Abstract: Disclosed is an image processing apparatus by which a first image corresponding to first image information and a second image corresponding to second image information are superimposed one on the top of the other, the apparatus comprising a scanning device for scanning a document line by line to output the first image information; a composing device for composing the first and second image information so that the first and second images are superimposed one on the top of the other; a detecting device for detecting changes of the scanning speed in a direction perpendicular to the lines; and a controlling device for so controlling the composing device that the relative position of the second and first images in the direction are adjusted line by line in accordance with the results detected.

Abstract: An image fixing apparatus includes a conductive fixing film, a pair of electrodes contacting the conductive fixing film, a supporting element supporting the electrodes, a pressing roller located on a side of the conductive fixing film opposite to the supporting element and having an outer elastic layer. The conductive fixing film is moved at a constant speed so that a transfer material having an unfixed toner image is nipped between the conductive fixing film and is moved. The transfer material is thus subjected to a heating and fixing operation. A thermometer detects a temperature of the electrode or one part of the supporting element. A memory stores a data-table having a relation between a power supply to the electrodes and a temperature of the thermometer. A control circuit both determines a suitable supply power from the data-table and the temperature detected by the thermometer, and controls the supply power supplied to the electrodes.

Abstract: An electrostatographic printer includes an imaging station for forming a latent electrostatic image on the surface of a drum, a toner development station for developing the latent image to form a toner image, and a toner transfer station for transferring the toner image onto a moving web. An image-fixing station for fixing the toner image on the web includes two pairs of radiant heat sources, the peak energy output wavelength of which lies in the non-visible part of the spectrum. The radiant sources may be located in hingedly mounted pairs of housings in such a manner that the housings may be moved into a closed position to shield the radiant sources from the web when the speed of movement of the web falls below a predetermined value. Thus, damage to the web when movement of the web stops is avoided.

Abstract: An image-forming apparatus for forming an image, especially a halftone image, by using a photosensitive member, having a charging member for charging the photosensitive member, a mechanism for relatively moving the charging member and the photosensitive member, a voltage source for applying an oscillatory voltage to the charging member such that a Vp/f ratio is about from 0.08 to 0.42, wherein the Vp represents a relative moving speed between the charging member and the photosensitive member and the f represents a frequency of the oscillatory voltage, an exposing member for exposing the charged photosensitive member to form an electrostatic latent image, and a developing unit for developing the electrostatic latent image.

Abstract: An electrophotographic single-component developing device including a development roller; a toner storing portion provided in parallel relationship to an axis of the development roller, for storing a single-component toner; and a toner feeding unit provided in the toner storing portion, for feeding the single-component toner stored in the toner storing portion in a direction parallel to the axis of the development roller and supplying the single-component toner to the development roller. The toner feeding unit has a spiral agitator formed from a wire. Accordingly, the ability of toner feed along the development roller and the ability of toner supply to the development roller can be improved without deterioration of the toner.

Abstract: A developer recycling system is provided for replenishing a fresh developer to a developing device of an image forming apparatus and collecting it after use. A developer cartridge applicable to the system is also provided. When the fresh developer is replenished from the cartridge to the developing device, a developer existing in the developing device overflows in an amount corresponding to the replenished developer. The developer overflown the developing device is recirculated to the cartridge and reused.

Abstract: A development station for toning electrostatic images includes a particle removing device positioned adjacent an applicator. A variable bias is applicable to the particle removing device for periodically removing carrier from the applicator for disposal. Carrier is periodically added to the station during replenishment of toner. The particle removing device can also be biased to remove toner instead of or in addition to removing carrier to control conditions of excess toner concentration.

Abstract: The present invention provides an electrophotographic photosensitive member comprising a photosensitive layer formed on an electroconductive support, and a surface layer formed on the photosensitive layer, wherein said photosensitive layer contains a charge-generating substance, a charge-transporting substance, and a binder resin, and the surface layer contains a fluorine-atom-containing particulate resin, a charge-transporting substance, and a binder resin, wherein the binder resin in the surface layer and the binder resin in the photosensitive layer are composed of the same constitution components, the binder resin in the surface layer has a number-average molecular weight of from 50,000 to 160,000 and the binder resin in the photosensitive layer having a number-average molecular weight of from 10,000 to 50,000, and the number-average molecular weight of the binder resin in the surface layer is two or more times larger than that of the binder resin in the photosensitive layer.

Abstract: In a transfer unit of a non-contact roller transfer method, both ends of a transfer roller shaft are supported independently of each other so as to be movable upward and downward, and an upward pushing force is provided thereto. A gap maintaining roller provided in the vicinity of each end portion of the transfer roller shaft is always in contact with the surface of a photoreceptor drum so that the gap between the surface of the photoreceptor drum and the transfer roller is maintained uniform and fixed. Further, both ends of a pre-transfer guide for guiding the sheet to the photoreceptor drum are supported in a manner such that the movement of each end accords with the movement of the end portion of the transfer roller, so that the distance between the photoreceptor drum and the pre-transfer guide is maintained uniform and fixed.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a microcomputer which controls components for executing an image forming operation, and sends a signal to a supervising portion when no abnormality occurs in itself. The supervising portion includes a watch-dog timer, and sends a reset signal to the microcomputer when the signal from the microcomputer is not continuously inputted for a predetermined time period or more. Accordingly, the microcomputer becomes in a reset state, and the image forming operation is stopped. A flag is not set until a predetermined time period elapses from a time that the reset signal is inputted, and therefore, the image forming operation is inhibited for the predetermined time period.

Abstract: An improvement for a container disposed in a printing machine is disclosed. The container is adapted to dispense toner and capable of maintaining a quantity of toner therein. The improvement includes a sensor for sensing that the quantity of toner in the container is less than or equal to a predetermined quantity. The sensor is located in and isolated from the container by an isolating arrangement, the isolating arrangement preventing forces applied to the container from being transmitted to the sensor. In the preferred embodiment, the isolating arrangement includes a mechanism for damping movement of the sensor with respect to the container to decouple substantially the sensor from the container.

Abstract: In an electronic copying machine, a paper feeding mechanism includes a paper supply roller, a reversal roller, and an aligning roller. The aligning roller and the reversal roller are rotated by a motor through first and second transmission mechanisms, respectively. The supply roller is rotated by the rotational force of the aligning roller through a third transmission mechanism. A first locking member is shifted by a first solenoid between a locking position, in which the first locking member engages the first transmission mechanism to interrupt the transmission of the driving force, and a transmission position, in which the first locking member is disengaged from the first transmission mechanism.

Abstract: A corona generating device of the type having a conductive shield partially surrounding a corona discharge electrode is provided with heating element. The heating element raises the surface temperature of the conductive shield to reduce or eliminate the adsorption of corona effluents and thereby minimize or prevent copy quality defects.

Abstract: A charging apparatus having a charging member contactable to a member to be charged, a pressing device for pressing the charging member onto the member to be charged at a pressing position. In the apparatus, an outside size of the charging member is larger away from the pressing position when the charging member is not pressed to the member to be charged.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus communicable with a centralized control apparatus. When a trouble occurs in the image forming apparatus under predetermined transmission conditions where a communication terminal electrically connected to the centralized control apparatus through a communication network has been connected to the image informing apparatus, signals indicative of both the occurring trouble and other operational states of the image forming apparatus are transmitted to the centralized control apparatus. Further, information indicative of the fact that the signals have already been transmitted to the centralized control apparatus is displayed on a display area of a control panel. When a trouble occurs in the image forming apparatus where the communication terminal has been disconnected from the image forming apparatus, a method of effecting measures on the trouble is displayed on the display area of the control panel.

Abstract: A method of forming fixed images includes charging a photoconductor; exposing the photoconductor to light; developing an electrostatic latent image, such that a toner is applied to the electrostatic latent image formed on a transfer film moving in partially close contact with the photoconductor to form a visible image; transferring the formed visible image onto a recording medium such as a recording paper; and fixing the transferred visible image onto the recording medium. The toner is an encapsulated toner, the photoconductor is a heat-resistant photoconductor, and the transfer process and the fixing process are simultaneously carried out on the surface of the heat-resistant photoconductor covered with the transfer film onto the preheated recording medium.

Abstract: A device for informing whether fresh toner should be newly supplied into a developer (20) into an electrophotography machine comprises a sleeve (22) for delivering toner (29) to a photosensitive drum, a blade (23) for regulating the distribution of the toner deposited on the sleeve (22), an agitator (24) for agitating the toner, a hopper (21) for loading the toner, a lever (25) with an upper projection (26) and lower support (27) pivotally moved with a pivot pin (25') attached on an inside wall (21') of the hopper (21) towards the sleeve (22), a metal plate (28) supported by the lower support (27), an actuator (32) with a magnet (36) and light shield (34) pivotally moved with another pivot pin (35), and a photosensor (31). Wherein, if the hopper (21) is devoid of the toner by consuming, the magnet (36) is attracted towards the metal plate (28) so as to cause the light shield (34) to block the photosensor (31).

Abstract: Printing distortions caused by ink stream/charge tunnel misalignment, charge tunnel mis-dimensioning or a variation in drop spacing or changes in ink resistivity are corrected by measuring the actual induction co-efficients for a particular printer. For this purpose, charge sensors located along the ink stream or adjacent the ink catcher detect induced charges from which the induction co-efficients are calculated by a programmable controller. These co-efficients are used to adjust the charge tunnel voltages to reduce or eliminate printing distortion.

Abstract: The present invention constitutes in an ink jet printing apparatus, an improved ink replenishment system. An ink supply housing of the improved ink replenishment system includes a pair of opposed side walls having a plurality of attachments spaced in respective opposing vertical columns and detachable detents coupled to one of the attachments. An attachable ink supply conduit is associated an associated ink supply module includes a container of ink having an ink egress constructed to attach to the conduit, and a housing having bottom and side wall members supporting the container. The side walls have a vertical edge with a plurality of removable sections located in spaced relations corresponding to the column spacing of the attachments and sized to correspond to the detents. Only an ink supply module having proper sections removed can be moved into the housing to an extent sufficient for its egress to connect to the supply conduit.

Abstract: An electrophotographic printing machine is provided with a photoreceptor whereon a transparent electrically conductive layer and a photoconductive layer are successively formed. A visible image is formed on the photoconductive layer by exposing the photoconductive layer while applying a voltage across toner supplied onto the surface of the photoreceptor and the transparent electrically conductive layer. The exposing energy of the exposure unit is set so as to satisfy an equation:V.sub.L .gtoreq.V.sub.D -V.sub.D1,where V.sub.D1 designates the surface electric potential of the photoreceptor that is exerted when the surface of the photoreceptor, originally having a surface electric potential of virtually zero V, passes by the area in contact with the toner; V.sub.D designates the saturation value of the surface electric potential of the photoreceptor that is attained after the surface of the photoreceptor has successively passed by the area in contact with the toner; and V.sub.