Oki Data Corporation

Kentaro Hasegawa

Takuya Goto

Masahiko Hoshino

Katsuyuki Ito

Satoshi Yamamoto

Fumitaka Ozeki

Yoichi Hayakawa

Takanori Mimura

Hisashi Soga

Susumu Yamamoto

Kazuoki Katayama

Tsukasa Hirayama

An image forming apparatus includes a developing unit, a transfer section, and a calculator. The developing unit includes an image carrier carrying a developer image. The transfer section includes a transfer belt, a cleaning member, and a container, and transfers the developer image onto a print medium. The transfer belt is disposed in contact with the image carrier. The cleaning member removes a developer attached to the transfer belt. The container contains the developer removed by the cleaning member. The calculator calculates a collection amount on the basis of medium information of the print medium. The collection amount is an amount of the developer collected in the container.

Image forming apparatus and image forming method

An image forming apparatus according to an embodiment may include a control section that controls operation of the image forming unit; a driving source that drives the image forming unit and drives, based on an instruction of the control section, rotation of a cleaning member whose sliding member passes a gap between a first light transmission window of a first optical path and a second light transmission window of a second optical path in a developer storing section while sliding on the first light transmission window and the second light transmission window. The control section detects, based on a light reception information detected by a light receiving element, a passage timing at which the sliding member passes through the gap, and stops the driving by the driving source based on the passage timing.

Image forming apparatus

An image forming apparatus executes an image formation process through which a developer image is formed on an image carrier by developing an electrostatic latent image while rotating a developer carrier in a forward direction, a voltage controller controls development and regulating voltages after the image formation process such that a magnitude relationship between the development regulating voltages becomes inverted from that during the image formation process, and after finishing the image formation process, in a state where the magnitude relationship between the development and regulating voltages is inverted from that during the image formation, the drive controller rotates the developer carrier in the forward direction for a prescribed period, and afterwards rotates the developer carrier in a reverse direction for another prescribed period.

An image formation apparatus according to one or more embodiments includes: an engagement part to which a replacement unit with a first communication part is detachably attachable; a second communication part configured, in a state where the replacement unit is attached to the engagement part, to communicate wirelessly with the first communication part of the replacement unit; and a control unit programmed to control the second communication part. In a process of causing the second communication part to communicate wirelessly with the first communication part a plurality of times, the control unit detects a change in a response from the first communication part.

Image formation apparatus detecting a response from communication part

A development device includes a developer carrier configured to develop an electrostatic latent image by causing a developer to adhere to an electrostatic latent image carrier, a first supply member disposed in non-contact with the developer carrier and configured to supply a developer to the developer carrier, a second supply member disposed in contact with the first supply member below the first supply member and configured to supply the developer to the first supply member, and a developer holder configured to hold the developer for replenishing the second supply member. The first supply member and the second supply member rotate so that the surfaces thereof move in the same direction at their opposed parts.

Development device and image formation apparatus

An image forming unit and an image forming apparatus comprising the image forming unit are supplied capable of preventing toner in bottom part of toner accommodating room from accumulating so as to obtain toner image with good quality. In the image forming unit, a developer accommodating section that accommodates developer; a developing member that supplies developer to an electrostatic latent image on an image carrying body; a supplying member that faces to the developing member and supplies developer to the developing member; and a conveying mechanism that conveys developer in bottom part of the developer accommodating section to the upper part of the developer accommodating section.

Image forming unit and image forming apparatus

A developing device includes a developing roller that faces a drum , a supplying roller that supplies the toner to the developing roller , and a toner container for storing the toner. A toner layer forming roller contacts the developing roller and rotates in the same direction as the developing roller . A part of the toner is transferred from the developing roller to the peripheral surface of the toner layer forming roller to form a toner layer. The thickness of the toner layer on the toner layer forming roller is regulated by a blade . According to the rotation of the toner layer forming roller , the toner layer is carried outside the toner container , where the toner layer is transferred to the peripheral surface of the developing roller

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Tokyo, Japan

Kentaro Hasegawa