An image forming apparatus includes an image bearing member, a charging member for charging the image bearing member, an exposure unit for exposing the charged surface of the image bearing member, a developing apparatus that supplies a developer containing a toner particle and an external additive having an opposite charging polarity to the regular charging polarity of the toner particle to the image bearing member, a cleaning member for removing the developer from the image bearing member, a transfer member for transferring a developer image on the image bearing member onto a transfer subject material, and a voltage application unit for applying a voltage to the transfer member. During an image non-formation period as a lubrication operation to the cleaning member, (i) the developer is supplied to the image bearing member, and (ii) a voltage having an identical polarity to a voltage applied during the image formation operation is applied.

An image forming apparatus that executes an image forming operation for forming a toner image on a recording material and an application operation of applying a metal soap to a surface of an image bearing member by supplying a toner stored in a toner storing unit to the surface of the image bearing member from the developing member. A surficial moving speed of the image bearing member during the application operation is lower than the surficial moving speed of the image bearing member during the image forming operation, and a speed difference between the surficial moving speed of the developing member and the surficial moving speed of the image bearing member during the application operation is larger than that during the image forming operation.

An example method of performing a null cycle in a liquid electrographic printer is described. The method involves collecting, at a photo imaging plate cleaning station, imaging oil deposited on a photo imaging plate during a print cycle. During a null cycle, the photo imaging plate cleaning station is controlled to apply the collected imaging oil to the photo imaging plate.

In one example in accordance with the present disclosure, a fluid application device is described. The device includes an application roller to deposit a fluid containing metallic particles on a surface. A squeegee roller of the device forms a first nip with the roller and a cleaner roller forms a second nip with the application roller. A first resistive coating is disposed on a surface of the application roller.

The present disclosure relates to an electrophotographic printer comprising a photoconductive cylinder, and a cleaning element comprising an absorbent foam substrate. The absorbent foam substrate has an abrasive material disposed on at least an outer surface of the absorbent foam substrate. At least part of the outer surface of the absorbent foam substrate is engageable with the photoconductive cylinder.

An image forming device that forms a toner image on a photosensitive drum 413, including a lubrication device 200 that applies lubricant to the photosensitive drum 413 and an operation panel 20. The image forming device acquires spring mounting times 108d that indicate lubrication performance of the lubrication device 200, compares the spring mounting times 108d to a threshold value, and when the spring mounting times 108d exceed the threshold value, displays guidance on the operation panel 20 prompting an operation to restore lubrication performance of the lubrication device 200.

An image forming apparatus has a photosensitive drum configured to bear a developer image, a developing apparatus having a developing roller that bears developer and a developing blade that regulates the amount of the developer on the developing roller, and a detection portion that detects information on the amount of the developer stored in the developing apparatus. The image forming apparatus performs a discharging operation for discharging a coating agent, applied to a developing roller in an unused state, from the developing apparatus to the photosensitive drum, while varying an operational condition for the discharging operation varied based on the information.

An image forming apparatus has a photosensitive drum configured to bear a developer image, a developing apparatus having a developing roller that bears developer and a developing blade that regulates the amount of the developer on the developing roller, and a detection portion that detects information on the amount of the developer stored in the developing apparatus. The image forming apparatus performs a discharging operation for discharging a coating agent, applied to a developing roller in an unused state, from the developing apparatus to the photosensitive drum, while varying an operational condition for the discharging operation varied based on the information.

An example lubricant coating device includes a rotatable applicator to apply lubricant from a solid lubricant source to a member to be coated, and a supporting device to support the solid lubricant source in a contact state with the rotatable applicator. The supporting device changes a supporting angle of the solid lubricant source relative to the rotatable applicator when a consumption of the solid lubricant source reaches a consumption threshold.

An image forming apparatus includes first and second image forming portions provided with first and second image bearing members, respectively. A controller controls a first operation in which the image to be transferred to the recording material is formed only in the first image forming portion, a second operation in which the image to be transferred is formed in the first and second image forming portions, and a supplying operation in which a lubricant is attached to the second image bearing member and supplied to a contacting portion of the second image bearing member. In a case that a stopping time exceeds a predetermined threshold when a start instruction of the first operation is input in a stopping state of the first and second image bearing members, the controller controls to execute the supplying operation during a time from when a current start instruction of the first operation is input until a next start instruction of the first or second operation is input.