Minolta Company, Ltd.

Masato Togami

Kenji Okamoto

Masayasu Kato

Hajime Taniguchi

Akihiro Nakamura

Hideyuki Kurahashi

Tooru Watanabe

Ikuro Chimoto

It is desirable if the lengthwise center axis of a cylindrical rotating member such as a photoreceptor drum is aligned exactly with the center axes of the support shafts. However, as it is impossible to eliminate manufacturing errors in components, it is unavoidable for there to be a slight angle of intersection between the center axis of the cylindrical rotating member and the center axes of the support shaft. Consequently, the object of the present invention is to provide a support mechanism for the cylindrical rotating member whereby the cylindrical rotating member exhibits little unevenness of rotation. When lengthwise axis of the cylindrical rotating member forms angle of intersection .alpha. with lengthwise axis of shaft, this angle .alpha. is absorbed by the slight space between shaft and pierced hole of a rotation transmission member, as well as by the gap between the rotation transmission member and bearing of the cylindrical rotating member, so that the center axis of the cylindrical rotating member is fixed in a set position, and the outer circumference of the cylindrical rotating member moves in a predetermined perfectly circular path.

Cylindrical rotating member having a support mechanism exhibiting little

An image-forming apparatus, and a method thereof, that transfers the toner image formed on the photoreceptor to an intermediate transfer belt in a first transfer area during a first transfer. When the first transfers of prescribed toner images to the intermediate transfer belt are completed, the intermediate transfer belt transfers the toner images obtained in the first transfers from the intermediate transfer belt to a recording medium in a second transfer area during a second transfer. Moreover, the area of the intermediate transfer belt that is susceptible to creep buckling (the `creep buckling risk area`) is prevented from passing through the first transfer area during the first transfer, thereby improving the image formation.

Apparatus and method for preventing image transfer to an area of an

A transfer belt device having a roller unit. The roller unit includes a drive roller, a transfer roller, and a continuous transfer belt that is suspended around the roller unit. The drive roller rotates at a peripheral speed and drives the transfer belt such that a toner image may be transferred to it from an image carrier. The image carrier moves at a speed by means of the transfer roller. The drive roller is composed of a hard core roller that is coated with an outer layer of elastic rubber having a thickness t.ltoreq.1 mm, and is located downstream from the transfer roller in terms of the direction of movement of the transfer belt.

Transfer belt device

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Toyohashi, Japan

Masato Togami