Abstract: A fixing device of a copy machine has a pair of rollers for transporting a paper sheet having a toner image held thereon by sandwiching it therebetween and for heating and pressurizing the toner image to fix it on the paper sheet. A cleaning device for cleaning remaining toner is arranged so as to face the surface of the fixing roller. The cleaning device has a cylinder having a slit extended in a shaft direction in the outer periphery, a feed-out shaft and a rewind shaft arranged within the cylinder, a web fed out from the feed-out shaft through the slit wound around the outer periphery of the cylinder and rewind by the rewind shaft within the cylinder again through the slit. The cleaning device is arranged in such a way that a part of the web wound around the outer periphery of the cylinder is in contact with the surface of the fixing roller.

Abstract: In an image forming apparatus according to the present invention, a plurality of image forming process units are aligned to face a horizontal transportation section of a paper transportation path. A transfer belt unit is provided to successfully transfer images formed on photoreceptor drums of the process units to a transfer medium. A flashlight device is interposed between each two adjacent process units. Developing agent images formed by means of the process units and transferred to the transfer medium are fixed to the medium by means of the flashlight devices. By doing this, a developing agent transferred to the transfer medium by means of a preceding process unit is fixed to the medium by means of its corresponding flashlight device. Thus, in an image forming process using a subsequent process unit, images can be securely superposed without causing the previously transferred developing agent to separate from the transfer medium.

Abstract: The end of the operational life of a changeable process cartridge, including a developing device, is determined based on either the average particle size of the toner of a two component developing agent stored in the developing device or the number of printed image forming mediums. The average particle size of the toner of the two component developing agent is estimated from the detection voltage of a toner sensor, which detects the toner density of the two component developing agent stored in the developing device.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes as photoconductive drum, a developing device for developing an electrostatic latent image on the drum with toner and simultaneously removing residual toner particles from the drum, and a transfer unit for transferring the developed image onto a recording medium. A distributing unit is arranged between the transfer unit and the developing device. The distributing unit temporarily attracts the untransferred toner particles remaining on the drum and then releases the attracted toner particles onto the drum, thereby distributing an untransferred toner image on the drum. Recording mediums are fed through a position between the drum and the transfer unit, with such an interval maintained between any two adjacent recording mediums, that the distributing unit is able to fully release the attracted toner particles onto the drum.

Abstract: A thermal print head having a base, a glass glaze layer formed on the base by electrically-heated welding, and heating elements formed on the glass glaze layer. A manufacturing method of a thermal print head uses a furnace to accommodate molten glass and a pair of opposed electrodes disposed within the furnace to melt the glass by flowing the current. The method comprises the steps of supplying electric power across the electrodes to cause electric current to flow through glass so as to melt glass, passing an elongated base through the molten glass accommodated in the furnace to form a glass glaze layer on the base, and forming heating elements on the glass glaze layer.

Abstract: A thermal print head having a base, a glass glaze layer formed on the base by electrically-heated welding, and heating elements formed on the glass glaze layer. A manufacturing method of a thermal print head uses a furnace to accommodate molten glass and a pair of opposed electrodes disposed within the furnace to melt the glass by flowing the current. The method comprises the steps of supplying electric power across the electrodes to cause electric current to flow through glass so as to melt glass, passing an elongated base through the molten glass accommodated in the furnace to form a glass glaze layer on the base, and forming heating elements on the glass glaze layer.

Abstract: In a printer in which a plurality of holes to be filled with ink is formed in an ink film, selectively heating ink generates bubbles from the holes and ejects ink due to the pressure of bubbles, thus printing an image on a sheet. The ink film having the holes satisfies relations H.gtoreq.2P and V.gtoreq.2P +D when the diameter of the holes is given as D, the pitch between two adjacent holes is given as P, the width of a heating element in a direction perpendicular to the moving direction of the sheet is given as H, and the width of the heating element in the moving direction of the sheet is given as V.

Abstract: An image formation device for forming an electrostatic latent image on a photosensitive body using a semiconductor laser to generate a laser beam, a collimating lens for focusing the laser beam into a parallel beam, a collimating lens unit which is rotatable and arranged to flatten the laser beam from the collimating lens, a polygonal mirror for scanning the laser beam by means of reflecting surfaces, and a first and a second scanning lens for cooperatively scanning the optical path for moving the beam from the polygonal mirror onto the photosensitive body at a constant speed.

Abstract: In an image forming apparatus according to the present invention, a cleaning device which allows for the repeated use of the photosensitive drum is removed from a space between a transferring device for transferring a visible image to the transfer sheet and a charging device for charging the photosensitive drum. The cleaning device is omitted from the image forming apparatus and a developing device for developing an electrostatic latent image can also serve as the cleaning device. Alternatively, the cleaning device is disposed between the charging device and the developing device.

Abstract: A laser beam printer includes a beam deflector for selectively exposing a surface of a drum-like photoreceptor to form an electrostatic latent image thereon, a developer for depositing toner powder to the latent image, a transfer charger for transferring the developed image onto paper, and a tray for sequentially stacking paper sheets carrying the transferred images thereon. Since the transfer charger is disposed above the photoreceptor to face it, the image is transferred on a lower surface of the paper. After the image is transferred to paper, the paper is delivered to the tray by delivery rollers. The transfer charger and the delivery tray are mounted on a pivotal door, thus enlarging a space between the photoreceptor and the transfer charger.

Abstract: A recording apparatus comprises a housing having an opening in an upper surface thereof, and an image-fixing device in the form of a unit which fixes a toner image on paper. The housing has a mounting section at a position facing the opening, for detachably mounting thereon the image-fixing unit. The housing also includes a door for covering and exposing the opening. The door need only be opened in order for the image-fixing unit to be removed from the housing.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus comprises an image carrier, a main charger for charging the image carrier, an exposure unit for exposing the image carrier to form a latent image thereon, developing unit for developing the latent image to form a developed image on the image carrier with a developing agent, the developing unit is provided so that there is a gap between it and the image carrier, and a transferring charger for transferring the developed image onto a sheet-like material. A bias voltage is applied across the developing unit and image carrier to cause the developing agent to transfer from the developing unit to the latent image via the gap, and to cause the residual developing agent remaining on the image carrier after the developed image transferring by the transferring charger to transfer to the developing unit via the gap.

Abstract: In a printer (10) in which a plurality of holes to be filled with ink are formed in an ink film (108), selectively heating ink generates bubbles from the holes and ejects ink due to the pressure of bubbles, thus printing an image on a sheet. The printer includes a conveying mechanism (198) for conveying the ink film (108) to heating elements (104) of a thermal head (106), and a belt (50) for conveying the sheet to a position facing the heating elements of the thermal head (106) through the ink film. The belt (50) is provided with a guide plate (84) for separating end portions of the sheet from the heating elements when the front and rear end portions of the sheet are positioned to face the heating elements.

Abstract: An image formation device for forming an electrostatic latent image on a photosensitive body using a semiconductor laser to generate a laser beam, a collimating lens for focusing the laser beam into a parallel beam, a collimating lens unit which is rotatable and arranged to flatten the laser beam from the collimating lens, a polygonal mirror for scanning the laser beam by means of reflecting surfaces, and a first and a second scanning lens for cooperatively scanning the optical path for moving the beam from the polygonal mirror onto the photosensitive body at a constant speed.

Abstract: A shadow printing operation is provided in a laser recording apparatus only for data which is detected to be character data. Line memories are utilized to store data therein, and examined to determine any change of stored data from non-character data to character data whereupon a shadow printing operation is also preferred.

Abstract: In an image forming apparatus according to the present invention, a cleaning device which allows for the repeated use of a photosensitive drum is removed from a space between a transferring device for transferring a visible image to the transfer sheet and a charging device for charging the photosensitive drum. The cleaning device is omitted from the image forming apparatus and a developing device for developing an electrostatic latent image can also serve as the cleaning device. Alternatively, the cleaning device is disposed between the charging device and the developing device.

Abstract: In a printer in which a plurality of holes to be filled with ink are formed in an ink film, selectively heating ink generates bubbles from the holes and ejects ink due to the pressure of bubbles, thus printing an image on a sheet. A cartridge for integrally holding the ink film with holes, a pair of rollers for holding the ink film, ink soaking members for supplying ink to the ink film, and a seal member for sealing the ink soaking members from outer atmosphere is detachably mounted.

Abstract: In a printer in which a plurality of holes to be filled with ink are formed in an ink film, selectively heating ink generates bubbles from the holes and ejects ink due to the pressure of bubbles, thus printing an image on a sheet. The printer includes a conveying mechanism for conveying the ink film and shut conveying unit for conveying the sheet to a position facing the heating elements through the ink film. The conveying mechanism feeds the ink film at a speed lower than a sheet conveying speed.

Abstract: In an image forming apparatus according to the present invention, a cleaning device which allows for the repeated use of an photosensitive drum is removed from a space between a transferring device for transferring a visible image to the transfer sheet and a charging device for charging the photosensitive drum. The cleaning device is omitted from the image forming apparatus and a developing device for developing an electrostatic latent image can also serve as the cleaning device. Alternatively, the cleaning device is disposed between the charging device and the developing device.

Abstract: In an electric motor unit, a fixed shaft extends within a motor housing. A plurality of parallel grooves are formed on the outer surface of the shaft, said grooves extending in parallel with the axis of the shaft. The shaft is detachably inserted into a hollow cylindrical spindle having a smooth inner surface such that a gap is provided between the outer surface of the shaft and the inner surface of the spindle. A dynamic pressure type radial bearing is formed by the grooved outer surface of the shaft and the smooth inner surface of the spindle to support the spindle in the radial direction. Stator ring magnets are fixed to the motor housing, with rotor ring magnets being fixed to the hollow cylindrical spindle. The inner surfaces of the stator ring magnets face the outer surfaces of the rotor ring magnets. These magnets are magnetized such that the mutually facing regions have opposite magnetic poles.