Abstract: A fixing device includes: a fixing member that fixes a toner image onto a recording medium; a pressing member that presses the recording medium against the fixing member; an oiling unit that applies release oil onto a surface of the fixing member to clean the surface; a removing member that is arranged between an downstream side of the oiling unit and an upstream side of the pressing member in a rotating direction of the fixing member and movable between an in-contact state where the removing member is in contact with the surface of the fixing member and an out-of-contact state where the removing member is out of contact with the surface; a drive unit that drives the removing member; and an oiling control unit that, when starting earliest fixing, controls the drive unit to gradually move the removing member from the in-contact state into the out-of-contact state.

Abstract: A corona wire cartridge includes: a reel around which a corona wire is wound; a reel holder that rotatably supports the reel; a casing having a receiving portion which receives the reel and the reel holder and a wire drawing opening through which the corona wire is drawn; and an elastic member that movably connects the casing to the reel holder.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus has a photoconductive drum or belt supporting a toner image, a transfer member transferring the toner image onto a recording medium, a transportation device transporting the recording medium to between the photoconductor and the transfer member, a charger charging a surface of the transfer member to the anti-polarity of the electric charge of the toner image, a rotation drive unit rotating the transfer member to the same direction of the recording medium transportation, a contacting/removing unit that contacts the transfer member to the image supported member for printing and removes the transfer member from the image supported member when not printing, and a drive force transferring/blocking unit that transfers the drive force from the rotation drive unit to the transfer member before print starting-up and blocking the drive force during printing.

Abstract: A fixing device includes: a fixing member that fixes a toner image onto a recording medium; a pressing member that presses the recording medium against the fixing member; an oiling unit that applies release oil onto a surface of the fixing member to clean the surface; a removing member that is arranged between an downstream side of the oiling unit and an upstream side of the pressing member in a rotating direction of the fixing member and movable between an in-contact state where the removing member is in contact with the surface of the fixing member and an out-of-contact state where the removing member is out of contact with the surface; a drive unit that drives the removing member; and an oiling control unit that, when starting earliest fixing, controls the drive unit to gradually move the removing member from the in-contact state into the out-of-contact state.

Abstract: An electrophotographic printer capable of easily attaching and detaching a retaining means to retain the inside of a photoconductive drum to and from the photoconductive drum. A flange located on the extraction side of a photoconductive drum is provided with: a retaining means to support the photoconductive drum from the side of the inner circumferential face of the photoconductive drum. And an advance and retreat mechanism to advance and retreat the retaining means to and from the inner face of the photoconductive drum. The retaining means can be easily dismantled from the photoconductive drum by operating the advance and retreat mechanism, and thereafter extracting the flange from the photoconductive drum.

Abstract: A web transporting mechanism of a printing apparatus has a buffer mechanism section for absorbing a fluctuation of the web length from a transporting section to a fixing section generated by a difference between a speed of transporting a web in the transporting section and a speed of transporting a web in the fixing section. The web transporting mechanism includes at least one brake member suppressing a motion of a movable buffer. The brake member has a drive means.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus has a photoconductive drum or belt supporting a toner image, a transfer member transferring the toner image onto a recording medium, a transportation device transporting the recording medium to between the photoconductor and the transfer member, a charger charging a surface of the transfer member to the anti-polarity of the electric charge of the toner image, a rotation drive unit rotating the transfer member to the same direction of the recording medium transportation, a contacting /removing unit that contacts the transfer member to the image supported member for printing and removes the transfer member from the image supported member when not printing, and a drive force transferring/blocking unit that transfers the drive force from the rotation drive unit to the transfer member before print starting-up and blocking the drive force during printing.

Abstract: An electrophotographic printer capable of easily attaching and detaching a retaining means to retain the inside of a photoconductive drum to and from the photoconductive drum. A flange located on the extraction side of a photoconductive drum is provided with: a retaining means to support the photoconductive drum from the side of the inner circumferential face of the photoconductive drum. And an advance and retreat mechanism to advance and retreat the retaining means to and from the inner face of the photoconductive drum. The retaining means can be easily dismantled from the photoconductive drum by operating the advance and retreat mechanism, and thereafter extracting the flange from the photoconductive drum.

Abstract: A corona wire cartridge includes: a reel around which a corona wire is wound; a reel holder that rotatably supports the reel; a casing having a receiving portion which receives the reel and the reel holder and a wire drawing opening through which the corona wire is drawn; and an elastic member that movably connects the casing to the reel holder.

Abstract: A printing apparatus includes a conveyance mechanism for conveying a web to a transfer unit, and a tension generating mechanism for applying a tension to the web fed to the conveyance mechanism, wherein the tension generating mechanism includes a tension generating roller for changing the tension to be applied to the web in accordance with the rotational position, a tension guide that is rotated in accordance with the magnitude of tension generated by the roller, a first sensor for sensing the rotational position of the tension guide, a second sensor for sensing the rotational position of the tension generating roller, and a driver for controlling the rotation of the motor in accordance with the outputs of the first and second sensors.

Abstract: A fixing apparatus employs a dimethylsilicone oil as a base oil. Two kinds of the oils including amino group as a functional group are mixed to use as a lubricant, thereby enabling the surface of a heating roller to exhibit the most excellent releasing property with respect to a toner as well as realize low running cost.

Abstract: A web transporting mechanism of a printing apparatus has a buffer mechanism section for absorbing a fluctuation of the web length from a transporting section to a fixing section generated by a difference between a speed of transporting a web in the transporting section and a speed of transporting a web in the fixing section. The web transporting mechanism includes at least one brake member suppressing a motion of a movable buffer. The brake member has a drive means.

Abstract: A fixing apparatus employs a dimethylsilicone oil as a base oil. Two kinds of the oils including amino group as a functional group are mixed to use as a lubricant, thereby enabling the surface of a heating roller to exhibit the most excellent releasing property with respect to a toner as well as realize low running cost.

Abstract: A printing apparatus comprises a conveyance mechanism for conveying a web to a transfer unit, and a tension generating mechanism for applying a tension to the web fed to the conveyance mechanism, wherein the tension generating mechanism comprises a tension generating roller for changing the tension to be applied to the web in accordance with the rotational position, a tension guide that is rotated in accordance with the magnitude of tension generated by the roller, a first sensor for sensing the rotational position of the tension guide, a second sensor for sensing the rotational position of the tension generating roller, and a driver for controlling the rotation of the motor in accordance with the outputs of the first and second sensors.

Abstract: A printer capable of stably transporting a web at high speed and with a high accuracy has a printing unit (10) for forming images on a web (W); a yet-to-be-printed web control means (2, 3, 5) for controlling the traveling position and tension of the web at a position upstream in a web transporting direction of the printing unit; and an after-printed web control means (12, 13b, 13c, 13d) for controlling the traveling position and tension of the web at a position downstream in the web transporting direction of the printing unit.

Abstract: A printer capable of stably transporting a web at high speed and in high accuracy is provided.

Abstract: An electrophotographic apparatus system or an electrophotographic apparatus provided according to the present invention has the discrepancy of printing speed between tandem and single printing removed. The electrophotographic apparatus system or the electrophotographic apparatus is provided with printing speed changeover means 23a, 23b, 24 not only to select a printing speed applicable for the case where printing is effected with a plurality of electrophotographic apparatus A, B operatively linked together and another printing speed serviceable for the case where printing is implemented with each of plural electrophotographic apparatus put into separate run independently of one another, but also to shift the printing speeds from one to another, whereby the electrophotographic apparatus system or the electrophotographic apparatus may provide normal performance in each of the respective formations of printing.

Abstract: A toner recovering device for an electrophotographic apparatus, which includes: a dust collector connected to a device for cleaning untransferred toner remaining on a photosensitive body; a toner recovering filter having an inlet port for introducing an air-toner mixture from the dust collector side and an exhaust port for filtering the air-toner mixture and discharging the air from which the toner has been removed; a filter mounting section for mounting the toner recovering filter; a joint mechanism having a joint and a hose member, one end of the hose member capable of being connected to the dust collector and other end thereof being joint, the joint being disposed at the inlet port, the joint mechanism being arranged in the filter mounting section in such a manner as to be opened and closed; a detector for sensing that the toner recovering filter has been mounted or not onto the filter mounting section; and a pulling member for coupling the inlet port of the toner recovering filter to the joint in synchron