An image forming apparatus includes a feeding unit, a detection unit provided downstream of the feeding unit, a measurement unit that measures a measured time from the start of conveyance of a recording material to the detection of the recording material, and a determination unit that performs renewal determination for determining whether the feeding unit has been replaced with a new feeding unit. Thus, replacement of the feeding unit with a new feeding unit can automatically be detected.

An image forming apparatus resets a count value retained by a counter if a cleaning sequence is executed based on an execution instruction accepted from an operator via an operation unit or when the count value for counting the number of image-formed sheets reaches a predetermined value.

An electrophotographic photosensitive member includes a conductive substrate and a photosensitive layer of a single layer. The photosensitive layer contains a charge generating material, a binder resin, a hole transport material, and an electron transport material. The binder resin includes a polyester resin and a polycarbonate resin. The polyester resin includes a first repeating unit represented by general formula (1) shown below and a second repeating unit represented by general formula (2) shown below. The polycarbonate resin includes a third repeating unit represented by general formula (3) shown below and a fourth repeating unit represented by general formula (24) shown below. ##STR00001##
A content percentage of the polyester resin in the photosensitive layer is at least 0.3% by mass and no greater than 7.0% by mass.

A contact-separation mechanism includes a cam to rotate to move a contact-separation member to and from a counterpart member, a detection target to rotate together with the cam, and a detector to detect presence or absence of the detection target in a detection area of the detector, and circuitry. The cam has a reference range. The circuitry issues a rotation stop instruction of the cam after a target time elapses from passing of the reference range of the detection target through the detection area, and sets the target time based on a duration of an immediately preceding passing of the reference range through the detection area.

An image forming apparatus includes: a transfer unit that faces an image holding unit and is configured to come into contact with and separate from the image holding unit with a continuous form paper continuous in a transport direction interposed between the transfer unit and the image holding unit and to transfer an image held by the image holding unit onto the continuous form paper; a displacement unit that displaces the continuous form paper to a position closer to the image holding unit when the transfer unit separates from the image holding unit; and a contact portion that contacts the continuous form paper from a downstream side in a displacement direction before the continuous form paper displaced by the displacement unit contacts the image holding unit.

An image forming apparatus fixes a toner image onto a sheet by a fixer, and includes: a re-feeding path that normally conveys the sheet having passed through the fixer and guides the sheet toward the fixer; and a hardware processor that switches between first control to discharge the sheet having passed through the fixer toward a discharge destination and second control to re-feed the sheet having passed through the fixer to the fixer through the re-feeding path, depending on a type of an image which is a source of formation of the toner image.

An image forming apparatus includes a temperature sensor, a memory, a fixing device, and a controller. The temperature sensor is configured to detect a temperature of an inside of the image forming apparatus. The memory is configured to store temperature history information regarding a history of the temperature of the inside of the image forming apparatus detected by the temperature sensor. The fixing device is configured to fix a toner image onto the paper sheet by heating the paper sheet to a fixing temperature. The toner image is transferred to the paper sheet using a toner stored in a toner cartridge of the image forming apparatus. The controller is configured to control a fixing temperature at the fixing device based on the temperature history information stored in the memory.

An image forming apparatus includes a tray movable between a housed position and a drawn-out position. The tray includes a frame having two side portions extending in a moving direction of the tray and to which a developing cartridge is detachably attachable, an image bearing member supported by the frame so as to face a developer bearing member when the developing cartridge is attached to the frame, a charging unit, a tray-side metal terminal electrically connected to a memory medium when the developing cartridge is attached to the frame, and a tray guide portion provided on the two side portions along a moving direction of the tray. A body-side metal terminal is provided in a body, which includes a rail portion to face the tray guide portion and enable the tray to move. The tray-side metal terminal contacts the body-side metal terminal at a position below the tray guide portion.

An image forming apparatus includes an image formation unit configured to form an image on a sheet at a formation position; a circulatory conveyance path for conveying the sheet with the image formed at the formation position on a first side thereof to the formation position again; a reading unit configured to read the first side of the sheet conveyed through the circulatory conveyance path and output image information; and a conveyance control unit configured to convey the sheet in one conveyance mode out of a plurality of conveyance modes when the reading unit reads the first side of the sheet. A range, in a conveyance direction, of the sheet that can be read by the reading unit while a conveyance speed of the sheet is constant is different for each of the plurality of conveyance modes.

A heating apparatus to heat an image borne on a recording material includes a heater having a heater portion with first and second heating elements, where the heating elements have different lengths and resistance values. The heating apparatus also includes a power source, a switching unit, a control unit, and a voltage detection unit. The power source supplies power to the heating elements. The control unit controls the switching unit two switch a connection between the power source and the first heating element and the second heating element. The voltage detection unit detects an input voltage input from the power source to the heating elements. The control unit switches a power ratio, which is a ratio between an electric energy supplied from the power source to the first heating element and an electric energy supplied from the power source to the second heating element, depending on the detected input voltage.