| KYOCERA MITA CORPORATION Patent applications |
| Patent application number | Title | Published |
|---|
| 20120134728 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS AND POST-PROCESSING DEVICE - A copy machine | 05-31-2012 |
| 20120134716 | TONER SUPPLY APPARATUS, TONER STORAGE CONTAINER, AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS INCLUDING SAME - The toner supply apparatus according to the present disclosure includes a shaft connection mechanism in which a first and a second joint are engaged to thereby enable transmission of rotation of a first shaft of a development device and a second shaft of a toner storage container. The first joint has a first engagement member biased from a first main body towards a second joint, and a biasing member for biasing the first engagement member. The second joint has a second main body and an engaging recessed portion engaging with the accommodated first engagement member in a configuration that is substantially incapable of rotation. When the first rotation axis is not aligned with the second rotation axis and the first engagement member is accommodated in the engaging recessed portion, the first engagement member inclines relative to the first or second rotation axis and can engage with the engaging recessed portion. | 05-31-2012 |
| 20120134711 | Photosensitive Conductor Unit and Image Forming Apparatus - The photosensitive conductor unit includes a casing, and a protective cover, wherein: the casing includes an engaging portion on an insertion-side end and a guide portion slidably guiding the protective cover in proximity to an opposite end to the insertion-side end of the photosensitive conductor unit; the protective cover includes a hook portion engaging with the engaging portion, a positioning portion determining the position of the protective cover, a side wall covering an exposed portion of the surface by extending along an axial direction of the photosensitive conductor drum, and a rail portion extending in the insertion direction of the photosensitive conductor unit in proximity to both ends of the side wall in a direction orthogonal to the axial direction of the photosensitive conductor drum and engaging with the guide portion such that the guide portion slidably guides the protective cover. | 05-31-2012 |
| 20120134708 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS INCLUDING DEHUMIDIFICATION HEATER AND CONTROL METHOD FOR IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS INCLUDING DEHUMIDIFICATION HEATER - An image forming apparatus includes, a sheet feeding unit including a dehumidification heater, a humidity sensing element for sensing humidity, a dehumidification heater switching unit, a control unit for bringing the dehumidification heater switching unit into an ON state when a recognized humidity is equal to or greater than a predetermined reference value and bringing the dehumidification heater switching unit into an OFF state when the recognized humidity falls below the predetermined reference value, and a power supply unit for temporarily resuming power supply to the control unit in a power saving mode in a longer cycle after the power supply to the control unit is stopped as a difference between the humidity recognized by the control unit and the predetermined reference value is larger. | 05-31-2012 |
| 20120134116 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - The image forming apparatus includes: a cabinet main body including one or more of main body side walls formed to continue to the outer edges of the side face portion, and to extend toward the outer lateral face; a circuit board being attached to the outer lateral face in the side face portion, and being electrically connected to the side face portion; and an electrically conductive shielding case that is disposed to cover the circuit board, the shielding case including a top plate that having a first side on an outer edge and/or a second side continuing to the first side are connected to the main body side walls, and shielding case side walls, being connected to the side face portion, and being disposed to surround the circuit board in collaboration with the main body side walls. | 05-31-2012 |
| 20120134001 | OPTICAL SCANNING DEVICE AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - An optical scanning device includes a light source for emitting a laser beam; a deflection body for deflecting the laser beam; a scanning lens for scanning the deflected laser beam on the surface of a photosensitive body; a reflection body having a reflection surface for reflecting the deflected laser beam towards the photosensitive body and having passed through the scanning lens; and a synchronizing sensor for receiving the reflected laser beam to send out a detection signal. The reflection surface has a curved arc surface depressed from both edges toward a center in a main-scanning direction equivalent to a scanning direction of the laser beam. The reflection body has a center of the reflection surface in the main-scanning direction displaced by a predetermined range in the direction of travel of the laser beam along the main-scanning direction from a center of the reflection body in the main-scanning direction. | 05-31-2012 |
| 20120133997 | IMAGE READING APPARATUS AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - An image reading apparatus includes a light guide arranged between a light source and a document. The light guide has a light incident surface at a side of the light source, light from the light source, is incident, a first light emitting surface at a side of the document, a second light emitting surface different from the first light emitting surface, a first reflecting surface between the first and second light emitting surfaces, a second reflecting surface between the light incident surface and the second light emitting surface, and a third reflecting surface facing the second reflecting surface. The first reflecting surface reflects light toward the first light emitting surface. The second reflecting surface reflects light toward one of the second light emitting surface and the first and third reflecting surfaces. The third reflecting surface reflects light toward the second light emitting surface or the first reflecting surface. | 05-31-2012 |
| 20120133996 | IMAGE READING APPARATUS FOR READING ADJUSTMENT DOCUMENT USED FOR IMAGE ADJUSTMENT, IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS WITH IMAGE READING APPARATUS AND ADJUSTMENT DOCUMENT USED IN IMAGE READING APPARATUS - An image reading apparatus includes an image reader, an image adjuster and an execution controller that causes the image reader to read an adjustment document and causes the image adjuster to adjust image data generated by the image reader. The adjustment document includes line images and parameter images at positions spaced apart in a main scanning direction in a margin area where the line images are not provided. The parameter images indicate parameters used in image adjustment processing. The execution controller judges whether the image data corresponding to predetermined positions in the main scanning direction coincide, selects one of the image data judged to coincide, and causes the image adjuster to perform the image adjustment using the selected image data and the parameter indicated by the image data generated by reading the parameter image at the position in the main scanning direction of the selected image data. | 05-31-2012 |
| 20120133994 | OPTICAL COMPONENT MOUNTING STRUCTURE, IMAGE READING DEVICE INCLUDING THE SAME, AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS INCLUDING THE SAME - An optical component mounting structure includes an elastic member and a mounting portion. The elastic member applies pressure to an optical component toward a flat surface portion of a base. The mounting portion is provided at the base and mounts the elastic member. The elastic member has a pressing portion, a holding portion, and a positioning hole. The pressing portion has a tongue piece shape and elastically comes in contact with a light guide member. The holding portion supports one end of the pressing portion and holds elastically the mounting portion of the base. The positioning hole is formed through the holding portion and is to be engaged with each of a pair of positioning convex portions provided at the mounting portion of the base. | 05-31-2012 |
| 20120133986 | IMAGE PROCESSING APPARATUS, IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS AND IMAGE PROCESSING METHOD - An image processing apparatus has a line memory for writing and reading image data of one line. A write/read controller controls writing and reading the image data of one line in and from the line memory. A white line determiner determines whether an image corresponding to image data of one line being written in the line memory is a white line. An image processor performs specified image processing on the image data of one line read from the line memory by the write/read controller. An image processing controller generates an operation clock used in the image processor and causes the image processor to perform the specified image processing for the image data of one line determined not to be a white line and stops generating the operation clock and reads white data from a white data storage for the image data of one line determined to be a white line. | 05-31-2012 |
| 20120133978 | IMAGE READING CONTROL DEVICE, IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS, AND IMAGE DATA PROCESSING METHOD - An image reading control device includes: an original reading unit; a display unit that can display an item selection window including processing items for the image data for each page and a processing condition setting window including a preview image based on the image data for each page thus read, at least one predetermined processing item, and contents for each of the at least one predetermined processing item; an input unit accepting a selection input of the processing items and a setting input for setting contents for each of the at least one predetermined processing item; and a reading control unit displaying the processing condition setting window on the display unit with the processing item selected in the selection input accepted by the input unit as the predetermined processing item, and controlling acceptance of the setting input in the input unit for setting contents for each predetermined processing item. | 05-31-2012 |
| 20120133726 | OPTICAL SCANNING DEVICE AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - An optical scanning device includes a light source that emits a laser beam, a deflector that deflects the emitted laser beam, a scanning lens that causes the deflected laser beam to scan a surface of a photosensitive body at a uniform velocity, a reflector having a reflective surface that reflects the deflected laser beam toward the photosensitive body among the laser beams that have passed through the scanning lens, and a synchronization sensor that receives the laser beam from the reflector and outputs a detection signal. The reflector is set so that a scanning speed in a main scanning direction of the laser beam on a light-receiving surface of the synchronization sensor becomes greater than a value obtained by dividing a scanning distance of the laser beam in the main scanning direction on the light-receiving surface of the synchronization sensor by a response delay time of the synchronization sensor. | 05-31-2012 |
| 20120127521 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS, IMAGE FORMING SYSTEM, AND IMAGE FORMING METHOD IN WHICH IMAGE IS FORMED WITH APPROVAL OF MANAGEMENT USER - An image forming apparatus forms an image with approval of a management user and includes a presence checking unit, a job receiving unit, and an approval requesting unit. The presence checking unit determines whether or not the management user is present at a predetermined terminal apparatus. The job receiving unit, upon receipt of a job request from a user, determines whether or not approval of the management user for job execution is necessary and, if it is determined that the approval needs to be obtained, executes a job based on the job request after obtaining the approval. The approval requesting unit, if it is determined by the job receiving unit that the approval needs to be obtained, selects the management user who is present based on a checking result obtained by the presence checking unit, and transmits an approval request to the selected management user. | 05-24-2012 |
| 20120126474 | DRIVE MECHANISM AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - A drive mechanism for transmitting a drive force to drive a processing apparatus which carries out a prescribed process. The drive mechanism includes an output portion, an electromagnetic clutch and a case. An output portion for outputting the drive force, an electromagnetic clutch for controlling transmission of the drive force to the output portion, and a case including a first storage section which defines a first storage room to store the output portion, and a second storage section which defines a second storage room to store the electromagnetic clutch. Additionally, the second storage section includes a peripheral wall which surround the electromagnetic clutch, and a supporting wall which supports the electromagnetic clutch. The peripheral wall includes an upper wall above the electromagnetic clutch and a lower wall below the electromagnetic clutch. An opening section is formed in the upper wall. | 05-24-2012 |
| 20120121295 | ELECTRIFICATION APPARATUS AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS INCLUDING THE SAME - An electrification apparatus includes: an electrification roller that rotates touching an image carrier to electrify a surface of the image carrier; a support member that by means of a bearing portion, supports rotatably a rotation shat which is disposed at an end portion in a shaft direction of the electrification roller; and a cover member that is disposed on the rotation shaft and covers a portion of the rotation shaft which is near the bearing portion. | 05-17-2012 |
| 20120117814 | PAPER SIZE DETECTING MECHANISM AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS PROVIDED THEREWITH - A detecting member | 05-17-2012 |
| 20120114346 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - An image forming apparatus includes a fixing device that has: a fixing roller heated by induction and a pressing roller brought into press-contact with the fixing roller to fix a toner image borne on a paper sheet conveyed toward the fixing device by a conveyor unit. When a paper sheet having a width smaller than a width of a maximum-width recording medium that can be passed through the fixing device is passed through the fixing device, a non-paper passing region is formed at each end portion of each of the fixing and pressing rollers. Sirocco fans cool the non-paper passing region at a part of an outer peripheral surface of the pressing roller. The pressing roller is disposed opposed to the outer side of the main body of the image forming apparatus. | 05-10-2012 |
| 20120112402 | RECORDING MEDIUM DELIVERY DEVICE AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS INCLUDING THE SAME - A sheet delivery device ( | 05-10-2012 |
| 20120107006 | FIXING DEVICE AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS WITH THE SAME - A fixing device is provided with a fixing unit for fixing a toner image; a magnetic flux generator including a switching element for generating a magnetic flux; and a control unit for performing a start-up mode for raising the temperature of the fixing unit to a fixing temperature by the magnetic flux and a steady mode for maintaining the temperature of the fixing unit at the fixing temperature. The control unit turns off the switching element when the temperature of the switching element is equal to or higher than a first reference temperature lower than a destruction temperature during a period of the start-up mode, and turns off the switching element when the temperature of the switching element is equal to or higher than a second reference temperature lower than the destruction temperature and higher than the first reference temperature during a period of the steady mode. | 05-03-2012 |
| 20120106993 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - An image forming apparatus includes a bias controller that controls a first application unit that applies a bias to a transfer member. The bias controller applies a reverse bias to the transfer member when a first region passes through a nip part. Then, when a second region passes through the nip part, the bias controller applies a fixed first forward bias to the transfer member. When a third region passes through the nip part, in order to implement the control the bias controller applies a variable second forward bias to the transfer member. The first forward bias is set at a predetermined value or above and increases a potential of the transfer member | 05-03-2012 |
| 20120105922 | DRIVING UNIT AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS USING THE SAME - A driving unit ( | 05-03-2012 |
| 20120105888 | Image Forming Apparatus, Non-Transitory Computer-Readable Recording Medium for Storing Image Forming Program, and Image Forming Method - An image forming apparatus includes an area setting unit, a reading unit, a number recognizing unit, and a number determining unit. The area setting unit is configured to set a reading area on the basis of a page number. The reading unit is configured to read image data in the reading area. The number recognizing unit configured to recognize a number from a result of reading by the reading unit. The number determining unit is configured to compare results of recognizing of two consecutive pages by the number recognizing unit, determine the presence of consecutive numbers, and determine one of the consecutive numbers as the page number. | 05-03-2012 |
| 20120105886 | OPERATION DEVICE, IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS, AND OPERATION METHOD - An operation device including: a touch screen;
| 05-03-2012 |
| 20120105885 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS PERFORMING NETWORK COMMUNICATION - An image forming apparatus having at least a normal mode and an energy saving mode of less energy consumption than the normal mode includes: a main controller executing image processing in the normal mode and stopping operation in the energy saving mode; energy saving controller controlling the image forming apparatus in the energy saving mode; nonvolatile storage unit connected to the main controller; volatile storage unit connected to the main controller and the energy saving controller; and network communication unit connected to the energy saving controller to perform network communication. The nonvolatile storage unit stores a MAC address with which the energy saving controller controls the network communication unit. The main controller writes the MAC address stored in the nonvolatile storage unit into the volatile storage unit during startup of the apparatus. The energy saving controller controls the network communication unit based on the transferred MAC address. | 05-03-2012 |
| 20120105880 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - An image forming apparatus includes an image data acquisition unit, a frequency distribution acquisition unit, and a color setting unit. The image data acquisition unit acquires image data representing a color image. The frequency distribution acquisition unit allocates a color of each pixel of the data as a class and acquires a frequency distribution representing an occurrence rate of the color based on the data acquired by the image data acquisition unit. The color setting unit sets a first color with the highest frequency distribution occurrence rate as a background color in the color image, sets a second color with an occurrence rate next in magnitude to the first color as a character color in the color image, and sets a color with an occurrence rate lower than that of the second color as a pattern color that is a color of a specific pattern in the color image. | 05-03-2012 |
| 20120104692 | DOCUMENT FEEDING DEVICE THAT PERFORMS AN INITIAL OPERATION, IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS INCLUDING THE SAME, AND METHOD OF CONTROLLING A DOCUMENT FEEDING DEVICE THAT PERFORMS AN INITIAL OPERATION - Provided is a document feeding device including: a document feeding portion for feeding a document; a document set detecting portion for detecting presence/absence of a set document; a determination portion for determining whether power supply to the device is started by turning-on of main power or by cancellation of a power saving mode; an initial operation portion for performing an initial operation of initializing the document feeding portion when the power supply to the document feeding device is started by the turning-on of the main power, and restricting execution of the initial operation when the power supply to the document feeding device is started by the cancellation of the power saving mode; and a display portion for displaying, when there is a set document at the start of the power supply, a request to reset the document. | 05-03-2012 |
| 20120104687 | RECORDING MEDIUM STORAGE CASSETTE AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS INCLUDING THE SAME - In a sheet feeding cassette ( | 05-03-2012 |
| 20120099909 | FIXING DEVICE INCLUDING MOVABLE FRAME BODY AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS INCLUDING THE SAME - A fixing device includes an induction coil, a heating rotary belt including a heat generating layer thinner than a magnetic-field penetration depth, a pressure receiving member, a pressing rotator, a magnetic core section, and a movable guiding section. The movable guiding section is a substantially cylindrical frame body being in contact with the inner surface of the heating rotary belt, includes one or more blocking sections, and is rotatable so as to be able to be positioned in a first blocking position and a first non-blocking position. | 04-26-2012 |
| 20120099124 | Methods and Systems for Identifying and Changing Resolutions to Cause an Aspect Ratio of a Printed Image to Match an Aspect Ratio of Image Data - An image forming apparatus according to the present disclosure includes an image data analysis unit and an image conversion unit. The image data analysis unit is configured to identify a width-directional resolution and a height-directional resolution of image data. If the width-directional resolution and the height-directional resolution are not the same, the image conversion unit is configured to change at least one of pixel counts in a width direction and a height direction to cause a first aspect ratio for printing to match a second aspect ratio of the image data. | 04-26-2012 |
| 20120081724 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - An image forming apparatus includes: an internal storage device; an attachment portion to which an external storage device can be attached; an image reading unit that reads contents of an original as an image and converts the image into an electronic signal; a first image processing unit that generates image data from the electronic signal; and a second image processing unit that separates the image data thus generated into character data that is recognized as characters and data that is recognized as different data from the character data and, when the external storage device is attached to the attachment portion, stores data composed of an entirety or a part of the character data that is recognized as characters as first data in the external storage device and the data that is recognized as different data from the character data as second data in the internal storage device. | 04-05-2012 |
| 20120075675 | Image Forming Apparatus, Data Storing Method, and Non-Transitory Computer Readable Recording Medium that Stores Data Storing Program - An image forming apparatus includes an interface, a reading unit, an internal storage, and a deletion control unit. The interface is configured to establish a connection with an external storage. The internal storage is configured to store the data read from the external storage. The deletion control unit is configured to delete the data stored in the internal storage on the basis of an operation related to releasing the connection with the external storage. | 03-29-2012 |
| 20120075658 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS, IMAGE FORMING SYSTEM, AND IMAGE FORMING METHOD THAT CAUSE A JOB EXECUTION SCREEN TO BE DISPLAYED ON A DISPLAY OF A TERMINAL APPARATUS - An image forming apparatus that is connected to a network includes a web server, a setting item management unit, and a web server management unit. The setting item management unit is configured to select, when the web server receives a request for job execution screen data from a terminal apparatus that is connected to the network, a job setting item in association with at least one of the terminal apparatus and a user at the terminal apparatus from among all job setting items. The web server management unit is configured to generate the job execution screen data that includes the job setting item selected by the setting item management unit and transmit the job execution screen data to the terminal apparatus via the web server. | 03-29-2012 |
| 20120075654 | INFORMATION PROCESSING DEVICE THAT DISPLAYS A PREVIEW IMAGE, IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS THAT DISPLAYS A PREVIEW IMAGE, AND METHOD OF DISPLAYING A PREVIEW IMAGE - Provided is an information processing device, including an input device for receiving a specification input for specifying a page for which an image forming apparatus is caused to execute a job, a display for displaying preview images of only a first page and a last page among continuous pages and displaying the preview images of all non-continuous pages that are separate from each other without forming a continuous range when specified pages are the non-continuous pages, and a communication portion for transmitting data for executing a job based on the specified page. | 03-29-2012 |
| 20120075653 | DISPLAY INPUT DEVICE HAVING A PROGRAM FUNCTION, IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS HAVING A PROGRAM FUNCTION, AND DISPLAY METHOD FOR DISPLAY INPUT DEVICE HAVING A PROGRAM FUNCTION - Provided is a display input device including a display portion for displaying a screen for setting a function, a storage portion for storing a program to be invoked and used, and an input portion for receiving inputs of selection of the function and setting of a setting value of the selected function and inputs of registration of the program and invocation of the program, and the display portion performs such security protected display as to inhibit a predefined part of contents of the registered program from being displayed as registered. | 03-29-2012 |
| 20120075652 | OPERATION DEVICE, IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS, AND OPERATION METHOD - The operation device according to the present invention includes a touch panel configured to enable selection of a predetermined key contained in a predetermined screen, a function screen display reception unit for displaying a screen including a screen area and a retreat area being an area that is different from the screen area, an operation unit, a screen switching reception unit for displaying an icon key corresponding to the function of the second function screen on the touch panel in a selectable configuration at a predetermined position of the retreat area, a reduced screen display reception unit that displays a first reduced screen key for reducing the first function screen on the touch panel in a selectable configuration in the retreat area, and a function screen switching unit for switching the display of the first function screen in the screen area to the display of the second function screen. | 03-29-2012 |
| 20120075647 | IMAGE READING APPARATUS, IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS, AND METHOD OF IMAGE READING - An image reading apparatus includes a light-emitting device having a peak wavelength that varies depending on a value of a drive current, and illuminates a document with illumination light from the light-emitting device. A light receiving unit receives a light reflected from the document when the illumination light is emitted from the light-emitting device, and converts the received reflected light into image data at a predetermined sensitivity depending on the wavelengths of the received light. A current drive circuit supplies the drive current to turn on the light-emitting device. A wavelength distribution control unit produces two or more durations each having a different value of the drive current by controlling the current drive circuit during each main scanning to the document to produce two or more durations each having a different peak wavelength in each main scanning. | 03-29-2012 |
| 20120075404 | OPTICAL SCANNING DEVICE AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS PROVIDED WITH THE SAME - An optical scanning device includes a housing, the interior of which is partitioned into a first compartment and a second compartment by a base; a light source arranged in the first compartment and adapted to emit a beam; a first optical component arranged on an optical path of the beam in the first compartment; a second optical component arranged on the optical path of the beam in the second compartment; an aperture formed in the base to allow the beam to pass from the first compartment to the second compartment or from the second compartment to the first compartment; and a reinforcing member for reinforcing the rigidity of the base near the aperture. | 03-29-2012 |
| 20120070197 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - The image forming apparatus is an image forming apparatus including an image bearing member, a developing device, a transfer device, and a cleaning device. The developing device includes a toner bearing member having a surface subjected to alumite treatment. Toner that is used in the image forming apparatus is magnetic mono-component developer including magnetic toner particles containing at least binder resin and iron-containing magnetic powder, and an external additive to be externally added to the magnetic toner particles. The external additive is formed from inorganic fine particles which have been subjected to surface treatment with a tin-containing compound and an antimony-containing compound. In the image forming apparatus, the ratio of antimony to iron of the toner that has been removed by the cleaning device is double or more the ratio of antimony to iron of the toner before being conveyed by the toner bearing member. | 03-22-2012 |
| 20120069410 | IMAGE READING APPARATUS, IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS, METHOD OF READING IMAGE, AND RECORDING MEDIUM FOR READING ORIGINAL-DOCUMENT IMAGE AND GENERATING IMAGE DATA OF THE ORIGINAL-DOCUMENT IMAGE - An image reading apparatus reads an original-document image and generates image data of the original-document image, and includes an image reading unit, a security pattern detection unit, and a main control unit. The image reading unit reads the original-document image and sequentially generates the image data of the original-document image as a plurality of pieces of band data. The security pattern detection unit performs security pattern detection processing on band data of a single band to detect a portion or an entirety of a security pattern included therein. The main control unit causes the security pattern detection unit to perform the security pattern detection processing on band data of a single band having the lowest background color density and not on band data of a single band having the greatest background color density, among the plurality of pieces of band data. | 03-22-2012 |
| 20120064446 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - An image forming apparatus includes a developer tank which houses two-component developer containing toner and carrier, and a supply unit which supplies the developer tank with supply developer containing toner and carrier, wherein, when the ratio of mass of inorganic fine particles attached to the carrier contained in the two-component developer to mass of the carrier contained in the two-component developer is A, and when the ratio of mass of inorganic fine particles attached to the carrier contained in the supply developer to mass of the carrier contained in the supply developer is B, the following Formula (1) is satisfied: | 03-15-2012 |
| 20120058424 | ELECTROSTATIC CHARGE DEVELOPING TONER, ELECTROSTATIC CHARGE DEVELOPING DEVELOPER, AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - To provide an electrostatic charge developing toner in which resin fine particles and inorganic fine particles are externally added to toner base particles, wherein the toner base particles include at least binder resin and colorant, the resin fine particles are monodispersed and fixed to surfaces of the toner base particles, and following equations are established: a=70 to 160 nm, b/a=0.2 to 0.5, and c/a=0.6 to 0.8, where “a” represents an average of diameters (nm) of circular surfaces of contact between the fixed resin fine particles and toner base particle surfaces, “b” represents an average of heights (nm) of the resin fine particles from the contact surfaces, and “c” represents an average diameter (nm) of the resin fine particle at the height b/2. | 03-08-2012 |
| 20120057909 | ELECTROMAGNETIC INDUCTION HEATING FIXING APPARATUS AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS HAVING THE SAME - A fixing apparatus includes: a magnetic flux generating source which generates a magnetic flux; an endless belt which inductively generates heat by the magnetic flux while rotating in a prescribed direction; a rotating body which rotates in a prescribed direction and, together with the belt, forms a nip section through which a recording medium carrying a toner image passes; a core which is made of a magnetic material, and directs the magnetic flux to the belt; a heat value adjustment member for adjusting an amount of heat generated in the belt; and a gripping piece which is a non-rotating member, is disposed in a position corresponding to the nip section, and contacts an inner surface of the belt to rotatably grip the belt against the rotating body. The belt is wrapped between the heat value adjustment member and the gripping piece. | 03-08-2012 |
| 20120038704 | INKJET RECORDING LIQUID AND INKJET RECORDING DEVICE USING THE LIQUID - The inkjet recording liquid according to the present disclosure contains water, pigment and pigment dispersion resin. The pigment dispersion resin is alkali soluble, and is dissolved in recording liquid. The mass ratio of pigment dispersion resin to pigment (resin content/pigment content) is 0.1 to 0.3. The mass ratio of pigment dispersion resin not adhering to pigment to pigment (unattached resin/pigment content) is 0.01 to 0.1. The acid value of the pigment dispersion resin is 150 to 250 mg KOH/g. The molecular weight of the pigment dispersion resin is preferably 10,000 or more. | 02-16-2012 |
| 20120036505 | Information Processing Apparatus that Automatically and Sequentially Displays Graphical User Interface Images and Recording Medium Storing Program - An information processing apparatus includes a display device; a storage device storing a program that includes a main program and N subsequent programs, and a subsequent processing code; and a processor displaying a GUI screen on the display device in accordance with the programs and writing program termination information in the storage device. The processor (a) terminates the main program after displaying a first GUI screen in accordance with the main program and executing the subsequent processing code, (b) displays a second GUI screen in accordance with a first subsequent program that is specified by the subsequent processing code on the basis of the program termination information and that is executed after the main program, and (c) sequentially displays third and subsequent GUI screens, in accordance with N-1 subsequent programs subsequent to the second subsequent program that is executed after the first subsequent program, until a termination condition is satisfied. | 02-09-2012 |
| 20120034003 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS AND FIXING DEVICE - An image forming apparatus has a conveying element for conveying a sheet, an image forming section for forming an image on the sheet with liquid developer, and a fixing device including a rubbing mechanism for rubbing the image on the sheet. A fixing device has a rubbing mechanism for rubbing an image which is formed with liquid developer. | 02-09-2012 |
| 20120033255 | DISPLAY INPUT DEVICE CAPABLE OF INVOKING PROGRAM, IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS INCLUDING THE SAME, AND DISPLAY METHOD FOR DISPLAY INPUT DEVICE CAPABLE OF INVOKING PROGRAM - Provided is a display input device including: an input portion for receiving: a designation input for designating a setting screen to be displayed by a program; a job execution start input for starting a job; and a re-invocation input for re-invoking the same program as the executed program; and a control portion for causing, when the program is re-invoked by means of the re-invocation input and the job execution start input, a display portion to display a setting screen that is subsequent, in display order of the program, to the setting screen for which the designation input has been made. | 02-09-2012 |
| 20120030605 | OPERATION APPARATUS, IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS HAVING THE SAME, AND OPERATION METHOD - Provided is an operation apparatus including: a touch panel which selectably displays a plurality of function item keys, and selection item keys corresponding to each of the plurality of function item keys; a shortcut acceptance unit which generates an icon-attached function item key by pasting to a pasting target function item key which is a function item key, an icon indicating a shortcut of a function item key which is different from the pasting target function item key, and selectably displays the icon-attached function item key, and accepts a selection of the icon-attached function item key; and a integrated screen selection acceptance unit which displays a integrated selection screen which selectably displays in a same screen a selection item key which corresponds to the pasting target function item key, and a selection item key which corresponds to a function item key identified by an icon in the touch screen. | 02-02-2012 |
| 20120030561 | Computer-Readable Non-Transitory Recording Medium Storing Program for Electronic Device, Electronic Device System, and Control Method for Electronic Device System - A non-transitory recording medium stores a program including program codes for causing a computer (a) to read information necessary for a display from a base file, (b) to display information according to base file contents, (c) to read machine type dependent information that (i) is necessary for the display on an output apparatus, (ii) depends on an output apparatus machine type, and (iii) cannot be commonly used in multiple machine types, (d) to create a transaction file composed of function information and an argument necessary for the function without including a control code based on the machine type dependent information, and (e) to instruct the output apparatus to output the information according to the base file contents by using the transaction file and a fixed file that (i) does not depend on the machine type, (ii) can be commonly used in multiple machine types, and (iii) is composed of machine type independent information including the control code. | 02-02-2012 |
| 20120030491 | ELECTRICAL APPARATUS AND POWER SUPPLY CONTROL METHOD - An electrical apparatus has a controller for switching between a normal power mode and power saving modes. A receiver receives instructions for a manipulation on the apparatus. A switch controller switches to a first power saving mode when no instruction for manipulation is received within a first standby time in the normal power mode, switches to a second and lower power saving mode when no instruction for manipulation is received and the time reaches a preset second standby time in the first power saving mode, switches to the normal power mode when an instruction for manipulation is received when the apparatus is in the first or second power saving mode, and switches to the second or a third power saving mode for supplying less power than the first power saving mode but more than the second when the time reaches the first standby time if a predetermined condition is satisfied. | 02-02-2012 |
| 20120027475 | IMAGE FORMATION APPARATUS - An image formation apparatus has an image carrier for carrying a toner image, a transfer element for electrostatically transferring the toner image on the image carrier to a sheet, and a guide element for guiding the sheet. The image carrier and the transfer element form a nip portion for nipping the sheet, the guide element includes a main guide configured to guide the sheet toward the nip portion and a sub-guide protruding from the main guide toward the nip portion, and the sub-guide is conductive. | 02-02-2012 |
| 20120027435 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - An image forming apparatus includes a two-component developing devices for each of a plurality of photoreceptors and a motor for the developing device. A transmission can assume a coupled state where the transmission transmits driving force of the motor to the developing device and a separated state where the transmission does not transmit the driving force of the motor to the developing device. A toner agitating mechanism stirs toner inside the developing device. A permeability sensor detects permeability inside the developing device and outputs a signal according to a ratio of the toner to the carrier. A coupling judging section judges that the coupling state exists when a variation of a signal value outputted by the permeability sensor equals or exceeds a predetermined value and judges that the separated state exists when the variation of the signal value outputted by the permeability sensor is lower than the predetermined value. | 02-02-2012 |
| 20120026563 | IMAGE PROCESSING APPARATUS, IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS, AND METHOD FOR IMAGE PROCESSING, CONFIGURED TO DIVIDE AND READ A DOCUMENT TO GENERATE DIVIDED IMAGE DATA - An image processing apparatus is configured to divide and read a document to generate divided image data. The image processing apparatus includes an image reading unit, a high-frequency-color identifying unit, an individual-density conversion information generating unit, and a color-component-data converting unit. When the image reading unit divides and reads the document, the high-frequency-color identifying unit detects a density frequency distribution for the entire document and identifies, from a plurality of colors represented by a plurality of pieces of color component data, a high-frequency color that appears in an image of the entire document with a frequency satisfying a predetermined high-frequency condition; the individual-density conversion information generating unit generates individual-density conversion information based on the entire document; and the color-component-data converting unit generates converted color image data based on the entire document. | 02-02-2012 |
| 20120026518 | Image Forming Apparatus, Toner Usage Evaluation Method, and Computer-Readable Non-Transitory Recording Medium Storing a Toner Usage Evaluation Program - Provided is an image forming apparatus including a reference image generating unit and a toner usage evaluation unit. The reference image generating unit is configured to convert a subject image into a reference image having a data amount smaller than the subject image. The toner usage evaluation unit is configured to obtain a usage of toner for printing the subject image based on the reference image. | 02-02-2012 |
| 20120026515 | IMAGE FORMING DEVICE, INFORMATION PROCESSING DEVICE, AND RECORDING MEDIUM STORING N-UP PRINTING PROGRAM - An image forming device includes: a storing unit that stores image data of plural pages, an operating unit and a setting unit that sets the number of sheets used for N-up printing of the plural pages. A determining unit determines the number of pages aggregated on a single side of a single sheet when N-up printing is performed using the number of sheets set by the setting unit. An orientation selecting unit selects a paper orientation that lowers a reduction ratio of a page when N-up printing is performed on the number of pages determined by the determining unit. An image forming unit uses the image data stored in the storing unit to form images of the plural pages onto sheets according to the number of sheets set by the setting unit, the number of pages determined by the determining unit, and the selected paper orientation. | 02-02-2012 |
| 20120025451 | Sheet Feeder Device and Image Forming Apparatus - A paper feed cassette of an image forming apparatus is provided with a sheet receptacle and a pair of width adjustment guides. A cassette feeder of the image forming apparatus is provided with a plurality of rollers, a plurality of roller holders, and a plurality of roller biasing members. When the paper feed cassette is mounted on a feeder housing, an upper end of width adjustment guides is configured to cause at least one of the roller holders to move upward in a height direction of the image forming apparatus such that at least one of the rollers does not come in contact with a topmost sheet of paper. | 02-02-2012 |
| 20120025450 | IMAGE FORMING APPARTUS AND FEED MECHANISM - An image forming apparatus, comprising: a feed roller; a separation unit; a position detection part includes: a detection member that can move to a retracted position, and a detector which detects that a image formation target material is disposed at the feed position or the feed setup position in a case of having detected that the detection member is at the retracted position; and a restricting member that is disposed at a restricting position that restricts the detection member from moving from the initial position to the retracted position by abutting the detection member, in a detached state in which the separation unit is detached from the mounting part. | 02-02-2012 |
| 20120025443 | POST-PROCESSING DEVICE AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS INCLUDING THE SAME - An image forming apparatus includes a sheet aligning mechanism that aligns a sheet of medium stacked by causing the sheet of medium to move in a shift direction orthogonal to a feed direction. The sheet aligning mechanism includes: a pair of alignment members having a pair of alignment surfaces; a rotational waiting position detector that detects whether the alignment members have moved to a rotational waiting position at which the alignment members wait; a rectilinear waiting position detector that detects whether the alignment members have moved to a rectilinear waiting position; and a post-processing controller that performs correction of a rotational angle and amount of movement of the alignment members performed by a rotational movement drive mechanism, based on signals output from the rotational waiting position detector and the rectilinear waiting position detector. | 02-02-2012 |
| 20120020710 | FIXING DEVICE AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS INCLUDING THE SAME - A fixing device includes a heating rotating member that generates heat by induction heating; an induction coil that generates magnetic flux for induction heating; and a magnetic member core section forming a magnetic path and including a first core section, a second core section, a magnetic flux shielding member, and third core sections. The magnetic flux shielding member is disposed at a side of an end portion of the first core section opposite to the second core section and separated from the end portion, and disposed at a position that is separated from the outer surface of the heating rotating member by a separation distance. The third core sections are disposed at a side of the magnetic flux shielding member facing the end portion of the first core section. At least one of the third core sections is movable to a first position and to a second position. | 01-26-2012 |
| 20120020688 | DEVELOPING DEVICE, IMAGE FORMING UNIT AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS PROVIDED WITH THE SAME - A developing device includes an applying portion for applying a bias at a first voltage value and a first frequency, to a toner bearing member during a development period in which toner particles are supplied to an image bearing member. A controller executes a removal control to remove attached matter adhering to a bearing surface of the toner bearing member during a non-development period. Upon executing the removal control, the controller first causes residual toner particles to separate from the bearing surface. Subsequently, the controller controls the applying portion to cause a second bias at a second voltage value higher than the first voltage value or at a second frequency higher than the first frequency to be applied to the toner bearing member while bringing a developer layer on a developer bearing member into contact with the bearing surface. | 01-26-2012 |
| 20120019595 | INKJET RECORDING LIQUID, INKJET RECORDING DEVICE USING INKJET RECORDING LIQUID, AND METHOD OF USING INKJET RECORDING LIQUID IN INKJET RECORDING DEVICE - An inkjet recording liquid contains water, an organic solvent, a pigment, and a pigment dispersing resin. An weight-average molecular weight of the pigment dispersing resin exceeds 30000 and is 150000 or less. A mass ratio of the pigment dispersing resin to the pigment in the recording liquid (resin content/pigment content) is 0.1 or more and 1.0 or less. An acid value of the pigment dispersing resin is 160 or more and 240 or less. The inkjet recording liquid is discharged from a recording head of the inkjet recording device. Even when nozzles of the recording head become clogged due to drying or thickening of the inkjet recording liquid, the nozzle clogging can be easily resolved with a purge operation and wiping operation of the recording head by a wipe unit. Thus, it is possible to reduce an overconsumption of the recording liquid due to the foregoing purge operation. | 01-26-2012 |
| 20120013930 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - An image forming apparatus includes, an upper cabinet disposed openably and closably on a main cabinet, reader cover disposed openably and closably on the upper cabinet and covering the image reader when the reader cover is closed and restriction mechanism preventing the reader cover from opening relative to the upper cabinet when the upper cabinet is open relative to the main cabinet. The restriction mechanism includes a first engagement member disposed at the upper cabinet and a second engagement member disposed at the reader cover and engageable with the first engagement member. The reader cover is prevented from opening relative to the upper cabinet when the first engagement member engages with the second engagement member. The second engagement member is urged to project from the reader cover towards the upper cabinet and movable from the upper cabinet to the reader cover. | 01-19-2012 |
| 20120005470 | QUICK START-UP IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS, IMAGE FORMING METHOD, AND IMAGE FORMING SYSTEM - An image forming apparatus includes a code storage device and a code execution device to perform booting based on a boot code from the code storage device. The code execution device includes a first communication unit and a first high-speed communication unit each communicable with the code storage device. The code storage device includes: a second communication unit and a second high-speed communication unit each communicable with the code execution device; a code storage unit to store a high-speed communication standby code required of the code execution device to use the first high-speed communication unit and a high-speed code transmitted to the code execution device via the second high-speed communication unit; and a code transmission unit to transmit the high-speed communication standby code to the code execution device via the second communication unit and to transmit the high-speed code to the code execution device via the second high-speed communication unit. | 01-05-2012 |
| 20120002260 | OPTICAL SCANNING APPARATUS AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - The present invention provides an optical scanning apparatus at least including two optical scanning units that freely rotate about a rotation shaft and are disposed in parallel to the rotation shaft; two light sources provided for each optical scanning unit in relation to the optical scanning unit; and four primary mirrors provided respectively opposite and sandwiching the optical scanning unit, and the mirrors reflecting the light from the light source that is scanned by the optical scanning unit, wherein the first optical path that extends from a first optical scanning unit to one primary mirror that corresponds to the first optical scanning unit and a second optical path that extends from a second optical scanning unit to one primary mirror that corresponds to the second optical path are formed to overlap in a vertical orientation on a sectional surface including both rotation shafts of the two optical scanning units. | 01-05-2012 |
| 20120001380 | SHEET REMAINING AMOUNT DETECTION DEVICE AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - A sheet feeder includes a tray on which sheets are to be placed, a rope connected to the tray, a pulley which includes a shaft and on which the rope is taken up such that the winds thereof are aligned in an axial direction of the shaft, and a motor for moving the tray upward by rotating the pulley about the shaft in a direction to take up the rope to locate the uppermost sheet on the tray at a sheet pickup position. A sheet remaining amount detection device applied to this sheet feeder includes a position detector for detecting a present position which is a present take-up position of the rope on the pulley in the axial direction, and a remaining amount detecting section for detecting the remaining amount of the sheets on the tray based on the present position detected by the position detector. | 01-05-2012 |
| 20110318076 | FIXING UNIT AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS WITH BUILT-IN FIXING UNIT - A fixing unit for fixing a toner image formed on a sheet is provided with a belt unit including a belt configured to press the sheet, a reference roller configured to nip the sheet in cooperation with the belt, and a supporting element configured to support the belt unit and the reference roller. The belt unit includes first and second rollers on which the belt is wound. The supporting element includes a supporting plate configured to support the first, second and reference rollers. | 12-29-2011 |
| 20110318075 | FIXING UNIT AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS WITH BUILT-IN FIXING UNIT - A fixing unit is provided with a heating mechanism configured to define an arcuate heating zone, a heating roller including a circumferential surface extending along the heating zone, a belt wound on the heating roller along the circumferential surface, a tensioner configured to apply tension to the belt; and a biasing mechanism configured to bias the tensioner in a biasing direction along an extending direction of the belt between the heating roller and the tensioner. | 12-29-2011 |
| 20110317231 | IMAGE PROCESSING APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR DISCRIMINATING WHETHER DOCUMENT IS COLOR DOCUMENT OR BLACK AND WHITE DOCUMENT, IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS AND FACSIMILE MACHINE INCLUDING THE IMAGE PROCESSING APPARATUS AND A COMPUTER READABLE RECORDING MEDIUM STORING IMAGE PROCESSING PROGRAM - An image processing apparatus includes a document conveying unit, an image reading unit, a gradient calculating unit, a gradient comparing unit and a document discriminating unit. The image reading unit scans a document conveyed by the document conveying unit in a scanning direction orthogonal to a conveying direction and detects pixel values of color components of each pixel. The gradient calculating unit calculates a gradient of the pixel value of each color component in the conveying direction for each pixel based on the detected pixel values. The gradient comparing unit compares differences of gradients among color components for each pixel and extracts the pixel where the graduent difference is below a threshold value. The document discriminating unit discriminates whether each pixel is color or black-and-white based on pixel values using discrimination criteria different for the specific pixels extracted by the gradient comparing unit and other pixels. | 12-29-2011 |
| 20110317194 | CHARACTER INPUT DEVICE, IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS AND CHARACTER KEY DISPLAY METHOD - An input device comprises: an operation unit having a display part that can display a plurality of character keys and a touch screen; a subsequent input candidate search unit that, upon detection of contact to an area corresponding to a specific character key in the touch screen, searches among the input candidate string for an input candidate string with a first character being a specific character corresponding to the area thus detected, as a subsequent input candidate string; a subsequent input candidate determination unit that, with regard to the subsequent input candidate thus found, determines a subsequent character following the first character as a subsequent input candidate character; and a display exchange unit that displays a character key of the subsequent input candidate character thus determined, by exchanging with a character key arranged in the vicinity of a character key for the specific character as the first character. | 12-29-2011 |
| 20110317186 | IMAGE PROCESSING APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR DISCRIMINATING WHETHER DOCUMENT IS COLOR DOCUMENT OR BLACK AND WHITE DOCUMENT, IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS AND FACSIMILE MACHINE INCLUDING THE IMAGE PROCESSING APPARATUS AND COMPUTER READABLE RECORDING MEDIUM STORING IMAGE PROCESSING PROGRAM - An image processing apparatus includes an image reading unit, a pixel color determining unit, an isolated point determining unit, and a document discriminating unit. The image reading unit scans a document to detect pixel values of color components of each pixel. The pixel color determining unit determines whether a color of each pixel is a specific color based on the detected pixel values. The isolated point determining unit determines whether each pixel is an isolated point based on the detected pixel values. The document discriminating unit discriminates whether the document is a color document or a black-and-white document based on the detected pixel values while treating the pixels, of which the color has been determined to be the specific color by the pixel color determining unit and which have been determined to be isolated points by the isolated point determining unit, as black-and-white pixels. | 12-29-2011 |
| 20110311261 | DEVELOPMENT APPARATUS AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS HAVING THE SAME - A development apparatus according to the present invention includes: a stir member that stirs a developer in a development container; a stir gear that rotates the stir member; a stir rotation shaft that connects the stir member and the stir gear to each other; a development member that supplies the developer onto a surface of an image carrier; a development gear that collaborates with the stir gear to form a series of gears and rotates the development member; a development rotation shaft that connects the development member and the development gear to each other; a housing box that houses the stir gear and the development gear, supports the stir rotation shaft and the development rotation shaft, and is provided with an air take-in opening for taking in air and an air discharge opening for discharging the taken-in air; and a wind sending member that takes in the air from the air take-in opening into the housing box and makes the taken-in air pass through the housing box to discharge the air from the air discharge opening. | 12-22-2011 |
| 20110311046 | Image Forming System, Image Forming Apparatus, and Method in which an Application is Added - An image forming system includes a first computer, a second computer, and an image forming apparatus. The first computer is configured to provide an application file to a first special hash function and generate a first special hash value corresponding to an input first parameter value. The second computer is configured to generate an installation package file including the application file and the first special hash value. The image forming apparatus is configured to provide the application file to a second special hash function that is the same as the first special hash function, generate a second special hash value corresponding to a second parameter value that is stored in the image forming apparatus and that is the same as the first parameter value, and perform a specified process to the application file if the first special hash value matches the second special hash value. | 12-22-2011 |
| 20110300476 | POSITIVE CHARGING SINGLE-LAYER ELECTROPHOTOGRAPHIC PHOTOCONDUCTOR, IMAGE-FORMING APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR FORMING AN IMAGE - A positive charging single-layer electrophotographic photoconductor configured to serve as an image-bearing member for use in an image-forming apparatus includes a photosensitive layer on a conductive base, including a charge-generating material, a hole-transport material, an electron-transport material, and a binder resin, in which the photosensitive layer has a polysiloxane oil, with the amount of the polysiloxane oil being in the range of about 0.005% by mass to about 0.021% by mass with respect to the total mass of materials. | 12-08-2011 |
| 20110300475 | Electrophotographic Photoconductor and Image-Forming Apparatus - An electrophotographic photoconductor includes a photosensitive layer on a conductive base, in which 1) the photosensitive layer includes a charge-generating layer including a charge-generating material, and a charge-transport layer including a charge-transport material and a binder resin, the charge-generating layer and the charge-transport layer being stacked, in that order, on the conductive base, and the charge-transport layer having a yield strain of about 5%-25%, or 2) the photosensitive layer includes a charge-generating material, a charge-transport material, and a binder resin in the same layer and has a yield strain of about 5%-25%, corresponding to the yield strain measured using a 10 mm×30 mm rectangular, sample having a thickness of 30 μm with both 10-mm sides held at an initial load of 1 N, a strain rate of 0.5 %/min, and a temperature of 30°C., in which the electrophotographic photoconductor is used as an image-bearing member. | 12-08-2011 |
| 20110299891 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - An image forming apparatus, having: an image carrier configured by a positively charged single-layer electrophotographic photosensitive body; a charging device which is based on a contact charging method for charging a circumferential surface of the image carrier while making contact with the circumferential surface of the image carrier; a developing roller which is disposed so as to oppose the image carrier and carry and convey toner on the circumferential surface; and a voltage application unit which applies a developing bias to the developing roller, wherein the frequency of an AC component of the developing bias applied by the voltage application unit is 2.6 to 4.2 kHz. | 12-08-2011 |
| 20110299890 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - The present invention provides an image forming apparatus, including: an image carrier configured by a positively charged single-layer electrophotographic photosensitive body; a charging device which is based on a contact charging method for charging a circumferential surface of the image carrier while making contact with the circumferential surface of the image carrier; and a transfer unit which transfers a toner image on the circumferential surface of the image carrier to a transfer receiving body by gripping the transfer receiving body with the image carrier, wherein the transfer unit includes an application unit to which a transfer bias is applied, and a region having a volume resistivity of 10 | 12-08-2011 |
| 20110299888 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - An image forming apparatus has: a positively-charged single layer type electrophotographic photoreceptor; a charging device with a contact charging roller for charging a surface of the photoreceptor; an exposure device for exposing the charged surface to light to form an electrostatic latent image on the surface of the photoreceptor; a developing device for developing the electrostatic latent image into a toner image; and a transfer device for transferring the toner image to a transferred body. The photoreceptor has a conductive substrate and a photosensitive layer that contains a charge generating agent, a charge transport agent and a binder resin. The binder resin has a yield point strain of 9 to 29%, and the contact charging roller has a conductive layer with a thickness of 1 mm to 3 mm. The image forming apparatus is environmentally responsive and having a long-lasting positively-charged single layer type photoreceptor and charging roller. | 12-08-2011 |
| 20110299887 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - An image forming apparatus includes a positively-charged single layer type electrophotographic photoreceptor, a charging device with a contact charging roller for charging a surface of the photoreceptor and an exposure device for exposing the charged surface of the photoreceptor to light to form an electrostatic latent image thereon. A developing device develops the electrostatic latent image into a toner image and a transfer device transfers the toner image to a transferred body. The charging roller is made of electrically conductive rubber having an Asker-C rubber hardness of 62 to 81°. A roller surface roughness of the charging roller has an average distance (Sm) between asperity peaks on a cross-sectional curve of 55 to 130 μm and that a ten-point average roughness (Rz) is 9 to 19 μm. The image forming apparatus is capable of preventing carrier trapping, film peeling and uneven charging in the photoreceptor. | 12-08-2011 |
| 20110299884 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - An image forming apparatus including a housing body in which a first end is rotatably connected with an apparatus main body, a link member in which the second end can reciprocate in a first direction, a suspended portion positioned at a restricted position when the housing body is positioned at the closed position or the intermediate open position, and positioned at a non-restricted position when the housing body is positioned at the fully open position, and a tension spring in which one end is connected to the link member and the second end is connected to the suspended portion, and when the housing body is positioned at the closed position, and the tension spring is in an extended state, when the housing body is positioned at the intermediate open position or the fully open position, and the tension spring is in a free-length state. | 12-08-2011 |
| 20110299874 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS WITH HIGH-VOLTAGE BOARD - An image forming apparatus has a first unit for performing an image forming process on a sheet, a frame having a first surface facing the first unit and a second surface opposite the first surface. A second unit is mounted on the second surface of the frame and a high-voltage board is mounted on the second surface of the frame with the second unit located therebetween. A connecting mechanism electrically connects the first unit and the high-voltage board to supply high voltage to the first unit. The connecting mechanism includes a unit-side wire extending at a side of the first surface and a board-side wire connectable to the unit-side wire and extending at a side of the second surface. The unit-side wire and the board-side wire are connected with contacts thereof pressed into contact with each other. | 12-08-2011 |
| 20110299871 | IMAGE FORMING DEVICE INCLUDING SHEET-METAL HOUSING - An image forming device includes: a processing unit that performs an image forming process on a sheet; a housing that defines a housing space in which the processing unit is housed; a high-voltage board that generates a high voltage to be supplied to the processing unit; a wire that electrically connects the high-voltage board and the processing unit with each other; and a wire holding plate that holds the wire. The housing includes a pair of a first sheet-metal frame and a second sheet-metal frame which oppose each other and a sheet-metal coupling piece which couples these sheet-metal frames, and the first sheet-metal frame and the second sheet-metal frame support the processing unit between the first sheet-metal frame and the second sheet-metal frame. The wire holding plate extends over substantially the entire dimension of the coupling piece in an extending direction thereof and is fixed to the coupling piece. | 12-08-2011 |
| 20110299866 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - An image forming apparatus of the present invention has first and second image carriers that are configured by positively-charged single layer type electrophotographic photoreceptors, and a controller that controls an operation for charging or destaticizing the circumferential surfaces of these image carriers. The controller switches between a first mode for causing the first and second image carriers to perform image formation while rotating these image carriers, and a second mode for causing only the first image carrier to perform image formation while rotating the first and second image carriers. In the second mode, the second image carrier is applied with a charging bias and subjected to a destaticizing operation without undergoing a developing operation. The first image carrier is applied with the charging bias and subjected to the developing operation and the destaticizing operation. | 12-08-2011 |
| 20110299258 | MOUNT STRUCTURE FOR ELECTRICAL BOARD, AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS HAVING THE SAME - A mount structure includes: a plurality of metal frames over which the respective electrical boards disposing an electronic component are removably mounted; stacks and mounts the frames. An uppermost frame is an N-th frame (N is an integer of 2 or larger) and a frame disposed under the N-th frame is an (N−1)-th frame. A metal cover case that houses an N-th electrical board which is mounted over the N-th frame and is removably mounted on the N-th frame is provided; wherein the N-th frame is removably mounted over the (N−1)-th frame at an N-th mount portion such that the N-th frame faces an (N−1)-th electrical board that is mounted over the (N−1)-th frame; and the N-th mount portion is disposed at an outer portion with respect to the cover case that is mounted on the N-th frame. | 12-08-2011 |
| 20110299139 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - An image forming apparatus including a housing body that can displace and rotate to a housing body fully closed angle position, a housing body fully open angle position, and a housing body non-access angle position, an outer wall member disposed between the apparatus main body and the housing body, and connected to the apparatus main body to displace and rotate in response to the displacement and rotation of the housing body, and positioned at an outer wall fully closed angle position, positioned at an outer wall fully open angle position, and positioned at an outer wall non-access angle position that has an angular position enabling exposure of the exchangeable components in the inner portion of the apparatus main body but not enabling exchange by a user. | 12-08-2011 |
| 20110298882 | OPTICAL SCANNING APPARATUS AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS INCLUDING SAME - An optical scanning apparatus includes a housing, light deflector, first optical system and reinforcement member. The housing includes a peripheral wall and a partitioning portion to divide an inner side of the peripheral wall into first and second portion. The partitioning portion includes a first hole to cause the first portion to communicate with the second portion to form an optical path. The light deflector mounted in the first portion has a rotatable polygon mirror to perform deflection scanning of scanning light beams emitted from light sources and a drive unit to drive the rotatable polygon mirror to rotate. The first optical system mounted at least in the first portion causes the scanning light beams reflected from the rotatable polygon mirror to return towards the first hole. The reinforcement member mounted on a surface facing at least the second portion on the partitioning portion reinforces the housing. | 12-08-2011 |
| 20110296219 | Image Forming Apparatus and Image Forming Method Having Power Saving Mode - An image forming apparatus includes a communication interface receiving data; a buffer storing the data; a main system processing the stored data; a subsystem controlled by the main system to perform a function of the image forming apparatus; a system control unit; and a data processing unit. The system control unit switches an operation status mode of the image forming apparatus between a normal status mode and a deep sleep status mode. When the image forming apparatus is in the deep sleep status mode, the data processing unit processes the data received from the buffer if the data is determined to be processable by the data processing unit and causes the system control unit to switch the operation status mode from the deep sleep status mode to the normal status mode if the received data is determined not to be processable by the data processing unit. | 12-01-2011 |
| 20110294065 | LIQUID DEVELOPER, LIQUID DEVELOPING DEVICE, AND WET IMAGE FORMING METHOD - In order to prevent the occurrence of bleeding in a nip between a photoreceptor and an intermediate transfer body or a nip between the photoreceptor and a sheet, which is a problem in a wet developing method, the present disclosure provides a liquid developer that includes an electrically insulating carrier liquid and colored particles dispersed within the carrier liquid, further contains an organic polymer compound, and has a viscosity of 30 to 400 mPa·s at a measurement temperature of 25° C. | 12-01-2011 |
| 20110294057 | ELECTROSTATIC CHARGE IMAGE DEVELOPING TONER, ELECTROSTATIC CHARGE IMAGE DEVELOPER, AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - The present disclosure aims to provide a toner that is capable of keeping a photoreceptor drum in satisfactory condition for a long period of time and preventing the occurrence of pinholes on the photoreceptor drum, which plays a key role in forming images. The present disclosure provides an electrostatic charge image developing toner in which an external additive is added to toner base particles, wherein the external additive includes inorganic fine particles attached with conductive fine particles, and the conductive fine particles are attached to the inorganic fine particles with certain strength. | 12-01-2011 |
| 20110293344 | CONVEYOR AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS INCLUDING CONVEYOR - A conveyor including a conveyance element configured to rotate in a first rotary direction for sending in a first direction a sheet conveyed along a first path and in an opposite second rotary direction for sending the sheet to a second path including: a guide member for rotating between first and second positions; a first transmission element for transmitting a drive force to the conveyance element; a lever for rotating the guide member to at least one of the first and second positions; a second transmission element connected with the first transmission element to transmit the drive force to the lever; and a transmission controller for controlling transmission of the drive force from the second transmission element to the lever, wherein the transmission controller transmits the drive force from the second transmission element to the lever while the lever rotates the guide member. | 12-01-2011 |
| 20110293336 | CAM DRIVING MECHANISM, AND BELT TRANSPORTING APPARATUS AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS THEREWITH - A cam driving mechanism has: a cam; a motor which drives the cam; a gear train which transmits, while reducing the speed of, the output of the motor to the cam; a pulse disk which is formed integrally with a gear coupled in the gear train and in which a plurality of slits are formed at equal intervals; a home position detecting member which is arranged coaxially with the pulse disk so as to be rotatable independently thereof and which, by meshing with another gear coupled in the gear train, rotates at a lower rotation speed than the pulse disk; and a cam position detecting sensor which has a detecting portion including a light-emitting portion and a light-receiving portion, the cam position detecting sensor detecting the amount of driving of the cam based on the number of slits of the pulse disk that have passed through the detecting portion, the cam position detecting sensor detecting the home position of the cam based on the timing with which the home position detecting member shields the detecting portion. | 12-01-2011 |
| 20110293329 | DRIVING MECHANISM AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS COMPRISING THE SAME - A driving mechanism includes: a looped metallic transmission belt; a first shaft member; a second shaft member; and a pulley that is connected to the second shaft member so as to be rotatable about a second rotational axis, in which the first shaft member includes: a rotatably supported portion that is disposed at one end; and an extended portion that is disposed at another end so as to be continuous with the rotatably supported portion, in which a portion between the contact portion and the rotatably supported portion is flexurally deformed, the extended portion being rotatable about a diagonal rotational axis that is inclined at a predetermined angle relative to the first rotational axis, and the pulley includes a inclined outer surface that is inclined, such that a portion that is most separated from the first shaft member is substantially parallel with the extended portion. | 12-01-2011 |
| 20110293303 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - A multifunction peripheral includes: development units of respective colors; an intermediate transfer belt; a transfer roller; a movement mechanism that moves the intermediate transfer belt in a direction of coming in contact with and separating from a magenta development unit and the like; a concentration sensor; a control part that causes the magenta development unit and the transfer roller to form a toner pattern on the intermediate transfer belt; and a determination unit that determines that the pressing state of the magenta development unit and the like and the intermediate transfer belt is normal when the toner pattern concentration detected by the concentration sensor after the toner pattern is transferred to the intermediate transfer belt has reached a predetermined concentration value. | 12-01-2011 |
| 20110293294 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - The present invention provides a detection unit that detects, regarding a toner supply device loaded into an installation space of an apparatus main body, a type of the toner supply device or detects improper loading of the toner supply device and a notification unit that notifies loading of the toner supply device of a wrong type or improper loading of the toner supply device based on a result of detection by the detection unit. | 12-01-2011 |
| 20110292432 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS AND DISPLAY METHOD FOR A DISPLAY PORTION OF AN IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - Provided is an image forming apparatus including: a connection portion for performing communication with a keyboard; and a display portion for performing displaying of disabled keys when the keyboard is connected to the connection portion, the disabled keys being unusable keys among keys provided to the keyboard. | 12-01-2011 |
| 20110292156 | OPTICAL SCANNING APPARATUS AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS PROVIDED WITH THE SAME - An optical scanning apparatus includes a housing, light source, deflector, imaging lens, reflective mirrors, a synchronization detector and synchronization detection mirror. The housing has a plate to partition the housing. The deflector deflects a light beam emitted from the light source. The imaging lens converts the deflected light beam into a constant speed scanning light beam. The reflective mirrors reflect the constant speed scanning light beam to a photoreceptor. The synchronization detector detects timing for starting scanning of the photoreceptor. The synchronization detection mirror reflects the light beam to the synchronization detector. At least one of the reflective mirrors is disposed midway in a synchronization detection light path extending from the deflector to the synchronization detection mirror. The light beam reflected by the synchronization detection mirror is reflected again by at least one of the reflective mirrors, such that the light beam is guided to the synchronization detector. | 12-01-2011 |
| 20110292151 | SUPPORT STRUCTURE AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - The present invention provides a support structure, which includes: a housing configured to store an optical element; a support unit configured to support the housing; a positioning element configured to position the housing with respect to the support unit; an vibration-proof element configured to proof transmission of vibration from the support unit to the housing; and an extension portion extending from the housing toward the support unit. The support unit includes a first surface configured to define an opening into which the extension portion is inserted. The positioning element supports and positions the extension portion in the opening so that the extension portion is apart from the first surface. The vibration-proof element is disposed between the first surface and the extension portion. | 12-01-2011 |
| 20110291640 | REMAINING SHEET QUANTITY DETECTION DEVICE AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - The remaining sheet quantity detection device of the present invention is provided with a storage unit for storing first information which associates a distance between a distance measuring sensor and a tray with a level value in a distance range less than a peak distance, and second information which associates the distance with the level value in a distance range exceeding the peak distance. Additionally provided is a distance acquisition unit for acquiring a distance that is associated with the level value obtained by the distance measuring sensor in the first information when a detection unit detects that the distance is less than the peak distance, and acquiring a distance that is associated with the level value obtained by the distance measuring sensor in the second information when the detection unit detects that the distance exceeds the peak distance. | 12-01-2011 |
| 20110289591 | Software Validity Period Changing Apparatus, Method,and Installation Package - A software validity period changing apparatus includes a password information storage unit, an input device, an authentication unit, and a validity period changing unit. The authentication unit calculates a first hash value of the password stored in the password information storage unit, calculates a second hash value of a password input via the input device, and determines whether the first hash value matches the second hash value. The validity period changing unit decompresses an installation package into components, the installation package including a validity period and version information on each of the components, detects a position of the validity period if it is determined that the first hash value matches the second hash value, changes the validity period identified by the position to a validity period input through the input device, changes the version information, and combines the components to reproduce the installation package. | 11-24-2011 |
| 20110274517 | SHEET POST-PROCESSING APPARATUS - A sheet post-processing apparatus is provided that includes a first delivery path that guides a sheet to a first post-processing portion, a delivery holding path having a first holding path which branches off from a branch point of the first delivery path and a second holding path which is formed to be continuous with the first holding path and joins together with the first delivery path; a second delivery path that branches off from a branch point of the first holding path and guides the sheet to the second post-processing portion; a first path switching portion that is provided at the branch point of the first delivery path; and a second path switching portion that is provided at the branch point of the first holding path. | 11-10-2011 |
| 20110273743 | Image Forming Apparatus, Computer-Readable Recording Medium on Which Print Data Processing Program Code is Recorded, and Print Data Processing Method - An image forming apparatus includes a data reception unit, a data analysis unit, and a print image generation unit. The data reception unit is configured to receive print data. The data analysis unit is configured to analyze the print data for each of a plurality of blocks, delete a block of a page that is not specified as a print target on the basis of print setting information included in the print data, and rearrange the blocks in a page order to be printed, in order to generate reconstructed print data. The print image generation unit is configured to generate print image data on the basis of the reconstructed print data. | 11-10-2011 |
| 20110268479 | DEVELOPING UNIT AND IMAGE FORMING DEVICE - A developing unit includes a developing roller which rotates about a rotational axis to supply toner to a photoreceptor, and a magnetic roller which forms a magnetic brush with a two-component developing agent having carrier and the toner and thereby forms a toner layer on the developing roller, the developing roller including: a cylindrical core portion which includes an electric conductor; a first resistive layer which covers a cylindrical surface of the core portion; a second resistive layer which covers the first resistive layer, and has electric-resistivity lower than that of the first resistive layer; and a current leakage control member which prevents leakage of electric current from the core portion toward the second resistive layer through an end of the developing roller along a direction of the rotational axis. | 11-03-2011 |
| 20110268476 | LENS-MOUNTING STRUCTURE, AND OPTICAL-SCANNING APPARATUS AND IMAGE-FORMING APPARATUS EQUIPPED WITH THE SAME - A lens-mounting structure according to the present invention is; a lens mounting structure that glues a lens and a mounting surface of a support portion that supports the lens using an adhesive agent applied therebetween, to mount the lens to the support portion, characterized by setting a gluing surface area of the mounting surface of the support portion and the adhesive agent to be smaller than a gluing surface area of the lens and the adhesive agent. | 11-03-2011 |
| 20110268462 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS AND DENSITY ADJUSTING METHOD - An image forming apparatus has a memory, an image forming unit, an intermediate transfer member, a density detector, a background density measurer, a test patch controlling unit and a density correcting unit. The density detector detects the density of the intermediate transfer member. The background density measurer stores background density, in the memory in correspondence with position information on the intermediate transfer member at a predetermined timing before a calibration for adjusting image formation density. The test patch controlling unit causes the image forming unit to form a test patch, on the intermediate transfer member while the intermediate transfer member is driven at a predetermined speed. The density correcting unit executes the calibration to adjust image formation density according to a difference between the background density stored in the memory when executing the calibration and corresponding to the position and density of the test patch. | 11-03-2011 |
| 20110267660 | IMAGE READING APPARATUS AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS PROVIDED WITH THE SAME - An image reading apparatus includes:
| 11-03-2011 |
| 20110266743 | SHEET FEEDER HAVING MANUAL FEED TRAY, AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS INCLUDING THE SAME - A sheet feeder includes: a housing; a sheet feeding mechanism and a manual feed tray and that is mounted pivotably to the housing. The manual feed tray can assume a first posture that is closed relative to the housing, and a second posture that is open relative to the housing. A link couples the housing with the manual feed tray and pivots with a pivoting movement of the manual feed tray to hold the second posture of the manual feed tray. A posture changing mechanism permits the manual feed tray to pivot farther in an opening direction from the second posture when a load acts on a sheet mounting surface and causes the manual feed tray to assume a third posture while being held by the link. A posture holding mechanism holds the third posture of the manual feed tray. | 11-03-2011 |
| 20110262178 | MEMBER MOVING MECHANISM AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - A member moving mechanism according to the present invention includes: a first moving member that moves in a first positive direction and a first negative direction opposite to the first positive direction; a second moving member that moves in a second positive direction that is different from each of the first positive direction and the first negative direction, and in a second negative direction opposite to the second positive direction; a belt member that connects the first moving member and the second moving member; and a belt-member guiding member that controls a moving direction of the belt member, and changes the moving direction of the belt member at least once. | 10-27-2011 |
| 20110262158 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS AND METHOD OF FORMING IMAGE - An image forming apparatus includes a fixing unit fixing toner images to paper sheets, a timing adjusting unit adjusting the timing of supplying paper sheets to the fixing unit, a temperature detecting unit detecting the temperature of a predetermined section of a heating rotating body included in the fixing unit, and a timing control unit selecting a first mode or a second mode immediately after start-up of the image forming apparatus in accordance with whether the number of paper sheets to be printed exceeds a predetermined number, wherein in the first mode, when the temperature detected by the temperature detecting unit exceeds a first temperature, the first paper sheet is supplied to the fixing unit and, in the second mode, when the detected temperature exceeds a second temperature different from the first temperature, the first paper sheet is supplied to the fixing unit. | 10-27-2011 |
| 20110261416 | Image Forming Apparatus, File Delivery System, and File Delivery Method - An image forming apparatus includes an image scanning unit, a metafile creating unit, a transmission file name creating unit, and a control unit. The metafile creating unit creates a first metadata file and a second metadata file. The control unit transmits image data files in units of a page, created by the image scanning unit, after transmitting the first metadata file to the file delivery apparatus. The control unit transmits the second metadata file after transmitting the image data files (in a unit comprising all the pages) to the file delivery apparatus. The control unit provides a transmission file name (including a common part created by the transmission file name creating unit) to the first meta data file, the image data file, and the second meta data file. | 10-27-2011 |
| 20110261411 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS WITH CONTROLLER AUTOMATICALLY SWITCHING DISPLAYS OF OPERATION PROCEDURE IN ROTATION - An image forming apparatus is provided with a display device for displaying an operation guide to an operator, and a display controller for causing the display device to display an operation procedure comprised of a plurality of operations as the operation guide while automatically switching the respective operations in rotation. | 10-27-2011 |
| 20110261375 | Image Forming Apparatus, Non-Transitory Computer-Readable Recording Medium Having an Image Forming Program Recorded Thereon, and Image Forming Method - An image forming apparatus includes an additional image creating unit, a composite image creating unit, and a printing unit. The additional image creating unit is configured to create an additional image by using information associated with externally acquired software data if the externally acquired software data comprises specific software data. The composite image creating unit is configured to create a composite image in which the additional image and an image of an original are composited. The printing unit is configured to print the composite image. | 10-27-2011 |
| 20110255130 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - An image forming apparatus, includes an image reader with an original document table. An image reading part has a light source, a light-receiving part, a reflection part, and a carriage that supports the light source or the reflection part. A cover covers a replacement member and is opened/closed integrally with the image reader. A main body accommodates an operation part for performing operations based on image data. An axis connects the image reader to the main body and turnably supports the image reader and the cover in approaching/separating directions with respect to the main body. An open/close detector detects an open/closed state of the image reader and the cover and a movement controller moves the carriage in a sub-scanning direction. When the image reader and the cover are open, the movement controller moves the carriage to a retreat position that is outside the original document table. | 10-20-2011 |
| 20110249987 | IMAGE-FORMING APPARATUS - An image-forming apparatus is equipped with a neutralization light source that is disposed between a primary transfer position and the cleaning unit, in a direction of rotation of the first image carrier that composes the image-forming unit; irradiates a first neutralization light from a position opposing the primary transfer position on a first image carrier up to a position opposing the cleaning unit; and irradiates a second neutralization light from a position opposing the developer unit for a second image carrier that composes an image-forming unit disposed adjacent to the image-forming unit at a downstream side in the direction of transfer belt rotation, up to a position opposite the primary transfer position. | 10-13-2011 |
| 20110245032 | DRIVE TRANSMISSION MECHANISM AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS INCLUDING THE SAME - A driving force transmission mechanism ( | 10-06-2011 |
| 20110244441 | HELP DISPLAY DEVICE, OPERATION DEVICE AND ELECTRONIC APPARATUS - A help display device of the present invention includes: a display portion that displays a help message; an operation portion that accepts an instruction for displaying a predetermined help message; a message storage portion that stores identical help messages expressed in a plurality of languages; a display order retention portion that retains a display order of the help messages expressed in a plurality of languages; a message generation portion that, in a case where the operation portion accepts the instruction for displaying a help message on the display, reads the help message corresponding to the instruction from the message storage portion and generates a multilingual help message by arranging the help messages of each language thus read in the display order retained in the display order retention portion; and a display control portion that displays the multilingual help message on the display portion by the message generation portion. | 10-06-2011 |
| 20110243621 | FIXING DEVICE AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS INCLUDING THE SAME - A fixing device includes a coil provided along an outer surface of a heating member to generate a magnetic flux for induction heating, a coil holding portion on which the coil is mounted, a core portion that forms a magnetic path around the coil and that includes arch cores that cover an outer side of the coil and are disposed opposite the heating member with the coil interposed therebetween and at a plurality of positions spaced in a recording-medium width direction and a side core that covers the outer side of the coil between the arch cores and the coil holding portion, and a core fixing member that presses the core portion toward the coil holding portion via an elastic member. The core portion is fixed in the pressing state to the coil holding portion by fastening the core fixing member to the coil holding portion. | 10-06-2011 |
| 20110243611 | DRIVE MECHANISM AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS PROVIDED WITH THE SAME - A drive mechanism of the present invention includes: a housing part composed of a first resin cover and a second resin cover; a first sheet metal member housed in the housing part; a first rotation transmission wheel group disposed on the first sheet metal member on a side directed to the first resin cover; a second rotation transmission wheel group disposed on the first sheet metal member on a side directed to the second resin cover; a positioning part rotatably supporting a first rotation transmission wheel of the first rotation transmission wheel group; and a pin member positioned by inserting into the positioning part via the first resin cover. | 10-06-2011 |
| 20110243607 | FIXING APPARATUS AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - A fixing apparatus includes: a heating rotator, a pressurizing rotator and a fixing housing. The heating rotator is configured to be rotatable about a first rotational axis and has a peripheral surface heated by a heat source provided inside or outside of the heating rotator. The pressurizing rotator is configured to be rotatable about a second rotational axis parallel to the first rotational axis. The pressurizing rotator forms a fixing nip in conjunction with the heating rotator. The fixing housing is configured to accommodate the heating rotator and the pressurizing rotator. The heating rotator, the pressurizing rotator and the fixing housing form a fixing rotator unit. The fixing rotator unit is configured to be withdrawable from an apparatus main body of an image forming apparatus and such that the peripheral surface of the heating rotator is exposed when the fixing rotator unit is withdrawn from the apparatus main body. | 10-06-2011 |
| 20110243604 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - An image forming apparatus includes a drum unit configured to be attachable to and detachable from the body through inserting the drum shaft into the hollow portion of the photoreceptor drum, a plurality of ribs formed on the drum unit, a guide rail formed in a body, and a plurality of cutouts that is formed in the guide rail is configured to engage with the plurality of ribs when the drum unit is positioned at a regular position. The drum shaft and the guide rail are configured with respect to each other such that a center of the drum shaft is substantially coaxial with a center of the photoreceptor drum when the drum unit slides relative to the body in a state in which the plurality of ribs is placed on the guide rail. | 10-06-2011 |
| 20110243596 | PHOTORECEPTOR, COOLING MECHANISM FOR PHOTORECEPTOR, AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS PROVIDED WITH THE SAME - A cooling mechanism for a photoreceptor includes: a photoreceptor of cylindrical shape; a pair of flanges respectively attached to both ends in an axial direction of the photoreceptor; a rotational shaft that is inserted into a shaft center of the photoreceptor; a holder that is disposed to face a first flange and rotatably supports the rotational shaft; and a main body frame that supports the holder. In such a cooling mechanism for a photoreceptor, an air duct is configured by the through hole formed in the flange and the concave portion formed on the holder, and discharges air flow generated inside the photoreceptor to the outside thereof. | 10-06-2011 |
| 20110243595 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS AND COOLING DUCT - An image forming apparatus is provided that can achieve a reduction in size while ensuring the necessary cooling performance. The image forming apparatus includes in an apparatus main body thereof: an image carrier; a developing device disposed to oppose the image carrier; a cooling fan; and a cooling duct flowing cool air from the cooling fan to at least the image carrier and the developing device, in which the cooling duct includes an image-carrier cooling duct that flows cool air to the image carrier; and a developing-device cooling duct that flows cool air to the developing device, and the image-carrier cooling duct and the developing-device cooling duct are disposed abreast front to back inside of the apparatus main body. | 10-06-2011 |
| 20110243594 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS OPERATION METHOD - Upon recovery from a power-saving mode to a normal mode and then restart of fixing temperature control from a state in which the fixing temperature control is stopped, a control part (display control part | 10-06-2011 |
| 20110243577 | ELECTRICAL CONNECTING MECHANISM, IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS AND OPTIONAL DEVICE - An electrical connecting mechanism includes: a first connector disposed at an apparatus main body; a second connector disposed at an optional device, a power feed switch disposed at one among the apparatus main body and the optional device and capable of switching between a connected state and an unconnected state; and an operation element that is disposed in the other one among the apparatus main body and the optional device, and causes a state in which power can be supplied from the apparatus main body to the optional device to be entered by changing the power feed switch to the connected state, when the first connector and the second connector are coupled. | 10-06-2011 |
| 20110242626 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - An image forming apparatus includes: an apparatus main body with an opening formed on an upper face thereof; an original document reading device that opens and closes the opening; an original document holder that is supported openably and closably by the original document reading device; a first lock mechanism that locks opening and closing of the original document reading device with respect to the apparatus main body; and a second lock mechanism that locks opening and closing of the original document holder with respect to the original document reading device, in which the first lock mechanism and the second lock mechanism are disposed inside a cabinet of the original document reading device. | 10-06-2011 |
| 20110242603 | DISPLAY INPUT DEVICE AND DISPLAY METHOD THEREOF AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS PROVIDED THEREWITH - A display input device | 10-06-2011 |
| 20110242573 | Facsimile Device, Computer Readable Recording Medium Storing Control Program Code for Facsimile Device, and Control Method for Facsimile Device - A facsimile device includes a communication unit, an analysis unit, and a printing unit. The communication unit is configured to receive, as reception data, both print-scheduled data to be printed and transfer-scheduled data to be transferred to an external device. The analysis unit is configured to analyze a target data portion of the reception data that requires an analysis in order to form an image. The printing unit is configured to print a printable part of the reception data. If at least one of a first error indicating that the communication unit did not receive part of the transfer-scheduled data as the reception data and a second error indicating that the analysis unit has failed in analyzing part of the target data portion corresponding to the transfer-scheduled data has occurred, the printing unit refrains from printing the reception data corresponding to the transfer-scheduled data. | 10-06-2011 |
| 20110242561 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS AND DISPLAY METHOD THEREOF - An image forming apparatus | 10-06-2011 |
| 20110242560 | Image Forming Apparatus, Image Forming Method, and Computer-Readable Recording Medium Storing Print Restriction Program Code - An image forming apparatus includes a print processing unit and a printing ratio determination unit. The print processing unit is configured to obtain a printing ratio of document data at a time of print execution of the document data, and associate printing ratio data indicating the obtained printing ratio with the document data. The printing ratio determination unit is configured to identify the printing ratio of the document data from the printing ratio data associated with the document data and determine whether or not the identified printing ratio satisfies a specified condition. | 10-06-2011 |
| 20110241275 | PAPER-SHEET POST-PROCESSING DEVICE - In a paper-sheet post-processing device, a paper-sheet aligning unit has: a main unit; a paper-sheet holding part which holds paper-sheets supported on a paper-sheet supporting unit; a cam mechanism which places the paper-sheet pressing part close to and separate from the paper-sheet supporting unit; and an aligning mechanism which aligns the paper-sheets supported on the paper-sheet supporting unit with a standard position by rotation of the aligning member; and the main unit has a rotation shaft rotatably supported axially by a first support part and a second support part and the cam member and aligning member are arranged to be fixed to the rotation shaft. | 10-06-2011 |
| 20110239162 | IMAGE DISPLAY DEVICE AND COMPUTER-READABLE STORAGE MEDIUM STORING A DISPLAY CONTROL PROGRAM - A multifunction peripheral is provided with a thumbnail image generation instruction receiving section that receives an instruction to generate a thumbnail image of a page designated by an operator, a thumbnail image generating section that generates thumbnail images of pages constituting image data, a display controller that causes the display unit to display the thumbnail image and a pop-up image indicating the pages received by the thumbnail image generation instruction receiving section, and a page designation receiving section that receives the page designated by the operator out of the pages indicated by the pop-up image. When page designation from the operator is received by the page designation receiving section, the display controller causes the thumbnail image of the received page to be displayed. | 09-29-2011 |
| 20110237416 | SHEET POST-PROCESSING APPARATUS AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - A first folding portion includes: a first folding roller pair consisting of a common roller and a first roller; and a blade member that feeds a sheet to a first nip, thereby forming a first fold on the sheet in the first nip. A second folding portion includes a second folding roller pair consisting of the common roller and a second roller, thereby forming a second fold on the sheet in a second nip. The common roller and the first roller are parallel in a conveying direction in a case where the sheet is guided toward the first folding portion. The blade member moves in a direction that is substantially orthogonal to a conveyance surface. The common roller is disposed on an upstream side of the first roller in the sheet conveying direction. | 09-29-2011 |
| 20110236108 | SHEET POST-PROCESSING APPARATUS AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - A first folding portion includes: a first folding roller pair consisting of a common roller and a first roller; and a blade member that feeds a sheet to a first nip, thereby forming a first fold on the sheet in the first nip. A second folding portion includes a second folding roller pair consisting of the common roller and a second roller, thereby forming a second fold on the sheet in a second nip. The common roller and the first roller are parallel in a conveying direction in a case where the sheet is guided toward the first folding portion. A feeding portion evacuates the sheet to the evacuation guiding portion for evacuating the sheet that on which the first fold is formed, switches back the sheet, and then feeds the sheet into the second nip. | 09-29-2011 |
| 20110236102 | SHEET CURL CORRECTION APPARATUS AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - The present invention includes a supporting member that supports a first roller and a second roller, a first actuator that rotates the supporting member, a first gear that is connected to an end of second roller on the first actuator side, a second gear that is threadably engaged with the first gear, a third gear that rotates coaxially with the second gear, an input gear that threadably engages with the third gear, and a second actuator that transmits a rotational force to the input gear. The third rotation shaft extends in parallel in a first plane that includes the leading edge and the trailing edge of the nip, the first actuator rotates the supporting member between a first position at which the sheet is received from the leading edge of the nip and a second position at which the sheet is received from the trailing edge of the nip. | 09-29-2011 |
| 20110236091 | FIXING DEVICE, IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS INCLUDING THE SAME AND ELECTROMAGNETIC-INDUCTION HEATING UNIT - A fixing device for fixing a toner image on a recording medium includes a toner fusing unit that is operable to fix the toner image on the recording medium and that includes a pressure member and a heating member in contact with the pressure member to form a fixing nip therebetween; an electromagnetic-induction heating unit having a coil disposed along an outer surface of the heating member and configured to generate a magnetic flux for applying induction heating to the heating member, and a core unit disposed opposite the heating member with the coil interposed therebetween to provide for a magnetic path around the coil, the core unit being configured to rotate about an axis extending across the width of the recording medium; and a drive unit formed integrally with the electromagnetic-induction heating unit and configured to rotate the core unit. | 09-29-2011 |
| 20110236076 | TONER SUPPLY DEVICE AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - A toner supply device configured to be detachably attached into an apparatus main body of an image forming apparatus and supplying a toner to a developing device, the toner supply device being: provided with a container main body configured substantially in a rectangular solid shape and configured to be inserted into the apparatus main body along a longitudinal direction of the container main body, having a toner containing part communicating with a developing device, and a barrel part that moves downward upon receipt of a biasing force from a direction of the apparatus main body when being inserted into the apparatus main body and a lock part arranged at a rear of the barrel part; the handle member being inserted into said apparatus main body side according to the downward movement of said barrel part and fixing said toner supply device in said apparatus main body. | 09-29-2011 |
| 20110236061 | SHAFT MEMBER HOLDING MECHANISM, PHOTOCONDUCTOR DRUM UNIT AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - A shaft member holding mechanism comprising: a shaft member arranged rotatably about a rotation axis; a bearing that supports the shaft member rotatably, including an outer ring portion, and an inner ring portion that holds the shaft member and is arranged at an inside of the outer ring portion so that the inner ring portion can rotate relatively to the outer ring portion; a holding member having a bearing holding portion that holds the outer ring portion of the bearing in a state where a rotation of the outer ring portion is regulated; and an inclination suppression member that is arranged at one side of the bearing in the rotation axis direction of the bearing and suppresses the bearing from inclining. | 09-29-2011 |
| 20110235137 | DOCUMENT CONVEYING DEVICE, IMAGE READING DEVICE INCLUDING THE DOCUMENT CONVEYING DEVICE, AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - Provided is a document conveying device, including: a conveyance guide member which is capable of being opened upward and closed with respect to a contact glass, disposed facing the contact glass along a conveying direction of a document, and guides the document to an upper surface of the contact glass; a reading guide member which is disposed along a width direction of the document, movably supported in an up-and-down direction with respect to the conveyance guide member, and guides the document to a position facing an image reading region in the upper surface of the contact glass; a protruding portion which is protruded outward from at least one end portion of the reading guide member in the width direction; a support portion which is protruded outward from the conveyance guide member along the width direction above the protruding portion; and elastic portions which are protruded downward from the support portion and sandwich the protruding portion so that the protruding portion is movable in the up-and-down direction, each of the elastic portions having a tip end including a claw portion which engages with the protruding portion from below by snap-fitting so as to enable regulation of downward movement of the protruding portion. | 09-29-2011 |
| 20110235133 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - A power saving mode includes a plurality of levels that are different in recovery time to a normal mode and in power consumption of a main body system. The plurality of levels are set to correspond to remaining heat temperature of a fixing device so that the recovery time to the normal mode becomes shorter as the remaining heat temperature is higher, and the power consumption of the main body system becomes lower as the remaining heat temperature is lower. Depending on a change in the remaining heat temperature, a power control section switches to a level corresponding to the remaining heat temperature, of the plurality of levels of the power saving mode of the main body system. | 09-29-2011 |
| 20110235131 | IMAGE READING DEVICE AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS INCLUDING THE SAME - A position adjustment mechanism ( | 09-29-2011 |
| 20110235124 | Image Forming Apparatus, Computer-Readable Recording Medium Storing Job History Management Program Code, and Job History Management Method in the Image Forming Apparatus - An image forming apparatus includes a history storage unit, a history writing unit, and a history reading unit. The history storage unit is configured to store a job history that shows a history of a job. The history writing unit is configured to divide that job history into a plurality of histories, add identification information to the plurality of histories for associating the plurality of histories with each other, and write the plurality of histories to the history storage unit. The history reading unit is configured to read that plurality of histories on the basis of the identification information. | 09-29-2011 |
| 20110235117 | Image Forming System and Image Forming Apparatus Settings Search Method Using WS-Discovery - An image forming apparatus stores a settings keyword, receives a Probe message including a search keyword from a client apparatus via a network, retrieves the search keyword from the Probe message, determines whether or not the search keyword from the Probe message matches the stored settings keyword, and transmits a ProbeMatch message to the client apparatus if the search keyword from the Probe message matches the stored settings keyword. Further, the image forming apparatus stores setting data, searches for another image forming apparatus having a function of transmitting the setting data based on a keyword search using WS-Discovery, requests the setting data from the specified another image forming apparatus, generates new setting data based on the setting data received from the another image forming apparatus, and stores the new setting data. | 09-29-2011 |
| 20110235107 | OPERATION APPARATUS AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS HAVING THE SAME - To provide an operation apparatus and image forming apparatus which can adequately notify users of status information of other apparatuses connected to the operation apparatus. The operation apparatus has: status information acquiring means | 09-29-2011 |
| 20110235083 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS AND POWER SUPPLY CONTROL METHOD FOR AN IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - Provided is an image forming apparatus, including: a system control section that performs control of the apparatus; a functional block that forms a part of the image forming apparatus; and a power control section that is communicably connected to the system control section, that controls power supply to the system control section and the functional block, that is provided with data for power control defining with regard to the power supply to the system control section and the functional block by the system control section, and that controls the power supply to the system control section and the functional block based on the data for power control. | 09-29-2011 |
| 20110233851 | SHEET FEEDER AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS PROVIDED WITH THE SAME - A sheet feeder includes a sheet cassette insertable into a housing in a first direction, a remaining amount detecting member including a contact piece extending in a second direction opposite to the first direction and coming into contact with an uppermost sheet, and detecting a remaining amount of sheets according to a position of the contact piece, and a switching member switching the position of the contact piece between a contact position where the contact piece enters a storage space to come into contact with the uppermost sheet and a retracted position where the contact piece is retracted from the storage space. The position is switched to the contact position when the sheet cassette is inserted into the housing in the first direction and set to a feeding position while switched to the retracted position when the sheet cassette is separated from the feeding position and withdrawn from the housing. | 09-29-2011 |
| 20110233842 | SHEET POST-PROCESSING APPARATUS AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - A sheet post-processing apparatus implements a tilted edge-binding process by a movable table rectilinearly driving portion that moves a stapling unit rectilinearly via a movable table, and rotating the stapling unit to drive a staple near a sheet corner when the staple is tilted at a predetermined angle with respect to a sheet-conveying direction. The sheet post-processing apparatus includes the movable-table rotationally driving portion that rotates the movable table to cause the stapling unit to tilt at a position to drive the staple at the predetermined angle with respect to the sheet-conveying direction, and a tilt retention portion that mechanically holds the movable table to maintain the stapling unit tilted. | 09-29-2011 |
| 20110229211 | TONER DISPERSING MEMBER AND TONER DISPERSING MECHANISM PROVIDED THEREWITH - Provided is a toner dispersing member including a rotary shaft and dispersing protrusions formed of a flexible film member wound along an outer peripheral surface of the rotary shaft, the flexible film member including a large number of cuts formed on one side thereof and are directed outward. The toner dispersing member is rotated about the rotary shaft so that a lump of toner coming into contact with the dispersing protrusions is dispersed. | 09-22-2011 |
| 20110229210 | TONER DISPERSING MECHANISM, AND DEVELOPING DEVICE AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS PROVIDED THEREWITH - Provided is a toner dispersing mechanism, including: a housing arranged between a toner storage container and a developing device and provided with a toner filling port communicating to the toner storage container and a toner discharge port communicating to the developing device; and a dispersing member constituted by a large number of dispersing protrusions formed of an elastic material on a rotary shaft rotatably supported in the housing and on an outer peripheral surface of the rotary shaft, in which toner replenished from the toner storage container is dispersed and discharged into the developing device. | 09-22-2011 |
| 20110229199 | PHOTOCONDUCTOR DRUM SUPPORT STRUCTURE, IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS, AND METHOD OF MANUFACTURE FOR PHOTOCONDUCTOR DRUM SUPPORT STRUCTURE - A photoconductor drum support structure includes a photoconductor drum that is supported to rotate about a rotation axis; a drum shaft that passes through the photoconductor drum, and is disposed along a rotation axis; a notch formed on the first end in the rotation axis direction of the drum shaft; a drum frame that retains the photoconductor drum to rotate, the drum frame including an opening that is formed on the first end in the rotation axis direction on the drum frame, and enables insertion of the first end of the drum shaft, an engaging portion that is engaged with the notch formed on the drum shaft inserted into the opening, and that regulates displacement of the drum shaft towards the second end. | 09-22-2011 |
| 20110229184 | DEVELOPING DEVICE AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS INCLUDING THE SAME - A developing device includes: a developer carrying member for supplying a developer to an image bearing member at an opposing region opposing to the image bearing member, the developer carrying member being arranged so as to be opposed to the image bearing member on which an electrostatic latent image is to be formed; a blade for regulating an amount of the developer carried on the developer carrying member; a casing for housing the developer carrying member and the blade, the casing including a wall portion opposed to the developer carrying member between the blade and the opposing region; a sheet member that is flexible, provided on the wall portion, has a free end, forms a part of an inner wall surface of the wall portion, and is movable in a direction perpendicular to the inner wall surface; and a moving portion provided on the wall portion, for moving the sheet member. | 09-22-2011 |
| 20110229155 | TONER-REMAINING-AMOUNT DETECTION SENSOR AND TONER STORAGE CONTAINER PROVIDED THEREWITH - A toner-remaining-amount detection sensor includes a rubber member, an actuator, a transmission sensor, and a holder member which integrally holds the rubber member, the actuator, and the transmission sensor. The actuator is supported by the holder member so as to move to a first position at which the transmission sensor detects that a toner remaining amount in a toner storage container is a predetermined amount or more when a toner pressure in the toner storage container acts on the rubber member, and to move to a second position at which the transmission sensor detects that the toner remaining amount in the toner storage container falls below the predetermined amount when the toner pressure in the toner storage container does not act on the rubber member. When the actuator is at the second position, the actuator partially comes into contact with the holder member so that a gap is formed between the actuator and the rubber member. | 09-22-2011 |
| 20110228353 | IMAGE READING APPARATUS AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - An image reading apparatus includes an array substrate in which a plurality of point light sources is mounted along the main scanning direction, a light guide member disposed on a surface of the array substrate that mounts the plurality of point light sources, and guiding light from the plurality of point light sources to the document surface, a frame for fixing the light guide member and the array substrate, a positioning unit that determines the positional relationship of the frame with the light guide member and the array substrate in a configuration in which the incident surface of the light guide member is in proximity to or in contact with the plurality of point light sources; and an image reading unit that uses reflected light when illuminating light from the plurality of point light sources through the light guide member onto the document surface to thereby read the document image. | 09-22-2011 |
| 20110228321 | DISPLAY INPUT DEVICE, IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS, DISPLAYING METHOD OF A DISPLAY INPUT DEVICE - A display input device includes an input unit which receives an operation input, and a display unit which displays a screen for operation input and includes an input result display area for displaying at least a number and a character. When there is an available function for inputting the number and the character, an input button for using the available function is displayed in the input result display area or in an adjacent area of the input result display area, while when there is no available function, the button is not displayed in the input result display area or in the adjacent area of the input result display area. | 09-22-2011 |
| 20110228311 | Image Forming System and Image Forming Method for Collectively Supporting Output Data Formats and Authentication Methods - A multifunction peripheral (MFP) transmits read data (user identification information) obtained by a reader to a user-manager server device via a network. The user-manager server device specifies a data format of the read data, converts the data format into another data format to specify a user ID corresponding to the read data, performs a user authentication using the user ID, and transmits authorization information corresponding to a logged-in user. Further, the MFP receives the identification information corresponding to the logged-in user by a user authentication method specified by authentication setting data, and transmits the identification information to the user-manager server device. The authentication setting data is updated by the master authentication data stored in the user-manager server device. The user-manager server device performs the user authentication using the identification information, and transmits the authorization information corresponding to the logged-in user. | 09-22-2011 |
| 20110228299 | IMAGE PROCESSING APPARATUS, IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS, AND IMAGE PROCESSING METHOD THAT READ COLOR IMAGE DATA FROM A DOCUMENT - An image processing apparatus includes an image reading unit that reads an image of a document as color image data including pieces of color component data; a dot-component removing unit that removes dot components by smoothing each color component data; a high-frequency-color identifying unit that identifies, of colors represented by dot-removed color component data obtained by the smoothing, a high-frequency color satisfying a predetermined high-frequency condition; an individual-density-conversion-information generating unit that generates, for each high-frequency color, individual-density conversion information for converting each color component data such that a color near the high-frequency color becomes substantially the same as the high-frequency color; and a color-component-data converting unit that converts, based on the individual-density conversion information, each color component data in a part of the color image data, the part being data in which a color represented by the dot-removed color component data is a color near the high-frequency color. | 09-22-2011 |
| 20110228028 | OPTICAL DEVICE AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS HAVING THE OPTICAL DEVICE INCORPORATED THEREIN - An optical device is provided with an optical unit for forming an optical path of a laser beam, and a housing defining an internal space for accommodating the optical unit. The housing includes a partition for dividing the internal space into a first space and a second space. The optical unit includes a sensor arranged in the first space to detect the laser beam in the second space, a mirror arranged in the second space to define a direction of the optical path, a drive source arranged in the second space to operate the mirror to adjust the direction of the optical path, a power line for supplying power to the drive source, and a signal line for transmitting an output signal of the sensor. The signal line extends in the first space and the power line extends in the second space. | 09-22-2011 |
| 20110227277 | MANUAL SHEET FEEDER AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS PROVIDED WITH THE SAME - A sheet feeder has a tray on which a sheet to be fed is to be placed. A lift plate is at a feeding end of the tray and has a first end at an upstream side in a feeding direction connected rotatably to the tray. The lift plate is displaceable between a feeding posture where a second end at a downstream side in the feeding direction is lifted up and a retracted posture where the second end is lower than in the feeding posture due to its own weight. A biasing member gives a biasing force to an elevating member in a direction to lift the lift plate to the feeding posture. A lowering mechanism gives a pressing force against the force of the biasing member to lower the lift plate to the retracted posture. | 09-22-2011 |
| 20110227272 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS AND JUNCTION UNIT - An image forming apparatus has a main body for performing an image forming process on a sheet. An internal discharge stores a sheet after the image forming process and a discharge opening discharges a sheet to the internal discharge. A post-processing unit can be attached to the apparatus main body to apply a specified post processing to a received sheet. A junction can be assembled into the internal discharge to convey a sheet from the discharge opening to a receiving opening of the post-processing unit. The junction includes a first guide having a first guide surface for guiding a sheet, a second guide having a second guide surface facing the first guide at a predetermined distance and a support for supporting the second guide by a rotatable supporting portion. The support has a facing surface facing the first guide surface and has the supporting portion arranged on the facing surface. | 09-22-2011 |
| 20110225378 | Data Processing Apparatus, Data Processing Method, and Computer-Readable Recording Medium for Writing and Reading Data to and from a Storage - A data processing apparatus includes a storage controller and a processor. The storage controller is configured to write a series of data blocks constituting a particular unit of data to a storage and read out the series of data blocks from the storage. The processor is further configured to generate a write-side process and a read-side process, notify the read-side process from the write-side process of an identifier of a storage area in the storage, cause the storage controller to sequentially write the series of data blocks to the storage area using the write-side process, and cause the storage controller to read the series of data blocks from the storage area corresponding to the identifier using the read-side process after the identifier is received in the read-side process. | 09-15-2011 |
| 20110222913 | DEVELOPING DEVICE AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS INCLUDING THE SAME - A developing device includes: a developing container partitioned into a stirring-transport chamber, a supplying-transport chamber, and a collecting-transport chamber; a developer carrying member for carrying the developer on a surface thereof; a supplying-transport member located within the supplying-transport chamber; a stirring-transport member located within the stirring-transport chamber, for stirring and transporting the developer in a reverse direction to the supplying-transport member; a collecting-transport member located within the collecting-transport chamber, for stirring and transporting the developer in the same direction as the supplying-transport member; a first developer passage for passing the developer from the stirring-transport chamber to the supplying-transport chamber; a second developer passage for passing the developer from the supplying-transport chamber to the stirring-transport chamber, in which a communication portion for passing the developer from the collecting-transport chamber to the supplying-transport chamber is provided on an upstream side of the second developer passage in terms of a developer transporting direction. | 09-15-2011 |
| 20110222912 | DEVELOPING DEVICE AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS INCLUDING THE SAME - Provided is a developing device including: a developing container partitioned into a stirring-transport chamber, a supplying-transport chamber, and a collecting-transport chamber that are arranged substantially in parallel with one another, for storing a two-component developer; a developer carrying member for carrying the developer on a surface thereof; a supplying-transport member located within the supplying-transport chamber; a stirring-transport member located within the stirring-transport chamber; a collecting-transport member located within the collecting-transport chamber, for stirring and transporting the developer in the same direction as the supplying-transport member and at the different speed from the supplying-transport member; a first developer passage for passing the developer from the stirring-transport chamber to the supplying-transport chamber; a second developer passage for passing the developer from the supplying-transport chamber to the stirring-transport chamber; and a communication portion for passing the developer from the collecting-transport chamber to the supplying-transport chamber. | 09-15-2011 |
| 20110222911 | LIQUID DEVELOPER AND WET-TYPE IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - A liquid developer containing an electrically insulating carrier fluid and colored particles dispersed in the carrier fluid and a wet-type image forming apparatus using this liquid developer are provided, with the colored particles being pigments and this liquid developer containing at least one selected from a group consisting of styrene elastomer, polyvinyl butyral, cyclic olefin copolymer and cellulose ether. Additionally, a liquid developer containing an electrically insulating carrier fluid, colored particles dispersed in the carrier fluid, and an organic macromolecular compound for fixing the colored particles to a recording medium and a wet-type image forming apparatus using this liquid developer are provided, with the organic macromolecular compound being dissolved in the carrier fluid and the colored particles being pigments. | 09-15-2011 |
| 20110217097 | FIXING DEVICE AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS INCLUDING THE SAME - A fixing device includes a rotating fixing body fixes a toner image on a recording medium by heating, the rotating fixing body having a cylindrical metal core formed of a magnetic shunt alloy and having a thickness less than a magnetic-field permeation depth at a temperature higher than or equal to a Curie temperature of the metal core, a coil provided along an outer surface of the rotating fixing body so as to generate magnetic flux that subjects the rotating fixing body to induction heating, and an electrically conductive arch-shaped saddle ring member disposed at a position opposing the coil with the metal core being disposed therebetween and in an orientation such that magnetic flux leakage associated with loss of ferromagnetism of the metal core penetrates the ring member. | 09-08-2011 |
| 20110211891 | POST-PROCESSING APPARATUS AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - A post-processing apparatus includes a second sheet conveying portion that conveys a paper sheet, a movement portion that displaces in a displacement direction that is different from the conveying direction of the paper sheet in the second conveying portion, a sheet edge detection portion that is disposed on the movement portion and detects the position of the paper sheet, a punching processing portion that is disposed on the movement portion, and that executes a punching process at a predetermined position on the paper sheet based on the position of the paper sheet detected by the sheet edge detection portion, and a post-processing control portion that controls the second sheet conveying portion to stop the conveying of the paper sheet when the sheet edge detection portion detects that the paper sheet is positioned on an abnormal conveying path that diverges from a normal conveying path within a conveying path region. | 09-01-2011 |
| 20110211862 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - An color image forming apparatus | 09-01-2011 |
| 20110211215 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - When new image data is received by a communication I/F portion, a determination portion determines whether or not a password set to image data stored in the storage portion coincides with a password set to new image data received by the reception portion. A second image forming control portion does not execute image formation based on the new image data with a first image forming control portion when the determination portion determines that a password set to image data stored in the storage portion coincides with a password set to new image data received by the communication I/F portion. | 09-01-2011 |
| 20110206441 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - An image forming apparatus including: a housing configured to accommodating an image forming portion for forming an image on a sheet; and a conveying mechanism configured to at least partially define a conveying path for guiding the sheet to the image forming portion, wherein the conveying mechanism includes a first conveying element including an upstream end on which a feeding assembly for feeding the sheet is formed, and a second conveying element confronting the first conveying element to form the conveying path in cooperation with the first conveying element, and the housing includes a rail configured to guide displacement of the second conveying element from a first position where the second conveying element forms the conveying path along the first conveying element to a second position where the second conveying element is away from the first conveying element. | 08-25-2011 |
| 20110206418 | DEVELOPING APPARATUS AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - A developing apparatus includes: a developer accumulation portion; a developer drawing-up portion that draws up the liquid developer accumulated in the developer accumulation portion; a developing roller that supplies the liquid developer to the image supporting body in a region facing the image supporting body; a developer removing portion that is disposed to contact a predetermined position on a surface of the developing roller on a downstream side to the region facing the image supporting body in a rotational direction of the developing roller, and removes the liquid developer remaining on the surface of the developing roller; and an accumulated developer delivery portion that delivers the liquid developer accumulated in the developer accumulation portion to a predetermined region on the surface of the developing roller between the region facing the image supporting body and the predetermined position contacting the developer removing portion. | 08-25-2011 |
| 20110206417 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - An image forming apparatus includes a developing device, a liquid developer supplying device including a liquid developer flow path and supplying a liquid developer containing a solid content to the developing device through a discharge port of the liquid developer flow path, a storage container storing the liquid developer, a conveying mechanism capable of feeding the liquid developer from the storage container to the liquid developer flow path and feeding the liquid developer in the liquid developer flow path back to the storage container and a controller controlling the conveying mechanism. At the time of non-developing operation in which a toner image forming operation is not performed by the developing device, the controller controls the conveying mechanism to feed at least a part of the liquid developer present in the liquid developer flow path back to the storage container. | 08-25-2011 |
| 20110206398 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS AND METHOD OF MEASURING LINEAR SPEED - An image forming apparatus including an image carrying member, a detecting section, and a linear-speed deriving section. The image carrying member carries a toner image. The detecting section detects passages of a mark, provided on the image carrying member, at a plurality of predetermined detection positions. The linear-speed deriving section determines a linear speed of the image carrying member from times at which the detecting section detects the passage of the mark. | 08-25-2011 |
| 20110205610 | OPTICAL SCANNING APPARATUS AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS PROVIDED WITH THE SAME - The present invention is an optical scanning apparatus provided with a light source, an optical deflector that reflects and deflects a light beam from the light source, one or more lenses through which the light beam reflected by the optical deflector passes, a reflective mirror group which guides the light beam having passed through the lens, and an image bearing member on which the light beam having passed through the reflective mirror group forms an image, in which the reflective mirror group disposed in accordance with the light source is configured by including at least a third reflective mirror that reflects the light beam having passed through the lens toward the image bearing member, and the third reflective mirror and the image bearing member are arranged opposing each other across an optical path reflected by the optical deflector and passing through the lens. | 08-25-2011 |
| 20110205598 | IMAGE-READING APPARATUS AND IMAGE-FORMING APPARATUS - An image-reading apparatus includes a gain correction processing portion, and a gain setting control portion including a setting portion that sets a gain condition, the gain setting control portion: repeatedly sets the gain condition in the setting portion at predetermined time intervals, and records the set gain condition in the recording portion, in an idling state from when the power supply portion switches to an on state until a reception portion receives a read instruction; stops setting the gain condition in the setting portion in a reading state after the reception portion receives the read instruction; and implements gain correction on electrical signals output from an imaging element in the gain correction processing portion by applying the gain condition recorded in the recording portion just before the reception portion receives the read instruction. | 08-25-2011 |
| 20110205578 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS, IMAGE FORMING SYSTEM, AND METHOD OF PRIVATE PRINTING - There is provided an image forming apparatus includes: a list transmitting unit configured to transmit a handling user list to the first terminal device; an inquiring unit configured to make an inquiry, when notification indicating that a specified handling user is selected, to a second terminal device to which the selected specified handling user is logging in, the inquiry relating to the handling of the execution of the private print; and a job recording unit configured to record, when notification transmitted from the second terminal device and indicating that the handling of the execution of the private print is agreed to is accepted, identification information for identifying the specified handling user thus agreeing and job data that corresponds to the print request accompanied by the private print instruction in association with each other. | 08-25-2011 |
| 20110205577 | DISPLAY INPUT DEVICE, IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS, AND DISPLAY METHOD OF THE DISPLAY INPUT DEVICE - A display input device includes a display unit which displays a plurality of types of functions as set items, a program which is called to control the display unit to display a screen for setting set items selected and registered in advance, a storage unit which stores information about whether or not to display a set item when the program is called as contents of the program, an input unit which accepts an input about whether or not to display the set items when the program is called, and a display control unit which controls the display unit not to display a set item that is determined to be no display. | 08-25-2011 |
| 20110205558 | Image Forming System, Image Forming Method, and Image Forming Apparatus that Transfers a Setting Values Set - An image forming apparatus stores a setting values set including core data independent of a model of the image forming apparatus and non-core data not included in the core data; writes the core data on another image forming apparatus without change, and if the model of the image forming apparatus is the same as the model of the another image forming apparatus, writes the non-core data on the another image forming apparatus without change, while if the model of the image forming apparatus is not the same as the model of the another image forming apparatus, writes the non-core data including a setting value of a function setting in the non core-data that is the same as the function setting in the another image forming apparatus on the another image forming apparatus. | 08-25-2011 |
| 20110205294 | INKJET RECORDING APPARATUS - An inkjet recording apparatus is provided, which includes a plurality of recording heads that record an image on a recording medium by ink ejected from the inkjet nozzles and a plurality of wiper members, each arranged corresponding to each recording head, and performing cleaning of a nozzle face of each recording head by moving relative to each recording head. Timing at which at least one of the wiper members abuts against one recording head is different from another timing at which another wiper member differing from the one wiper member abutting against the one recording head abuts against another recording head. | 08-25-2011 |
| 20110205234 | OPERATING DEVICE AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - An operating device includes a receiving section for, when set values using respective reception screens relating to a further workflow selected in a selection input section are input, receiving these set values and set values input using respective reception screens relating to a workflow previously selected in the selection input section as set values applied for a series of functions as a combination of the selected further workflow and the workflow previously selected in the selection input section. | 08-25-2011 |
| 20110194144 | DISPLAY INPUT DEVICE, IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS, AND DISPLAY METHOD OF THE DISPLAY INPUT DEVICE - A display input device includes a storage unit which stores a program for controlling to display a screen for setting a set item that is selected and registered in advance by calling, an input unit which accepts a setting input, and a display unit which displays a combination image in which a position display image for indicating a current position of the display in the program when the program is called, and a screen number display image indicating the number of setting screens that are displayed or have been displayed for setting the set item included in the program are combined, for each set item included in the program, arranged in the display order of the set item in the program. | 08-11-2011 |
| 20110188895 | SHUTTER OPENING/CLOSING MECHANISM AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS PROVIDED WITH THE SAME - A joint member moves forward and backward between an advanced position and a retracted position according to the rotation of a rotary member when a cover is opened and closed between an open state and a half open state, and rotates at the advanced position according to the rotation of the rotary member when the cover is opened and closed between the half open state and a closed state. A coupling member is engaged with the joint member when the joint member is at the advanced position while being disengaged from the joint member when the joint member is at the retracted position. The coupling member opens and closes a toner supply port by rotating according to the rotation of the joint member engaged therewith at the advanced position. | 08-04-2011 |
| 20110188891 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS AND IMAGE MAGNIFICATION ADJUSTMENT METHOD - An image forming apparatus has an intermediate transfer belt stretched lightly across rollers to move endlessly in a sub-scanning direction upon image formation and has an outer surface to which a toner image formed by a development unit is transferred. A secondary transfer opposing roller is one of the rollers across which the intermediate transfer belt is stretched. A secondary transfer roller contacts the outer surface of the intermediate transfer belt and transfers the toner image on the intermediate transfer belt to recording paper. A movement mechanism moves at least one of the rollers or the secondary transfer roller and changes a pressed state of the intermediate transfer belt by the secondary transfer roller at a nip of the secondary transfer opposing roller and the secondary transfer roller. A movement mechanism control unit controls a travel distance of the roller to be moved by the movement mechanism. | 08-04-2011 |
| 20110188885 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - An image forming apparatus includes a housing, a transfer roller configured to be opposite to an image carrier when the housing is rotated around a rotation fulcrum, a transfer roller pressing member configured to urge the transfer roller toward the image carrier, a guide configured to feed transfer paper, a fixing hook configured to be urged in a direction to lock the housing about the main body, a transfer roller releasing lever configured to separate the transfer roller from the image carrier against urging performed by the transfer roller pressing member, a transfer roller positioning part that is disposed in a main body and configured to position the transfer roller, and an operation part configured to cause the fixing hook to rotate in a direction to unlock the housing roller such that the transfer roller releasing lever rotates in a direction to release the transfer roller from the image carrier. | 08-04-2011 |
| 20110188877 | OPERATING DEVICE AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - When a manual feed tray detector detects that a manual feed tray has been set to a feeding position before any one of workflow images displayed on a workflow screen is pressed by a user, a display controller causes a sheet storage location reception screen to be displayed in an interrupting manner between respective reception screens. | 08-04-2011 |
| 20110188077 | OPERATING DEVICE AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - An operating device is provided with a display unit; a storage storing a plurality of workflows, each of which is composed of a combination of a predetermined plurality of processing items out of a plurality of processing items of an image forming apparatus including the operating device, in advance; a first selection input section for inputting the selection of a processing item out of the plurality of processing items of the image forming apparatus; a searching section for searching a workflow including the same processing item as the selected processing item from the plurality of workflows stored in the storage when the selection of the processing item is input by the first selection input section; and a display controller for controlling the display unit to display an image indicating the extracted workflow as a search result by the searching section. | 08-04-2011 |
| 20110188076 | IMAGE DISPLAY DEVICE - A complex machine is provided with a communication unit such as a facsimile communication unit, a communication destination storage that stores a plurality of pieces of communication destination information for communication destinations to be communicated with by the communication unit, a display unit, a display controller that controls the display of the display unit, a communication destination receiving section that receive the communication destination, with which communication is to be carried out by the communication unit, together with the communication destination information from an operator, and a selection criterion storage that stores a selection criterion used to select the communication destinations and communication destination information to be displayed on the display unit. The display controller extracts the communication destination information according to the selection criterion and causes the display unit to display the extracted communication destination information. | 08-04-2011 |
| 20110185189 | SDK Use-Restriction Imposing Device, Use-Restriction-Imposed SDK Developing System, and SDK Use-Restriction Imposing Method - An SDK use-restriction imposing device includes a user interface unit, a source file of a use-restriction plug-in, a use-restriction plug-in edit unit, a build unit, and a use-restriction plug-in generation unit. The use-restriction plug-in edit unit sets use restrictions to the source file on the basis of use-restriction information received via the user interface unit. The build unit compiles the source file so as to generate an executable file of the use-restriction plug-in in response to a build instruction received via the user interface unit. The use-restriction plug-in generation unit generates a use-restriction-imposed SDK including an original SDK and the executable file of the use-restriction plug-in in response to an output instruction received via the user interface unit. | 07-28-2011 |
| 20110182642 | IMAGE-FORMING APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR CONTROLLING IMAGE-FORMING APPARATUS - An image-forming apparatus having an image-forming unit, a fixation unit for fixing a toner image transferred to paper, a double-sided print conveyance path for conveying the paper imprinted on one side toward the image-forming unit, a decurling unit for passing the paper discharged from the fixation unit in a double-roller nip including a hard roller and a soft roller and decurling the paper, a rotation unit for rotating the decurling unit, and a calculation unit for calculating an amount of toner deposited on each of a first side, which is the side printed first, and a second side, which is the side on the reverse of the first side and is the side printed next. The rotation unit rotates the decurling unit on the basis of calculation results from the calculation unit. | 07-28-2011 |
| 20110182637 | FIXING DEVICE AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS INCLUDING THE SAME - A fixing device includes a coil disposed along an outer surface of a heating member and configured to generate magnetic flux for heating the heating member through induction heating; and a core unit being configured to constitute a part of a magnetic path around the coil. The core unit includes a plurality of core bodies arranged in a width direction of a recording medium to be conveyed, the core bodies being made of magnetic material; and a shaft having an outer surface on which the core bodies are arranged, a length of the outer surface being longer than a sum of lengths of the core bodies arranged thereon, the core body lengths including axial tolerances of the core bodies. A gap is provided between any adjacent ones of the core bodies, | 07-28-2011 |
| 20110182621 | OPTICAL SCANNING DEVICE AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS COMPRISING THE SAME - An optical scanning device includes a housing, a laser light source outputting a laser light, a polygon mirror arranged in an arrangement space and deflecting the laser light to scan a predetermined object with the laser light while rotating, a polygon motor rotating the polygon mirror, a control board arranged in the arrangement space and controlling the polygon motor, and a flow-control member arranged in the arrangement space and guiding an airflow generated by a rotation of the polygon mirror to an outside of the arrangement space to circulate the airflow within the housing. | 07-28-2011 |
| 20110182615 | PROCESS UNIT POSITIONING DEVICE AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS INCLUDING THE SAME - Provided is a process unit positioning device which performs positioning of a plurality of process units with respect to an apparatus main body, including: a positioning plate in which bearing holes into which individual drum shafts are fitted and a fitted portion onto which positioning portion of the apparatus main body is fitted are formed; and a holder portion supported by the apparatus main body so as to be able to pivot while holding the positioning plate so that a position changes by contact between the bearing holes and the drum shafts. | 07-28-2011 |
| 20110182598 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR PERFORMING IMAGE FORMING USING AN ELECTROPHOTOGRAPHIC PROCESS - An image forming apparatus using an electrophotographic process includes an image forming unit, a storage unit, and a control unit. The image forming unit performs monochrome printing and color printing. The storage unit stores print ratio data that relates to printing in the image forming unit is measured over time. The control unit separately performs correction of monochrome toner density and color toner density based on a predetermined first condition. If the first condition in the monochrome printing is met, the control unit performs correction of the monochrome toner density if a predetermined second condition concerning an amount of variation in the print ratio identified from the print ratio data is also met. | 07-28-2011 |
| 20110182031 | PROCESSING ASSEMBLY, FIXING DEVICE AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS WITH FIXING DEVICE - A processing assembly includes: a processing housing configured to support a processor for executing a given process; an immobilizing mechanism configured to immobilize the processing housing and including an operation portion configured to release the immobilized processing housing; a cover mounted on the processing housing so as to be rotatable between a first position where the operation portion is covered by the cover and a second position where the operation portion is exposed to be visible; and a knob rotatably mounted on the processing housing and configured to rotate integrally with the cover. | 07-28-2011 |
| 20110181900 | CONTROL DEVICE, IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS, AND READING DEVICE - For functions of a multifunction machine for processing of processing items relating to document reading operations and processing items relating to operations other than document reading operations in a case where operation screens for setting content in regard to the processing items in a wizard format display are displayed in the wizard format display, a display order is set in advance for the operation screens for the processing items so that the operation screens for processing items relating to document reading operations are displayed prior to operation screens for processing items relating to operations other than document reading operations. | 07-28-2011 |
| 20110180987 | CONVEYING MECHANISM AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS INCORPORATING CONVEYING MECHANISM - Conveying mechanism includes first conveying element including upstream end on which feeding assembly for supplying sheet; and second conveying element for defining conveying path to guide sheet with the first conveying element, wherein the second conveying element has turning element including pivotal first and second ends, and displacement element coupled to turning element, pivotal first end is held near first conveying element, pivotal second end is coupled to the displacement element, displacement element along first conveying element defines conveying path when turning element is in a first position where turning element extends along first conveying element, and displacement element translates away from first conveying element while forming corner with turning element when turning element turns from first position to move away from first conveying element. | 07-28-2011 |
| 20110176840 | DEVELOPING DEVICE AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS PROVIDED THEREWITH - A developing device includes: a developing roller incorporating a fixed magnet body having a plurality of magnetic poles in a circumferential direction; a regulating member for regulating an amount of toner on the developing roller by means of a magnetic field formed by the regulating member and the fixed magnet body; and a magnetic-field generating member for scraping off, on an upstream of the regulating member in a rotational direction of the developing roller, toner which is not used for development on the developing roller. A relation Bm/Br>1 is satisfied, where Br represents a magnetic flux density of a distal end portion of the regulating member facing a surface of the developing roller and Bm represents a magnetic flux density of a distal end portion of the magnetic-field generating member facing the surface of the developing roller. | 07-21-2011 |
| 20110175277 | AUTOMATIC DOCUMENT CONVEYING DEVICE AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS INCLUDING THE SAME - Provided is an automatic document conveying device, including: a document feeding portion that feeds a document from a document stacking tray; a conveying portion that conveys the document which is fed, to a document reading portion; a discharge portion that discharges the document after being read to a discharge tray; a branching guide that switches a conveying path so that a second surface is read after a first surface of the document is read; and a switchback portion including a switchback roller pair for sending the document to the conveying portion again after the conveying path is switched by the branching guide, in which a switch of the conveying path by the branching guide and open/close of a nip of the switchback roller pair are performed in one drive portion. | 07-21-2011 |
| 20110158695 | CLUTCH MECHANISM AND PROCESSING DEVICE AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS COMPRISING THE CLUTCH MECHANISM - Clutch mechanism includes support plate, input element to which driving force is input, output element configured to rotate upon receiving driving force, first elastic member configured to bias output element toward support plate, first member including sliding arm inserted through through-hole of support plate and first slide surface, and second member configured to accommodate first member and including second slide surface. Insertion of the sliding arm into through-hole prevents rotation of first member with respect to support plate but allows first member to approach and move away from support plate. Output element moves apart from input element to cut off driving force when second member is in first rotational position. When second member rotates to second rotational position, output element outputs driving force transmitted from input element. | 06-30-2011 |
| 20110158694 | OPTICAL SCANNING APPARATUS AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS PROVIDED WITH THE SAME - The present invention is an optical scanning apparatus that is positioned and fixed to a metal frame of an image forming apparatus, in which a rotating polygon mirror being a deflection means and a drive motor rotationally driving the rotating polygon mirror are accommodated inside a housing made of resin. In the present invention, a bearing of the drive motor and a positioning member provided upright to the metal frame are inserted into and fitted with each other from opposite directions in a positioning boss formed in the housing, and the bearing is in contact with the positioning member. | 06-30-2011 |
| 20110158670 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS, METHOD FOR FORMING IMAGE, AND COMPUTER-READABLE RECORDING MEDIUM - An image forming apparatus includes an image bearing member bearing an image; a transfer member having the image transferred thereto from the image bearing member; a correction-image-formation control unit that causes, on the transfer member, a bias correction image to be formed based on an uncorrected bias and a first parameter-correction image to be formed immediately behind the bias correction image based on the uncorrected bias and an uncorrected image-formation parameter; a bias correcting unit obtaining a corrected bias by correcting the uncorrected bias based on the bias correction image; a bias determining unit for determining whether the corrected bias is within a predetermined range defined based on the uncorrected bias; and a parameter correcting unit obtaining, if the corrected bias is within the predetermined range, a corrected image-formation parameter by correcting the uncorrected image-formation parameter based on the first parameter-correction image. | 06-30-2011 |
| 20110157653 | Image Forming Apparatus and Nonvolatile Memory Writing Method - Provided is an image forming apparatus, including a nonvolatile memory writing unit configured to write into the nonvolatile memory, at every predetermined time period in which change data is written into the volatile memory within that predetermined time period, the change data written into the volatile memory, a temporary area writing unit configured to write new change data into a temporary area while a primary area writing unit is writing any change data into the primary area, and a primary area transfer unit configured to transfer any change data written into the temporary area by the temporary area writing unit to the primary area when the primary area writing unit completes writing the change data into the primary area. | 06-30-2011 |
| 20110156347 | SHEET FEEDER, ORIGINAL DOCUMENT TRANSPORT DEVICE, IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS, AND SHEET FEEDING METHOD - Provided is a sheet feeder, which includes: a sheet placing table; a rotary body which is movable and sends out sheets; a sheet placement detection portion for detecting placement of sheets; an upper limit detection portion for detecting that the rotary body has reached an upper limit position; a transport detection portion for detecting transport of sheets; and a control part which rotates the rotary body so as to perform sheet feeding operation regardless of a detection state of the upper limit detection portion when sheets are set on the sheet placing table, determines that a non-feed jam has occurred when no sheet arriving is detected, and stops rotating the rotary body by determining that the sheet feeder is brought into a sheet feeding restriction state, when sheets are set again on the sheet placing table and the rotary body is detected to be in the upper limit position. | 06-30-2011 |
| 20110153729 | Image Forming System, Image Forming Apparatus, and Image Forming Method for the Development, Distribution, and Maintenance of Image Forming Apparatus Operation Screens - A web browser of a multifunction peripheral transmits a request for screen data to a web server and causes an operation screen to be displayed on an operation panel on the basis of the screen data. A terminal-side web browser of a terminal apparatus transmits a request for screen data to the web server and causes an operation screen to be displayed on a display of the terminal apparatus on the basis of the screen data. Also, the web server transmits first screen data to the terminal-side web browser in response to a request from the terminal-side web browser, the first screen data being generated from basic screen data, and transmits second screen data to the web browser in response to a request from the web browser, the second screen data being generated from the basic screen data. | 06-23-2011 |
| 20110150539 | DEVELOPMENT DEVICE AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS HAVING THE SAME - The development device includes a developer storage part storing a developer, a developer carrier having a carrying surface for carrying the developer and a first magnet, and receiving the developer from the developer storage part on the carrying surface while rotating in a predetermined direction, and supplying the developer to a predetermined image carrier, a magnetic member formed from a magnetic material, forming a predetermined regulatory gap with the carrying surface, and arranged opposite to the first magnet, a second magnet disposed more upstream than the magnetic member when viewed from the rotating direction of the developer carrier, and having a magnetic pole of the same polarity as the first magnet, and a deterioration suppressing part suppressing deterioration of the developer transported to the regulatory gap along with the rotation of the developer carrier. | 06-23-2011 |
| 20110150537 | DEVELOPING DEVICE AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS PROVIDED THEREWITH - Provided is a developing device including: a developing container including a developer replenishing port from which the developer is replenished, and a developer discharge port which is provided on a downstream side of one of the conveyance paths and from which surplus developer is discharged; and a discharge regulating portion provided to one of the plurality of stirring members which is arranged in the one of the conveyance paths, in which the discharge regulating portion includes a regulating member arranged so as to face the developer discharge port, for regulating movement of the developer to the developer discharge port side, and a decelerating conveyance member arranged between the helical blade and the regulating member, for partially reducing a conveying speed of the developer in the one of the conveyance paths. | 06-23-2011 |
