Abstract: An image forming apparatus such as color electrophotographic printer has a plurality of image forming stations. Each image forming station includes an image forming cartridge and a toner cartridge mounted therein. The toner cartridge has a corresponding first engagement portion. The image forming cartridge has a receiving section with a corresponding second engagement portion. The receiving section detachably receives the corresponding toner cartridge therein with the second engagement portion fittingly engaging the first engagement portion. The first and second engagement portions are of a construction that they can be polarized such that the first engagement portions engage the second engagement portions in different engagement relations when the devices are received in the receiving sections, each of the toner cartridges being received in a corresponding one of the receiving sections.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: an image forming body; an intermediate transfer body for carrying a toner image transferred from the image forming body and conveying a transfer material thereon; a first transfer device for transferring the toner image on the image forming body onto the intermediate transfer body or a front side of the transfer material; a second transfer device for transferring the toner image on the intermediate transfer body onto a back side of the transfer material; and a fixing device for fixing the toner image transferred on the transfer material. The second transfer device includes a corona discharger having a discharging electrode and a shielding member for shielding an electric field when the discharging electrode discharges, and the shielding member has a circulation hole through which air flows along an outer circumferential surface of the intermediate transfer body in a conveyance direction from upstream to downstream of the transfer material.

Abstract: A flexible doctor blade having a radiused surface or nub for contacting a developer roll. The blade geometry which includes a cantilevered support for the nub provides lower torque in the developer, compliance to compensate for developer imperfections, and less tendency for streaking due to toner packing and filming.

Abstract: A blade for metering toner on a developing roller of an electrophotographic printer is made of a resilient material and includes a first elongated segment, a second elongated segment which extends generally perpendicular to the first segment and a transition portion which connects the first segment and the second segment. The transition portion has a thickness and a length. The transition portion is generally tangent to a surface of the developing roller and includes a groove which is obliquely cut therein in a direction generally opposite from a direction of rotation of the developing roller. The groove forms a movable lip in the transition portion and extends generally toward the second segment a distance approximately one half the thickness of the transition portion. The lip further has a length which extends the length of the transition portion.

Abstract: A method and arrangement for adjusting density in electrophotographic printing are disclosed. A toner mark is printed at a predetermined location on each of sheets of a continuous stationery. A toner mark sensor is provided to detect density of the toner mark printed on each of the sheets. A controller performs density control based on a result from detecting density of toner mark printed on every other page of the sheets.

Abstract: An electrostatographic reproduction machine including a movable photoconductive member having an image bearing surface; devices for forming a latent image electrostatically on the image bearing surface; a development unit including toner particles for developing the latent image to be transferred onto a sheet; a moving device for moving waste toner particles from the image bearing surface and from the development unit; and a waste developer material cartridge having a housing defining a surface area, a waste developer material chamber, and a waste developer material receiving opening for receiving waste developer material from the moving device, wherein the waste developer material cartridge housing has an accessible sealing device mounted over the receiving opening; and a label assembly reuseable as a sealing device for effectively resealing the accessibly-sealed waste developer material receiving opening during shipping of the cartridge.

Abstract: A development system is disclosed including a developer roll adapted for depositing developer material on an imaging surface having an electrostatic latent image thereon. The development system which includes a developer roll with a magnetic sleeve having a static magnetic field pattern for transporting developer material to a development zone. In operation the stationary magnetically patterned sleeve holds a thin well-defined blanket of magnetic developer on the sleeve surface. Magnetic assembly rotates and thereby generating a tangential magnetic field to move the developer blanket along the surface of sleeve; The developer blanket passes over zones on sleeve where developer material is picked up, self metering, mixing, blanket homoginization, tribo charging and developer transport occurs. The developer blanket moves to the development zone which is defined by a planar portion on the sleeve; parallel and adjacent to the imaging surface whereupon the blanket is compressed.

Abstract: A fuser, for a reproduction apparatus, having at least one heated fuser roller operating at a setpoint temperature to permanently fix a marking particle image to a receiver member, and a mechanism for controlling temperature droop in the at least one heated fuser roller. The temperature droop controlling mechanism includes an external heat source movable to a position in operative relation with the heated fuser roller and a nonoperative position remote from the heated fuser roller. A logic and control unit regulates heat input to the heated fuser roller, during an idle period, to raise the setpoint temperature for the heated fuser roller a preselected amount relative to the operating temperature set point. At the actuation of the reproduction apparatus job run start, the control unit regulates heat input to the heated fuser roller by the fuser roller heater and the external heat source to raise the fuser operating temperature setpoint a preselected amount relative to the idle temperature setpoint.

Abstract: A toner supply mechanism includes a toner storing portion for storing toner, a receiving opening for receiving toner to be supplied to the toner storing portion, a shutter member for opening and closing the receiving opening, and a lock, provided at each longitudinal end of the receiving opening, for locking the shutter member. The lock releases the shutter member by setting the toner supply container.

Abstract: An ink delivery system for a liquid electrophotographic printer is provided.

Abstract: To improve the fixing ability in the fixing device, and simultaneously prevent hot offset occurring during continuous fixing process. In the interior of a cored bar of a heat roll is mounted a heater lamp, and by controlling the power supplied to said heater lamp, heat roll is maintained at a first set temperature enabling heat fix. To this heater lamp is pressed a pressurization roll formed by covering a cover layer to a cored bar, which forms a fixing device. The heat roll is controlled and maintained at the first set temperature T.sub.1 at the initial fixing process, and when performing a continuous fixing process, it is switched and controlled to a second set temperature T.sub.2 lower than the first set temperature but enabling fixing. Thereby, the fixing ability could be maintained well, preventing hot offset.

Abstract: A developing roller rotates in contact with a photoreceptor drum. The developing roller controls a development thorough the formation of a toner layer 50 .mu.m or less in thickness on an outer surface. The photoreceptor drum transfers a toner image formed on the outer surface by the controlled-development onto a medium. A fixation device heat-treats and fixes the toner image transferred onto the medium. A toner for the developing treatment comprises a resin having a Tg of 75.degree. C. or more as at least part of it.

Abstract: A piezographic imaging process includes the use of a composite photoreceptor structure that includes a piezoactive layer that enables Xerographic imaging without corona charge/transfer subsystems. Flexure of the photoreceptor structure creates electric fields sufficient for the creation of developable latent electrostatic image patterns. Flexure of the photoreceptor structure following development generates an electric field for transfer of toner images onto paper.

Abstract: An electrophotographic apparatus employing a self-heat-emitting heating roller capable of causing current to flow through a heat emitting resistor at a time of turning on a power supply until a maximum electric power to be consumed in the electrophotographic apparatus, to thereby shorten a rising-up time of the heating-roller fixing apparatus. The drive starting temperature is previously set and the heat emitting resistor is selected so as to satisfy the following inequalities:V.sup.2 /R.sub.3 .ltoreq./V.sup.2 /R.sub.2 <W.sub.max -W.sub.m .ltoreq.W.sub.1 <V.sup.2 /R.sub.0 .ltoreq.W.sub.max -W.sub.s.An image forming apparatus included in the above-mentioned electrophotographic apparatus prevents an excessive current flowing through the fixing apparatus in a case of turning on the power supply on a condition that the temperature in the apparatus does not rise up sufficiently, and thereby the apparatus is not damaged. Such an apparatus can be provided at a low cost.

Abstract: An ink jet printing system includes a user interface for communicating messages between the ink jet printer and an operator and controller in operative communication with the user interface. The controller disables printing of certain information other than a test pattern in response to a predetermined event, generates a random message, prints a test pattern in response to a predetermined event, incorporates the generated random message within the test pattern, receives an indication of the random message from the operator, compares the received random message with the generated random message, and if the received random message equals the generated random message, enables printing of certain information other than the test pattern.

Abstract: A blotter/charging device is provided for simultaneously removing excess liquid carrier from a developed toner image and recharging a photoreceptor in preparation for generating and developing another electrostatic latent image on the photoreceptor. The blotter/charging device is useful for all types of liquid developing systems that generate two or more toner images on a photoreceptor, including image-next-to-image, image-on-image, highlight and other types of systems. A method is also provided for generating a plurality of toner images on a support wherein excess liquid carrier is removed from a developed toner image simultaneous with recharging of the support in preparation for generating and developing a second electrostatic image on the support.

Abstract: An ultraviolet curable adhesive for use in bonding seams of endless flexible seamed belts, sheets or films, and preferably for use with puzzle cut seams, wherein there is virtually no thickness differential at the seam and the seam has a pull strength of from about 15 to about 50 pounds/inch.

Abstract: A developer container, which includes a container body having a bottom developer supply hole and two longitudinal sliding grooves at two opposite sides of the bottom developer supply hole, a sliding cover moved with a carrier in and out of the sliding grooves at the container body, and a sealing membrane moved with the sliding cover to close/open the bottom developer supply hole.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image bearing member for bearing an electrostatic latent image; a first developing device for developing the electrostatic latent image on the image bearing member; a second developing device, faced to the image bearing member and having a movable developer carrying member for carrying toner and carrier, for effecting development after a first developed image provided by the first developing device passes through a position where the developer carrying member is faced to the image bearing member; and a preventing device for forming an alternating electric field between the developer carrying member and the image bearing member, while the second developing device is at reset to prevent the carrier of the second developing device from rubbing the first developed image.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a rotatable image bearing member and a contact-charging member which contacts a surface of the image bearing member. The contact-charging member can charge the image bearing member by applying a predetermined voltage to the contact-charging member so that a potential of the contact-charging member is changed to a required potential for transferring a residual toner that is stuck on a surface of the contact-charging member facing the image bearing member onto the image bearing member while the image bearing member stops rotating. A method for removing residual toner sticking onto a contact-charging member that contacts a surface of the image bearing member changes a potential of the contact charging member to a required cleaning potential for transferring the residual toner sticking to a surface of the contact-charging member facing the image bearing member onto the contact-charging member while the image bearing member stops rotating.