Abstract: A transport member includes a shaft and plural blades that extend around the shaft so as to transport a target object that is to be transported and that is present around the plural blades in a direction in which the shaft extends by rotating with the shaft, the plural blades extending in at least a region of the transport member in the direction in which the shaft extends in such a manner that the plural blades are sequentially out of phase with one another in a direction in which the plural blades rotate. The at least a portion in the direction in which the shaft extends has flexibility.

Abstract: A transport member includes a shaft and plural blades that extend around the shaft so as to transport a target object that is to be transported and that is present around the plural blades in a direction in which the shaft extends by rotating with the shaft, the plural blades extending in at least a region of the transport member in the direction in which the shaft extends in such a manner that the plural blades are sequentially out of phase with one another in a direction in which the plural blades rotate. The at least a portion in the direction in which the shaft extends has flexibility.

Abstract: A powder collection device includes a powder collection container, a first transport member, at least one second transport member, and an entrance suppressing member. The powder collection container is removably mounted in an apparatus. The first transport member is disposed in the powder collection container, extends in a first transport direction, and is to transport the powder to a downstream side in the first transport direction. The at least one second transport member extends in a second transport direction. The at least one second transport member transports the powder in the second transport direction so as to pass the powder to the first transport member. The entrance suppressing member suppresses entrance of the powder into a gap between the first transport member and an end portion of the at least one second transport member.

Abstract: A transport member includes: a shaft portion having a linear portion that is linearly disposed along a linear section of a transport path, and a curved portion that is curvedly disposed along a curved section of the transport path; and screw blades that are spirally formed on an outer circumferential surface of the linear portion and the curved portion, and that transport a powder material by rotation of the shaft portion in one of axial directions of the shaft portion, the screw blades having a small-diameter portion which has an outer diameter smaller in the curved portion than in the linear portion.

Abstract: A powder collection device includes a powder collection container, a first transport member, at least one second transport member, and an entrance suppressing member. The powder collection container is removably mounted in an apparatus. The first transport member is disposed in the powder collection container, extends in a first transport direction, and is to transport the powder to a downstream side in the first transport direction. The at least one second transport member extends in a second transport direction. The at least one second transport member transports the powder in the second transport direction so as to pass the powder to the first transport member. The entrance suppressing member suppresses entrance of the powder into a gap between the first transport member and an end portion of the at least one second transport member.

Abstract: A transport member includes: a shaft portion having a linear portion that is linearly disposed along a linear section of a transport path, and a curved portion that is curvedly disposed along a curved section of the transport path; and screw blades that are spirally formed on an outer circumferential surface of the linear portion and the curved portion, and that transport a powder material by rotation of the shaft portion in one of axial directions of the shaft portion, the screw blades having a small-diameter portion which has an outer diameter smaller in the curved portion than in the linear portion.

Abstract: Provided is a powder transporting device including: a powder transport path through which a powder loading port, from which powder is loaded in the path, communicates with a powder unloading port disposed with being shifted in a horizontal direction from a position perpendicularly below the powder loading port, and which has a lateral direction transport path and a longitudinal-direction transport path, is disposed to be bent with respect to the lateral direction transport path; a powder transport member that includes a lateral direction transport member, which is movable along the lateral direction transport path, and a longitudinal-direction transport member and that transports powder along the lateral direction transport path and the longitudinal-direction transport path; a drive input portion that leaves a rotational track; and a regulation member that regulates the behavior of the powder transport member.

Abstract: Provided is a powder transporting device including: a powder transport path through which a powder loading port, from which powder is loaded in the path, communicates with a powder unloading port disposed with being shifted in a horizontal direction from a position perpendicularly below the powder loading port, and which has a lateral direction transport path and a longitudinal-direction transport path, is disposed to be bent with respect to the lateral direction transport path; a powder transport member that includes a lateral direction transport member, which is movable along the lateral direction transport path, and a longitudinal-direction transport member and that transports powder along the lateral direction transport path and the longitudinal-direction transport path; a drive input portion that leaves a rotational track; and a regulation member that regulates the behavior of the powder transport. member.

Abstract: A powder transport member includes a rotation shaft, a spiral wire; and holding parts disposed near opposite ends of the rotation shaft, wherein one end portion of the spiral wire includes a terminal end circular arc portion formed in a circular arc shape, and the holding part configured to hold the one end portion of the spiral wire includes protrusions of a paired configuration at symmetrical positions with the center of the rotation shaft being interposed therebetween, a concave portion configured to accommodate an inner peripheral surface of the terminal end circular arc portion is formed at a protruding end portion of each of the protrusions, and a size of the protruding end portion of the protrusion in a direction of the rotation shaft is less than ½ of an inter-wire distance obtained by subtracting a wire diameter from a pitch of the spiral wire.

Abstract: A cleaner includes a cleaning member that includes a tip portion that comes into contact with an image carrier that carries an image, and that removes and cleans developer adhered to the image carrier, a cleaning container which stores the developer removed by the cleaning member, a cleaning support that includes a cleaning supporting portion that supports a proximal end of the cleaning member, and a damped portion, a damping body that includes a first and a second damping bodies arranged in contact with the damped portion and that regulates vibration of the cleaning support, and a fixing member of the damping body that includes a first fixing portion arranged to face the damped portion with the first damping body, and a second fixing portion arranged to face the damped portion with the second damping body, and that is supported by the cleaning container.

Abstract: A discharger includes a discharging member that faces a member to be charged and discharges electricity by applying voltage; and a grid member that is disposed between the discharging member and the member to be charged and regulates electric discharge from the discharging member. The grid member has holes with a predetermined shape and extending through the grid member from the discharging member toward the member to be charged, and has a first region with the holes arranged at a first inclination angle, a second region with the holes arranged at a second inclination angle, and a boundary between the first and second regions and extending in the extending direction of the discharging member. When the first region is symmetrically projected onto the second region with respect to the boundary, an arrangement pattern of the holes in the first region and an arrangement pattern of the holes in the second region are positionally displaced relative to each other.

Abstract: A cleaning unit includes: a cleaning member that cleans the surface of the image carrier; a cleaning container that stores developer removed by the cleaning member; a cleaning support that is formed by bending a plate and includes a cleaning-supporting portion supporting the other end portion of the cleaning member and a supported portion angled with respect to the cleaning-supporting portion by bending; a supporting-portion-of-support that includes a facing portion facing the supported portion, is provided at the cleaning container, and supports the cleaning support; a damping member that is disposed between the supported portion and the facing portion, is formed so as to be elastically deformable, and regulates vibration of the cleaning member; and a securing member that secures the cleaning support to the supporting-portion-of-support at a position adjacent to the damping member.

Abstract: A discharger includes a discharger main body that is adapted to be attached to and detached from a holding member of an image forming apparatus, a first electrode member that is formed of a wire rod, a second electrode member, a voltage for discharge being applied between the first and second electrode members, an electrode cleaning member that cleans the first electrode member, a detected portion that is integrally disposed to the electrode cleaning member, a detecting member that detects the detected portion while the electrode cleaning member is in a predetermined reference position, a cleaning member conveyer that conveys the electrode cleaning member in both directions which toward and away from the reference position, and a movement control unit that controls a movement of the cleaning member conveyer by the conveyer.

Abstract: There is provided a cleaning device including: a cleaning member disposed that cleans the discharge member; a guide member disposed along the length direction of the discharge member and guides the cleaning member in the length direction of the discharge member; and a drive device which, when executing a cleaning operation where the drive device reciprocally moves the cleaning member along the guide member from a standby position set on one length direction end portion of the discharge member or a return operation where the drive device returns the cleaning member along the guide member to the standby position, applies to the cleaning member a driving force in an opposite direction of a moving direction in which movement of the cleaning member is to be started and thereafter applies to the cleaning member a driving force in the moving direction.

Abstract: A cleaner includes a cleaning member having a distal end in contact with an image carrier so as to remove developer attached to the image carrier, a cleaning container that stores the removed developer, a cleaning support body including a cleaning support portion extending from the distal end to a proximal end of the cleaning member so as to support the proximal end of the cleaning member, a bent portion bent from the cleaning support portion, and a supported portion supported by the cleaning container, a vibration-damping body in contact with an end of the bent portion opposite the cleaning support portion so as to regulate vibration of the cleaning support body, and a vibration-damping-body fixing member supported by the cleaning container and having a clamp portion that clamps the vibration-damping body between the vibration-damping-body fixing member and the end of the bent portion.

Abstract: A blower includes a fan; and an air duct having a passage formed therein, the air duct guiding the air and blowing the air onto the corona discharger, the air duct including an increasing-width portion in which a passage width gradually increases downstream in an air flow direction, a decreasing-height portion in which a passage height gradually decreases downstream in the air flow direction, an extension portion extending from a downstream end of the decreasing-height portion to a position near the corona discharger, a bent portion that is bent from a downstream end of the extension portion toward the corona discharger, an opening formed at a downstream end of the bent portion, and a plate-shaped member disposed in the passage at a position on an inner wall of any of the decreasing-height portion and the extension portion, the inner wall being on the corona discharger side.

Abstract: A discharger includes a discharging member that faces a member to be charged and discharges electricity by applying voltage thereto; and a grid member that is disposed between the discharging member and the member to be charged and regulates electric discharge from the discharging member. The grid member has holes with a predetermined shape that extend therethrough from the discharging member toward the member to be charged, and has a first region with the holes arranged at a first inclination angle, a second region with the holes arranged at a second inclination angle, and a boundary between the first and second regions that extends in the direction of the discharging member. When the first region is symmetrically projected onto the second region with respect to the boundary, arrangement patterns of the holes in the first and second regions are positionally displaced relative to each other.

Abstract: A discharger includes a discharger main body that is adapted to be attached to and detached from a holding member of an image forming apparatus, a first electrode member that is formed of a wire rod, a second electrode member, a voltage for discharge being applied between the first and second electrode members, an electrode cleaning member that cleans the first electrode member, a detected portion that is integrally disposed to the electrode cleaning member, a detecting member that detects the detected portion while the electrode cleaning member is in a predetermined reference position, a cleaning member conveyer that conveys the electrode cleaning member in both directions which toward and away from the reference position, and a movement control unit that controls a movement of the cleaning member conveyer by the conveyer.

Abstract: A cleaner includes a cleaning member that includes a tip portion that comes into contact with an image carrier that carries an image, and that removes and cleans developer adhered to the image carrier, a cleaning container which stores the developer removed by the cleaning member, a cleaning support that includes a cleaning supporting portion that supports a proximal end of the cleaning member, and a damped portion, a damping body that includes a first and a second damping bodies arranged in contact with the damped portion and that regulates vibration of the cleaning support, and a fixing member of the damping body that includes a first fixing portion arranged to face the damped portion with the first damping body, and a second fixing portion arranged to face the damped portion with the second damping body, and that is supported by the cleaning container.

Abstract: A cleaning unit includes: a cleaning member that cleans the surface of the image carrier; a cleaning container that stores developer removed by the cleaning member; a cleaning support that is formed by bending a plate and includes a cleaning-supporting portion supporting the other end portion of the cleaning member and a supported portion angled with respect to the cleaning-supporting portion by bending; a supporting-portion-of-support that includes a facing portion facing the supported portion, is provided at the cleaning container, and supports the cleaning support; a damping member that is disposed between the supported portion and the facing portion, is formed so as to be elastically deformable, and regulates vibration of the cleaning member; and a securing member that secures the cleaning support to the supporting-portion-of-support at a position adjacent to the damping member.