Abstract: The present invention provides an image forming apparatus with an image forming device, sheet containers, sheet discharge unit for discharging the sheet on which the image was formed onto the stacking tray, convey path for directing the sheet to the image forming device, switching unit for selectively directing the sheet to the discharge unit or the convey path and for directing the sheet from the convey path to the discharge unit, and convey rollers for conveying the sheet along the convey path means toward a direction extending from the switching unit to the image forming device or an opposite direction.

Abstract: The invention relates to a device for packaging and applying makeup, the device includes a rigid elongate tubular body open at one end and having an inside space suitable for containing makeup, and an applicator suitable for being received in the body. The applicator includes a stalk provided at one end with a makeup applicator element and secured at its other end to a handle that has a cap suitable for closing the opening of the body in which the applicator element is engaged. A throat is formed in the body for wringing out the applicator element while the applicator is being withdrawn. The device further includes a moving wall defining the inside space, at least in part, and capable of moving in response to a change of pressure in the space caused by the applicator being withdrawn. While the device is in use, the moving wall is subjected on the outside to atmospheric pressure.

Abstract: In a sheet handling machine having a frame, and a cut sheet handling system including a sheet path, a stalled sheet pulling and crushing apparatus for reducing a sheet, stalled across an interface between a withdrawable and a fixed component of a cut sheet handling system into a shape and size suitably enabling reliable removal of the stalled sheet through a relatively narrow gap between the withdrawable and fixed components of the sheet handling system.

Abstract: An apparatus for irradiating a section forming an end portion of a length of a sheet-like material comprising a layer containing a photosensitive substance, where the boundary between said section and the rest of the length of material is defined by a divisional line, said apparatus comprising a supporting device defining a concavely curved, substantially circular cylindrical surface part; means for feeding the section in a first direction and into a first position in which the section is in abutting engagement with the cylindrical surface part and extends peripherally along the cylindrical surface part; irradiating means capable of irradiating at least a major part of said layer of said section containing said photosensitive substance and being adjacent to said divisional line; means for moving the length in a second direction substantially opposite to the first direction to a separating position, and separating means positioned at the separating position for separating the irradiated section from the rest o

Abstract: The present invention provides a sheet convey apparatus comprising a first pair of convey means at least one of which has a driving force and which are adapted to pinch and convey a sheet, a second pair of convey means at least one of which has a driving force and which are adapted to pinch and convey the sheet and which are disposed at a downstream side of and adjacent to the first pair of convey means, and a third pair of convey means at least one of which has a driving force and which are adapted to pinch and convey the sheet and which are disposed at a downstream side of and adjacent to the second pair of convey means and wherein a conveying direction of the second pair of convey means is different from those of the first and third pair convey means other than a right angle.

Abstract: In a scheduling system which optimizes a sequence of operations for carrying out, for example, digital printing of simplex and duplex documents, a "schedule tree" is created and updated in real time. The schedule tree is a running list of all possible schedules or sequences of operations within a future time frame, given a desired output of documents. Various techniques are used to manage the size of the tree and select schedules from the schedule tree to be proposed to the printing apparatus over time.

Abstract: A jam detecting device according to the present invention quickly outputs a jam detection signal when a part of a sheet is insufficiently conveyed during conveyance. A discharge detecting switch 55 is provided in the vicinity of discharge rollers 36. In addition, a plurality of (for example, three) pulse output units 230, 231 and 232 are provided in relation to the discharge detecting switch 55. Each of the pulse output units 230, 231 and 232 is so constructed as to output a pulse as the sheet is moved. In a jam judging circuit 235, when a signal of the discharge detecting switch 55 is on, a jam signal is outputted on the basis of the fact that no pulses are applied for not less than a predetermined time period from at least one of the pulse output units 230, 231 and 232. When a Jam occurs, therefore, the jam can be quickly detected.

Abstract: A paper transport mechanism is used in an image forming apparatus in which a toner image formed on a surface of a photosensitive member is transferred by an image transfer voltage generated by an image transfer unit onto paper which has been fed from a paper storage up to the photosensitive member through a paper path. The paper transport mechanism is provided with a first roller having a width not smaller than a maximum width of the paper stored in the paper storage, a group of second rollers aligned along the first roller for gripping the paper therebetween and transporting it toward the photosensitive member, each of the second rollers having a small width, and a non-undulation guide member provided immediately upstream of the first and second rollers for pressing the paper passing through the paper path against the first roller, the non-undulation guide member having a width not smaller than the maximum paper width.

Abstract: Envelopes (9) are fed flap first and flap closed long dimension first into the nip of fixing rollers (3,4). The fixing rollers are less wide than the envelopes, and the printing system does not print on the edge of the envelope which is not fixed.Since this adds very little to the apparatus and software, wrinkle-free envelope printing is achieved at very low initial and overall cost.

Abstract: Paper feeding roller, image forming means, fixing means, paper discharging means, and a sheet guide are all slanted from the vertical direction. Support means, which supports the printed sheet discharged from the paper discharging means in a state that it is slanted from the vertical direction to the inside of the image forming apparatus, is formed by the side portion of the case. The lower-edge support for supporting the lower edge of the discharged sheet is positioned at a level that is higher than the lower edge of the sheet to be fed. The slanting angle of the support means is selected to have such a value as to prevent the sheet from slipping down from the support means when the image forming apparatus is laid down.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus having means for separating a transfer medium bearing member from an image bearing member, which can change fixing speed according to the kinds of the transfer medium employed. As the transfer medium is borne and conveyed to a fixing device by the transfer medium baring member which is separated from the image bearing member, the unfixed toner images are not disturbed by or re-transferred onto the image bearing member and a long conveyed belt is not needed. When the same drive source rotates the transfer medium bearing member and the image bearing member, the apparatus can be further miniaturized.

Abstract: In a process for image formation, an electrostatic latent image is formed on a photosensitive member having an amorphous carbon layer as an outermost surface layer. The electrostatic latent image is developed with toner to form a toner image. The toner image is transferred to transfer paper of which pH-value according to JIS-P-8133 is in a range from 7.0 to 8.5.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image former for forming an image on an image carrier, a conveyor belt for conveying an image receiving medium to the image carrier, a conveyor roller structure having a first roller with different diameter at both ends and taper size T expressed by T=(D-d)/L, wherein D is the diameter at the large diameter side, d is the diameter at the small diameter side and L is the length of the first roller, which is more than 2.341.times.10.sup.-3 and a coefficient of static friction is less than 0.26. A second roller is provided opposite to the first roller, for moving the conveyor belt in a prescribed direction by rotating the first and the second rollers in a state where the conveyor belt is put over the first and the second rollers, and a transferring structure for transferring the image formed on the image carrier onto the image receiving medium.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a main assembly including an image forming station, a conveying unit for conveying a recording material on which the image forming station forms an image, the conveying unit including a recording material inlet, recording material feeding device and a recording material discharging outlet, and being supported on the main assembly for movement toward and away from the main assembly. The image forming station is at least partly disposed adjacent the conveying unit and is exposed when the conveying unit is moved away from the main assembly. When mounted to the main assembly, the conveying unit constitutes a passage for conveying the recording material substantially in a vertical direction through the image forming station, and the conveying unit is separable, substantially along the conveying passage, from the main assembly.

Abstract: An idler system that is both self-centering and self-aligning with a drive roll. The idler assembly consists of a pair of rolls connected by a shaft, the shaft being supported in a housing. The housing is retained by a resilient spring member which member allows the axis of rotation of the idler rolls to pivot in more than one plane simultaneously. This pivoting causes the axis of rotation of the idler assembly to align parallel with the drive roll axis. The single spring also provides an even loading of the normal force across the width of the drive nip. As a result of the alignment and even loading, skewing of a sheet is prevented as it is driven through the nip formed by the drive roll and the idler roll. The resilient spring mounting also allows for easy replaceability of the idler assembly and the housing is easily locatable between tabs formed in the frame of the machine for mounting the idler assembly therein.

Abstract: A multiple print engine system includes a plurality of print engine modules (10) that are arranged in a parallel configuration. Each of the print engine modules (PEMs) is a dedicated print engine having an associated photoconductor drum (44) and a transfer drum (42). Paper is pulled from an associated paper bin (78) or (80) and passed through the transfer nip (46) between the two drums (44) and (42). The printed copy, either made by a monochrome process or a multipass color process, is then passed through a fuser (74) to a print buffer (16) which has an associated print buffer path (104). The paper is maintained in the print buffer until it is selected by the output combiner (20). The output combiner (20) extracts the paper from the print buffer (16) at a faster rate than it was processed by the associated one of the print engines (10). The images are distributed to the various print engines by an image distributor (30) which determines which image is associated with which engine.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for sensing multiple process parameters with a single sensor in a printing machine. The sensor senses the photoreceptor belt seam to insure that the latent image is not formed on the belt seam; the toner density is used to control the toner dispenser, photoreceptor charging, developer bias, image exposure and image processing systems; registration marks which are used to control registration of multiple images; presence of copysheets in a paper transport which is used to indicate timing and paper jams or faults; and copysheet type which is used to control the fusing process time. In order to measure all of these parameters, the sensor is uniquely located in printing parameter sensing relationship to the photoreceptor and along the paper path of the printing machine.