Abstract: A contact type image transferring device and method incorporated in an image forming apparatus for cleaning a residual toner on a transfer roller. The transfer roller is in contact with a photoconductive drum at a first force and forms nip between the roller and the drum. A sheet of paper passes through the nip and a toner image on the drum is transferred to the sheet of paper. When the sheet of paper is not at the nip, the transfer roller is moved such that the force of the roller against the drum is a second force which is different from the first force. A cleaning bias voltage is applied to the roller and toner on the roller is transferred to the drum.

Abstract: A process cartridge detachably mountable to a frame of an image forming apparatus includes an electrophotographic photosensitive drum, a process device actable on the electrophotographic photosensitive drum, a drum flange provided on an end of the electrophotographic photosensitive drum and having a gear portion, the gear portion serving to transmit a driving force acting on the process cartridge when the process cartridge is mounted to the main body of the image forming apparatus, and a cleaning frame for rotatably supporting the electrophotographic photosensitive drum. The side surfaces, the upper surface, the lower surface and the front surface of the gear potion of the drum flange in a process cartridge mounting direction are covered. The process cartridge is mounted to the main body of the image forming apparatus from a direction transverse to a longitudinal direction of the electrophotographic photosensitive drum, when the process cartridge is mounted to the frame of the image forming apparatus.

Abstract: An automatic original feeding device has a mounting unit for mounting originals, a first sheet conveying path for conveying an original mounted on the mounting unit to a predetermined position, and a second sheet conveying path for guiding the original output from the predetermined position to a discharging unit. The device can be opened to expose the first and second sheet conveying paths. The device also includes display units, each provided in the vicinity of the corresponding one of the first and second sheet conveying paths, for displaying information about originals remaining in the first and second sheet conveying paths.

Abstract: A process cartridge detachably mountable to a main assembly of an image forming apparatus, the cartridge comprising a photosensitive member, a developing means for developing a latent image formed on the photosensitive member, a first frame containing the developing means; and a second frame coupled with the first frame, the second frame including a developer containing portion for containing a developer to be supplied to the developing means to develop the latent image, wherein the second frame is a selected one of plural secondary frames engageable with the first frame and having different developer containing capacities.

Abstract: A transfer means has a film lightly contacting a back surface of a transfer medium and applying a transfer field thereto. The film rises rapidly with respect to a contact portion with the back surface of the transfer medium on the upstream side of the direction of movement of the transfer medium relative to the film, and slopes gently from the contact portion in a continuous curve on a downstream side of the direction of movement. The film is capable of displacement between a support and an image carrier, and contacts and disengages the transfer medium according to the presence or absence of electrostatic adsorptive force due to the supply or withdrawal of an electric current.

Abstract: A developing device which is capable of being detachably mounted to a rotary unit of an image forming apparatus and which includes a developer carrying member for forming a development region together with an image carrying member and rotating as carrying a developer, a developer containing section for containing the developer to be supplied to the developer carrying member, and a pressure relief portion provided in a surface substantially perpendicular to the rotational axis of the rotary unit, of the developer containing section.

Abstract: An image heating apparatus is provided with:a moving member having an electrically conductive layer and arranged to move together with a recording medium, an exciting coil for generating a magnetic flux, wherein the magnetic flux generated by the exciting coil generates eddy currents in the moving member and the eddy currents make the moving member generate heat, wherein the heat of the moving member heats an image on the recording medium, a magnetic member for guiding the magnetic flux generated by the exciting coil, wherein the moving member and the magnetic member form a substantially closed magnetic circuit, wherein an angle .theta. ?rad! formed between a principal line of magnetic force directed from the magnetic member to the moving member and a principal line of magnetic force directed from the moving member to the magnetic member is determined to be 0<.theta.<.pi..

Abstract: A contact charging device, in which a contact member for charging has a surface including a contact portion to be in contact with a charge receiving member as well as a charge contributing portion having a surface resistivity (.rho.s) of 1.times.10.sup.5 .OMEGA./.quadrature. or less. A maximum distance between the contributing portion and the charge receiving member is in a range from 5 .mu.m to 60 .mu.m. Alternatively, an electric power formed of a DC component is applied to the contact member to produce a potential difference in a range from 550 v to 750 v between the applied power and a potential at the surface of the charge receiving member before being charged by the electric power.

Abstract: A developing device for use in an image forming apparatus is constructed such that a pair of upper and lower auger rollers 35 and 34 are arranged in the vicinity of a toner supply port 21A, thereby to transport toner from the toner supply port 21A through a spiral tooth 34A of the lower auger roller 34 toward both ends of the supply roller 20 and from the both ends through a spiral tooth 35A toward the toner supply port 21A, thus circulating toner above the toner supply roller 20 in its both side directions, and that a position of the toner supply port 21A of a toner cartridge 21 corresponds to respective center positions 35C and 34C of the upper and lower auger rollers 35 and 34.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus including an ADF for automatically feeding a plurality of originals, a mechanism for selecting a continuous mode, in the continuous mode the plurality of originals separately fed by the ADF a plurality of number of times are processed as a series of originals, a mechanism for reading the images of the plurality of originals, a memory for storing as a series of images, the images read from the originals fed while the continuous mode is selected, and a printer for forming the series of images stored in the memory in a predetermined order.

Abstract: A process cartridge detachably mountable relative to a main assembly of an electrophotographic image forming apparatus, includes an electrophotographic photosensitive member; a developing device for developing a latent image formed on the electrophotographic photosensitive member; a toner accommodating portion for accommodating toner to be used by the developing device to develop the latent image; a first toner feeding member for feeding the toner accommodated in the toner accommodating portion toward the developing device; a second toner feeding member for feeding the toner accommodated in the toner accommodating portion toward the developing device; wherein the second toner feeding member starts to operate in response to detection of decrease of a remaining amount of the toner accommodated in the toner accommodating portion to feed the toner accommodated in the toner accommodating portion toward the developing device.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an photoconductive drum, a charger, an exposing device, a developing device and a transferring device. A photo-sensor is disposed around the photoconductive drum. The photo-sensor senses the intensity of the reflected light from the surface of the photoconductive drum and the reflected light from the reference toner image formed on the photoconductive drum. The intensity of the emitted light from photo-sensor is changed corresponding to a continuous lighting time of the photo-sensor. Therefore, the intensity is compensated in response to the continuous lighting time of the photo-sensor. As a result, accurate toner density is detected.

Abstract: The present invention provides a contact charging device, in which a contact member for charging is in contact with a charge receiving member for charging the same while suppressing charging irregularity. The contact member has a surface to be in contact with the charge receiving member. This surface has a volume resistivity in a range from 1.times.10.sup.4 .OMEGA..multidot.cm to 1.times.10.sup.10 .OMEGA..multidot.cm, and has a surface resistivity in a range from 1.times.10.sup.5 .OMEGA./.quadrature. to 1.times.10.sup.10 .OMEGA./.quadrature..Alternatively, the contact member has a surface to be in contact with the charge receiving member. This surface of the contact member has a surface hardness which provides a scratch width of 1 .mu.m or less under scratch hardness test.

Abstract: Imaging apparatus including squeegee apparatus for squeegeeing excess material from a surface, from which surface at least a portion of the material remaining after squeegeeing is to be transferred to another surface, comprising: a first surface, having a central portion and two end portions having recessed surfaces and having a liquid material thereon at least in said central portion, said surface moving in a given direction at a squeegee region; and a second, squeegee, surface, urged against at least the central portion of the first surface at the squeegee region and formed with contiguous end portions which mate with the recessed end surfaces of the first surface.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes detachable expendables such as a photosensitive drum, a toner cartridge, an ozone filter, etc. The image forming apparatus counts a number of papers being printed after replacing the expendable and stores a counting value as an amount of use in a nonvolatile memory, and prints out a status message including the amount of use, periodically or whenever the image forming apparatus is turned on. Further, the status message includes a predetermined test pattern for testing the printing status of the printer. In the light of the status message, the user may predict in advance the proper replacing time and cope with degradation of the images by checking the printing status from the test pattern at any time.

Abstract: A photographic copier has a station which serves as a scanning station and a copying station. The station includes a support for an image to be scanned and copied, and a single light source for scanning and copying. A light-diffusing member is disposed between the light source and the support, and the light-diffusing member has a first condition for copying and a second condition for scanning. Light undergoes a high degree of diffusion in the first condition and a lower degree of, or substantially no, diffusion in the second condition.

Abstract: An image forming method and apparatus in which collected toner removed from a photoconductive medium by a cleaning device is conveyed to a developing device. The conveying device includes a powder pump having a rotor and a stator configured to convey the collected toner in an coaxial direction of said rotor. An air flow is supplied to the powder pump by way of an air pump, where the air is conveyed in a tube with the collected toner. The tube is connected to the developing device so that the collected toner is recycled. When the developing device is replenished with fresh toner from a toner bottle, the air pump stops supplying the air flow to the powder pump so as to prevent toner from scattering within the image forming apparatus from an opening of the developing device.

Abstract: A residual toner collecting unit for collecting residual toner includes a collection chamber in communication with a residual toner collecting opening through which residual toner is received. Within the collection chamber, a conveyance roller is mounted to receive the residual toner coming through the residual toner collecting opening and is rotated to convey the residual toner in the direction of rotation. In addition to the conveyance roller, a blade is located within the collection chamber and is mounted to a rotary shaft. The blade is elastically deformable in the direction of the rotation of the blade and has a distal end which is in surface contact with the peripheral surface of the conveyance roller.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an image forming method for forming an image by ink, and an image forming apparatus applied to a copier, a printer and the like, which enables the use of a water ink and forms an image of high quality. The image forming method comprises a particle image forming step for forming a particle image in a deposited pattern of particles; an ink supplying step for supplying ink to the particle image to hold the ink in a void portion between the particles of the particle image; and an ink transfer step for transferring the ink supplied to the particle image to an object.

Abstract: A wet image forming apparatus of the present invention includes an intermediate transfer body having an uneven surface. Projections on the uneven surface contact the surface of an image carrier and that of a paper, guaranteeing a distance between the bottoms of recesses also present on the intermediate transfer body and the above surfaces. Therefore, a toner image formed on the image carrier is prevented from being smashed by a pressure. This insures desirable transfer of the toner image from the image carrier to the intermediate transfer body, and thereby prevents image quality from being lowered on the paper.