Patent application number | Description | Published |
20110081182 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - An image forming apparatus according to the present invention comprises a cylindrical photosensitive body, a transfer unit, a fixing unit and a paper guide. The photosensitive body carries an image on it. The transfer unit includes a transfer roller in compressive contact with the photosensitive body. The fixing unit includes a heating roller and a pressing roller. The paper guide is positioned between the transfer and fixing units. The photosensitive body and the transfer roller are so arranged that the nip tangent between this body and this roller inclines toward the paper guide away from a line connecting the nip between this body and this roller and the nip between the heating and pressing rollers. The paper guide has a recess formed nearer the nip between the is photosensitive body and the transfer roller than the midpoint on the line connecting the two nips. | 04-07-2011 |
20110164902 | TRANSFER DEVICE - A transfer device of the invention includes an endless belt forming a loop-shaped path of movement passing over between a drive roller and an idle roller, a plurality of image bearing members disposed at positions along a direction of movement of the endless belt, and a plurality of transfer members disposed at positions on respective downstream sides of the plurality of image bearing members so as to oppose a plurality of respective image bearing members across the endless belt. The image bearing member disposed on the most upstream side in the direction of movement of the endless belt has a zone of contact in common with the opposed transfer member in the direction of movement of the endless belt. Whereas the other image bearing members do not have any zone of contact in common with the opposing respective transfer members in the direction of movement of the endless belt. | 07-07-2011 |
20120002996 | TRANSFER DEVICE AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - A transfer device includes a transfer belt, a transfer roller and a tension roller over which the transfer belt is passed in a tensioned condition and which is made to be in an electrically floated state; it also includes a guide member that is installed in the vicinity of the tension roller. A control section, in transfer processing, controls a first switch so that the guide member is in a grounded state while controlling a second switch so that an electric current being caused to flow to the transfer roller becomes a first electric current; and in cleaning processing, controls the first switch so that the guide member is in an electrically floated state while controlling the second switch so that an electric current being caused to flow to the transfer roller becomes a second electric current. | 01-05-2012 |
20120027461 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - A control portion obtains a first difference in a movement amount between paper passing period and paper non-passage period of a transfer belt, and determines whether or not a first absolute value thereof is a first threshold value or more. In a case where the first absolute value is the first threshold value or more, a transfer belt unit positional adjustment motor is driven to adjust a first angle with respect to a first direction of a transfer belt unit with respect to a photoreceptor drum. In a case where the first absolute value is less than the first threshold value, a second absolute value of a second difference between a movement amount and a designed value set in advance of the transfer belt is obtained, and whether or not the second absolute value is a second threshold value or more is determined. When the second absolute value is less than the second threshold value, the processing is finished, and when the second absolute value is the second threshold value or more, a second angle with respect to a second direction orthogonal to the first direction of the driving roller with respect to the photoreceptor drum is adjusted so as to be less than the second threshold value by a driving roller positional adjustment motor. | 02-02-2012 |
20120034008 | SEPARATING DEVICE AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - A separating device includes an intermediate transfer belt drive roller disposed in a convey path so as to convey a recording medium, a separating claw disposed to be opposed to the intermediate transfer belt drive roller so as to separate the recording medium by the tip. A part of the intermediate transfer belt drive roller to which the separating claw is opposed is made of material having higher hardness than the tip of the separating claw. | 02-09-2012 |
20120045257 | ENDLESS BELT, INTERMEDIATE TRANSFER BELT UNIT, IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR MANUFACTURING THE ENDLESS BELT - An intermediate transfer belt includes a belt body and a first and a second travelling guide ribs. The first and the second travelling guide ribs are respectively provided in a first edge portion and a second edge portion in width direction in an internal perimetric face of the belt body. A first joint of the first travelling guide rib and a second joint of the second travelling guide rib are disposed so as to be apart from each other in a circumferential direction of the belt body at least not less than a distance corresponding to a semicircle of an intermediate transfer belt drive roller. | 02-23-2012 |
20120251198 | TRANSFER BELT UNIT AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - A secondary transfer unit stretches a transfer belt in an endless form over a driving roller, a driven roller, a transfer roller, an auxiliary roller, and a support roller therebetween. The transfer belt moves, by rotation of the driving roller, along a circulation path which passes through a transfer position. The transfer roller and the auxiliary roller press the transfer belt from the inner peripheral surface of the transfer belt toward an intermediate transfer belt in the transfer position. The transfer belt has an outer peripheral surface thereof which is pressed against the intermediate transfer belt and is roughened so that the surface roughness of the outer peripheral surface becomes 6 μm to 10 μm. | 10-04-2012 |
20130058668 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - An image forming apparatus includes: a transfer portion that transfers a toner image from a first image forming element to a second image forming element when transfer voltage is applied; and a control portion, at time of cleaning the plurality of image forming elements, after integrally forming a cleaning toner image to be supplied to the first image forming element and the second image forming element on the surface of the photoreceptor along a revolving direction, that controls the application of the transfer voltage to the transfer portion to transfer the toner image in a manner such that the toner image is divided into at least four sections along the revolving direction, out of which at least two sections that are not adjacent to each other are transferred from the first image forming element to the second image forming element. | 03-07-2013 |
20130061698 | TRANSFER DEVICE - A transfer device includes a plurality of primary transfer rollers, a second link member and a regulatory member. The regulatory member restrains the second link member from moving further than a predetermined position toward the second direction. The second link member causes the primary transfer rollers to be displaced as it moves. The second link member is split into a plurality of link arms of which overall length is variable within a predetermined range; and its joint portion includes an elastic member urging the plurality of link arms toward a direction to which the overall length gets longer in a state where the second link member is most separate from a cam shaft, and a first locking section and a second locking section engaging the plurality of link arms with one another for the overall length not to get longer beyond a maximum value. | 03-14-2013 |
20130142537 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - An image forming apparatus includes: an image bearing element that bears a toner image to be transferred to a sheet; an image forming portion that forms the toner image on the image bearing element; a cleaning element that cleans the surface of the image bearing element; a storage portion that stores a history of print coverage; a control portion that makes the image forming portion form a cleaning toner image to be supplied to the image bearing element at time of cleaning by the cleaning element; and a print coverage calculating portion that calculates the print coverage of the sheet. The control portion obtains an average value of the print coverage in a period from after a previous cleaning by the cleaning element until before a current cleaning, and determines an amount of toner for the cleaning toner image supplied to the image bearing element based on the average value. | 06-06-2013 |
20140016965 | DISPLACEMENT MECHANISM FOR SECONDARY TRANSFER UNIT - A displacement mechanism for a secondary transfer unit ( | 01-16-2014 |
20150030357 | BELT UNIT AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - A belt unit is provided with an endless belt, a driving roller, and a pair of guide ribs. The driving roller is disposed on an inner peripheral surface side of the endless belt and drives the endless belt. The pair of guide ribs is placed on each opposite widthwise end of the inner peripheral surface of the endless belt and contacts both end faces of the driving roller, thus preventing meandering of the endless belt. Additionally, the driving roller is equipped with a low friction region at both opposite lengthwise ends in a predetermined width and the low friction region is configured to have a friction coefficient that is lower than a friction coefficient of a region adjacent to the low friction region. | 01-29-2015 |
Patent application number | Description | Published |
20090003895 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS, IMAGE FORMING METHOD, AND TRANSFER DEVICE - An image forming apparatus is provided in which an electrostatic latent image formed on a surface of a photoreceptor is developed into a toner image with a developing device, and in which a printing paper transported on a transport belt is brought into contact with the surface of the photoreceptor and an electric field is applied to the printing paper from a rear surface of the transport belt by a transfer roller so as to transfer the toner image onto the printing paper, the transfer roller capable of applying different levels of electric field to the printing paper, so that a predetermined transfer electric field is applied to a region other than a leading edge of the printing paper being transported, and that a weak electric field weaker than the predetermined transfer electric field is applied to the leading edge of the printing paper being transported. In this way, even in the presence of a 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. | 01-01-2009 |
20090196640 | TRANSFER DEVICE AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS USING THE SAME - A transfer device includes a transfer device controller for controlling the whole transfer device, a storage for storing various kinds of data etc. necessary for control, an intermediate transfer unit including a primary transfer power supply and its driver, a secondary transfer unit including a secondary transfer power supply and its driver, and a PTC unit. In the transfer device, a controller communicates with a main controller that controls the whole image forming apparatus, and acquires, for example, information on the total print count or the like. When PTC radiation is determined to be needed based on the above information, the controller controls to drive the PTC unit. | 08-06-2009 |
20090208241 | BELT CARRYING DEVICE, INTERMEDIATE TRANSFER DEVICE, AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - A belt carrying device includes supporting rollers, an endless belt supported by the supporting rollers, and guiding members provided on the endless belt. The endless belt is rotated by rotation of the supporting rollers. An outer peripheral surface of the endless belt is in contact with a cleaning member. The guiding members are provided on those projecting areas of the endless belt, which project in an axial direction of the supporting rollers from both end surfaces of the supporting roller. A guiding member suppresses meandering of the endless belt by coming into contact with an end surface of the supporting roller. Formed on the end surfaces of at least one of the supporting rollers are projecting sections and groove sections, which are rotated around a rotation axis of the at least one of the supporting rollers in response to rotation of the at least one of the supporting rollers. | 08-20-2009 |
20090220253 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - There is provided an image forming apparatus that is capable of reducing work burdens imposed on a user in terms of toner cartridge replacement. When a cartridge detection sensor detects that at least one of toner cartridges is emptied, a specified amount of toner is forcibly supplied from another toner cartridge than the toner cartridge subjected to detection to an intermediate hopper. After that, the amount of the toner within the another toner cartridge is detected. When an empty toner cartridge is newly detected, a request for replacement is issued as to both of the newly detected empty toner cartridge and the previously detected empty toner cartridge. | 09-03-2009 |
20090220258 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - An image forming apparatus is provided. When a user inputs a print request, life count values stored in a life management section are read out. A table of correlation between the life count values and a rotating speed of a driving roller is looked up, a rotating speed of the driving roller corresponding to the life count values read out is determined at which the driving roller is set to rotate. With the driving roller rotating at the set rotating speed, a printing process is performed so that a transfer belt turns at a constant running speed. Following the printing process, the life count values are updated based on the latest total number of printed copies and the latest revolving speed of the transfer belt. | 09-03-2009 |
20090263154 | CLEANING DEVICE AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS USING THE SAME - An intermediate transfer belt cleaning unit includes a cleaning blade put in sliding contact with the surface of a circulating intermediate transfer belt and a blade holder for holding the blade, the cleaning blade having a length extending across the width of the intermediate transfer belt, the blade holder being formed along the full length of the cleaning blade, for cleaning the surface of the intermediate transfer belt by means of the cleaning blade. In this cleaning unit, the contact pressure of the cleaning blade against the intermediate transfer belt is adjusted so that the contact pressure around both the side edges of the intermediate transfer belt is higher than the contact pressure in the remaining part. | 10-22-2009 |
20110135327 | IMAGE FORMING METHOD AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - 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. | 06-09-2011 |
Patent application number | Description | Published |
20110305489 | TRANSFER DEVICE AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - A transfer device includes a transfer belt, a plurality of rollers, and meandering preventive ribs. The plurality of rollers entrain the transfer belt thereabout. The meandering preventive ribs are provided at opposite widthwise ends of an inner peripheral surface of the transfer belt for preventing the transfer belt from meandering on the plurality of rollers. The plurality of rollers include at least one hollow roller having a central shaft and a plurality of internal ribs connecting the central shaft with an inner periphery of the hollow roller in a radial manner. The internal ribs are located so as not to come into contact with the meandering preventive ribs. | 12-15-2011 |
20120121280 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - An image forming apparatus includes a waste toner box, a base, a detection sensor, a counter and a controller. The waste toner box collects toner not transferred to a sheet but remaining on a surface of a photoreceptor. The base is for placing the waste toner box thereon, and a position of the base changes with a weight of the waste toner box placed thereon. The detection sensor detects the position of the base to detect an amount of toner in the waste toner box placed on the base. The counter counts the number of sheets with images formed thereon. The controller determines whether or not to continue image formation on a sheet on a basis of a signal from the detection sensor and the counter. | 05-17-2012 |
20130058678 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - An image forming apparatus is provided with an image bearing unit, an intermediate transfer unit, a primary transfer unit, a pre-transfer charger, and a control portion. The pre-transfer charger is located downstream of the primary transfer unit and upstream of the secondary transfer unit in a revolving direction, faces the outer peripheral surface of the intermediate transfer unit along a perpendicular direction perpendicular to the revolving direction, and charges the intermediate transfer unit when voltage is applied. The control portion, at time when determination is made as to the necessity of cleaning the pre-transfer charger, secondarily transfers a cleaning assessment toner image by switching between a state in which the voltage is applied to the pre-transfer charger and a state in which the voltage is not applied to the pre-transfer charger, the cleaning assessment toner image being in a uniform density. | 03-07-2013 |
20130084097 | BELT CONVEYOR MEMBER AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - A belt conveyor member includes an endless belt and a cleaning blade. The cleaning blade is configured to remove residual toner remaining on a surface of the endless belt which is processed into a smooth surface. The endless belt has a first region and a second region. The first region is a region in contact with the cleaning blade which is located outside a region for a recording sheet of a maximum usable width to pass therethrough. The second region is located outside the first region. A contact surface between the cleaning blade and the first region is in a rough condition free from intimate contact. | 04-04-2013 |
20130126314 | BELT UNIT AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - A belt unit is provided with an endless belt, a driving roller, and a pair of guide ribs. The driving roller is disposed on an inner peripheral surface side of the endless belt and drives the endless belt. The pair of guide ribs is placed on each opposite widthwise end of the inner peripheral surface of the endless belt and contacts both end faces of the driving roller, thus preventing meandering of the endless belt. Additionally, the driving roller is equipped with a low friction region at both opposite lengthwise ends in a predetermined width and the low friction region is configured to have a friction coefficient that is lower than a friction coefficient of a region adjacent to the low friction region. | 05-23-2013 |
20130129370 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - An image forming apparatus determines the amount of cleaning toner that is supplied to each of an intermediate transfer belt | 05-23-2013 |