Oki Data Corporation

Makoto Yabuki

Hisao Ono

Yoshiharu Momiyama

Yoshitatsu Okiyama

Noboru Otaki

Shigeki Nakajima

Masato Sakai

Shinichi Murakami

Atsushi Kurabayashi

Masato Nagata

Fumiaki Yoshida

Norio Ebata

Makoto Otake

Hiroyuki Inoue

Junichi Ito

Shinichi Katakura

Minoru Mizutani

Takashi Itaya

Masanori Maekawa

Yasunaga Yamaguchi

Kazuaki Arai

A fixing member is rotatably supported. A first pressing member faces the fixing member. A running member runs while being sandwiched between the fixing member and the first pressing member. A first mechanism urges the first pressing member against the fixing member, defining a first nip between the fixing member and the running member. A second pressing member presses the running member against the fixing member. A second mechanism includes a holding member that holds the second pressing member and an urging member therein, and urges the second pressing member against the fixing member with the running member sandwiched therebetween, defining a second nip, adjacent to the first nip, between the fixing member and the running member. The second pressing member and the holding member abut each other through a plurality of projections formed on at least one of the second pressing member and second pressing mechanism.

Fixing apparatus for an image forming apparatus

A developer conveying apparatus includes a first developer storing portion, a second developer storing portion, and a conveying pipe that connects the first and second developer storing portions. The conveying pipe includes a tubular main body and a conveying member rotatably provided in the main body. A groove is formed on a surface of the conveying member, and the groove has a depth less than or equal to 5 &#x3bc;m.

Developer conveying apparatus and image forming apparatus

An image-forming apparatus includes an image-forming section, a detection section, and a controller. The image-forming section has an image-bearing body on which an electrostatic latent image is formed and a developing unit that develops the electrostatic latent image. The detection section generates an output indicative of a remaining amount of toner in the developing unit. The controller drives the drive section to cause the image-forming section to move from one position to another, and determines a position of the image-forming section based on the output of the detection section. The detection section is mounted to a toner cartridge within the developing unit. When the image-forming section is moved from one position to another, the detection section receives light reflected by a high-reflectivity area and a low-reflectivity area, thereby detecting the position of the image-forming section.

Image forming apparatus having position controller

A color image recording apparatus includes a mechanism that switches a plurality of image forming sections between image forming positions where the photoconductive drums are in contact with a transport belt and non-image forming positions where the photoconductive drums are not in contact with the transport belt. A pair of slide links extend and are slidable in a direction in which the image forming sections are aligned. Each of the slide links has first guide surfaces and second guide surfaces. When the image forming sections are at the image forming positions, supporting shafts of corresponding one of image forming sections rest on the first guide surfaces. When the image forming sections at the non-image forming positions, the supporting shafts of corresponding one of image forming sections rest on the second guide surfaces.

Color image recording apparatus having movable image forming sections

A color image forming apparatus includes a carrier belt which runs along a transport path of a recording medium to transport the recording medium. A number of image-forming sections are aligned in the transport path. Each of the plurality of image-forming sections forms a toner image of a corresponding color included in an image signal. A plurality of transfer units are provided, with each being disposed to oppose a corresponding one of the number of image-forming sections. Each of the number of transfer units transferring the toner image of the corresponding color to the recording medium. A fixing unit is provided that fixes the toner image to the recording medium. A controller is provided that detects a number of colors in the image signal. The controller sets one set of speeds from a plurality of different sets of speeds in accordance with the number of colors. Each set of speeds includes a speed of the carrier belt, a speed at which each of the image-forming sections forms a respective toner image of a corresponding color, and a speed of the fixing unit. The speed of the carrier belt, the speed at which each of the image-forming sections forms a respective toner image of a corresponding color, and the speed of the fixing unit of any one respective set of speeds are substantially equal to each other.

Color image forming apparatus having a controller for setting printing

An image forming apparatus such as color electrophotographic printer has a plurality of image forming stations. Each image forming station includes an image forming cartridge and a toner cartridge mounted therein. The toner cartridge has a corresponding first engagement portion. The image forming cartridge has a receiving section with a corresponding second engagement portion. The receiving section detachably receives the corresponding toner cartridge therein with the second engagement portion fittingly engaging the first engagement portion. The first and second engagement portions are of a construction that they can be polarized such that the first engagement portions engage the second engagement portions in different engagement relations when the devices are received in the receiving sections, each of the toner cartridges being received in a corresponding one of the receiving sections. Such an engagement construction may also be applicable to the image forming cartridge and the receiving section formed in the body of the printer which receives the image forming cartridge. The image forming cartridges and the receiving sections are polarized such that they are fittingly engaged with each other in different engagement relations.

Image forming apparatus having a plurality of image forming stations

A color image forming apparatus provides the prolonged life of the photosensitive drums, carrier belt, and toner of the respective colors and improves the quality of the printed color image. A carrier belt transports a recording medium placed thereon so that the recording medium passes through a plurality of printing mechanisms which print images of different colors on the recording medium in superposition. Each printing mechanism prints an image of a corresponding color. The printing mechanism is adapted to be moved into its operative position where the photosensitive drum of the printing mechanism is in contact with the carrier belt to print the image on the recording medium, and into its non-operative position where the photosensitive drum of the printing mechanism is not in contact with the carrier belt. A controller receives print data from a host device such as a personal computer and checks each page of the print data to determine whether any one of a predetermined plurality of colors is missing in the page. If a particular color is missing in the print data, then the controller outputs an UP signal to a positioning mechanism for a corresponding printing mechanism. If the color is not missing, then the controller outputs a DOWN signal. The printing mechanism moves a corresponding printing mechanism into the operative position if the UP signal is received from the controller and into its operative position if the DOWN signal is received.

Color image forming apparatus having a printing mechanism selectively

A toner image fixing device in an electrophotographic image forming apparatus has a heating roller containing a heater and a backup roller, a surface of which is in contact with a surface of the heating roller. A toner image on the paper is fixed by causing the paper to pass through a contacting portion of the heating roller and the backup roller. The toner image fixing device also has a driving device for supplying driving power to the heating roller or the backup roller to rotate both the heating roller and the backup roller, and a controller. The controller controls the driving section in such a way that both the heating roller and the backup roller begin to rotate intermittently immediately after an electric power supply switch of the apparatus is turned on and heat generation from the heater is initiated, and subsequently begin to rotate continuously when the backup roller achieves one revolution by the intermittent rotation. Alternatively, the rotation speed of the heating roller and backup roller is gradually and continuously increased immediately after electric power is initiated and subsequently reach a constant speed.

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Tokyo, Japan

Makoto Yabuki