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 a composite coating on at least a portion of the electrode member.

Abstract: Featured is a control system including a processing apparatus, such as a digital copying or facsimile machine and a terminal apparatus. The processing apparatus creates a control command on the basis of a control program previously stored in the processing apparatus and executes processing in accordance with the control command. The control program stored in the apparatus is transmitted to the terminal apparatus by means of an electromagnetic transmitter/receiver, such as an IRPCM transmitting part of an IR emit receiver part. The terminal apparatus executes the control program therein, creates a control command for the processing apparatus and transmits the control command to the processing apparatus via the transmitter/receiver.

Abstract: When an optional unit (40, 50) is mounted, a video controller (27) serving as main control unit sends various control commands to a supervising controller (101) through an interface (114). The supervising controller (101) controls an engine controller (26) through an interface (29) while controlling the optional unit (40, 50) in accordance with the received control commands, thereby recording an image. When no optional unit is mounted (when the optional units 32, 40, 50 are absent), the video controller (27) directly controls the engine controller (26) through an interface (28), thereby recording an image. With the above arrangement, the supervising controller (101) serving as a control unit associated with optional units can be attached/detached.

Abstract: A method of fusing image is for an image forming apparatus including a paper feeder, a photosensitive device having an organic photoconductive (OPC) drum to form an electrostatic latent image on the peripheral surface of the OPC drum, a transferring device for supplying toner powder to the electrostatic latent image and for transferring the toner image on a paper, and a fusing device for fusing the toner image on the paper.

Abstract: A drive transmission apparatus includes a first gear for transmitting a driving force to a first rotatable body, a second gear for transmitting the driving force to a second rotatable body and a third gear to which the driving force is transmitted from a driving source, the first, second and third gears being coaxially arranged. A first connecting member passes through the second gear and connects the first gear and the third gear. A cylindrical second connecting member is supported by the first connecting member located inside the second connecting member and connects the second gear and the third gear. The arrangement is such that the fluctuation in rotating speed of the second gear may be transmitted to the first gear through the second connecting member, the third gear and the first connecting member.

Abstract: A cleaning member for cleaning a surface which, for example in an image recording device, is brought into contact with toner powder or an image receiving material carrying toner powder. The cleaning member comprises a surface layer of a high-viscosity polymeric material that is sticky at room temperature. Preferably, the polymeric material is a polymer or polymeric mixture having a viscosity between 10.sup.4 and 10.sup.6 Pa.s at 20.degree. C., and a very suitable polymer is polyisobutylene, having a molecular mass of about 100,000.The cleaning member is preferably provided with mixing means for mixing into the mass of the sticky layer impurities that are deposited on the surface thereof.

Abstract: A toner supply roll including a metal shaft and a cylindrical soft polyurethane sponge structure formed on an outer circumferential surface of the metal shaft by foam molding of a polyurethane material in a mold cavity of a mold. The sponge structure having a hardness of 350 g or lower includes a skin layer having generally smooth surface and openings, and a network of cells. The openings are open in the smooth surface and communicate with respective ones of the cells located adjacent to the skin layer, such that the openings are substantially aligned with central portions of the respective ones of the cells in axial and radial directions of the sponge structure. Each opening has a size within a range of 100-800 .mu.m, and a total area of the openings is at least 20% of a total area of the smooth surface of the skin layer. The method of producing the roll is also disclosed.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus and a cleaning blade employed in the image forming apparatus which is operable to form an electrostatic latent image on an image carrying member, develop the latent image with toner into a visible toner image, transfer the toner image onto a record member and fix the same, and having an edge pressed against the image carrying member with a predetermined pressure for removing residual toner on the image carrying member after the transfer. A degree of toluene swelling of the cleaning blade is in a range from 20% to 100%, and the cleaning blade has an impact resilience in a range from 10% to 65%, a Young's modulus in a range from 30 to 120 kg/cm.sup.2, and a 300%-modulus in a range from 100 to 600 kg/cm.sup.2.

Abstract: A five cycle color electrophotographic printing architecture in which the transfer station is located downstream of the cleaning station.

Abstract: A printer and a toner cartridge detachably provided in a printer body. The toner cartridge is provided with a specific uneven pattern or logo mark at an outer surface thereof. The printer has first and second detection switches for identifying the uneven pattern. Co-relation is established between a specific position of the uneven pattern and height of the specific position, and each detection switch is set so as to confront with the specific position. The first and second detection switches serve to detect the projected part, and the recessed part, respectively. If the first detection switch detects the recessed part, or if the second detection switch detects the projected part, the installed cartridge is judged to be a pirated cartridge.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus transfers a toner image formed on a photoconductive member onto transfer paper by passing the photoconductive member consecutively beside a main charger, exposure unit, developer unit, pre-transfer charger, transfer charger, and charge remover. During image formation under conditions with temperature or humidity lower than a predetermined level, the pre-transfer charger is deactivated.

Abstract: A method is provided for a customer to provide a message, design or other visible information to be printed upon prints during processing of photographic film supplied by the customer. The process involves scanning an annotated surface containing the visible information, creating a reproducible file containing the visible information and printing the visible information from the file onto a photographic print during the photofinishing processing. The customer information may be directly written or otherwise connected with a photofinishing envelope in which the film is forwarded to the photofinisher. The envelopes or messages may be scanned and the envelopes saved for return to the customer with the finished prints and negatives. If the envelopes are scanned at the time of removing the film, the reproducible file may be electronically stored and retrieved during printing of the photographic prints on which the information is to be printed. Various alternative steps in the process are disclosed.

Abstract: A method of controlling the charging operation of the contact charger of an electrophotographic apparatus including a photosensitive drum and a developing means for charging a toner with a negative voltage, the photosensitive drum and developing means being normally supplied with a negative voltage during printing, which includes the steps of: supplying a negative charging voltage of a specified level to the contact charger for a first interval defined as at least one initial rotation of the photosensitive drum in warm-up with the developing means not being supplied with a voltage, cutting off the negative charging voltage, and supplying a negative developing bias voltage which is lower than the surface voltage of the photosensitive drum to the developing means for a second interval defined as the interval before the stopping of the rotation of the photosensitive drum after the first period.

Abstract: A charging member suitable for charging, e.g., a photosensitive member for electrophotography, is provided with improve surface-properties. The charging member is surface with a resin formed by plasticizing a rigid polymer with a plasticizing polymer chemically bonded to the rigid polymer.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image illuminating section having an illuminating lamp for projecting an image and a heater-type fixing device. In the image forming apparatus, the image illuminating section and the heater-type fixing device are adjacent to each other, and the fixing device is heated by the heat of the illuminating section. This prevents a waste of energy, shortens the rise time of the fixing device and the operating time of a heater for heating a heating roller of the fixing device, and obtains good fixing properties even in a low-temperature environment.

Abstract: The present invention provides spot-illumination of a specific size having sufficiently homogeneous light intensity distribution, with a small and inexpensive apparatus. A lighting assembly condenses the light from light source 1 with condensing-reflecting member 2. An optical integrator 3 receives at its one end the light via condensing-reflecting member 2 and emits from the other end after making the light intensity distribution homogeneous A projection lens system 4 projects the emitting surface of optical integrator 3 onto an emitted surface. By shifting the relative positioning between the lighting assembly and the substrate 11, and adjusting the distance between the substrate 11 and the mask 12, which stores a pattern to be formed, a specified area of the exposure surface 11a is scanned and exposed to have a mask pattern transcribed on the exposure surface 11a.

Abstract: A developer in use with an image forming apparatus. The developer includes: a developing sleeve which rotates and holds toner on itself so as to develop a latent image on a photoreceptor with the toner; a driving motor for generating a rotational driving force; a drive transmission for transmitting the rotational driving force of the driving motor to the developing cartridge in which the drive transmission has a transmitting state and an untransmitting state; and a shock easing controller or member for easing a shock of transmission of the rotational driving force to the developing sleeve in the transmitting state, in which the shock easing controller or member is provided in at least one of the driving means and the drive transmission means.

Abstract: Fundamental machine functions such as the Tone Reproduction Curve need to be divided into regions of smaller units so that each unit can be interrelated to some aspects of the internal machine process. A first step toward that is by decomposing measured TRC in terms of what are known as "orthogonal basis functions". Two significant applications for orthogonal basis functions may be extensive use in color controls to maintain color consistency for every page, every time and all the time. The use of basis functions might also lead to a new soft sensor for use in certain machines.

Abstract: An architecture of a fuser subsystem in an electrophotographic printer or copier includes a web which cleans the fuser roll. The web is driven by a mechanism which enables a constant velocity of the web relative to the fuser roll surface without the need of separate motor or controller. The design can further compensate for changes in frictional coefficient between the fuser roll and the web, such as is caused by large deposits of toner collected on the cleaning web.

Abstract: In an electrophotographic process using an electrophotographic photoconductor having a photoconductive layer which contains a charge generation material and a charge transport material, the charge transport material being convertible from a neutral state into a charged state during the photoconduction in the photoconductive layer, when light is applied to the photoconductive layer, there is employed at least one type of rays of light selected from type 1 which has a light emission peak, and type 2 and type 3, each of which has a continuous spectrum with a threshold wavelength value, in such a manner that a half-width wavelength range of type 1 does not overlap a peak wavelength or a half-width wavelength range of an absorption peak of the charge transport material in the charged state, and a half value of a threshold wavelength value of each of type 2 or type 3 is beyond the wavelength or a half-width wavelength range of any of extreme end absorption peaks in terms of the wavelength of the absorption light of