Ricoh Company, Ltd.

Hiroyuki Ohkaji

Ken Amemiya

Masaru Tanaka

Haruji Mizuishi

Hiroshi Mizusawa

Mayumi Ohori

Hideki Zenba

Kenzo Tatsumi

Fumio Kishi

Itaru Matsuda

Kenzou Tatsumi

Masumi Sato

Masato Yanagida

Masato Yokoyama

Kouji Ishigaki

A control system for an image forming device includes a sensor mounted on an optical path unobstructed by elements that are subject to wear for detecting a time varying signal representing reflected light from both a photoconductive element and a transfer sheet internal to the image forming device, a memory storing reference values, and a controller to control an image forming operation based on the reference values stored in the memory and the time-varying signal received from the sensor. The controller reads the time-varying signal from the sensor and compares the time-varying signal read to the reference values to determine a condition of the image forming device.

Image forming apparatus

An image forming apparatus with a sensing control system having an optical sensor and a control device. A detected object is recognized by using the difference of an output characteristics correspond to a quantity of reflected light. Thus, one or more detected objects may be precisely detected by the one optical sensor.

Image forming apparatus having a sensor for sensing an amount of reflected light from both a photoconductive element and a paper

An image forming apparatus transfers a toner image from a photoconductive image carrier to a recording medium with a transfer roller and senses the density of a particular toner pattern formed on the image carrier with an optical sensor. A voltage of a first polarity opposite the polarity of the toner is applied to the transfer roller when the toner image is to be transferred to the recording medium. A voltage of a second polarity identical to the polarity of the toner is applied to the transfer roller when the toner pattern is to be moved between the image carrier and the transfer roller. Thus, even when a toner pattern is brought to the transfer roller, the transfer roller is not released from the photoconductive element.

Image forming apparatus with a voltage applying unit for image transfer

A image forming apparatus with a sensing control system having an optical sensor and a control device. An detected object is recognized by using the difference of an output characteristics correspond to a quantity of reflected light. Thus, one or more detected objects may be precisely detected by the one optical sensor.

Image forming apparatus having a sensor for sensing an amount of

An electrophotographic image forming apparatus is disclosed which is provided within a cleaning device with a rotative conveying member for conveying a residual toner after removal thereof from a photoreceptor up to an inlet of a toner dropping path while rotating. Within the toner dropping path is disposed a toner bridge preventing member for preventing the formation of a toner bridge in the same path. The toner bridge preventing member is driven by the rotative conveying member so as to reciprocate substantially in parallel with the toner dropping direction.

Electrophotographic image forming apparatus

In an image forming apparatus having an endless transferring and conveying device for conveying a recording medium and electrostatically transferring a toner image from an image carrier to the medium, the mechanical operation of an image forming section is interrupted throughout the duration of preselected image processing executed by image processing means. As a result, the amount of toner to reach a cleaning section assigned to the endless transferring and conveying means is reduced. This frees the recording medium from contamination ascribable to defective cleaning and thereby insures attractive images.

Image forming apparatus having an endless conveying and transferring

An image transferring device incorporated in a color image recorder has a belt made of a dielectric material and movable while sequentially contacting a plurality of photoconductive elements at successive image transfer positions. Toner images formed on the photoconductive elements are sequentially transferred to the belt or a recording medium one above another by transfer chargers. Conductive members are located to face opposite surfaces of the belt and fully spaced apart from the latter by a predetermined distance, and each has an insulating member on the surface thereof that faces the belt. The conductive members are located between a position immediately succeeding the image transfer position on the most upstreamside and the position where the recording medium leaves the belt. A belt pressing member and a transfer charge limiting member are disposed in a position immediately preceding any one of the image transfer positions with respect to an intended direction of movement of the belt. The belt pressing member urges the belt against associated one of the photoconductive elements. The transfer charge limiting member prevents the charge from associated one of the transfer charges from reaching the zone upstream of the above-mentioned immediately preceding position.

Image transferring device for a color image recorder

An image transfer unit for an image recording apparatus which comprises a plurality of photoconductor units on which a toner image is formed, a dielectric transfer belt which circulates along and in contact with the plurality of photoconductor units, a record paper conveyed by the transfer belt, at least one transfer charger for transferring the toner image from each of the photoconductor units to the record paper in such a way that a plurality of toner images are superposed on each other one by one. The electric conductive member is disposed behind and in the vicinity of the transfer belt.

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Yokohama, Japan

Hiroyuki Ohkaji