Abstract: The present invention relates to an energy harvesting apparatus using triboelectrification. The energy harvesting apparatus of the present invention may include: a housing formed in an accommodation space in the energy harvesting apparatus; an electrification sheet accommodated to be rolled into the housing; an elastic body provided in the housing and providing elastic force so that the electrification sheet is rolled into the housing; and an electrode unit provided on the electrification sheet or on the periphery of the electrification sheet and electrificating the electrification sheet through friction while the electrification sheet is pulled or rolled.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing a circuit board includes a first process, a second process, a third process, and a fourth process. The first process includes a step of providing a circuit and an electrode over a first surface of a first substrate. The second process includes a step of providing a reflective layer on the first surface side of the first substrate or a second surface side of a second substrate. The third process includes a step of attaching the first surface and the second surface to each other with a bonding layer therebetween to face each other so that the reflective layer overlaps with the electrode and the reflective layer surrounds part of the electrode. The fourth process includes a step of irradiating at least part of the reflective layer with laser light from a side opposite to the electrode.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an apparatus body, a sheet container detachably attachable to the apparatus body and accommodating recording media therein, an image forming part to form an image on each of the recording media, a sheet separating part to separate the recording media one by one, feed the recording medium toward the image forming part, and include a sheet feeding body and a sheet separating body to rotate in contact with the sheet feeding body and form a sheet separation nip region with the sheet feeding body, a sheet containing unit to contain the recording media therein, and a sheet separating body storing unit disposed at one end of the sheet containing unit to store the sheet separating body therein. The sheet container being pulled out from the apparatus body by moving from the sheet containing unit to the sheet separating body storing unit.

Abstract: A sheet separating device is attached to a fixing device. The fixing device includes: a fixing member that is a rotary body having a heating unit; and a pressing member that is pressed against and is brought into contact with the fixing member. The fixing device conveys a sheet material that carries unfixed toner thereon through a nip section formed by the fixing member and the pressing member so as to fix the unfixed toner image to the sheet material. The sheet separating device includes: at least one nozzle member that discharges compressed gas from the direction of a nip outlet toward the nip section along the fixing member. The nozzle member is rotatably supported by a shaft member that is provided parallel to the fixing member and includes a gas flow passage through which compressed gas is supplied to the nozzle member.

Abstract: A stripping mechanism includes a substantially sheet-shaped stripping member that has a first surface and a second surface opposite the first surface, that is elastically deformed with part of the first surface in contact with an image carrier which rotates and carries an image, and that strips a recording medium from the image carrier; and an opposing member that is disposed downstream of the stripping member in a direction in which the image carrier moves, that extends toward the image carrier, and that is opposite the first surface of the stripping member.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image carrier, a development device, a transferring device, a static eliminating device, a cleaning device, a separating claw and a static elimination assisting device. On the image carrier, an electrostatic latent image is formed. The development device develops the electrostatic latent image by a toner. The transferring device transfers the toner on the image carrier to a recording sheet. The static eliminating device irradiates the image carrier with a light to eliminate a remained static charge. The cleaning device removes the toner remained on the image carrier. The separating claw is arranged between the static eliminating device and image carrier to separate the recording sheet from the image carrier. The static elimination assisting device radiates a light to a light obstruction area where is not irradiated with the light emitted from the static eliminating device on the image carrier due to the separating claw.

Abstract: In a fixing device, a fixing member contacts an opposing member to form a nip therebetween through which a recording medium bearing a toner image passes. A plurality of separators provided downstream from the nip in a recording medium conveyance direction contacts the fixing member to separate the recording medium having passed between the fixing member and the opposing member from the fixing member. A plurality of contact-direction biasing members connected to the plurality of separators biases the separators to cause the separators to contact the fixing member. A releasing member contacts the separators to cause the separators to separate from the fixing member. A driver connected to the releasing member separates the releasing member from the separators to cause the separators to contact the fixing member.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus or cartridge is provided that includes an image carrier configured to be rotated while carrying a developer and transfer the developer onto a recording sheet at a transfer position. The image forming apparatus or cartridge may include a separating member disposed downstream from the transfer position in a rotating direction of the image carrier. The separating member may include a contact portion configured to contact the image carrier to separate the recording sheet from the image carrier, and an aperture configured to allow the developer to pass through the separating member from a first side of the separating member to a second side of the separating member opposite the first side, wherein the aperture is positioned farther away from the image carrier than the contact portion.

Abstract: There is provided a cartridge including an image carrier, a first frame, a second frame, a peeling member and a pressing portion. The first frame has a pair of first wall portions rotatably supporting the image carrier and a second wall portion extending along an axis direction of the image carrier to connect the pair of first wall portions. The second frame is attached to the first frame so as to cover the image carrier. The peeling member has a peeling portion projecting from the second wall portion toward the image carrier and being configured to peel off a sheet from the image carrier by the peeling portion. The pressing portion is provided to the second frame, which is configured to move the peeling portion closer to the image carrier by pressing and elastically deforming the second wall portion.

Abstract: A guide device includes a fixing exit guide, a first rotary body, a second rotary body disposed downstream from the first rotary body in a recording medium conveyance direction and partially protruding from a guide face through a slot of the fixing exit guide to contact and support an image side of a recording medium conveyed over the second rotary body, and at least one guide rib mounted on the guide face of the fixing exit guide and extending substantially in the recording medium conveyance direction. The guide rib includes a contact face contacting the image side of the recording medium and a downstream end disposed downstream from the contact face in the recording medium conveyance direction to overlap the second rotary body in cross-section taken along a direction orthogonal to an axial direction of the second rotary body.

Abstract: A fixing device fixing a toner image on a recording material includes a first blowing section that blows air against a leading edge of the recording material that has passed through a nip portion formed by a heated fixing member and a pressing member kept in pressure contact with the fixing member, and a second blowing section that blows air against the recording material that has passed through the nip portion, wherein an air speed of air blown out from a first blowing outlet is higher than that of air blown out from a second blowing outlet, wherein an air flow amount from the first blowing outlet is less than that from the second blowing outlet, and wherein the first and second blowing outlets are arranged at a same positional height next to one another along a rotational axis of the fixing roller.

Abstract: An air knife for separating media from a roll in an image forming system includes a body; a first air plenum; a first plenum passage fluidly connected to the first air plenum; a first exit passage fluidly connected to the first plenum passage; a first air exit fluidly connecting the first exit passage to an outside of the body such that the first air plenum is fluidly connected to the outside of the body through the first air exit; a second air plenum separated from the first air plenum such that fluid in the second air plenum is separated from fluid in the first air plenum; a second plenum passage fluidly connected to the second air plenum; a second exit passage fluidly connected to the second plenum passage; and a second air exit fluidly connecting the second exit passage to an outside of the body.

Abstract: A fixing device is provided with a fixing roller, a peeling claw that peels a recording paper from the fixing roller, a peeling claw holder that rotatably supports the peeling claw, and a support member that movably supports the peeling claw holder to enable the peeling claw to retract by moving apart from the fixing roller, wherein not less than two directions are set as retracting directions of the peeling claw holder to be moved when the peeling claw is caused to retract by moving apart from the fixing roller.

Abstract: This invention provides a method to strip a media sheet that is adhered to an image carrying belt surface so that the sheet can follow the subsequent intended path through a marking system. The belt can be a photoconductor belt or an intermediate transfer belt. The stripping feature of this invention is located movably adjacent to a back-up roll in a transfer station of the marking system. The stripping feature has a radiused belt contact portion. After the sheet has an image transferred thereon from the belt, sometimes the sheet adheres to the belt, which can be disruptive to the system. This invention provides that the stripping feature can be selectively deployed so that its radiused belt contact portion presses against the inside of the image carrying belt, thus temporarily deforming the belt and thereby causing the sheet to release therefrom.

Abstract: An apparatus and method that operates a stripper finger. The apparatus can include a media path configured to transport a media sheet. The apparatus can include a rotational member configured to contact the media sheet. The apparatus can include a stripper finger having a length along a longitudinal axis. The stripper finger can include tip at an end of the length. The stripper finger can be configured to selectively engage and disengage contact between the tip and the rotational member to selectively strip the media sheet from the rotational member.

Abstract: A sheet separation mechanism includes a separation claw holder, a separation claw, a first coil spring and a second coil spring. The separation claw holder can be provided at a predetermined place in the image forming apparatus. The separation claw includes a separation claw base pivotally supported by the separation claw holder and a separation claw front-end pivotally supported by the separation claw base. The first coil spring is configured to apply a force to rotate the separation claw base toward an intermediate transfer belt. The second coil spring is configured to apply a force to rotate the separation claw front-end toward the intermediate transfer belt.

Abstract: The separating part of the separating device receives a reactive force that occurs on the outer peripheral surface of the photoreceptor drum, at the contact point where the separating part and the photoreceptor drum are in contact. The separating device controller changes the position of the rotational supporting point so as to decrease the rotational moment M of the reactive force at the rotational supporting point of the separating device, in accordance with increase of the reactive force that occurs on the outer peripheral surface of the photoreceptor drum as the separating part is worn down.

Abstract: A separation mechanism of a fixing device includes a first separation member arranged opposite the first region in a state apart from the first region by a first gap, a second separation member arranged opposite the second region in a state apart from the second region by a second gap and at a position different from that of the first separation member in a direction orthogonal to the convey direction of the paper, a first gap adjustment member capable of moving the first separation member relative to the first region of the fixing member to adjust the first gap, and a second gap adjustment member capable of moving the second separation member relative to the second region of the fixing member to adjust the second gap.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a bias controller that controls a first application unit that applies a bias to a transfer member. The bias controller applies a reverse bias to the transfer member when a first region passes through a nip part. Then, when a second region passes through the nip part, the bias controller applies a fixed first forward bias to the transfer member. When a third region passes through the nip part, in order to implement the control the bias controller applies a variable second forward bias to the transfer member. The first forward bias is set at a predetermined value or above and increases a potential of the transfer member 46 to a level at which a toner image is transferred in the second region when the second region passes through the nip part.

Abstract: A cartridge and an image forming apparatus including the cartridge are provided. The cartridge includes a casing, an image carrier disposed in the casing and configured to be rotated while carrying a developer and transfer the developer onto a recording sheet at a transfer position, and a separating member disposed in the casing and configured to contact the image carrier at a downstream side of a rotating direction of the image carrier with respect, to the transfer position to separate the recording sheet from the image carrier. The separating member has a sheet shape including a first surface opposed to the image carrier and a second surface opposite to the first surface. The second surface is roughened by a roughening processing.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus or cartridge is provided that includes an image carrier configured to be rotated while carrying a developer and transfer the developer onto a recording sheet at a transfer position. The image forming apparatus or cartridge may include a separating member disposed downstream from the transfer position in a rotating direction of the image carrier. The separating member may include a contact portion configured to contact the image carrier to separate the recording sheet from the image carrier, and an aperture configured to allow the developer to pass through the separating member from a first side of the separating member to a second side of the separating member opposite the first side, wherein the aperture is positioned farther away from the image carrier than the contact portion.

Abstract: In an image forming method, an electrostatic latent image formed on a surface of a photoreceptor is developed into a developer image with a developer, and a printing paper transported on a transfer belt is brought into contact with the surface of the photoreceptor so as to transfer the developer image onto the printing paper. The printing paper is transported in a proper transport direction, in which a projection generated in one direction on the printing paper as a result of cutting the printing paper in a printing paper manufacturing process does not face a surface of the transfer belt at a leading edge of the printing paper being transported on the transfer belt. In this way, even in the presence of the projection generated when the printing paper is cut, the printing paper naturally strips off from the surface of the photoreceptor, thereby preventing toner contamination caused by a striping claw in contact with the leading edge of the printing paper.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus including a fixing device having first and second rollers to press against each other with a sheet of paper to be transferred therebetween. The apparatus includes a roller frame to support the first roller; a separation claw, which, when disposed in an operational position on an outer circumferential surface of the first roller, separates the sheet of paper from the first roller; a claw frame to support the separation claw, which is movably attached to the roller frame to allow the separation claw to move between the operational position and a withdrawal position, at which the separation claw is withdrawn from the operational position; and an elastic member coupled between the claw frame and the roller frame, to bias the claw frame such that biasing force applied to the claw frame causes the separation claw to move from the withdrawal position to the operational position.

Abstract: This invention provides a method to strip a media sheet that is adhered to an image carrying belt surface so that the sheet can follow the subsequent intended path through a marking system. The belt can be a photoconductor belt or an intermediate transfer belt. The stripping feature of this invention is located movably adjacent to a back-up roll in a transfer station of the marking system. The stripping feature has a radiused belt contact portion. After the sheet has an image transferred thereon from the belt, sometimes the sheet adheres to the belt, which can be disruptive to the system. This invention provides that the stripping feature can be selectively deployed so that its radiused belt contact portion presses against the inside of the image carrying belt, thus temporarily deforming the belt and thereby causing the sheet to release therefrom.

Abstract: In an image forming method, an electrostatic latent image formed on a surface of a photoreceptor is developed into a developer image with a developer, and a printing paper transported on a transfer belt is brought into contact with the surface of the photoreceptor so as to transfer the developer image onto the printing paper. The printing paper is transported in a proper transport direction, in which a projection generated in one direction on the printing paper as a result of cutting the printing paper in a printing paper manufacturing process does not face a surface of the transfer belt at a leading edge of the printing paper being transported on the transfer belt. In this way, even in the presence of the projection generated when the printing paper is cut, the printing paper naturally strips off from the surface of the photoreceptor, thereby preventing toner contamination caused by a striping claw in contact with the leading edge of the printing paper.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus comprising including a pressing roller to press a sheet of printing paper, further comprising: and a heating roller to press against each other with a sheet of printing paper to be transferred therebetween to rotate against the pressing roller, leaving a moving path of the sheet of printing paper therebetween, and heat the sheet of printing paper, the apparatus including a roller frame to support the heating roller; a separation claw, which, when is disposed in an operational position on an outer circumferential surface of the heating roller, to which the sheet of printing paper is discharged, and separates the sheet of printing paper from the heating roller; and a claw frame to support the separation claw, and which is detachably attached to the roller frame to makeallow the separation claw to move between the operational position and a withdrawal position, at which the separation claw is withdrawn from the operational position.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus having a fixing device for fixing toner image on a recording material, the fixing device includes: a heating member which heats a recording material; a pressing member which comes into contact with the heating member with pressure; and an air separator which separates the recording material from the heating member by compressed air blown between a leading edge of the recording material and the heating member, the air separator includes a plurality of nozzles disposed in a width direction perpendicular to a conveyance direction of the recording material and an air emitting amount distribution setting section which unifies an emitting amount distribution in the width direction of the compressed air which is emitted from the nozzles.

Abstract: A cleaning device is provided with a cleaning unit (35) disposed downstream from a position at which a toner image is transferred to a paper. The cleaning unit (35) is provided with a cleaning blade (35c) for scraping off residual toner attached to an image bearing member and a toner catching sheet (35e) for preventing the residual toner or paper dust which have been scraped off from falling outside the cleaning unit. The free length in the toner catching sheet (35e) between affixed positions of a first end portion which is affixed to the cleaning unit (35) and a second end portion which abuts an outer circumferential portion of the image bearing member is determined by an amount of paper dust buildup on the outer circumferential portion of the image bearing member.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus and a maintenance method thereof are provided to enable rotation and replacement of a peeling claw at a suitable timing before the peeling claw is deformed or damaged. Several peeling members are disposed in a width direction of a drum-shaped photoreceptor. Each peeling member is disposed with a peeling claw and a collision sensor detecting that the peeling claw collides with a sheet. A collision history value of each peeling claw is stored and managed based on a collision detection signal from the collision sensor; if the peeling claw reaching a preset rotation request value exists in the read collision history values of the peeling claws, a rotation request of the relevant peeling claw is reported; the collision history value of the rotated peeling claw is rewritten; and if the peeling claw reaching the rotation request value does not exist, a print process is performed.

Abstract: A process for skiving a substrate is described, wherein the substrate is skived with a roller or a device or apparatus including the roller. The roller provides a cleaner skive than previously known methods without damage to underlying materials.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus comprises: a revolving image bearing member on which a toner image is formed; a transfer member that is provided at a position facing the surface of the image bearing member and transferring the toner image electrostatically on a transfer sheet traveling between the image bearing member and the transfer member; a static charge eliminator generating an electric field for discharging the electric charge on the transfer sheet for separation of the transfer sheet carrying the transferred toner image from the image bearing member; and a conductive member that is provided between the static charge eliminator and the transfer member.

Abstract: In one embodiment, the invention provides a paper separation claw disposed near the surface of at least one of fixing rollers that fix toner on recording paper transported in a sandwiched manner, the paper separation claw being disposed in order to separate the recording paper, and a cavity portion that is open facing the surface of the fixing roller is formed in the paper separation claw.

Abstract: A stripper assembly strips a media sheet from a photoreceptor belt. A support bracket supports a stripping finger base which includes a multiplicity of attached stripping fingers. The support bracket is fixed proximate to the photoreceptor belt in a media stripping position. Each stripping finger has a protruding distal stripping end extending toward the photoreceptor belt to form a gap therewith. The magnitude of the stripping finger-photoreceptor belt gap is controlled by adjusting the position or spacing of the finger base with respect to the support bracket. The support bracket pivots about an inboard pivot axial. The opposite support bracket outboard end is releasable, thus enabling the support bracket to pivot away from the photoreceptor belt.

Abstract: A removing claw 164 has a width W1 in a cross direction of 5 [mm] and a rectangular cross section with a height reduced toward a tip, and both ends of an upper side of the rectangle are chamfered to have a chamfered portion with a radius of r=1 [mm]. Consequently, a contact area of a toner sheet with the removing claw 164 is large. Therefore, a face pressure of a surface of the removing claw 164 where the toner sheet is to be delivered is reduced. Accordingly, the toner sheet can be delivered while being removed by the removing claw 164 without a material thereof rubbed and shaved by the surface of the removing claw and shaved by both ends of the upper side of the removing claw 164 even if the toner sheet comes in contact with the removing claw.

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: An image forming apparatus according to the present invention includes: a discrimination circuit for detecting a conveying load at a time a sheet, on which an image is to be formed, is conveyed through a curved conveying path, for discriminating a thickness of the sheet based on a detected value of the conveying load, and for generating a process control signal in order to carry out a process control suitable for the thickness of the sheet based on the discriminated thickness; and a process control circuit for carrying out the process control suitable for the thickness of the sheet in response to the process control signal received.

Abstract: This invention relates to a separation finger used in an Electro photographic device such as photocopying devices and laser-beam printers. More specifically, it relates to a separation finger with remarkably improved durability which has a sharp tips and is capable of preventing paper jams, caused by, for example, adhesion of the toner, over extended periods of time.

Abstract: In an image forming apparatus provided with a stripping device for stripping a sheet from a photosensitive member, a fan for sucking the sheet, and a duct for connecting the stripping device and the fan together, the fan is started when an operation signal detector for detecting an electrical signal by a predetermined operation in preparation for the start of a copy job detects the electrical signal.

Abstract: There are disposed a star-wheel 21 in the form of a thin wall-thickness having a sharp projecting portion 21a as auxiliary member which strips off a recording paper P from the surface of a photosensitive body 2, and an inversion preventing member 22 formed from a synthetic resin sheet having flexibility. The star-wheel 21 is disposed with a spacing between the surface of the photosensitive body 2 and an extreme end of the projecting portion 21a held by a fixed distance G. The inversion preventing member 22 has its extreme end placed in contact with the projecting portion 21a of the star-wheel 21 so that the star-wheel 21 is not allowed to be rotated in the direction reversed to the direction of rotation where the recording paper P passes through a normal carrying route.

Abstract: A composition for roller for an electronic copying machine or printer which comprises a vinyl polymer (A) having at least one alkenyl group per molecule, and a roller as fabricated using said composition for roller. The present invention provides a composition for roller for an electronic copying machine or printer with which an alcohol-soluble nylon layer can be directly constructed on the roller without a primer or other pretreatment.

Abstract: In an image forming apparatus provided with a stripping device for stripping a sheet from a photosensitive member, a fan for sucking the sheet, and a duct for connecting the stripping device and the fan together, the fan is started when an operation signal detector for detecting an electrical signal by a predetermined operation in preparation for the start of a copy job detects the electrical signal.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus has an image bearing body for bearing a toner image, a transfer device for transferring a toner image on an image bearing body to a transfer material, a separation member for separating a transfer material from the image bearing body by contacting with the image bearing body and a voltage applicator for applying a voltage having an AC component to the separation member.

Abstract: As a peeling device for peeling off a paper from a photosensitive drum after completing the transfer of an image, a peeling charger and a sucking fan are used jointly and the sucking wind velocity level of the sucking fan can be controlled by switching it with a controller. With the increase in thickness of a paper, the sucking fan is switched and controlled for reducing a wind velocity level of the sucking fan. Further, in the continuous copying, the sucking fan is switched and controlled so as to reduce a sucking wind velocity level until the peeling of the leading edge of a succeeding paper is started after peeling the leading edge of a current paper. Thus, a sucking wind velocity of the sucking fan is minimized when peeling a paper from the photosensitive drum.

Abstract: A paper separating apparatus of a printer includes a separating member installed to be adjacent to an exit side of the transfer roller and under a path along which the paper is discharged and fixedly coupled to a pair of bearing guides which rotatably support opposite ends of the transfer roller to be capable of pivoting by a predetermined angle together with the bearing guides, a guide roller installed at an upper surface of the separating member for guiding discharge of the paper, a pivot restricting mechanism for restricting the pivot angles of the separating member and the bearing guides, and an elastic force applying mechanism for applying an elastic force in one direction so that the separating member and the bearing guides can maintain regular positions.

Abstract: A fixing apparatus has a heat roller, a paper-separating lug, and a guide roller. The lug engages the heat roller to separate a recording medium from the heat roller if the recording medium rotates in contact with the heat roller. The lug is movable between a first position and a second position. The lug is brought into contact engagement with the heat roller when the lug is in the first position and out of contact engagement with the heat roller in the second position. The guide roller is rotatably mounted to the lug. The guide roller extends into a plane in which a travel path of the recording medium lies, and guides the recording medium after the recording medium is separated from the heat roller.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus including an image forming unit to form a developer image on an image carrier, a conveying member to convey an image receiving member toward the image carrier, a transfer charger to transfer the developer image formed on the image carrier on the image receiving member by giving a transfer charge to the image receiving member conveyed by the conveying member, a guide member provided between the conveying member and the transfer charger to guide the image receiving member conveyed by the conveying member toward the transfer position and a separation charger arranged at the downstream side of the transfer charger along the transfer direction of the image receiving member to separate the image receiving member with the developer image transferred thereon by the transfer charger. A bias voltage having the same polarity as the transfer charge is applied to the guide member.

Abstract: A digital image reproduction apparatus including a scanner unit, a printer unit, a memory, an operator control unit integrated in the apparatus and provided with an input device and a display for the user to give operator control commands to the apparatus, a network connection unit for coupling to a network for the purpose of communication with a digital external environment including at least a number of workstations of users, a management unit connected to the scanner unit, printer unit, memory and network connection unit, and, via the network connection unit, to the workstations, which management unit maintains logic storage spaces in the memory, each allocated to a specific user.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image bearer for bearing a toner image, transfer device for transferring the toner image on the image bearer to a recording medium, a separating charger for facilitating separation of the recording medium from the image bearer, a detector for detecting an image amount in a predetermined area on the image bearer, the predetermined area corresponding to a predetermined downstream side area from a leading edge of the recording material, and a controller for controlling an application voltage to the separating charger from a leading edge to a trailing edge of the recording material on the basis of the image amount in the predetermined area detected by the detector.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image bearing member for bearing electrostatic images. A developing device develops the electrostatic images on the image bearing member with toner. A transferring device transfers the toner image on the image bearing member to a transfer material. A separating member abutting against the image bearing member separates the transfer material from the image bearing member. A voltage application device applies a voltage to the separating member so as to have a potential between an imaging portion and a nonimaging portion of the image bearing member at an abutting position of the separating member.

Abstract: An intermediate transfer member is constituted by a composite layer member that includes a conductive layer and a resistance layer, which is integrally formed on the conductive layer and to which the visible image is transferred. When a peripheral speed of the intermediate transfer member is defined as Vp (mm/s), the resistance of the resistance layer is defined as Rit and the resistance of the second transfer member is defined as Rt2, the following condition is satisfied:1.times.10.sup.11 /Vp.gtoreq.Rit+Rt2.gtoreq.1.times.10.sup.9 /Vp.