Abstract: An image forming apparatus for forming a toner image on a transfer material using an intermediary transfer member, includes a first image bearing member; toner image forming means for forming a toner image on said first image bearing member; an intermediary transfer member, as a second image bearing member, movable along an endless path in contact with said first image bearing member; first transfer means for transferring the toner image from said first image bearing member onto the intermediary transfer member at a first transfer position of said intermediary transfer member; second transfer means for transferring the toner image from said intermediary transfer member onto the transfer material at a second transfer position of said intermediary transfer member; wherein said intermediary transfer member comprises as a base material flexible rubber belt having a thickness of 0.5 to 3 mm, and an actual resistance R.sub.B1 (Ohm) thereof and an electrostatic capacity C.sub.B1 (F) satisfy:R.sub.B1 <1/C.sub.B1.

Abstract: The present invention provides an image forming apparatus for forming a toner image on a transfer material by using an intermediate transfer member, comprising an image bearing member, a toner image forming means for forming a toner image on the image bearing member, an intermediate transfer member moving along an endless path while contacting with the image bearing member, a measuring means for measuring a color of the intermediate transfer member, a judge means for judging a toner contaminated condition of the intermediate transfer member on the basis of a measured result by the measuring means, and a display means for displaying a judged result by the judge means. With this arrangement, by detecting the contamination of the intermediate transfer member and by displaying the contamination condition, both of deterioration of image quality due to toner contamination of the intermediate transfer member and reduction of a function for automatically setting an image forming condition can be prevented.

Abstract: A pressing force adjusting mechanism decreases a pressing force of a pressing member 16 when a leading edge or a rear edge of a transfer material P passes through a transfer point P1 based on the detection signals from a transfer material position sensor 57 and/or a transfer material type sensor 58.

Abstract: An image reading apparatus which reads out a document placed face-up by scanning optically from above the document, having a document change detection means, and when a document is not changed, a reproducted image density is controlled by using a previous result of the document ground brightness detection without detecting newly. Further, an image reading section is arranged on a document table which a bookform document is placed upward and an auto-document feeding unit for conveying a sheetform document is provided, where by a conveyed sheetform document is read out by a sensor at a fixed focal position.

Abstract: A projection exposure apparatus includes a projection optical system for projecting a pattern of a first object onto a second object, and a correcting device for substantially correcting rotational asymmetry in optical characteristic of the projection optical system to be produced in the projection optical system with an exposure process.

Abstract: An image forming device detects a standard pattern transferred to a transfer belt by an image carrier. The standard pattern is transferred onto the transfer belt at an image transfer position and detected at a standard pattern detection position. The distance between the image transfer position and the standard pattern detection position is a non-integer-multiple of the distance which the transfer belt is moved by one rotation of the image belt drive roll.

Abstract: Toner cartridge (1) has a unitary assembly forming the handle (3a, 3b), the cover (25), side walls (33, 245) and the cleaner chamber (27) and hold the photoconductor drum (43). Each of the side walls has a U-shaped housing (35, 247) which loosely receives a pin (37a, 37b) from the side of the hopper (61). The hopper is part of a unitary assembly holding the toner adder roller (45) and the developer roller (43). Second pins (131a, 131b) from the sides of the hopper carry springs which pull the two assemblies together to press the developer roller against the photoconductor. The hopper also has flat ledges (161a, 133a) on each side for movement on roller in the printer. This further permits the cartridge to have central locating elements (29a, 29b), wing-like guides (9a, 9b) for insertion, links (13a, 13b) to open a lower shutter (7), and unobstructed ends of photoconductor shaft (47) for positively locating on that shaft.

Abstract: An electrostatographic reproduction apparatus, utilizing an intermediate image transfer member to transfer marking particle images to a receiver member, including a mechanism for facilitating duplex copying. The mechanism for facilitating duplex copying has a prefuser in juxtaposition with a portion of a receiver member travel path, downstream of the intermediate transfer member. An inverter is provided for transporting a receiver member from the prefuser back to the intermediate transfer member in a side-for-side inverted orientation. A control selectively activates the prefuser for tacking a first side image to a receiver member, and diverts such receiver member into the inverter to be transported to the intermediate transfer member to have a second side image formed thereon.

Abstract: Marking device for controlled application of charge carriers to a substrate includes a charge carrier source for generating the charge carriers, a voltage source having a first pole and a second pole connected to the charge carrier source and forming therewith a current circuit wherein a control device is located, the voltage source having a third pole for generating a predeterminable electrical potential on the substrate, so that the charge carriers are applicable thereat by corresponding triggering of the control device, the control device being assigned to at least one of the first and the second poles and being located at approximately 0-volt potential.

Abstract: Non-magnetic toner in an electrostatic imaging system, such as the MIDAX.RTM. electronic imaging system, is dynamically recycled. Wayward airborne toner particles in the imaging system are vacuum collected to provide an air stream with entrained toner particles, and a centrifugal separator separates the particles from the entraining air. The separated particles are then dynamically returned to the imaging system. At least one airlock, which may comprise at least first and second fluid actuated or mechanically actuated valves which are spaced from each other, is provided between the separator and a reservoir for toner particles to be supplied to a fluidized bed of toner particles in the imaging system. A distribution device for distributing the toner particles in at least two different horizontal paths, to return to the reservoir.

Abstract: A measuring device for amount of charge of developer includes an upper electrode, a lower electrode provided under the upper electrode, which are provided in parallel so as to face each other, flying electric field voltage application unit for applying a flying electric field voltage to the upper electrode, for generating an electric field so as to fly developer from the lower electrode to the upper electrode, current detection unit for detecting a current flowing in the upper electrode, and arithmetic unit for computing a total amount of charge of the developer adhering to the upper electrode based on a change in amount of current detected by the current detection unit, wherein a current that generates as a toner T adheres to the upper electrode is detected by the current detection unit, and based on a change in amount of the current, a total amount of charge of the developer adhering to the upper electrode is computed by the arithmetic unit.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus which forms an image on a sheet in accordance with an image forming mode selected from among a plurality of image forming modes is provided with a counter to accumulate the number of times image formation has been executed for each of the plurality of image forming modes. The counter includes a memory to store the accumulated number of times image formation has been executed for each of the plurality of image forming modes and a display to display content of the memory.

Abstract: A projection exposure apparatus projects the pattern of a reticle at a high resolution even when a wafer which is poor in flatness because of its warping or step is used. An illumination light beam emitted from a light source system illuminates a reticle through a condenser lens. The illumination light beam emerging from the reticle forms the intermediate image of the pattern of the reticle at a position near the reflecting surface of a reflecting mirror through a half prism and a projection lens. The illumination light beam reflected by the reflecting surface forms the pattern image of the reticle onto the surface of a wafer after passing through the projection lens and the half prism again. The shape of the reflecting surface of the reflecting mirror is changed to conform to the shape of the surface of the wafer.

Abstract: The present invention relates to image forming device such as copying machines and laser printers, which use an electrophotographic (xerognaphic) process. A simple control method without using any additional complex means can equalize a surface potentional of a light-sensitive drum to keep a light-quality of an image formed even for the first rotation of the light-sensitive drum. A charge-removal prohibiting means, a charge-potentional changing means and a developing bias-potentional changing means are controlled in accordance with an extent of a change of a surface potential of a light-sensitive body, which depends upon a light fatigue and an ambient temperature of the light-sensitive body and/or a pause after a preceding image process.

Abstract: An apparatus and process for reducing accumulation of toner from the surface of an electrode member in a development unit of an electrostatographic printing apparatus by providing an organic coating on at least a portion of the electrode member.

Abstract: A copier supervisory control system in which a plurality of copiers are connected to each other over a network is provided. Each of the plurality of copiers has a structure that compares a user identifier inputted by a user with a registered identifier. If the user identifier and the registered identifier are identical, the user is permitted to make copies by the copier. If the two compared identifiers are not identical, the user is prohibited from making copies. More specifically, a first copier receives a user identifier and compares it with its registered identifier. If the user identifier and the registered identifier of the first copier are not identical, the copier inquires of a second copier whether it has a registered identifier identical to the user identifier over the network. Upon receipt of the inquiry, the second copier compares the user identifier with its own identifier, and if the two identifiers are identical, it informs the first copier of the result over the network.

Abstract: An apparatus detects a developing unit and a residual amount of toner. The apparatus includes a magnet mounted under the bottom of a developing unit with a specific distance between them. The apparatus generates a sensing signal upon detecting an up anddown movement of the magnet. Then, in response to the sensing signal, the apparatus generates status messages concerning the existence of the developing unit and a residual amount of the toner. From the status messages, the user may easily check the existence of the developing unit and the residual amount of the toner.

Abstract: An electrostatographic process cartridge detachably mountable into a cavity defined by mated modules forming parts of an electrostatographic reproduction machine. The process cartridge includes an elongate housing having walls defining a front end of the process cartridge, a rear end thereof, and a process chamber; a rotatable endless photoreceptive member having a closed loop path within the process chamber, and an image bearing surface for holding a formed toner image, and being mounted within the process chamber and towards the rear end for contacting a toner image receiving sheet moving along a machine sheet path for toner image transfer.

Abstract: In a color image forming apparatus, wherein plural toner images are superimposed on the photoreceptor during a single rotation of the photoreceptor by a plurality of charging devices, image exposing means and developing means, each of the plurality of image exposing means comprises an array-shaped plural elements aligned in the axial direction of the photoreceptor and the color image forming apparatus further comprises heating means or heat absorbing means provided for each of the plurality of image exposing means and control means for controlling a temperature of each of the plurality of image exposing means independently of others by the heating means or the heat absorbing means.

Abstract: To maintain an image eraser used for erasing a toner image printed on a sheet operable wastes power, and additionally, a manual operation is required for loading a sheet feed portion with sheets from which the printed image is removed for reuse. The main body of an image forming apparatus is provided with a tray for image erasure and a feed roller for feeding sheets from the tray. Disposed in a passage for transporting the sheets from the tray is an image eraser comprising a nozzle for applying a treatment for removal of toner, a toner removal roller and a pressure roller and the likes. By means of a transport roller, sheets are transferred from the image eraser to an intermediate tray or a registration roller for feeding sheets to an image forming position. The image eraser is actuated for image erasure while the image forming apparatus is not performing an image forming operation.