Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image forming device that forms a toner image on a recording medium, a heat fixing device provided adjacent to the image forming device to fix the toner image onto the recording medium by heat, and a heat shielding device that shields the image forming device from the heat radiated from the heat fixing device. The heat shielding device includes a heat shielding member interposed between the image forming device and the heat fixing device to receive the heat radiated from the heat fixing device, a heat transferring member attached to the heat shielding member to transfer the heat received by the heat shielding member to one end portion thereof, a heat radiating fin device provided at the one end portion of the heat transferring member to radiate the transferred heat, and a fan that supplies air to the heat radiating fin device.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus is provided which is capable of inhibiting filing on photoreceptor and color toner mixing, while prolonging the life of the photoreceptor. The image forming apparatus includes a photoreceptor having a photosensitive surface carrying thereon an electrostatic latent image, a developing device for forming a toner image on the photosensitive surface and electrically recovering toner remaining on the photosensitive surface after image forming operation at the photosensitive surface, a transfer belt 101 having a belt surface which is in contact engagement with the photosensitive surface, and a cleaner S for removing toner attached on the belt surface, wherein the contact angle of the photosensitive surface for water is greater than that of the belt surface for water.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus wherein a wire of a charger is cleaned while a process unit is attached to or removed from a casing. A cleaning unit pinches the wire of the charger therein slidably, and reciprocates to clean the wire when the process unit is attached to or removed from the casing.

Abstract: A device for and a method of cleaning a photoreceptor medium of an electrophotographic image forming apparatus include a magnet which is installed in a lengthwise direction of the photoreceptor medium and is separated from an outer surface of the photoreceptor medium, and a magnetic fluid which fills a space between the magnet and the outer surface of the photoreceptor medium and closely contacts the outer surface of the photoreceptor medium. Accordingly, abrasion of the photoreceptor medium can be prevented, and since the developer does not stick to the magnetic fluid, a decrease in a cleaning efficiency can be prevented.

Abstract: A process for producing a charging member by grit blasting a charging member substrate, plasma spraying a single component outer coating consisting essentially of titanium dioxide powder directly to the grit blasted stainless steel substrate, and the outer coating has a resistivity of from about 10?10 to about 10?3 ohms-cm.

Abstract: In a vapor fixing device for an electrographic printer or copier, the heated vapor housing is provided such that vapor does not condense at the interior housing walls. A directed stream containing solvent vapor is produced which is directed at a section of the support material.

Abstract: A printer device has first and second print media paths to carry paper from a sheet pickup mechanism to the printer device and then to a sheet exit opening. A third print media path carries the sheet from the sheet exit opening back to the printer device for duplex printing. A sheet diverter has first and second operating positions for allowing the sheet to pass in the first flow direction and for diverting the sheet in a second flow direction toward the printer device. A sheet pickup mechanism has a first operating position for the mechanism to pick up the sheet from a sheet dispensing tray and a second operating position in which the mechanism is part of a duplex printing path when the sheet travels in the second flow direction toward the printer device.

Abstract: Fusing equipment of an image forming apparatus, includes: a fusing roller fixing a toner image on a printer paper and comprising a supporting layer formed at an inner portion of the fusing roller, a separating layer formed at an outermost portion of the fusing roller, an a heating layer formed between the supporting layer and the separating layer to supply heat; a thermistor detecting a temperature of the fusing roller to control the heating layer; and a pressing roller pressing the printing paper against an end of the fusing roller during a rotational movement of the fusing roller while being in contact with the fusing roller.

Abstract: A heat fixing device for heat fixing a toner image to a receiving medium having a pair of fixing belts in an endless form; a pair of rotary members individually disposed on a respective inside circumference of the fixing belts and pressed against each other via the fixing belts; a pair of fixing members individually disposed on the respective inside circumference of the fixing belts and pressed against each other via the fixing belts; and a heating element for heating at least one of the fixing belts, wherein the fixing belts contact the rotary members and the fixing members only at a respective portion thereof via which the respective pair of rotary members and fixing members are pressed against each other.

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 carrier carries developer. A regulation member disposed at a lower portion of the carrier to control an amount of the developer carried by the carrier. A first container disposed below the carrier to contain the developer therein. A guiding path guides developer dropped by the regulation member from the carrier, to the first container.

Abstract: Fixing toner on a print substrate in printers a cooling device is provided for cooling the sheet with a coolant after fixing the toner to the sheet, the cooling device having a flow passage for discharging the coolant onto the sheet the flow passage converging to increase coolant velocity.

Abstract: A high voltage switching equipment for sequentially supplying a high voltage to color developing devices, for developing an electrostatic latent image formed on a photoconductive medium of a color image forming apparatus using color toners includes high voltage applying terminals respectively formed in rear ends of fixed color developing devices contacting the photoconductive medium through a nip, a high voltage applying substrate, within which a high voltage circuit is installed, on which connector terminal strips connected to the each high voltage applying terminal are provided on one side, and on which first terminal strips connected to the high voltage circuit and second terminal strips connected to the connector terminal strips are arranged in pairs on the other side with a constant distance, and a high voltage connecting unit connecting the first terminal strips and the second terminal strips arranged on the high voltage applying substrate, so that the high voltage is supplied to a relevant developing d

Abstract: An electrophotographic photosensitive drum is for a process cartridge detachably mountable to a main assembly of an electrophotographic image-forming apparatus. The process cartridge includes a charging roller for electrically charging the photosensitive drum and a developing roller for developing a latent image formed on the drum. The drum includes a drum helical gear, mounted to one end of the cylinder, for transmitting a rotational driving force to a transfer roller provided in a main assembly, and for transmiting a rotational driving force to the charging roller and the developing roller. A shaft portion is provided at a central portion of the drum helical gear at a position where it is completely overlapped with teeth of the drum helical gear with respect to a longitudinal direction of the cylinder. A gap is provided between the teeth and a peripheral surface of the shaft portion.

Abstract: A developing method of the present invention is practicable with a developing unit of the type including a rotatable, nonmagnetic sleeve and a rigid metering member. A two ingredient type developer made up of magnetic carrier grains and toner grains is magnetically deposited on the sleeve. The metering member meters the amount of the developer deposited on the sleeve. The sleeve has surface roughness Rz ranging from 5 ?m to 20 ?m. The carrier grains each are covered with a coating layer containing at least binder resin and grains. The ratio of the diameter D of the individual grain contained in the coating layer to the thickness h of the binder resin layer lies in the range of 1<D/h<10. The carrier grains have a weight-mean grain size ranging from 20 ?m to 60 ?m.

Abstract: After a toner empty state, toner is filled. Following the filling of toner, a forcible toner replenishment mode is performed. After release of the forcible toner replenishment mode, a printer CPU replenishes only fresh toner and does not replenish recycled toner while image formation is performed on a predetermined number of paper sheets or while a developing device is driven for a predetermined time.

Abstract: A liquid application apparatus includes a target to which a liquid is to be applied and an application unit arranged to come in contact or get separated from the target and which applies the liquid to the target when in contact. The target performs cycle motion. A minimum time for which the application unit comes in contact with the target is equal to or greater than a period of the cycle motion of the target.

Abstract: A printer device has first and second print media paths to carry paper from a sheet pickup mechanism to the printer device and then to a sheet exit opening. A third print media path carries the sheet from the sheet exit opening back to the printer device for duplex printing. A sheet diverter has first and second operating positions for allowing the sheet to pass in the first flow direction and for diverting the sheet in a second flow direction toward the printer device. A sheet pickup mechanism has a first operating position for the mechanism to pick up the sheet from a sheet dispensing tray and a second operating position in which the mechanism is part of a duplex printing path when the sheet travels in the second flow direction toward the printer device.

Abstract: A cooling apparatus of an electrophotographic image forming apparatus includes a cooling fan and a first opening. The cooling fan emits heat in the electrophotographic image forming apparatus to an outside of the electrophotographic image forming apparatus, is installed in any one of two frames that are opposite to each other so as to support a fusing unit, is disposed in a direction where a paper is discharged from the fusing unit, and allows internal air to flow out. The first opening is formed in a first frame that is opposite to a second frame in which the cooling fan is installed, and allows external air to flow into the electrophotographic image forming apparatus. The cooling apparatus is applied to a dry or wet electrophotographic image forming apparatus. The cooling apparatus emits heat generated from a fusing unit to the outside without affecting temperatures of a photosensitive drum and a developer unit so as to prolong a usable period of the photosensitive drum and improve an image quality.

Abstract: This invention relates to an image forming apparatus which employs a recycling scheme of recovering and reusing transfer residue toner, and a convey control method for recycle toner. In order to prevent a phenomenon such as fogging or character thickening, a toner recycle mechanism shares one driving source with a photosensitive body or fixing unit, and includes an electromagnetic clutch for switching driving force transmission to the recycling means when driving the photosensitive body or fixing unit, and a controller which controls power supply to the electromagnetic clutch. The convey control method for recycle toner includes the steps of starting copying, measuring a printing ratio of an image pattern per image, and suppressing a return amount of the recycle toner when the printing ratio of the image pattern is low.