Abstract: A method and device for removing media sheet jams within an image forming device. The position of the media sheets is monitored as the media sheets move through the image forming process. The occurrence of a media jam is detected, and the position of each media sheet within the device at the time of the jam is also detected. A message is displayed to an operator indicating the number of sheets within the device that should be removed to clear the jam. The order of media sheet removal may also be displayed to the operator.

Abstract: An electrostatographic reproduction apparatus includes: a primary imaging member for producing an electrostatic latent image on a receiver, a development station for applying toner particles to the latent image to form a developed toner image on the receiver, a fuser assembly for fixing the developed toner image to form a fused toner image on the receiver, and a transport member for transporting the receiver to or from the fuser assembly. The transport member includes a substrate and an oil-absorbing layer that contains inorganic particles dispersed in an organic binder and is capable of absorbing release oil applied to the receiver bearing the fused toner image.

Abstract: At a conveyance direction downstream side of a contact portion between a heat roller and a downstream side pressure roller and at a conveyance direction upstream side of a contact portion (conveyance position) between a conveyance roller and an upstream side pinch roller in a conveyance mechanism part, the conveyance roller is disposed to come in contact with a surface of a sheet opposite to a surface having come in contact with the heat roller. Besides, a first guide member for guiding the sheet to the conveyance position of the conveyance mechanism part is disposed to face the conveyance roller.

Abstract: An indicating system in a device having a heat emitting member. The indicating system includes a thermoelectric generator and an indicating device. The thermoelectric generator is adapted to thermally couple to the heat emitting member and configured to convert heat from the heat emitting element to electrical energy. The indicating device is powered by the electrical energy and configured to provide indication of when a temperature level of the heat emitting member is above a temperature threshold.

Abstract: To ensure stable feed of transfer material when a paper back vacuuming feed mechanism is employed in the path from a transfer section to a fixing section in an image forming apparatus, the image forming apparatus is such that the transfer section is arranged on the upper surface of the intermediate transfer unit; a transfer material feed apparatus is provided for vacuum feeding transfer material from the transfer section to the fixing apparatus; a guide tilted by a predetermined angle downward of the transfer material feed surface is provided at the outlet of the fixing apparatus of the transfer material feed apparatus; the nip portion of a fixing roller pair of the fixing apparatus is positioned downward of the extension line of the guide; and the tangent with respect to the nip portion of the fixing roller is tilted by a predetermined angle downward of the transfer material feed surface.

Abstract: An articulated flag member arrangement detects bi-directional passage of an object. In embodiments, the articulated flag member arrangement comprises a first flag member and a second flag member wherein the first and second flag members interact with each other to detect bi-directional passage of an object, for example, using the same sensor.

Abstract: A method of operating an electrophotographic printer includes the steps of: transporting a print medium at a first operating speed using a print medium transport assembly; transporting the print medium from the print medium transport assembly to a fuser assembly, the fuser assembly including a fuser roll; creating a bubble in the print medium between the paper transport assembly and the fuser assembly; determining a temperature associated with the fuser roll; and rotating the fuser roll at a second operating speed which is dependent upon the determined temperature.

Abstract: A printing machine (10) is disclosed in which printing is effected by toner being transferred from a photoconductor (18) to a receiver sheet (S) at a transfer station (46). A fuser (49) is also provided to fuse the transferred toner to the receiver sheet (S). A preferred fuser includes a heated fuser roller (70) that receives a film of a release oil (73). As a given number of supply of a receiver medium (e.g., paper) of a common size are printed and fused, the cross-track position (XTSP) at which the paper is positioned at the fuser roller (70) varies. This eliminates the release oil (73) from building up on the fuser roller (70) and transferring to subsequent larger receiver sheets (S), and reduces non-uniform wear on rollers at the fuser (49), thus reducing likelihood of image artifacts and machine contamination.

Abstract: A split drives system for a printer in which a single drive motor drives a first belt drive system for the image fusing system and a second and separate belt drive system driving the sheet registration system. This split drives system mechanically isolates the second and separate belt drive system from torque fluctuations in the image fusing system via the first belt drive system driving the image fusing system. Also, the split driving system can isolate torque variations in the driving of the print media fuser from the driving of the print media sheet transport.

Abstract: A skiving device including at least one nozzle tip and at least one roller is described, as well as methods of using the skiving device. Skives made with the skiving device are clean, neat, and do not damage underlying layers.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a transfer material conveying apparatus for conveying a transfer material to which an image is fixed, comprising, an image surface roller located on an imaging surface side of the transfer material and disposed on a downstream side in a conveyance direction of the transfer material of a heating member and a pressing member for fixing an image to the transfer material and a facing roller located in facing to the image surface roller and disposed on a downstream side in a conveyance direction of the transfer material of a heating member and a pressing member for fixing an image to the transfer material. The image surface roller has a length equal to or longer than an image area on the transfer material in a direction perpendicular to the transfer material conveyance direction, and wherein the facing roller is spaced from the image surface roller with a prescribed distance.

Abstract: A digital printer or copier machine (1) is proposed for the single-sided or double-sided printing of a substrate (11), with at least one fixing device (3) for fixing toner onto the substrate (11), whereby the fixing device (3) has at least one heating device for fusing the toner. The machine has, in addition, at least one transport device (17), in order to supply the substrate (11) to the heating device, to guide it past the heating device and/or to further transport it from the heating device, whereby the transport device (17) has at least one suction belt (19) that is provided with a number of through-passage openings (21) and can be impinged with a vacuum. The machine (1) is characterized in that the suction belt (19) is constructed as a mesh.

Abstract: A fixing apparatus comprises a fixing belt held by and wound around a heating roller and a fixing roller, a pressurizing roller held pressed against the fixing roller by way of the fixing belt so as to heat and put pressure on the toner image on a sheet of paper with the fixing roller, a releasing member that releases the sheet of paper adhering to the fixing belt from the fixing belt during the fixing process, and a guide body that guides the sheet of paper along the fixing belt and causes the sheet to stick to and be conveyed by the transfer belt, without being released by the releasing member, along the fixing belt, so as to release the sheet of paper at a position where the fixing belt is held by the heating roller with a small radius of curvature.

Abstract: A fuser entrance guide in an electrophotographic apparatus, which supports a sheet of copy medium as it enters the fuser section. The guide has a curved base plate that has vacuum ports both at the edges and across the central area thereof. The ports in the central area are arranged in rows with the exits of all ports in a respective row being fluidly connected by a groove formed in the lower surface of the base plate. The recessed area of the grooves reduce the total contact area of the sheet thereby reducing the drag forces on the sheet but, at the same time, increasing the holding force of the vacuum on the sheet.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus is provided with an image heating apparatus for holding and conveying a recording material bearing an image in a nip between a heating member and a pressurizing member to heat the image on the recording material. The image forming apparatus has a bias applying portion for applying a bias to at least one of the heating member and the pressurizing member and a bias setting portion for setting an amount of the applied bias. In the case that a recording material(s) having a first width is fed and thereafter a recording material is to be fed, the bias setting portion sets the amount of the applied bias based on the number of the recording material(s) having the first width that have been fed and the time from the feeding of the recording material(s) having the first width to the feeding of the recording material having the second width.

Abstract: An image forming device comprises a fixing device that is composed of a fixing roller and a sheet-shaped pressure unit. The position of the fixing nip portion is set above a plane containing a transporting direction of the recording paper at the transferring nip portion. A recording paper guider is further disposed for guiding the recording paper transported by the transferring roller to the fixing roller. The guiding surface of the recording paper guider is inclined and gradually raised beginning at the transferring roller side (as the lowest position).

Abstract: A fixing apparatus comprises a fixing belt held by and wound around a heating roller and a fixing roller, a pressurizing roller held pressed against the fixing roller by way of the fixing belt so as to heat and put pressure on the toner image on a sheet of paper with the fixing roller, a releasing member that releases the sheet of paper adhering to the fixing belt from the fixing belt during the fixing process, and a guide body that guides the sheet of paper along the fixing belt and causes the sheet to stick to and be conveyed by the transfer belt, without being released by the releasing member, along the fixing belt, so as to release the sheet of paper at a position where the fixing belt is held by the heating roller with a small radius of curvature.

Abstract: A sheet nipping mechanism is applied to an image forming apparatus and has a transfer belt for transporting a sheet having a toner image through a photosensitive drum. A fixing roller and a pressure roller are downstream of the transfer belt and are vertically aligned in a paired manner to define a nip zone therebetween for nipping the sheet. A guide is disposed between the nip zone and the downstream end of the transfer belt. The fixing roller has a reverse-crown shape whose diameter is gradually reduced in a direction extending from each of the opposite transverse ends to the central region of the fixing roller. The guide has an edge opposed to the nip zone and is formed in a crown shape conformable to the reverse-crown shape. The sheet nipping mechanism prevents crimples and bouncing of sheet in the nip zone.

Abstract: A guide system for xerographic printing apparatus introduces paper bearing an unfixed image and having a broad range of basis weights into a fuser nip from a prefuser transport without causing image smear. An entrance baffle is positioned in the path of the paper advancing toward the fuser nip for engagement by the paper's leading edge. The entrance baffle is hinged at its mounting end for swinging movement between a maximal and minimal positions as defined by stop members and is biased into engagement with the minimal stop member. The magnitude of the bias is chosen such that as the lightest basis weight paper engages the entrance baffle, it bends around its free end and is guided into the fuser nip, and such that as the heaviest paper engages the entrance baffle, it forces the entrance baffle toward engagement with the second stop member and itself is guided into the fuser nip.

Abstract: At a conveyance direction downstream side of a contact portion between a heat roller and a downstream side pressure roller and at a conveyance direction upstream side of a contact portion (conveyance position) between a conveyance roller and an upstream side pinch roller in a conveyance mechanism part, the conveyance roller is disposed to come in contact with a surface of a sheet opposite to a surface having come in contact with the heat roller. Besides, a first guide member for guiding the sheet to the conveyance position of the conveyance mechanism part is disposed to face the conveyance roller.

Abstract: The color image formation apparatus of the invention can include an image formation unit that is placed diagonally in relation to the vertical direction, a largest paper-feed tray that is placed below the image formation unit and feeds paper to image formation sections of the image formation unit, and a small-size paper-feed tray, placed below the image formation unit and above the largest paper-feed tray, which feeds paper to the image formation sections of the image formation unit.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus has image bearing means for bearing a toner image, transfer means for transferring the toner image on the image bearing means onto a sheet, fixing means for fixing to the sheet the toner image, and first and second sheet transport guides disposed along a transport path. A sheet transport speed in the fog means is set lower than a sheet transport speed in the transfer means. The first and second sheet transport guides are each disposed with a tilt with respect to a horizontal or vertical direction. A gap is provided to form a spacing sufficient to permit curves of the sheet to be formed between a downstream-side end portion of the first sheet transport guide and an upstream-side end portion of the second sheet transport guide.

Abstract: An image-forming method for fixing a toner image onto a recording medium, (i) wherein when a high-gloss recording medium (G0>40) is used, an image is formed at a low-speed mode process speed of from 20 mm/sec. to less than 130 mm/sec. and, where the maximum and minimum gloss values of the fixed image (Gmax1 and Gmin1, respectively), satisfy: Gmax1≦G0+40 and Gmin1≧G0−25; and (ii) wherein when a low-gloss recording medium (0≦G0≦40) is used, an image is formed at a high-speed mode process speed of from 130 mm/sec. to 600 mm/sec. and, where values of the fixed image (Gmax2 and Gmin2, respectively), satisfy: Gmax2≦G0+20 and Gmin2≧G0−15.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus has a fixing unit and a control for controlling a peripheral speed of a fixing rotatable member, the following formula being satisfied: Pmin>Lmin 0<X≦&dgr;L/Pmax V0: the peripheral speed; Vf: a feeding speed; Lmin: a minimum path length between a transfer nip and a fixing nip; Lmax: a maximum guide path length between the transfer nip and the fixing nip; &dgr;L=Lmax−Lmin: an amount of loop: Pmax: a maximum length of the transfer material on which toner image may be formed; Pmin: a minimum length of the transfer material on which the toner image may be formed; X: a fluctuation rate of the feeding speed Vf during control of the peripheral speed.

Abstract: In a fusing apparatus, such as used in xerography, two rolls form a nip therebetween. A guide member is positionable to direct a sheet approaching the nip to enter the nip at an angle so that an arc or buckle is created in the sheet between a marking station and the nip. The arc or buckle is helpful in avoiding the transfer of mechanical energy from the fusing apparatus to the marking station. As the trailing edge of the sheet exits the marking station, the guide member is positioned to straighten the sheet.

Abstract: An electrophotographic image forming system having a form cassette for storing forms, a transfer unit for forming an image, a feeder for feeding the forms to the transfer unit and a fusing device for fusing transferred image of the form. The electrophotographic image forming system provides in a path for feeding the form with unfused colored particles (toner) deposited thereon, a form guide so as to contact the non-printing area of the surface of the form with unfused colored particles (toner) deposited thereon.

Abstract: In an apparatus, such as a fuser for xerographic printing, wherein sheets pass through a nip formed by two moving rollers, a substantially enclosed, effectively funnel-shaped path is defined to direct sheets from the nip to a subsequent processing station. When a jam condition occurs in the path, a movable surface defining the path moves to increase a size of the path. The increase in size prevents impaction of subsequent sheets entering the path, and also facilitates manual jam clearance.

Abstract: In a fusing apparatus, such as used in xerography, two rolls form a nip therebetween. A guide member is positionable to direct a sheet approaching the nip to enter the nip at an angle so that an arc or buckle is crated in the sheet between a marking station and the nip. The arc or buckle is helpful in avoiding the transfer of mechanical energy from the fusing apparatus to the marking station. As the trail edge of the sheet exits the marking station, the guide member is positioned to straighten the sheet.

Abstract: A fixing apparatus comprises a fixing belt held by and wound around a heating roller and a fixing roller, a pressurizing roller held pressed against the fixing roller by way of the fixing belt so as to heat and put pressure on the toner image on a sheet of paper with the fixing roller, a releasing member that releases the sheet of paper adhering to the fixing belt from the fixing belt during the fixing process, and a guide body that guides the sheet of paper along the fixing belt and causes the sheet to stick to and be conveyed by the transfer belt, without being released by the releasing member, along the fixing belt, so as to release the sheet of paper at a position where the fixing belt is held by the heating roller with a small radius of curvature.

Abstract: A fixing device includes an abutting member arranged at a position between an upstream side of a fixing roller and a downstream side of a heating roller in a moving direction of a fixing belt so as to abut against the fixing belt and expand a fixing region. The fixing device may also include a first supporting member and a second supporting member, which supports the fixing belt, etc., with respect to the first supporting member. An angle, formed between an approaching direction of a sheet-like recording medium and a line tangential to an upstream end of the fixing region in the moving direction of the fixing belt, is set equal to 20° or larger.

Abstract: The color image formation apparatus of the invention comprises: the image formation unit that is placed diagonally in relation to the vertical direction; the largest paper-feed tray that is placed below the image formation unit and feeds paper to the image formation sections of the image formation unit; and the small-size paper-feed tray, placed below the image formation unit and above the largest paper-feed tray, which feeds paper to the image formation sections of the image formation unit.

Abstract: A fixing device 2 includes a primary fixing device 5 disposed in a transporting path 4 for a recording material 3, and a secondary fixing device 6 disposed in the downstream of the primary fixing device 5. The recording material is passed through only the primary fixing device 5 after an image is recorded on an front surface of the recording material 3. Subsequently, an image is recorded on a rear surface of the recording material 3 and the recording material is passed through the primary fixing device 5 and the secondary fixing device 6. The fixing device 2 includes a primary ejection path 7 for ejecting the recording material 3 having passed through the primary fixing device 5 and a secondary ejection path 8 for ejecting the recording material 3 having passed through the primary fixing device 5 and the secondary fixing device 6 in this order.

Abstract: An image heating apparatus includes a heater having a nip that nips and transports a recording material that bears an image, the heater having a rotary member that comes into contact with the recording material; and a moving member disposed downstream of the nip in a moving direction of the recording material so as to be movable between a first position the moving member abuts against the rotary member and a second position in that the moving member is apart from the rotary member, wherein the moving member is positioned in the second position when the recording material is normally transported, and the moving member moves to the first position when the recording material is abnormally transported downstream of the nip.

Abstract: In an apparatus, such as a fuser for xerographic printing, wherein sheets pass through a nip formed by two moving rollers, a substantially enclosed, effectively funnel-shaped path is defined to direct sheets from the nip to a subsequent processing station. When a jam condition occurs in the path, a movable surface defining the path moves to increase a size of the path. The increase in size prevents impaction of subsequent sheets entering the path, and also facilitates manual jam clearance.

Abstract: In a conventional type of an image forming apparatus, when the top end of the paper whose charge is eliminated is brought into contact with the roller, or when the potential of the pressure roller is fluctuated by a separating discharge of the paper rear end, black spots phenomenon sometimes occurs at a portion in which the potential of the roller was lowered. It is provided, an image forming apparatus for preventing black spots of toner.

Abstract: A printer or similar electrophotographic image forming apparatus for forming an image on an optical disk or similar synthetic resin sheet is disclosed. The apparatus of the present invention exerts a preselected pressure for each of image transfer and image fixation to thereby insure high quality images. Further, the apparatus matches the moving speed of the surface of a synthetic resin sheet and the peripheral speed of an image carrier or that of a fixing member. In addition, the apparatus protects the image carrier and fixing member from damage and prevents a parting agent from depositing on at least the image forming range of the image carrier.

Abstract: An image heating apparatus for heating an image formed on a recording material includes a heating member, a backup member that cooperates with the heating member to form a nip for nipping and conveying the recording material, and a conveying member provided downstream of the nip in the traveling direction of the recording material. In such a construction, the conveying member is provided closer to the backup member than the heating member.

Abstract: The image forming apparatus includes the image forming unit to form an image on the first surface of a medium, the guide member that is curved to become convex to the first surface of the medium that has passed through the image forming unit and the conveying mechanism to convey the medium that has an image formed in the image forming unit toward the discharge unit while making the medium curved along the guide member. Further, the image forming apparatus has a controller to control a conveying speed by the conveying mechanism at the downstream side from the guide member along the conveying direction of a medium so that it becomes slower than that at the upper streamside from the guide member.

Abstract: To detach a cleaning roller 64 from a fixation unit 70, an assembly 80 is taken out from the fixation unit 70, and the cleaning roller 64 is detached from the assembly 80. Thereby, in the fixation unit 70, the operation of detaching and attaching the cleaning roller 64 for cleaning a pressure roller 46 is made easier.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are presented in which gloss level is varied between individual elements printed on a single media sheet. The sheet of media is fed into a print engine with a first side of the sheet of media in position to be printed upon. A first element on the first side of the sheet of media is printed with a first gloss level finish. The sheet of media is circulated in a duplex media path so that the sheet of media is again fed into the print engine but with a second side of the sheet of media in position to be printed upon. The sheet of media is again circulated in the duplex media path so that the sheet of media is fed into the print engine with the first side of the sheet of media in position to be printed upon. A second element is printed on the first side of the sheet of media with a second gloss level finish.

Abstract: A fixing device and method for fixing a toner image on a sheet in an image forming apparatus, includes a frame, a fusing roller rotatably provided in the frame, a pressure roller rotatably provided in the frame and configured to press against the fusing roller, a separating member configured to separate the sheet passed between the fusing roller and the pressure roller from the fusing roller, a sheet guide member configured to guide the sheet separated by the separating member and rotatably supported by the frame, and a shield member configured to prevent air from flowing from a space between the frame and the sheet guide member at a position where the sheet guide member is supported by the frame.

Abstract: An image heating apparatus for heating an image formed on a recording material includes a heating member, a backup member that cooperates with the heating member to form a nip for nipping and conveying the recording material, and a conveying member provided downstream of the nip in the traveling direction of the recording material. In such a construction, the conveying member is provided closer to the backup member than the heating member.

Abstract: An image heating apparatus includes a heater having a nip that nips and transports a recording material that bears an image, the heater having a rotary member that comes into contact with the recording material; and a moving member disposed downstream of the nip in a moving direction of the recording material so as to be movable between a first position the moving member abuts against the rotary member and a second position in that the moving member is apart from the rotary member, wherein the moving member is positioned in the second position when the recording material is normally transported, and the moving member moves to the first position when the recording material is abnormally transported downstream of the nip.

Abstract: In order to provide an electrophotographic image forming system characterized by a mechanism of stabilizing the behavior of the tip of the form when the form with unfused colored particles (toner) deposited thereon is fed to the fusing device, the present invention has a form posture correcting protrusion provided on the non-printing area of the surface of the form with unfused colored particles (toner) deposited thereon inside the feed path of the form with unfused colored particles (toner) deposited thereon, so that form behavior can be controlled when the form is fed to the fusing device. Furthermore, the present invention has a form guide provided on the form ejection side of the fusing device to control the behavior of the form moving in the direction of being wound on the fusing roller.

Abstract: A printer or similar electrophotographic image forming apparatus for forming an image on an optical disk or similar synthetic resin sheet is disclosed. The apparatus of the present invention exerts a preselected pressure for each of image transfer and image fixation to thereby insure high quality images. Further, the apparatus matches the moving speed of the surface of a synthetic resin sheet and the peripheral speed of an image carrier or that of a fixing member. In addition, the apparatus protects the image carrier and fixing member from damage and prevents a parting agent from depositing on at least the image forming range of the image carrier.

Abstract: A printer or similar electrophotographic image forming apparatus for forming an image on an optical disk or similar synthetic resin sheet is disclosed. The apparatus of the present invention guarantees a sufficient period of time for fixation to thereby obviate defective fixation while producing as great a number of prints as possible. At the same time, the apparatus of the present invention saves energy and space and accurately matches the peripheral speed of a heat roller and the conveying speed of the synthetic resin sheet.

Abstract: The present invention has an object to provide a fixing apparatus which is configured to easily facilitate to prevent a semi-melted developer on a recording medium from adhering to surfaces of upper rotary bodies and an image forming apparatus which is equipped with the fixing apparatus. This object is accomplished by configuring the fixing apparatus so that a sheet which has been subjected to a fixing treatment receives conveying forces from pinch rollers having rotating axial directions which are on a plane in parallel with a surface of the sheet and inclined at a predetermined angle &thgr; relative to rotating axial directions of a fixing roller and a press roller.

Abstract: The fixing device of the present invention is provided in the conveying path to lead an image receiving medium having a developer image in the exit direction and includes a pressurizing/fixing roller pair for pressurizing and fixing the developer image by holding the image receiving medium, an endless belt shaped fixing belt having a first heater for heating and fusing the developer image in the conveying path before arriving at the fixing rollers, and an adjusting device for adjusting a gap between the image receiving medium and the fixing belt according to the characteristic of the image receiving medium passing the conveying path. Further, when the fixing belt overlaps a paper conveying unit for conveying a paper, a separating means is included for separating the fixing belt from the paper conveying unit when the fixing belt is not in the fixing operation.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a recording medium conveying apparatus for conveying a recording medium from one position to another position, comprising a rotary body pair capable of holdin, the recording medium, driving means for rotatively driving the rotary body pair and moving means for moving the rotary body pair. The rotary body move to a first position for feeding the recording medium from a first route to a second route and to a second position other than the above.

Abstract: A fixing device for fixing a toner image on a sheet in an image forming apparatus, includes a frame, a fusing roller rotatably provided in the frame, a pressure roller rotatably provided in the frame and configured to press against the fusing roller, a separating member configured to separate the sheet passed between the fusing roller and the pressure roller from the fusing roller, a sheet guide member configured to guide the sheet separated by the separating member and rotatably supported by the frame, and a shield member configured to prevent air from flowing from a space between the frame and the sheet guide member at a position where the sheet guide member is supported by the frame.