Abstract: In an image forming system having an image forming apparatus main body for forming an image on a sheet and a sheet processing apparatus having a processing portion for processing sheets received from the image forming apparatus main body, sheets are conveyed to the sheet processing apparatus during an operation before starting of an image forming operation of the image forming apparatus main body or interruption of the image forming operation, and the sheet processing apparatus performs a calibrating operation on respective processing portions using the sheets received from the image forming apparatus main body.

Abstract: The work movement analysis method for dividing a moving picture of a worker's work movement into a plurality of movement sections in an apparatus having display, storage, and processing units includes in the processing unit the steps of: defining a plurality of movement section classification buttons and providing the buttons to an operator; reproducing the moving picture in the display unit; allocating movement section identification information defined by a specific movement section classification button to a moving picture of a work; storing a position of a moving picture in the storage unit as an end position of a movement section; defining an end position of a previous movement section as a start position of the movement section and a reproduction start position of a moving picture of the work movement as the start position in a case of no end position, and dividing the work movement into the movement sections.

Abstract: A charging device including: a first charger which charges a member to be charged, the first charger having conducting particles which come into contact with the member to be charged; a second charger which charges the member to be charged in a same polarity as charging polarity of the first charger on an upstream side of the first charger in a moving direction of the member to be charged; and a controller which controls application of a charging voltage to the first charger, in which the controller turns a charging voltage on or off in an area of the member to be charged which is not subjected to charging by the second charger.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus comprises an image bearing member on which an electrostatic image is formed, a development unit which develops the electrostatic image formed on the image bearing member using a developer and forms a developer image, a first transfer member which transfers the developer image on the image bearing member to an intermediate transfer member by a first transfer unit, a first recovery member which recovers the developer on the image bearing member, a second transfer member which transfers the developer image on the intermediate transfer member to a transfer material at a second transfer position, and a second recovery member which recovers the developer on the intermediate transfer member. The developer on the intermediate transfer member can be recovered by the second recovery means or by the first recovery member though the image bearing member, and the developer image can be continuously transferred to a plurality of transfer materials.

Abstract: According to the present invention, in an image-forming apparatus having at least two chargers for charging a rotating image carrier, in accordance with change in bias applied to a second charger disposed on the downstream side in a rotational direction of the image carrier, the bias applied to a first charger disposed on the upstream side is changed. Thereby, the electric power required for the charging is reduced.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an electrophotographic apparatus of an intermediate transfer system, in which: the surface of an electrophotographic photoreceptor has a universal hardness value (HU) of 150 N/mm2 or more to 220 N/mm2 or less, and an elastic deformation rate of 48% or more to 65% or less; the surface of an intermediate transfer body has a universal hardness value (HU) of 220 N/mm2 or less, and an elastic deformation rate of 50% or more; and the universal hardness value (HU) of the surface of the electrophotographic photoreceptor is greater than the universal hardness value (HU) of the surface of the intermediate transfer body.

Abstract: The present invention extends the lives of a photosensitive drum and a cleaning blade. A magnetic brush charging device is excellent in charging performance, and is effective to realize being ozoneless and the smoothing of the photosensitive drum, and the removal of a fused material therefrom. However, due to the smoothing action, a lubricant such as a toner decreases between the photosensitive drum and the edge portion of the cleaning blade, whereby the frictional force of the edge portion is increased and scraping-through by chattering of the toner becomes great. So, inorganic fine particles having the lubricating action are contained in at least the edge portion. Thereby, the hardness of the edge portion crises and the property thereof following the unevenness of the surface of the photosensitive drum is lowered, but the surface of the photosensitive drum is smooth and therefore, sufficient cleaning performance can be secured.

Abstract: According to the present invention, in an image-forming apparatus having at least two chargers for charging a rotating image carrier, in accordance with change in bias applied to a second charger disposed on the downstream side in a rotational direction of the image carrier, the bias applied to a first charger disposed on the upstream side is changed. Thereby, the electric power required for the charging is reduced.

Abstract: A charging device including: a first charger which charges a member to be charged, the first charger having conducting particles which come into contact with the member to be charged; a second charger which charges the member to be charged in a same polarity as charging polarity of the first charger on an upstream side of the first charger in a moving direction of the member to be charged; and a controller which controls application of a charging voltage to the first charger, in which the controller turns a charging voltage on or off in an area of the member to be charged which is not subjected to charging by the second charger.

Abstract: The invention provides a roll member capable of preventing a sheet of recording paper from wrinkling. A metal compound MmXn and an inorganic fine powder are added to a silicone rubber layer forming the surface layer of the roll member. In the compound formula, M is a cation selected from among ions of Al, Sc, Cr, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn and Ga, and X is an anion selected from among ions of halogens, inorganic acids and organic acids.

Abstract: A blade for regulating the amount of a release oil to be supplied is placed so as to abut on a fixing member or on a member for controlling the amount of the release oil to be supplied to the fixing member. The abutting surface of the blade is composed of a silicone rubber layer. Alternatively, the blade includes a plate-shaped elastic body and a silicone rubber layer formed on the tip of the elastic body. A fixing device including the blade and an image-forming apparatus including the fixing device are also disclosed.

Abstract: The invention provides a roll member capable of avoiding a sheet of recording paper from wrinkling. A metal compound MmXn and an inorganic fine powder are added to a silicone rubber layer forming a surface layer of the roll member. In the compound formula, M is a cation selected from among ions of Al, Sc, Cr, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn and Ga, and X is an anion selected from among ions of halogens, inorganic acids and organic acids.

Abstract: A fixing apparatus includes a rotary member for thermally fixing a nonfixed image to a recording material, and a mold releasing agent applying device for applying a mold releasing agent to the rotary member. The mold releasing agent applying device has a regulating member contacted with the rotary member to regulate an amount of the mold releasing agent supplied to the rotary member. A holding member is disposed at an upstream side of the regulating member in a rotating direction of the rotary member and is adapted to hold the mold releasing agent. A supplying member supplies the mold releasing agent to the holding member, wherein a supplying timing of the mold releasing agent supplied from the supplying member to the holding member is effected periodically after a plurality of fixing process operations.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus has an image forming device for forming an image on a recording material in response to an image on a document. The apparatus also has a glossiness detection device for detecting from the document the level of glossiness of the document image. The image forming device is controlled based on an output from the glossiness detection device. With this construction, the level of glossiness in response to the document image can be reproduced on the recording material, thus improving the quality of reproduced images.

Abstract: A fixing member includes a plurality of elastic layers on a core member, at least one elastic layer L1 among these elastic layers being overlaid on an elastic layer L2 having a surface roughness Rz of 10 .mu.m or more. The fixing member has a high heat conductivity, and the temperature depression of a fixing roller is moderated in a continuous paper feeding process.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an unfixed-image forming unit for forming an unfixed image having a plurality of colors on a recording material, and a fixing unit for fixing the unfixed image formed by the unfixed-image forming unit by heating the recording material bearing the image. The fixing unit can fix the unfixed image on the recording material with a first degree of fixing or with a second degree of fixing which is greater than the first degree of fixing depending on whether or not a light-transmitting-property recognition unit recognizes the recording material to have a light-transmitting property, and whether or not a black-monocolor recognition unit recognizes the unfixed image formed by the unfixed-image forming unit as a black monochromatic image.

Abstract: An azo compound of the formula: ##STR1## wherein M.sub.1, M.sub.2 and M.sub.3 are, the same or different, each a hydrogen atom, an alkali metal atom, an ammonium group or an organic ammonium group; R.sub.1 and R.sub.2 are, the same or different, each a C.sub.1 -C.sub.3 alkyl group, a C.sub.1 -C.sub.3 alkoxy group, a halogen atom or a hydrogen atom; m is 1 or 2; and X and Y are, the same or different, each a C.sub.6 -C.sub.18 alkylamine, alkoxyalkylamine, arylamine, aralkylamine, alkanolamine or alkarylamine residue, which is useful as a magenta color dyestuff for an aqueous ink composition, particularly for ink jet recording.

Abstract: A copper phthalocyanine compound of the formula: ##STR1## wherein CuPc is a copper phthalocyanine nucleus, R.sub.1 is an alkyl group, an aralkyl group or an aryl group each having 3 to 18 carbon atoms, R.sub.2 and R.sub.3 are, the same or different, each a hydrogen atom or a hydroxyethyl group, X is an alkali metal, a hydrogen atom or an ammonium group, a is 1 or 2, b is 0, 1 or 2 and c is 1, 2 or 3 provided that a, b and c satisfy following equation:2.ltoreq.a+b+c.ltoreq.4,which is useful as a cyanic dyestuff for an aqueous ink composition, particularly for ink jet recording.