Abstract: A fixing unit and a developing unit are oppositely positioned in alignment in the longitudinal direction of a photoconductor which is flatly stretched on an endless belt. The photoconductor is more flatly stretched between the fixing unit and the developing unit than these units so that it is housed therein leaving spaces for disposing other required image forming devices. A charger which is one of the other image forming devices acts to charge the photoconductor and also to transfer a toner image on the photoconductor onto a sheet of copy paper.

Abstract: A photoconductor is stretched between a developing unit and a fixing unit more flatly than the developing unit and the fixing unit, and other necessary image forming devices are disposed in the empty spaces around the photoconductor which are formed in the upper and lower portions of the photoconductor between the developing unit and the fixing unit. An exposure section provided for copying operation is arranged along the upper portion, and along the lower portion, a paper feed section and a laser print head are arranged.

Abstract: An electrostatic latent image developing apparatus has a developing sleeve drivingly rotatable for supplying a magnetic developer to an image bearing surface of an electrostatic latent image bearing member, a casing covering at least a portion of the developing sleeve and extending from a portion where the sleeve is opposed to the electrostatic latent image bearing member to a position where the developer is supplied to the sleeve with respect to the direction of rotation of the developing sleeve, the casing defining a gap with the sleeve, magnets fixedly positioned in the sleeve and having a plurality of poles opposed to the casing, the plurality of poles including first and second poles of same polarity and a third pole of different polarity, the first and second poles being positioned adjacently with no pole therebetween, whereby a first bristle of developer for sealing the gap is formed by the first and second poles and a second bristle of developer for sealing the gap is formed by the third pole.

Abstract: An electrostatic latent image developing apparatus has a magnet housed in a developing sleeve and having at least one magnetized portion including adjacent poles of the same polarity. At least one of the poles of the magnetized portion is opposed to the casing of the developing apparatus, between the position where the developing sleeve is opposed to an electrostatic latent image bearing member and the position where the sleeve is opposed to a developer agitating roller. The other pole adjacent to and having the same polarity as this pole is positioned downstream from the pole with respect to the direction of rotation of the sleeve. Consequently, the upstream pole of the magnetized portion acts to retain a portion of developer between the developing sleeve and the casing, whereby the toner is prevented from spilling over the casing.

Abstract: The present invention concerns with a method of forming plural copies. The method is constituted by:the first step of charging a photosensitive member,the second step of exposing the charged photosensitive member to an optical image to form an electrostatic latent image,the third step of developing the latent image with a toner,the fourth step of charging the photosensitive member to invert the toner polarity of the developed image,the fifth step of illuminating the photosensitive member charged by the fourth step with light to form the same electrostatic latent image as the latent image formed by the second step,the sixth step of transferring the developed image to copy paper, andthe step of repeating the third step to the sixth step.

Abstract: In a dry-type developing apparatus for use in electrophotography including a developing sleeve for conveying a two-component developer composed of a toner and a carrier to a developing station, an automatic toner replenishing device comprises a roller to which voltage is applied having recessed toner dispenser portions and a toner recovering peripheral surface portion on its periphery and rotatable in contact with a portion of the developer on the sleeve after the developer portion has passed through the developing station, bias voltage sources connected to the sleeve and to the roller respectively to produce a potential difference between the sleeve and the roller, and a toner tank arranged to cover part of the roller and containing the toner to be replenished.

Abstract: An electrophotographic copying apparatus which is equipped with an improved arrangement for removing jammed copy paper. The apparatus is provided with a photoreceptor and a developing device combined into one unit which can be withdrawn to provide sufficient space for removing jammed copy paper, and is also provided with copy paper transporting members, a corona charger, a transfer charger, a copy paper separating claw etc. which can be moved away from a transfer section in one operation for facilitating access to the jammed copy paper in an efficient manner in the case of copy paper jamming. The transfer charger is covered when it is moved away from the transfer section to protect it from possible damage.

Abstract: The heat and pressure rolls of a fusing apparatus for an electrophotographic copying machine are shifted into pressure contact with one another while a support sheet bearing a toner powder image passes therebetween, and are separated while the sheet is not therebetween. A driving mechanism drives both rolls when not in contact, while one of the rolls drives the other while in pressure contact. A shifting mechanism is actuated by a sheet detector for shifting the rolls into and out of contact.In another embodiment, the rolls are in light rolling contact, with no sheet passing therebetween, under the weight of one of the rolls idly mounted in place. A pressing mechanism presses the rolls into pressure contact, upon actuation by a sheet detector, while the sheet passes between the rolls.

Abstract: In an electrophotographic copying machine having a transparent support for support thereon the original to be copied, an illumination device for illuminating the original on the transparent support and a photoreceptor surface adapted to be driven past charging, exposure, developing, transfer and cleaning stations, a discharging device for extinguishing unnecessary electrostatic charge on the photoreceptor surface which is formed at an area between each two adjacent areas to be optically exposed to the incoming light, which discharging device has at least one light guide having one end situated adjacent an intercepting mechanism and the other end situated in the vicinity of the photoreceptor surface. The intercepting mechanism is brought into operation to intercept passage of discharging light towards the photoreceptor surface.

Abstract: Devices for controlling the heating of fuser roll apparatus are disclosed. In fuser roll apparatus a toner powder image is heated under pressure on a supporting sheet to be fixed thereon. The apparatus comprises a plurality of heaters for heating a fuser roll; and a plurality of surface temperature detecting elements for detecting the surface temperature of the fuser roll, the power to the respective heaters being independently controlled according to detecting signals from the respective surface temperature detecting elements.

Abstract: The heat and pressure rolls of a fusing apparatus for an electrophotographic copying machine are shifted into pressure contact with one another while a support sheet bearing a toner powder image passes therebetween, and are separated while the sheet is not therebetween. A driving mechanism drives both rolls when not in contact, while one of the rolls drives the other while in pressure contact. A shifting mechanism is actuated by a sheet detector for shifting the rolls into and out of contact.In another embodiment, the rolls are in light rolling contact, with no sheet passing therebetween, under the weight of one of the rolls idly mounted in place. A pressing mechanism presses the rolls into pressure contact, upon actuation by a sheet detector, while the sheet passes between the rolls.

Abstract: An electrophotographic copying apparatus in which a photoreceptor, a developing device and a cleaning device for residual toner particles are integrally incorporated in a casing as one unit so as to be releasably inserted into the copying apparatus housing for efficient replacement and maintenance of such major components. The copying apparatus is further provided with a copy paper sheet feed device which can be changed over from manual sheet insertion to automatic sheet feeding or vice versa by simply one operation.

Abstract: An optical illumination device for use in a copying apparatus of the type wherein an object is to be illuminated and an image thereof is to be projected through a particular image transmitter formed of a plurality of optical fibers of graded refractive index in bundled configuration to a light sensitive surface, comprises a source of illumination light and a light guide duct of substantially flattened cubic body. The light guide duct is designed such that rays of light from the light source accommodated within the light guide duct are directed towards a curved reflective surface and subsequently converge at one point on the transparent support structure for the support of the original to be copied thereon to form a strip or ribbon of light available for illumination of the original to be copied.

Abstract: A separating device for copy paper sheets for use in a photocopying apparatus includes a long, thin separating tape of an insulating material which is disposed lengthwise, in the direction of advance of a copy paper sheet, between one side edge of the photoreceptor surface and the corresponding side edge of the copy paper sheet to be separated, and a pick-off thread or string of an insulating material stretched diagonally and slantwise across the plane into which the copied paper sheet is fed. One side of the copied paper sheet is initially separated by the separating tape, and as the sheet is further delivered, it passes under the pick-off thread so as to be wholly peeled off the photoreceptor surface.

Abstract: An electrophotographic copy of an original is produced by forming on a transparent photosensitive first substrate a latent electrostatic image of the original by contact exposure, applying a toner powder to the image, superimposing a uniformly charged second substrate onto the image face of the first substrate and exposing the rear face of the first substrate to light to transfer the charged image to the second substrate which is developed to produce a high contrast, high density toner image which is then fused. A machine for practicing the method includes a transparent cylinder which may have a photosensitive face or over which a transparent photosensitive sheet is advanced, is reciprocable over the original with the cylinder rolling over the original, a light source having opposite exposure beam delineating slits is located in the cylinder.

Abstract: A magnetic brush developing apparatus for use in a dry process electrophotographic copying apparatus which includes a developing roller rotatably provided adjacent to a movable photoreceptor surface and comprising a rotatable outer cylinder and a plurality of pairs of stationary magnets fixedly disposed around the outer cylinder at predetermined angles from one another with a first pair of the stationary magnets directed toward the photoreceptor and with a second pair directed toward a sump of developing material. In each pair of magnets, especially in the first pair for development, two magnets are spaced from each other at a predetermined distance to form soft magnetic brush bristles for uniform quality of copied images.

Abstract: An electrophotographic sensitive member comprises of a flexible web having a photosensitive layer and provided with a longitudinally uni-directionally heat contractible insulating connector sheet of a predetermined length extending from one end thereof. In attaching the sensitive member over an endless support, the free end of the sensitive member is adhered to the free end of the connector sheet and the connector sheet is contracted to tightly embrace the member on the endless support upon the application of heat.