Abstract: An image carrier is provided with a support base that has the photosensitive layer, an image forming area for forming an electrostatic latent image and an information recording layer formed in an area except the image forming area on the surface for reading/writing of information by a beam. An image forming apparatus is provided with a detecting unit for optically detecting information recorded on the information recording layer and a controller for identifying the status of the image carrier from the detection result by the detecting unit.

Abstract: The image carrier of this invention comprises a support base that has the photosensitive layer, an image forming area for forming an electrostatic latent image and an information recording layer formed in an area except the image forming area on the surface for reading/writing of information by a beam. An image forming apparatus is provided with a detecting unit for optically detecting information recorded on the information recording layer and a controller for identifying the status of the image carrier from the detection result by the detecting unit.

Abstract: An image forming device is proposed in which a photoreceptor can be replaced easily, and in which it is unlikely that an image problem is caused by a grounding failure of a photoreceptor. The image forming device includes a driving unit including a first coupling member having a groove or a projection for transmitting a rotating force, the driving unit being made of a conductive material, electrically grounded, and rotatable; and a photoreceptor assembly as a driven section rotated by said driving unit, the photoreceptor assembly including a photoreceptor and a second coupling member, and being attachable to/detachable from said driving unit, the second coupling member having a projection or a groove for engaging with the groove or the projection of the first coupling member, rotation of said driving unit being transmitted to the photoreceptor by the engagement of the first coupling member and the second coupling member.

Abstract: An image forming device is proposed in which a photoreceptor can be replaced easily, and in which it is unlikely that an image problem is caused by a grounding failure of a photoreceptor.

Abstract: A cleaning apparatus comprising a scraping member for scraping a developing agent left on a rotatable image carrier by brining a tip portion of the scraping member in contact with the rotatable image carrier, a receipt member located at an upstream side of the scraping member in a rotation direction of the image carrier, for receiving the developing agent scraped by the scraping member by bringing a tip portion of the scraping member in contact with the image carrier, and a rotational body for feeding and recovering the developing agent received by the receipt member by rotating the developing agent in a predetermined direction, in which, assuming that a rotation center of the image carrier is 01, a rotation center of the rotational body is 02, a contact point of the image carrier in contact with the scraping member is A, a contact point of the image carrier in contact with the receipt member is B, and further an angle between a line connecting the center 01 to the point A and a line connecting the center 01

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image carrier that includes a tube, a photosensitive layer provided at a part of the tube for forming an image forming area, and a magnetic recording layer provided at a part of the tube that is outside of the image forming area. The image forming apparatus also includes a writing/reading device that writes a using history of the image carrier on the magnetic recording layer. An information processing method includes recording a measured time information of a photosensitive drum on a magnetic recording layer on the photosensitive drum.

Abstract: A copier includes a transfer charger for electrostatically transferring a toner image which is formed on a surface of a photoelectric drum to a sheet and a separation charger for separating the sheet with a toner image transferred thereto from the drum surface. A transfer guide is provided on a conveying path upstream of the transfer charger to guide the sheet toward a transfer point provided relative to the photosensitive drum. A separation supporter for supporting the sheet is provided above the separation charger.

Abstract: An image-transfer device for transferring an image from an image-bearing member to a sheet-like material by an electrostatic force, having a charging member for charging the sheet-like material so that the image on the image-bearing member is transferred onto the sheet-like material. A transporting mechanism is also provided for transporting the sheet-like material through a transfer region between the charging member and the image-bearing member, the transporting mechanism including a guide member for guiding the sheet-like material, the guide member having a first edge portion arranged at an upstream side of the transfer region and a second edge portion arranged at a downstream side of the transfer region so as to form an opening at the transfer region. A first voltage source applies a first transfer voltage and a second transfer voltage to the charging member wherein the second transfer voltage is a lower voltage than the first transfer voltage.

Abstract: An image-transfer device for transferring an image from an image-bearing member to a sheet-like material by an electrostatic force, having a charging member for charging the sheet-like material so that the image on the image-bearing member is transferred onto the sheet-like material. A transporting mechanism is also provided for transporting the sheet-like material through a transfer region between the charging member and the image-bearing member, the transporting mechanism including a guide member for guiding the sheet-like material, the guide member having a first edge portion arranged at an upstream side of the transfer region and a second edge portion arranged at a downstream side of the transfer region so as to form an opening at the transfer region. A first voltage source applies a first transfer voltage and a second transfer voltage to the charging member wherein the second transfer voltage is a lower voltage than the first transfer voltage.