Abstract: A belt unit used for an image forming apparatus is provided. The belt unit includes a rotatable endless belt, a plurality of stretching members configured to stretch the belt, an urging member, and a contact and separation unit configured to be able to switch a position of the stretching member urged by the urging member. In moving the stretching member urged by the urging member from the separation position to the contact position, the contact and separation unit makes one end side of the stretching member urged by the urging member in a longitudinal direction coming into contact with the inner surface of the belt faster than the other end side, and temporarily decreases the movement speeds of the both ends of the stretching member in the longitudinal direction respectively before arriving at the contact position.

Abstract: In an image forming apparatus, when the openable and closable member is closed, the regulating member is mounted to the main body of the apparatus in a second state that is elastically changed from a first state; when the openable and closable member is opened, the regulating member is elastically returned to the first state; in this state, when the openable and closable member is closed, an abutting portion of the openable and closable member abuts on an abutting portion of the regulating member to regulate the openable and closable member from closing. A direction of pressing caused when the abutting portion of the openable and closable member abuts on the abutting portion of the regulating member is different from a direction in which the abutting portion of the regulating member moves when the regulating member changes from the first state to the second state.

Abstract: Disclosed are a wire grid polarizer, which exhibits high polarization, p-polarized light transmittance, and s-polarized light reflectance in the visible light region, and the optical characteristics of which have low angular dependence and wavelength dependence, and a manufacturing method for the same.

Abstract: A color electrophotographic image forming apparatus is usable with process cartridges that each include an electrophotographic photosensitive drum. The image forming apparatus includes a movable member that is movable between an inside of the main assembly of the apparatus and an outside of the main assembly of the apparatus in a direction crossing with a longitudinal direction of the drum while carrying the cartridges. A main assembly electrical contact is provided inside the main assembly along a movement path of the movable member. An intermediary electrical contact is provided and includes a first electrical contact portion that is disposed inside the movable member, with the intermediary electrical contact being electrically connectable to a cartridge electrical contact of a cartridge, and a second electrical contact portion is disposed outside the movable member, with the second electrical contact portion electrically connectable to a main assembly electrical contact provided in the main assembly.

Abstract: A color electrophotographic image forming apparatus is usable with process cartridges that each include an electrophotographic photosensitive drum. The image forming apparatus includes a movable member that is movable between an inside of the main assembly of the apparatus and an outside of the main assembly of the apparatus in a direction crossing with a longitudinal direction of the drum while carrying the cartridges. A main assembly electrical contact is provided inside the main assembly along a movement path of the movable member. An intermediary electrical contact is provided and includes a first electrical contact portion that is disposed inside the movable member, with the intermediary electrical contact being electrically connectable to a cartridge electrical contact of a cartridge, and a second electrical contact portion is disposed outside the movable member, with the second electrical contact portion electrically connectable to a main assembly electrical contact provided in the main assembly.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus including: guide portions provided in strips on opposite ends of an inner circumferential surface of an endless belt; a driving roller supporting the endless belt; a driven roller supporting the endless belt; first restriction members having first contact surfaces which come into contact with the guide portions when the endless belt moves in a belt width direction; and second restriction members having second contact surfaces which come into contact with the guide portions when the endless belt moves in the belt width direction, the second contact surfaces are placed nearer to a center in the belt width direction than the first contact surfaces, and an angle between the first contact surfaces and the inner circumferential surface in the belt width direction is larger than an angle between the second contact surfaces and the inner circumferential surface in the belt width direction.

Abstract: An electrophotographic image forming apparatus includes a drum cartridge with an image bearing drum and charger for charging a surface of the drum. The apparatus further includes a rotary supporting a plurality of developing devices each having a developer carrying member for developing an electrostatic latent image formed on the drum, with the rotary being swingably mounted to the main assembly through a supporting member and being rotatable, relative to the supporting member, to bring the developing device to a developing position for developing the latent image. A locking member is provided for spacing between the developing device positioned in the developing position and the image bearing member, the locking member being demountably mounted between the drum cartridge and the rotary, and the locking member being effective to prevent an urging member from moving from a position urging the drum cartridge to the main assembly.

Abstract: An electrophotographic image forming apparatus includes a process cartridge which is mounted on a pull-out type cartridge tray to enable front access. The electrophotographic image forming apparatus includes an urging unit for urging and moving the cartridge tray toward a front of a main assembly of the apparatus and a clocking member for locking the cartridge tray in a proper position so that the cartridge tray is returned back to an outside position of the apparatus when the cartridge tray is pushed to the proper position.

Abstract: Provided is a process for easily producing a wire grid polarizer showing a high polarization separation ability in the visible light region and having an improved transmittance in a short wavelength region.

Abstract: A color electrophotographic image forming apparatus is usable with process cartridges that each include an electrophotographic photosensitive drum. The image forming apparatus includes a movable member that is movable between an inside of the main assembly of the apparatus and an outside of the main assembly of the apparatus in a direction crossing with a longitudinal direction of the drum while carrying the cartridges. A main assembly electrical contact is provided inside the main assembly along a movement path of the movable member. An intermediary electrical contact is provided and includes a first electrical contact portion that is disposed inside the movable member, with the intermediary electrical contact being electrically connectable to a cartridge electrical contact of a cartridge, and a second electrical contact portion is disposed outside the movable member, with the second electrical contact portion electrically connectable to a main assembly electrical contact provided in the main assembly.

Abstract: A wire-grid polarizer comprising a light-transmitting substrate 14 having a surface on which a plurality of ridges 12 are formed in parallel with one another at a predetermined pitch with flat portions 13 formed between the ridges 12, each of the ridges 12 having a width narrowing from the bottom toward the top; and a metal layer 20 covering at least one side surface of each ridge 12, the maximum covering thickness of the metal layer on a lower half of the ridge being smaller than the maximum covering thickness of the metal layer on an upper half of the ridge; and a process for producing the first metal layer 20 by vapor-depositing a metal from a direction satisfying tan(?R1±10)=(Pp?Dpb/2)/Hp on the first side surface 16 side, and subsequently vapor-depositing the metal from a direction at an angle satisfying ?R1+5??R2??R1+25.

Abstract: A color electrophotographic image forming apparatus is usable with process cartridges that each include an electrophotographic photosensitive drum. The image forming apparatus includes a movable member that is movable between an inside of the main assembly of the apparatus and an outside of the main assembly of the apparatus in a direction crossing with a longitudinal direction of the drum while carrying the cartridges. A main assembly electrical contact is provided inside the main assembly along a movement path of the movable member. An intermediary electrical contact is provided and includes a first electrical contact portion that is disposed inside the movable member, with the intermediary electrical contact being electrically connectable to a cartridge electrical contact of a cartridge, and a second electrical contact portion is disposed outside the movable member, with the second electrical contact portion electrically connectable to a main assembly electrical contact provided in the main assembly.

Abstract: A laminate of the present invention includes a first transparent resin layer, a first polymer liquid crystal layer, a second transparent resin layer, and a second polymer liquid crystal layer. A process for producing the laminate involves curing a resin to form the first transparent resin layer with certain liquid crystal alignment properties. The process then involves forming the first liquid crystal layer from a curable liquid crystalline monomer or a crosslinkable polymer liquid crystal on the first transparent resin layer. The first liquid crystal layer has the liquid crystal alignment properties of the first transparent resin layer. Next, the process involves forming a second transparent resin layer with different liquid crystal alignment properties on the first polymer liquid crystal layer, then forming a second polymer liquid crystal layer on the second transparent resin layer in the same manner.

Abstract: An electrophotographic image forming apparatus includes a process cartridge which is mounted on a pull-out type cartridge tray to enable front access. The electrophotographic image forming apparatus includes an urging unit for urging and moving the cartridge tray toward a front of a main assembly of the apparatus and a clocking member for locking the cartridge tray in a proper position so that the cartridge tray is returned back to an outside position of the apparatus when the cartridge tray is pushed to the proper position.

Abstract: A color electrophotographic image forming apparatus is usable with process cartridges that each include an electrophotographic photosensitive drum. The image forming apparatus includes a movable member that is movable between an inside of the main assembly of the apparatus and an outside of the main assembly of the apparatus in a direction crossing with a longitudinal direction of the drum while carrying the cartridges. A main assembly electrical contact is provided inside the main assembly along a movement path of the movable member. An intermediary electrical contact is provided and includes a first electrical contact portion that is disposed inside the movable member, with the intermediary electrical contact being electrically connectable to a cartridge electrical contact of a cartridge, and a second electrical contact portion is disposed outside the movable member, with the second electrical contact portion electrically connectable to a main assembly electrical contact provided in the main assembly.

Abstract: In an image forming apparatus including a rotary member (15) to which a plurality of developing cartridges (B, Y, M, C) (16) are detachably mountable, a user can rotate the rotary member with an easy operation to access the plurality of developing cartridges. A pivotable unit (63) is contactable and separable from a driving train for the rotary member (15). By applying a certain braking force to a pivotal gear (69), the pivotal gear (69) is moved to a position at which the pivotal gear (69) is held in contact with the driving train by a user's operational force. In association with the contact movement of the pivotable unit (63), a solenoid (57) performing a positional control of the rotary member (15) is released.

Abstract: The present invention includes two side-plates configured to be opposed to each other and to form a frame of a main body of the apparatus, a cartridge with an image bearing member, a moving member configured to support and move the cartridge, a connecting member configured to connect the two side-plates, and a positioning member configured to be held by the connecting member, wherein the moving member, which is movable between the two side-plates, the cartridge is attachable to and detachable from the moving member when the moving member is withdrawn to the outside of the main body of the apparatus, and the cartridge is positioned by the positioning member when the moving member is moved and the cartridge is contained in the main body of the apparatus.

Abstract: An electrophotographic image forming apparatus includes a process cartridge which is mounted on a pull-out type cartridge tray to enable front access. The electrophotographic image forming apparatus includes an urging unit for urging and moving the cartridge tray toward a front of a main assembly of the apparatus and a clocking member for locking the cartridge tray in a proper position so that the cartridge tray is returned back to an outside position of the apparatus when the cartridge tray is pushed to the proper position.

Abstract: A belt unit used for an image forming apparatus is provided. The belt unit includes a rotatable endless belt, a plurality of stretching members configured to stretch the belt, an urging member, and a contact and separation unit configured to be able to switch a position of the stretching member urged by the urging member. In moving the stretching member urged by the urging member from the separation position to the contact position, the contact and separation unit makes one end side of the stretching member urged by the urging member in a longitudinal direction coming into contact with the inner surface of the belt faster than the other end side, and temporarily decreases the movement speeds of the both ends of the stretching member in the longitudinal direction respectively before arriving at the contact position.

Abstract: In an image forming apparatus, when the openable and closable member is closed, the regulating member is mounted to the main body of the apparatus in a second state that is elastically changed from a first state; when the openable and closable member is opened, the regulating member is elastically returned to the first state; in this state, when the openable and closable member is closed, an abutting portion of the openable and closable member abuts on an abutting portion of the regulating member to regulate the openable and closable member from closing. A direction of pressing caused when the abutting portion of the openable and closable member abuts on the abutting portion of the regulating member is different from a direction in which the abutting portion of the regulating member moves when the regulating member changes from the first state to the second state.