Ricoh Company, Ltd.

Tetsuroh Miura

Takeshi Saitou

Yasushi Nakazato

Katsuaki Miyawaki

Yasuo Suzuki

Takeo Suda

Hiroshi Hosokawa

Mitsuru Takahashi

Yoshiyuki Kimura

Takaaki Tawada

Shinichi Kawahara

Hideki Zemba

Satoshi Igari

An electrophotographic image forming apparatus of the present invention includes a frame, a photoconductive drum disposed in the frame, and an air conditioning device for removing moisture around the drum inside the frame. The drum has a wear-resistant, durable surface layer that wears by an amount of 0.05 &#x3bc;m to 0.5 &#x3bc;m for 100,000 rotations.

Air-conditioned electrophotographic image forming apparatus

An image forming apparatus is disclosed including at least a plurality of image bearing members a plurality of image forming units each including plural image forming members for operating image forming steps onto each of the image bearing members, and a further image bearing member, which are held collectively on an image bearing member holding component. image forming unit holding component and second image bearing member holding component, respectively. By further providing a contact/detach mechanism adapted to detaching movements, within said image forming apparatus, of the image bearing member holding component and the second image bearing member holding component in relation to the image forming unit holding component, the mechanism is greatly simplified with relatively simple and less expensive construction of the mechanism disclosed herein, through eliminating plural contact/detach mechanisms separately provided for the noted holding components and also providing one integrating power sources for use in driving plural units in common. As a result, the previously known disadvantage in image forming apparatus such as contact residue images which are unduly caused by continual contact of the photoreceptors to image forming units and intermediate transfer belt can be obviated, as an example.

Image forming apparatus with improved image quality and maintenance workability

A process cartridge detachably attached to an image forming apparatus includes an image carrier, at least one image forming process device, a case that integrally accommodates the image carrier and the at least one image forming process device, and a first non-slip holding portion provided on a partial surface of the case. The process cartridge is configured to move in a direction substantially parallel to a longitudinal direction of the image carrier. When the process cartridge is attached to and detached from the image forming apparatus, an operator of the image forming apparatus holds the process cartridge by grasping the first non-slip holding portion and a rear surface of a part of the case located on a side opposite from the first non-slip holding portion.

Process cartridge smoothly and stably attached to and detached from an image forming apparatus, and an image forming apparatus including the process cartridge

An electrophotographic image forming apparatus of the present invention includes a photoconductive drum provided with a photoconductive layer on its surface. A charger uniformly charges the surface of the drum while an exposing unit exposes the charged surface of the drum to thereby form a latent image on the drum. A developing device develops the latent image with toner by feeding the toner to the drum to thereby produce a corresponding toner image and collects residual toner left on the drum after image transfer. An image transferring device transfer the toner image from the drum to an intermediate image transfer body. An air conditioning unit sends dehumidified, air-controlled air to a space around said photoconductive element.

Electrophotographic image forming apparatus having residual toner collection

An image forming apparatus is disclosed including at least a plurality of image bearing members, a plurality of image forming units each including plural image forming members for operating image forming steps onto each of the image bearing members, and a further image bearing member, which are held collectively on an image bearing member holding component, image forming unit holding component and second image bearing member holding component, respectively. By further providing a contact/detach mechanism adapted to detaching movements, within said image forming apparatus, of the image bearing member holding component and the second image bearing member holding component in relation to the image forming unit holding component, the mechanism is greatly simplified with relatively simple and less expensive construction of the mechanism disclosed herein, through eliminating plural contact/detach mechanisms separately provided for the noted holding components and also providing one integrating power sources for use in driving plural units in common. As a result, the previously known disadvantage in image forming apparatus such as contact residue images which are unduly caused by continual contact of the photoreceptors to image forming units and intermediate transfer belt can be obviated, as an example.

An image forming apparatus including at least one latent image carrier that carries an electrostatic latent image, at least one developing device that develops the electrostatic latent image with developer to form a toner image on the at least one latent image carrier, and an intermediate transfer element including an elastic layer that carries the toner image transferred from the at least one latent image carrier. The image forming apparatus further includes a primary transfer device that transfers the toner image on the at least one latent image carrier onto the intermediate transfer element, and a secondary transfer device that transfers the toner image carried by the intermediate transfer element onto a transfer material. The developer includes toner and magnetic carrier, and a weight average particle diameter of the magnetic carrier is in a range of 10 &mgr;m to 80 &mgr;m.

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Tokyo, Japan

Tetsuroh Miura