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Conductive roll, cleaning roll, cleaning unit, process cartridge, and image-forming apparatus

Patent Number: 8112028
Publication Date: 2012-02-07
Inventors: Hara, Yukio; Miyamoto, Tsuyoshi

Provided is a cleaning roll (conductive roll) including a core, a coating layer formed thereon, and a shaft along the axis of the core. The coating layer contains a bismaleimide resin and a conductive agent. Also provided are a cleaning unit, a process cartridge, and an image-forming apparatus employing the conductive roll. The conductive roll may include a core and a coating layer containing a bismaleimide resin and a conductive agent formed on the external peripheral surface of the ...

Image forming machine blade engagement apparatus with blade cassette

Patent Number: 8112027
Publication Date: 2012-02-07
Inventors: Seyfried, Richard W.; Linton, Cheryl A.; Thayer, Bruce E.

A blade engagement system for cleaning and/or metering a release agent onto an image forming machine moving surface, such as a photoreceptor. The blade engagement system includes a blade cassette having a plurality of blades, each including a compliant blade member having a blade tip. The blade engagement system also including a blade engagement apparatus removably receiving the blade cassette. The blade engagement apparatus having a blade positioning mechanism moving the blades, one at a ...

Lubricant applying device, and image forming assembly and image forming apparatus which employ the same

Patent Number: 8112026
Publication Date: 2012-02-07
Inventors: Matsumoto, Mitsuhiro; Sugimoto, Tsutomu

A lubricant applying device that faces a rotatable body, and that applies a solid lubricant to the rotatable body, includes: a lubricating roll in which the solid lubricant for application is formed into a circular sectional shape around a rotatable support shaft, and that is contacted with the rotatable body; and a pressing mechanism that presses the lubricating roll toward the rotatable body, wherein the lubricating roll that is pressed against the rotatable body by the pressing mechanism ...

Cooling device and cooling method for a printing substrate in an electrographic printer or copier

Patent Number: 8112025
Publication Date: 2012-02-07
Inventors: Goretzky, Michael; Mayr, Stefan

In a cooling device for a printing substrate after passage through a fixing station, a transport path is provided for the printing substrate. A first cooling unit is provided along one side of the transport path. The first cooling unit has a first perforated plate facing towards the printing substrate, a coolant being conducted through the perforated plate. A second cooling unit is provided along an opposite side of the transport path. This second cooling unit has a perforated plate on a ...

Heat fixing apparatus

Patent Number: 8112024
Publication Date: 2012-02-07
Inventors: Hashiguchi, Shinji; Saito, Tohru

The heat fixing apparatus includes a fixing heater and a pressure roller. The fixing heater has a plurality of resistance-type heat generation layers which are different in heat distribution in the longitudinal direction perpendicular to the direction of conveying a recording material. The recording material P is heated when passed through a fixing nip portion formed between the fixing heater and the pressure roller. The pressurization conditions between the fixing heater and the pressure ...

Image forming apparatus and fixing device

Patent Number: 8112023
Publication Date: 2012-02-07
Inventors: Ogawa, Tadashi; Ito, Akiko; Seo, Hiroshi; Higaya, Toshiaki

An image forming apparatus includes an image carrier to carry a toner image and a fixing device to fix the toner image transferred from the image carrier onto a recording medium by applying at least heat to at least one of the toner image and the recording medium. Such a fixing device includes: a magnetic flux generator to generate a magnetic flux; and a heat generating member disposed at least partially in the magnetic flux. The heat generating member includes a heat generating layer to ...

Fixing device, image forming apparatus, and image fixing method capable of stably applying oil for fixing without adhering oil to sheet

Patent Number: 8112022
Publication Date: 2012-02-07
Inventors: Okamoto, Masami; Okamoto, Jun; Suno, Kazuo; Nozawa, Kenji; Sonohara, Yoshihiro; Suzuki, Naoto; Kaneko, Syoichi; Kagami, Takashi; Shimada, Hiroyuki; Kubota, Keisuke

In a fixing device, a controller switches a pressing member between a pressure application state to contact the pressing member against a fixing member and a pressure release state to separate the pressing member from the fixing member. The controller starts rotation of the pressing member before the pressing member contacts the fixing member in the pressure application state, when the pressing member switches from the pressure release state to the pressure application state. An oil applier ...

Image forming apparatus having mechanism for correcting pull of belt member

Patent Number: 8112021
Publication Date: 2012-02-07
Inventor: Mochizuki, Jun

An image forming apparatus that adjusts an inclination angle of a supporting roller for regulating pulling of a belt member serving as an intermediate transfer belt or a recording-material supporting belt. The image forming apparatus changes a method of adjusting an inclination angle of the supporting roller in accordance with a winding angle of the belt member with respect to the supporting ...

Developing device and image-forming apparatus

Patent Number: 8112020
Publication Date: 2012-02-07
Inventors: Watanabe, Akihiro; Fujishima, Masashi; Hamakawa, Hiroyuki; Kotera, Asami; Mabuchi, Sayo; Yamazaki, Hiroshi

Embodiments relate to a developing device for use in an image-forming apparatus including a developing roller having a conductive base surface which may be covered with a resin layer containing an ion conductive material and a silicone-modified urethane resin having an ether structure. The resin layer may be a product of a crosslinking reaction of the silicone-modified urethane resin and the ion conductive material in the presence of a crosslinking agent and a crosslinking ...

Developer supply device

Patent Number: 8112019
Publication Date: 2012-02-07
Inventors: Nishiwaki, Kenjiro; Hattori, Tomoaki; Kotama, Kazutoshi; Onoda, Suzue

A developer supply device, comprising: a carrying substrate having electrodes arranged along a developer transport path at predetermined intervals to carry a developer through a traveling electric field, wherein the carrying substrate comprises: a rigid upper carrying substrate formed to stand to carry the developer upward; and a flexible bottom carrying substrate curved to be a semispherical shape and is configured to charge the developer by friction with the developer and to be connected ...

Developing unit and an image forming apparatus

Patent Number: 8112018
Publication Date: 2012-02-07
Inventors: Lee, Seung-yoon; Yoon, Hyung-won

A developing unit includes a developing unit body having a toner inlet and a developing roller mounted in the developing unit body. A toner feeding unit for feeding is provided to feed the toner from the toner inlet to the developing roller. A doctor blade is integrally formed with the developing unit body for controlling the thickness of the toner supplied to the developing ...

Developing unit and developer stirring and transporting method

Patent Number: 8112017
Publication Date: 2012-02-07
Inventors: Hatakeyama, Takashi; Murata, Hiroshi

There are provided a developing unit and a developer stirring and transporting method in which the amount of developer in the developing unit can always be kept at a specified amount without being influenced by a use environment. A developing unit 10 includes a developing roller 12, a containing unit 16 to contain the developer and having a discharge port 14 to discharge the overflown developer in its side wall, a stirring and transporting member 20 to ...

Developing agent circulation system and image forming apparatus using same

Patent Number: 8112016
Publication Date: 2012-02-07
Inventors: Katoh, Natsumi; Ohmura, Tomoya; Iwata, Nobuo; Matsumoto, Junichi

A development agent circulation unit includes a development unit, an agitation unit, and a rotary feeder. The development unit develops a latent image on an image carrier using a developing agent. The agitation unit agitates developing agent recovered from the development unit. The rotary feeder receives the developing agent from the agitation unit and discharges the developing agent in predetermined discrete amounts. The discharged developing agent is transported to the development unit ...

Belt unit and image forming apparatus

Patent Number: 8112015
Publication Date: 2012-02-07
Inventors: Meguro, Yuuji; Muramatsu, Takeru; Inoue, Tomofumi; Sakashita, Takeshi; Kichise, Mitsutoshi

At least one of a plurality of rollers supporting an endless belt includes a flange arranged on an end portion of the roller. The flange includes a cylindrical portion that is inserted into an opening portion of the roller at its end. Outer circumference of the cylindrical portion makes contact with inner circumference of the roller, and inner circumference of the flange makes contact with a rotation shaft of the roller. The inner edge of a surface where the flange is in contact with the ...

Color electrophotographic image forming apparatus

Patent Number: 8112014
Publication Date: 2012-02-07
Inventor: Kawanami, Takeo

A color electrophotographic image forming apparatus, wherein a plurality of cartridges is detachably mountable to a main assembly of the apparatus, includes a cartridge supporting member movable between an inside position which is inside the main assembly and an outside position which is outside the main assembly, supporting the cartridges, wherein the cartridges are mounted to and dismounted from the cartridge supporting member placed in the outside position, and wherein the cartridge ...

Image forming device

Patent Number: 8112013
Publication Date: 2012-02-07
Inventor: Ikezaki, Yoshiyuki

An image forming device includes a frame, a subunit detachably attached to the frame, a frame-side positioning portion, a subunit-side positioning portion, the subunit being positioned relative to the frame by making the subunit-side positioning portion contact the frame-side positioning portion, a contact regulating member attached to the frame movably between a location to contact the subunit before the subunit-side positioning portion comes into contact with the frame-side positioning ...

System and method for cleaning a printer

Patent Number: 8112012
Publication Date: 2012-02-07
Inventors: Wong, Hin Loong; Wong, Kai Leong

A printer ROS window cleaning system enforces unidirectional cleaning motion through a passageway formed in the printer housing. A guide has a distal portion that engages a cleaning tool from insertion until a cleaning portion reaches the rear of the passageway. A cleaning tool deflector positioned at the rear of the passageway biases the cleaning tool from the distal portion of the passageway to a proximate portion so that the cleaning portion contacts the ROS window. A unidirectional ...

Image forming apparatus

Patent Number: 8112011
Publication Date: 2012-02-07
Inventors: Okuchi, Hiroyuki; Nobe, Hiroshi

An image forming apparatus includes a placement tray, an image forming unit, a drive unit, a control board, a power supply substrate, a high-voltage board, and low-voltage power supply harnesses. The placement tray holds a recording sheet thereon. The image forming unit forms an image on the recording sheet. The drive unit supplies driving force to the image forming unit. The control board controls the drive unit. The power supply substrate supplies electric power to the control board. The ...

Energization control device and image forming apparatus

Patent Number: 8112010
Publication Date: 2012-02-07
Inventor: Yoshimoto, Totsuhiro

A heating unit heated upon receiving power supplied from an AC power supply, a temperature detecting unit detecting the temperature of the heating unit, a memory storing power energization pattern in which power energization and non-power energization are performed for each percentage of AC power, and a power control unit that determines the percentage of AC power applied to the heating unit based on the temperature and that determines the power energization pattern by referring to the ...

Electrophotographic apparatus having fuser temperature control and corresponding methods

Patent Number: 8112009
Publication Date: 2012-02-07
Inventor: Barton, Augusto E.

Disclosed are a method of forming images on media in an electrophotographic apparatus, and corresponding electrophotographic apparatus. The method includes measuring a temperature of the media with a sensor after the toner particles have been fused to the media, and controlling a temperature of the heater device with a controller based on the measured temperature of the media, wherein the temperature is controlled to obtain a desired gloss level for subsequent media to be ...

Image forming apparatus

Patent Number: 8112008
Publication Date: 2012-02-07
Inventor: Sugaya, Hajime

An image forming apparatus, which has a plurality of image forming units, comprises a plurality of cartridges adapted to supply developer; a plurality of supply members adapted to supply developer to the image forming units from a plurality of the cartridges; a drive unit adapted to drive a plurality of the supply members; and a control unit adapted to supply developer from a plurality of the cartridges by selectively operating a plurality of the supply members based on the amount of ...

Image forming apparatus, tone correction method using tone patches and alignment markers, and computer-readable recording medium recorded with a tone correction program using tone patches and alignment markers

Patent Number: 8112007
Publication Date: 2012-02-07
Inventors: Sakatani, Kazuomi; Harashima, Takashi; Kouzaki, Masahiro; Sakai, Tetsuya; Hirota, Soh

The present invention aims to provide an image forming apparatus and the like that perform a highly-accurate tone correction in a relatively short time and includes the following: a pattern former, with use of each image forming unit, on a sheet, forming tone patches in the main or sub scanning direction (41k,c,y,m) and aligning markers, which indicate positions of the tone patches, in the same direction as the tone patches (42k,c,y,m); a pattern reader reading ...

Image forming apparatus and method for distinguishing suitable parts in the same

Patent Number: 8112006
Publication Date: 2012-02-07
Inventor: Kasai, Tadashi

An image forming apparatus that can provide notification, so that maintenance personnel of a manufacturer or the like can be made aware of a usage condition in a case where an unsuitable toner cartridge is intermittently used. The image forming apparatus is equipped with a primary storage section storing specific information concerning a replaceable part, such as a toner cartridge that can be attached or removed from a main body, and a secondary storage section storing information ...

Printing medium guide device including rollers

Patent Number: 8107874
Publication Date: 2012-01-31
Inventor: Yoon, Kwon Ho

An image forming apparatus capable of guiding a printing medium in a smooth manner by minimizing resistance to the printing medium feed and preventing a developer from adhering and accumulating on a printing medium guide device. The image forming apparatus includes a printing medium guide device to guide a printing medium in a print path to a discharge path or guide the printing medium in the discharge path to a reverse path, and the printing medium guide device includes rollers to rotate ...

Image forming apparatus conveying sheets based on previously conveyed sheets

Patent Number: 8107873
Publication Date: 2012-01-31
Inventors: Nakazawa, Shinji; Yoneda, Yoshiharu

One embodiment of an image forming apparatus according to the present invention is an image forming apparatus in which registration rollers are arranged immediately before an electrostatic latent bearing member and, after a carried paper is caused to temporarily stop by the registration rollers, carrying of the paper recommences with a timing enabling a leading edge of image information visualized on the electrostatic latent bearing member and a leading edge of the paper that has been ...

Image forming apparatus and process cartridge

Patent Number: 8107872
Publication Date: 2012-01-31
Inventors: Nakai, Hiroshi; Iio, Masato; Tanaka, Shinya; Hasegawa, Kunio; Yamashita, Masahide; Ozaki, Naoyuki

An image forming apparatus including a charging unit configured to charge a surface of an image bearing member utilizing discharge generated by applying a voltage containing an alternating current component to a charging member disposed in contact with or close to the image bearing member, so that a latent electrostatic image is formed on the image bearing member; a developing unit configured to develop the latent electrostatic image formed on the image bearing member using a toner; a ...

Apparatuses useful for printing and methods of treating marking material on media

Patent Number: 8107871
Publication Date: 2012-01-31
Inventors: Irving, David C.; Finn, Patrick James; Pawlik, Robert S.

Apparatuses useful for printing and methods of treating marking material on media are provided. An exemplary embodiment of the apparatuses includes a first member including a first outer surface; and a roll including a second outer surface forming a nip with the first outer surface. The second outer surface includes an inner portion having first and second axially-spaced edges, a roughened first high-friction surface axially outward from the first edge and a roughened second high-friction ...

Fusing device and image forming apparatus using the same

Patent Number: 8107870
Publication Date: 2012-01-31
Inventors: Inoue, Noriko; Hori, Hiroaki; Tateishi, Yoshinobu

A fusing unit is comprised of a pair of rollers, a fusing roller and a pressing roller, having an elastic layer on their outer peripheral surface and a pressing spring for pressing the fusing roller against the pressing roller, and causes a sheet of paper with an unfixed toner image to pass through the nip portion where the fusing roller and pressing roller are put in press-contact with each other so as to fuse the toner image and fix it to the paper. This fusing device further includes a ...

Fixing device and image forming apparatus

Patent Number: 8107869
Publication Date: 2012-01-31
Inventor: Tamemasa, Hiroshi

The fixing device is provided with: a fixing member that includes a metal layer; a pressure member that forms a pressure portion between the pressure member and the fixing member, and that is driven to rotate; an electromagnetic induction heating member that causes the metal layer of the fixing member to generate heat; and a heater that is disposed so as to face the electromagnetic induction heating member through the fixing member and so as to be in contact with an inner side of the fixing ...

Image fixing device containing a heat generating unit arranged at an end portion of a heater and an apparatus having the same

Patent Number: 8107868
Publication Date: 2012-01-31
Inventor: Kimura, Taku

An aspect of the invention provides a fixing device that comprises: an endless fixing belt; a first rotating body arranged at an inner side of the fixing belt; and a heater arranged to face an inner surface of the fixing belt and configured to heat the fixing belt and to suspend the fixing belt in a tensioned state together with the first rotating body, the heater comprising: a heat generating unit arranged at an end portion of the heater on a downstream side in a direction of travel of the ...

Image fixing device using a belt-driving method, and image forming apparatus using the same image fixing device

Patent Number: 8107867
Publication Date: 2012-01-31
Inventor: Funabiki, Hiroshi

An image fixing device, having a belt-driving method to drive an endless belt which is entrained about at least two supporting members, including: a first supporting member on which a light transmitting area is provided; a heater which is housed within the first supporting member; a sensor which is mounted at a position to detect light rays, emitted from the heater and passed through the light transmitting area; and a control section which is configured to detect a lateral displacement of ...

Fixing apparatus with pressure member and urging mechanism and related image forming apparatus

Patent Number: 8107866
Publication Date: 2012-01-31
Inventors: Matsuno, Takuji; Kajita, Masahito

A fixing apparatus is described. This fixing apparatus may include a heating member, a pressure member opposed to the heating member, a first holding member holding the pressure member and an urging mechanism position-changeably supporting the pressure member through the first holding member and urging the pressure member toward the heating member through the first holding member. The first holding member is electrically connected with the urging mechanism. The first holding member and the ...

Image forming apparatus and fixing device

Patent Number: 8107865
Publication Date: 2012-01-31
Inventor: Park, Seo-won

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 ...

Separating member, fixing device, and image forming apparatus

Patent Number: 8107864
Publication Date: 2012-01-31
Inventors: Saito, Osamu; Sakaya, Kohta; Ikeda, Tamotsu; Nanno, Shigeo

A fixing device includes a fixing roller and a pressing roller that are in pressure contact with each other. A separating plate is placed opposite to the fixing roller with a certain gap in between them. Positioning portions are installed on the separating plate to be in contact with width-direction ends of the fixing roller for determining the gap. The positioning portions are arranged such that edges of contact portions of the positioning portions on the width-direction center side in ...

Developing device and image forming apparatus

Patent Number: 8107863
Publication Date: 2012-01-31
Inventors: Yamazaki, Soichi; Ikuma, Ken

A developing device and an image forming apparatus which can form a printing image having high resolution and a high quality level, while resolving various problems resulted from the use of small particle size toner particles are provided. The developing device includes a toner constituted of resin base particles containing a coloring agent and a binder resin, and silicone oil and/or fluoro oil added to the resin base particles, a toner receiving portion for receiving the toner, and a ...

Image forming device having developer vibration element

Patent Number: 8107862
Publication Date: 2012-01-31
Inventors: Hattori, Tomoaki; Nishiwaki, Kenjiro

An image forming apparatus includes a developer containing casing, a developer transport body, transport electrodes, and a developer vibrating section. The developer containing casing is a box-like member in which a developer is contained. The developer transport body has a developer transport surface, and is disposed within the developer containing casing. The plurality of transport electrodes are provided along the developer transport surface. These transport electrodes are configured ...

Image forming apparatus and image forming method capable of automatically collecting developer from development device

Patent Number: 8107861
Publication Date: 2012-01-31
Inventor: Uno, Mugijirou

An image forming apparatus includes an image carrier, a development device, a developer collection device, a detector, and a controller. The image carrier carries a latent image. The development device develops the latent image into a toner image, and includes a developer carrier opposing the image carrier and carrying a developer. The developer collection device collects the developer from the development device when the development device is driven. The detector detects a state in which ...

Configuration for an agitation system in a developing device and process cartridge

Patent Number: 8107859
Publication Date: 2012-01-31
Inventors: Mori, Hiroki; Shiraki, Masatoshi

A developing device including a flexible agitating blade attached to an agitating member is described. The developing device may receive developer from a developer cartridge via a replenishing port. The replenishing port may be configured to prevent the flexible agitating blade from flinging toner outside of the developing device. In one example, an upstream opening of the replenishing port may be located such that, when a free end of the flexible agitating blade rotates to the opening, the ...

Discharger and process cartridge

Patent Number: 8107858
Publication Date: 2012-01-31
Inventor: Okabe, Yasushi

A discharger is provided, which can eliminate charge from a surface of a photoconductor. The discharger includes: a light source; a light guide member; a cover which covers the light guide member to expose at least an opposed surface of the light guide member to the photoconductor; and an adhesive tape which uses nonwoven fabric as a substrate, which is disposed between the light guide member and the cover so that the opposed surface of the light guide member is disposed between the tape ...

Fixing device and image forming apparatus

Patent Number: 8107857
Publication Date: 2012-01-31
Inventor: Kobayashi, Kei

A fixing device fixes a recording medium with a toner image transferred thereon. The fixing device includes an endless belt heated with a heating member; a first pressing member contacting with the endless belt and extending the endless belt together with the heating member; a second pressing member for pressing the endless belt and sandwiching the endless belt together with the first pressing member; and a high thermal conductive member contacting with an inner surface of the endless belt ...

Fixing device and image forming apparatus including the same

Patent Number: 8107856
Publication Date: 2012-01-31
Inventors: Watanabe, Shigeru; Furukata, Hiroko; Arikawa, Kiichirou; Gotoh, Yasutaka

A fixing device including a heating member, a pressing member that presses the heating member, a switching unit that switches a press contact force of the pressing member and a container body that accommodates the heating member, the pressing member, and the switching unit, wherein the switching unit, includes a drive member that moves the pressing member in a predetermined direction and an auxiliary drive member that is connected to the drive member and relatively moves with the drive ...

Image forming device having detachable developing device unit

Patent Number: 8107855
Publication Date: 2012-01-31
Inventors: Nishimura, Yoh; Sato, Shougo

An image forming device includes a main casing, a photosensitive drum unit and a developing device unit. The photosensitive drum unit includes a plurality of photosensitive drums juxtaposed in a first direction orthogonal to an axis of each photosensitive drum. The developing device unit includes a plurality of developing devices disposed in one-to-one correspondence with the plurality of photosensitive drums and a supporting member. Each developing device includes a developing roller ...

Image forming apparatus

Patent Number: 8107854
Publication Date: 2012-01-31
Inventor: Jang, Myoung Sub

An image forming apparatus in which an exposing unit is mounted on a cover unit for improved space utilization. The image forming apparatus includes a body, a plurality of developing units arranged in the body along vertical direction of the body, a cover unit that opens or closes a side of the body an exposing unit provided at the cover unit so as to move in association with the closing or opening movement of the cover unit. The image forming apparatus may also include an engagement member ...

Image forming apparatus and photosensitive unit

Patent Number: 8107853
Publication Date: 2012-01-31
Inventor: Okabe, Yasushi

An image forming apparatus is described. The image forming apparatus may include: a main body provided with an accommodation chamber partitioned by an inner side surface; a photosensitive unit configured to slid between an accommodated position and a drawn position; a first electrode disposed on a first outer side surface on the photosensitive unit; a second electrode disposed on a second outer side surface on the photosensitive unit to protrude toward the inner side surface beyond the ...

Image forming apparatus including image reading unit with contacting portions which contact contacted portions when closing the image reading unit

Patent Number: 8107852
Publication Date: 2012-01-31
Inventor: Ito, Sakae

An image forming apparatus includes an image forming unit and an image reading unit. The image forming unit may include a receiving portion disposed above an image forming part, and a pair of contacted portions disposed on opposite sides on the image forming part. The image reading unit may be disposed above the image forming unit and configured to open to expose the receiving portion and configured to close to cover the receiving portion. The image reading unit may include a pair of ...

Image forming apparatus provided with image reading unit

Patent Number: 8107851
Publication Date: 2012-01-31
Inventors: Tamura, Takashi; Kawamoto, Masuo; Ito, Hiroshi

An image forming apparatus has a wide first main body, a narrow second main body below the first main body, and a cover on at least on one side of the second main body. The cover includes first and second walls. The first wall connects a side edge of the first main body and a lower side edge of the second main body. The second wall is a substantially inverted triangle that extends obliquely from the front edge of the first ...

Developing device

Patent Number: 8107850
Publication Date: 2012-01-31
Inventors: Matsushita, Yuichi; Ito, Yoshinori; Xu, Fan

A developing device is provided. The developing device includes a housing, a developing agent carrier, and a developing agent leakage prevention member. The developing agent leakage prevention member has a first layer that is configured to contact an outer circumferential surface of a longitudinal end of the developing agent carrier; a second layer that is superimposed on the first layer and is configured to contact a portion of the housing; and an adhesive layer that is interposed between ...

Image forming apparatus

Patent Number: 8107849
Publication Date: 2012-01-31
Inventors: Mitsuhashi, Keisuke; Suzuki, Youhei; Nada, Takao; Tomura, Hisayuki; Abe, Takuma; Yoshioka, Kiyoharu; Shida, Tomonori; Uchida, Michio; Yamashita, Hidetoshi

A compact image forming apparatus is provided in which stains on the back of a transfer material can be prevented. In particular, in a marginless print mode in which a toner image can be formed to the edge of a transfer material, a large amount of toner adheres to a transfer-material bearing member. The image forming apparatus includes a collecting member that can temporarily collect the toner adhering to the transfer-material bearing member. The toner that is temporarily collected by the ...

Image forming apparatus with contact/separation mechanism to/from intermediate transfer body

Patent Number: 8107848
Publication Date: 2012-01-31
Inventors: Nozawa, Shigeki; Honda, Takashi; Kondo, Masao; Furubayashi, Toshiya; Maruyama, Yoshinori

In a printer, three toner patches are primary-transferred successively to an intermediate transfer belt. Here, after the first toner patch passes through a belt cleaner and before the second toner patch reaches the belt cleaner, and after the second toner patch passes through the belt cleaner and before the third patch reaches the belt cleaner, the belt cleaner is operated to change the state of contact to the intermediate transfer belt to a different state. A density sensor detects density ...

Image exposure apparatus, cleaning device of image exposure apparatus, and image forming apparatus

Patent Number: 8107847
Publication Date: 2012-01-31
Inventors: Hayashi, Kenji; Kawai, Jun; Ohba, Shinichi

An image exposure apparatus is provided and includes: an optical unit that emits light to form an exposure image on a photosensitive material; a casing that houses the optical unit and that has an image exposure window through which the light is allowed to pass for forming the exposure image; a transparent dustproof member at the image exposure window; and a shutter member switched between a shield position for covering a region above the dustproof member, which serves as a passage region ...