| Class / Patent application number | Description | Number of patent applications / Date published |
|---|
| 399115000 | Charging unit | 22 |
| 20080226340 | DEVELOPING CARTRIDGE, IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS HAVING THE SAME, AND MAINTENANCE METHOD OF DEVELOPING CARTRIDGE - A developing cartridge includes a main frame including a photosensitive medium, and a charging member frame including a charging member to charge the photosensitive medium and detachably disposed at the main frame. The main frame includes a plurality of frame reference grooves, and the charging member frame includes a plurality of frame reference projections to be inserted into the plurality of frame reference grooves of the main frame. | 09-18-2008 |
| 20090169250 | Process Cartridge - A process cartridge includes a photosensitive member, a charger, a frame and a block member. The charger charges the photosensitive member and includes a charging wire and a grid electrode, which is provided between the charging wire and the photosensitive member, and which has an opening area in a surface opposing the photosensitive member. The frame supports the photosensitive member and the charger. The block member is provided between the charging wire and an end portion of the grid electrode in a longitudinal direction thereof and prevents a marginal area of the grid electrode from facing the charging wire in a direction with a minimum distance therebetween, the marginal area being defined between an end of the grid electrode and an end of the opening area. | 07-02-2009 |
| 20090169251 | Process Cartridge - A process cartridge includes a photosensitive member, a charger, which charges the photo sensitive member, and a process frame, which supports the photo sensitive member and the charger. The charger includes a charged wire, a grid that is interposed between the charged wire and the photosensitive member, a wire-side connecting portion that applies a voltage to the charged wire, and a grid-side connecting portion that applies a voltage to the charged wire. The process frame comprises an exposure opening that faces the photosensitive member, the exposure opening being provided between the wire-side connecting portion and the grid-side connecting portion when viewed from a first direction in which the charged wire is stretched. | 07-02-2009 |
| 20090208248 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS AND ATTACHING METHOD OF CHARGER UNIT IN IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - In this invention, the charging units are in the separate construction for the main chargers and for the ozone ducts. When installing the process units, the ozone ducts are placed on the elastic sheets of the duct cases that are fixed to the main frame. The process units are slid while slanting the ozone ducts to the duct cases by the main chargers against the bias force of the elastic sheets. Fluctuation in manufacturing accuracy is absorbed by the elastic sheets and the maintenance efficiency when installing/removing the process units is improved by sliding the process units smoothly. Further, the charging units are supported certainly by the main frame. | 08-20-2009 |
| 20090232544 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - An image forming apparatus includes a plurality of image forming units arranged in parallel, each image forming unit having an image carrying member and a charging roller disposed face to face with the image carrying member for electrically charging the image carrying member, and a shifting mechanism for selectively shifting at least one charging roller between a first position where the charging roller is brought into contact with the corresponding image carrying member to electrically charge the image carrying member in contact manner and a second position where the charging roller is moved away from the corresponding image carrying member to electrically charge the image carrying member in non-contact manner. | 09-17-2009 |
| 20090311005 | IMAGE FORMING UNIT AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - An image forming unit is provided with a regulating member placed in such a way as to surround a charging roller to regulate movement thereof. The regulating member has a pressing section inclined with respect to a straight line connecting the center of the charging roller to the axis of the photoconductor, as seen from the axial direction of the photoconductor. The pressing section is inclined farther away from the photoconductor toward upstream of rotation of the photoconductor. The regulating member allows the charging roller to electrically charge the photoconductor with a simplified structure and prevents adhering substances from accumulating on the contact portion between the photoconductor and the charging roller. | 12-17-2009 |
| 20100104320 | CHARGING MEMBER ASSEMBLY USABLE WITH BODY TO BE CHARGED AND CHARGING APPARATUS FOR IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - Disclosed is a charging apparatus usable with an image forming apparatus that includes a body to be charged; a housing to rotatably support the body to be charged, a charging member to charge a surface of the body to be charged to a predetermined electric potential, a cleaning member to clean foreign materials remaining on the surface of the body to be charged, and a cleaning member supporting bracket disposed in the housing to support the cleaning member and the charging member. | 04-29-2010 |
| 20100239315 | Image Forming Device Employing Charger for Charging Photosensitive Member - An image forming device includes a photosensitive member and a charger for charging the photosensitive member. The photosensitive member has a photosensitive surface that moves in a moving direction and that is configured to form a latent electrostatic image thereon. The charger opposes the photosensitive surface and includes a wire electrode, a grid electrode and a shield electrode. The wire electrode is applied with a voltage for charging the photosensitive surface. The grid electrode is disposed between the wire electrode and the photosensitive surface. The shield electrode is arranged to partly surround the wire electrode, the shield electrode having a plurality of sections, the shield electrode having an opening at a side the same as the grid electrode with respect to the wire electrode, the shield electrode including a first end and a second end each facing the photosensitive surface, the first end being disposed upstream relative to the second end in the moving direction, the opening being defined between the first end and the second end, a shortest distance being defined between each of the plurality of sections of the shield electrode and the wire electrode and being a length of a straight line that connects the wire electrode and an imaginary plane extending along the each section and that is perpendicular to the imaginary plane, the shortest distances between the respective sections of the shield electrode and the wire electrode being equal to one another, a first distance defined between the first end and a reference plane being smaller than a second distance defined between the second end and the reference plane, the reference plane including the wire electrode and extending perpendicularly to the photosensitive surface. | 09-23-2010 |
| 20100322665 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS INCLUDING CORONA CHARGER - An image forming apparatus includes a photosensitive member; a corona charger provided with a discharging wire for electrically charging the photosensitive member; an exposure device for exposing to light the photosensitive member charged by the corona charger to form an electrostatic image on the photosensitive member; a developing device for developing the electrostatic image with toner to form a toner image on the photosensitive member; a transfer device for transferring the toner image from the photosensitive member onto a sheet; an adjusting device for adjusting a distance from the discharging wire to the photosensitive member; a detecting device for detecting information corresponding to a surface potential of the photosensitive member at least two points, along a longitudinal direction of the corona charger, in an area in which the photosensitive member is charged by the corona charger; and an executing device for executing an adjusting mode in which a reference mark for positioning the sheet at a reference portion extending along a longitudinal direction of the corona charger and an adjusting mark for adjusting the distance from the charging wire to the photosensitive member over the longitudinal direction of the corona charger on the basis of an output of the detecting device are formed on the sheet. | 12-23-2010 |
| 20110044722 | Roller Separation Cam with Automatic Engagement - A printer cartridge is provided that allows a charge roller to be separated from a photoconductive drum when the printer cartridge is not used within an image forming device. The printer cartridge includes the photoconductive drum, the charge roller, and a separating member having a resilient member disposed thereon with the separating member being disposed on the charge roller. The separating member engages and disengages the photoconductive drum in a first position and in a second position. The first position provides a spaced relationship between the charge roller and the photoconductive drum and the second position provides an engaged relationship between the charge roller and the photoconductive drum. The printer cartridge also includes the photoconductive drum disposed adjacent to the charge roller in an offset orientation that includes a centerline of a charge roller shaft offset by a predetermined distance from a centerline of a photoconductive drum shaft. | 02-24-2011 |
| 20110064460 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS AND IMAGE FORMING METHOD - An image forming apparatus includes an image carrier, a charging member which charges the image carrier and is arranged to provide an interval between itself and the image carrier, a power source to apply a voltage to the charging member, a measuring section to measure a voltage or a current between the image carrier and the charging member, and a gap adjustment section to adjust a gap between the image carrier and the charging member based on a measurement result of the voltage or the current. | 03-17-2011 |
| 20110069989 | DEVELOPING UNIT AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS HAVING THE SAME - A developing unit and an image forming apparatus having the same. The developing unit includes a controlling unit to restrict a contact position between the charging roller and a photosensitive body, thereby preventing deformation of the charging roller caused when the developing unit is not used for a long period of time. | 03-24-2011 |
| 20110103830 | COVER AND CARTRIDGE - An electrophotographic image forming apparatus detachably mountable to a main assembly of the apparatus, includes a rotatable image bearing member on which a latent image is to be formed; charging means for contacting said image bearing member to charge a surface of said image bearing member; a frame supporting said image bearing member and said charging means; a covering member, demountably mounted to said frame, for protecting the surface of said image bearing member; and a spacer member including a spacing portion, movably provided on said covering member, for entering between said image bearing member and said charging means to space them therebetween, and a retaining portion, contacting said covering member when said spacing portion is not between said image bearing member and said charging means, for preventing said spacer member from disengaging from said covering member. | 05-05-2011 |
| 20110305481 | CHARGING MEMBER, PROCESS CARTRIDGE, AND ELECTROPHOTOGRAPHIC APPARATUS - An object of the present invention is to provide a charging member that brings out stable charging performance over a long period of time and also makes the surface of an electrophotographic photosensitive member not easily come to wear non-uniformly. It is a charging member having a conductive substrate and a conductive resin layer; the conductive resin layer containing a binder, conductive fine particles, and bowl-shaped resin particles each of which has an opening; the bowl-shaped resin particles being contained in the conductive resin layer in such a way as not to be exposed to the surface of the charging member; and the surface of the charging member having concavities derived from openings of the bowl-shaped resin particles and protrusions derived from edges of the openings of the bowl-shaped resin particles. | 12-15-2011 |
| 20120141163 | DISENGAGING AN IMAGING MEMBER FROM A PHOTOCONDUCTOR - A method for engaging and disengaging an imaging member from a photoconductor includes enclosing the photoconductor in a shield; using a portion of the shield to maintain a space between the imaging member and the photoconductor; inserting the photoconductor and shield into an electrophotographic apparatus; and removing the shield which allows the imaging member to move into contact with the photoconductor. | 06-07-2012 |
| 20120141164 | APPARATUS FOR DECOUPLING A ROLLER CHARGER FROM A PHOTOCONDUCTOR - An apparatus for engaging and disengaging an imaging member from a photoconductor includes a shield enclosing the photoconductor. A detent on the shield to maintains a space between the imaging member and the photoconductor. Removing the shield allows the imaging member to move into contact with the photoconductor when the photoconductor and shield are inserted into an electrophotographic apparatus. | 06-07-2012 |
| 20120207513 | CHARGING DEVICE AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - A charging device includes a charger facing a rotatably supported image carrier and configured to charge the image carrier on which an electrostatic latent image is to be formed, and a movement mechanism configured to move the charger between a charging position at which the charger is close to the image carrier and a retracted position at which the charger is retracted away from the image carrier. The movement mechanism includes a support member supporting the charger that has been moved to the retracted position by the movement mechanism, and a movable member configured to move when a driving force from a drive source is transmitted thereto. The movable member moves to the charging position or the retracted position when the movable member is moved in a direction of a rotational axis of the image carrier while being in contact with the support member. | 08-16-2012 |
| 20120207514 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - An image forming apparatus includes a charger facing a rotatably supported image carrier, the charger being configured to charge the image carrier on which an electrostatic latent image is to be formed; a movement mechanism configured to move the charger between a charging position at which the charger is close to the image carrier and a retracted position at which the charger is retracted away from the image carrier; a positioning structure including a first reference member that is provided on the charger and a second reference member that is provided on the image carrier, the first reference member and the second reference member are in contact with each other when the charger is at the charging position such that the charger is held in the charging position; and a pushing member configured to push the charger against the image carrier when the charger is at the charging position. | 08-16-2012 |
| 20120308262 | POSITIONING SYSTEM FOR A CHARGE ROLLER - A printer includes a photoconductor, a charge roller, and a positioner. The photoconductor includes an outer surface defining a seam region and a non-seam region while the charge roller is configured to rollingly engage the outer surface of the non-seam region. The positioner is operably coupled to the charge roller and includes a discrete step drive configured to maintain a minimum spacing between the charge roller and the seam region of the outer surface when the seam region passes underneath the charge roller. | 12-06-2012 |
| 20130129385 | DEVELOPING DEVICE AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS INCLUDING THE SAME - A developing device that attaches/detaches to/from a main body of an image forming apparatus includes a photosensitive drum, a charging roller to rotate while contacting the photosensitive drum to charge a surface of the photosensitive drum to a uniform potential, and a separating member to rotate between a first position where the charging roller is separated from the photosensitive drum and a second position where the charging roller contacts the photosensitive drum. The separating member includes a body into which a rotary shaft of the charging roller is inserted to be rotatable, and a contact portion extending from the body and contacting the surface of the photosensitive drum when the separating member is located at the first position so as to separate the charging roller from the photosensitive drum, wherein the contact portion includes a friction member including rubber. | 05-23-2013 |
| 20140270847 | CHARGER POSITIONING ADJUSTER AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS INCORPORATING SAME - A charger positioning adjuster, which is included in an image forming apparatus and disposed facing a charger uniformly charging a surface of an image carrier using corona discharging, includes a mounting part provided at a position on which the charger is detachably attached, a positioning member attached to the mounting part and positioning the charger by contacting thereto, and a spacer disposed between the mounting part and the positioning member and adjusting a distance between the surface of the image carrier and the charger. | 09-18-2014 |
| 20150309436 | Control for a Non-Contact Charging Roller - A charging assembly controls a selectable non-contact distance between a charge roller and an imaging surface. | 10-29-2015 |
