Abstract: An apparatus for feeding a document includes a platen where a document is subjected to copy operation; a feeding device for feeding a document onto the platen; a delivering device for delivering a document from the platen; a conveying device for conveying a document on the platen to the delivering device; the delivering device driven independently of the conveying device; and a control device for controlling operation timings of the feeding device, the conveying device and the delivery device, wherein the control device stops the conveying device when the trailing end of a document being delivered by the delivering device has been located between the conveying device and the delivering device.

Abstract: A color image forming apparatus wherein a belt-shaped image retainer faces an image forming device. The image forming device includes a charging device, exposure device and a plurality of developing devices which are juxtaposed with each other. The belt-shaped image retainer is in the form of a cartridge which is mounted removably in the apparatus body. The cartridge has a closable cover divided into several sections which are arranged at the positions facing the image device. The belt-shaped image retainer has a transversely movable shutter member for protecting spaced apart surface portions of the image retainer which would be otherwise exposed when the upper casing of the apparatus body is opened or when the image retainer is removed from the upper casing, by moving the shutter member transversely to cover the spaced apart exposed surface portions of the image retainer.

Abstract: A cleaner in a transfer section of a copying machine for cleaning a soil toner transferred from a photoconductive member and adhering to the surface of a transfer drum, which includes a cleaning device which electrically attracts and cleans the soil toner on the surface of the transfer drum and an electrode disposed at the interior surface of the transfer drum for weakening the electrostatic force between the soil toner and the surface of the transfer drum. The electrode disposed in the interior of the dielectric drum is movable.

Abstract: A method of operating an electrographic printing apparatus which employs a reversal development system with a two components developer wherein the bias voltage and the surface voltage are varied in synchronism with each other.

Abstract: An apparatus for producing a copy of a multi-page original document in a manner according to operator-selectable setup instructions for designated special pages, which are detected upon advancement of a special page to the exposure station by a document feeder. A data input station receives operator-selectable setup instructions for producing copies of detected special pages and for generating a signal indicative of the received setup instructions. Removable memory media stores the signals. An operator-viewable display provides a preview of the stored setup instructions for verification before a copy is produced. The stored setup instructions can be changed after the preview and before a copy is produced or producing a proof copy according to the stored setup instructions, includes means for operator-selectively changing the setup instructions after the proof copy is made and before a copy is produced.

Abstract: A mechanism for cleaning an image-bearing surface in an electrostatographic apparatus includes an elongate container for receiving and holding toner and other particles removed from such surface. The container which includes a sump that has a front portion and a rear portion, is liftable from a first and generally horizontal position, to a raised, second and partially upended position on one end. The sump of the container includes slanted flow guides therein for moving toner and other particles from the front portion to the rear portion thereof by lifting the container from the first position to the second position.

Abstract: A color image forming apparatus having an image retainer, a cleaning device for removing residual toner particles on the image retainer, and a device for releasing the cleaning device from the image retainer, which are integrally constructed as a process unit and can be taken out from an apparatus body. The cleaning device is in pressure contact with the image retainer when the process unit has been taken away. The device for releasing the cleaning device is mounted on the apparatus body.

Abstract: The invention provides an apparatus for developing an electrostatic latent image on a photoreceptor with developer. In the apparatus, there are provided a housing having an open end facing the photoreceptor; a developing device including a sleeve, disposed in the housing in the vicinity of the open end, for supplying developer onto the photoreceptor through the open end; feeder, disposed in the housing at a position further from the open end than the sleeve, for feeding developer to the sleeve; a ridge-like protrusion, provided on a floor of the housing at a position beneath the sleeve, for preventing developer fed by the feeder from passing through between the sleeve and the floor.

Abstract: A developing device for color copiers and the like. The developing device has a plurality of developing units, each of which has a developing roller for developing an electrostatic latent image formed on an image carrier; a developing unit switching device for moving the developing units linearly and for selecting one of the developing units to oppose the image carrier; a fixed driving source for generating a driving force to drive the developing rollers; wrapping connecting apparatus which has a wrapping member and movable rotating structure having at least one rotating member and movable together with the developing units, the wrapping connecting apparatus being for conveying the driving force to the movable rotating structure; and a plurality of clutches, each of which is provided for one developing unit and is switched to a first state wherein the clutch conveys the driving force from the movable rotating structure to the developing roller and to a second state wherein there is no conveyance.

Abstract: Disclosed is a toner cartridge in which not only a first zone is provided for containing a toner therein but also a second zone is formed and a first opening and a second opening are formed adjacent to each other in these zones, respectively, one end of a sealing member being located on the edge, on the side of the second opening, of the first opening while the other end of the sealing member is secured to the confronting edge of the second opening, and the sealing member is peeled in the state where the sealing member is stuffed into the second zone through the second opening. In this toner cartridge, the attachment size of the cartridge is shortened and the attachment operation and the operation of peeling the sealing member are simplified.

Abstract: Metering roller (3) in the electrophotographic developer cartridge (1) is unsymmetrical along its length. As the metering roller rotates it distributes toner (11) both ways between chamber 13 and chamber 19 to maintain an equilibrium level (31) between the chambers. The unsymmetrical roller simultaneously reduces and increases the area of chamber 11, and possibly also provides a significant open path to chamber 19 across its flat surfaces (35), to inherently eliminate significant pressure build-up in chamber 13. The need for a vent between the chambers is eliminated.

Abstract: An apparatus for sorting sheets of paper discharged from an image forming apparatus includes a tray unit having a plurality of receiving trays for receiving the discharged sheets of paper. The trays are stacked in a predetermined direction at predetermined intervals. A movable unit is arranged to be movable in the predetermined direction along the tray unit. The sheets of paper discharged from the image forming apparatus are guided to the movable unit by a movable guide. The movable unit has a feeding unit for feeding the guided sheets into the tray unit. The feeding unit is movable between a feeding position adjacent to the tray unit and a remote position remote from the tray unit. By a shifting mechanism, the feeding unit is moved to the feeding position when the guided sheets are being fed, and is moved to the remote position when the movable member moves.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus selectively loaded with a two-side unit and a paper cassette storing a stack paper sheets and selectively operable in a two-sided copy mode and a combined copy mode. The body of the apparatus incorporates at least an image forming section, an image fixing section, a paper transporting section, and a paper discharging section therein. An accommodating section is provided in a lower portion of the apparatus body for selectively accommodating either one of the two-side unit and paper cassette. The accommodating section has a bore open at a particular side where the apparatus is to be operated, and a guide potion for guiding the two-side unit and paper cassette. The two-side unit and paper cassette have the same external configuration.

Abstract: Toner images are transferred in registry to a receiving sheet held on a transfer drum which drum has one or more layers which varies in resistivity. To offset difficulties in initial securing of the sheet to the drum, a transfer field is not applied as the leading edge of the sheet attaches to the drum. The transfer field is applied after a predetermined delay, which delay is varied as a function of the resistance of the drum.

Abstract: Liquid toner imaging apparatus for producing an image on a substrate and having carrier liquid and toner particle carryout on the average in a first ratio, the apparatus including an image bearing surface, apparatus for developing an image on the image bearing surface using a liquid toner inlcuding carrier liquid and toner particles and apparatus for transferring a developed image from the image bearing surface to the substrate. The apparatus for developing includes a liquid toner reservoir, supply apparatus including a replaceable enclosure initially containing toner concentrate including carrier liquid and toner particles therein and having an opening communicating with the reservoir and replenishment apparatus for causing transfer of toner concentrate from the replaceable enclosure to the reservoir to replenish the toner for causing transfer of contents of the reservoir to the replaceable enclosure to remove excess liquid toner from the reservoir.

Abstract: A developer unit which stores a supply of developer material has a capacitance cell positioned therein contacting the developer material. The capacitance cell measures the change in capacitance of the developer material and generates a signal indicative thereof. The capacitance change is caused by a change in the dielectric characteristics of the developer material due to changes in the moisture content thereof. This signal, in combination with a signal indicating the concentration of toner particles in the developer material, is used to control various processing stations in the printing machine employing the developer unit.

Abstract: A rotatable wiper blade roller for cleaning residual toner particles from an image-bearing surface includes a shroud, a plurality of indexable wiper blades that each engage the image-bearing surface at an angle of 60.degree. to 85.degree. defined in the direction of particle removal by the cleaning edge of each such blade and the image-bearing surface, that are each cleaned secondarily by an intermittently rotatable fur brush that is completely out of contact with the image-bearing surface.

Abstract: An electrophotographic copying machine is provided with a leaf document circulation mode (LDC mode) in which an optical scanner is fixed under a light transmission part of a platen glass and an original is made to pass over the optical scanning mechanism with an automatic document feeder mounted on the platen glass. To prevent the light-fatigue of the photosensitive drum caused by the light passing through the platen glass and incident on a photosensitive drum through an optical system when the automatic document feeder mounted on the platen glass is opened in the LDC mode, the open/close condition of the automatic document feeder is detected with a sensor and when it is opened the optical scanner is moved to a position where the light incident through the platen glass does not strike upon the photosensitive drum.

Abstract: A copying apparatus includes a circulating type original document feeder for feeding a plurality of originals from a tray, one by one, onto an exposure section. Each original is exposed to light from an optical system and an image of each original is copied onto a sheet. The apparatus also includes a counter for counting the number of originals fed from the feeder, a binding unit for binding sheets, and a controller for inhibiting the operation of the binding unit when the value counted by the counter is over a standard. The feeder may operate in a first feeding mode where each original is fed to the exposure section with only its first side facing the optical system, or in a second feeding mode where each original is fed twice to the exposure section, once with its first side facing the optical system and then once with its other side facing the optical system.

Abstract: Electronic photography apparatus has a photoconductor material on which an electrostatic latent image is formed, a developing device for developing the electrostatic latent image formed on this photoconductive material, a developing electrode provided in the developing device for developing the electrostatic latent image, a developers such that the developer supply exists in the spacing between the photoconductor material and the developing electrode and an injecting means for injecting air to the developers remaining in the spacing between the photoconductor material and the developing electrode so that the developers remaining in the spacing between the photoconductor material and the developing electrode are blown out before they become dried and changed into solid developers.