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Abstract

A degradation level estimating device for estimating degradation level of a photoreceptor of an image forming apparatus performing at least a charging process, an optical image writing process, a developing process, and a transferring process in which a toner image on the photoreceptor is transferred onto a receiver while applying a charge to the photoreceptor. The degradation level estimating device includes a charge dependence detector to detect charge quantity dependence of a charge property of the photoreceptor in the charging process on the quantity of the charge applied to the photoreceptor in the last transferring process by subjecting the photoreceptor to the processes plural times without performing the optical image writing process, followed by the charging process, while changing the quantity of the charge and measuring the charge property of the photoreceptor. The degradation level estimating device estimates the degradation level of the photoreceptor based on the charge quantity dependence.

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