Kyocera Mita Corporation

Mita Industrial Co., Ltd.

Nobuyuki Kashiwagi

Hiroshi Ito

Masami Fuchi

Yoshihiro Yamaguchi

Keizo Kimoto

Haruo Koyama

Toshimitsu Takeuchi

Takao Besshi

Tadashi Ohba

Masaki Higashiyama

Junko Ito

Kiyonori Yamamoto

Yukio Hashimoto

Yasuyuki Hirai

Tadashi Sakuma

Hiroshi Shiomi

A fixing device comprises a thermally fixing roller, a belt, and pushing means which pushes the belt toward the thermally fixing roller. A nipping region is formed between the belt and the thermally fixing roller. A maximum pressure is produced in an upstream end region of the thermally fixing roller in the direction of rotation in the nipping region, another maximum pressure is produced in a downstream end region thereof in the direction of rotation in the nipping region, and a pressure is produced in an intermediate region, which pressure being not higher than the maximum pressure in the upstream end region and not higher than the another maximum pressure in the downstream end region.

Image-forming machine fixing device with a nipping region having a pressure distribution

An electrophotographic method which uses a single-layer organic photosensitive material drum having a single organic photosensitive layer of a thickness of not smaller than 25 &mgr;m formed on an electrically conducting blank tube with a surface roughness Ra of not larger than 0.6 &mgr;m and rotates the photosensitive material drum at a peripheral speed of not smaller than 400 mm/sec, in order to execute an image-forming processing that includes electric charging, exposure to image-bearing light, developing, transfer, cleaning by a blade and removal of electric charge. Though the photosensitive material drum rotates at a high speed and a large frictional force is exerted on the cleaning blade, damage to the blade is effectively suppressed, and image is stably formed for extended periods of time without permitting the cleaning to become defective.

Electrophotographic method

A paper feeder is able to properly separate and convey the uppermost sheet of paper from sheets stacked beneath it in a paper bin while effectively preventing multiple paper sheet feeds and other paper feed problems. The paper feeder includes a paper separator for lifting upper sheets, and separating the uppermost sheet from the sheet immediately beneath it by blowing air against an upper-forward end of a stack of paper loaded in a paper bin, and a vacuum paper carrier for holding the uppermost sheet by suction and carrying it. The paper separator has lifting nozzles for lifting side ends of the upper sheets, by blowing air toward side portions, excluding a central portion, of the stack of paper loaded in the paper bin.

Paper feeder for use in image forming apparatus

A feeder apparatus arranged on a side of a main body of an image forming apparatus is provided with a top door and a vertical door. The top door is provided in an opening defined above a sheet stacker, and the vertical door is provided in an opening defined on a side of the sheet stacker to enable an operator to replenish sheets inside the feeder apparatus. Switches are provided to detect as to whether the top door or the vertical door is opened. The feeder apparatus is constructed in such a manner that upward movement of the sheet stacker is suspended when the top door is detected to be opened and that upward and downward movement of the sheet stacker is suspended when the vertical door is detected to be opened.

Paper feeder apparatus for use with image forming apparatus

A photosensitive drum unit for an electrostatographic printing apparatus is disclosed. The drum unit includes a drum tube formed with at least one opening at one axial end thereof. A flange member is configured to be inserted into the opening in the drum tube. The flange member is provided with a support hole into which a shaft pin is inserted for supporting the drum tube and flange member. An earth plate is formed with projections or claws that extend radially outward from a peripheral edge of the earth plate such that the projections contact with an inner peripheral surface of the drum tube. The earth plate is also formed with a pair of contact pieces extend axially away from the earth plate and also extend toward one another. The contact pieces are spaced apart from one another by a predetermined distance but are also configured to contact and engage a portion of the shaft pin.

Drum unit and earth plate used in the drum unit

Growing community of inventors

Osaka, Japan

Nobuyuki Kashiwagi