Kyocera Mita Corporation

Kyocera Document Solutions Inc.

Mita Industrial Co., Ltd.

Nobuhiro Horiuchi

Tomoyuki Oda

Hiroyuki Ueda

Hidenori Takenaka

Jumpei Hobo

Koji Murase

An ink-jet recording apparatus includes a belt conveying unit, a recording unit, an end-portion position detection sensor, a background member, and a rotary driving unit. The end-portion position detection sensor is arranged in an upstream of the belt conveying unit in a recording medium conveyance direction, and uses a reflected light to detect a position of an end portion of the recording medium in a recording medium width direction intersecting with the recording medium conveyance direction. The background member is arranged facing a detection surface of the end-portion position detection sensor. The background member is rotatable around a shaft extending along the recording medium width direction. The background member has an outer peripheral surface at least in a region facing the detection surface of the end-portion position detection sensor. The outer peripheral surface has two or more regions having mutually different colors circumferentially dividing the outer peripheral surface.

Ink-jet recording apparatus that ensures accurate position detection of widthwise end portion of recording medium

A liquid-level detection device detects the liquid level in the developer storing container for storing liquid developer, and includes a first water wheel, a first rotation detection mechanism, and first liquid-level detection device. The first water wheel is disposed in the interior of the developer storing container, and is configured to be rotated by liquid developer to be supplied to the developer storing container. The first rotation detection mechanism is configured to detect a rotation state of the first water wheel. The first liquid-level detection device detects the liquid level of liquid developer based on a result detected by the rotation detection mechanism.

Liquid-level detection device, image forming device, and liquid containing device

The present invention teaches and claims an image forming apparatus comprising an image forming portion using a liquid developer having a carrier liquid and toner; an intermediate transfer section which has an endless belt and a plurality of rotating bodies; a second transfer roller which is disposed so that it faces one of the plurality of rotating bodies and abuts the endless belt; a first bias applying section which is connected to the second transfer roller and applies a transfer bias to the second-transfer roller when the second transfer is done and applies a reverse transfer bias having an opposite electric polarity as the transfer bias to the second transfer roller when the second transfer is not performed; and a second bias applying section which is connected to the rotating body facing the second transfer roller and applies a bias to the rotating body facing the second transfer roller.

Image forming apparatus having transfer bias applying section and image forming method having the same for transferring toner image

In a density detection device, a casing includes an internal space. An inflow path is communicated with the internal space through an inlet facing the internal space. An outflow path is communicated with the internal space through an outlet facing the internal space. A base is provided in the internal space to block the liquid flowing from the inlet. The base has a top side positioned above the inlet. A movable member has a bottom side opposed to the top side of the base. The movable member is configured to move to cause the bottom side to be close to and away from the top side of the base. A density detection section is configured to detect density of a liquid layer formed between the bottom side and the top side while the bottom side is positioned close to the top side at predetermined distance.

Density detection device and image forming apparatus

A seal memberprevents leakage of developer to the side of a photosensitive drumwhen cleaning the surface of the photosensitive drumof a color printerand has a contact portionand a movement control portion. The contact portion, through which developer is unable to pass, is able to deform elastically in a direction, and to approach and to separate from the surface of the photosensitive drumable to be in line contact with the surface of the photosensitive drumsuch that developer is unable to pass between the surface of the photosensitive drumand the contact portion. The movement control portionis connected to the contact portion, and configured to control the movement of the seal memberwith the rotation of the photosensitive drumof the contact portion

Leakage prevention member and cleaning device

A liquid volume detector for detecting the volume of a liquid in a container is provided with a liquid level detecting member which is arranged at a specified height position in the container and on which a load acts by the liquid when the liquid level in the container is located at the specified height position, and a first drive source connected to the liquid level detecting member for moving the liquid level detecting member.

Liquid volume detector, liquid mixture supplying system adopting such liquid volume detector and image forming apparatus

The present invention discloses a developing unit that can block unnecessary supply of liquid developer to an image support member and can prevent waste of liquid developer, and an image forming device comprising the same. The developing unit includes a developing member that is in contact with an image support member and supplies the image support member with liquid developer, a developer supply member that supplies the developing member with liquid developer, and an unattached region forming member that forms at least an unattached region that is free of liquid developer on the developing member, the unattached region extending from the contact point between the developing member and the image support member and the contact point between the developing member and the developer supply member.

Developing unit and image forming device

Of carrier liquids extracted by an carrier liquid extracting device from a liquid developer obtained by mixing together yellow, cyan, magenta, and black liquid developers, the carrier liquid of particularly high purity is recycled for concentration control of the yellow liquid developer and the carrier liquid of purity a little lower than the aforementioned purity is recycled for concentration control of the cyan, magenta, and black liquid developers. A carrier liquid extracted from the yellow liquid developer is recycled for the concentration control of the yellow liquid developer, and a carrier liquid extracted from the liquid developer obtained by mixing together the cyan, magenta, and black liquid developers is recycled for the concentration control of the cyan, magenta, and black liquid developers. This permits efficient use of carrier liquids to be recycled without having an influence on the image quality.

Wet image forming apparatus recycling carrier

When the temperature of the liquid toner has fluctuated by Tor more (Step S: YES), the equation obtained by measuring the liquid toner is modified (Steps Sthrough S). This equation is obtained based on the output voltage value of the concentrated toner liquid sensor, which has the same specifications as those of the liquid toner sensor, and the output voltage value of the carrier liquid sensor, which has the same specifications as those of the liquid toner sensor(Sthrough S). The output voltage value of the liquid toner sensoris entered into the modified equation to calculate the toner solids content of the liquid toner of the storage tank(Step S). Control of the concentration of the liquid toner is carried out based on the calculated toner solids content (Step S).

Liquid developing device and wet image forming device

Provided are a light-emitting portion having a light-emitting member and a light emergence surface through which light from the light-emitting member emerges, and a light-receiving portion having a light incidence surface through which the light from the light-emitting member enters and a light-receiving member that detects the light entering through the light incidence surface. The light-emitting portion and the light-receiving portion can make relative movement between a measurement position in which the light emergence surface and the light incidence surface make contact with each other and a waiting position in which the light emergence surface is away from the light incidence surface. When the light-emitting portion and the light-receiving portion are in the measurement position, the light emergence surface and the light incidence surface make contact with each other at a point.

Device for measuring concentration of toner in liquid developer, image forming apparatus provided therewith, and method for measuring toner concentration

An image forming device is disclosed which includes an open/close switch for detecting the opening and closing of a manual feed tray, and a power control unit for turning on specific power when the open/close switch detects that the manual feed tray has been opened. When the manual feed tray is opened, the use is assumed to be about to use the image forming device, and thus energy conservation becomes possible because the specific power is turned on only at this time. Moreover, the drive power for the bypass unit and the main power of the image forming device is defined to be this specific power.

Image forming device

The level of an input signal to an interface is judged at a first threshold value and a second threshold value. The first threshold value and the second threshold value are values within the amplitude range of the input signal. The first threshold value is higher than the input signal in a case where the interface is an ineffective state. The second threshold value is lower than the input signal in a case where the interface is in the ineffective state. If the interface is in the ineffective state, therefore, the result of the judgment of the level of the input signal at the first threshold value and the result of the judgment of the level of the input signal at the second threshold value differ from each other. It is judged whether the interface is in an effective state or in the ineffective state depending on whether or not the results differ from each other.

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Osaka, Japan

Nobuhiro Horiuchi