Abstract: As an image forming apparatus of this invention, a color copying machine in which four image forming units are juxtaposed along the convey direction of a paper sheet is known. Each image forming unit has a photosensitive drum which is in rolling contact with a conveyor belt. Around the photosensitive drum, a charging device, exposure device, developing device, transfer device, cleaning device, and charge removing device are placed in turn along the rotation direction of the drum. An image unit is interposed between the photosensitive drum in the predetermined image forming unit, and the photosensitive drum in the image forming unit, which neighbors that image forming unit on its upstream side. The image unit integrally holds the developing device for developing an electrostatic latent image formed on the downstream photosensitive drum, and the cleaning device for cleaning the upstream photosensitive drum. Also, the image unit is detachably inserted between the two neighboring photosensitive drums.

Abstract: Disclosed is a liquid crystal display device free from display reversal on the screen and capable of being reduced in thickness. A liquid crystal display device of the type in which a transparent electrode and an orientation layer are sequentially formed on the inner side of each of a pair of transparent substrates opposed to each other through the intermediation of a liquid crystal layer and in which a pair of polarizing plates are opposed to each other through the intermediation of the transparent substrates and the liquid crystal layer, wherein a semi-transmissive scattering layer 25 is provided on the outer side of at least one of the pair of polarizing plates, wherein the angle .theta..sub.2 made by the orientation layer 14 of the transparent substrate 4 arranged on the semi-transmissive scattering layer 25 side and the absorption axis of the polarizing plate 7 adjacent to the transparent substrate 4 is set to be 70 to 90 degrees, and wherein the angle .theta..sub.

Abstract: A developing cartridge detachably mountable to the main assembly of an image forming apparatus includes a toner carrying member for carrying toner to a developing station at which an electrostatic image formed on an image bearing member is developed with the toner. The cartridge also includes a toner accommodating portion for accommodating the toner to be supplied to a developer carrying member. The cartridge further includes an engaging portion, the shape of which is different depending on the type of the toner it contains. The engaging portion is engageable with an engaging portion of one of two or more developing cartridge slots provided in a main assembly of the image forming apparatus. The cartridge also includes a light transmitting portion disposed in the engaging portion to transmit light to be detected by a detector provided in the main assembly of the image forming apparatus to detect the amount of the toner in the toner accommodating portion.

Abstract: An image-forming machine which has an image-forming unit that moves substantially horizontally between an acting position in a housing and a non-acting position that is drawn out forward. The image-forming unit has a frame having a front wall member and a rear wall member, and a plurality of image-forming devices mounted on the frame. The front wall has a pair of receiving holes arranged at a distance in the transverse direction and the rear wall has a pair of pins located at a distance in the transverse direction. In a preferred embodiment, the housing has a pair of pins located in the front and a pair of receiving holds in the rear such that when the image-forming unit is brought to the acting position, the receiving holes of the front wall engage the front pins of the housing and the pins on the rear wall engage the receiving holes in the rear of the housing.

Abstract: A color image forming apparatus includes: a rotary image forming body; a plurality of charging units provided along the image forming body for charging the image forming body; a plurality of exposure units each provided inside the image forming body for imagewise exposing the image forming body to form a latent image; a plurality of developing units each storing therein colored developer different from each other, provided along the image forming body, for developing the latent image formed on the image forming body to form a colored toner image different from each other. After a plurality of different colored toner images are superimposed on the image forming body through successively repeating of charging by the charging unit, imagewise exposing by the exposure unit and developing by the developing unit to form a colored toner image during one rotation of the image forming body, the superimposed toner images are collectively transferred onto a transfer member.

Abstract: A bet unit provides an intermediate transfer belt where primary transfer is performed at a part stretching between a drive roller and a tension roller, and a cleaner roller separated from and brought into contact with a part of the intermediate transfer belt stretching between an opposed roller and the drive roller in the downstream side of the opposed roller. The belt unit is detachably attachable to the body with the opposed roller on the operator's side. The tangential line of the opposed roller is substantially vertical at a secondary transfer position. The cleaner roller is disposed in a range enclosed by the intermediate transfer belt, the tangential line of the drive roller parallel to the common tangential line of the peripheries of the tension roller and the opposed roller, and the vertical tangential line of the secondary transfer side of the opposed roller.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus such as color electrophotographic printer has a plurality of image forming stations. Each image forming station includes an image forming cartridge and a toner cartridge mounted therein. The toner cartridge has a corresponding first engagement portion. The image forming cartridge has a receiving section with a corresponding second engagement portion. The receiving section detachably receives the corresponding toner cartridge therein with the second engagement portion fittingly engaging the first engagement portion. The first and second engagement portions are of a construction that they can be polarized such that the first engagement portions engage the second engagement portions in different engagement relations when the devices are received in the receiving sections, each of the toner cartridges being received in a corresponding one of the receiving sections.

Abstract: A color image forming apparatus having a revolving type developing unit detachably installed therein. The revolving type developing unit includes a plurality of different color developing devices each having a developing roller therein. Each of the developing rollers is movably mounted on the developing device so that a gap between each of the developing rollers and a periphery of a photoconductive drum which is to be formed when the revolving type developing unit is set in the color image forming apparatus is enabled to be adjusted.

Abstract: A developing cartridge for developing a latent image formed on the photosensitive member is detachably mountable to a main assembly of an electrophotographic image forming apparatus. The developing cartridge includes a cartridge frame, a developer device for developing, with toner, the latent image formed on the photosensitive member of the main assembly of the apparatus when the cartridge is mounted to the main assembly of the electrophotographic image forming apparatus, and a first projected portion projected from one longitudinal end of the frame. The first projected portion is supported by a first supporting member provided in the main assembly when the cartridge is mounted to the main assembly of the electrophotographic image forming apparatus. The cartridge also includes a second projected portion projected from the other longitudinal end of the frame.

Abstract: A toner cartridge (1000) that is attached to a development unit of an image forming apparatus in order to supply toner to the development unit comprises a toner bottle (100) containing toner, a lid member (200) fitted on a toner outlet (114d) of the toner bottle (100), and an armoring member (300) in which the toner bottle (100) is housed and to which the lid member (200) is attached. The lid member (200) is provided with a toner supply mechanism for supplying the toner contained in the toner bottle (100) to the development unit when the toner cartridge (1000) is attached to the development unit of the image forming apparatus. In the toner cartridge (1000), both of or one of the lid member (200) and the armoring member (300) is shaped quadrangularly in external appearance. The armoring member (300) and the toner bottle (100) are individually constructed so that the toner cartridge (1000) has a double construction comprising the armoring member (300) and the toner bottle (100).

Abstract: In an image forming apparatus, a rotary developing device or revolver has a plurality of developing sections each storing a developer of particular color thereinside. The revolver is rotatable to sequentially move the developing sections to a preselected developing position so as to develop toner images sequentially formed on an image carrier. Toner cartridges are each removably mounted to the respective developing section. Only one of the cartridges located at a preselected replacing position can be pulled out and replaced. A toner cartridge is prevented from being accidentally mounted to the developing section located at the replacing position and whose cartridge has already been replaced.

Abstract: In an image forming apparatus, three or more (four in this case) cylindrical photosensitive members 1 to 4 on which latent images are formed and developed through use of toner to thereby produce toner images, are arranged so as to share a tangential line in common, and a cylindrical intermediate transfer member 51 is provided. Alternatively, a first unit containing one or more image carriers is positioned next to a first transfer member and a second unit containing one or more image carriers is positioned next to a second transfer member such that there is reflectional symmetry between the first and second units and the transfer members.

Abstract: A color printer including a photoconductive belt, a black developing unit which is located adjacent the photoconductive belt and a revolving type developing unit which is located adjacent the photoconductive belt and has a developing position on the photoconductive belt which is different from that of the black developing unit. The revolving type developing unit has a yellow developing device, a magenta developing device and a cyan developing device, each including a detachable toner cartridge by which yellow toner, magenta toner and cyan toner is replenished. The black developing unit is replaceable independent of the revolving type developing unit by being removably mounted on a removable frame on which the revolving type developing unit is mounted. Both developing units are removable from the color printer as a body by removal of the removable frame from the color printer.

Abstract: Maintenance performance is promoted and a vivid printed image is provided in an electrophotographic device capable of conducting color printing. Cartridges corresponding to different printing colors, each of which includes a photosensitive body, are stacked in a vertical direction. A recording sheet is fed along a sheet feeding path and brought into contact with the photosensitive bodies corresponding to the respective colors, and toner images of the respective printing colors are transferred on the recording sheet. A transfer belt for feeding the recording sheet is arranged in a front cover, and the transfer belt is exposed when the front cover is opened. Therefore, correcting a mis-feeding of the recording sheet is facilitated. Also, the respective cartridges are spaced apart such that optical paths are provided between the cartridges so that optical beams corresponding to the respective printing colors may be directly irradiated onto the corresponding photosensitive bodies.

Abstract: A multi-color image forming apparatus includes a rotatable endless image forming member, plural exposure devices provided inside of the image forming member, and plural units each including a charger to electrically charge an outer surface of the image forming member and a developing device containing a color toner of plural different color toners to develop a latent image. Each of the plural units are disposed on the outer surface of the image forming member so as to be opposite to one of plural exposure devices so that multi-color toner images can be formed on the outer surface of the image forming member during a single rotation of the image forming member. in addition, each of the plural units is detachable from the apparatus independently of other units.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: a photoreceptor drum; a charger for charging an outer surface of the photoreceptor drum; image exposure devices each for exposing the photoreceptor drum to form a latent image thereon, wherein the image exposure devices are provided inside the photoreceptor drum, and are detachably mountable with the photoreceptor drum to the image forming apparatus; a developing device for developing the latent image to form a toner image on the outer surface of the photoreceptor drum; and a supporting member on which the image exposure devices are mounted, wherein the supporting member and the photoreceptor drum are connected through bearing members on both ends of the photoreceptor drum, and the supporting member has an engaging portion for engaging with a part of the image forming apparatus to fix the image exposure devices through the supporting member, while the photoreceptor drum is rotated around the image exposure devices through the bearing members.

Abstract: A color image forming device in which an operator with no special trained experience can easily replace photosensitive bodies one by one without inviting deterioration in print quality due to shear in printing. The color image forming device has photosensitive bodies having rotational shafts parallelized nearly, the photosensitive bodies being driven respectively and rotatably in a box. The color image forming device forms a color image on a transfer paper sheet by transferring sequentially color manifest images developed on the photosensitive bodies on the transfer paper sheets. The color image forming device includes a positioning and fixing implement coupled axially and removably to the front end of the rotational shaft of each of the photosensitive bodies, for positioning and fixing to the box while the end of the rotational shaft is supported rotatably; and a coupling for coupling axially and detachably the rotational shaft on the base side of the photosensitive body with a drive system fixed on the box.

Abstract: An apparatus for forming multi color toner images includes a photoreceptor drum which has an opening at a first end through which an inside of the photoreceptor drum is accessible, and which has an outer surface on which multi color toner images are formed. A supporting member is provided which is capable of being inserted into the inside of the photoreceptor drum through the opening thereof. A cover member is provided on a first end of the supporting member for covering the opening. A plurality of exposing devices are mounted on the supporting member so that the plurality of exposing devices and the supporting member are incorporated inside the photoreceptor drum when the cover member is fixed so as to cover the opening. A plurality of charging devices are provided around the outer surface of the photoreceptor drum for charging the outer surface of the photoreceptor drum.

Abstract: A plurality of electrostatic recording units are arranged in series along a path for moving a recording sheet of paper, and charged toner images having different colors are formed on the sheet of paper travelled through the path. A paper feeder unit is arranged beneath a paper introduction side of the paper moving path. The sheet of paper carrying the toner image formed thereon is ejected from a paper ejection side of the paper moving path, and is sent to a fixer in which the toner image is fixed on the sheet of paper. The sheet of paper carrying the toner image fixed thereon is sent to a paper receiver tray positioned above the fixer.