Abstract: An image forming apparatus including a cylindrical image carrier configured to carry an electrostatic latent image while rotating, and a cylindrical developer carrier configured to bear a developer and supply the developer to the image carrier by contacting the image carrier at a nip while rotating, wherein the surface of the image carrier has a friction coefficient of from about 0.1 to about 0.4. The image carrier may be an endless belt.

Abstract: A color printer for forming color toner images on a sheet of paper includes a photoconductive belt for bearing an electrostatic latent image thereon, a plurality of developing devices, and an intermediate transfer belt for forming composite toner images thereon. The intermediate transfer belt and the developing devices face each other across the photoconductive belt. The color printer further includes a front frame which is provided adjacent the intermediate transfer medium, a paper feed device which is provided in a lower position of the apparatus, and a paper output tray which is provided in a upper position of the apparatus. A paper transporting path between the paper feed device and the paper output tray is provided between the intermediate transfer belt and the front frame.

Abstract: A color printer including a photoconductive belt, a black developing unit which is located adjacent the photoconductive belt and a revolving type developing unit which is located adjacent the photoconductive belt and has a developing position on the photoconductive belt which is different from that of the black developing unit. The revolving type developing unit has a yellow developing device, a magenta developing device and a cyan developing device, each including a detachable toner cartridge by which yellow toner, magenta toner and cyan toner is replenished. The black developing unit is replaceable independent of the revolving type developing unit by being removably mounted on a removable frame on which the revolving type developing unit is mounted. Both developing units are removable from the color printer as a body by removal of the removable frame from the color printer.

Abstract: In an image forming apparatus, a developing device is disposed adjacent to a belt-like photosensitive member. A rotary type developing device has a hollow cylindrical casing rotatable around a shaft having a central portion for rotation. The developing device includes a casing which is rotated in a predetermined direction, and four partitions which divide the casing to make four developing units which extend radially outward from the shaft. A toner storing section or hopper is provided on one side of the developing device, i.e., on a front side of the image forming apparatus, and a toner cartridge is detachable from a top of the hopper, and the toner cartridge is exchanged when an end signal of the toner is detected by a sensor in the casing. The toner hopper is filled by new toner from the toner cartridge, and the toner is carried by conveyor members, which control an amount of the toner in the casing, and a supply roller supplies the toner to a developing roller.

Abstract: A developing device capable of obviating the cohesion of toner and reducing the amount of dead toner is disclosed. The device has a developing unit accommodating a first and a second screw therein. The first and second screws extend from the toner hopper to the other longitudinal end of the developing unit in parallel to a developing roller and a supply roller. The first screw feeds toner from a toner hopper to a developing section. The second screw collects toner not contributed to development from the developing section and returns it to the first screw for recirculation. In this configuration, the collected toner and dead toner aggregating in the lower portion of the developing unit are forcibly moved to the developing section. The direction in which the screw portion of the second screw is inclined may be partly reversed to form a reverse transfer portion. Alternatively, a part of a casing adjoining the hopper may be implemented as a slant.

Abstract: In an image forming apparatus, a rotary developing device effects development by revolving a plurality of developing sections around a rotary shaft until any one of them reaches a developing position where it faces an image carrier. Cartridges are respectively mounted to hoppers included in the developing sections. Guides are provided on the inner periphery of each cartridge in order to guide toner, moving due to the revolution or the developing device, toward a toner outlet formed in the cartridge. Even when the amount of toner remaining in the cartridge is small, the entire toner is replenished into the associated hopper and fully consumed.

Abstract: A color image forming apparatus of the type having a photoconductive belt for forming a latent image thereon electrostatically. The latent image is developed to turn out a corresponding toner image. The toner image is transferred from the photoconductive belt to an intermediate transfer belt. Such a procedure is repeated to form a composite color image on the intermediate belt. The color image is transferred from the intermediate belt to a recording medium. Any point on the intermediate belt in the direction of rotation and any points on drive rollers assigned to the two belts, respectively, in the direction of rotation are held in the same positional relation to a stationary member every time the intermediate belt completes one rotation.

Abstract: A high resolution scanning probe type microscope capable for simultaneous observation of the optical images of a sample and the probe tip. The microscope has a construction in which the probe and the optical microscope are supported with separate supporting members and the probe is disposed inside the visual field of the optical microscope. The supporting members of the probe and the optical microscope are installed on a vibration-proof table, and the supporting member for the probe has a double-end-supported type beam construction.

Abstract: An electrophotographic color image forming apparatus is disclosed which allows a photoconductive element and an intermediate transfer belt, which are expendables, to be removed from the body thereof at the same time. This promotes easy replacement, inspection and so forth of expendables. The photoconductive element and intermediate transfer belt can be replaced substantially at the same period, reducing the frequency of replacement of expendables. A cartridge including the photoconductive element can be replaced with a minimum of component parts wasted, thereby enhancing the cost performance of the apparatus. Moreover, when a cover hinged to the body of the apparatus is opened, various units can be removed one after another, a unit around which the greatest space is available being first.

Abstract: A compound type microscope is provided which can observe the measurement sample of an atomic force microscope (AFM) by means of an optical microscope. This compound type microscope is comprised of an optical microscope having an objective and an observation optical system, a cantilever having a reflecting surface and detecting an atomic force, an irradiating optical system for applying a spotlight to the cantilver, a detector for detecting the displacement of reflected light caused by the displacement of the cantilever, and a sample stage for placing a sample thereon. The arrangement can be designed to accommodate the use of a scanning tunnel type microscope (STM) interchangeably with the AFM so that the sample can be measured by the STM instead of by the AFM. To this end, the probe of the STM can be detachably mountable coaxially with respect to the objective of the optical microscope, whereby the probe of the STM and the cantilever of the AFM can be selectively disposed below the objective.

Abstract: A scanning probe microscope, capable of achieving a resolving power of atomic level, is provided with a probe microscope unit 5, 6, 17 for measuring a fine constitution of sample surface with a probe 5, and with an optical microscope unit 8, 10-16 for observing an optical image of sample, in which the probe microscope unit is encased in a box 9 shielded against external noises and electromagnetic waves. The box has a shape of a cone such as triangular cone, which is placed on a triangular surface plate.

Abstract: A composite scanning tunneling microscope comprises a first objective optical system for collimating an optical flux from a sample, a second objective optical system for condensing the optical flux thus collimated, and a transparent member disposed between the first and the second objective optical systems. A through hole is perforated along an optical axis in the center of the first objective optical system. A tube scanner member has a probe for detecting a tunnel current disposed at one end thereof. The tube scanner member passes through the hole of the first objective optical system without a contact therewith. The other end of the tube scanner member is fixed to the transparent member. The tube scanner member fixed to the transparent member is separate from and independent of an optical microscope, so that a tunnel current may stably be detected without influences on the probe from vibrations of the optical microscope.

Abstract: An electrophotographic image developing device includes a fixed rotatable member and a suspended rotatable member reciprocally movable toward and away from the fixed rotatable member. Rotative power from a drive source is transmitted to the suspended rotatable member through a power transmitting unit which includes a coupling capable of absorbing axial misalignment between driver and driven shafts.

Abstract: An electrostatic latent image developing apparatus supplies toner to a latent image carrier such as a drum-shaped photosensitive body to visualize a latent image formed thereon. The toner is supplied by a rotating drum-shaped toner carrier having a portion confronting the photosensitive body adjacent thereto and another portion held in contact with toner contained in a toner container. The toner is electrostatically attracted to the toner carrier and transferred therefrom to the photosensitive body. The toner on the toner carrier is regulated into a thin toner layer by a toner layer regulating member that is resiliently held in sliding contact with the toner carrier. To prevent toner deposits from being attached to the toner layer regulating member, the toner layer regulating member is made of a material adapted to wear with the attached toner.

Abstract: A developing apparatus is disclosed, in which a developing roller composed of an insulating layer, a dielectric layer and an electrically conductive substrate is made in contact with a photosensitive member to develope a latent image on the member. The dielectric layer is formed of a material whose resistivity-specific dielectricity characteristics satisfies a certain condition which is suitable for medial tone development or binary tone development.