Abstract: A toner containing resin, colorant, and a potassium sorbate, or a potassium tartrate charge enhancing additive.

Abstract: A transfer device for transferring a toner image formed on an image carrier onto a transfer material conveyed on a transfer belt. The transfer device includes a cleaning member having a dielectric surface layer for cleaning a surface of the transfer belt, and a bias application unit for applying to the cleaning member a cleaning bias having an opposite polarity to an electric charge polarity of a toner forming the toner image. Further, specific characteristic values of the dielectric surface layer are set to achieve a higher than predetermined cleaning level, such as setting a volume resistivity of the dielectric surface layer is set to 1E4 ohms/square or more.

Abstract: Apparatus for cleaning particulate material from the surface of a moving web comprises: (i) a customer-replaceable cleaning cartridge including a pair of spaced, parallel cleaning blades supported by a sump housing having a removable lid assembly with a narrow opening through which the blades project at an angle; (ii) a backup shoe assembly positioned to contact the web surface opposite the cleaning blades and provide resistance to the cleaning blades; and (iii) a bracket assembly for releasably supporting the cleaning cartridge in an operative position in which the cleaning blades contact the web surface to be cleaned and cooperate with the shoe assembly to wipe particulate material from the web. Preferably, the lid assembly comprises a lid member that supports a flexible seal blade that contacts the web surface upstream of the cleaning blades and deflects particulate material wiped from the web by the cleaning blades into the sump housing.

Abstract: A transparent film for electrophotographic image formation thereon is formed of a transparent substrate, and a surface-coating layer disposed on at least one surface of the transparent film. The surface coating layer is characterized by exhibiting a contact angle of 55-90 deg. with pure water at 23° C. and a humidity of 50%RH; containing an electronically conductive agent as a resistivity-adjusting agent; a universal hardness of at least 150 N/mm2; and exhibiting a surface resistivity of 1×108-1×1012 ohm/□. As a result of the specified properties, the transparent film exhibits good toner image transfer characteristic and provides images free from transfer failure, such as hollow image dropout, thin image density or discharge pattern formation.

Abstract: A liquid electrophotographic printing apparatus includes a photosensitive belt circulating around a predetermined track. A transfer roller contacts the photosensitive belt, and receives an image therefrom. A fuser roller presses against the transfer roller so that the toner image transferred to the transfer roller is transferred to a sheet of paper passing between the transfer roller and the fuser roller. A fuser roller cleaning device selectively contacts the fuser roller and maintains a peeling force of the fuser roller within a predetermined range. A peeling force adjusting device selectively contacts the transfer roller and maintains a peeling force of the transfer roller within a predetermined range. The surface energies SET, SEP, and SEF of the transfer roller, the paper sheet, and the fuser roller, respectively, satisfy the following inequality: SET<SEP<SEF.

Abstract: An electrophotographic printing apparatus having a structure so that differences between surface energies of components of the electrophotographic printing apparatus contributing to image transfer are maintained within predetermined ranges, and an image transferring method thereof. The electrophotographic printing apparatus includes a photosensitive medium, developing units, a drying roller and a transfer unit having a transfer roller, whereby the peeling force (PFD) of the drying roller is in a range of 0 gram force per inch (gf/inch)≦PFD≦300 gram force per inch (gf/inch), the peeling force (PFO) of the photosensitive medium is in a range of 0 gram force per inch (gf/inch)≦PFO≦80 gram force per inch (gf/inch), and the peeling force (PFT) of the transfer roller is in a range of 200 gram force per inch (gf/inch)≦PFT≦500 gram force per inch (gf/inch), respectively, when the peeling forces are measured.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus including: an image forming portion for forming a toner image; a recording-material transporting member for bearing and transporting the recording material; a cleaning portion equipped with a cleaning blade abutting against a surface of the recording-material transporting member; and a fixing portion equipped with a fixing member on which a mold release agent is coated, the apparatus being capable of forming an image on a surface of the recording material, a fixing operation of which has been performed by the fixing portion, the surface of the recording material being opposite to a surface thereof on which the toner image is transferred, wherein the cleaning blade is arranged such that a normal line of a surface of the cleaning blade, which is close to an abutting portion against the recording-material transporting member and faces to an upstream side of the abutting portion in a transportation direction of the recording-material transporting member, is substantially directed to a g

Abstract: A member for use is a copying device includes at least a substrate and thereon a surface layer comprised of a nitrile-silicone rubber or elastomer. The nitrile-silicone rubber or elastomer provides superior resistance to swelling from solvents such as hydrocarbons found in many developer compositions. The member may have any form, including a belt, plate or drum configuration. The member may be used in the copying device as a fuser member, a pressure member, a transfer member or a transfix member.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image carrying member, intermediate transfer member, charger, transfer mechanism, discharger, direct current voltage source, and direct current voltage controller. The intermediate transfer member contacts the image carrying member and receives a toner image therefrom during a first transfer operation. The charger charges the intermediate transfer member to generate an electric field where the image carrying member and the intermediate transfer member contact each other for initiating the first transfer operation. The transfer mechanism performs a second transfer operation to transfer the toner image from the intermediate transfer member to a transfer sheet. The discharger discharges a charge remaining on the intermediate transfer member after completing the second transfer operation by the direct current voltage source applying a direct current voltage to the discharger.

Abstract: A toner comprising: a plurality of mother particles; and a plurality of external additive particles to be attached to the mother particles, the external additive particles including external additive particles attached to the mother particle and external additive particles liberated from the mother particles, wherein an inclination (particle sizes of the external additives/particle sizes of the mother particles) of an approximation straight line obtained by approximating distribution of particle sizes of the external additives with respect to the particle sizes of the mother particles by a least-square method is not larger than 0.6. Also, disclosed is an image forming apparatus using the toner.

Abstract: In an image forming apparatus, a latent image is formed on a rotatable photosensitive body and treated with a liquid developer containing a carrier solution and toner particles, whereupon a visible image is formed on the body. The visible image is transferred from the photosensitive body to a record medium through the intermediation of an intermediate transfer body. The transfer body has a surface that serves as a transfer medium. As the transfer medium is pressed against the body in a transfer position, the visible image is transferred from the photosensitive body to the transfer medium.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus provided with an image forming portion for forming an image by a developer, a bearing and conveying member capable of bearing thereon and conveying a transfer material on which the developer image is formed, or the developer image directly transferred thereto, and a cleaning portion for cleaning the bearing and conveying member, the cleaning portion has a cleaning blade abutting against the bearing and conveying member, and a holding member holding the cleaning blade and swingable about a rotary shaft, wherein the angle formed by a tangential line on the abutting portion of the cleaning blade against the bearing and conveying member with a line connecting the center of the rotary shaft and the abutting portion is designed to be equal to or greater than 0° and equal to or smaller than 15°, and the abrasion wear of the surface of the bearing and conveying member when in use of the apparatus, the bearing and conveying member has made 10,000 revolutions is designed to be equal t

Abstract: A color image forming apparatus according to the invention includes an intermediate transfer member for transferring a color image onto a paper sheet, a second transfer roller capable of directly transferring, onto a paper sheet, a toner image formed on a photosensitive member to transfer a black-and-white image onto a paper sheet, a first transfer roller for transferring, onto a paper sheet, a color image on the intermediate transfer member. Since the process of transferring a black-and-white image onto a paper sheet is separated from the process of transferring a color image from the intermediate transfer member, a black-and-white image can be transferred onto a paper sheet and fixed thereon immediately after development. Thus, the period required for copying a black-and-white image, in particular, the required first copying period of a black-and-white image can be shortened.

Abstract: An image forming machine comprising image bearing means, charging means, exposure means, reversal development means, transfer means, and cleaning means. The transfer means includes a rotationally driven transfer belt, and transfer voltage applicator means for applying a transfer voltage to the back side of the transfer belt. The transfer voltage applicator means applies the transfer voltage to the transfer belt over a predetermined effective transfer width. The face side of the transfer belt is brought into contact with the image bearing means via an image receiving member and directly over a predetermined effective contact width. The effective contact width is larger than an effective charging width and larger than the effective transfer width.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus including an image bearing member, a charger for contacting with and charging the image bearing member to form a latent image on the image bearing member, a developing device for developing the latent image formed on the image bearing member with a toner, the developing device collecting the toner on the image bearing member, an intermediate transfer member, and a transfer charger for transferring a toner image on the image bearing member to the intermediate transfer member, wherein the toner image transferred to the intermediate transfer member by the transfer charger is transferred to a recording material, and when the image forming operation is interrupted, the toner image on the image bearing member which is not yet transferred to the intermediate transfer member is transferred to the intermediate transfer member by the transfer charger.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an intermediate transfer member, an image forming device for forming a toner image on the intermediate transfer member, a charging device for charging residual toner remaining on the intermediate transfer member after the toner image formed by the image forming device and located on the intermediate transfer member is electrostatically transferred onto a transfer material. The residual toner charged by the charging device and remaining on the intermediate transfer member is electrostatically transferred onto the image forming device.

Abstract: In an image formation apparatus, a voltage greater than a value, at which toner removal efficiency when a second cleaning device removes toner from an intermediate transfer body is maximum, is applied to a cleaning roller.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus having: a plurality of image bearing members which are disposed along the conveying direction of the transfer material and on which latent images are formed; developing devices which are disposed corresponding to the plurality of image bearing members and develop the latent images with developers; a transfer material bearing and conveying member to bear and convey the transfer material; a transfer device to sequentially transfer the developer images developed on the plurality of image bearing members to the transfer material on the transfer material bearing and conveying member; and a cleaning member which is brought into contact with the transfer material bearing and conveying member and cleans its surface, in which a developer image not to be transferred onto the transfer material is formed only onto one image bearing member disposed downstream-most in the movement direction of the transfer material bearing and conveying member among the plurality of image bearing members; the dev

Abstract: A transfer member having a porous substrate, and a release agent material associated therewith, are discussed.

Abstract: Upon restarting a printer, current is fed to a charge roller for charging a transfer belt, a drum charger for charging a photosensitive drum and a developing unit for developing a latent image on the photosensitive drum, while prohibiting current feed to an LED head. Then, the transfer belt is caused to abut upon the photosensitive drum, driven in a given direction and cleaned at a downstream side by a belt cleaner.

Abstract: A toner for developing an electrostatic latent image on a photoreceptor, wherein the toner includes particles, and wherein the particles of the toner having particle diameters within a range of D±d and measured in &mgr;m, wherein d≦2 &mgr;m, have an average non-electrostatic adhesion force Fne(D) and measured in nN against the photoreceptor, and wherein a proportional factor K of a primary regression line of a diagram in which the toner particle diameter D is plotted on the horizontal axis and the non-electrostatic adhesion force Fne(D) is plotted on the vertical axis, is from 0.01 nN/&mgr;m to 5 nN/&mgr;m.

Abstract: A transfer-conveyance device for transferring a visible image on an image bearing member in an image forming apparatus onto a transfer sheet and to convey the transfer sheet. The transfer-conveyance device includes a contact member that contacts the image bearing member, a bias applying device to apply a transfer bias to the contact member, a resistance detecting device to detect a resistance of the contact member, and a transfer bias control device to determine an amount of variation in the resistance of the contact member and control the transfer bias. The transfer bias is controlled on the basis of the amount of variation in the resistance of the contact member.

Abstract: An image formation apparatus comprising a photosensitive body and a transfer medium receiving an image made of a liquid toner formed on the photo-sensitive body and further transferring the image to an image formation medium. The transfer medium has a structure in which a conductive rubber layer and a polymer surface layer made of a silicone resin containing a conductive metal oxide are formed on a surface of a roller main body, and has surface resistance of 10E10 &OHgr;/□ or less.

Abstract: A cleaning mechanism for an image forming apparatus can assure stable cleaning performance, constantly maintain surface condition of an intermediate transfer body and a photoconductor to be removed an ink or the like by the intermediate transfer body clean, and thus stably obtain satisfactory quality of printed products. The cleaning mechanism has a cleaning roll being contacted with the intermediate transfer body under pressure with a predetermined load and rotated with firm contact with the intermediate transfer body for removing residual ink, toner or impurity on the intermediate transfer body after a transfer process and a sheet member being urged onto the cleaning roll for slip contact with a predetermined load.

Abstract: An electrophotographic photosensitive member is comprised of an aluminum substrate and a photosensitive layer provided thereon. The surface substrate on the side of the photosensitive member contains the elements aluminum, oxygen and titanium, or the elements aluminum, oxygen and zirconium. The photosensitive layer contains chlorogallium phthalocyanine, hydroxygallium phthalocyanine or oxytitanium phthalocyanine. The oxytitanium phthalocyanine has an intense peak at each of the Bragg's angles (2&thgr;G+0.2°) shown in any one of the specific five groups in CuK&agr;-characteristic X-ray diffraction.

Abstract: A transfer device comprises a cleaning roller that has a dielectric layer on its surface and cleans the surface of a transfer belt, and transfers a toner image formed on a photosensitive drum onto transfer paper on the transfer belt. A power supply, which applies a cleaning bias of the opposite polarity to an electric charge polarity of the toner that forms a toner image, is provided, and volume resistivity of the dielectric layer is set to 1E3 ohm-cm or more. By specifying characteristic values of the dielectric layer provided on the surface of the cleaning member, the cleaning effect of the dielectric layer can be maintained higher than a predetermined level and the transfer belt can effectively be cleaned.

Abstract: A reproduction apparatus and method provides first and second toner image bearing members (TIBMs). Each of the TIBMs has a respective toner image that is moved through a respective transfer nip with a web that has or supports a toner image receiving surface. Each TIBM in each nip has a predetermined amount of pre-nip wrap by the web and a predetermined amount of post-nip wrap by the web. Electrostatic transfer, preferably in a constant current transfer mode, of a toner image at each transfer nip is made to the receiving surface so that a toner image transferred by the second TIBM is deposited on the receiving surface so as to form a composite image with the toner image transferred to the receiving surface by the first TIBM.

Abstract: The present invention discloses a high weight percent of silicone within the silicone-urea block polymer for use with or as a dielectric layer material for electrostatic printing. The high weight percent comprises between about 66 and about 94 weight percent.

Abstract: The average friction factor between the contact surfaces of a drive roller and an intermediate transfer belt is set to not more than 0.45 and not less than 0.1, and before the primary transfer of the toner image of the last color is finished, a cleaning blade is separated from or comes into contact with the intermediate transfer belt with the drive roller as a backup member. The peripheral length of a photoconductor is greater by not more than 10% than the value obtained by dividing the length on a transfer member necessary for a predetermined image length by an integer n which is not less than 3 and not more than 9, and the ratio between the numbers of rotations of the transfer member and the photoconductor is 1:n.

Abstract: A polymerized toner of core-shell structure, comprising core particles composed of colored polymer particles which contain a compound having at least one >C═N+< structure in its molecule and a colorant, and a layer of a polymer having a glass transition temperature higher than that of a polymer component making up the core particles, said polymer layer covering each of the core particles, a production process thereof, an image forming process comprising using the polymerized toner, and an image forming apparatus containing the polymerized toner.

Abstract: An apparatus for cleaning a roller for a liquid printer includes a first cleaning unit and second cleaning unit. Foreign materials adhering on the transfer roller are removed from the surface of the transfer roller and transferred to the cleaning roller of the first cleaning unit. A cleaning web of the second cleaning unit is used for removing foreign materials from the surface of the cleaning roller of the first cleaning unit. The surface of the transfer roller is prevented from contamination. Also, the transfer roller can transfer clear images to the paper.

Abstract: The image forming apparatus is capable of preventing contamination of the rear surface of paper while minimizing the deterioration of the surface of the transfer roll. The image forming apparatus has an intermediate transfer belt for carrying a toner image visualized by a toner, a transfer roll pressed against the intermediate transfer belt, and a cleaning brush that is rotatable in contact with the transfer roll. This transfer roll acts to transfer the toner image carried on the belt to paper. The cleaning brush makes contact with the transfer roll to stir the toner adhering to the transfer roll.

Abstract: A color image forming apparatus has developing unit, an image bearing member capable of bearing thereon toner images of plural colors formed by the developing unit, a rotatable intermediate transferring member, transferring unit for transferring the toner images of plural colors on the image bearing member to the intermediate transferring member at a first transferring position in electrostatically superposed relationship with one another, and a charger for charging any residual toner remaining on the intermediate transferring member after the toner images on the intermediate transferring member transferred by the transferring unit have been transferred to a transfer material at a second transferring position to a polarity opposite to the regular charging polarity of the toners in the developing unit.

Abstract: The average friction factor between the contact surfaces of a drive roller and an intermediate transfer belt is set to not more than 0.45 and not less than 0.1, and before the primary transfer of the toner image of the last color is finished, a cleaning blade is separated from or comes into contact with the intermediate transfer belt with the drive roller as a backup member. The peripheral length of a photoconductor is greater by not more than 10% than the value obtained by dividing the length on a transfer member necessary for a predetermined image length by an integer n which is not less than 3 and not more than 9, and the ratio between the numbers of rotations of the transfer member and the photoconductor is 1:n.

Abstract: The methods and systems for efficiently transferring images from an image bearing member include placing a release layer over the image bearing member before placing the toner layer over the release layer. The release layer reduces the adhesiveness of the toner layer to the image bearing member and, therefore, promotes efficient transfer to another substrate without applying heat. Release layer materials include, for example, a clear toner layer, a clear fluid layer and a wax layer.

Abstract: A three-dimensional image-forming toner containing at least a binder resin and a foaming agent in such a manner that the foaming agent is not substantially exposed to the surface of the toner. The foaming agent is preferably microcapsule particles containing a low-boiling substance such as, preferably, isobutane, and the shell material of the microcapsule is preferably a copolymer of vinylidene chloride and acrylonitrile.By using the image-forming toner, a three-dimensional image having a sufficient image thickness for being recognized as Braille types and a good fixing property to a recording medium such as a plain paper can be easily formed using an ordinary electrophotographic copying machine or printer.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus has an image bearing member, an intermediary member and a voltage applicator to electrostatically to transfer the toner image from the image bearing member onto the intermediary transfer member and then transfer the image onto a transfer material. The apparatus is operable selectively in a first mode in which toner images of different colors are sequentially and superposedly transferred from the image bearing member onto the intermediary transfer member by the voltage application, and in a second mode in which only a toner image of a first color of the different colors is transferred onto the intermediary transfer member from the image bearing member. An absolute value of the voltage applied to the intermediary transfer member by the voltage applicator is larger when the second mode is selected than when the first mode is selected, when the toner image of the first color is transferred from the image bearing member onto the intermediary transfer member.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus comprises an image bearing member for bearing an image, and a movable member which is abutted against the image bearing member and onto which the image on the image bearing member is transferred. The movable member includes a substrate, a sheet-like member, and an elastic layer disposed between the substrate and the sheet-like member and compressed to a predetermined thickness before the movable member is abutted against the image bearing member.

Abstract: A toner comprising: a plurality of mother particles; and a plurality of external additive particles to be attached to the mother particles, the external additive particles including external additive particles attached to the mother particle and external additive particles liberated from the mother particles, wherein an inclination (particle sizes of the external additives/particle sizes of the mother particles) of an approximation straight line obtained by approximating distribution of particle sizes of the external additives with respect to the particle sizes of the mother particles by a least-square method is not larger than 0.6. Also, disclosed is an image forming apparatus using the toner.

Abstract: A transfer sheet comprising not less that 75% by mass of a polycarbonate resin, and having a ratio of an infrared absorbency at a wave-number of 155 mm.sup.-1 to that at a wave-number of 160 mm.sup.-1 of not less than 0.02 and less than 0.3, a melting viscosity of not less than 2,500 Pa.multidot.s when measured at 280.degree. C. by a Koka-type flow tester and thickness of 130 to 250 .mu.m. The transfer sheet can satisfy requirements of a mechanical durability, flame retardant properties and a modability simultaneously.

Abstract: An electrophotographic photoconductor including an electroconductive substrate, and a charge generating layer including a charge generating material and a charge transporting layer including a charge transporting material, which are overlaid and which are formed overlying one side of the electroconductive substrate, wherein the charge generating material includes an asymmetric disazo pigment and a metal-free phthalocyanine pigment, and wherein a ratio of the asymmetric disazo pigment to the metal-free phthalocyanine pigment is from 1.5:1 to 5:1 by weight and the asymmetric disazo pigment has the following formula (I):Cp1--N.dbd.N--A--N.dbd.N--Cp2 (I)wherein A represents a divalent group which is connected to each nitrogen atom of the adjacent azo groups through a carbon atom of said A group; and Cp1 and Cp2 independently represents a residual group of a coupler, wherein Cp1 is different from Cp2.

Abstract: The average friction factor between the contact surfaces of a drive roller and an intermediate transfer belt is set to not more than 0.45 and not less than 0.1, and before the primary transfer of the toner image of the last color is finished, a cleaning blade is separated from or comes into contact with the intermediate transfer belt with the drive roller as a backup member. The peripheral length of a photoconductor is greater by not more than 10% than the value obtained by dividing the length on a transfer member necessary for a predetermined image length by an integer n which is not less than 3 and not more than 9, and the ratio between the numbers of rotations of the transfer member and the photoconductor is 1:n.

Abstract: A toner image which is carried by a photosensitive endless belt is pressed against a printing paper by a transfer opposed roller provided inside the photosensitive belt to transfer the toner image onto the printing paper, and the image transferred onto the printing paper is fixed. The position of the transfer roller which is moved inside the photosensitive belt is detected by a detector. When the detected position agrees with a predetermined position, the moving direction is reversed by a control unit and the moving distance of the transfer roller is varied in accordance with the size of the image ad, further, the contamination of the backside of the printing paper is avoided.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus of the type sequentially forming toner images of different colors on an image carrier while sequentially transferring them to an intermediate transfer body one above the other, and then transferring the resulting composite toner image from the intermediate transfer body to a paper or similar recording medium. Dot toner images different from desired toner images are formed on the image carrier. The dot toner images are transferred from the image carrier to the intermediate transfer body and then to the recording medium. The individual toner images are transferred from the image carrier to the intermediate transfer body in accurate register with each other.

Abstract: An image forming device and an image forming method for transporting a toner image on an endless belt shaped toner image transporting member. The toner image transporting member is supported by a plurality of rollers and is stretched out and made rotatable in the same direction as the recording medium is transported. The colored toner is transported on the outside of the toner image transporting member and is transferred onto stationary recording medium by an opposed image transferring roller while the rotation of the toner image transporting member is suspended. The image transferring process is repeated for the required number of colors.

Abstract: An image-forming apparatus is provided with: a photoconductor drum having a surface on which a toner image is formed, a transfer drum for transferring the toner image onto a copying material by allowing the copying material to contact the photoconductor drum, and a ground roller for electrostatically attracting the copying material onto the transfer drum prior to transferring the toner image onto the copying material. He transfer drum is constituted by a semi-conductive layer and a dielectric layer that are stacked on a conductive layer. [Supposing that] The nip width between the photoconductor drum and the transfer drum is L1, the rotation speed of the two drums is Vp, and the time constant, which is represented by a product of the resistance and the capacitance between the two drums, is .tau., the relationship represented by L1/Vp<.tau. is satisfied.

Abstract: In accordance with the invention, a toner transfer member for electrostatography comprises a substrate and an outer surface layer comprising a material selected from the group consisting of a ceramer comprising a polyurethane silicate hybrid organic-inorganic network and a fluoropolymeric composition comprising a polyester-based polyurethane and polytetrafluoroethylene. The transfer member of the present invention is particularly useful for duplex electrostatographic copying processes; its outer surface layer substantially reduces the migration of release oil from the fusing station to the photoconductor via the transfer member, thereby ensuring high quality fused images on both sides of a receiver sheet.

Abstract: An image-forming machine includes an image-forming unit, a transfer belt assembly disposed beneath the image-forming unit so as to freely ascend and descend between an acting position and a non-acting position, and a lift device for asending and descending the transfer belt assembly. The transfer belt assembly includes a driven roller, a tension roller, an endless belt wrapped around the driven roller and the tension roller, and a resilient urging device for resiliently urging the tension roller toward a direction of applying tension to apply tension to the endless belt. A tension release device is disposed which, when the transfer belt assembly is descended to the non-acting position, moves the tension roller in the direction in which tension is no longer applied, against a resilient urging action of the resiliently urging device, so that the application of tension to the endless belt is discontinued.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus comprising a lubricant supplying device which supplies a lubricant to a rotating image carrier, wherein the lubricant comprises at least one of low molecular weight polytetrafluoroethylene, a fluorine-containing resin including a filler, polytetrafluoroethylene which has been subjected to heat or radiation decomposition treatment, a fluorine-containing resin which has been prepared by a compression molding method, and a porous fluorine-containing resin. The lubricant preferably has a concave portion on the surface thereof contacting the image carrier. The lubricant is preferably disposed so that an acute angle formed by a line parallel to a compression direction of the lubricant, during the compression molding of the lubricant, and a line parallel to a moving direction of the image carrier, is from about 45 to about 90.degree..

Abstract: An image forming apparatus capable of preventing disturbance in an image formed on an image bearing member, and a failure in image transfer is provided. In the image forming apparatus, an image bearing member and an intermediate transfer member to which a driving force from a motor is independently transmitted via a gear train (gear portions, driving gears, an idler gear and a gear) are brought in pressure contact with each other at a transfer nip portion. A dynamic damper is provided on the shaft of the motor.