Konica Minolta Business Technologies, Inc.

Tatsuya Isono

Katsuyuki Hirata

Toshio Tsuboi

Masaki Tanaka

Tetsuya Sakai

Takashi Harashima

Hironori Akashi

Mitsuru Obara

Yoshiki Nakane

Toshikazu Suzaki

An image forming apparatus of the invention includes an image carrier, an exposure device performing exposure for forming a toner image on a surface of the image carrier and having at least a first exposure light source and a second exposure light source, a sensor for detecting specified patterns, which are formed on the image carrier at a specified time with use of the first and second exposure light sources, a storing unit for storing a correlation, which is attained from a detection result by the sensor, between the first and second exposure light sources, and a controller for controlling the first and second exposure light sources based on the correlation.

Image forming apparatus, and exposure control method therefor

An image forming apparatus includes a secondary transfer roller that becomes a pressed state to make an intermediate transfer belt perform a transfer process and can move between the pressed state and a separated state, a press and separation driving device for driving the secondary transfer roller to become the pressed state and the separated state, a press and separation detecting device for detecting a pressed or separated state, and a voltage applying portion for applying a voltage between the intermediate transfer belt and the secondary transfer roller. The press and separation detecting device includes a resistor for detecting a current and a determination portion for determining a pressed or separated state in accordance with the detected current.

Image forming apparatus and method for detecting separated state of transfer member

An image forming apparatus of the present invention includes a guide memberpositioned so as to be above a bladein a casingof a cleaning section. The guide memberguides the toner, which has been scraped from an image carrierwith the blade, turned into powder smoke and moved to the upper side of the blade, to the apical surfaceof the blade. The apparatus is capable of reducing the friction coefficient between the blade and the image carrier with its compact and simple structure.

Image forming apparatus including a toner guide member

An image forming apparatus has a structure in which a toner image formed in an electrophotographic process is transferred from an intermediate transfer belt to a member to be transferred. The apparatus includes a secondary transfer roller that becomes a pressure contact state with respect to the intermediate transfer belt to make it perform a transfer process and can move between the pressure contact state and a separated state, and a press and separation driving device for driving the secondary transfer roller to become the pressure contact state and the separated state. The pressure contact state or the separated state of the secondary transfer roller is detected in accordance with a variation of an output of an IDC sensor for detecting a state of a bare surface of the intermediate transfer belt.

Image forming apparatus and method for detecting separated state of transfer unit

A detection device used in an image forming apparatus, comprises a light-emitting element which emits light towards a toner pattern formed on an image carrier, a first light-receiving element which detects the light reflected from the toner pattern and a second light-receiving element which detects the light reflected from the toner pattern in a fashion different from the first light-receiving element. The detection device calculates the amount of toner of the toner pattern based on the output values from the first and second light-receiving elements as well as the position of the toner pattern based on the output value from the first light-receiving element.

Image forming apparatus and device for determining the density and position of a toner pattern

A method and device for estimating toner concentration in a two-component developer consisting of toner and carrier for an electrophotographic image forming apparatus, and an image forming apparatus equipped with such device. The above method and device calculate an amount of toner charge from data detected by a transferred toner amount sensor, compensate the toner charge based on environmental humidity data and cumulative use period data of the image forming apparatus, and estimate toner concentration. The image forming apparatus equipped with the above device exerts control to predict toner consumption from the estimated toner concentration, supply toner to a developing unit according to the predicted toner consumption, and maintain the toner concentration in the developer at predetermined concentration.

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Toyohashi, Japan

Tatsuya Isono