an image forming unit for supplying developer to the removal unit. The image forming unit is configured to form first developer image, and second developer image whose length in the sub-scanning direction is longer than that of the first developer image, and whose amount of developer per unit area is less than or equal to that of the first developer image, and the control unit is further configured to, based on a predetermined relationship between the recording material type and the supplying image, select a supplying image formed by the image forming unit before or after the developer image transferred to the recording material.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image bearing member on which a toner image is to be formed; a transfer device for transferring the toner image carried on the image bearing member; and a rotationally movable endless transfer belt onto which the toner image is to be transferred or on which a transfer material onto which the toner image is to be transferred is to be conveyed. The transfer device includes a sheet member contacted to an inner peripheral surface of the transfer belt while being supported by a supporting member at an end thereof and includes an urging member for urging the sheet member against the transfer belt in contact to the sheet member. The urging member includes a projected portion projected toward the transfer belt at its downstream end portion more than at its upstream end portion with respect to a movement direction of the transfer belt.

Abstract: In an image forming apparatus, a control unit is capable of carrying out a cleaning mode with a first step of allowing an image forming unit to form, on an image bearing member, a cleaning toner image with a length according to a length of a feeding member or conveying member in a direction orthogonal to a conveyance direction of the recording material, a second step of moving the cleaning toner image from the image bearing member to a transfer member, and a third step of moving the cleaning toner image from the transfer member to the image bearing member.

Abstract: There is provided an image forming apparatus including a rotation member used for image forming and a detector for detecting light from the rotation member. First waveform data of an image-formed surface used to form an image on the rotation member is acquired by the detector. Second waveform data of the image-formed surface used to form an image on the rotation member is acquired. The second waveform data includes at least part of a detected section of the first waveform data. Information on the actual circumference of the rotation member is calculated based on matching between the acquired first and second waveform data. The acquired first waveform data and second waveform data are compared to determine whether or not to use the calculated information on the circumference. When it is determined not to use the calculated information on the circumference, information on the circumference of the rotation member is recalculated.