Abstract: In an electrophotographic copying machine, image quality is improved by suppressing phenomena such as narrowing and thickening of a linear image or discharge noises in a photograph image due to anomalies on transfer of a toner image. For example, a document type is discriminated and when a transfer brush is used for transfer, transfer current and pretransfer erasing are controlled according to the type of document image. The pretransfer erasing is controlled in various following situations: Bi-level exposure method or multi-level exposure method, edge emphasis, photoelectric efficiency, the surface potential of the photoconductor, and position of a developing device.

Abstract: A wet electrophotographic printer includes a plurality of electrostatic latent image forming units for forming an electrostatic latent image on a photosensitive belt on an endless track, a developer for fixing a developing solution on a portion of the belt where the electrostatic latent image is formed, a drier for drying the developing solution to form a toner image, a transfer unit for transferring the toner image to a recording sheet, and a carrier unit having a plurality of carrier rollers rotating the photosensitive belt. The transfer unit includes a transfer roller confronting a carrier roller with the photosensitive belt interposed therebetween, a pressing roller confronting the transfer roller with the recording sheet interposed therebetween, and elevating means for elevating the transfer roller and the pressing roller with respect to the transfer roller within a predetermined timing interval.

Abstract: An apparatus for mechanically assisting the transfer of an image from an image bearing member onto a substrate. The apparatus includes a transfer assist blade that forces a substrate toward an image bearing member, a motor, a mechanical assembly for coupling the motor to the transfer assist blade such that motor operation changes the transfer assist blade force, and a controller that controls the motor operation. The controller might receive inputs from a substrate sensor, an operator control panel, and/or a service adjustment. The controller might use those inputs to control the motor operation, and thus the transfer force. Alternatively, the controller might control the transfer force as a result of the operation of the overall machine, such as by changing the transfer force during duplex printing or during the transfer of various color images.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an image forming method for forming an image by ink, and an image forming apparatus applied to a copier, a printer and the like, which enables the use of a water ink and forms an image of high quality. The image forming method comprises a particle image forming step for forming a particle image in a deposited pattern of particles; an ink supplying step for supplying ink to the particle image to hold the ink in a void portion between the particles of the particle image; and an ink transfer step for transferring the ink supplied to the particle image to an object.

Abstract: An image forming method, including the steps of: forming a toner image with a toner having toner particles and an external additive on a surface of a first image-carrying member which includes a support and a lamination layer disposed thereon containing a peeling layer, fixing the toner image on the surface of the peeling layer of the first image-carrying member to form a fixed image, peeling the peeling layer having the fixed image from the first image-carrying member, and transferring the fixed image on the peeling layer onto a second image-carrying member while swelling the peeling layer, wherein the lamination layer has at least the peeling layer and an adhesive layer, the peeling layer at least including a transfer layer and having an area expansion ratio of 102-106%. The transfer layer may preferably be a composition containing a high-saponified polyvinyl alcohol having a saponification degree of at least 90% and a low-saponified polyvinyl alcohol having a saponification degree of below 90%.

Abstract: To assist transfer of toner images from a first transfer surface to a second transfer surface, the first transfer surface is actively cooled to prevent the toner sticking to it. Preferably, the cooling is accomplished by thermoelectric control device strips positioned in heat conducting relation with the first transfer surface. A thermoelectric control device can also be used to heat a second or receiving surface to which the toner is to be transferred to farther assist the transfer process.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a first image forming unit to form a first developer image on a first image carrier, a second image forming unit to form a second developer image on a second image carrier, a conveyor belt to convey an image transfer medium to the first and the second image carriers in order, a first transferring roller provided in contact with the conveyor belt facing the first image carrier with the conveyor belt put between to transfer the first developer image on the image transfer medium and a second transferring roller provided in contact with the conveyor belt facing the second image carrier with the conveyor belt put between to transfer the second developer image on the image transfer medium on which the first developer image has been transferred.

Abstract: A process cartridge of an image forming device in which a driving gear for driving a charging roller and a transfer roller is not utilized. The process cartridge of an image forming device, comprising: a developing unit having a photosensitive drum and a charging roller for charging the photosensitive drum; a driving gear to which driving force is delivered, the driving gear providing a driving force for rotating the photosensitive drum; and friction portions for driving the charging roller and transfer roller, the friction portions being provided on opposite sides of an outer circumferential surface of the photosensitive drum, wherein the charging roller and the photosensitive drum are provided to be in contact with each other and the transfer roller and the photosensitive drum are provided to be in contact with each other, so that the charging roller and transfer roller are driven by a friction force caused by rotation of the photosensitive drum.

Abstract: A developing cartridge and an image forming apparatus utilizing the developing cartridge are provided. The developing cartridge includes a frame, a photosensitive drum which is rotatably installed upon the frame, a developing unit for developing an electrostatic latent image formed on the outer surface of the photosensitive drum, and a transfer unit having a brush with fibers for transferring a toner image from the outer surface of the photosensitive drum onto paper, a voltage unit for selectively applying a predetermined positive or negative voltage to the brush, and a rotary unit for enabling the fibers of the brush to engage the outer surface of the photosensitive drum after the developing cartridge is fully installed within the image forming apparatus.

Abstract: A transfusing member having a compression layer comprised of a highly conformable, low durometer material with a low surface tension. The transfusing member forms a first transfer nip characterized by a first pressure with a photoreceptive surface and a second transfer nip characterized by a second pressure, which is of the same order of magnitude as the first pressure, with a backup roller.

Abstract: High efficiency transfer of liquid toner image from an photoconductor onto an image receiver (e.g., plain paper, transparency film, and the like) using a simple and direct, one-step process, is provided. The transfer is effected using a hard (non-conformable) substrate, at least one conformable intermediate mat, the photoconductor having a release surface comprising a siloxane, the image receiver, a roller, and a source of heat and pressure. One conformable layer may be employed, resulting in two possibilities. In the first possibility, the roller comprises the source of heat and pressure and the conformable layer supports the photoconductor layer. A non-conformable layer supports the conformable layer. In the second possibility, the source of heat and pressure is on that surface of the photoconductor opposite that on which the toner image is carried and the conformable layer is positioned between the roller and the image receiver.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus including an device for developing an electrostatic latent image formed on a latent image carrying member using a liquid developer containing toner particles dispersed in a fluid medium, and an intermediate transfer member having a surface layer onto which is transferred the developer image from the image carrying member, water absorption of the surface layer being in the range between 0.15 and 10.0 percent by weight.

Abstract: An image-forming apparatus employing a reversal developing system and using a photosensitive material capable of being charged into both positive and negative polarities and further using a transfer roller made of an electrically conducting sponge rubber. The photosensitive material and the transfer roller are press-contacted to each other with a suitable force, and a DC voltage is applied to the transfer roller, the DC voltage having a polarity opposite to the polarity of the potential created by the main charger and having a value larger than a charge start voltage of the photosensitive material but being so set that the potential on the surface of the photosensitive material after discharged is not larger than 50 V in an absolute value. This apparatus permits a toner image formed on the surface of the photosensitive material to be transferred at a high efficiency and enables the photosensitive material to be uniformly charged in a next cycle of forming image.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus, including a laminate image-bearing member having a dielectric layer or photoconductive layer, superimposed on an electrically conductive substrate, a transfer member for making pressure contact with said image-bearing member, and a cleaning member for cleaning the surface of said image-bearing member through contact therewith, forms an electrostatic latent image on said image-bearing member, develops said latent image into a visible toner image, and transfers said toner image from said image-bearing member to a transfer sheet passing through a contact-pressure nip portion between said image-bearing member and a transfer member by applying a controlled constant-current regulated transfer bias voltage to said transfer member.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a rotatable image bearing member, and a transfer material support having a circumferential length an integer multiple of that of the image bearing member for supporting and transporting a transfer material. An image formed on the image bearing member is transferred at a transfer position onto the transfer material supported by the transfer material support. The image forming apparatus also includes a press member for pressing the transfer material support against the image bearing member at the transfer position. A varying device varies a relative position between the peripheral surfaces of the image bearing member and the transfer material support without shifting the transfer material support away from the image bearing member. A release device releases pressing of the transfer material support against the image bearing member by the press member when the varying device varies the relative position of the image bearing member and the transfer material support.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus capable of reducing the irregularity in the inside resistance of an intermediate image transfer belt thereof to insure uniform images, and reducing the change in the resistance of the belt due to aging to enhance image quality. The belt has a laminate structure including an upper or high resistance layer and a lower or support layer. The specific resistance of the belt is higher in the upper layer than in the lower layer. Optimally, the specific resistance of the upper layer ranges from 1.times.10.sup.10 .OMEGA.cm to 1.times.10.sup.16 .OMEGA.cm.