An example image forming apparatus includes a coupling device to perform coupling or decoupling between the image forming apparatus and a consumable, a sensor to sense an opening of a cover of the image forming apparatus, and a processor. When receiving an opening sensing signal of the cover from the sensor, the processor determines whether the consumable coupled to the image forming apparatus corresponds to a consumable access condition, and based on a result of determination, transmits a signal requesting decoupling of the consumable corresponding to the consumable access condition to the coupling device.

An image forming apparatus includes: a feed tray that contains printing paper therein; a user authentication unit that authenticates a user who is permitted to print; a paper loading detection unit that detects printing paper loaded into the feed tray; a memory device that stores a user authenticated as a paper-supplementing user; a paper feeding mechanism that feeds the printing paper from the feed tray; a paper jam detection unit that detects a paper jam; and a controller that controls a print job. The controller, when a paper jam has occurred, determines whether or not the paper jam is due to the paper-supplementing user having loaded the printing paper in an improper manner. Upon determining that the paper jam is due to the paper-supplementing user having loaded the printing paper in an improper manner, the controller, subsequently when the paper-supplementing user uses, requests that a loading condition be checked.

There is a need to provide an image generator and an image generation method capable of avoiding wasting a normal printed matter if any in sheets of paper output after an occurrence of waste paper. When paper contains an abnormal image, the paper is detected as waste paper based on a read result from an image read sensor. Detection of the waste paper allows an image generator to perform reprint from a print job for the waste paper. Normal-image paper may be contained in sheets of paper output between detection of the waste paper and the reprint to be performed. In this case, the normal-image paper is used as a normal printed matter and is avoided from being consumed wastefully.

An image forming apparatus includes at least one or more rotary members, a motor configured to drive the at least one or more rotary members, a detection unit configured to detect a current value flowing in the motor, and a display unit configured to display information on a state of the at least one or more rotary members. The current value is detected by the detection unit while the at least one or more rotary members are being driven by the motor. When the current value is a first value, information indicating that the at least one or more rotary members are in an abnormal state is not displayed on the display unit. When the current value is a second value larger than the first value, information indicating that the at least one or more rotary members are in the abnormal state is displayed on the display unit.

In a consumables ordering system, an image forming apparatus notifies a management system about a consumable whose remaining quantity is under a specific threshold. When a consumable whose remaining quantity is under the threshold is autonomously notified from the image forming apparatus, the management system checks the consumable whose remaining quantity is under the threshold in a specific image forming apparatus other than an autonomously notifying apparatus (S122), and notifies the autonomously notifying apparatus about the consumable autonomously notified from the autonomously notifying apparatus, and ordering information as information necessary for placing an order for the consumable checked in S122 (S129). The autonomously notifying apparatus displays the ordering information notified from the management system, and places an order for the consumable for which the ordering information is displayed in response to an instruction.

An image forming apparatus includes: a detection unit configured to detect an amount of developer stored in a developing container and to output remaining amount information; and a control unit configured to perform control, during a replenishment of the developer to the developing container using a replenishment container, to cause a display unit to display a message related to the replenishment. When the replenishment is instructed, the control unit is further configured to perform a first control during the replenishment in a case where the remaining amount information indicates a first remaining amount, and configured to perform a second control different from the first control during the replenishment in a case where the remaining amount information indicates a second remaining amount greater than the first remaining amount.

A display device that allows a user to easily move an icon across tabs and freely change the order of the icon in the tab of a movement destination is provided. The display device comprising a display unit, a touch panel that is arranged so as to superimposed on the display unit, and a control unit configured to display a screen including a plurality of tabs capable of accommodating a plurality of predetermined numbers of icons on the display unit. The control unit comprises a switching unit configured to switch between a home screen for displaying icons accommodated in a first tab selected via the touch panel among the plurality of tabs and a setting screen for moving a predetermined icon accommodated in the first tab to a second tab by a drag-and-drop operation, and a display control unit configured in such a way that when the predetermined icon is dragged onto a heading part of the second tab on the setting screen, in a case that there is no space for inserting the predetermined icon in the second tab, a display indicating that a drop operation is not possible is performed on the heading part of the second tab, and in a case that there is a space for inserting the predetermined icon in the second tab, a display indicating that a drop operation is possible is performed on the heading part of the second tab.

An image forming apparatus includes an acquisition unit and a determination unit. The acquisition unit acquires a print setting about at least one of items including a size of a recording medium used for printing, a type of the recording medium, and a conveyance speed of the recording medium. The determination unit determines a printing method to be executed among a plurality of printing methods including a first printing method for drawing an image having a density and a second printing method for drawing an image having a density that is higher than the density of an image printed by the first printing method. Where the print setting is acquired by the acquisition unit, the determination unit determines whether to permit execution of printing by the second printing method based on the print setting acquired by the acquisition unit.

To provide an image forming device that can be efficiently maintained. According to one embodiment, the image forming device includes a plurality of photoconductors, an exposure device, a developer, and a processor. The exposure device irradiates a corresponding surface of the plurality of photoconductors with light corresponding to an image formed on a corresponding photoconductor of the plurality of photoconductors. The developer supplies a toner to the corresponding surface of the plurality of photoconductors on which an electrostatic latent image is formed by the light emitted by the exposure device. The processor adjusts, for every photoconductor, a contrast potential for supplying the toner from the developer to the electrostatic latent image formed on the corresponding surface of the plurality of photoconductors, and notifies a warning when there is a contrast potential whose difference from another contrast potential exceeds a reference value.

An image forming apparatus includes an image forming unit configured to convey a recording medium and form an image on the recording medium based on an image forming condition; and a controller configured to control the image forming unit to form a test image and a scale image extending in a conveyance direction in which the recording medium is conveyed, obtain user instruction information related to a density fluctuation of the test image in the conveyance direction, and generate the image forming condition to suppress image density unevenness in the conveyance direction in an image to be formed by the image forming unit based on the user instruction information.