Image forming apparatus includes a transfer nip control member being movable to a pressing position where a pressing force for positioning a transfer roller in a transfer nip releasing position is applied to a transfer unit in a closed position and to a releasing position where application of the pressing force is released; a fixing nip control mechanism for changing a relative position between a fixing roller and an opposing member to a fixing position where a fixing nip is formed and to a fixing nip releasing position; and an interlocking mechanism for moving the transfer nip control member in the releasing position to the pressing position in conjunction with a fixing nip releasing operation by the fixing nip control mechanism. The transfer nip control member in the pressing position is moved to the releasing position when the transfer unit is moved from the closed position to an open position.

An image forming apparatus includes a first unit dismountably mounted on a main body frame and a locking mechanism releasably holding the first unit mounted. The locking mechanism has a handle portion, a lock member, and a preloading member. The handle portion is on the first unit, and is movable to and fro in the mounting and dismounting directions of the first unit. The lock member is swingably on the first unit, and has a hook portion engageable with an engaged portion formed on the main body frame. The preloading member preloads the lock member in a first direction in which the hook portion engages with the engaged portion. As the handle portion is moved in the dismounting direction, the lock member swings in a second direction opposite to the first direction against the preloading force of the preloading member to disengage the hook portion from the engaged portion.

An electrophotographic member comprises a base member and an elastic layer on the base member. The elastic layer contains a silicone rubber, an ionic electroconductive agent, and an inorganic particle, and the inorganic particle contains a hydroxide of at least one of magnesium or aluminum, and has a silicon atom on a surface thereof in an amount of 0.50 to 2.00 atomic %. An aqueous dispersion of which 5 mg of the inorganic particle is dispersed in 10 ml of water has a turbidity of 200 NTU or more and 1,200 NTU or less.

An image forming apparatus includes a body, a conveyance unit, an image carrier, a transfer unit, and a pre-transfer guide. The body has a sheet passage for conveying sheets along inner and outer conveyance surfaces mutually facing. The conveyance unit includes the outer conveyance surface and is supported pivotably between an open position and a closed position relative to the inner conveyance surface. The transfer unit rotatably supports a transfer roller. The pre-transfer guide includes a first guide on the outer conveyance surface and a second guide on the inner conveyance surface. The first guide has a contact segment protruding toward the second guide. The first guide and the transfer unit are supported independently swingably relative to the transfer unit. The first guide is urged toward the second, and the distance between the two guide surfaces is restricted by the contact segment touching a contacted portion.

A component separator system for use with an electrophotographic image forming device according to one example embodiment includes a first replaceable unit and a second replaceable unit for use in the image forming device. The second replaceable unit is manually separable from the first replaceable unit. The first replaceable unit is mateable with the second replaceable unit in an operative position of the first replaceable unit relative to the second replaceable unit with a first imaging component of the first replaceable unit in operative contact with a second imaging component of the second replaceable unit. Engagement of a first engagement member of the first replaceable unit with a second engagement member of the second replaceable unit retains the first replaceable unit in a storage position relative to the second replaceable unit with the first imaging component spaced away from the second imaging component.

An image forming apparatus includes a transfer nip control member being movable to a pressing position, where a pressing force for positioning a transfer roller in a transfer nip releasing position is applied to a transfer unit in a closed position, and to a releasing position, where application of the pressing force is released; a fixing nip control mechanism for changing a relative position between a fixing roller and an opposing member to a fixing position, where a fixing nip is formed, and to a fixing nip releasing position; and an interlocking mechanism for moving the transfer nip control member in the releasing position to the pressing position in conjunction with a fixing nip releasing operation by the fixing nip control mechanism. The transfer nip control member in the pressing position is moved to the releasing position when the transfer unit is moved from the closed position to an open position.

An image forming apparatus includes a support frame, a driving device including a first supporting portion configured to hold the drive source on a first surface and configured to rotatably support the drive gear on a second surface, and a second supporting portion configured to support the drive gear with the first supporting portion, a board holding member disposed in a manner overlapping the first supporting portion in a rotational axis direction of the drive gear, and a third supporting portion disposed between the first supporting portion and the board holding member in the rotational axis direction, and configured to support the board holding member, one end of the third supporting portion being fixed to a side of the first surface of the first supporting portion by a first fastening member, another end of the third supporting portion being fixed to the board holding member by a second fastening member.

An image forming apparatus includes an image forming unit and a belt conveyance apparatus. The belt conveyance apparatus includes a transfer belt, a tension roller, a movement mechanism, and a drive unit. A toner image on an image bearing member is transferred to the transfer belt in tension from the tension roller. The movement mechanism moves the tension roller to apply tension to, and release tension from, the transfer belt. The drive unit is disposed in a width direction and drives the transfer belt. The movement mechanism includes an attachment portion disposed on a side opposite the drive unit in the width direction and to which a handle member that operates the movement mechanism is detachably attached. The movement mechanism is configured such that the belt conveyance apparatus is attached to an image forming apparatus body in a state in which the handle member is detached from the attachment portion.

An image forming apparatus includes an image forming unit configured to form a toner image, an intermediate transfer belt configured to transfer the transferred toner image to a recording material at a secondary transfer position, a first cleaning unit arranged downstream of the secondary transfer position and upstream of the primary transfer position in a conveyance direction of the intermediate transfer belt and configured to clean the intermediate transfer belt, a second cleaning unit arranged downstream of the secondary transfer position and upstream of the first cleaning unit in the conveyance direction of the intermediate transfer belt and configured to clean the intermediate transfer belt, a conveyance unit provided opposite to the first and the second cleaning units at a position below the first and the second cleaning units and configured to convey the recording material, and a third space from which the first and the second spaces are accessible.

An image forming apparatus includes a main body, a drum cartridge removably attached to the main body, and a belt unit removably attached to the main body. The main body includes a drum power supply, a belt power supply, and a controller configured to start supplying power from the drum power supply to a drum memory of the drum cartridge, start supplying power from the belt power supply to a belt memory of the belt unit, stop supplying the power from the drum power supply to the drum memory after starting supplying the power from the drum power supply to the drum memory, and stop supplying the power from the belt power supply to the belt memory after starting supplying the power from the belt power supply to the belt memory.