Abstract: A recording apparatus comprises a housing having an opening in an upper surface thereof, and an image-fixing device in the form of a unit which fixes a toner image on paper. The housing has a mounting section at a position facing the opening, for detachably mounting thereon the image-fixing unit. The housing also includes a door for covering and exposing the opening. The door need only be opened in order for the image-fixing unit to be removed from the housing.

Abstract: In an apparatus utilizing a photoconductive member mounted for movement about a closed loop path through electrostatographic process stations for reproducing information, a mechanism for mounting said photoconductive member in said apparatus. Such mechanism comprises at least a pair of rollers about which the photoconductive member is entrained. The photoconductive member-supporting rollers are supported for movement to (i) an operative position relative to electrostatographic process stations, (ii) a remote position enabling access to such electrostatographic process stations, and (iii) an intermediate position where removal and replacement of the photoconductive member on the rollers is facilitated.

Abstract: A developing apparatus for developing a charged latent image formed on a photosensitive drum with a developer including toners and carriers comprises a casing for holding the developer, a developing roller for carrying the developer supplied from the casing, and conveying the developer from the casing to the photosensitive drum so as to develop the charged latent image formed on the photosensitive drum with the developer, a doctor blade for controlling the thickness of the developer carried on the developiung roller to a predetermined value, a scraper for removing the developer which keeps on being carried on the developing roller after the end of developing operation, and returning the removed developer into the casing, and a toner removing member for removing toners, directly attached on the developing roller, from the developing roller, the toner removing member being provided independent of the developer removing scraper.

Abstract: A sheet transport control method for deciding whether or not the transport of a sheet in a copier and other is normal. Sheet feed sensors, a registration sensor, a separation sensor, a fixation sensor, a discharge sensor and others each being responsive to the ends of a sheet are provided. The actual timing of passage of a sheet sensed by one of the sensors is compared with a reference timing, and the resulting increment or decrement in timing is fed back to the reference timings which are respectively, assigned to each of the other sensors that are located downstream of that one sensor. This prevents the deviation in timing from being sequentially accumulated from the upstream sensor to the downstream sensor. When the sum of the increments and decrements exceeds a predetermined value, an alarm is produced for alerting a person to such an occurrence.

Abstract: A toner supplying device of the present invention has a toner storage tank having a toner supply opening in its bottom for accommodating a toner therein; a first toner transport member disposed within the storage tank and drivingly rotatable for transporting the toner; a second toner transport member disposed within the storage tank in parallel with the first toner transport member and drivingly rotatable for transporting the toner in a direction opposite to the direction of transport by the first toner transport member; and a cover covering the first toner transport member and the toner supply opening, yet only partially covering the first toner transport member.With this device, an excess of toner is prevented from flowing out from the storage tank through the opening since the cover is provided at an intermediate portion of the path of transport of the toner for covering the first toner transport member and the toner supply opening.

Abstract: An image forming cartridge houses a charger unit integrally with respect to a photoreceptor.Charge wire positioning members are provided on the image forming cartridge body at positions corresponding to holes provided in the charger unit aligned with the charge wire in the charger unit. The charge wire positioning members are spaced at a specified distance from the photoreceptor to ensure uniform charging of the photoreceptor by the charge wire.

Abstract: A multi-mode apparatus for electrophotographically reproducing electronically generated information or information obtained optically from a document. This apparatus comprises a photoconductive belt mounted for movement about a closed loop path through electrophotographic process stations. A light emitting component, associated with the photoconductive belt, produces light images from electronically generated signals. Further, a mechanism, associated with the photoconductive belt, supports a lamp and a lens assembly for movement relative to a transparent document-supporting platen of the apparatus. Movement of the photoconductive belt and the supporting mechanism are controlled whereby during optical reproduction, the belt is held stationary while the supporting mechanism is moved to expose the belt to a light image of a document on such platen, and on reproduction of electronically generated information, the belt is moved past the light emitting component.

Abstract: A copying machine comprising the body of said copying machine and a process unit attachable to and detachable from the body of said copying machine, wherein said process unit comprises a photosensitive drum, a charging device, a developing apparatus, and a cleaning apparatus within a housing of said process unit, and said process unit further comprises a route of conveyance for recording paper that tunnels through said housing in the region under said photosensitive drum.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus wherein a latent image is formed on an image bearing member, corresponding to the image information to be recorded by the charging and exposure steps effected to the image bearing member. The latent image is developed, and the developed image is transferred onto a transfer material. The developing device is movable between its operative position where it is capable of developing the latent image on the image bearing member and its inoperative position where the developing device is retracted from the operative position. A control device is provided to effect the movement of the developing device between the operative position and the inoperative position at other than the image exposure step or not during the transfer step.

Abstract: An electrophotographic recording apparatus having a photoconductive element, means for providing an electrostatic latent image on the photoconductive element which corresponds to image light, a developing device for developing the latent image to produce a visible image, means for transferring the visible image onto a paper, and means for cleaning the surface of the photoconductive element after the transfer of the visible image. Developers of different colors are selectively supplied to the single developing device to selectively record images in different colors. When a predetermined period of time has expired with no recording action taken after the completion of color recording, a developer collection system is communicated to a cleaning liquid vessel. This shortens the period of time necessary for the next change of recording color and recording operation while allowing a minimum of damage to result from a trouble in the developer collection system.

Abstract: An improved electrophotographic reproduction apparatus having a photoconductive member mounted for movement about a closed loop path in operative relation to electrophotographic process stations and a movable scanning mechanism for optically exposing the photoconductive member to a light image of a document to be reproduced. The improvement comprises a self-coiling exposure shade for preventing unwanted illumination from exposing the photoconductive member. The exposure shade includes an opaque, low reflectance, sheet material treated to coil on itself. One end of the material is connected to the scanning mechanism and the opposite end is associated with a support rod oriented coaxially with the coiled material. As the scanning mechanism moves in a direction to pull on the exposure shade, the shade will uncoil; and when the scanning mechanism moves in the opposite direction, the shade will coil on itself about the support rod.

Abstract: An electrostatic latent image developing apparatus which has a developing sleeve drivingly rotatable for transporting a developer, a magnetic roller fixedly positioned within the developing sleeve and having a plurality of N and S poles wherein one of said poles includes auxiliary poles of a weaker magnetic force, a bristle height restricting plate and apparatus for supplying the developer. Said auxiliary poles have the same polarity and are provided at one side of the sleeve opposite to the developing side thereof. Said bristle height restricting plate is provided between one of the auxiliary poles located downstream with respect to the direction of transport of the developer and the pole adjacent to the downstream auxiliary pole in the rotating direction of the developing sleeve.By using this apparatus, developer after being used for developing is smoothly mixed and stirred with a newly supplied developer at the upstream side of said bristle height restricting plate.

Abstract: A magnetic brush development device has a development casing housing a development sleeve for carrying a magnetic brush thereon, the development sleeve confronting an electrostatic latent image carrier such as a photosensitive drum. When the development sleeve rotates, toner carried by the development sleeve acts as a pump for air inside the development casing housing, and the pumping action of the air causes developer to be scattered out of the housing. However, according to the invention, the development casing has spaces defined therein around the development sleeve and communicating with each other to equalize pressures therein for thereby preventing developer from being scattered out.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image forming station for conveying a sheet material along a lateral reference position and for forming an image on the sheet material; refeeding device for refeeding to the image forming station the sheet material on which the image has been formed in the image forming station; means, provided in the sheet refeeding means, for shifting the sheet material in the lateral direction from the lateral reference position by a predetermined amount, wherein the amount of the shift is predetermined on the basis of a change in a lateral dimension of the sheet material resulting from an image forming operation in the image station.

Abstract: A copy machine toner fixing device is provided having a plurality of rollers in which adjacent rollers are in contact under pressure, wherein at least one of the rollers is covered with a non-adhesive coating layer and copy paper carrying toner images thereon is passed between the rollers to fix the toner images on the paper, characterized in that the coating layer is an open celled, cellular plastic film wound around the periphery of the roller. A preferred film is expanded, porous polytetrafluoroethylene. The outer surface of the coating layer may advantageously be rendered non-porous by application of compression forces externally to the coating layer. Electroconductive filler may be advantageously incorporated into the open celled plastic film.

Abstract: A color copying machine contains a scanning unit driven by a motor for applying a color scanning beam onto a manuscript, a photoconductive drum operable to rotate for being exposed to the scanning beam to form on a peripheral surface thereof a latent image of the manuscript. The color copying machine further contains a device for applying a toner to the latent image to form a toner image, and a transfer drum for holding a record sheet onto which the toner image on the photoconductive drum is transferred. A main controller calculates data representative of a speed of the motor in accordance with a magnification rate of the copy image to be formed on the record sheet to the image on the manuscript, and outputs a pulse signal whose pulse rate is proportional to the calculated speed data. The main controller outputs the pulse signal to a controller which drives the motor at a speed determined by the pulse rate of the pulse signal.

Abstract: An apparatus in which latent images are developed with a liquid developer material of selected colors. A plurality of stationarily mounted developer units have liquid developer materials of selected colors supplied thereto. A cleaning material is furnished to clean the liquid developer material from the first developer unit having the liquid developer material supplied thereto prior to the second developer unit having the liquid developer material supplied thereto so as to prevent comingling of different color developer materials during development of the next latent image.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus capable of effecting plural image forming operations on one transfer sheet includes an image transfer device for transferring an image on the transfer sheet, an image magnification changing mechanism for changing the magnification of the image to be transferred onto the transfer sheet, and a control device for controlling the magnification changing mechanism in accordance with deformation of the transfer sheet caused by an image forming operation on the transfer sheet, after a first image is formed on the transfer sheet and before a second image is formed on the same transfer sheet, whereby those images are correctly registered.

Abstract: A method for forming an outline of an image. By this method, at first, an electrostatic latent image bearing member is charged and then irradiated to form an electrostatic latent image. Thereafter, the irradiated member is re-charged with a scorotron charger while applying a voltage to the scorotron grid, the voltage being slightly lower than the surface potential of the image portion of the latent image, and being substantially higher than the background potential of the latent image and being of the same polarity as that of the charging. By this re-charging, the outline portion of the image is given lower potential than the other portion. Then, the outline portion of the image with the lower potential is developed by a reversal development by using a toner charged to a polarity the same as the polarity of charging of the latent image bearing member.

Abstract: A developing device includes a developing sleeve driven to rotate for transporting a film of charged developer as carried thereon past a developing station where the film of developer is applied to an electrostatic latent image to have it developed. Also provided is a sponge roller pressed against and driven to rotate in the same rotating direction as that of the developing sleeve, so that the developer is supplied to the developing sleeve at one side of the contact between the developing sleeve and the sponge roller and any residual developer on the developing sleeve is removed at the other side of the contact. Preferably, a desired voltage difference is established between the developing sleeve and the sponge roller. Furthermore, the sponge roller is preferably so structured to have a sufficient conductivity level at least at its outer peripheral surface thereby allowing the residual charge on the developing sleeve to be discharged sufficiently.