An image forming apparatus includes a rotatable image bearing member, a charging member, a developing member, a cleaning member, an accommodating portion, and a controller capable of executing an image forming operation and a supplying operation for supplying a metal soap, accommodated in the accommodating portion, onto a surface of the image bearing member by the developing member. The controller carries out control so that when the supplying operation is executed, a surface moving speed of the image bearing member is higher than a surface moving speed of the image bearing member when the image forming operation is executed.

A sensor cleaning device includes: a cleaning member including an inclined portion that wipes and cleans an entire surface of a sensor, which includes a long side portion extending in a longitudinal direction and a short side portion extending in a lateral direction intersecting with the longitudinal direction, while moving relative to the surface of the sensor in the longitudinal direction of the surface of the sensor and is disposed obliquely to a wiping direction so that an upstream end portion of the inclined portion in the wiping direction is positioned outside the surface of the sensor in the lateral direction; and a moving mechanism that moves the cleaning member in the wiping direction and in a direction opposite to the wiping direction.

A drum cartridge includes: a photosensitive drum rotatable about a drum axis extending in an axis direction; a drum cleaner including a cleaning member cleaning a circumferential surface of the photosensitive drum, and a cleaning housing accommodating transfer residual toner removed from the circumferential surface of the photosensitive drum by the cleaning member; a first drum side plate supporting a first end portion of the photosensitive drum; a second drum side plate located distant from the first drum side plate in the axis direction and supporting a second end portion of the photosensitive drum; a pipe located between the first drum side plate and the second drum side plate in the axis direction and extending in the axis direction; and a conveyor device conveying the transfer residual toner from the cleaning housing to the pipe.

A cleaning device includes a housing, a cleaning blade, a toner conveyance path, a conveyance screw, a first flicker, and a second flicker. The conveyance screw includes a rotary shaft and a helical vane. The first flicker includes a first base portion and a plurality of first contact pieces. The second flicker includes a second base portion and a plurality of second contact pieces. An inclination angle θ1 has a value between an inclination angle θ2 and an inclination angle θ3.

An image forming apparatus includes an image carrier, a developing device, a voltage applier, a current detector, a cleaning blade, and a control device. The control device acts as a measurer and an estimator. The measurer changes the DC bias to a first value and a second value, and acquires a first magnitude of the developing current corresponding to the first value, and a second magnitude of the developing current corresponding to the second value, from the current detector. The estimator calculates a current ratio between the first magnitude and the second magnitude, and estimates deterioration status of the cleaning blade, according to the value of the current ratio.

An image carrier unit includes an image carrier including a cylindrical main body portion and a pair of flange portions attached to both ends of the main body portion, a first cleaning member that rotates in contact under a prescribed pressure with an outer circumferential surface of the main body portion, a unit frame that rotatably supports the image carrier and the first cleaning member, and an image carrier protective cover that includes a cover main body extending in an axial direction of the image carrier and a side surface portion that is disposed on one end side of the cover main body. On the side surface portion, an image carrier holding portion is formed that performs positioning of the image carrier with respect to the unit frame and releases a pressure contact state between the image carrier and the first cleaning member.

A cleaning device includes a cleaning blade, a supporting member, a housing, a pressing member, and a sealing member. The supporting member is a metal member extended in a longitudinal direction of the cleaning blade. The supporting member includes a first flat surface portion formed along a widthwise direction, a curved surface portion bent toward a rotatable member with respect to a thickness direction of the cleaning blade, and a second flat surface portion formed along the thickness direction of the cleaning blade. As viewed in the longitudinal direction, a swing center of the supporting member is positioned on a rotation center side of the rotatable member relative to a plane including the first flat surface portion and relative to a plane including the second flat surface portion. The sealing member is provided in contact with the curved surface portion and seals between the supporting member and the housing.

A cleaning device includes a housing, a cleaning blade, a toner conveyance path, a conveyance screw, and a first flicker. The conveyance screw includes a rotary shaft and a helical vane. The first flicker includes a first base portion and a plurality of first contact pieces and uses the first contact pieces to press the conveyance screw in a first direction away from a bottom part of the toner conveyance path. The first base portion includes a secured portion and a blade opposed portion. The first contact pieces are connected to an upper end part of the blade opposed portion. An elastic member is disposed between the cleaning blade and the blade opposed portion.

A cleaning device includes a cleaning blade, a supporting portion, a housing, and a blade pressing spring. The blade pressing spring includes a first coil portion formed of a single wire material and provided between the supporting portion and the housing so as to capable of being expanded and contracted, a second coil portion provided between the supporting portion and the housing so as to be capable of being expanded and contracted, and a connecting portion connecting the first coil portion and the second coil portion. The first coil portion and the second coil portion are disposed side by side with respect to a direction crossing a center axis direction of the first coil portion.

In an image forming apparatus, a cleaning blade, disposed on a downstream side of a transfer roller in a rotation direction of an image carrier, removes toner remaining on the image carrier after transfer of a toner image to an intermediate transfer member. After completion of an image forming operation, a controller causes the transfer roller to separate from the intermediate transfer member, cause the developing device to form on the image carrier a toner band to be supplied to the cleaning blade, and cause rotation of the image carrier to stop such that at least a part of the toner band formed on the image carrier stops within a section from a first position facing the transfer roller to a second position facing the cleaning blade in the rotation direction.