Abstract: Aspects of the disclosure can provide a method for replacing a customer replaceable unit (CRU) in a printing system. The method can include determining a historic usage pattern for a CRU during a usage of the CRU, calculating a remaining time for the CRU based on the historic usage pattern, and signaling a user for ordering a new CRC when the remaining time for the CRU is substantially equivalent to a pre-determined value.

Abstract: An electrophotographic photosensitive body includes a substrate and a photosensitive layer. In the electrophotographic photosensitive body, a reflectance to an exposure light L1 is defined as a first reflectance, and a reflectance of an eliminating light is defined as a second reflectance. The first reflectance is positively correlated with a light intensity rate of the exposure light L1, and the second reflectance is positively correlated with the light intensity rate of the exposure light L1 in a first case, while is negatively correlated with the light intensity rate of the exposure light L1 in a second case. In the first case, an amount of change of the first reflectance to an amount of change of the light intensity rate of the exposure light L1 is less than 1. In the second case, an amount of change of the first reflectance to an amount of change of the light intensity rate of the exposure light L1 is more than 1.

Abstract: A driving unit for a photo conductor drum cartridge is assembled with a shaft of the photo conductor drum cartridge, including a gear and a conducting plate mounted on the gear. The conducting plate is provided with an elastic arm and defines an imaginary axis parallel to the shaft. When the elastic arm of the conducting plate is perpendicular to the imaginary axis, a distance L is defined between a distal end of the elastic arm and the imaginary axis. The distance L is longer than or equal to a radius d of an annular groove portion of the shaft and shorter than a radius D of the shaft. By means of this design, the driving unit can be reusable and provide a convenient detachment of a photo conductor drum.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus having a consumable detachably installed in the main body is disclosed. The image forming apparatus includes a main body having a first opening, a consumable which is detachably installed in the main body, a door mounted on the main body to open and close the first opening, and locking members operable in association with the movement of the door to secure the consumable in place as the door is closed. Possible damages due to the movement of the consumable such as a photosensitive cartridge during shipping and/or transporting of the image forming apparatus can be prevented by the locking members.

Abstract: An image forming device includes a main casing and a photosensitive unit. The photosensitive unit has a first peripheral portion at a downstream side in an attaching direction provided with a first contact portion and has a second peripheral portion at an upstream side in the attaching direction provided with a second contact portion. The main casing includes a pair of side walls and first and second positioning members. The first and second positioning members span between the side walls. The first positioning member has a first positioning portion with which the first contact portion is contactable for positioning the photosensitive unit relative to the main casing. The second positioning member is positioned upstream of the first positioning member in the attaching direction. The second positioning member has a second positioning portion with which the second contact portion is contactable for positioning the photosensitive unit relative to the main casing.

Abstract: A developing-section displacement mechanism supports a developing-section supporting member and displaces the developing-section supporting member between: a first adjacent position where the developing-section supporting member is adjacent to photosensitive members; and a first separated position where the developing-section supporting member is separated from the photosensitive members. A photosensitive-member displacement mechanism supports the photosensitive-member supporting member and displaces the photosensitive-member supporting member between: a second adjacent position where the photosensitive-member supporting member is adjacent to a belt; and a second separated position where the photosensitive-member supporting member is separated from the belt.

Abstract: A disclosed photoconductive drum includes a mechanism where, when the sleeve inner circumferential surface pressing member is in contact with the inner circumferential surface of the photoconductive sleeve member, a displacement of the first end surface member with respect to the photoconductive sleeve member in the center line direction leads to increasing a pressing force applied from the sleeve inner circumferential surface pressing member to the inner circumferential surface of the photoconductive sleeve member.

Abstract: What is provided is an image formation apparatus including: an image formation part provided inside a main body so that the image formation part may be attached to the main body and detached from the main body; a plurality of opening-closing parts which may be opened and closed to attach the image formation part to the main body or detach the image formation part from the main body; and a plurality of locking parts latching each of the plurality of opening-closing parts to the main body, wherein when one of the plurality of locking parts undergoes a releasing operation, an other one of the plurality of locking parts also undergoes a releasing operation.

Abstract: A protective layer forming device including: a protective agent block containing a metal soap, a protective agent supplying unit configured to supply a protective agent onto a photoconductor, and a pressing unit configured to press the protective agent supplying unit against the protective agent block, wherein the protective agent supplying unit is rotated while being pressed against the protective agent block by the pressing unit, so that the protective agent block is micronized to make the protective agent in the form of fine powder, and the protective agent in the form of fine powder is supplied onto the photoconductor, thereby forming a protective layer on the photoconductor, and wherein the protective agent in the form of fine powder has a particle diameter of 200 ?m or smaller and contains protective agent particles of 20 ?m to 200 ?m in an amount of 1% by mass to 70% by mass.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a photosensitive body unit having an improved structure capable of disposing a developing unit at a correct position to supply developer to a photosensitive body, and an image forming apparatus including the photosensitive body unit. The image forming apparatus includes a main body, a photosensitive body housing mounted in the main body, a photosensitive body rotatably coupled to the photosensitive body housing, and a developing unit detachably mounted in the main body to supply developer to the photosensitive body. The photosensitive body housing includes a guide portion to determine a mounting position of the developing unit when the developing unit is mounted in the main body.

Abstract: The photosensitive conductor unit includes a casing, and a protective cover, wherein: the casing includes an engaging portion on an insertion-side end and a guide portion slidably guiding the protective cover in proximity to an opposite end to the insertion-side end of the photosensitive conductor unit; the protective cover includes a hook portion engaging with the engaging portion, a positioning portion determining the position of the protective cover, a side wall covering an exposed portion of the surface by extending along an axial direction of the photosensitive conductor drum, and a rail portion extending in the insertion direction of the photosensitive conductor unit in proximity to both ends of the side wall in a direction orthogonal to the axial direction of the photosensitive conductor drum and engaging with the guide portion such that the guide portion slidably guides the protective cover.

Abstract: Method of replacing an organic photo conductor (OPC) drum of an image forming apparatus, the image forming apparatus having a support carriage arranged to axially support the OPC drum at a first end and a second end. The method includes removing the OPC drum from the support carriage and procuring a replacement OPC drum having a first axial flange/endpin and a second axial flange/endpin. The first axial flange is inserted into the first end of the support carriage and the second end of the support carriage is elastically deformed. Then, the second axial flange is inserted into the second end of the support carriage, and a force is exerted against the second axial flange until the second end of the support carriage returns to an un-deformed state.

Abstract: An electrophotographic image forming apparatus including an image bearing member which is a rotatable photoconductor containing an organic photoconductive layer on a conductive cylindrical support, a latent electrostatic image forming unit configured to charge the image bearing member to form a latent electrostatic image thereon, and a developing unit configured to develop the latent electrostatic image on the image bearing member with a developer to form a visible image, wherein the thickness of the organic photoconductive layer monotonically decreases or increases along the rotational axis from one end to the other end, wherein the developing unit includes a development sleeve for bearing and transferring the developer to a developing region, and wherein a development gap is formed between the image bearing member and the development sleeve, and becomes narrower from one end where the organic photoconductive layer is thicker to the other end where the organic photoconductive layer is thinner.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an enclosure including a first opening provided at a front side thereof, a second opening provided at a left side thereof, and a third opening provided at a right side thereof. The enclosure further includes an image bearing member to bear a latent image on the surface thereof; an image forming unit including the image bearing member and detachably mountable from the first opening; an exposure unit to expose the image bearing member to form the latent image on the surface of the image bearing member and detachably mountable from either the second or the third opening that is opposite the opening from which an intermediate transfer unit is detachably mountable; the intermediate transfer unit to transfer the toner image and detachably mountable from either the second or the third opening that is opposite the opening from which the exposure unit is detachably mountable.

Abstract: An electrophotographic image forming apparatus detachably mountable to a main assembly of the apparatus, includes a rotatable image bearing member on which a latent image is to be formed; charging means for contacting said image bearing member to charge a surface of said image bearing member; a frame supporting said image bearing member and said charging means; a covering member, demountably mounted to said frame, for protecting the surface of said image bearing member; and a spacer member including a spacing portion, movably provided on said covering member, for entering between said image bearing member and said charging means to space them therebetween, and a retaining portion, contacting said covering member when said spacing portion is not between said image bearing member and said charging means, for preventing said spacer member from disengaging from said covering member.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus may include an apparatus body, and a photosensitive-member unit slidably attached to the apparatus body and retaining a plurality of photosensitive members. The apparatus body includes side wall portions opposing each other with a unit receiving section sandwiched therebetween, and a plurality of apparatus-body-side electrode members provided on the side wall portions, and each urged inward in an opposing direction of the side wall portions. The photosensitive-member unit includes a plurality of unit-side electrode members each protruding outward in the opposite direction and a guide path comprising a flat surface formed in a flat shape so that each of the apparatus-body-side electrode members slidably contacts to the flat surface during attachment of the photosensitive-member unit with respect to the unit receiving section, and that each of the apparatus-body-side electrode members slidably contacted maintains a constant inward and outward position in the opposite direction.

Abstract: There is disclosed an image forming apparatus including: a latent image carrier; a latent image writing unit; a development unit; a latent image carrier unit having the latent image carrier; a first positioning protrusion disposed on the latent image carrier unit, the first positioning protrusion being engaged with a groove or a slit of an image forming apparatus body; an abutted portion disposed on the groove or the slit, the abutted portion abutting the first positioning protrusion in order to position the latent image carrier unit in an installation and removal direction; and a second positioning protrusion shifted in the installation and removal direction and disposed on the latent image carrier unit, the second positioning protrusion positioning the latent image carrier unit at a position different from a position of the first positioning protrusion in order to engage the groove or the slit.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image forming apparatus body including a driving force transmitting portion and a process cartridge. The process cartridge includes a housing, a photosensitive drum disposed in the housing, a first bearing rotatably supporting an axial end portion of the photosensitive drum, a driving force input portion, which is provided on the axial end portion of the photosensitive drum and is configured to engage the driving force transmitting portion in order to drive the photosensitive drum by a driving force transmitted from the driving force transmitting portion when the driving force transmitting portion is pressed against the driving force input portion, and a second bearing, which rotatably supports the other axial end of the photosensitive drum, and which comprises a first contact portion which contacts the image forming apparatus body when the driving force transmitting portion is pressed against the driving force input portion.

Abstract: A method for monitoring an image printing system that prints color images on an image bearing surface movable in a process direction is provided. The method includes placing marking material to form a row comprising a plurality of registration marks on the image bearing surface, wherein each row of registration marks extends along a cross-process direction transverse to the process direction; detecting a position of each registration mark using a linear array sensor extending in the cross-process direction, wherein the position of each registration mark is detected in both the process and cross-process direction; determining a process direction misregistration between the registration marks of each row in the process direction and cross-process direction misregistration between registration marks from each of the rows.

Abstract: There is provided an image forming mechanism including: an image carrier containing a lubricant in a photosensitive layer that is formed on a surface of the image carrier, and on which an electrostatic latent image is formed; a developing section developing the electrostatic latent image into a visible image by a developer that contains the lubricant; and a cleaning member formed with a first layer that contacts the photosensitive layer, and a second layer that is formed of a material having a lower modulus of repulsion elasticity than the first layer and that is layered with the first layer and that does not contact the surface of the image carrier.

Abstract: There is provided a temperature control unit for an electrophotographic photoconductor substrate, containing a stretchable membrane member which is detachably disposed in a hollow space of the cylindrical substrate, wherein the membrane member is configured to sequentially stretch until reaching the deepest part of the hollow space of the cylindrical substrate as a result of an introduction of a refrigerant therein to closely contact with an entire inner wall of the cylindrical substrate, and to sequentially shrink to the original shape thereof as a result of a release of the refrigerant therefrom, so that the membrane member is detachably disposed in the hollow space, and wherein the membrane member is configured to make a heat transfer between a surface of the cylindrical substrate and the refrigerant via the membrane member closely contacted with the inner surface of the cylindrical substrate, to control a surface temperature of the cylindrical substrate.

Abstract: A drum support structure of a production printing system is disclosed. The drum support structure secures a photoconductive drum within a printing system during operation. The drum support structure includes a plurality of ring members spaced in parallel along a longitudinal axis. The ring members have an outside diameter that corresponds with an inside diameter of the drum so that the ring members fit within the drum. The drum support structure also includes a plurality of connecting members that affix the ring members to one another. The drum support structure also includes an inner end cap that connects to an inner-most ring member through one or more connecting members and is adapted to contact one end of the drum. The drum support structure also includes an outer end cap that is adapted to fasten to an outer-most ring member and is further adapted to contact another end of the drum.

Abstract: A photoreceptor unit is inserted into an image forming apparatus in the predetermined insertion direction, and includes a photoreceptor, a light-shielding sheet covering a part of the photoreceptor on the front side in the insertion direction; a rigid cover made of resin and provided adjacent to the light-shielding sheet on the rear side in the insertion direction; and a cushioning member interposed between the rigid cover and the photoreceptor. The rigid cover has a length that allows the photoreceptor unit to be gripped at the rigid cover. The light-shielding sheet, the rigid cover and the cushioning member can be removed together from the photoreceptor.

Abstract: An electrophotographic image forming apparatus, including a photoreceptor, a charger charging the surface of the photoreceptor, an irradiator irradiating the surface of the photoreceptor with imagewise light to form an electrostatic latent image thereon, an image developer developing the electrostatic latent image with a developer including a toner to form a toner image on the surface of the photoreceptor, and a transferer transferring the toner image onto a transfer material, wherein the photoreceptor includes an electroconductive substrate, and a photosensitive layer overlying the electroconductive substrate and including a charge generation material and a specific charge transport material.

Abstract: A color electrophotographic image forming apparatus including: an opening in a main body; a door opening and closing the opening; a first tray movable between an inside position and an outside position through the opening while removably supporting drum cartridges having photosensitive drums; a second tray movable between the inside position and the outside position through the opening while removably supporting developing cartridges having developing rollers; a transfer member to which toner images are transferred from the photosensitive drums; and a positioning member, which releases, when the door is opened, an engagement between engaging portions of the developing cartridges and engaged portions of the drum cartridges to hold the developing cartridges so that the second tray can be pulled out, and which engages, when the door is closed, the engaging portion with the engaged portion to position the developing cartridges for image formation.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a drum unit configured to be attachable to and detachable from the body through inserting the drum shaft into the hollow portion of the photoreceptor drum, a plurality of ribs formed on the drum unit, a guide rail formed in a body, and a plurality of cutouts that is formed in the guide rail is configured to engage with the plurality of ribs when the drum unit is positioned at a regular position. The drum shaft and the guide rail are configured with respect to each other such that a center of the drum shaft is substantially coaxial with a center of the photoreceptor drum when the drum unit slides relative to the body in a state in which the plurality of ribs is placed on the guide rail.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method and a device, as well as the variants thereof, which operates continuously or discontinuously for the agglomeration and/or drying of powder materials using selective infrared irradiation on a surface which is continually supplied with renewed powder, with or without the spraying of liquids. The process can be performed in sealed conditions or open to the atmosphere, with or without the recovery of volatile components.

Abstract: A photoreceptor unit of an image forming apparatus includes an attachment body, a photoreceptor body, a first gripping portion, and a second gripping portion. The attachment body is attached to the image forming apparatus and is detachable from the image forming apparatus. The photoreceptor body is rotatably provided in the attachment body. The first gripping portion is provided in the attachment body. The second gripping portion is provided in the attachment body and is contactable with the photoreceptor body when the photoreceptor unit is gripped. The second gripping portion does not contact the photoreceptor body when the photoreceptor unit is attached to the image forming apparatus. The photoreceptor body is provided between the first gripping portion and the second gripping portion and is allow to be gripped by using the first gripping portion and the second gripping portion.

Abstract: A photosensitive unit is described. The photosensitive unit may include a side wall; a drum body rotatably provided with respect to the side wall and formed with an electrostatic latent image; a brake member provided on one end portion of the drum body in an axial direction and having a brake-side inclined surface whose diameter is gradually enlarged or reduced along the axial direction with an axis of the drum body as a center; and an urging member having an urging-side inclined surface surface-contacting the brake-side inclined surface and urging the brake member such that the urging-side inclined surface surface-contacts the brake-side inclined surface.

Abstract: An image-forming device includes a main casing, a drum unit, an image-forming unit, and a transfer unit. The drum unit is detachable from the main casing and includes a photosensitive drum having a rotational axis extending in an axis direction. The drum unit is formed with a plurality of symbols juxtaposed along the axis direction. The image-forming unit forms an image on the photosensitive drum in an image-forming mode. The transfer unit transfers the first developer image onto the photosensitive drum onto a sheet. The image-forming unit forms a first developer image on the photosensitive drum in a maintenance mode. The first developer image transferred onto the sheet divides the sheet into a plurality of regions along the axis direction, the plurality of regions corresponding to the plurality of symbols, respectively.

Abstract: The present invention provides an image forming apparatus including: a conveyer that conveys a developer image or a transfer medium to which the developer image is transferred; an image carrier that carries the developer image transferred to the conveyer or the transfer medium which the conveyer conveys; a latent image forming unit that forms the latent image on the image carrier; a developing unit that develops the latent image formed on the image carrier and forms the a developer image; a transfer unit that transfers the developer image formed on the image carrier; and a restricting unit that restricts the movement of the image carrier and the latent image forming unit in at least two directions and a rotational direction of the image carrier.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a plurality of process units, a plurality of latent image carriers, an optical writing unit, an upper cover, and a pitch positioning member. The pitch positioning member including a plurality of abutting portions so as to regulate movements of the plurality of process units in the horizontal direction by abutting each of the plurality of process units. The pitch positioning member including a plurality of notches extending from an upper portion to a lower portion of each of the respective plurality of abutting portions with a predetermined pitch.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus to which a cartridge including an image bearing drum and a frame supporting the image bearing member, the apparatus includes a belt member for transferring a developed image formed on the drum onto a recording material; an opening provided to permit the cartridge to enter an inside of a main assembly; a first guide portion for guiding the cartridge through the opening from a position where a bottom end portion of the drum is below a transfer position where the drum and the belt member contact with each other when the cartridge is mounted; a second guide portion provided downstream of the first guide portion with respect to a mounting direction in which the cartridge is mounted to the main assembly, the second guide portion guiding the cartridge from a position where the bottom end portion of the drum is below the transfer position to a position where the bottom end portion of the drum is above the transfer position; and a third guide portion provided downstream of the second guide p

Abstract: A drum unit includes a photoconductor drum, a charger, a cleaning brush, and a drum unit case. The charger and the cleaning brush are disposed in such a manner as to face the circumferential surface of the photoconductor drum. The charger and the cleaning brush are fixed to a charger support portion of the drum unit case. The charger support portion has a filler protrusion. The filler protrusion is provided so as to fill the space between the charger and the cleaning brush.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image carrier, a developing device that forms a toner image on the surface of the image carrier, a transfer unit that transfers the toner image formed on the image carrier onto a transfer material such as paper, a neutralizing unit that neutralizes an electrostatic latent image on the surface of the image carrier by light radiation, a cleaning unit that cleans toner remaining on the surface of the image carrier after the toner image is transferred. The image carrier, the developing device, the transfer unit, the neutralizing unit, and the cleaning unit are provided to the main body of the image forming apparatus. The image forming apparatus further includes a withdrawal mechanism that withdraws at least the image carrier, the cleaning unit, and the neutralizing unit integrally from the main body of the image forming apparatus.

Abstract: A process cartridge includes a developer frame portion and a photosensitive member frame portion, wherein when the photosensitive member frame portion is attached to the developer frame portion, a first extension portion and a second extension portion are positioned in a substantially overlapping configuration and the first extension portion engages the second extension portion so as to urge a developer carrying member toward a photosensitive member.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a first member and second member that are formed of different materials. The first member includes a plurality of first abutting portions. The second member includes a plurality of second abutting portions. One latent image carrier or one holding member abuts with one first abutting portion so as to regulate movements of the latent image carrier in a first direction substantially parallel to a sub scanning direction. One latent image carrier or one holding member abuts with one second abutting portion so as to regulate movements of the latent image carrier in a second direction, which is substantially orthogonal to the first direction.

Abstract: An organic photoconductor (OPC) drum includes a support member formed as a unitary molded body, a pair of mounting members, a pair of rollers, and an OPC belt. The support member includes a plurality of support plates, a plurality of groove-defining U-shaped segments, and first and second sidewalls. Each of the support plates extends in a first direction. Adjacent ones of the support plates are spaced apart from each other in a second direction transverse to the first direction. Each of the U-shaped segments interconnects a corresponding adjacent pair of the support plates. Each of the mounting members is coupled to a respective one of the first and second sidewalls. The rollers flank the support member in the second direction. The OPC belt is trained on an assembly of the support member and the rollers, and is driven by the rollers to move on the support plates.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus may include an apparatus body, and a photosensitive-member unit slidably attached to the apparatus body and retaining a plurality of photosensitive members. The apparatus body includes side wall portions opposing each other with a unit receiving section sandwiched therebetween, and a plurality of apparatus-body-side electrode members provided on the side wall portions, and each urged inward in an opposing direction of the side wall portions. The photosensitive-member unit includes a plurality of unit-side electrode members each protruding outward in the opposite direction and a guide path comprising a flat surface formed in a flat shape so that each of the apparatus-body-side electrode members slidably contacts to the flat surface during attachment of the photosensitive-member unit with respect to the unit receiving section, and that each of the apparatus-body-side electrode members slidably contacted maintains a constant inward and outward position in the opposite direction.

Abstract: A method for dismounting a coupler from an electrophotographic photosensitive drum flange whose drum is usable with a cartridge detachably mountable to a main assembly of an electrophotographic image forming apparatus. The coupler receives a force rotating the drum from the main assembly when the cartridge is mounted and includes force receiving and spherical portions. The method includes the steps of inclining the coupler relative to a flange rotational axis, pushing a pin from one end to the other end thereof, both of which project from the spherical portion when the inclining step inclines the coupler, making part of the pin ride on a surface of a regulator inside the flange, and dismounting the coupler from the flange by applying a force to a free end of the coupler toward the part of the pin riding on the regulator surface.

Abstract: Disclosed is an electrophotographic photoreceptor which is excellent in wear resistance and electrical characteristics. Specifically disclosed is an electrophotographic photoreceptor containing a polyester resin in a photosensitive layer provided on an electroconductive substrate. The polyester resin is composed of a copolymer of formula (4), which has a viscosity average molecular weight (Mv) of 10,000-300,000 and contains a diphenyl ether 4,4?-dicarboxylic acid component and a bivalent phenol component. A represents a diphenyl ether 4,4?-dicarboxylic acid residue of formula (A), and E represents a bivalent phenol residue of formula (E). In formula (A), each of Ra1 and Ra2 independently represents a hydrogen atom or a monovalent substituent which may have a substituent, and each of n and m is independently an integer from 0 to 4.

Abstract: A single component development device including a toner including a resin, a coloring agent, a wax, a charge control agent and an inorganic particulate, a development roller to bear the toner on the surface of the development roller and transfer the toner to an image bearing member and a thin layer forming member to regulate a thickness of the layer of the toner while in contact with the surface of the development roller via the toner borne thereon, wherein a regulating pressure A between the thin layer forming member and the development roller is from 25 to 60 (N/m), a content Z (weight %) of the charge control agent satisfies the following relationship (1) and an average dispersion particle diameter D (nm) of the charge control agent satisfies the following relationship (2): 0.029×A?0.150>Z>0.013×A?0.013??Relationship (1) D<6.3×A?106.3??Relationship (2).

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 developing unit is detachably mounted on a photosensitive unit to form a combined unit called a process unit. In use, the process unit is loaded into an electrophotographic image forming device. A rotational shaft of a photosensitive drum projects out from the photosensitive unit. When the process unit is loaded into the image forming device from a top open space, both ends of the rotational shaft are engaged with a pair of guides formed in side walls of the image forming device and guided down along the guides. The process unit is accommodated in an accommodating section when both ends of the rotational shaft have been brought into abutment with stops at the ends of the guides and a trailing end of the process unit is rotated downward about the rotational shaft.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image holding member, a toner image forming unit, a color forming information applying unit, a transfer unit, a fixing unit and a color forming unit, the color forming information applying unit exposing a toner image formed on a surface of the image holding member from a back surface side of the image holding member, light transmitted through the image holding member applying color forming information to the toner image.

Abstract: Imaging methods, imaging member charging methods, and image engines are described. According to one embodiment, an imaging method includes providing an imaging member having an outer surface comprising a plurality of portions having a plurality of different radii, rotating the portions of the outer surface of the imaging member adjacent to a charge device configured to provide an electrical charge to the imaging member which is usable for imaging, first controlling a position of the charge device with respect to one of the portions of the outer surface of the imaging member using the one of the portions of the outer surface at one moment in time, second controlling a position of the charge device with respect to an other of the portions of the outer surface of the imaging member using a positioning control system at an other moment in time, and using the charge device, providing the electrical charge to the one of the portions of the imaging member at the one moment in time.

Abstract: An information processing device may include a first frame provided with a scanner for reading information recorded on a medium, a second frame which faces the first frame across a traveling path and is provided with a pressing member for pressing the medium toward a reading face of the scanner, a support plate which supports the pressing member and whose one end is axially supported with the second frame to be movable between a locked position where the pressing member is protruded in the traveling path and an open position where a reading face of the scanner is exposed, a locking part for locking the support plate to the second frame at the locked position, and a half lock preventing mechanism for preventing a half-lock state when the support plate is locked to the second frame.

Abstract: An electrophotographic printer in which a photoconductor drum and a transfer drum can be supported in a simple component construction and in the makeup free from misalignment and development of thrust load.

Abstract: An electrophotographic image forming apparatus detachably mounts plural process cartridges. Each cartridge includes an electrophotographic photosensitive drum, a developing roller, a drum frame and a roller frames movable between a contact position where the roller contacts the drum and a spacing position where the roller is spaced from the drum. The apparatus includes a drawing member detachably mounting the cartridges and movable substantially horizontally crossing an axial direction of the drums between a mount position where the cartridges are mounted in a main assembly of the apparatus and a drawn position drawn out of the main assembly, a spacer movable between a retracted position where the drawing member is retracted from a movement path of the cartridges to permit movement of the mounted cartridges and an operating position where the drawing member is in the movement path to move the drum frames between the contact and spacing positions.

Abstract: Provided is an image-forming apparatus and a cartridge that are low in occurrence of smears in white areas, residual images, scattering, lines, thin spots, and dead dots, which are caused by particle size distribution of a toner and mismatching of a toner and a photoreceptor, exhibit satisfactory image quality, thin-line reproducibility, and cleaning properties, and can form high-resolution images without smears after long-time operation and selective development even in a high speed printing. The image-forming apparatus includes an electrophotographic photoreceptor of which photosensitive layer contains oxytitanium phthalocyanine showing main diffraction peaks at Bragg angles (2?) of 9.0° and 27.2° and at least one main diffraction peak in the range of 9.3° to 9.8° to CuK? rays, and the toner satisfies all the following requirements (1) to (3): (1) the volume median diameter (Dv50) is 4.0 ?m or more and 7.0 ?m or less, (2) the average sphericity is 0.