Abstract: A development device includes a developer bearer to carry by rotation developer to a development range facing a latent image bearer, and a planar metal developer regulator to adjust an amount of developer carried by the developer bearer to the development range. The developer bearer includes a developer carrying range having surface unevenness, and the developer regulator includes a fixed end portion held by a regulator holder and a free end portion to contact a surface of the developer bearer.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a latent image carrier; a latent image writer to write a latent image on the latent image carrier; a developing unit including a toner carrier having first and second electrodes insulated via an insulator member and a voltage applying unit to apply voltages to the first and second electrodes having a potential difference to generate first electric fields to cause the toner to hop from the toner carrier to the latent image carrier to develop a toner image; and a transfer unit to transfer the developed toner image to a transferring member. When alternating voltages having a same phase and same amplitude are applied to the first and second electrodes to form second electric fields between the latent image carrier and the toner carrier, the toner is discharged from the toner carrier to the latent image carrier in a toner discharge mode.

Abstract: A patch-pattern forming unit causes an image forming unit to form a patch pattern including a plurality of patches on a conveying member. A detecting unit detects the patch pattern formed on the conveying member. An adjusting unit adjusts an image forming condition of the image forming unit based on a result of detection by the detecting unit. The patch pattern has a length substantially equal to a distance between a patch-pattern start position, which is located at a space corresponding to at least a predetermined margin of a recording medium from a position of the image, and a position of the detecting unit.

Abstract: In a disclosed image forming apparatus, a developing bias applied to a developer carrier or exposure energy with which an image carrier is exposed is adjusted such that an isolated one-dot image on the image carrier has a predetermined image density. When the image carrier is exposed to form dot images continuously arranged in a main scanning direction, the exposure time period for each dot image is shorter than that when the image carrier is exposed to form the isolated one-dot image.

Abstract: A development device includes a toner carrier including first and second groups of electrodes, a toner supplier, and an electrical field generator to generate an electrical field for causing toner to hop along the surface of the toner carrier. The electrical field generator includes a positive-phase pulse voltage generation circuit, a negative-phase pulse voltage generation circuit, a first DC power source for supplying a bias for setting a peak value of pulse voltages, a second DC power source to output a variable voltage having a polarity identical to a polarity of toner charge, a first diode having an anode and a cathode connected to a lower potential side of the positive-phase pulse voltage generation circuit and an output terminal thereof, and a second diode having an anode and a cathode connected to the lower potential side of the positive-phase pulse voltage generation circuit and an output terminal thereof.

Abstract: A development device includes a developer container, a rotary developer carrier that is disposed facing the latent image carrier and including multiple outer electrodes arranged in a circumferential direction of the developer carrier, an inner electrode electrically insulated from the multiple outer electrodes, an insulation layer disposed between the inner and outer electrodes, and a surface layer overlaying the outer electrodes and electrically insulating the multiple outer electrodes from each other, a bias power source to generate electrical fields that change with time by applying a first and second bias voltages to the inner and outer electrodes, respectively, an electrical field adjuster to regulate the electrical fields in accordance with a thickness of the surface layer of the developer carrier, and a controller.

Abstract: A disclosed developing device includes a toner carrying member having electrodes, a toner supply unit supplying the toner to the toner carrying member, and a hopping electric field generator unit generating electric field to cause the toner hopping on the toner carrying member by applying a pulse voltage to the electrodes. The hopping electric field generator unit includes a pulse voltage generator circuit generating the pulse voltage, a first direct-current power source supplying bias to the pulse voltage generator circuit for regulating a peak value of the pulse voltage, and a second direct-current power source having a same polarity with a toner charging polarity, and outputting a variable voltage level. The hopping electric field generator unit controls the peak value of the pulse voltage by changing an output of the first power source and a mean thereof by changing an output of the second power source.

Abstract: A toner consumption-calculating apparatus includes a printed portion area-detecting unit that detects an area of a printed portion of image data of a latent image that is formed on a latent image-bearing member; a latent image portion area-detecting unit that detects an area of a latent image portion on the latent image-bearing member; and a latent image portion toner consumption-calculating unit that calculates latent image portion toner consumption that indicates toner amount that is consumed due to adhering on the latent image portion. The latent image portion toner consumption-calculating unit uses a detection result of the latent image portion area-detecting unit and a detection result of the printed portion area-detecting unit to calculate the latent image portion toner consumption.

Abstract: A disclosed developing device includes a developing roller; a supply roller that is in contact with the developing roller and configured to supply toner to the developing roller; a current measuring unit configured to measure an electric current that flows from the developing roller to the supply roller when the toner is supplied from the supply roller to the developing roller; and an error determining unit configured to detect a development error of the developing roller based on the electric current measured by the current measuring unit.

Abstract: In a disclosed image forming apparatus, a developing bias applied to a developer carrier or exposure energy with which an image carrier is exposed is adjusted such that an isolated one-dot image on the image carrier has a predetermined image density. When the image carrier is exposed to form dot images continuously arranged in a sub scanning direction, the exposure time period for each dot image is shorter than a time period for exposing the image carrier to form the isolated one-dot image.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes either one of a process cartridge and a development device. The process cartridge is attachable to and detachable from the image forming apparatus, and integrally includes the development device. The development device includes a developer supplying member and a developer carrying member, at least one of which is formed of an elastic material, and which rotate in contact with each other. The developer supplying member is provided to be displacable in directions of contacting with and separating from the developer carrying member, and is biased toward the developer carrying member by predetermined biasing force.

Abstract: A process cartridge capable of lowering the line pressure of an abutment section of a layer thickness regulating member and thus reducing the stress on toner when the toner passes the abutment section. Toner adhering to the surface of a supply roller is supplied and applied to the surface of a development roller. The development roller is a roller covered with an elastic rubber layer and the elastic rubber layer is set to have a hardness which makes it possible to prevent toner degradation caused by a concentration of pressure exerted on an abutment section which abuts against a layer thickness regulating member. The surface roughness Ra is set at 0.3 to 2.0 ?m, whereby the required amount of toner can be held by the surface. The resistance value of the elastic rubber layer is set at 103 to 1010? in consideration of the application of a development bias.

Abstract: A patch-pattern forming unit causes an image forming unit to form a patch pattern including a plurality of patches on a conveying member. A detecting unit detects the patch pattern formed on the conveying member. An adjusting unit adjusts an image forming condition of the image forming unit based on a result of detection by the detecting unit. The patch pattern has a length substantially equal to a distance between a patch-pattern start position, which is located at a space corresponding to at least a predetermined margin of a recording medium from a position of the image, and a position of the detecting unit.

Abstract: In a disclosed image forming apparatus, a developing bias applied to a developer carrier or exposure energy with which an image carrier is exposed is adjusted such that an isolated one-dot image on the image carrier has a predetermined image density. When the image carrier is exposed to form dot images continuously arranged in a sub scanning direction, the exposure time period for each dot image is shorter than a time period for exposing the image carrier to form the isolated one-dot image.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes either one of a process cartridge and a development device. The process cartridge is attachable to and detachable from the image forming apparatus, and integrally includes the development device. The development device includes a developer supplying member and a developer carrying member, at least one of which is formed of an elastic material, and which rotate in contact with each other. The developer supplying member is provided to be displacable in directions of contacting with and separating from the developer carrying member, and is biased toward the developer carrying member by predetermined biasing force.

Abstract: A disclosed developing device includes a developing roller; a supply roller that is in contact with the developing roller and configured to supply toner to the developing roller; a current measuring unit configured to measure an electric current that flows from the developing roller to the supply roller when the toner is supplied from the supply roller to the developing roller; and an error determining unit configured to detect a development error of the developing roller based on the electric current measured by the current measuring unit.

Abstract: In a disclosed image forming apparatus, a developing bias applied to a developer carrier or exposure energy with which an image carrier is exposed is adjusted such that an isolated one-dot image on the image carrier has a predetermined image density. When the image carrier is exposed to form dot images continuously arranged in a main scanning direction, the exposure time period for each dot image is shorter than that when the image carrier is exposed to form the isolated one-dot image.

Abstract: A toner consumption-calculating apparatus includes a printed portion area-detecting unit that detects an area of a printed portion of image data of a latent image that is formed on a latent image-bearing member; a latent image portion area-detecting unit that detects an area of a latent image portion on the latent image-bearing member; and a latent image portion toner consumption-calculating unit that calculates latent image portion toner consumption that indicates toner amount that is consumed due to adhering on the latent image portion. The latent image portion toner consumption-calculating unit uses a detection result of the latent image portion area-detecting unit and a detection result of the printed portion area-detecting unit to calculate the latent image portion toner consumption.

Abstract: A developing device includes a developer bearing member configured to bear a developer on a surface thereof, a developer supplying member configured to supply the developer to the developer bearing member, a regulating member configured to regulate the developer supplied on the surface of the developer bearing member to form into a thin layer, and being located at a position lower than a nip of the developer bearing member and the developer supplying member, and a partition wall configured to divide the developing device into two chambers, and arranged with at least one developer path having a bottom portion thereof located lower than a contact point of the developer bearing member and the regulating member.

Abstract: Disclosed is a silver halide photographic light-sensitive material comprising a support having thereon a hydrophilic colloidal layer comprising at least one silver salt of a compound having at least one acid group in the molecule, and the compound is represented by Formula I, Formula II or Formula III: ##STR1## wherein R.sup.1 and R.sup.2 independently represent a hydrogen atom or a group selected from the group consisting of an alkyl group, an alkenyl group, an aryl group and a heterocyclic residue; L.sub.1, L.sub.2, L.sub.3 and L.sub.4 independently represent a methine group; n.sub.1 is an integer of 0 to 3; n.sub.2 is an integer of 0, 1 or 2 and R.sup.3 represents an alkyl group or an alkenyl group. Q.sub.1 represents a non-metal atom group necessary to complete a 5-membered or 6-membered heterocyclic ring; ##STR2## wherein R.sup.4 and R.sup.