Abstract: A fixing apparatus installed in a copying machine or the like and having a fixing roller, a pressure roller and sheet separator pawls engagable with the fixing roller. A first mechanism of the fixing apparatus is operable to locate free or separating ends of the sheet separator pawls at a small spacing from the periphery of the fixing roller. A pivotable second mechanism is operable to move the sheet separator pawls over a substantial distance away from the fixing and pressure rollers to define a large space in front thereof, so that the peripheries of the rollers become accessible for services.

Abstract: A peeling pawl is stamped from a metal sheet of preferably less than 100 .mu.m in thickness with a Young's modulus of substantially between 10.times.10.sup.3 and 30.times.10.sup.3 kg/mm.sup.2.

Abstract: A combined sheet iverter and sorter comprises a plurality of bins B, a gate D associated with each bin which permits a sheet S to travel direction into the bin B, and a reversible conveyor 102 for advancing sheets past the bin openings and reversing the sheets into the bins B. The conveyor 102 is controlled so that each sheet is reversed when its trail edge is located between a pair of adjacent gates whereby the sheets S may be guided into selected bins B in accordance with a predetermined sequence.

Abstract: An apparatus for peeling or separating a record paper from a photosensitive drum of an electrophotographic copying machine immediately after a toner image formed on the photosensitive drum has been transferred onto the record paper comprising a pair of pawls each for peeling a respective side edge of the record paper off the drum, a duct for blowing an air stream in a space between the paper and the drum, and first and second guide plates arranged subtantially in parallel with each other to define a paper passage along which the peeled paper is fed, a plurality of elongated holes being formed in the first and second guide plates so as to introduce an air stream into the passage, which air stream serves to press the paper against the second guide plate, a front edge of the first guide plate being recessed in V-shape or convex manner in a direction of a paper feeding and/or being made apart from the second guide plate in a direction perpendicular to the paper feeding direction, so that a curved front edge of re

Abstract: In an electrophotographic copying apparatus of the type utilizing a photoconductor which is rotated in a predetermined direction with an image transfer material in close contact therewith for transferring an electrostatic latent image or a visible image formed on the surface of the photoconductor to the image transfer material, an image transfer material separation and transportation apparatus capable of separating the image transfer material to which the image has been transported from the surface of the photoconductor and transporting the same in the direction of the photoconductor. One leading edge corner of the image transfer material is bent by a corner bending apparatus before the image transfer material is brought into close contact with the surface of the photoconductor.

Abstract: A two piece articulated stripping device is provided, having an elongate member pivotally connected to a fixed support on a copier so that a free end of the member is in juxtaposition with the outer surface of a heated fuser roll.

Abstract: A transfer sheet separating/conveying member is formed of an electrically conductive material, and has its part disposed close to or in contact with the peripheral surface of a photosensitive drum for movement in the same direction as the drum. The separating/conveying member is applied with a voltage of the same polarity as that of a voltage applied to the transfer sheet. An insulating material covers at least a portion of the laterally opposite sides of the separating/conveying member which are located opposite to the drum surface. A corner of the separating/conveying member which is not covered by the insulating material and remains exposed is shaped into a rounded form.

Abstract: A roller fixing device wherein a claw member facing a pressure roller is arranged so that the distance between the contact point of a roller and a pressure roller and the top end portion of said claw member be within 6.5 mm on the pressure roller periphery and an angle between a tangential line of the pressure roller at a point where said top end portion of said claw member contacts under pressure with said pressure roller and the upper edge of said claw member be at least 45 degrees. Said roller is a heat roller including a heater therein. An electrophotographic copying machine which comprises: a charge receptor, a latent image forming means for forming an electrostatic latent image on said charge receptor, a developing means for developing said electrostatic latent image, a transferring means for transferring said developed image to a transfer material, and said roller fixing device.

Abstract: An electrostatic copying apparatus has a rotatable photosensitive drum including a first peripheral layer on which a visible image is formed and a second peripheral layer which is adjacent to the first peripheral layer along a shaft of the drum and on which a toner image is not formed, and a peeling mechanism for peeling a copying paper from the photosensitive drum, a transfer device including a transfer roller which is rotatably disposed in opposition to the photosensitive drum and cooperates with the photosensitive drum to nip a copying paper therebetween, and a DC power source for applying a surface electrical potential to the transfer roller to electrically attract the visible image from the photosensitive drum to the copying paper. In the copying apparatus, the transfer roller includes a first roller portion in opposition to the first peripheral layer of the photosensitive drum and a second roller portion coaxial with the first roller portion.

Abstract: An electrostatic copying apparatus comprises a photosensitive drum, a transfer roller and a tape. The photosensitive drum includes first and second drum portions and a photosensitive layer which is laid on the outer periphery of the first drum portion and on which an image has been developed. The transfer roller in contact with the photosensitive layer, and cooperates with the photosensitive layer to clamp a sheet of paper to transfer the developed image onto the sheet of paper. The tape is in slidable contact with the outer periphery of the second drum portion for peeling the sheet of paper from the photosensitive drum after the image developed has been transferred to the sheet.

Abstract: A heat and pressure roll fusing apparatus for fixing toner images to copy substrates, the toner being made of a thermoplastic resin. The apparatus includes an internally heated fuser roll cooperating with a back-up or pressure roll to form a nip through which the copy substrates pass with the images contacting the heated roll. The heated fuser roll is characterized by an outer layer or surface which by way of example is fabricated from silicone rubber. Sheet removal or supporting member in the form of flexible finger structures are provided. The fingers contact the surface of the heated fuser roll and therefore are constructed so as to preclude damage to the soft fuser roll surface should they tend to gouge it. In operation the fingers are sufficiently flexible so that when a misstrip occurs they can be deflected out of contact with the fuser roll and partially rotated thereby. Each finger structure may have either a single finger or two fingers. The fingers are mounted for 360.degree.

Abstract: The invention relates to a device for detaching sheet material from a roller 1. The detaching device comprises a number of pivotable detaching fingers 2, each of which has a contact surface 10 of concave shape, the curvature of which matches the convex surface curvature of the roller 1. Each detaching finger 2 is pivotably mounted by means of a carrying pin 7 in a holding bow 3 mounted on a carrier rod which is mounted in two side members 19. The contact surface 10 has a convex curve extending transversely to the concave shape.

Abstract: A jam detector for use in a plain paper copying machine of the type in which the copy paper to which the image has been transferred from the surface of a photoconductive drum is removed from the drum by a pick-off element which acts on a narrow strip of the copy paper extending rearwardly from the leading edge of the paper along one side edge thereof wherein the leading edge of a narrow or skewed or otherwise misdirected copy paper which misses the pick-off element is engaged by a jam detector element positioned in the path of the paper a predetermined distance inboard of the pick-off element to cause the jam detector element to disable the machine and to illuminate the jam indicating signal light. The arrangement is such that the machine cannot be reset for the next operation until such time as the jammed copy paper is removed from the machine.

Abstract: A transfer sheet guiding device for guiding a transfer sheet along a predetermined path. The device includes a separating member for separating one lateral side of a transfer sheet from an image carrying member, a rotary body, located adjacent the one lateral side for gripping the separated side of the transfer sheet and guiding it away from the image carrying member, a guide member having a stepped portion which extends across the transport path of the transfer sheet, the position of stepped portion being disposed progressively further downstream in the advancing direction of the transfer sheet from the side where the rotary body is provided to the opposite side, and a rotary member which extends along the rotary body and guide member at the one lateral side for gripping the separated side of the transfer sheet and guiding it downwardly at least along the stepped portion in cooperation with the rotary body and guide member.

Abstract: An electrophotographic apparatus comprising a charge retentive drum such as a photosensitive drum including an electrically conductive drum substrate and a charge retentive layer applied on the drum substrate, a developing device for developing an electrostatic latent image formed on the drum with toner to form a toner image, a transfer roller for transferring the toner image onto a record paper, the record paper being fed between the drum and the transfer roller, a peelling claw for peeling the record paper having the toner image transferred thereto off the drum surface, the peeling claw being made of conductive metal and its free end being urged against a depressed edge portion of the conductive drum substrate, and means for connecting the peeling claw to the earth potential.