Abstract: A device included in an image forming apparatus for removing a substance that disfigures an image is disclosed. The device includes an adsorbent support supporting an adsorbent. The absorbent has a molecular structure including voids that have a diameter great enough to pass molecules of the disfiguring substance, which is deposited on the surface of an image carrier, therethrough and contain water therein.

Abstract: A developing unit includes a photosensitive drum, a developing drum, and an agitator. When a charge of toner has dropped below a predetermined charging amount before a subsequent image forming operation starts, a pre-driving operation is performed so that the developing drum and the agitator are rotated before a sheet feed operation starts. Therefore, sufficient charge can be applied to the toner before a developing operation starts, thereby providing a high-quality image. Also, because the photosensitive drum and the developing roller are separated from each other during the pre-driving operation, the photosensitive drum and the developing roller are prevented from being worn down.

Abstract: A first paper-dust removing device is provided to mainly remove pulp fibers of the paper dust. The first paper-dust removing device is located downstream from a transfer position in the photosensitive drum rotating direction. A second paper-dust removing device is provided to mainly remove talc in the paper dust. The second paper-dust removing device may be located downstream from the first paper dust removing device in the photosensitive drum rotating direction or upstream from the transfer position in the sheet conveying direction along the sheet transport path. An additional first paper-dust removing device may be located upstream from the transfer position in the sheet conveying direction along the sheet transport path.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a casing 2 and a process cartridge 20, which is mounted removably in the casing. A powder retaining box 53 is supported pivotally by the bottom of the process cartridge 20, and supports a pinch roller 52 for contacting with a sheet of paper 3 to collect paper powder from it. The retaining box 53 has an opening through which the collected powder enters it. The pinch roller 52 substantially closes the box opening, and prevents the paper powder in the retaining box 53 from scattering out when the process cartridge 20 is dismounted from the casing 2. If the retaining box 53 were fixed to the process cartridge 20, and the pinch roller 52 moved relative to the retaining box when the process cartridge is dismounted, paper powder might scatter out of the retaining box.

Abstract: An electrophotographic image forming apparatus includes: a process cartridge, including at least one photo-receptor on which a toner image is formed, and a charging device, configured to uniformly charge a surface of the at least one photo-receptor; and a discharging device, provided outside of the process cartridge and configured to emit light to discharge the surface of the at least one photo-receptor. The process cartridge includes a light incidence opening to pass the light emitted from the discharging device therethrough, and the light incidence opening is formed to regulate the passed light so as to irradiate an area of the surface of the at least one photo-receptor.

Abstract: An electrophotographic process is implemented with improved ghost memory and with high chargeability even under circumstances of increased process speed or compactified structure and the electrophotographic process forms an image on a photosensitive member having a photosensitive layer through a series of steps including steps of charge elimination, charging, latent image exposure, and development to form a toner image, wherein light used in the latent image exposure step is light of a wavelength within such a range that a value of (optical memory before charging)/(sensitivity) of the photosensitive layer is not more than 1.5 times a minimum value. The optical memory before charging means lowering in chargeability due to light irradiation before charging.

Abstract: A unit detachably attachable to a main body of an image forming apparatus includes developing means for developing a latent image born on an image bearing body and storage means for storing a time which has elapsed from a last developing operation of the developing means.

Abstract: An image formation device, such as a printer, forms an image in a transfer format. The image formation device is configured to execute a predetermined down sequence to prepare the device for the next image formation operation after completion of an image formation operation. Alternatively, when a predetermined condition is satisfied, the device is configured to execute a blank rotation sequence instead of executing the down sequence after completion of an image formation operation. The device may have the ability to form an image from different image generation sources. A determination of whether an image formation operation switches from one image generation source to using another image generation source may be based on whether the predetermined condition is satisfied. The predetermined condition may be that the sizes of the images formed using each image generation source are equal.

Abstract: An imaging device comprising an imaging surface on which images are formed; an image transfer surface which receives the images onto an image transfer portion thereof at a first transfer region and from which images are transferred at a second transfer region; and a cleaning arrangement including a cleaning surface which engages the image transfer portion at a cleaning region of the transfer surface. The image transfer portion receives a non-image pattern from the imaging surface at the first transfer region and the cleaning surface collects the non-image pattern at the cleaning region.

Abstract: In an image forming apparatus of the type sequentially executing charging, exposure, development and image transfer, a device for applying a lubricant to the surface of an image carrier includes a lubricant applying member rotatable in contact with the image carrier for applying, at a position where the lubricant applying member contacts the image carrier, the lubricant to the surface of the image carrier while deforming its contour in accordance with a bite of the surface of the image carrier. A lubricant feeding unit feeds the lubricant to the lubricant applying member and includes a lubricant providing unit having a preselected thickness t. The surface of the image carrier bites into the lubricant applying member by an amount T while the lubricant providing unit bites into the lubricant applying member by an amount t' smaller than the amount T, but substantially equal to or slightly greater than the thickness t.

Abstract: An electrophotographic printing machine has a photoreceptive member. The photoreceptive member is charged and then exposed with a light image representation to form a latent image. An electric field, less than that required to re-charge the photoreceptive member, is applied to the latent image to increase the rate of discharge of the exposed portions of the latent image. The latent image is then developed.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes, an image bearing member, a charger which may be a main charger and auxiliary charger for charging the image bearing member, a developing unit for forming a toner image by developing an electrostatic latent image formed on the image bearing member using a toner having the same polarity as that of the charger, a transfer electrode, having a width different from that of the charger and contacting a transfer material, for applying a bias voltage having a polarity opposite to that of the charger to the transfer material, the cleaning blade contacting the image bearing member in a counter direction relative to a moving direction of the image bearing member in order to scrape and remove toner particles remaining on the image bearing member after the image transfer due to the potential of the image bearing member, and a member for reducing a charging potential difference between the charger and the transfer electrode generated on the image bearing member.

Abstract: A process and apparatus for driving an agitator to prevent the cohesion or compacting of developing material due to non-performance of the printing operation for a long period of time. The method and apparatus for driving the agitator in an image forming apparatus uses an electrophotographic developing system by driving the agitator at regular intervals of time so as to prevent developing material within a toner housing from becoming coherent or compacted.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus which forms an image by transferring a developed image formed on an image holding member onto a transfer material by a transfer unit. The image forming apparatus is further provided with an induced-charge density suppressing unit. This induced-charge density suppressing unit suppresses the density of electric charge induced in the area of the image holding member which is opposite to an image forming member as a result of stoppage of the image forming member that is opposite to the image holding member and is electrostatically charged.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for depositing toner on substantially the entire surface of the photoconductor to minimize print defects associated with surface contamination. This is accomplished by printing a background pattern along with the desired image. A light film of toner is deposited on the background areas of the photoconductor while a more dense film of toner is deposited on the image areas. The invention may be implemented by merging a background pattern, such as a uniform level of gray, with the print image data or by varying the charging conditions at photoconductive drum. In one implementation of the invention, a background pattern such as a uniform level of gray is printed by scanning the pattern onto the photoconductor as part of the imaging light exposure process. In a second implementation of the invention, the background gray is printed by adjusting the charging potential applied to photoconductor and/or the various roller bias voltages.

Abstract: Transfer of a toner image from an image member to either an intermediate member or a receiving sheet is improved by irradiating a photoconductive layer in the image member during transfer. Erasing radiation is allowed to fall on both the in-nip region and a pre-nip region but is baffled from a post-nip region. The erasing radiation increases the time constant of the system thereby slowing the build-up of the field in the pre-nip region inhibiting pre-nip ionization. The lack of erasing radiation in the post-nip region decreases the time constant thereby speeding the reduction in the field and also reducing ionization in that region.

Abstract: A sheet of paper, plastic or the like on which an image has been formed using a toner that is photochemically decolorizable by absorption of near infrared rays is illuminated with near infrared rays under the state wherein the image is heated to a temperature equal to or higher than the glass-transition temperature of a binding resin of the toner. The color of the toner can thereby be easily and rapidly eliminated. This enables the reuse of the sheet to be realized easily and at a low cost.