Electrophotography inventions 08/07

20070201883 - Image forming apparatus and control method for image forming apparatus: An image forming apparatus according to the invention comprises: a cartridge loading portion removably loaded with a first cartridge containing therein a consumable but carrying no memory storing information on the consumable, or with a second cartridge containing therein the consumable and carrying a memory storing information on the consumable;... Agent: Buchanan, Ingersoll & Rooney PC

20070201887 - Image forming apparatus: An image forming apparatus includes: a photoconductive drum on which an electrostatic latent image is formed. A developer develops the electrostatic latent image to form a toner image on the photoconductive drum. A transfer-fixer transfers the toner image from the photoconductive drum to a recording sheet and fixes the toner... Agent: Casella & Hespos

20070201889 - Image forming apparatus: An image forming apparatus includes: an intermediate transfer element that a toner image on an image carrier is primarily transferred onto, and a multifunctional detecting unit that performs two or more functions of: detecting a first toner image on the intermediate transfer element to control a position of an image... Agent: Morgan Lewis & Bockius LLP

20070201888 - Image forming apparatus and image forming method: An image forming apparatus includes a developing contrast voltage controller to control a developing contrast voltage so as to obtain a desired image density, a transfer condition controller to control transfer conditions for transferring a toner image, an environment sensor to detect an environment, and a correcting coefficient setting unit... Agent: Amin, Turocy & Calvin, LLP

20070201891 - Apparatus and method for controlling fixing unit: A fixing unit control apparatus and method are provided. The apparatus includes a feeding time detector for detecting a time when a printing medium is fed to the fixing unit; and a heat controller for controlling heat generated by the fixing unit according to the detected time. Accordingly, printing quality... Agent: Roylance, Abrams, Berdo & Goodman, L.L.P.

20070201890 - Fusing system of image forming apparatus and method for controlling thereof: A fusing system and a fusing control method of an image forming apparatus includes a sensor which senses whether a skew of a paper is generated, wherein the skew refers to the paper being obliquely fed along a paper feeding path, a fusing unit which fuses a developer transferred on... Agent: Stein, Mcewen & Bui, LLP

20070201892 - Image forming apparatus having heat-fixing unit: An image forming apparatus includes an image forming portion; a fixing portion having a fixing nip portion which heats and fixes the unfixed image and an discharge roller which discharges the recording material, wherein in the case where the recording material is the plain paper which is equal to or... Agent: Fitzpatrick Cella Harper & Scinto

20070201893 - Image forming apparatus and control method: An image forming apparatus according to this invention which allows double-sided printing can reduce the toner consumption amount by decreasing the size of a developer image on the second page as compared with the size of a developer image printed on the first page in margin-less printing. To accomplish this,... Agent: Fitzpatrick Cella Harper & Scinto

20070201895 - Electrophotographic photosensitive member and image forming apparatus using same: The present invention relates to an electrophotographic photosensitive member including a substantially cylindrical body and a photosensitive layer formed on the outer circumference of the body. The body has an outer diameter larger at a middle portion of a latent image forming area than at end portions of the latent... Agent: Hogan & Hartson L.L.P.

20070201896 - Image forming apparatus: The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus including an electrophotographic photosensitive member provided with a substantially cylindrical body having outer circumference on which a photosensitive layer with a latent image forming area is formed, and a contact electrification means positioned substantially parallel to the axial direction of the... Agent: Hogan & Hartson L.L.P.

20070201882 - Universal smart chip cartridges for multiple printing apparatus: A printing system includes first and second printing devices operable exclusively with respective first and second consumable devices. A third consumable device is provided in the system storing identification data recognizable by both the first and second printing devices whereby the third consumable device is operable with both the first... Agent: Fay Sharpe LLP

20070201884 - Image forming apparatus, mfp and method of displaying jam removal guidance: An image forming apparatus according to the invention includes a scanner for reading an image, a printer for fixing an image formed thereby on paper and discharging the paper, a display for displaying information, and a controller for controlling the scanner, the printer, and the display. The controller is configured... Agent: SocalIPLaw Group LLP

20070201885 - Method and apparatus for detecting a media jam: This invention relates to methods for determining if a media jam has been detected by a print engine, an input device, or an output device.... Agent: Hewlett Packard Company

20070201886 - Image forming apparatus, toner cartridge and method to detect toner level: An image forming apparatus that forms an image according to an electrophotographic system includes plural developing units provided in a cylinder, which freely rotates a fixed angle at a time around a rotation shaft, to rotate together with the cylinder. Toner levels of toner cartridges arranged in the developing units... Agent: SocalIPLaw Group LLP

20070201894 - Image formation apparatus: An image formation apparatus is disclosed. The image formation apparatus includes a manuscript reading unit for reading a manuscript, a main power supply for supplying electric power to an alternating-current load and a direct-current load, and an auxiliary power supply that is capable of storing electric power for supplying electric... Agent: Oblon, Spivak, Mcclelland, Maier & Neustadt, P.C.

20070201898 - Image forming apparatus: An image forming apparatus includes: an image bearing member which is rotated while bearing a toner image; an intermediate transfer belt onto which the toner image is primary-transferred from the image bearing member and which secondary-transfers the toner image onto a recording material; an image bearing member cleaning member which... Agent: Fitzpatrick Cella Harper & Scinto

20070201897 - Image forming apparatus and image forming method: An image forming apparatus comprises: a photosensitive member which is capable of carrying an electrostatic latent image and rotates in a predetermined direction; a developer which visualizes with toner the electrostatic latent image carried on the photosensitive member and forms a toner image; an intermediate transfer member which temporarily carries... Agent: Hogan & Hartson L.L.P.

20070201899 - Image forming apparatus: An image forming apparatus includes a plurality of image forming units; a pair of supporting members for supporting both end portions of each of the image forming units; and a leg portion abutting against a mounting surface at a lower surface of each of the supporting members.... Agent: Takeuchi & Kubotera, LLP

20070201900 - Image forming apparatus and image carrier unit: An image forming apparatus includes a disengagement unit that disengages all of plurality of image carrier gears and plurality of driving, gears, and allows an image carrier unit to be removed outside of an unit containing portion.... Agent: Banner & Witcoff, Ltd. Attorneys For Client Nos. 0166889, 006760

20070201901 - Drive transmitting device, and image forming apparatus: In a driving motor that rotates and drives a rotor by a magnetic force generated between a rotor and a stator, a constant velocity joint that transmits a rotation driving force between a driving-side rotating member and a driven-side rotating member. The driving-side rotating member and the driven-side rotating member... Agent: Oblon, Spivak, Mcclelland, Maier & Neustadt, P.C.

20070201902 - Image forming apparatus and image carrier unit: An image forming apparatus includes an image carrier unit, a unit containing portion, a plurality of driving units, a plurality of driving source, and a phase change matching unit. The image carrier unit integrally has a plurality of image carriers that respectively carries images, and respectively has rotational shafts. The... Agent: Banner & Witcoff, Ltd. Attorneys For Client Nos. 0166889, 006760

20070201903 - Image forming device: A color printer includes a color printer main body, a photosensitive drum, a rotary development device, a plurality of toner containers and a drive power transmission mechanism. The drive power transmission mechanism includes a housing, a shaft member, a first transmission mechanism, and a second transmission mechanism. The housing is... Agent: GlobalIPCounselors, LLP

20070201905 - Particle supply apparatus and imaging apparatus: A particle supply apparatus is disclosed that includes a particle accommodating unit that accommodates particles, a gas spouting unit that is arranged at a bottom portion of the particle accommodating unit and is configured to spout gas toward the particles, a conveying mechanism that applies suction to the particles accommodated... Agent: Oblon, Spivak, Mcclelland, Maier & Neustadt, P.C.

20070201904 - Particle supply apparatus, imaging apparatus, and monitoring system: A particle supply apparatus is disclosed that includes a particle accommodating unit that accommodates particles, a gas spouting unit that is arranged at a bottom portion of the particle accommodating unit and is configured to spout gas toward the particles, and a conveying mechanism that applies suction to the particles... Agent: Oblon, Spivak, Mcclelland, Maier & Neustadt, P.C.

20070201906 - Cartridge: A cartridge detachably mountable to a main body of an image forming apparatus comprising: a storage container for storing an image forming material having a supply section for supplying the image forming material when engaged with a main body of the image forming apparatus; and a packaging container for packaging... Agent: Cantor Colburn, LLP

20070201907 - Developing apparatus: A developing apparatus includes: a developing sleeve that carries a mono-component developer; and a developing blade that abuts on the sleeve to regulate a layer thickness of the developer on the sleeve, wherein surface roughness parameters of the sleeve satisfy: 3.0≦Rpk≦9.0; and 2≦Pc2≦10. At an abutment portion between the sleeve... Agent: Fitzpatrick Cella Harper & Scinto

20070201909 - Image forming unit and image forming apparatus: where μb is a dynamic friction coefficient between the developer layer regulating member and the developer; μr is a dynamic friction coefficient between the developer supporting member and the developer; Rz is an average surface roughness of the developer supporting member; and D is a volume average particle diameter of... Agent: Takeuchi & Kubotera, LLP

20070201908 - Developing cartridge and image forming apparatus having the same: An image forming apparatus includes: a main body, a photosensitive body spreading developer on a printing paper, a developing roller supplying the photosensitive body with the developer, a developer regulating member regulating the amount of the developer supplied for the photosensitive body by the developing roller, the developer regulating member... Agent: Stein, Mcewen & Bui, LLP

20070201910 - Pretransfer charging device and image forming apparatus including same: The present invention is made to provide a pretransfer charging device, which allows (i) reduction of generation of discharge products such as ozone and nitroxide, (ii) excellent uniform charging, (iii) continuous stable charging for a long period of time, and (iv) restraint of distortion of a toner image. The pretransfer... Agent: Nixon & Vanderhye, PC

20070201911 - Belt unit and image forming apparatus that incorporates the belt unit: A belt unit includes an endless belt and a cleaning member. The endless belt has a value of ten-point height of roughness Rz not larger than 0.2 μm, a value of shininess not less than 100, a creep not larger than 0.03%. The cleaning member is in contact with said... Agent: Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld L.L.P.

20070201912 - Curved transfer assist blade: Embodiments herein include a transfer assist blade that is adapted to bias media toward a marking device. The transfer assist blade is somewhat flexible and has a media contact edge positioned adjacent the marking device. The shape of the media contact edge comprises a curved shape. More specifically, the transfer... Agent: Frederick W. Gibb, Iii Gibb & Rahman, LLC

20070201914 - Fixing device and image forming apparatus: A fixing device includes a heated body of a hollow cylindrical shape that is made of a conductive material and driven to rotate about an axis center, and a coil that heats the heated body by means of induction heating. The coil is formed of plural coil elements divided in... Agent: Casella & Hespos

20070201913 - Fixing device, image forming apparatus having the same and image forming method: A fixing device, an image forming apparatus having the same include a fixing member having an outer peripheral face with which a sheet to be transported is brought into pressure contact, an exciting coil for induction heating of a heat generating layer of the fixing member, and an RF power... Agent: Buchanan, Ingersoll & Rooney PC

20070201915 - Image heating roller, image heating heater, and image heating apparatus: An image heating roller for heating a toner image on a recording material, the image heating roller includes a heat generation layer for generating heat by micro-wave introduced into a hollow portion of the image heating roller; and a blocking layer, provided on the heat generation layer, for substantially blocking... Agent: Fitzpatrick Cella Harper & Scinto

20070201916 - Image forming apparatus which controls heating width of fixing device: A fixing device includes a fixing section, a sheet-width detector, a heating-width changing mechanism, a mixed feeding detector, and a controller. The fixing section includes at least a fixing member that fixes a toner image on a recording medium upon application of heat thereto. The sheet-width detector detects a width... Agent: Oblon, Spivak, Mcclelland, Maier & Neustadt, P.C.

20070201917 - Image forming method and image forming apparatus: An image forming method in which an image carrier that has a surface layer containing a resin having a crosslinking structure is used; a material of a portion of the cleaning blade which portion contacts the surface of the image carrier satisfies 3.92≦M≦29.42, 0≦α≦0.294, and S≦250; an absolute value of... Agent: Morgan Lewis & Bockius LLP

20070201918 - Image copier and image copying method: An image copier of the invention includes a document table to position a document from which an image is read, a document holding cover to hold the document on the document table, a light source to irradiate light to the document when the image of the document is read, and... Agent: SocalIPLaw Group LLP

20070201919 - Sheet feeding apparatus and image forming apparatus: A sheet feeding apparatus, having: a first sheet feeding member to press a top surface of a sheet for sending out a sheet stored in a sheet storing section; a second sheet feeding member arranged on a downstream side of the first sheet feeding member with respect to a sheet... Agent: Cantor Colburn, LLP

20070201920 - Sheet conveyance apparatus, sheet processing apparatus, and image forming apparatus: The sheet conveyance apparatus includes a controller which controls a moving unit. The moving unit moves a sheet conveyance unit for conveying a sheet toward a direction intersecting with a sheet conveyance direction. The controller performs the control such that a moving speed of a shift moving unit is reduced... Agent: Fitzpatrick Cella Harper & Scinto

20070201921 - Image recording apparatus: An image recording apparatus includes a sheet-supply tray device, a sheet-supply roller and an image recording device. The sheet-supply tray device includes a first tray which accommodates a plurality of first recording media on a first tray surface thereof such that the first recording media are stacked on each other... Agent: Baker Botts LLP C/o Intellectual Property Department

20070201922 - Image forming apparatus and control method: The present invention provides a printing without margins-enabled image forming apparatus that forms toner image matched to the size and position of the conveyed printing material and suppresses waste toner generation. To accomplish this, the present image forming apparatus includes a printing material detection unit that detects orthogonal direction length,... Agent: Canon U.s.a. Inc. Intellectual Property Division

20070201923 - Image recording apparatus: An image recording apparatus, including a sheet-supply tray device which accommodates and holds a plurality of recording sheets and which supplies the recording sheets, one by one, in a sheet-supply direction; and an image recording device which records an image on each of the recording sheets supplied from the sheet-supply... Agent: Baker Botts LLP C/o Intellectual Property Department

20070201924 - Apparatus for decurling an advancing sheet, and a printing device containing such an apparatus: An apparatus for decurling an advancing sheet, which contains an endless carrying belt, and multiple rollers for guiding said carrying belt, said rollers including a decurling roller, wherein the mutual orientation between the carrying belt and the decurling roller is adjustable. A printing device is also provided to include such... Agent: Birch Stewart Kolasch & Birch

20070201925 - Image forming apparatus, sheet discharging device and method of controlling the sheet discharging device: An image forming apparatus, a sheet discharging device and method of controlling the sheet discharging device are disclosed. They require no instructions from users and no recording materials for initial setting of a staple when the users exchange a staple cartridge.... Agent: Fitzpatrick Cella Harper & Scinto

20070196116 - Image forming device: A developer agitation screw is provided with a blade to gather developer onto the sensor surface of a toner concentration sensor. A toner concentration control unit detects the maximum value of the output of the toner concentration sensor within each predetermined period of time, the predetermined period of time being... Agent: GlobalIPCounselors, LLP

20070196117 - Waste toner collection apparatus and image forming apparatus: The waste toner flown into a waste toner box by way of a plurality of collection ports is leveled by means of a paddle. The waste toner collected in the waste toner box is supplied to a full condition sensing section arranged at a higher position so as to be... Agent: Amin, Turocy & Calvin, LLP

20070196118 - Image formation apparatus: An image formation apparatus includes an imaging light source, a photosensitive body and a correction light source. The imaging light source outputs light modulated in accordance with image data representing an image. An electrostatic latent image is formed at the photosensitive body by the light output from the imaging light... Agent: Morgan Lewis & Bockius LLP

20070196119 - Image forming apparatus and method of cooling control thereof: An electrophotographic image forming apparatus includes a fixer for heating a printing paper while feeding the same; a cooling device for cooling the fixer; a paper transport device for supplying the printing paper to the fixer; and a controller for receiving a print command including a specification of printing conditions... Agent: Hogan & Hartson L.L.P.

20070196120 - Fixing apparatus, image forming apparatus, method for controlling temperature of fixing apparatus, program for controlling temperature of fixing apparatus, computer-readable storage medium: In a fixing apparatus which is included in an image forming apparatus that is capable of selecting a sheet transport speed, a paper sheet is transported between a fixing roller and a pressure roller, so that an unfixed image formed on the paper sheet is fixed on the paper sheet... Agent: Mark D. Saralino (general) Renner, Otto, Boisselle & Sklar, LLP

20070196121 - Charging system, image forming apparatus, information processing device, charging method, and program: The charging system includes a plurality of image forming apparatuses, and an information processing device that manages a charging processing on the image forming apparatus. The image forming apparatus detects a trouble occurring on the image forming apparatus, and transmits a total number of output papers put out of the... Agent: Birch Stewart Kolasch & Birch

20070196122 - Image forming apparatus: An image forming apparatus is provided with a cooling mechanism comprising an air-cooling fan and a cooling duct for guiding cooling air from this air-cooling fan to desired positions to be cooled. A plurality of rectangular holes are formed in the longitudinal direction of the cooling duct. Positions of the... Agent: Amin, Turocy & Calvin, LLP

20070196114 - Image forming apparatus and developer cartridge: A light emitting device and light receiving device are positioned to face each other to sandwich the developer cartridge. A pair of light transmitting tubes is installed in the casing of a developer cartridge. Light emitted from the light emitting device travels inside the casing via the light transmitting tubes... Agent: Banner & Witcoff, Ltd. Attorneys For Client Nos. 0166889, 006760

20070196115 - Image forming device: In the image forming device, a discrepancy in timing of a control sequence is corrected, which is caused by abrasion of a paper sheet detection member placed on a paper sheet transport path from a paper feeder to a transfer part, the paper sheet detection member contacting the paper sheet... Agent: Patenttm.us

20070196123 - Charging device, process cartridge, image forming apparatus, and toner: The present invention provides a charging device which comprises a charging roller (14a) and a cleaning component (14b). The charging roller charges a surface of an image-recording medium (11) with a voltage which is applied from an external source. The cleaning component cleans a surface of the charging roller. The... Agent: Oblon, Spivak, Mcclelland, Maier & Neustadt, P.C.

20070196125 - Image forming apparatus and belt cleaning apparatus: A pressure release cam and a boomerang cam are provided. The pressure release cam is interlocked with a belt cleaner when the latter is turned, whereas the boomerang cam is interlocked with the belt cleaner when the latter is mounted in position. As the belt cleaner is turned to move... Agent: Amin, Turocy & Calvin, LLP

20070196124 - Conductive backer brush for electrostatic brush cleaning of a belt without a ground layer: A transfer cleaning station for an electrostatic marking system is provided. In this station, the upper surface of a movable transfer belt is cleaned by a rotating electrostatic cleaning brush (ESB). To improve cleaning performance and conserve space, a grounded conductive brush is placed below an inside surface of the... Agent: James J. Ralabate

20070196126 - Image forming apparatus and method for detecting separated state of transfer member: An image forming apparatus includes a secondary transfer roller that becomes a pressed state to make an intermediate transfer belt perform a transfer process and can move between the pressed state and a separated state, a press and separation driving device for driving the secondary transfer roller to become the... Agent: Morrison & Foerster LLP

20070196127 - Fixing apparatus: In one embodiment, the fixing apparatus of the present invention is a fixing apparatus in which while recording paper is transported sandwiched between a heating roller and a pressure roller that are pressed against each other, the recording paper is guided by a guide member, and heat and pressure are... Agent: Mark D. Saralino, Esq. Renner, Otto, Boisselle & Sklar, LLP.

20070196128 - Image reading apparatus: An image reading apparatus includes an image reading unit, a compression spring unit, a braking unit, and a switching unit. The compression spring unit serves as an opening and closing mechanism for the image reading unit. The braking unit brakes the opening and closing movement of the image reading unit.... Agent: Canon U.s.a. Inc. Intellectual Property Division

20070196131 - Drive transmitting mechanism and image forming apparatus: A drive transmitting mechanism configured to rotate the photosensitive drum of a color copier has a driving shaft, a driven shaft, and first and second coupling members. The first coupling member has a projection extending in a diametrical direction. The first coupling member is attached to the driving shaft, with... Agent: Amin, Turocy & Calvin, LLP

20070196129 - Image forming apparatus: A constant velocity joint includes a first rotation body and a second rotation body. The first rotation body includes a cup unit, a shaft, and ribs that project from the cup unit and connect the cup unit to the shaft. One of the first rotation body and the second rotation... Agent: Harness, Dickey & Pierce, P.L.C

20070196130 - Image forming apparatus: An image forming apparatus includes four image carriers, four image carrier gears provided corresponding to the respective image carriers, four transmission gears provided corresponding to the respective image carrier gears and meshed with the respective image carrier gears, and two driving sources each provided corresponding to a pair of the... Agent: Banner & Witcoff, Ltd. Attorneys For Client Nos. 0166889, 006760

20070196132 - Image forming apparatus and image forming method of effectively detecting a speed deviation pattern of the image forming apparatus: An image forming apparatus includes a plurality of image bearing members, each of which is configured to bear a portion of a pattern image including a plurality of reference images in a given form, an endless moving member facing the plurality of image bearing members and configured to receive the... Agent: Oblon, Spivak, Mcclelland, Maier & Neustadt, P.C.

20070196133 - Image forming apparatus, printed material, and image reading apparatus: An image forming apparatus that includes: a visible image forming unit that forms a visible image on a record material; and a retroreflective image forming unit that forms a retroreflective image having a retroreflection property on the record material.... Agent: Morgan Lewis & Bockius LLP

20070196134 - Image forming apparatus, and control method of image forming apparatus: An image forming apparatus, having: a rotary developing unit, to and from which a plurality of developing cartridges storing developers are attached and detached and which moves one of the attached developing cartridges to a developing position by being rotated around a rotation axis; a drive motor that rotates the... Agent: Hogan & Hartson L.L.P.

20070196135 - Toner cartridge, agitating member, and image forming apparatus for use therewith: An agitator includes a film formed with one or more slits. The film may be partitioned into two or more areas by the slits, substantially equally in an axial direction of a rotating shaft of the film. In both ends of a film holding member, supporting plates may be disposed... Agent: Banner & Witcoff, Ltd. Attorneys For Client Nos. 0166889, 006760

20070196136 - Toner cartridge, process cartridge, image cartridge, and image forming apparatus to which those cartridges are attachable: A toner cartridge and a process cartridge, individually, have a shutter which makes sliding movement by opening and closing their toner inlet and toner outlet. When those cartridges are attached to a color printer and fixed together by a fixing lever, the shutters of both cartridges and the fixing lever... Agent: Morrison & Foerster LLP

20070196137 - Reducing adhesion of toner to metering devices: A device and method for storing toner within an image forming apparatus having an upper reservoir and a lower toner reservoir. A pass through region between the reservoirs may journal a rotatable metering bar. The bar may include convex depressions to dispense toner from the upper to the lower reservoir.... Agent: Lexmark International, Inc. Intellectual Property Law Department

20070196138 - Developer transporting amount controlling member, developing apparatus, imaging apparatus, and method for exchanging developing unit: A developer transporting amount controlling member that is used in a developing apparatus is disclosed. The developing apparatus includes a recording unit having a surface that sustains an electrostatic latent image and attracts a developer, a developer transporting unit that transports the developer, and a developing unit that guides the... Agent: Ladas & Parry LLP

20070196139 - Image-forming apparatus: An image-forming apparatus includes a first developer container accommodating a first developing agent containing a dark-colored toner and a first carrier; a first developing agent-bearing member at the first developer container, that transports the first developing agent to a first developing region; a first unit for generating a magnetic field... Agent: Canon U.s.a. Inc. Intellectual Property Division

20070196140 - Color image forming apparatus: There is described a color image forming apparatus for forming a color image onto a transfer material by superimposing a plurality of unicolor toner images. The apparatus makes it possible to produce a high quality image through a secondary transferring operation with a good secondary transferring efficiency. At a pre-secondary... Agent: Cantor Colburn, LLP

20070196141 - Image forming apparatus: An image forming apparatus has: an intermediate transfer member to which a toner image developed on a photosensitive material is transferred while the intermediate transfer member rotates plural times; a transfer roller that is provided to be able to move into contact with and apart from the intermediate transfer member... Agent: Amin, Turocy & Calvin, LLP

20070196142 - Image forming apparatus: The image forming apparatus according to the present invention has: a unit including a transfer medium that circularly moves; an image forming section provided along a circulation direction of the transfer medium; a movement mechanism that moves the unit in a direction substantially perpendicular to a moving direction of the... Agent: Amin, Turocy & Calvin, LLP

20070196143 - Image forming apparatus: The image forming apparatus according to the present invention has: a transfer unit including an intermediate transfer medium that circularly moves; plural image forming sections provided in parallel with each other from an upstream side to a downstream side along a circulation direction of the intermediate transfer medium, the plural... Agent: Amin, Turocy & Calvin, LLP

20070196144 - Segmented transfer assist blade: Embodiments herein include a transfer assist blade that is adapted to bias media toward a marking device. The transfer assist blade has a plurality of movable blade segments that overlap one another. In one embodiment, a first movable blade segment (comprising a first wear layer and a first underlying layer... Agent: Frederick W. Gibb, Iii Gibb & Rahman, LLC

20070196145 - Fixing device and image forming apparatus provided with fixing device: A disclosed fixing device includes: a heat roller unit having a rotatable roller having an elastic body on a surface thereof and a heating unit heating the roller; a pad disposed along a circumference of the elastic body of the heat roller; a belt member disposed on a curved surface... Agent: Ladas & Parry LLP

20070196146 - Image forming apparatus: An image forming apparatus includes a toner image forming section, an intermediate transferring section, a transferring section, a fixing solution applying section, a transporting section, a fixing section, and a recording medium feeding section. In the image forming apparatus, the fixing solution applying section includes a droplet supplying section, a... Agent: Birch Stewart Kolasch & Birch

20070196147 - Image forming apparatus: The image forming unit including a bearing member and a toner detection sensor for detecting the amount of toner collects protocol from the toner detection sensor to provide an amount of toner in the cleaning unit. It prevents from compelling a user to perform excess maintenance or a leakage of... Agent: Fitzpatrick Cella Harper & Scinto

20070196148 - Waste toner collecting apparatus and image forming apparatus: A tandem type image forming apparatus drives an agitation paddle when the waste toner defecated from a plurality of image forming units and flowed and collected in a single waste toner containing member by way of the first collection port thereof gets to a predetermined level in order to level... Agent: Amin, Turocy & Calvin, LLP

20070196149 - Waste toner collecting apparatus, image forming apparatus and process cartridge of image forming apparatus: A waste toner collecting apparatus of the present invention reliably prevents waste toner from spilling when replacing the waste toner box by opening the front cover of an image forming apparatus as the first through fifth shutters close the respective waste toner conveyance end sections. The first through fifth shutters... Agent: Amin, Turocy & Calvin, LLP

20070196150 - Media storage apparatus and image forming apparatus: A media storage apparatus includes a media storing body that stores recording media, a guide member slidably provided in the media storing body for guiding the recording media, a first positioning portion that positions the guide member at a predetermined position where the guide member guides regular-sized recording media, and... Agent: Rabin & Berdo, PC

20070196151 - Electrostatographic apparatus having improved transport member: The present invention is an electrostatographic reproduction apparatus which includes a primary imaging member for producing an electrostatic latent image on a receiver, a development station for applying toner particles to said latent image which forms a developed toner image on the receiver. A fuser assembly is included for fixing... Agent: Paul A. Leipold Patent Legal Staff

20070196152 - Sheet feeding apparatus and image forming apparatus: A sheet feeding apparatus includes a fixing device to fix a toner image by heat, a discharging tray to accommodating a sheet fixed toner image at the fixing device, a sheet feeding device including a sheet discharging roller to discharge the sheet and positioned downstream of the fixing device, and... Agent: Oblon, Spivak, Mcclelland, Maier & Neustadt, P.C.

20070189781 - Consumable cartridge for image forming apparatus and image forming apparatus: A toner cartridge for a printer includes a species detection key which forms a part of an outer shape of the cartridge and an IC chip which stores individual information, wherein a part of a harness for connecting to the IC chip or between the IC chip and a connector... Agent: Morrison & Foerster LLP

20070189783 - Image forming apparatus and image forming system: An image forming apparatus includes a plurality of sheet feed units, a first output unit which performs a first output prior to an image forming by an image forming unit when it is judged that no sheet feed unit accommodates a recording sheet of a requested sheet size while it... Agent: Banner & Witcoff, Ltd. Attorneys For Client Nos. 0166889, 006760

20070189786 - Fixing device: The fixing device includes a pair of rotating bodies which conveys a recording medium between a nip; a heating unit which heats at least one of the rotating bodies; and a temperature detection unit which detects a temperature of at least one of the rotating bodies. The temperature detection unit... Agent: Mark D. Saralino (general) Renner, Otto, Boisselle & Sklar, LLP

20070189787 - Image formation apparatus and charging control method of charging roll: An image formation apparatus includes: a photoconductor that has a photoconductive layer having a surface on which an electrostatic latent image is formed; a charging roll to which a bias with an AC component superposed on a DC component is applied for charging the photoconductor at a predetermined potential; a... Agent: Morgan Lewis & Bockius LLP

20070189788 - Image forming apparatus and charge control method: An image forming apparatus includes a photoreceptor having on a surface thereof a photosensitive layer, in which an electrostatic latent image is formed, a contact charging roll applied with a bias containing a direct current component having superimposed thereon an alternating current component, the contact charging roll charging the photoreceptor... Agent: Morgan Lewis & Bockius LLP

20070189790 - Charging device and image forming apparatus:

20070189791 - Image forming method, image forming device, and image forming program: An image forming method, includes a charging step of charging an image carrier; an image writing step of writing image data onto the image carrier; a developing step of developing a latent image area written by the image writing step on the image carrier; a transferring step of transferring a... Agent: Cooper & Dunham, LLP

20070189796 - Power control method and apparatus to control a heating roller: A power control method and apparatus to control a heating roller, the power control method including gradually increasing a maximum level of a source power supplied from an external source up to a specific maximum supply level, and supplying the source power to the heating resistor as the roller power,... Agent: Stanzione & Kim, LLP

20070189798 - Image forming apparatus: Assume that a paper feed width of a sheet of paper of a predetermined size that is smaller than the maximum paper feed width W is W1. Then, when a sheet of paper having a width larger than the paper feed width W1 is transported, to stabilize the transportation thereof,... Agent: Smith, Gambrell & Russell

20070189782 - Detecting the presence of a photoconductor drum: The presence of a photoconductor drum in a laser printer may be determined by making electrical measurements without directly sensing drum presence. In some embodiments, this may be done without using any added printer components.... Agent: Lexmark International, Inc. Intellectual Property Law Department

20070189784 - Image formation device simulation apparatus: An image formation device simulation apparatus performs a simulation of processing performed by an image formation device. The simulation apparatus includes: an image formation command acquisition unit that acquires an image formation command including information of a target image to be formed by the image formation device; a simulation unit... Agent: Sughrue-265550

20070189785 - Image forming apparatus: The residual potential and charging potential of the surface of a photosensitive drum 20, or the charging potential and exposure potential of the surface of the photosensitive drum 20 are detected by an exposure sensor 28. The lifetime of the photosensitive drum 20 is judged in accordance with the difference... Agent: Foley And Lardner LLP Suite 500

20070189789 - Image forming device, post-processing device and color calibration method: An image forming device includes: a toner image forming unit that forms a toner image onto a recording medium; a controlling unit that controls the toner image forming unit such that a test image is formed on the recording medium; a sheet transfer unit that transfers the recording medium having... Agent: Oliff & Berridge, PLC

20070189792 - Image forming apparatus with switched-potential responsive to attenuation of a remaining voltage: An image forming apparatus changes over an electric potential on an image bearing member in response to an attenuation region in which a remaining potential on a developing member is attenuating after a developing bias applied to the developing member has been turned off after completion of an image forming... Agent: Fitzpatrick Cella Harper & Scinto

20070189793 - Toner and additive removal system for copier or printer: This is an electrophotographic marking system that effectively cleans residual toner and toner additives from the surface of a photoreceptor. This cleaning process reduces ghosting problems that had been encountered in final copies produced by electrophotographic systems such as in copiers, printers and duplicators. This cleaning is accomplished by expedients... Agent: James J. Ralabate

20070189794 - Image forming apparatus and fixing device: The present invention provides a fixing device and a digital photocopier which can shorten the time from an instruction of starting image formation to end of fixing. The fixing device is provided in a cylinder made of metal and having a small thickness, and includes a magnetic excitation coil. When... Agent: Foley And Lardner LLP Suite 500

20070189795 - Power control method and apparatus to heat a heating roller: A power control method and apparatus to heat a heating roller. The power control method includes heating a heating roller provided to fix a toner image of print data in an image forming apparatus, the heating roller having a heating resistor to receive roller power, the power control method includes... Agent: Stanzione & Kim, LLP

20070189797 - Determining power: Embodiments of determining power are disclosed.... Agent: Hewlett Packard Company

20070189799 - Image forming apparatus: An image forming apparatus includes a rotatable image carrier, a charging roll and a support member. The image carrier has a surface on which an electrostatic latent image is to be formed. The charging roll follows rotation of the image carrier. The charging roll charges the surface of the image... Agent: Morgan Lewis & Bockius LLP

20070189801 - Image forming apparatus: An image forming apparatus is provided with a rotary image bearing member; a charging roller for charging the outer circumferential surface of the image bearing member by rotating in contact with the image bearing member; a brush roller for cleaning adhered matters on the outer circumferential surface of the charging... Agent: Casella & Hespos

20070189800 - Sticking substance removing apparatus and image forming apparatus: An image forming apparatus is provided capable of solving such problem of abrasion or load caused by the unevenness of installation position of cleaning member and capable of realizing excellent cleaning performance. A cleaning section in the image forming apparatus has a cleaning member with board shape which contacts with... Agent: Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld L.L.P.

20070189802 - Image forming apparatus: An image forming apparatus, includes: a developer moving element that moves developer in order to transfer the developer onto a medium by rotating with the developer being borne on the developer moving element; and a collector for collecting the developer that has not been transferred onto the medium and remains... Agent: Hogan & Hartson L.L.P.

20070189803 - Residual toner removal apparatus and image forming apparatus: An image forming apparatus according to the present invention includes an image bearing member, toner image forming device for forming a toner image on the image bearing member, a transferring member for bringing into and out of contact with the image bearing member by rocking operation to electrostatically transfer the... Agent: Fitzpatrick Cella Harper & Scinto

20070189804 - Image forming apparatus: Since a releasing unit for performing a separating operation of a transfer unit and a developing device from a drum unit and a releasing operation of an engagement state held by a holding unit as one operation is provided, the drum unit can be put in a drawable state at... Agent: Eugene Ledonne Reed Smith LLP

20070189805 - Image forming apparatus: A support device for use in an image forming apparatus includes a process cartridge and an apparatus main body. The process cartridge further includes an image carrier, at least one sub unit, and a cartridge-side fitting portion. The at least one sub unit includes a rotational member having a driven... Agent: Harness, Dickey & Pierce, P.L.C

20070189806 - \"method and device for controlling the circulation speed of an endless belt and arrangement for generation of a braking force on an endless belt\": In a method for control of circulation speed of an endless belt arranged in a printer or copier, the endless belt is directed over at least two rollers where the belt is driven with a preset first circulation speed via at least one of the rollers as a driven roller.... Agent: Schiff Hardin, LLP Patent Department

20070189807 - Image forming apparatus and method for producing charging roll: An image forming apparatus includes a rotatable image carrying member, on a surface of which an electrostatic latent image is formed, and a charging roll that is in contact with the image carrying member to charge the surface of the image carrying member to a prescribed potential. The charging roll... Agent: Morgan Lewis & Bockius LLP

20070189808 - Developer vessel: A developer vessel having: a developing agent, a second developing agent holding chamber that holds the developing agent supplied to the developing agent supporter; a first developing agent holding chamber being adjacent to the second developing agent holding chamber; a first partition that divides the first and the second developing... Agent: Morgan Lewis & Bockius LLP

20070189811 - Developing device and toner cartridge: A toner cartridge is to be attached to a developing device. The developing device is provided with a developing roller comprising a rotational axis extending along a horizontal direction, a first casing, and a first transporting member. The first casing includes a developing chamber for accommodating the toner to be... Agent: Banner & Witcoff, Ltd. Attorneys For Client Nos. 0166889, 006760

20070189809 - Paddle, developing device and image forming apparatus: A paddle includes a plurality of axially divided components that are connected together, each component including axially extending blades, wherein the blades overlap with blades provided on a component adjacent to the corresponding component in the circumferential direction.... Agent: Murata Machinery, Ltd. (muratec) C/o Keating & Bennett LLP

20070189810 - Developing device, process cartridge and image forming apparatus: A developing device includes a developer carrier opposed to an image carrier for carrying an electrostatic latent image, and a rotatable developer transferring screw for transferring developer to the developer carrier while agitating; the developer carrier includes a magnet roller and a developing sleeve comprising a rotatable non-electromagnetic cylinder body... Agent: Oblon, Spivak, Mcclelland, Maier & Neustadt, P.C.

20070189812 - Developing device and image forming apparatus using the same: A developing device is provided with which the increase in torque of a supply roller, unevenness of image density, and wear to the supply roller caused by the formation of an aggregated block of toner in the gap between the supply roller and the opposing side wall of a supply... Agent: Oblon, Spivak, Mcclelland, Maier & Neustadt, P.C.

20070189813 - Body member of a powder container: The body member of a powder container of the present invention includes a bag-like powder storing body storing powder and formed with an opening at one end, and a base member affixed to the opening of the powder storing body. The base member allows an outlet member, which is formed... Agent: Oblon, Spivak, Mcclelland, Maier & Neustadt, P.C.

20070189814 - Mounting doctor blades onto developer rolls in electrophotographic printers: A doctor blade may be mounted between a pair of L-shaped brackets. The brackets may include a pair of opposed openings that receive mounting posts which extend outwardly from the printer housing. A pair of threaded fasteners may be used to secure the assembly of brackets and doctor blade to... Agent: Lexmark International, Inc. Intellectual Property Law Department

20070189815 - Method,apparatus, and program for driving a motor in a feedback control system, capable of suppressing motor oscillation: A method, apparatus, and program for driving a motor in a feedback control system, capable of suppressing oscillation of the motor are disclosed. A motor drive controller includes a drive motor, a detector, and a motor drive controller. The drive motor drives a moving body around a target moving speed.... Agent: Oblon, Spivak, Mcclelland, Maier & Neustadt, P.C.

20070189816 - Method and device electrically discharging a printing material: An objet of the invention is to electrostatically discharge a printing material, to which a toner has been applied, in an appropriate manner. In accordance with the present invention, a method for electrically discharging toner-coated printing material, in particular for an electrophotographic printing machine, is provided, in which case certain... Agent: Eastman Kodak Company Patent Legal Staff

20070189817 - Fixing apparatus and image forming apparatus: A center distance between heating rollers for suspending an external heating belt is fixed, and a peripheral length of the external heating belt is set so that a tension is not exerted to the external heating belt when the external heating belt is not pressed against the fixing roller and... Agent: Mark D. Saralino (general) Renner, Otto, Boisselle & Sklar, LLP

20070189818 - Fixing device: A fixing device 100 includes a fixing belt 102, a heat source 105, a support member 104, a pressure roller 103, and a reinforcing member 106. The fixing belt 102 has a metal sleeve. The heat source 105 is provided within the fixing belt 102. The support member 104 has... Agent: GlobalIPCounselors, LLP

20070189819 - Elastic roll and fixing device: An elastic roll is used in a fixing device of an image forming apparatus. The elastic roll includes an elastic layer and a covering layer disposed on an outside of the elastic layer. The covering layer is made of a heat-resistant resin or a metal, which has higher rigidity than... Agent: Morgan Lewis & Bockius LLP

20070189820 - Aligning device for object placed on office machine: The invention provides an office machine which includes a housing, a transparent platform, and an aligning device. The aligning device includes a casing, a dam member, and at least one resilient member. The dam member has a main body and an extension portion. A gap exists between the extension portion... Agent: Hoffman Warnick & D'alessandro, LLC

20070189821 - Device and method to inhibit residue on platen glass while scanning: In an electrophotographic marking system a guard is provided to prevent fingerprint smears or markings on a platen glass. When fingerprint images are made, oil and other debris from the fingers mark the platen and cause subsequent images to reproduce these markings. This guard protects the platen from said marks... Agent: James J. Ralabate

20070189822 - Sheet feeding cassette and image forming apparatus: A sheet feeding cassette, including a main body of the sheet feeding cassette accommodating sheets having a trench; a fence movably attached to the main body configured to define a setting position of the sheets; a fixing portion included in the fence that includes a tooth portion engaging with the... Agent: Oblon, Spivak, Mcclelland, Maier & Neustadt, P.C.

20070189823 - Image forming apparatus and image forming method: An image forming apparatus, including a pick-up roller to pick up a printing medium, a printing unit to print an image on the printing medium, and a feeding roller to convey the picked up printing medium to the printing unit. A pick-up velocity, at which the pick-up roller picks up... Agent: Stein, Mcewen & Bui, LLP

20070189824 - Image formation apparatus: An image formation apparatus includes: a toner image formation section that forms a toner image on a recording medium; a fixing device that fixes the toner image; a first roller provided downstream from the fixing device in a transport direction of the recording medium, the first roller coming in contact... Agent: Morgan Lewis & Bockius LLP

20070183794 - Image forming apparatus: An image forming apparatus includes: a main body; a toner container detachably mounted to the main body; a wireless tag provided on the toner container; and a communicator provided in the main body and being capable of performing a wireless communication with the wireless tag, wherein the communicator includes: a... Agent: Casella & Hespos

20070183797 - Apparatus and method for protecting fixing unit from overheating and image forming apparatus using the same: An apparatus and a method for protecting a fixing unit from overheating and to reduce a warm-up time of a fixing unit, and an image forming apparatus using the same are disclosed. According to aspects of the present invention, a temperature of the fixing unit is detected, the detected temperature... Agent: Stein, Mcewen & Bui, LLP

20070183798 - Fixing device and image forming apparatus: A fixing device has a heating roller with a heat source therein. A power supply operates the heat source for heating a transfer material and fixing a toner image thereon. A pressure roller is spaced from the heating roller and a facing member faces the heating roller. An endless fixing... Agent: Casella & Hespos

20070183803 - Image forming apparatus having an improved duplex printing ability: An image forming apparatus which measures resistance of a recording medium on which an image formed and applies a transfer voltage corresponding to this resistance to the recording medium, thereby improving a duplex printing quality.... Agent: Stein, Mcewen & Bui, LLP

20070183805 - Heat device and image forming apparatus including the same: Provided is a heat device which heats and fixes a developed image onto a recording material while nipping and conveying the recording material bearing the developed image by a nip portion, in which even when a turn-on duty ratio between at least two heat generation members provided to a heat... Agent: Fitzpatrick Cella Harper & Scinto

20070183807 - Printing apparatus and control method thereof: A printing apparatus including at least one device unit to perform a printing operation; a main controller to control the device unit; a main power supply to supply power to the main controller; an instruction receiving part to receive a user's printing instruction and to transmit the user's printing instruction... Agent: Stein, Mcewen & Bui, LLP

20070183808 - Cooling device and image forming apparatus having the same installed therein: A cooling unit for use with an image forming apparatus including an image development part, with an Organic photoconductor, which is installed inside the housing and which forms an image, a laser scanning unit which scans the surface of the Organic photoconductor, and a fuser assembly which fixes the image... Agent: Stein, Mcewen & Bui, LLP

20070183795 - Systems and methods for imaging components: A cartridge chip for use with a first type of imaging cartridge and a second type of imaging cartridge comprises a controller and a resistive element connected between the controller and a reference potential, the cartridge chip adapted for operation in a first mode of operation compatible with the first... Agent: William L. London

20070183796 - Image formation apparatus and method therefor: An image formation apparatus that includes plural paper feed trays, and when there occurs out-of-paper in a paper feed tray during printing, changes over from the paper feed tray to another to continue the printing, which includes a detection section that detects that paper is added in the paper feed... Agent: Sughrue Mion, PLLC

20070183799 - Image formation apparatus, an image formation method, an image formation program, and a computer-readable recording medium: An image formation apparatus, an image formation method, an image formation program, and a computer-readable recording medium are disclosed. The image formation apparatus, wherein a developer supply roller supplies a developer to a development unit, includes a quality information acquiring unit for acquiring quality information chosen by a user out... Agent: Cooper & Dunham, LLP

20070183800 - Image forming apparatus capable of optimizing glossiness of image formed on recording material with transparent or white toner: An image forming apparatus is constituted by toner image forming means for forming a toner image on a recording material with transparent or white toner, fixing means for fixing the toner image on the recording material, fixed toner image detection means for detecting the toner image fixed on the recording... Agent: Fitzpatrick Cella Harper & Scinto

20070183801 - Image forming apparatus which can optimize cleaning time of transfer member contacting inter-image area of image bearing member: An image forming apparatus includes a movable image bearing member; a toner image forming unit which repeatedly forms plural toner images in the image bearing member; a detection toner image forming unit which forms a detection toner image in an inter-image area between the toner image and the toner image... Agent: Fitzpatrick Cella Harper & Scinto

20070183802 - Image forming apparatus and control method of the image forming apparatus: An image forming apparatus has: a photosensitive drum onto which images are formed; and a primary transfer roller which sequentially forms the color images onto the photosensitive drum by using a plurality of developing devices having different color developers and transfers the color images formed on the drum onto a... Agent: Fitzpatrick Cella Harper & Scinto

20070183804 - Power control for a multi-lamp fusing apparatus in a xerographic printer: A fusing apparatus for xerographic printing includes two lamps therein. There is applied to the first lamp a first wave set and to the second lamp a second wave set, each wave set comprising a predetermined arrangement of active half-cycles for each time period. The first wave set and second... Agent: Patent Documentation Center

20070183806 - Heating apparatus, fixing apparatus, and image forming apparatus: A heating apparatus includes a heating roller that is heated by heating units, a main power supply that supplies power from an external power supply to the main heating unit, and an auxiliary power supply that supplies power to the auxiliary heating unit. The auxiliary power supply further includes a... Agent: Oblon, Spivak, Mcclelland, Maier & Neustadt, P.C.

20070183809 - Image formation device: h

20070183810 - Driving device, an image forming device, and an image forming apparatus: A driving device, an image forming device, and an image forming apparatus are disclosed. In at least one embodiment, the image forming device includes a first rotator and a second rotator, which are arranged in parallel with each other. The driving device rotates the first rotator with a rotational speed... Agent: Harness, Dickey & Pierce, P.L.C

20070183811 - Multi-development system print engine: A multi-purpose print platform includes a low-cost-per-page print engine having at least two image development systems in which each of the development systems is associated with a different type of black toner.... Agent: Patrick R. Roche Fay, Sharpe, Fagan, Minnich & Mckee, LLP

20070183813 - Developing unit: A developing unit, comprises: a conveying shaft; a developing conveying portion conveying a developer in an axial direction as the conveying shaft rotates; a discharge opening discharging the developer from the inner wall surface; an accumulating chamber accumulating the discharged developer; and an opening/closing member opening and closing the discharge... Agent: Taiyo Corporation

20070183812 - Image forming apparatus, rotation type development unit, and toner replenishment container: An image forming apparatus includes: a casing; a developer having a plurality of developers and a rotational body that is rotatably supported on the casing, the plurality of developers being able to be mounted with a toner replenishment container filled with toner, and being disposed on a peripheral surface of... Agent: Morgan Lewis & Bockius LLP

20070183814 - Image foming device: An image forming apparatus includes a detaching and pressing mechanism for releasing developing rollers of developer cartridges mounted in a drum unit from photosensitive drums and pressing the developing rollers on the photosensitive drums. The detaching and pressing mechanism comprises a pair of translation cam members, intermediate members provided on... Agent: Banner & Witcoff, Ltd. Attorneys For Client Nos. 0166889, 006760

20070183815 - Toner cartridge: The invention provides toner cartridges that deliver toner in a metered fashion to an image forming apparatus. The cartridges have a delivery mechanism comprising a toner delivery member that delivers toner to the supply port as it is rotated. Depending upon the orientation of the delivery mechanism, the toner delivery... Agent: Docketing Specialist Sullivan & Worcester LLP

20070183816 - Transfer device and image forming apparatus including the same: A transfer device including an intermediate transfer belt provided to extend in an arranged direction of a plurality of photosensitive drums, and primary transfer rollers each transferring a toner image formed on a corresponding one of the plurality of photosensitive drums to the intermediate transfer belt, each of the primary... Agent: Oblon, Spivak, Mcclelland, Maier & Neustadt, P.C.

20070183817 - Image forming apparatus: An image forming apparatus in which image warp and shift are able to be more precisely suppressed to prevent the deterioration of image quality, including a fluctuation amount detection device for detecting at a fixed cycle sampling point the belt fluctuation amount of an intermediate transfer body from a reference... Agent: Harness, Dickey & Pierce, P.L.C

20070183818 - Image forming apparatus: The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus, comprising: an image carrying belt which rotates so as to carry an image; a first roller supporting the image carrying belt; a second roller contacting a face opposite to a face of the image carrying belt contacting the first roller, and... Agent: Fitzpatrick Cella Harper & Scinto

20070183819 - Image forming apparatus which prevents misregistration: To provide an image forming apparatus including a first image bearing member, first toner image forming means which forms a first toner image on the first image bearing member, an intermediate transfer member in which a circumferential face is formed, the circumferential face rotates in a predetermined direction by using... Agent: Fitzpatrick Cella Harper & Scinto

20070183820 - Transferring and fixing apparatus and image forming apparatus including the same: The subject invention provides a transferring and fixing apparatus in which a transferring and fixing member and a pressure member are in close and pressing contact with each other, forming a transferring and fixing region therebetween, and a fused toner image held and heated by the transferring and fixing member... Agent: Birch Stewart Kolasch & Birch

20070183821 - Ultrasonic backer for bias transfer systems: Embodiments herein comprise a printing apparatus having a media path and a printing engine along the media path. The printing engine comprises a back up roll having an outer surface and an inner surface, a bias roll adjacent the outer surface of the back up roll, a photoreceptor belt, and... Agent: Frederick W. Gibb, Iii Gibb & Rahman, LLC

20070183822 - Fixing device and image forming apparatus: A nip pressure at an inlet site of a nip portion 69 is higher than a nip pressure at an exit site of the nip portion 69. Thus, the relatively higher nip pressure is applied to a recording medium 4 at the inlet site of the nip portion 69 thereby... Agent: Sughrue Mion, PLLC

20070183823 - Pressure roll for fusing operation: Washers are used for a pressure roll in a fusing system of an electrophotographic system that improve the functionality and durability of the pressure roll. These washers are made up of a rigid ring section having flexible (less rigid) fingers projecting from the inner periphery of the ring. This provides... Agent: James J. Ralabate

20070183824 - Image forming apparatus, lubricant applying device, transfer device, process cartridge, and toner: In an image forming apparatus, an area applied with a lubricant, i.e., an area of a lubricant layer having a uniform thickness, is obtained by spreading the lubricant by a lubricant smoothing blade. The area applied with a lubricant covers an area cleaned by a cleaning blade, i.e., a contact... Agent: Oblon, Spivak, Mcclelland, Maier & Neustadt, P.C.

20070183825 - Cleaning member, process cartridge and image forming apparatus: A cleaning member for cleaning an image carrier. The cleaning member includes a support plate having a planar face portion configured to be fixed to an object in a position adjacent to the image carrier, a plurality of reinforcement features configured to reinforce a strength of the support plate, at... Agent: Oblon, Spivak, Mcclelland, Maier & Neustadt, P.C.

20070183826 - Multi-function printer: A multi-function printer comprises a printing module having a channel and an accommodation portion with a lateral wall, a scanning module rotatably disposed on the printing module, a guiding element disposed in the accommodation portion and adjacent to the lateral wall and moving between a first position and a second... Agent: Quintero Law Office, PC

20070183827 - Image forming device: In an image forming device, at least one optional paper cassette can be vertically mounted below a device main body having an image forming portion. A pickup roller picks up a recording paper from a recording paper storage portion adjacent a recording paper transportation path in the optional paper cassette.... Agent: Murata Machinery, Ltd. (muratec) C/o Keating & Bennett LLP

20070183828 - Sheet processing apparatus and image forming apparatus: A sheet processing apparatus includes a stapler configured to staple a bundle of sheets by driving a staple into the sheet bundle; a cutting mechanism configured to cut off portions of staples driven into the sheet bundle; a storage portion configured to store cut-off portions of staples; a lid mounted... Agent: Canon U.s.a. Inc. Intellectual Property Division

20070177889 - Signal processing apparatus and image forming apparatus: A signal processing apparatus comprising: an optical sensor for outputting a detection signal by detecting a surface of a recording medium on which a correction image is to be formed; and a control section configured to obtain a detection signal of the surface of the recording medium with the correction... Agent: Finnegan, Henderson, Farabow, Garrett & Dunner LLP

20070177890 - Bookbinding apparatus and bookbinding method: When printing is interrupted, the selection between the use of a sheet bundle stacked on an accumulating tray and no use thereof is appropriately made. A bookbinding system includes a bookbinding apparatus having the accumulating tray for stacking a plurality of printed sheets thereon as the sheet bundle. When an... Agent: Canon U.s.a. Inc. Intellectual Property Division

20070177886 - Toner container and image forming apparatus: A toner container includes a longitudinal container body, a held portion, and an electric component. The longitudinal container body has a first end and a second end distal to the first end in a length direction of the container body. The held portion is attached to the first end of... Agent: Oblon, Spivak, Mcclelland, Maier & Neustadt, P.C.

20070177887 - Automatic document feeder sheet misfeed detection system: A sheet misfeed detection system comprises an audio sensor configured to detect an audio signal generated by a sheet fed by an automatic document feeder (ADF) and a detection module configured to detect a misfeed condition of the sheet based on the audio signal generated by the sheet.... Agent: Hewlett Packard Company

20070177888 - Image forming apparatus: An image forming apparatus includes an image bearing member on which an electrostatic image is formed; a developing device for developing the electrostatic image formed on the image bearing member with a developer including toner and a carrier; a supplying apparatus for supplying into the developing device a supply developer... Agent: Fitzpatrick Cella Harper & Scinto

20070177891 - Image forming apparatus: An image forming apparatus, including: an image carrier that carries an image; a charge roll that charges the image carrier; and a cleaning member that contacts the charge roll and cleans the charge roll, wherein the cleaning member is configured to include a surface layer that is formed by an... Agent: Morgan Lewis & Bockius LLP

20070177892 - Image forming apparatus and composite apparatus: An image forming apparatus has a main body for performing image forming operations. A document reader is above the main body and can displace between closing and opening postures. A coupling has a first end rotatably coupled to the main body and a second end coupled to the document reader... Agent: Casella & Hespos

20070177893 - Image-forming machine: An image-forming machine comprising a photosensitive material drum, a developer mounted on a machine body 4 so as to move in a direction to approach, and separate away from, the photosensitive material drum along guide means arranged in the machine body 4, and a protection cover that opens and closes... Agent: Smith, Gambrell & Russell

20070177894 - Image forming apparatus having belt unit: A plurality of image bearing members is supported by an apparatus main body and is arranged in a predetermined direction. A belt unit is configured to be detachably mounted on the apparatus main body. The belt unit includes a belt frame, a plurality of belt support rollers, a belt, and... Agent: Mcdermott Will & Emery LLP

20070177895 - Image forming apparatus having contactless type temperature sensor: A sealing member which is compressed by a contactless temperature sensor and a cover member of a fixing unit is provided between the sensor and the cover member. An opening portion for temperature detection is shut off from a space around the fixing unit by the sealing member, thereby preventing... Agent: Fitzpatrick Cella Harper & Scinto

20070177896 - Image-forming device: An image-forming device according to the present invention includes an electrophotographic photoreceptor including a photosensitive layer, a pressing member pressed against the photosensitive layer of the electrophotographic photoreceptor to remove a deposit from the photosensitive layer, and a static eliminating unit for eliminating the static electricity of the deposit to... Agent: Volpe And Koenig, P.C.

20070177897 - Electrophotographic photosensitive member, and image forming apparatus using same: The present invention relates to an electrophotographic photosensitive member including a substantially cylindrical body rotated by rotation power transmitted via an first end portion from in an image forming apparatus and a photosensitive layer including a latent image forming area formed on an outer circumference of the body. The present... Agent: Hogan & Hartson L.L.P.

20070177898 - Power transmitter and a developing device driver of image forming apparatus using the same: A power transmitter, including a driving gear rotated by a driving motor, a driven gear rotatably coupled with the driving gear through a coupler, and a power interruption unit to be broken when the driven gear is overloaded so as to release the coupling between the driven gear and the... Agent: Stein, Mcewen & Bui, LLP

20070177899 - Image forming apparatus: An image forming apparatus detachably mounts black and non-black cartridges each including a photosensitive drum and a developing roller. The apparatus includes a driving source; first and second clutches for connecting and disconnecting between the driving source and the developing roller of the black and non-black cartridges, respectively; movable first... Agent: Fitzpatrick Cella Harper & Scinto

20070177901 - Rotary developing device: A rotary developing device 30 is provided in an image forming device that is rotated by an input gear 46. The rotary developing device 30 has a plurality of developing units 13, a frame 28, and a rotation stop mechanism 50. Each of the plurality of developing units 13 house... Agent: GlobalIPCounselors, LLP

20070177900 - Rotary type developing device: A color printer 1 has a rotary type developing device 30 which rotated by an input gear 46 that receives power from a motor, and a plurality of developing units 13 supported on a frame 28. The plurality of developing units 13 accommodates toner of different colors therein. The frame... Agent: GlobalIPCounselors, LLP

20070177902 - Color image forming apparatus, and toner replenishing apparatus: The color image forming apparatus comprises a transfer belt device which feeds a transfer member such as a paper and a plurality of image forming units. The image forming units are disposed facing towards the transfer belt device. The transfer belt device, at least in a portion in which the... Agent: Oblon, Spivak, Mcclelland, Maier & Neustadt, P.C.

20070177903 - Developer holder, image forming unit, and image forming apparatus: A developer cartridge holds toner therein. A chamber is A shutter rotates in slide contact with the arcuate surface of the chamber, being movable either to a closing position where the shutter closes the first opening or to an opening position where the shutter opens the first opening. A rotating... Agent: Rabin & Berdo, PC

20070177905 - Developer container, developer supplying device, and image forming apparatus: A developer container has a main part accommodating a developer therein and is detachably attached to a main part of an image forming apparatus. The developer container comprises an outlet provided at a side of the developer container to discharge the developer from the developer container. An input unit is... Agent: Oblon, Spivak, Mcclelland, Maier & Neustadt, P.C.

20070177904 - Toner container: This invention aims at preventing degradation in printing precision with a low cost even when a toner container is exposed to a high-temperature atmosphere. To achieve this object, the toner container includes a resin molded article having a heat-insulating layer in it.... Agent: Fitzpatrick Cella Harper & Scinto

20070177906 - Developing device and image forming apparatus: An developing device comprising a developing roller for developing an electrostatic latent image on a photo conductor; a developing roller driving unit for rotating the developing roller in a forward direction and in a backward direction respectively while development is performed and not performed; a thickness regulating member, which is... Agent: Birch Stewart Kolasch & Birch

20070177907 - Image forming apparatus:

20070177909 - Developing roller and imaging apparatus using the same: There are provided a developing roller capable of making useless a drying line in the formation of a resin layer and using a carbon-based electrically conducting agent for giving an electrical conductivity to the resin layer as well as an imaging apparatus using the same. The developing roller 1 comprises... Agent: Sughrue Mion, PLLC

20070177908 - Image forming apparatus: An image forming apparatus includes: an image bearing body that is rotatable about a central axis thereof, and that bears a dot-like latent image, on a surface of the image bearing body, in each of a plurality of divided regions that are arranged in rows along a direction that intersects... Agent: Hogan & Hartson L.L.P.

20070177910 - Color image forming apparatus: There is described a color image forming apparatus for forming a color image onto a transfer material by superimposing a plurality of unicolor toner images. The apparatus includes an intermediate transfer member onto which the plurality of unicolor toner images are successively transferred in such a manner that the plurality... Agent: Lucas & Mercanti, LLP

20070177911 - Apparatus for forming multi-color image with control of unintended reverse-transfer of developer image onto photoconductor: An apparatus for forming a multi-color image is disclosed which includes a controller that performs an anti reverse-transfer control such that a surface potential of a previously-formed separated-developer-image subset of a plurality of single-color separated-developer-images which has been previously transferred onto an image transferred medium is reduced, prior to a... Agent: Oliff & Berridge, PLC

20070177912 - Image formation apparatus, an image formation method, an image formation program, and a computer-readable recording medium: The control unit determines the number of detected positions of the marks for position error compensation from the position information for each of the sets, and performs the position error compensation process based on the position information of the marks for position error compensation of a set, the number of... Agent: Harness, Dickey & Pierce, P.L.C

20070177913 - System and method for characterizing fuser stripping performance: Disclosed herein are several embodiments to facilitate the characterization of fuser stripping performance. Recognizing that the characteristics of a substrate exiting a fusing nip are indicative of the operation of the nip and the stripping operation itself, several contact and non-contact sensing methods are described to detect or predict degraded... Agent: Basch & Nickerson LLP

20070177914 - Wet electrophotographic apparatus: A wet electrophotographic apparatus includes an intermediate transcriptional unit that includes a rubber member on a surface thereof, the intermediate transcriptional unit being configured to transcribe a toner image formed by toner held on a surface of the rubber member onto a printed subject, a cleaning solution applying unit configured... Agent: Greenblum & Bernstein, P.L.C

20070177915 - Paper cassette: On an upper side of a protruding portion provided on a front surface of a paper cassette, a first gripper is disposed so as to enable a user to place a finger on a first pressure portion of the first gripper and pull out the paper cassette easily. Compared to... Agent: Murata Machinery, Ltd. (muratec) C/o Keating & Bennett LLP

20070177916 - Sheet conveyance apparatus and image forming apparatus: An object of the invention is to provide a construction wherein a trouble caused by contact between a conveyed sheet and a charge removing member can be prevented and charge of the sheet can effectively be removed at low cost while the charge removing member does not interfere with the... Agent: Fitzpatrick Cella Harper & Scinto

20070177917 - Device for regulation of the sliding properties of a print substrate in an electrophotographic printer or copier: In an electrophotographic printer or copier, toner images of images to be printed onto a printing substrate are generated and fixed, causing sliding characteristics to be worsened. In order to remedy this problem, a moistening device is provided that applies on the printing substrate a moistening agent made from a... Agent: Schiff Hardin, LLP Patent Department