Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a first image bearing member, a second image bearing member, and a fixing device. A first visual image formed on the first image bearing member is transferred onto the second image bearing member to be transferred from the second image bearing member onto a first side of a recording medium, and a second visual image formed on the first bearing member is transferred from the first image bearing member onto a second side of the recording medium, so that the visual images are obtained on the first and second sides of the recording medium respectively. The visual images on the first and second sides of the recording medium are fixed by the fixing device in a state that the second image bearing member and the recording medium are overlapped with each other.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes at least one image bearing member. A visual image forming device forms the visual images on the at least one image bearing member. A two-side transfer device transfers the visual images on the at least one image bearing member onto both sides of the recording medium held on a recording medium holding member. A fixing device fixes the visual images transferred onto the both sides of the recording medium. A recording medium conveying device including at least one recording medium supporting member supports the recording medium. The recording medium conveying device is positioned between the two-side transfer device and the fixing device, and conveys the recording medium from the two-side transfer device to the fixing device while supporting a non-image portion of the recording medium by the at least one recording medium supporting member.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus of the present invention includes an intermediate image transfer belt elongate in the up-and-down direction and a plurality of sheet feeders arranged one above the other at one side of the belt. The image forming apparatus is well balanced in height and width and therefore easy to operate and stable when installed at the user's station.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image bearing member that bears visual images, a visual image forming device that forms the visual images on the image bearing member, and a two-side transfer device including a recording medium holding member spanning a plurality of stretch members to hold a recording medium thereon. The two-side transfer device transfers respective of the visual images on the image bearing member onto respective of both sides of the recording medium on the recording medium holding member while the recording medium holding member is moved in a predetermined direction. The image bearing member intrudes into a part of the recording medium holding member spanning two adjacent stretch members of the plurality of stretch members by an intrusion amount of about 0.2 mm or greater so that the recording medium holding member moves in contact with the image bearing member, having a contact width in a predetermined direction.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus of the present invention is operable in a duplex print mode for printing images on both sides of a recording medium. A toner image is transferred from a first image carrier to a second image carrier and then transferred from the second image carrier to one side of the recording medium. Subsequently, a toner image is transferred from the first image carrier to the other side of the recording medium. After the toner image has been transferred from the first image carrier to the second image carrier, the second image carrier is moved in the reverse direction to a preselected position. The apparatus of the present invention enhances productivity in the duplex print mode.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes first and second image carrying members, ejection trays, and a sheet transferring mechanism. The first image carrying member carries images in increasing order of corresponding sheet numbers. The second image carrying member carries an image transferred from the first image carrying member. The ejection trays include a first ejection tray stacking output sheets in a straight orientation and a second ejection tray stacking output sheets in a reversed orientation. The sheet transferring mechanism transfers a recording sheet to the first and second image carrying members. The first and second image carrying members transfer images onto both surface of the recording sheet, at the same time, in response to a selection between the first and second ejection trays in a double-side recording mode so that the first and second ejection trays stack the recording sheets in increasing order of pages.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus that is capable of forming an appropriate image even on a special transfer sheet, such as a thick and rigid transfer sheet (e.g., a cardboard, an envelope, etc.), a long transfer sheet, etc. In the image forming apparatus, when the thick and rigid transfer sheet is used, a transfer bias applied to first and second transfer devices is increased by about 10% to 30% compared to that applied when a normal transfer sheet is used, and a temperature of fixing rollers is increased by about 10% to 30% compared to that when the normal transfer sheet is used. When the long transfer sheet that is longer than a circumferential length of a second image bearing member is used, an image transfer onto the second image bearing member is prohibited. In addition, the temperature of the fixing rollers is increased by about 10% to 30% compared to that when the normal transfer sheet is used.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus which may form first and second visual images on first and second sides of a recording medium, includes a first image bearing member, a second image bearing member, a first transfer device that transfers the first visual image formed on the first image bearing member onto the second image bearing member or the second visual image formed on the first image bearing member onto the second side of the recording medium, a second transfer device that transfers the first visual image carried by the second image bearing member onto the first side of the recording medium, and a fixing device including first and second fixing members so as to fix the second and first visual images on the second and first sides of the recording medium, respectively. Surface properties of the first fixing member and the second image bearing member are substantially the same.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a first image bearing member, a second image bearing member, a positioning mark forming device configured to form a positioning mark on the second image bearing member, and a positioning mark detecting device configured to detect the positioning park formed on the second image bearing member. A first side visual image formed on the first image bearing member is transferred onto the second image bearing member for transferring from the second image bearing member onto a first side of a recording medium. A second side visual image formed on the first image bearing member is transferred from the first image bearing member onto a second side of the recording medium, so that the first and second side visual images are obtained on the first and second sides of the recording medium, respectively.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a first image bearing member, a second image bearing member, and a fixing device. A first visual image formed on the first image bearing member is transferred onto the second image bearing member to be transferred from the second image bearing member onto a first side of a recording medium, and a second visual image formed on the first bearing member is transferred from the first image bearing member onto a second side of the recording medium, so that the visual images are obtained on the first and second sides of the recording medium respectively. The visual images on the first and second sides of the recording medium are fixed by the fixing device in a state that the second image bearing member and the recording medium are overlapped with each other.

Abstract: A serial type thermal printer for printing while moving a carriage. The printer includes two thermal heads mounted on the carriage and arranged axially of a platen roller. Two ink film cassettes are arranged side by side on the carriage to be associated with the two thermal heads, respectively. A two-direction printing is effected where one of the thermal heads is pressed upon the platen roller during a forward movement of the carriage and the other head is pressed upon the platen roller during a backward movement thereof. A two-color or multicolor printing is carried out without changing the ink film cassettes where the cassettes contain ink films of different colors.

Abstract: A thermal transfer recording apparatus permitting detachable disposition therein of an inked film cassette provided with a takeup reel holding part and a supply reel holding part. In the inked film cassette, the takeup reel holding part disposed at one end thereof and the supply reel holding part disposed at the other end thereof protrude in mutually opposite directions from the cassette casing.

Abstract: A thermal transfer recording apparatus for carrying out recording by driving a thermal head to transfer ink of an ink film in transportation. This apparatus includes a separating device disposed downstream of the thermal head with respect to a direction of ink film movement and spaced from a platen roller. The separating device has an uneven surface.

Abstract: The invention disclosed concerns a method and an apparatus for transferring a toner powder image from a toner image bearing member to a transfer paper by pressure. In transferring the toner image, a pressure roller is placed in contact with the surface of the toner image bearing member under a pressure of at least 20 kg/cm.sup.2 and sliding is produced between the toner image bearing member and the transfer paper. Two different methods can be used to produce the sliding. The first method is to rotate the pressure roller at a speed different from the rotating speed of the toner image bearing member and the second method is to rotate the pressure roller so disposed to intersect its rotating axis with the rotating axis of the toner image member at an angle of about 0.5.degree. to 2.degree..

Abstract: A process for manufacturing a dielectric member from aluminum or aluminum alloy which includes the steps of subjecting the aluminum or aluminum alloy to anodic oxidation in a nonaqueous electrolytic solution containing an organic solvent and dehydrated boric acid to form an oxide layer thereon, and buffing the oxide layer with a composition containing insulative abrasive grains and insulative binding material.

Abstract: In an electrophotographic copying apparatus of a type in which an electrostatic latent image of an original to be copied is formed, through suitable illumination means, on a dielectric surface of a transfer material or copy paper held under pressure between a photoreceptor plate and an electrically conductive pressure pad on a pressing plate during impression of a potential across the photoreceptor plate and the pressure pad, there are incorporated an improved pressing device for pressing the copy paper against the photoreceptor plate, and a fixing device having uniform heat radiation and operated through a special fixing temperature control circuit.