Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an electrophotographic photoreceptor which includes an electroconductive substrate, an undercoat layer which is provided on the electroconductive substrate, contains a binder resin and a metal oxide particle, and has an electrostatic capacitance per unit area of from 10 pF/cm2 to 100 pF/cm2, and a photosensitive layer provided on the undercoat layer; an electrostatic latent image forming unit that forms an electrostatic latent image on a charged surface of the electrophotographic photoreceptor; and a developing unit that stores a developer containing a toner which contains toner particles of which a volume average particle diameter is from 3.0 ?m to 5.5 ?m, and develops the electrostatic latent image formed on the surface of the electrophotographic photoreceptor by using the developer, so as to form a toner image.

Abstract: Provided is an excellent phthalocyanine crystal having high sensitivity and little fluctuation in sensitivity for a humidity change in a use environment and applicable to the martial for solar battery, electronic paper, electrophotographic photoreceptor, etc. Namely, phthalocyanine crystal obtained by bringing a phthalocyanine crystal precursor into contact with an aromatic aldehyde compound to convert the crystal form. Also, provided is an electrophotographic photoreceptor that not only exhibits high sensitivity but also has little fluctuation in sensitivity for a humidity change in a use environment. Further, provided is an electrophotographic photoreceptor cartridge and an image-forming device, both of which can produce a stable quality images for a humidity change in a use environment by using the electrophotographic photoreceptor.

Abstract: An electrophotographic photosensitive member includes a support member, an undercoat layer, and a photosensitive layer adjacent to the undercoat layer in this order, wherein the undercoat layer contains a polymerized product of a composition including an electron transporting material having a polymerizable functional group, a cross-linking agent, and a thermoplastic resin having a polymerizable functional group, and at least one type of particles selected from the group consisting of resin particles having a hollow structure and rubber particles, wherein a content of the electron transporting material in the undercoat layer is 30% by mass or more with respect to a total mass of the composition, and wherein a content of the at least one type of particles in the undercoat layer is 10% by mass or more and 100% by mass or less with respect to the content of the electron transporting material.

Abstract: Provided is an electrophotographic photosensitive member that can suppress a ghost image while keeping its sensitivity satisfactory. The electrophotographic photosensitive member includes a support, an intermediate layer on the support, and a photosensitive layer on the intermediate layer, and the intermediate layer contains a compound having a specific structure.

Abstract: An electrophotographic photoreceptor includes a conductive substrate and a photosensitive layer disposed on the conductive substrate, wherein when time that takes for a current value to reach the maximum after beginning of application of a square wave voltage to the electrophotographic photoreceptor is T1 and time that takes for the current value to reach the maximum after the beginning of the application of the square wave voltage and then decrease to one fifth of the maximum is T2, T2 is approximately from 3.2 to 11.0 times as large as T1.

Abstract: An electrostatic charge image developing toner includes a toner particle, a polishing agent particle, and a fatty acid metal salt particle, wherein a rate of the fatty acid metal salt particles strongly attached to the surface of the toner particles is equal to or greater than 50% by number with respect to the fatty acid metal salt particles attached to the surface of the toner particles.

Abstract: The present disclosure describes poly(styrene/acrylate)-polyester hybrid particles, wherein poly(styrene/acrylate) polymers are polymerized and entangled within a polyester seed particle in an interpenetrating polymer network.

Abstract: A toner includes toner particles including particles having a flaky shape and made of bright pigment material and a binder resin coated on the surfaces of the particles. A ratio of an exposed surface area of the particles with respect to a surface area of the toner particles is greater than 0% and equal to or smaller than 20%.

Abstract: A brilliant toner includes toner particles that contain a binder resin and a brilliant pigment which has a flake shape, wherein an average thickness of the brilliant pigment is greater than 0.5 ?m to 1.5 ?m.

Abstract: A hybrid toner composition including a first wax; a second wax that is different from the first wax; wherein the first wax comprises a paraffin wax having a peak melting point of from about 60 to about 80° C.; wherein the second wax comprises an ester wax having a peak melting point of from about 60 to about 80° C.; a first resin comprising an amorphous polyester resin and at second resin comprising at least one of a styrene, an acrylate, or a combination thereof; and an optional colorant.

Abstract: In a toner containing a binder resin, a pigment, a pigment dispersant, and a fixing assistant, the pigment dispersant has a structure represented by formula (1) or a tautomer thereof and a polymer moiety, the binder resin and the fixing assistant satisfy formula (2), and a hydrophobic parameter HP1 of the pigment dispersant and a hydrophobic parameter HP2 of the fixing assistant satisfy formula (3).

Abstract: A silicone oil-treated silica particle according to the present invention includes a silica particle body and silicone oil. The silica particle body has a BET specific surface area of 70 m2/g to 120 m2/g. The silica particle body has been surface-treated with the silicone oil. The amount of free silicone oil liberated from the surface of the silica particle body in the silicone oil accounts for 2.0 mass % to 5.0 mass % with respect to the silica particle body. A surface-treated styrene acrylic resin particle, in which 2 parts by mass of the silicone oil-treated silica particle has been added to 100 parts by mass of a styrene acrylic resin particle having a particle size median of 5 ?m to 8 ?m, has a degree of agglomeration of 18% or less.

Abstract: An image formation apparatus includes an image bearing member on which an electrostatic latent image is formed and a developing agent bearing member configured to carry a developer used to develop the electrostatic latent image formed on the image bearing member. The image formation apparatus forms an image by using the electrostatic latent image formed on the image bearing member. The image formation apparatus further includes an obtaining unit configured to obtain the information about a rotation speed of the image bearing member and a rotation speed of the developing agent bearing member; a determination unit configured to determine, according to the obtained information, a color conversion table used to transfer and record the input image data; and an image formation unit configured to convert a signal of the input image data according to the determined color conversion table and form an image with the converted signal value.

Abstract: A cleaning body includes a shaft and an elastic layer that is helically wound around the shaft from one end side to the other end side of the shaft and fixed on the shaft and that cleans a body to be cleaned while the elastic layer rotates. The elastic layer includes a division portion having plural divided segments and having a length of from 20% to 70% of the full length of the elastic layer. The division portion is located in a longitudinal central portion of the elastic layer. In the sectional view perpendicular to the axial direction of the shaft, a minimum thickness part in the longitudinal central portion of the elastic layer is from 5% to 12% thicker than a minimum thickness part in each longitudinal end portion of the elastic layer.

Abstract: A charging device includes a first cleaning member that cleans a surface of a charging wire by moving along the wire while being in contact with the wire at a first side; and a second cleaning member that cleans the surface of the wire by moving while being in contact with the wire at a second side, and moving relative to the first cleaning member in a crossing direction that crosses a wire length direction.

Abstract: A conductive member includes a conductive substrate; and a conductive elastic layer disposed on the conductive substrate and exhibiting ionic conduction. The conductive elastic layer contains an elastic material containing epichlorohydrin rubber, and the amount of free chlorine ions in the conductive elastic layer is 1 ?g/g or more and 80 ?g/g or less.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image bearing member, a charging member, a charging voltage source, an electrostatic image forming portion, a developing device, a developing voltage source, a transfer portion, a transfer voltage source, and a controller. During image formation, the toner remaining on the image bearing member after transfer is collected into the developing device while forming an image. In a cleaning operation performed during non-image formation, while rotating the image bearing member, the controller transfers the toner from the charging member onto the image bearing member, passes the toner through the developing portion in an urged state, reverses a charge polarity of the toner to a normal polarity at a charging portion, and then transfers the toner reversed in charge polarity from the image bearing member onto the developing member at the developing portion to collect the toner in the developing device.

Abstract: An exposure device according to one or more embodiments may include a board on which light emitting elements are arranged; an optical system disposed opposite to the board; and a support member which supports the board and the optical system. The exposure device may further include a cured body disposed on the support member and including a board contact surface to come into contact with the board.

Abstract: A light emitting element array includes plural semiconductor stacked structures each including a light emitting unit that is formed on a substrate, and a light amplification unit that extends from the light emitting unit along a substrate surface of the substrate to have a length in an extension direction which is longer than that of the light emitting unit, amplifies light propagating in the extension direction from the light emitting unit, and emits the amplified light from a light emission portion formed along the extension direction, wherein the plural semiconductor stacked structures are arranged such that the extension directions of the respective light amplification units are substantially parallel to each other.

Abstract: An optical scanning apparatus includes a light source for emitting a beam in accordance with image information; a controller substrate for controlling the light source; a deflector for scanningly deflecting the beam; an optical device for directing the deflected beam onto a member-to-be-scanned; a casing supporting the substrate, the deflector and the optical device, wherein the substrate is provided with a projected portion projecting relative to the casing; and a connector for removably connecting a cable for supplying a signal to the light source, the connector being provided on a side of the projected portion where the controller substrate is supported by the casing. The cable is insertable and removable relative to the connector in a direction parallel with a surface of the projected portion provided with the connector.

Abstract: A light scanning apparatus, including: a light source configured to emit a light beam; a light intensity detection portion configured to detect a light intensity of the light beam; and a light intensity control portion configured to control the light intensity of the light beam based on a detection result of the light intensity detection portion, wherein the light intensity control portion supplies, in advance, to the light source, a bias current equal to or less than a threshold current at which the light source starts emitting the light beam, and supplies, to the light source, a switching current superposed on the bias current, the switching current being modulated in order to control light emission of the light source in accordance with an image signal, and wherein the light intensity control portion includes a bias current changing unit configured to change the bias current.

Abstract: An apparatus has a detection unit, a rotating polygonal mirror and a generation unit. The rotating polygonal mirror has reflecting surfaces and configured to deflect light. The detection unit outputs a first signal in accordance with detecting the light. The generation unit, based on the first signal, generates a second signal which is a main scanning synchronization signal for controlling a write start in a main scanning direction. The second signal has a first waveform and a second waveform. The first waveform does not correspond to a reference reflection surface. The second waveform corresponds to the reference reflection surface and is different to the first waveform.

Abstract: Provided is a conductive foam roll having a high surface opening ratio that achieves both cleaning performance and low resistance. A conductive foam roll 10 includes a shaft body 12 and a conductive foam layer 14 around the shaft body 12, wherein the conductive foam layer 14 has a surface opening ratio of 50% to 90%, and wherein the conductive foam layer 14 contains an ionic conductive agent that contains salt of diallyl-type ammonium cations, and at least one selected from the group consisting of N,N-bis(trifluoromethanesulfonyl)imide anions, and N,N-bis(fluorosulfonyl)imide anions.

Abstract: A semiconductive roller is provided which includes a roller body including a tubular inner layer of an inner layer elastic material containing a softener, and an outer layer of an outer layer elastic material provided on an outer periphery of the inner layer. The outer layer elastic material has a swelling percentage of not higher than 1% as measured when the outer layer elastic material is immersed in the softener at 100° C. for 24 hours. Thus, the semiconductive roller has proper flexibility to be substantially free from imaging failures such as white voids, image density reduction and fogging, and is less liable to cause the contamination of a photoreceptor body and the like and the associated defective image formation which may otherwise occur due to the bleeding of the softener.

Abstract: A cartridge of an image forming apparatus includes a conveying member configured to convey toner from a tonner accommodating part of the cartridge to a developing device, and a switching lever configured to switch a state of the conveying member between a driven state and a non-driven state. The toner replenishment lever is movable between a first position at which the replenishment lever pushes the switching lever and a second position at which the replenishment lever is spaced from the switching lever. The contacting part is retracted to outside of a space through which the cartridge passes when attached to or detached from the attachment position. The switching lever is configured to switch the state of the conveying member between the driven state and the non-driven state depending on whether the contacting part of the toner replenishment lever is located at the first position or the second position.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a toner container attaching unit to which a toner container is to be attached, the toner container attaching unit including an apparatus-side terminal that comes into contact with a container-side terminal of the toner container and an apparatus-side coupling that engages with a container-side coupling of the toner container, and a control unit. The control unit is configured to execute a first process to acquire information of the toner container via the apparatus-side terminal, and cause the apparatus-side coupling to be rotated based on a result of the first process.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a developing apparatus including a housing having a supply opening to receive developer supplied by a pump unit, a developing device screw disposed in a discharge path of the housing to supply and discharge the developer through a discharge opening to an image bearing member, and a developer bearing portion having a magnetic body that generates a magnetic force and is configured to bear the developer with a carrying force working in a substantially perpendicular direction to the magnetic force. In addition, a developer accommodation portion within the housing accommodates the developer supplied from a supply opening and has no opening other than the supply opening and the discharge opening, with the developer accommodation portion having a space volume capable of suppressing a spouting force caused by an inner pressure increase due to operation of the pump unit.

Abstract: An accommodating container includes: an accommodating chamber, provided with an opening, for accommodating a developer; a seal member for unsealably sealing the opening; and a rotatable member rotatably supported inside the accommodating chamber. The seal member includes a sealing portion for sealing the opening, a connecting portion connected with the rotatable member, and at least one hole provided between the sealing portion and the connecting portion. The rotatable member includes a shaft portion and at least one projection extending in a direction of being spaced from the shaft portion. The hole and the projection are provided to establish a non-overlapping positional relationship with respect to a direction along the shaft portion.

Abstract: A cleaner includes first and second cleaning plates. The first cleaning plate includes a first free end and performs cleaning by causing the first free end to be in contact with an outer circumferential surface of a cylindrical second transfer rotating body including an elastic layer, so that the outer circumferential surface is elastically deformed. The second cleaning plate includes a second free end and performs cleaning by causing the second free end to be in contact with a portion of the outer circumferential surface downstream of, in a rotational direction of the second transfer rotating body, a position where the first free end is in contact with the outer circumferential surface and where the outer circumferential surface is elastically deformed due to the contact of the outer circumferential surface with the first free end so as to have a smallest surface curvature in the outer circumferential surface.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus that includes a plurality of heaters and in which a combination of each of the heaters to be turned on can be changed includes a current detection unit including a through-type current transformer in which current supply lines are inserted into or wound around a through hole; a turn-on information acquisition unit that acquires information on a turn-on mode indicating the combination of each of the heaters to be turned on as turn-on information; a connection information acquisition unit that acquires connection information on additive polarity connection and subtractive polarity connection of the heaters, wherein the current supply lines include an additive polarity connection line, and a subtractive polarity connection line; and an energization information acquisition unit that acquires information on an energized state of the plurality of heaters as energization information, based on the turn-on information, the connection information, and a current value.

Abstract: A fixing device is provided which includes a fixing belt rotatably arranged, a fixing roller disposed to face the fixing belt and forming a fixing nip together with an outer surface of the fixing belt a guide unit configured to guide rotation of the fixing belt in the fixing belt; and a pair of support units configured to limit movement of the fixing belt in a width direction at both ends of the guide unit. The fixing device may have a structure of guiding rotation of the fixing belt and a structure of limiting movement thereof in width direction, which are separated from each other.

Abstract: A fixing apparatus for fixing a toner image to a recording material includes a cylindrical film, a heater configured to make contact with the film, the heater including a substrate and a heat generation resistor formed on the substrate, and a heat conduction member configured to make contact with a surface of the heater opposite to a surface thereof being in contact with the film, the heat conduction member having a higher thermal conductivity than that of the substrate, and being divided into parts in a generatrix direction of the film. The toner image formed on the recording material is fixed on the recording material by using heat of the film, and one of the parts of the heat conduction member is configured to make contact with the heater continuously from a center to an end of a heat generation region of the heater in the generatrix direction.

Abstract: A fixing device includes a separator disposed downstream from a nip former in a recording medium conveyance direction and isolated from a pressure rotator via a fixing belt. The separator stretches the fixing belt. A presser is interposed between a fixing nip formed between the living belt and the pressure rotator and an upstream end of the separator in a rotation direction of the fixing belt. The presser comes into contact with an inner circumferential surface of the fixing belt to press the fixing belt against the pressure rotator. A pressure adjuster, contacting the pressure rotator, changes a pressing position of the pressure rotator relative to the fixing belt to adjust pressure exerted from the pressure rotator to the fixing belt. A presser position adjuster, contacting the presser, changes a presser position of the presser relative to the fixing belt according to the pressing position of the pressure rotator.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus include a transport unit, a tension adjusting unit, a transfer unit, a fixing unit, and a controller. The transport unit transports continuous paper. The tension adjusting unit adjusts tension of the continuous paper being transported by the transport unit. The transfer unit transfers an image to the continuous paper transported by the transport unit. The fixing unit fixes the image transferred by the transfer unit onto the continuous paper. The controller controls, in a case where the fixing unit is driven in a state in which the fixing unit is separated from the continuous paper and a difference between a transport speed of the transport unit and a fixing speed of the fixing unit has reached a predetermined range, the fixing unit to be in press-contact with the continuous paper.

Abstract: A fixing device for thermally fixing a toner image on a sheet includes a heat unit, a pressure unit, and a nip member. One of the heat unit and the pressure unit includes an endless belt having a width in a widthwise direction and a restriction member configured to be abutted against the endless belt. The endless belt includes a base layer having an outer peripheral surface and a pair of widthwise end faces in the widthwise direction, the base layer defining an inner space, and an elastic layer formed on the outer peripheral surface and having a thickness and a pair of widthwise end surfaces in the widthwise direction. One of the end faces and a corresponding one of the end surfaces provides a maximum distance therebetween in the widthwise direction smaller than the thickness of the elastic layer.

Abstract: A developing cartridge may include a rotary gear rotatable about one axis and a detection gear rotatable about another axis. The detection gear is configured to be not rotatable with the rotary gear in a case where the rotary gear rotates from a first rotational position to a second rotational position, while being configured to be rotatable with the rotary gear in a case where the rotary gear rotates from the second rotational position to a third rotational position.

Abstract: A decoloring device includes a scanner, a decoloring unit, and a processor. The scanner reads an image on a sheet. The decoloring unit decolors the image on the sheet after the scanner has read the image. The processor recognizes a page number included in the image and stores the image read by the scanner and decolored by the decoloring unit at a location that is associated with the recognized page number.

Abstract: Provided is an image forming apparatus, which is capable of detecting a color misregistration amount with high accuracy even when a density characteristic thereof is changed. The image forming apparatus includes a plurality of image forming units configured to form toner images of different colors on a predetermined intermediate transfer belt, and a density sensor configured to measure densities of the toner images formed on the intermediate transfer belt. The image forming apparatus determines a density target depending on a measurement result of a density correction image, which is formed by the plurality of image forming units, from the density sensor. The image forming apparatus causes the plurality of image forming units to form position detection images so that the position detection images have densities corresponding to the density target.

Abstract: An information processing apparatus, which enables, when a plurality of apparatuses respectively having similar functions is used, respective maintenance costs required for the plurality of apparatuses to be reduced, predicts, for at least one of a plurality of parts in the plurality of apparatuses, a job amount that can be processed until the part becomes unable to operate normally, and a job amount to be input to the plurality of apparatuses until next maintenance work is performed, and determines a method for distributing the input job among the plurality of apparatuses based on a prediction result.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image bearing member, a charging member, an image forming portion, a notifying member, a cleaning member, a detecting member, an acquiring portion, and a controller. The charging member is disposed to be in contact with the image bearing member, and charges the image bearing member. The image forming portion forms a developer image. The notifying member notifies of information relevant to a lifetime of the charging member. The cleaning member is in contact with the image bearing member, and removes the developer on the image bearing member. The detecting member detects driving torque of the image bearing member. The acquiring portion acquires specification information relevant to a specification of the cleaning member.

Abstract: A high-voltage power supply includes: a first high-voltage output circuit having a first output connected to a first load, and a second output, and capable of outputting a first voltage having a first polarity to the first load; a voltage clamping element connected to the second output and configured to clamp a voltage at the second output to a second voltage having a second polarity opposite to the first polarity; a second high-voltage output circuit having a third output connected to the second output and a fourth output, and capable of outputting a third voltage having the first polarity; and an output circuit connected to the fourth output and a second load, and configured to produce a voltage having the first polarity and a voltage having the second polarity using the third voltage and a voltage derived from the second voltage and output the produced voltages to the second load.

Abstract: A developer roll includes end seal regions subject to accumulating residual toner. An adjacent photoconductive member has a longitudinal extent with a central area defining an imaging region and longitudinal ends outside the central area defining non-imaging regions. The photoconductive member has a length extending beyond a length of the developer roll so that the end seal regions of the developer roll contact the non-imaging regions of the photoconductive member. During cleaning, the non-imaging regions become charged and discharged to electrostatically attract and transfer away the toner from the end seal regions. A blade scrapes clean the toner from the photoconductive member.

Abstract: To provide a composition for a cleaning blade for an electrophotographic apparatus, and a cleaning blade for an electrophotographic apparatus that are capable of suppressing wear, chipping, curling, and contamination. A urethane composition contains (a) a polyester polyol, (b) a polyisocyanate, and (c) a modified silicone oil, wherein the (c) modified silicone oil contains a polysiloxane block and an alkylene oxide block, the alkylene oxide block having a hydroxyl group protected by a protecting group, and the (c) modified silicone oil has no hydroxyl group. A cleaning blade is made of a molding of the urethane composition and contains a polyurethane elastomer and the (c) modified silicone oil.

Abstract: A cleaning unit includes a cleaning member, an accommodating portion, and a transport member. The cleaning member removes a developer from a surface of an image carrier. The accommodating portion accommodates the removed developer. The transport member transports the developer removed by the cleaning member to the accommodating portion. The transport member includes a shaft member and first and second transport bodies. The shaft member extends in a direction intersecting a transport direction of the developer. The first transport body is rotatably supported by the shaft member. The second transport body is rotatably supported by the first transport body at a position spaced from the shaft member. The second transport body extends toward the cleaning member. When the shaft member rotates, a trajectory of an end portion, at a cleaning member side, of the second transport body is an ellipse elongated along the transport direction on the cleaning member.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus that forms an image on a recording medium includes an image-bearing-unit support member, a developing unit support member, a plurality of light exposure units, and a light-exposure-unit operating member. The image-bearing-unit support member is movable between the inside and the outside of the image forming apparatus while supporting a plurality of image bearing units which each include an image bearing member. The developing unit support member is movable independently of the image-bearing-unit support member. The plurality of light exposure units each cause a corresponding one of the image bearing members to be exposed to light so as to form an electrostatic latent image. The light-exposure-unit operating member moves the light exposure units relative to the developing unit support member.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus comprises a cartridge that includes a developing roller and a coupling member for receiving a rotational force for rotating the developing roller. A cylindrical member movably supports one end portion of the coupling member inside of the cylindrical member. A cylindrical member side force receiving portion is provided inside the cylindrical member. A first regulating portion, provided inside of the cylindrical member, prevents one end portion of the coupling member from disengaging in an axial direction of the cylindrical member. A second regulating portion regulates deformations of the first regulating portion outward of the cylindrical member in the radial direction in a state in which one end portion of the coupling member is mounted to the inside of the cylindrical member. The apparatus also includes a driving motor and a driving shaft engageable with the coupling member of the cartridge.

Abstract: Disclosed is a developing cartridge in which a developer bearing member moves when a pressed part is pressed by a press member provided in a main body of an apparatus to move a developing frame in a state in which the developing cartridge is attached to the main body of the apparatus. The pressed part is provided with a positioning part that contacts and positions the press member. The press member is urged toward the positioning part by an urging member. The developing frame has a guiding part that moves the press member against an urging force of the urging member when the developing cartridge is attached to the main body of the apparatus.

Abstract: A drum supporting member, which is usable with an image forming apparatus, includes a photosensitive drum and a mounting portion for detachably mounting a developing cartridge. The drum mounting portion also includes a contacting member contactable with the developing cartridge, with contacting member being movable between a first position and a second position. When the contacting member is in the first position, the contacting member contacts the developing cartridge with a developing roller of the developing cartridge being placed in a third position contacting the photosensitive drum. When the contacting member is in the second position, the contacting member contacts the developing cartridge with the developing cartridge being placed in a fourth position in which the developing cartridge is dismountable from the drum supporting member.

Abstract: A CRUM unit which is mountable/dismountable on an image forming apparatus is disclosed. The CRUM unit includes a power extracting circuit to, when a clock signal is received from an image forming apparatus, extract power from a high value of the clock signal and store in a capacitive element and a controller to operate using the extracted power, wherein the clock signal has a first pulse width in a data section where a data signal is received and transmitted, and has a second pulse width which is different from the first pulse width in an pause section where a data signal is not received.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a color holographic image is created by generating a separate complex hologram for each of multiple different colors of an object field illuminated with incoherent light, combining the separate complex holograms to obtain a color complex hologram, and generating a reconstructed color holographic image of the object field.