An image forming apparatus includes a rotatable image bearing member configured to bear an electrostatic latent image, a developing container configured to accommodate developer comprising toner, a developing member configured to develop the electrostatic latent image born on the image bearing member into a toner image by using the developer in the developing container, a transfer member configured to transfer the toner image born on the image bearing member onto the recording material, and a notification portion configured to notify replenishment information for prompting replenishing the developing container with the developer. The notification portion is configured to notify the replenishment information in a state in which an index correlated with a ratio of an amount of paper dust mixed in the developer in the developing container to an amount of the developer in the developing container has not exceeded a preset threshold value of the index.

In one example, a seal for a developer roller in a liquid electrophotographic printer includes an arcuate body curved along a body arc. The body has an inboard face that defines an annular sealing surface along the body arc to contact a face on one end of the developer roller and a guide surface across the body arc at a first end of the annular sealing surface. The guide surface is oriented along a chord of the body arc and intersects the body arc at an obtuse interior angle, to guide any ink encountering the guide surface outward toward the circular outer surface of the developer roller.

An image forming apparatus includes a housing, a drawer, a photosensitive member rotatably supported by the drawer, a first roller rotatably supported by the drawer, a second roller, an urging member disposed at the housing for urging the second roller toward the first roller, and a positioner. The drawer is movable between a housed position at which the drawer is housed in the housing, and a shifted position at which the drawer is shifted from the housed position toward an exterior of the housing. The second roller is rotatably supported by the housing, disposed to face the first roller, and movable relative to the first roller. The second roller and the first roller pinch a sheet therebetween and transport the sheet toward the photosensitive member. The positioner is disposed at the drawer and positions the second roller relative to the first roller when the drawer is at the housed position.

A cleaning member includes a shaft, and a foamed elastic layer that is disposed on an outer surface of the shaft and in which a relationship between a stress Pw generated by 70% compression deformation and a stress Ps generated by 10% compression deformation satisfies Pw/Ps6.

An image forming apparatus includes a lubricant application device to apply a lubricant to a photoreceptor surface of the image forming apparatus, and a lubricant residual amount detector to detect a residual amount of the lubricant. The residual amount of the lubricant is compared to a predetermined amount, and a charging device charges the photoreceptor surface by selectively applying a DC voltage of varying voltage to the photoreceptor surface in response to the comparison of the residual amount of the lubricant to the predetermined amount.

The present invention provides a sponge roller comprising a shaft body and an elastic layer formed on an outer peripheral surface of the shaft body, wherein the elastic layer is formed of a millable silicone rubber, unexpanded microballoon cells and chemical blowing agent cells, and an image forming apparatus comprising the sponge roller. The sponge roller has high durability, excellent surface smoothness and small permanent compression set.

An image forming apparatus includes a housing, a drawer, a photosensitive member rotatably supported by the drawer, a first roller rotatably supported by the drawer, a second roller, an urging member disposed at the housing for urging the second roller toward the first roller, and a positioner. The drawer is movable between a housed position at which the drawer is housed in the housing, and a shifted position at which the drawer is shifted from the housed position toward an exterior of the housing. The second roller is rotatably supported by the housing, disposed to face the first roller, and movable relative to the first roller. The second roller and the first roller pinch a sheet therebetween and transport the sheet toward the photosensitive member. The positioner is disposed at the drawer and positions the second roller relative to the first roller when the drawer is at the housed position.

The present disclosure relates to an electrophotographic printer comprising a photoconductive cylinder, and a cleaning element comprising an absorbent foam substrate. The absorbent foam substrate has an abrasive material disposed on at least an outer surface of the absorbent foam substrate. At least part of the outer surface of the absorbent foam substrate is engageable with the photoconductive cylinder.

An example system includes a power supply. The power supply is electrically coupled to an electrode, a developer roller, and a cleaner roller. The system also includes a controller. The controller is to instruct the power supply to reduce, at a first time, a magnitude of an electrode voltage supplied to the electrode. The controller also is to instruct the power supply to set, at a second time, a developer roller voltage and a cleaner roller voltage each to about a wet null voltage.

A developing device includes a bottom cover part that covers a bottom surface of a developing container and forms an air passage extending in a front and rear direction between the bottom surface and the bottom cover part, an air blowing fan that supplies air into the air passage, and an air receiving port that is provided at a front end part of the air passage and receives the air supplied from the outside of the air passage by the air supply unit. Air discharge ports are provided on wall parts on both right and left sides forming the air passage and discharge the air flowing into the air passage to the outside of the air passage.