Abstract: A free sheet, high speed, color tandem printing system that controls registration of images from one imager to another while mechanically decoupling individual imagers and all the while maintaining relative registration of each of the color separations by the use of spherical transport servo devices or spherical nips (SNIPS). SNIPS correct skew, lateral, and process positions and ensure proper registration of a sheet with a station.

Abstract: A process cartridge detachably mountable to the main body of an image forming apparatus includes an electrophotographic photosensitive drum, at least one process device for acting on the drum, a cartridge frame holding the drum and the process device and exposing a portion of the drum, a shutter member provided for movement between a position to protect and a position to permit exposure the of the drum, and a shutter opening and closing link mechanism for moving the shutter member in operative association with the opening and closing operation of an openable and closable door when the process cartridge is mounted on the cartridge mounting portion of the main body of the image forming apparatus.

Abstract: A developing apparatus includes a developing container including a first chamber having a developer carrying member for carrying developer and a second chamber disposed in an inclined manner to which toner is supplied. First and second communicating portions supply developer between longitudinal end sides of the first and second chambers. A ceiling portion of one end side of the second chamber is disposed lower than a ceiling portion of one end side of the first chamber. A developer supplying screw supplies the toner to the second chamber through a supply port provided in a bottom of a developer supplying path. The supply port is disposed in a position lower than the ceiling portion and is located at an upper portion on a downstream side of the first communicating portion in a developer conveying direction on one end side of the chamber.

Abstract: The electrophotographic image formation apparatus of the present invention adopts a developer roller, which is made of aluminum and has an aluminum oxide film of at least 5 ?m in thickness formed on surface thereof. In the image formation apparatus, a gap between the developer roller and a photoreceptor drum 3 is set in a range of 150 to 300 ?m. The image formation method of the present invention regulates a frequency of AC voltage in a non-development state to be higher than that in a development state, when an AC voltage is applied onto the developer roller to cause flight of toner from the developer roller to the photoreceptor, and selectively makes charged toner fly onto the electrostatic latent image for development. The present invention provides the effective development technique to prevent leakage of the applied voltage between the developer roller and the photoreceptor drum.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for dampening annoying resonance noise in auger systems. The dampening effect is accomplished by an insert placed within an inner bore of an auger. The insert itself may be continuous or in segments and be comprised of material capable of absorbing vibrational energy. One embodiment of an insert is a tube that is purposefully cut longer than the auger itself in order to induce bending of the tube and contact with the sides of the auger bore.

Abstract: A method for repositioning a mark on a belt after an image on paper registration process, which includes printing a test pattern, measuring at least one test pattern parameter, detecting a mark on a belt and detecting at least one imaging error associated therewith, using the at least one test pattern parameter and the at least one imaging error to determine the lateral distance required to shift a particular image to a desired location on the belt and shifting the image to the desired location.

Abstract: A method of operating an image forming apparatus includes the steps of: storing information in a memory located in a fuser assembly; and changing at least one operating characteristic of the image forming apparatus based upon the stored information. In a more particular example of the present invention, a method of operating an electrophotographic printer includes the steps of: storing information in a memory located in a fuser assembly; installing the fuser assembly in the printer; and controlling operation of the fuser assembly using a controller in the printer, dependent upon the stored information.

Abstract: An apparatus for detecting the engagement of a consumable in a printing device includes a consumable cartridge having a rotatable member carried by the cartridge, and a drive member configured to engage and rotate the rotatable member. A proximity sensor positioned adjacent an engagement interface between the rotatable member and the drive member generates an output signal variable with the distance between the rotatable member and the drive member. Data that is stored in memory provides at least one predetermined set of characteristic values of the proximity sensor output signal versus distance between the rotatable member and the drive member, where the at least one characteristic value of the proximity sensor output signal is indicative of engagement between the rotatable member and the drive member. Processing circuitry coupled to the proximity sensor and the memory determines when the rotatable member and drive member are engaged.

Abstract: In a development system including a developer transport adapted for depositing developer material on an imaging surface having an electrostatic latent image thereon, comprising: a housing defining a chamber storing a supply of developer material comprising carrier and toner; a donor member, mounted partially in the chamber and spaced from the imaging surface, for transporting developer on an outer surface thereof to a region opposed from the imaging surface, the donor member having a magnetic assembly having a plurality of poles, a sleeve, enclosing the magnetic assembly, rotating about the magnetic assembly; a developer bed height of the developer material produce by the rotation of the magnetic assembly on the donor member to a predefined developer bed height within a development nip; and a grid, spaced and interposed between the donor member and the charge retentive surface, the grid having being dispose longitudinal with respect to the charge retentive surface and the donor member, the grid being spaced s

Abstract: The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus comprising a plurality of image forming units for forming images, the image forming units being detachably arranged in the image forming apparatus, and a plurality of developer supplying units arranged corresponding to each of the image forming units for supplying developing agents to the image forming units, the developer supplying units being detachably attached to the image forming apparatus. The image forming units and the developer supplying units are alternatively so disposed that one end in a longitudinal direction of the respective image forming units intersects with one end in a longitudinal direction of the respective developer supplying units.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a toner cartridge, which contains the toner directly in a housing. The housing has an opening. A plug is disposed in the housing where the opening is. The plug has a small diameter portion that has a diameter smaller than the opening. A piston is disposed in the housing to be biased by an elastic member to the plug for sealing the opening. Such toner cartridge has a simple structure to reduce the cost of fabrication and use and has a function of preventing leaking toner.

Abstract: An image-forming apparatus includes a pre-charge exposure device which removes electric charge from a photoconductor drum to increase a potential contrast between the surface of the photoconductor drum and the surface of a charge roller in an upstream region of a nip region between the photoconductor drum and the charge roller in the rotating direction of the photoconductor drum, so that toner accumulating in an upstream region of the nip region in the rotating direction of the photoconductor drum is restrained and prevented from being discharged onto an image-forming region. When the toner accumulating in the upstream region of the nip region in the rotating direction of the photoconductor drum is to be discharged onto a non-image-forming region, the pre-charge exposure device is turned off so that the potential contrast decreases.

Abstract: A developing device including: plural developing units each for developing an electrostatic image formed on an image bearing member with developer that contains toner and carriers in a developing portion; a rotary member for mounting the plurality of developing units thereon and rotating along a path that includes the developing portion; and a containing pipe provided in the rotary member to contain excess developer discharged from the developing units in association with a replenishment of developer, in which the containing pipe is substantially non-rotatably provided, and the developer in the containing pipe is fed utilizing the rotation of the rotary member.

Abstract: A charger charges a body with a voltage in which an AC voltage is superimposed on a DC voltage. The charger and the body have a small gap therebetween. A sensor measures a humidity in the gap between the charger and the body. A magnitude of the AC voltage to be superimposed on the DC voltage is determined based on the humidity detected.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a developing device having a photosensitive element rotating in a given direction to form a latent electrostatic image on a surface thereof through a laser scanning unit, and a developing roller developing the latent electrostatic image into a toner image using a developer, a transfer part transferring the toner image onto a transported printing paper disposed on a paper-transporting path to engage the photosensitive element, and a subsidiary transfer part having at least one light source disposed on at least one of both sides of the paper-transporting path to expose the photosensitive element to light and thereby to enhance a transfer efficiency, and an optic fiber guide disposed longitudinally along the photosensitive element to lead the light generated from the light source to the photosensitive element.

Abstract: A fusing roller of an image forming apparatus including an outer metallic pipe, an inner metallic pipe disposed inside the outer metallic pipe, a resistance heating body disposed between the outer and the inner metallic pipes, generating a resistance heat with a power supply, an end cap and a gear cap respectively connected to both ends of the outer metallic pipe and electrically connected to the resistance heating body, an outer insulator interposed between the resistance heating body and the outer metallic pipe to transmit the resistance heat to the outer metallic pipe, and an inner insulator disposed between the resistance heating body and the inner metallic pipe. As a result, the outer insulator has a higher thermal conductivity than that of the inner insulator.

Abstract: A fixing device for an image forming apparatus of the present invention includes a rotary body and a pressing member pressed against each other for conveying a recording medium, carrying a non-fixed toner image thereon, while nipping it therebetween. The rotary member includes an under layer and a surface layer formed of resin. The surface layer has two or more phases including a phase strongly adhering to the under layer and another layer contacting the above phase.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for extending the lifetime of belts, especially photoreceptor belts inside of a printing device, which includes detensioning the belt during periods where the belt is not in use, such as where a printing device is in an idle state.

Abstract: The present invention aims to provide a surface treatment apparatus which can modify the surface qualities of different parts of image prints obtained by various image-forming methods, and an image-forming apparatus. For this purpose, it provides a surface treatment apparatus containing sheet heating unit which heats a sheet, a sheet cooling unit which cools the sheet in contact with a contact member, and a depression-and-protrusion shape control unit which forms depression-and-protrusion shapes by differently treating different parts of the surface of the sheet by at least one of the sheet heating unit and sheet cooling unit, and an image-forming apparatus containing this surface treatment apparatus which can easily form images having different surface qualities in different parts.

Abstract: The process frame body has the guide portion, and the development device has the to-be-guided shaft. When the process frame body is unattached to the apparatus main body, the guide portion of the development device is absent, thus preventing proper attachment and positioning of the development device. The convex engagement portion is formed integrally with the development device so as to jut into the attachment path for the process frame body. This prevents attachment of the process frame body when the development device is attached first. If users try to attach the process frame body after attachment of the development device, the convex engagement portion interferes with the process frame body, thus preventing attachment of the process frame body.