Abstract: An image forming method using toner comprising toner particles having a core-shell structure comprising a core particle incorporating a viscous material and a shell layer covering the above core particle is disclosed. The method comprises steps of a toner image forming step on a dielectric drum; a first pressure applying step in which the shell layer of the toner particles forming the toner image is subjected to a preliminary break treatment by a first pressure roller, which is arranged in contact with the dielectric drum; and a transfer/fixing step in which a toner image made by the toner particles which have been subjected to a preliminary break treatment by the first pressure applying step is transferred and fixed to an image support by a second pressure roller which is arranged in contact with the dielectric drum.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes image bearing member having a movable surface; charging means for charging the surface of the image bearing member; image exposure means for exposing the surface of the image bearing member charged by the charging means to light in accordance with image information, thus forming an electrostatic image; developing means for developing the electrostatic image formed on the image bearing member into a developed image; surface potential detecting means for detecting a potential of the surface of the image bearing member; discharging means for discharging the surface of the image bearing member; changing means for changing an image forming condition, wherein an area of the image bearing member passes the discharging means under different operating conditions of the discharging means, and the area is charged by the charging means, the changing means changes the image forming condition on the basis of a result of detection, by the surface potential detecting means, of surface pote

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image holding member, a toner image forming unit, a color forming information applying unit, a transfer unit, a fixing unit and a color forming unit, the color forming information applying unit exposing a toner image formed on a surface of the image holding member from a back surface side of the image holding member, light transmitted through the image holding member applying color forming information to the toner image.

Abstract: There is provided an image formation device comprising an electrostatic latent image holding body having an latent image formation surface on which an electrostatic latent image is formed, a developer supply unit to supply developer to the electrostatic latent image holding body to form, on the latent image formation surface, a developer image corresponding to the electrostatic latent image; a developer transfer unit located to face the electrostatic latent image holding body to transfer the developer image to a developer image holding surface; and a contacting member to contact the latent image formation surface at a stage which is after formation of the developer image and before transfer of the developer image to the developer image holding surface.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus which can prevent degradation of image quality in a case where dot patterns for preventing the formation of image stripes are superimposed on respective developed images corresponding to image signals. Developed images are formed on a photosensitive drum using developers of respective different colors based on image information. The developed images formed on the photosensitive drum are transferred onto an intermediate transfer belt. For each of the developed images of the respective colors, a number of dot developed images which are minute dot-shaped images formed in a dispersed manner are transferred onto the intermediate transfer belt.

Abstract: There is described a color image forming apparatus for forming a color image onto a transfer material by superimposing a plurality of unicolor toner images. The apparatus includes an intermediate transfer member onto which the plurality of unicolor toner images are successively transferred in such a manner that the plurality of unicolor toner images superimpose with each other, so as to form a full color toner image on the intermediate transfer member and a discharge section, in which a potential of the side plate is set at a polarity opposite to that of the grid electrode.

Abstract: An ion generating device is arranged such that a heater electrode is wired so as to heat (i) a creeping discharge area and (ii) areas where respective terminal sections of an induction electrode, a discharge electrode, and the heater electrode are provided. This allows prevention of dew condensation and nitric acid generation in the vicinities of the respective terminal sections.

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 system for reducing lead edge (LE) smearing in an electrostatographic machine is provided. The system comprises a pretransfer corotron positioned between a developing station and a transfer station in an electrostatographic imaging device. The pretransfer corotron is configured to apply a predetermined charge to at least a portion of a developed toner image on a photoreceptive surface. The predetermined charge is greater than a charge applied to the rest of the developed toner image. The system further includes a controller operably associated with the pretransfer corotron. The controller is configured to activate the pretransfer corotron to apply said predetermined charge to the developed toner image at a lead edge region of the developed toner image when leading edge smearing is detected during imaging operations.

Abstract: An image forming device which transfers a toner image carried on an image carrying body from the image carrying body to a transfer receiving body in a transfer section, the device including a charge producing section provided at an upstream side, in a moving direction of the transfer receiving body, with respect to a position at which the image carrying body and the transfer receiving body oppose each other so as not to be contacted with the transfer receiving body.

Abstract: The present invention is made to provide a pretransfer charging device, which allows (i) reduction of generation of discharge products such as ozone and nitroxide, (ii) excellent uniform charging, (iii) continuous stable charging for a long period of time, and (iv) restraint of distortion of a toner image. The pretransfer charging device includes (i) ion generation needles each provided face to face with an image carrier such as a photoconductor drum or an intermediating transfer belt, and (ii) a high-voltage power supply for applying a negative voltage to each of the ion generation needles. The voltage to be applied from the high-voltage power supply is not less than an ion production threshold voltage but is less than a corona discharge threshold voltage. With this, no corona discharge occurs but negative ions can be generated. This makes it possible to solve various problems caused due to the corona discharge.

Abstract: A color image forming apparatus for forming a color image onto a transfer material by superimposing a plurality of unicolor toner images. The apparatus makes it possible to produce a high quality image through a secondary transferring operation with a good secondary transferring efficiency. At a pre-secondary transfer charge eliminating section, an electric potential difference between a grid electrode disposed at an upstream side and an opposing electrode is set at such a value that is greater than that between a grid electrode disposed at a downstream side and an opposing electrode.

Abstract: A color image forming apparatus includes: a plurality of image carriers each on which a toner image having a color different from each other is formed; an intermediate transfer member to which each of the image carriers is transferred; a plurality of a primary transfer units each which transfers a toner image formed on each of the plurality of image carriers onto the intermediate transfer member; a discharging unit provided between two adjoining image carriers in a moving direction of the intermediate transfer member, which discharges an electrical charge of a toner image transferred on the intermediate transfer member; and a secondary transfer unit which transfers a plurality colors of toner images which have been superimposed on the intermediate transfer member onto a transfer material.

Abstract: A developing device includes a photosensitive member having a surface on which a visible image is formed and a developing member to feed a developer to the photosensitive member, and an image forming apparatus having the developing device. The photosensitive member includes a developing region, to which the developer is transmitted by the developing member, and a transfer region, from which the developer of the photosensitive member is transmitted to a recording medium. A redistributing unit is disposed between the developing region and the transfer region, to redistribute the developer present on the photosensitive member.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a first developing device for developing an electrostatic image with a first developer including a non-transparent toner and a carrier; a second developing device for developing an electrostatic image with a second developer including transparent toner and carrier; a first supplying device for supplying a first supply developer including non-transparent toner and a carrier to the first developing device; a first supplying device for supplying a second supply developer including transparent toner and a carrier to the second developing device; a control device for superimposing a toner image of the transparent toner on the non-transparent toner image so as to reduce a height difference in toner layer or layers of the toner image provided by the non-transparent toner, wherein a carrier weight ratio in the first supply developer and a carrier weight ratio in the second supply developer are substantially equal to each other.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a diode for restraining deterioration of an electric discharge device caused when a voltage applied to a discharge electrode and a shield electrode is switched. By switching the voltage at only one position using the diode, both of the voltage applied to the discharge electrode and the voltage applied to the shield electrode can be switched simultaneously.

Abstract: A tandem color electrostatographic printer apparatus has five or more color printing stations or modules for applying respective color separation toner images to a receiver member to form a pentachrome color image in a single pass. A fuser station fuses the pentachrome color image. A clear toner overcoat is then applied to the fused pentachrome toner image and enhanced glossing of the image is provided by a belt glosser to improve color gamut.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus for a color print having an intermediate transfer belt and a plurality of image forming devices, wherein each image forming device has a photoreceptor and a developing device, and toner images formed on photoreceptors by the developing devices are primarily transferred onto the intermediate transfer belt to form a superimposed toner image and further the superimposed toner image is secondarily transferred in a batch onto a transfer member, the apparatus including: a charging or neutralizing device; a conductive elastic member, as a counter electrode for the charging or neutralizing device; and a belt surface regulating member disposed in a vicinity of the conductive elastic member to regulate a position of the surface of the intermediate transfer belt.

Abstract: The invention prevents the phenomenon of occurrence of toner scattering or density fluctuations by changing the appropriate transfer conditions according to the toner charge of the toner images formed on an intermediate image transfer member. The density of toner images formed under prescribed image forming conditions on an intermediate image transfer member is detected, the toner charge is obtained from the detected density, and the pre-transfer charging section is controlled according to the obtained toner charge.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image carrier that holds a toner-image; an intermediate transfer member onto which the toner-image that has been held on the image carrier is transferred; a transfer unit that transfers onto a recording medium the toner-image that has been transferred onto the intermediate transfer member; the transfer unit transferring thereon a color-toner-image for checking toner-image, which has been formed in a non-image forming region on the intermediate transfer member; an application unit that applies an adhesion force reducing agent to a surface of the transfer unit before the color-toner-image for checking formed on the intermediate transfer member passes through the transfer unit, the adhesion force reducing agent reducing adhesion force to the transfer unit of the color-toner-image for checking; and a cleaning unit that removes the color-toner-image for checking that has been transferred onto the transfer unit and the adhesion force reducing agent.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus is provided in which a toner image is fixed onto a recording medium with use of a fixer fluid in liquid form without causing generation of curls and wrinkles in the recording medium, the amount of the fixer fluid to be used can be reduced, even a multi-color toner image can be fixed in a short period of time, and power consumption is small. The image forming apparatus includes a toner image forming section, an intermediate transfer section, a secondary transfer section, a fixing section, and a recording medium supply section. A fixer fluid applying section included in the fixing section applies a fixer fluid to an image portion and a non-image portion of a recording medium. The quantity of applying the fixer fluid for a non-image portion is smaller than that for a image portion.

Abstract: In the discharge section to correct the potential of toner image on the intermediate transfer body before the secondary image transfer and to obtain a good secondary transfer image, it is made that the opposite electrode is brought into contact with the back surface of the intermediate transfer body under the stable condition.

Abstract: A method of producing an image on a final image receptor from image data in a multiple pass electrophotographic system is provided. The method includes the steps of applying transfer assist material to an intermediate transfer member and providing at least one development unit including a photoreceptive element and charged toner particles. During each complete processing cycle of an intermediate transfer member, a toned image is created and transferred to the intermediate transfer member by application of a bias. In multiple processing cycles of the intermediate transfer member, the transfer assist material and the at least one toned image thereby form a composite image layer on the intermediate transfer member. The method further includes contacting the composite image layer with a final image receptor while applying a bias that is sufficiently strong to transfer at least a portion of the composite image layer to the final image receptor.

Abstract: A method of producing an image on a final image receptor in a single pass electrophotographic system is provided. The method includes the steps of providing at least one toner development unit including a photoreceptive element and charged toner particles, and creating a toned image on the photoreceptive element that is transferred to an intermediate transfer member. The method further includes providing a transfer assist material development unit for applying a transfer assist material to at least a portion of the toned image to form a complete image layer on the intermediate transfer member, wherein the complete image layer is formed in a single pass of the intermediate transfer member. The method also includes contacting the complete image layer with a final image receptor while applying a bias that is sufficiently strong to transfer at least a portion of the complete image layer to the final image receptor.

Abstract: What is disclosed is a system and method for minimizing the Inter-Document Zone (IDZ) in printing system architectures with print engines running at constant speed. The asymmetric IDZ precession disclosed herein is intended for those multi-pass systems where there is a difference in required start and stop durations of various transition subsystems such as transfer engagement and disengagement processes. This mode reduces the required inter-document zone region by shifting the zone in accordance with asymmetric timing of start and stop times of processes that must occur during this time. Advantageously, productivity gains are effectuated without altering process speeds.

Abstract: A method for improving image transfer in liquid electrostatic printing includes applying at least one layer of toner to a surface, transferring the at least one layer of toner from the surface to an intermediate transfer member, and after transferring the at least one layer of toner to the intermediate transfer member and prior to transferring the at least one layer of toner from the intermediate transfer member to a final substrate, selectively applying a wetting substance to the surface and transferring the wetting substance from the surface to the at least one layer of toner transferred to the intermediate transfer member.

Abstract: An electrophotographic image forming apparatus and method thereof. The apparatus includes a photosensitive body, an exposing unit to form an electrostatic latent image on the photosensitive body charged to a uniform electric potential, and a developing unit to develop the electrostatic latent image on the photosensitive body, wherein a color toner attached to an image portion of the electrostatic latent image and a transparent toner charged to an opposite polarity to the polarity of the color toner and attached to a non-image portion of the electrostatic latent image are together accommodated in the developing unit, and at least one of the color toner and the transparent toner is a potato type polymerization toner.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus, including an image forming section which forms a toner image on an image carrier, a primary transfer section which transfers the toner image formed by the image forming section on the image carrier from the image carrier to an intermediate transfer body, a secondary transfer section which transfers the toner image on the intermediate transfer body onto an image transfer material, an pre-secondary transfer electric discharging section which is located between the primary transfer section and the secondary transfer section to electrically discharge the toner image on the intermediate transfer body, and a control section which controls an output of the pre-secondary transfer electric discharging section, based on a smoothness of a surface of the image transfer material.

Abstract: A color image forming apparatus may have an image forming unit composed of a plurality of groups which have image carriers and image forming devices.

Abstract: A developing device configured to carry out development of an electrostatic image using color toner particles and transparent toner particles includes color and transparent developing units configured to store toner particles, carrier particles, and additive particles and configured to carry out development of the electrostatic image; color and transparent developer replenishment containers configured to store replenishment developers including at least the toner particles and the carrier particles and configured to replenish developing units with the replenishment developers; and color and transparent developers openings provided at the developing units and configured to discharge the developers in the developing units outside the developing units while replenishing the developing units with the replenishment developers, wherein the carrier particle weight ratio of the transparent replenishment developer is higher than the carrier particle weight ratio of the color replenishment developer.

Abstract: A color image forming apparatus wherein the pre-secondary transfer electric charge eliminating device arranged intermediate between a primary transfer section and a secondary transfer section is provided with: a discharge electrode arranged on the side opposite to the toner carrier surface of an intermediate transfer member; and a counter electrode containing a discharge electrode and a conductive elastic member arranged at the opposed position beyond the intermediate transfer member so as to be pressed against the intermediate transfer member; wherein the pressing force of the aforementioned counter electrode against the rear surface of the intermediate transfer member is distributed in such a way that the pressure for the center of the intermediate transfer member is smaller than that for both ends thereof, in the transversal direction to the direction in which the intermediate transfer member rotates.

Abstract: A system for reducing lead edge (LE) smearing in an electrostatographic machine is provided. The system comprises a pretransfer corotron positioned between a developing station and a transfer station in an electrostatographic imaging device. The pretransfer corotron is configured to apply a predetermined charge to at least a portion of a developed toner image on a photoreceptive surface. The predetermined charge is greater than a charge applied to the rest of the developed toner image. The system further includes a controller operably associated with the pretransfer corotron. The controller is configured to activate the pretransfer corotron to apply said predetermined charge to the developed toner image at a lead edge region of the developed toner image when leading edge smearing is detected during imaging operations.

Abstract: In image formation of a black-line image, the image is developed with black toner, and in addition parts of the black-line image corresponding to an intersection between at least two black lines and a middle portion of a black line are developed with toner of at least one of cyan, yellow, and magenta colors overlaid. This makes it possible to prevent central voids in a black-line image. In a black-line image transferred onto a transfer medium by this full-color image forming apparatus, not only are central voids eliminated, but degradation of image quality is also prevented.

Abstract: There is disclosed a color image forming apparatus, which makes it possible to prevent a reproduced image from generating image defects, such as a color unevenness, a toner scattering, etc.

Abstract: An image forming device, including a charging unit to electrically charge a surface of an organic photoconductive medium; a light exposure unit to form an electrostatic latent image on the surface of the organic photoconductive medium; a developing unit to develop the electrostatic latent image formed with a developer; a transfer roller to transfer an image developed by the developing unit to a recording paper; a light array having a plurality of light sources arranged in a predetermined pattern; a first light path providing unit to form a light path to receive a first light portion emitted from the light sources and to allow the light to be projected on the organic photoconductive medium between the developing unit and the transfer roller; and a second light path providing unit to form a light path to receive a second portion of the light emitted from the light sources and to allow the light to be projected onto the organic photoconductive medium passing through the transfer roller, thereby removing an elect

Abstract: The image forming apparatus of this invention comprises: an image bearing member bearing a toner image to be transferred to a recording material; a unit including the image bearing member and capable of being pulled out from an apparatus main body; a transfer member which contacts the image bearing member and transfers the toner image on the image bearing member onto the recording material; an opening/closing member including the transfer member and capable of being opened and closed with respect to the apparatus main body; a first locking means which locks the unit to the apparatus main body; and a second locking means which locks the opening/closing member in a closed state; wherein the second locking means is released in conjunction with the releasing operation of the first locking means.

Abstract: The color image forming apparatus, having: an intermediate transfer member; a plurality of image forming sections provided along the intermediate transfer member; a primary transfer device provided along the intermediate transfer member to transfer toner images formed on each image forming section so that the toner images are superimposed on the intermediate transfer member; a secondary transfer device provided downstream side of the primary transfer device to transfer superimposed toner images through bias voltage; a discharging device having a grid and a discharge electrode provided between the primary transfer device and secondary transfer device; a image density sensor provided along the intermediate transfer member to detect an amount of toner adhesion on the intermediate transfer member; and a control device to control the applied voltage for the discharge electrode in accordance with output of the image density sensor.

Abstract: A color image forming apparatus includes primary transferring units that transfer toner images of different colors from photoreceptors to an intermediate transfer body, a secondary transferring unit that transfers a color toner image from the intermediate transfer body onto a transfer material, a pre-charging unit placed downstream of the primary transferring units and upstream of the secondary transferring unit and that applies electric charge to the color toner image on the intermediate transfer body before the secondary image transfer with the polarity of the applied electrical charge identical to polarity of the potential of the toner, and a potential adjustment unit placed downstream of the pre-charging unit and upstream of the secondary transferring unit, and that applies an electric charge that has a polarity opposite to that of the potential of the toner to the color toner image on the intermediate transfer body.

Abstract: A method of producing a composite image on a final image receptor from image data in a single pass electrophotographic system is provided. The method includes steps for applying liquid transfer assist material comprising charged particles of transfer assist material to at least a portion of an element of the electrophotographic system, along with charged toner particles, in order to provide a composite image layer on a final image receptor in a single pass of a photoreceptive element through transfer of the composite image layer from another element in the system.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus according to the present invention is provided with a plurality of image bearing members, an intermediate transfer member, a plurality of first transfer devices, a second transfer device, and a charge amount adjustment section. The image bearing members carry images of respective colors. The intermediate transfer member is rotatably disposed at a position opposed to the image bearing members. The first transfer devices form a full-color toner image on the intermediate transfer member by transferring color toner images formed on the image bearing members to the intermediate transfer member. The second transfer device transfers the full-color toner image formed on the intermediate transfer member to a recording sheet. The charge amount adjustment section adjusts the charge amount of toner particles constituting the full-color toner image so as to reduce non-uniformity in a charge amount of toner particles of the full-color toner image on the intermediate transfer member per unit area.

Abstract: There is described a color image forming apparatus for forming a color image onto a transfer material by superimposing a plurality of unicolor toner images. The apparatus makes it possible to produce a high quality image through a secondary transferring operation with a good secondary transferring efficiency. At a pre-secondary transfer charge eliminating section, an electric potential difference between the grid electrode disposed at an upstream side and an opposing electrode is set at such a value that is greater than that between a grid electrode disposed at a downstream side and an opposing electrode.

Abstract: There is described an image forming apparatus, which makes it possible to conduct a sufficient discharging operation for a toner image. The apparatus includes an image forming section, an image bearing member, an intermediate transfer belt, a part of which is supported in a state of a flat plane by supporting members, a primary transferring device to transfer a toner image from the image bearing member onto the intermediate transfer member, a secondary transferring device to transfer the toner image onto a transfer material, a scorotron discharging device that is disposed at an upstream side of the secondary transferring device, where the part of the intermediate transfer member is supported in the state of the flat plane, and includes a discharging electrode and a grid to discharge the toner image; and a conductive brush that opposes to the scorotron discharging device and contacts the rear surface of intermediate transfer member.

Abstract: Embodiments herein comprise a charging station adjacent a photoreceptor. The charging station is adapted to charge the document zone of the photoreceptor with a first negative voltage and to charge the inter-document zone of the photoreceptor with a second negative voltage that is more negative than the first negative voltage. The second more negative voltage reduces the amount of positive charges trapped within layers of the inter-document zone of the photoreceptor. Thus, when the charging station increases the size of the document zone from a smaller size associated with a smaller printing medium to a larger size associated with a larger printing medium, by reducing the positive charges from being trapped within layers of the inter-document zone of the photoreceptor, ghosting is reduced on the larger printing medium.

Abstract: A color image forming apparatus includes plural developing units that respectively form toner images of different colors on plural photoreceptors, plural primary transferring devices that successively transfer each of the toner images of the plural photoreceptors onto an intermediate transfer belt, which holds a color toner image transferred and superimposed by primary transfer, a secondary transferring device that transfers concurrently the color toner image onto a transfer material, a drive roller that drives the intermediate transfer belt and that is placed between one of the plurality of primary transferring devices which is arranged on the most downstream side in the direction of movement of the intermediate transfer belt and the secondary transferring device, and a controller that controls a discharger discharging the color toner image and the drive of the drive roller.

Abstract: There is described a color image forming apparatus for forming a color image onto a transfer material by superimposing a plurality of unicolor toner images. The apparatus includes an intermediate transfer member onto which the plurality of unicolor toner images are successively transferred in such a manner that the plurality of unicolor toner images superimpose with each other, so as to form a full color toner image on the intermediate transfer member and a discharge section, in which a potential of the side plate is set at a polarity opposite to that of the grid electrode.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus having an intermediate transfer body in which color toner images are superimposed on the intermediate transfer body is disclosed. Additionally, the toner image potential may be suppressed in areas with large toner electrostatic charge of the toner layer on the intermediate transfer body, while the toner image potential is left as such in the low toner adhesion areas. The image forming apparatus with a neutralizing charger is capable of yielding satisfactory second transfer images without causing image roughness or toner scattering.

Abstract: A color image forming apparatus includes: a plurality of image carriers each on which a toner image having a color different from each other is formed; an intermediate transfer member to which each of the image carriers is transferred; a plurality of a primary transfer units each which transfers a toner image formed on each of the plurality of image carriers onto the intermediate transfer member; a discharging unit provided between two adjoining image carriers in a moving direction of the intermediate transfer member, which discharges an electrical charge of a toner image transferred on the intermediate transfer member; and a secondary transfer unit which transfers a plurality colors of toner images which have been superimposed on the intermediate transfer member onto a transfer material.

Abstract: The image forming apparatus includes a rotatable image bearing member, a latent image forming device, a developing device, a transferring device, and a corona charging device having a discharge wire and a surrounding shield member and being arranged downstream of a developing position on the image bearing member with respect to its rotational. A density detecting member detects a density of the toner image on the image bearing member at a position downstream of a discharge position of the corona charging device with respect to the rotational direction and upstream of a transfer position. An air flow path is formed through the inside of the shield member and an air is sucked from the image bearing member side toward the shield member. Toner scattered from the developing device side and headed to the density detecting member can be reduced, and ozone near a post charging device can be removed.

Abstract: The image forming apparatus includes a photosensitive member, wherein an electrostatic latent image is formed by illuminating light onto the photosensitive member charged; a developing device for adhering first toner to a portion of the electrostatic latent image to which light is illuminated to form a first toner image; a transferring device for transferring the first toner image onto a transferring medium; an adhering device for adhering second toner having polarity opposite to that of the first toner and light permeability to a portion of the electrostatic latent image to which light is not illuminated; and a light illuminating device for illuminating light onto at least the portion to which the second toner is adhered, after the second toner is adhered and before transferring is performed by the transferring device.

Abstract: A color image forming apparatus is described, which makes highly durable image transferring possible.