A stacked-sheet detection device includes a main shaft portion, a first detection arm portion, a parallel shaft portion, a second detection arm portion, an interlocking arm portion, a detected portion, and a detection sensor. The second detection arm portion is provided outside a first passing range, rotates in a predefined rotation direction and causes the interlocking arm portion to rotate in the predefined rotation direction by contacting a sheet that passes through a second passing range. When at least one of the first detection arm portion and the interlocking arm portion rotates in the predefined rotation direction, the main shaft portion rotates in the predefined rotation direction, and the detected portion rotates in the predefined rotation direction.

An image forming apparatus includes an opening and closing member that is movably supported between an opening position at which an inner portion of a main body of the apparatus is opened and a closing position at which the inner portion of the main body of the apparatus is closed, an engaged portion that is provided in the main body of the apparatus, an engaging member that is provided in the opening and closing member and is engaged to the engaged portion, and a reaction force generating mechanism that is provided in the opening and closing member, and urges the opening and closing member toward the opening position when the opening and closing member moves from the opening position to the closing position.

A fixing device includes a fixing roller that fixes a toner image to a recording medium; a cleaning roller that contacts the fixing roller and rotates, and cleans off toner adhered to a surface of the fixing roller; and a collecting roller that contacts the cleaning roller and rotates, and collects toner adhered to a surface of the cleaning roller, the collecting roller including an air passage section that extends through the collecting roller in an axial direction of the collecting roller and through which air passes.

An image forming apparatus according to an embodiment includes a first image forming unit that forms a transparent toner image and a second image forming unit that forms a color toner image. The transparent toner image and the color toner image are transferred onto an intermediate transfer belt. A secondary transfer unit transfers the toner images from the intermediate transfer belt to a recording medium. A control unit controls the first image forming unit and the second image forming unit so that the transparent toner image is formed before the color toner image is formed when the recording medium is a specialty paper having an adhesive.

A collection container is divided by a divider plate into waste developer collection chambers in communication with waste developer reception ports for each color developer and a single waste toner collection chamber in communication with waste toner reception ports for each color toner. Further, the divider plate is a part of the inner wall of the collection container and the part is installed extending in the vertical direction to define a clearance between the divider plate and the bottom plate of the collection container. This makes it possible to collect color waste toner and color waste developer with a simple configuration.

An image forming apparatus which forms an image on a medium on the basis of an input image signal includes: an image carrier configured to carry a developed toner image transferred to the medium on a photoreceptor layer; a contact member arranged so as to be in contact with the surface of the photoreceptor layer; a trace pattern generating unit configured to generate a trace pattern indicating specific information on the image forming apparatus; a composition unit configured to add the trace pattern to the image signal; and an acquiring unit configured to acquire information on the thickness of the photoreceptor layer of the image carrier, wherein the trace pattern is used for arranging a plurality of image areas at respective positions, and the trace pattern generating unit is configured to generate the trace pattern with the image area whose size is reduced in accordance with reduction of the thickness of the photoreceptor layer.

An electrostatic charge image developing toner includes a toner particle, a polishing agent particle, and a fatty acid metal salt particle, wherein a rate of the fatty acid metal salt particles strongly attached to the surface of the toner particles is equal to or greater than 50% by number with respect to the fatty acid metal salt particles attached to the surface of the toner particles.

The powder container includes a container body containing a powder for image formation, the powder being to be supplied to a powder replenishing device; a conveyor configured to convey the powder from one end in a longitudinal direction to the other end at which a cylindrical container opening is formed, the conveyor being provided inside the container body; a gear configured to rotate the conveyor with an external driving force; a container cover configured to cover the gear, the container cover having a gear exposing hole for partially exposing a gear tooth; and a nozzle receiver configured to guide the conveying nozzle inside of the container body, the nozzle receiver being provided on the container opening. The container cover includes a container engaged portion provided outer than the tooth of the gear in a radial direction.

A toner storage device includes a toner storage case that stores toner, and a stirring paddle rotatably supported in the toner storage case and includes at least one stirring blade that stirs the toner stored in the toner storage case, and a rotating shaft that rotates the at least one stirring blade, wherein the toner storage case includes a first supporting portion that rotatably supports an end of the rotating shaft of the stirring paddle, a second supporting portion that rotatably supports an other end of the rotating shaft, and a tapered portion that is tapered toward the first supporting portion.

An electrostatic charge image developing toner includes toner particles, polishing agent particles which have a number particle size distribution having two peaks, and fatty acid metal salt particles which have a number particle size distribution having one peak, wherein the toner satisfies relationships expressed by expressions: (1) Da≦0.5×Dt, (2) Dc≦0.5×Dt and (3) Dt≦Db, wherein Da represents a particle diameter of a small-diameter-side peak in the two peaks of the number particle size distribution of the polishing agent particles, Db represents a particle diameter of a large-diameter-side peak in the two peaks of the number particle size distribution of the polishing agent particles, Dc represents a particle diameter of a peak of the number particle size distribution of the fatty acid metal salt particles, and Dt represents a volume average particle diameter of the toner particles.