An image forming apparatus includes an image bearing member, a charging member, a developing member, a transfer unit, a pre-charging exposure unit, a voltage receiving member, a measuring portion, and a controller for determining a light quantity of the pre-charging exposure unit during image formation. The controller includes, a light quantity controller for controlling the light quantity so that the image bearing member charged by applying a first potential to the charging member is exposed to light at a first light quantity by the pre-charging exposure unit, and an acquiring portion for acquiring an output of the measuring portion when the image bearing member exposed to light at the first light quantity is charged by applying a second potential of an opposite polarity to a polarity of the first potential to the voltage receiving member.

Fluctuations in chargeability in an initial state are expected to be small. If a charging member is new, an image forming apparatus performs a supply operation for supplying a developer or a lubricant prior to an image forming operation in such a manner that the developer or the lubricant adheres to a surface of the charging member.

A lubricant application device for an image forming apparatus includes a grinding roller that is rotatable to scrape off a lubricant from a solid lubricant source, and a scattering member to scatter the lubricant from the grinding roller toward a separate rotating member.

An object of the present invention is to provide a solid lubricant supplied to a surface of an image carrier of an electrophotographic image forming apparatus, wherein the solid lubricant comprises a fatty acid metal salt and polypropylene, and the polypropylene has an acid value of 1 mg KOH/g or more.

A cleaning device includes a rotating brush that supplies lubricant to a surface of an image carrying member on which an end toner image is formed at a first axial end, a cleaning member provided on a downstream side of the rotating brush in a direction of rotation of the image carrying member and that cleans the image carrying member by scraping toner from the surface of the image carrying member, a storing portion that stores the toner scraped by the cleaning member, a transporting member that transports the toner in the storing portion from the first axial end of the image carrying member toward a second axial end of the image carrying member, and a moving member that moves the toner in the storing portion toward the rotating brush.

An image forming apparatus includes: an image carrier; a developing unit which supplies a toner contained in a developer to the image carrier; a lubricant supply unit which supplies a lubricant to the image carrier; a lubricant amount detection unit which detects an amount of the lubricant which is supplied to the image carrier from the lubricant supply unit and is thereafter incorporated into the developing unit from the image carrier; and a control unit which controls the developing unit to discharge the lubricant from the developing unit according to the amount of the lubricant detected by the lubricant amount detection unit.

An image forming apparatus includes an image bearer, a protectant applicator, a heating device, and a protectant biasing member. The protectant applicator applies protectant to the image bearer. The heating device includes a heater including a base, a heat generator, an electrode, and a conductor coupling the heat generator to the electrode. The heater has a first position and a second position having a higher temperature than the first position. These are symmetrical to each other with respect to a longitudinal center of a heat generation area of the heater. The protectant biasing member biases the protectant to the protectant applicator with a first biasing force at a position closer to the first position than to the second position and with a second biasing force larger than the first biasing force at a position closer to the second position than to the first, and the protectant contacts the protectant applicator.

A lubrication mechanism applies a lubricant to an image carrier of an image forming device. The lubrication mechanism includes a solidified lubricant rod, an application brush, a lubricant pressing part, and a controller. The application brush scrapes the lubricant from the lubricant rod and supplies the lubricant to the image carrier. The lubricant pressing part presses the lubricant rod against the application brush. The controller controls rotational drive of the application brush. The controller executes a detection mode of controlling a rotation speed of the application brush and detecting a value of a drive load of the application brush which corresponds to the rotation speed. The controller estimates a remaining amount of the lubricant rod based on the value of the drive load of the application brush and/or the rotation speed of the application brush at a time of detection.

A lubricant application device for an image forming apparatus includes a grinding roller that is rotatable to scrape off a lubricant from a solid lubricant source, and a scattering member to scatter the lubricant from the grinding roller toward a separate rotating member.

A lubricant application device includes an application roller with application bristles radially arranged about an outer circumferential surface thereof for receiving a lubricant from a lubricant supply source and applying the lubricant to a photosensitive body. A minimum distance between the outer circumferential surface of the application roller and the photosensitive body is shorter than a length of the application bristles. The lubricant application device has a drive unit for rotating the application roller and a controller for controlling the drive unit. The controller is adapted to control the drive unit to counteract a bristle-bending tendency of the application bristles.