| Patent application number | Description | Published |
| 20090241830 | LUBRICANT APPLYING DEVICE, PROCESS CARTRIDGE, AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - A lubricant applying unit has a residual-toner collection rate X of 50% when the lubricant applying unit has not been used. The collection rate X is obtained by X=(Ta−Tb)/Ta×100, where Ta is weight per unit area of the residual toner on an area of the image carrier that has not come into contact with the lubricant applying unit, and Tb is weight per unit area of the residual toner on an area of the image carrier that has come into contact with the lubricant applying unit. | 10-01-2009 |
| 20110076075 | Lubricant applicator, image forming apparatus, and method of mounting lubricant applicator - A lubricant applicator includes: a lubricant application unit that is arranged so as to be in contact with a surface of an image carrier, scrapes a solid lubricant, and applies the solid lubricant onto the surface of the image carrier while moving a surface of the lubricant application unit; a lubricant holding member that holds the solid lubricant; and a lubricant biasing unit that biases the solid lubricant against the lubricant application unit. The lubricant biasing unit is housed in a housing under a state that one end of the lubricant biasing unit is held by the lubricant holding member so that a position of the one end of the lubricant biasing unit is restricted, and another end of the lubricant biasing unit is held by a biasing-unit holding member that is provided to restrict a position of the another end of the lubricant biasing unit. | 03-31-2011 |
| 20110097124 | Waste-toner collecting device, process cartridge, and image forming apparatus - A waste-toner collecting device includes a waste toner collector that collects and stores therein non-transferred toner as waste toner conveyed from a cleaning unit via the conveying path; and a leveling member that levels waste toner accumulated inside the waste toner collector, and drive of which is controlled so that driving conditions thereof are varied based on information of an image formed on the image carrier. The switching of the driving conditions of the leveling member is controlled so as to be performed after a delay time during which the non-transferred toner collected in the cleaning unit reaches the waste-toner collector via the conveying path. | 04-28-2011 |
| 20110123239 | Lubricant applicator, process unit including the lubricant applicator, transfer unit including the lubricant applicator, and image forming apparatus including the process unit or the transfer unit - A lubricant applicator includes a lubricant and a rotatable lubricant application member. The rotatable lubricant application member contacts the lubricant and an application target to apply the lubricant to the application target while rotating. The lubricant application member includes a core member, a first wound portion including a bristle member wound spirally around the periphery of the core member in a first direction, and a second wound portion including a bristle member wound spirally around the periphery of the core member in a second direction opposite the first direction in an axial direction of the core member. A process unit includes the lubricant applicator. A transfer device includes the lubricant applicator. An image forming apparatus includes at least one of the process unit and the transfer device and the lubricant applicator. | 05-26-2011 |
| Patent application number | Description | Published |
| 20080226333 | USED TONER COLLECTION DEVICE AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - A used toner conveyance device includes a lateral conveyance member for conveying used toner substantially in the horizontal direction, and a vertical conveyance member for upwardly conveying the used toner transferred from the lateral conveyance member. The vertical conveyance member transfers the used toner to either a collection space or a next conveyance path. The vertical conveyance member stops its operation when a prescribed delay time has elapsed after the lateral conveyance member stops conveyance operation. | 09-18-2008 |
| 20090180801 | ELECTROPHOTOGRAPHIC PHOTORECEPTOR, PHOTORECEPTOR SUPPORTING DEVICE, IMAGING DEVICE AND PROCESS CARTRIDGE - An electrophotographic photoreceptor includes, a cylindrical photoreceptor pipe; at least one flange which is attached to an opening of one end of the photoreceptor pipe, and which is provided with a shaft part projecting outward from the one end at a shaft center position of the photoreceptor pipe; and an earth member which is arranged to penetrate through the shaft part of the at least one flange, and which is provided on its inward side with at least one first contact part which contacts an inner circumference of the photoreceptor pipe, and on its outward side with a second contact part. | 07-16-2009 |
| 20100021205 | LUBRICANT APPLICATOR AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS INCLUDING SAME - A lubricant applicator includes a solid mold lubricant, a lubricant application roller, and a flicker member. The lubricant application roller scrapes and applies the lubricant to an image bearing member. The flicker member removes a powder substance adhered to the surface of the lubricant application roller and is disposed upstream of the solid mold lubricant in a direction of rotation of the lubricant application roller. The lubricant application roller, the flicker member, and the solid mold lubricant define a sealed space therebetween. A lubricant applicator includes the solid mold lubricant, the lubricant application roller, the flicker member, and an adherence prevention member that prevents the substance removed by the flicker member from adhering again to the lubricant application roller. A lubricant applicator includes the solid mold lubricant, the lubricant application roller, and a lubricant receiver that receives the scraped lubricant from the lubricant application roller. | 01-28-2010 |
| 20100034557 | Process cartridge and image forming apparatus employing same - A process cartridge detachably attached to an image forming apparatus includes a first subunit, a second subunit, a first positioning member, and a second positioning member. The first subunit accommodates a photoconductor therein. The second subunit accommodates a developer applicator therein. The photoconductor and the developer applicator are arranged substantially parallel to each other to define a development gap therebetween. The first positioning member is fastened to both the first and second subunits to position ends of the photoconductor and the developer applicator on a first side of the respective subunits. The second positioning member is fastened to only one of the first and second subunits to position ends of the photoconductor and the developer applicator on a second side of the respective subunits opposite to the first side. An image forming apparatus employing such a process cartridge is also disclosed. | 02-11-2010 |
| 20100074665 | Cleaning device including cleaning mechanism having noise reduction mechanism and image forming apparatus incorporating same - A cleaning device that can be incorporated in an image forming apparatus which includes an image carrier configured to form a toner image, and a cleaning device configured to clean residual toner on the surface of the image carrier. The cleaning device includes a cleaning blade having a blade member provided to contact the surface of the image carrier and a holder to hold the blade member. The cleaning device further includes a frame to hold the cleaning blade and a vibration suppression member provided across the cleaning blade and the frame to couple the cleaning blade and the frame together and suppress vibration. | 03-25-2010 |