Abstract: The present invention provides an image forming device using a toner that maintains a color-generation state or non-color-generation state owing to color-generation information provided by light, comprising: an image forming unit comprising a developing unit including a photoreceptor and the toner that forms a toner image, a color-generation information providing unit that, based on image data, provides the toner with color-generation information by exposing the toner image to light, a transfer unit, a fixing unit, and a color-generating unit that allows respective toner to generate the color, a toner temperature regulating unit, and a control unit that controls the toner temperature regulating unit so the temperature of the toner is within a predetermined range, and an image forming method using the same.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image supporting member; a developer supporting member for attaching developer to the image supporting member to form a developer image; a transfer unit for transferring the developer image to a recording medium; a driving unit for driving at least one of the image supporting member, the developer supporting member, and the transfer unit; an external temperature detection unit for detecting an environmental temperature outside the image forming apparatus; and a control unit for setting a driving speed of the driving unit according to the environmental temperature.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image forming unit including a developing device, a toner cartridge to store toner supplied to the developing device, a first memory which is provided in the toner cartridge and in which characteristic data of the toner is written, a detection mechanism to detect a parameter to influence toner cohesion, a second memory to store the detected parameter, and an arithmetic control mechanism to determine a use limit of the toner cartridge based on the characteristic data and the parameter.

Abstract: A replaceable unit to participate in an image forming job of an image forming apparatus includes a storage unit to store therein a driving condition corresponding to an operation environment, a detecting unit to monitor the operation environment, a controlling unit to detect a corresponding driving condition from the storage unit if the detecting unit detects the driving environment, and an interface unit to provide a main body of the image forming apparatus with the detected corresponding driving condition. Accordingly, the replaceable unit can be driven under optimum driving conditions.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: a first photosensitive drum for a monochrome printing mode; second and third photosensitive drums for a color printing mode; a moving unit moving a medium from the first photosensitive drum via the second photosensitive drum to the third photosensitive drum; charger devices for charging the photosensitive drums; transfer devices for transferring developer images on the photosensitive drums to the medium; and a control unit configured to control charging biases of the charger devices and transfer biases of the transfer devices. The control unit executes, in the monochrome printing mode, an energy saving control in which absolute value of charging bias applied to the charger device for the third photosensitive drum is smaller than an absolute value of a charging bias applied to the charger device corresponding to the second photosensitive drum.

Abstract: Disclosed are printing methods, apparatus and systems for developing a latent image recorded on a surface, for example, a photoreceptor with developer material. According to an exemplary embodiment, the development method applies a development field voltage between a development station donor member and a development station transport member as a function of a humidity measurement associated with the developer material, the humidity measurement providing a surrogate tribo measurement of the developer material.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an imaging unit, a fixing unit, a first thermometer, and a controller. The imaging unit forms a toner image on a recording medium conveyed along a media conveyance path. The fixing device is disposed downstream from the imaging unit along the media conveyance path to fix the toner image in place on the recording medium. The fixing device includes a fuser roller, a heat roller, an endless, fuser belt, and a pressure roller. The fuser roller has a cylindrical core of metal. The pressure roller presses against the fuser roller via the fuser belt to form a fixing nip therebetween. The first thermometer detects a first temperature at the cylindrical core of the fuser roller. The controller controls conveyance of the recording medium through the fixing nip according to the first temperature.

Abstract: Disclosed is an image forming apparatus, including: a toner image forming unit that includes an image carrier forming toner images by supplying toner to formed electrostatic latent images and transferring the formed toner images; a cleaning member that is in contact with the image carrier and removes the toner remaining in the image carrier after the toner images are transferred; a spacing part that spaces the cleaning member from the image carrier; an environment information acquisition unit that acquires information regarding temperature or humidity that is environment information, in the toner image forming unit; an environment determination unit that determines whether the temperature or the humidity in the toner image forming unit satisfies a reference by using the environment information; and a control unit that controls the spacing part to space the cleaning member from the image carrier when it is determined that the temperature or the humidity in the toner image forming unit does not satisfy the refe

Abstract: Provided is an image forming apparatus including an image forming section forming images on image forming faces of a recording medium, a condition setting section individually setting an operating condition of the image forming section for forming the image on a first image forming face of a recording medium and another operating condition of the image forming section for forming the image on a second image forming face of the recording medium opposite to the first image forming face in the manual duplex mode, and a control section controlling the image forming section on the basis of each operating condition set by the condition setting section.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an electrostatic latent image forming unit, a developing unit, an apparatus information acquisition unit to acquire apparatus information relating to the image forming apparatus, a toner image condition information acquisition unit using the apparatus information and acquiring toner image condition information relating to a condition at a time of toner image formation by the electrostatic latent image forming unit and the developing unit, a reference toner image forming unit controlling the electrostatic latent image forming unit and the developing unit based on the toner image condition information and forming a reference toner image on the image carrier, a toner adhesion amount information acquisition unit to acquire information relating to a toner adhesion amount in the reference toner image, and a supply amount correction unit using the information relating to the toner adhesion amount and correcting a toner supply amount to the developing unit.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus forms images. A developer bearing body receives a first voltage and supplies developer to the electrostatic latent image formed on an image bearing body. A supplying member receives a second voltage and supplies the developer to said developer bearing body. A detector detects at least one of an environmental condition, e.g., temperature and humidity outside of an apparatus and an environmental condition e.g., temperature inside of the apparatus. A controller controls the difference between the first voltage and the second voltage in accordance the environmental conditions. The controller makes a decision to determine whether the outside temperature is not lower than a first reference, whether outside humidity is not higher than a second reference, and whether inside temperature is not lower than a third reference. If the above criteria are met, the controller decreases the absolute value of the difference.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus for printing an image on a medium, comprising: a first image carrier; a second image carrier disposed downstream of the first image carrier in a traveling direction of the medium; a first charging member configured to charge the first image carrier; a second charging member configured to charge the second image carrier; and a control unit configured to execute a monochrome printing mode in which a monochromic image is formed on the medium using the first image carrier and the first charging member and a color printing mode in which a color image is formed on the medium using the second image carrier and the second charging member. In the monochrome printing mode, the control unit makes an absolute value of an electric surface potential of the second image carrier larger than an absolute value of the electric surface potential of the first image carrier.

Abstract: A sheet feeder which feeds a sheet in a sheet storage case includes a sheet storage case in which a sheet is stored, a dehumidifier which dehumidifies air, an air tank in which air dehumidified by the dehumidifier is stored, shutters and which bring the air tank and the sheet storage case into communication and out of communication, and fans and which send air between the air tank and the sheet storage case. The shutters and the fans are operated in accordance with humidity in the sheet storage case.

Abstract: It is determined whether each of objects separated from a plurality of objects arranged in a single page is character object or not, and with respect to an object determined as a character object, a ratio of pixels configuring a character in the determined object to all pixels in said determined object is calculated. A character object in which the ratio crosses a predetermined reference value, when the plurality of objects in the single page are scaled and arranged in accordance with a size of a sheet set by a user, is arranged in a different page.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image bearing member; a developing device for developing an electrostatic latent image formed on the image bearing member; a transferring device for transferring the toner image formed on the image bearing member onto a transfer material; a first ambience detecting device for detecting a humidity inside the image forming apparatus and outside the developing device; a second ambience detector for detecting a humidity inside the developing device; and a setting device for setting a transferring current on the basis of results of detection of the first an ambience detector and the second ambience detector.

Abstract: A device and method for determining and applying a transfer voltage in an imaging apparatus is provided. A servo voltage is determined based in part upon a change in an environmental condition. A determination is made whether or not to perform a new transfer servo operation based upon at least one of an amount of time passing since the last transfer servo operation was performed and a comparison of the determined servo voltage and a servo voltage used in a prior transfer servo operation. A transfer servo operation includes charging a photoconductive drum to a charge corresponding to a printing voltage.

Abstract: A low density area is caused at a trailing edge of an image formed on a photosensitive drum. This low density area is less likely to be caused when the density of the image is higher and the humidity is lower. To prevent generation of such low density area, if a color misregistration detection toner pattern having a high density is formed, in a low humidity environment, an excessively large amount of toner is consumed unnecessarily. In response, the density of the color misregistration detection toner pattern is adjusted based on the humidity.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, an image forming apparatus includes: plural image forming units including developing devices configured to respectively form images of plural colors; plural toner cartridges in which respective toner of the plural colors is stored respectively and each of the plural toner cartridges configured to supply the respective toner to the developing device respectively; first memories provided respectively incidental to the plural toner cartridges and each of the first memories in which correspondence data between parameter value affecting printing condition and printing condition calculated on the basis of characteristic of the respective toner of the plural colors is stored in advance; a detecting mechanism configured to detect the parameter value; and an arithmetic control mechanism configured to calculate each of printing conditions in the respective toner of plural colors from the correspondence data on the basis of the parameter value and calculate control condition for the image of

Abstract: A printing speed is adaptively set using Fuzzy inference, based on various printing environments including a printing medium width and the average amount of printing, so that the internal temperature of an apparatus can be stably maintained, and the use convenience can be enhanced.

Abstract: Provided is an image forming apparatus which includes a photosensitive body on which an electrostatic latent image is formed, a developing unit including toner to develop the electrostatic latent image formed on the photosensitive body, a temperature sensor installed in the developing unit to measure temperature around the toner, a memory unit having information regarding the toner and installed in the developing unit to receive signals from the temperature sensor, and a controller electrically connected to the memory unit to control developing operations based on the temperature measured by the temperature sensor.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus is supplied that can obtain a correct temperature inside an image forming section and can perform an optimum temperature control so that it is possible to prevent remainder toner on the surface of the image carrying body from solidifying.

Abstract: A management system includes: an image forming apparatus including a toner storage unit storing toner used in a developing unit, and a toner-transporting unit transporting the toner from the toner storage unit to the developing unit; and a management device connected to the apparatus through a communication unit, and managing a toner-remaining amount in the toner storage unit.

Abstract: According to one embodiment of the present invention, an image forming apparatus includes: an image formation unit; an image formation frequency count unit; a first control unit; a target contrast potential determination unit, and a second control unit. The image formation unit forms an image pertaining to a print job input from an external on an image carrier. The image formation frequency count unit counts an image formation frequency of the image in the image formation unit. The first control unit controls the image formation unit, and executes a first image stabilization mode for adjusting a development bias voltage on the basis of a concentration of a pattern image formed on the image carrier.

Abstract: An image forming device comprising a fixing unit for thermally fixing a developer on a recording sheet, a control unit that controls the temperature to maintain the fixing unit at one of a fixing temperature and a stand-by temperature lower than the fixing temperature, and a transport unit that transports the recording sheet to the fixing unit, wherein, when the temperature of the fixing unit has dropped from the fixing temperature to the stand-by temperature, and a printing command is received, the control unit controls the transport unit so as to set a stand-by time to wait before starting to transport the recording sheet after the printing command is received as a second time interval, which is longer than a first time interval of time required for the temperature of the fixing unit to reach the fixing temperature based on information relating to the current temperature of the fixing unit.

Abstract: Embodiments of an image forming apparatus, developer supplying apparatus and methods thereof may control a developer conveying speed in accordance with image print conditions, environmental status and/or developer amount to substantially maintain a stable amount or supply amount of developer. The developer may include bi-component developer having toner and carrier.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a latent image holder that holds a latent image; a developing unit that contains developer including toner particles and carrier particles, develops a latent image with the toner particles, and forms a toner image; a voltage applying unit that applies a voltage to the developing unit; a toner concentration detection unit that detects a toner concentration that is a proportion of the toner particles to the developer contained in the developing unit; and a setting unit that sets a setting value of the voltage on the basis of the toner concentration detected by the toner concentration detection unit, the voltage being applied by the voltage applying unit to the developing unit, wherein a difference between an upper limit and a lower limit of the set value increases as the toner concentration increases, the set value being set by the setting unit.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: photosensitive members; an endless belt facing the photosensitive members; developing rollers respectively supplying, to the photosensitive members, developer of different colors which is charged to a first polarity; cleaning rollers adjacent to the photosensitive members; a separating mechanism separating the developing roller from the photosensitive member in a single color printing. If in a multi color printing, a control unit applies a cleaning bias whose polarity is a second polarity opposite to the first polarity and which holds a first electric potential to each cleaning roller. If in the single color printing, the control unit executes a bias reduction control in which a cleaning bias applied to the cleaning roller not used in the single color printing is given the second polarity and is made to hold a second electric potential whose absolute value is smaller than that of the first electric potential.

Abstract: The present application is directed to methods of controlling the transfer voltage in a transfer nip formed between the photoconductive member and the transfer member. The methods offset the effects of large transfer current spikes caused when a media sheet enters and exits the transfer nip and account for temperature and humidity operating parameters using wet-bulb temperature measurements to adjust the transfer voltage. The control may include either ramping up or ramping down the transfer voltage. The ramped transfer voltage may include a series of alternating positive and negative steps that generally trend to ramp up or down. The size of the steps may further be adjusted to provide a smooth transition.

Abstract: A replaceable unit to participate in an image forming job of an image forming apparatus includes a storage unit to store therein a driving condition corresponding to an operation environment, a detecting unit to monitor the operation environment, a controlling unit to detect a corresponding driving condition from the storage unit if the detecting unit detects the driving environment, and an interface unit to provide a main body of the image forming apparatus with the detected corresponding driving condition. Accordingly, the replaceable unit can be driven under optimum driving conditions.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus comprises an image carrier, a developing unit, a supply unit and a control unit. A developing unit visualizes an electrostatic latent image formed on a surface of the image carrier, using a developing material. A supply unit supplies a periodic wave as a developing bias to the developing unit. A single period of the periodic wave is formed by a first time period and a second time period. In the first time period a voltage in which a DC voltage and an AC voltage are superimposed is applied. In the second time period only a DC voltage is applied. A control unit changes the duration of the second time period according to the amount of electrostatic latent images that have been formed in succession.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus and a control method thereof to improve quality of an image in consideration of a change in posture of a print media. The image forming apparatus can include a transferred unit on which a visible image is formed, a transferring unit to form a transfer region through which the visible image is transferred onto a print medium, along with the transferred unit, a bias supplying unit to supply bias to the transferring unit so that a transfer electric field is produced in the transfer region, and a controller to control the bias supplying unit to supply different first to third biases to the transferring unit while at least first to third regions of the print medium pass through the transfer region, respectively.

Abstract: Provided is an image forming apparatus including an image forming section forming images on image forming faces of a recording medium, a condition setting section individually setting an operating condition of the image forming section for forming the image on a first image forming face of a recording medium and another operating condition of the image forming section for forming the image on a second image forming face of the recording medium opposite to the first image forming face in the manual duplex mode, and a control section controlling the image forming section on the basis of each operating condition set by the condition setting section.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an overheat prevention device to control a heater based on a fusing temperature detected by a temperature sensor within a predetermined range when a controller generates an abnormal heater control signal.

Abstract: A developing device includes: a plurality of developer retaining bodies that retain developer and rotate, and that respectively convey the developer, which is supplied to each of the developer retaining bodies from a developer supply section, to an image bearing body that rotates and bears a latent image; and a speed changing unit that is adapted to change a rotation speed of at least one of the developer retaining bodies excluding a developer retaining body that is furthest downstream side in a direction of rotation of the image bearing body.

Abstract: A fixing device including a rotatable fixing member to fix a toner image on a recording medium, a pressing member to press against the fixing member to form a nip portion therebetween, through which the recording medium passes, and a nip pressure applying mechanism that movably supports the pressing member. The nip pressure applying mechanism presses the pressing member against the fixing member at a predetermined nip pressure during a fixing operation, and draws the pressing member away from the fixing member for a predetermined distance before the fixing operation. The predetermined distance is set depending on a condition for the fixing operation.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: a developing device; a toner supply device that supplies toner to the developing device; and a toner supply detecting sensor that detects whether toner is supplied into the developing device; and a toner empty determination controller for determining that the toner inside the toner supply device is used up. Toner empty determination controller, based on the output result from the toner supply detecting sensor, modifies the toner empty determining threshold, based on which toner empty is determined.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: an image bearing member; a development device; a speed varying unit that can vary a speed of a developer bearing member; a sensing portion that senses an environmental temperature around the development device; and a controller that can perform a mode in which, compared with a period which an image forming region of the image bearing member passes through the developing region, the rotation speed of the developer bearing member slows down a period which a non-image forming region of the image bearing member passes through the developing region, wherein based on sensing result of the sensing portion, the controller performs the mode when the environmental temperature is higher than a predetermined value, and the controller does not perform the mode when the environmental temperature is lower than the predetermined value.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus which predicts VL fluctuations of a photosensitive drum in consideration of a double-sided print mode, and performs an image formation control based on the prediction, and thus always obtains a stable density image. The image forming apparatus performs an appropriate image formation control by controlling an image forming condition based on a photosensitive member rotation time, a photosensitive member stop time, a temperature of an atmospheric environment, an absolute humidity of the atmospheric environment, and whether an image formation that precedes a subsequent image formation is performed in single-sided printing or double-sided printing.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: an intermediate transfer belt for, by rotation thereof, transferring a toner image on a surface thereof; a cleaner for removing toner particles after the transfer by rotation of a cleaning brush which touches the surface of the intermediate transfer belt and rotates during the transfer; a current supplier for supplying a cleaning current having a predetermined value (I2) to the cleaning brush in accord with the transfer; and a controller for controlling the intermediate transfer belt, cleaner and current supplier. The controller obtains a current time T1 and a previous rotation end time T2 of the cleaning brush, and when a time period during which the cleaning brush has not rotated, which is calculated from the current time T1 and the rotation end time T2, is equal to a predetermined time period or longer, sets the cleaning current to “I1”.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image bearing member for bearing a developer image; a developing device including a developer carrying member for forming the developer image on the image bearing member; a fixing device for fixing the developer image on a sheet material, on which the developer image has been transferred, by heating the sheet material; a memory medium for storing an operation hysteresis value, of the developing device, which varies depending on a state of an operation of the developing device from start of the operation; and a controller for controlling a temperature of the fixing device. The controller controls, when the operation hysteresis value stored in the memory medium reaches a preset threshold, the temperature of the fixing device so as to be lower than that before the operation hysteresis value reaches the preset threshold.

Abstract: A fixing device for fixing a toner image onto a recording paper includes a heating member for heating the recording paper, a pressing member for pressing the heating member by pressure-applying contact, a casing accommodating the heating member and the pressing member, and being provided with an exit port for discharging the recording paper, and a closing unit added to the exit port for keeping a temperature of the casing. The closing unit has a rotation member, and an opposed member forming a nip region together with the rotation member.

Abstract: When toner on an intermediate transfer member is picked up by a cleaning unit by transferring the toner to an image bearing member in a recovery operation, pickup conditions are controlled to be changed on the basis of the ambience detected in performing the recovery operation and such that the toner on the intermediate transfer member is picked up by the cleaning unit while being temporarily retained by a secondary transfer roller.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus including a photosensitive member, a charging apparatus to charge a surface of the photosensitive member when applied with a charging voltage, and an exposure apparatus to expose the surface of the photosensitive member after being charged to form an electrostatic image. A developing apparatus attaches a developer to the electrostatic image and develop the electrostatic image as a developer image when applied with a development voltage. An environment measuring apparatus measures information regarding temperature and a time information obtaining apparatus obtains information regarding a photosensitive member rotation time that represents a time during which the photosensitive member is rotated, and information regarding a photosensitive member stop time that represents a time during which the photosensitive member is stopped. A control apparatus controls an image formation condition based on a control mode.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus is provided. The image forming apparatus includes: a forming unit configured to form an image on a relatively moving object, the image including a mark; a first detection unit configured to detect the mark formed by the forming unit so as to obtain a first detection result; a correction unit configured to execute a correction process in which an image forming condition of the image forming unit is changed based on the first detection result; a setting unit configured to set the correction process not to be executed when a value related to a correction accuracy of the correction unit is lower than a reference value; and a control unit configured to control the correction process based on the setting by the setting unit.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus is disclosed that includes a fixing device including: a fixing member; and a pressure member configured to be pressed against the fixing member in order to form a nip portion, wherein a sheet configured to be fed into the nip portion in order to fix unfixed toner image thereon; a compressor configured to supply compressed air; a nozzle configured to be disposed at an outlet side of the nip portion and to blast the compressed air to an adhered portion of the sheet to the fixing member; and a controller configured to correct open-time of the nozzle based on image forming condition and to control number of times that the compressed air is blasted to the sheet in accordance with length of corrected open-time, wherein the open-time of the nozzle is determined in accordance with basis weight of the sheet.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a light source unit, an image carrier on which a latent image is formed by a light beam emitted from a light source, a developing unit configured to develop a latent image formed on the image carrier using a toner, an intermediate transfer unit on which a toner image developed by the developing unit is transferred, a heating unit configured to heat the intermediate transfer unit on which a toner image is transferred, a fixing unit configured to fix the toner image heated by the heating unit on a recording medium, a temperature detection unit configured to detect temperature of the intermediate transfer unit, and a control unit configured to control a magnification of a latent image to be formed on the image carrier according to a detection result of the temperature detection unit.

Abstract: An image forming device includes an image carrier having a surface onto which an electrostatic latent image is formed, a development station including a case made of a conductive body and one or more developer rollers, which supply toner housed in the case to the surface of the image carrier, and develop the electrostatic latent image formed on the surface of the image carrier as a toner image, a unit, which forms a standard concentration toner image of on the surface of the image carrier, a detector, which detects a toner adhesion amount of the standard concentration toner image formed on the surface of the image carrier by the standard concentration toner image-forming unit, and a voltage controller, which controls a bias voltage to be applied to the case according to a detected result of the toner adhesion amount of the standard concentration toner image by the detector.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image bearing member; a plurality of developing cartridges including respective toner accommodating portions for accommodating toners for forming an image on the image bearing member; a discriminating portion for discriminating color of the toner accommodated in each of the plurality of developing cartridges; a controller capable of controlling an image forming operation in a state in which the developing cartridges, of the plurality of developing cartridges, accommodating the toners of the same color are mounted; and a storing portion for storing lifetime information of the plurality of developing cartridges, respectively. When the developing cartridges accommodating the toners of the same color are mounted, the controller determines the developing cartridge, of the developing cartridges accommodating the toners of the same color, to be used for performing the image forming operation, on the basis of the lifetime information.

Abstract: A control unit is provided with an excitation current output section for outputting an excitation current to a stepping motor, a first level judging section for judging a drive stop time level indicating the duration of a time during which the stepping motor is not driven, a storage storing a plurality of starting torque values required to start driving the stepping motor and a plurality of drive stop time levels while relating them to each other, and a controller for obtaining the starting torque value corresponding to the drive stop time level judged by the first level judging section by referring to the storage, calculating an excitation current value which gives the obtained starting torque value and outputting an excitation current having the calculated excitation current value.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus and a control method thereof are provided. The image forming apparatus includes: an image carrying body which includes a surface on which a developer which corresponds to printing data is applied; a transferring unit which receives transferring electric power to form a transferring area which transfers the developer to a transferring target body; a power supply unit which applies transferring electric power to the transferring unit; and a control unit which controls the power supply unit to apply first transferring electric power or second transferring electric power based on the amount of the developer in a unit section on a surface of the image carrying body. Thus, the present general inventive concept provides an image forming apparatus and a control method thereof for improving a printing image quality.