Abstract: A drum brake device produces a stable braking force at a predetermined boosting ratio in response to a brake operation force input thereto, even if the friction characteristics of the interface of the brake drum and the brake shoe varies, without increasing the size of the wheel cylinder.

Abstract: A process cartridge including an electrophotographic photosensitive member, a process unit for operating on the electrophotographic photosensitive member, a plurality of engaging members provided at a first frame, and a plurality of engaging members provided at a second frame. The first frame and the second frame are connected by connecting respective engaging members selected from the plurality of engaging members provided at the first frame and engaging members selected from the plurality of engaging members provided at the second frame. The process cartridge is detachably mountable in an electrophotographic image forming apparatus.

Abstract: Disclosed is a drum brake device in which during a service brake application, a pair of brake shoes operates in a leading/trailing mode, and during a parking brake application, a parking brake mechanism operates to cause the brake shoes to operate in the duo servo mode. A first lever, an equalizer and a second lever, which make up the parking brake mechanism, are all assembled onto one of the brake shoes. The second lever includes an input portion, a lever contact portion and an equalizer contact portion. The input portion receives a force from a parking lever. The lever contact portion applies a turning force to the first lever. The equalizer contact portion applies a turning force to the equalizer. The second lever, when it is turned, turns the first lever and then the equalizer.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method for recycling a process cartridge removably mountable to an image forming apparatus, comprising the steps of: (a) dividing a process cartridge into a first frame including an image bearing member, and a second frame including a developing means and a developer containing means for containing developer used by the developing means and having an opening through which the developer is supplied to the developing means; (b) thereafter, removing the developing means from the second frame; (c) thereafter, replenishing developer to the developer containing means through the opening; (d) thereafter, removably attaching a seal for closing the opening to the opening; and (e) thereafter, locking the first and second frames to each other, thereby assembling the process cartridge.

Abstract: A process cartridge remanufacturing method for a process cartridge detachably mountable to a main assembly of an image forming apparatus includes the steps of providing a new photosensitive drum; providing a new toner-development frame including a new toner frame having a toner containing portion for containing toner, a new development frame having a roller mounting portion for mounting a developing roller for supplying toner to the photosensitive drum, wherein the toner frame and the development frame are welded with a new removable toner seal therebetween for preventing the toner in the toner containing portion from leaking out; preparing a drum frame to be reused having a drum mounting portion for mounting the photosensitive drum; supplying toner into the toner containing portion; mounting the developing roller to the new development frame; mounting the photosensitive drum to the drum frame to be reused; and rotatably engaging the new toner-development frame and the drum frame to be reused.

Abstract: A developing apparatus for developing a latent image formed on an image bearing member includes a first frame having a developer container for containing a developer; a second frame having a developer carrying member for carrying the developer supplied from the developer container to supply the developer to the latent image; a sealing member for sealing an opening for supplying the developer from the developer container to the developer carrying member; wherein the sealing member is pulled between the first frame and the second frame along a pulling path in a pulling direction, whereby the opening is opened and projections, disposed at both sides of the pulling path downstream of the opening in the pulling direction, are provided for limiting the pulling direction of a sealing member.

Abstract: An exposure system including a master mask used for exposing a glass panel to form a plurality of phosphor stripes or dots on an inner surface of the glass panel wherein the master mask and/or a light source are movable for correction of an exposure position, thereby eliminating the need to attach and remove a color selecting mechanism to and from the glass panel when the glass panel is exposed to form a fluorescent screen on the inner surface of the glass panel.

Abstract: A thin flat cathode-ray tube can optimize stress which is generated in each part also when its screen size is increased and maintains high reliability particularly in connection strength in a joint portion between a front glass vessel and a back metal vessel, without deteriorating the joint portion in reliability also in working for mounting electric signal input terminals and an exhaust pipe on the back metal vessel. In the flat cathode-ray tube which is formed by joining side surface portions of the front glass vessel and the back metal vessel with each other, the back metal vessel has the side surface portion of a prescribed width extending along that of the front glass vessel and a bottom surface portion opposed to a fluorescent screen of the front glass vessel, while the bottom surface portion is depressed by a prescribed amount toward the fluorescent portion and a corner portion connecting the side surface portion with the bottom surface portion is at a prescribed radius of curvature.

Abstract: A process cartridge detachably mountable to a main assembly of an image forming apparatus includes an electrophotographic photosensitive member; a process device actable on the photosensitive member; a toner container for containing toner for developing a latent image formed on the electrophotographic photosensitive member, the toner container having an opening for permitting supply of the toner to a developing portion therefrom; a sealing member for sealing the opening; and a seal mounting portion for permitting a sealing member a plurality of times.

Abstract: The present invention provides a process cartridge mountable to an image forming apparatus. The cartridge includes an image bearing member, a processor for acting on the image bearing member, a driving force receiver provided at one end of the image bearing member, a protection member shiftable between a protection position to protect the image bearing member and a retract position, a first projection provided on the side of a toner containing portion, a guide member protruded in the direction perpendicular to the moving direction of the image bearing member, a second projection protruded in the moving direction of the image bearing member, and a third projection protruded from the protection member.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus is provided with a cylinder for carrying developing agent, and with a flange fitted into an end portion of the cylinder for supporting the cylinder. A fitting portion of the flange has a diameter larger than an inner diameter of the cylinder. The flange is mounted to the cylinder by press-fitting and has a guide smaller than the inner diameter of the cylinder at an end of the fitting portion for guiding the fitting. A spacer is located at a more central side of the cylinder than the fitting portion of the flange press-fitted into the cylinder.

Abstract: In order to prevent the eccentricity of a rotary shaft for rotatably supporting an image bearing member used with an image forming apparatus when the image bearing member is rotated, a projection is provided on an outer peripheral surface of the rotary shaft fitted into a fitting hole formed in a casing for securing the rotary shaft.

Abstract: A photosensitive drum mounting member includes a base member; a first conductive member projected from one side of the base member; a second conductive member, projected from the other side of the base member, and electrically connected with the first conductive member; a cylindrical member of plastic material on a surface of the second conductive member, the cylindrical member covering an inside part of the second conductive member from its end; and an extension from the base member.

Abstract: The present invention provides an image forming apparatus with a supply roller for supplying a sheet, a supply path for directing the sheet to an image forming section, a sheet ejecting path for the sheet on which an image is formed at the image forming section toward an ejecting section, a space integrally formed in a lower part of a body of the image forming apparatus, a branch path branched from the sheet ejecting path and adapted to direct the sheet toward the space, an introduction path for directing the sheet from the space to the supply path, and a sheet re-feeing unit removable with respect to the body of the image forming apparatus and including a sheet re-feeding path having an entrance facing the branch path and an exit facing the introduction path.

Abstract: In order to prevent the eccentricity of a rotary shaft for rotatably supporting an image bearing member used with an image forming apparatus when the image bearing member is rotated, a projection is provided on an outer peripheral surface of the rotary shaft fitted into a fitting hole formed in a casing for securing the rotary shaft.

Abstract: An image forming system includes a sheet ejection open tray on which ejected sheets can be collected; and a sheet hold-down device including a sheet hold-down member pivotally mounted on the sheet ejection open tray via a support shaft for pivotal movement in a direction perpendicular to a surface of the sheet ejection open tray, and a hold-down member biasing device for biasing the sheet hold-down member away from the surface of the sheet ejection open tray in opposition to a weight of the sheet hold-down member itself and for maintaining a predetermined urging force of the sheet hold-down member so long as the sheet hold-down member is within a predetermined range of its pivotal movement.

Abstract: An image forming system having an image bearing member and a developer bearing member. Developer bearing member is biased toward the image bearing member by using the weight of a developing device. A tension spring for reducing an urging force of the developer bearing member against the image forming member is provided.

Abstract: An image recording apparatus includes a sheet material accommodating device for accommodating sheet materials, a sheet material feeding device for feeding the sheet materials from the sheet material accommodating device, an image recording device for recording images on the sheet materials fed by the feeding device, sheet material refeeding device for refeeding to the image recording device through a refeeding passage the sheet material on which an image has been formed by the image recording device, a sheet material reversing device for reversing the sheet material and conveying it to the image recording device, the sheet material reversing device being disposed downstream of the refeeding passage with respect to a movement direction of the sheet material substantially within a projection area of the sheet material accommodating device.

Abstract: An optical deflector is disclosed in which a polygonal prism is rotatively driven by a polygonal prism driving circuit and an emergent light beam from the polygonal prism effects repeated scanning with the rotation of the polygonal prism. Also disclosed is a display unit in which an image for one horizontal cycle displayed on a one-horizontal-scanning-line display device is vertically scanned by an optical deflector using a polygonal prism or a rotating mirror so as to be sent to a visual point via an eyepiece.

Abstract: The present invention provides an image forming apparatus having a first image forming unit incorporating an image formation processing device therein, a sheet supply station for feeding a sheet to the first image forming unit, and a sheet ejecting station for ejecting the sheet on which an image is formed by the first image forming unit out of the image forming apparatus. Wherein a second image forming unit having the same function and size as those of the first image forming unit is mounted within the image forming apparatus and a sheet inlet of the second image forming unit is directly connected to the sheet ejecting station.