Abstract: After forming solid patch images under various patch generating conditions (E, Vb), the optical densities of the respective patch images are measured by a patch sensor, and patch generating conditions matching with a higher-density side target density (OD=1.2) are extracted as “higher-density side correlation data.” Further, line patch images are formed under various patch generating conditions (E, Vb), the optical densities of the respective line patch images are measured by the patch sensor, and patch generating conditions matching with a lower-density side target density (OD=0.2) are extracted as “lower-density side correlation data.” An optimal exposure energy and an optimal developing bias are set based on one piece of correlation data (E2, Vb(3)) belonging to said product set of the higher-density side correlation data and the lower-density side correlation data.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus as described in the embodiments of the present invention comprises a latent image forming unit for forming an electrostatic latent image on the surface; a developing device which supplies liquid developer containing toner particles and carrier liquid to the electrostatic latent image, and forms a developed image on the latent image forming unit; a transferring device which transfers the developed image on the latent image forming unit onto a recording medium, a conveying path of the developed image being formed from the developing device to the recording medium; and a blowing unit equipped with a guide wall to cover at least a part of the conveying path, the guide wall providing a gap of more than 0.5 mm and less than 5 mm, and an air current generating source which generates an air current in the gap, and thoroughly dries and removes excess carrier liquid by exposing a developed image to the air current for a long time.

Abstract: Writing electrodes of a writing device are kept in contact with a latent image carrier with a small pressing force by a weak restoring force of a substrate. An electrostatic latent image is written on the latent image carrier by applying or removing charge relative to the latent image carrier which is already uniformly charged by a charge control device. The application or removal of charge is conducted via charge-transfer between the latent image carrier and the writing electrodes which are in contact with each other. The electrostatic latent image is developed by a developing device to form a developing powder image and this developing powder image is transferred to a receiving medium such as a paper by a transferring device. Since the writing electrodes are employed as the writing device, the apparatus can be manufactured smaller and simply and can steadily write an image.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus designed such that an intermediate transfer unit storage portion can be pulled in a horizontal direction from an accommodating portion of a casing and a processing unit storage portion, to which developing cartridges and a photosensitive belt mechanism are detachably attached, can be pulled from the intermediate transfer unit storage portion.

Abstract: A replenisher for facilitating flow of toner in an electrophotographic apparatus. The replenisher includes a sump for receiving the toner. An beater element having a plurality of blades is rotatably mounted within the sump wherein some of the blades impart a shear force and a normal force along the axis of rotation to the toner while others of the blades impart a shear force and a normal force towards or away from the axis of rotation to the toner as the beater is rotated through the toner. This effectively “aerates” the toner and keeps it mobile within the sump.

Abstract: In an image forming apparatus, a replaceable process unit which holds a photosensitive body and a device to form at least one image can be held in a holding section. The image forming apparatus counts an amount of use of the process unit and stores a count value in a storage section. When the image forming apparatus performs a printing operation, the apparatus determines whether a mode selectively set by a mode setting section is a first mode in which a printing operation stops when the count value reaches a given value or a second mode in which the printing operation does not stop when the count value reaches the given value.

Abstract: The object of the invention is to provide an image carrier which is capable of securely preventing the leakage of charge in lateral direction so as to stably conduct the application or removal of charge and which can be easily manufactured. An image carrier comprises a dielectric layer, wherein charge is transferred between the dielectric layer and a charge-transfer controlling means so as to apply charge to or remove charge from the dielectric layer, wherein the dielectric layer is formed in such a structure that a large number of conductive portions are formed to be separately dispersed in its outer surface. Charge is transferred between the conductive portions and the charge-transfer controlling means so as to apply charge to or remove charge from the conductive portions.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus maintains a constant beam scanning state so that light beams scan each drum always in the same state once a desired color overlapping accuracy is obtained by controlling color registration in color image formation. This mechanism achieves constantly fine color overlapping without forming a test pattern several times or consuming toner unnecessarily. A beam passage switch is provided in a laser scanning system. Sensors provided near each photosensitive drum determine whether each light beam has scanned a certain portion with no inclination or a certain scanning area, or whether each image magnification provides a desired size.

Abstract: A toner container of the present invention includes a rectangular, hollow case having a top wall, a bottom wall, two side walls facing each other and two end walls facing each other. The side walls and end walls each are formed with a thin portion at the intermediate position thereof, so that the case is foldable along such thin portions. An expandable, flexible pack is implemented as a gazette bag and received in the case. A bottom plate is affixed to the bottom inner surface of the case while a shutter member is mounted on the underside of the bottom plate. The case, pack, bottom plate and shutter member are formed with respective openings for toner discharge in corresponding positions. The shutter member selectively blocks or unblocks the opening of the bottom plate.

Abstract: A charging device includes a charging rotary member provided in contact with an image bearing member capable of bearing a toner for charging the image bearing member, in which a peripheral speed of the charging rotary member is different from a peripheral speed of the image bearing member, and the charging rotary member includes a surface layer frictionally charging the toner to a normal charging polarity.

Abstract: An electrophotographic apparatus having a development unit for forming a toner image by developing an electrostatic latent image formed at a surface of a latent image holding member by liquid developer, a drying unit for vaporizing a portion of liquid carrier included in the developer by supplying drying gas to the liquid developer at the surface of the latent image holding member, a heating unit for heating the toner image formed on the surface of the latent image holding member and a transfer unit for transferring the heated toner image from the surface of the latent image holding member to a recording medium, further including a cover for a gas flow path guiding the supplied drying gas to a heated area of the surface of the latent image holding member heated by the heating unit along the latent image holding member and having liquid carrier recovery unit for recovering the drying gas guided to the heating area thereby to prevent vapor of the liquid carrier produced at plural locations from leaking out and

Abstract: A color cathode ray tube is generally constituted from a panel section for visually displaying images and a neck portion containing therein an electron gun assembly plus a funnel section for coupling the panel section and the neck portion together. The panel comprises on its outer surface a colored film that includes a coloring matter or pigment for color-selective absorption of light rays and fine or micro-particles with electricity-resistant property for letting the pigment scatter or disperse. With said arrangement, it is possible to improve the light absorbability of the colored film, thereby enabling provision of the intended cathode ray tube with improved contrast.

Abstract: An apparatus for developing a latent image recorded on an imaging surface with toner, including: a developer housing including a reservoir for storing a supply of toner; a donor member for transporting toner on an outer surface of the donor member to a development zone; a purging system, adjacent to the donor member, for removing toner the donor member and the reservoir.

Abstract: A developing system of a liquid electrophotographic image forming device includes a developer reservoir in which a developer is stored, a development container in which the developer is supplied from the developer reservoir, a development roller rotating opposite to a photosensitive drum in the development container, and a pumping portion connected between the development container and the developer reservoir via connection pipes. The pumping portion supplies the developer to the development container from the developer reservoir or exhaust the developer from the development container and return the developer to the developer reservoir. Accordingly, the developer supplying and exhausting unit of the developing system can be simplified.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus using a two-component developer including a toner and a carrier as a developer, and provided with a toner replenishing device for replenishing with the toner has remaining amount detecting means for detecting the remaining amount of toner in a toner container, and informing means for generating a signal indicative of a small remaining amount of toner when the remaining amount of toner in the toner container becomes equal to or less than a predetermined amount, and a limit value is made effective only in a state in which the signal indicative of a small remaining amount of toner is being outputted. Also, by the density of the developer in a developing container becoming smaller than a predetermined limit value, a state in which a developing device is not being replenished with the toner from the toner replenishing device is judged. The limit value has a plurality of standards, and a value is selected and used in conformity with the remaining amount of toner in the toner container.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus is provided with photosensitive drums for forming latent images by irradiation of light reflected by a polygon mirror and a fixing device for fixing toner images corresponding to the latent images on a sheet material. Deterioration of an image to be formed is prevented if reflective surfaces of a reflective polyhedron are thinned out in reducing a process speed of image formation. This apparatus is further provided with a control unit for, if the number of surfaces of the polygon mirror is m (where m is an integer of three or more), performing a control for selecting n such that m/(n+1) is not an integer as a relation between m and n and performing a control for making n surfaces unused as a reflective surface of light among continuous n+1 surfaces of the reflective polyhedron in decelerating the image forming process.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus and an image forming method for preventing reducing of density of an image transferred to the recording paper due to dropping in a temperature, without providing a temperature sensor. The current detecting unit detects an electric current value generated at the time a test voltage is applied to a transferring member which is provided for transferring a developed image on a photoconductive drum to the paper. The detected current value is input and stored by a printer controller. The printer controller determines an exposure time, based on the stored current value, by reference to a table for determining an exposure time. The printer controller causes the exposure time to be long when the stored current value is small or large.

Abstract: An image forming device including a photosensitive body and a support. The support supports the photosensitive body in a rotatable condition by supporting the outer peripheral surface of the photosensitive body.

Abstract: In an image forming apparatus wherein the slip of a transporting belt relative to a driving device due to a change in the surface state the inner surface of the transporting belt and a bad image can be reliably prevented, and having a photosensitive drum on the surface of which a toner image is formed, a transfer belt and a driving roller for driving the transfer belt, wherein the toner image formed on the surface of the photosensitive drum is transferred onto the transfer belt or a recording material borne on the transfer belt, an abrasive roller is provided at a position, in contact with a surface on which the driving roller abuts against the transfer belt.

Abstract: An image forming and apparatus is provided in which a halftone density of an image is stabilized irrespective of a timing at which writing on scanning lines is started, even when using multiple laser beams. First, it is determined whether or not a portion exposed by adjacent laser beams (i.e., exposed by both of two beams simultaneously) is present. If the result of the determination is affirmative, it is then determined whether or not a portion adjacent to the exposed portion and not exposed by a laser beam is present. If the result of this determination is affirmative, exposure by fine dots is added to the portion not exposed by a laser beam.