Abstract: A belt unit includes: a pair of roller members spaced from and opposing each other in a first direction, each of the roller members having an axis extending in a second direction; an endless belt extending around the roller members; a plurality of transfer members arranged along the first direction between the roller members and spaced from one another so as to be enclosed by the endless belt; and a frame that rotatably supports the roller members and the transfer members. The frame includes: a pair of resin side frames spaced from each other in the second direction, each of the resin side frames extending in the first direction; and a resin bridging beam extending between the side frames.

Abstract: A belt unit includes a plurality of rollers including a driving roller and a driven roller; a belt being supported by the plurality of rollers; a specified roller; and a shift restraint member restraining the belt from shifting toward one end side of the specified roller. The specified roller is at least one roller of the plurality of rollers. The specified roller has such a shape that an outer diameter thereof on each of both end sides thereof is continuously enlarged toward a central part thereof in an axial direction thereof, and has such a shape that a region where the outer diameter thereof is the largest is shifted onto one end side thereof with respect to the central part thereof in the axial direction thereof within a belt suspension range.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: a plurality of rollers including a drive roller and a follow roller; an endless belt made of an insulation material and looped around the plurality of rollers so that a bridging portion is formed between adjacent rollers and both ends of the bridging portion are supported on the adjacent rollers; a photosensitive drum positioned outside of and facing the outer peripheral surface of the bridging portion; and a transfer roller positioned opposite of the photosensitive drum with the bridging portion interposed therebetween. The inner peripheral surface of the belt is made of a material which has greater tendency to be charged in a polarity that is the same as developer in triboelectric series than the outer peripheral surface of the follow roller as an upstream-side roller.

Abstract: A method of readily forming a dye-sensitized solar cell having a porous layer of increased thickness. The dye-sensitized solar cell includes a translucent substrate, and a plurality of collecting electrode traces formed on the translucent substrate. The solar cell also includes a trench that is trapezoidal in cross-section and is formed on the translucent substrate between the collecting electrode traces. The solar cell also includes a porous layer upon which a sensitizing dye is adsorbed. The porous layer covers the translucent substrate within the trench and the collecting electrode traces.

Abstract: A method for easily forming a dye-sensitized solar cell having a thick porous layer without increasing a thickness of a collector electrode. The dye-sensitized solar cell includes a light transmissive substrate and a plurality of recesses formed on the light transmissive substrate. Each recess has an opening partitioned by a partition wall. The solar cell also includes a collector electrode that covers the partition wall. The collector electrode has an end face on a bottom surface of the recess. The solar cell also includes a porous layer that covers the light transmissive substrate within each recess and the collector electrode. At least one kind of sensitizing dye is absorbed in the porous layer.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus with a detachable belt unit and supporting frame are described. The detachable belt unit is reliably positioned in the supporting frame. One or more mark sensors are positioned on the supporting frame and are configured to detect alignment marks deposited on an endless belt of the belt unit.

Abstract: A belt driven roller having a belt guide that positions a conveying belt in a width direction is supported in an axial direction relative to a belt frame, and positioned in the axial direction relative to a body casing. This can increases positional accuracy of the conveying belt relative to the body casing in the width direction. The belt driven roller is displaceable in the axial direction relative to the belt frame, and even if the belt driven roller and a belt driving roller are positioned in the axial direction relative to the body casing, dimensional tolerance between the belt driven roller and the belt driving roller reduces or eliminates distortion in the belt frame. This can increase positional accuracy of transfer rollers and results in a more stable image quality.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a belt, a cleaning member, a backup member, a pressing-force changing mechanism, and a control unit. The cleaning member is disposed in confrontation with the belt. The backup member is disposed to pinch the belt in cooperation with the cleaning member. The pressing-force changing mechanism is configured to change a pressing force acting between the cleaning member and the belt in a state in which the cleaning member is in contact with the belt. The control unit controls the pressing-force changing mechanism to change the pressing force.

Abstract: A belt is looped around a plurality of rollers including a drive roller and a follow roller. The belt has an inner peripheral surface facing inside of a loop of the belt and an outer peripheral surface opposite the inner peripheral surface. The belt has a first widthwise edge and a second widthwise edge. A widthwise-movement restricting member is disposed on the inner peripheral surface on a first widthwise edge side. The widthwise-movement restricting member restricts widthwise movement of the belt in a direction toward a second widthwise edge side. An expansion-contraction restricting member is disposed on the second widthwise edge side on at least one of the inner peripheral surface and the outer peripheral surface. The expansion-contraction restricting member is less expandable in a peripheral direction of the belt than the widthwise-movement restricting member is. An urging member applies tension to the belt in the peripheral direction.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes is described in which a cleaning member is positioned on one side of a belt and a backup member positioned on a second side of the belt. The backup member is configured to move between a contact position and a non-contact position.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a belt, a cleaning member, a backup member, a pressing-force changing mechanism, and a control unit. The cleaning member is disposed in confrontation with the belt. The backup member is disposed to pinch the belt in cooperation with the cleaning member. The pressing-force changing mechanism is configured to change a pressing force acting between the cleaning member and the belt in a state in which the cleaning member is in contact with the belt. The control unit controls the pressing-force changing mechanism to change the pressing force.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a belt, a body casing that stores the belt, a cleaning unit that includes a cleaning mechanism having a cleaning member that is positioned to face the belt, and is detachably positioned in the body casing, the cleaning mechanism including a cleaning mode having a first mode that has a first cleaning force or effect and a second mode that has a second cleaning force or effect, wherein the first cleaning force or effect is greater than the second cleaning force or effect. The image forming apparatus also includes a drive unit that drives the cleaning mechanism in accordance with the cleaning mode, an operation state detection sensor that detects an operation state of the cleaning mechanism, and a determination unit that determines whether the cleaning unit is installed in the body casing based on the cleaning mode and a detection result of the operation state detection sensor.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: a plurality of rollers including a drive roller and a follow roller; an endless belt made of an insulation material and looped around the plurality of rollers so that a bridging portion is formed between adjacent rollers and both ends of the bridging portion are supported on the adjacent rollers; a photosensitive drum positioned outside of and facing the outer peripheral surface of the bridging portion; and a transfer roller positioned opposite of the photosensitive drum with the bridging portion interposed therebetween. The inner peripheral surface of the belt is made of a material which has greater tendency to be charged in a polarity that is the same as developer in triboelectric series than the outer peripheral surface of the follow roller as an upstream-side roller.

Abstract: A semiconductor device includes (i) a semiconductor layer, (ii) a first insulating film formed in the semiconductor layer, (iii) a conductive film continuously formed on the semiconductor layer and the first insulation film in a line shape, (iv) a second insulating film formed between the conductive film and the semiconductor layer along the conductive film, (v) a sidewall portion which is formed on a sidewall of the conductive film along the conductive film and which includes an oxide film and a first nitride film that is formed above the semiconductor layer and separated from a region above the first insulating film through the oxide film, (vi) and impurity diffusion regions formed on a surface of the semiconductor layer on both sides of the sidewall portion.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus is configured to form an image on a recording sheet by transferring toner onto the recording sheet. The image forming apparatus may include a container having an inlet configured to receive waste toner, the container defining a storage area having a horizontal dimension greater than a vertical dimension. Also, the image forming apparatus may include a first pump disposed adjacent to the inlet of the container on an inlet side, the first pump configured to feed waste toner from the inlet to an outlet side of the first pump, and a second pump disposed adjacent to the outlet side of the first pump, the second pump configured to feed the waste toner fed by the first pump to an outlet side of the second pump on a side opposite the inlet in the storage area.

Abstract: An image-forming device includes a photosensitive drum, a conveying unit, a transferring roller, an optical sensor, a ground connector. The photosensitive drum carries a developer image. The conveying unit includes a driving roller, and an endless belt. The endless belt is disposed in confrontation with the photosensitive drum and transferring roller. The optical sensor is disposed near the driving roller and detects the developer image on the endless belt. The first connection member has a first electrical resistance and is connected between the driving roller and a ground connector electrically grounded. The second connection member has a second electrical resistance and is connected between the endless belt and ground connector.

Abstract: A multifunction system has advanced functions and high speed capability and is excellent in expandability. The multifunction system includes a controller, an IIT, an IOT, and a light distributing device. For a print job, print data outputted from the controller is converted into optical signals, which enter a light distributing device and are transmitted to the IOT of the emission side. The IOT prints the received data onto a printer. For a copy job, copy data outputted from IIT is converted into optical signals, which enter the light distributing device, and are transmitted to the IOT of the emission side. For a scan job, scan data outputted from the scanner is converted into optical signals, which enter the light distributing device, and are transmitted to the controller of the emission side. The controller processes the received data.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a belt, a cleaning member, a backup member, a pressing-force changing mechanism, and a control unit. The cleaning member is disposed in confrontation with the belt. The backup member is disposed to pinch the belt in cooperation with the cleaning member. The pressing-force changing mechanism is configured to change a pressing force acting between the cleaning member and the belt in a state in which the cleaning member is in contact with the belt. The control unit controls the pressing-force changing mechanism to change the pressing force.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a belt, a body casing that stores the belt, a cleaning unit that includes a cleaning mechanism having a cleaning member that is positioned to face the belt, and is detachably positioned in the body casing, the cleaning mechanism including a cleaning mode having a first mode that has a first cleaning force or effect and a second mode that has a second cleaning force or effect, wherein the first cleaning force or effect is greater than the second cleaning force or effect. The image forming apparatus also includes a drive unit that drives the cleaning mechanism in accordance with the cleaning mode, an operation state detection sensor that detects an operation state of the cleaning mechanism, and a determination unit that determines whether the cleaning unit is installed in the body casing based on the cleaning mode and a detection result of the operation state detection sensor.

Abstract: A laser printer includes: a main casing with two side walls; lower guiding grooves formed in the side walls; a process cartridge that is guided by the guiding grooves to be mounted in or removed from the main casing; and a lever rotatably supported by a shaft mounted on the main casing at a position near the lower guiding groove in one side wall. When the lever is rotated, a protruding part provided on one end of the lever protrudes into the lower guiding groove and engages with a fixing boss provided on the process cartridge, thereby preventing the process cartridge from moving in a direction opposite the direction in which the cartridge is mounted in the main casing.