Abstract: An image forming apparatus capable of enhancing the accuracy of the scanning position of a laser beam to thereby obtain a more precise image. Optical sensors detect reflected light from a surface of a photosensitive drum. During image formation, the apparatus detects the scanning speed of the laser beam in a main scanning direction based on detection signals from the respective optical sensors in each of divisional sections of an image forming area in the main scanning direction. The apparatus corrects magnification of the image in the main scanning direction, based on results of detection of the scanning speed of the laser beam in the main scanning direction.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus capable of enhancing the accuracy of the scanning position of a laser beam to thereby obtain a more precise image. Optical sensors detect reflected light from a surface of a photosensitive drum. During image formation, the apparatus detects the scanning speed of the laser beam in a main scanning direction based on detection signals from the respective optical sensors in each of divisional sections of an image forming area in the main scanning direction. The apparatus corrects magnification of the image in the main scanning direction, based on results of detection of the scanning speed of the laser beam in the main scanning direction.

Abstract: It is an object of this invention to efficiently recycle a plastic resin material used in a process cartridge. To achieve this object, in a method of recycling a plastic material of a process cartridge, the process cartridge is crushed in a crushing step while particles such as toner are collected by suction, particles including toner are further separated in a screening step, metal materials are separated in a magnetic selection step, a drum magnetic selection step, and an eddy current step, particles including toner and foreign matter are separated in an air selection step, a secondary crushing step, a peeling step, and a dry gravity separation step, and a plastic material having a specific density is separated in a color selection step.

Abstract: The recycling of metal materials is performed by efficiently recovering the metal materials from component materials of a process cartridge. To achieve this object, there is provided a method of recycling a process cartridge containing a toner, wherein in a crushing process of a process cartridge containing a recovered toner, a container shape of the process cartridge is subjected to disassembly treatment to an extent of main component parts, the toner is recovered by suction in a step of disassembly treatment, metal materials, such as ferrous materials and aluminum materials, in component materials of the process cartridge are subjected to separation treatment after the step of disassembly treatment, and each of the materials is subjected to melting treatment thereby to change the materials into forms capable of reuse as ferrous materials and aluminum materials.

Abstract: The present invention has as its object to perform the recycling of metal materials by efficiently recovering the metal materials from component materials of a process cartridge. To achieve this object, there is provided a method of recycling a process cartridge containing a toner, wherein in a crushing process of a process cartridge containing a recovered toner, a container shape of the process cartridge is subjected to disassembly treatment to an extent of main component parts, the toner is recovered by suction in a step of disassembly treatment, metal materials, such as ferrous materials and aluminum materials, in component materials of the process cartridge are subjected to separation treatment after the step of disassembly treatment, and each of the materials is subjected to melting treatment thereby to change the materials into forms capable of reuse as ferrous materials and aluminum materials.

Abstract: It is an object of this invention to efficiently recycle a plastic resin material used in a process cartridge. To achieve this object, in a method of recycling a plastic material of a process cartridge, the process cartridge is crushed in a crushing step while particles such as toner are collected by suction, particles including toner are further separated in a screening step, metal materials are separated in a magnetic selection step, drum magnetic selection step, and eddy current step, particles including toner and foreign matter are separated in an air selection step, secondary crushing step, peeling step, and dry gravity separation step, and a plastic material having a specific density is separated in a color selection step.

Abstract: A connecting pin pivotally connects together the first frame and the second frame of a process cartridge including the first frame supporting an electrophotographic photosensitive drum and a second frame supporting a developing device for developing an electrostatic latent image formed on the electrophotographic photosensitive drum, and detachably mountable to the main body of an image forming apparatus. The pin is formed of a metallic hollow material, having slits defined by opposed edges of the metal material, and has formed on the metallic hollow material a restraining portion having a leading end as a bending proximal base with respect to the direction of insertion of the connecting pin and an outwardly extending trailing end.

Abstract: An exposure apparatus performs exposure of a photosensitive body by an array of light emitting devices to form an image as a latent image thereon. The array of light emitting devices incorporate micro-optical cavities. The micro-optical cavities limit wavelengths of light emitted from the array of light emitting devices, so that the wavelength at a peak of emitted light is in a half width region of sensitivity versus wavelength of the photosensitive body.

Abstract: A cartridge containing toner is accommodated in an accommodating member and pulverized. The ambient in this accommodating member is then replaced with an inert gas. While the cartridge is pulverized, the toner and the inert gas in the accommodating member are exhausted, and an inert gas is supplied into the accommodating member.

Abstract: An exposure unit includes a luminescent device array including a pair of electrodes and an organic compound layer disposed between the electrodes, and a microlens array arranged corresponding to the luminescent device array. The exposure unit is used in an image forming apparatus using an electrophotographic system.

Abstract: A light-emitting device is disclosed which includes a light-emitting element array formed by arranging a plurality of light-emitting elements, a driving unit for driving the light-emitting element array to emit light from each of the light-emitting elements, a memory unit for storing the number of light emissions for each light-emitting element of the light-emitting element array, and a control unit for controlling the driving unit based on the information stored in the memory unit so that the amount of light emitted from each light-emitting element is held constant. An exposure device employing the light-emitting device, and an image forming apparatus employing the exposure device are also disclosed.

Abstract: An exposure apparatus performs exposure of a photosensitive body by an array of light emitting devices to form an image as a latent image thereon. The array of light emitting devices incorporate micro-optical cavities. The micro-optical cavities limit wavelengths of light emitted from the array of light emitting devices, so that the wavelength at a peak of emitted light is in a half width region of sensitivity versus wavelength of the photosensitive body.

Abstract: An exposure unit includes a luminescent device array including a pair of electrodes and an organic compound layer disposed between the electrodes, and a microlens array arranged corresponding to the luminescent device array. The exposure unit is used in an image forming apparatus using an electrophotographic system.

Abstract: A connecting pin for pivotally connecting together the first frame and the second frame of a process cartridge comprising a first frame supporting an electrophotographic photosensitive drum and a second frame supporting developing means for developing an electrostatic latent image formed on the electrophotographic photosensitive drum, and detachably mountable to the main body of an image forming apparatus is formed of a metallic hollow material, and has formed on the metallic hollow material a restraining portion having a leading end as a bending proximal base with respect to the direction of insertion of the connecting pin and an outwardly extending trailing end.

Abstract: An exposure device having an array of a plurality of light emitting elements composed of at least an anode layer, a cathode layer and one or more organic compound layers interposed between the anode layer and the cathode layer all of which are formed on a substrate. In the exposure device, the quantity of light emitted from each light emitting element is made uniform by controlling the light emitting area of each light emitting element. Therefore, the exposure device eliminates differences in the quantity of emitted light among the plurality of light emitting elements without using a special drive circuit.

Abstract: Provided is a light emitting apparatus capable of preventing light emitting elements made of an organic compound from being affected by moisture in an ambience, thereby increasing their lifetime, and suitably applicable to an exposure section of the electrophotographic method. Temperature sensors are set next to a light emitter array which is an array of many light emitting elements made of the organic compound. A drive control unit of the array is composed of CPU, ROM, RAM, and I/O ports. The CPU carries out control of each unit according to input data of image information etc. and also carries out pre-heat control for the light emitting elements. The temperature sensors detect the temperature of the light emitting elements and the CPU, receiving their detection output, turns the light emitting elements or a heating element provided separately, on and off so that a detected temperature value becomes a predetermined value in a waiting state without the input data.

Abstract: The exposure device of an image forming apparatus includes a light-emitting device array having light-emitting devices; a switching device array including switching devices connected to the light-emitting devices, the switching device array being divided into a plurality of groups; a first line group for connecting commonly to first terminals of switching devices of each of the groups; a second line group for connecting commonly to second terminals of switching devices of each of the groups; and a circuit for performing simultaneous light emission of the light-emitting device array to expose the photosensitive member.

Abstract: A light emitting apparatus including a photosensitive member and an exposure device including a light emitting device array made up of a plurality of light emitting devices arranged in a direction of main scan across a moving direction of the photosensitive member and a switching device array made up of a plurality of switching devices arranged and connected to the light emitting devices in one-to-one relation. The switching device array is divided into a plurality of groups, a first group of leads connected in common to first terminals of the switching devices for each of the plural groups of switching devices, a second group of leads connected to second terminals of each of the switching devices, and a third group of leads, each of the third group of leads connected to third terminals of each switching device in a respective group of switching devices.

Abstract: A color ink jet printing apparatus including a single suction mechanism having a capping member designed to cap any one of the printheads of the apparatus and carrying out a suction recovery of that capped printhead. A plurality of additional caps which are not associated with the suction mechanism are provided for capping the printhead. Various printing moving schemes are devised to provide quick and efficient positioning of selected printheads opposing the suction mechanism to speedily service that printhead.

Abstract: A hybrid type image forming apparatus capable of forming a high quality image by using two image forming units having different resolution from each other, perform high throughput image forming by selecting most suitable image forming method or methods depending upon a kind of input image data, and reducing its running cost. In the apparatus, input image data of resolution of 300 dpi is separated into monochromatic image data and color image data. The monochromatic image data is converted into that of 600 dpi so that four pixels of an image of 600 dpi make one pixel of an image of 300 dpi. Then, a monochromatic image is formed on the basis of the monochromatic image data of 600 dpi by the image forming unit employing the electrophotograph method. A print medium on which the monochromatic image is formed is conveyed to the image forming unit employing the ink-jet printing method where a color image is formed on the basis of the color image data of 300 dpi.