Abstract: A charge roller that includes a metal core, an elastic member configured wrapped around the metal core, and film members is disclosed. Each of the film members is wrapped around each end of the elastic member in a circumferential direction of the metal core such that at least a part of each of the film members exists at every position around the ends of the elastic member in an axial direction of the metal core. Portions of the film members do not overlap each other in an radial direction of the metal core.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus of the present invention includes a plurality of image carriers sequentially arranged in a direction of paper conveyance. Developing devices each form a toner image of particular color on one image carrier associated therewith. Cleaning devices each remove residual toner left on the surface of the associated image carriers after the transfer of the toner image to the recording medium. A toner recycling device is provided between the cleaning device located at the most upstream position in the direction of paper conveyance and the developing device associated therewith, but not provided between the cleaning device located at the most downstream position the developing device assigned therewith. With this configuration, the apparatus obviates troubles ascribable to the mixture of toner of different colors occurring in the most downstream developing device.

Abstract: A color image forming apparatus includes a main body and a toner container setting part configured to set a plurality of toner containers individually therein. Each toner container contains a toner of a different color, and the setting part includes a receiving member configured to receive the plurality of toner containers inserted therein. The plurality of toner containers, inserted in the receiving member, are partially exposed.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus which writes an electrostatic image onto a photoconductor by laser light. An image writing resolution is set and a controller controls writing laser power according to the set image writing resolution. The controller also controls the writing laser power for a high resolution mode to be greater than the writing laser power for a low resolution mode.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image bearing member on which an electrostatic latent image is formed, the image bearing member including a protective layer on a surface thereof, a developing device configured to develop the electrostatic latent image with toner to which an external additive is added to form a toner image, and a toner replenishing device configured to contain the toner and to supply air to the toner to replenish the developing device with the toner.

Abstract: The container includes a container body that has a structure in which its walls constructing an interior space are collapsible and an aperture in one section of the body when constructed. Encasement is made up of a volume-reducible inflated body that can be accommodated inside the container body. This encasement encases a toner. Contents display sections that display information on the toner inside the encasement are provided on the encasement and the container body.

Abstract: An ink jet recording apparatus performs a print operation by controlling an ink jet recording head to eject ink drops therefrom against front and back surfaces of a recording sheet at a print position. The apparatus includes a transporting mechanism for transporting a portion of the recording sheet to a location outside of the apparatus after a completion of the print operation on the front surface of the recording sheet and just before printing of the back surface of the recording sheet.

Abstract: To prevent deterioration of charge performance, which is caused by wear of a gap control member that keeps a charge roller into non-contact with the image carrier, the charge roller is brought into contact with a surface of a photosensitive drum via a pair of tape members as the gap control member that contacts with a coat and non-charge portion of the photosensitive drum. A gap G can be formed between an effective charge width portion of the charge roller and the surface of the photosensitive drum.

Abstract: An ink-jet printing system includes a print head which forms an image on a copy sheet at a print position by spraying ink onto the copy sheet through a nozzle of the head. A sheet transport mechanism transports the copy sheet along a sheet transport path while the image is formed on the copy sheet by the print head. The sheet transport mechanism includes a sheet guide member provided under the print head to guide the transport of the copy sheet, and includes a sheet attracting member which pneumatically attracts the copy sheet to the sheet guide member during the image forming.

Abstract: A toner conveying device for an image forming apparatus includes a nozzle capable of penetrating into a toner container when the toner container is mounted to the image forming apparatus. The nozzle has a tubular structure forming an air passage for sending air into the toner container and a toner passage for delivering toner discharged from the toner container. Air sent into the toner container via the air passage fluidizes toner existing in the toner container, so that the toner can be surely replenished to a developing unit.

Abstract: The color image formation apparatus of the invention comprises: the image formation unit that is placed diagonally in relation to the vertical direction; the largest paper-feed tray that is placed below the image formation unit and feeds paper to the image formation sections of the image formation unit; and the small-size paper-feed tray, placed below the image formation unit and above the largest paper-feed tray, which feeds paper to the image formation sections of the image formation unit.

Abstract: The toner supply unit is provided with a preventing unit for preventing toner contamination due to toner leakage from that sealing valve. A mouth ring of the toner container is provided with the sealing valve. This valve is opened/closed by removing/inserting a nozzle.

Abstract: A color image forming apparatus includes a plurality of image forming sections independent of each other. The image forming sections store respective toner of different colors that are chargeable to the same polarity. All the toner are implemented by the same binder resin and provided with the same particle size distribution. Further, developing units each storing toner of particular color are identical in specification. When two-ingredient type developers are used, the developers contain an identical carrier. The apparatus recycles the toner of different colors to the respective developing units. The alien color toner collected in each developing unit is prevented from remaining by being chargeable to the same polarity.

Abstract: The container includes a container body that has a structure in which its wails constructing an interior space are collapsible and an aperture in one section of the body when constructed. Encasement is made up of a volume-reducible inflated body that can be accommodated inside the container body. This encasement encases a toner. Contents display sections that display information on the toner inside the encasement are provided on the encasement and the container body.

Abstract: The color image forming apparatus comprises a transfer belt device which feeds a transfer member such as a paper and a plurality of image forming units. The image forming units are disposed facing towards the transfer belt device. The transfer belt device, at least in a portion in which the image forming units have been disposed, is arranged such that it is inclined with respect to the ground. Each of the image forming unit forms a desired image and sequentially transfers the formed image on the transfer member fed by the transfer belt device.

Abstract: A color image forming apparatus includes a main body and a toner container setting part configured to set a plurality of toner containers individually therein. Each toner container contains a toner of a different color, and the setting part includes a receiving member configured to receive the plurality of toner containers inserted therein. The plurality of toner containers, inserted in the receiving member, are partially exposed.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a belt member to convey a sheet-formed medium, a belt supporting device to support the belt member, and a plurality of recording units including rotating image bearing members arranged in a conveying direction of the sheet-formed medium by the belt. The image forming apparatus performs processes of (1) forming a latent image on a surface of each image bearing member, (2) developing each latent image into a toner image with toner, and (3) then transferring each toner image onto the sheet-formed medium carried on the belt. A detection device detects arbitrary toner image patterns formed at the plurality of recording units and then directly transferred onto the belt, for obtaining information about density and placements of images without the toner patterns being deteriorated by contacting following downstream recording units.

Abstract: To prevent deterioration of charge performance, which is caused by wear of a gap control member that keeps a charge roller into non-contact with the image carrier, the charge roller is brought into contact with a surface of a photosensitive drum via a pair of tape members as the gap control member that contacts with a coat and non-charge portion of the photosensitive drum. A gap G can be formed between an effective charge width portion of the charge roller and the surface of the photosensitive drum.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus of the present invention includes a mount portion in which a toner container is expected to be set from above. When the toner container set in the mount portion runs out of toner, a spring causes the toner container to hop up away from a position where it is set. This promotes easy handling of the toner container in a limited space available in the apparatus.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image bearing member on which an electrostatic latent image is formed, the image bearing member including a protective layer on a surface thereof, a developing device configured to develop the electrostatic latent image with toner to which an external additive is added to form a toner image, and a toner replenishing device configured to contain the toner and to supply air to the toner to replenish the developing device with the toner.