Abstract: An image forming apparatus and method using a toner containing toner particles having a coefficient of shape falling within a range of 1.0 to 1.6 of an amount of at least 65% by number, and having no protrusion of an amount of at least 50% by number, the image forming apparatus including a charging device for uniformly charging a photoreceptor, a developing device for developing an image obtained by imagewise exposure with the toner, a transfer device for transferring a toner image onto a transfer material, a fixing device for fixing, and a cleaning device for cleaning the photoreceptor after the transfer of a toner image, wherein when a toner image which is not to be transferred is formed on the photoreceptor, image formation is performed after cleaning is done a plurality of times for an area on which the toner image has been formed in the previous process.

Abstract: A cleaning method of a toner image carrying body, includes the steps of: bringing a discharging member formed in a shape of flexible plate having electric conductivity, which is electrically grounded or to which a discharging voltage is applied, into contact with the toner image carrying body, thereby discharging a toner on the toner image carrying body; and operating a cleaning device on the toner image carrying body whereby cleaning the toner.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus using a toner containing toner particles having a coefficient of shape falling within a range of 1.0 to 1.6 of an amount of at least 65% by number, and having no protrusion of an amount of at least 50% by number, the image forming apparatus including a charging device for uniformly charging a photoreceptor, a developing device for developing an image obtained by imagewise exposure with the toner, a transfer device for transferring a toner image onto a transfer material, a fixing device for fixing, and a cleaning device for cleaning the photoreceptor after the transfer of a toner image, wherein when a toner image which is not to be transferred is formed on the photoreceptor, image formation is performed after cleaning is done a plurality of times for an area on which the toner image has been formed in the previous process.

Abstract: A cleaning method of a toner image carrying body, includes the steps of: bringing a discharging member formed in a shape of flexible plate having electric conductivity, which is electrically grounded or to which a discharging voltage is applied, into contact with the toner image carrying body, thereby discharging a toner on the toner image carrying body; and operating a cleaning device on the toner image carrying body whereby cleaning the toner.

Abstract: A fixing apparatus using a thin-sleeve roller is provided which gives a good fixing result while suppressing electric power consumption. The fixing apparatus includes a hollow cylindrical heating roller, a heat source positioned inside the heating roller, a pressing roller that is in pressure contact with the heating roller to form a nip between the heating roller and the pressing roller, and a controller that controls a conveyance velocity of the transfer material. The heating roller is divided into a first regions and a second region, with the first region being outside the second region. And the heat source includes a first heating section that mainly heats the first region, and a second heating section that mainly heats the second region.

Abstract: A process cartridge for use in an image forming apparatus, includes: a photoreceptor for bearing an image thereon; a processing member for image formation; and a heat roller included in a heat fixing device for fixing a developed image formed on a recording sheet. The photoreceptor, the processing member and the heat roller are integrally provided on the process cartridge which is attachable to the image forming apparatus.

Abstract: An charging apparatus includes a housing having a charging side adapted to face a photoreceptor; and a sharp-edged electrode charging member provided in the housing so that the photoreceptor is charged through the charging side by corona discharge from the sharp-edged electrode charging member. The charging apparatus further comprises an air introducing member provided a rear side opposite to the charging side and for introducing air into the housing.

Abstract: In an image forming apparatus which adjusts transferring condition according to an output signal from a moisture sensor, a control circuit has an off-time estimation device for estimating a power source interruption period from a surface temperature of a fixing roller and heat radiation elapsed time characteristics of the fixing roller and a time measuring device for measuring the time elapsed after the loading of a sheet feeding cassette. The control circuit further includes a moisture content converter for converting a total elapsed time after loading the sheet feeding cassette and for converting humidity into moisture content data of the transferring sheets. The control circuit controls the output from a high voltage power source of the apparatus, based on the moisture content data.

Abstract: This invention relates to a toner density control method for an image recording apparatus including the steps of: obtaining, as a sensitivity of a toner density sensor, a change amount in output voltage of the sensor with respect to that in control voltage for controlling a strength of the magnetic field generated by the sensor; calculating a ratio of the sensitivity of the sensor to that of a standard toner density sensor, thus obtaining a correction value; discriminating which one of plurality of ranges bounded in accordance with operational results of a value of the output voltage of the standard toner density sensor and the correction value of the output voltage of the sensor belongs to, and changing a replenishing amount of the toner on the basis of a discrimination result, and relates to an apparatus for practicing the method.

Abstract: The invention provides a developing apparatus in which toner is mixed with magnetic carrier particles by agitator in an agitating part so as to form two component type developer. The device for feeding toner has a rotatable feeding roller disposed above the agitating part of said developing apparatus for feeding toner thereto, the feeding roller including plural magnets therein so that magnetic carrier particles are attracted to form magnetic brush around the circumference of the feeding roller and toner is conveyed by the magnetic brush with the rotation of the feeding roller. Between the agitating part and the feeding roller, there is provided a partition having an opening positioned beneath the feeding roller so that the magnetic brush passes across the opening and the conveyed toner drops into the agitating part through the opening.

Abstract: A copying machine for reproducing an image with toner on a recording sheet. The copying machine has a photoreceptor to hold a latent image corresponding to the image on its surface, in which the surface is charged to a predetermined electric potential before holding the latent image. The latent image is developed with toner, transferred onto the recording sheet, and fixed on the recording sheet with heat. The heater of the copying machine heats up the fixing unit to a predetermined temperature, and terminates heating the fixing unit when an operation of the machine is ended. The copying machine has a capability to detect a temperature of the fixing unit and determining an interval between the time when the operation is ended and the time when the operation is restarted, based on the determined temperature of the fixing unit.

Abstract: A copying apparatus is adapted to suppress the temperature rise of a platen glass by decreasing the copy speed from a first speed to a second speed after the apparatus has copied a threshold number of sheets in succession. The above parameters of the first speed, the second speed and the threshold number are basically predetermined based on the size of the copy paper and the magnification in copying, and modified based in accordance with the source voltage of a lamp to emit scanning light to scan an original on the platen glass.

Abstract: A toner cartridge for supplying a toner to a photo-copy machine and collecting a waste portion of the toner after a copy operation with the photo-copy machine, comprising; a cylindrical body for providing a supplement toner containing room and a waste toner collecting room by means of a separating wall inside, the separating wall for dividing the supplement toner containing room and the waste toner collecting room, an outlet being located on the wall of the cylindrical body at the side of the supplement toner containing room for supplying the toner contained in the room into the photo-copy machine, and an inlet being located on the wall of the cylindrical body at the side of the waste toner collecting room for collecting the waste portion of the toner from the photo-copy machine, in which the separating wall is angled so that its surface is leaned toward the supplement toner containing room or the waste toner collecting room.

Abstract: The invention provides a toner recovery device for collecting toner from a cleaning device into a recovery toner container. The device includes a toner conveyance, an operating lever and a shutter. The tone conveyance has a conveyance pipe whose base end portion is rotatably connected to the cleaning device and tip end portion with an outlet opening is detachably coupled to an inlet opening of the recovery toner container so that the tip end portion is pivotted around the base end portion so as to take the coupled position and the detached position. The operating lever is linked to the conveying pipe for pivotting the tip end portion between the coupled position and the detached position. The shutter is adapted to move on the conveying pipe interlockingly with the movement of the operating lever so that the shutter closes the outlet opening of the conveying pipe on the detached position and opens the outlet opening on the coupled position.

Abstract: A blade cleaning device for removing toners remaining on a surface of a photoreceptor comprises a blade and a blade holding frame. The blade holding frame is rotatable in substantially parallel with a plane containing a center of the photoreceptor and a contact line of the blade with the photoreceptor.

Abstract: An electrostatic reproducing apparatus wherein a detecting device for toner image density on the charge receptor and an exposure device are provided between the developing device and the charging device, a discharge current of the charging device and/or the quantity of light irradiated onto the charge receptor from the exposure device can be changed according to information from the detecting device. A detecting device for developing current at the time of development is provided in the developing device, a discharge current of the charging device can be changed according to information from the detecting device. A detecting device for a surface potential on the charge receptor after formation of the electrostatic latent image is provided, a discharge current of the charging device can be changed according to an output signal from the detecting means.

Abstract: An electrostatic reproducing apparatus provided with a transfer paper thickness detecting element and/or a transfer paper size detecting element and an exposure device between the development device and the transfer device, the quantity of light to be irradiated onto the photosensitive member from the exposure device is adjusted according to a paper thickness information of the paper thickness detecting element and/or a paper size information of the transfer paper size detecting element. The paper thickness detecting element comprises a light emitting element and a light receiving element. The paper size detecting element comprises a magnet mounted on a paper feeding cassette and a lead switch mounted on the apparatus body side correspondingly thereto.