Abstract: A liquid applying device includes a circulation member, an impregnation member, and a support member. The circulation member is configured to circulate in a predetermined direction. The impregnation member is formed in a plate shape. The impregnation member is impregnated with a liquid. The impregnation member is in contact with the circulation member at an end portion thereof in a direction intersecting with a circulating direction of the circulation member so as to apply the liquid to the circulation member. The support member supports a portion including an end portion side of the impregnation member, at an opposite side of the circulation member in a state where the end portion of the impregnation member is in contact with the circulation member.

Abstract: A liquid applying device includes a circulation member, an impregnation member, and a support member. The circulation member is configured to circulate in a predetermined direction. The impregnation member is formed in a plate shape. The impregnation member is impregnated with a liquid. The impregnation member is in contact with the circulation member at an end portion thereof in a direction intersecting with a circulating direction of the circulation member so as to apply the liquid to the circulation member. The support member supports a portion including an end portion side of the impregnation member, at an opposite side of the circulation member in a state where the end portion of the impregnation member is in contact with the circulation member.

Abstract: A belt-type transport device includes a belt, a pressure unit, a nip forming unit, a belt stretching roller, an inclination controller, a contact unit, and a support unit. The belt is an endless belt, has an outer circumferential surface and an inner circumferential surface, and is to be rotated. The pressure unit is in contact with the outer circumferential surface of the belt. The nip forming unit presses the belt against the pressure unit so as to form a nip through which a recording medium is to be transported. The belt stretching roller is disposed inside the belt and stretches the belt. The inclination controller controls inclination of the belt stretching roller. The contact unit is provided along a width direction of the belt and is in contact with the inner circumferential surface of the belt. The support unit supports the contact unit such that the contact unit is able to follow inclination of the belt which is changed due to the inclination of the belt stretching roller.

Abstract: A belt-type transport device includes a belt, a pressure unit, a nip forming unit, a belt stretching roller, an inclination controller, a contact unit, and a support unit. The belt is an endless belt, has an outer circumferential surface and an inner circumferential surface, and is to be rotated. The pressure unit is in contact with the outer circumferential surface of the belt. The nip forming unit presses the belt against the pressure unit so as to form a nip through which a recording medium is to be transported. The belt stretching roller is disposed inside the belt and stretches the belt. The inclination controller controls inclination of the belt stretching roller. The contact unit is provided along a width direction of the belt and is in contact with the inner circumferential surface of the belt. The support unit supports the contact unit such that the contact unit is able to follow inclination of the belt which is changed due to the inclination of the belt stretching roller.

Abstract: A transport device includes a first belt member, a second belt member, a first roller, a second roller, a third roller, a fourth roller, a fifth roller, and a sixth roller. The second belt member is in contact with the first belt member to form a contact portion in cooperation with the first belt member. The first roller is capable of adjusting a tilt in a longitudinal direction of the first roller. The second roller is capable of adjusting a tilt in a longitudinal direction of the second roller. The third and fourth rollers are located adjacent to the first roller. The fifth and sixth rollers are located adjacent to the second roller. The third roller, the fourth roller, the fifth roller, and the sixth roller each have a uniform diameter in a longitudinal direction of the roller, and are disposed at positions other than the contact portion.

Abstract: A transport device includes a first belt member movably stretched, a second belt member, a first roller, a second roller, a third roller, a fourth roller, a fifth roller, and a sixth roller. The second belt member is in contact with the first belt member to form a contact portion in cooperation with the first belt member. The second belt member is movably stretched. The first roller stretches the first belt member and is capable of adjusting a tilt in a longitudinal direction of the first roller. The second roller stretches the second belt member and is capable of adjusting a tilt in a longitudinal direction of the second roller. The third roller stretches the first belt member and is located adjacent to the first roller and upstream of the first roller in a movement direction of the first belt member. The fourth roller stretches the first belt member and is located adjacent to the first roller and downstream of the first roller in the movement direction of the first belt member.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a photoconductor; an intermediate transfer belt to which a toner image formed on the photoconductor is transferred, the intermediate transfer belt holding the toner image transferred thereto; a first transfer roller that nips the intermediate transfer belt between the first transfer roller and the photoconductor to transfer the toner image formed on the photoconductor to the intermediate transfer belt; a second transfer roller that transfers the toner image held by the intermediate transfer belt to a recording medium; a detection unit that detects an environmental condition; and a separation position changing unit that changes a first separation position in accordance with the environmental condition, the first separation position being a position at which the intermediate transfer belt becomes separated from the first transfer roller.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image forming device including an image holding member; an intermediate transfer belt to whose outer surface a developer image formed on the image holding member of the image forming device is transferred, and that holds the developer image; a cleaning device that includes a plate member, and that performs a cleaning operation; and a collecting member that is disposed in contact with an outer peripheral surface of the intermediate transfer belt, and that removes and holds a resin particle existing at the outer peripheral surface of the intermediate transfer belt as a result of causing a speed of the intermediate transfer belt and a speed of the collecting member to differ from each other.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a photoconductor; an intermediate transfer belt to which a toner image formed on the photoconductor is transferred, the intermediate transfer belt holding the toner image transferred thereto; a first transfer roller that nips the intermediate transfer belt between the first transfer roller and the photoconductor to transfer the toner image formed on the photoconductor to the intermediate transfer belt; a second transfer roller that transfers the toner image held by the intermediate transfer belt to a recording medium; a detection unit that detects an environmental condition; and a separation position changing unit that changes a first separation position in accordance with the environmental condition, the first separation position being a position at which the intermediate transfer belt becomes separated from the first transfer roller.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image forming device including an image holding member; an intermediate transfer belt to whose outer surface a developer image formed on the image holding member of the image forming device is transferred, and that holds the developer image; a cleaning device that includes a plate member, and that performs a cleaning operation; and a collecting member that is disposed in contact with an outer peripheral surface of the intermediate transfer belt, and that removes and holds a resin particle existing at the outer peripheral surface of the intermediate transfer belt at least when the intermediate transfer belt is not used as a result of causing a speed of the intermediate transfer belt and a speed of the collecting member to differ from each other.

Abstract: An electrophotographic printer includes a photosensitive drum, a developing unit, an image transfer unit, and pre-transfer discharges arranged between the developing unit and the image transfer unit. The pre-transfer discharging means is arranged to progressively reduce the absolute value of the electric potential of a given point in the surface of the photosensitive drum. The reduction of the electric potential is performed in a non-abrupt manner through two or more steps as the given point is moved from the developing unit to the image transfer unit.

Abstract: The invention provides a continuous medium printing apparatus which can exert a transporting force to act upon a continuous medium without additional provision of a new tractor mechanism or some other transport mechanism. In the continuous medium printing apparatus, upon automatic loading of a continuous medium, a control section controls a charging operation of a charging section so that a leading end portion of the continuous medium may be electrostatically attracted to an image forming drum. The image forming drum to which the continuous medium is attracted is rotated in a printing transporting direction to exert a transporting force to act upon the continuous medium to transport the continuous medium in the printing transporting direction. The present invention is applicable to an apparatus which prints on a continuous medium such as continuous recording paper (continuous paper), for example, by electrophotography.

Abstract: The invention provides a continuous medium printing apparatus which can exert a transporting force to act upon a continuous medium without additional provision of a new tractor mechanism or some other transport mechanism. In the continuous medium printing apparatus, upon automatic loading of a continuous medium, a control section controls a charging operation of a charging section so that a leading end portion of the continuous medium may be electrostatically attracted to an image forming drum. The image forming drum to which the continuous medium is attracted is rotated in a printing transporting direction to exert a transporting force to act upon the continuous medium to transport the continuous medium in the printing transporting direction. The present invention is applicable to an apparatus which prints on a continuous medium such as continuous recording paper (continuous paper), for example, by electrophotography.

Abstract: A developing apparatus of an electrophotographic apparatus includes a housing for accommodating a developer, first, second and third developing rollers are rotatably disposed in the housing and arranged opposite to a photoconductor drum for conveying a developer carried on respective surfaces of the developing rollers, and a conveyor roller rotatably disposed in the housing for conveying the developer carried on a surface thereof to one of the developing rollers. First and second screw conveyors are disposed in the housing for conveying the developer in an axial direction opposite to each other. Each of these conveyors has an axial length larger than an axial length of the developing rollers. A partition wall is disposed between the first and second screw conveyors. A toner container for accommodating a toner is mounted on the housing. The toner in the toner container is supplied into the housing and agitators agitate the toner in the housing.

Abstract: An intermittent ejection processing unit detects a driving state of at least one of driving motors of a developing agent conveying member and a stirring member which are driven at a predetermined rotational speed when a developing agent is ejected and intermittently makes each driving motor operative until a detection value of the driving state decreases to a specified value, thereby intermittently ejecting the developing agent. A continuous ejection processing unit continuously makes each driving motor operative at a predetermined rotational speed after the detection value of the driving state of at least one of the driving motors was below the specified value, thereby continuously ejecting the developing agent, and finishes the ejection of the developing agent when the detection value of the motor driving state decreases to a specified value corresponding to a no-load state by the completion of the ejection of the developing agent.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a plurality of process units contacting a continuous recording medium and transferring images on the recording medium, a separating and contacting mechanism for controlling at least one of the recording medium and each of the process units to a separated state where the recording medium and the process unit are separated from each other and a contacting state where the recording medium and the process unit contact each other, and a controller for controlling the separating and contacting mechanism at a position where the process unit confronts a non-printing region on the recording medium so as to put the recording medium and the process unit to the contacting state.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a fixing unit including at least a pair of rollers which thermally fix a toner image formed on a surface of a recording medium by pressing against the recording medium, and a separating and contacting mechanism supporting the pair of rollers so that the rollers can separate from and make contact with the recording medium, where the separating and contacting mechanism controls the rollers when contacting the rollers to the recording medium, by contacting each of the rollers approximately perpendicularly to the surface of the recording medium and so that the recording medium thereafter makes contact with a surface of each of the rollers for a wrap-around angle greater than 0.degree..

Abstract: The present invention relates to a developing device which is arranged in an image forming device such as an electronic photo printer and an electrostatic recording-type printer and which develops developer on an electrostatic latent carrier transferring an electrostatic latent image and to an electrostatic recording device including the developing device. The object is to provide a device with high reliability which can decrease developer dispersion and the frequency of maintenance.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus is provided which ensures proper image forming when the apparatus is positioned either horizontally or upright. The apparatus includes a rotary, endless latent image carrier, and a latent image forming arrangement for forming a latent image on the latent image carrier. The apparatus also includes a developing arrangement for developing the latent image on the latent image carrier by using powdered developer, and a transferring arrangement for transferring a developed image on the latent image carrier to a sheet. The apparatus further includes a positioning mechanism for selectively positioning the developing arrangement relative to the latent image carrier at one of a first position corresponding to an upright installation of the apparatus and a second position corresponding to a horizontal installation of the apparatus.