Abstract: A part (18c) according to the invention has a plurality of abutment portions (71a, 71b and 71c) which come into abutment with an upper-side part in a guide (76) and support the upper-side part, and a plurality of receiving portions (72a, 72b and 72c) with which a plurality of abutment portions provided on a lower-side part in the guide are brought into abutment. The center of gravity of the part is disposed inside a region surrounded by the plurality of abutment portions. Accordingly, it is possible to convey parts to an assembly line without causing damage to the regions of the parts that are required to have dimensional precision.

Abstract: A part according to the invention is designed so that a plurality of parts each identical to the part are arranged in the same attitude in parallel with a part moving direction on a guide (40), and includes projections (10f5, 10f6) for pushing abutment surface (10f7) provided on a preceding part placed on the guide, while maintaining the attitude of the preceding part, and an abutment surface (10f7) to be pushed by projections (10f5, 10f6) provided on a succeeding part placed on the guide. The projections and the abutment surface are provided in an area of the part, which area is selected to avoid an area required to have dimensional precision. Accordingly, it is possible to supply the part to an assembly process without causing damage to the area required to have dimensional precision.

Abstract: The present invention provides a developing apparatus comprising a developer bearing member for bearing developer, a spacer provided on a surface at an end portion of the developer bearing member along a longitudinal direction, for maintaining a constant gap between the developer bearing member and an image bearing member for supplying the developer from the developer bearing member, a seal member for regulating leakage of the developer toward the end portion of the developer bearing member along the longitudinal direction, and a developer scraping member provided at a portion overlapping with the seal member along the longitudinal direction of the developer bearing member, contacting the developer bearing member, and wherein the developer bearing member contacts a surface of the spacer.

Abstract: A cartridge is provided in which an electrifying roller is driven in a counter direction to photosensitive member drum and which has a toner remaining amount detector and a memory, and the electrifying roller is driven by an electrifying roller drive motor. The electrifying roller optimum rotation speed stored in the memory in advance is accessed when the toner remaining amount reaches a predetermined value, and the electrifying roller rotation speed is changed in accordance with the electrifying roller optimum rotation speed. The accumulated distance by which the photosensitive member drum and the electrifying roller abrasively slide is written in the memory, and when the toner remaining amount reaches a predetermined value, the electrifying roller optimum rotation speed corresponding to the abrasive sliding distance is accessed. The electrifying roller rotation speed is changed in accordance with the electrifying roller optimum rotation speed.

Abstract: An electrophotographic image forming apparatus, capable of detachably mounting a process cartridge, for forming an image on a recording medium includes, a mounting portion for detachably mounting the process cartridge. The apparatus also includes a transporting member for transporting the recording medium, a controlling portion for controlling the operation of the electrophotographic image forming apparatus to execute the reading and/or the writing of the information to a storing member of the cartridge; and an exposing portion for exposing an electrophotographic photosensitive body of the cartridge to light. The electrophotographic image forming apparatus is configured to execute a charge elimination operation of the electrophotographic photosensitive body if the electrophotographic image forming apparatus determines that the process cartridge is in an unused state on the basis of the information from the storing member.

Abstract: A process cartridge detachably mountable to a main assembly of an electrophotographic image forming apparatus, includes a photosensitive drum; a developing roller rotatable in the same direction as that of the drum when the cartridge is mounted to the apparatus; a first separation member disposed at one end of the roller so as to provide a gap between the roller and the drum, the first separation member being contacted to the surface of the drum adjacent one end thereof; a second separation member at the other end so as to provide a gap between the developing roller and a peripheral surface of the drum, the first separation member being contacted to the drum adjacent the other end thereof; a charging roller, contacted to the drum, for charging the drum, which is rotatable with a peripheral speed difference relative to the drum by a driving force received from the assembly; and a cleaning member contacted to the drum adjacent one end thereof, the cleaning member having an effective area which is outside a deve

Abstract: A process cartridge detachably mountable to a main assembly of an electrophotographic apparatus, said cartridge includes a photosensitive drum; process means; a first contact portion provided on a bottom surface of a cartridge frame provided at one longitudinal end, the first portion being guided by a first assembly side guide when the cartridge is mounted, wherein the first portion is disposed at a leading portion with respect to a cartridge mounting direction, and the first portion is mounted to a first assembly side receiving portion when the cartridge is mounted; a cartridge coupling disposed above the first portion, the coupling being engageable with a assembly side coupling to receive a rotational force from the assembly; a second contact portion provided on a bottom surface of a cartridge frame provided at one longitudinal end of the photosensitive drum, the second portion being disposed behind the first portion with respect to the mounting direction, wherein the second portion is effective to limit ro

Abstract: A cartridge is provided in which an electrifying roller is driven in a counter direction to photosensitive member drum and which has a toner remaining amount detection means and a memory, and the electrifying roller is driven by an electrifying roller drive motor. The electrifying roller optimum rotation speed stored in the memory in advance is accessed when the toner remaining amount reaches a predetermined value, and the electrifying roller rotation speed is changed in accordance with the electrifying roller optimum rotation speed. The accumulated distance by which the photosensitive member drum and the electrifying roller abrasively slide is written in the memory, and when the toner remaining amount reaches a predetermined value, the electrifying roller optimum rotation speed corresponding to the abrasively sliding distance is accessed. The electrifying roller rotation speed is changed in accordance with the electrifying roller optimum rotation speed.

Abstract: Conventionally, in the process for inspecting a molded product, a measurement point indicating a portion to be measured is defined by using attribution information, such as a tolerance difference, and a measurement program is created, or a manual measurement instrument is employed to conduct the measurement.

Abstract: An electrophotographic image forming apparatus, capable of mounting a process cartridge detachably, for forming an image on a recording medium includes a mounting portion for mounting the process cartridge detachably. The process cartridge includes an electrophotographic photosensitive body, a processing unit, and a storing member for storing information. The apparatus includes a transporting member for transporting the recording medium, a controlling portion for controlling the operation of the apparatus to execute the reading and/or the writing of the information to the storing member, and an exposing portion for exposing the body to light. The electrophotographic image forming apparatus is configured to execute a charge elimination operation of the body if the apparatus judges that the process cartridge is in a not used state on the basis of the information from the storing member.

Abstract: Provided are an information processing apparatus and a method, and in particular, an information processing apparatus and a method for employing a 3D model generated using 3D-CAD.

Abstract: The present invention relates to information processing apparatus and methods and, more particularly, to information processing apparatus and methods making use of a 3D model (3D shape) prepared by 3D-CAD. For adding attribute information (distances, angles, hole diameters, dimensional tolerances, etc.) to the 3D model, it becomes harder to recognize the shape of the 3D model and the attribute information on a display screen with increase in the added information. Thus each visual axis direction (attribute arrangement plane) is set for the 3D model prepared and attribute information is inputted so as to be opposed to the attribute arrangement plane thus set. When the set attribute arrangement plane is then specified, the opposed attribute information, together with the shape of the 3D model set, is displayed on the display screen. Names of attribute arrangement planes are arranged so as to avoid overlap thereof on the display screen, thereby suppressing deterioration of visibility.

Abstract: A developing device is detachably attachable to an image forming apparatus, which has a developer carrying member, a developer regulating member, a conductive support member, and a driving gear. A first electrode member is provided at a driving side of the developer carrying member. A developing voltage is applied to the first electrode, and which electrically communicates with the conductive support member. A second electrode member electrically communicates between the conductive support member and a nondriving side of the developer carrying member.

Abstract: A developing device includes a rotatable developer carrying member for carrying a developer to develop an electrostatic image formed on an image bearing member with a developer; wherein the developer carrying member includes a first cylindrical portion and a second cylindrical portion provision data an end of the first cylindrical portion and supported by bearing portion; a first electroconductive portion extended from an outside of the second cylindrical portion into an inside and electrically connected to an electroconductive portion outside the developing device with a gap from an inner surface of the second cylindrical portion; a second electroconductive portion contacted to an inner surface of the first cylindrical portion and rotatable with the first cylindrical portion and slidable on the first electroconductive portion; wherein a developing bias is applied to a first cylindrical portion through the first and second electroconductive portion from the outside electroconductive portion of the developing

Abstract: An electrophotographic image forming apparatus to which a process cartridge is detachably mountable for forming an image onto a recording medium includes a recognizing device for recognizing identifying information peculiar to the process cartridge, a detector for detecting use status information when the process cartridge is used in the image forming apparatus, a rewritable memory for storing the identifying information recognized by the recognizing device and the use status information of the process cartridge detected by the detector, and an information communicating device for giving and receiving the use status information of the process cartridge stored in another electrophotographic image forming apparatus to which the process cartridge is detachably mountable to and from another electrophotographic image forming apparatus.

Abstract: A developing device includes a frame; a developer carrying member including a first cylindrical portion and a second cylindrical portion provided at an end of the first cylindrical portion; and a magnet provided in the developer carrying member, extending from inside of the developer carrying member to outside thereof. A first electroconductive portion is supported on the magnet; and a second electroconductive portion is electrically connected with an inner surface of the first cylindrical portion and in slidable contact with the first electroconductive portion. A third electroconductive portion includes a first contact portion electrically connected with the first electroconductive portion and a second contact portion. The third electroconductive portion is electrically connected with an electrical contact of a main assembly of an image forming apparatus so that a developing bias is applied to the developer carrying member.

Abstract: A developer container which has a container main body includes an opening through which a developer is supplied, a seal member for unsealably sealing the opening, and a drive source for applying a force for unsealing the seal member. The drive source has an elastic member and the drive source applies the unsealing force using a restoring force of the elastic member.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a compact developing device. The present invention provide a developing device detachably attachable to an image forming apparatus, which has a developer carrying member, a developer regulating member, a conductive support member, a driving gear, a first electrode member which is provided at a driving side of the developer carrying member and to which developing voltage is applied and which is electrically communicated with the conductive support member, and a second electrode member for electrically communicating between the conductive support member and a non-driving side of the developer carrying member.