Abstract: An image forming apparatus comprising: an image bearing member; a conveying member; a transfer means; an attraction means, which is disposed upstream of the transfer means in a conveying direction of the transfer material, for attracting the transfer material onto the conveying member; and a winding means, which is disposed downstream of the transfer means in the conveying direction of the transfer material, for winding the conveying member, wherein a contact amount between the conveying member and the winding means corresponding to a first region where a width of the attraction means pressing the conveying member in the conveying direction is smaller than the contact amount between the conveying member and the winding means corresponding to a second region in which a width of the attraction means which presses the conveying member in the conveying direction that is smaller than the first width.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a separation supporting unit for forming undulations on a recording material bearing member, and a roller disposed between the separation supporting unit and a transfer nip and configured to stretch the recording material bearing member.

Abstract: If a velocity calculated by a velocity calculating unit deviates from a normal range, a target velocity is used as a feedback amount, an actuation amount corresponding to a deviation Ve=0 between the feedback amount Vf=Vt and the target velocity Vt is calculated, and a driving power corresponding to this actuation amount is supplied to a motor. A conveyor belt can be driven stably without causing irregularity in a speed of the conveyor belt.

Abstract: A semiconductive belt includes: at least one different resistance portion that is configured to partly differ in surface resistance from surroundings, wherein the at least one different resistance portion is at an angle with respect to a direction perpendicular to a belt end portion.

Abstract: Provided is an intermediate transfer member, a method of producing the same, and an image forming method and an image forming apparatus thereof having excellent effects such that neither crack nor rupture is generated upon repetitive use, no transferring ratio drops during secondary transfer, and neither white patch of an text image nor white patch of a solid image is generated. Also disclosed is an intermediate transfer member used for an image forming apparatus, wherein a surface of the intermediate transfer member has a hardness of 1.5-3.0 GPa, measured by a nano indentation method, and a hardness of 0.15-0.45 GPa, specified by a universal hardness method.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: a belt member stretched across at least two rollers; a protrusion disposed, such that it protrudes along the traveling direction of the belt member, on an inner surface of one edge side of the belt member; an engagement portion that is formed in an end portion of the rollers and with which the protrusion is engageable; and an image carrier that retains a toner image transferred to a recording medium conveyed by the belt member or the surface of the belt member. The end portion at the opposite side, in the width direction of the belt member, of one roller of the rollers is shifted in the direction where it separates from the image carrier and axially supported.

Abstract: A toner image transfer assembly has a tacking assembly, an image transfer assembly, and a media transport assembly. The tacking assembly senses critical properties of media while electrostatically tacking media to a transport device. The tacking assembly forwards data corresponding to the sensed electrical properties to the image transfer assembly so that the image transfer assembly anticipates the electrical properties of an approaching media type.

Abstract: An endless belt is extended over extending rollers, and carries a toner image transferred from an image carrier or a transfer sheet. The endless belt includes a front-side reinforcing member and a rear-side reinforcing member, and a guide member for preventing meandering fixed over an approximately entire circumference on the rear-side reinforcing member. The extending rollers include a step portion provided in an end area in an axial direction facing to the rear-side reinforcing member, which has a diameter smaller than a center area in the axial direction. The front-side reinforcing member has a width wider than a width of the rear-side reinforcing member.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image transferring device having a belt transfer unit for effectively performing an image transfer operation. The belt transfer unit includes a transport mechanism transporting a toner image, a scale provided around an entire perimeter of a surface of the transferring member and including at least one colored resin layer, and a scale reading mechanism arranged facing the scale and reading the scale. With the above-described belt transfer unit, a feedback control can effectively be performed to maintain constant reading accuracy and to prevent a voltage leak from a transfer mechanism.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a developing unit which develops toner to form an image, a transfer unit which transfers the image onto a printing medium, and a fusing unit to fuse the image transferred onto the printing medium, wherein the transfer unit includes a belt, a plurality of rollers which rotatably supports the belt, and a belt tension applying unit which moves a first roller of the plurality of rollers between a belt tension release position at which a tension of the belt releases and a belt tension applying position at which the tension of the belt applies by the interlocking motion between the belt tension applying unit and a second roller of the plurality of rollers.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a plurality of rotors, and an endless belt that is supported with tension by the plurality of rotors and rotated by the rotors. Herein, at least one of the plurality of rotors is provided, at a first end, with a belt restraining member that has a restraining face for restraining displacement of the endless belt toward the first end and that is rotatable with respect to the rotor; and the belt restraining member is arranged such that an angle between the restraining face of the belt restraining member and a rotation shaft of the rotor is greater at a contact start point at which the endless belt begins contact with the belt restraining member during rotation than at a contact end point at which the endless belt ends contact with the belt restraining member during rotation.

Abstract: An image forming device has image forming units 3-6, a transfer belt 7, a position detection unit 19, a concentration sensor 23, and an adjustment unit. A toner image is formed on the surfaces of the image forming units 3-6, and transferred onto the transfer belt 7. The position detection unit 19 detects a predetermined position on the surface of the transfer belt 7. On the predetermined position, the concentration sensor 23 detects first information relating to the color of the surface of the transfer belt 7. The concentration sensor 23 detects second information relating to the color of the pattern image that is formed on the predetermined position. The adjustment unit adjusts toner concentration at the time of forming an image based on the first information and the second information detected by the concentration sensor 23.

Abstract: In an intermediate transfer part (100), a bead 107 is formed on an inner side of an intermediate transfer belt (102), which is rotated by an intermediate transfer belt drive roller (101). Driven roller bearings (104a, 104b) support an intermediate transfer belt driven roller (103). The intermediate transfer belt driven roller (103) is movable in a thrust direction. Ends of the intermediate transfer belt driven roller (101) and the intermediate transfer belt driven roller (103) interfere with a bead (107) so as to restrict a deflection of the intermediate transfer belt in the thrust direction. The intermediate transfer belt driven roller (103) is movable in the thrust direction against a deflection of the intermediate transfer belt (102).

Abstract: A transfer device is configured to include a drive roller, a driven roller and a transfer belt supported between these rollers and provided with first and second guide ribs extending circumferentially at both side edges on the undersurface thereof and a drive roller, so as to prevent the transfer belt from skewing by making the drive roller and driven roller abut at both ends against first and second inner circumferential surfaces of the first and second guide ribs. The drive roller and the driven roller are specified to have a length approximately equal to each other and shorter than the spacing between the first and second inner circumferential surfaces and arranged such that the first spacing between a first end of the drive roller on the drive gear side and the first guide rib is wider than the second spacing between a second end of the driven roller on the drive gear side and the first guide rib.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an endless belt that is rotated, an image forming device configured to form an image on a recording medium which fed on the endless belt, a cleaning roller configured to be rotated and clean the endless belt, a pair of registration rollers configured to be rotated in a recording medium feeding direction and to feed a recording medium to the image forming device, and a motor configured to rotate in two directions. The image forming apparatus may further include first, second, and third gear mechanisms. The first and second gear mechanisms are configured to switch between transmission and non-transmission of a driving force to the cleaning roller according to rotational direction of the motor. The third gear mechanism is configured to switch between transmission and non-transmission of the driving force to the registration roller according to the rotational direction of the motor.

Abstract: An aspect of the invention provides an endless belt in which a ten-point mean roughness of a surface of the endless belt is measured with scanning probe and is in a range from not less than 2.1 nm to not more than 11.0 nm. Thereby, poor transfer does not occur, and a highly fine image of high quality can be obtained.

Abstract: Treating a transport mechanism (5) for transporting print material (2) in a printing press (1) that uses toner in which oil-bearing substances (27) adhere to the transport mechanism (5). A cleaning device (30) is provided with at least one cleaning element (33) movable relative to the surface of the transport mechanism (5) for application of at least one oil-repelling substance (37) that reduces the adherence of the oil-bearing substances (27) to the transport mechanism (5). Accordingly, this cleaning element (33) can strip the surface of the transport mechanism (5) of oil-bearing substances (27).

Abstract: A device and a method are provided for recharging a belt conveyor which is used for transporting a printing medium in the transfer area of an electrophotographic printer or a copying machine. The device includes a blade-like contacting element which is adjacent to the belt conveyor and arranged transversally with respect to the forward motion thereof. The contacting element makes it possible to transfer an electric charge to the belt conveyor and is mounted on a bearing element which can be inserted into a printer or a copying machine and withdrawn therefrom. A method is provided for controlling a printer or copier device by which errors, such as paper jams, can be cleared automatically. A controller commands a module having the error to clear the error automatically. The commands are sent to modules beginning at the output of the printer or copier device and moving in a reverse direction to the paper flow direction of the printer or copier so as to automatically clear errors such as paper jams.

Abstract: In a method and system for transfer printing of an electrostatic recharge toner image from an intermediate carrier onto a recording medium and for fixing of the transfer-printed toner image onto the recording medium, the recording medium lying on an electrostatically-chargeable conveyor belt and adhered thereto by electrostatic forces is transported through a transfer printing region and subsequently along a guided transport section. The recording medium is conveyed to a fixing device. The guided transport section is arranged in a transport unit and the fixing device is arranged in a fixing unit which are independent of one another. The fixing unit has at least one wall designed to hinder a heat transfer from the fixing unit to the transport unit.

Abstract: A locking apparatus includes a lever unit disposed at an intermediate transfer belt frame to cause an intermediate transfer belt to contact a photosensitive medium; a locking unit disposed at a supporting cover to cause the supporting cover to be fixed to and separated from an engine frame; and a coupling unit to cause the lever unit to operate in association with the locking unit.

Abstract: A mark detecting unit detects a mark that is a reference position of an endless belt. An angular-displacement-error detecting unit detects an angular displacement error of an encoder caused by thickness fluctuation of the endless belt. A first calculating unit calculates a phase and a maximum amplitude to the mark. A second calculating unit calculates correction data according to a distance from the mark on the endless belt. A belt-drive control device controls a belt driving unit by adding the correction data to a preset control target value to stabilize speed fluctuation of the endless belt due to the thickness fluctuation.

Abstract: A belt member of the present invention includes ribs that prevent the belt member from being shifted to either side. A plurality of cuts are formed in each rib at preselected intervals in the circumferential direction of the belt member, and each extends from the top toward the bottom of the rib. The cuts may be replaced with projections and recesses alternating with each other in the cicumferential direction of the belt member or bores formed at preselected intervals in the above direction. Such ribs allow, without being subject to a heavy load, the belt member to be wrapped around a support roller with a large curvature or bent in the inverse direction. This reduces deterioration and slippage ascribable to the position of the belt member desirable for the size reduction of an apparatus on which the belt member is mounted.

Abstract: A tandem image forming device for an image forming apparatus of the present invention includes a plurality of image forming means arranged side by side along an intermediate image transfer belt. The image forming means each include a developing device and a cleaning device arranged around an image carrier. One of nearby image forming means has its cleaning device positioned above the developing device of the other image forming means, e.g., an agitating section forming part of the image forming means. This configuration insures smooth circulation of a developer and therefore obviates an irregular developer distribution while reducing the overall size of the image forming device.

Abstract: A belt device includes an endless belt, a plurality of rollers around which the endless belt is wound, and a foreign material entry preventing member disposed on at least one side of the endless belt in the width direction. The foreign material entry preventing member prevents the entry of the foreign material into a region surrounded by the endless belt.

Abstract: Transfer roller(s) is/are such that either end thereof is formed from fibrous electrically conductive component(s) and such that cylindrical portion(s) in central region(s) is/are, for example, formed from metal roller-like structure(s), either fibrous electrically conductive component outer end being arranged so as to extend somewhat beyond either transfer/transport belt side. Furthermore, outside diameter(s) approximated by tips of respective individual fiber(s) of fibrous electrically conductive component(s) is/are somewhat larger than diameter(s) of metal roller-like structure(s). This makes it possible for electric field(s) to be applied, and for charging to occur, along the full width(s) of transfer/transport belt(s).

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes plurality image carriers sequentially arranged, a conveying belt, which conveys a print medium onto which color-separated images formed on the plurality of image carriers are overlapped, and a plurality of image transfer rollers installed to respectively correspond to the plurality image carriers. The conveying belt is interposed between the image transfer rollers and the image carriers. At least one of the plurality image transfer rollers is arranged to be compressed with a pressure higher than those applied to the other image transfer rollers against the image carriers.

Abstract: The image forming apparatus of the present invention includes a first and a second main conveyance path, a first and a second processing unit, a transfer unit, and a fixing unit. The first and second main conveyance paths come together after having branched apart between a paper supply unit and a paper delivery unit. A recording medium is selectively conveyed along either one of the first and second main conveyance path. Image formation is performed by a method of electrophotography by, alternatively, either the first or second processing unit. Between the first and second main conveyance paths where they are branched apart, the transfer unit generates a transfer electric field between itself and one or the other of the first and second processing unit. The fixing unit controls the temperature of a first or a second fixing roller, which are disposed in the first and second main conveyance path after they have come together, alternatively.

Abstract: Provided are photosensitive body or bodies 31b carrying toner; transfer roller(s) 31d, rotating and coming in contact with photosensitive body or bodies 31b, for causing toner image(s) formed on photosensitive body or bodies 31b to be electrostatically relocated onto paper 5; and paper transport means disposed upstream in transport direction(s) from transfer roller(s) 31d and comprising drive roller(s) 36d1 and idler roller(s) 36d2 holding lead edge portion(s) 5a of paper 5 in nip(s) formed therebetween and rotating so as to cause transport of same; drive roller(s) 36d1 and idler roller(s) 36d2 being disposed to the side, on which photosensitive body or bodies 31b is or are present, of a plane L more or less tangent to nip(s) formed between photosensitive body or bodies 31b and transfer roller(s) 31d; and direction(s) R of transport of paper from drive roller(s) 36d1 and idler roller(s) 36d2 being disposed so as to be directed toward transfer roller(s) 31d.

Abstract: A conductive belt having a base layer (3) electroconductive and made of a resin, an intermediate layer (5) ionic-conductive and made of an elastomer, and a surface coating layer (7). The base layer (3) has a tensile modulus of elasticity of not less than 500 Mpa and a volume electric resistance value not less than 106 ?·cm nor more than 1011 ?·cm. The intermediate layer (5) has a JIS A hardness less than 70, a thickness not less than 50 ?m nor more than 600 ?m, and a volume electric resistance value not less than 108 ?·cm nor more than 1014 ?·cm.

Abstract: A belt drive control device constructed to sense the angular displacement or the angular velocity of a driven roller. The belt drive control device separates, from a sensed angular displacement or the angular velocity, an AC component having a frequency that corresponds to the periodic thickness variation of an endless belt in the circumferential direction, and then controls the rotation of a drive roller in accordance with the amplitude and phase of the AC component.

Abstract: An endless belt for electrophotography is disclosed which is obtainable continuously by melt extrusion from a circular die. The endless belt has a layer containing a thermoplastic resin having a diphenyl sulfone structure represented by the following Formula (1) Also disclosed are a process for producing the endless belt and an image forming apparatus having the endless belt.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for conditioning a moving transport web for neutralizing or modifying polar charge density and net charge density on the moving transport web included, for example, in an electrostatographic printer. The web conditioning includes a charging station which has a first stage including two open-wire AC corona chargers facing one another across the transport web, and downstream, a second stage including two gridded AC corona chargers facing one another across the transport web. The grids of the gridded AC corona chargers are preferably grounded, the AC waveforms for energizing the corona wires of the open-wire chargers and the gridded chargers are preferably quasi trapezoidal with no applied DC offsets, with preferably preselected asymmetries in the spacings from the web in the first and second stages. The first stage accomplishes at least about 80% of said neutralizing of said polar charge density.

Abstract: A method of forming an image includes causing a material, that increases a viscosity of liquid drops by contact with the liquid drops, to adhere to a transfer medium, causing a liquid drop to contact the material according to an image signal such that an image is formed with the liquid drop having been increased in viscosity by contact with the material, and transferring the image to a recording medium. The viscosity of the liquid drop when increased on the transfer medium by contact with the material is set such that the liquid drop adheres to the recording medium without being divided into a part remaining on the transfer medium and another part being transferred to the recording medium. By the above-described image forming method, good image transfer is realized and thereby an image having no blotting is obtained.

Abstract: An endless seamed flexible belt comprising a first end and a second end which join together to form a seam, the seam having an adhesive with an oxidized charge transport molecule, a charge transport molecule, or mixtures thereof.

Abstract: A microcomputer processes count data counted by a CPU counter, and accumulates it in a RAM. The microcomputer always accesses the count data accumulated in the RAM and compares it with preset count data. Based on the comparison result, the microcomputer controls the rotation speed of a drive motor for a transfer belt.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a photosensitive member which is provided on an outer surface of a drum that rotates and on which a toner image is formed, and a belt which contacts a recording sheet with a photosensitive member while conveying the recording sheet, to transfer a toner image formed on the outer surface of the photosensitive member to the recording sheet. The photosensitive member and the transferring belt are rotated so that the time required for an arbitrary point on the photosensitive member and an arbitrary point on the transferring belt to pass through a nip area that electrically connects the photosensitive member and the transferring belt together is 20 msec or more.

Abstract: An apparatus for steering a moving web, particularly in an electrophotographic printing machine of the type having an endless photoreceptor belt supported by a plurality of rolls and arranged to move in a predetermined path through a plurality of processing stations disposed therealong the belt being of the type which is supported by a plurality of rolls. A roll for steering the belt is adapted for rotational movement about a first axis and tilting movement about a second axis transverse to the first axis. The steering roll further is cylindrical along its length, however the ends of the cylindrical portion of the roll are radiused to reduce the stress induced on the belt edge when the roll is tilted to effect steering of the belt. Additionally, the radiused ends may be filled with a compliant material to provide needed edge support while still reducing the stress induced at the belt edge.

Abstract: A transfer material carrying member for carrying a transfer material for receiving an image from an image bearing member, includes a first layer having a thickness Ha and a second layer having a thickness of Hb. A change, Xa, due to an ambient condition, in a length of the first layer measured in a direction perpendicular to a thickness direction of the first layer, and a change, Xb, due to the ambient condition, in a length of the second layer measured in a direction perpendicular to a thickness direction of the second layer, satisfy: |Xl−Xb|<Ha+Hb.

Abstract: A convey belt is charged only while a sheet is placed and chucked on it. A transfer member for applying a transfer bias is grounded while a transfer bias is not applied, and an electric field is formed on the transfer member side, so that discharge from the surface of the convey belt to the photosensitive body side is suppressed. While transfer is not performed, a bias lower than the bias applied during transfer is applied to the transfer member, so the potential of the transfer member becomes lower than the surface potential of the convey belt. The polarity of the charges applied to charge the convey belt is set to be equal to that of charges applied to charge the photosensitive body. While chucking a sheet, the surface of the convey belt is charged. During the remaining period, an AC bias is applied to the convey belt in order to remove charges from the surface of the convey belt. With any one of the above arrangements, high quality image formation is enabled.

Abstract: A transfer device that transfers color visual images of different colors from image carriers to each of first and second sides of a recording medium. The transfer device includes a transfer element that holds and moves the recording medium, transfer bias applying devices that apply transfer biases to the recording medium by the transfer element to transfer the color visual images from the image carriers to the recording medium, respectively, and an adsorbing bias applying device that applies an adsorbing bias to the recording medium to adsorb the recording medium to the transfer element. A polarity of the adsorbing bias applied to the second side of the recording medium is opposite to that of electric charge given to the recording medium due to electric discharge generated when the recording medium is separated from the image carriers after passing through transfer nip parts formed between the image carriers and the transfer bias applying devices.

Abstract: Disclosed a tandem type color image forming apparatus and a color image forming method to reduce the cost of production without lowering the transfer efficiency. An electric potential setting member (170) is disposed in the tandem color image forming apparatus. The electric potential setting member (170) sets the electric potential difference between the front and back faces of a dielectric belt (160) in tandem image forming units (110 to 140) to approximately 0V before a transfer material (100) is adsorbed. This enables the electric potential difference between the front and back faces of the dielectric belt (160) in the respective color transfer positions to be set to approximately 0V. Therefore, there is a wide range of selecting the dielectric belt types, and the lowering of the transfer efficiency can be prevented, which is caused by the lowering of the resistance value of the dielectric belt surface after running.

Abstract: Disclosed is a transfer-fixing belt for an electronic appliance, comprising a seamless reinforcing layer made of a continuous string, a heat resistant rubber layer formed on the reinforcing layer, and a heat resistant resin layer formed on the heat resistant rubber layer and adapted for releasing the toner attached thereto.

Abstract: An apparatus for transporting web-shaped recording media through an electrographic printer or copier has a support member which supports driving and guiding elements. The support is pivotally mounted in the housing via a support shaft. The recording medium is transported by friction by a drive roller mounted on the support, the recording medium being pressed against the toner carrier by a pressing member. The supporting shaft and the drive roller run in a coaxial manner.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image bearing member for bearing an image, a recording material bearing member for bearing a recording material, a first charge supplying device for supplying an electric charge having a predetermined polarity onto an opposite side of a surface on which the recording material is borne by the recording material bearing member in order to electrostatically transfer the image on the image bearing member to the recording material, and a second charge supplying device for supplying an electric charge onto an opposite side of the surface on which the recording material is borne by the recording material bearing member prior to the recording material is borne by the recording material bearing member, wherein, in a direction substantially perpendicular to a recording material conveying direction, the second charge supplying device supplies an electric charge to the intermediate transfer member in such a way that a charge amount of a second area outside a first area becomes great

Abstract: A transfer member having a porous substrate, and a release agent material associated therewith, are discussed.

Abstract: A region with high resistance equal to the atmosphere is provided in a transfer roller. A discharge electrode capable of performing discharge between a base member and the discharge electrode is arranged within the region. When a predetermined electric potential is applied to the discharge electrode from a transfer power supply, the electric potential is separated and respectively applied to a first region in the transfer roller and a second region between the transfer roller and a photosensitive drum. At this time, since both the first and second regions are regions of high resistance, the electric potential applied to each region is equal, and therefore the electric field can never be concentrated in the second region. Moreover, since a predetermined electric field is formed in the first region, even when the transfer roller and photosensitive drum come into contact with each other, a transfer current can never collect in the contact.

Abstract: A copying machine is provided with a transfer belt which is in contact with the surface of a photosensitive drum and which is made to run in an endless manner. A transfer roller and an auxiliary roller are arranged inside the region defined by the transfer belt. The transfer roller is in contact with the transfer belt, defining a transfer nip therebetween. The transfer nip is part of a conveyance nip defined between the drum surface and the transfer belt, and is located downstream of the region just under the photosensitive drum. The auxiliary roller is located downstream of the conveyance nip. The contact between the drum surface and the transfer belt defines a posterior-transfer conveyance nip located downstream of the transfer nip with respect to the running direction of the transfer belt, and also defines a prior-transfer conveyance nip located upstream of the transfer nip with respect to the same direction.

Abstract: In a method and apparatus for transferring a toner image to a receiver sheet, there is provided an endless belt that is mounted for movement in a direction along a lengthwise dimension of the belt and through an endless path. The belt includes a splice seam that occurs transverse to the direction of movement of the belt, the seam having a discontinuity into which toner tends to collect which is free to transfer. The seam includes a bump proximate each end of the splice seam which extends above the seam. A rotatable member rotates while in engagement with a surface of the belt so as to urge a receiving sheet into intimate engagement with the surface between the rotatable member and the belt. The bumps support the rotatable member out of engagement with the splice seam to substantially preclude transfer to the rotatable member of toner accumulating in the splice seam between the bumps.

Abstract: A belt conveyor system has a rotatable first roller and a second roller tapered toward a first end thereof and located substantially parallel to and at a distance from the first roller. The system also has a conveyor belt passed around and stretched between the first and second rollers for endless traveling. The system further includes a regulating member located at a position close to a first end of the first roller, opposite the first end of the second roller. The regulating member is in sliding contact with an end side of the conveyor belt only in a region where the conveyor belt is in contact with the first roller.

Abstract: A color image forming apparatus having a plurality of image forming units, a first attraction unit and a second attraction unit for attracting a recording sheet to a transport belt, and a controller for operating the first attraction unit when a first mode is set for forming a color image using all of the plurality of image forming units, and for operating the second attraction unit when a second mode is set for forming a single-color image using only one of the image forming units. In another embodiment, a controller sets a transfer pressure at a first pressure for each of the plurality of image forming units when the first mode is set and at a second pressure, which is higher than the first pressure, for the image forming units not being used to form the single-color image when the second mode is set.