A discharging member includes an electrically conductive knit fabric, a support member, and a first magnet member. The conductive knit fabric is knitted into a cylindrical shape with use of yarn formed by twisting together a plurality of metal fibers. The support member is cylindrical shaped and inserted in the conductive knit fabric. The first magnet member is placed inside the support member. With the conductive knit fabric grounded or with a voltage applied to the conductive knit fabric, the discharging member is placed in noncontact with a discharged member in such a fashion that the first magnet member is opposed to the discharged member with the support member and the conductive knit fabric interposed therebetween.

A method of fabricating an object, comprising direct depositing a first layer of first object material on a support substrate electrode; applying a conductive agent material onto the first layer; direct depositing a first layer of charged powder onto the first layer on the support substrate electrode, to form a first powder layer on the first layer on the support substrate electrode. Multiple powder layers may be direct deposited on the first layer. The method may be further comprised of fusing the powder layer(s) to form a first fused layer on the support substrate electrode. A related object fabrication apparatus is also disclosed.

A powder transport apparatus includes a housing and first and second transport members. The housing includes first and second transport paths that are separated by a partition wall extending in one direction. The first and second transport paths are connected by first and second connection ports. The first and second connection ports are separated in the one direction with the partition wall interposed therebetween. The first transport member is provided in the first transport path. The first transport member transports powder. The second transport member is provided in the second transport path. The second transport member transports the powder. A transport force of the second transport member at a portion of the second transport member where the second transport member faces the first connection port is smaller than a transport force of the second transport member at a portion where the second transport member faces the partition wall.

A powder transport apparatus includes a housing and first and second transport members. The housing includes first and second transport paths that are separated by a partition wall extending in one direction. The first and second transport paths are connected by first and second connection ports. The first and second connection ports are separated in the one direction with the partition wall interposed therebetween. The first transport member is provided in the first transport path. The first transport member transports powder. The second transport member is provided in the second transport path. The second transport member transports the powder. A transport force of the second transport member at a portion of the second transport member where the second transport member faces the first connection port is smaller than a transport force of the second transport member at a portion where the second transport member faces the partition wall.

Provided is an image forming method for arranging powder particles on a resin image layer, wherein the powder particles are non-spherical powder particles; the image forming method containing the step of adjusting an orientation of the powder particles disposed on the resin image layer; and hd1 and hd2 are adjusted so as to satisfy a relation expressed by the following Equation (1), Equation (1): hd1<hd2, wherein hd1 and hd2 each are respectively a half-value width of a reflected light distributions before and after the step of adjusting the orientation of the powder particles.

A height of convexities in a 0.7-mm-square area of a surface of the charging member is measured at five or more different positions in an axial direction and calculated. A height of a position where the charging member occupies 0.01 area % from a highest portion is defined as a reference height. An average proportion of areas occupied by the charging member at a position 1.7 m lower than the reference height is 2 area % or less relative to 100 area % of the 0.7-mm-square area.

A height of convexities in a 0.7-mm-square area of a surface of the charging member is measured at five or more different positions in an axial direction and calculated. A height of a position where the charging member occupies 0.01 area % from a highest portion is defined as a reference height. An average proportion of areas occupied by the charging member at a position 1.7 m lower than the reference height is 2 area % or less relative to 100 area % of the 0.7-mm-square area.

A sheet bonding apparatus includes an applying portion, a fixing portion, a folding portion, and a bonding portion including a heating member and a non-heating member which oppose to each other and which are for bonding the sheet by nipping the sheet therebetween. Two regions opposing to each other when the folding portion folds a sheet are a first region and a second region. In a case that when the bonding portion bonds the folded sheet, the first region is positioned on a heating member side and the second region is positioned on a non-heating member side, the applying portion applies the powdery adhesive so that an application amount of the powdery adhesive on the sheet is smaller in the first region than in the second region.

A discharging member includes an electrically conductive knit fabric, a support member, and a first magnet member. The conductive knit fabric is knitted into a cylindrical shape with use of yarn formed by twisting together a plurality of metal fibers. The support member is cylindrical shaped and inserted in the conductive knit fabric. The first magnet member is placed inside the support member. With the conductive knit fabric grounded or with a voltage applied to the conductive knit fabric, the discharging member is placed in noncontact with a discharged member in such a fashion that the first magnet member is opposed to the discharged member with the support member and the conductive knit fabric interposed therebetween.

A sheet bonding apparatus includes an applying portion, a fixing portion, a folding portion, and a bonding portion including a heating member and a non-heating member which oppose to each other and which are for bonding the sheet by nipping the sheet therebetween. Two regions opposing to each other when the folding portion folds a sheet are a first region and a second region. In a case that when the bonding portion bonds the folded sheet, the first region is positioned on a heating member side and the second region is positioned on a non-heating member side, the applying portion applies the powdery adhesive so that an application amount of the powdery adhesive on the sheet is smaller in the first region than in the second region.