Canon Kabushiki Kaisha

Fumio Nishino

Shigeyoshi Onoda

Shinji Kanemitsu

Akihiro Nomura

Morikazu Mizutani

Mototada Toriumi

Hiroshi Nitanda

Haruhisa Honda

Tamotsu Okada

Fumio Asano

Koyokazu Namekata

An electrophotographic copying apparatus is provided with a first body and a second body, the first body having a photosensitive member, a light source for exposing an original, an original supporting table movable relative to the light source with the original supported thereon, and a first optical system for projecting a first image information light reflected from the original onto the photosensitive member. The second body has a second optical system for projecting a second image information light onto the photosensitive member in the first body. Two copying modes are provided: a first mode for copying by the first image information light, and a second mode for copying by the second image information light. In the second mode, a controller positions a shutter member for blank exposure in the optical path in its retracted position prior to the copying in the second mode. Thus, solving the optical problems on the copying apparatus side and on the apparatus side for operating the recording medium and the higher functionalization of an optical system and/or the movement range of the movable original supporting table is changed during the original copying and during the copying of the recording medium to thereby enable the efficient use of the space.

Electrophotographic copying apparatus for copying an original placed on

A process kit includes a support member having a photosensitive member integrally mounted thereon together with process elements for acting on the photosensitive member. The support member is mountable on and removable from a main image forming apparatus having an optical system for projecting an image onto the photosensitive member. The support member has a positioning element for engaging the optical system in order to position the optical system accurately with respect to the photosensitive member. This configuration permits sharply formed images to be formed on the photosensitive member after removal and remounting of the process kit.

Process kit and positioning mechanism for the process kit

Various components of image-forming means such as corona discharger, developing device and cleaning means are arranged around a photosensitive drum. These processing parts and the photosensitive drum are assembled together into a unit which can be detachably mounted into the main body of image-forming apparatus. Such a unit is called process kit. The process kit is provided with a driving connection member for receiving a driving force from the main body. The present invention provides safety means for effectively protecting said driving connection member from shock and impact thereby assuring the utility of the process kit for a long time.

Safety means for process kit

A process kit is detachably mounted in the main body of an image forming apparatus and includes a housing in which a photosensitive member, a corona discharger and a developing device are mounted and held as a unit, the housing including an optical opening formed therein upstream of the corona discharger for conducting a homogeneous light to the photosensitive member to eliminate any remaining charge thereon and an opening of exposure for conducting a light of information to the photosensitive member, the exposure opening being located between the corona discharger and the developing device.

Corona discharger system

Process kit and an image forming apparatus using the same

An image forming apparatus includes a process kit detachably mountable thereinto, the process kit having a casing in which an electrophotographic type photosensitive member, a corona discharging device, a development device and a cleaning device are contained as a unit, the casing of the process kit including a slit-like opening formed therein at a position opposed to the corona discharging device within the process kit and an openable light-blocking member of a flexible sheet which extends along the slit-like opening to block external light toward the electrophotographic type photosensitive member within the casing of the process kit. A cleaner may be inserted into the casing through the slit-like opening to clean the corona discharging wire within the casing.

Process kit for image forming apparatus

A process kit containing consumable members is detachably mountable in the main body of an operating device and includes apparatus for indicating when the useful life of the process kit is about to expire and when it has expired.

This specification discloses a process kit removably mountable on the main body of an image formation apparatus and integrally having an image bearing member and a part or the whole of process device acting on the image bearing member, and an image formation apparatus using such kit. The image formation apparatus having an image bearing member, process device acting on the image bearing member, a process kit removably mountable on the main body of the apparatus and integrally having the image bearing member and the process device, and a cover movable to a first position for covering the surface of the image bearing member provided in the process kit and a second position retracted away from the first position. This specification also discloses a process kit removably mountable on the main body of the image formation apparatus and having an image bearing member, a cover movable to a first position for covering the surface of the image bearing member and a second position retracted away from the first position, and process device acting on the image bearing member.

Growing community of inventors

Tokyo, Japan

Fumio Nishino