Minolta Camera Kabushiki Kaisha

Minolta Company, Ltd.

Masahide Ueda

Eiichi Sano

Tadafumi Shimizu

Masami Yamada

Masahiko Matsuura

Atsuto Hirai

Tomoo Izumi

Yoshihisa Terasaka

Hiroyuki Yamasaki

Takashi Onishi

Toru Matsui

Tadashi Ohira

Takuma Ishikawa

Minoru Nakamura

Fumiya Yagi

Naoki Kubo

Yasuhiro Kusuda

Yoshihiro Hanada

Satoshi Yoshida

Hirofumi Tanahashi

Masao Tokumoto

Shinichiro Tabuchi

Akiyoshi Kamisaki

Data defining an outline shape of a section, color-region image data and adhesion-region image data are generated, color toners are transferred onto a color region and an adhesion region on a sheet in accordance with the respective image data, the sheet is aligned on processed sheets and laminated thereon. Next, a laminated body of the sheets is bonded by heating and pressurizing, and the laminated and bonded sheets are cut along the sectional outline shape. Further, sectional shape data of a solid model are generated and a transparent toner is transferred as an adhesive onto the adhesion region of the sheet. Then, after aligning and laminating the sheet on the processed sheets, the transparent toner is melted to bond the sheets. Color toners are transferred onto the color region of the sheet and the sheet is cut along the outline shape. Furthermore, the color region is defined on a transparent sheet in accordance with the sectional shape of the solid model. After entirely covering the color region with a white toner layer, a three-primary-color toner layer in which the three primary color toners are spatially tone-distributed is applied to the color region, to form a colored layer of double-layered structure. Alternatively, a colored layer is formed of one-layered structure in which the white toner fills clearances of dots of the three primary color toners.

Apparatus and method for forming three-dimensional object

A belt slippage correcting device and method for correcting slippage of a belt which is transported in a predetermined direction. The belt slippage correcting device has a slippage detecting device for detecting slippage of the belt in a direction perpendicular to the belt transporting direction and a moving device for moving the belt in the direction perpendicular to the belt transporting direction and control device for controlling the moving device based on the detected slippage of the belt by the belt slippage detecting device The slippage of the belt is corrected while the moving velocity of the belt in the direction perpendicular to the belt transporting direction is maintained within a predetermined scope of velocity. The device and method may be used in an image forming apparatus, such as an electrophotographic image forming apparatus.

Belt slippage correcting device which controls movement of the belt in a

An image forming apparatus includes a first developing device, accommodating a first kind of toner without an offset preventing agent, a second developing device accommodating a second kind of toner containing an offset preventing agent, and a roller fixing device having a supply portion for supplying an offset preventing agent. The image forming apparatus changes the amount of the offset preventing agent to be supplied to the fixing roller between the case of fixing a copy image formed with the first kind of toner and the case of fixing a copy image formed with the second kind of toner.

Image forming apparatus provided with mold releasing agent coating

An image forming apparatus for forming an image onto a sheet includes a sheet supporting member; a charger which is positioned in a vicinity of the sheet supporting member; and a device for controlling the charger so that the charger charges a specific portion of the sheet supporting member corresponding to a leading edge portion of the sheet to an electrostatic potential higher than that of a remaining portion of the sheet supporting member. A method of adhering a sheet to a sheet supporting member during an image forming process includes charging a specific portion of the sheet supporting member corresponding to a leading edge portion of the sheet to a first electrostatic potential; charging a remaining portion of the sheet supporting member to a second electrostatic potential that is lower than the first electrostatic potential; and delivering the sheet to the sheet supporting member so that a leading edge portion of the sheet is aligned with the specific portion of the sheet supporting member.

Image forming apparatus including an endless transfer member

The present invention relates to a method of producing a plurality sets of prints from a plural-page original in an image forming apparatus having an endless transfer member onto which images are transferred from an image retaining member. The endless transfer member is operable to support a predetermined number (X) of images during one cyclic movement thereof. In this method, a first printing operation is executed in which the predetermined number (X) of images of a first page of the original are formed on the endless transfer member during one cyclic movement thereof when a desired number (Y) of sets of prints exceeds said predetermined number (X). Second, the first printing operation is repeated until a remaining number (M) of image(s) of the first page becomes less than said predetermined number (X). Third, a second printing operation is executed in which the remaining number (M) of image(s) of the first page and a calculated number (X-M) of image(s) of a second page of the original are formed on said endless transfer member during one cyclic movement thereof after the remaining number (M) of image(s) of the first page becomes less than the predetermined number (X).

Image forming apparatus with endless transfer member

An image forming apparatus having a refeeding unit for temporarily containing image-formed sheets as a horizontal pile and for refeeding the sheets for the second image forming operation. The refeeding unit can be pulled out from a body frame in the direction perpendicular to a sheet transporting direction. A setting position of the refeeding unit in the body frame can be adjusted to be parallel with the sheet transporting direction. The refeeding unit has an intermediate tray on which the sheets are piled, a refeeding roller which feeds the sheets piled on the intermediate tray from the most bottom sheet successively one by one, a sheet front end aligning member, a sheet rear end aligning member, a sheet side aligning member and a sheet pressing plate which, every time a sheet is transported to the intermediate tray and every time a sheet is refed from the intermediate tray, presses the sheet toward the refeeding roller.

Image forming apparatus including a sheet refeeding unit

A copying apparatus for forming a hard copy image through an electrophotographic process includes an image forming apparatus which can form an image on a recording paper in various density levels, and a diagnostic unit for discriminating the image forming apparatus into three states of being capable of forming a proper image, being operable but incapable of forming a proper image, and being incapable of operation. Since the image forming states of the copying apparatus are divided into three stages, appropriate operation is performed in the copying apparatus using the electrophotographic process in response to the state of the machine.

Image forming apparatus having self-diagnostic function relating to the

An image forming apparatus includes a corona charger, a surface electrometer and a memory provided around a photoreceptor drum. When power supply of the image forming apparatus is turned on, an image adjusting process is carried out. In the image adjusting process, level of charging the corona charger is changed stepwise, the surface potential on the photoreceptor drum at the time is measured by the surface electrometer and the result of measurement is stored in the memory. When image forming process is carried out subsequently, the charge level of the corona charger is set based on the data stored in the memory.

Image forming apparatus using measured data to adjust the operation level

Image forming apparatus having self-diagnostic function

An image forming apparatus which detects the cause of the image unevenness in the image formation of an electrostatic recording system used for a copying machine, laser beam printer or the like, and automatically takes measures responding thereto. This image forming apparatus includes a surface potential sensor for detecting charge unevenness after charging a photoconductive drum by a charger and a toner density sensor for detecting toner adhesion unevenness after developing by a developing unit, and based on the results of detections of these sensors, when charge unevenness exits, the apparatus judges that the cause of the image unevenness is an abnormal state of the charger, and cleans a charge wire, and when no charge unevenness exists and density unevenness exists, the apparatus judges that the developing unit is abnormal, and displays this abnormality and inhibits the operation of the apparatus. The apparatus further includes a toner sensor for detecting density unevenness after transfer, and when density unevenness is detected by this sensor, it is judged that the cause of the image unevenness is an abnormal state of a transferring charger, and displays this abnormality and inhibits the operation of the apparatus.

Abnormal charge and toner density detecting system and method for use in

Action of a charging device in an image forming apparatus is started with an output value different from a predetermined value which is set according to a characteristic of attenuation of a photoconductor, and the value is controlled so as to coincide with the predetermined value after a predetermined period of time has elapsed. It is further controlled so as to become different output characteristics at an initial stage and the latter half stage of the predetermined period of time to charge the photoconductor corresponding to actual difference in the state of attenuation caused by the difference in a period of duration when it is used and when it is not used.

Surface potential control device of photoconductive member

An image forming apparatus for developing an electrostatic latent image formed on the surface of a photosensitive member into a visual image by the use of two-component developer consisting of toner and carrier. The apparatus is provided with a developing unit, which accommodates the developer and in which screw rollers are rotatably mounted for agitating the developer. The apparatus is further provided with an abnormality detecting system for detecting abnormalities which are liable to occur in the developing unit. The abnormality detecting system includes a toner density sensor for detecting the density of toner accommodated in the developing unit. In the normal condition, the toner density detected by the toner density sensor regularly fluctuates as the developer accommodated in the developing unit is agitated by the screw rollers. The abnormality detecting system further includes a control circuit, in which the cycle of fluctuation of the toner density is compared with that of agitation caused by the screw rollers. When both the cycles do not coincide with each other, the control circuit outputs a signal indicating that some abnormality has occurred in the apparatus.

Abnormality detecting system in an image forming apparatus

A toner cleaning device for a toner detecting sensor for cleaning toner without scratching the surface of area to be detected. Two sheets of blades in two different length, one being shorter than the other, are atached to a rotating shaft for cleaning toner. A first blade does not reach the surface of the sensor but removes most of the toner accumulated on the surface to be detected except the toner in the area closely contacted with the surface, while a second blade contacts slidably and softly with the surface to be detected thereby removeing the toner accumulated thereon.

Cleaning device for toner detecting sensor

An electrophotographic copying apparatus includes a photosensitive member, a sensitizing charger, a developing unit for developing the electrostatic latent image by a developer incorporating toner and carrier, and a system for compensating toner concentration and charging potential of the photosensitive member surface. The system forms two reference toner images on the photosensitive member surface under different conditions so as to cause the two reference toner images to have different densities and optically measures the densities of the two reference toner images. Toner concentration in the developer can be detected based on the two reference toner image densities. When the toner concentration is less than a specified value, toner is supplied to the developer. Further, the charging potential of the photosensitive member surface is determined based on the toner concentration and the density of the reference toner image formed under the normal image formation condition, and may be corrected in accordance with the determined potential.

Electrophotographic copying apparatus having toner image density

When a photoreceptor provided in an image forming apparatus is electrified for image formation, the output of a charger starts with a different value from a predetermined value and it is controlled to gradually match up to the predetermined value. It is also controlled in a way to start with a lower value than a predetermined value corresponding to the time a charger suspended its operation and gradually match up to the predetermined time. Such control is carried out by controlling grid voltage which flows into grid electrode disposed between a photoreceptor and wire electrode provided for discharging.

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Osaka, Japan

Masahide Ueda