A transfer belt includes: an elastic layer, wherein the transfer belt is used to transfer a toner image onto a recording medium, the toner image being carried on a first main surface which is one of a pair of main exposed surfaces including the first main surface and a second main surface, when, using a lower block and an upper block, the transfer belt is placed on an upper surface of the lower block, a part of the transfer belt is interposed between a curved convex surface and a curved concave surface, and a pressed region reaches a pressing force of 200 [kPa] and is constantly pressed by the pressing force, if “a” represents a maximum value of displacement of a measurement region, and “b” represents displacement of the measurement region after convergence, E [−] calculated by (a−b)/b satisfies a condition of 0.2≦E≦3.

An image forming apparatus includes an image carrier; a transfer unit that transfers an image carried by the image carrier to a continuous medium; a fixing device including a first fixing member that contacts the continuous medium and heats the image transferred to the continuous medium and a second fixing member that is disposed so as to face the first fixing member with the continuous medium therebetween and presses the image, the fixing device fixing the image transferred to the continuous medium, the fixing device being configured so that the first fixing member and the second fixing member are capable of contacting or separating from each other; and a separation member that contacts the continuous medium and separates the continuous medium from the first fixing member when the first fixing member and the second fixing member separate from each other.

A transfer belt is configured to transfer a toner image carried on a first main surface of the transfer belt to a recording medium. When the transfer belt is pressed with pressure application three increased at a predetermined pressure application rate and is then pressed with certain pressure application force by using a lower block provided with a hole and an upper block, k2[μm/s] satisfies 6≦k2≦30, k2[μm/s] being determined by (a−b)/{2×(t2−t1)}, where a [μm/s] represents a maximum value of a displacement amount of a measurement region that is a portion of the first main surface corresponding to the hole, b [μm] represents a convergence value thereof, t1 [s] represents a time when the maximum value is observed, and t2 [s] represents a time when the displacement amount reaches (a+b)/2 again after the maximum value is observed.

A sheet supplying apparatus includes an alignment member pivotable to an alignment location for blocking and aligning fore-ends of media contained on a loading table, and a transport-allowing location for allowing a medium picked up by a pickup member to be transported, a cam gear including a gear portion partially including a tooth-omitted portion, and a cam portion for switching the alignment member between the alignment location and the transport-allowing location at first and second rotating locations, a swing arm pivotable about a same axis as a rotation axis of a main gear, and first and second swing gears supported by the swing arm to interlock with the main gear, selectively interlocking with the gear portion according to a rotating direction of the main gear, and rotating the cam gear to the first and second rotating locations.

A control portion executes: a step of calculating a surface potential of an image bearing member charged by a charging member, to which a predetermined voltage is applied, and exposed to light by a predetermined exposure amount on the basis of a discharge start voltage between a measurement member and the image bearing member and calculating a correction value from a difference between a target value and calculated surface potential of the image bearing member; a step of correcting calculated surface potential of the image bearing member on the basis of the correction value; and a step of controlling at least one of the voltage applied to the charging member and an exposure amount of the exposure apparatus on the basis of the corrected surface potential of the image bearing member so that the surface potential of the image bearing member reaches the target value.

An image forming apparatus includes an image bearing member, an intermediary transfer belt, a transfer member, a voltage source for applying a voltage to the transfer member, a detecting portion for detecting a current flowing through the transfer member, and a controller for carrying out constant-voltage control so that the voltage applied to the transfer member becomes a target voltage when a recording material P passes through a transfer portion. The controller is capable of changing the voltage applied to the transfer member so that a detection result detected by the detecting portion during transfer falls within a predetermined range. The controller changes the predetermined range on the basis of the detection result detected by the detecting portion when the voltage is applied to the transfer member in a state in which the recording material P is absent in the transfer portion.

There are disclosed methods for producing curable elastomeric compositions comprising carbon black particles, as well as their corresponding cured products. Such compositions, once cured, can be used for the preparation of numerous articles of wide industrial applicability.

A belt suitable for detection of a meandering amount of the belt and detection of a reference position for one round of the belt is realized with a simple configuration. The recording device belt has a plurality of marks for belt position detection disposed in a transport direction of the belt. Each of the plurality of marks has: a first specific portion whose dimension in the transport direction differs depending on a position in an intersecting direction that intersects with the transport direction; and a second specific portion whose dimension in the transport direction is constant regardless of the position in the intersecting direction. The plurality of marks include a reference mark whose dimension in the transport direction of the second specific portion is different from that of the other marks in the plurality of marks.

The image forming apparatus forms a test chart on an image bearing member, the test chart including a plurality of test images including a first test image of a first density and a second test image formed at a position different from a position of the first test image in a conveying direction of a recording medium, the second test image having a second density different from the first density. The image forming apparatus transfers the test chart to the recording medium with a transfer roller and controls the rotation velocity of the transfer roller when the recording medium passes through a transfer portion based on a result of reading the test chart on the recording medium with a reading unit.

The image forming apparatus forms a test chart on an image bearing member, the test chart including a plurality of test images including a first test image of a first density and a second test image formed at a position different from a position of the first test image in a conveying direction of a recording medium, the second test image having a second density different from the first density. The image forming apparatus transfers the test chart to the recording medium with a transfer roller and controls the rotation velocity of the transfer roller when the recording medium passes through a transfer portion based on a result of reading the test chart on the recording medium with a reading unit.