Abstract: In the present invention, an electrostatic latent image is formed on the surface of an image carrying member, while ink having a tack value of not less than one is used as ink in an ink developing device. The ink is held in an ink carrying member. The ink held in the ink carrying member is brought into contact with the surface of the image carrying member to supply the ink to the electrostatic latent image formed on the surface of the image carrying member, to form an ink image on the surface of the image carrying member. The ink image is transferred onto a recording medium from the surface of the image carrying member by a transfer device.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a first conductive member, a photoelectric transfer layer mounted on the first conductive member, a surface electrode mounted adjacent to the photoelectric transfer layer but away from the first conductive layer, a dielectric layer opposed to the surface electrode, a second conductive member mounted on one surface of the dielectric layer away from the photoelectric transfer layer. A first power supply is provided for applying a voltage V.sub.c between first and second conductive members and a second power supply is provided for applying a voltage V.sub.b between the surface electrode and the second conductive member. The image forming apparatus satisfies following relationship:V.sub.b >(5.5)V.sub.c -(1+5.5/D.sub.p)(312+6.2D.sub.a)whereinV.sub.b : Voltage between surface electrode and second conductive member;V.sub.c : Voltage between first and second conductive members;D.sub.p : Thickness of photoelectric transfer layer; andD.sub.

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: An image forming method according to the present invention comprises the steps of forming an electrostatic latent image on an image carrying member by a latent image forming device, applying a release agent to the surface of the image carrying member by an application device, and bringing an ink carried on an ink carrying member into contact with the surface of the image carrying member coated with the release agent to form an ink image corresponding to the electrostatic latent image on the surface of the image carrying member.

Abstract: An electrostatic recording apparatus 1 for forming an electrostatic image on an electric charge carrying member 2 comprises a photoelectric transfer member 14 spaced from the electric charge carrying member 2, a floating electrode 16 provided on a first surface of the photoelectric transfer member 14, an electric power supply 27 for applying a voltage between the second surface of the photoelectric transfer member 14 and the second surface of the electric charge carrying member 2, and an exposure device 8 for exposing a second surface of the photoelectric transfer member 14. The floating electrode 16 having an electric discharge terminal 18a close to the electric charge carrying member 2.

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: An electrostatic recording apparatus 1 for forming an electrostatic image on an electric charge carrying member 2 includes a photoelectric transfer member 14, a pair of bias electrodes 12, 13, an electric power supply 17, a floating electrode 16 and an exposure means 8. The photoelectric transfer member 14 which generates carrier when being exposed to light is interposed between the bias electrodes 12, 13. One of the bias electrodes 12 is transparent. The electric power supply 17 applies a voltage between the bias electrodes 12, 13. The floating electrode 16 has a first area which comes into contact with the photoelectric transfer member 14 and a second area which is opposed to the electric charge carrying member 2. The floating electrode 16 is in no electrical connection with the bias electrodes 12, 13.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus of the present invention comprises an image carrying member 2, a photosensitive member 9, a first voltage applying means 13, and an exposure means 5. The image carrying member 2 has an insulating layer 25 formed on a first conductive layer 23. The photosensitive member 9 has a photosensitive layer 93 formed on a second conductive layer 92. The photosensitive member 9 is supported so that the photosensitive layer 93 is opposed to the insulating layer 25 of the image carrying member 2. The first voltage applying means 13 applies a voltage between the first conductive layer 25 and the second conductive layer 92. A pattern-like surface electrode layer 98 is formed on the surface of the photosensitive layer 93 opposed to the image carrying member 2. A second voltage applying means 14 applies a bias voltage to the surface electrode layer 98.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus having an insulated member disposed adjacent to a photosensitive member, a scanner exposing an image on the photosensitive member in a direction perpendicular to the direction of movement of the insulated member while voltage is applied between the photosensitive member and the insulated member so as to provide a charge on the insulated member surface corresponding to the optical exposure image. The exposure position exposed by the scanner is changed in the direction of movement of the image-bearing member for each scan.

Abstract: An image formation is conducted in such a manner that an image exposure is applied to a photosensitive member having a surface charged by the charger to form an electrostatic latent image, which is developed by a developing device into a visible image, and the visible image is transferred to a recording material. In this image formation, the above developing device is constructed to include a developer carrying member to which a developing bias voltage is applied. The developer carrying member has a surface, which carries one-component developer and is adapted to move while contacting the photosensitive member, and is operable to remove residual developer on the photosensitive member after the transferring.

Abstract: In electrophotographic image forming, there are provided a charging device and an image forming apparatus provided with the charging device for forming an image including no or less image noise by sufficiently suppressing generation of image memory due to untransferred residual developer. The charging device has, for example, a charging brush formed of a roller and a strip-like fiber member having a plurality of piles wound therearound. The brush satisfies a condition of 0.7s<d<1.5s where d(mm) is a wound margin of the strip-like fiber member, and s(mm) is an average distance between the piles in a width direction of the fiber strip member.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus for forming a latent image on a photosensitive member, developing the latent image by a developing device to transfer the developed image onto a recording paper, and cleaning residual toner on the photosensitive member after transferring by the developer. The photosensitive member has a hardness such that a conical diamond produces on a surface of the photosensitive member a scratch of 30 .mu.m or greater but no more than 180 .mu.m in width, when the diamond scratches the surface of the photosensitive member under a vertical load of 50 g and relative speed of 100 mm/min, the diamond having a conical angle of 120.degree. and hemisphere shaped leading edge with a radius of 0.2 mm. The image forming apparatus further includes at least one rotational brush provided in contact with the photosensitive member under the conditions of :100 mm.gtoreq.W.times..vertline.Vr-Vp.vertline./Vp.gtoreq.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus for forming a latent image by image exposure on an image bearing member which is charged by a charge brush of a charging device, and developing the latent image by a developing device, transferring the developed image on a sheet, and cleaning the residual toner on the image bearing member by the developing device. The rotational brush rotates in such a direction that a contacting portion of the brush with the image bearing member moves in the same direction as a moving direction of a surface of the image bearing member, and is provided to satisfy the following condition:20.ltoreq.(N).sup.2 /t.ltoreq.35,wherein N is a contact nip width between the charging brush and the image bearing member and t is a thickness of the charging brush.

Abstract: A developing apparatus for developing an electrostatic latent image on an electrostatic latent image carrier includes a toner tank for storing toner, a developing roller, and an agitator for supplying the toner from the toner tank to the developing roller. The apparatus further includes a regulation member having one end portion fixedly supported and other end portion being slidingly held in contact with the outer surface to define a contacting area. The regulating member is bent at an angle .alpha. outwardly from the outer surface to define a bent portion such that the bent portion is located closely adjacent to the developing roller with respect to the contacting area. The curvature radius of the bent portion is no greater than 0.5 mm and the length of the bent portion's free end is between 0.5-5.0 mm.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a charging member in contact with a photosensitive member for applying a charging voltage at least containing an a.c. component, a laser beam irradiator having a polygon mirror to form an electrostatic latent image and a developing unit for developing the latent image into a visible image and collecting residual developer remaining on the surface of the photosensitive member after the visual image is transferred to a transfer material. The number of revolutions Fp(rps) of the irradiator polygon mirror, the frequency Fb(Hz) of the a.c. component to be applied to the contact charging unit and the system velocity Vp(cm/sec) have a correlation so determined as to meet the requirement of:.vertline.Fp-2.times.Fb.vertline.<Vp or .vertline.Fp-2.times.Fb.vertline.>Fp/2.

Abstract: A charging device including a charging member which is in contact with or minutely spaced from a surface of a photosensitive member, device for applying a constant voltage to the charging member, and a controller for controlling the voltage applied to the charging member when a current flowing from the charging member to the surface of the photosensitive member exceeds a predetermined value.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus that includes a positioning device for selectively positioning a contact-charging member at a charging position where the contact-charging member contacts a photosensitive carrier at a first region or at a cleaning position where the contact-charging member contacts the carrier at a second region. A contact charger apparatus for charging a carrier for carrying an electrostatic latent image, said contact charger apparatus that includes a voltage source coupled to a contact charger for applying a voltage to said carrier; and a contact charger cleaner for changing a contact area between said contact charger and said carrier to effect cleaning of said contact charger.

Abstract: A charging device and method in which a charging member, for example, of a brush, plate, film or roller type, for charging a charge-receiving member is disposed at a predetermined distance from the charge-receiving member. The distance is adjusted at not greater than a discharge start distance when the discharge is started and is adjusted at greater than the discharge start distance and less than a discharge stop distance after the discharge is started. The discharge start distance is the distance at the start of discharge when two electrodes are in close proximity as a voltage is applied, and the discharge stop distance is the distance directly before a stable discharge stops when two electrodes are separated while in state of discharge.

Abstract: A contact charging device which charges a rotatable photoreceptor. The contact charging device has a support member provided adjacently to the photoreceptor, first and second films each one end portion of which is supported by the support member. Each free end portion of the first and second films is in contact with the surface of the photoreceptor. The second film is positioned on downstream side from the first film with respect to a rotational direction of the photoreceptor. In the above charging device, a resistance value of the first film is higher than a resistance value of the second film.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus provided with a contact charging device, in which an electrically conductive member contacts a surface of an electrostatic latent image carrier for charging the surface, wherein at least impurity atom selected from the group consisting of elements of Group IA, II, VI and VII of the periodic table is adhered to the electrically conductive member, and a total content of the impurity atom is in a range from 0.05 wt % to 0.45 wt% with respect to all atoms including the impurity atom and atoms forming the electrically conductive member.