Abstract: A toner cartridge includes a screw configured to send stirred toner to an outlet through which the toner is discharged. The toner cartridge includes a partition between the screw and a toner stirrer. The toner stirrer at a default position is in contact with a top of the partition and covers the screw from above to define a closed space around the screw. The closed space is separate from a remaining space having the toner therein. The closed space is in communication with the remaining space when the toner stirrer rotates from the default position to be away from the toner transport screw, enabling the toner to move toward the toner transport screw.

Abstract: A toner cartridge includes a screw configured to send stirred toner to an outlet through which the toner is discharged. The toner cartridge includes a partition between the screw and a toner stirrer. The toner stirrer at a default position is in contact with a top of the partition and covers the screw from above to define a closed space around the screw. The closed space is separate from a remaining space having the toner therein. The closed space is in communication with the remaining space when the toner stirrer rotates from the default position to be away from the toner transport screw, enabling the toner to move toward the toner transport screw.

Abstract: The image forming apparatus of the present invention includes an operation accepting means for accepting an instruction, and a display controlling means for controlling a display section. The display controlling means controls the display section to display at least environmental information, which has been obtained by the image forming apparatus, at predetermined timing at which no instruction corresponding to a job is accepted by the operation accepting means.

Abstract: The image forming apparatus of the present invention includes an operation accepting means for accepting an instruction, and a display controlling means for controlling a display section. The display controlling means controls the display section to display at least environmental information, which has been obtained by the image forming apparatus, at predetermined timing at which no instruction corresponding to a job is accepted by the operation accepting means.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus to which a plurality of process cartridges has a safety switch for detecting opening and closing of a front cover, stroke switches for detecting positions of the process cartridges, a display portion and a speaker for notifying a state of the process cartridge, and a control portion. The control portion has a cartridge information notifying function for, when closing of the front cover is detected by the safety switch and the process cartridge is not detected by the stroke switch, notifying information of the process cartridge. Further, the control portion has a cartridge information notifying function for notifying first notification information for replacing the process cartridge, a cartridge moving function for moving the process cartridge by a moving portion, and a cartridge information notification cancelling function for cancelling notification of the first notification information.

Abstract: A communication system is provided. In a communication system, when consumables mounted on an image forming apparatus main body are determined as greenhouse gas emission right-granted consumables by a computation unit, an image forming apparatus acquires contribution content information regarding greenhouse gas reduction corresponding to emission right allowance information recorded in a recording unit of the consumables from a connection unit and displays the acquired contribution content information on a display unit.

Abstract: When a device desired to acquire emission right information is selected on a selection screen displayed on a display unit and a “SEND” icon is manipulated, a control unit causes the display unit to display consumables information of consumables granted with emission rights and consumables not granted with emission rights that is received from a server. When a user selects a consumable item that is desired to be ordered from among consumables indicated by the consumables information displayed on the display unit, and manipulates a “SEND ORDER SHEET” icon on the ordering screen, the control unit sends an order sheet to the server. The control unit causes the display unit to display, in the case of receiving order sheet receipt notification from the server in response to the sent order sheet, the received order sheet receipt notification.

Abstract: The consumable supply-ordering system for ordering consumable supplies that is used an image forming apparatus that has been purchased or leased, includes: an environmental information acquisition portion (communicator) for acquiring product information on consumable supplies used in the image forming apparatus and environmental performance information on the consumable supplies; a display portion having the function of displaying product information on the consumable supplies and environmental performance information on the consumable supplies simultaneously or separately in list representation or thumbnail representation; an information selector (display screen) for selecting information displayed on the display portion; and a selection result notifier (communicator) for notifying the source of supplies of the selection result selected by the information selector.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus to which a plurality of process cartridges has a safety switch for detecting opening and closing of a front cover, stroke switches for detecting positions of the process cartridges, a display portion and a speaker for notifying a state of the process cartridge, and a control portion. The control portion has a cartridge information notifying function for, when closing of the front cover is detected by the safety switch and the process cartridge is not detected by the stroke switch, notifying information of the process cartridge. Further, the control portion has a cartridge information notifying function for notifying first notification information for replacing the process cartridge, a cartridge moving function for moving the process cartridge by a moving portion, and a cartridge information notification cancelling function for cancelling notification of the first notification information.

Abstract: The image forming apparatus (1) includes a toner cartridge (71) between a front frame (78) or an front inside cover (79) and a front housing, and a cartridge attaching section (65) includes a shutter stopping section (65i) for opening a shutter (71c) by attachment of the toner cartridge (71) to the toner cartridge attaching section (65), and an IC chip fitting section (65c) to which an IC chip (75) is attached.

Abstract: In an image forming apparatus, a fixing drive motor is positioned inside the image forming apparatus and closely to the front surface of the image forming apparatus so as to be laterally to toner cartridges and a waste toner box in a direction parallel to an outer surface of a front housing section.

Abstract: A charging roller has a conductive shaft, a charge emission member provided to the shaft, and a gap securing member provided to the shaft. The gap securing member (i) protrudes toward the photoreceptor drum so as to be closer to the photoreceptor drum than the charge emission member is to the photoreceptor drum and (ii) is in contact with the photoreceptor drum so as to secure a gap between the charge emission member and the photoreceptor drum. A conductive part of the gap securing member and the shaft are bonded to each other by electrically releasing adhesive, so that the gap securing member is provided to the shaft.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus including an operation panel has, as a configuration of the operation panel, a display portion including a function to display environmental label information of the image forming apparatus. The environmental label information includes information on a type of greenhouse effect gases (CO2) and a total emission amount of the greenhouse effect gases in a life cycle of the image forming apparatus. On the display portion, there is provided a selective display portion for displaying an environmental label as list display or thumbnail display, as well as selectively displaying detailed information of the environmental label according to the environmental label.

Abstract: The image forming apparatus of the present invention includes an image forming main device which has a control section. The control section (a) obtains, from an external device via a communication device, option information indicative of an at least one optional device and eco-information indicative of an amount of greenhouse-gas emitted due to the at least one optional device, (b) controls a display device to display the option information and the eco-information, and (c) sends, to the external device via the communication device, an order for an optional device selected by a user via the input device out of the at least one optional device indicated by the option information displayed on the display device.

Abstract: A toner cartridge includes a container for containing toner, a toner discharge section having a toner discharge port, an auger screw provided in the container, for conveying toner in the container to the toner discharge section, a shutter for opening and closing the toner discharge port, and a toner flowing-out preventing member provided in a communicating part between the container and the toner discharge section, for preventing flowing out of toner by closing an opening of the communicating part. The toner flowing-out preventing member is configured so as to open the opening in conjunction with an opening operation of the shutter.

Abstract: A toner cartridge includes a toner container for containing toner, a toner discharge section provided on one side part of the toner container and having a toner discharge port, an auger screw provided in the toner container, for conveying toner in the toner container to the toner discharge section, and a toner flowing-out preventing valve provided in a communicating part between the toner container and the toner discharge section to prevent flowing out of toner. The toner flowing-out preventing valve is configured to open and close the communicating part in conjunction with rotation of the auger screw.

Abstract: The developing device includes: a developing container for storing a developer; first and second conveying passages that are formed in the developing container and sectioned by a partition; first and second conveying members disposed inside the first and second conveying passages, respectively, to agitate and circulatively convey the developer through the first and second conveying passages in opposite directions; a developing roller that supplies the developer in the second developer conveying passage to a photoreceptor drum; first and second communication paths that connect between the first and second conveying passages at both ends of the partition; and, a developer flow regulator that regulates the flow of developer moving from the first conveying passage to the second conveying passage, in accordance with the height of the developer surface of the developer.

Abstract: A printing control device of the present invention controls a printing device equipped with a consumable supply, and includes a display control section for causing a display section to display a printing setting screen via which printing conditions corresponding to functions of the printing device are set and entered into the printing device. The printing setting screen includes an ordering screen via which an order of the consumable supply equipped for the printing device is entered, and the ordering screen includes remaining-amount-of-consumable-supply information indicative of an index of a remaining amount of the consumable supply.

Abstract: In a developing device including a developing vessel for storing a developer, a first conveying passage, a second conveying passage, a first conveying member, a second conveying member and a developing roller, the first conveying member has a first rotary shaft and a first conveying blade formed on the periphery of the first rotary shaft, the first conveying blade has a first inner helical blade formed on the periphery of the first rotary shaft and a first outer helical blade arranged along the axis of the first rotary shaft and radially outside the outer periphery of the first inner helical blade, and the helical pitch of the first outer helical blade is specified to be shorter than the helical pitch of the first inner helical blade.

Abstract: A toner cartridge includes: a toner storing portion for storing toner; a toner discharger having a toner discharge port; a screw auger having a rotary shaft and a helical blade for conveying the toner in the toner storing portion to the toner discharger; and an inner shutter that sections between the toner storing portion and the toner discharger. The inner shutter is provided so as to be movable to such a position as to create communication between the toner storing portion and the toner discharge port in linkage with rotation of the screw auger.