| BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA Patent applications |
| Patent application number | Title | Published |
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| 20120033993 | Image Forming Device - An image forming device includes: a main body; a plurality of image forming units; a holding unit; and an engagement mechanism. Each of the plurality of image forming units has a developing portion. The holding unit holds the plurality of image forming units. The plurality of image forming units are aligned in the holding unit in a predetermined drawing direction. The holding unit is configured so as to be drawn out in the predetermined drawing direction from a storage position where the holding unit is stored in the main body. The holding unit sequentially reaches a plurality of different drawing positions while moving in the predetermined drawing direction. The plurality of image forming units are sequentially exposed to the outside while the holding unit sequentially reaches the plurality of drawing positions. The engagement mechanism is configured to engage the holding unit with the main body when the holding unit reaches each of the plurality of drawing positions. | 02-09-2012 |
| 20120033988 | Toner Cartridge - A toner cartridge, a main casing accommodates therein toner and is formed with an opening which provides communication between an interior and an exterior of the main casing. A shutter is movable along the main casing by an external driving force applied in a force direction between a closed position at which the shutter closes the opening and an open position at which the shutter opens the opening. A toner seal is formed with a seal opening opposing the opening of the main casing, and interposed between the main casing and the shutter when the shutter is positioned at the closed position. A guide portion is configured to guide a movement of the shutter in an inclined direction inclined with respect to the force direction. | 02-09-2012 |
| 20120033981 | IMAGE FORMING DEVICE - The image forming device includes a main body and a cartridge that is detachably mountable on the main body. The cartridge includes the image bearing member, the first and second cleaning roller, and the state changing unit. The first cleaning roller cleans the image bearing member and the second cleaning roller cleans the first cleaning roller. The state changing unit is configured to irreversibly change an electrically disconnected state between the first cleaning roller and the second cleaning roller into an electrically connected state between the first cleaning roller and the second cleaning roller. The resetting unit is configured to reset the cumulative value when the current detecting unit does not detect current before the image bearing member rotates and detects current after the image bearing member rotates. | 02-09-2012 |
| 20120033281 | OPTICAL SCANNER AND IMAGE-FORMING DEVICE - An scanning unit scanner includes a light source and a polygon mirror unit. A front-to-rear rib is disposed between the light source and the polygon mirror unit and near the polygon mirror unit. An input side opening having a slit shape is formed as a cutout in the top edge of the front-to-rear rib. When laser light from the light source passes through the input side opening, the input side opening restricts the width of the light in a main scanning direction. | 02-09-2012 |
| 20120033262 | CONTROLLING DEVICE MOUNTED ON PORTABLE TYPE TERMINAL DEVICE - A portable type terminal device may switch between a first state in which a specific image is shown in a display such that an up-down direction of the specific image is along a first direction, and a second state in which the specific image is shown in the display such that the up-down direction of the specific image is along a second direction. A controlling device mounted on the portable type terminal device may create print data for causing a printer to perform a first type of a print in both of a first case where a print of the specific image is instructed in the first state and a second case where the print of the specific image is instructed in the second state. In the first type of the print, the left-right direction of the specific image may be along a short side of a print medium. | 02-09-2012 |
| 20120033261 | TERMINAL DEVICE - A terminal device may be configured to perform a first sending process for sending a first type of data to an external device. The terminal device may be configured to perform a second sending process for sending a second type of data to the external device. The terminal device may be configured to measure time related to a period of duration of the second sending process. The terminal device may continues to perform the first sending process until sending all of the first type of data is completed. The terminal device may continue to perform the second sending process until the time elapses first predetermined time and cancel to perform the second sending process when the time elapses the first predetermined time even if sending all of the second type of data has not been completed. | 02-09-2012 |
| 20120033236 | CONTROLLING DEVICE - A controlling device may be configured to generate a first type of intermediate data using the original data after accepting a print instruction for printing the original image and before accepting a setting instruction for setting a print condition from a user. The controlling device may be configured to store the first type of intermediate data within a memory. The controlling device may be configured to generate print data using the first type of intermediate data within the memory in accordance with the print condition after accepting the setting instruction. The controlling device may be configured to supply the print data to a print performing unit. | 02-09-2012 |
| 20120031316 | THREAD CUTTER FOR SEWING MACHINE - A thread cutter for a sewing machine includes a first thread seizing assembly reciprocally movable and having a distal end with a first thread seizing portion, a second thread seizing assembly seizing needle and bobbin threads both having been seized by the first assembly during a backward movement of reciprocation of the first assembly, cutting the needle and bobbin threads in cooperation with a cutting blade, and a thread cutting frame supporting the first assembly and formed with a single elongated groove supporting the first assembly so that the first assembly is movable. The elongated groove includes a linear proximal end groove, an oblique portion, and a main groove and being shaped such that the proximal end groove is translated slightly forward through the oblique portion. When moved backward in the reciprocation, the first assembly is swung so that the first thread seizing portion comes close to the second assembly. | 02-09-2012 |
| 20120030690 | Computer Readable Medium Storing a Universal Driver, Method of Controlling a Device and Apparatus - A non-transitory computer readable medium has a universal driver executable on a computer. The universal driver includes instructions for: selecting a device for executing a function from connected devices according to an input from a user; sending a request to the operating system to set a communication port for communication with the selected device as a specified port; storing port identification information of a communication port for communication with the selected device and associated with the user in a memory; determining whether port identification information of the specified communication port matches the port identification information of the communication port associated with the user; sending a control command to the device to execute the function via the specified communication port according to a result of the determination indicating a match; and notifying the user of a different port being set as a specified port according to a result indicating a non-match. | 02-02-2012 |
| 20120030526 | COMMUNICATION DEVICE - A communication device includes a receiving unit, a first determining unit, and a sending unit. The receiving unit is configured to receive, from a terminal device, a plurality of input values corresponding to a plurality of setting items. The first determining unit, when the plurality of setting items includes a plurality of related items that are related to each other, is configured to determine whether input values, among the plurality of input values, corresponding to the plurality of related items are compatible. The sending unit is configured to send error data indicating an error screen toward the terminal device when the input values corresponding to the plurality of related items are incompatible, the error screen showing that at least one input value among the plurality of input values has an error. | 02-02-2012 |
| 20120030285 | Communication Device,Computer Program Product, and Communication Control Method - A communication device includes an opening portion that opens a port that is to be used when peer to peer communication is performed with another communication device, a first transmission portion that adds a port number of the port and additional information to a first request packet and transmits the first request packet to the other communication device, a determination portion that, in a case where a response packet in response to the first request packet is not received and a second request packet is received from the other communication device, determines whether to transmit a positive response packet to the other communication device, based on additional information added to the second request packet, and a second transmission portion that transmits the positive response packet to the other communication device in a case where the determination portion determines that the positive response packet is to be transmitted. | 02-02-2012 |
| 20120027474 | Image Forming Apparatus with Multiple Driving Units - An image forming apparatus that includes: a sheet conveying belt that conveys a sheet to a position opposed to an image carrier; a cleaning unit that cleans the sheet conveying belt; a first driving unit that drives the sheet conveying belt; a second driving unit that drives the cleaning unit, the second driving unit being independent from the first driving unit; and a sheet conveying mechanism that conveys the sheet separately from the sheet conveying belt, wherein the second driving unit drives at least a part of the sheet conveying mechanism. | 02-02-2012 |
| 20120027471 | DEVELOPER SUPPLY DEVICE AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS HAVING THE SAME - A developer supply device is provided, which includes a transfer board including an activating section and an always-transferring section. The activating section is disposed in a position close to a developer holding member and lower than a position where development agent is transferred onto the developer holding member. The activating section is supplied with an activating voltage for making the development agent leave a developer transfer path and drop into the developer storage section during an activating process performed at an initial stage of a developer transferring operation while supplied with the transfer bias voltage after the activating process. The always-transferring section is disposed across a position facing the developer storage section to a position lower than and adjacent to the activating section, and always supplied with a transfer bias voltage during the developer transferring operation. | 02-02-2012 |
| 20120027459 | Image Forming Device Capable of Facilitating Disposal of Waste Developer - An image forming device includes photosensitive drums, developer cartridges, an endless belt, first collecting units, first conveying units, a second collecting unit, a second conveying unit and communication portions. The photosensitive drums form a drum array including a leading photosensitive drum. Each developer cartridge has a waste developer accommodating chamber. Each first collecting unit collects waste developer on the corresponding photosensitive drum. Each first conveying unit conveys the waste developer toward the waste developer accommodating chamber. The second collecting unit collects waste developer on the endless belt. The second conveying unit conveys the waste developer toward the waste developer accommodating chamber. Each communication portion allows fluid communication between the first conveying unit and the waste developer accommodating chamber. One of the communication portions associated with the leading photosensitive drum also allows fluid communication between the second conveying unit and the waste developer accommodating chamber. | 02-02-2012 |
| 20120027455 | Image Forming Apparatus - An image forming apparatus includes: a body; a holding member movable between a housing position and a drawn-out position; a plurality of cartridges configured to be attached to the holding member along a attachment path, so that the plurality of cartridges are placed at image forming positions and are arranged in a movement direction of the holding member; and a plurality of restricting members disposed correspondingly with the cartridges. In a state where the holding member is drawn out to the drawn-out position, the plurality of restricting members are located at unrestricted positions that are retracted from the attachment path. In an attachment process in which the holding member is moved from the drawn-out position to the housing position, the plurality of restricting members advance from the unrestricted positions to restricting positions on the attachment path to restrict the cartridges from being detached from the image forming positions. | 02-02-2012 |
| 20120027454 | Image Forming Device Having Retaining Member Retaining Toner Cartridges - An image-forming device includes: a main casing; a retaining member; a plurality of developing units; a plurality of toner cartridges; and an operating member. The main casing defines an accommodation space. The retaining member is movably disposed between an accommodated position, in which the retaining member is accommodated inside the accommodation space, and a pull-out position. The plurality of developing units are retained by the retaining member. The plurality of toner cartridges are detachably attachable to the retaining member, one for each of the developing units, when the retaining member is at the pull-out position. Each of the toner cartridges includes: a casing in which a through-hole is formed for supplying toner accommodated inside the casing to the corresponding developing unit; and a shutter that is configured so as to be capable of moving between an open position exposing the through-hole and a closed position closing the through-hole. The operating member is provided at the retaining member. The operating member is configured to be operated to move the shutter between the open position and the closed position by shifting between a first position corresponding to the closed position of the shutter in which the operating member extends above the retaining member, and a second position corresponding to the open position of the shutter in which the operating member has a lower profile than in the first position. | 02-02-2012 |
| 20120027449 | Image Forming Device - An image forming device, comprising: an endless belt stretched by a plurality of rollers; and a detection sensor located to face one of the plurality of rollers while sandwiching the endless belt between the detection sensor and the one of the plurality of rollers, the detection sensor reading information formed on the endless belt through use of reflection of light. A recessed part is formed, to catch foreign particles, on the one of the plurality of rollers at a position which is shifted in an axis direction of the one of the plurality of rollers with respect to a detection area on the endless belt to which light from the detection sensor is irradiated | 02-02-2012 |
| 20120027437 | Image Forming Apparatus - An image forming apparatus, includes: at lease one photosensitive element; a plurality of chargers configured to charge the at lease one photosensitive element; a voltage applying circuit commonly connected to the plurality of chargers and configured to apply a voltage to the plurality of chargers; a current detecting unit configured to detect a current sum of current that flows to the plurality of chargers from the voltage applying circuit; and a control device configured to control the voltage applying circuit so that the current sum detected by the current detecting unit becomes equal to or larger than a reference value. | 02-02-2012 |
| 20120027436 | Image Forming Apparatus - An image forming apparatus including: a plurality of photosensitive drums; a plurality of scorotron chargers provided for the plurality of photosensitive drums, respectively, a voltage application circuit commonly connected to the plurality of scorotron chargers, a plurality of wires provided for the plurality of scorotron chargers, respectively; a plurality of grid electrodes provided for the plurality of scorotron chargers, respectively; at least one of current detecting units provided for at least one of the plurality of grid electrodes, respectively, and at least one of the current detecting units detecting grid current which flows into at least one of the grid electrodes, respectively; and a control device configured to control the voltage application circuit such that at least one of the grid currents detected by at least one of the current detecting units become equal to or higher than a reference value. | 02-02-2012 |
| 20120027422 | Image Forming Device Capable of Preventing Foreign Matters From Entering Developing Unit - An image forming device includes a support member movable between an accommodated position within a main casing and a pulled-out position outside the main casing, developing units, toner cartridges, and a cover member. Each toner cartridge includes a casing and a shutter. The casing accommodates toner therein and is formed with an opening for supplying the toner to the corresponding developing unit. The opening faces in a first direction when the toner cartridge is accommodated in a corresponding cartridge accommodating section in the support member. The shutter is movable between an opening position for exposing the opening and a closing position for closing the opening. The cover member is movable between an opening posture for exposing a first side of the corresponding cartridge accommodating section in the first direction and a closing posture for opposing the first side of the corresponding cartridge accommodating section. | 02-02-2012 |
| 20120027012 | COMMUNICATION DEVICE, COMMUNICATION SYSTEM, AND COMPUTER PROGRAM PRODUCT - A communication device acquires a first condition in a case where a request packet requesting establishment of a communication path is received from a second communication device in a state in which a communication path with a first communication device is established. The first condition is a condition that is used to perform a session with the first communication device. Then the communication device transmits to the second communication device a response packet including the first condition acquired by the acquisition portion. In a case where a notification packet is received from the second communication device in response to the response packet, the communication device establishes a communication path with the second communication device to perform the session with the second communication device using the first condition. | 02-02-2012 |
| 20120026566 | Multi-Beam Light Source Device and Multi-Beam Light Scanning Device - A multi-beam light source device and a multi-beam scanning device including the multi-beam light source device are provided. The multi-beam light source device includes: a light source including: a cylindrical package having a side edge portion which extends in a rotational direction about a rotational axis line defined as a first direction; a plurality of light emitting units which are disposed in the cylindrical package and configured to emit laser light in the first direction; and a housing which holds the light source. The housing has a holder that holds the side edge portion of the cylindrical package to be relatively rotatable in the rotational direction. The holder is formed with at least one opening which exposes the side edge portion of the light source. | 02-02-2012 |
| 20120026558 | Image Reading Apparatus and Image Forming Apparatus - An image forming apparatus is provided with a document receiving portion that receives a document, and an image reader that moves between a first end position of the document receiving portion and a second end position opposite to the first end position. The image reader reads the image of the document on the document receiving portion while moving in a predetermined direction. A cable is provided having an end connected to the image reader. A cable protrusion and a regulation protrusion are configured such that, along with movement of the image reader in the predetermined direction from the first position to the second position, the cable protrusion moves a predetermined distance in the predetermined direction and contacts the regulation protrusion, and the regulation protrusion regulates a further movement of the cable in the predetermined direction. | 02-02-2012 |
| 20120026553 | IMAGE PROCESSING DEVICE - An image processing device includes a focal pixel setting unit, a near pixel setting unit, a calculating unit, a target pixel determining unit, and an editing unit. The focal pixel setting unit is configured to set a focal pixel among a plurality of pixels in an original image that is represented by original image data. The near pixel setting unit is configured to set a pixel near the focal pixel as a near pixel. The calculating unit is configured to calculate a characteristic value related to luminance of the focal pixel and luminance of the near pixel. The target pixel determining unit is configured to determine, as the target pixel, the focal pixel whose characteristic value satisfies a prescribed condition. The editing unit is configured to generate edited image data by editing the original image data. The edited image data represents an edited image having a supplemental image superimposed on the original image. The supplemental image is superimposed on an area encompassing the target pixel. | 02-02-2012 |
| 20120026539 | SERVER FOR RELAYING PRINT JOB - A first command receiving unit receives a first command from the printer when a user performs a first operation on the printer for executing printing. A printer recognizing unit recognizes the printer as a first printer that is waiting for a print job based on the first command. A file request receiving unit receives a file request from the terminal device. A first file transmitting unit transmits a first file to the terminal device when the file request receiving unit has received the file request. A first file is a file for displaying on the terminal device a printer specifying screen which includes printer identification information for identifying the first printer. A second command receiving unit receives a second command from the terminal device. A second command is transmitted from the terminal device when the first printer is specified on the printer specifying screen. A job transmitting unit transmits the print job to the first printer specified by the terminal device when the second command receiving unit has received the second command. | 02-02-2012 |
| 20120026538 | COMMUNICATION CONTROLLING METHOD, COMPUTER READABLE MEDIUM, AND COMMUNICATION DEVICE - A method to control a communication device to communicate with a first external device in a first communication method and with a second external device in a second communication method is provided. The method includes steps of determining prior to communicating in the first communication method whether the communication device is under an ongoing communication session in the second communication method, executing one of switching the communication methods in the communication device from the second communication method to the first communication method when the communication device is not under any ongoing communication session in the second communication method and maintaining the second communication method set in the communication device when the communication device is under an ongoing communication session, and communicating with the first external device in the first communication method after switching the communication methods from the second communication method to the first communication method. | 02-02-2012 |
| 20120026532 | POWER SUPPLY DEVICE AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS HAVING THE SAME - A power supply device is provided, which includes a first load operating with a first voltage in a normal operation mode, a second load operating with a second voltage lower than the first voltage in the normal operation mode, a third load operating with the second voltage in the normal operation mode and a power-saving mode, and an auxiliary second-voltage generating circuit configured to, when a main supply voltage is supplied from a main power supply circuit and a primary second-voltage generating circuit is forbidden to generate the second voltage with a third-load electric path for carrying therethrough the main supply voltage from the main power supply circuit to the third load without passing through the primary second-voltage generating circuit being broken by a switching circuit, generate the second voltage from the main supply voltage and supply the generated second voltage to the third load. | 02-02-2012 |
| 20120026262 | LIQUID EJECTION HEAD AND RECORDING APPARATUS HAVING THE SAME - A liquid ejection head includes: an ejection port; a supply section and a discharge section; a main flow channel; a supply flow channel; a filter; and a sub flow channel, one end of which is connected to a first connection position near the supply section, and the other end of which is connected to a second connection position near the discharge section, wherein the main flow channel and the sub flow channel are formed such that, in supplying the liquid from the supply section to the main flow channel at a predetermined flow rate, the higher the predetermined flow rate is, the more the ratio of a flow rate in the main flow channel from the first connection position to the second connection position to a flow rate in the sub flow channel increases. | 02-02-2012 |
| 20120026242 | LIQUID EJECTION APPARATUS - A liquid ejection apparatus including: a liquid ejection head including: an inside channel; and ejection openings; a supply channel; a return channel; a supply device; an adjusting device; and a controller, wherein the controller performs a liquid circulation control for circulating liquid through the supply channel, the inside channel, and the return channel in order by controlling (i) the adjusting device such that a channel resistance value of the return channel is less than a predetermined maximum value and (ii) the supply device to supply the liquid into the inside channel, wherein, when the liquid is circulated by the liquid circulation control, the controller starts a liquid discharge control for discharging the liquid by making the channel resistance value larger than that in the liquid circulation control, and wherein the controller controls the supply device such that an amount of the liquid supplied to the inside channel per unit time in the liquid discharge control is larger than that in the liquid circulation control. | 02-02-2012 |
| 20120026221 | LIQUID EJECTION APPARATUS - A liquid ejection apparatus including: a liquid ejection head including an inside channel; a supply channel; a return channel; a supply device; an adjusting device; and a controller, wherein the controller starts a liquid circulation control for circulating liquid through the supply channel, the inside channel, and the return channel in order by controlling: the adjusting device such that a channel resistance value of the return channel is less than a predetermined maximum value; and the supply device to supply the liquid into the inside channel, wherein, when the liquid is circulated, the controller starts a liquid discharge control for discharging the liquid by increasing the channel resistance value, wherein, when the liquid is discharged, the controller starts a liquid-discharge stopping control for stopping the discharge by decreasing the channel resistance value, and wherein the controller controls the supply device such that a liquid amount supplied to the inside channel per unit time when the discharge is stopped is less than that in the liquid circulation control. | 02-02-2012 |
| 20120026220 | LIQUID EJECTION APPARATUS - A liquid ejection apparatus including: a liquid ejection head including: an inlet opening; an outlet opening; an inside channel; and ejection openings; a tank; a supply channel; a return channel; a supply device; and a controller, wherein the controller is configured to control the supply device to perform a circulating operation in which the liquid in the tank is transferred to the supply channel, the inside channel, and the return channel in order and returns to the tank, and wherein the controller is configured to control the supply device such that a unit-time supply amount that is an amount of the liquid to be supplied to the inside channel per unit time in a first period in the circulating operation is less than that in a second period that is after the first period. | 02-02-2012 |
| 20120026219 | LIQUID EJECTION APPARATUS AND LIQUID EJECTION METHOD - A liquid ejection apparatus including: a liquid ejection head including: an inside channel; and ejection openings; a tank; an air communication device; a supply channel; a return channel; a supply device; an adjusting device; and a controller, wherein the controller performs a liquid circulation control for circulating the liquid through the supply channel, the inside channel, and the return channel in order by controlling: the adjusting device such that a channel resistance value of the return channel is less than a predetermined maximum value; and the supply device to supply the liquid into the inside channel, wherein, when the liquid is circulated by the liquid circulation control, the controller starts a liquid discharge control for discharging the liquid by making the channel resistance value larger than that in the liquid circulation control, and wherein the controller controls the air communication device such that an inside of the tank is interrupted from the ambient air in at least a part of a period of the liquid circulation control. | 02-02-2012 |
| 20120025453 | IMAGE FORMING DEVICE - An image forming device, comprising: a sheet-like medium accommodation unit; a supply member that carries a sheet-like medium; a pair of separation members that separate the sheet-like medium one by one; an image formation unit; a carrying path; a re-carrying unit to move inversely the sheet-like medium whose top face has been subjected to printing; a moving mechanism to move the supply member close to or away from the sheet-like medium and to move the pair of separation members close to or away from each other so that a path for the inversely carried sheet-like medium is formed; and a control unit to control the moving mechanism such that, when back-face printing is performed, the supply member is in a state of being moved away from the sheet-like medium and the pair of separation members are in a state of being moved away from each other. | 02-02-2012 |
| 20120023560 | INFORMATION PROCESSING APPARATUS - An information processing apparatus includes: a memory that stores, for each of a plurality of items that can be described in extensions included in a certificate signing request, item names and item contents with associating each of the item names with a respective one of the item contents; an acquiring unit that acquires specific information; a preparation unit that makes out a specific certificate signing request including specific extensions in which a specific item name and a specific item content are described, according to a condition for making out specific extensions which is determined in response to a user's instruction, by acquiring the specific item name and the specific item content from the memory and using the acquired specific information, specific item name and specific item content; and an output unit that outputs the specific certificate signing request to an outside. | 01-26-2012 |
| 20120023327 | INFORMATION PROCESSING APPARATUS - An information processing apparatus includes: an acquiring unit that acquires specific information; a preparation unit that makes out a certificate signing request based on the specific information, wherein the preparation unit makes out a first type certificate signing request including extensions and makes out a second type certificate signing request not including extensions; a display control unit that displays a selection screen on a display unit; and an output unit that is configured to output one of the first type certificate signing request and the second type certificate signing request to an outside according to selecting by a user in the selection screen. | 01-26-2012 |
| 20120021801 | COMMUNICATION CONTROLLING METHOD, COMPUTER READABLE MEDIUM, AND COMMUNICATION DEVICE - A method to control a communication device to communicate with a first external device in a first communication method and with a second external device in a second communication method being different from the first communication method is provided. The method includes steps of determining prior to communicating in the first communication method whether the communication device is set to communicate in the second communication method, switching the communication methods in the communication device from the second communication method to the first communication method when it is determined that the communication device is set to communicate in the second communication method, and communicating with the first external device in the first communication method after switching the communication methods. | 01-26-2012 |
| 20120020716 | PRINTING DEVICE - A printing device is provided with a printing unit configured to print an image on a sheet, a sheet discharge unit having a discharge tray and configured to discharge the sheet from the printing unit to the discharge tray, and a control unit configured to control the sheet discharge unit to execute a slow discharge process between two subsequent print jobs, the slow discharge process being a sheet discharge process in which sheet discharging ability of the sheet discharge unit is impaired. | 01-26-2012 |
| 20120020704 | Toner Cartridge Having Linearly Movable Shutter Member and Image Forming Device Provided With the Same - An image forming device includes a movable holding member, a plurality of operation members and a plurality of developer cartridges detachably mountable on the holding member. The holding member has a plurality of photosensitive members and developing devices. Each operation members is disposed on the holding member in correspondence with each developing device. Each of the photosensitive member, the operation member and the developer cartridge extends in a first direction. Each developer cartridge is formed with an opening and has a shutter member linearly movable between an open position and a closed position in the first direction. The shutter member opens the opening at the open position to allow developer to flow and closes the opening at the closed position to prevent developer from flowing. Each operation member is linearly movable in the first direction to move the shutter member between the open position and the closed position. | 01-26-2012 |
| 20120020699 | Image Forming Device - An image forming device includes a photosensitive unit, a developer cartridge, and a developing device. The photosensitive unit includes a photosensitive body. The developer cartridge accommodates developer therein and has a supported portion supported by the photosensitive unit. The developing device is disposed between the photosensitive unit and the developer cartridge and is supported by the photosensitive unit and is pivotally movable about the supported portion. The developing device includes a developer carrying member carrying the developer thereon. The developer carrying member is movable, in accordance with the pivotal movement of the developing device, between a contact position at which the developer carrying member is in contact with the photosensitive body and a separate position at which the developer carrying member is separated from the photosensitive body. | 01-26-2012 |
| 20120019880 | SCANNER SYSTEM - A scanner system includes: a scanning unit that scans a document and generates scan image data; an image processing unit that performs an image process on first subject image data obtained from the scan image data to generate processed image data in a first case where the image process is instructed to be performed, the image process including: a first kind of image conversion process on the first subject image data using a first input-side color conversion profile; and a color correction process performed after the first kind of color conversion process; and an outputting unit configured to: output the processed image data to an outside in the first case; and output second subject image data obtained from the scan image data without the image process and the first input-side color conversion profile to the outside in a second case where the image process is not instructed to be performed. | 01-26-2012 |
| 20120019868 | SCANNER DEVICE - A scanner device may create original data in an internal storage unit. The original data may include header information and actual image data representing a scan target object. The header information may include a first value as size information. The size information may indicate a size of image data corresponding to a scanning direction. In a case where the size of the actual image data is smaller than the first value, the original data may further include specific image data such that the size of entire image data including the actual image data and the specific image data is identical to the first value. The scanner device may calculate a digest value by utilizing the original data so as to create purpose data in an external storage unit by utilizing the original data and the digest value. | 01-26-2012 |
| 20120019846 | IMAGE PROCESSING APPARATUS - An image processing apparatus includes a storage unit and a converting unit. The storage unit stores a dither matrix including a plurality of sub-matrices. Each sub-matrix has a group of dot regions and each dot region has a threshold value. The dot regions are arranged in N rows and N columns in which N is an integer greater than or equal to 4 and the dot regions define a first diagonal line and a second diagonal line. Each sub-matrix has a plurality of first orthogonal lines extending in a direction parallel to the first diagonal line and a plurality of second orthogonal lines extending in a direction parallel to the second diagonal line. N dot regions whose threshold value is smaller than a prescribed value are contained in the group of dot regions. Only one of N dot regions is contained in each row and each column. At most one of N dot regions is contained in each first orthogonal line and each second orthogonal line. The converting unit is configured to convert print data into binary data by using the dither matrix. | 01-26-2012 |
| 20120017815 | PRESSER DEVICE FOR USE WITH SEWING MACHINE AND SEWING MACHINE - A presser device for a sewing machine is disclosed. The presser device includes a presser bar; a presser foot provided at a lower end of the presser bar; a presser spring elastically biasing the presser foot downward; a presser-foot lifting lever moved between a lifted position and a lowered position for lifting/lowering of the presser foot; a speed restraining element producing resistance capable of slowing down the movement of the lever; and a speed-restraint switch mechanism that slows down the movement of the presser-foot lifting lever by allowing the speed restraining element to produce the resistance when the presser-foot lifting lever is moved from the lifted position to the lowered position, and that does not slow down the movement of the presser-foot lifting lever by not allowing the speed restraining element to produce the resistance when the presser-foot lifting lever is moved from the lowered position to the lifted position. | 01-26-2012 |
| 20120016813 | COMMUNICATION DEVICE - A communication device includes: a communication unit that is configured to execute communication of data according to one of a plurality of bandwidth guarantees with different communication charges per time unit; and a selection unit that is configured to select a first bandwidth guarantee with the lowest communication charges required for communication of specific data, among the plurality of bandwidth guarantees, using a data size of the specific data when the communication of the specific data is to be executed, wherein the communication of the specific data is executed according to the selected first bandwidth guarantee. | 01-19-2012 |
| 20120014729 | Image Forming Apparatus - An image forming apparatus includes: an image forming unit including a plurality of photoconductor drums arranged in tandem; a conveyor belt arranged opposite to the photoconductor drums and configured to convey a recording sheet; and a cleaning unit including a cleaning member positioned in contact with the conveyor belt and configured to collect substance adhering to the conveyor belt, and a receptacle configured to store the substance collected by the cleaning member. The cleaning member is arranged on the same side as the image forming unit with respect to the conveyor belt and upstream from the image forming unit as viewed in a sheet conveyance direction along which the recording sheet is conveyed on the conveyor belt, and the image forming unit and the cleaning unit are pulled out together from a main body of the image forming apparatus toward an upstream side of the sheet conveyance direction. | 01-19-2012 |
| 20120014720 | Image Forming Apparatus, Image Forming Cartridge Supporter, and Image Forming Unit - An image forming apparatus has a body frame and a slide frame. The slide frame is configured to be pulled out from the body frame along a sliding direction. A plurality of image forming cartridges is detachably mounted on the slide frame. A plurality of electrode members is mounted on the slide frame and aligned along the sliding direction so as to correspond to the image forming cartridges. A body-side contact portion of each of the electrode members is electrically connected to the body frame. A cartridge-side contact portion of the electrode member is electrically connected to the image forming cartridge. The image forming cartridge is connected to the body via the corresponding electrode member when the slide frame mounting the image forming cartridges is inserted to the body frame. | 01-19-2012 |
| 20120014716 | Image Forming Apparatus and Process Cartridge - The image forming apparatus includes a drum cartridge having a photosensitive drum and a drum drive input member; a developing cartridge configured to be movably mounted to the drum cartridge, the developing cartridge comprising a developing roller disposed so as to face the photosensitive drum and a developing drive input member; a drum drive transmission member configured to engage with the drum drive input member and configured to transmit drum driving force to the drum drive input member while permitting a positional gap of the drum drive input member within a predetermined range; and a developing drive transmission member configured to engage with the developing drive input member and configured to transmit developing driving force to the developing drive input member while permitting a positional gap of the developing drive input member within a predetermined range. | 01-19-2012 |
| 20120014394 | SYSTEM, DEVICE, METHOD AND COMPUTER PROGRAM PRODUCT FOR MANAGING DEVICES - A system for managing a communication device having a first function of using a first communication protocol and a second function of using a second communication protocol is provided. The communication device is connected to a network including a first device using the first communication protocol and a second device using the second communication protocol. The system is provided with an inputting system that accepts an input for changing an operation regarding the communication of the communication device from a user, and a judging system that judges whether a trouble would arise in communication, in which the communication device is involved, based on the input inputted by the user through use of the inputting system. | 01-19-2012 |
| 20120013959 | IMAGE PROCESSING APPARATUS - An image processing apparatus is provided. The image processing apparatus includes: an acquiring unit that acquires original image data and a first color conversion profile associated with the original image data; an editing unit that edits the original image data by using the first color conversion profile to generate edited image data; a preparing unit that prepares a second color conversion profile different from the first color conversion profile in a first case where the editing unit generates the edited image data having a data size smaller than that of the original image data, wherein a data size of the second color conversion profile is smaller than that of the first color conversion profile; and a storage control unit that, in the first case, stores the edited image data and the second color conversion profile in a memory while being associated with each other. | 01-19-2012 |
| 20120013927 | Data-Processing Apparatus and Data-Processing Method - A data-processing method for being executed by a data-processing apparatus having a storage unit, includes: specifying a type of data or a function that corresponds to a process desired to be executed; reading, from the storage unit, device identification information that is stored in the storage unit in correspondence with the specified type of data or the specified function; and communicating with a device that is identified by the device identification information so as to cause the device to execute the desired process. | 01-19-2012 |
| 20120013681 | IMAGE RECORDING APPARATUS - An image recording apparatus including: (a) a head assembly including (a- | 01-19-2012 |
| 20120012043 | THREAD SPOOL STAND DEVICE AND SEWING MACHINE PROVIDED WITH THREAD SPOOL STAND DEVICE - A thread spool stand device is disclosed. The thread spool stand device includes a thread spool base and a thread spool pin that has a base end thereof secured to the thread spool base and that allows attachment of a thread spool. The thread spool stand device further includes a positioning mechanism that determines position of attachment of the thread spool relative to the thread spool pin. The positioning mechanism includes a contact section that contacts an inner peripheral surface of a core of the thread spool. The contact section is radially movable responsive to variation in an inner diameter of the core such that the contact section expands radially outward or contracts radially inward to be equally spaced from an axial center of the thread spool pin. | 01-19-2012 |
| 20120009001 | TAPE UNIT AND TAPE CASSETTE - A tape unit holds a tape roll that has a wound tape that is a print medium, and is adapted to be mounted in and removed from a cassette case. The tape unit is provided with a holder shaft portion and an indicator portion. The holder shaft portion is inserted into a shaft hole formed in a winding center of the tape roll and rotatably supports the tape roll. The indicator portion is disposed radially outside the tape roll which is supported by the holder shaft portion, and includes at least one hole portion and indicates a type of the tape. | 01-12-2012 |
| 20120008999 | TAPE CASSETTE - A tape cassette includes a cassette case having a pair of side faces, a tape roll contained within the cassette case, a discharge guide portion positioned in the cassette case in a first corner portion provided farthest downstream on a feed path for a tape, a tape exposing portion located on the feed path, in the vicinity of the discharge guide portion and on an upstream side in relation to the discharge guide portion, a tape feed roller provided on the upstream side on the feed path from the discharge guide portion and adjacent to a rear side of the tape exposing portion, a first recessed portion formed in the vicinity of the discharge guide portion in one of the side faces included in the first corner portion, and a second recessed portion disposed in a diagonally opposite position in the cassette case from the first corner portion. | 01-12-2012 |
| 20120008983 | PHOTOSENSITIVE-MEMBER UNIT AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - A pressing member applies a pressing force to a trailing end in a direction which intersects a predetermined reference direction, allowing the pressing force to have both a first component in the predetermined reference direction and a second component perpendicular to the predetermined reference direction. A trailing end is pressed in the predetermined reference direction by the first component. In the mounted state, the leading end is in contact with the reference member at two contact surfaces including a first contact surface and a second contact surface. The first contact surface defines a first positioning direction being perpendicular to the first contact surface and intersecting the predetermined reference direction. The second contact surface defines a second positioning direction being perpendicular to the second contact surface and intersecting both the predetermined reference direction and the first positioning direction, allowing the photosensitive-member unit to be positioned with respect to the main body. | 01-12-2012 |
| 20120008981 | Image Forming Apparatus and Cartridge for the Use Therewith - An image forming apparatus and a cartridge for use therewith are provided. The image forming apparatus includes a main body; a cartridge that stores a developer; and a supporting member that receives the cartridge, the supporting member being rotatably supported by the main body. The supporting member pivots between a reception position at which the cartridge is received into the main body and an exposure position at which the cartridge is exposed from the main body. The cartridge includes an inner chassis; an outer chassis comprising a shutter member; a first protrusion provided at one of the inner and outer chassis; and a second protrusion provided at the other chassis, wherein the first and second protrusions engage with the image forming apparatus, such that one is moved and the other is regulated, based on a position of the cartridge with respect to the image forming apparatus. | 01-12-2012 |
| 20120008980 | Process Cartridge and Image Forming Apparatus - A process cartridge is configured to be mounted in an apparatus main body along a predetermined mounting direction. The process cartridge may include a photosensitive drum; a drum drive input member into which a driving force for rotating the photosensitive drum is configured to be inputted; and a frame which holds the photosensitive drum and the drum drive input member. The frame includes a substantially cylindrical first protecting member which is formed on the frame. The first protecting member is configured to accommodate the drum drive input member, and project in a rotational axis direction of the photosensitive drum, wherein a projecting amount of a portion of the first protecting member which lies at a downstream side in the mounting direction is smaller than a projecting amount of a portion of the first protecting member which lies at an upstream side in the mounting direction. | 01-12-2012 |
| 20120008977 | IMAGE-FORMING DEVICE AND PROCESS CARTRIDGE - An image forming device includes a casing having a guide, image forming portions configured to form images on a recording medium, and a drawer configured to be installed in and withdrawn from the casing along the guide in a first direction for installation and in a second direction for withdrawal opposite the first direction. The drawer may include a housing configured to house each image forming portion, a projecting portion coupled to the housing and protruding in the first direction, and a support portion coupled to the projecting portion. An engagement of the support portion with the guide regulates movement of the drawer upward or downward during installation and withdrawal. | 01-12-2012 |
| 20120008179 | SCANNER DEVICE AND METHOD EXECUTED IN SCANNER DEVICE - A scanner device and a method executed in the scanner device are provided. The scanner device includes a generating unit that generates original image data representing a scanned original; a preparing unit that prepares one color-conversion profile among a plurality of color-conversion profiles having different data sizes, according to a feature of the original image data; and an outputting unit that outputs the original image data and the one color-conversion profile. | 01-12-2012 |
| 20120005475 | Terminal Device, Computer Program Product, and Communication Control Method - A terminal device capable of communication with a plurality of other terminal devices via a network includes a decryption information acquisition portion that acquires decryption information including a decryption level, an encryption information acquisition portion that acquires encryption information including an encryption level in a case where a pointer position is located within a confidential area, a first transmission portion that transmits the encryption information to the plurality of other terminal devices in a case where the decryption level is equal to or higher than the encryption level, an encryption portion that, based on the encryption level, encrypts audio data and video data that have been input in a case where the pointer position is located within the confidential area, and a second transmission portion that transmits, as encrypted data, the audio data and the video data that have been encrypted to the plurality of other terminal devices. | 01-05-2012 |
| 20120003012 | Developing Cartridge - A developing cartridge having a first side plate and a second side plate spaced opposite from the first side plate, a developer carrying member rotatably supported between the side plates, a developer supplying member rotatably supported between the side plates, a input member to which driving force is input rotatably supported by the first side plate, a primary developing gear to which the driving force is transferred provided on the developer carrying member at the first side plate, a secondary developing gear to which the driving force is transferred provided on the developer carrying member at the second side plate, and a supply gear to which the driving force is transferred provided on the developer supplying member at the second side plate, wherein the input member and the supply gear are arranged so that their projections in the direction of the rotation axis of the developer supplying member overlap. | 01-05-2012 |
| 20120003001 | TANDEM PHOTOSENSITIVE-MEMBER UNIT HAVING GRIP PART - An image-forming device includes a main body and a tandem photosensitive-member unit. The tandem photosensitive-member unit includes a unit frame, a plurality of photosensitive members, a front-side grip part, and a rear-side grip. The unit frame is configured to be slidably installed to and removed from the main body in a predetermined direction. The unit frame has a leading side and a trailing side with respect to the predetermined direction. The plurality of photosensitive members is provided corresponding to a plurality of colors and is supported by the unit frame. The front-side grip part is provided at the leading side of the unit frame. The rear-side grip part is provided at the trailing side of the unit frame. | 01-05-2012 |
| 20120003000 | IMAGE FORMING DEVICE AND TONER CARTRIDGE MOUNTED THEREIN - An image forming device includes: a main casing; a retaining member; a plurality of developing units; a plurality of toner cartridges; and an operation unit. The retaining member is configured to be movable in a first direction between an accommodated position and a pulled-out position. The retaining member includes a first side plate and a second side plate extending in the first direction and disposed in confrontation with and spaced apart from each other in a second direction orthogonal to the first direction. The developing units are retained in the retaining member. The toner cartridges have one-on-one correspondence to the developing units and are configured to be mountable in or detachable from the retaining member when the retaining member is located at the pulled-out position. Each toner cartridge includes a casing formed with a cartridge opening, and a cartridge shutter configured to be movable between an open position for opening the cartridge opening and a closed position for closing the cartridge opening. The operation unit is provided in the retaining member and configured to be pivotally movable in an imaginary plane parallel to the first direction and the second direction. The operation unit is interlocked with the cartridge shutter while the toner cartridge is mounted in the retaining member to move the cartridge shutter between the open position and the closed position in accordance with the pivotal movement of the operation unit. | 01-05-2012 |
| 20120002999 | IMAGE FORMING DEVICE HAVING CHARGING WIRE CLEANING MECHANISM - An image forming device including an accommodating member, a moving section, a driving section, a transmitting section, and first and second switching sections. The accommodating member is movable between an accommodating position and a pulled-out position. A charger includes a charging wire and a wire cleaner movable therealong. The moving section is configured to move the wire cleaner. The driving section is configured to generate a drive force to move the moving section. The transmitting section is movable to one of a first path on which the transmitting section is drivingly connected to the driving section and a second path on which the transmitting section is disconnected from the driving section. The transmitting section is configured to transmit the drive force from the driving section to the moving section when the transmitting section is moved to the first path. The first switching section is configured to switch a position of the transmitting section from the second path to the first path. The second switching section is configured to switch a position of the transmitting section from the first path to the second path. | 01-05-2012 |
| 20120002570 | Coordinating and Establishing Communication Networks Between Communication Devices - In a multipoint mesh network, communications for establishing the network between multiple communication terminals may be coordinated such that connection request signals are not transmitted from both terminals in a pair of terminals to each other. In one example, a multipoint connection start terminal may be configured to request connections with each of the communication terminals participating in the mesh network. The multipoint connection start terminal may then receive a connection permission signal from each of the terminals to which a request signal was sent. The multipoint connection start terminal may subsequently generate terminal designation information specifying which terminals are to request connections with which other terminals so as to avoid communication overlap. This terminal designation information may then be transmitted to each of the other communication terminals participating in the mesh network. Additionally or alternatively, the terminal designation information may include authentication information for authenticating the connection request and/or permissions. | 01-05-2012 |
| 20120002566 | COMMUNICATION APPARATUS, COMMUNICATION METHOD, AND A COMPUTER-READABLE MEDIUM - The disclosure provides a communication apparatus that can accurately measure the available bandwidth of a communication path between itself and another communication apparatus by performing measurement communication in accordance with an execution frequency. The communication apparatuses can select the optimum communication method in accordance with the identified available bandwidth, so that each of the communication apparatuses can reliably perform communication with a counterpart apparatus. The execution frequency is identified in accordance with the communication stability so that an appropriate execution frequency can be identified for each bidirectional communication path. In this way, communication apparatuses can accurately measure the available bandwidth by performing measurement communication with the optimum execution frequency. | 01-05-2012 |
| 20120002565 | COMMUNICATION APPARATUS, COMMUNICATION SYSTEM, COMMUNICATION METHOD, AND A COMPUTER-READABLE MEDIUM - This disclosure provides a communication apparatus that can perform reliable and stable communication with one or more counterpart apparatuses in a communication network, where the network has plural communication paths in which data communication transmissions are performed according to a predetermined transmission condition. The transmission condition of a communication packet for at least one of the plural communication paths is determined to be different from the predetermined transmission condition if bandwidth measurement is not performed on that communication path while bandwidth measurement is performed on one or more of the other communication paths. Accuracy of measuring available bandwidth in the communication network can be improved because communication paths that perform bandwidth measurements are less impacted by communication paths that do not perform bandwidth measurement. | 01-05-2012 |
| 20120002261 | SCANNING OPTICAL APPARATUS - In a scanning optical apparatus, light emitted from each of a plurality of light sources is converted by a first optical element into a beam of light, which in turn is converted by a second optical element into a linear image extending in a main scanning direction incident on a deflecting mirror at which the beams of light are deflected in the main scanning direction. A third optical element configured to convert the beams from the deflecting mirror into spot-like images is a single lens, and each of opposite lens surfaces thereof has a curvature in a sub-scanning direction varying continuously from a position corresponding to an optical axis thereof outward in the main scanning direction in such a manner that MTF values in a sub-scanning direction of an image formed on the scanned surface vary less with image height. | 01-05-2012 |
| 20120002245 | Image Forming Apparatus - An image forming apparatus is provided. The image forming apparatus includes a lateral cover, which is an external covering to cover a lateral side of the image forming apparatus, and a connector member having at least one protrusion, by which the lateral cover is connected to the connector member. The lateral cover is formed to have an inwardly-dented handgrip, which has an open end and a closed end, and at least one opening on an upper section of the handgrip. The at least one protrusion protrudes downwardly from a surface of the connector member. The at least one protrusion is inserted in the at least one opening of the lateral cover to penetrate the connector member and to protrude downwardly from the upper section of the handgrip. | 01-05-2012 |
| 20120002222 | CONTROL DEVICE - A content of the common setting is applied to the plurality of devices and a content of the special setting is applied to a specific device among the plurality of devices. When the item of the special setting for the specific device is selected on the common setting screen, the acquiring unit is configured to acquire special setting screen data corresponding to the selected item of the special setting from an external device. A second setting screen supplying unit is configured to supply the special setting screen data to the display unit such that the display unit displays a special setting screen on which the content of the special setting for the selected item is settable. | 01-05-2012 |
| 20120001993 | Image Forming Device - An image forming device, including: a housing having an opening; an opening and closing member rotatably supported by the housing between an opened state and a closed state, a pair of shaft parts respectively provided at lower portions of side walls of the opening and closing member; space formed under a lower edge of the opening and closing member; and a pair of shaft support members respectively provided on the housing, and wherein the pair of shaft support members respectively have shaft holes into which the pair of shaft parts are respectively inserted; each shaft support member has a fixed part and a deformable part having the shaft hole; and the deformable part is formed such that the lower edge part of the deformable part is positioned on a center side of the opening and closing member with respect to a position of the fixed part. | 01-05-2012 |
| 20120001992 | IMAGE RECORDING APPARATUS - An image recording apparatus including: (a) a first conveyor configured to convey a recording medium along a first conveyance path; (b) a first recording head; (c) a second conveyor configured to convey the recording medium along a second conveyance path; (d) a second recording head; (e) a third conveyor configured to convey the recording medium along a third conveyance path; and (f) a posture changer configured to change a posture of at least a downstream-side portion of the first conveyor between a first angular posture and a second angular posture, such that at least a downstream-side part of the first conveyance path is directed to the second conveyance path when the at least the downstream-side portion of the first conveyor takes the first angular posture, and such that the at least the downstream-side part of the first conveyance path is directed to the third conveyance path when the at least the downstream-side portion of the first conveyor takes the second angular posture. | 01-05-2012 |
| 20120001984 | INKJET RECORDING APPARATUS - An inkjet recording apparatus includes a record head having an ejection surface and a conveyance mechanism having a conveyance surface which passes through a position facing the ejection surface. The inkjet recording apparatus further includes: a capping mechanism which has a annular component provided around the record head to circumscribe the record head and is able to achieve capping such that the ejection surface is covered with the conveyance surface and the annular component as the annular component is caused to contact the conveyance surface; a recognition unit which recognizes a position of a first region on the conveyance surface, the first region being not smaller than an enclosed range on the conveyance surface which range is circumscribed by the annular component and being a region in which a predetermined amount or less ink adheres to an arbitrary range which is within the first region and is identical in size with the enclosed range; and a control unit which controls the capping mechanism and the conveyance mechanism so that the capping is achieved in such a way that the first region of the conveyance surface recognized by the recognition unit contacts the annular component. | 01-05-2012 |
| 20120001961 | IMAGE DISPLAY DEVICE - A drive signal generation part of an image display device includes a memory unit which stores data on a first waveform for scanning light out of a sawtooth waveform of a drive signal, and stores data on a second waveform which is a waveform formed by excluding the first waveform from the sawtooth waveform of the drive signal, and the drive signal generation part sequentially reads data on the first waveform from the memory unit at readout timing corresponding to resonance frequency of a high-speed scanning element and generates a portion of a drive signal corresponding to the first waveform, and sequentially reads data on a plurality of second waveforms stored in the memory unit corresponding to the resonance frequency of the high-speed scanning element and generates portions of the drive signal corresponding to the second waveforms corresponding to the resonance frequency of the high-speed scanning element. | 01-05-2012 |
| 20120001378 | IMAGE RECORDING APPARATUS - An image recording apparatus according to one aspect comprises: a first tray disposed within an opening of a main body to allow a recording medium to be placed thereon; a second tray disposed above the first tray, the second tray having a second end portion located on a side of the opening; a conveying unit; and a recording unit. The second tray is movable between a first posture and a second posture. When the second tray is in the first posture, a top surface of the second tray in the vicinity of the second end portion is positioned at a predetermined height relative to the first tray. When the second tray moves from the first posture to the second posture, the top surface in the vicinity of the second end portion is moved toward the first tray. | 01-05-2012 |
| 20120000082 | SEWING MACHINE WITH ENGRAVING FUNCTION - A sewing machine includes a needle bar to which an engraving needle is attached and is capable of executing an engraving process of forming an engraved pattern on a workpiece. The sewing machine further includes a heightwise position adjusting mechanism adjusting a mounting heightwise position of the engraving needle relative to the needle bar, a unit imaging the engraved marks formed on the workpiece by the engraving needle, thereby obtaining an image of each engraved mark, a detection unit extracting a region of each engraved mark from the image to detect a size of each engraved mark, a determination unit comparing the size of each engraved mark with a reference value stored, determining a mounting heightwise position of the engraving needle, and a unit informing of information for adjusting the mounting heightwise position of the engraving needle according to determination made by the determination unit. | 01-05-2012 |
| 20120000081 | ENGRAVING NEEDLE HOLDER AND SEWING MACHINE PROVIDED THEREWITH - An engraving needle holder is disclosed which mounts an engraving needle to a needle bar when an engraving process is executed for a workpiece by moving the engraving needle upward and downward by making use of drive of the needle bar provided on a sewing machine. The engraving needle holder includes a mounted part which is mountable to a fixing part of a lower end of the needle bar into which a handle of the needle is inserted to be fixed, with the needle being removed, a supporting member located at a lower end side of the mounting part so that a base of the engraving needle is mounted to it so as to be positionally adjustable, and an adjusting mechanism which adjusts a mounting height position of the engraving needle relative to the supporting member. | 01-05-2012 |
| 20110320817 | ELECTRONIC CERTIFICATE ISSUANCE SYSTEM, ELECTRONIC CERTIFICATE ISSUING DEVICE, COMMUNICATION DEVICE, AND PROGRAM THEREFOR - An electronic certificate issuance system comprising at least one communication device, and an electronic certificate issuing device for issuing a set of an electronic certificate and a private key corresponding to the electronic certificate as a certification set for each of the at least one communication device, is provided. The electronic certificate issuing device includes a first connecting interface, an obtaining system, which is adapted to obtain a node ID assigned to each of the at least one communication device, a generating system, and a writing system. The at least one communication device includes a second connecting interface, a judging system, and an installing system. | 12-29-2011 |
| 20110320611 | WIRELESS COMMUNICATION DEVICE AND WIRELESS COMMUNICATION SYSTEM - A communication device includes an identification information storage stores identification information based on which a predetermined terminal device is identified, an initial setting storage storing, as an initial setting, a communication setting with which a direct communication is enabled with respect to the predetermined terminal device identified by the identification information stored in the identification information storage, an acquiring unit acquires a connection setting to connect an access point, a transmission unit transmits the connection setting acquired by the acquiring unit and an instruction to connect with the access point in accordance with the connection setting to the predetermined terminal deice in accordance with the initial setting stored in the initial setting storage, and a setting unit makes the communication device connectable to the access point with the connection setting acquired by the acquiring unit after the connection setting and the instruction are transmitted by the transmission unit. | 12-29-2011 |
| 20110318078 | Image Forming Apparatus and Control Method for the Same - An image forming apparatus is provided, which includes a fixing unit, a cooling roller disposed downstream relative to the fixing unit in a sheet feeding direction, an ejection roller disposed downstream relative to the cooling roller in the sheet feeding direction, a driving unit rotating the cooling roller and the ejection roller normally or reversely, and a controller including a determining unit determining whether a detected temperature is higher than a predetermined temperature, the controller switching between a first mode to, after a sheet passes through the cooling roller, control the driving unit to reversely rotate the cooling roller and the ejection roller being rotating normally and a second mode to, in a state where the cooling roller is nipping the sheet, control the driving unit to reversely rotate the cooling roller and the ejection roller being rotating normally, based on the determination of the determining unit. | 12-29-2011 |
| 20110318074 | Fixing Device Having Temperature Detection Element - A fixing device for thermally fixing a developing agent image to a sheet fed in a sheet feeding direction including: a tubular flexible fusing member; a heater; a nip member; a backup member; and a temperature detection element. The tubular flexible fusing member has an inner peripheral surface defining an internal space. The heater is disposed in the internal space and configured to radiate radiant heat. The nip member is disposed in the internal space and configured to receive the radiant heat from the heater. The inner peripheral surface is in sliding contact with the nip member. The backup member is configured to provide a nip region in cooperation with the fusing member upon nipping the fusing member between the backup member and the nip member. The backup member confronts the nip member in a confronting direction. The temperature detection element is disposed in a superposed region of the nip member superposed with the nip region in the confronting direction and configured to detect a temperature of the superposed region. | 12-29-2011 |
| 20110318064 | Image Formation Apparatus and Developer Cartridge - An image formation apparatus is provided, to which developing devices, each having an opening, and developer cartridges for respectively supplying a developing agent to the openings of the developing devices are mountable. The apparatus includes: developing device shutters, each configured to open and close a respective one of the openings of the developing devices mounted to the apparatus; and a link mechanism configured to move the developing device shutters in linking with each other. | 12-29-2011 |
| 20110318055 | TANDEM DRUM UNIT HAVING RESILIENTLY MOVABLE ABUTMENT PORTIONS - There is provided a tandem drum unit including a pair of side plates, a plurality of photosensitive drums, a plurality of developing cartridge accommodating sections and at least two abutment portions provided on each connecting frame. The pair of side plates is disposed in opposition to each other in a first direction, each side plate extending in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction. The plurality of photosensitive drums is juxtaposed in the second direction and interposed between the pair of side plates in the first direction, each photosensitive drum having an axis extending in the first direction and supported rotatably about the axis by the pair of side plates. The plurality of developing cartridge accommodating sections is arrayed in the second direction in correspondence with the plurality of photosensitive drums, each developing cartridge accommodating section accommodating therein a developing cartridge having a casing, each developing cartridge accommodating section comprising a connecting frame extending in the first direction and connected to the pair of side frames. Each connecting frame supports the casing of the developing cartridge accommodated in the developing cartridge accommodating section at one side in the second direction when a rotational moment is exerted on the developing cartridge during development. The casing of the developing cartridge is seated on at least two abutment portions, the at least two abutment portions being positioned spaced away from each another in the first direction and deviated toward the one side on the each connecting frame in the second direction, wherein the plurality of connecting frames includes an endmost connecting frame in the second direction having specific abutment portions resiliently movable in a pressing direction of the developing cartridge against the specific abutment portions. | 12-29-2011 |
| 20110318051 | PHOTOSENSITIVE DRUM CARTRIDGE AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - A photosensitive drum cartridge and an image forming apparatus including the photosensitive drum cartridge are provided. The photosensitive drum cartridge includes: a photosensitive drum; a primary cleaning roller which is configured to contact a surface of the photosensitive drum to remove an attached matter on the surface of the photosensitive drum; a first gear which is configured to rotate together with the photosensitive drum; a second gear which is configured to rotate together with the primary cleaning roller; and a third gear which is configured to mesh with the first gear and the second gear, and which has a rotation axis, a position of which is fixed such that a distance from a rotation axis of the first gear is constant. | 12-29-2011 |
| 20110318050 | Cover Opening and Closing Mechanism and Image Processing Device - A cover opening and closing mechanism, including: a housing; a cover; a first locking mechanism having a first stopper portion and a first receiving portion which are brought to a locked state when the cover is in the closed position; and a second locking mechanism having a second stopper portion and a second receiving portion which are brought to a locked state when the cover is in the closed position, and wherein, when the cover is moved to the closed position, the first stopper portion and the first receiving portion move with respect to each other in a first direction, move with respect to each other in a second direction, and thereafter are brought to the locked state, and the second stopper portion moves in the second direction in connection with movement of the first stopper portion so that the second locking mechanism is brought to the locked state. | 12-29-2011 |
| 20110318042 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - An image forming apparatus includes a plurality of functions including a function of executing an operation involving use of a consumable, a selecting unit that selects one function from the plurality of functions, a detector that detects a remaining level of the consumable and a controller. The controller is operable to switch displayed contents to information corresponding to the one function when the one function is selected, instruct execution of an operation corresponding to the changed displayed information, display a warning indication when the remaining level of the consumable is not more than a predetermined level, determine whether the selected one function is the function of executing the operation involving use of the consumable, and inhibit the switching the displayed contents when one function is selected and is determined to be the function of executing the operation involving use of the consumable while the warning indication is displayed. | 12-29-2011 |
| 20110318032 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - An image forming apparatus is provided. The image forming apparatus includes: a manual acquiring unit which is configured to receive a user input to acquire a correction value; an image forming unit which is configured to form an image while adjusting at least one of positional deviation and density deviation of the image based on the correction value; and a changing unit which is configured to execute at least one of a first changing process of changing a permissible range of a correction value for positional deviation according to a status of a factor causing a change in a position of an image, and a second changing process of changing a permissible range of a correction value for density deviation according to a status of a factor causing a change in a density of an image. | 12-29-2011 |
| 20110318028 | Image Forming Apparatus - An image forming apparatus includes: a first photosensitive drum for a monochrome printing mode; second and third photosensitive drums for a color printing mode; a moving unit moving a medium from the first photosensitive drum via the second photosensitive drum to the third photosensitive drum; charger devices for charging the photosensitive drums; transfer devices for transferring developer images on the photosensitive drums to the medium; and a control unit configured to control charging biases of the charger devices and transfer biases of the transfer devices. The control unit executes, in the monochrome printing mode, an energy saving control in which absolute value of charging bias applied to the charger device for the third photosensitive drum is smaller than an absolute value of a charging bias applied to the charger device corresponding to the second photosensitive drum. | 12-29-2011 |
| 20110317984 | COMPUTER READABLE MEDIUM, INFORMATION PROCESSING APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR PROCESSING MOVING IMAGE AND SOUND - A computer readable medium is provided. The computer readable medium has recorded an information processing program for causing a computer to execute a function including: a still image extraction mechanism; a sound detection mechanism; a moving image editing point setting mechanism; a moving image editing point determination mechanism; a sound editing point setting mechanism; a text extraction mechanism for converting a voice sound into a text and extracting the text; a still image selection mechanism for selecting a still image outputted at a moving image editing point; and a combination mechanism for combining the text extracted by the text extraction mechanism into the still image. | 12-29-2011 |
| 20110317234 | SCANNING OPTICAL APPARATUS - In a scanning optical apparatus including a single lens configured to convert a beam deflected by a polygon mirror into a spot-like image on a scanned surface, an angle β | 12-29-2011 |
| 20110317230 | SHEET DETECTING DEVICE, DOUBLE FEED DETERMINING DEVICE, AND IMAGE READING APPARATUS USING THE SAME - A sheet detecting device including: an ultrasound generator; a transmitting side opening, which includes a first opening and a second opening to transmit the ultrasound; a transmitting side propagation unit, which is connected to the ultrasound generator and each of the transmitting side openings; a receiving side opening, which includes a third opening and a fourth opening to receives the ultrasound transmitted from the first opening and the second opening; an ultrasound receiver; a receiving side propagation unit, which is connected to each of the receiving side openings and the ultrasound receiver; and a first determining unit, wherein a first distance from the ultrasound generator to the first opening is different from a second distance from the ultrasound generator to the second opening, and wherein a third distance from the ultrasound receiver to the third opening is different from a fourth distance from the ultrasound receiver to the fourth opening. | 12-29-2011 |
| 20110317211 | Data Processing Apparatus - A data processing apparatus includes a memory, an accepting unit for accepting an instruction to perform one of a first process and a second process from a user, the second process being different from the first process, and a controller. The controller is configured to: determine a candidate device from among at least one device, the candidate device possessing a first function that is used for performing the first process; register the candidate device as a first device to be used for performing the first process; register the candidate device as a second device to be used for performing the second process, the second process being different from the first process; and control the first device to perform the first process when the accepting unit accepts the instruction to perform the first process and control the second device to perform the second process when the accepting unit accepts the instruction to perform the second process. | 12-29-2011 |
| 20110317182 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - An image forming apparatus includes an automatic acquiring unit which forms a mark for detecting at least one of positional deviation and density deviation and acquire a degree of deviation by measuring the mark, a manual acquiring unit which receives a user input to acquire a correction value; an image forming unit which forms an image based on an actual correction value determined by an automatic correction value specified based on the degree of deviation and a manual correction value which is the correction value acquired by the manual acquiring unit, and a changing unit which executes at least one of a first changing process of applying a weight to at least one of the automatic correction value and the manual correction value and the second changing process of changing at least one of the automatic correction value and the manual correction value into a past correction value. | 12-29-2011 |
| 20110317181 | Image Scanning Apparatus, Computer Readable Medium, and Image Storing Method - There is provided an image scanning apparatus including a setting section which sets an image generation condition based on the attribute value of the existing image data stored in the image file; a generator section which scans the manuscript to generate the scanned image data based on the image generation condition set by the setting section; and a storing section which adds the scanned image data generated by the generator section into the image file to store the added image file. | 12-29-2011 |
| 20110317175 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - An image forming apparatus includes an automatic acquiring unit which is configured to form a mark for detecting at least one of positional deviation and density deviation and acquire an amount of deviation by measuring the mark, an image forming unit which is configured to form an image while adjusting at least one of positional deviation and density deviation based on a correction value specified by the amount of deviation, and an output unit which is configured to execute at least one of a pattern printing process and a notifying process when an amount of deviation within a permissible range is not acquired by the automatic acquiring unit. The pattern printing process includes printing a pattern image for specifying a correction value on a recording sheet. The notifying process includes making notification for prompting execution of the pattern printing process. | 12-29-2011 |
| 20110317174 | DITHER MATRIX SELECTING DEVICE - A dither matrix selecting device includes a storage unit, a determining unit, and a selecting unit. The storage unit is configured to store a first dither matrix and a second dither matrix different from the first dither matrix. The first dither matrix includes a plurality of sub-matrices. Each sub-matrix of the first dither matrix has a plurality of threshold values such that a single dot grows from a starting pixel as an input value increases. Each sub-matrix has a first region and a second region different from the first region. Each threshold value allocated in the first region is smaller than a prescribed value. An arrangement of each threshold value in the first region is identical for all of the plurality of sub-matrices. The determining unit is configured to determine whether or not toner accommodated in a printing device is a specified toner. The selecting unit is configured to select the first dither matrix when the determining unit determines that the toner is not the specified toner. | 12-29-2011 |
| 20110316942 | LIQUID EJECTION HEAD AND LIQUID EJECTION APPARATUS INCLUDING THE SAME - A liquid ejection head including: a channel member including: a ejection openings; a liquid channel communicated with the ejection openings; and a liquid-supply opening for supplying liquid to the liquid channel; an ejection-energy applying portion configured to apply an ejection energy to the liquid in the liquid channel; an electronic part connected to the ejection-energy applying portion; a cover member defining an accommodating space with the channel member, the accommodating space accommodating the electronic part and at least a part of a liquid-supply pipe connected to the liquid-supply opening; and a liquid absorbing member disposed in the accommodating space so as to cover at least a part of a surface of the liquid-supply pipe; wherein the cover member has a through hole formed therein for communicating the accommodating space with an outside of the cover member; and wherein a part of the liquid absorbing member is exposed to the outside of the cover member from an entirety the through hole. | 12-29-2011 |
| 20110316763 | HEAD-MOUNTED DISPLAY APPARATUS, IMAGE CONTROL METHOD AND IMAGE CONTROL PROGRAM - A head-mounted display apparatus which is mountable around a head of a user and configured to allow the user to visually recognize an information image based on image information together with an outside scene image is provided. The apparatus includes an imaging unit which takes the outside scene image, a low frequency region extraction unit which extracts a low frequency region having a space frequency component equal to or smaller than a predetermined space frequency, a color phase recognition unit which recognizes a predetermined color phase in the outside scene image, an imaging frame determination unit which determines an imaging frame based on an image portion which has the predetermined color phase and has a predetermined shape, within the low frequency region, and an image extraction unit which extracts an image within the imaging frame from the outside scene image, and store the extracted image. | 12-29-2011 |
| 20110316675 | APPARATUS FOR COMMUNICATING WTIH RFID TAG - The disclosure discloses an apparatus comprising: an apparatus antenna; a signal transmitting portion configured to transmit a response request signal; an information obtainment portion configured to obtain tag identification information of the RFID tag circuit element; an identification information storage portion configured to store the tag identification information obtained; a calculation portion configured to calculate a duplicated obtainment ratio by the number of redundantly obtained pieces of information of a current obtainment result of the tag identification information to a past obtainment result of the tag identification information stored in the identification information storage portion and by the obtainment result; a comparison portion configured to compare the duplicated obtainment ratio with a threshold value; and a communication control portion configured to execute communication control of widening or narrowing a communication range in the case that the duplicated obtainment ratio is less than or exceeds the threshold value. | 12-29-2011 |
| 20110311294 | IMAGE RECORDING APPARATUS - There is provided an image recording apparatus including a transporting path, a recording section, a first and second rollers pinching the recording medium therebetween, a supporting member which rotatably supports the second roller, a holding member which is movable along a transporting direction of the recording medium, a bias applying member which applies a bias on the holding member, in an opposite direction opposite to the transporting direction and a load member which generates a load in the opposite direction, with respect to the recording medium. | 12-22-2011 |
| 20110311291 | IMAGE RECORDING APPARATUS AND CONTROL METHOD FOR CONTROLLING IMAGE RECORDING APPARATUS - An image recording apparatus including: a transport passage which has a curved portion; a first transport roller pair which is disposed at the curved portion; a second transport roller pair which is located downstream of the first transport roller pair; and a controller which selectively executes a first recording mode or a second recording mode, wherein: in the first recording mode, the controller stops driving of the first transport roller pair for a predetermined period in an interposed state in which a recording medium is interposed by both of the first and second transport roller pairs, the controller controls a second driving motor intermittently and controls a recording head to discharge ink during a stopping period in which the second transport roller pair is stopped; and in the second recording mode, the controller controls first and second driving motors in synchronization in the interposed state. | 12-22-2011 |
| 20110311282 | DEVELOPER SUPPLY DEVICE, DEVELOPER RETRIEVING DEVICE FOR THE SAME, AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS HAVING THE SAME - A developer supply device is provided, which includes a developer retrieving board disposed in closest proximity to a developer holding surface parallel to a first direction, across a predetermined distance in a retrieving proximity position that is downstream relative to a first position where a developer holding surface faces an intended device to be supplied with development agent and upstream relative to a second position that is upstream relative to the first position and a position where the development agent is transferred onto the developer holding surface, in a second direction as a moving direction of the developer holding surface which direction is perpendicular to the first direction. The developer retrieving board retrieves the development agent from the developer holding surface in a position downstream relative to the retrieving proximity position in a developer transfer direction along a developer retrieving path perpendicular to the first direction. | 12-22-2011 |
| 20110311278 | DEVELOPER SUPPLY DEVICE AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS HAVING THE SAME - A developer supply device is provided, which includes a developer fluidizing unit including a movable member that moves in a moving direction identical to a developer transfer direction while contacting a predetermined contact range of a developer transfer surface of a transfer board disposed along an inner wall of a developer storage section, which developer fluidizing unit fluidizes development agent stored in the developer storage section by movement of the movable member, and a developer level adjusting unit that adjusts a level of the development agent stored in the developer storage section to be higher than a downstream end of the predetermined contact range of the developer transfer surface of the transfer board in the moving direction of the movable member. | 12-22-2011 |
| 20110311275 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - An image forming apparatus includes: a plurality of photosensitive members, an endless belt, and a separation mechanism. The photosensitive members are arranged in parallel with and spaced from one another and correspond to respective colors. The plurality of photosensitive members includes a first photosensitive member and at least one second photosensitive member. Each of the photosensitive members has a first end portion and second end portion that is opposite to the first end portion in a longitudinal direction of each of the photosensitive members. The endless belt contacts the photosensitive members. The separation mechanism is configured to swing the second photosensitive member around the first end portion of the second photosensitive member as a fulcrum between a contact position at which the second photosensitive member contacts the endless belt and a separated position at which the second photosensitive member is separated from the endless belt. | 12-22-2011 |
| 20110311270 | Drum Unit - A drum unit is provided. The drum unit includes a frame, a photosensitive drum that is rotatably supported by the frame, a contact member that is held to the frame and that contacts a circumferential surface of the photosensitive drum. The circumferential surface of the photosensitive drum has an image forming area on which an electrostatic latent image is formed and a non-image forming area that is adjacent to the image forming area. The contact member is in surface-contact with the non-image forming area and is not contacting with the image forming area. | 12-22-2011 |
| 20110311268 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS AND TRANSPORT TOOL FOR THE SAME - An image forming apparatus is provided, which includes a main body including two first frames facing each other and a second frame bridging a gap between the first frames, an image forming unit disposed between the first frames, a feed roller unit including a first roller and a second roller supported by the second frame so as to contact the first roller in a position away from the first frame, an urging member providing an urging force to bring the first roller into contact with the second roller in a direction parallel to the first frames, and a spacer detachably attached between the main body and one of the first and second rollers near at least one of the first frames, so as to separate the first roller from the second roller or weaken a contact force between the first roller and the second roller against the urging force. | 12-22-2011 |
| 20110311266 | DEVELOPER SUPPLY DEVICE AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS HAVING THE SAME - A developer supply device is provided, which includes side seal members each of which is disposed to extend across a casing-side facing portion of a casing and a supporting-member-side facing portion of a board supporting member, the casing-side facing portion and the supporting-member-side facing portion facing one of both ends of a developer carrying surface in a first direction, the developer carrying surface being a cylindrical circumferential surface of a roller main body which surface is formed parallel to the first direction to carry development agent thereon. Each of the side seal member is configured to slide in contact with one of both ends of the developer carrying surface in the first direction while filling in a gap between the casing and one of both ends of the roller main body in the first direction. | 12-22-2011 |
| 20110310890 | COMMUNICATION DEVICE - A communication device configured to be connected with both a public switched telephone network and an IP network. The communication device may comprise an input allowing unit configured to allow a user to input specific identification information for the public switched telephone network, a judging unit configured to judge whether or not the communication device itself is in a specific state that is capable of executing a first communication process of communicating via the IP network using IP identification information for the IP network, and a communication unit configured to execute the first communication process, in a first case where the communication device is judged as being in the specific state, and execute a second communication process of communicating via the public switched telephone network, in a second case where the communication device is judged as not being in the specific state. | 12-22-2011 |
| 20110310444 | IMAGE RECORDING DEVICE - A first feeder contacts a first surface of a first sheet held in a first tray and feeds the first sheet toward a recording unit. A second feeder contacts a first surface of a second sheet held in a second tray and feeds the second sheet toward the recording unit. An inner member is disposed above a standing plate. An outer member comprises an upstream portion opposing the standing plate, and a downstream portion opposing the inner member. The inner member guides the first surface of the first sheet and the first surface of the second sheet. The standing plate guides the first surface of the second sheet. The upstream portion of the outer member guides a second surface of the second sheet, and the downstream portion guides a second surface of the first sheet and the second surface of the second sheet. The standing plate moves relative to the outer member. | 12-22-2011 |
| 20110310408 | FUNCTION EXECUTION DEVICE - A function execution device connected to at least one other device includes: a memory storing a plurality of setting values corresponding to a plurality of setting items; an execution portion executing a function by using the plurality of setting values; a screen data supply portion supplying, to a display device, device screen data for showing a device screen, on which a user selects a target device from the at least one other device, and item screen data for showing an item screen, on which the user selects at least one setting item from the plurality of setting items; an acquisition portion that acquires device information about the target device; and a transmission portion transmitting, to the target device, at least one setting value corresponding to the at least one setting item selected by the user on the item screen, among the plurality of setting values stored in the memory. | 12-22-2011 |
| 20110310402 | File-Generating Device - In a file-generating device, the image acquiring unit is configured to acquire image data indicating an original image. The generating unit is configured to generate a document file having no data to specify a page, by using the image data. The printer data acquiring unit is configured to acquire a prescribed size of a sheet that is used by a target printer and a first margin corresponding to the prescribed size of the sheet. The target printer is to print the original image on a recording sheet based on the document file. The printable region determining unit is configured to determine a printable region within which the target printer is configured to print an image on the sheet, based on the prescribed size of the sheet and the first margin. The generating unit generates the document file such that the original image is positioned within the printable region. | 12-22-2011 |
| 20110310207 | IMAGE RECORDING DEVICE - An image recording device comprises a housing, a sheet cassette, a recording unit, and a convey path defining member. The housing has an opening. The sheet cassette is configured to hold therein sheets and configured to be inserted into and removed from the housing through the opening. The recording unit is configured to record an image on a sheet conveyed from the sheet cassette along a convey path. The convey path defining member is configured to pivot, about a pivot shaft supported by the housing, between a guiding position for forming a guide surface that defines a part of the convey path, and an exposing position for exposing the part of the convey path to the opening. The convey path defining member is configured to pivot in response to insertion and removal of the sheet cassette. | 12-22-2011 |
| 20110310206 | IMAGE RECORDING APPARATUS - An image recording apparatus including: a first conveying path for guiding a recording medium in a conveying direction; a recording portion configured to record an image on the recording medium guided by the first conveying path; a tray provided below the recording portion so as to accommodate the recording medium; a supplying roller configured to supply the recording medium accommodated by the tray to the first conveying path; a first arm provided above the tray, wherein the supplying roller is provided on a distal end of the first arm; a first frame configured to support the recording portion; and a second frame provided separately from the first frame and configured to support the first arm. | 12-22-2011 |
| 20110310199 | INK CARTRIDGE, IMAGE RECORDING APPARATUS, AND IMAGE RECORDING APPARATUS PACKAGED BODY - A print liquid cartridge comprises an ink chamber, a liquid supply portion, and a translucent portion. The ink chamber which accumulates ink therein is positioned between a front side in an insertion direction and a rear side in an opposite direction to the insertion direction. The liquid supply portion which supplies ink stored in the ink chamber to an exterior of the ink chamber is positioned at the front side. The translucent portion which is in fluid communication with an interior of the ink chamber is positioned at the front side. A light-transmitting state of the translucent portion changes in response to a change in the amount of the ink accumulated in the ink chamber. The ink supply portion projects farther forward from the rear side than the translucent portion. | 12-22-2011 |
| 20110310198 | IMAGE PRINTING APPARATUS - An image printing apparatus including a cartridge mounting unit on which an ink cartridge is detachably mountable. The cartridge mounting unit includes a sensor configured to detect a light transmitted through a remaining amount detecting portion. The image printing apparatus further includes a counter configured to count ejected ink and a storage section configured to store a count integrated value. The image printing apparatus further includes a reset section configured to reset the value stored in the storage section. Moreover, the image printing apparatus includes a temporary count holding section configured to temporally store the integrated value stored in the storage section and restore the value of storage section in response to a trigger signal. Therefore, the image printing apparatus may reliably detect an exchange of an ink cartridge and may accurately detect a remaining amount of ink. | 12-22-2011 |
| 20110310197 | INK CARTRIDGE AND RECORDING APPARATUS - There is provided an ink cartridge including a body, a particular interface and an engagement portion. The body has a front side at which an ink supply portion is located for supplying ink stored in an ink chamber to an exterior of the ink chamber, and a rear side located to face the front side. The particular interface is positioned substantially adjacent to the ink supply portion at the front side, wherein the particular interface is configured to be biased by a biasing member in a specific direction. The engagement portion is configured to be engaged with a locking section of a cartridge installation portion for retaining the body in an installed state. | 12-22-2011 |
| 20110310196 | LIQUID CARTRIDGES - A liquid cartridge includes a cartridge main body comprising a liquid chamber and an end surface. The liquid cartridge also includes a communicating portion protruding from the end surface of the cartridge main body in a protruding direction which is perpendicular to a width direction. The liquid chamber includes a wide portion and a narrow portion which is narrower than the wide portion in the width direction, and the narrow portion is offset toward a first side of the cartridge main body in the width direction. When the liquid cartridge is oriented such that the communicating portion faces downward and liquid is stored in the narrow portion, a position of center of gravity of the liquid cartridge is offset toward the first side of the cartridge main body from an area occupied by the communicating portion when the liquid cartridge is viewed in a vertical direction. | 12-22-2011 |
| 20110310195 | LIQUID CARTRIDGE URGING UNITS - A liquid cartridge urging unit includes a frame including at least one guide bar and two or more sliders. Each of the two or more sliders moves between a release position and a mount position. The liquid cartridge urging unit also includes two or more urging members configured to urge the two or more sliders, respectively, and at least one stopper disposed at the at least one guide bar and configured to contact the two or more sliders to restrict a movement of the two or more sliders. Each of the two or more sliders and the at least one guide bar includes an engagement portion configured to restrict movements of one of the two or more sliders and a corresponding one of the at least one guide bar separating from each other. | 12-22-2011 |
| 20110310194 | INK CARTRIDGE SUPPRESSING INTERNAL PRESSURE INCREASE AT THE TIME OF INSTALLATION - There is provided an ink cartridge including a first ink chamber, a second ink chamber, an ink-flow check portion and a pressure control portion. The first ink chamber is configured to store ink therein. The second ink chamber is in fluid communication with the first ink chamber via a first path, the second ink chamber defining therein a volume. The ink-flow check portion is configured to allow the ink to flow from the first ink chamber to the second ink chamber and block the ink from flowing from the second ink chamber to the first ink chamber. The pressure control portion is configured to control an internal pressure of the second ink chamber. | 12-22-2011 |
| 20110310192 | RECORDING APPARATUS AND INK CARTRIDGE - An ink cartridge includes an ink chamber that stores ink and a body. The body has a first edge, a second edge, and an ink supply portion positioned at the first wall. A first detection portion is positioned at a particular end of the first edge, and a second detection portion positioned at a further end of the first edge opposite to the particular end of the first wall. The first detection portion and the second detection portion are positioned to be detected during an installation process. A remaining amount detection portion is positioned closer to the second wall than each of the first detection portion and the second detection portion, wherein the remaining amount detection portion is positioned and configured to be detected during an installation process. | 12-22-2011 |
| 20110310191 | RECORDING APPARATUS AND INK CARTRIDGE - An ink cartridge includes a body having a first edge, an ink supply unit positioned at the first edge and configured to supply ink to an exterior of the ink cartridge, and a second edge positioned facing the first edge. The ink cartridge also has a specific projection portion positioned substantially adjacent to the ink supply unit at the first edge. The specific projection portion is configured to be biased by a biasing member in a specific direction. | 12-22-2011 |
| 20110310190 | RECORDING APPARATUS AND INK CARTRIDGE - An ink cartridge includes an ink chamber configured to store an ink therein, a body having a first edge and a second edge positioned on an opposite side of the body from the first edge in a particular direction, a particular wall, and an ink supply portion configured to supply the ink stored in the ink chamber to an interior of the ink chamber, wherein the ink supply portion is positioned at the particular wall, and a specific detection portion positioned at a specific end of the first edge. The specific detection portion is configured to move a moving member of a cartridge installation portion for accommodating the ink cartridge. The specific detection portion moves the moving member to a specific detection position such that the moving member is detected by a specific sensor during an installation process of the ink cartridge into the cartridge installation portion. | 12-22-2011 |
| 20110310189 | RECORDING APPARATUS AND INK CARTRIDGE - An ink cartridge includes a particular wall, a particular edge, a first detection portion positioned at the particular edge, a second detection portion positioned at the particular edge, a third detection portion extending from the particular wall in a particular direction, an ink supply portion positioned at the particular wall, and a remaining amount detection portion positioned at the particular wall. Each of the first detection portion and the second detection portion is positioned further from the particular edge in the particular direction than the ink supply portion is positioned from the particular edge. The third detection portion is positioned further from the particular edge in the particular direction than the remaining amount detection portion is positioned from the particular edge and the third detection portion is positioned closer to the particular edge than the ink supply portion. | 12-22-2011 |
| 20110310188 | INK CARTRIDGES - An ink cartridge is removably mounted to a recording apparatus. The ink cartridge includes a main body and first and second protrusions. A particular end of the second protrusion extends further than a particular end of the first protrusion in the insertion direction. The main body includes an ink chamber, a particular wall having a first end and a second end opposite the first end in a further direction, a communication portion that selectively places an interior of the ink chamber and an exterior of the ink chamber into fluid communication, a holding portion positioned opposite the particular wall, and a bottom wall. A distance from a rear end of the bottom wall to the particular end of the second protrusion in the insertion direction is less than a distance from a rear end of the holding portion to an end of the second protrusion in the insertion direction. | 12-22-2011 |
| 20110310187 | SETS OF INK CARTRIDGES - A set of ink cartridges is configured to mount in a cartridge mounting portion of a recording apparatus in an insertion direction. The set of cartridges includes a first and a second ink cartridge, and each cartridge includes a main body and a particular protrusion positioned adjacent to a bottom wall of the main body and extending from a portion of the main body in the insertion direction away from an ink chamber. The main body includes a first wall, the ink chamber, a communication portion disposed at the first wall; a second wall disposed opposite the first wall, and the bottom wall. The ink chamber is disposed between the first and second walls. A first length difference between a first length of a portion of the bottom wall extending from a rear end of the bottom wall of the first ink cartridge to an end of the particular protrusion of the first ink cartridge and a total length of the first ink cartridge is different from a second length difference between a second length extending from a rear end of the bottom wall of the second ink cartridge to an end of the particular protrusion of the second ink cartridge and a total length of the second ink cartridge. | 12-22-2011 |
| 20110310175 | LIQUID DROPLET JETTING APPARATUS - A liquid droplet jetting apparatus includes a jetting head having a jetting surface on which a plurality of nozzles are formed for jetting liquid droplets; a carriage carrying the jetting head and moving reciprocatingly in a first direction along a surface parallel to the jetting surface; and a guide member having a guide surface perpendicular to the jetting surface and extending in the first direction to guide the carriage along the guide surface. The carriage is provided with a fixed slide member fixed to the carriage to slide along the guide surface; a movable slide member arranged apart from the fixed slide member in the first direction to slide along the guide surface and configured to be movable with respect to the carriage in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction; and an angle change mechanism for changing an angle of the carriage relative to the first direction. | 12-22-2011 |
| 20110310174 | IMAGE RECORDING APPARATUS - There is provided an image recording apparatus including: | 12-22-2011 |
| 20110310170 | INK DISCHARGE APPARATUS - There is provided an ink discharge apparatus including a discharge head provided with a nozzle surface having a first nozzle which is formed in the nozzle surface and via which a liquid droplet of a first ink is discharged and a second nozzle which is formed in the nozzle surface and via which a liquid droplet of a second ink, having a color deeper than a color of the first ink, is discharged; a maintenance device which performs maintenance of the discharge head; and an apparatus body in which the maintenance device is arranged. The maintenance device includes a suction cap which is arranged with respect to the apparatus body, with a predetermined clearance, so the suction cap is rockable three-dimensionally; and an urging mechanism which urges a corner portion of the suction cap in a direction orthogonal to the nozzle surface. | 12-22-2011 |
| 20110310168 | ELECTRONIC DEVICE - An electronic device, including a carriage conveyance mechanism, a sheet conveyance mechanism, and a controller including: a failure detecting portion configured to detect a carriage conveyance failure; a position detecting portion configured to detect a carriage position of on a carriage conveyance path; a conveyance start position storage portion configured to store a conveyance start position of the carriage; a failure occurrence position identifying portion configured to identify a failure occurrence position; an outer-edge position identifying portion configured to identify a position of an outer edge of a sheet passing area which is an area in the carriage conveyance path; and a jam judging portion configured to judge that the detected conveyance failure is due to a sheet jam where the outer-edge position is present between the conveyance start position stored by the conveyance start position storage portion and the failure occurrence position identified by the failure occurrence position identifying portion. | 12-22-2011 |
| 20110310147 | LIQUID EJECTING DEVICE CAPABLE OF REDUCING VOLTAGE APPLICATION PERIOD AND PREVENTING LEAKAGE OF LIQUID - A driving-signal applying section maintains a first driving signal at a first low voltage prior to and subsequent to a first voltage application period during which voltage is applied to a first active potion based on image data for one recording medium, maintains a second driving signal at a second low voltage prior to and subsequent to a second voltage application period during which voltage is applied to a second active portion based on the image data, changes the second driving signal from the second low voltage to a second high voltage at a first time point that is a first predetermined period before a second time point that is a starting time point of the first voltage application period, and maintains the second driving signal at the second high voltage from the first time point until the second time point. | 12-22-2011 |
| 20110310145 | IMAGE RECORDING APPARATUS - A multifunction machine includes: a first feeding roller and a second feeding roller; an intermediate roller pair provided to a curved portion of a transport route; a main transporting roller pair; a recording head; a first drive motor and a second drive motor; and a control section. The control section intermittently drives the main transporting roller pair and makes the recording head jet ink during a period of time in which the main transporting roller pair is stopped, and performs pre-paper feeding processing for rotating the first feeding roller a predetermined amount in a paper feeding direction when a rear end of a paper is positioned between a first sensor and the first feeding roller. | 12-22-2011 |
| 20110310139 | RECORDING APPARATUS - A recording apparatus of the present invention includes: a recording head having ejection openings which eject liquid, a liquid supply unit which supplies the liquid to the recording head, and a supply control unit which controls the liquid supply unit. The recording head includes: a liquid supply portion and first and second discharge portions; a first passage connecting the supply portion and the first discharge portion; a second passage which branches off from the first passage and communicates with the second discharge portion; a supply passage which branches off from the second passage and which supplies the liquid to the ejection openings; and a first filter disposed nearby a position at which the second passage branches off from the first passage, which filtrates the liquid flowing from the first passage to the second passage. The supply control unit controls the liquid supply unit so as to start a second liquid flow forming operation after a first liquid flow forming operation is started, the first liquid flow forming operation being a process which supplies the liquid from the supply portion to the first passage and discharge from the discharge portion; and the second liquid flow forming operation being a process which supplies the liquid from the supply portion to the first passage and discharge the liquid from the second discharge portion via the second passage. | 12-22-2011 |
| 20110309571 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - An image recording apparatus including: (i) a first controlling portion configured to intermittently convey a following sheet at a second velocity together with intermittent conveyance of a preceding sheet at a first velocity higher than the second velocity; (ii) a predicting portion configured to predict one of the successive intermittent conveyances of the following sheet which is performed together with one of the successive intermittent conveyances of the preceding sheet which causes the trailing end of the preceding sheet to pass a reference position; and (iii) a second controlling portion configured to inhibit the predicted one of the successive intermittent conveyances of the following sheet, and configured to convey the following sheet at a third conveying velocity higher than the second conveying velocity, from a point of time at which the trailing end of the preceding sheet passes the reference position, such that conveyance of the following sheet at the third conveying velocity is stopped without a leading end of the following sheet being brought into contact with the trailing end of the preceding sheet. | 12-22-2011 |
| 20110309570 | SHEET GUIDE AND IMAGE RECORDING APPARATUS - A sheet guide includes a base on which a sheet is placed; a pinion which is rotatably provided on the base; a pair of racks which are extended in a sliding direction, which sandwich the pinion therebetween, which are engaged with the pinion to move opposite to each other in the sliding direction; a pair of positioning members which are provided at one end portions of the pair of racks respectively, and which come closer and move away from each other by movement of the pair of racks to position the sheet in the sliding direction; a sliding guide which is formed in the base and which guides the pair of racks in the sliding direction; and a pressing member which is provided on the base and which presses a portion of at least one rack of the racks to urge the at least one rack against the pinion. | 12-22-2011 |
| 20110309564 | IMAGE PRINTING DEVICE - A printing device includes a first transporting mechanism driven by a first motor, a printing unit, a second transporting mechanism configured to transport the printing medium transported by first transporting mechanism and is performed image printing on a first surface thereof by the printing unit, to the first transporting mechanism. The first transporting mechanism includes first transporting rollers disposed at a position upstream of the printing unit, and further includes second transporting rollers disposed at a position downstream of the printing unit and configured to rotate in both directions. The second transporting mechanism includes third transporting rollers driven by a second motor and configured to transport the printing medium switched back by the second transporting rollers toward the first transporting rollers. A transporting force of the second transporting rollers is smaller than a transporting force of the third transporting rollers. | 12-22-2011 |
| 20110305470 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - Provided is an image forming apparatus including an image forming section forming images on image forming faces of a recording medium, a condition setting section individually setting an operating condition of the image forming section for forming the image on a first image forming face of a recording medium and another operating condition of the image forming section for forming the image on a second image forming face of the recording medium opposite to the first image forming face in the manual duplex mode, and a control section controlling the image forming section on the basis of each operating condition set by the condition setting section. | 12-15-2011 |
| 20110299908 | TAPE PRINTING SYSTEM AND INPUT DEVICE - A tape printing system includes an input device, at least consisting of a key input unit and a display, and a printing device, consisting of a thermal head and a head driving circuit in separate from the input device. Further, there are plural kinds of key input units | 12-08-2011 |
| 20110299880 | IMAGE FORMING DEVICE HAVING SHUTTER DRIVING MEMBER - An image forming device includes a plurality of image bearing members, a plurality of developing units, a plurality of toner cartridges, a plurality of shutter driving members, a driving force generating member that generates a driving force, and a driving force transmitting mechanism that transmits the driving force to the shutter driving members. Each toner cartridge includes a casing formed with an opening through which toner accommodated in the casing is supplied to the corresponding developing unit and a shutter movable between an opening position at which the shutter opens the opening and a closing position at which the shutter closes the opening. Each of the shutter driving members moves the corresponding shutter between the opening position and the closing position when supplied with the driving force. | 12-08-2011 |
| 20110299879 | IMAGE FORMING DEVICE HAVING SHUTTER DRIVING MEMBER - An image forming device includes a main casing, a support member, a plurality of image bearing members supported on the support member, a plurality of developing units supported on the support member, a plurality of toner cartridges detachably mounted on the support member, and a shutter closing mechanism. Each toner cartridge includes a casing formed with an opening through which toner accommodated in the casing is supplied to the developing unit and a shutter movable between an opening position at which the shutter opens the opening and a closing position at which the shutter closes the opening. The shutter closing mechanism moves the shutter of one of the toner cartridges to be replaced from the opening position to the closing position while maintaining the shutters of the remaining toner cartridges at the respective opening positions. | 12-08-2011 |
| 20110299878 | IMAGE FORMING DEVICE INCLUDING TONER CARTRIDGE HAVING SHUTTER - An image forming device includes a support member and a plurality of operation members supported on the support member. The support member is movable relative to a main casing. A plurality of toner cartridges is detachably mounted on the support member, and each includes a casing formed with an opening for supplying toner to a corresponding developing unit and a shutter movable relative to the casing to selectively open and close the opening. Each operation member is operated in a direction substantially parallel to an axial direction of photosensitive drums to press one of the casing and the shutter, thereby moving the shutter relative to the casing in the direction to open the opening. | 12-08-2011 |
| 20110299875 | Image Forming Apparatus and Developing Cartridge - A developing cartridge includes a case having a first sidewall and a second sidewall opposite to the first sidewall, and a developing roller disposed between the first sidewall and second sidewall. The developing roller can include a developing roller shaft and a developing roller member configured to carry a developing agent thereon, the developing roller member disposed around the developing roller shaft. Also, the developing cartridge can include an electrode disposed on the first sidewall adjacent to the developing roller shaft, the electrode electrically connected to the developing roller member, and a driven coupling disposed on the second sidewall. The electrode can include, an extending portion extending in a direction away from the first sidewall. An outermost periphery of the driven coupling defines a projection plane projecting in a direction towards the electrode, wherein at least a part of the extending portion is disposed within the projection plane. | 12-08-2011 |
| 20110298860 | IMAGE-FORMING DEVICE - An image forming device includes a recording head, a first pair of conveying rollers, a second pair of conveying rollers, and a conveyance controller. The conveyance controller controls the first and second pairs of conveying rollers to halt a conveying operation of the recording medium when a trailing edge of the recording medium has moved to or exceeded a position downstream from the nip position of the first pair of conveying rollers by a first prescribed distance during a first prescribed period of time running from a time instant when the trailing edge of the recording medium has passed through the nip position of the first pair of the conveying rollers. | 12-08-2011 |
| 20110297063 | NEEDLE PLATE AND SEWING MACHINE - A needle plate is disclosed including a first needle plate secured on a bed and a second needle plate detachably attached to the first needle plate. An engagement mechanism is further provided including an engagement member formed at the first needle plate and an engagement subject member formed at the second needle plate. The engagement mechanism retains the second needle plate with the first needle plate through engagement of the engagement member and the engagement subject member. The needle plate is further provided with a switching element switching positioning of the second needle plate relative to the first needle plate between the first and the second positions. The second needle plate, when in the first position, is secured in intimate contact with the first needle plate with the engagement mechanism engaged, and when in the second position, is distanced from the first needle plate with the engagement mechanism unlocked. | 12-08-2011 |
| 20110295946 | COMMUNICATION DEVICE - A communication device is connected to a terminal device including a display and a web browser through a network. The communication device includes: a first providing unit that provides a first web page display instruction to the terminal device; and a second providing unit that provides a second web page display instruction to the terminal device for making the web browser display a second web page including a specific message on the display unit. The specific message indicates a solution when the first web page including the predetermined information acquired from the external server is not displayed on the display unit of the terminal device, and the solution is for making the web browser acquire the predetermined information by a different method from the method of acquiring the predetermined information from the external server and display the predetermined information on the display unit of the terminal device. | 12-01-2011 |
| 20110295410 | EMBROIDERY DATA CREATION APPARATUS AND NON-TRANSITORY COMPUTER-READABLE MEDIUM STORING EMBROIDERY DATA CREATION PROGRAM - An embroidery data creation apparatus includes a storage portion that stores pattern information for a first pattern, a first point specification portion that specifies first feature points, a first area specification portion that specifies first partitioned areas bounded by line segments linking the first feature points, an image acquisition portion that acquires a second image, a second point specification portion that specifies second feature points that correspond to the respective first feature points, a second area specification portion that specifies second partitioned areas bounded by line segments linking the second feature points, a conversion portion that, based on positional relationships between the first and second feature points, converts information of the pattern information that corresponds to the first partitioned areas into information that corresponds to the plurality of second partitioned areas, and a first creation portion that creates embroidery data for sewing the second pattern based on the information. | 12-01-2011 |
| 20110294357 | CONNECTOR - A connector including: a housing having an opening into which a plug is detachably inserted and an insertion member other than the plug can be inserted; and a plurality of contacts that includes a power contact and a ground contact and is configured to contact a plurality of contacts of the plug in the opening, wherein the power contact is arranged on a first surface and the ground contact is arranged on a second surface, a position of the first surface being different from a position of the second surface. | 12-01-2011 |
| 20110293350 | PRINTER - A printer that includes a cassette mounting portion into which a tape cassette is mounted and from which is removed a tape cassette in an up-down direction, a printing head that performs printing on the tape, a platen roller that faces the printing head, a roller holder that rotatably supports the platen roller, a sensor that detects the type of the tape, a sensor holder that holds the sensor, and a protective portion that is provided on the roller holder and is provided above the sensor. | 12-01-2011 |
| 20110293348 | IMAGE RECORDING APPARATUS - An image recording apparatus includes: at least one roller pair which has a driving roller and a driven roller facing the driving roller and which rotates while interposing the recording medium therebetween to transport the recording medium in a first direction; a recording section which records an image on the recording medium transported by the roller pair; a position detecting section which detects a position of the recording medium with respect to the roller pair in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction before the recording section starts recording; a determining section which determines a rotation amount of the driving roller before the recording section starts the recording depending on the position in the second direction of the recording medium detected by the position detecting section; and a control unit which controls the driving roller based on the rotation amount determined by the determining section. | 12-01-2011 |
| 20110293341 | Fixing Device - A fixing device includes a heat roller and a heater. The heat roller extends in an axial direction and includes a cylindrical-shaped roller section and a coil, the roller section having an inner peripheral surface defining an internal space therewithin and the coil being wound along the inner peripheral surface, the heat roller being configured of a plurality of zones in the axial direction, the plurality of zones including a low zone whose heat capacity is less than a predetermined value and a high zone whose heat capacity is not less than the predetermined value. The heater is disposed within the internal space of the roller section and has a heating wire configured to generate heat, the heating wire having at least a first portion which is in confrontation with the high zone and a second portion which is in confrontation with the low zone, and the heating wire being configured such that the first portion has an amount of heat generation greater than an amount of heat generation at the second portion. | 12-01-2011 |
| 20110293335 | DEVELOPER SUPPLY DEVICE AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS HAVING THE SAME - A developer supply device is provided, which includes a developer retrieving member disposed to face a developer holding surface of a developer holding member across a predetermined distance in a position downstream relative to a developer supply position where the developer holding member faces an intended device to be supplied with development agent in a direction perpendicular to a main scanning direction parallel to an axial direction of the developer holding member. The developer retrieving member is driven to rotate around an axis parallel to the main scanning direction and configured to retrieve the development agent from the developer holding surface under a retrieving electric field that is generated when a retrieving voltage is applied between the developer retrieving member and the developer holding member. | 12-01-2011 |
| 20110293325 | Drum Unit, Development Cartridge Detachably Attachable to the Drum Unit, and Image Forming Apparatus Having the Drum Unit and the Development Cartridge - A drum unit is provided, which includes a frame configured such that a development cartridge including a pressed portion is detachably attached thereto, and a pressing member. The development cartridge is movable between a pressed state where the pressed portion is pressed by the pressing member when attached to the frame and a released state where the pressed portion is released from pressing of the pressing member when the development cartridge is attached to the frame. The pressing member includes a pressing section that contacts and presses the pressed portion when the development cartridge is in the pressed state, and a restriction section configured to, when the development cartridge is in the pressing state, restrict movement of the pressed portion in a released direction, in which the pressed portion moves when the development cartridge moves from the pressing state to the released state. | 12-01-2011 |
| 20110293320 | STOPPER FOR DEVELOPER FILLING PORT AND DEVELOPING DEVICE - A stopper for plugging a developer filling port includes a stopper main body and a lock member engageable with the stopper main body. The stopper main body is configured to be fitted to the filling port and shaped like a tube with a bottom. The lock member has a rigidity greater than that of the stopper main body, the lock member engaged with the stopper main body serves to restrict deformation of the stopper main body. A developing device for use in an image forming apparatus includes the stopper configured as described above to be fitted to its developer filling port. | 12-01-2011 |
| 20110293318 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - An image forming apparatus is provided. The image forming apparatus includes a chassis having an opening, a cover, photosensitive members, an intermediate transfer belt, a primary-transfer member, a secondary-transfer roller, a cleaner device, a waste toner container, which is movable along a predetermined direction to be removably installed in the chassis through the opening and stores residual toner, a connector, and a feed roller, which is arranged within the feeding path to feed the recording sheet in the feeding path. The feed roller is arranged in a position to at least partially fall within a vertical range of the waste toner container and to be aligned with the waste toner container along an axial direction of the second feed roller. | 12-01-2011 |
| 20110293317 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - An image forming apparatus is provided. The image forming apparatus includes a chassis, a cover, photosensitive members, an intermediate transfer belt, primary-transfer members, a secondary-transfer roller, a first feed roller, a cleaner device, a waste toner container, which is movable along the predetermined direction to be removably installed in the chassis through a first opening and stores residual toner, a connector, a first feeding path, a second feeding path being a path for a recording sheet inserted through a sheet inlet and includes a sheet guide to guide the recording sheet, and a second feed roller. The second feed roller is movable along with at least a part of the sheet guide. The waste toner container is movable through space, which is occupied by the second feed roller in an upper position, and the first opening when the second feed roller is in a lower position. | 12-01-2011 |
| 20110293316 | Image Forming Apparatus - An image forming apparatus is provided. The image forming apparatus includes a chassis having an opening, a cover, photosensitive members, an intermediate transfer belt, a primary-transfer member, a secondary-transfer roller, a cleaner device, an external-sheet inlet, a waste toner container, a connector, and a conveying roller, which is arranged within the feeding path to feed the recording sheet inserted through the external-sheet inlet in the feeding path. The conveying roller is mounted on the waste toner container and removable from the chassis along with the waste toner container. | 12-01-2011 |
| 20110293308 | Fixing Device Having Heat Roller Reinforced By Coil - A fixing device includes a heat roller and an opposing component. The heat roller extends in an axial direction and includes a cylindrical-shaped roller section and a coil. The heat roller section has an inner circumferential surface and an outer circumferential surface. The coil is spirally wound along the inner circumferential surface and including a first portion and a second portion other than the first portion, the first portion being configured of such a number of turns of the coil, the number being a natural number greater than zero, the first portion having a first coil pitch length in the axial direction, and the second portion being configured of at least one turn of the coil and having a second coil pitch length in the axial direction greater than the first coil pitch length. The opposing component confronts the outer circumferential surface of the roller section and is exclusively superposed with an entire first portion via the roller section. | 12-01-2011 |
| 20110293301 | Image Forming Apparatus - An image forming apparatus for printing an image on a medium, comprising: a first image carrier; a second image carrier disposed downstream of the first image carrier in a traveling direction of the medium; a first charging member configured to charge the first image carrier; a second charging member configured to charge the second image carrier; and a control unit configured to execute a monochrome printing mode in which a monochromic image is formed on the medium using the first image carrier and the first charging member and a color printing mode in which a color image is formed on the medium using the second image carrier and the second charging member. In the monochrome printing mode, the control unit makes an absolute value of an electric surface potential of the second image carrier larger than an absolute value of the electric surface potential of the first image carrier. | 12-01-2011 |
| 20110293199 | IMAGE PROCESSING DEVICE, AND RECORDING MEDIUM STORING IMAGE PROCESSING PROGRAM - An image processing device connected with an image formation device configured to output image on a recording medium, includes a data obtaining unit configured to obtain map image data representing a basic map image showing a user-designated geographic area at a user-designated scale, an area identifying unit configured to identify a basic image formation area and a surplus area, the basic map image being formed on the basic image formation area, the surplus area being an area within the image forming area but the basic map image is not formed. The image processing device further includes an additional data obtaining unit configured to obtain map image data necessary for covering an enlarged image formation area including the basic image formation area and at least part of the surplus area, from the map image data provider. The map image can be formed based on the updated map image data. | 12-01-2011 |
| 20110292481 | Light Source Device and Optical Scanner - A light source device includes a light source, a coupling lens configured to convert light emitted from the light source into a beam of light, a holding member configured to hold the coupling lens, and a frame to which the holding member is fixed. The holding member includes a tubular main body portion for holding the coupling lens, and a pair of first protrusions sticking out from an outer peripheral surface of the main body portion. The pair of first protrusions have fixing surfaces lying in the same plane and fixed to the frame. | 12-01-2011 |
| 20110292471 | Optical Scanner - An optical scanner includes: a light source; a light deflector configured to deflect a light beam from the light source in a main scanning direction; a scanning lens through which the light beam having been deflected by the light deflector passes; a beam detector configured to detect the light beam; a mirror disposed between the light deflector and the scanning lens in an optical axis direction of the scanning lens and configured to reflect the light beam having been deflected by the light deflector toward the beam detector; and a wall portion configured to cover one end face of the mirror that faces the scanning lens, wherein the surface of the wall portion facing the scanning lens is tilted with respect to a sub-scanning direction orthogonal to the main scanning direction. | 12-01-2011 |
| 20110292457 | Scanning Apparatus, Information Processing Apparatus, Program and Scanning System - A scanning apparatus which scans a document, includes: a scanning section which includes a scanning area and which scans the document in the scanning area; a control device which includes a position information capturing section which captures a position information indicating a position of the document on the scanning area when the document is scanned by the scanning section and a processing section which performs a plurality of processes with respect to an image data of the document scanned by the scanning section based on the position information captured by the position information capturing section. | 12-01-2011 |
| 20110292452 | METHOD OF ADJUSTING LINE DATA AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - A method of adjusting line data is provided, where a dot pattern for one line is represented by dot data indicative of dot formation and blank data indicative of no dot formation. The method includes: determining whether X or more blank data are arranged consecutively, the X or more blank data including adjacent blank data adjacent to dot data on at least one side of the dot data, where X is an integer greater than or equal to one (X≧1); and converting Y consecutive blank data including the adjacent blank data into dot data if it is determined that the X or more blank data are arranged consecutively in the determining step, where Y is an integer greater than or equal to one and less than or equal to X (X≧Y≧1). | 12-01-2011 |
| 20110292440 | PRINTING CONTROL DEVICE, PRINTING CONTROL METHOD AND NON-TRANSITORY COMPUTER READABLE MEDIUM - A printing control device includes a web page data acquiring portion configured to acquire web page data of a prescribed web page from the web server and a display configured to display the prescribed web page. The printing control device further includes an extraction portion configured to extract data for constituting a duplication object. The printing control device still further includes a print data creation portion configured to create print data for forming at least two duplicated images of the duplication object based on the extracted data. Moreover, the printing control device includes a printing instruction portion configured to instruct the printing unit to form an image on the recording medium based on the created print data. | 12-01-2011 |
| 20110292424 | Computer Readable Medium Having Common Printer Driver, and Print Port Managing Method - A non-transitory computer readable medium having a common printer driver to be executed by a print control device communicatively connected to one or more printers and mounting an operating system is provided. The common printer driver, when executed by the print control device, causing the print control device to perform the steps of: selecting any printer from one or more of the printers; generation requesting the operating system to generate a logical print port for communication with a printer selected in the selecting step, recording usage history of the print port generated in the generation requesting step, and deletion requesting for determining whether the print port is necessary or not based on the usage history and requesting the operating system to delete the print port determined to be unnecessary. | 12-01-2011 |
| 20110292158 | Image Forming Apparatus with Optical Scanner - In a scanner housing of an optical scanner fixed to a main body housing of an image forming apparatus, an opposite wall is disposed between a support wall on which an optical element is supported and a wall of the main body housing. A space at an extreme end of an inner projection has a distance smaller than distances at all other spaces between the support wall and the opposite wall. A space at an extreme end of an outer projection has a distance smaller than distances at all other spaces between the wall of the main body housing and the opposite wall. The space at the extreme end of the inner projection overlaps with the space at the extreme end of the outer projection as viewed from a direction in which the inner projection and the outer projection project. | 12-01-2011 |
| 20110292150 | LABEL PRODUCING APPARATUS AND TAPE CARTRIDGE - This disclosure discloses a label producing apparatus comprising: an apparatus housing; a roll holder arranged on said apparatus housing that detachably mounts thereon a tape roll winding a label producing tape; an optical detecting device that optically detects a plurality of detection mark formed at a predetermined interval along a peripheral direction of a detected body provided so as to rotate at an angular velocity in coordination with an angular velocity of said tape roll on a side of said tape roll mounted to said roll holder or on a side of said apparatus housing; a residual amount identifying portion that identifies a residual tape amount of said tape roll based on a detection result of said optical detecting device; and a residual amount related information output portion that outputs residual amount related information related to said residual tape amount identified to a display device. | 12-01-2011 |
| 20110292147 | TRANSPORTING APPARATUS AND PRINTER USING THE SAME - There is provided a transporting apparatus which includes a pair of transporting rollers including drive and driven rollers; a transporting path including a curved portion which changes a transporting direction of the transporting medium; a movable member which is changeable to a first attitude forming an outer side of the curved portion to guide the transporting medium, and a second attitude opening the curved portion not to form the outer side of the curved portion. The movable member has a guiding portion which guides the transporting medium between the pair of transporting rollers, in the first attitude, and a positioning portion which positions the guiding portion with respect to a shaft of the drive roller in the first attitude, and which is separated from the shaft of the drive roller in the second attitude. | 12-01-2011 |
| 20110292139 | LIQUID CARTRIDGE FOR IMAGE FORMING DEVICE - A liquid cartridge detachably mountable on a body of an image forming device and capable of supplying liquid to the image forming device when mounted on the body. A liquid delivery path has a first portion and a second portion positioned between a liquid accommodating unit and the first portion. A first opening/closing unit is configured so as to be capable of being switched between an open state in which the first portion is opened and a closed state in which the first portion is closed. A second opening/closing unit is configured so as to be capable of being switched between an open state in which the second portion is opened and a closed state in which the second portion is closed. A storing unit is configured to store time length data indicating a length of a prescribed time. A second opening/closing unit is changed from the closed state to the open state when the prescribed time has elapsed after the liquid cartridge is mounted on the body. | 12-01-2011 |
| 20110292130 | LIQUID EJECTING HEAD - A liquid ejecting head according to the present invention comprises a passage unit and an actuator unit. The passage unit includes: a plurality of liquid passages each of which contains a first opening for ejecting liquid and a pressure chamber connected to the first opening; and a surface having a plurality of second openings by which the pressure chambers are exposed. The actuator unit is fixed to the surface of the passage unit with a binder and covers the second openings. The actuator unit contains a plurality of actuators which face the second openings and apply ejection energy to the liquid inside the pressure chambers, respectively. The passage unit includes a plurality of plates which are stacked one another and have holes structuring the liquid passages. Of the plates, a first plate having the surface and at least another plate adjacent to the first plate have a dummy passage which is not in communication with the liquid passages. The dummy passage extends from one or more third openings formed within a fix area of the actuator unit on the surface of the first plate to one or more fourth openings formed on a surface of any of the plates, via a space formed in a plate other than the first plate. The dummy passage is opened to the atmosphere through the one or more fourth openings. | 12-01-2011 |
| 20110292117 | Ink Set and Ink-Jet Recording Method - An ink set containing a water-based ink for ink jet recording and a treatment liquid. The water-based ink contains a phosphate-group modified self-dispersing pigment, water, and a water-soluble organic solvent. The treatment liquid contains an aggregating agent, water, and a water-soluble organic solvent. A dynamic surface tension of the water-based ink, measured under the condition where a life time is about 50 ms, is in the range of 35 mN/m to 45 mN/m. A dynamic surface tension of the treatment liquid, measured under the condition where a life time is about 50 ms, is in the range of 33 mN/m to 45 mN/m. | 12-01-2011 |
| 20110292116 | Ink Set, Ink-Jet Recording Apparatus, and Ink-Jet Recording Method - An ink set containing a water-based ink for ink jet recording and a treatment liquid. The water-based ink contains a phosphate group-modified self-dispersing pigment, water, and a water-soluble organic solvent. The treatment liquid contains a monovalent metal ion, water, and a water-soluble organic solvent. | 12-01-2011 |
| 20110292101 | RECORDING APPARATUS - A recording apparatus, including: a recording head; a conveying member for conveying a recording medium in a conveyance direction; a wiper whose distal end is to come into contact with and separate away from the surface; a wiper driving mechanism for driving the wiper to conduct a wiping operation in which the distal end is brought into contact with the surface and the wiper is moved relative to the surface in an intersecting direction that intersects the conveyance direction for wiping the surface; a retainer for giving, to the conveying member, a retaining force for preventing a movement of the conveying member in the intersecting direction; and a controller for controlling the retainer to give the retaining force to the conveying member and for controlling the driving mechanism to conduct the wiping operation, in a state in which the movement of the conveying member in the conveyance direction is halted. | 12-01-2011 |
| 20110292100 | IMAGE RECORDING APPARATUS - An image recording apparatus including: a head; a conveying member having a support face and configured to convey a recording medium in a conveying direction; a first wiper extending in a direction intersecting the conveying direction; a second wiper extending at least in the conveying direction; a first-wiping driving portion configured to drive the first wiper and the conveying member to perform a first wiping operation; and a second-wiping driving portion configured to drive the second wiper and the conveying member to perform a second wiping operation; and a controller; wherein the controller controls the first-wiping driving portion and the second-wiping driving portion to perform a first cleaning operation including the first wiping operation and the second wiping operation; and wherein the controller controls the second-wiping driving portion such that the second wiper wipes foreign materials remaining on the support face when the first wiper is released from the support face in the first wiping operation. | 12-01-2011 |
| 20110291350 | SHEET SUPPLYING APPARATUS AND SHEET-SUPPLY TRAY - A sheet supplying apparatus, comprising a housing; and a sheet-supply tray which supports a plurality of sheets and which is insertable into the housing. The sheet-supply tray includes at least one first engageable portion. The housing includes at least one second engageable portion which is engaged, in a state in which the sheet-supply tray is inserted in the housing, with the at least one first engageable portion of the sheet-supply tray. The sheet-supply tray further includes a guide portion having an inclined guide surface which guides a movement of each of the sheets supplied from the sheet-supply tray, and at least a portion of the at least one first engageable portion is provided in a rear space located in rear of the guide portion. | 12-01-2011 |
| 20110291347 | TRANSPORTING DEVICE AND IMAGE RECORDING APPARATUS INCLUDING THE SAME - There is provided a transporting device transporting a medium, including: a first member pair which changes a posture of the first member pair between a first posture and a second posture; a second member pair which changes a posture of the second member pair between a third posture and a fourth posture; and a movable member which is movable between a fifth posture and a sixth posture, and which has a first abutting portion and a second abutting portion, wherein, in a process that the movable member moves from the fifth posture to the sixth posture, the first abutting portion makes the first member pair change the posture from the first posture to the second posture, and while the first abutting portion makes the first member pair change the posture, the second abutting portion abuts on one of the second member pair. | 12-01-2011 |
| 20110291346 | SHEET FEED DEVICE, IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS HAVING THE SAME, AND SHEET FEED METHOD - A sheet feed device comprises: a retaining section retaining a sheet; a drive section raising the retaining section; a conveyance section conveying a sheet on the raised retaining section; a sheet detection section detecting an end of the conveyed sheet; and a control section. At the time that a sheet feed instruction is received, when a sheet is detected by the sheet detection section, the control section causes the conveyance section to feed the sheet further. When a sheet is not detected, the control section causes the drive section to raise the retaining section and then causes the conveyance section to start conveyance of a sheet. | 12-01-2011 |
| 20110286772 | Developing Device and Image Forming Apparatus Having the Same - A developing device is provided that facilitates developing agent delivery upward. A cartridge includes a developing roller, a supply roller, and a container disposed below the supply roller. The container can have an upper portion formed with an opening having upper and lower edges. A conveying member can be rotatably disposed in and in rotational contact with an inner surface of the container for delivering the developing agent upward. The developing agent container can include a first wall portion for receiving developing agent through the opening. The first wall portion extends from the lower edge in a downstream direction with respect to a rotational direction of the conveying member toward a bottommost portion of the supply roller. The container also includes a second wall portion extending from the upper edge in an upstream direction. The conveying member can be in simultaneous sliding contact with the first and second wall portions. | 11-24-2011 |
| 20110286766 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - An image forming apparatus includes process units arranged in a predetermined direction to form a process-unit row, each having a photosensitive body and a developer container; a casing accommodating the process units and having a cover opening and closing an opening formed at one side in the predetermined direction, and an exposure member exposing the photosensitive body, and having a laser source, a deflector, and an optical element, and the exposure member is arranged facing the developer container of each process unit in a direction orthogonal to the predetermined direction. The process units are detachable from the casing, through the opening of the casing, and the developer container of one process unit arranged at one end of the process-unit row has a protruding portion protruding toward the exposure member to overlap with the exposure member in the orthogonal direction. | 11-24-2011 |
| 20110286755 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR CLEANING IMAGE CARRYING BODY - The image forming apparatus comprises: a first driving section causing an image carrying body carrying a developer image to perform regular rotation or reverse rotation; a fixing section fixing the developer image and conveying a sheet; a second driving section rotating the fixing section; and a control section. The control section controls the first driving section to cause the image carrying body to perform regular rotation such as to convey the sheet and transfer onto the sheet the developer image formed on the image carrying body, and controls the second driving section to cause the fixing section to fix the developer image on the sheet. Further, in a state that the fixing section nips but does not convey the sheet, the control section controls the first driving section to cause the image carrying body to perform reverse rotation so that the image carrying body is cleaned using the sheet. | 11-24-2011 |
| 20110286022 | Print Control Apparatus, Print Control System, and Printer Driver - A print control apparatus configured to control a plurality of types of printers, the print control apparatus including: a storage part storing a printer type, a function of the printer type, and a correspondence between the printer type and the function of the printer type; an acquisition part, which acquires identification information for identifying at least the printer type from the printer, and the acquisition part acquires the function corresponding to the printer type identified based on the identification information from the storage part, and a display part displaying an operation screen corresponding to the function acquired by the acquisition part. | 11-24-2011 |
| 20110285769 | IMAGE RECORDING APPARATUS - An image recording apparatus including: an image recording portion which records an image on a recording medium; a treatment-liquid ejecting portion which ejects treatment liquid; a conveying mechanism having a support face; an adsorption mechanism, for adsorbing the recording medium to the support face, including first and second electrodes arranged so as to be spaced from each other and so as to face the recording medium supported on the support face with the support face interposed between the recording medium and the first and second electrodes; and a controller which controls the treatment-liquid ejecting portion to eject the treatment liquid onto at least a part of a first area of the recording medium before the image recording, wherein the first area is an area near a leading end of the recording medium, and wherein the first area is overlaid, as seen in a direction perpendicular to the support face, on an area interposed between the first and second electrodes. | 11-24-2011 |
| 20110285074 | SHEET FEED DEVICE AND IMAGE RECORDING APPARATUS HAVING SUCH SHEET FEED DEVICE - An image recording apparatus including a first tray having a first holding portion for holding sheets, a second tray disposed above the first tray and including a second holding portion for holding sheets, a sheet feeder that selectively feeds a sheet from one of the first tray and the second tray in a sheet feed direction, a recording unit that records an image on the sheet fed by the sheet feeder, and a discharge roller that discharges the sheet on which the image is recorded by the recording unit. The second holding portion of the second tray moves above the first holding portion of the first tray. The second tray further includes a discharged sheet receiving portion for receiving the sheet discharged by the discharge roller. The second tray including the discharged sheet receiving portion pivots relative to the first tray. | 11-24-2011 |
| 20110282479 | SEWING MACHINE AND NON-TRANSITORY COMPUTER-READABLE MEDIUM STORING SEWING MACHINE CONTROL PROGRAM - A sewing machine includes a needle bar to a lower end of which a needle can be attached, a needle plate in which a needle hole is provided, an image capture device that generates, as captured image data, data that describe a captured image of a sewing object being positioned between the needle bar and the needle plate, a marker data generation device that generates, as marker data, data that describe a setting marker, the setting marker indicating a pattern position and a pattern angle, a composite image data generation device that generates, as composite image data, data that describe a composite image based on the captured image data and the marker data, and a display control device that, based on the composite image data, causes the composite image to be displayed on a screen. | 11-17-2011 |
| 20110280630 | TONER BOX HAVING SHUTTER AND DEVELOPING DEVICE EQUIPPED WITH THE TONER BOX - A toner box, for being detachably mounted in a developing unit of an image-forming device, includes: a main body; and a shutter. The main body is configured to accommodate toner therein and has a main-body-side communication through-hole, through which an interior and an exterior of the main body communicate. The shutter is disposed so as to be capable of moving between an open position in which the shutter opens the main-body-side communication through-hole, and a closed position in which the shutter closes the main-body-side communication through-hole. The shutter is formed of a film and has a shutter drive opening, a shutter drive protrusion provided on the developing unit being capable of being engaged in the shutter drive opening. | 11-17-2011 |
| 20110280619 | IMAGE-FORMING DEVICE HAVING HOLDER UNIT FOR TONER BOX - An image forming device includes: a main casing; a holder unit; a plurality of image bearing members; a plurality of developing units; a plurality of toner boxes; a first acting portion; a second acting portion; and an abutment member. The holder unit is configured to be movable in a moving direction between an accommodated position and a pull-out position. The plurality of image bearing members are held by the holder unit and are juxtaposedly arrayed in the moving direction with intervals between neighboring image bearing members. The plurality of developing units are held by the holder unit in one to one correspondence with the plurality of image bearing members. The plurality of toner boxes are detachably attachable to the holder unit in one to one correspondence with the plurality of developing units. Each toner box is detachably attachable to the holder unit at the pull-out position. | 11-17-2011 |
| 20110280618 | IMAGE-FORMING DEVICE, IN WHICH HOLDER UNIT DETACHABLY HOLDING TONER BOX IS MOVABLY MOUNTED - An image forming device includes: a main casing; a holder member; a plurality of image bearing members; a plurality of developing units; a plurality of toner boxes; an operation member; and a stop member. The main casing defines an accommodation space. The holder member is configured to be movable in a moving direction between an accommodated position in which the holder member is accommodated in the accommodation space and a pull-out position in which at least part of the holder member is outside the accommodation space. The plurality of image bearing members are held by the holder member and are juxtaposedly arrayed in the moving direction with intervals between neighboring image bearing members. The plurality of developing units are held by the holder member in one to one correspondence with the plurality of image bearing members. The plurality of toner boxes are detachably attachable to the holder member in one to one correspondence with the plurality of developing units. Each toner box is detachably attachable to the holder member at the pull-out position. Each toner box includes: a toner container accommodating toner therein and formed with an opening, through which toner in the toner container is to be supplied to the corresponding developing unit; and a shutter movable between an open position for opening the opening and a closed position for closing the opening. The operation member is configured to be movable between a first position providing the closed position of the shutter and a second position providing the open position of the shutter. The stop member is provided in the main casing and configured to prevent the holder member from moving when the holder member is on its way to the accommodated position from the pull-out position while the operation member is at the first position. | 11-17-2011 |
| 20110280617 | Image Formation Apparatus - An image formation apparatus has a belt unit, a drawer casing configured to accommodate the plurality of process units. The drawer casing is movable in a horizontal direction so that it is insertable in and/or drawable from a main body of the image formation apparatus. An openable cover for an opening formed on an end face of the drawer casing is provided. The drawer casing is arranged above an imaginary plane including the bridging surface of an endless belt, while a sheet tray is arranged below the imaginary plane. A pair of rollers arranged on the sheet tray side with respect to the movable path and configured to feed the sheet fed from the sheet tray to the belt unit. A first guide and a second guide, which provided opposite to the first guide with a predetermined clearance therebetween, are provided to form a sheet feed path. | 11-17-2011 |
| 20110280616 | IMAGE-FORMING DEVICE HAVING HOLDER UNIT, IN WHICH TONER BOX IS DETACHABLY MOUNTED - An image forming device includes: a main casing; a holder unit; a plurality of image bearing members; a plurality of developing units; a plurality of toner boxes; and an operation assembly. The main casing defines an accommodation space. The holder unit is configured to be movable in a moving direction between an accommodated position in which the holder unit is accommodated in the accommodation space and a pull-out position in which at least part of the holder unit is outside of the accommodation space. The plurality of image bearing members are held by the holder unit and are juxtaposedly arrayed in the moving direction with intervals between neighboring image bearing members. The plurality of developing units are held by the holder unit in one to one correspondence with the plurality of image bearing members. The plurality of toner boxes are detachably attachable to the holder unit in one to one correspondence with the plurality of developing units. Each toner box is detachably attachable to the holder unit at the pull-out position. Each toner box includes: a toner container accommodating therein toner and formed with an opening through which toner in the toner container is to be supplied to each developing unit; and a shutter movable between an open position for opening the opening and a closed position for closing the opening. The operation assembly is provided at the holder unit and configured to move the shutter between the open position and the closed position. | 11-17-2011 |
| 20110280612 | TONER BOX AND DEVELOPING DEVICE HAVING THE SAME - A toner box includes: a main body; a shutter; and a shutter cover. The main body is configured to accommodate toner therein and has a main-body-side communication through-hole, through which an interior and an exterior of the main body communicate. The shutter is disposed so as to be capable of moving between an open position in which the shutter opens the main-body-side communication through-hole, and a closed position in which the shutter closes the main-body-side communication through-hole. The shutter cover is configured to cover part of the shutter and that is elastically deformable. | 11-17-2011 |
| 20110280611 | TONER BOX HAVING TONER SEAL - A toner box includes: a main body; a shutter; and a toner seal. The main body is configured to accommodate toner therein and that has a main-body-side communication through-hole, through which an interior and an exterior of the main body communicate. The shutter is disposed so as to be capable of moving between an open position in which the shutter opens the main-body-side communication through-hole, and a closed position in which the shutter closes the main-body-side communication through-hole. The toner seal is configured to be disposed between the main body and the shutter and to surround a perimeter of the main-body-side communication through-hole when the shutter is in the closed position. The toner seal includes: an elastic layer provided with a fixing surface; and a mesh layer disposed on a surface of the elastic layer opposite to the fixing surface. | 11-17-2011 |
| 20110280610 | TONER BOX AND DEVELOPING DEVICE FOR IMAGE FORMING DEVICE - A toner box for being detachably mounted in a developing unit of an image-forming device, includes: a main body; a shutter; a shutter cover; and a toner seal. The main body is configured to accommodate toner therein and has a main-body-side communication through-hole, through which an interior and an exterior of the main body communicate. The shutter is disposed so as to be capable of moving between an open position in which the shutter opens the main-body-side communication through-hole, and a closed position in which the shutter closes the main-body-side communication through-hole. The shutter cover is configured to cover part of the shutter. The shutter cover has a cover-side communication through-hole at a position corresponding to the main-body-side communication through-hole to allow communication of toner through the main-body-side communication through-hole. The toner seal is configured to be disposed between the main body and the shutter and surround a perimeter of the main-body-side communication through-hole when the shutter is in the closed position. A leading edge of the shutter defined in a closing direction, in which the shutter is moved from the open position to the closed position, is positioned on an upstream side of the main-body-side communication through-hole in the closing direction when the shutter is in the open position. Part of the shutter is covered by a portion of the shutter cover surrounding the cover-side communication through-hole when the shutter is in the closed position. | 11-17-2011 |
| 20110280591 | IMAGE FORMING DEVICE HAVING A PLURALITY OF IMAGE FORMING MODES - An image forming device includes a light-receiving element that receives a light having passed through a cartridge. An image forming unit has a first mode for forming images while rotating an agitator at a first speed and a second mode for forming images while rotating the agitator at a second speed that is lower than the first speed. If a value regarding image forming amount counted while the image forming unit is in the second mode is determined to be greater than a predetermined value, the image forming unit changes a rotation speed of the agitator from the second speed to the first speed, and it is determined whether the cartridge should be replaced based on a time ratio, which is a ratio of time duration, in which the light-receiving element receives the detection light within a predetermined duration, to the predetermined time duration. | 11-17-2011 |
| 20110279876 | IMAGE PROCESSING APPARATUS - An image processing apparatus includes: an image processing unit; a discharge unit to which a recording medium is discharged; a first conveyance path for conveying the recording medium from the image processing unit to the discharge unit; a second conveyance path having a part overlapped with the first conveyance path and for reversing and conveying the recording medium from the overlapped part to the image processing unit through a path different from the first conveyance path; a first rotary member that is arranged at the overlapped part; and a control unit that controls the first rotary member, wherein the control unit makes the recording medium stand by at a position including at least the overlapped part before the recording medium is conveyed to the image processing unit through the second conveyance path. | 11-17-2011 |
| 20110279873 | SCANNER DEVICE - A scanner device may create original data for one or more pages, and calculate a digest value utilizing the original data so as to create document data in an external storage device. If a remaining capacity in an internal storage device is not deficient, the scanner device may write a first type of target partial data in both of the internal storage device and the external storage device. If a second type of target partial data which is partial data of a target of a calculating process for calculating the digest value is stored in both of the internal storage device and the external storage device, the scanner device may perform a calculating process by utilizing the second type of target partial data being stored in the internal storage device. | 11-17-2011 |
| 20110279843 | Apparatus for Controlling Image Formation, Computer Readable Device Having Stored Thereon Computer-Executable Instructions for Forming Images, and Method of Generating Image Formation Setting Information - A computer readable device has stored thereon computer-executable instructions that, when executed, cause a computer to function as a generation module, a setting module and a production module. The generation module is configured to generate a data structure including a first region storing a first image formation condition and a second region for storing location information representing a location of the second region and in which a second image formation condition is written by an application program based on the location information. The setting module is configured to set the first image formation condition in the first region based on the second image formation condition written in the second region by the application program. The production module is configured to produce image formation data based on the first image formation condition stored in the first region. | 11-17-2011 |
| 20110279355 | HEAD MOUNTED DISPLAY - An imaging unit images a predetermined range including at least a range where an image is displayed out of a field-of-view range of a user. An image forming unit forms a background canceling image which cancels a background image which is visually recognized by a user via an external light based on an imaged image imaged by the imaging unit. The image forming unit combines the background canceling image with the original image corresponding to original image information by aligning them in terms of display position and size. An image formed by combining the background canceling image with the original image is displayed on the display unit by a display control unit. | 11-17-2011 |
| 20110274457 | Image Formation Device - An electrophotographic image formation device configured to form images on a recording sheet is provided with a belt unit having an endless belt wound around a first roller and a second roller, a cleaning unit facing the endless belt and collects particles adhered on the endless belt with use of an electrostatic attractive force, a first voltage being applied to the cleaning unit, a backup unit arranged to face the cleaning unit with the endless belt being located therebetween, a second voltage that is different from the first voltage being applied to the backup unit, an electric wiring unit provided to the belt unit and electrically connected with the backup unit, and an electric current detection unit configured to detect an current value of an electric current flowing through the electric wiring unit. The electric wiring unit is electrically independent from other electric wiring units provided to the belt unit. | 11-10-2011 |
| 20110273524 | IMAGE RECORDING APPARATUS - An image recording apparatus configured to record images on front and back surfaces of a sheet, including: a head which ejects ink onto the sheet for recording; a sheet-supply roller which contacts the sheet so as to transfer the sheet for supplying to the head; a sheet-supply path which is provided between the sheet-supply roller and the head, which has a U-shape, and through which the sheet is transferred such that one of surfaces thereof opposite to the other of the surfaces contacted by the sheet-supply roller faces the head; and a sheet-stopping control section configured to control the sheet-supply roller such that the sheet transferred by the sheet-supply roller is stopped for a first time in the sheet-supply path in a state in which the sheet is deformed so as to have a U-shape, after an image has been recorded on the front surface of the sheet and before an image is recorded on the back surface thereof. | 11-10-2011 |
| 20110270907 | INFORMATION COMMUNICATION SYSTEM, NODE DEVICE, INFORMATION PROCESSING METHOD AND COMPUTER-READABLE STORAGE MEDIUM - An information communication system comprising a plurality of node devices connected to a network, in which data to be distributed and stored in the plurality of node devices, and the data is divided into a plurality of items of division data, and the other node device acquires the division data from the node device storing the division data. The node device comprises a controlling unit configured to permit the node device indicated by a second identification information contained in the request information to acquire the division data indicated by a first identification information contained in the request information, in early order of the time when the request information is received based on the time information stored in the second storing unit. | 11-03-2011 |
| 20110268484 | Image Formation Device - An image formation device is configured such that a feed roller and a discharge roller are rotated in a first direction so that the sheet is fed from the fixing unit to the discharge opening at a first speed V | 11-03-2011 |
