40th week of 2015 patent applcation highlights part 54 |
Patent application number | Title | Published |
20150277290 | DEVELOPER CONTAINER AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS INCLUDING THE SAME - A developer container includes a container body, a movable wall, and a stirring member. The container body is formed with a developer discharge port opening in a circumferential portion of the container body and communicating with an internal space for allowing discharge of developer therethrough. The movable wall includes an outer surface slidably in close contact with an inner surface of the container body, and a conveying surface defining a storage space for the developer, the movable wall being movable in the first direction in the internal space while conveying the developer in the storage space to the developer discharge port. The stirring member faces the developer discharge port in a direction intersecting the first direction and is rotatable to stir the developer in the storage space. The movement of the movable wall and the rotation of the stirring member are controlled independently of each other. | 2015-10-01 |
20150277291 | DEVELOPER CONTAINER AND DEVELOPER SUPPLYING APPARATUS AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS INCLUDING THE SAME - A developer container includes a container body, a movable wall, a shaft, and a stirring member. The container body is formed with a developer discharge port. The developer discharge port lies at a position higher than a lowest part of the container body. The movable wall includes an outer surface slidably in close contact with an inner surface of the container body, and a conveying surface defining a storage space for the developer. The movable wall conveys the developer to the developer discharge port from a predetermined initial position owing to repeated movements of the movable wall in the first direction and a second direction. When the shaft is rotated in a first rotational direction, the movable wall moves in the first direction, and when the shaft is rotated in a second rotational direction opposite to the first rotational direction, the movable wall moves in the second direction. | 2015-10-01 |
20150277292 | DEVELOPING DEVICE AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - A developing device includes a developer container; a developer carrier; a first transport member having a rotation shaft and a transport blade; a second transport member having a rotation shaft and a transport blade; a partition member; a guide member; a first inflow portion; a second inflow portion; and a movement portion. The rotation shaft of the first transport member is located within a projection area of the developer carrier projected from above. A second imaginary tangent line extending vertically and touching an outer end of the transport blade of the first transport member is farther from the image carrier than a first imaginary tangent line extending vertically and touching an outer surface of the developer carrier. A first distance between the first and second imaginary tangent lines is smaller than a second distance between a rotation center of the image carrier and an inner surface of the developer container. | 2015-10-01 |
20150277293 | TONER SUPPLYING DEVICE AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - It is enabled to prevent packing of toner and supply toner stably. A toner supplying device has a toner cartridge attached to an upper part thereof a storage tank in which toner supplied from the toner cartridge is stored temporarily and discharges the toner from a toner discharge port provided in a lower end of the storage tank. A conveyance screw for discharging the toner from the toner discharge port is provided inside the storage tank and the storage tank has a shaft support hole for supporting a shaft of the conveyance screw that coincides with a rotational center axis of the conveyance screw. The shaft support hole is formed as along hole in which the shaft is able to be displaced in one direction or a direction opposite to the one direction. | 2015-10-01 |
20150277294 | DEVELOPING DEVICE AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - A developing device according to the invention develops latent images formed on an image carrier with a developer including toner carrier and toner. The developing device includes a developer container, a developer conveying member, a supply unit, a discharge unit, and a discharge prohibiting unit. The developer container contains the developer. The developer conveying member conveys the developer contained in the developer container as stirring the developer to circulate the developer in a circulation path in the developer container. The supply unit supplies at least the toner carrier to the circulation path. The discharge unit discharges excessive developer in the circulation path according to supply from the supply unit. The discharge prohibiting unit prohibits discharge of the developer from the discharge unit during a predetermined discharge prohibiting period in a case where the toner carrier is supplied from the supply unit. | 2015-10-01 |
20150277295 | METHOD FOR REMANUFACTURING TONER CARTRIDGES - A method for remanufacturing toner cartridges includes the use of a plurality of machine screw inserts. Each of a plurality of screw holes of a toner cartridge shell is tapped to create new threading within the plurality of screw holes. The plurality of machine screw inserts is positioned into the plurality of screw holes in order to reinforce the plurality of screw holes, wherein each of the plurality of machine screw inserts has a threaded outer surface and a threaded inner surface. The plurality of machine screw inserts provides a durable interface with a plurality of screws that reduces the chance of failure of the plurality of screws as the plurality of screws is positioned within the plurality of screw holes. An adhesive is applied to each of the plurality of machine screw inserts in order to secure the plurality of machine screw inserts within the plurality of screw holes. | 2015-10-01 |
20150277296 | CLEANING DEVICE, IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - A cleaning device includes a cleaning portion, a polishing roller, a layer thickness restricting member, and a swaying portion. The cleaning portion removes toner that has adhered to a surface of a rotation body. The polishing roller polishes a surface of the rotation body by rotating in a state where a surface of the polishing roller is in contact with the surface of the rotation body and the toner removed by the cleaning portion has adhered to the surface of the polishing roller. The layer thickness restricting member restricts a layer thickness of the toner that has adhered to the surface of the polishing roller. The swaying portion includes a biasing portion, an undulating portion and a support portion, and causes the polishing roller to sway in an axis direction of the rotation body. | 2015-10-01 |
20150277297 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS AND BELT DEVICE - An image forming apparatus includes an image bearing member that bears an image, a transfer belt that is constituted of an endless belt member and onto which the image on the image bearing member is transferred, and multiple roller members around which the transfer belt is rotatably wrapped. The multiple roller members include a drive roller that rotationally drives the transfer belt and a tilt changeable roller that is capable of changing a tilt angle thereof. An area of the tilt changeable roller that is in contact with the belt member is provided with a contact portion composed of rubber with a coefficient of static friction selected from a range between 0.7 and 1.3. | 2015-10-01 |
20150277298 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - An image forming apparatus includes: a transfer unit including a stretching roller and a rotatable transfer belt stretched by the stretching roller; a cleaning unit, including a blade movable toward and away from the transfer belt, for collecting a toner removed from the transfer belt by the blade; a moving member for moving the blade between a contact position where the blade is contacted to the transfer belt and a retracted position where the blade is moved away from the transfer belt; and a drive transmission device for permitting transmission of a driving force between the stretching roller and the movable member. The drive transmission device has an idling region where the drive transmission device is rotatable by a predetermined amount without transmitting the driving force to the stretching roller when the driving force is transmitted from the moving member to the drive transmission device. | 2015-10-01 |
20150277299 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS AND IMAGE FORMING SYSTEM - An image forming apparatus according to the present invention includes: an opposite roller switching mechanism which switches an opposite roller forming a transfer nip to a second opposite roller of which the outer diameter is different from the outer diameter of a first opposite roller; a paper type information acquirer which acquires the type information of a recording medium used; and a controller which controls the opposite roller switching mechanism based on the type information acquired from the paper type information acquirer. | 2015-10-01 |
20150277300 | Image Forming Apparatus and Power Supply Controlling Method and Non-Transitory Computer-Readable Medium - An image forming apparatus including an image carrier, a transfer member, an application circuit and a controller configured to acquire a transfer resistance value, the transfer resistance value being a value of electric resistance between the image carrier and the transfer member, determine whether the acquired transfer resistance value is less than or equal to a reference resistance value, and control the application circuit, in response to determining that the acquired transfer resistance value is less than or equal to the reference resistance value, to perform a current control process to cause a value of a transfer current passing through the transfer member becomes a target current value. | 2015-10-01 |
20150277301 | TRANSFER BELT, TRANSFER BELT UNIT, AND IMAGE FORMATION APPARATUS - A transfer belt used in an image formation apparatus is provided with surface characteristics that Vickers hardness of an outer peripheral surface of the transfer belt is within a range between being equal to or above 39 N/mm | 2015-10-01 |
20150277302 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS WITH INTERMEDIATE TONER TRANSFER MEDIUM, CONTROL METHOD THEREFOR, AND STORAGE MEDIUM STORING CONTROL PROGRAM THEREFOR - An image forming apparatus that is capable of reducing velocity fluctuation due to variation of friction torque between an image bearing member and an intermediate transfer medium depending on a toner image. An exposure unit forms a latent image on the image bearing member rotated by a first drive unit. A development unit develops the latent image to form a toner image. A primary transfer unit transfers the toner image to an intermediate transfer medium rotated by a second drive unit. A secondary transfer unit transfers the toner image to a sheet. A control unit controls the drive units so that a peripheral velocity difference between the image bearing member and the intermediate transfer medium becomes a first value at starting, and controls so that the peripheral velocity difference becomes a second value larger than the first value when minute toner reaches the position of the primary transfer unit. | 2015-10-01 |
20150277303 | FIXING MEMBER AND MANUFACTURING METHOD THEREFOR, FIXING DEVICE, AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - The present invention relates to a fixing member having high abrasion resistance and being excellent in toner releasability, and a method of manufacturing the fixing member. The fixing member according to the present invention includes: a base member; an elastic layer formed on a surface of the base member; and a surface layer, in which the surface layer contains a tetrafluoroethylene-hexafluoropropylene copolymer having a specific partial structure and has a surface that forms a contact angle of 65° or more with respect to a wetting tension test mixture having a wetting tension of 31.0 mN/m. | 2015-10-01 |
20150277304 | COOLING DEVICE AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS INCLUDING SAME - A cooling device including at least two cooling members to cool a recording medium passing thereover, a coolant circulation unit to circulate a coolant, and tubing that connects the coolant circulation unit to the cooling members and through which the coolant circulates. Each of the cooling members includes a heat-absorbing surface that directly contacts the recording medium or indirectly contacts the recording medium via a thermal transmission member, an internal channel provided within each of the cooling members through which the coolant circulates, and a channel inlet and outlet formed at downstream and upstream ends of each of the cooling members in a direction of conveyance of the recording medium, respectively. One of an interval and a thermal insulator is provided between the cooling members. | 2015-10-01 |
20150277305 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS AND TEMPERATURE CONTROLLER FOR FORMING DECOLORABLE IMAGES - An image forming apparatus according to an embodiment includes an image forming unit configured to form an image on a sheet using a plurality of decolorable color toners, wherein the decolorable color toners each have a preset fixing temperature and a preset decoloring temperature higher than the corresponding preset fixing temperature. The image forming apparatus further comprises a fixing unit configured to heat and apply pressure to the sheet having the image formed thereon to fix the image on the sheet, and a fixing temperature controller configured to control a fixing temperature of the fixing unit to be higher than or equal to a highest temperature among each of the preset fixing temperatures and to be lower than each of the preset decoloring temperatures. | 2015-10-01 |
20150277306 | Fixing Device and Image Forming Apparatus - A fixing device includes an endless belt extending in a first direction and configured to rotate, a heater extending inside the endless belt in the first direction and configured to heat the endless belt, a first temperature sensor for detecting a temperature of the endless belt heated by the heater, the first temperature sensor being disposed inside the endless belt, a second temperature sensor for detecting a temperature of the endless belt heated by the heater, the second temperature sensor being disposed outside of the endless belt, and a thermal cutoff disposed outside of the endless belt and configured to interrupt electric current to the heater when the temperature of the endless belt exceeds a specified temperature. | 2015-10-01 |
20150277307 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS, IMAGE FORMING METHOD AND NON-TRANSITORY COMPUTER-READABLE STORAGE MEDIUM - An image forming apparatus includes an image forming device forming an image, a fixing device for heat-fixing the image on a sheet, a belt for conveying the sheet toward the fixing device, a sensor, and a control device configured to control the image forming device to form marks bridging over the belt and the sheet having passed through the fixing device at both ends of the sheet, obtain a length between remaining marks left on the belt after the sheet having the marks formed thereon is conveyed to a downstream side of the belt, on the basis of an output signal of a sensor which output is changed depending on whether there are the marks, and adjust a printing magnification of an image to be formed on the sheet on the basis of the length between the remaining marks. | 2015-10-01 |
20150277308 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - An image forming apparatus that forms a toner image on a recording material includes the following: a temperature detection portion that detects temperature of a heating member; a controller that controls power to be supplied to the heating member so that the temperature detected by the temperature detection portion becomes target temperature; and an acquisition portion that acquires information on a ratio of a region, where the toner image is formed, in a predetermined region located in an end portion of the recording material in a width direction thereof, and this controller changes the target temperature in accordance with the ratio. | 2015-10-01 |
20150277309 | HEATER UNIT, FIXING DEVICE, AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - A heater unit includes a heater in which a heating resistor member and an electrode electrically connected to the heating resistor member are disposed on a board; a connector having a connection terminal and attached to the heater at a specific connector attaching position thereof for electrically connecting the connection terminal to the electrode; a heater side engaging portion disposed on the heater; and a connector side engaging portion for engaging with the heater side engaging portion. The heater side engaging portion is provided for restricting the connector attached to the heater at the specific connector attaching position from shifting relative to the specific connector attaching position. | 2015-10-01 |
20150277310 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - An image forming apparatus includes a heating member which heats a recording material on which an unfixed toner image has been formed, a pressurizing member which forms a nip portion between the heating member and the pressurizing member and applies a pressure to press the recording material against the heating member in the nip portion, and a controller which applies a voltage, which has a polarity opposite to the polarity of the surface potential of the charged pressurizing member and a predetermined voltage value with which electric discharge does not occur between a hole in a surface layer of the pressurizing member and the heating member, to the heating member to remove electricity from the surface layer of the pressurizing member when the recording material is not present in the nip portion. | 2015-10-01 |
20150277311 | Fixing Device and Image Forming Apparatus - A fixing device includes an endless belt extending in a first direction and configured to rotate, a nip member extending in the first direction and disposed in contact with an inner surface of the endless belt, a backup member extending in the first direction and disposed in contact with an outer surface of the endless belt such that that the backup roller and the nip member sandwich the endless belt therebetween and the backup member and the endless belt form a nip therebetween, a first heating element extending along the endless belt in the first direction and configured to generate heat, and an inner surface guide disposed in contact with an end portion of the inner surface of the endless belt in the first direction and spaced apart from the nip in a second direction. The inner surface guide includes a second heating element configured to generate heat. | 2015-10-01 |
20150277312 | IMAGE FIXING DEVICE - A fixing device includes a fixing device for nipping and feeding a sheet to fix a toner image on a sheet, said fixing device including a first fixing member contactable with a front surface of the sheet, and a second fixing member provided with an electroconductive surface layer contactable with a back surface of the sheet; a feeder provided downstream of said fixing device with respect to a sheet feeding direction to nip and feed the sheet, a feeder including a first feeding roller contactable with the front surface, and a second feeding roller provided with an electroconductive surface layer contactable with the back surface; a first discharging member contacted with said electroconductive surface layer of said second fixing member to discharge said second fixing member; and a second discharging member contacted with said electroconductive surface layer of said second feeding roller to discharge said second feeding roller. | 2015-10-01 |
20150277313 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - An image forming apparatus that forms a toner image on a recording medium includes an image forming unit, a fixing unit, and an output unit. The fixing unit includes a heating member and a backup member. The backup member forms a nip with the heating member. The output unit, provided on a downstream side of the nip, outputs the recording medium to an outside of the apparatus. The recording medium is conveyed at the nip with a side of the recording medium facing the heating member set as an upper side of the recording medium. | 2015-10-01 |
20150277314 | Fixing Device - A fixing device includes an endless belt, a nip member having a contact surface that is in contact with the inner surface of the endless belt, a backup member configured to pinch the endless belt in conjunction with the nip member, an upstream guide disposed upstream of the nip portion in the rotating direction, and a regulating portion. The upstream guide and the nip member are disposed while a first gap is provided, in a conveying direction of the recording sheet, between a middle portion of the upstream guide and a middle portion of the nip member. The regulating portion and one of the upstream guide and the nip member are disposed while a second gap is provided therebetween in the conveying direction of the recording sheet. The second gap is smaller than the first gap in the conveying direction of the recording sheet. | 2015-10-01 |
20150277315 | Fixing Device - A fixing device may include an endless belt and a nip member being in contact with an inner peripheral surface of the endless belt. The fixing device may further include a backup member that nips the endless belt together with the nip member. The fixing device may include a contact member disposed opposite the backup member with the nip member therebetween. The contact member may be in contact with the nip member. The contact member may include a first portion that extends across a width of a maximum image forming area and a second portion positioned outside the width of the maximum image forming area and inside a width of the nip in a axial direction of the endless belt. A heat transfer coefficient per unit dimension between the nip member and the second portion may be smaller than that between the nip member and the first portion. | 2015-10-01 |
20150277316 | IMAGE HEATING APPARATUS - An image heating apparatus includes first and second rollers forming a nip therebetween to heat a toner image on a sheet; a rubbing roller for rubbing an outer surface of said first roller; a moving mechanism for moving said rubbing roller between a contact position for contacting with said first roller and a spacing position spaced from said first roller; a measuring portion for measuring time elapsed from start of a rubbing process; a controller for discriminating, upon receipt of image heating instructions during the rubbing process execution, whether to continue the rubbing process or to interrupt the rubbing process and execute the image heating process, on the basis of the time measured by said measuring portion. | 2015-10-01 |
20150277317 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS AND IMAGE FORMING METHOD - An image forming apparatus includes a transport unit that transports plural recording media having developer images transferred thereon, at an interval; a fixing unit that fixes the developer images to the recording media transported by the transport unit, by applying heat; a temperature measuring unit that measures an ambient temperature; a speed changing unit that decreases a fixing speed of the developer images in the fixing unit if the ambient temperature measured by the temperature measuring unit is a preset temperature or lower, as compared with the fixing speed if the ambient temperature is higher than the preset temperature; and an interval changing unit that decreases the interval if the ambient temperature is the preset temperature or lower, as compared with the interval if the ambient temperature is higher than the preset temperature. | 2015-10-01 |
20150277318 | Fixing Device - A fixing device includes an endless belt, a backup roller, and a nip member having a first slide contact surface, a second slide contact surface, and a connecting surface connecting the first and second slide contact surfaces. A curvature radius of the second slide contact surface is greater than that of the backup roller in cross section perpendicular to an axis of the backup roller. The connecting surface is disposed between a first imaginary plane and a second imaginary plane, the first imaginary plane including an edge of the endless belt and extending perpendicularly to the axis of the backup roller, the second imaginary plane including an end of a maximum image area proximate to the edge of the endless belt and extending perpendicularly to the axis of the backup roller. | 2015-10-01 |
20150277319 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - An image forming apparatus includes a movable image-bearing member, a sensor opposed to the image-bearing member, a shutter member arranged between the image-bearing member and the sensor and capable of moving between an open position and a closed position, a rotatable cam configured to move the shutter member, and an execution portion configured to selectively execute a first mode in which the shutter member is opened or closed by rotating the cam within a first phase range and a second mode in which the shutter member is vibrated by rotating the cam at least through a second phase range different from the first phase range. | 2015-10-01 |
20150277320 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - An image forming apparatus including a movable image bearing member, a sensor arranged so as to oppose the image bearing member, a shutter member movable between an opened position and a closed position, a vibration mechanism configured to apply vibration to the shutter member, and an executing portion configured to execute a vibrating action which applies vibrations to the shutter member by the vibration device based on image formation history information. | 2015-10-01 |
20150277321 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS, CONTROL METHOD OF IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS, AND STORAGE MEDIUM FOR CONTROLLING IMAGE FORMATION ON A SHEET - An image forming apparatus can create various output products using a transparent sheet as intended by a user. | 2015-10-01 |
20150277322 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - An image forming apparatus calculates a speed correction amount obtained by correcting a gain and a phase of a speed fluctuation component by a gain phase correction unit and a correction speed calculation unit so as to cancel this speed fluctuation component and controls a rotation speed of a rotator by using the calculated speed correction amount. | 2015-10-01 |
20150277323 | INFORMATION PROCESSING DEVICE, AND NON-TRANSITORY COMPUTER READABLE MEDIUM STORING PROGRAM - Provided is an information processing device, including an opening and closing detection unit that detects opening and closing of an opening and closing door which exposes a paper transporting passage for transporting paper, a paper jam detection unit that detects a paper jam in the paper transporting passage, a time measurement unit that measures a time when the paper jam is detected and opening of the opening and closing door is detected, and a control unit that controls the paper jam to be continued when a time measured by the time measurement unit is shorter than a predetermined time in case of detecting closing of the opening and closing door. | 2015-10-01 |
20150277324 | Image Forming Apparatus and Method for Adjusting Forming Condition of Image Forming Apparatus - A printer is capable of performing inter-light source adjustment processing for adjusting a forming interval of electrostatic latent images between a first light source and a second light source based on inter-light source adjustment marks, and density adjustment processing for adjusting the density of an image based on a bias adjustment mark, and when the execution conditions of both of inter-light source adjustment and density adjustment are established, performs the inter-light source adjustment processing and then performs the density adjustment processing. | 2015-10-01 |
20150277325 | PRINTING APPARATUS, METHOD FOR CONTROLLING PRINTING APPARATUS, AND STORAGE MEDIUM - A printing apparatus includes a determination unit configured to determine, based on a print side designated for a transparent sheet and a print side on which the printing apparatus is able to execute printing, a print side of an image to be printed on the transparent sheet and sheet feeding timing of the transparent sheet, and a printing unit configured to print the image on the transparent sheet based on a content determined by the determination unit. | 2015-10-01 |
20150277326 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - An image forming apparatus has an image carrier, a developing unit, a toner container, a pixel counter, and a used toner amount estimator. An electrostatic latent image is formed on the image carrier's surface. The developing unit feeds toner on the image carrier's surface. The toner container with a transport screw supplies toner to the developing unit. The pixel counter counts the number of pixels in toner images formed on the image carrier's surface since the toner container started being used. The used toner amount estimator estimates the amount of toner used, until the cumulative value of the number of revolutions of the transport screw reaches a predetermined number, based on the cumulative value and, thereafter, by multiplying the pixel count of the pixel counter by a coefficient. The estimator corrects the coefficient based on the pixel count as observed when the cumulative value reaches the predetermined number. | 2015-10-01 |
20150277327 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - An image forming apparatus includes an image forming portion, a storage portion, a density measurement portion, a calibration portion, and a correction portion. The image forming portion is configured to form an image by using a developer. The storage portion is configured to store a relationship between a number of pixels formed by the image forming portion and a usage amount of the developer. The density measurement portion is configured to perform measurement of a density of a patch image formed by the image forming portion. The calibration portion is configured to perform calibration based on the measured density. The correction portion is configured to perform correction of the relationship between the number of pixels and the usage amount of the developer, the relationship being stored in the storage portion, by using differences in number of pixels at a plurality of previously set densities between before and after the calibration. | 2015-10-01 |
20150277328 | INFORMATION PROCESSING DEVICE AND PROGRAM - An information processing device includes an ink distribution amount computation unit that computes an i-th (where i is an integer greater than or equal to one) ink distribution amount distributed to an i-th recording job which is performed by a recording apparatus according to an i-th ink distribution ratio obtained from division of an i-th total consumption amount cumulative total by an i-th recording consumption amount cumulative total. | 2015-10-01 |
20150277329 | AUTOMATIC DOCUMENT FEEDER - An automatic document feeder includes an upper cover, a conveying channel, and a document detecting module. The document detecting module includes a metal element, a coil, a detecting circuit, and a controlling unit. The metal element is located at a first side of the conveying channel. The coil, the detecting circuit and the controlling unit are all located at a second side of the conveying channel. While one or more paper sheets are transferred through the document detecting module, the metal element is pushed, so that the magnetic force generated by the coil is subjected to a change. A change amount of the magnetic force value is detected by the detecting circuit. If the change amount of the magnetic force value is larger than a predetermined magnetic force value, the controlling unit judges that the multi feeding condition occurs. | 2015-10-01 |
20150277330 | TRANSPORT DEVICE AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - A transport device includes a driving roller that drives an endless belt so that the belt rotates, a transfer roller that presses the belt from an inner side of the belt toward an image carrier, which carries a toner image, and transfers the toner image onto the belt, a first stretching roller that stretches the belt, a second stretching roller that stretches the belt the driving roller and the first stretching roller and on a side on which the transfer roller is in contact with the belt, and an adjusting mechanism that adjusts a direction of a rotary shaft of the second stretching roller. | 2015-10-01 |
20150277331 | RECORDING MATERIAL TRANSPORTING APPARATUS, AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - Provided is a recording material transporting apparatus including a transport member that transports a recording material in a transport direction, a linkage portion that moves in an intersection direction in connection with movement of the transport member in the direction intersecting the transport direction, and a rotating member that rotates about a rotating shaft disposed along the intersection direction, that includes a helical cam on a circumference of the rotating shaft, and that presses the linkage portion via the cam to move the linkage portion and the transport member in the intersection direction, wherein a common driving source supplies a driving force that the transport member uses to transport the recording material, and a driving force for rotating the rotating member. | 2015-10-01 |
20150277332 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS HAVING BELT UNIT - A belt unit includes a roller, a belt, a first guide, a second guide and a regulating portion. The first guide is provided on a surface of the roller. The first guide is in a form of one of a convex shape and a concave shape. The belt is looped taut around the rollers, and has a second guide in a form of one of a concave shape and a convex shape. The first guide and the second guide are engaged with each other with an engagement depth in the radial direction. The regulating portion confronts the outer belt surface and provides a gap between the regulating portion and the outer belt surface, the gap being smaller than the engagement depth. | 2015-10-01 |
20150277333 | Image Forming Apparatus - An image forming apparatus includes a photosensitive drum, a light exposure device, a developing device, a fixing unit disposed opposite to the light exposure device relative to the developing device, a sheet supply tray disposed below the developing device, an ejection tray disposed above the developing device and having a sheet receiving surface inclined downward, relative to a horizontal direction, toward the charger, and a sheet conveying path through which a sheet is conveyed from the sheet supply tray to the ejection tray. A lowest end portion of the sheet receiving surface is disposed below an upper end of the charger in the vertical direction. The charger is disposed opposite to the developing device relative to the lowest end portion of the sheet receiving surface. | 2015-10-01 |
20150277334 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - An image forming apparatus includes: an image forming section that electrophotographically forms an image on a sheet; and a sheet feeding path including a first sheet feeding path that conveys a sheet to the image forming section, and a second sheet feeding path provided continuously with the first sheet feeding path. Unjamming is allowed to be performed by separating the apparatus at a boundary between the first sheet feeding path and the second sheet feeding path, and by pulling out the first sheet feeding path. The apparatus further includes: a jam detection section that detects an occurrence of a jam in the sheet feeding path; and a jam clearing section that determines a procedure for unjamming in accordance with a state of a sheet on the sheet feeding path when a jam occurs, and the jam clearing section makes a request to perform unjamming according to a determined procedure. | 2015-10-01 |
20150277335 | AUTOMATIC TRAY SWITCHING FOR CONTINUED MARKING AFTER MEDIA TRAY MISFEED - An auto tray switching method that is invoked when a misfeed occurs includes automatically switching to a different paper tray that has appropriate paper stock to continue a job. A misfeed signal is indicated only if the tray in which the misfeed occurred is selected by a user for another job. | 2015-10-01 |
20150277336 | DRIVE TRANSMISSION DEVICE AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS INCLUDING THE SAME - A drive transmission device includes rotatable shafts, a first transmission mechanism that transmits first driving force, and a second transmission mechanism that transmits second driving force. The first driving force causes a specific rotatable shaft to rotate in a first rotation direction. The second driving force causes the specific rotatable shaft to rotate in a second rotation direction. The second transmission mechanism includes first and second gears, and a switching member that switches between coupling and decoupling of the first and second gears. While the first and second gears are coupled, the second driving force is transmitted to the specific rotatable shaft. The first transmission mechanism includes a cut-off member that cuts off transmission of the first driving force to the specific rotatable shaft upon the second driving force being transmitted to the specific rotatable shaft while the first driving force is being transmitted to the specific rotatable shaft. | 2015-10-01 |
20150277337 | DRIVE TRANSMISSION UNIT AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS INCORPORATING SAME - A drive transmission unit is described that includes a drive source, and a rotatable drive transmitting member to transmit a driving force from the drive source. The drive transmitting member includes a bottom part intersecting an axis of the drive transmitting member, a circular transmitting part extending from the bottom part in an axial direction of the drive transmitting member and including an internal toothed surface on an inner circumferential surface of the transmitting part to mesh with a first member, and a first projecting part and a second projecting part projecting in opposite directions from the bottom part along the axial direction of the drive transmitting member and having different diameters. | 2015-10-01 |
20150277338 | DRIVING TRANSMISSION DEVICE AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - A driving transmission device includes a motor, a first pulley to be rotated by the motor, a second pulley connected to a rotating member, an endless belt wound on the first pulley and the second pulley, a dielectric layer provided between the endless belt and the first pulley and between the endless belt and the second pulley, and a power supply unit configured to apply a voltage to the first pulley. The first pulley, the endless belt, and the second pulley are connected in series. A length by which the endless belt is wound on the second pulley is larger than a length by which the endless belt is wound on the first pulley. A voltage applied to the second pulley is lower than the voltage applied to the first pulley. | 2015-10-01 |
20150277339 | DRIVING TRANSMISSION DEVICE AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - A driving transmission device includes a motor, a first pulley, a second pulley, an endless belt which is wound on the first pulley and the second pulley, dielectric layers disposed between the endless belt and the first pulley and between the endless belt and the second pulley, and a power source unit. A length of a portion of the endless belt which is wound on the second pulley is longer than a length of a portion of the endless belt which is wound on the first pulley. An amount of current supplied from the second pulley to the endless belt in a region in which the endless belt is wound on the second pulley is smaller than an amount of current supplied from the first pulley to the endless belt in a region in which the endless belt is wound on the first pulley. | 2015-10-01 |
20150277340 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS HAVING CIRCUIT BOARD - An image forming apparatus includes an image forming unit, a pair of frames, a connecting member, a supply board, and a control board. The image forming unit includes a photosensitive body configured to carry developer and an exposure unit configured to scan and expose the photosensitive body to light. The pair of frames is disposed in a horizontal direction opposite to each other with the image forming unit being positioned therebetween. The connecting member extends in the horizontal direction and supports the exposure unit. The connecting member has each longitudinal end portion connected to each of the pair of frames. The supply board is configured to supply electric power to an electric motor. The control board is configured to control operation of the image forming unit. At least one of the control board and the supply board is supported to the connecting member. | 2015-10-01 |
20150277341 | Image Forming Device and Cartridge Configuration - A developer cartridge according to one aspect described herein is attachable to a photoconductor unit that comprises a photoconductive drum. The developer cartridge may comprise a main body having an opening, the main body comprising an electric circuit, a front cover configured to move to an opening position in which the opening of the main body is exposed and to a closing position in which the opening of the main body is closed, a first terminal electrically connected to the electric circuit, a photosensitive drum, and a developer cartridge comprising a developing roller, developing frame having a pressed portion, memory unit and second terminal. The front cover may include a pressing portion configured to press the pressed portion of the developing frame in a direction from the developing roller toward the photosensitive drum, and wherein the second terminal faces to the front cover when the front cover is in the closed position. | 2015-10-01 |
20150277342 | DEVELOPING DEVICE AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS INCLUDING CLEANING MEMBER AND CLEANING MEMBER - A cleaning member includes a body and an edge. The body has rubber hardness of about 68 to 75 degrees and is fixed to a support member at one end of the body. The body has a plate-like shape in which a corner portion of the body is missing. The edge is provided at the corner portion and fits into it. The edge is in contact with a subject to be cleaned and has a thickness of about 0.1 to 1 mm. The cleaning member satisfies the following conditions: | 2015-10-01 |
20150277343 | Drum Unit - A drum unit includes a photosensitive drum, a side plate, a cleaning unit, a waste-toner conveyor unit. The photosensitive drum has a first drum body and a second drum body, each having a photosensitive layer and a supported portion extending from one end of the drum body in a first direction along a rotational axis of the photosensitive drum. The side plate supports the supported portions. The cleaning unit has cleaners and conveyors corresponding to the drum bodies so as to remove waste toner from the photosensitive drums and convey the waste toner removed by the cleaners in the first direction. The waste-toner conveyor unit has a collecting conveyor configured to convey the waste toner conveyed by the. The collecting conveyor is disposed between the side plate and the drum bodies. The collecting conveyor is disposed below the first conveyor. | 2015-10-01 |
20150277344 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS AND DRUM UNIT THEREOF PROVIDED WITH DRUM CLEANER - An image forming apparatus includes: an apparatus body; a photosensitive drum defining an axis extending in a first direction; a support member movable between an inside position and an outside position relative to the apparatus body; a cleaner for removing waste toner from the photosensitive drum; a first conveyer for conveying the waste toner in the first direction; a conveying unit; and a container for storing the waste toner conveyed by the conveying unit. The conveying unit includes a second conveyer for conveying the waste toner conveyed by the first conveyer in a second direction intersecting with the first direction; and a conveying pipe accommodating the second conveyer and connectable to the container. The conveying pipe includes a shutter for opening and closing a conveyer-side opening formed in a downstream end portion of the conveying pipe in the second direction. | 2015-10-01 |
20150277345 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - An image forming apparatus is provided with: an apparatus body; a photosensitive member; a developing cartridge configured to have a developer supporting body; a cleaner configured to collect developer remaining on the photosensitive member; and a waste developer container configured to contain developer collected by the cleaner. The apparatus body is configured to have an installment passage, through which the developing cartridge passes when the developing cartridge is installed into and removed from the apparatus body. The waste developer container is configured to be movable between a first position at which at least a part of the waste developer container is located within the installment passage and a second position at which the waste developer container is located away from the installment passage. | 2015-10-01 |
20150277346 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - An image forming apparatus comprising: an image carrier; an image forming unit configured to form a toner image on the image carrier by using toner, based on image information; a transfer unit configured to transfer the toner image formed on the image carrier to a sheet; a cleaning unit configured to clean toner on the image carrier; a collected toner box in which the toner cleaned by the cleaning unit is collected; a rotating member configured to be rotated for moving the toner in the collected toner box; and a controller configured to control, based on the image information, whether or not to rotate the rotating member. | 2015-10-01 |
20150277347 | DRUM CARTRIDGE INCLUDING A COUPLING ACCOMMODATING ROLLER MOVEMENT - A drum cartridge and a method are disclosed. An example of the drum cartridge includes a photosensitive drum, a first cleaning roller, and a second cleaning roller. The drum cartridge includes a first cleaning gear rotatable with the first cleaning roller, a second cleaning gear rotatable with the second cleaning roller and engaging with the first cleaning gear, a drum gear being rotatable with the photosensitive drum, a first idle gear engaging with the drum gear, a second idle gear engaging with the first idle gear, and a coupling joining the second cleaning gear and the second idle gear, the coupling being rotatable in unison with the second cleaning gear and the second idle gear. | 2015-10-01 |
20150277348 | DRUM CARTRIDGE WITH MOVABLE CLEANING ROLLER - A drum cartridge and a method are disclosed. An example drum cartridge includes a photosensitive drum, a first cleaning roller positioned to a side of the photosensitive drum. The drum cartridge includes a lever positioned at an outer surface of the drum cartridge. The outer surface of the drum cartridge is positioned toward the side of the photosensitive drum. The lever is extendable in a second direction different from the first direction, and the lever is pivotable with respect to the outer surface of the drum cartridge about a second axis extending in the first direction. The lever is pivotable between an extended position and a retracted position. The drum cartridge includes an engagement portion movable with pivoting of the lever between an engaged position when the lever is in the extended position and a disengaged position when the lever is in the retracted position. | 2015-10-01 |
20150277349 | DRUM UNIT CAPABLE OF GROUNDING PHOTOSENSITIVE DRUM AND CLEANING MEMBER - A drum unit includes: a photosensitive drum; a side plate; a cleaning member; a support member; a frame; and a connecting member. The photosensitive drum has an axis extending in an axial direction. The photosensitive drum has a surface. The side plate has electrical conductive properties. The side plate is configured to support the photosensitive drum. The side plate includes a contact portion configured to contact an external member having electrical conductive properties. The cleaning member is configured to clean the surface of the photosensitive drum. The support member has electrical conductive properties and is configured to support the cleaning member. The frame has electrical insulating properties. The frame is configured to support the support member and fixed to the side plate. The connecting member is configured to electrically connect the support member to the side plate. | 2015-10-01 |
20150277350 | DRUM UNIT CAPABLE OF IMPROVING POSITIONING PRECISION OF CLEANER WITH RESPECT TO PHOTOSENSITIVE DRUM - A drum unit includes: a first side plate; a second side plate; a photosensitive drum; a cleaner; a first frame; and a bearing. The first side plate has a first opening. The second side plate is spaced apart from the first side plate in a first direction. The photosensitive drum has an axis extending along the first direction and a first end portion in the first direction. The photosensitive drum has a circumferential surface. The cleaner is configured to clean the circumferential surface of the photosensitive drum. The first frame includes: a support portion configured to support the cleaner; and a wall portion having a second opening. The bearing is configured to support the first end portion of the photosensitive drum. The bearing extends through both the first opening and the second opening. | 2015-10-01 |
20150277351 | MOUNTING STRUCTURE OF EXTERNAL DEVICE, AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - Provided is a mounting structure of an external device, including an apparatus body in which an exhaust port or a suction port are formed, an external device that is connected to the apparatus body, and a mounting member that includes a body section having one side on which the external device is mounted and the other side which is mounted on the apparatus body so as to cover the exhaust port or the suction port, and plural protruding sections which protrude from the body section and come into contact with the apparatus body in positions different from the exhaust port or the suction port, and that is provided to make flow paths at portions other than the plural protruding sections so as to intersect or branch between the body section and the apparatus body, and at a center portion of the body section. | 2015-10-01 |
20150277352 | PHOTOSENSITIVE-BODY CARTRIDGE PROVIDED WITH MEMBER THAT CONTACTS BEARING OF PHOTOSENSITIVE BODY - A photosensitive-body cartridge includes a cartridge frame, a photosensitive drum accommodated in the cartridge frame, and a contact member. The photosensitive drum includes: a first rotational shaft extending in a first direction to permit the photosensitive drum to rotate together with the first rotational shaft; a drum body extending in the first direction and having a first end and a second end in the first direction; a pressing member provided on the first end of the drum body and applying pressing force to the drum body toward the second end; and a bearing member provided on the second end of the drum body and receiving the first rotational shaft. The contact member is attachable to the cartridge frame and supported by the cartridge frame. The contact member contacts the bearing member in the first direction by the pressing force. | 2015-10-01 |
20150277353 | Cartridge - A cartridge including a housing configured to accommodate therein developer, a driving receiving part configured to receive a driving force, a transmission member configured to rotate by receiving a driving force from the driving receiving part, a first rotary member configured to rotate by abutting on the transmission member and receiving a driving force from the transmission member, a second rotary member configured to abut on the transmission member by receiving a driving force from the first rotary member, and rotate by abutting on the transmission member and receiving a driving force from the transmission member, and a detected part configured to move in accordance with the rotation of the second rotary member. | 2015-10-01 |
20150277354 | Cartridge - A cartridge including a housing, a driving receiving part, a rotary member configured to rotate, and move in an axis direction thereof while rotating, and a detected member configured to move in the axis direction by receiving a driving force from the rotary member, wherein the rotary member includes a main body part having a first surface facing the detected member in the axis direction and a second surface positioned at an opposite side of the first surface in the axis direction, an operating part arranged on the first surface and configured to apply a force for moving the detected member in the axis direction to the detected member, and an operated part arranged on the second surface and configured to receive a force for moving the main body part in the axis direction. | 2015-10-01 |
20150277355 | Cartridge - A cartridge including a housing configured to accommodate therein developer, a driving receiving part configured to receive a driving force, a first rotary member configured to rotate by a driving force transmitted from the driving receiving part, a conveyance member to which a driving force is configured to be transmitted by rotation of the first rotary member and configured to convey the developer, a second rotary member configured to rotate by a driving force transmitted from the driving receiving part, and a detected part configured to move by the rotation of the second rotary member, wherein the second rotary member is arranged to overlap with the first rotary member in an axis direction parallel with an axis of the first rotary member. | 2015-10-01 |
20150277356 | Cartridge - A cartridge including a housing configured to accommodate therein developer, a driving receiving part configured to rotate by receiving a driving force, and a detected member configured to move in an axis direction parallel with a rotational axis of the driving receiving part by receiving a driving force from the driving receiving part, wherein the detected member is configured to perform a reciprocating movement, in which the detected member moves outward in the axis direction to be separated from the housing and then moves inward in the axis direction to come close to the housing, for a plurality of times. | 2015-10-01 |
20150277357 | ACCOMMODATING CONTAINER, AND RECORDING MATERIAL SUPPLY APPARATUS - Provided is an accommodating container that is mounted in a housing, accommodates an accommodated object therein, and is provided in such a manner that the accommodating container is capable to be pulled out of the housing, the accommodating container including an operation reception portion that is provided with a starting point in a portion thereof which a user touches when pulling the accommodating container out of the housing, and plural ridge portions which extend in different directions from the starting point. | 2015-10-01 |
20150277358 | PHOTOSENSITIVE-BODY CARTRIDGE PROVIDED WITH ELECTRODE FOR SUPPLYING POWER TO CLEANING ROLLER - A photosensitive-body cartridge includes a photosensitive body, a cleaning roller, a primary electrode and a guide. The photosensitive body is configured to rotate together with a first rotational shaft extending in a first direction. The cleaning roller is configured to rotate together with a second rotational shaft parallel to the first rotational shaft and opposes the photosensitive body in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction. The primary electrode contacts one end of the second rotational shaft and is configured to supply power inputted from an external electrode to the cleaning roller. The guide is configured to guide the primary electrode to move in a third direction perpendicular to the first direction and intersecting the second direction. | 2015-10-01 |
20150277359 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS PROVIDED WITH LIGHT GUIDE AND LIGHT SOURCE - An image forming apparatus includes: a main casing; a light source; and a photosensitive cartridge. The light source is provided in the main casing and configured to emit a light. The photosensitive cartridge is mountable in the main casing in a mounting direction. The photosensitive cartridge includes: a photosensitive drum; a light guide; a first wall and a second wall. The photosensitive drum has a surface. The light guide is configured to guide the light emitted from the light source to the surface of the photosensitive drum to eliminate static on the surface of the photosensitive drum. The second wall is spaced apart from the first wall in a first direction that crosses the mounting direction. The light source is disposed between the first wall and the second wall when the photosensitive cartridge has been mounted in the main casing. | 2015-10-01 |
20150277360 | PHOTOSENSITIVE CARTRIDGE HAVING LIGHT GUIDE - A photosensitive cartridge includes a photosensitive drum, and a guide member. The guide member is configured to guide light emitted from the light source toward a surface of the photosensitive drum to neutralize charge on the surface of the photosensitive drum. The guide member includes a first part, a second part, and a third part. The first part is configured to receive the light. The first part extends in a direction intersecting an axial direction of the photosensitive drum. The second part faces the photosensitive drum and extends in the axial direction. The third part connects the first part and the second part. The third part is configured to allow the light to pass through the first part toward the second part. | 2015-10-01 |
20150277361 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - There is provided an image forming apparatus including a main body, a cover, a photosensitive body cartridge, and a developing cartridge. The main body includes a supporting portion and the developing cartridge includes a supported portion. The supporting portion and the supported portion are configured such that the developing cartridge is pivotable relative to the main body about a third axis, which is parallel to a first axis and is separate from a second axis, between a first position, in which the developer carrier is away from the photosensitive body, and a second position, in which developer carrier is close to the photosensitive body. The cover includes a pressing member configured to press the developing cartridge in a direction perpendicular to the third axis such that the developer cartridge pivots from the first position to the second position. | 2015-10-01 |
20150277362 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - An image forming apparatus is provided with: a main body; a photosensitive member, and a developing cartridge having a developer carrier that rotates about an axis line. The main body includes: an urging member configured to urge the developing cartridge; and a first guide configured to guide the developing cartridge. The developing cartridge includes an end portion in the axis line, the end portion having a guided part configured to be guided by the first guide of the main body. The developing cartridge is configured to rotate about the guided part between a first position at which the urging member cannot urge the developing cartridge and a second position at which the urging member can urge the developing cartridge. The developer carrier is spaced apart from the photosensitive member when the developing cartridge is located at the second position. | 2015-10-01 |
20150277363 | Image Forming Apparatus and Tandem Type Photosensitive Unit - An image forming apparatus is described. An image forming apparatus may include an image forming apparatus body and a tandem type photosensitive unit slidable with respect to the body, wherein the unit includes: a frame; a plurality of photosensitive bodies; a plurality of developer cartridges, including developer carriers, detachably mountable on the frame; and a pressing portion provided on the frame for pressing each of the cartridges so that the developer carrier thereof is directed toward the corresponding photosensitive body, each of the cartridges is pivoted to be movable to an imaging position pressed by the pressing portion and a detached position released from the pressing by the pressing portion, and the body is provided with an abutting portion abutting the cartridge located on the detached position thereby pivoting the cartridge and moving the same to the imaging position when the unit is mounted on the body. | 2015-10-01 |
20150277364 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - An image forming apparatus includes: a main assembly; and a fixing unit for fixing an image on a recording material, wherein the fixing unit is detachably mountable to the main assembly. The fixing unit includes a projected portion for regulating a position of the fixing unit relative to the main assembly. The main assembly includes an opening for guiding movement of the projected portion and a recessed portion, provided downstream of the opening with respect to a mounting direction of the fixing unit, for regulating a position of the projected portion. The fixing unit includes an engaging portion engaging with the opening so that the projected portion is prevented from coming out of the opening after entering the recessed portion. | 2015-10-01 |
20150277365 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS HAVING CARTRIDGE - An image forming apparatus includes a casing, a process cartridge and an exposure unit. The casing defines a first direction, a second direction orthogonal to the first direction, and a third direction orthogonal to the first direction and the second direction. The third direction extends vertically. The process cartridge includes a photosensitive body extending in the first direction and a grip having a portion. The exposure unit is configured to expose the photosensitive body. The exposure unit has a part overlapped with the process cartridge as viewed in the second direction when the process cartridge is mounted in the casing. The portion of the grip is overlapped with the exposure unit as viewed in the third direction when the process cartridge is mounted in the casing. The portion of the grip is disposed above the exposure unit in the third direction. | 2015-10-01 |
20150277366 | PROCESS CARTRIDGE AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS USING THE PROCESS CARTRIDGE - A process cartridge includes an image holding body assembly that includes an image holding body, a developing assembly that includes a developer holding body, an urging member, a contacting and separating mechanism, and a gap forming mechanism. The image holding body assembly is inserted into and pulled from an assembly receiving portion. The urging member urges the developing assembly so that the developer holding body is pressed against the image holding body. The contacting and separating mechanism is disposed on the front side and operated to separate the image holding body assembly and the developing assembly from each other against an urging force. The gap forming mechanism forms a gap between the image holding body and the developer holding body on the rear side against the urging force. The size of the gap is larger than that existing before the image holding body assembly is pulled. | 2015-10-01 |
20150277367 | PROCESS CARTRIDGE AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - A process cartridge comprising: (i) a photosensitive drum; (ii) a rotatable developing roller for developing an electrostatic latent image formed on the photosensitive drum; (iii) a developer supplying roller, provided in contact with the developing roller, for supplying a developer to the developing roller; (iv) a driving force receiving portion for receiving a driving force, wherein the driving force receiving portion is provided at a shaft end portion of the developer supplying roller and is movable in a direction crossing a shaft of the developer supplying roller; (v) a first driving force transmitting portion for transmitting the driving force, received by the driving force receiving portion, to the developing roller, wherein the first driving force transmitting portion is provided on the developer supplying roller; and (vi) a second driving force transmitting portion, provided on the developing roller, for transmitting the driving force by engaging with the driving force transmitting portion. A rotational direction of the developing roller is an opposite direction to a rotational direction of the developer supplying roller, and a surface speed of the developer supplying roller is larger than a surface speed of one developing roller. | 2015-10-01 |
20150277368 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - There is provided an image forming apparatus including a main body and a process cartridge including a photosensitive body cartridge and a developing cartridge. The photosensitive body cartridge includes a photosensitive body and a waste developing agent storage container. The developing cartridge includes a developing agent carrier. The photosensitive body cartridge is configured to receive the developing cartridge such that the developing cartridge is attached to and detached from the photosensitive body cartridge through a particular space defined in the main body. The process cartridge is configured to pivot, with respect to the main body, between a first position, in which the waste developing agent storage container is positioned outside the particular space entirely, and a second position, in which the waste developing agent storage container at least partially occupies the particular space. | 2015-10-01 |
20150277369 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS HAVING MOVING COVER AND DETACHABLE UNIT - An image forming apparatus includes a housing, a cover, a process unit, and a grip portion. The housing has an opening portion defining an open end. The cover is movable between a closing position to close the open end and an opening position to open the open end. The cover defines the opening portion and has one end portion to define the open end. The process unit is configured to be attached to and detached from the housing through the opening portion. The process unit includes a developer chamber configured to accommodate therein developer. The grip portion is provided at the process unit, and has a protruding portion protruding outward between the open end and the one end portion when the process unit has been attached to the housing and the cover is at the closing position. | 2015-10-01 |
20150277370 | PROCESS CARTRIDGE AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - A process cartridge includes: a photosensitive drum; a rotatable developing roller for developing an electrostatic latent image formed on the photosensitive drum; a rotatable roller having a rotation shaft in a position deviated from an axis of the developing roller, for transmitting a driving force to the developing roller; a coupling member disposed at an end portion of the shaft of the developing roller; a driving force receiving portion, provided on the coupling member and movable in a direction crossing the shaft of the rotatable roller, for receiving a driving force to be transmitted to the developing roller; an urging member for urging the drive receiving portion in the direction crossing the shaft of the rotatable roller; a supporting portion for rotatably supporting the drive receiving portion so as to be movable together with the drive receiving portion toward the rotatable roller in the direction crossing the shaft of the rotatable roller; and an abutting portion for receiving the supporting portion urged by the urging member, wherein the abutting portion is positioned outside an outer periphery of the photosensitive drum on a plane perpendicular to the shaft of the rotatable roller. | 2015-10-01 |
20150277371 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - An image forming apparatus includes a main assembly; an image bearing member; a transfer member cooperative with the image bearing member to form a transfer portion; a voltage source for applying a voltage to the transfer member; a heater for heating the sheet having a transferred toner image; a detector for detecting a value relating to an amount of water vapor in the main assembly; and a control unit for executing a moisture removing control for reducing an amount of water vapor producing or produced in the main assembly, by heating the sheet by the heater on the basis of a amount of change, caused by passge of the sheet in a image forming operation, of the value detected by the detector. | 2015-10-01 |
20150277372 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - An image forming apparatus has: an exhaust air duct capable of forming a first air flow path for an exhaust air cleaning function and a second air flow path for a room air cleaning function, the exhaust air duct having a common use space used in common for the exhaust air cleaning function and the room air cleaning function; a switching member configured to switch a flow path in the exhaust air duct, depending on which of the cleaning functions is activated; a fan configured to discharge air from the common use space in an active state of the exhaust air cleaning function and in an active state of the room air cleaning function; and a control unit configured to control the switching member and to adjust a rotation speed of the fan, depending on which of the cleaning functions is activated. | 2015-10-01 |
20150277373 | DUST COLLECTING FILTER - A filter frame includes a first frame portion that includes a filter installation surface for installing a filter, a second frame portion that retains the filter by holding the filter between the first frame portion, and a hinge portion that connects the first frame portion and the second frame portion. The first frame portion has a plurality of fitting projections and an arm provided on a filter installation surface of the first frame portion so as to extend between a plurality of fitting projections. The second frame portion has a plurality of fitting portions for receiving the plurality of fitting projections, and a cutout provided in a side of the frame facing the side in which the second frame portion is connected to the first frame portion by the hinge portion. | 2015-10-01 |
20150277374 | SELECTION METHOD FOR ADDITIVES IN PHOTOPOLYMERS - The invention relates to a method for selecting compounds which can be used as additives in photopolymer formulations for producing light holographic media, and to photopolymer formulations which contain at least one softener which are selected according to the claimed method. The invention also relates to the use of photopolymer formulations for producing holographic media. | 2015-10-01 |
20150277375 | OPTICAL WAVEGUIDE INCLUDING SPATIALLY-VARYING VOLUME HOLOGRAM - An optical waveguide includes a waveguide body and a spatially-varying volume hologram. The volume hologram increases, in a coordinate direction along the volume hologram, an angle of incidence by which light propagating in the waveguide body via total internal reflection is released from the waveguide body. The optical waveguide may form part of an optical system that includes one or more light sources and/or optical sensors. | 2015-10-01 |
20150277376 | METHOD FOR FORMING A HYDRAULIC TRANSFER FILM, HYDRAULIC TRANSFER FILM, AND PATTERNED ARTICLE - A method for forming a hydraulic transfer film includes: (a) forming a water-soluble sacrificial layer on a water-soluble substrate; (b) forming a first holographic pattern on the water-soluble sacrificial layer; (c) forming a pattern forming layer on the water-soluble sacrificial layer such that the pattern forming layer is formed with a second holographic pattern on a surface that contacts the first holographic pattern and being complementary to the first holographic pattern, the pattern forming layer having a water-soluble region and an oil-soluble region; (d) forming an oil-soluble base layer on the pattern forming layer; and (e) forming an activating layer that is on the oil-soluble base layer and that includes a curable activating agent. | 2015-10-01 |
20150277377 | CONVERSION OF COMPLEX HOLOGRAMS TO PHASE HOLOGRAMS - Fast processing of information represented in digital holograms is provided to facilitate converting a complex Fresnel hologram into a phase-only hologram, which can be a localized error diffusion and redistribution (LERDR) hologram, for displaying 3-D holographic images representative of a 3-D object scene. For a complex Fresnel hologram representing a 3-D object scene, a holographic generator component (HGC) can directly apply an LERDR process to the complex hologram to facilitate converting the complex hologram into an LERDR hologram. As part of the LERDR process, the HGC can partition the complex hologram into segments, convert the complex values of the pixels in each segment to phase-only values, and apply error diffusion to each segment to facilitate generating the phase-only hologram. The HGC can apply error redistribution to the last pixel of each segment to produce the resulting LERDR hologram, which can be displayed on a phase-only display device. | 2015-10-01 |
20150277378 | IMAGE BASED MULTIVIEW MULTILAYER HOLOGRAPHIC RENDERING ALGORITHM - Algorithms for improved and more efficient rendering of three-dimensional images for use with holographic display systems. These algorithms include creating layers orthogonal to a viewing direction, the separate layers representing different depths in the image. The layers are created based on knowing the color and depth of each point in the image. Each layer then goes through an FFT process until the information for each layer is represented as a diffraction pattern. A holographic lens is then applied to the diffraction pattern of each layer. This lens will cause that layer to appear, in a hologram based thereon, at a different depth than the other layers. The layers, each with their separate lenses, are then coherently summed up and when applied to a suitable portion of a holographic display system (e.g., an SLM), a hologram can be created for that view. A tiled array of such holograms can be combined together by the holographic display system. | 2015-10-01 |
20150277379 | APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR ESTIMATING POSITION OF HOLOGRAM OBJECT - Provided are a hologram object position estimating apparatus and method for estimating a position of an object recorded in a hologram at a high speed using only light wave information recorded in the hologram. The apparatus for estimating a position of a hologram object includes a local spatial frequency calculating unit configured to calculate a local spatial frequency on a plane based on input hologram data, and a light ray focal point calculating unit configured to calculate a focal point on which light rays starting from the hologram plane converge on a hologram plane using the local spatial frequency calculated by the local spatial frequency calculating unit to estimate a position of an object. | 2015-10-01 |
20150277380 | MAINSPRING FOR A TIMEPIECE - A mainspring including a metallic strip wound on itself. The mainspring includes an excess thickness forming a bridle in one-piece with the strip. | 2015-10-01 |
20150277381 | TIMEPIECE - The present invention relates to a timepiece comprising a frame, at least one driving gear ( | 2015-10-01 |
20150277382 | SPIRAL SPRING FOR A SPRUNG BALANCE SPIRAL RESONATOR AND METHOD FOR MANUFACTURING THE SAME - The spiral includes turns of rectangular section, whose pitch p and/or thickness e can vary from the inside curve towards the outside curve, or whose winding can deviate from the line of a perfect spiral. The inside curve can also be extended by a self-locking washer for fixing the spiral on the balance arbour with no play. The spiral is manufactured by photolithography and galvanic growth, or by micro-machining an amorphous or crystalline material, such as a silicon wafer. | 2015-10-01 |
20150277383 | DEVICE FOR WINDING A TIMEPIECE BY MEANS OF THE CROWN - The invention relates to a device for winding a timepiece by means of the crown, said device including:
| 2015-10-01 |
20150277384 | Electronic Timepiece - An electronic watch is provided in which multiple features of the watch with each other in at least one other display thereof such that the features are integrated with the module, band, and/or clasp. | 2015-10-01 |
20150277385 | TOOL-POST FOR OPERATIONS ON TIMEPIECE MOVEMENTS - The present invention concerns a device for performing operations on timepiece movements including a plate mounted on a stand, said plate including at least one storage area capable of receiving timepiece movement components, characterized in that said plate further includes at least one work support provided with means for holding timepiece movements, the work support being arranged to form an extension so as to facilitate access to said movement. | 2015-10-01 |
20150277386 | Alkali-Metal Vapour Cell, Especially for an Atomic Clock, and Manufacturing Process - The invention relates to an alkali-metal vapour cell, especially for an atomic clock, and to its manufacturing process. The alkali-metal vapour cell is able to be associated with a laser for emitting an external input laser beam and a photodetector for receiving an external output laser beam, and comprises a housing having an upstream optical window and a downstream optical window and forming an optical cavity filled with an alkali-metal vapour such as a caesium-comprising vapour, and micro-optical means arranged in the optical cavity and comprising an upstream optical reflector and a downstream optical reflector for reflecting the laser beam, which reflectors are inclined relative to each other, the upstream reflector being inclined relative to the plane (P) of the upstream window and to the axis of the input laser beam so that the external input laser beam passes through the upstream window in order to form an internal input laser beam, the latter being reflected by the upstream reflector and deviated towards the downstream reflector so as to form an internal intermediate laser beam that is reflected on the downstream reflector and deviated towards the downstream window so as to form an internal output laser beam, the internal output laser beam passing through the downstream window in order to form the external output laser beam. | 2015-10-01 |
20150277387 | ELECTRONIC TIMEPIECE - An electronic timepiece including: an operating unit which performs an operation including at least one of transmission, reception and generation of electromagnetic waves of a predetermined strength or more; a display unit which displays information; a reception unit which receives a predetermined operation for switching a display content by the display unit between display contents according to a plurality of functions; an output control unit which sets the display content to be a basic display according to a predetermined basic function when the reception unit continuously receives the predetermined operation for a first predetermined time; and a setting unit which switches on/off of the operation of the operating unit between an operation allowed state and an operation prohibited state when the reception unit continuously receives the predetermined operation for a second predetermined time longer than the first predetermined time. | 2015-10-01 |
20150277388 | SMART ALARM CLOCK SYSTEM DEVICE - A smart alarm clock system device includes an imaging device, a memory used to store predetermined values and images, an emitter used activate an alarm signal; and a processor having circuitry used to set an alarm time, cause the emitter to activate the alarm signal when a current time of the clock corresponds to the predetermined value, compare, when the alarm signal is activated and in response to capture an image, the captured image to the predetermined image, and deactivate the alarm signal and reset the alarm time for the pre-determined value, when the captured image corresponds to the predetermined image stored in memory, compare, when the alarm signal is activated and in response to capture of an image, the captured image to the second predetermined image, and deactivate the alarm signal, when the captured image corresponds to the second predetermined image. | 2015-10-01 |
20150277389 | ELECTRONIC APPARATUS EQUIPPED WITH SOLAR PANEL - Disclosed is an electronic apparatus including a dial plate having light transparency, a module including an antenna for receiving circularly polarized waves which is disposed below the dial plate, the antenna having a radiation electrode, and a solar panel disposed between the dial plate and the module, wherein the solar panel includes a common substrate, a plurality of solar cells disposed on the common substrate, and an inactive segment disposed on the common substrate at a place corresponding to the place of the radiation electrode. | 2015-10-01 |