Example embodiments include a driving device having: a plurality of vibrating members that may vibrate when the vibrating members are driven; and a holding part that may hold the vibrating members. The holding part may include a first member with which one or more of the vibrating members may be brought into contact, and a second member with which one or more of the vibrating members may be brought into contact. The first member and the second member may be partially coupled to each other. A grounding member for electrically grounding a member held by the holding part may be brought into contact with one of the first member and the second member that is more difficult to vibrate.

An image forming apparatus is capable of switching thresholds for deciding a color registration amount from a pattern image. A controller controls image forming units to form first and second color patterns of different colors on a rotational image bearing member. The second color pattern is formed at an upstream side of the first color pattern in a rotational direction of the image bearing member. The controller controls a sensor to detect the color patterns. A comparator compares a detection result by the sensor with a threshold, and outputs an output value according to a comparison result. The controller controls the color registration according to the output value. The controller sets a second threshold for the second color pattern based on an edge timing of the output value from the comparator according to the comparison result between the detection result about the first color pattern and a first threshold.

An image forming apparatus includes an image forming target looped around plural rotators including a driving roller, having at least one straight portion that is shaped straight when viewed in an axial direction of the driving roller, and transported by the driving roller and the rotators, and three or more image formers arranged along the straight portion and configured to form images on the image forming target. An adjacency distance along the straight portion between the image formers adjacent to each other on the straight portion is an integral multiple of an outer peripheral length of the driving roller. The adjacency distance at a downstream end is shorter than the adjacency distance at an upstream end, and one of the adjacency distances is equal to or shorter than the adjacency distance that is relatively on an upstream side.

An image forming apparatus is configured to, based on a reading result of a test image, generate data that is used to adjust image forming positions of toner images to be formed by an image forming unit, control an image forming position of a first toner image to be formed by the image forming unit in a first contact state based on first data, the first toner image being transferred to a first sheet, and control an image forming position of a second toner image to be formed by the image forming unit in a second contact state based on second data that is different from the first data, the second toner image being transferred to a second sheet, wherein a type of the second sheet is the same type as the type of the first sheet.

A toner detection unit is configured by an LED that irradiates light toward an intermediate transfer belt, first and second light receiving elements that respectively receive specular reflection light and diffused reflection light of light irradiated toward the intermediate transfer belt from the LED, a circuit board, and a housing. The LED and the light receiving elements are mounted in a line on the circuit board. The housing is configured to guide, to the first light receiving element, the specular reflection light from a first region within an irradiation region on which light is irradiated from the LED on the intermediate transfer belt, and to guide, to the second light receiving element, the diffused reflection light from a second region which is different from the first region within the irradiation region.

Method and system for converting a toner cartridge printer to a metallic or light toner printer. The method may comprise the steps: providing a printer having one or more toner cartridges; removing at least one of the one or more toner cartridges; disassembling the one or more removed toner cartridges; cleaning the one or more removed toner cartridges; filling the one or more removed toner cartridges with a white, clear, metallic or light toner; and installing the one or more removed white, clear, metallic or light toner cartridges into the printer.

An image forming apparatus includes a first printer section configured to form an image on a sheet using decolorable toner which is decolored by heating thereof, a second printer section configured to form an image on the sheet using non-decolorable toner, a heating section configured to heat the sheet on which the image is formed, and a controller configured to control the operation of the image forming apparatus based on an electric energy value which is an integrated value of power consumed within a predetermined time period.

An image forming apparatus includes a first printer section configured to form an image on a sheet using decolorable toner which is decolored by heating thereof, a second printer section configured to form an image on the sheet using non-decolorable toner, a heating section configured to heat the sheet on which the image is formed, and a controller configured to control the operation of the image forming apparatus based on an electric energy value which is an integrated value of power consumed within a predetermined time period.

An image forming apparatus includes a main body, endless belt, photosensitive drums, setting unit, contacting/separating mechanism, transmitting mechanism, and coupling members. The photosensitive drums are disposed in confrontation with the endless belt and are arranged in a first direction. Each photosensitive drum has an axis extending in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction. The setting unit sets the image forming apparatus to a monochrome mode or color mode. The contacting/separating mechanism controls at least one photosensitive drum to contact or separate from the endless in accordance with the set mode. The transmitting mechanism selectively transmits drive power to photosensitive drums. Each coupling member is selectively coupled to the corresponding photosensitive drum and has a coupling axis extending in the second direction. Each coupling member is uncoupled from the corresponding photosensitive drum when the contacting/separating mechanism controls the corresponding photosensitive drum to separate from the endless belt.

An image forming apparatus is capable of switching thresholds for deciding a color registration amount from a pattern image. A controller controls image forming units to form first and second color patterns of different colors on a rotational image bearing member. The second color pattern is formed at an upstream side of the first color pattern in a rotational direction of the image bearing member. The controller controls a sensor to detect the color patterns. A comparator compares a detection result by the sensor with a threshold, and outputs an output value according to a comparison result. The controller controls the color registration according to the output value. The controller sets a second threshold for the second color pattern based on an edge timing of the output value from the comparator according to the comparison result between the detection result about the first color pattern and a first threshold.