Abstract: An electrophotographic apparatus includes: a photoconductor; and two developing rollers facing the photoconductor. A developer fed out from between the two developing rollers is supplied to the photoconductor by the two developing rollers to form a toner image on the photoconductor. The developer includes a carrier having a volume-average particle size smaller than 70 ?m and a volume resistivity not lower than 106 ?·cm. A volume ratio of the carrier in a facing portion between the photoconductor and the developing rollers is not lower than 30% and not higher than 46%.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image forming mechanism configured to form a toner image on a recording medium according to image data and a fixing mechanism configured to fix the toner image on the recording medium. The fixing mechanism includes an induction heater, a heat generator, and a position adjusting mechanism. The induction heater is configured to generate a magnetic flux. The heat generator is disposed at a position opposite to the induction heater and is configured to generate heat by the magnetic flux generated by the induction heater. The position adjusting mechanism is configured to adjust a position of the induction heater in conjunction with a displacement of the heat generator.

Abstract: A fuser control system and method are provided for improving the image control of printing systems, including digital front-end processors, color printers and post-finishing system. This automatic image control system, including measurement and calibration, by registering the thermal load measurements.

Abstract: A heating roller assembly for an image forming apparatus. The heating roller assembly includes a heating roller pipe having a heating layer around which a coil is wound. The heating layer has a coil winding structure such that first portions ‘A’ formed adjacent to bearings for rotatably supporting the heat roller pipe have a lower thermal temperature than that of second portions ‘B’ formed adjacent to the first portions A. The first portions A serve as a heat absorber to minimize the fusing heat loss at the beginning of a fusing process, and even if the fusing process continues for a long time, the heat absorber can prevent the opposite ends of the heating roller, where the bearings are disposed, from overheating. Accordingly, a more accurate pickup operation is achieved and a stable quality of image can be guaranteed.

Abstract: According to an aspect of the invention, an image forming apparatus comprises: a manuscript reading device reading a manuscript and converting the manuscript into an image signal; a recording device printing on paper; at least one rotating support member connecting the manuscript reading device and the recording device, and a wiring housing member housing the electrical wiring. The recording device is electrically connected to the manuscript reading device by an electrical wiring. The rotating support member is configured so as to rotate the manuscript reading device relative to the recording device. The wiring housing member is positioned different from the rotating support member.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image carrier unit, a unit containing portion, driving units, driving sources, and a phase change matching unit. The image carrier unit integrally has image carriers that respectively carry images, and respectively have rotational shafts. The unit containing portion removably contains the image carrier unit. Each of the driving units includes at least one driving gear, and transmits driving force by the driving gear to the rotational shaft of one of the image carriers that corresponds thereto. The driving sources apply the driving force to the driving gears of the driving units. The phase change matching unit matches phase changes in the driving gears of the driving units when no image is formed.

Abstract: A fixing device for fixing an image formed on a recording material in an image forming apparatus includes a fixing member, a heating part that heats the fixing member to fix an image formed on the recording material by heat, a storage unit that is charged by an external power source to supply power to the heating part, and a control unit that controls the external power source to supply power to the heating part and determines whether to start to supply power to the heating part from the storage unit. The control unit controls the external power source to charge the storage unit during a period from when power supply from the storage unit to the heating part is completed at the time of warming-up the fixing member by the heating part until when the power supply from the storage unit to the heating part is started.

Abstract: A fixing device mounted in an electrophotographic image forming apparatus, for fixing a toner image formed on recording paper includes: a plurality of peeling claws provided for peeling off the recording paper from a fixing roller; a number-of-processed-sheet detecting portion for detecting a number of processed sheets of recording paper which is treated with a fixing process upon passing through the fixing roller; a peeling claw driving section for moving a plurality of the peeling claws in parallel with an axial direction of the fixing roller; and a control unit for controlling the peeling claw driving section to operate so that a relative position between the peeling claw and the fixing roller changes according to a detected output of the number-of-processed-sheet detecting portion.

Abstract: A processing unit including a unit main body and a toner box detachably mountable to the unit main body is described. The toner box may include a toner casing formed with a toner ejecting port for feeding the developing agent to the unit main body, and a toner-side blocking member for opening and closing the toner ejecting port. The unit main body includes a process casing formed with a toner guiding port to receive the developing agent fed from the toner ejecting port, a process-side blocking member for opening and closing the toner guiding port, and an open/close member for opening and closing the toner ejecting port and the toner guiding port by the toner-side blocking member and the process-side blocking member when the toner box is mounted to the unit main body.

Abstract: Disclosed is a toner supply device including a toner container section (21b), a rotating shaft (31) provided in the toner container section (21b), and a stirring member (32) for stirring and feeding toner T to a supply opening (21d) formed in the toner container section (21b). The stirring member (32) includes an attachment portion (32c) fixedly attached to the rotating shaft (31) and a free end portion (32d) free to the rotating shaft (31). The free end portion (32d) has a stiffness lower than the attachment portion (32c). With this construction, a toner feeding rate can be maintained by the attachment portion (32c) and sound occurring at a release of the free end portion (32d) can be suppressed due to the free end portion (32d).

Abstract: An image forming apparatus according to one embodiment of the invention includes an image carrier and a cleaning device for cleaning a developer left on a surface of the image carrier. Further, the cleaning device includes: a casing having a rotational shaft; a pressurizing member for applying a force about the rotational shaft to the casing; a cleaning member fixed to the casing for cleaning the developer left on the surface of the image carrier by pressing against the surface by the force about the rotational shaft; a transporting mechanism for transporting the developer in the casing to a position outside of the casing; and a drive mechanism for providing a driving force to the transporting means, and a direction of the driving force is a direction from an application point of the driving force substantially toward a rotational support of the rotational shaft or a direction opposite thereto.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a first developing device for developing an electrostatic image with a first developer including a non-transparent toner and a carrier; a second developing device for developing an electrostatic image with a second developer including transparent toner and carrier; a first supplying device for supplying a first supply developer including non-transparent toner and a carrier to the first developing device; a first supplying device for supplying a second supply developer including transparent toner and a carrier to the second developing device; a control device for superimposing a toner image of the transparent toner on the non-transparent toner image so as to reduce a height difference in toner layer or layers of the toner image provided by the non-transparent toner, wherein a carrier weight ratio in the first supply developer and a carrier weight ratio in the second supply developer are substantially equal to each other.

Abstract: A charger includes a frame and a cover member, together defining an internal space. A discharge wire for producing a discharge for a photosensitive drum is disposed within the internal space. A cleaner for cleaning the discharge wire is also disposed within the internal space. When the cover member is open, a user accesses the cleaner and slides the cleaner on the discharge wire, thereby cleaning the discharge wire.

Abstract: An electrophotographic printing machine of the type in which an electrostatic latent image recorded on a charge retentive surface is developed with toner particles to form a visible image thereof, including: a housing having a supply of toner and developer therein; a donor member for transporting toner from the housing to a development zone; a first manifold, adjacent to the donor member, having an air stream for removing toner emission; a second manifold, adjacent to the donor member, having an air stream for removing toner emission; and a cyclone separator system, connected to the first manifold and the second manifold, for separating the toner from the air stream and returning toner particles of a predefined size back into the housing.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image bearing member configured to bear an image on a surface thereof, a transfer unit configured to transfer the image formed on the surface of the image bearing member onto a recording medium, a bias applying unit configured to apply a bias voltage to the transfer unit to remove a developer adhered on a surface of the transfer unit to the surface of the image bearing member, a detecting unit configured to detect a width of the recording medium in a sheet conveyance direction, and a control unit configured to determine whether a cleaning operation of the transfer unit is performed, based on the width of the recording medium detected by the detecting unit and a number of the recording medium printed.

Abstract: A toner cartridge having a microcontroller configured to store data necessary to create a message authentication code required by the printer. The microcontroller contains data values capable of generating acceptable MACs for a plurality of printers used in a plurality of geographic regions. The microcontroller recognizes a variety of unique parameters displayed by the printer's processor to identify the geographic region of the printer being used. Once the printer and geographic region are identified, the microcontroller loads the data values associated with the printer and generates an acceptable MAC to enable printer operation.

Abstract: A support structure for an image processing apparatus is disclosed. The apparatus has an apparatus body, a base provided at a lower portion of the apparatus body for supporting the body, and an image processing unit disposed inside the apparatus body or attached thereto. The processing unit is capable of effecting at least either an image forming operation or an image reading operation. The support structure includes a grounding portion formed at and integrally with a bottom of the apparatus base for coming into contact with a contact-object surface such as a floor surface at at least three positions thereof thereby to support the base parallel with the contact-object surface and includes also an elastic projecting portion formed of a material having greater elasticity than a material forming the grounding portion. The elastic projecting portion has a ground-contacting face which projects from a bottom face of the grounding portion under a non-grounded condition of the support structure.

Abstract: A power supply device includes a plurality of DC voltage generating circuits that share a voltage control circuit controlling a voltage to be supplied to a voltage stabilizing capacitor. The voltage control circuit and the DC voltage generating circuits are controlled so that supplying voltage to the capacitor is stopped to stop output, that a first DC voltage generating circuit among the plurality of DC voltage generating circuits is driven for a predetermined time period and is then stopped, and that supplying voltage to the capacitor is started and also a second DC voltage generating circuit among the plurality of DC voltage generating circuits starts to be driven to output a positive bias, in order to sequentially perform a stop of output from the first DC voltage generating circuit and a start of output from the second DC voltage generating circuit. Accordingly, overshoot of an output voltage is prevented.

Abstract: For a sheet paper used for forming a toner image or ink image, a surface layer that can be stripped is stacked on a plastic layer. A sliding member is caused to slide in contact with the plastic layer of the used sheet paper on which a toner image or ink image has been formed, and the toner image or ink image is stripped off the plastic layer together with the surface layer. A new surface layer is formed on the plastic layer to regenerate the sheet paper, and the sheet paper is thus made reusable.

Abstract: A fixing apparatus that fuses and firmly adheres an unfixed developer onto a recording medium includes a heating roller and a pressure roller; a belt-shaped cleaning member that is disposed so as to abut on the heating roller and cleans the surface of the heating roller, the cleaning member being impregnated with oil in advance; a feed roller that sends out the cleaning member; a wind-up roller that winds up the cleaning member having cleaned the heating roller; a press-contact roller disposed so as to press the cleaning member against the heating roller on which the cleaning member abuts; and an oil absorbing layer that is disposed on an outer circumferential surface of the press-contact roller and absorbs oil exudation out of the cleaning member.