Abstract: A document feeder having a transportation belt unit for transporting a document original; a front side plate and a rear side plate respectively projecting upright at widthwise opposite edges of the transportation belt unit; a pair of stays each extending between the front side plate and the rear side plate; a front stay plate detachably fastened to portions of the pair of stays adjacent to the front side plate by means of a front fastening member; and a rear stay plate fastened to portions of the pair of stays adjacent to the rear side plate by means of a rear fastening member which can be loosened. The front side plate has a recess open to its underside for receiving the front stay plate for engagement therewith in a disengageable manner. The front stay plate is fastened to the front side plate in engagement with the recess by the front fastening member.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: a first image-bearing member, an intermediate transfer member for receiving an image formed on the first image-bearing member and transferring the image onto a second image-bearing member, pattern-forming means for forming a prescribed pattern on the intermediate transfer member, density detection means for detecting a density of the pattern, and control means for controlling image forming conditions based on the detected density. The intermediate transfer member is set to have a reflectance of 10-70% for light having a wavelength in the range of 700-1500 nm at least in a region thereof for forming the prescribed pattern. As a result, the pattern density detection is suitably performed on the intermediate transfer member for all of yellow, magenta cyan and black, and the detected density data is used for controlling the image forming conditions.

Abstract: A toner container comprises a toner storage section for providing a developer unit with a supply of toner, and a residual toner collect section integrally formed with the toner storage section and adapted to collect residual toner after an image has been developed. The present invention is intended to facilitate positioning, loading and unloading of the toner container, and also enable the toner to be smoothly supplied without being scattered from the toner container.The toner storage section includes a longitudinally extending rotary shaft and a resiliently deformable blade mounted to the rotary shaft. The toner storage section has a bottom, a first side wall, and the other or second side wall. A portion of the blade at a location corresponding to the first side wall is curved larger than a portion of the blade at a location corresponding to the second side wall.

Abstract: A conductive fiber having at least one fiber forming material and conductive materials and coated with a polymer which reduces the surface energy of the fiber below an initial surface energy of the fiber is disclosed. The fibers are preferably used in an electrostatic cleaning device which removes residual toner from the surface of an imaging member. The coated conductive fibers significantly improve the detoning efficiency of cleaning devices incorporating the fibers.

Abstract: A sensing system for detecting a full condition within a developer waste bottle, said sensing system including a sensor assembly mounted exterior to the developer waste bottle, said sensor assembly being responsive to magnetic material in said developer waste bottle when the magnetic material in said developer waste bottle reaches a predetermined level.

Abstract: A toner cartridge including a container having a toner discharge port, a toner contained in the container and a stirrer for stirring the toner existing in the container. The stirrer includes a rotary shaft rotatably mounted between both side walls of the container, not less than two arms extending in the radial direction, from the rotary shaft at fixed intervals in the axial direction and not less than one paddle disposed between the ends of the arms. Each paddle has a plate piece made of a synthetic resin film extending in a direction to separate away from the rotary shaft. The plate piece has one or more holes formed therein.

Abstract: A system for substantially maintaining color density in liquid toners for electrographic printers is disclosed. The system includes means for substantially continuously supplying toner concentrate to a printer and means for substantially continuously withdrawing liquid toner from a printer into a waste flowstream. A method to achieve substantially consistent color density of liquid toner in a electrographic printing system is also disclosed.

Abstract: As a service man resisters in a maintenance mode a both side copy mode as a standard copy mode, a one side copy key and a "one side.fwdarw.both sides" key are displayed on an operation/display unit. If an optional mode to be registered as the standard copy mode by a user does not contain the both side copy mode, a change in the standard copy mode is inhibited.

Abstract: The present ivention provides a toner replenishing container comprising a bag made of a film, and an opening member for opening the bag by tearing it. After the unsealing, a bottom of the bag is completely opened.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for reproducing high quality images using an electrophotographic printing machine is disclosed.More specifically, the present invention is used to change the location, shape and size of a process control patch. Process control patches may be used to improve the quality of an image prior to printing. The intensity of light reflected from the control patch is measured, and the measurements are used to change parameters such as magnitude of electrostatic charge, and toner concentration, before the latent image developed. Adjusting these parameters at this time will allow the printing apparatus to reproduce images having superior quality than previously available.

Abstract: There is disclosed a compact design for the electronic circuits required to provide electrical contact to a SED roll of a segmented electrode development unit. In this invention, all the required high voltage and low voltage circuitry is placed on a printed flexible circuit which is folded and rolled into a cylindrical circuit to be connected to the SED roll. The flexible printed circuit has a plurality of output terminals each of which will be connected to one of the electrodes of the SED roll. In this invention, a spool is used to support the connection of the cylindrical circuit to the SED roll.

Abstract: A technique for controlling the developing voltage of an electrophotographic apparatus to accommodate environmental conditions includes: measuring the developing current varying with environmental conditions, and adjusting the high voltage supplied to the developer according to the measured developing current.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus is capable of toner replenishment based on density reference toner image and toner replenishment based on ration of toner to carrier. The apparatus is provided with an image carrier, a developing unit for developing the electrostatic image on the image carrier with developer of toner and carrier, replenishing unit for replenishing the toner to the developing unit, image density sensing unit for sensing a density of the developed toner image, ration sensing unit for sensing a ratio of the toner to the carrier in the developing unit, and selecting unit for selecting one of first toner replenishment in which an amount of toner based on a sensing output from the image density sensing unit is replenished, and second toner replenishment in which an amount of toner based on a sensing output from the ratio sensing unit is replenished.

Abstract: The present invention provides an original feeding apparatus comprising first original feeding means for directing an original to an original reading station from one side thereof in an original-stationary scanning mode in which the original is read while fixing the original at the original reading station, and second original feeding means for directing then original to the original reading station from the other side thereof in an original-through scanning mode in which the original is read while shifting the original along the original reading station.

Abstract: The present invention pertains to a charging member which is energized to charge a chargeable member by contact-electrification and which comprises a conductive elastic layer having a surface layer containing a polymer having a main chain containing a structural unit of the following formula:--O--(CH.sub.2).sub.n --O--CO--wherein n is an integer of from 4 to 10.With stable charging properties, the charging member of the present invention has relatively uniform surface resistance, little dependency on the environmental conditions, and decreased contamination of photosensitive bodies and the like.

Abstract: A system for conditioning liquid ink made up of toner particles immersed in a liquid carrier medium being delivered to or on an image bearing surface in a multicolor electrostatographic printing machine of the type utilizing liquid developing material, particularly an image-on-image type liquid ink multicolor system. The liquid ink conditioning system includes a first member for electrostatically compressing or compacting the toner particles towards or on the image bearing surface. A second member is provided downstream from the first member for removing excess liquid from the compressed liquid ink layer.

Abstract: A method of printing images, such as multicolor images, on two sides of a substrate including: (a) forming a first image on a first surface; (b) transferring the first image to a second surface from the first surface; (c) forming a second image on the first surface; (d) transferring the second image to a third surface from the first surface; and (e) simultaneously transferring the first and second images from the second and third surfaces to the two sides of a substrate. In an embodiment of the invention transferring the first image to the second surface includes transferring the first image from the first surface to the third surface and subsequently transferring it to the second surface.

Abstract: A small field scanning photolithography system uses opposing motion of a reticle and a blank to compensate for image reversal by a projection system such as a conventional Wynne-Dyson optical system which forms a reverted image on a blank. The reticle has a reverted pattern. During scanning, the reticle moves along a reverted axis in a direction opposite the direction in which the blank moves. The opposing motions can either expose a stripe on the blank or index the reticle and blank for exposure of a next stripe. In one embodiment of the invention, the reticle and blank are on independently movable precision air bearing stages. Typically, the blank and reticle move together perpendicular the reverted axis and in opposite direction along the reverted axis. The stages can move the reticle and blank different amounts to correct for shrinkage and temperature changes which cause the size of the reticle and blank to differ.

Abstract: An easy to install and remove developing unit for an electrophotographic machine is disclosed. The developing unit contains a spring loaded handle that works in cooperation with the top cover or lid of the electrophotographic device. When the lid is opened, the spring loaded handle pops up, allowing the user to grab the handle and pull the developing unit out of the electrophotographic machine. When the lid is closed onto the handle, the cover works against the spring bias and compresses the handle into a small, compact space that fits within the electrophotographic machine. The result is a compact and efficient developing unit that allows the user to easily remove and install the developing unit into and out of the electrophotographic device.

Abstract: A fixing device has a fixing roller, a press member disposed in a press state in an axial direction of the fixing roller on the periphery surface thereof, and a transport guide for guiding transport of paper. The press member is formed so that the free height of a guide part on an upstream side with respect to the transport direction of the paper is lower than that of the pressure portion pressed to the fixing roller via a heat resistant sheet. Therefore, since the apparent elasticity hardness of the pressure portion can be made relatively small, the nip width formed by the fixing roller and the press member can be made large. Consequently, the fixing of toner to the paper is improved. Even when, for example, a thin sheet of paper or an envelope is used as the paper, the fixing device can suppress the occurrence of paper jam, such as paper lodging, and improper paper insertion.