Abstract: Based on the density of an image formed on a photosensitive member or an image recording medium, an amount of correction for uniformalizing the image density in a main scanning direction of a light beam is set. Based on the set amount of correction, the intensity of a light beam in an image region is corrected within a range of one main scan.

Abstract: A high image quality electrophotographic image forming apparatus is provided without increasing the size and cost, and reducing the life thereof. The potential difference (contrast potential) between a photoreceptor and a development roller for supplying toner to the photoreceptor by the use of a carrier is set to be smaller in the non-image area irrelevant to the printing operation, and set to be larger in the image area relevant to the printing operation. In this manner, the damage to the photoreceptor caused by the adhesion of the carrier is reduced in the non-image area irrelevant to the printing operation, and the fog is reduced in the image area relevant to the printing operation.

Abstract: A print control method of an electrophotograph in an image formation apparatus including at least a photoconductor, a charger, a light exposure unit, and a developing device for forming a background area and an image area on the photoconductor using the charger and the light exposure unit and detecting a potential of the image area after transfer and controlling a developing electric field, thereby printing an electrophotograph, includes lowering the percentage of toner covering the image area on the photoconductor when the potential is detected.

Abstract: An image forming device having a sheet conveying path extending from a feeder unit to an image forming unit. A convey roller positioned downstream of the sheet supply roller is rotated at a peripheral speed V3. Additional convey roller positioned downstream of the first convey roller is rotated at a peripheral speed V2 lower than V3. A register roller positioned downstream of the second convey roller is rotated at a peripheral speed V1 lower than V2. A transfer roller of the image forming unit is rotated at a peripheral speed V0 lower than V1. Each convey roller, the register roller, the sheet supply roller is connected to each clutch. Sheet sensors are provided between neighboring rollers for detecting a leading edge of the sheet. Upon detection of the leading edge, the roller positioned immediately upstream of the one of the sensors is shifted to its non-driving state.

Abstract: A process cartridge which is detachably attachable to an image forming apparatus main body and which has a photosensitive drum is provided with a light guide. This light guide guides light from an LED lamp provided in the image forming apparatus main body to the surface of the photosensitive drum, thus forming a charge removing device for the photosensitive drum. Therefore, it is possible to provide an image forming apparatus and a process cartridge free from image problems, such as lateral stripes and a drum positive ghost, at a low cost.

Abstract: A clock generating part generates a high-frequency clock signal having a frequency higher than that of a pixel clock frequency; a serial modulation signal generating part generates a serial modulation signal having a serial pulse sequence based on the high-frequency clock signal, and, light emission is modulated according to the serial modulation signal, and, thus, each pixel of an image is formed according at the pixel clock frequency.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus forms an electrostatic latent image corresponding to an image information signal on an image carrying member, develops the electrostatic latent image using a two component developer of toner particles and carrier particles and transfers the unfixed image to a transfer medium. A fixer is provided with at least a fixing roller and a press roller which nips and delivers the transfer medium to fix the unfixed image. The carrier particles contain a binder resin and magnetic metal oxide and have shape factors SF-1 of 100 to 150 and SF-2 of 100 to 150. The fixing roller has an elastic layer and a release layer of a fluorine resin having an Asker-C hardness between 60° and 85° at the time of application of a 1 kg load.

Abstract: A multicolor image forming apparatus comprises a first image forming unit, and a second image forming unit, having respectively an image forming member, an intermediate transfer member, and a secondary transfer section for transferring the toner image from the intermediate transfer member onto a recording material, wherein there are provided a priority mode setting section for setting a multicolor priority mode or a monochrome priority mode, and a controller to control in such a way that in an idling condition and in a waiting condition, when the multicolor priority mode is set, all of the image forming members are in press-contact with the intermediate transfer member, and when the monochrome priority mode is set, only the image forming member of the first image forming unit is in press-contact with the intermediate transfer member.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a fusing system for fusing toner to a recording medium. The fusing system includes a fuser roller including a metal layer, a pressure roller in contact with the fuser roller, and an external induction heating element. In addition, the disclosure relates to a method for heating a fuser roller of a fusing system including the steps of positioning an external induction heating element in close proximity to the outer surface of the fuser roller, delivering high frequency current to a coil of the external induction heating element to create a magnetic flux, and directing the magnetic flux toward the fuser roller so as to induce eddy currents within a metal layer of the fuser roller that generate heat within the roller.

Abstract: A waste toner collecting apparatus of an electrophotographic image forming device includes a photoreceptive drum having a first slit formed on an outer circumferential surface thereof in a lengthwise direction, through which waste toner removed from the outer circumferential surface of the photoreceptive drum by a cleaning blade contacting the outer circumferential surface thereof passes to be contained therein, and a slit opening/shutting unit which selectively opens and shuts the first silt. Thus, the image forming device can be made compact, and generation of dust can be prevented.

Abstract: A method of image forming that employs detachable image forming mechanisms for forming color images, each individually using a color toner different from each other and an image carrying member for carrying the color images that are sequentially overlaid on one another into a single color image. A detecting step detects the exchange of one of the detachable image forming mechanisms. A further step performs an adjustment for eliminating displacements of color images formed by the detachable image forming mechanisms, in accordance with the detection of the exchange of one of the detachable image forming mechanisms detected in the detecting step.

Abstract: A process cartridge detachably mountable to a main assembly of an electrophotographic image forming apparatus includes an electrophotographic photosensitive drum; a process device actable on the electrophotographic photosensitive drum; and a load producing member for imparting a load on a peripheral surface of a cylindrical member rotatable with the photosensitive drum to increase a rotational torque required for rotation of the photosensitive drum.

Abstract: When a halftone image region that is below a predetermined density is to be reproduced, a processing unit controlling an exposure unit selects an exposure pattern that can represent a record dot diameter within a range based on a predetermined rule from exposure patterns prepared in advance. Accordingly, graininess is suppressed. When there are a plurality of exposure patterns that can be applied, the exposure pattern with the lowest number of dots present per 1 inch is employed. Accordingly, a halftone image is formed with the image reproducibility improved.

Abstract: A looped belt is stretched by a drive roller and a driven roller and circulated therearound. The driven roller is capable of functioning as a regulation roller for regulating meander action in the belt. Each of image formers forms a toner image associated with each single color constituting a color image. Transferring members are disposed on a circulating path of the belt member. Each transferring member is associated with each image former for transferring the toner image onto either the belt member or a recording medium held on the belt member. A cleaning blade is abutted against a part of the belt member wound on the drive roller for removing toner remained on the belt member after the toner image transfer is performed.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus including at least two image forming portions, a transferring portion for successively superimposing and transferring images formed by the image forming portions onto a transfer medium, a pattern forming portion for forming an image misregister detection pattern for detecting the positional deviation between the images formed by the image forming portions, a pattern detecting portion for detecting the image misregister detection pattern formed on the transfer medium by the pattern forming portion, a pattern position detecting portion for detecting the position of the image misregister detection pattern, and a positional deviation correcting portion for correcting the positional deviation of at least one of the image forming portions on the basis of the result of the detection of the pattern position detecting portion, wherein the pattern position detecting portion detects a time when the detection signal of the pattern detecting portion has been continuously outputted for a predeter

Abstract: An implementation of a technology is described herein for automatically determining the heat-conductive properties of print media. More particularly, described herein is a technology for indirectly and automatically determining the heat-conductive properties of print media by determining the stiffness of print media, such as acetate and paper. At least one embodiment, described herein, includes a registration assembly of a laser printer. In this assembly, the print medium is deflected (i.e., bent, bowed, buckled, etc.). A measurement of such deflection is made. That measurement is an indication of the relative stiffness of the print medium. Assuming approximately similar densities, the stiffness of print media is directly related to its thickness. The thicker the medium the stiffer it is and vice versa. The thickness of print media is directly related to its heat conductivity.

Abstract: Toner hopper (1) of a printer (70) has a stirring paddle (3) with an encoder wheel (30, 50) mounted on paddle shaft (5). The drive connection to paddle (3) is through a torsion spring (60). Data processing apparatus determines paddle acceleration or deceleration (90, 94, 98, 102) and executes a table look-up to determine scaled amounts of subsequent movement (92, 96, 100, 104). Steady state movement is a unitary (unscaled) amount (106). These amounts are totaled (93) and used to define yield at the torsion spring, which corresponds to amount of toner in the hopper. This eliminates hardware in previous embodiments at the drive motor to signal actual rotation of the drive motor.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image bearing member, a latent image writing device that emits a plurality of laser beams, two adjacent laser beams of the plurality of laser beams partially overlapping in a sub-scanning direction, respectively, and forming a reference latent image on a surface of the image bearing member by performing repeated scanning of each laser beam on the surface of the image bearing member, a developing device that develops the reference latent image with toner into a reference toner image, and a detecting device that detects the density of the reference toner image. The quantity of light of each laser beam forming a subsequent latent image is adjusted according to the density of the reference toner image detected by the detecting device.

Abstract: A liquid image developing system including a development container in which a developer having a charge is stored, a photosensitive body, and a development roller which is partially soaked in the developer in the development container and to rotate and form development nip. The system further includes a depositing portion to apply an electric potential to attach the developer to the surface of the development roller, a metering portion to regulate the developer attached to the surface of the development roller at a predetermined thickness at a front end of the development nip, and a cleaning portion to clean the surface of the development roller at a rear end of the development nip.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a latent image bearing member and a developing portion having a plurality of developing devices provided facing the latent image bearing member, as well as an inputting portion for inputting an image signal, an auto-discriminating portion for automatically discriminating the kind of image input, and a control portion for changing between a first mode for executing monochrome image formation, a second mode for executing color image formation, and an auto-selecting mode for changing over between the first mode and the second-mode according to the discrimination of the auto-discriminating portion. In the auto-selecting mode, movement of a predetermined developing device to a predetermined position is started before the auto-discriminating portion makes the discrimination.