Abstract: An image forming machine, including an image bearing member, a developing unit for developing a latent electrostatic image on the image bearing member into a toner image, a cleaning unit for removing remaining toner from the image bearing member after transfer of the toner image from the image bearing member onto a sheet member, and a toner supply unit for supplying toner to the developing unit. The toner supply unit includes a first toner acceptance region where fresh toner is introduced, a second toner acceptance region where recycled toner, that has been removed from the image bearing member by the cleaning unit, is introduced, a toner discharge region having a toner discharge opening communicating with the developing unit, a first toner conveying member for conveying fresh toner from the first toner acceptance region to the toner discharge region, and a second toner conveying member for conveying recycled toner from the second toner acceptance region to the toner discharge region.

Abstract: A fixing device in an image-forming machine comprising a lower housing, an upper housing supported on one side of said lower housing and allowed to rotate between a closed position and an open position, a pressing roller rotatably mounted on said lower housing, and a heating roller having bearing members attached to both ends thereof and is detachably mounted on said upper housing, said upper housing being provided with nearly semicircular recessed mounting portions with which will be fitted said bearing members of said heating rollers.

Abstract: A recirculating document feeder for use with an image forming machine having a transparent platen. This recirculating document feeder includes a document support disposed above the transparent platen and adapted to have a stack of documents placed thereon, with a selected side of each document facing down; a feed-out path extending from one end of the document support; a first switchback path having an upstream end connected to the downstream end of the feed-out path; a send-in path extending from its upstream end, which is connected to the upstream end of the first switchback path, to one end of the transparent platen; a send-out path extending from the other end of the transparent platen; a second switchback path having an upstream end connected to the downstream end of the send-out path; and a return path extending from its upstream end, which is connected to the upstream end of the second switchback path, to the other end of the document support.

Abstract: An operation unit is operated to register a telephone number for a printing function. When an ATD command including the registered printing function telephone number is inputted from the personal computer, a control unit makes a determination of a print control command added at the end of the ATD command, and based on the result of the determination, an original of one sheet or an original of a plurality of sheets is printed out in a plurality of copies (sort copy or group copy). The print control command preferably includes an original, sort or group copy representation succeeded by a copy number representation. Thereby, the image information transmitted from the personal computer is printed out with a high function.

Abstract: A developer unit of the present invention has an agitating paddle which agitates a developer containing a magnetic carrier and a non-magnetic toner, and a toner is supplied from the toner hopper according to an output of a toner concentration sensor. After an agitation is finished which is performed when the power is turned on, the agitating paddle is periodically operated to agitate the developer. During the agitation, a toner concentration controller shifts a reference level with which the output of the toner concentration sensor is compared from a predetermined level to a higher level and then stepwisely returns it to the predetermined level.

Abstract: An image forming machine equipped with a transfer belt unit includes a safety detecting means for detecting the completion of setting of an opening/closing member constituting the image forming machine, and a controlling means for controlling the operation of a driving means for a driving roller on the basis of a signal from the safety detecting means. When the safety detecting means signals the completion of the setting after signaling the incompletion of the setting, the controlling means controls the driving means so as to perform a reverse driving, thereby driving the driving roller reversely by a predetermined amount.

Abstract: An image-forming machine comprising a cassette for feeding sheet materials that moves between an acting position and a drawn position which is forwardly drawn from the acting position in the housing of the image-forming machine. Provision is made of a locking mechanism which reliably locks at a preset position a front width restriction member and a rear width restriction member of the cassette for feeding sheet materials. The locking mechanism includes a locking member, a resilient urging member and a forcing means. When the cassette for feeding sheet materials is at the drawn position, the resilient urging member urges the locking member to the release position and when the cassette for feeding sheet materials is moved toward the acting position, the forcing member forces the locking member to the locking position to lock the front width restriction member and the rear width restriction member.

Abstract: An automatic document conveying device is equipped with an opening/closing frame and a swing frame which are mounted on a main frame. When the opening/closing frame is turned to an open position, the document introduction passage is at least partly opened. In the document introduction passage are arranged an introduction roller, a pressing member, a feed roller, a separation roller and a plurality of document detectors. A conveyer belt mechanism is mounted on the swing frame. A plurality of electric wires are arranged extending from the opening/closing frame passing through an opening formed in the side plate of the main frame.

Abstract: A sheet feeding system for an image-forming machine includes a main body having a conveying passage therethrough for guiding sheet materials and a hand insertion feed table pivotally attached to the main body for movement between a feed position in which it can be used to feed sheet materials into the conveying passage and a storage position. The sheet feeding system also includes a separate feed unit which, when the table is in its storage position, can be aligned with the main body so that sheet materials can be fed therefrom into the conveying passage. The conveying passage guides sheet materials to either a receiving section, a sorter or back into the introduction opening of the conveying passage so as to form overlapping images.

Abstract: A toner for electrophotography, comprising an azoic pigment having a silica core as a coloring component, said azoic pigment comprising a core of a fine powder of silica and a coating of a mono- or polyazoic dye chemically bound to the surface of the silica core through an aminosilane coupling agent.

Abstract: A photosensitive composition for electrophotography comprising polyvinyl carbazole, a charge-generating organic pigment, and as a sensitizing agent a silicone oil, thereby enhancing the sensitivity of the resulting photosensitive layer and improving the aging characteristic thereof.

Abstract: A recording apparatus has a printer mechanism for printing images successively on sheets of copying paper, and an image control circuit for delivering image information controllably to the printer mechanism so as to enable the latter to print the images successively. The image control circuit includes a plurality of page memories each for storing image information per single page, a first changeover switch for writing image information selectively into the page memories, and a second changeover switch for reading image information selectively from the page memories. When a sheet of copying paper is jammed in the printer mechanism, a microcomputer system controls the second changeover switch to select a switching mode to read an item of image information out of one of the page memories which stores the item of information to be printed on the jammed sheet of copying paper, for thereby allowing the image to be printed in a shorter period of time after paper jam clearance.

Abstract: An azoic pigment having a silica core comprising a core of a fine powder of silica having a particle diameter of not more than 10 microns and a coating of a mono- or polyazoic dye chemically bound to the surface of the silica core through an aminosilane coupling agent.

Abstract: A method for transferring a toner image on the surface of an image-bearing member obtained as a result of development with a conductive or semi-conductive toner material to the surface of a receptor member, which comprises bringing the surface of the receptor member into contact with the toner image on the surface of the image-bearing member and simultaneously applying a corona discharge to the back surface of the receptor member. The angle formed between the lines of electric force of the corona discharge and a line perpendicular to the receptor member does not exceed about 30 degrees.

Abstract: An apparatus for regulating the movement of a movable member includes a drive device for moving the movable member in a first direction from a rest position to an operative position and for moving the movable member in a second direction, opposite to the first direction, from the operative position toward the rest position. A first detector detects the presence of the movable member at the rest position. A second detector detects the presence of the movable member at a location adjacent the rest position but upstream thereof with respect to the second direction.

Abstract: A display for a copying apparatus includes a display element for indicating the operating conditions of the copying apparatus. The display has a number of detectors for detecting each of a group of operating conditions and an energizer for energizing the display element in response to the outputs from the detectors. The display element operates with a predetermined on-period and a predetermined off-period for each corresponding detector. The display is capable of displaying a group of operating conditions by a single display element through a group of display conditions such as being on, being off and blinking.

Abstract: An electrostatic recording apparatus for recording, developing and fixing an image on a sheet of recording paper includes an electrostatic recording head and a roller for forming an electrostatic image on the sheet of recording paper while the latter travels between the electrostatic recording head and the roller. The electrostatic recording head and the roller are relatively movable toward each other for pressing the sheet of recording paper against the electrostatic recording head during a period of time in which the sheet of recording paper travels between the electrostatic recording head and the roller to allow the electrostatic recording head to form the electrostatic image on the sheet of recording paper. The electrostatic recording head and the roller are relatively displaceable away from each other during a period of time other than the above period of time.

Abstract: A copying apparatus includes a sorter which is arranged to sort a plurality of copy paper sheets corresponding to a single original document, discharged from a main body of the copying apparatus, into a plurality of bins successively shifted to a paper discharge position by a shifting device. The copying apparatus includes a copy number preset key, a memory for memorizing a preset number of copies, a first counter for counting the number of copied paper sheets, a second counter for counting the number of discharged copy paper sheets, a device for stopping the copying operation when the counted value of the first counter agrees with the memorized preset number of copies, and a sort key for selecting a mode for sorting the copy paper sheets into the bins one sheet in each bin. An electrical circuit applies signals to the shifting device in order to change the moving direction of the bins when the counted value of the second counter agrees with the memorized preset number of copies in the sort mode.

Abstract: An electrostatic copying apparatus includes a paper jam detector for producing a jamming signal in response to detection of a paper jam, an emergency stopping device for stopping the copying process in response to the paper jamming signal, and a manually operable release switch for actuation after the paper jam has been cleared to release the stopping action of the emergency stopping means. A preparatory driving device, responsive to the releasing of the stopping action of the emergency stopping device by the operation of the release switch, energizes the main motor of the copying apparatus to move the photosensitive member of the apparatus through at least one rotation. A cleaning device, also responsive to releasing of the stopping action of the emergency stopping device by the operation of the release switch, cleans the photosensitive member during that rotation to assure that the photosensitive member is clean after the jam is cleared and before the next copying cycle.

Abstract: An electrostatic recording apparatus for recording, developing and fixing an image on a sheet of recording paper, comprises an electrostatic recording head and a roller. Transport structure is located at the down stream side of the electrostatic recording head with respect to a direction of feed of the sheet of recording paper. A control rotates the roller when a leading edge of the sheet of recording paper is sandwiched between the electrostatic recording head and the roller and stops rotation of the roller during a period of time after the leading edge of the sheet of recording paper which has passed through the electrostatic recording head and the roller has started being transported by the transport structure and before the trailing edge has passed between the electrostatic recording head and the roller, the roller being rotatable in response to feeding of the sheet after the roller has ceased to be driven.