Abstract: When a cleaner is included exclusively for cleaning a transfer/transport belt to remove toner therefrom, the structure of an image forming apparatus becomes complex and the costs thereof increase. The present invention attempts to remedy this situation. Specifically, a difference between a peripheral speed relative to the transfer/transport belt to be set for cleaning and a peripheral speed relative to photosensitive drums to be set therefor is made larger than that between peripheral speeds to be set for ordinary image formation. Because of this constituent feature, unnecessary toner on the transfer/transport belt is efficiently transferred onto the photosensitive drums on a stable basis for a short period of time.

Abstract: A laminate film showing a good durability under pressure and heat application and suitably used as a fixing film for toner image fixation, is provided. Such a laminate film is provided by forming a polyimide resin layer on a metal base layer at a controlled imidation percentage of 70-93%.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide an image forming apparatus that has an image bearing body for bearing a toner image, a conveying member for bearing and conveying a recording material, and a transferring member for transferring a toner image on the image bearing body to the recording material conveyed by the conveying member by the application of a voltage, wherein the transferring member has ion conductivity.

Abstract: A charging apparatus includes a member to be charged having a charge retaining layer for retaining a charge and an electroconductive base. A charging member capable of being supplied with a voltage is provided to charge the member to be charged. The charging member includes magnetic particles in the form of a magnetic brush contactable to the member to be charged, wherein the member to be charged has an electroconductive member electrically insulated from the electroconductive base in a region corresponding to an end portion, in a longitudinal direction of the charging member.

Abstract: A charging apparatus includes a first charging member of being supplied with a voltage to charge a member to be charged. A first charging member has magnetic particles in the form of a magnetic brush contactable to the member to be charged. A second charging member charges a region of the member to be charged corresponding to an end portion, in a longitudinal direction of the charging member, of the magnetic particles, wherein by the second charging member, the region has a potential of the same charge polarity of the voltage when the region reaches a charging position of this first charging member.

Abstract: The present invention provides an image forming apparatus that has an image bearing member a charger for charging the image bearing member image forming means for selectively erasing charge on the image bearing member to thereby form an electrostatic image a developing device for developing the electrostatic image, the developing device including a developing roll contacting with the image bearing member and having a developing bias applied thereto and contacting and spacing means for contacting and spacing the developing roll with respect to the image bearing member the contacting and spacing means contacting the developing roll having the developing bias applied to the area thereof charged by the charger with the image bearing member at a start of image formation.

Abstract: A charging device for charging a member to be charged includes a charging member to which a voltage is applicable to charge the member to be charged, the charging member having a magnetic brush of magnetic particles contactable to the member to be charged, and a supporting member for supporting the magnetic particles; wherein the the magnetic particles have a resistance value of 1.times.10.sup.4 -1.times.10.sup.7 (Ohm) when 1-1000(V) is applied thereto.

Abstract: A charging member supporting magnetic particles for charging a member to be charged, including: an electroconductive member to which a voltage is applicable; and a member electrically insulated from the electroconductive member at an end portion, in a longitudinal direction of the charging member, of the magnetic particles, wherein deposition of magnetic particles to the member to be charged from the charging member is effectively prevented.

Abstract: The present invention relates to the cleaning of an intermediate transfer member of an image forming apparatus for transferring a toner image formed on a photosensitive member onto the intermediate transfer member and then transferring the toner image onto a transfer material. An effective cleaning width of a cleaning means for removing residual toner remaining on the photosensitive member in a width-wise direction of the photosensitive drum is selected to become greater than a longitudinal dimension of the intermediate transfer member, the longitudinal dimension of the intermediate transfer member is selected to become greater than a width of a transfer electrode for transferring the toner image on the intermediate transfer member, and the longitudinal dimension of the intermediate transfer member is selected to become greater than a charge width of an electrode for charging the residual toner on the intermediate transfer member to return the toner to the photosensitive member.

Abstract: The present invention provides an image forming apparatus for forming an image on a transfer material by using an intermediate transfer member, having a first transfer bias power supply for applying transfer bias to a first transfer unit to generate first transfer bias between a photosensitive member and an intermediate transfer member, when toner images are successively firstly-transferred onto the intermediate transfer member, and a second transfer bias power supply for providing constant current to generate second transfer bias between the intermediate transfer member and the secondary transfer electrode, and wherein the second transfer bias power supply applies, in an overlap fashion, transfer bias of current having a current value greater than a current value of the transfer bias to be applied to an upstream image area of the transfer material and having the same polarity as that of the latter transfer bias to at least a non-image area of the transfer material at an end portion thereof in a transfer mate

Abstract: An electrophotographic apparatus which simultaneously performs image exposure and development, including an electrophotographic photosensitive body having a conductive layer, an electrophotoconductive layer, and an electric charge supply layer for contacting a developer sequentially formed on a translucent substrate, wherein a value of the surface energy of the outer layer of the photosensitive body is 30 dyne/cm or less in order to present fogging generated during development.

Abstract: An image heating apparatus includes a heater provided with a heat generating element generating heat upon electric energization to a base; a supporting member for supporting the heater; a back-up member press-contacted to the heater; wherein an image on a recording material is heated by heat from the heater; wherein at least such a portion of the supporting member as supports the heater is of thermoplastic material.

Abstract: An electrophotographic apparatus includes a movable photosensitive member having a photoconductive layer, and a charging member for charging the photosensitive member. A latent image forming device forms an image on the photosensitive member, and an electric charge applying device applies an electric charge of a polarity opposite from a charging property of the charging member to the photosensitive member. The photosensitive member includes a rectifying layer on the photoconductive layer to provide, at an interface between the photoconductive layer and the rectifying layer, a p-n junction preventing electric charge of the opposite polarity from entering the photoconductive layer.

Abstract: This invention relates to a charging system for charging a body to be electrified, comprising a body to be electrified, and a charging member which can be applied with voltage to brush the surface of said body to be electrified and charge it. Wherein the surface of the body to be electrified exhibits a contact angle of 90.degree. or more for water.

Abstract: In a fixing device for heating and melting a toner image and fixing it onto a transfer material, the fixing device has a fixing member surface which comes in contact with a toner image. The fixing member surface has at least a resin and an ion-conductive electrical resistance value controlling material having a melting point higher than a maximum temperature in the fixing device.

Abstract: A charging device includes a movable member to be charged having a surface charge injection layer with a volume resistivity of 1.times.10.sup.10 -1.times.10.sup.14 .OMEGA.cm, and a charging member for charging the member to be charged, the charging member including a movable charging brush contactable with the member to be charged and supplied with a voltage. The movable member is driven such that the following relationship is satisfied, N(Vk-Vb)/Vk>4, where Vk (mm/sec) is a movement speed of the surface of the member to be charged, Vb (mm/sec) is a movement speed of an outer peripheral surface of the charging brush, and N (mm) is a contact width between the member to be charged and the charging brush, measured in a movement direction of the member to be charged. The charging member may include a movable conductive particle layer instead of a charging brush.

Abstract: An image forming system for forming an image on a recording sheet, including a rotatable image bearing member, a cleaning member contacting the image bearing member to remove toner remaining on the image bearing member, and charger means contacting the image bearing member and disposed at a downstream side of the cleaning member in a direction of movement of the image bearing member. Lubricant having a low resistance is painted on a contacting portion of the cleaning member between the image bearing member and the cleaning member.

Abstract: An electrophotographic apparatus for simultaneously performing image exposure and development including an electrophotographic photosensitive body comprising a conductive layer and an electrophotographic photosensitive layer formed on the translucent substrate. An optical system is provided for exposing the image from the side of the translucent substrate of the photosensitive body, and a developer apparatus is arranged opposing to the side of photosensitive layer of the exposure position of the photosensitive body for supplying developer charged with the developing bias.

Abstract: A charging device for charging a member to be charged, includes a charging material for charging the member to be charged, the charging material including a layer of particles capable of being supplied with a voltage and contactable to the member to be charged, wherein the particle layer comprises first particles having a volume resistivity of not less than 6.0.times.10.sup.3 Ohm.cm and less than 1.0.times.10.sup.5 Ohm.cm and second particles having a volume resistivity of not less than 6.3.times.10.sup.5 Ohm.cm mixed with the first particles.

Abstract: An electrophotographic process in which image information exposure step and a developing step are substantially simultaneously carried out to opposite sides of a photosensitive member includes preparing an electrophotographic photosensitive member having a conductive base layer transmitting light and a photosensitive layer thereon; exposing the conductive base side of the photosensitive member to light information; rubbing an opposite side of the photosensitive member with a developer supplied with a developing bias voltage of the same polarity as the polarity of the developer in a region including an upstream side end a downstream side of an image exposure region of the photosensitive member; wherein an absolute value of a sum of a triboelectric charge potential provided on a surface of the photosensitive member by rubbing between the developer and the photosensitive member, and a surface potential of the photosensitive member provided by application of the developing bias upstream of the image exposure regi