Abstract: In order to provide a miniature full-color recorder having an excellent color reproducibility and to provide a full-color recorder having a wider color reproduction range beyond the range of subtraction color mixing of three primary colors, first and second potential split developing processes are continuously arranged for one recording medium.

Abstract: A method for producing a toner of a custom color in a developer unit including a housing defining a reservoir for storing a supply of toner, a donor member for transporting toner to an imaging surface; including: identifying custom color requested; determining color of toner in the reservoir; detoning toner on the donor member if the color of toner in the reservoir is beyond a predefined value in color space from the custom color requested; calculating and dispensing primaries toner colors to be added to the reservoir to obtained the custom color requested; mixing the primary toner colors dispensed in the reservoir; and evaluating and comparing the color components of the toner being mixed to the custom color requested.

Abstract: An image forming device includes an image forming unit and a thermal fixing unit. The image forming unit uses a plurality of different color developing agents to form a color image on a recording medium. The plurality of different color developing agents are configured from binding resins with the same thermal properties. The plurality of different color developing agents include at least a high-resistance developing agent and a low-resistance developing agent. The high-resistance developing agent has a higher electrical resistance than the low-resistance developing agent and a lower charge-to-mass ratio than the low-resistance developing agent. The thermal fixing unit thermally fixes the color image onto the recording medium.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus of the present invention includes two developing units each including two developing rollers facing a particular photoconductive drum and rotatable about respective axis parallel to the axis of the drum. Each developing unit is supported by a respective image forming unit and angularly movable about an axis substantially parallel to the axis of the drum. When each developing unit is angularly moved by a preselected angle, a gap for development is established between one of the developing rollers and the associated drum.

Abstract: A method for forming an image in an electrophotographic printer. The method includes the steps of rotating a developing roller at the same linear velocity as that of a photosensitive medium in a state where the developing roller is separated from the photosensitive medium, moving a developer so that the developing roller is in contact with the photosensitive medium, and changing the linear velocity of the developing roller to be faster than that of the photosensitive medium after contact and proceeding with the developing process, rotating the developing roller at the same linear velocity as that of the photosensitive medium after completing the developing process, and moving the developer so that the developing roller is separated from the photosensitive medium.

Abstract: According to the present invention, there is provided an image forming apparatus including developing units which develop latent images formed on image carriers for colors of yellow, magenta, cyan, and black using toners of the corresponding colors, transfer units which transfer toner images in the respective colors formed on the image carriers onto the same transfer body, and a fixing unit which fixes the toner images, and toner preferably used in the image forming apparatus. The developing unit performs development using toner in which, out of five materials of silica, titania, barium sulfate, fine polymer particles, and a lubricant, materials not including either fine polymer particles or barium sulfate are fixed as an external additive, in order to avoid poor transfer and toner filming, improve the cleaning properties, and form an excellent image.

Abstract: A color electrophotographic apparatus includes a photosensitive member, an exposing device for forming an image on the photosensitive member, developing devices for different colors, and a transfer member. The developing devices include a toner storing chamber, a toner carrying member for forming a toner layer, a regulating member for regulating an amount of toner attached to the toner carrying member, a toner supply chamber having a supply member therein, a toner recovery chamber having an rotating member therein, and a separating member for separating the toner supply chamber from the toner recovery chamber so that the toner supply chamber is disposable above the toner recovery chamber.

Abstract: A color electrophotographic apparatus eliminates necessity of mechanism for urging the developer from the front side. The developer is placed away from a photo conductor. On both sides of the developer, mutually cooperated gears are provided. One of the gear meshes with a drive gear with a clutch for driving the developer. The other gear is meshed with a brake gear coupled with a brake mechanism whose brake function can be turned On and OFF by an electric signal. The drive gear is arranged to urge the developer onto the photo conductor by rotation thereof. When the gear of the developer rotates, the brake gear is arranged at a position to urge the developer onto the photo conductor. The torque to start slippage of the brake is set at a value to be greater than a force of a spring pushing back the developer.

Abstract: A development system is provided that extends the functionality of liquid developer to produce custom colors and combines it with a powder development engine to enable custom color printing. An apparatus for developing an image on an imaging surface, including: a first developer unit having dry marking particles therein for developing a first portion of the image; and a second developer unit having a solution of marking particles and liquid carrier therein for developing a second portion of the image.

Abstract: The present invention provides: a color image forming apparatus that forms an image using a deep toner and a pale toner at least for one color such that the pale toner is used to form an image in a high lightness area and the pale toner and the deep toner are used in combination to form the image in a half tone area; a toner kit having a deep toner and a pale toner which are separated from each other; a deep toner and a deep toner and a pale toner to be used in the toner kit and the color image forming apparatus; and a method for forming an image using the color image forming apparatus, the toner kit, and the deep toner and the pale toner. According to the present invention, a high quality image can be formed while inhibiting graininess and roughness over a broad image area.

Abstract: The specification discloses an image forming apparatus which forms a visual image on a belt transfer member by at least one of image forming units and transfers the formed visual image onto a recording medium with the aid of the belt transfer member. In the image forming apparatus, the belt transfer member includes an endless belt wound on a plurality of tension rolls. A bending member, which bends the endless belt toward the inside of a tangential line connecting points on the outer circumferences of a couple of tension rolls, and locates the bent endless belt inside the tangential line, is additionally provided outside the endless belt located between at least the couple of adjacent tension rolls. An image forming unit may be additionally provided within an outside bending concave region of the endless belt, which is bent by the bending member and the tension rolls adjacent to the bending member.

Abstract: A color image forming apparatus includes a photosensitive medium and developers in a fixed position, each having a developing gap with respect to the photosensitive medium to consecutively develop an image with color toners.

Abstract: The selective depopulation and/or repopulation of a full color image-next-to-image or image-on-image print engine for generating monochrome and/or highlight color images, utilizing a multiplicity of functionally-equivalent substations in tandem to compensate for the increase in printing speed.

Abstract: A developer driving apparatus which drives a plurality of developing rollers via a gear chain including pivotable gears and one way gears. A reversible driving motor is coupled to a deceleration gear which directly drives a first swing drive gear and drives a second swing drive gear via an odd number of idler gears. Each swing drive gear is rotationally coupled with a respective swing gear having a center of rotation which is pivotable about a center of rotation of the respective swing drive gear. In a first position each swing gear drives one of the plurality of rollers via a respective one way gear and in a second position, each swing gear drives another of the plurality of rollers via a respective one way gear. A solenoid activated lever moves each swing gear between respective first and second positions.

Abstract: A color image forming system including a photosensitive drum, a charger which charges the photosensitive drum, and a laser scanning unit which is installed below the photosensitive drum and radiates light onto the charged photosensitive drum, to form an electrostatic latent image. The system further includes a plurality of developing units with toner of at least four colors such as yellow, magenta, cyan, and black, arranged at different heights along the outer surface of the photosensitive drum to develop the electrostatic latent image with the toner when a developing roller installed in each of the developing units is maintained at a developing gap with the photosensitive drum. A transfer unit transfers the developed image onto a piece of paper, and a fusing unit is installed above the photosensitive drum and fuses the transferred image onto the piece of paper. The developing units may be arranged in the order of magenta, cyan, yellow, and black.

Abstract: Disclosed is toner using coloring agent-containing particles including a particulate coloring agent and a particulate additive treated with mechanochemical processing.

Abstract: The selective depopulation and/or repopulation of a full color image-next-to-image or image-on-image print engine for generating monochrome and/or highlight color images, utilizing a multiplicity of functionally-equivalent substations in tandem to compensate for the increase in printing speed.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus having a tandem system configuration, includes: a multiple number of photoreceptors which each form an electrostatic latent image; and a multiple number of developing devices each holding a different color toner from the others for development of the corresponding static latent image, and is constructed so that the plural toners at least include a black toner, and the abrading force of the black toner or its carrier therein acting on the photoreceptor surface is adjusted so as to be smaller than that of the other developing toners or their carrier therein. Since, in a tandem type color image forming apparatus, the developing devices, photoreceptors and toners for all colors will reach the end of their life at the same time, the image forming apparatus can be operated at low cost.

Abstract: A color image forming apparatus includes recording medium arranged along a conveying path to form electrostatic latent images. The apparatus also includes developing units installed in a neighborhood of the recording medium to feed developers having different lightness to the respective electrostatic latent images formed on the recording medium and form developed images. The apparatus further includes transfer units to multiple-transfer developed images formed on the recording medium sequentially on a material to be transferred which is conveyed along the conveying path. The apparatus also includes collectors to collect residual developers on the recording medium after passing the respective transfer units. The developing unit having the developer with lowest lightness compared with the developing unit having the developer with highest lightness according to the CIE color specification system is installed in a neighborhood of the recording medium arranged on a downstream side of the conveying path.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image bearing member and a developer carrying member, which carries a developer to develop an electrostatic image formed on the image bearing member with the developer. In a non-developmental time period, a peripheral velocity of the developer carrying member is slower than the peripheral velocity of the developer carrying member during a developmental time period. In addition, a peripheral velocity of the image bearing member during the non-developmental time period is slower than the peripheral velocity of the image bearing member during the development time period.

Abstract: A development system is provided that extends the functionality of liquid developer to produce custom colors and combines it with a powder development engine to enable custom color printing. An apparatus for developing an image on an imaging surface, including: a first developer unit having dry marking particles therein for developing a first portion of the image; and a second developer unit having a solution of marking particles and liquid carrier therein for developing a second portion of the image.

Abstract: 0.01 to 5% by weight of the metal soap is added to the yellow toner and black toner.

Abstract: Full-color developing agents using a polyester resin having a pre-determined acid value as a binder, a zirconium complex of a salicylic acid derivative as a CCA, a benzimidazolone as a yellow pigment, a naphthol AS insoluble azo pigment as a magenta pigment, a phthalocyanine pigment as a cyan pigment, and carbon black as a black pigment are applied to obtain high-quality images having stable charging characteristics, good color tones, satisfactory image density, and no problems in fog and toner scattering.

Abstract: An apparatus for developing a latent image recorded on an imaging surface with a custom color toner, including a developer housing for developing a portion of the latent image with the toner of custom color. The developer housing includes a donor member for transporting toner of the custom color to a development zone to develop the latent image. A replaceable reservoir unit is provided for mixing and supplying the custom color toner to the donor member. An array of toner dispensers is provided for supplying various primary color toners, as required, to achieve the custom color, and additional reservoirs having various colored toners therein to allow for faster convergence to a given point in the color space.

Abstract: A color image formation apparatus includes a plurality of stages of photosensitive drums provided for respective developing agents, the photosensitive drums arranged in a predetermined direction; and developer units which are provided for respective photosensitive drums and which develop electrostatic latent images formed on the photosensitive drums, wherein an overlap exists in the predetermined direction between a portion of each photosensitive drum and a portion of the developer unit provided so as to correspond to an adjacent photosensitive drum.

Abstract: An electrostatic image forming apparatus is disclosed. The image forming apparatus contains a toner used in the developing means having saturated moisture content at a temperature of 30° C. and a relative humidity of 80% of within the range of from 0.1 to 2.0% by weight, and the photoreceptor contains a siloxane resin having an electric charge transfer ability and a crosslinked structure in the surface layer.

Abstract: 0.01 to 5% by weight of the metal soap is added to the yellow toner and black toner.

Abstract: An apparatus for developing a latent image recorded on an imaging surface with a custom color toner, including a developer housing for developing a portion of said latent image with the toner of custom color. The developer housing includes a donor member for transporting toner of the custom color to a development zone to develop the latent image. A replaceable reservoir unit is provided for mixing and supplying the custom color toner to the donor member. An array of toner dispensers is provided for supplying various primary color toners, as required, to achieve the custom color, and additional reservoirs having various colored toners therein to allow for faster convergence to a given point in the color space.

Abstract: An imaging system that includes a photoreceptor belt capable of having an electrostatic latent image recorded thereon, a group of developing stations capable of developing a color image on the photoreceptor, and at least one charging means and at least one exposing means to prepare the photoreceptor for desired conditions, such as creating a cleaning patch to remove toner from a toner support member associated with one of the plurality of developing stations.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for indicating a low toner condition in a printer having a plurality of toner cartridges are provided. A method is provided which includes presenting a cartridge having low toner at a cartridge access way where the cartridge can be removed and replaced. The method can also include providing a carriage which can movably support the plurality of toner cartridges and can automatically move the cartridge having low toner to the cartridge access way when a low toner condition is detected. An apparatus is provided which includes a movable carriage which can move in a substantially linear manner. Other apparatus are provided which include a movable carriage which can move in a substantially rotational manner.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a non-contact, single-component developing system for electrophotographic machines that effectively reduces the impact of adhesion forces on the development process. The developing system of the present invention utilizes a single-component toner that tends to reduce the adhesion forces that hold the toner particles on a toner support member. Preferably, the toner is combined with large and small silica particles having a concentration by weight that results in an optimum surface coverage of toner particles by large and small silica particles that facilitates a reduction in the adhesion forces holding the toner particles on the toner support member.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image bearing member; a first developer container for containing toner and carrier particles and for developing an electrostatic latent image formed on the image bearing member at a developing station; a rotatable member for rotating the first developer container along a path extending through the developing station, wherein the first developer container is effective to discharge residual matter produced by receiving the toner and carrier particles to outside of the first developer container using a rotation of the rotatable member; a first stretch that the second developer container for containing toner particles and for developing an electrostatic latent image formed on the image bearing member, wherein the second developer container is disposed at a position different from that of the developing station.

Abstract: In a two-component development system containing a toner and a carrier, an a-Si photosensitive member having a diameter of from 20 mm to 80 mm is used, the photosensitive member is electrostatically charged to have a surface potential of from 300 to 450 V (absolute value), and yellow, magenta, cyan and black toners are used each of which have a weight-average particle diameter of from 4.0 &mgr;m to 10.0 &mgr;m, and, under a condition that the carrier of the two-component developer has a 50% average particle diameter of from 10 &mgr;m to 80 &mgr;m and as image density (D0.5) measured usually after the toner is fixed once when the quantity of unfixed toner on a transfer medium, M/S, is 0.5 mg/cm2, have a coloring power of from 1.0 to 1.9, and in which the difference between a maximum value and a minimum value of D0.5 of yellow, magenta, cyan and black colors is form 0 to 0.5. This makes it possible to obtain high-quality images in a high image density and a superior color reproduction.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes at least one image carrier that carries an electrostatic latent image on a surface of the image carrier. At least one developing device develops the electrostatic latent image with a developer including a toner to which a first lubricant is added to form a toner image on the surface of the image carrier. A lubricant applying device applies a second lubricant onto the surface of the image carrier. A lubricant application amount adjusting device adjusts an amount of the second lubricant to be applied onto the surface of the image carrier. And, a control device controls the lubricant application amount adjusting device to adjust the amount of the second lubricant to be applied onto the surface of the image carrier according to an area of the toner image formed on the surface of the image carrier.

Abstract: A jump monocomponent development arrangement includes a dielectric photoreceptor belt having an image-bearing surface for receiving an electrostatic charge image and a development station having a supply of toner particles with a mean diameter in a range from 8 microns to 14 microns and including large and small additive particles having mean diameters in size ranges of 6 to 12 nm and 20 to 50 nm, respectively, and in amounts sufficient to provide surface coverage of the toner particles in ranges from about 5 percent to about 50 percent and about 50 percent to about 150 percent, respectively.

Abstract: In an image forming apparatus that is capable of forming a color image by bringing plural one-component developing devices in contact with a photosensitive belt, a two-component developing device for black image forming is arranged to face the photosensitive belt in an area wherein the belt is not displaced. By controlling this two component developing device in either the ready to developing state or the non-developing state, when forming a color image, the one-component developing devices are brought in contact with or separated from the photosensitive belt and when forming a monochrome image, using the two-component developing device, a developing nip is formed for the developing gap between the developing device and the photosensitive belt by the developer layer, and a black toner image is formed on the photosensitive belt.

Abstract: A color electrophotographic apparatus having a photosensitive member, an exposing device for forming an electrostatic latent image on the photosensitive member, four developing devices which attach toner on the photosensitive member and form a toner image and a transfer member for transferring the toner image onto a printing medium. The four developing devices include respectively a developing device for a yellow image, a magenta image, cyan image, and a black image. Each developing device includes a toner storing chamber for storing toner of a nonmagnetic one-component developer, a toner carrying member for forming a toner layer of the toner, a regulating member for regulating an amount of toner attached to the toner carrying member, a toner recovery chamber having an agitating member for agitating recovered toner, and a separating member for separating a toner supply chamber for the toner carrying member from the toner recovery chamber.

Abstract: A color image forming apparatus and method includes a plurality of recording medium arranged along a conveying path for forming electrostatic latent images, a plurality of developing units installed respectively in the neighborhood of the plurality of recording medium for feeding developers having different lightness to the respective electrostatic latent images formed on the plurality of recording medium and forming developed images a plurality of transfer units for multiple-transferring the developed images formed respectively on the plurality of recording medium sequentially on a material to be transferred which is conveyed along the conveying path, and a plurality of collectors for collecting the respective residual developers on the plurality of recording medium after passing the transfer units in the plurality of developing units respectively.

Abstract: In an image forming apparatus that is capable of forming a color image by bringing plural one-component developing devices in contact with a photosensitive belt, a two-component developing device for black image forming is arranged to face the photosensitive belt in an area wherein the belt is not displaced. By controlling this two-component developing devices to the ready to developing state or the non-developing state, when forming a color image, the one-component developing devices are brought in contact with or separated from the photosensitive belt and when forming a monochrome image, using the two-component developing device, a developing nip is formed for the developing gap between the developing device and the photosensitive belt by the developer layer, and a black toner image is formed on the photosensitive belt.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a plurality of cartridges each having a toner container and a memory. The plurality of cartridges are detachably mountable to a main body of the image forming apparatus. A plurality of supply systems supply toners to the respective toner containers of the plurality of cartridges. A control system writes information in the respective memories of the plurality of cartridges. When a new cartridge is mounted, the control system writes color information corresponding to a mounting position in the memory of the new cartridge.

Abstract: An apparatus for efficiently transferring at least two subtractive color toner images simultaneously onto a substrate. The apparatus includes a photoreceptor, transfer charger, mechanism for placing the substrate between the photoreceptor and transfer charger, a plurality of print stations and a stabilizing charger unit. Each of the print stations include a charger unit, an exposure unit, and a developer unit for applying a respective color toner to the latent image formed by the exposure unit in conjunction with the charger unit upon the photoreceptor. Upon application to photoreceptor, each toner has an initial charge-to-mass ratio, which is subsequently increased to a saturated charge-to-mass ratio when the toner passes under the charger unit of a subsequent print station. Thus, the stabilizing charger unit substantially conforms the charge-to-mass ratio of the toner deposited by the last print station to the charge-to-mass ratio of the toner developed previously.

Abstract: In order to provide a miniature full-color recorder excellent in color reproducibility and provides a full-color recorder having a wider color reproduction range beyond the range of subtraction color mixing of the three primary colors, the first and second potential split developing processes are continuously arranged for one recording medium.

Abstract: In an electrostatographic recording apparatus and method of forming images on a charge retentive surface such as a photoconductive member using a single writer source, the surface is uniformly charged by a corona charger to a predetermined voltage potential level. An image frame is then exposed on a pixel by pixel basis with varying amounts of exposure by the source for at least some pixels to form a tri-state type of latent image on the image frame including a charged area developable (CAD) latent image having at least some exposed pixels at various different sub-levels of exposure within the CAD latent image, a discharged-area developable (DAD) latent image having at least some exposed pixels at various different sub-levels of exposure within said discharged area developable image, and a background area The DAD and CAD latent images are then developed with toners of two different colors by two different developer sources.

Abstract: An intermediate transfer member, which is used for a tandem color image forming device, is formed in an endless belt shape, and includes a polyimide resin as a main component. The planarity of the intermediate transfer member is less than or equal to 5 mm. Also, a method of fabricating the intermediate transfer member.

Abstract: An image forming device includes an image forming unit and a thermal fixing unit. The image forming unit uses a plurality of different color developing agents to form a color image on a recording medium. The plurality of different color developing agents are configured from binding resins with the same thermal properties. The plurality of different color developing agents include at least a high-resistance developing agent and a low-resistance developing agent. The high-resistance developing agent has a higher electrical resistance than the low-resistance developing agent and a lower charge-to-mass ratio than the low-resistance developing agent. The thermal fixing unit thermally fixes the color image onto the recording medium.

Abstract: A developing system is provided for forming a full-color image, which includes (i) a first developing device which is equipped with a developer-supporting member having a mean crest distance (Sm) of 20-200 &mgr;m on its surface and satisfying the following relation: 0.5-30, (ii) a second developing device which is equipped with a developer-supporting member having a mean crest distance (Sm) of 20-200 &mgr;m on its surface and satisfying the following relation: d4, Ra=0.5-3.0, wherein tan &dgr; (50° C.) of the black toner is not more than 1.0, and a first ratio of tan &dgr; and a first ratio tan 6 represented by (tan 8 (150° C.) of the first color toner (tan 8 (150° C.) of the black toner satisfies the following relation: I the first ratio of tan 8s 1.35.

Abstract: The present invention provides an image forming apparatus that has a plurality of image bearing members for bearing developer images thereon, and a plurality of developer containing portions for containing developers therein and provided correspondingly to respective ones of the plurality of image bearing members, wherein the developer images can be transferred from the plurality of image bearing members to a transferring member moving along the respective transferring positions of the plurality of image bearing members, and of the plurality of developer containing portions, a developer containing portion having greatest developer containing quantity is provided at least one of upstream of the most upstream one of the plurality of image bearing members and downstream of the most downstream one of the plurality of image bearing members, with respect to a moving direction of the transferring member.

Abstract: This invention relates to color printing, and more particularly, to color laser printing systems. Such structures of this type, generally, employ a rotatable, carousel type shuttle color printer with all in one electrophotographic (EP) cartridges which rotate to a non-printing position such that a predetermined gap or distance between the cartridges and the transfer belt is formed in order that the various colors required to be printed upon the sheet can be printed without adversely affecting the print quality.

Abstract: By providing a printing density controller for changing a printing density in a range from a dropout color to non-dropout color, an electrophotographic printing apparatus can conduct the light and shade adjustment of the printing density in a broad range, and also cope with the dropout color printing.

Abstract: In a two-component development system containing a toner and a carrier, an a-Si photosensitive member having a diameter of from 20 mm to 80 mm is used, the photosensitive member is electrostatically charged to have a surface potential of from 300 to 450 V (absolute value), and yellow, magenta, cyan and black toners are used each of which have a weight-average particle diameter of from 4.0 &mgr;m to 10.0 &mgr;m, and, under a condition that the carrier of the two-component developer has a 50% average particle diameter of from 10 &mgr;m to 80 &mgr;m and as image density (D0.5) measured usually after the toner is fixed once when the quantity of unfixed toner on a transfer medium, M/S, is 0.5 mg/cm2, have a coloring power of from 1.0 to 1.9, and in which the difference between a maximum value and a minimum value of D0.5 of yellow, magenta, cyan and black colors is form 0 to 0.5. This makes it possible to obtain high-quality images in a high image density and a superior color reproduction.