Abstract: A belt feeding apparatus includes an endless belt and a supporting member for rotatably supporting the belt. The belt feeding apparatus further includes a setting member for setting, when the belt is deviated from a widthwisely normal zone, an inclination angle of the supporting member to a return angle to return the belt toward the normal zone, The setting member also sets, when a predetermined time elapses from the belt returning to the normal zone, the inclination angle of the supporting member to a balance angle to keep the belt in the zone.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image forming unit, an apparatus body, a door, a sheet conveyance unit, and a positioning device. The image forming unit forms an image on a sheet. The image forming unit is disposed in the apparatus body. The door is provided in the apparatus body so as to be openable and closable. The sheet conveyance unit conveys the sheet to the image forming unit. The sheet conveyance unit is provided in the door. The positioning device positions the door in relation to the apparatus body in the vertical direction and the horizontal direction. The positioning device performs positioning of the door in the vicinity of the image forming unit.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a first air flow channel that has an air inlet, an exhaust outlet and filters. As air in the image forming apparatus is externally discharged along the first air flow channel, byproducts generated in the image forming apparatus are removed by the filters. The image forming apparatus also includes a second air flow channel, which also has an air inlet, an exhaust outlet and a filter for removing byproducts. With this configuration, the byproducts generated in the image forming apparatus can be re-collected.

Abstract: A developing device (100) according to the present invention is provided with a housing (102) for holding toner, conveying screws (104, 105) arranged in the housing (2) and each including a rotary shaft (107) and a blade (106) arranged on the rotary shaft (107) for conveying the toner from one end of the rotary shaft (107) toward the other end thereof by the rotation of the rotary shaft (107), and a developing roller (103) provided in the housing with a part of the developing roller (103) being exposed from the housing, and rotatable to obtain the toner conveyed by the conveying screws (104, 105). The conveying screws (104, 105) are constructed, for the efficient agitation of the toner, such that toner pressing forces of the blades (106) differ depending the angle of rotation of the rotary shaft (107).

Abstract: A developing device includes a developing sleeve for supplying toner particles to a latent image area on a peripheral surface of a photoconductive drum while rotating about an axis. The developing sleeve has a permanent magnet therein. Two magnetic members are provided in the developing device and face opposite ends of a peripheral surface of the developing sleeve at a predetermined distance from the developing sleeve. The magnetic members have arc-shaped inner surfaces. A blade is spaced a predetermined distance from a central portion of the peripheral surface of the developing sleeve. The blade adjusts the amount of toner particles supplied to the photoconductive drum. The gap between the arc-shaped inner surface of the magnetic member and the peripheral surface of the developing sleeve gradually increases from upstream to downstream in a rotational direction of the developing sleeve.

Abstract: A developing device (50) includes a developing sleeve (53) for supplying toner particles (T) to a latent image area (22) on a peripheral surface of a photoconductive drum (20) while rotating about a central shaft (534). The developing sleeve (53) has an immovable sleeve magnet (533) therein. Two magnetic members (82) are disposed in opposite end portions of the developing sleeve (53) and are spaced a predetermined distance from the peripheral surface of the developing sleeve. Each magnet member (82) has an arc shape. A magnetic member magnet (83) is mounted in the magnet member (82) and faces a sleeve magnet (533) so that opposite facing portions of the magnetic member magnet (83) and the sleeve magnet (533) have the same polarity. With this construction, toner particles are prevented from leaking from the end portions of the developing sleeve (53).

Abstract: Charge removing light is guided by an optical path defining member (623) from a charge removing unit (6) toward a photosensitive drum (2). A distance between an end surface (623e) of the optical path defining member (623) and a surface on an axially central part of the photosensitive drum (2) is less than a distance between the end surface (623e) and the surface on the axially opposite ends of the photosensitive drum (2). Thus an irradiation width and an amount of the charge removing light projected onto the surface of the photosensitive drum (2) are increased on the opposite ends. With this arrangement, the amount of generated light carriers can be reduced on the axially central part, as compared with the axially opposite ends, and a surface potential distribution non-uniformity due to a difference in nip distance between the photosensitive drum (2) and a charging roller (31) can be eliminated.

Abstract: In a device and method for inking of a charge image with toner material in a printer or copier, the charge image corresponding to a print image to be generated is generated on a surface of a photoconductor element comprising a photoconductive layer. At least one layer made up of toner particles is applied on a region of a surface of an applicator element. The surface of the photoconductor element is contacted by at least one part of the toner particles applied on the surface of the applicator element.

Abstract: A toner cartridge (20) has a shutter (40) adapted to be changed between a closed posture (S1) and an open posture (S1) for opening a toner supply port (322), a lever (50) to be operated manually to change the posture of the shutter (40), and a postural-change restriction mechanism (60) for controlling a postural change of the shutter (40). The postural-change restriction mechanism (60) includes a lock groove (53) in the lever (50), and a restriction pawl (62) integrally formed with a cartridge body (30). The restriction pawl (62) engages the lock groove (53) when the lever (50) is operated to set the shutter (40) in the closed posture (S1), to block a postural change of the shutter (40), and to be elastically deformed when the cartridge body (30) is attached to a development device, in a manner to allow the postural change.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus has an image forming device for forming an image on a recording material; a heating member heating the image formed on the recording material in a nip portion; an endless belt conveying the recording material toward the nip portion formed between itself and the heating member; a contacting and separating device for bringing the heating member and the belt into the contact with each other and for separating the heating member and the belt from each other; and a detection device for detecting the temperature of the belt. If the detected temperature of the belt reaches a predetermined temperature, an image formation job is interrupted, and the heating member and the belt are separated.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image forming device that forms a toner image on a recording medium, a heat fixing device provided adjacent to the image forming device to fix the toner image onto the recording medium by heat, and a heat shielding device that shields the image forming device from the heat radiated from the heat fixing device. The heat shielding device includes a heat shielding member interposed between the image forming device and the heat fixing device to receive the heat radiated from the heat fixing device, a heat transferring member attached to the heat shielding member to transfer the heat received by the heat shielding member to one end portion thereof, a heat radiating fin device provided at the one end portion of the heat transferring member to radiate the transferred heat, and a fan that supplies air to the heat radiating fin device.

Abstract: There is provided an image forming apparatus utilizing a concurrently transferring and fixing method which improves a transfer efficiency of a toner image from an intermediate transfer member to a transferring and fixing member, allows a stable forming of a high-definition image in a high-speed image forming, and ensures further reduction of power consumption, and prevention of heat deterioration of a photoreceptor, with no upsizing of the apparatus. In an image forming apparatus comprising a toner image baring section, a first intermediate transfer section, a transferring and fixing section, and an electrical field section, a second intermediate transfer section is disposed between the first intermediate transfer section and the transferring and fixing section.

Abstract: A reduced footprint image producing machine including (a) an image output terminal (IOT) having (i) a moveable imaging member including an imaging surface; (ii) latent imaging devices for forming a latent electrostatic toner image on the imaging surface; (iii) a development unit for developing the latent electrostatic image on the imaging surface into a toner image; (iv) a transfer station for transferring the toner image from the imaging surface onto a toner image carrying sheet; (v) a fusing apparatus for heating and fusing the transferred image onto the toner image carrying sheet; and (b) a footprint-reducing tower mounted on top of the IOT and containing (i) machine electronics and controller assembly, and (ii) machine environment conditioning devices including cleaning and exhaust fans along with portions of associated manifolds, thereby preventing the addition of protrusions to a rear of the IOT, and thus reducing the installed foot print of the machine.

Abstract: An image forming system which is capable of performing double-sided clear coating. The image forming system comprises an image forming apparatus configured to form an image on a sheet, and a clear coating apparatus configured to perform clear coating on the sheet using clear toner. The image forming apparatus is provided with a double-sided image forming function for forming images on the respective opposite sides of a sheet, and the clear coating apparatus is provided with a double-sided clear coating function for performing clear coating on the opposite sides of a sheet.

Abstract: An image forming system has an image forming device, a first image heating device for heating a toner image at a first nip to maintain a target temperature, a second image heating device for heating a toner image at a second nip to maintain a target temperature, a selecting device for selecting a first image forming mode in which only the first image heating device is used for a image heating process and a second image forming mode in which the first image heating device and the second image heating device are used for the image heating process, and a delaying device for making timing at which the target temperature of the first image heating device is lowered in a stand by state later than a timing at which the target temperature of the second image heating device is lowered in the stand by state.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a plurality of loop detecting sensors which detect various levels of loops formed on a recording material; and a controlling device which selects a specific one out of the loop sensors in accordance with information on the recording material, and then, switches a conveyance speed of a fixing roller pair in response to a detection signal output from the specific sensor, so as to control in such a manner as to keep the loop of the recording material within a constant range, the controlling device selecting the loop detecting sensor for detecting a loop of a level in accordance with the information on the recording material, so as to perform a loop keeping control for the recording material in response to the detection signal output from the selected loop detecting sensor.

Abstract: A developer collecting apparatus for collecting waste developer which is generated by cleaning residual developer remained on a photoreceptor and an intermediate transfer body, includes: a waste developer container for accommodating the waste developer; a stirring member rotatably provided in the waste developer container, for stirring the waste developer; and a driving section for giving a rotary driving force to the stirring member. The driving section of the stirring member has: a driving source; a first driving force transmitting path and a second driving force transmitting path which are coupled on the driving source, for transmitting the rotary driving force to the stirring member, and when a rotational load on the first driving force transmitting path reaches a predetermined level or more, a switch-over of transmitting path can be performed from the first driving force transmitting path to the second driving force transmitting path.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an apparatus main body, a photoconductive drum, a transfer roller, a pair of guide supporting brackets, and an urging member. The guide supporting brackets include two paper transportation guides, and the brackets are mounted on both end portions of a drum shaft of the photoconductive drum in a manner capable of being swung about the drum shaft as a center. The paper transportation guides are arranged laterally at a predetermined interval therebetween on the guide supporting brackets. The urging member is provided in the apparatus main body. In a state in which the photoconductive drum is installed in the apparatus main body, swinging ends of the guide supporting brackets are pressed against the transfer roller by the urging member, and the paper transportation guides are positioned at a predetermined position in proximity of an upstream side of the nip portion in a paper transportation direction.

Abstract: Conveyance speed of recording materials by a fixing roller pair can be set to conveyance speed based on detected results of a recording material detector and a loop detecting sensor, and information on the recording material that has been stored in a memory in advance, and the conveyance speed of the fixing roller pair is set so that loop length of the recording material will be a lower limit length, after the loop detecting sensor detects a loop of the recording material, and before the rear end of the recording material passes through the transfer roller pair.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus including: an outputted image density control portion that forms a patch image and determines an outputted image density control condition based on a comparison result of the density of the patch image with a preliminarily set target value; a pixel count portion capable of counting the amount of image pixel at the time of image formation; a pixel count value accumulating memory portion that accumulates and stores the pixel count value; a toner supply portion; a toner supply amount measuring portion capable of measuring the amount of toner supplied to the developing device; a toner supply amount accumulating memory portion that accumulates and stores the toner supply amount; and a target value correcting portion that corrects the target value of the density of the patch image from the relation between a pixel count accumulating value and a toner supply amount accumulation value, is provided.