Ricoh Company, Ltd.

Akio Kutsuwada

Hirokazu Ishii

Satoshi Takano

Toshitaka Yamaguchi

Mitsuru Sato

Kenzou Tatsumi

Takeshi Saito

Hiroshi Itoh

Masaru Tanaka

Takeo Suda

Itaru Matsuda

Masakuni Konja

Yuko Hayama

Yasushi Nakazato

Kazumi Suzuki

Masaaki Yamada

Shinji Tamaki

Nekka Matsuura

Keisuke Hayashi

Haruji Mizuishi

Seiji Hoshino

Shigeru Yoshiki

Noboru Kusunose

Takeo Yamaguchi

Seiji Oka

Yuko Harasawa

Tetsuo Yamaoka

Itaku Matsuta

Hakuti Mizuishi

A cooling device, which is included in an image forming apparatus, includes first and second conveying belts facing each other to hold and convey a recording medium therebetween, a first cooling body in contact with the first conveying belt to cool the recording medium, a second cooling body in contact with the second conveying belt to cool the recording medium, a heat dissipating body to dissipate heat of each cooling medium absorbed from the first and second cooling bodies, a cooling medium entering passage to flow each cooling medium from the heat dissipating body toward respective inlets of the first and second cooling bodies, and a cooling medium exiting passage to merge each cooling medium discharged from respective outlets of the first and second cooling bodies and flow the merged cooling medium to the heat dissipating body.

Cooling device and image forming apparatus incorporating the cooling device

A color image forming apparatus including a first-color developing unit configured to form a toner image on the photoconductive belt; and a second-color developing unit and successive developing units, at least the second-color and successive developing units each include an electrostatic developing unit including, an electrostatic toner conveying device including a plurality of electrodes, and a toner feeding device configured to feed the toner to the electrostatic toner conveying device, wherein voltages applied to the plurality of electrodes form a traveling-wave electric field for electrostatically transferring the toner, an electric field for causing the toner to electrostatically move toward the latent image formed on the photoconductive belt is formed, and toners not moved toward the latent image are directly conveyed to the toner feeding device by the electrostatic toner conveying device.

Color image forming apparatus and process cartridge therefor

An image forming apparatus including a plurality of filters for obtaining reusable toner from used toner scraped off of an image carrier. Also included is a reusable toner container for storing the reusable toner, and a toner transfer device for transferring the reusable toner stored in the reusable toner container to a developing device so that the reusable toner is reused by the developing device. The plurality of filters have a different mesh-size and are positioned in a used toner stream in an order based on the different mesh-size.

Toner collecting and reusing device for use in an image forming

A transfer separator comprises a transfer belt or other transfer mechanism for carrying and conveying a sheet to apply a toner image from an image carrier onto the sheet and separating the sheet from the image carrier. A bias application electrode applies a transfer bias to the transfer belt, wherein a relation of Lp.gtoreq.aV, and a=1 mm/KV is established when the minimum distance between the image carrier and surface of the bias application electrode is set to Lp (mm) and the maximum voltage applied to the bias application electrode is set to V (KV) . Preferably, the bias application electrode has a coated layer, and the difference in thickness resistance between the coated layer and the transfer belt is within two orders of magnitude. The hardness of the coated layer is preferably equal to or greater than the hardness of the transfer belt.

Transfer separator

In an image forming apparatus, a latent image electrostatically formed on a photoconductive element is developed by a two-ingredient type developer consisting of toner and carrier. The photoconductive element has a life coincident with the life of the developer. When the photoconductive element and developer reach the end of their life, they are replaced at the same time.

Image forming apparatus

In an image forming apparatus, a lubricant is fed to an image carrier on which a toner image is to be formed. An endless rotatable transfer member conveys a recording medium to which the toner image is to be transferred from the image carrier. The transfer member is capable of contacting the surface of the image carrier to which the lubricant has been applied. As a result, an adequate amount of lubricant is evenly applied to the transfer member to reduce the coefficient of friction of the surface of the transfer member, thereby enhancing the cleanability of the transfer member.

Image transferring device for an image forming apparatus

An image forming apparatus having a device for moving a charging roller towards and away from a photoreceptor and a cleaning member for the charging roller. The charging roller moving device moves the charging roller to positions including a first position where the charging roller is in contact with the photoreceptor and is separated from the cleaning member for a charging operation, a second position where the charging roller is in contact with the cleaning member for cleaning the surface of the charging roller and a third position where the charging roller is separated from the photoreceptor and the cleaning member. Even if the apparatus is left unoperated for a long time, the photoreceptor is prevented from being contaminated by the charging roller by placing the charging roller in the third position.

Image forming apparatus for moving a charging roller towards and away

In an image transfer device for an image forming equipment, a bias for image transfer is applied from a power source to an endless transfer belt via a bias roller. A current from the Transfer belt is released to ground via a ground electrode. Transfer control means variably controls a current I.sub.1 output from the power source that the difference between the current I.sub.1 and a current I.sub.2 flowing from the power source to the ground via the transfer belt, i,e., I.sub.out =I.sub.1 -1.sub.2 remains at a preselected target current. Setting means sets the target current on the basis of a set condition or conditions.

Image transfer device for an image forming apparatus

In a developing device included in an electrophotographic image forming apparatus, a device for replenishing toner to the developing device has a toner container having a hollow cylindrical body. The body is formed with a toner outlet at the center of one end thereof. A holder arrangement holds the container such that the toner can be delivered to a toner inlet portion included in the developing device. A drive mechanism causes the container to rotate about its own axis. The holder arrangement is formed with an opening for feeding the toner flowing out via the toner outlet to the toner inlet portion. The opening is covered with an elastic member having a holed portion. The device is capable of replenishing a predetermined amount of toner to the developing device at all times.

Toner replenishing device for a developing device

A device incorporated in an image forming apparatus for transferring an image from a photosensitive element to a transfer sheet. The transfer device includes a drive roller, a driven roller, a transfer belt for transferring a toner image formed on a latent image carrier to a transfer sheet, a bias roller, a feedback roller. In addition a power source device is provided for applying a voltage to the bias roller from a power source, and includes a control for controlling an output of the power source. The transfer belt passes over the drive roller and the driven roller, and the power source is connected to the bias roller and the feedback roller. Where an output current flowing from the power source to the transfer belt via the bias roller is I-1, and a feedback current flowing from the transfer belt to the power source via the feedback roller is I-2, the currents are controlled such that they satisfy the following equation:

Image transferring device for image forming apparatus

Growing community of inventors

Kawasaki, Japan

Akio Kutsuwada