A cleaning device includes a blade and a seal member including a first portion having first, second and third surfaces and including a second portion having a fourth surface. The first surface opposes a free end surface of the blade. The second surface is connected with the first surface. The third surface is connected with the first and second surfaces and is perpendicular to the free end surface. The fourth surface is parallel to the third surface and the free end surface. A first interior corner line is formed by the free end surface and the third surface so as to be substantially parallel to a thickness direction of the blade. A second interior corner line is formed by the third surface and the fourth surface so as to be connected with said first interior corner line and be substantially parallel to a height direction of the blade.

An image forming apparatus includes a rotatable photosensitive member, a charging member, an exposure unit, a developing member, a transfer member, and a pre-exposure unit. The pre-exposure unit exposes a surface of the photosensitive member after the toner image is transferred to the recording material and before being charged by the charging member. The pre-exposure unit includes a substrate disposed adjacent to one end of the photosensitive member with respect to a longitudinal direction of the photosensitive member, and in which a first light emitting element and a second light emitting element having directional characteristics narrower than that of the first light emitting element are mounted.

The present invention provides an electrophotographic apparatus in which the deterioration of electrical properties in repetitive use is suppressed even in the case where an electrophotographic photosensitive member absorbs moisture under a high-temperature and high-humidity environment. An undercoat layer of the electrophotographic photosensitive member provided in the electrophotographic apparatus contains () a metal oxide particle, () a particular benzophenone compound and () a compound represented by the following formula (2). ##STR00001##
wherein R.sup.11 to R.sup.15 each independently represent a hydrogen atom, a hydroxy group, a halogen atom, an alkyl group, an alkoxy group or an amino group and A.sup.1 represents an alkenyl group having 2 or more and 4 or less carbon atoms.

An image forming apparatus includes a photoconductor, a charging roller for charging the photoconductor, a current sensor for detecting a value of current flowing through the photoconductor or the charging roller as a result of application of voltage to the charging roller, an acquisition sensor for acquiring an environment value representing an environment state inside the image forming apparatus, and a processor configured to estimate a film thickness of the photoconductor, based on a value of current detected by the current sensor when a state in which the environment value falls within a predetermined range continues for a predetermined time or longer.

A method of operating an electrophotographic printer (100) to control the optical density of a printed image is described. The method comprises providing a printing substance on a transfer member (104); emitting a pulse of heat to heat the printing substance on the transfer member to increase flowability of the printing substance on the transfer member; and transferring, from the transfer member to a substrate (108), the printing substance heated by the pulse of heat so as to provide the printed image on the substrate.

An image forming apparatus includes an apparatus main body, a conductive member, a contact spring, a hollow cylinder, and a drum unit attachable to and detachable from the apparatus main body. The conductive member is disposed in the drum unit. The contact spring is disposed in the apparatus main body and comes in electrically conductive contact with the conductive member. The hollow cylinder is disposed in the apparatus main body. The contact spring has a contact part and a helical spring part. The contact part is provided on the helical spring part. The contact part is retractable in and out of the hollow cylinder. The helical spring part is contained in the hollow cylinder and urges the contact part in a direction for causing the contact part to protrude from the hollow cylinder. The contact part has a longitudinal shape elongated along an axis of the helical spring part.

A developing device of developing a latent image formed on an image bearer includes a developing roller, a developer regulator of a round-bar shape, and a holder. The developing roller carries developer. The developer regulator faces the developing roller to regulate an amount of the developer carried on a surface of the developing roller. The holder has a first hole, a second hole, and a projection. An end of the developer regulator is inserted in the first hole. A shaft at an end of the developing roller is inserted in the second hole. The projection protrudes toward an inside of the at least one of the first hole or the second hole and holds the end of the developer regulator and the shaft.

A developing cartridge includes: a casing; a developing roller rotatable about a developing axis extending in a first direction and positioned at one end portion of the casing in a second direction crossing the first direction; a developing electrode electrically connected to the developing roller and positioned at one end portion of the casing in the first direction; a supply roller rotatable about a supply axis extending in the first direction and configured to supply toner to the developing roller; a supply electrode electrically connected to the supply roller and positioned at one end portion of the casing in the first direction; and an IC chip having an electrical contact surface positioned at one end portion of the casing in the first direction. The electrical contact surface is positioned opposite the developing electrode in the second direction with respect to a part of the supply electrode.

In an image forming apparatus, the image bearing member has a surface and configured to rotate about an axis. The collection device is in contact with the surface, and configured to collect materials adhered to the surface. The developing roller is configured to provide a charged toner having a first polarity. The processor is configured to perform: executing a print job in a printing period; executing, in a non-printing period, a first process in which the image bearing member is rotated at least one rotation while a holding bias is applied to the collection device, the holding bias having a second polarity opposite to the first polarity; and executing, in a non-printing period after the first process, a second process in which the image bearing member is rotated while an ejection bias is applied to the collection device, the ejection bias having the first polarity.

A fixing device includes a nip former including a first face to form a fixing nip, a second face being disposed upstream from the first face in a rotation direction of a rotator and defining a predetermined angle relative to the first face, and a bent portion coupling the first face to the second face. An inner circumferential surface of the rotator slides over the first face. A lateral end accumulation portion and a center accumulation portion are defined by the second face and the bent portion of the nip former and the inner circumferential surface of the rotator. The lateral end accumulation portion is accumulated with a lubricant in a first amount. The center accumulation portion is disposed inboard from the lateral end accumulation portion in an axial direction of the rotator and accumulated with the lubricant in a second amount greater than the first amount.