An image forming apparatus includes a photosensitive drum, a developing member, an applying device forming a developing potential on the developing member, a driver rotationally driving the developing member, and a controller. The controller selectively executes an operation in first and second modes by controlling a circumferential speed ratio of a circumferential speed of the developing member to a circumferential speed of the drum and a potential difference between a surface potential of the image bearing member in a region where an electrostatic latent image is formed and the developing potential. In the first mode, the ratio is a first ratio of 50% to 100% and the potential difference is a first potential difference, and in the second mode the ratio is a second ratio larger than the first ratio and less than 150% and the potential difference is a second potential difference less than the first potential difference.

An image forming apparatus includes an image bearing member on which a latent image is formed, a developer carrying member for developing the latent image, and an electroconductive regulating member for regulating a layer thickness of the developer in contact with the developer carrying member. A voltage source applies, to the electroconductive regulating member, a voltage of the same polarity as a polarity of the developer on a surface of the developer carrying member at least during a developing operation. The developer remaining on the surface of the image bearing member, after a developer image formed on the image bearing member is transferred, is collected by the developer carrying member. At a time when the developer carrying member is driven in a period other than during the developing operation, a potential difference between the electroconductive regulating member and the developer carrying member is made zero or a voltage which is different toward a side of a polarity opposite the polarity of the developer from a voltage applied to the developer carrying member is applied to the electroconductive regulating member.

A method and a developer station are described. The method and developer station being operable to adapt the inking of an image substrate. The method including applying a voltage across a developer layer on the developer element of the developer station. The application of the voltage causing a current to flow through the developer layer, where the current can be measured. The an indicator of a thickness of the developer layer and/or of the toner quantity in the developer layer is generated based on the voltage and/or the current. The indicator can be used to adjust the inking of the image substrate. For example, the current can be compared to a characteristic curve to generate the indicator.

An image forming apparatus includes a first image bearing member, a second image bearing member, an intermediate transfer belt, a first primary transfer member, a second primary transfer member, a secondary transfer outer member, a pre-secondary transfer stretch roller, a driving roller, and an execution portion. The execution portion is configured to execute a first monochromatic mode in which a bias smaller than the primary transfer bias applied to the first primary transfer member in a case where a toner image is formed on the first image bearing member is applied to the first primary transfer member, and the primary transfer bias applied to the second primary transfer member in a case where a toner image is formed on the second image bearing member is applied to the second primary transfer member.

An image forming apparatus includes a controller configured to execute a discharging operation for discharging a toner from a developing device onto an image bearing member in a region corresponding to an interval between a recording material and a subsequent recording material in a continuous image forming job. The controller executes the discharging operation on the basis of integral information based on a relationship of a predetermined deterioration threshold with a value correlating with an amount of toner consumption. The controller changes the relationship based on a detected temperature upon toner consumption, and the controller changes the relationship so that when a temperature obtained on the basis of detected information is not less than a predetermined temperature, execution of the discharging operation is promoted more than when the obtained temperature is less than a predetermined temperature.

An image forming apparatus includes an image bearing member, a developing member that supplies a developer of a regular polarity, a developer supply member that supplies developer to the developing member, and a control unit that applies a first voltage to the developing member and a second voltage to the developer supply member. The control unit executes an image forming operation, and a rotational operation in which the developer supply member rotates in a state in which the first voltage of a regular polarity is applied thereto. The rotational operation includes a first rotational operation in which a potential difference is a first potential difference and a second rotational operation in which the developing member and the developer supply member rotate in a state in which the second voltage having the same polarity as the regular polarity and having a greater absolute value is applied.

The present disclosure provides a toner cartridge. The toner cartridge includes a toner hopper containing toner, a waste toner bin containing waste toner, and a developing part disposed in the toner hopper. The toner hopper and the waste toner bin are movably connected; and the toner hopper is capable of moving from a first position to a second position relative to the waste toner bin. When the toner hopper is at the first position, the developing part is electrically connected to a printer and capable of receiving a developing voltage signal sent by the printer; and when the toner hopper is at the second position, the developing unit is electrically disconnected from the printer and not capable of receiving the developing voltage signal sent by the printer or not capable of sending an electrical signal to the printer.

An image formation unit according to an embodiment may include: an image carrier unit in which an image carrier is supported; a developer carrier unit in which a developer carrier is supported; a first bias member provided at one end side in a longitudinal direction of the image formation unit and configured to bias the developer carrier unit toward the image carrier unit; a second bias member provided at the other end side in the longitudinal direction of the image formation unit and configured to bias the developer carrier unit toward the image carrier unit. A first bias direction of biasing the developer carrier unit toward the image carrier unit by the first bias member and a second bias direction of biasing the developer carrier unit toward the image carrier unit by the second bias member are not parallel to each other.

In an image forming apparatus, a controller (a) determines a bright potential of a photoconductor drum at calibration, (b) adjusts a development bias and thereby determines as an intermediate reference development bias value a value of the development bias so that a toner density based on an output of a reflection-type optical sensor is equal to an intermediate reference density lower than a target density, (c) determines as an intermediate reference effective potential a difference between the intermediate reference development bias value and the bright potential at calibration, and (d) determines a development bias value corresponding to the target density by linear interpolation based on the intermediate reference effective potential and a virtual zero density effective potential. The virtual zero density effective potential is a difference between a development bias and a bright potential of the photoconductor drum when a transmission density is virtually zero.

A developing cartridge 1 may include a developing roller including a developing roller shaft, a casing capable of containing a developer material, and a developing electrode or a member configure to be electrically connected to the developing roller shaft. The developing electrode or the member has a first end portion configured to be electrically connected to the developing roller shaft and a second end portion located farther away from the developing roller shaft than the first end portion. The second end portion is farther away in the second direction from the one end of the casing than the first end portion is from the one end of the casing. The developing electrode has a first hole extending in the second direction between the first end portion and the second end portion.