Abstract: A liquid applying apparatus includes a liquid applier, a heating device, and a post-processing apparatus. The liquid applier is configured to discharge liquid to a sheet. The heating device is configured to heat the sheet on which the liquid is applied, by the liquid applier. The post-processing apparatus is configured to perform a post-processing operation to the sheet that has passed the heating device. An upstream sheet that is conveyed after the sheet and located upstream from the post-processing apparatus in a sheet conveyance direction stops in an area other than a heat area of the heating device when the post-processing apparatus performs the post-processing operation on the sheet.

Abstract: A liquid applying apparatus includes a liquid applier, a heating device, and a post-processing apparatus. The liquid applier is configured to discharge liquid to a sheet. The heating device is configured to heat the sheet on which the liquid is applied, by the liquid applier. The post-processing apparatus is configured to perform a post-processing operation to the sheet that has passed the heating device. An upstream sheet that is conveyed after the sheet and located upstream from the post-processing apparatus in a sheet conveyance direction stops in an area other than a heat area of the heating device when the post-processing apparatus performs the post-processing operation on the sheet.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image bearer, a charging, a charge power supply to supply a charging bias to the charging device, a developing device, a toner adhesion amount detector, an environment detector, and a controller to determine whether to execute a charging bias adjustment process in which the charging device charges the image bearer to have different potentials, the developing device supplies the toner to the image bearer according to the different potentials, the toner adhesion amount detector detects the amount of toner adhering to the image bearer, and the controller adjusts the charging. The controller includes a memory device to store the environment data, and is configured to compare the environment data with previous environment data stored in the memory device, and determine not to execute the charging bias adjustment process when an environment change amount is not greater than a threshold.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a photoconductor on which an electrostatic latent image is formed by irradiation of the photoconductor with light, a charger, a developing device, a transfer device, a charge removal execution determiner, and a power supply controller. The charger receives a superimposed voltage of a DC voltage and an AC voltage to charge the photoconductor. The developing device develops the electrostatic latent image on the photoconductor into a toner image. The transfer device transfers the developed toner image to a recording medium. The charge removal execution determiner issues a charge removal command when a flow of electric charge from the transfer device into the photoconductor has occurred in an image forming outputting operation. The power supply controller applies only the AC voltage to the charger for a predetermined period in a state in which the photoconductor is rotated, when the charge removal command is issued.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image bearer, a charging, a charge power supply to supply a charging bias to the charging device, a developing device, a toner adhesion amount detector, an environment detector, and a controller to determine whether to execute a charging bias adjustment process in which the charging device charges the image bearer to have different potentials, the developing device supplies the toner to the image bearer according to the different potentials, the toner adhesion amount detector detects the amount of toner adhering to the image bearer, and the controller adjusts the charging. The controller includes a memory device to store the environment data, and is configured to compare the environment data with previous environment data stored in the memory device, and determine not to execute the charging bias adjustment process when an environment change amount is not greater than a threshold.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a photoconductor on which an electrostatic latent image is formed by irradiation of the photoconductor with light, a charger, a developing device, a transfer device, a charge removal execution determiner, and a power supply controller. The charger receives a superimposed voltage of a DC voltage and an AC voltage to charge the photoconductor. The developing device develops the electrostatic latent image on the photoconductor into a toner image. The transfer device transfers the developed toner image to a recording medium. The charge removal execution determiner issues a charge removal command when a flow of electric charge from the transfer device into the photoconductor has occurred in an image forming outputting operation. The power supply controller applies only the AC voltage to the charger for a predetermined period in a state in which the photoconductor is rotated, when the charge removal command is issued.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image carrying member, an image forming mechanism, an optical sensor, and a controller. The image forming mechanism performs an image forming operation for forming a reference toner image on the image carrying member under a specific setting associated with the image forming mechanism. The optical sensor is arranged in a vicinity to the image carrying member. The controller performs an optical toner test for checking, by using the optical sensor, optical characteristics of the reference toner image formed on the image carrying member and to adjust the specific setting based on a result of the optical toner test.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus and corresponding method, the image forming apparatus including a belt member supported by at least two rollers, an image forming member configured to form a patch pattern of image data on a surface of the belt member, a belt supporting member configured to support the belt member on a contact area thereof with respect to the belt member at a position higher than a tangent line of the at least two rollers, and a sensor configured to detect the patch pattern formed on the surface of the belt member at the contact area of the belt supporting member and the belt member.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a plurality of image carriers, an image forming mechanism, a seamless belt-like intermediate transfer body or a transfer material carrier, a detection mechanism, and an optical detecting apparatus. The optical detecting apparatus includes at least a printed board, and a plurality of photodetectors formed of a light-emitting element, a light-receiving element and light-shielding members, which are mounted on the printed board. The optical detecting apparatus is disposed such that it detects a belt surface adjacent to rollers of the intermediate transfer body or the transfer material carrier, and either displacement of a transfer image or image density is detected by a plurality of photodetectors detecting pattern images which are transferred from the plurality of image carriers to the image transfer body or the transfer material carrier.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image bearing member, an image forming mechanism configured to perform an image formation by performing a first image forming operation to form a first image on the image bearing member and an image transferring operation to transfer the first image onto a recording member, and an image quality controlling mechanism configured to perform an image control by performing a second image forming operation to form a second image on the image bearing member and an image controlling operation to control an image quality according to the second image. The image quality controlling mechanism determines an operation condition of starting the image control according to first information of operations during the image formation and second information of operations during the image control, when the second image forming operation is performed during the first image forming operation.

Abstract: An image forming method and apparatus capable of implementing accurately and constantly an improved conversion of the amount of toner adhesion over the entire range of the amount of adhesion.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image bearing member, an image forming mechanism configured to perform an image formation by performing a first image forming operation to form a first image on the image bearing member and an image transferring operation to transfer the first image onto a recording member, and an image quality controlling mechanism configured to perform an image control by performing a second image forming operation to form a second image on the image bearing member and an image controlling operation to control an image quality according to the second image. The image quality controlling mechanism determines an operation condition of starting the image control according to first information of operations during the image formation and second information of operations during the image control, when the second image forming operation is performed during the first image forming operation.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus and corresponding method, the image forming apparatus including a belt member supported by at least two rollers, an image forming member configured to form a patch pattern of image data on a surface of the belt member, a belt supporting member configured to support the belt member on a contact area thereof with respect to the belt member at a position higher than a tangent line of the at least two rollers, and a sensor configured to detect the patch pattern formed on the surface of the belt member at the contact area of the belt supporting member and the belt member.

Abstract: In an image forming apparatus a developing device develops an electrostatic latent image on an image carrier with a developer that contains toner to obtain a toner image, a toner-amount detecting unit detects amount of toner attached to the toner image, and a toner-density detecting unit detects a density of toner in the developer. Moreover, a process control unit corrects a toner-density target value indicative of a target value of density of toner in the developer based on the amount of toner detected by the toner-amount detecting unit and the density of toner detected by the toner-density detecting unit, and a determines execution timing of next process based on corrected toner-density target value.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a developer container that holds a two-component developer, a toner concentration detector that detects toner concentration in the developer, a toner supplying unit configured to supply new toner to the developing unit, a toner supply controlling unit that compares an output of the toner concentration detector and a toner concentration reference value Vtref to control the toner supplying unit. The image forming apparatus detects an output of the toner concentration sensor with respect to a plurality of linear velocities, and calculates linear velocity shift amounts ?Vt1=(Vt1?Vt0) and ?Vt2=(Vt2?Vt0) to be reflected in a toner supply control parameter.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image carrying member, an image forming mechanism, an optical sensor, and a controller. The image forming mechanism performs an image forming operation for forming a reference toner image on the image carrying member under a specific setting associated with the image forming mechanism. The optical sensor is arranged in a vicinity to the image carrying member. The controller performs an optical toner test for checking, by using the optical sensor, optical characteristics of the reference toner image formed on the image carrying member and to adjust the specific setting based on a result of the optical toner test.

Abstract: An image forming method and apparatus capable of implementing accurately and constantly an improved conversion of the amount of toner adhesion over the entire range of the amount of adhesion.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a plurality of image carriers, an image forming mechanism, a seamless belt-like intermediate transfer body or a transfer material carrier, a detection mechanism, and an optical detecting apparatus. The optical detecting apparatus includes at least a printed board, and a plurality of photodetectors formed of a light-emitting element, a light-receiving element and light-shielding members, which are mounted on the printed board. The optical detecting apparatus is disposed such that it detects a belt surface adjacent to rollers of the intermediate transfer body or the transfer material carrier, and either displacement of a transfer image or image density is detected by a plurality of photodetectors detecting pattern images which are transferred from the plurality of image carriers to the image transfer body or the transfer material carrier.