Abstract: A cleaner is provided. The cleaner includes at least two cleaning brush members to electrostatically remove residual toner on an object; a memory; a voltage applicator to apply a voltage to the cleaning brush members based on the setup voltage values stored in the memory; a current detector to detect the amounts of currents flowing through contact portions of the object with the cleaning brush members; and a setup voltage changing device to change the setup voltage values based on the amounts of currents detected by the current detector. The setup voltage changing device performs change of the setup voltage values for the cleaning brush members at a time.

Abstract: A urethane rubber cleaning blade, wherein a surface of a contact portion of the cleaning blade that comes into contact with a member to be cleaned has a Young's modulus (Y0) of 10 mgf/?m2 or more and 400 mgf/?m2 or less, the ratio (Y50/Y0) of the Young's modulus (Y50) of an internal portion of the cleaning blade 50 ?m spaced apart from the surface of the contact portion to the Young's modulus (Y0) is 0.5 or less, and the average rate of change in Young's modulus from the surface to an internal portion of the cleaning blade 20 ?m spaced apart from the surface is greater than or equal to the average rate of change in Young's modulus from the internal portion of the cleaning blade 20 ?m spaced apart from the surface to an internal portion of the cleaning blade 50 ?m spaced apart from the surface.

Abstract: An image forming device includes: a belt; a developing unit; a support unit; a cleaning member; a waste toner box; and a main casing. The developing unit is configured to accommodate developing agent therein. The support unit is configured to support the developing unit. The cleaning member is configured to collect residual toner deposited on the belt. The waste toner box is configured to accommodate therein the residual toner collected by the cleaning member. The main casing has a first wall having a first opening through which the support unit passes; and a second wall disposed spaced apart from the first wall in a first direction and having a second opening through which the waste toner box passes. The main casing includes: a first cover configured to expose the first opening and to cover the first opening; and a second cover configured to expose the second opening and to cover the second opening.

Abstract: A cleaning device includes at least one first cleaning member that removes residual substances that remain on a surface of an endless belt by being in contact with the surface of the endless belt while rotating in a direction that is opposite to a movement direction in which the endless belt moves; a second cleaning member that is brought into contact with and separated from the surface of the endless belt at a predetermined timing and removes the residual substances that remain on the surface of the endless belt; and a switching unit that switches a rotation direction of the first cleaning member to a direction the same as the movement direction of the endless belt when the second cleaning member is brought into contact with the surface of the endless belt and cleans the surface.

Abstract: Brush rollers rotate in a direction indicated by an arrow while being in contact with an image formation surface to remove toner remaining on the image formation surface from an intermediate transfer belt. The brush rollers each mainly include a rotational shaft and a brush. The brush rollers face the intermediate transfer belt with brush winding directions being opposite from one another. The brush rollers rotate in the direction indicated by the arrow. Thus, seams of the brush rollers can be prevented from being in contact with the same portion on the image formation surface of the intermediate transfer belt.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image bearing drum for carrying a toner image; an intermediary transfer member; a primary transfer device for primary transfer of a toner image from the drum onto the intermediary member; a secondary transfer device for secondary transfer of the toner image from the intermediary member onto a sheet; and a cleaning unit for removing the toner on the intermediary member. The cleaning unit includes a scraping member for removing the toner deposited on the intermediary member, an accommodating portion for the removed toner, a discharging member, provided downstream of the scraping member with respect to a moving direction of the intermediary member, for moving the toner in the accommodating portion to the intermediary member by application of a voltage, and a regulating member contacted to the discharging member to regulate an amount of the toner deposited on the discharging member.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus is provided. The image forming apparatus includes a chassis having an opening, a cover, photosensitive members, an intermediate transfer belt, a primary-transfer member, a secondary-transfer roller, a cleaner device, a waste toner container, which is movable along a predetermined direction to be removably installed in the chassis through the opening and stores residual toner, a connector, and a feed roller, which is arranged within the feeding path to feed the recording sheet in the feeding path. The feed roller is arranged in a position to at least partially fall within a vertical range of the waste toner container and to be aligned with the waste toner container along an axial direction of the second feed roller.

Abstract: A developer-adhesive body unit is detachably mounted to an image forming apparatus. The developer-adhesive body unit includes a developer-adhesive body having a surface to which a developer adheres, a cleaning member that removes the developer from the surface of the developer-adhesive body, a developer storage portion storing the removed developer, and a contact portion contacting the surface of the developer-adhesive body at an upstream side of the cleaning member in a moving direction of the surface of the developer-adhesive body. A contact-and-separation unit causes the surface of the developer-adhesive body and the contact portion to separate from each other when the developer-adhesive body unit is mounted to the image forming apparatus and the surface of the developer-adhesive body moves. The contact-and-separation unit causes the surface of the developer-adhesive body and the contact portion to contact each other when the developer-adhesive body unit is not mounted to the image forming apparatus.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus including: an image forming section having a intermediate transfer body to carry a toner image on a photoreceptor and transfer the toner image onto a sheet of paper; a cleaning section for removing residual toner on the intermediate transfer body by bringing a cleaning blade into close contact with the intermediate transfer body; and a control section for controlling a rotation of the intermediate transfer body so as to carry out a return action of a blade configuration which stops or reverses the rotation of the intermediate transfer body, when a rotation amount reaches a predetermined value, wherein the control section carries out the return action when the rotation amount reaches a value smaller than the predetermined value, in a case where a plurality of previous printing jobs is determined to be intermittent printing.

Abstract: A toner conveying apparatus includes a conveying unit providing a toner conveyance path having an inlet portion and an outlet portion and provided for conveying toner from the inlet portion to the outlet portion, and a first rotation member that is rotatable and located upstream in a toner conveying direction of the conveyance path, wherein the first rotation member rotates about a first rotating shaft to convey toner from an outside of the toner conveyance path toward the inlet portion. In addition, a second rotation member is rotatable and located downstream in the toner conveying direction of the conveyance path, wherein the second rotation member rotates about a second rotating shaft to convey toner from the outlet portion away from the toner conveyance path, and an agitation device agitates toner in the toner conveyance path.

Abstract: An intermediate transfer unit includes an intermediate transfer belt, a plurality of rollers, a cleaning unit, a brush unit, and a pressing member. The brush unit is located at the outer circumferential surface part of the intermediate transfer belt in contact with the roller. The brush unit is located at upstream of a contacting part with the cleaning unit in a running direction of the intermediate transfer belt. The brush unit is configured to impart electric charge to the remnant toner by a contact friction with the outer circumferential surface of the intermediate transfer belt. The pressing member is configured to press the brush unit along a direction of contact/separation with respect to the outer circumferential surface of the intermediate transfer belt.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: an image bearing member; an electrostatic image forming unit; a developing device; an intermediary transfer member; a rotatable transfer member; a constant-voltage element; a power source; a cleaning device; an executing portion capable of executing a toner image collecting mode after jam clearance; and a controller for controlling said power source in the operation in the collecting mode so that a voltage of an identical polarity to a charge polarity of the toner is applied to the rotatable transfer member to transfer, onto the intermediary transfer member, the toner in an upstream-side end region of the toner image carried on the image bearing member with respect to the rotational direction of the image bearing member, and then a voltage of an opposite polarity to the charge polarity of the toner is applied to the rotatable transfer member.

Abstract: A developer collecting device includes a housing in which an opening disposed opposite to a developer holding member is formed, a collection member that is disposed to be capable of coming in contact with and being separated from the developer holding member and that detaches the developer and collects the detached developer in the housing, a sealing member that is disposed to be capable of coming in contact with and being separated from the developer holding member and that seals up a gap between the developer holding member and the housing, a suction passage to which a suction unit suctioning the developer into the housing is connected, a developer transport unit that transports the developer to one end of the housing, and a filtration member that is tilted so that at least an upper part thereof overlaps with the upside of the developer transport unit in a plan view.

Abstract: A cleaning member includes a ridgeline part provided at one end of the cleaning member in a lateral direction of the cleaning member, the ridgeline part including a first ridgeline that extends in an axial direction of a member to be cleaned that rotates and second ridgelines provided at respective ends of the first ridgeline, each second ridgeline extending in a direction away from the member to be cleaned. The ridgeline part is pressed against an outer peripheral surface of the member to be cleaned so that the ridgeline part and a corner portion on which the ridgeline part is formed press into the outer peripheral surface of the member to be cleaned and deform the member to be cleaned.

Abstract: A cleaning module and a printer using the same is provided. The printer includes a roller module, a transfer belt, a toner cartridge assembly and the cleaning module. The transfer belt is looped around the roller module. The toner cartridge assembly is disposed beside the transfer belt and suitable for rotating to a standby position or a coloring position. The cleaning module includes a frame, a linking-up unit and a scraping unit. The frame is disposed at the roller module. The linking-up unit is pivotally connected to the frame and suitable for contacting the toner cartridge assembly. The scraping unit is connected to the linking-up unit. When the toner cartridge assembly is at the standby position, the scraping unit is contacted to the transfer belt. When the toner cartridge assembly is at the coloring position, the scraping unit is separated from the transfer belt.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a carrier that carries a toner image formed by a toner, the toner including a toner body and an external additive, a circularity of the external additive being about 0.5 to about 0.9, a transfer member that holds a transferred body between the transfer member and the carrier, the transfer member transferring the toner image to the transferred body, and a removing member that includes a contact portion, the contact portion contacting the transfer member, the removing member removing toner that adheres to the transfer member from the toner image carried by the carrier, the contact portion being made of an elastic material that satisfies an inequality (1) below: A??2.5×B+102??(1) where A denotes a pure water contact angle (°) at 23° C. and 55% RH, and B denotes a 100% modulus (MPa) at 23° C.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus is provided. The image forming apparatus includes a chassis having an opening, a cover, photosensitive members, an intermediate transfer belt, a primary-transfer member, a secondary-transfer roller, a cleaner device, an external-sheet inlet, a waste toner container, a connector, and a conveying roller, which is arranged within the feeding path to feed the recording sheet inserted through the external-sheet inlet in the feeding path. The conveying roller is mounted on the waste toner container and removable from the chassis along with the waste toner container.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus is provided. A backup face disposed on an upward face of the control box makes contact with a backup reception part that is disposed on a downward face of a belt cleaning device, and supports a steering roller and cleaning blade. The backup face reduces the force that acts on the frame stay and so forth, following the sliding friction of the intermediate transfer belt and cleaning blade. The backup reception part and backup reception part are formed so that even if the steering roller moves in the tension application direction, the predetermined contact state can be maintained.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: an image carrier; a toner image forming unit that forms a toner image on the image carrier; a transfer unit that transfers the toner image on the image carrier to a transfer target having ridges and valleys on a surface thereof; an adjusting unit that adjusts a ratio of A/B, where A is a transfer ratio [%] from the image carrier to a valley portion of the transfer target while B is a transfer ratio [%] from the image carrier to a ridge portion of the transfer target, based on an adjustment input by a user; and a control unit that controls a transfer condition of the transfer unit based on the ratio of A/B adjusted by the adjusting unit.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: an image forming unit having a plurality of photoconductor drums arranged in tandem; an intermediate transfer belt arranged opposite to the photoconductor drums and configured to receive developer images formed on the photoconductor drums and to transfer the developer images onto a recording sheet; a cleaning unit comprising a cleaning member positioned in contact with the intermediate transfer belt and configured to collect substance adhering to the intermediate transfer belt, and a receptacle configured to store the substance collected by the cleaning member, wherein the cleaning unit is arranged on the same side as the image forming unit with respect to the intermediate transfer belt; and a support member configured to support the image forming unit and the cleaning unit and to be pulled out from a main body.

Abstract: In an image-forming device, a first roller and a second roller are arranged in a first direction, the first roller being disposed upstream of the second roller in the first direction. An endless belt spanned between the first roller and the second roller forms a straight plane extending in the first direction. The straight plane moves in the first direction when the endless belt is circularly moved. Photosensitive members are arranged in the first direction and face the straight plane. A transfer member is opposed to the first roller across the endless belt. A cleaning unit includes: a cleaning member opposed to the straight plane at an upstream of an upstream most photosensitive member in the first direction; and a treating member disposed upstream of the cleaning member in the first direction to treat residual toner collected by the cleaning member. A conveying path formed between the transfer member and a fixing member passes between the cleaning member and the treating member.

Abstract: A belt conveyor member includes an endless belt and a cleaning blade. The cleaning blade is configured to remove residual toner remaining on a surface of the endless belt which is processed into a smooth surface. The endless belt has a first region and a second region. The first region is a region in contact with the cleaning blade which is located outside a region for a recording sheet of a maximum usable width to pass therethrough. The second region is located outside the first region. A contact surface between the cleaning blade and the first region is in a rough condition free from intimate contact.

Abstract: An electrophotographic image formation device configured to form images on a recording sheet is provided with a belt unit having an endless belt wound around a first roller and a second roller, a cleaning unit facing the endless belt and collects particles adhered on the endless belt with use of an electrostatic attractive force, a first voltage being applied to the cleaning unit, a backup unit arranged to face the cleaning unit with the endless belt being located therebetween, a second voltage that is different from the first voltage being applied to the backup unit, an electric wiring unit provided to the belt unit and electrically connected with the backup unit, and an electric current detection unit configured to detect an current value of an electric current flowing through the electric wiring unit. The electric wiring unit is electrically independent from other electric wiring units provided to the belt unit.

Abstract: A belt cleaning device includes a collection roller, a cleaning blade, a sealing member, a first thrust mechanism, and a second thrust mechanism. The collection roller collects remaining toner on an intermediate transfer belt. The cleaning blade extends along the collection roller and scrapes off the toner of a surface of the collection roller. The sealing member softly comes into contact with the surface of the collection roller and prevents counterflow of the toner. The first thrust mechanism displaces the collection roller in its rotating shaft direction by a rotational driving force transmitted to the collection roller and. The second thrust mechanism thrusts the cleaning blade in the rotating shaft direction of the collection roller in a thrust cycle shorter than that of the collection roller based on the first thrust mechanism.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image bearing member that is rotatable, a toner image forming portion that is able to form a toner image to be transferred to a transfer material and a control toner image not to be transferred to a transfer material on the image bearing member, a transfer member that transfers the toner image formed on the image bearing member to the transfer material, a detecting portion that detects a density of the control toner image, an adjustment portion that adjusts a toner image formation condition of the toner image forming portion based on an output of the detecting portion, a cleaning member that electrostatically cleans the transfer member, and a controller which changes a voltage or a current to be applied between the transfer member and the cleaning member based on the density of the control toner image.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image forming device including an image holding member; an intermediate transfer belt that holds on an outer surface thereof an developer image formed on the image holding member of the image forming device, and that rotates so as to transport the developer image up to a second transfer section, the intermediate transfer belt including a belt base material in which a resin particle is dispersed; a cleaning device including a plate member, the cleaning device performing a cleaning operation by at least contacting the plate member with a portion of an outer peripheral surface of the intermediate transfer belt that has passed the second transfer section; and a collecting member that removes and holds the resin particle existing at the outer peripheral surface of the intermediate transfer belt at least when the intermediate transfer belt is not used.

Abstract: An image forming device, comprising: a recovering member that is provided for the at least one photosensitive body and recovers adhered substances adhered to the at least one photosensitive body; a belt cleaner that removes the adhered substances adhered to the transfer belt; a cleaning process execution unit that executes a cleaning process in which the adhered substances are transferred from the recovering member to the transfer belt via the at least one photosensitive body; a use amount calculation unit that divides a developer image for transferring to the sheet-like medium into a plurality of areas in a main scanning direction so as to calculate a developer use amount in each of the plurality of areas; and a cleaning time determination unit that determines a time for which the cleaning process is executed, based on a maximum value of the developer use amounts of the plurality of areas.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a developer image forming portion for forming a developer image; a primary transfer member for transferring the developer image to an intermediate transfer member; a secondary transfer member for transferring the developer image to a recording medium; a medium transportation unit for transporting the recording medium to a secondary transfer position; a contact cleaning member for cleaning the secondary transfer member; a voltage control unit for applying a transfer voltage to the primary transfer member and the secondary transfer member; and a control unit for controlling the developer image portion, the primary transfer member, the secondary transfer member and the medium transportation unit. The control unit is arranged to perform a developer discarding operation, in which the developer image portion forms a discard developer image, and the discard developer image is transferred to the intermediate transfer member and to the secondary transfer member.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus is provided. The image forming apparatus includes a chassis having an opening, a cover, photosensitive members, an intermediate transfer belt, a primary-transfer member, a secondary-transfer roller, a cleaner device, an external-sheet inlet, a waste toner container, a connector, and a conveying roller, which is arranged within the feeding path to feed the recording sheet inserted through the external-sheet inlet in the feeding path. The conveying roller is mounted on the waste toner container and removable from the chassis along with the waste toner container.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: an image forming unit including a plurality of photoconductor drums arranged in tandem; a conveyor belt arranged opposite to the photoconductor drums and configured to convey a recording sheet; and a cleaning unit including a cleaning member positioned in contact with the conveyor belt and configured to collect substance adhering to the conveyor belt, and a receptacle configured to store the substance collected by the cleaning member. The cleaning member is arranged on the same side as the image forming unit with respect to the conveyor belt and upstream from the image forming unit as viewed in a sheet conveyance direction along which the recording sheet is conveyed on the conveyor belt, and the image forming unit and the cleaning unit are pulled out together from a main body of the image forming apparatus toward an upstream side of the sheet conveyance direction.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a rotatable image carrier, a detachable transfer body on which an image is transferred, a contact and separation mechanism that moves the transfer body into contact with and away from the image carrier, and a coupling member to be coupled to the contact and separation mechanism. When the coupling member is turned forward to a first turn position in a coupled state coupled to the contact and separation mechanism, the contact and separation mechanism contacts the transfer body with the image carrier, and when the coupling member is turned in reverse from the first turn position to a second turn position in the coupled state, the contact and separation mechanism separates the transfer body from the image carrier and the coupling member withdraws in a direction opposite a direction to couple the coupling member to the contact and separation mechanism.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a housing provided with an opening opposed to a developer carrying member that carries developer; a collecting member provided along a downstream edge of the opening in a transporting direction of the developer and capable of coming into contact with and separating from the developer carrying member; a sealing member provided along an upstream edge of the opening in the transporting direction; a suction member that sucks air from the opening; a suction path provided between the opening and the suction member; an opening-closing unit that opens or closes the suction path; and a controller that controls the opening-closing unit so as to open the suction path at a time that is before separation of the collecting member from the developer carrying member and a predetermined time period after the time of contact between the collecting member and the developer carrying member.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus is provided. The image forming apparatus includes a chassis having a first opening on a first side, a cover, movable between an open position and a closed position, a plurality of photosensitive members, an intermediate transfer belt, a plurality of primary transfer members, a secondary transfer roller, a first feed roller, a cleaner device, a waste toner container, which is removably installed in the chassis through the first opening and settled in a position opposite from the plurality of photosensitive members across the intermediate transfer belt, to store residual toner collected by the cleaner device, a connector, a first feeding path, a second feeding path, and a second feed roller. The second feed roller is rotatably supported by the cover and movable along with the cover to yield the first opening to the waste toner container when the cover is in the open position.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image holding body that holds an electrostatic latent image; a developing device that develops the electrostatic latent image with a toner and forms a toner image on the image holding body; a transfer member having a fluorocarbon resin dispersion layer at least at a surface layer of the transfer member, fluorocarbon resin being dispersed in the fluorocarbon resin dispersion layer; a first transfer device that first-transfers the toner image, which is formed on the image holding body, on the transfer member; a second transfer device that second-transfers the toner image, which is first-transferred on the transfer member, on a recording medium; and an abrading member that is arranged to come into contact with and be separated from the transfer member and abrades part of the surface layer of the transfer member when the abrading member contacts the transfer member.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: a main casing; a belt unit having a belt and a belt cleaning unit; a waste toner container; and a supporting member supporting the waste toner container and a cartridge storing toner supplied to a photosensitive member. The supporting member in the main casing is movable between a contact position where the photosensitive member contacts the belt and a separation position where the photosensitive member separates from the belt. One of the waste toner container and the belt cleaning unit is movable between a connected position providing connection to each other and a disconnected position providing disconnection from each other when the support member is in the contact position. The supporting member moves between the contact position and the separation position when one of the waste toner container and the belt cleaning unit is in the disconnected position.

Abstract: A transfer unit includes a belt member, a bending roller, a transfer section, and a bias application unit. The belt member is extended between rollers and has a movable surface on which a toner image is transferred from an image carrier. The bending roller externally contacts the surface of the belt member to bend the belt member and rotates in conjunction with the belt member. The transfer section includes one of the rollers and a surface moving member. The surface moving member rotates at least one full turn while cleaning is performed on the surface moving member and the bending roller. A surface moving speed of the bending roller is equal to or greater than a surface moving speed of the surface moving member. A circumferential length L1 of the surface moving member and a circumferential length L2 of the bending roller satisfy L1?L2.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an endless belt, a steering mechanism adapted to correct deviation of the belt, a cleaning blade adapted to abut the belt so as to clean the belt, a timer adapted to clock the time necessary for the steering mechanism to correct the deviation of the belt, an adjuster adapted to adjust the abutting state between the belt and the cleaning blade by making the amount of toner supplied to the belt larger than a predetermined amount, and a controller adapted to control the operation of the adjuster. The controller controls the operation of the adjuster based on the time clocked by the timer.

Abstract: A system and method are provided for sensing occasions of operations in image forming devices that result in larger than normal volumes of residual toner needing to be removed from an intermediate transfer element by an intermediate transfer element toner cleaning system. Based on this sensing, an operating speed for an auger component in the intermediate transfer element toner cleaning system may be temporarily increased. This temporary increase in operating speed may address the intermittent increased toner volume conditions without introducing unacceptable physical configuration changes, or undesirable operating characteristic modifications, for the intermediate transfer element toner cleaning system. Upon sensing an actual or anticipated higher-than-normal amount of toner to be removed, a signal is sent to temporarily increase a speed of operation of toner removal components in the intermediate transfer element toner cleaning system to account for the temporary increase.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a removal unit configured to remove developer that was not transferred to a recording material; and a control unit configured to control an image forming unit for supplying developer to the removal unit. The image forming unit is configured to form first developer image, and second developer image whose length in the sub-scanning direction is longer than that of the first developer image, and whose amount of developer per unit area is less than or equal to that of the first developer image, and the control unit is further configured to, based on a predetermined relationship between the recording material type and the supplying image, select a supplying image formed by the image forming unit before or after the developer image transferred to the recording material.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus is provided. The image forming apparatus includes a chassis, photosensitive members, an intermediate transfer belt including a first plane and a second plane, a waste toner container, a first feeding path extending between a first feed roller and a secondary-transfer roller, a second feeding path being a path for a recording sheet inserted through a sheet inlet, a second feed roller arranged in an overlapping position to at least partially overlap with the waste toner container when viewed along a horizontal plane and in a position out of a course of the waste toner container being installed in and removed from the chassis. The second plane of the intermediate transfer belt extends downwardly in an inclined angle with respect to the first plane. The waste toner container is movable along the second plane of the intermediate transfer belt to be settled in the chassis.

Abstract: This invention provides a toner conveying device including a toner hashing member having an opening region serving as a connecting region between the connection member and the toner conveying member and configured to break up a clump of toner accumulating in a toner conveying path in a region of the conveying path, which corresponds at least to the opening region, and an image forming apparatus including this toner conveying device.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a rotatable member-to-be-cleaned having elasticity; a cleaning member, having elasticity, for removing a deposited matter deposited on the member-to-be-cleaned; and a supporting portion for supporting the cleaning member so that the cleaning member swings around a swing fulcrum. The swing fulcrum of the supporting portion is provided so that a force exerted from the member-to-be-cleaned onto the cleaning member with respect to a direction along a tangential line where the cleaning member and the member-to-be-cleaned contact each other during movement of the member-to-be-cleaned has a vector component in a direction in which the cleaning member is moved away from the member-to-be-cleaned.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus is provided. The image forming apparatus includes a chassis having a first opening on a first side, photosensitive members, an intermediate transfer belt arranged to have a surface thereof facing the photosensitive members, primary-transfer members, a secondary-transfer roller, a first feed roller, a cleaner device, a waste toner container, which is removably installed in the chassis through the first opening and settled in a position opposite from the photosensitive members across the intermediate transfer belt, a connector, a first feeding path extending in a range between the first feed roller and the secondary-transfer roller, and a second feeding path being formed in clearance between the intermediate transfer belt and the waste toner container to convey a recording sheet being inserted through a sheet inlet and merging into the first feeding path in the vicinity of the first feed roller.

Abstract: A developer collecting device includes a housing provided with an opening opposed to a developer carrying member, a collecting member provided along an edge of the opening at a downstream end of the opening in a transporting direction in which the developer carrying member transports the developer, a sealing member provided along an edge of the opening at an upstream end of the opening in the transporting direction, a suction path that extends along a longitudinal direction of the housing and that is connected to a suction unit for sucking the developer into the housing, a developer transporting unit that is provided between the opening and the suction path and that transports the developer collected in the housing, a filter member disposed between the developer transporting unit and the suction path, and a hood member disposed between the opening and the filter member and separated from the filter member.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image bearing member to bear a latent image on a surface thereof, a developing device to develop the latent image with toner, an intermediate transfer member, a secondary transfer member, a cleaning device, and a main body. The cleaning device cleans the secondary transfer member for a predetermined time period T1 during a startup operation after printing is completed normally before subsequent printing. The main body houses the image bearing member, the developing device, the intermediate transfer member, the secondary transfer member, and the cleaning device. At least one of the image bearing member and the developing device constitutes a process cartridge detachably attachable relative to the main body, and in a case in which the process cartridge is installed in the main body, the cleaning device cleans the secondary transfer member for a time period T2 extended from the predetermined time period T1.

Abstract: A cleaning device has housing, cleaning member, pair of bearing portions, toner receiving seal, and end seal. The housing is formed with opening facing, and waste toner retaining portion. The cleaning member is rotatably borne by the pair of bearing portions at both ends of rotation axis. The toner receiving seal is disposed facing to entire area in the longitudinal direction of the cleaning member, and extends to be laid across each end portion of the cleaning member and outer periphery of the bearing portion. The bearing portion has the same outer diameter in contact portion where the toner receiving seal contacts, as outer diameter of the cleaning member. The end seal is disposed, in gap between the housing and each of the bearing portions, facing to the contact portion with the toner receiving seal interposed therebetween, and prevents leakage of waste toner from both end portions of the housing.

Abstract: A cleaning device includes a housing, a cleaning member, a contact member, a torque limiter, and an urging member. The housing has an opening that opposes an image carrier and a waste toner receiver. The cleaning member includes a rotation member that is rotated in a forward rotation direction. The cleaning member is positioned near the opening in the housing and removes residual toner from the surface of the image carrier. The contact member is positioned so as to be in contact with an outer peripheral surface of the rotation member. The torque limiter is located on a rotation shaft of the rotation member and is capable of rotating independently of the rotation shaft when a torque that is greater than or equal to a predetermined torque is applied to the torque limiter. The urging member applies an urging force to the torque limiter in a reverse rotation direction.

Abstract: A cleaning device includes a first cleaning member, a first opposing member, a second cleaning member, a second opposing member, and a pressing member. The first and second cleaning members clean an outer surface of a belt member by coming into contact with the outer surface. The first and second opposing members are in contact with an inner face of the belt member at positions that are opposite the first and second cleaning members. The pressing member is disposed between the first and second opposing members and is in contact with the outer surface of the belt member. The pressing member presses a portion of the belt member that is located between the first and second opposing members from an outer surface side of the belt member toward an inner face side of the belt member.

Abstract: An endless belt confronts the photosensitive drum. A developing unit includes a developer accommodation portion that is configured to accommodate developer, and a developing roller that is rotatably provided and supplies the photosensitive drum with the developer. A collecting unit is configured to remove waste developer to be discarded from the endless belt and to collect the waste developer. A waste developer accommodation portion is provided integrally with the developer accommodation portion and is configured to accommodate the waste developer collected by the collecting unit. A conveying mechanism is configured to be connected to both the waste developer accommodation portion and the collecting unit and to convey the waste developer from the collecting unit to the waste developer accommodation portion. The waste developer accommodation portion is movable relative to the conveying mechanism.

Abstract: A belt device incorporatable in an image forming apparatus includes an endless belt, multiple belt tension rollers disposed in contact with an inner surface of the endless belt, a rotary cleaning member to contact a belt wound area of the endless belt facing an opposing roller to form a cleaning nip between the rotary cleaning member and the endless belt and rotate the rotary cleaning member in a direction opposite the belt moving direction within the cleaning nip, and a voltage applier. The cleaning nip is formed by offsetting a center of the cleaning nip upstream from a center of the belt wound area of the endless belt in the belt moving direction and by at least contacting the rotary cleaning member in a range from the belt wound area to a tensioned belt area located upstream from the belt wound area in the belt moving direction.