Abstract: The present invention provides a method for easily and quickly erasing images, including letters, formed on a printed matter at a low cost, and a device for utilizing the method. The images, including letters, on the printed matter are erased by bringing an oxidative gas generated by a remote plasma device into contact with a portion of the image, colored with a dye.

Abstract: Provided is a method of erasing an image, including exposing an image, formed by applying ink containing a dye to a recording medium, to an oxidizing gas generated by discharge to erase the image, wherein the dye comprises an anionic anthraquinone dye and a method of recycling a recording medium.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image bearing member; a charging device for electrically charging the image bearing member at a contact position; a transferring device for transferring a developed image on the image bearing member onto a transfer material; and a developer charging device for electrically charging a developer remaining on the image bearing member after the image is transferred. The developer charging device is disposed downstream of the transferring device and upstream of the charging device with respect to a moving direction of the image bearing member. An electric field forming device forms a cleaning electric field in a direction of transferring the developer from the developer charging device onto a predetermined region of the image bearing member and forms a cleaning electric field for transferring the developer from the charging device onto the image bearing member after the predetermined region passes through the contact portion.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a movable image bearing member, a movable intermediary transfer member, wherein an image on the image bearing member is transferred onto the intermediary transfer member by primary transfer and the image transferred onto the intermediary transfer member is transferred onto a transfer material by secondary transfer, a discriminator for discriminating a kind of the transfer material, and a controller for controlling a moving speed ratio between the image bearing member and the intermediary transfer member on the basis of an output of the discriminator.

Abstract: The image forming apparatus includes, a movable first image bearing member on which a toner image is formed; and a movable second image bearing member which is brought into contact with the first image bearing member and to which the toner image on the first image bearing member is transferred, in which the toner image on the second image bearing member is transferred onto a transferring material, a dot-shaped dot image formed of a toner different from the toner image is formable on the first image bearing member, and the dot image is variable according to a condition upon forming the toner image on the transferring material. Thus, there is provided an image forming apparatus capable of forming a final image with a high quality in a stable manner independently of a selection of a type of transferring materials or image quality mode as well as suppressing an image streak occurrence.

Abstract: The image forming apparatus includes a movable first image bearing member on which a toner image is formed, and a movable second image bearing member which is brought into contact with the first image bearing member and to which the toner image on the first image bearing member is transferred, in which a dot-shaped dot image formed of a toner different from the toner image is formable on the first image bearing member, and in which a distance between dot centers of the dot images is equal to or smaller than a width of a contact part between the first image bearing member and the second image bearing member in a moving direction of the first image bearing member. Consequently, it is possible to steadily suppress an image streak occurrence and to obtain a final image having a high quality in a stable manner.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image bearing member; charging means for electrically charging the image bearing member while contacting to the image bearing member; transferring means for transferring a developed image on the image bearing member onto a transfer material; developer charging means for electrically charging a developer remaining on the image bearing member after the image is transferred, the developer charging means being disposed downstream of the transferring means and upstream of the charging means with respect to a moving direction of the image bearing member; and electric field forming means for forming a cleaning electric field in a direction of transferring the developer from the developer charging means onto a predetermined region of the image bearing member and for forming a cleaning electric field for transferring the developer from the charging means onto the image bearing member after the predetermined region of the image bearing member passes through a contact portion betwe

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a movable image bearing member, a movable intermediary transfer member, wherein an image on the image bearing member is transferred onto the intermediary transfer member by primary transfer and the image transferred onto the intermediary transfer member is transferred onto a transfer material by secondary transfer, discrimination means for discriminating a kind of the transfer material, and control means for controlling a moving speed ratio between the image bearing member and the intermediary transfer member on the basis of an output of the discrimination means.

Abstract: The image forming apparatus includes a movable first image bearing member on which a toner image is formed, and a movable second image bearing member which is brought into contact with the first image bearing member and to which the toner image on the first image bearing member is transferred, in which a dot-shaped dot image formed of a toner different from the toner image is formable on the first image bearing member, and in which a distance between dot centers of the dot images is equal to or smaller than a width of a contact part between the first image bearing member and the second image bearing member in a moving direction of the first image bearing member. Consequently, it is possible to steadily suppress an image streak occurrence and to obtain a final image having a high quality in a stable manner.

Abstract: The image forming apparatus includes, a movable first image bearing member on which a toner image is formed; and a movable second image bearing member which is brought into contact with the first image bearing member and to which the toner image on the first image bearing member is transferred, in which the toner image on the second image bearing member is transferred onto a transferring material, a dot-shaped dot image formed of a toner different from the toner image is formable on the first image bearing member, and the dot image is variable according to a condition upon forming the toner image on the transferring material. Thus, there is provided an image forming apparatus capable of forming a final image with a high quality in a stable manner independently of a selection of a type of transferring materials or image quality mode as well as suppressing an image streak occurrence.

Abstract: An image heating device of film heating type is provided with a heater, and a film which is moved while one surface thereof contacts the heater, and the other surface thereof contacts a recording member which supports an image. The heater is provided with a resistor for generating heat upon energization, and an energization electrode arranged to alternately have different polarities in a direction perpendicular to a feeding direction of the recording member.

Abstract: A fixing apparatus includes a heat generating element for generating heat upon electric power supply thereto; a temperature detecting element a for detecting a temperature or the heat generating element; power application control for controlling the power to the heat generating element so that the temperature detected by the temperature detecting element maintains a fixing temperature; and a power setting device for pre-applying power to the heat generating element to detect a rate of temperature change during the pre-application of power, before power is applied to start up the heat generating element to the fixing temperature, and for setting the power to be applied during the start-up period, in accordance with the detected rate of temperature change.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes image forming device for forming an image on a recording material, the image forming device including an image bearing member, a charging member for charging the image bearing member and a voltage source for supplying a voltage to the charging member; and determining device for determining a substantial intersection between an actual voltage-current characteristic curve between the charging member and the image bearing member and a predetermined voltage-current curve predetermined for the charging member, and for determining a bias to be applied to the charging member during image forming operation of the basis of the intersection.

Abstract: An image heating apparatus includes a film contactable and movable together with a recording material carrying an unfixed image; a heater for increasing a temperature of the film, wherein the unfixed image is heated by heat from the film; driving roller contactable to the film to drive the film; wherein the driving roller have an elastic layer and a low thermal expansion coefficient layer outside the elastic layer.

Abstract: A charging apparatus having a charging member contactable to a member to be charged, a pressing device for pressing the charging member onto the member to be charged at a pressing position. In the apparatus, an outside size of the charging member is larger away from the pressing position when the charging member is not pressed to the member to be charged.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus has an image supporting member for supporting a toner image, a transfer rotating member forming a nip with the image supporting member and electrostatically transferring the toner image formed on the image supporting member to a recording material, a fixing device for fixing the toner image to the recording material holding the toner image, and a guide member for guiding the recording material so that the angle between the direction of separation of the recording material from the transfer rotating member and the tangent to the image supporting member at the center of the nip is at least 2.degree. in a direction toward the image supporting member.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a fixing apparatus having a pair of rotary members for pinching and conveying a supporting material bearing a non-fixed toner image thereon, thereby fixing the non-fixed toner image on the supporting material and wherein a rectifier element is connected to at least one of the rotary members in a predetermined orientation, whereby the present invention prevent a toner offset that the toner on the supporting material is adhered to the rotary members.

Abstract: A developing apparatus having a container for containing a one component developer, and a rotatable developing roller disposed facing an image bearing member to carry developer from the container to a development zone where it is supplied to an electrostatic latent image carried on an image bearing member. The developing roller includes a metal base member and a resin coating layer thereon in which fine conductive particles are dispersed. The developing roller has a surface including an end region adjacent an end of the roller, and an intermediate region. In the end region, the base member is not roughened and the resin layer is not provided. In the intermediate region, inside the end region, the base member is roughened and is coated with the resin layer. A sealing member is provided for preventing leakage of the developer from the container at the end of the developing roller, the sealing member being faced to the end region of the developing roller.

Abstract: An electrostatic latent image developing apparatus includes a movable developer carrying member for carrying developer to a developing zone where an electrostatic latent image on an image bearing member is developed. There is an outer coating layer on the developer carrying member wherein the coating layer is of resin in which conductive fine particles are dispersed and which is abraded.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a movable image bearing member; an image forming device for forming a toner image on the image bearing member; image transfer device for transferring the toner image from the image bearing member to a transfer material at an image transfer station, wherein the transfer device includes a charging member press-contacted or faced to the image bearing member and a device for applying a voltage to the charging member, wherein the voltage applying device applies a voltage to the charging member so that the charging member is constant-voltage-controlled when an image region of the image bearing member is in the transfer station, and the charging member is constant-current-controlled during at least a part of a period when it is not in the transfer station, wherein a voltage V2 applied during the constant voltage control is a voltage V1 appearing in the transfer device during the constant current control multiplied by a coefficient R, in which R is larger than 1.