Abstract: An image forming apparatus such as a copying apparatus capable of executing copy operations with excellent efficiency, when executing multi-sort copying even when there is a large number of document pages or a large number of copy bundles, by executing controls to calculate the number of sorting bins required to accommodate ejected recording sheets per document bundle based on the number of document pages and the sheet accommodation capacity per each bin of a sorter, and calculate the number of copies possible in a single multi-sort copy operation from the total number of bins of the sorter and the number of bins required to accommodate the ejected recording sheets per document bundle, and divide the number of copies in a plurality of multi-sort copy operations when the number of set copy bundles exceeds the number of copies possible in a single multi-sort copy operation.

Abstract: An image forming method and apparatus includes a plurality of processing devices for forming an image on a sheet of paper. When a power source switch is turned on, electric power is supplied to the apparatus and a timer begins to count. If the power source switch is turned on, a controller preconditions an adjustment of the processing devices on a temperature of a fixing roller being not more than a predetermined temperature. Further, if the timer counts for a predetermined amount of time, say 24 hours, the condition of the processing devices is also adjusted.

Abstract: An automatic document feeder for feeding documents borne on a document bearing table to an exposure position includes a two-document exposure setting switch for setting the conveyance of two documents to the exposure position and the simultaneous exposure of the two documents, and a controller. The controller controls the first and second documents fed from the document bearing table so that they are conveyed to the exposure position with the rear end of the first document and the front end of the second document overlapping by a predetermined amount.

Abstract: An electrophotographic process includes providing an organic photoconductor comprised of a charge generation layer and a charge transport layer containing a poly(alkanedioic acid 2,6-dimethoxyanthracene-9,10-diol ester) resin formed on a conductive substrate, and having a half decay exposure; and eliminating static from the organic photoconductor by illuminating the organic photoconductor with a static elimination light having a wavelength ranging from 520 to 680 nm and with a dose of the static elimination light which ranges from 3 to 10 times the half decay exposure of the organic photoconductor. Preferably, the wavelength of the static elimination light ranges from 550 to 650 nm.

Abstract: The image forming apparatus of the invention controls the toner density by any one of the following configurations: by correcting the toner density of the developer in association with the agitation total; by controlling a process parameter so that the density of a toner patch formed on the photoreceptor corresponds to a prescribed density value and determining that developing performance of the developer is improved and canceling the toner density correction when the process parameter reaches the prescribed value; by changing the toner density reference value when the variation as to the charger output is equal to or greater than a first predetermined value and maintaining the changed toner density reference value until the variation of the charger output again becomes equal to or greater than the first predetermined value; or by prohibiting toner supply for a constant duration to prevent excessive toner supply if time from the end of the last operation of the developing unit to the start of a next operation

Abstract: An image forming machine includes a host computer, a printer, a copying machine, and a document supply device for conveying a document printed by the printer to an automatic document feeder of the copying machine. The host computer and a control device provided in the printer are connected together via a parallel data transfer type interface, while the host computer and control device provided in the copying machine are connected together via a serial data transfer type interface. Thus independent data are transferred from the host computer to the control device of the printer and the control device of the copying machine.

Abstract: In a fixing system used to an electrophotographic recording apparatus, when a fixing roller is heated to a temperature above a preset fixing temperature by a heater and then a thermistor senses that the surface temperature of the fixing roller falls below the fixing temperature, a heater controller energizes the heater for a predetermined driving time and then deenergizes of the heater for a predetermined heater interrupting time to thereby control the surface temperature of the fixing roller. The heater driving time and the heater interrupting time may be stored in a memory region in accordance with respective sizes of recording papers. The duty ratio of the heater may be changed when a predetermined number of images have been recorded or when the fixing system is continuously operated for longer than a predetermined time.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus has a backup memory for storing data on image forming in a memory. When the power supply of the apparatus is turned off due to a trouble, a controller reproduces a status just before the power supply is turned off according to the data stored in the backup device if a predetermined time passes after the power supply is turned on again. However, new image forming is started if a preparation operation for new image forming is detected within the predetermined time. Further, if the power supply is turned off while a document is read, the controller reproduces the status just before the power supply is turned off when the power supply is turned on again.

Abstract: A method for controlling paper feeding is performed in an image forming apparatus having a feeding sensor for sensing paper feeding states and for generating a sensing signal that sequentially shifts between first and second states during the paper feeding.

Abstract: A device for displaying an exchange message for a process cartridge installed within a body of an image forming apparatus informs a user when the process cartridge should be replaced. The process cartridge, which can be installed within and removed from the body, combines a photosensitive drum, a cleaning blade and a waste toner receptacle as a unitary structure. A display provides the user with predetermined messages. A video controller receives a print command from a host computer and controls a printing operation by increasing an internally stored sheet printing index value by one in response to each printed sheet, and enables output of a message indicating that the process cartridge should be exchanged through the display when the sheet printing index value is greater than a predetermined value.

Abstract: In a copying machine according to the invention, a plurality of jobs are read and registered, and printing and reading of thus registered jobs can be independently performed. In the copying machine, if printing is stopped during printing a job registered under number 4, for example and it is highly probable that the estimated ending time for printing of jobs under job numbers 4 and 5 will be changed, the estimated ending times for these jobs are displayed in dots unlike the normal display. As a result, the user can be informed that an estimated time for the end of printing for a certain job becomes inaccurate.

Abstract: In order to provide an indication when it is necessary to exchange toner recovery container, an electrophotographic apparatus monitors the accumulated driving time of a toner supply drive unit, and a massage indicating "exchange the toner recovery container" is displayed at the time when a toner supply switch is operated under state in which the accumulated driving time exceeds a preset value.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an electrophotographic photosensitive member; a developer container for containing a developer for developing a latent image formed on the photosensitive member; measuring means for measuring usage degree of the photosensitive member; developer amount detecting means for detecting whether a remaining amount in the container is lower than a predetermined level; display means for displaying the remaining amount in accordance with the usage degree after the detecting means detects that the remaining amount is lower than the predetermined level.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a revolver type developer, and prevents toner stored within the revolver type developer from being adversely influenced by heat from a fixing unit. As one feature, the revolver developing unit is intermittently rotated when the image forming apparatus is in a stand-by state. As a further feature, the revolver developing unit is rotated at a very slow continuous speed when the image forming apparatus is in a stand-by state. As a further feature, the intermittent rotation and the slow continuous rotation of the revolver developing unit can be stopped if the temperature of the fixing unit falls below a predetermined value.

Abstract: A method for controlling a temperature of a heating device in an image processing apparatus includes the steps of: setting the temperature of the heating device to a first temperature corresponding to a standby temperature upon activation of the image processing apparatus; increasing the temperature of the heating device to a second temperature corresponding to a fixing temperature upon activation of an image forming operation; increasing the temperature of the heating device to a third temperature higher than the second temperature upon consecutive activation of the image forming operation; and decreasing the temperature of the heating device back to the first temperature upon termination of the image forming operation.

Abstract: A facsimile apparatus includes a read unit which reads a document sheet image, and a memory which stores the read image data. A recorder records the image data on a record sheet, and a selection unit selects a first copy mode or a second copy mode. In the first copy mode, the image data read by the read means is stored in the memory, and after the completion of the storing of at least one page of image data, the image data read from the memory starts to be recorded by the recorder. In the second copy mode the image data read by the read unit starts to be recorded by the recorder before the completion of the reading of one page of a document sheet. A controller asynchronously conducts reading of the image data by the read unit and recording of the image data by the recorder when the select unit selects the first copy mode, and synchronously conducts the reading of the image data by the read unit and the recording of the recorder when the select unit selects the second copy mode.

Abstract: An electrostatographic reproduction machine that includes an image bearing member means for forming a latent image having image areas and background areas; at least a development housing containing charged carrier beads, charged fragments of the charged carrier beads which undesirably cause image deletions, and charged toner particles for developing image areas to form a toner image; means for transferring the toner image to a sheet of paper, and means for fusing the toner image to the sheet of paper. Importantly the reproduction machine includes a method and control system for reducing halftone image deletions in future halftone images.

Abstract: An apparatus controls a temperature of a heat roller for fixing a developer material transferred on a print medium such as paper. The apparatus includes a controller, a sensor for detecting the thickness and/or width of a print medium such as paper, and a temperature-detecting element such as a thermistor for detecting the temperature on a first surface of the heat roller outside of a second surface area of the heat roller in contact with the print medium. The controller controls the temperature of the heat roller in accordance with the dimension of the print medium so that the middle portion of the heat roller is maintained substantially at a temperature of a first predetermined value during continued printing operation.

Abstract: A method for monitoring prescribed use periods of replaceable parts within an image forming apparatus, contemplates the steps of: updating in a memory, current count values respectively corresponding to the replaceable parts in response to each printed sheet generated by the apparatus, each one of the current count values representing an amount of use sustained by a corresponding one of the replaceable parts; sequentially comparing the current count values with corresponding predetermined count values representative of the prescribed use periods to determine whether any one of the prescribed use periods has expired; and providing output of a printed document indicating that one of the prescribed use periods has expired when one of the current count values equals a corresponding one of the predetermined count values.

Abstract: An electronic image processing apparatus having a marking machine, a source of copy sheets, a controller, and a plurality of resources wherein each of the resources includes an associated processor for storing data related to the operational timing of the associated resource. A bus interconnects the processors to the controller for directing the operation of the image processing apparatus to provide images on the copy sheets and the controller includes circuitry for interrogating each of the processors for the operational timing data and logic for responding to the operational timing data of each of the processors for dynamically configuring the controller to operate in accordance with the operational timing of the processors.

Abstract: In an image forming apparatus, a toner collection mode is executed when a series of image formation modes ends and when the image formation mode is continuously repeated a preselected number of times. A toner image sensing mode for sensing a reflection density from a reference toner image is executed every time the image formation mode is repeated a preselected number of times. The apparatus is capable of surely and efficiently removing toner left on an image carrier after image transfer, and collecting the reference toner image with a developing unit. The reference toner image is prevented from contaminating an image transferring unit and a cleaning unit.

Abstract: When a recording medium fed from a sheet feed drive mechanism is detected at a predetermined position, the counting of a loop feed time or the like variably set in accordance with a predetermined sheet feed condition such as the sheet type or particular supplying device is started, and the drive of the sheet feed drive mechanism is controlled by terminating the feeding operation in accordance with a count termination state. A count time of a timer for detecting a feed jam is variably set in accordance with a sheet feed condition such as material of sheet.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus which prevents the toner image, which is transferred onto the recording sheet but not yet fixed thereto, from being scattered, by reducing the amount of the charge, which is generated by the pre-cleaning charge removal means and attaches to a recording sheet on a transfer-member supporting member after it passes the image transfer stage. In the image forming apparatus, a recording sheet is transported in a state that it is electrostatically attracted onto a drum sheet, a toner image is formed on a photoreceptor drum in accordance with image information, and the toner image is transferred from the photoreceptor drum onto the recording sheet by using a transfer corotron disposed on the rear side of the drum sheet.