Abstract: An intermediate transfer unit includes an intermediate transfer belt, a plurality of transfer rollers, a housing, and a filter unit. The intermediate transfer belt is mounted around a drive roller and a driven roller and capable of traveling in an endless path around the rollers. The housing holds the intermediate transfer belt and the transfer rollers. The filter unit includes: a suction portion; an exhaust portion; and a rectangular chassis provided internally with an upstream filter and a downstream filter both capable of collecting powder particles. The filter unit is disposed inside of the intermediate transfer belt so that a direction of length of the chassis is oriented parallel to a direction of width of the intermediate transfer belt perpendicular to a direction of travel of the intermediate transfer belt, and the filter unit is fixed to the housing.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a method for concentrating an ink composition, wherein the method comprises the steps of: (a) providing an ink composition, the ink composition comprising a liquid carrier and particles comprising a resin and a colorant, and wherein the ink composition contains less than 0.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a method for concentrating an ink composition, wherein the method comprises the steps of: (a) providing an ink composition, the ink composition comprising a liquid carrier and particles comprising a resin and a colorant, and wherein the ink composition contains less than 0.

Abstract: Ions generated by the ion generating section are discharged from a paper sheet conveyer belt nozzle and an intermediate transfer belt nozzle, so that (i) a toner image transferred from a photosensitive drum onto an intermediate transfer belt and having yet to be transferred from the intermediate transfer belt onto a recording paper sheet and (ii) a paper sheet conveyer belt are charged. This makes it possible to more appropriately transfer a toner image onto a recording paper sheet from a photosensitive drum in an image forming apparatus, including a conveyer belt for conveying a recording paper sheet, in which a toner image formed on an image carrier is transferred onto an intermediate transfer body and the toner image is transferred from the intermediate transfer body onto a recording material; and to simultaneously prevent an increase in size of the image forming apparatus.

Abstract: A printhead having a set of redundant rows of electrodes. The set of redundant rows is formed by providing additional rows of a first set of electrodes that repeats the charge-deposition pattern of another electrode in the set. The redundant electrodes are selectively activated to allow line to line variation of the charge deposition sequence when forming a latent image.

Abstract: An electrostatic recording apparatus using an ion flow is constructed by: a recording paper inserting slot into which a recording paper as a recording medium is inserted; a humidistat for reducing a moisture content of the recording paper; a latent image forming unit for forming an electrostatic latent image onto the recording paper; a charge amount detecting unit for measuring a charge amount of the recording paper; developing units corresponding to respective colors; and a recording paper ejecting slot for ejecting the recording paper. Thus, an electrostatic latent image can be directly stably formed on a general paper.

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 ionographic printer bar directs a stream of ions from an integral ion source having a planar surface for emitting ions to a charge receptor to create an electrostatic latent image thereon. The ion stream passes through an aperture having associated therewith a focusing pinch electrode for narrowing the ion stream to a preselected width, displacing electrodes for positioning the narrowed ion stream within the aperture, and focus electrodes. The integral ion source is placed in propinquity in relation to the ionographic printer bar. The planar design of ion source allows reduce size of the ionographic printer bar because no support frame is needed and allow increase robustness of the ionographic printer bar which makes it easy to install in a machine and easy to clean.

Abstract: An apparatus for applying an electrical charge to a charge retentive surface by transporting ions through an ionically conductive liquid and transferring the ions to the member to be charged across the liquid/charge retentive surface interface. The ionically conductive liquid is contacted with the charge retentive surface for depositing ions onto the charge retentive surface via a wetted donor blade supported within a conductive housing, wherein the housing is coupled to an electrical power supply for applying an electrical potential to the ionically conductive liquid. In one specific embodiment, the charging apparatus includes a support blade for urging the donor blade into contact with the charge retentive surface and a wiping blade for wiping any liquid from the surface of the charge retentive surface as may have been transferred to the surface at the donor blade/charge retentive surface interface.