Abstract: A transfer apparatus for electrophotography is disclosed in which the resistance values of a transfer belt and the recording paper are measured, and the current value applied to a device for charging a member is set on the basis of the electrical resistance values. The charging device of the transfer belt is adapted to be taken up and reeled out and to circulate along a track. This configuration assures a stable transfer characteristic against the secular environmental variations of the component elements, lengthens the intervals of replacement of the charged member, and hence increases the mechanical life of the transfer apparatus and the electrophotographic apparatus using the same.

Abstract: A developing apparatus for developing an electrostatic latent image having a movable developer carrying member for carrying one component developer to a developing zone where the developer carrying member is opposed to a latent image bearing member for carrying the electrostatic latent image, the developer carrying member being effective to triboelectrically charge the developer to a polarity for developing the latent image; a regulating member for regulating a thickness of a layer of the developer to be carried to the developing zone; a voltage source for applying a developing bias voltage to the developer carrying member; wherein the developer carrying member has a base member having a surface sandblasted to have an average surface roughness of 1.0-3.0 microns, and an outer layer thereon in which fine graphite particles are dispersed in a binder resin material, and wherein the outer layer has an average surface roughness of 0.8-2.5 microns.

Abstract: A developing apparatus having a rotatable toner carrier for transporting a toner to a developing region where it faces an image carrier on which a latent image has been electrostatically formed. The surface of the toner carrier is constituted by a mixture of conductive surface portions and dielectric surface portions and selectively holds a charge to form microfields. The toner having been charged is electrostatically deposited on the toner carrier by the microfields and transported to the developing region as the toner carrier moves. In the developing region where the toner carrier and the image carrier face each other while defining a developing gap therebetween, the toner electrostatically flies from the toner carrier to the latent image formed on the image carrier to thereby develop it.

Abstract: A detection system includes a marking device for applying to a process medium a first chevron from a first printer, a second chevron from a second printer and a third chevron from both the first printer and the second printer, the third chevron having a first element applied from the first printer and a second element applied from the second printer. The detection system further includes a detection device for detecting a matrix of times including three pluralities of times, each of the three pluralities of times corresponding to a respective time of passage of the first, second and third chevrons by the detection device. The detection system further includes a determining device for determining the alignment error based on a function of the three pluralities of times. A control system includes a marking device for applying to a process medium a first chevron from a first printer, a second chevron from a second printer and a third chevron from both the first printer and the second printer.

Abstract: A detachable toner cartridge for use in an electrophotographic printer includes an outer cylinder and an inner cylinder contacting each other and having respective toner discharge outlets that can be overlapped with each other by turning the inner cylinder relative to the outer cylinder so as to discharge toner. The inner cylinder is pressed against the outer cylinder in the circumferential direction to bring the cylinders into close contact to prevent toner leakage. The toner cartridge does not require so high accuracy in manufacturing thereof.

Abstract: A charging apparatus includes a charging member contactable to a member to be charged to charge the member to be charged; a power source for supplying a voltage between the charging member and the member to be charged; and a conductive member for covering a contact portion between the charging member and the member to be charged, the conductive member being electrically grounded.

Abstract: A single pass color printer provides registration by controlling the velocity of the photoreceptor as a plurality of color separation latent images are superimposed on an area of the photoreceptor. The velocity of the photoreceptor is controlled by averaged error values v.sub.ij. The averaged error values v.sub.ij are determined periodically for the same photoreceptor or when an old photoreceptor is replaced with a new photoreceptor or when a user depresses a button in a display to recalibrate the averaged error values v.sub.ij after noticing degradation of point quality. The averaged error values are based upon at least one of time deviations, average transit times and average velocities of areas of the photoreceptor on which the latent images are formed. The calibration of the velocity variations is equivalent to a calibration of the belt thickness uniformity. Further, the method of determining or calibrating the averaged error values v.sub.ij can be used to verify that the method was properly done.

Abstract: An image producing device such as a copier or a printer includes sensors for determining the presence of output from a previous job in the paper path or a finishing device. A particular operator's access rights are determined through a login process. Depending on the operator's access level, i.e., authority to view sensitive documents, the image producing device enables a purge of the existing sensitive documents or electronic images or prevents operation until an authorized operator initiates a purge.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus selects and combines necessary image sections from a plurality of documents thereby to obtain a combined image on one sheet of paper. The image forming apparatus is provided with an optical scanning system for exposing/scanning a document in relative movement therewith, a lever for setting a reference position to divide the document into a plurality of sections in the scanning direction of the document, a transfer belt for holding an image of each section at every exposure/scanning time, and a transfer charger for transferring the image held by the transfer belt to a paper, each of which is controlled so that the images of a plurality of the sections are combined and transferred at one time to the paper.

Abstract: A belt fuser which is self-stripping. The belt and a pressure roll form a nip through substrates carrying toner images pass with the toner images contacting the belt. The belt is entrained about a plurality of rollers for movement in an endless path. One of the rollers which is a drive roller for effecting belt movement is overdriven for causing a post-nip extent of the belt to stretch for effecting separation of the substrates from the belt.

Abstract: A color separation system for use in a color copying apparatus including blue, green and red reflection filters as well as blue and green transmission filters. The blue and green transmission filters are disposed in front of the blue and green reflection filters, respectively, so that light passes through the transmission filters twice. The color copying apparatus includes a photosensitive member which is exposed with light passing through the color separation system, an image sensor for reading an image of an color original, and a light adjusting filter for adjusting a quantity of light impinging on said image sensor. The three reflection filters and the light adjusting filter are mounted on a rotary member. One of these filters is selectively positionable in an optical path according to the rotated position of the rotary member.

Abstract: A laser printer has a circulating photoreceptor belt 20 and a transfer station 4 at which toner images are transferred from the belt to copy sheets. Each copy sheet is registered, upstream of the transfer station 4, in the nip of registration rolls 12 before being fed to the transfer station. The copy sheet is fed to the registration rolls 12 (which at that time are stationary) by feed rolls 13, 14 which continue to rotate so that a buckle is formed in the sheet to assist in removing any de-skew. When the sheet has been registered, the registration rolls 12 are rotated and, initially, are accelerated to a speed about 20% greater than the normal operating speed. That has the effect of decreasing the amount of buckle in the sheet before the trail end of the sheet reaches the registration rolls. When the buckle has been reduced, the speed of the rolls is reduced to the normal operating level, which is typically about the same as the speed of the photoreceptor belt.

Abstract: A cap actuation mechanism for placing a cap, movably mounted on a cap carriage of an ink jet printer maintenance station, into sealing engagement with the nozzle face of the printhead of the printer. The cap mechanism functioning in response to movement by the cap carriage which in turn is moved by printer's print cartridge carriage when it leaves a printing zone for servicing by the maintenance station.

Abstract: An ink manifold is integrally formed with an elastomeric channel plate by a two-step injection molding process. The manifold can include posts for attachment to a heat sink upon which is secured a heater plate containing a plurality of heater elements which are located in corresponding channels of the elastomeric channel plate. The elastomeric channel plate eliminates the need to secure the channel plate to the manifold and heater plate using adhesives.

Abstract: In an ink-jet printer of the type wherein a current is passed through a conductive ink contained between a pair of electrodes to cause the ink to become vaporized and cause trapped gasses or bubbles to expand suddenly, exerting a sufficient pressure upon the ink to force droplets of ink from a nozzle, a current value flowing between the electrodes is detected to determine the amount of wear of the electrodes, and when the detected current value is lower than a predetermined value, an alarm indicative of the replacement of the currently used ink-jet head is given and, at the same time, ejection of the ink from the nozzle is stopped. Thus, printing operation is always achieved with stable ejection of ink, guaranteeing high printing qualities.

Abstract: A multi-blade holding apparatus that rotates from one blade to the next. The multi-blade holder holds the cleaning blades in place by using clamping inserts to hold the blades in place in the holder. The clamping inserts also allow for alignment and adjustment of the blades according to thickness. Spring loaded pins secure the clamping insert to the core of the multi-blade turret holder.

Abstract: A paper-discharge tray for an image-forming apparatus is adapted to hold paper discharged by a paper-discharging device arranged downstream of a fixing device in the image-forming apparatus. The free end of the paper-discharge tray is adapted to be bent in the direction in which the paper will curl when it passes through the fixing device, such that the paper can be stably stacked even when it curls during the fixing process.

Abstract: In a printer, in which a fixed brush charger charges a surface of a photosensitive drum to form a charged area to be converted into an electrostatic latent image by an optical system, fine particles having a volumetric mean particle diameter of 5 to 20 .mu.m are supplied to the brush charger, from upstream side, in a moving direction of surface of the photosensitive member, of the charger, the particles being adhered onto the surface of the photosensitive member with an adhesion density of 5 to 1000 pcs/cm.sup.2.

Abstract: A development apparatus for applying toner of different colors to electrostatic images at a single development position moves translationally to align each of a series of development units with the development position. The development units are supported in a movable carriage which carriage includes a translation plate. A pinion supported by the translation plate engages a stationary rack to move said translation plate while the plate is supported by rollers resting on the floor of the apparatus. To maintain alignment of the translation plate and pinion with the rack, a pair of rollers engage one of opposite rails integral with the rack while a third roller is spring-urged toward the opposite rail urging the plate and pinion into alignment with the rack.

Abstract: A document copier having an automatic document handler is able to process jobs whose number of document sheets exceed the capacity of the document feeder by including control to stop feeding sheets whenever there is less than a predetermined minimum number greater, than one, of unfed sheets remaining, so that an operator can add more sheets of the same job. Feeding can be reinitiating after the automatic document handler has been stopped, and the stopping feature can be selectively disabled so that all received sheets are fed by the automatic document handler without stopping. Generally, the document feeder will be used with a job processor which treats the last sheet in a received stack, and all preceding sheets, as a job.