Abstract:
A neutralization unit for use in an image forming apparatus includes a support member made of an insulating material, an electric-charge removing member made of an electric conductive material, and a rib made of an insulating material. The electric-charge removing member, fixed on the support member, removes electric charge from a back face of the recording medium after a toner image is transferred to a front face of a recording medium at a transfer nip. The electric-charge removing member includes a plurality of exposed areas along a longitudinal direction of the electric-charge removing member. The rib, provided on the support member, has a curved peripheral side and protrudes from a surface of the electric-charge removing member. The back face of the recording medium is contactable at the curved peripheral side of the rib when the recording medium is transported from the transfer nip.
Abstract:
A roller device that can be exchangeably used in an image forming apparatus includes a roller, a shaft, and two grip members. The roller is configured to cover the shaft along the rotation axis and have two roller ends from which the two shaft end portions of the shaft are projected outwardly along the rotation axis. A shaft is configured to have a rotation axis at a center thereof and have two shaft end portions. The two grip members are each configured to be rotatably disposed to a respective shaft end portion of the two shaft end portions.
Abstract:
A neutralization unit for use in an image forming apparatus includes a support member made of an insulating material, an electric-charge removing member made of an electric conductive material, and a rib made of an insulating material. The electric-charge removing member, fixed on the support member, removes electric charge from a back face of the recording medium after a toner image is transferred to a front face of a recording medium at a transfer nip. The electric-charge removing member includes a plurality of exposed areas along a longitudinal direction of the electric-charge removing member. The rib, provided on the support member, has a curved peripheral side and protrudes from a surface of the electric-charge removing member. The back face of the recording medium is contactable at the curved peripheral side of the rib when the recording medium is transported from the transfer nip.
Abstract:
A transfer device includes an endless belt, an external roller, and an internal roller. The external roller is arranged outside of the loop of the endless belt and the inner roller is arranged inside of the loop of the endless belt. The endless belt is sandwiched between the external roller and the internal roller. A surface hardness of the external roller and a surface hardness of the internal roller are 50 degrees or more in an asker C scale. A logarithm (LogR) of volume resistivity of the intermediate transfer member is 10.0 or less.
Abstract:
A transfer belt is driven by a plurality of supporting rollers. A unit frame supports the supporting rollers in a rotatable manner. At least one of the supporting rollers includes a cylindrical member having a substantially same outer diameter over an entire length thereof. Each end portion of the cylindrical member in a longitudinal direction is supported by the unit frame via a bearing in a rotatable manner.
Abstract:
An image forming apparatus includes an image bearing member configured to bear an image on a surface thereof, a transfer unit configured to transfer the image formed on the surface of the image bearing member onto a recording medium, a bias applying unit configured to apply a bias voltage to the transfer unit to remove a developer adhered on a surface of the transfer unit to the surface of the image bearing member, a detecting unit configured to detect a width of the recording medium in a sheet conveyance direction, and a control unit configured to determine whether a cleaning operation of the transfer unit is performed, based on the width of the recording medium detected by the detecting unit and a number of the recording medium printed.
Abstract:
A cleaning device is used in an image forming apparatus to remove residual attachments including toner and paper powders from a surface of a movable intermediate transfer element onto which toner images are transferred from an image carrier. The cleaning device includes a cleaning brush that contacts the surface of the intermediate transfer element to apply a bias having a predetermined polarity to the toner adhered onto the surface of the intermediate transfer element so as to make uniform a polarity of the toner. The cleaning device further includes a pressing member that contacts the surface of the intermediate transfer element with a predetermined pressure. The pressing member is disposed at a position upstream of the cleaning brush in a direction of movement of the intermediate transfer element.
Abstract:
An image forming apparatus includes an intermediate transfer belt, a photosensitive belt, a primary transfer roller, a secondary-transfer opposing roller, and a secondary transfer roller. The photosensitive belt comes into contact with a surface of the intermediate transfer belt to form a primary transfer nip. The secondary-transfer opposing roller comes into contact with the surface of the intermediate transfer belt to form a secondary transfer nip. The closest distance between a surface of the photosensitive belt and that of the primary transfer roller is greater than the thickness of the intermediate transfer belt. A toner image on the intermediate transfer belt is transferred onto a recording sheet at the secondary transfer nip while a transfer bias is applied to the secondary transfer roller.
Abstract:
An image forming apparatus includes an intermediate transfer belt, a photosensitive belt, a primary transfer roller, a secondary-transfer opposing roller, and a secondary transfer roller. The photosensitive belt comes into contact with a surface of the intermediate transfer belt to form a primary transfer nip. The secondary-transfer opposing roller comes into contact with the surface of the intermediate transfer roller to form a secondary transfer nip. The closest distance between a surface of the photosensitive belt and that of the primary transfer roller is greater than the thickness of the intermediate transfer belt. A toner image on the intermediate transfer belt is transferred onto a recording sheet at the secondary transfer nip while a transfer bias is applied to the secondary transfer roller.
Abstract:
In a lubricant applying device, a position adjusting member adjusts relative positions of a lubricant and a rotating member. The rotating member rotates while in contact with the lubricant, receives the lubricant, and applies the lubricant to an image carrier in an image forming apparatus.