Abstract: An image forming apparatus containing image forming stations Y, M, C, K for respective colors arranged along a transfer belt, each image forming station including an image carrier, a charging means and a developing means disposed around the image carrier. The apparatus further having a housing body in which the image forming stations and the transfer belt are situated, a support frame for supporting a roller around which said transfer belt is laid with some tension, and an image density detecting means which is arranged to face the transfer belt, wherein the support frame is attached to the housing body which allows the support frame to be detachable relative to the housing body by a pivotal movement. The apparatus has a locking device for locking the support frame to the housing body, wherein the image density detecting device is disposed in proximity to the locking device, thereby preventing the deterioration of the detecting accuracy of the image density detecting device.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image forming unit for forming an image; a first electrical substrate having an electric circuit for electric power supply to the image forming unit; a second electrical substrate disposed above the first electrical substrate and having an electric circuit for operating the image forming unit; an opening formed above the first electrical substrate in fluid communication with ambient air; and a partition member for partitioning the first electrical substrate and the second electrical substrate and for forming an air flow path from the first electrical substrate to the opening.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image carrying member and an intermediate transfer body in an endless shape movable and receivable of toner images from said image carrying member at first and second transfer positions. The following relationship is satisfied where a distance from the first transfer position to the second transfer position along the moving direction of the intermediate transfer body is denoted as Lab, a circumference of the intermediate transfer in the moving direction is denoted as Lr, and a length of the toner image formed on the intermediate transfer body is denoted as Lm?Lr?Lm>Lab.

Abstract: In a standby time period in which a heating roller and a press roller are heated in a state in which a to-be-fixed medium is not fed, a fixation control section for driving and controlling a fixing device intermittently drives a motor, thereby varying a temperature of the press roller between a fixing ratio preferential mode and an energy-saving preferential mode.

Abstract: An apparatus for assisting in the removal or waste or excess ink and a method for disposal of ink from electrophotographic printers comprises providing electrophotographic ink from a source, combining the ink with an absorbable material in a container to form a solid within the container, and closing the container so that the container with the solid inside may be disposed of without ink flowing from the container.

Abstract: A heating device for heating a recording sheet. The heating device has a first heater located within a heating roller. The first heater has a heat distribution effective to form a low temperature region in an axially central portion of the heating roller and a high temperature region in each of axially opposite end portions of the heating roller. There is a second heater located within the heating roller that has a heat distribution effective to form a high temperature region in the axially central portion of the heating roller, a low temperature region in each of the opposite end portions of the heating roller, and a second-level high temperature region in each of axially opposite end portions of the high temperature region, the second-level high temperature region being lower in temperature than the high temperature region.

Abstract: A belt apparatus having an endless belt which is wound around and movably driven by a plurality of support rollers. The speed fluctuations of the endless belt due to the variations in thickness of the endless belt are prevented. A driving apparatus for driving the endless belt has a driving roller and an opposite roller facing with each other across the endless belt, and a driving motor for driving the driving roller, the driving roller and the opposite roller being in pressure contact with each other only at both end parts in their axial direction via the endless belt and the pressure contact part forming a plane.

Abstract: A fuser roller for a printing machine that is equipped with internally located heating elements and has a cylindrically shaped body that is closed off at each end by flanges. At least one connecting element, that is moveable in a rolling motion, is provided between the body and the flanges. A spring plate urges the flange, via an offset that has a chamfer, against the connecting element that is located inside an annular groove. The annular groove can also have a chamfer. Changes in the connection can be balanced out by movements of the connecting elements and commensurate pulling up of the flange by the spring plate.

Abstract: A process cartridge detachably mountable to a main assembly of an electrophotographic image forming apparatus, the main assembly including an output contact movable between an electrical connecting position and a retracted position retracted from the electrical connecting position. The process cartridge includes a movable operation member movable relative to a cartridge frame, wherein when the process cartridge is inserted into the main assembly of the apparatus, the movable operation member is engageable with a fixed engageable member fixed in the main assembly of the apparatus to move relative to the cartridge frame, and is engageable with a displaceable engaging portion of the displaceable member to move the output contact from the retracted position to the electrical connecting position; and an input electrical contact for receiving a voltage for enabling the process device by engagement with the output contact moved to the electrical connecting position.

Abstract: A device (100) for the transport of particles (30), in particular development particles (30) with a first magnetic roller (11) and a second magnetic roller (22) , in which the first magnetic roller (11) and the second magnetic roller (22) form a gap, and with a photographic element (1) for the particles (30), which moves through the gap, while the magnetic rollers (11, 22) turn in the same direction.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus where during the image forming operation, the completion of development by one of development cartridges is followed by the rotation of a rotary for setting the next development cartridge to a development position. The rotational speed v of the rotary is increased linearly to the maximum speed vmax and, after that, is decreased linearly to stop the rotary when the next development cartridge reaches the development position. During replacement of the development cartridge, the rotary is rotated to set the development cartridge to be replaced to the replacement position. The rotational speed of the rotary is set to be a constant speed v1 in a region other than a contact region where an input gear of the development side is in contact with a driving gear of the fixed side and a speed lower than the speed v1 in the contact region (the minimum speed v2).

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a movable image bearing member, a movable intermediary transfer member, wherein an image on the image bearing member is transferred onto the intermediary transfer member by primary transfer and the image transferred onto the intermediary transfer member is transferred onto a transfer material by secondary transfer, a discriminator for discriminating a kind of the transfer material, and a controller for controlling a moving speed ratio between the image bearing member and the intermediary transfer member on the basis of an output of the discriminator.

Abstract: A multi-stage fusing system for fixing toner images to copy substrates of various weights has a primary fuser and a secondary fuser in series with the primary fuser. Various weights of print substrates may have toner images fixed thereon by the primary fuser. The various print substrates are then transmitted to the secondary fuser or directly to a finishing area. The secondary fuser is designed specifically for heavier weight substrates and a bypass paper path is provided for allowing lighter weight substrates to bypass the secondary fuser.

Abstract: A developer supply container detachably mountable to a developer receiving device, includes a main body for accommodating a developer; a grip member for gripping the developer supply container; an engaging member for engagement with the grip member with said grip member being elastically deformed; and a regulating portion for regulating an elastic deformation of the grip member with the engaging member being mounted on the main body.

Abstract: Various embodiments of an ejection apparatus and methods are provided. In one representative embodiment an ejection apparatus includes a bar movable along a first axis and a carriage movable along a second axis which is distinct from the first axis. The bar which has an edge oriented along an angular position between the first axis and the second axis, is in physical communication with the carriage such that movement of the bar along the first axis causes movement of the carriage along the second axis.

Abstract: An image forming device for forming an image on a cut image recording medium that includes a sheet feeder unit storing a stack of image recording mediums, and a separation unit that intermittently separates one sheet of the stack from a remaining stack at a separating position and feeds the one sheet in a sheet feeding direction. The image forming device also includes an image forming unit at which a visible image is formed on the image recording medium fed from the sheet feeder unit, a conveying path extending between the sheet feeder unit and the image forming unit, and a sheet leading edge position regulating unit having a part selectively protrudable into the sheet conveying path to provide a protruding position. Finally, the leading edge position of the image recording medium is regulated upon protrusion of the part into the sheet conveying path.

Abstract: This invention relates to an image forming apparatus including a developing unit which develops an electrostatic latent image formed on an image carrier by using a two-component developing agent containing polymerized toner. The developing unit includes a supply/convey member which conveys the two-component developing agent in the axial direction while agitating it and a toner density sensor which detects the toner density of the two-component developing agent. The toner density sensor is placed to be in a non-contact state with respect to the supply/convey member and oppose it with a gap of 0.8 mm or less. The diameter of the supply/convey member is set to 23 mm or more.

Abstract: A developing apparatus having a developing container for containing developer including toner and carrier, and developing an electrostatic image formed on an image bearing member, includes a carrying member for carrying the developer in the developing container, and a discharge port provided in the developing container for discharging any excess developer resulting from the supply of the developer. The developer carrying capability of the carrying member is greater in an area near the discharge port than in an area downstream of the discharge port in the carrying direction of the developer.

Abstract: A developing cartridge is detachably mountable to a main assembly of an electrophotographic image forming apparatus. The cartridge includes a developing roller, for developing an electrostatic latent image formed on an electrophotographic photosensitive member, having an elastic roller portion and a shaft portion supporting the elastic roller portion, a developer regulating member; a protecting member including a contact portion provided for contact with the elastic roller portion when the protecting member is demountably mounted between the developing roller and the developer regulating member; and a supporting portion for supporting the contact portion and provided for contact with the elastic roller portion when the protecting member is demountably mounted between the developing roller and the developer regulating member. The contact portion has a hardness which is not less than a predetermined value and not more than a hardness of the elastic roller portion.

Abstract: A cleaning apparatus for a liquid-development electrophotographic apparatus in which, after a toner image formed on a surface of an intermediate transfer member by use of a liquid developer is transferred to a printing medium, the liquid developer remaining on the intermediate transfer is removed and collected. The cleaning apparatus includes a cleaning-liquid application device for applying a cleaning liquid to the intermediate transfer member which has transferred an image to the printing medium; a bias voltage application device for applying a bias voltage opposite in polarity to charged toner particles of the developer to the intermediate transfer member; and a collection device for removing the cleaning liquid which has been applied to and the residual developer which remains on the intermediate transfer member from the intermediate transfer member without transfer of an image to the printing medium, and collecting the removed cleaning liquid and residual developer.