Abstract: A three-dimensional object that is bigger than an irradiation area of a light beam by one irradiation device is simply, easily and precisely shaped. A three-dimensional object shaping device (1) shapes a three-dimensional object that is a laminated body of hardened layers made of a shaping material, in a horizontal, shaping area (7) which holds the shaping material hardened by irradiation, of a light beam (L). An irradiation device (30) irradiates the light beam (L) to an irradiation area (8) in the shaping area (7) from above the shaping area (7). A shaping table (10) has the shaping area (7) that is larger than the irradiation area (8). A moving device moves the shaping table (10) in a horizontal direction so as to change a position of the irradiation area (8) in the shaping area (7).

Abstract: To provide a method for producing a tire vulcanizing mold capable of obtaining a tire vulcanizing mold having excellent durability and high precision at low cost and to provide such a tire vulcanizing mold, the method includes producing a tire vulcanizing mold by assembling a pattern molding segment, produced by rapid prototyping, on a metal base segment, the method further includes a step of producing the pattern molding segment from a metal based on a shape of a surface layer part including a pattern shaping surface in a basic model of the tire vulcanizing mold.

Abstract: To provide a method for producing a tire vulcanizing mold capable of obtaining a tire vulcanizing mold having excellent durability and high precision at low cost and to provide such a tire vulcanizing mold, the method includes producing a tire vulcanizing mold by assembling a pattern molding segment, produced by rapid prototyping, on a metal base segment, the method further includes a step of producing the pattern molding segment from a metal based on a shape of a surface layer part including a pattern shaping surface in a basic model of the tire vulcanizing mold.

Abstract: A consumable-article detecting apparatus used to inform an operator that consumable article is unsuitable for an image forming apparatus includes a physical property detector that detects a physical property value of a consumable article used for the image forming apparatus, and a determination part that determines, based on an output from the physical property detector, whether or not the physical property value of the consumable article is within a predetermined range.

Abstract: A consumable-article detecting apparatus used to inform an operator that consumable article is unsuitable for an image forming apparatus includes a physical property detector that detects a physical property value of a consumable article used for the image forming apparatus, and a determination part that determines, based on an output from the physical property detector, whether or not the physical property value of the consumable article is within a predetermined range.

Abstract: A cleanerless image forming apparatus and a cleanerless image forming method facilitate the collection of residual toners after image transfer. The image forming apparatus includes a rotary endless latent carrier, a rotary charging brush for charging the rotary endless latent carrier, and a unit for forming an electrostatic latent image on the rotary endless latent carrier. The electrostatic latent image is developed on the rotary endless latent carrier by supplying polymerization toners simultaneously with the cleaning of residual polymerization toners therefrom. The polymerization toners on the rotary endless latent carrier are then transferred to a sheet.

Abstract: Disclosed is an image forming apparatus which will form images in both a horizontal position and an upright position. This image forming apparatus comprises a rotary endless latent image carrier; an image forming unit for forming an electrostatic latent image on the latent image carrier; a developing unit for developing the electrostatic latent image on the latent image carrier with a powdery developer; a toner supplementing mechanism, attached to the developing unit with inclination to a gravitational direction of the apparatus, for supplementing toners to the developing unit; and a transfer unit for transferring the developed image on the latent image carrier to a sheet. With this design, the apparatus can stably supply toners to the developing unit, regardless of the position in which the apparatus is set.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus capable of preventing unnecessary adhesion of a developer to an uncharged region of a latent image carrier. The image forming apparatus includes an endless latent image carrier, a charging unit for charging the latent image carrier, a latent image forming unit for forming a latent image on the latent image carrier charged, a developing unit for developing the latent image formed on the latent image carrier with a developer by supplying the developer to the latent image carrier under application of a developing bias voltage, and a transfer unit for transferring the image developed on the latent image carrier to a sheet.

Abstract: A developing device develops a latent image formed on a latent image holding body. The developing device includes a developing roller conveying, with rotation of the developing roller, developer adhered thereto to a developing area in which the latent image on the latent image holding body should be developed, the developer including toner and carriers, a limit member, provided so as to face the developing roller, limiting a height of a layer of the developer on the developing roller, a toner container storing the toner, a toner supply mechanism supplying the toner in the toner container to the developing roller, and a partition member forming a space between the partition member and the developing roller, the toner supplied from the toner container being moved in the space with rotation of the developing roller.

Abstract: An electrophotographic image forming apparatus including a toner circulating mechanism for recovering a residual toner scraped from a photosensitive drum to a developing device. The developing device includes a housing for defining a toner chamber, a developing roller rotatably mounted in the housing, an agitator rotatably mounted in the housing and provided in the toner chamber, and a partition member mounted to the housing to define a carrier chamber between the partition member and the developing roller. The toner circulating mechanism directly returns the residual toner scraped from the photosensitive drum to the toner chamber in the developing device. The toner chamber may contain a foreign matter removing device. The partition member may have various shapes.

Abstract: A developing apparatus is provided for developing an electrostatic latent image on a latent image carrier by supplying the latent image carrier with a developer. This developing apparatus includes a toner accommodating chamber for accommodating magnetic toners. The apparatus also includes a developing roller, having a plurality of fixed magnetic pole members and sleeves provided along peripheries of the fixed magnetic pole members and rotating thereabout, for feeding the developer composed of magnetic carriers and magnetic toners to the latent image carrier. The apparatus further includes a developing chamber having a partition wall formed along the developing roller and assuming a configuration adapted to a shape of the developing roller, and a toner supply port for supplying the magnetic toners to the developing chamber from the toner accommodating chamber.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus which collects residual toners on a latent image carrier in a developing unit. The image forming apparatus have a rotary endless latent image carrier; an image forming unit for forming an electrostatic latent image on the latent image carrier; a developing unit for developing the electrostatic latent image on the latent image carrier with a powdery developer and collecting residual toners on the latent image carrier at a same time; a transfer unit for transferring the developed image on the latent image carrier onto a sheet; a distribution member for distributing residual toners on the latent image carrier when in contact with the latent image carrier after image transfer; and a voltage supplying unit for supplying an AC voltage to the distribution member.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus performs an electrophotographic process including a uniform charging step, an exposure step, a developing step and a transfer step on a photosensitive drum which is driven so that an image is formed on a recording medium.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus for forming an image on a sheet, including a rotary endless latent image carrier, an image forming device for forming an electrostatic latent image on a latent image carrier, a developing device for developing the electrostatic latent image on the latent image carrier with powdery developers and collecting residual toners on the latent image carrier at the same time, a transfer device for transferring a developed image on the latent image carrier onto a sheet, a distribution roller having independent foam perforations for distributing residual toners on the latent image carrier when in contact with the latent image carrier after image transfer, and a power supply for supplying an AC voltage to the distribution member. The distribution member is made of a conductive foam member having a pore at a surface contacting with the latent image carrier and the roller rotates in a direction opposite to a rotational direction of the latent image carrier at a peripheral velocity of 1.1 to 1.

Abstract: An imaging device for use in an electrographic imaging process, without a cleaning unit for residual toners, which comprises an image-carrying element, an image exposure means, a developing means, an image transfer means, and a distribution roller means of an elastic and electrically conductive material for uniformly distributing the residual toners over a surface of the image-carrying element and at the same time deelectrifying and recharging the same surface of said element. The imaging device has a simplified and compact structure and does not cause an environmental pollution problem due to the generation of ozone in the device.

Abstract: Disclosed is an image forming apparatus capable of performing an image forming operation in both a horizontal position and an upright position. This image forming apparatus comprises a rotary endless latent image carrier; image forming unit for forming an electrostatic latent image on the latent image carrier; developing unit for developing the electrostatic latent image on the latent image carrier with a powdery developer, the developing unit having a developing room, developing rollers provided in the developing room for supplying the powdery developer to the latent image carrier, a toner supply room for supplying toners, toner supply roller provided in the toner supply room and rotatable to supply the toners to the developing room, and a partition member for partitioning the developing room and the toner supply room and forming a toner supply passage for supplying the toners to the developing room; and transfer unit for transferring the developed image on the latent image carrier to a sheet.

Abstract: A developing device has a vessel for holding a two-component developer composed of a toner component and a magnetic component. A magnetic roller is rotatably provided within the vessel to bring the developer to a developing zone for a development of an electrostatic latent image. An agitator also is provided within the vessel for agitating and circulating the developer to cause a triboelectrifiction between the toner component and the magnetic component and a uniform distribution of the toner component in the magnetic component. The agitator is arranged to present a uniform density mass of the developer to the magnetic roller for ensuring an even development of the latent image.

Abstract: An electrostatic latent image is developed on a latent image carrier and residual toners are collected at the same time. An electrostatic latent image is formed on a rotary endless latent image carrier; developer, including magnetic toners and magnetic carriers, is supplied to a developing area for developing the latent image carrier, and a magnetic brush is formed with the developer in the developing area to thereby collect residual toners on the latent image carrier and develop the electrostatic latent image on the latent image carrier; and the developed image on the latent image carrier is transferred to a sheet.

Abstract: Disclosed is an image forming apparatus capable of performing an image forming operation in both a horizontal position and an upright position. This image forming apparatus comprises a rotary endless latent image carrier; image forming unit for forming an electrostatic latent image on the latent image carrier; developing unit for developing the electrostatic latent image on the latent image carrier with a powdery developer, the developing unit having a developing room, a developing roller provided in the developing room for supplying the powdery developer to the latent image carrier, a toner supply room for supplying toners, toner supply roller provided in the toner supply room and rotatable to supply the toners to the developing room, and a partition member for partitioning the developing room and the toner supply room and forming a toner supply passage for supplying the toners to the developing room; and transfer unit for transferring the developed image on the latent image carrier to a sheet.

Abstract: Disclosed is a slim printing apparatus which employs a latent image forming method, such as electrophotographing method, and needs an apparatus-occupying area. This printing apparatus comprises a hopper for retaining sheets; a feeding path defined on that surface of the apparatus which is opposite to that surface of the apparatus where the hopper is disposed for conveyance of sheets; a feeding mechanism for feeding a sheet from the hopper onto the feeding path; an endless rotary latent image carrier provided between the hopper and the feeding path; an image forming unit, provided between the hopper and the feeding path, for forming a toner image on the latent image carrier; a transfer unit for transferring the toner image on the latent image carrier onto the sheet conveyed along the feeding path; and a fixing unit for fixing the toner image on the sheet.