Abstract: External additive particles including a polymer containing a sulfur atom and a nitrogen atom, wherein the polymer includes a vinyl polymer moiety and a siloxane moiety, relative to a total number of carbon atoms, oxygen atoms, and silicon atoms constituting the external additive particles, a ratio of a number of the silicon atoms constituting the external additive particles is 4.0% or more and 25.0% or less, and in surfaces of the external additive particles analyzed by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, relative to a total number of carbon atoms, nitrogen atoms, oxygen atoms, silicon atoms, and sulfur atoms, a ratio of a number of the nitrogen atoms is 0.40% or more and 2.50% or less, and a ratio of a number of the sulfur atoms is 0.05% or more and 0.25% or less.

Abstract: An exposure unit forms an electrostatic latent image on the surface of the photoconductor by exposing a photoconductor charged by a charging unit. The electrostatic latent image includes a patterned latent image having a periodic pattern and a printing latent image according to image information to be printed. The patterned latent image includes exposed sections exposed by the exposure unit and unexposed sections less exposed than the exposed sections. Each of the exposed sections occupies 30% or more and 70% or less of an area of one period of the patterned latent image. The period of the patterned latent image in a width direction intersecting the periodic pattern is 100% or more and less than 400% of an average particle diameter of the toner.

Abstract: A toner amount measuring unit irradiates a toner image formed on an image carrying member with light, and an image capturing unit captures an image of a reflected waveform according to light reflected by the toner image. Then, an amount of applied toner is calculated based on the peak position or peak height of the reflected waveform in accordance with information associated with the density of the toner image to be formed.

Abstract: A toner amount measuring unit irradiates a toner image formed on an image carrying member with light, and an image capturing unit captures an image of a reflected waveform according to light reflected by the toner image. Then, an amount of applied toner is calculated based on the peak position or peak height of the reflected waveform in accordance with information associated with the density of the toner image to be formed.

Abstract: A toner amount measuring unit irradiates a toner image formed on an image carrying member with light, and an image capturing unit captures an image of a reflected waveform according to light reflected by the toner image. Then, an amount of applied toner is calculated based on the peak position or peak height of the reflected waveform in accordance with information associated with the density of the toner image to be formed.

Abstract: A toner amount measuring unit irradiates a toner image formed on an image carrying member with light, and an image capturing unit captures an image of a reflected waveform according to light reflected by the toner image. Then, an amount of applied toner is calculated based on the peak position or peak height of the reflected waveform in accordance with information associated with the density of the toner image to be formed.

Abstract: The image forming apparatus has an image forming portion capable of forming an image on a transferring medium by the use of a hypochromatic toner and a hyperchromatic toner of substantially the same color. The image forming portion is provided with a developing device for developing with the hypochromatic toner and the hyperchromatic toner, wherein, in an image area in which the hyperchromatic toner and the hypochromatic toner are mixedly present, the recording rate of the hyperchromatic toner is 1/16, the minimum size Wmini of a toner image of the hyperchromatic toner is 50 ?m or less on the transferring medium. Thereby, it is achieved to reduce graininess.

Abstract: A color image forming apparatus forms an image using a deep toner and a pale toner at least for one color such that the pale toner is used to form an image in a high lightness area, and the pale toner and the deep toner are used in combination to form the image in a half tone area. A toner kit has a deep toner and a pale toner which are separated from each other. A method for forming an image uses the color image forming apparatus, the toner kit, and the deep toner and the pale toner. A high quality image can be formed while inhibiting graininess and roughness over a broad image area.

Abstract: The image forming apparatus includes an image forming unit capable of forming an image with a hypochromic toner and a hyperchromic toner of a substantially same hue, a first toner containing portion containing the hypochromic toner, a second toner containing portion containing the hyperchromic toner, and a density detecting unit which detects a density of an image formed with the hypochromic toner and the hyperchromic toner. Thus an image can be formed with the hypochromic toner and the hyperchromic toner of a substantially same hue.

Abstract: The image forming apparatus has an image forming portion capable of forming an image on a transferring medium by the use of a hypochromatic toner and a hyperchromatic toner of substantially the same color. The image forming portion is provided with a developing device for developing with the hypochromatic toner and the hyperchromatic toner, wherein, in an image area in which the hyperchromatic toner and the hypochromatic toner are mixedly present, the recording rate of the hyperchromatic toner is 1/16, the minimum size Wmini of a toner image of the hyperchromatic toner is 50 ?m or less on the transferring medium. Thereby, it is achieved to reduce graininess.

Abstract: Provided is an image forming apparatus for forming a toner image including: a first light source emitting a beam corresponding to image information; a first photosensitive member; a first developing means for developing a latent image with a first toner; a second light source; a second photosensitive member; and a second developing means for developing a latent image with a second toner, in which the coloring agent contained in the first toner and the coloring agent contained in the second toner are substantially of the same hue, with the content of the coloring agent contained in the second toner being smaller than the content of the coloring agent contained in the first toner, and in which an oscillation wavelength of at least the first light source ranges from 370 to 500 nm. With the image forming apparatus structured as described above, an improvement in terms of granularity is achieved.

Abstract: The image forming apparatus includes an image forming unit capable of forming an image with a hypochromic toner and a hyperchromic toner of a substantially same hue, a first toner containing portion containing the hypochromic toner, a second toner containing portion containing the hyperchromic toner, and a density detecting unit which detects a density of an image formed with the hypochromic toner and the hyperchromic toner. Thus an image can be formed with the hypochromic toner and the hyperchromic toner of a substantially same hue.

Abstract: Provided is an image forming apparatus for forming a toner image including: a first light source emitting a beam corresponding to image information; a first photosensitive member; a first developing means for developing a latent image with a first toner; a second light source; a second photosensitive member; and a second developing means for developing a latent image with a second toner, in which the coloring agent contained in the first toner and the coloring agent contained in the second toner are substantially of the same hue, with the content of the coloring agent contained in the second toner being smaller than the content of the coloring agent contained in the first toner, and in which an oscillation wavelength of at least the first light source ranges from 370 to 500 nm. With the image forming apparatus structured as described above, an improvement in terms of granularity is achieved.

Abstract: The present invention provides: a color image forming apparatus that forms an image using a deep toner and a pale toner at least for one color such that the pale toner is used to form an image in a high lightness area and the pale toner and the deep toner are used in combination to form the image in a half tone area; a toner kit having a deep toner and a pale toner which are separated from each other; a deep toner and a deep toner and a pale toner to be used in the toner kit and the color image forming apparatus; and a method for forming an image using the color image forming apparatus, the toner kit, and the deep toner and the pale toner. According to the present invention, a high quality image can be formed while inhibiting graininess and roughness over a broad image area.

Abstract: An exposure apparatus performs exposure of a photosensitive body by an array of light emitting devices to form an image as a latent image thereon. The array of light emitting devices incorporate micro-optical cavities. The micro-optical cavities limit wavelengths of light emitted from the array of light emitting devices, so that the wavelength at a peak of emitted light is in a half width region of sensitivity versus wavelength of the photosensitive body.

Abstract: An exposure unit includes a luminescent device array including a pair of electrodes and an organic compound layer disposed between the electrodes, and a microlens array arranged corresponding to the luminescent device array. The exposure unit is used in an image forming apparatus using an electrophotographic system.

Abstract: A charging apparatus includes a charging member, to which a voltage is applicable, for charging a member to be charged; the charging member including: a flexible member for forming a nip with the member to be charged, wherein the flexible member is moved with a peripheral speed difference between surfaces of the flexible member and the member to be charged at the nip; and electroconductive particles in the nip.

Abstract: A light-emitting device is disclosed which includes a light-emitting element array formed by arranging a plurality of light-emitting elements, a driving unit for driving the light-emitting element array to emit light from each of the light-emitting elements, a memory unit for storing the number of light emissions for each light-emitting element of the light-emitting element array, and a control unit for controlling the driving unit based on the information stored in the memory unit so that the amount of light emitted from each light-emitting element is held constant. An exposure device employing the light-emitting device, and an image forming apparatus employing the exposure device are also disclosed.

Abstract: An exposure device having an array of a plurality of light emitting elements composed of at least an anode layer, a cathode layer and one or more organic compound layers interposed between the anode layer and the cathode layer all of which are formed on a substrate. In the exposure device, the quantity of light emitted from each light emitting element is made uniform by controlling the light emitting area of each light emitting element. Therefore, the exposure device eliminates differences in the quantity of emitted light among the plurality of light emitting elements without using a special drive circuit.

Abstract: An electrophotographic apparatus includes an electrophotographic photosensitive member; a charger for charging the electrophotographic photosensitive member including a charging member supplied with a voltage and disposed in contact with the photosensitive member so as to form a nip with the photosensitive member to charge the photosensitive member; an exposure device; a developing device; and a transfer device. The photosensitive member includes a surface layer containing a charge-transporting material having an oxidation potential of 0.4-1.0 volt. Charging promoter particles are present at the nip between the photosensitive member and the charging member to injection-charge the photosensitive member. Because of the selection of the charge-transporting material and the presence of the charging promoter particles, the photosensitive member can be effectively injection-charged.