Abstract: In an automatic document feeder, an original tray has an original platen on its upper surface. Originals put on the original platen are fed along a conveying path by conveying rollers and conveyance auxiliary rollers. The originals fed are separated one at a time by separating belts and separating rollers which are arranged above and below a conveying path. When a conveyance guide plate constituting a part of the original platen is removed upward, the separating rollers, the conveying rollers, and the conveyance auxiliary rollers and a portion for supporting the rollers are exposed upward, so that maintenance such as replacement of components such as the separating rollers, the conveying rollers and the conveyance auxiliary rollers can be performed.

Abstract: An image processing circuit which adds, by means of a yellow color image data, forgery tracing information to yellow, magenta and cyan color image data obtained by reading out of an original. A tracing information adder replaces the read-out yellow color image data with a yellow color image of a higher density in a low-density area where the density of the read-out yellow color image data is equal to or below a set threshold value. In a high-density area where the density of the read-out yellow color image data exceeds the set threshold value, the tracing information is added by adding a predetermined value to the read-out yellow color image data.

Abstract: An image-forming machine comprises a sheet member conveying passage extending through a transfer zone and a fixing zone, a sheet member-feeding means for feeding a sheet member onto the sheet member conveying passage, and a sheet member conveying means for conveying the sheet member through the sheet member conveying passage. A housing of the image-forming machine has a lower surface defined by an intermediate lower wall and an upper surface defined by an intermediate upper wall, and forms a space of which the front surface is opened. The downstream end portion of the sheet member conveying passage extends along a one side portion of the intermediate lower wall on the lower side thereof. The one side portion of the intermediate lower wall is defined by the opening/closing member, and opening/closing member is brought to the open position to open the downstream end portion of the sheet member conveying passage. The sheet member conveying means includes a pair of register rollers.

Abstract: In a system in which a host computer performs lifetime management for components of a plurality of copiers, components whose lifetimes are to be managed can be freely selected copier by copier and, as a result, warning reports can be transmitted with a reduced number of communication sessions. The copiers are each equipped with a device for management, so that counting can be performed for their individual components and interlock counts for such counting can be freely specified. The host computer compares a count received through communication with a threshold value to issue a report within the host computer. Within one copier, during a period after a component PM call is issued and before a component is replaced, even if another component becomes a target of a component PM call, the component PM call is not issued. When a component replacement report is received, a report of a component PM call is automatically deleted from an urgency report list.

Abstract: An image-forming machine having a photosensitive drum disposed in the machine housing, a movable mounting plate disposed in the machine housing so as to be moved toward, and away from, the photosensitive material drum, a developing device detachably mounted on the movable mounting plate from the front side of the machine housing, and a push-operation mechanism for moving the developing device and the movable mounting plate between a push position close to the photosensitive material drum and a push-release position moved away from the push position.

Abstract: An image forming machine having a transfer roller comprises a rotatably disposed photoconductor drum, a transfer roller disposed opposite the photoconductor drum with a predetermined gap provided therebetween, a register roller pair for feeding a transfer sheet toward a transfer area where the photoconductor drum and the transfer roller are opposed to each other, transfer sheet guide means disposed between the register roller pair and the transfer area, and a fixing roller pair for fixing a toner image transferred to the transfer sheet passing through the transfer area. The transfer sheet guide means comprises an inner guide plate and an outer guide plate, and the inner guide plate has a linear guide portion extending toward a predetermined position on the peripheral surface of the photoconductor drum. The predetermined position is set in an angular range (.theta.) covering 12.degree. to 23.degree.

Abstract: An image forming machine including a host computer, a printer, a copying machine, and a document supply device for conveying a document printed by the printer to an automatic document feeder of the copying machine, in which a controller is provided for controlling a copy action based on a copy command from the host computer. The controller sends a left-behind document signal when a document is present on document stand of the automatic document feeder, while the host computer shows the presence of the left-behind document on a display when receiving the left-behind document signal from the controller.

Abstract: The present invention provides a naphthoquinone derivative represented by the general formula (I): ##STR1## wherein R.sup.1 and R.sup.2 are as defined in the specification. An electrophotosensitive material containing this naphthoquinone derivative as an electron transferring material has high sensitivity.

Abstract: An image-forming machine comprises a movable mounting plate disposed in said machine housing in a manner to be moved toward, and away from, a photosensitive material drum, and a push-operation mechanism for moving the developing device mounted on the movable mounting plate between a push position close to said photosensitive material drum and a push-release position. The push-operation mechanism is equipped with a push lever disposed on the front side of the machine housing. When the push lever is brought to the first position on the upper side of the mounting surface of the movable mounting plate, the push-operation mechanism brings the developing device to the push position and when the push lever is brought to the second position of nearly the same height as the mounting surface of the movable mounting plate, the push-operation mechanism brings the developing device to the push-release position.

Abstract: This invention relates to a drive switching mechanism for use in an image input apparatus. While a pivotable gear is set on the side of a document feeder, a displacement restricting mechanism of the drive switching mechanism restricts a displacement of the pivotable gear toward an image scanner. With this arrangement, even if the pivotable gear is caused to move toward the image scanner while set on the side of the document feeder, a stopper of the displacement restricting mechanism restricts such movement to maintain an engaged state of the pivotable gear with a drive gear of the document feeder. Accordingly, a driving force of a motor rotatable in the opposite direction (forward and backward) can securely be transmitted to the drive gear of the document feeder via a non-pivotable gear and the pivotable gear. The same operation and effect as on the side of the document feeder is obtainable on the side of the image scanner.

Abstract: This invention relates to an image forming apparatus constructed such that an upper frame is openably mounted on a main base frame and a pivotal movement transmitter (gear) is rotatably mounted on the upper frame about an axis of a rotation of the upper frame, i.e., in association with the rotation of the upper frame. The gear has a cam portion. One end of a lever comes into contact with part of the cam portion of the gear, while the opposite end of the lever comes into contact with a coil spring. Further, a distance from the pivotal axis of the gear to the contact position of the lever with the cam portion decreases in accordance with a proceeding of the closing operation. Accordingly, as the lever (cam follower) follows the cam portion in accordance with the closing operation of the upper frame, a compression force to compress the coil spring increases. Thereby, a brake force applied to the upper frame on the way of closing also increases.

Abstract: A toner and a carrier are so combined together as to substantially satisfy the following formula (1), ##EQU1## wherein Qmax is a maximum amount of electric charge (.mu.C/g) of the toner, V.sub.T/C is a contact potential difference (V) of the toner to the carrier, .tau.r is a relaxation time constant (sec) of the toner, .tau.g is a charging time constant (sec) of the toner, and k is a coefficient (F) determined depending upon the kinds of the toner and the carrier. This method makes it possible to so combine the toner and the carrier together that the amount of electric charge of the two-component developing agent becomes a maximum based on the contact potential difference (V.sub.T/C) of the toner to the carrier.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an imaging assembly capable of forming an image on a copy sheet; a sheet inverting path disposed downstream of the image assembly and capable of transporting the copy sheet in a first direction; an intermediate tray unit arranged downstream of the sheet inverting path and capable of receiving the copy sheet transferred from the sheet inverting path and stacking a plurality of the copy sheets thereon; and a refeed unit capable of feeding copy sheets stacked on the intermediate tray unit in a second direction opposite to the first direction.

Abstract: In a method of adjusting image forming conditions according to the present invention, it is judged whether or not a humidity detected by a humidity sensor is not less than a predetermined first humidity H.sub.1 (step W6). As a result, when it is judged that the humidity is not less than the first humidity H.sub.1, a main charger table is accessed using the detected absolute humidity as an address, and corresponding additional data G is read out (step W7). The additional data G read out, together with additional data E and main charger driving time adjustment data F, is added to main charger reference data K.sub.2, so that main charger voltage data C.sub.2 is produced (step W8). On the other hand, when the detected humidity is less than the first humidity H.sub.1, a voltage to be applied to a main charger is not adjusted depending on the humidity.

Abstract: An image data processing apparatus is provided which is capable of properly reproducing an input image by performing a simple and short-time process in accordance with the density and type of the input image. If the minimum value of inputted image data is not higher than a first threshold, the minimum value of the inputted image data is adopted as a minimum input value to be inputted to an image outputting apparatus. If the minimum value of the inputted image data is higher than the first threshold, a lower limit input image data value is adopted as the minimum input value. Further, if the maximum value of the inputted image data is not lower than a second threshold which is higher than the first threshold, the maximum value of the inputted image data is adopted as a maximum input value to be inputted to the image outputting apparatus. If the maximum value of the inputted image data is lower than the second threshold, an upper limit input image data value is adopted as the maximum input value.

Abstract: An electrophotosensitive material of the present invention is formed by providing a photosensitive layer containing a bis-azo pigment expressed in formula (1): ##STR1## wherein A.sup.1, A.sup.2, R.sup.1 and n are as defined, as a charge generating material, and a diamine compound expressed in formula (2): ##STR2## wherein R.sup.2, R.sup.3, R.sup.4, R.sup.5, R.sup.6 and R.sup.7 p and q k, l, m and o are as defined, as a charge-trasferring material, on a conductive substrate. As a charge generating material, a perylene pigment, anthanthrone pigment, X-type metal-free phthalocyanine pigment, imidazoleperylene pigment or perylene bis-azo pigment are preferable used together with the bis-azo pigment. Thus, photosensitive material is excellent in sensitivity and durability.

Abstract: A destaticizer which is adapted to remove electric charges from the surface of a photoreceptor by exposing the photoreceptor surface to light. The destaticizer includes a light source, and a light guide member for generally uniformly guiding light from the light source to a light exposure area on the photoreceptor. In accordance with one embodiment, the light guide member is an elongated member, which has an end face serving as a light receiving face for receiving the light emitted from the light source, a light transmitting path for transmitting the light received by the light receiving face, and a plurality of reflecting portions arranged along the length of the light guide member for reflecting the light transmitted through the light transmitting path in a direction intersecting the length of the light guide member.

Abstract: A facsimile apparatus which enables the printer section and document original reading section thereof to be used as a printer and image reader, respectively, for a personal computer. To use the reading section for reading a document original as the image reader for the personal computer, the operation mode of the facsimile apparatus is switched from an ordinary operation mode to a PC-FAX mode. When a document original is read by the reading section in the PC-FAX mode, the facsimile apparatus behaves as if it received a call-in of facsimile correspondence, and sends image data to the personal computer. Further, by operating an operation section, a printer function call number is registered for an external input printing function which enables information input to an interface to be printed out. When a call-out command designating a phone number is sent to the facsimile apparatus from the personal computer, a control section judges if the phone number agrees with the printer function call number.

Abstract: A simultaneous cassette withdrawal restriction mechanism for use with an image forming apparatus provided with a plurality of cassettes includes a projection provided on each cassette; a connecting rod; and an engageable member which is adapted for engaging with the corresponding projection, the connecting rod is integrally formed with the engageable members. The engageable member is selectively changeable with its posture between a first posture to restrict the withdrawal movements of the cassettes other than one which had been already withdrawn out of a main body of the image forming apparatus and a second posture to allow one of the cassettes to be withdrawn once the one having been withdrawn is returned to the main body of the image forming apparatus.

Abstract: An image data output device for restricting the storage of inputted image data in a memory and successively outputting the inputted image data, when the residual capacity of the memory has reduced to a predetermined value while the image data are being stored in the memory. After the input of the image data has been completed, the image data stored in the memory are read out and outputted.