Abstract: A cleaning device cleans a charging roller for charging the outer circumferential surface of a photoconductive drum while being rotated in contact with the photoconductive drum, and is provided with a cleaning brush for cleaning the outer circumferential surface of the charging roller by brushing while being rotated in contact with the outer circumferential surface of the charging roller, a rotational driving mechanism for rotating the cleaning brush while making the circumferential speed thereof differ from that of the charging roller, and a thrust driving mechanism for reciprocating the cleaning brush along a direction of a rotary axis of the charging roller while holding the cleaning brush in sliding contact with the outer circumferential surface of the charging roller.

Abstract: An conductive member includes a long conductive supporting body to which a predetermined potential is applied, extending from one side to the other side, an electric resistance adjusting layer, which is formed to surround a circumference surface of the conductive supporting body and adjusts an electric resistance, and a surface protection layer, which is provided to cover a surface of the electric resistance adjusting layer and protects the surface of the electric resistance adjusting layer, and the electric resistance adjusting layer contains a thermoplastic resin material having an ether group in a molecular and an organic phosphonium salt.

Abstract: The conductive rubber member of the invention has a conductive elastic layer to which conductivity has been imparted and which serves as an outermost layer, and a surface-treated layer formed through impregnating a surface of the conductive elastic layer with a surface-treatment liquid containing at least an isocyanate component and an organic solvent, wherein the surface-treated layer is formed of an upper portion on the outermost side, and a lower portion beneath the upper portion, the upper portion has a density of the isocyanate component which is greater on the inner side than on the surface side within the upper portion, and the lower portion has a density of the isocyanate component that gradually decreases inwardly.

Abstract: A charging member has a surface layer. The surface layer contains a polysiloxane having a first unit, a second unit and a third unit each of which is represented by a specific formula. The ratio of the sum of the mole numbers of the first and second units to the sum of the mole numbers of the first to third units is in a specific range.

Abstract: To provide an electrically conductive polymer member, which can be stably used with a reduced variation in electrical resistance even when its use environment is changed or continuous energization is conducted, and furthermore, a transfer roller and an image forming device, which can stably produce good images by using the electrically conductive polymer member. An electrically conductive polymer member is formed from an electrically conductive polymer material prepared by adding a quaternary ammonium salt and a lithium imide to a base polymer. When the amounts of compounding of the quaternary ammonium salt and the lithium imide are assumed to be x parts by weight and y parts by weight, respectively, it is preferable that x and y satisfy the following formula: 0.009?(y/x)?0.019. A transfer roller and an image forming device are provided with their respective electrically conductive polymer members.

Abstract: A charging apparatus includes a charging roller and a cleaning member. The charging roller charges a surface of an image bearing body. The cleaning member extends in a longitudinal direction parallel to the charging roller and that cleans the charging roller. The charging apparatus includes a bearing and a supporting member. The bearing supports a shaft of the charging roller. The cleaning member is mounted to the supporting member the cleaning member is held between the supporting member and the charging roller. The supporting member includes a surface to which the cleaning member is mounted, the surface being a curved surface configured to a circumferential surface of the charging roller. The supporting member includes a surface to which the cleaning member is mounted, the surface including a flat portion extending upstream with respect to rotation of the charging roller and a curved portion extending downstream.

Abstract: A lubricant applying unit includes application mechanism that applies a lubricant from a solid lubricant on a surface of an image carrier that carries an image. The lubricant is a silicon-based-powder or a silicon-based-granule. Since the lubricant is less likely to adhere on a charging member that comes in contact with the image carrier, insufficient charge in the charging roller can be prevented, and a lifetime of the charging roller increases.

Abstract: The invention provides a charging device including a charging roll and a voltage application unit which is capable of applying to the charging roll a voltage in which an alternating current voltage is superimposed on a direct current voltage, the alternating current (Iac) which flows through the charging roll satisfying the following Equation (1), the charging roll satisfying the following conditions (a) to (c), and the charging roll contacting an image supporter to charge the image supporter: Iac/I(inflection)?1.2??Equation (1) (in the Equation (1), I (inflection) represents the flexion point of lac) (a) the fluctuation of the outside diameter is 0.1 mm or less (b) resistance (common logarithm) is 9.0 log·? or less (c) resistance variation (common logarithm) is 0.5 log·? or less.

Abstract: An image-forming device including a plurality of supporting rollers, a photosensitive belt, a pressing roller, an intermediate roller, and a charging roller. The plurality of supporting rollers includes a preselected supporting roller. The photosensitive belt is circularly movably supported on the plurality of supporting rollers. The pressing roller is disposed to contact the photosensitive belt and to press the preselected supporting roller through the photosensitive belt. The intermediate roller is disposed away from the photosensitive belt and to contact the pressing roller. The intermediate roller is rotatable following rotation of the pressing roller. The charging roller is disposed to contact both the photosensitive belt and the intermediate roller and to press the preselected supporting roller through the photosensitive belt. The charging roller is rotatable following rotation of the intermediate roller to thereby charge the photosensitive belt.

Abstract: A belt driving device is provided and includes a plurality of rollers including a driving roller. A belt is configured to be tensioned by the plurality of rollers, and to be driven by the driving roller. The driving roller is arranged adjacent to where an outside body contacts an outer surface of the belt. A pair of fluctuation absorbing members may be configured to absorb tensional fluctuation of the belt at an upstream and a downstream of a cleaning member in a direction which the belt is driven. A detecting means may be utilized to detect a driving load of one of the driving roller and the outside roller and a controller is configured to drive another roller of the driving roller and the outside roller based on the driving load detected by the detecting means. An outside roller may be configured to contact an outer surface of the belt and to be driven by a second motor; a controller configured to control the second motor by a less loop gain than a loop gain to control the first motor.

Abstract: An electrical conductive member is configured to prevent a shape distortion in gap retaining members caused by that the gap retaining members are fitted to an end surface of an electric resistance adjusting layer, and to be able to maintain a gap between the electric residence adjusting layer and an image carrier for a long-term in a constant state with a high accuracy.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus has: a photosensitive drum as an image holding body to form an electrostatic image; a charging roller which is arranged so as to face the drum and charges it; pressing springs which apply a pressing force to the charging roller toward the drum; and spacer members as gap holding members which are attached to both sides of the charging roller, are come into contact with the drum surface, and hold a gap between the drum and the charging roller. The pressing force of the springs and a frictional coefficient between the drum and the spacer members are set in order to driven-rotate the charging roller to the drum at the same peripheral velocity by a frictional force occurring between the drum and the spacer members. The apparatus uses a contactless charging system for realizing high charging performance, high picture quality, and high durability.

Abstract: An imaging member containing a substrate, and a layer containing a polytetrafluoroethylene and a polyol ester, and an image forming apparatus for forming images on a recording medium including the imaging member above, a development component to apply a developer material to said charge-retentive surface to develop said electrostatic latent image to form a developed image on said charge-retentive surface; a transfer component for transferring said developed image from said charge-retentive surface to another member or a copy substrate; and a fusing member to fuse said developed image to said copy substrate.

Abstract: Provided is an electro-photographic image forming apparatus and a method of determining a charging voltage thereof. The electro-photographic image forming apparatus includes: a charge roller for supplying a voltage of a predetermined level to a photoconductor; a transfer roller for transferring a developed image to a printing media by using a developer; a high voltage power supply for supplying a charging voltage at a preset level and a transfer voltage at a preset level to the charge roller and the transfer roller, respectively; and a controller for predicting a charged electric potential deviation based on the transfer voltage to be supplied by the high voltage power supply and for determining a charging voltage level to correct for the predicted charged electric potential deviation. Therefore, the deviation of the charged electric potential caused by the transfer voltage is prevented.

Abstract: A charging device including a charging member configured to charge an image bearing member while the charging member is contacted with or is located so as to be close to the image bearing member when the charging device is set in an image forming apparatus; and a cleaning member configured to clean a surface of the charging member while contacting the surface of the charging member, wherein the pressure A at which the cleaning member is contacted with the charging member when the charging device is set in the image forming apparatus is greater than the pressure B at which the cleaning member is contacted with the charging member before the charging device is set in the image forming apparatus.

Abstract: A charge roller includes a core, a resistive layer disposed on a circumferential surface of the core to charge an image-bearing member without contact, and gap members formed of tape-shaped films. These films are fixed to both ends of the charge roller by winding each of the films in a direction opposite a rotational direction of the charge roller in use and perpendicular to the axial direction thereof to form n layers (wherein n?2) extending in the axial direction at every position in the circumferential direction of the charge roller. The gap members are pressed against a circumferential surface of an image-bearing member to define a charge gap between the image-bearing member and the charge roller.

Abstract: This invention relates to a conductive roller such as a developing roller, a charging roller or the like provided with a resin coating calyer on a surface of an elastic layer, and more particularly to a conductive roller having the resin coating layer using an ultraviolet-curing type resin or an electron beam curing type resin and being obtained by contriving a structure of the resin coating layer, rendering the resin coating layer to contain microparticles, controlling the particle size of the microparticles, or forming the resin coating layer after the outer peripheral surface of the elastic layer is subjected to surface treatment.

Abstract: A cleaning device includes a cleaning roll and an intervening member. The cleaning roll contacts the surface of a charge roll that charges a photoconductor, rotates, and cleans the surface of the charge roll. The intervening member is intervened between the charge roll and the cleaning roll and causes the charge roll and the cleaning roll to separate from each other. The intervening member may be spacers that are intervened at both end portions of the charge roll and the cleaning roll and form a gap between the charge roll and the cleaning roll. The intervening member may also be a lubricant.

Abstract: An image forming device has a charging roller including a shaft which is rotatably supported and a cleaning roller that abuts the charging roller. The cleaning roller includes a shaft that is rotatably supported and a porous elastic layer being provided around the shaft. The image forming device satisfies the relation T×?/100>(R1+R2)?L>B>0, where L [mm] is a separation distance of axial centers of both end portions of the shaft of the cleaning roller and the shaft of the charging roller, R1 [mm] is a radius of the charging roller, T [mm] is a thickness of the porous elastic layer, R2 [mm] is a radius of the cleaning roller, B [mm] is a flexure amount of an axial direction central portion of the shaft of the cleaning roller, and ? [%] is a maximum allowable compression rate in accordance with a stress-flexure curve.

Abstract: A roller device for an image forming apparatus includes a rotary roller having a shaft; and a driving gear connected with the shaft to rotate together with the roller and integrally including a gear unit for power transmission and a bushing unit for position control of the roller. The shaft is engaged with a shaft hole formed to the driving gear and having a predetermined depth. The bushing unit of the driving gear is supported by a bushing support unit of a frame.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a conductive rubber member which exhibits small environmental dependency and stable electrical resistance. The conductive rubber member is formed of a conductive elastic layer which has been imparted with conductivity by means of a conductivity-imparting agent. The conductive elastic layer has, at a surface portion thereof, a surface-treated layer which has been formed through impregnating the surface with a surface-treatment liquid containing an isocyanate component and an ion-conducting polymer.

Abstract: Exemplary embodiments provide bias-able devices for use in electrostato-graphic printing apparatuses using conformable and electrically relaxable rubber materials. The rubber material can include a plurality of nanotubes distributed uniformly and/or spatially-controlled throughout a rubber matrix for providing the rubber material with a uniform mechanical conformability and a uniform electrical resistivity. The rubber material can be used as a functional layer disposed over a conductive substrate such as a conductive core depending on the specific design or engine architecture. Other functional layers can also be disposed over the conductive substrate and/or the rubber material of the bias-able devices including bias charging rolls (BCRs) and bias transfer rolls (BTRs).

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a rotatable image bearing member on which an electrostatic latent image is formed; a charging member for being supplied with a charging voltage which is a DC voltage not having an AC voltage component and for contacting the bearing member to electrically charge a surface of the bearing member using an electric discharge; a transfer member for transferring onto a transfer material a toner image formed on the surface of the bearing member by developing the electrostatic latent image, at a transfer position; wherein the charging potential of the charging member is different between when the charging member provides a first region with a potential and when the charging member provides a second region with a potential, thus providing a predetermined potential difference between the first region and the second region, and wherein the transfer member is not supplied with a voltage when the second region is at the transfer position, where the first region is a region on the image b

Abstract: A developing cartridge includes a main frame including a photosensitive medium, and a charging member frame including a charging member to charge the photosensitive medium and detachably disposed at the main frame. The main frame includes a plurality of frame reference grooves, and the charging member frame includes a plurality of frame reference projections to be inserted into the plurality of frame reference grooves of the main frame.

Abstract: A charging apparatus includes a charger for being supplied with an AC voltage and for electrically charging a member to be charged; a current measurer for measuring a current flowing between the charger and the member to be charged when the AC voltage is supplied to the charger; and a particular current extractor for extracting from the current a particular current having a particular frequency.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: an image carrying member having a movable surface; a charging device including a rotatable charging member which is supplied with a voltage including a direct voltage superimposed with an alternating voltage, and which contacts and charges the image carrying member; an electrostatic latent image forming device for forming an electrostatic latent image on the image carrying member; and a development device for developing the electrostatic latent image. The frequency of the alternating voltage is lower in a non-image forming area than in an image forming area. In the non-image forming area, the image carrying member is charged to a surface potential having a waveform shape in accordance with the alternating voltage, and the potential difference between the surface potential and the voltage applied to the charging member generates an electric field which moves toner adhering to the charging member to the image carrying member.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a charging device for charging a photosensitive element having a moving surface, by bringing a charging roller, to which voltage is applied, into pressure-contact with the photosensitive element, wherein to the charging member there is applied voltage for forming an electric field such that toner adhered to the charging roller surface at a non-image forming area is oriented towards the photosensitive element. The image forming apparatus is provided with pressure contact force modifying means for making the pressure contact force of the charging roller against the photosensitive element at the non-image forming area greater than that at an image forming area.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: an image carrier that rotates; and a charging member that is provided opposingly to the image carrier, and that charges a surface of the image carrier, wherein a discharge inhibitor that suppresses a discharge in an axial end portion is interposed in a portion where the charging member is opposed to the image carrier.

Abstract: A conductive rubber roller 10 has a conductive rubber layer 1, containing chloroprene rubber, and composes an outermost layer thereof. When an alternating current is applied to the conductive rubber roller 10 at a voltage of five and a frequency of 100 Hertz, the dielectric loss tangent is 0.1 to 1.8.

Abstract: An image formation apparatus using an elecrophotographic process for obtaining a high quality image with tone value R2 of equal to or more than 0.98 is provided. The resolution for light-writing is equal to or more than 1200 dpi and/or light-writing is performed based on image data formed by applying halftone processing at a line frequency of equal to or more than 200 lpi. Light-writing means is accomplished with a laser light beam with a beam diameter equal to or less than 35 ?m. The photoconductor includes a charge generating layer containing a charge generating material and a charge transfer layer containing a charge transfer material laminated on a conductive support. The ionization potential of the charge generating material Ip(CG) and ionization potential of the charge transfer material Ip(CT) satisfy the relationship of Ip(CG)?Ip(CT).

Abstract: A technology capable of realizing a stable charging performance in an image forming apparatus employing a contact charging system is provided. A charging device is configured to have a charging member to which a prescribed bias voltage is applied and which comes into contact with an image carrying surface of an image carrier to charge the image carrying surface; and a particle supply section configured to supply a charging auxiliary particle made of a conductive particle having a diamond particle contained therein in a portion coming into contact with the image carrying surface in the charging member.

Abstract: A method of modifying screened image data so that there is no visible seam when the image is printed repeatedly in a circumferential direction, for example using a drum output device. One version applicable to images screened using a supercell includes cutting the image so that the image size in the circumferential direction is an integral number of screen supercells. Another version includes displacing halftone dots in a neighborhood of the seam such that the seam is not visible in a repeated print.

Abstract: The present invention provides an electrophotographic photoconductive member comprising a substrate, and a photoconductive layer containing a hole transferring material, a charge generating material and a binder resin, wherein a value (IV/OV value) in which the inorganic value is divided by the organic value of the binder resin is 0.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: an image supporting member; a charge roller for charging the image supporting member; a gap setting member disposed on the charge roller for setting a gap between the image supporting member and the charge roller; and a pressing member disposed at a position corresponding to the gap setting member for pressing the charge roller against the image supporting member. Accordingly, it is possible to form a constant gap between the charge roller and the image supporting member, thereby consistently charging the image supporting member.

Abstract: A charging device includes a charging member that contacts a member to be charged, charges the member with a predetermined voltage applied to the charging member, and includes a surface layer containing a resin solid and a conductive agent of approximately 10 wt. % or more with respect to the resin solid content.

Abstract: A charging technique in which the generation of ozone is suppressed and charging efficiency can be improved is provided. There are included an elastic body to come in contact with a body to be charged, the elastic body including a portion which comes in contact with the body to be charged and is formed of a material containing a diamond particle, and a voltage application unit to charge the body to be charged by applying a specified bias voltage through the elastic body to the body to be charged.

Abstract: A charging device for charging an image supporting member includes a charging roller for charging the image supporting member; and a cleaning member for cleaning the surface of the charging roller. The charging roller has a surface, and the surface has irregularity oriented in a direction opposite to a direction that the cleaning member slides against the charging roller. Further, the surface has a maximum peak height Rp within a range of 2 ?m?Rp?10 ?m, and an average profile length RSm within a range of 40 ?m?RSm?200 ?m.

Abstract: A rubber roller, for use in an image-forming apparatus, which is formed by molding a rubber composition into the shape of a roller. In the rubber roller, a complex elastic modulus E* of rubber and a surface roughness Rz of the rubber roller satisfy a relationship indicated by an equation (1) shown below; and a hardness change of the rubber is set to not more than five points when the rubber ages at 70° C. for eight days: 7×Ln E*?0.12×Rz+3.0?10.

Abstract: A charging roller including: a support; an elastic layer provided on the outer peripheral surface of the support, and having a ground-finished outer peripheral surface; and a surface layer formed to cover the outer peripheral surface of the elastic layer and that has a thickness of about 2 ?m to about 10 ?m from the outer peripheral surface of the elastic layer, and a proportion of water absorbed in the total of the elastic layer and the surface layer, after storage for 48 hours in an environment having a temperature of 10° C. and a humidity of 15% RH, and after storage for 48 hours in an environment having a temperature of 28° C. and a humidity of 85% RH, being about 2% to about 8% by weight, being about 2% to about 8% by weight.

Abstract: A charging member is disclosed having a support and at least one cover layer provided on the support., The cover layer has an outermost layer of the cover layer placed at the outermost surface of the charging member; the outermost layer contains i) composite particles composed of first metal oxide particles coated with carbon black, ii) second metal oxide particles and iii) a binder.

Abstract: Flanges are pressed into opposite ends of a photoreceptor drum. A noncontact charging roller is arranged so as to face, but have no direct contact with, the photoreceptor drum. On both end portions of the noncontact charging roller, spacers are provided for maintaing a gap between the photoreceptor drum and the noncontact charging roller. The spacers are of tape form and wound around the noncontact charging roller. Winding positions of the spacers are distant by more than an effective projection length of each of the flanges from respective opposite ends of the charging roller.

Abstract: A component for an image forming apparatus may include a seamless knit fabric which may be applied to a shaft. Both the fabric and the shaft may be electrically conductive. The fabric and the shaft may be separated by foam. The component may be employed in an image forming apparatus or in an image forming device cartridge.

Abstract: A charge roll comprises a roll member that contacts an image carrier and rotates, the roll member comprising a conductive material that charges the surface of the image carrier, and the roll member having particles on the outer circumferential surface of the roll member to have a surface roughness within a predetermined range.

Abstract: An inexpensive electrically conductive roll which is easily produced compared with conventional rolls, offers stable adhesion at the interface with time lapse after mixing adhesive components, which is not affected by environment during storage of the core after being applied with an adhesive. The electrically conductive roll comprises a shaft 11, an adhesive layer 12 formed on an outer periphery of the shaft and a base rubber layer 13 formed on an outer periphery of the adhesive layer, wherein the base rubber layer includes an addition reaction curing silicone elastomer and the adhesive layer includes a one part epoxy adhesive.

Abstract: A charging device and an image forming apparatus using the charging device. The charging device includes a charging member to uniformly charge a surface of a latent image bearing member in contact therewith, a charge bias application unit to apply a charge bias to the charging member, a conductive member to contact a surface of the charging member, and a different-valued bias application unit to apply a different-valued bias different from the charge bias to the conductive member. The image forming apparatus includes a latent image bearing member to bear a latent image, a latent image forming unit to form the latent image on the latent image bearing member, a development unit to develop the latent image with toner, and the charging device.

Abstract: A charge roller that includes a metal core, an elastic member configured wrapped around the metal core, and film members is disclosed. Each of the film members is wrapped around each end of the elastic member in a circumferential direction of the metal core such that at least a part of each of the film members exists at every position around the ends of the elastic member in an axial direction of the metal core. Portions of the film members do not overlap each other in an radial direction of the metal core.

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 represented by the general formula 1 below, 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. [Chemical Formula 1] ?A-B?n??(1) In the general formula 1, A represents a diphenyl ether 4,4?-dicarboxylic acid residue represented by the formula A below, and B represents a bivalent phenol residue represented by the formula B below. In the 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 conductive foamed roller includes a metal shaft portion and a conductive foamed rubber portion. The conductive foamed roller has a permanent compressive strain of equal to or less than 1.75%.

Abstract: A charging unit is disclosed capable of reducing undue variation and fluctuation margin of a charging gap, and controlling accurately the proper gap durably over the change of environmental conditions, which is suitably incorporated into an image forming apparatus. The charging unit is configured to charge an image bearing member in a non-contact arrangement, including a charging roller provided with a core shaft, a charging member formed of electroconductive resin integrally disposed on the periphery of the core shaft, and gap holding members formed of insulating resin each disposed at respective ends of the charging member outside an image forming region. The control of the charging gap is feasible by either forming the gap with a charging member having such a materials condition as to satisfy the relation, |G30?G10|×5<G20, where G10, G20 and G30 are the gap averages at 10°, 20° and 30° C.

Abstract: An image generating apparatus includes a side plate integrally provided with a bearing supporting a shaft of a platen roller and a U-shaped torsion spring for urging the shaft of the platen roller toward an axial first side, mounted on the side plate, in which the side plate integrally has a groove portion storing the U-shaped torsion spring and linked to a hole of the bearing, and a coupling portion covering an opening of the groove portion such that a through hole receiving the U-shaped torsion spring is formed by the coupling portion and the groove portion.