Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha Corporation

Natsuko Tanaka

Yasutaka Maeda

Katsuhiro Nagayama

Hideyuki Nishimura

Taisuke Kamimura

Tsuyoshi Miyamoto

Yuichi Kazaki

Tuyoshi Miyamoto

A full color copying machine which includes intermediate transfer medium whereon toner images having respective color components, formed on a photoreceptor are transferred to form one color toner image, and a screen filter disposed so as to be freely inserted or removed in or from a path of exposure light, which filters the exposure light for exposing the photoreceptor into a pattern of lines. A plurality of color toner images obtained by executing a plurality of copying processes based on a plurality of exposures applied to an original document are superposed on the intermediate transfer medium to form a color toner image. The copying machine further includes a screen mode for inserting a screen filter into a path of exposure light and a normal mode for removing the screen filter from the path of exposure light. Thus, exposures intended for low density components and high density components in an original document image are respectively performed by the use of the different modes, or they are respectively performed by changing setting conditions of the screen filter in the screen mode. With these arrangements, efficient application of the exposure device and high quality of the copied images can be achieved.

Full color copying machine

A method of cleaning a photosensitive member in an electrophotographic apparatus in which an electrophotographic operation is performed by charging the photosensitive member with a predetermined voltage, exposing the charged photosensitive member so as to form a latent image thereon and developing the latent image by use of toner, includes the steps of charging the photosensitive member with a half tone level voltage which is smaller than the predetermined voltage, and developing the charged photosensitive member by use of toner without exposing the charged photosensitive member, so as to form a uniform half tone toner image thereon. The cleaning method also includes the step of scraping off the toner of the uniform half tone toner image from the photosensitive member by a blade abutting thereto.

Electrophotographic apparatus and method of cleaning the same

A transfer roller device for transferring onto a copy paper sheet a full color toner image formed on an intermediate transfer belt. A rear-surface electrode roller disposed at the opposite side to a transfer roller with the intermediate transfer belt positioned in between, is divided into a plurality of cylinder members, and at least one of the cylinder members corresponding to the size of a copy paper sheet is separately connected to ground. With the arrangement, occurrence of an excess current through a portion of the intermediate transfer belt carrying no copy paper sheet thereon is eliminated, thereby preventing a filming phenomenon. In another arrangement, a plurality of rear-surface electrode rollers are disposed at respective positions associated with a plurality of respective copying speeds which are set according to copy paper sheets. Thus, a voltage to be applied between the transfer roller and the rear-surface electrode roller is maintained constant regardless of different copying speeds.

Transfer roller device

A copying apparatus in which a screen for improving gradation characteristics of a copied image can be retractably projected into an optical path, including a device for setting, when the screen is placed in the optical path and retracted from the optical path, a developing voltage to a first value and a second value, respectively such that the first value is lower than the second value.

Growing community of inventors

Fukuoka, Japan

Natsuko Tanaka