There are disclosed curable elastomeric compositions comprising at least one reactive curable silicone pre-polymer capable of forming a silicone elastomer upon curing thereof, and a plurality of hydrophilic carbon black particles dispersed therein, 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 controller which causes a light emitting element to continuously perform minute emission for a plurality of dots in a level in which toner is not attached to a non-image section on an image bearing member is provided. The controller controls a first driving current for an image section and controls a second driving current used to perform the minute emission by the light emitting element in the non-image section several times in one job. In the image section, a driving current obtained by adding the first driving current to the second driving current is supplied so that the light emitting element emits light.

An exposing device according to an embodiment includes: a light emitter; a first light blocking member including first apertures; a first lens array including first lenses, wherein each of the first lenses converges the light passing through the corresponding first aperture; a second light blocking member including second apertures; and a second lens array including second lenses, wherein each of the second lenses converges the light passing through the corresponding second aperture. An optical axis of each of the first lenses and an optical axis of the corresponding one of the second lenses substantially coincide with each other. A first aperture center of each of the first apertures and a second aperture center of the corresponding second aperture are disposed at a predetermined distance from the optical axis of the corresponding first lens and the optical axis of the corresponding second lens in an array direction of the light emitter.

In a first image formation mode, an image is formed with a first development contrast C1 and a specific dot pattern is formed with a second development contrast C2, which is lower than the first development contrast C1; in a second image formation mode, an image is formed with a third development contrast C3 and a specific dot pattern is formed with a fourth development contrast C4, which is lower than the third development contrast C3; and when C1 (=C2/C1) denotes a ratio between the second development contrast C2 and the first development contrast C1, and C2 (=C4/C3) denotes a ratio between the fourth development contrast C4 and the third development contrast C3, C2<C1 is satisfied.

An image forming apparatus including a photoconductor and a light emitting unit. The image forming apparatus including: a generating unit configured to generate correction data used for correcting a shift in the sub-scanning direction of the latent image to be formed on the photoconductor; a correcting unit configured to correct image data based on the correction data; and a control unit configured to control light emission of the light emitting unit so as to form the latent image on the photoconductor. The generating unit is configured to generate the correction data based on configuration information of the light emitting unit, information indicating time required for causing the plurality of light emitting elements to emit light, and information indicating a rotation speed of the photoconductor.

A sheet bonding apparatus includes an applying portion, a fixing portion, a folding portion, and a bonding portion including a heating member and a non-heating member which oppose to each other and which are for bonding the sheet by nipping the sheet therebetween. Two regions opposing to each other when the folding portion folds a sheet are a first region and a second region. In a case that when the bonding portion bonds the folded sheet, the first region is positioned on a heating member side and the second region is positioned on a non-heating member side, the applying portion applies the powdery adhesive so that an application amount of the powdery adhesive on the sheet is smaller in the first region than in the second region.

A sheet bonding apparatus includes an applying portion, a fixing portion, a folding portion, and a bonding portion including a heating member and a non-heating member which oppose to each other and which are for bonding the sheet by nipping the sheet therebetween. Two regions opposing to each other when the folding portion folds a sheet are a first region and a second region. In a case that when the bonding portion bonds the folded sheet, the first region is positioned on a heating member side and the second region is positioned on a non-heating member side, the applying portion applies the powdery adhesive so that an application amount of the powdery adhesive on the sheet is smaller in the first region than in the second region.

An image forming apparatus includes a rotatable image bearing member, an image forming portion, a transfer portion, a cleaning blade, and a controller configured to carry out control so as to execute a predetermined cleaning operation At least in a predetermined range of a leading end portion of the predetermined toner image with respect to a first direction which is a surface movement direction of the image bearing member, when the predetermined toner image is viewed per unit area of 1 mm in each of the first direction and a second direction perpendicular to the first direction, the predetermined toner image includes a plurality of print portions extending along a predetermined direction and formed at different positions with respect to the second direction, and the predetermined direction forms an angle of 30? or less between itself and the first direction.

An image forming apparatus includes a rotatable image bearing member, an image forming portion, a transfer portion, a cleaning blade, and a controller configured to carry out control so as to execute a predetermined cleaning operation At least in a predetermined range of a leading end portion of the predetermined toner image with respect to a first direction which is a surface movement direction of the image bearing member, when the predetermined toner image is viewed per unit area of 1 mm in each of the first direction and a second direction perpendicular to the first direction, the predetermined toner image includes a plurality of print portions extending along a predetermined direction and formed at different positions with respect to the second direction, and the predetermined direction forms an angle of 30? or less between itself and the first direction.

An image reading apparatus including a reading unit comprising a photodetector configured to read an image information on a sheet, and a projecting portion, a case storing the photodetector therein, the case comprising a transparent portion configured to transmit light to be received by the photodetector, and a portion defining an opening through which the projecting portion is projected outward from the case, and an elastic portion provided to fill a space where the projecting portion is not present in the opening. The case movably stores the photodetector within a range where the projecting portion is movable in the opening.