37th week of 2010 patent applcation highlights part 36 |
Patent application number | Title | Published |
20100232772 | Potable water heating device - A rapid heating, highly efficient and reliable hot water drinking apparatus comprises: a water machine ( | 2010-09-16 |
20100232773 | IMAGING STATION AND METHOD FOR REPEATABLE ALIGNMENT OF IMAGES - Embodiments of an imaging station and method for repeatable alignment of images are generally described herein. In some embodiments, the imaging station includes a rotatable stage and a monostand. The rotatable stage may include a structure to support sets of handles for positioning of a subject's hands for at least some of the body poses. A camera is positioned on the monostand for capturing images of the subject and is configured to allow the camera to be repeatably positioned with respect to the rotatable stage for each body pose. | 2010-09-16 |
20100232774 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR CORRECTING HAND-SHAKE IN DIGITAL IMAGE PROCESSING APPARATUS - Provided is a digital image processing apparatus that supports a hand-shake correcting function. The digital image processing apparatus includes: a shutter button operating in two stages that comprises a half-shutter state and a full-shutter state; a first filter filtering shock-waves generated in the half-shutter state when a half-shutter signal is in an ON state; and a second filter filtering shock-waves generated in the full-shutter state when a full-shutter signal is changed from an ON state to an OFF state. | 2010-09-16 |
20100232775 | Interchangeable lens, camera body, and camera system - An interchangeable lens has a zoom lens, a zoom driver operable to drive the zoom lens along an optical axis, a focus lens, a focus driver operable to drive the focus lens along the optical axis, and a storage unit operable to store link information which links position information indicating a position of the zoom lens on the optical axis with information about a variation in magnification caused by the focus lens advancing and retreating on the optical axis with the zoom lens located at the position indicated by the position information. | 2010-09-16 |
20100232776 | IMAGING APPARATUS - An imaging apparatus comprising: a light receiving element having a micro lens array provided with a plurality of micro lenses arranged two-dimensionally, and a plurality of photoelectric conversion elements provided for the plurality of micro lenses, and outputting a light receiving signal obtained by receiving a light beam from an optical system via the micro lens array; a detector that detects shift amounts of image plane by the optical system respectively for a plurality of focus detecting positions set at a plurality of positions in the image plane by the optical system; and a controller that determines a focus adjusting position for the optical system based on a plurality of the shift amounts detected respectively for the plurality of focus detecting positions and a range of the image plane where an image based on the light receiving signal is enabled to be produced, and obtains the light receiving signal at the focus adjusting position with the light receiving element. | 2010-09-16 |
20100232777 | PHOTOGRAPHING MODULE - This invention provides a photographing module that at least includes a lens unit, an electrically controlled focusing mechanism, an elastic unit, a supporting base and a photosensitive device. A movable member of the electrically controlled focusing mechanism is electrically driven to move the lens unit attached therewith along an optical axis so as to perform a focusing function. The elastic unit is disposed with the electrically controlled focusing mechanism and has a plurality of bridge regions. Each bridge region has a plurality of radial segments which are connected together, so that they can evenly absorb accumulated stress coming from a distortion, a plane shift along the optical axis and a certain amount of tilt of the lens unit while it is being rotated to be disposed in the photographing module or during its other movements. The elastic unit effectively utilizes available space to lengthen the bridge regions so its spring constant can be effectively reduced. | 2010-09-16 |
20100232778 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR CONTROLLING FLASH EMISSION - In a method and apparatus for controlling flash emission, the brightness during pre-emission may be accurately measured even when operating an image sensor using a rolling shutter. When pre-emission of flash light is performed, partial exposure during the pre-emission when operating an image sensor using a rolling shutter may be prevented by synchronizing an exposure time of the image sensor to a pre-emission time. | 2010-09-16 |
20100232779 | Interchangeable lens and Camera body - An interchangeable lens which is mountable to a camera body and operates according to a command from the camera body includes a diaphragm operable to regulate an amount of light from a subject by changing an aperture, a drive unit operable to change the aperture of the diaphragm, and a lens controller operable to control the drive unit to change the aperture of the diaphragm according to an instruction received from the camera body. When the lens controller receives a new instruction from the camera body while changing the aperture of the diaphragm, the lens controller controls the drive unit to change the aperture of the diaphragm based on the new instruction without waiting for completion of the change of the aperture according to a previous instruction. | 2010-09-16 |
20100232780 | POSITIONING DEVICE FOR A REFERENCE SURFACE - The invention resides in a positioning device for a reference surface within a lens port having a longitudinal axis. A reference surface element able to be extended substantially transversely across the port and withdrawn from the extended position are provided. A transverse movement element to effect such extension and withdrawal of the reference surface are provided and the transverse movement element is operable from a position external of the lens port. The invention also includes a camera or camera housing with a reference element of this type associated therewith. The invention finds particular use in the field of underwater photography. | 2010-09-16 |
20100232781 | Coating and developing apparatus, coating and developing method, and storage medium - A coating and developing apparatus has: a treatment block-including a water repellent module performing water repellent treatment on a substrate, a coating module, and a developing module; a substrate side-surface portion water repellent module for performing water repellent treatment on a side surface of a substrate; and a control unit controlling operations of the modules to execute steps of performing water repellent treatment at least on a side surface portion of a substrate and performing a first resist coating on an entire surface of the substrate; performing a first development after a first liquid-immersion exposure is performed; performing a second resist coating on the entire surface, and performing a second development after a second liquid-immersion exposure is performed, and further to execute a step of performing water repellent treatment on the side surface portion of the substrate after the first development and before the second exposure is performed. | 2010-09-16 |
20100232782 | OPTICAL TRANSMISSION DEVICE, OPTICAL TRANSMISSION SYSTEM INCLUDING THE SAME, AND OPTICAL TRANSMISSION METHOD - An optical transmission device includes a wavelength multiplexing/demultiplexing unit, a plurality of transponders, an optical switch unit and a controller. The controller includes a table in which a plurality of items at least including priority order, a transmission label, a receiving label and a receiving label expected value correspond to the respective transponders. And the controller rewrites the transmission label of the transponder corresponding to the client device of the lower priority order than the priority order of the client device connected to the transponder of the irregular input, upon the optical signal provided by the wavelength multiplexing/demultiplexing unit to one of the transponders being irregular, and controls the label-changed transponder for which the transmission label has been rewritten so that the label-changed transponder provides the wavelength multiplexing/demultiplexing unit with the optical signal including the rewritten transmission label. | 2010-09-16 |
20100232783 | OPTICAL CHANNEL INTELLIGENTLY SHARED PROTECTION RING - An optical ring network has one or more working wavelengths and multiple protection wavelengths adapted to support the working wavelength(s). Routing tables may be used in network nodes to assign traffic of a failed working wavelength to a protection wavelength. The protection technique may be applied to networks employing, for example, Dense Wave Division Multiplexing (DWDM). | 2010-09-16 |
20100232784 | DUAL FAULT TOLERANT OPTICAL NETWORKING WITH FAST PROTECTION PERFORMANCE - Optical networks occasionally experience a fault along a communications path. Service providers prefer to have an alternative communications path available to enable users to still communicate in a seamless manner. Accordingly, a method and corresponding apparatus for providing path protection for dedicated paths in an optical network is provided. | 2010-09-16 |
20100232785 | RADIO FREQUENCY-BASED OPTICAL TRANSPORT NETWORK SYSTEMS AND METHODS - The present disclosure provides radio frequency (RF)-based OTN systems and methods. This includes a framework to carry services over RF-based links without using SONET/SDH or asynchronous radio. In an exemplary embodiment, the present disclosure utilizes an OTN framework over RF. Additionally, the present disclosure can also apply to other non-OTN frameworks such as an extended Ethernet frame with forward error correction (FEC) over RF-based links. The present disclosure combines existing OTN FEC with a radio FEC or with an over-the-air FEC to reduce the OTN FEC. Additionally, the present disclosure utilizes unused overhead to communicate RF data rates between radios. | 2010-09-16 |
20100232786 | FRAME TRANSFER DEVICE AND FRAME TRANSFER METHOD - A frame transfer device includes a transfer portion that transfers a client signal in parallel with use of a plurality of lanes, a frame generation portion that is provided on each of the lanes and accommodates the client signal in an accommodation frame according to a bit rate of each of the lanes without multi distribution termination process to the client signal transferred from the transfer portion, and a multiplex transmission portion that multiplexes and transmits a plurality of frames generated by the frame generation portion. | 2010-09-16 |
20100232787 | Optical signal sampling apparatus and method and optical signal monitor apparatus and method using the same - The optical signal sampling apparatus and the optical signal monitor apparatus are configured of an optical combiner for combining an optical signal to be sampled and a sampling light pulse with each other and an electroabsorption modulator. The electroabsorption modulator has two optical terminals for inputting/outputting the light and a power supply terminal for applying the electric field to the optical path connecting the two optical terminals, and has such a characteristic that the absorption rate of the light propagating through the optical path changes in accordance with the magnitude of the electric field, the light emitted from the optical combiner is received by one of the two optical terminals, and the absorption rate is increased when the sampling light pulse is not incident while the absorption rate is decreased when the sampling light pulse is incident. Further, the apparatuses include a DC power supply for applying a predetermined DC voltage to the power supply terminal and an optical separator for selectively emitting the optical signal component to be sampled, of the optical signals emitted from another of the two optical terminals. | 2010-09-16 |
20100232788 | Dual Stage Carrier Phase Estimation in a Coherent Optical Signal Receiver - A system and method implementing dual stage carrier phase estimation (CPE) in a coherent receiver for an optical fiber communication system. In the first stage, a feed-forward CPE is implemented to make an initial carrier phase estimation of a training sequence. The initial carrier phase estimation is coupled to the second stage which implements a decision-feedback CPE. After a training period, accurate bit decision for system traffic can be achieved using the decision-feedback CPE. | 2010-09-16 |
20100232789 | Modified Michelson Interferometer Structure for Inter-Symbol Interference-Suppressed Colorless DPSK Demodulation - An optical device includes an interferometer for a received optical differential phase shift keying DPSK signal, and an equalizer integrated with the interferometer in a manner for reducing from optical filtering effects an interference by signal bits of the DPSK signal with signal bits of a contiguous DPSK signal. The interferometer is a Michelson delay interferometer type, but can also be a Mach-Zehnder delay interferometer type on fiber, waveguide or other optical structure. The equalizer is a Fabry-Perot type equalizer, but can be a ring resonator type or a fiber based equalizer. | 2010-09-16 |
20100232790 | MAXIMIZING CAPACITY OF WAVELENGTH DIVISION MULTIPLEXING PASSIVE OPTICAL NETWORKS - Technologies are generally described for substantially maximizing capacity in a wavelength division multiplexing (WDM) passive optical network (PON). An “achievable rate region” may be defined as a set containing admissible traffic rates of a given WDM PON system such that a volume of an achievable rate region is proportional to a capacity of the network. Deriving the achievable rate region for a particular network, decisions may be made whether incoming traffic rate can or cannot be achieved for that network. Moreover, the achievable rate region may be used to construct a WDM PON utilizing a minimum number of wavelengths, a minimum number of lasers with narrowest tuning ranges, and a minimum number of receivers, thereby reducing a capital expenditure in building the PON system. | 2010-09-16 |
20100232791 | COMMUNICATION DEVICE AND LIGHT GUIDING MEMBERS USED THEREIN - A communication device includes an enclosure including a recess member including a bottom wall and an accommodating portion, a circuit board mounted on the bottom wall, and a light guiding member received in the accommodating portion. The circuit board includes a plurality of light sources arranged in a circular array. The light guiding member includes a light guiding portion to transmit light from the light sources to an outer surface of the communication device and a light shielding portion to shield the light to the outer surface and fix the light guiding portion in the accommodating portion. The light guiding portion includes a light guiding bottom wall surrounding the light sources and a light guiding sidewall. The light guiding sidewall includes an annular end surface to indicate signal strength and a strong signal orientation received by an antenna of the communication device. | 2010-09-16 |
20100232792 | DELAYED OPTICAL ROUTER/SWITCH - A system, method, and apparatus for delayed optical router based on slow light and nondegenerate four-wave mixing processes are presented, in which three laser pulses interact with a three-level nonlinear optical medium composing two closely spaced ground states and an excited state. The delayed optical routing mechanism is based on a slow light phenomenon, in which a group velocity of an incoming input signal pulse is slowed down due to quantum coherence induced refractive index change. The two-photon coherence induced on the ground states via electromagnetically induced transparency is optically recovered via nondegenerate four-wave mixing processes. The nondegenerate four-wave mixing generation is enhanced owing to absorption cancellation. In this case, the individual pulse switching/routing time is limited by the coherence decay time that is much faster than population decay time, where the population decay-time is a limiting factor of conventional switching devices. In the present invention of the delayed optical router the overall switching/routing time, however, is controlled to be delayed by using the slow light. Even though the overall switching/routing time can be delayed, the switching bandwidth of the present invention is not degraded at all because the input and output signal's group velocity across the delayed optical router is still same. Therefore, the present invention of the delayed optical router gives an advantage of wide-bandwidth optical data traffic control using a narrow-bandwidth processing unit such as an electronic device. Another advantage is signal amplifications owing to the dark-resonance enhanced nondegenerate four-wave mixing processes. | 2010-09-16 |
20100232793 | Interface Switch for use with Fibre Channel Fabrics in Storage Area Networks - An interface switch which presents itself as switch to an enterprise fabric formed of the devices from the same manufacturer as the interface switch and that of a host or node to an enterprise fabric from a different manufacturer. This allows each enterprise fabric to remain in a higher performance operating mode. The multiplexing of multiple streams of traffic between the N_ports on the first enterprise fabric and the second enterprise fabric is accomplished by N_port Virtualization. The interface switch can be connected to multiple enterprise fabrics. All control traffic address mappings between virtual and physical addresses may be mediated and translated by the CPU of the interface switch and address mappings for data traffic performed at wire speed. Since the interface switch may preferably be a single conduit between the enterprise fabrics, it is also a good point to enforce perimeter defenses against attacks. | 2010-09-16 |
20100232794 | AGGREGATION NODE DEVICE OF PASSIVE OPTICAL NETWORK AND PASSIVE OPTICAL NETWORK SYSTEM - An aggregation node device of a passive optical network (PON) is provided which includes an aggregation optical line terminal (OLT) and an aggregation optical network unit (ONU). The aggregation OLT is connected to a user-side ONU. The aggregation OLT aggregates service data transmitted by a user-side ONU and transmits the aggregated service data to the aggregation ONU. The aggregation ONU is adapted to transmit the received aggregated service data to a network-side OLT. A PON system is further provided. The device and system can not only support the conventional time division multiplexing (TDM) services but also support the services based on variable-length packets and the multicast service. Moreover, it is not necessary to build an equipment room and supply power for an intermediate optical distribution network (ODN) which greatly reduces the network construction and operation costs. | 2010-09-16 |
20100232795 | Flow-Subcarrier Mapping in Optical Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing - Each of a plurality of data flows is classified as having a respective data flow type, and each data flow is assigned to one of a plurality of subcarrier groups, based on the data flow's type, wherein each subcarrier group comprises a respective plurality of subcarriers. First data flows assigned to a first subcarrier group are transmitted exclusively on respective subcarriers in the first subcarrier group, and second data flows assigned to a second subcarrier group are transmitted together on all of the subcarriers in the second subcarrier group. | 2010-09-16 |
20100232796 | Data Pattern Dependent Distortion Compensation in a Coherent Optical Signal Receiver - A distortion compensation system and method may be used to compensate for data pattern dependent signal distortion in a signal received in a coherent optical signal receiver. In general, the distortion compensation system and method compares a received signal field with stored distorted signal waveforms associated with known data patterns and selects a compensation value associated with the distorted signal waveform that corresponds most closely with the received signal field. The distortion compensation system and method compensates the received signal using the selected compensation value and thus mitigates the effects of data pattern dependent signal distortion. | 2010-09-16 |
20100232797 | Detection of Data in Signals with Data Pattern Dependent Signal Distortion - A detection system and method may be used to detect data transmitted in a signal with data pattern dependent signal distortion such as intersymbol interference. In general, a detection system and method compares samples of a received signal with stored samples of distorted signals associated with known data patterns and selects the known data patterns that correspond most closely with the samples of the received signal. The detection system and method may thus mitigate the effects of data pattern dependent signal distortion. | 2010-09-16 |
20100232798 | BIT IDENTIFICATION CIRCUIT - A bit identification circuit includes a multiphase clock generating unit that outputs multiphase clocks, a phase selecting unit that samples the input data signals using the multiphase clocks and selects a sampled result out of a plurality of sampled results, a correcting unit that thins a part of bits of the sampled result selected by the phase selecting unit based on the difference in bit rates, and a rate selecting unit that selects based on a selection signal for identifying the data signals and outputs one of an output of the correcting unit and an output of the phase selecting unit. | 2010-09-16 |
20100232799 | Transmitter for Transmitting Data in an Optical Data Network and Method for Aligning Such a Transmitter - A device that can be used in an optical data network includes a receiver and a data port. The receiver receives data transmitted wirelessly by means of modulated light from a transmitter. During operation, the receiver is aligned to the transmitter as a function of a signal strength measured by the receiver. The data port can be connected to a computer system. | 2010-09-16 |
20100232800 | PARALLEL OPTICAL TRANSCEIVER MODULE HAVING A HEAT DISSIPATION SYSTEM THAT DISSIPATES HEAT AND PROTECTS COMPONENTS OF THE MODULE FROM PARTICULATES AND HANDLING - A parallel optical transceiver module is provided that has a heat dissipation system that dissipates large amounts of heat, while also protecting the laser diodes, ICs and other components of the module from particulates, such as dust, for example, and from mechanical handling forces. The heat dissipation system is configured to be secured to the optical subassembly (OSA) of the module such that when the OSA is secured to the upper surface of the leadframe of the module, the OSA and the heat dissipation system cooperate to encapsulate at least the laser diodes and laser diode driver IC in a way that protects these components from dust and other particulates and from external mechanical forces. The heat dissipation system of the module is disposed for coupling with an external heat dissipation system, e.g., with a heat dissipation system that is provided by the customer. | 2010-09-16 |
20100232801 | Transmission of pathological data patterns - A method and apparatus is presented for reducing or eliminating pathological data patterns from signals for transmission over optical communications systems. One embodiment includes a decoder/deserializer configured to receive an encoded serial digital signal, a ditherer configured to dither a least significant bit of each digital data word, and a reserializer/encoder configured to serialize digital data and encode it, for example according to an applicable communication standard such as SMPTE 259M. The improvements may be provided in a single removable unit, such as a small form-factor pluggable (SFP) module compatible with existing optical communications equipment. | 2010-09-16 |
20100232802 | OPTICAL TRANSMISSION SYSTEM WITH OPTICAL CHROMATIC DISPERSION COMPENSATOR - Optical transmission system ( | 2010-09-16 |
20100232803 | Integrated Equalizer and Michelson Interferometer Structure for Inter-Symbol Interference-Suppressed colorless DPSK demodulation - An optical device includes an interferometer for a received optical differential phase shift keying DPSK signal, and an equalizer integrated with the interferometer in a manner for reducing from optical filtering effects an interference by signal bits of the DPSK signal with signal bits of a contiguous DPSK signal. The interferometer is a Michelson delay interferometer type, but can also be a Mach-Zehnder delay interferometer type on fiber, waveguide or other optical structure. The equalizer is a Fabry-Perot type equalizer, but can be a ring resonator type or a fiber based equalizer. | 2010-09-16 |
20100232804 | METHODS AND SYSTEMS FOR POLARIZATION MULTIPLEXED MULTILEVEL MODULATION FOR OPTICAL COMMUNICATION - Multilevel soft-equalizer detectors, such as a maximum a posteriori probability (MAP) detector, suitable for use in polarization multiplexed optical communications using multilevel modulations and coherent detection are disclosed. Detection systems and methods may consider two symbols transmitted over two orthogonal polarization states as a two-component symbol, which is effective in eliminating the bit error ratio (BER) floor phenomenon introduced by conventional soft equalizers. | 2010-09-16 |
20100232805 | Local Oscillator Frequency Offset Compensation in a Coherent Optical Signal Receiver - A system and method implementing dual stage carrier frequency offset compensation (FOC) in a coherent receiver for an optical communication system. In the first stage, a feed forward FOC function compensates for relatively slowly drifting frequency offsets. In a second stage, a decision-feedback FOC function compensates for relatively quickly drifting frequency offsets. The feed forward frequency offset compensation may be implemented with a feed forward carrier phase estimation function and the decision-feedback frequency offset compensation may be implemented with a decision-feedback carrier phase estimation function. | 2010-09-16 |
20100232806 | OPTICAL TRANSMITTER DEVICE AND OPTICAL TRANSMITTER MODULE - Provided are an optical transmitter device and an optical transmitter module which are capable of reducing the optical transmitter module size while maintaining a state where an excellent optical transmission waveform quality is obtained over a wide range of frequencies. The optical transmission module ( | 2010-09-16 |
20100232807 | System And Method For Shaping A Waveform - An optical transmission system for transmitting an optical pulse in a dielectric waveguide, the system including a filter for altering a shape of the optical pulse in both amplitude and phase with respect to time so as to substantially suppress the generation of third-order nonlinearities and increase a power level of the optical pulse, the filter further providing a secure encrypted optical waveform that may be decrypted by a matching optical filter, the system allowing for energy sharing of the pulses to substantially increase system bandwidth. | 2010-09-16 |
20100232808 | RECEIVING CIRCUIT FOR OPTICAL COMMUNICATION - A receiving circuit for optical communication includes: a differential circuit, one differential input terminal of which is connected to an anode side of a first photodiode and the other differential input terminal of which is connected to an anode side of a second photodiode; a latch circuit that performs latch operation based on output of the differential circuit; and a flip-flop that performs set operation and reset operation based on a latch state of the latch circuit. | 2010-09-16 |
20100232809 | Detection of Data in Signals with Data Pattern Dependent Signal Distortion - A detection system and method may be used to detect data transmitted in a signal with data pattern dependent signal distortion. In general, a detection system and method compares samples of a received signal with stored samples of distorted signals associated with known data patterns and selects the known data patterns that correspond most closely with the samples of the received signal. The detection system and method may thus mitigate the effects of data pattern dependent signal distortion. | 2010-09-16 |
20100232810 | Electromagnetic device with integral/non-linear component - An optical antenna assembly including multiple optical antenna elements, each of the optical antenna elements are arranged in a regular pattern and carried by a supporting body. The regular pattern of the plurality of optical antenna elements is nonuniform. Certain ones of the optical antenna elements are configured to respond to the one or more waves of light. | 2010-09-16 |
20100232811 | Highly Tunable, Low Jitter Optical Clock Generation - An apparatus is disclosed for the optical generation of clock signals with tunable frequency and low jitter. A laser source serves as both the carrier used to transmit the clock signal for use by other optical, electronic or hybrid circuit elements and the original modulation time base. A fraction of the original laser source undergoes one or more stages of frequency division before being recombined as a modulation signal with the remaining laser beam. Transmission of the resulting signal via single mode fiber and dividers retains the low jitter properties of the modulated signal. By starting with a clock signal of optical frequency then dividing downward in frequency, comparatively high frequency clocks may be generated, notably in the GigaHertz and TeraHertz frequency ranges. | 2010-09-16 |
20100232812 | IMAGE FORMING DEVICE - An image forming device, which is linkable to an optional unit, includes: a connector providing an electrical connection with the optional unit; a connector cover opening and closing a connecting surface of the connector; and a cover opening-and-closing mechanism opening the connecting surface of the connector by moving the connector cover in accordance with a linking operation linking the optional unit. | 2010-09-16 |
20100232813 | IMAGE FORMING AGENT STORAGE CONTAINER, IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS, METHOD OF MOUNTING IMAGE FORMING AGENT STORAGE CONTAINER, METHOD OF REMOVING IMAGE FORMING AGENT STORAGE CONTAINER, AND METHOD OF FILLING IMAGE FORMING AGENT - An image forming agent storage container includes a container body and at least two container-side protruding portions. The container body is configured to be detachably attached in an image forming apparatus body. The container body forms a storage chamber in which an image forming agent is stored. At least two container-side protruding portions protrude toward an outside of the container body and have cavities on a storage-chamber side thereof The cavities are configured to store the image forming agent. The at least two container-side protruding portions are configured so that a body-side protruding portion is formed on the image forming apparatus body is fitted between the at least two container-side protruding portions, which are adjacent to each other. | 2010-09-16 |
20100232814 | Image Forming Apparatus and Method of Controlling the Same - An image forming apparatus and a method of controlling the same are provided. The image forming apparatus includes a device information storage unit, a determiner and a controller. The device information storage unit is included in a replaceable device of the image forming apparatus and stores device-related information. The determiner determines whether the replaceable deice is a licensed or recycled product by analyzing the information stored in the device information storage unit, and outputs the determination result. The controller controls an operation of the image forming apparatus in response to the determination result output from the determiner. Since an operation of the image forming apparatus can be controlled according to characteristics of the replaceable device installed in the image forming apparatus, printing quality can be prevented from being deteriorated, durability of the image forming apparatus can be lengthened, and a user can safely use the image forming apparatus. | 2010-09-16 |
20100232815 | TONER CARTRIDGE CAPABLE OF DETECTING RESIDUAL AMOUNT OF TONER STORED THEREIN - The present invention provides a toner cartridge which comprises: a hopper for storing toner therein; a stirring means comprising a first paddle connected to a driving source and adapted to rotate in the hopper, and a second paddle connected to the first paddle by means of an elastic member, the stirring means being adapted to stir the toner in the hopper by the first paddle and the second paddle; and a detection means comprising an encoder having a first slit and a second slit formed thereon for transmitting light therethrough, the second slit having a width different from that of the first slit, an encoder gear connected to the second paddle for driving the encoder, and a sensor | 2010-09-16 |
20100232816 | REMAINING AMOUNT OF DEVELOPER DETECTION DEVICE, DEVELOPMENT DEVICE, PROCESS UNIT, AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - A disclosed remaining amount of developer detection device includes a remaining amount of developer detection section detecting a remaining amount of developer in a development device, an operation amount computation section computing an operation amount of the development device corresponding to a developer consumption amount, and a remaining amount detection control section accumulating the operation amount and detecting the remaining amount of developer based on the accumulated operation amount. In this device, when the remaining amount of developer detection section has detected the remaining amount of developer that has been reduced to a first threshold, the remaining amount detection control section initializes the accumulated operation amount and starts accumulating a new operation amount of the development device corresponding to a developer consumption amount, and determines whether the remaining amount of developer in the development device is in a toner-end status based on the new operation amount. | 2010-09-16 |
20100232817 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS AND METHOD OF CORRECTING IMAGE MISALIGNMENT - An image forming apparatus includes a transport member, image forming units (used as pattern forming unit), a pattern detector, and an image misalignment detector. The image forming units form correction-use patterns for each color on the transport member. The pattern detector directs a light beam onto the transport member having the correction-use patterns and detect reflected light reflecting from the transport member. The image misalignment detector detects image misalignment of the correction-use patterns. The pattern forming unit forms a reference color pattern and a first color pattern. The pattern detector uses an irradiation light having a first wavelength matched to a spectral sensitivity peak of the first color pattern to detect an intensity of reflected light reflected from the transport member. The image misalignment detector computes an image misalignment value between the reference and first color patterns based on the intensity of reflected light reflected from the transport member. | 2010-09-16 |
20100232818 | FIXING DEVICE, IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS INCORPORATING SAME, AND CONTROL METHOD FOR FIXING DEVICE - A fixing device includes a fixing member, a heating member to heat the fixing member, a pressing member to press against the fixing member with a predetermined pressure, forming a nip where an image is fixed on a recording medium with heat and pressure, a heating controller to cause the heating member to heat the fixing member to a predetermined temperature set in advance and to preheat the fixing member while maintaining the temperature of the fixing member, a recording-medium data receiver to acquire recording-medium data before a fixing process is started, and a preheating-time adjuster to adjust a preheating time during which the heating member preheats the fixing member based on the data acquired by the recording-medium data receiver. | 2010-09-16 |
20100232819 | Belt Conveying device and image forming apparatus - A belt conveying device includes an endless belt stretched by a plurality of rollers; a drive unit that is connected to one of the plurality of rollers and drives the roller; a plurality of belt velocity detectors that are arranged at a plurality of locations along a belt width direction perpendicular to a moving direction of the endless belt and detect conveyance velocities of the endless belt; and a belt-inclination calculating unit that calculates an inclination of the endless belt in the moving direction from a difference between conveyance velocities of the endless belt detected by the plurality of belt velocity detectors. | 2010-09-16 |
20100232820 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS AND CONTROL METHOD THEREFOR - An image forming apparatus include an image carrier, an intermediate transfer member, a primary transfer member, a power supply unit to form a primary-transfer electric-field between the image carrier and the primary transfer member by applying a primary transfer current to the primary transfer member by performing constant-current control and to detect a change in a primary transfer voltage in a sub-scanning direction that is applied to the primary transfer member from the power supply unit in the sub-scanning direction, a conductive member, a secondary transfer member, a secondary-transfer electric-filed forming member to apply a secondary transfer current to the secondary transfer member or the conductive member, and a control device to control the secondary transfer current applied to the secondary transfer member or the conductive member in accordance with the change in the primary transfer voltage in the sub-scanning direction detected by the power supply unit. | 2010-09-16 |
20100232821 | SELECTIVE PRINTING OF RAISED INFORMATION USING ELECTROGRAPHY - Printing of information with a distinct tactile feel can be accomplished by electrographic techniques. Such electrographic printing includes the steps of forming a desired print image, electrographically, on a receiver member utilizing standard size marking particles; and in areas of the formed print image, forming raised information by printing at least a first raised image and a second raised image. The print and raised images are fixing on the receiver member. The raised images are applied using toner particles having diameters substantially larger than the diameters standard size toner particles used for applying the print image. | 2010-09-16 |
20100232822 | Fixing device and image forming apparatus incorporating same - In a fixing device, a first reflection plate covers a part of an outer circumferential surface of an infrared heater in a circumferential direction of the infrared heater along an axial direction of the infrared heater substantially perpendicular to the circumferential direction of the infrared heater. The first reflection plate reflects light emitted by the infrared heater toward a fixing member. At least one light control mirror is provided in at least one end of the first reflection plate in an axial direction of the first reflection plate. At least one second reflection plate opposes the infrared heater via the at least one light control mirror to reflect the light emitted by the infrared heater and passing through the at least one light control mirror toward a center portion of the fixing member in an axial direction of the fixing member. | 2010-09-16 |
20100232823 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS, CARTRIDGE, AND CLEANING DEVICE - An image forming apparatus includes: an image bearing body on which surface an image is formed and borne; an image forming section that forms the image; a transfer device that transfers the formed image to a transferring body; a cleaning member that comes into contact with the surface of the image bearing body to scrape an adhesion substance after the image is transferred; a storage tank in which the removed adhesion substance is stored; a damming member that obstructs a region between the cleaning member and the storage tank to temporarily dam the adhesion substance moving from the cleaning member to the storage tank on the cleaning member side, the damming member including overlapped members having openings, the members including a movable member that is slidable with respect to other member; and a driving section that drives the movable member to change an overlapping amount between the openings. | 2010-09-16 |
20100232824 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - An image forming apparatus comprises: a rotatable image carrier operable to carry a toner image on a surface thereof; a transfer part operable to electrostatically transfer the toner image carried on the surface of the image carrier, onto a transfer material; a cleaning member that is in contact with the surface of the image carrier and that is operable to clean toner remaining on the surface of the image carrier after transfer by the transfer part; and a voltage supplier operable to apply, to the cleaning member, a bias voltage that is for cleaning the surface of the image carrier and that has a polarity opposite to a normal charging polarity of the toner. Here, application of the bias voltage by the voltage supplier starts before rotation of the image carrier starts, and when Vr>0, 02010-09-16 | |
20100232825 | PHOTOSENSITIVE MEMBER UNIT AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - A photosensitive member unit detachably mountable to each of a plurality of image forming apparatuses including a voltage supplying mechanism adapted to different commercial power sources. The photosensitive member unit includes a photosensitive member on which an electrostatic image is to be formed; a resistor configured and positioned to generate heat so as to heat said photosensitive member by energization; and a plurality of contact portions, configured and positioned to be selectively connectable to the voltage supplying mechanism, including a first contact portion and a second contact portion which are connected to both ends of said resistor and including a third contact portion connected so as to divide said resistor into two branches. At least one of the contact portions used for supplying a voltage to said resistor is common to different commercial power source voltages. | 2010-09-16 |
20100232826 | COOLING APPARATUS AND IMAGE FORMATION APPARATUS - In an image formation state, to cool a recording sheet on a route from a fixer to a paper ejection roller, a blast fan assumes a first position restrained by a first fixture. Also, in another state, to cool a recording sheet on the catch tray, the blast fan assumes a second position restrained by a second fixture. To transition from the image formation state to another state, the blast fan sends a strong blast in a reverse direction from the normal blast direction. A bias is generated on the blast fan due to the resulting reactive force, the blast fan becomes free from the restraint of the first fixture, and shifts from the first position to the second position. Conversely, to transition from another state to the image formation state, a strong blast is sent in the same direction as the normal blast direction, and the blast fan shifts from the second position to the first position. | 2010-09-16 |
20100232827 | Liquid Container And Image Forming Apparatus Employing The Liquid Container - A liquid container is detachably mountable in an image forming apparatus having a liquid introducing member. The liquid container includes a storage unit, a supply port assembly, and an elastic seal member. The storage unit is disposed in the liquid container to store a liquid usable for image formation. The supply port assembly is mounted in the storage unit and has a supply channel therein. The liquid introducing member of the image forming apparatus is inserted into the supply port assembly. The elastic seal member is disposed in the supply port assembly. When penetrated by the liquid introducing member, the elastic seal member moves together with the liquid introducing member relative to the supply port assembly to open and close the supply channel. | 2010-09-16 |
20100232828 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS AND IMAGE FORMING STRUCTURE - An image forming apparatus includes: an image forming apparatus main body; and an image forming structure attached/removed in/from the image forming apparatus main body. In a state where the image forming structure is attached in the image forming apparatus main body, a concave part is formed in a position opposite to another concave part formed in an adjacent image forming structure. | 2010-09-16 |
20100232829 | IMAGE FORMING AGENT STORAGE CONTAINER, IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS, METHOD OF MOUNTING IMAGE FORMING AGENT STORAGE CONTAINER, AND METHOD OF REMOVING IMAGE FORMING AGENT STORAGE CONTAINER - An image forming agent storage container includes a container body, a driven transmission member, and a guide part. The container body stores an image forming agent. The container body is configured to be mounted to an image forming apparatus body. The driven transmission member is provided along a side face of the container body. A driving force is transmitted to the driven transmission member. The guide part guides mounting of the container body to the image forming apparatus body. The guide part is located in a position anterior to the driven transmission member in a mounting direction in which the container body is mounted to the image forming apparatus body. The guide part is provided so as to project in a direction away from the side face of the container body. | 2010-09-16 |
20100232830 | PHTHALOCYANINE CRYSTAL, AND ELECTROPHOTOGRAPHIC PHOTORECEPTOR, ELECTROPHOTOGRAPHIC PHOTORECEPTOR CARTRIDGE AND IMAGE-FORMING DEVICE USING THE SAME - Provided is an excellent phthalocyanine crystal having high sensitivity and little fluctuation in sensitivity for a humidity change in a use environment and applicable to the martial for solar battery, electronic paper, electrophotographic photoreceptor, etc. Namely, phthalocyanine crystal obtained by bringing a phthalocyanine crystal precursor into contact with an aromatic aldehyde compound to convert the crystal form. Also, provided is an electrophotographic photoreceptor that not only exhibits high sensitivity but also has little fluctuation in sensitivity for a humidity change in a use environment. Further, provided is an electrophotographic photoreceptor cartridge and an image-forming device, both of which can produce a stable quality images for a humidity change in a use environment by using the electrophotographic photoreceptor. | 2010-09-16 |
20100232831 | Electrophotographic Photorecptor, Method Of Manufacturing Electrophotographic Photorecptor, Image Forming Apparatus, And Process Cartridge - An electrophotographic photoreceptor including a conductive substrate, a photosensitive layer, and a surface layer, which satisfies the following inequations: | 2010-09-16 |
20100232832 | DEVELOPING CARTRIDGE, PROCESS CARTRIDGE, AND ELECTROPHOTOGRAPHIC IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - A developing cartridge detachably mountable to an image forming apparatus main body having main body side guide portions and a cartridge mounting portion, including: a developer containing portion; a developing roller for developing a latent image formed on a photosensitive member with developer; first cartridge side guide portions provided at one end and the other end in a longitudinal direction of the roller, for engaging with the main body side guide portions to regulate a movement locus of the cartridge when the cartridge is mounted to the main body; and protruding portions provided at one end and the other end in the longitudinal direction, wherein the cartridge is mounted to the main body in a mounting direction orthogonal to the longitudinal direction with the roller being a leading edge, and the protruding portions protrude on a downstream side further than the roller in the mounting direction. | 2010-09-16 |
20100232833 | OPTICAL SCANNER AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - An optical scanner, including a frame member; a pair of connection members near a coupling end with the frame member; a pair of elastic members connected with the frame member by the connection members; a mirror substrate supported by the pair of elastic members, the mirror substrate having a bending rigidity outward from the rotational axis for each area in accordance with a bending moment caused by oscillation, the mirror substrate having a slit at both connection ends with the pair of elastic members; and a piezoelectric element provided on each of the connection members, the piezoelectric element generating a torque for driving the mirror substrate oscillatable back and forth around the pair of elastic members as a torsion rotational axis. | 2010-09-16 |
20100232834 | Light Projection unit, image reading device including same, and image forming apparatus including the image reading device - A light projection unit includes a substrate, a plurality of light emitting elements arrayed on the substrate in a main scanning direction and including light emitting surfaces, a light guide facing the light emitting surfaces to direct light projected from the light emitting elements onto an illumination target and including a first positioning portion, and a holder including a second positioning portion that engages the first positioning portion of the light guide to position the light guide on the holder. The first positioning portion of the light guide is positioned between centers of light emission of adjacent light emitting elements in the main scanning direction of the substrate when the first positioning portion engages the second positioning portion of the holder. | 2010-09-16 |
20100232835 | Optical scanning unit and electro-photographic image forming apparatus including the same - An optical scanning unit that includes a first optical device that forms collimated light from light radiated from a light source, a second optical device that focuses the collimated light onto a deflector, and an imaging optical device that focuses light deflected by the deflector onto an exposure object. The optical scanning unit further includes a refraction unit and a diffraction unit, and the power of the refraction unit is φr, the power of the diffraction unit is φd, and the ratio φr/φd is such that 0.5<φr/φd<1.3. | 2010-09-16 |
20100232836 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS OF PRODUCING GRADIENT INDEX OPTICS BY SEQUENTIAL PRINTING OF TONERS HAVING DIFFERENT INDICES OF REFRACTION - Systems and methods of producing image products using printing are provided. The image products are produced by sequentially applying a base image, a first clear toner and a second clear toner. The first clear toner forms one or more lenses, and the first and second clear toners have different indexes of refraction. The image products produced by the systems and methods can be lenticular image products that display different images depending upon a viewing angle. | 2010-09-16 |
20100232837 | TONER HAVING CORE-SHELL STRUCTURE AND METHOD OF PREPARING THE SAME - A toner has a core-shell structure including a toner core portion having a resin with an active hydrogenactive hydrogen containing group, a colorant and at least one additive, and a toner shell portion surrounding the toner core portion, wherein the toner shell portion includes a cross-linked resin prepared by reaction of at least a portion of the active hydrogen containing group and the cross-linking agent. | 2010-09-16 |
20100232838 | DEVELOPING DEVICE AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - A developing device includes a conveyance path, a conveyance member, a return path, and a pre-agitation region. The conveyance path conveys a toner while agitating the toner. The conveyance member has a rotational shaft, which is rotatably disposed along an upstream end to a downstream end of the conveyance path, and conveys the toner toward the downstream end due to rotation of the rotational shaft. The return path communicates with the downstream end and an intermediate portion of the conveyance path, thereby forming a circulation path, and returns the toner from the downstream end to the intermediate portion. The pre-agitation region is formed at the upstream end side, extending from the intermediate portion and outside the circulation path, and pre-agitates the toner to be conveyed to the circulation path. | 2010-09-16 |
20100232839 | Image forming system - A developing unit, which incorporates a developer carrier and can be used in an image forming apparatus incorporated in an image forming system, includes an agitator to agitate a developer including a toner therein, a toner conveyer to convey the developer agitated by the agitator, and a developer carrier disposed facing an image carrier at a development area located between the developer carrier and the image carrier to carry the agitated developer conveyed by the toner conveyer toward a surface thereof to develop a latent image formed on the image carrier into a toner image with the developer at the development area. An adhesion force exerted between the surface of the developer carrier and a toner particle is 100 nN or smaller. The developing unit further includes a supplementary particle supplier and a developer container to mix supplementary particles with the developer therein. | 2010-09-16 |
20100232840 | STORAGE CONTAINER, SUPPLY DEVICE, AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - A storage container includes a container body that stores a supplementary material and is detachably attached to an image forming apparatus; a discharge port that is provided at a bottom of the container body; two protrusions that protrude from the container body toward both sides; and an opening-closing member that is movably supported by a guide frame surrounding the discharge port, wherein a rearward movement of the opening-closing member is restricted by stoppers while the container body is mounted on the mounting unit, the protrusions come in contact with the stoppers and push the stoppers laterally to release the restriction of the opening-closing member while the container body is pulled out of the image forming apparatus, and a width, in an attaching/detaching direction of the container body, of one protrusion of the protrusions is smaller than that of the other protrusion. | 2010-09-16 |
20100232841 | Method for Developing an Electrostatic Latent Image - The purpose is to provide, in a development apparatus using a two-component developer, a compact development apparatus, image forming apparatus and development method that prevents carrier deterioration and that can carry out good image formation over a long time period. In a development apparatus using a developer in which are mixed a toner, a carrier, and opposite polarity particles that are charged to a polarity opposite to the charging polarity of the toner, the surface charge density of the opposite polarity particles should be in the range of 0.5 to 3.0 times the surface charge density of the carrier. | 2010-09-16 |
20100232842 | DEVELOPER UNIT FOR AN ELECTROPHOTOGRAPHIC PRINTING DEVICE FOR PRINTING ON GLASS OR CERAMIC MATERIAL - The invention relates to a developer unit for an electrophotographic printing device for printing on glass or ceramic material having a toner supply ( | 2010-09-16 |
20100232843 | INTERMEDIATE TRANSFER BELT AND IMAGE-FORMING APPARATUS - An intermediate transfer belt provided with an elastic layer and an outermost surface layer formed on the elastic layer, with the outermost surface layer being prepared as inorganic compound layer having a surface roughness Rz from 2 to 20 μm, and an image-forming apparatus equipped with the intermediate transfer belt. | 2010-09-16 |
20100232844 | Transfer fixing device and image forming apparatus incorporating same - A transfer fixing device includes a transfer fixing member, a pressure member, and a primary heater. The transfer fixing member defines a moving surface on which a toner image travels. The pressure member is pressed against the transfer fixing member to define a transfer fixing nip where the toner image traveling along the moving surface meets a surface of a recording medium traveling along the media conveyance path. The primary heater is located upstream of the transfer fixing nip along the media conveyance path to heat the surface of the recording medium before entering the transfer fixing nip. The heated surface of the recording medium fuses toner for transfer and fixing into place at the transfer fixing nip. The pressure member is at least partially electrically biased to generate an electrostatic field to promote transfer of toner at the transfer fixing nip. | 2010-09-16 |
20100232845 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS AND IMAGE FORMING METHOD - An image forming apparatus including an image carrier that carries an image, a transfer roller that abuts on the image carrier and has a grooved portion in an axial direction, an abutting member that is arranged in an axial end side of the transfer roller and includes a first circumference portion having a first distance from a rotation center of the transfer roller and a second circumference portion having a second distance which is shorter than the first distance, and a support member that abuts the abutting member. | 2010-09-16 |
20100232846 | Image forming apparatus and method - An image forming apparatus including a fixing device having a first nip to fix toner to a recording medium; a conveyance device provided at a position downstream from the fixing device in a direction of conveyance of the recording medium to convey the recording medium further downstream; a guide member provided along a conveyance path of the recording medium between the fixing device and the conveyance device to contact and convey the recording medium from the fixing device to the conveyance device, the guide member having multiple through-holes formed therein and penetrating from a front surface of the guide member facing the conveyance path of the recording medium to a back surface of the guide member; and an airflow generator to generate an airflow through the multiple through-holes. | 2010-09-16 |
20100232847 | RELEASING DEVICE, FIXING DEVICE AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - A releasing device includes: a releasing unit that is made of a resin and disposed on a downstream side in a conveying direction of a recording medium from a fixing portion of a fixing unit which fixes a toner image on the recording medium, the releasing unit releasing the recording medium from the fixing unit; a supporting unit that supports the releasing unit on a supporting face and maintains the releasing unit and the fixing unit in a non-contact state; a screw that is advanced in a direction along the supporting face to secure the releasing unit; and a protruding portion provided between the releasing unit and the supporting unit and disposed at a position in a range extending from a first region between the screw and the supporting face to a second region shifted from the first region in a tightening direction side of the screw. | 2010-09-16 |
20100232848 | Fixing device and image forming apparatus incorporating same - In a fixing device, at least one separator is provided downstream from a fixing nip formed between a fixing rotary member and a pressing rotary member in a recording medium conveyance direction to contact the fixing rotary member to separate a recording medium having passed through the fixing nip from the fixing rotary member. A feeler is provided upstream from the fixing nip in the recording medium conveyance direction and contacted by the recording medium conveyed toward the fixing nip to receive a pushing force from the recording medium. A transmission assembly is connected between the feeler and the separator to receive and transmit the pushing force to the separator to move the separator from a non-contact position at which the separator does not contact the fixing rotary member to a contact position at which the separator contacts the fixing rotary member. | 2010-09-16 |
20100232849 | IMAGE FIXING APPARATUS - The image fixing apparatus forms a cleaning nip portion by pressing a web roll-up portion on a fixing rotation member with a feeding roller, a used portion for cleaning of the web is fed from a cleaning nip portion formation area, and during non-cleaning, a roller is at a waiting position at which the roller is further from the fixing rotation member than a position during cleaning so as to separate the web roll-up portion from the fixing rotation member. Accordingly, it is possible to reduce degradation of a cleaning ability due to a toner component held by the used portion of the cleaning web. | 2010-09-16 |
20100232850 | Image forming unit and image forming apparatus - An image forming unit includes an image bearing body on which a latent image is formed, a charging member that charges the image bearing body, a developer bearing body that develops the latent image on the image bearing body using a developer so as to form a developer image, a transfer portion that transfers the developer image to a medium, a cleaning member that removes an adhering matter adhering to part of the image bearing body after the part of the image bearing body passes the transfer portion, a collection roller provided so as to form a contact portion between the collection roller and the image bearing body and is located between the cleaning member and the charging member, and a collection roller power source that applies a voltage to the collection roller. The voltage has the same polarity as a polarity of the developer. | 2010-09-16 |
20100232851 | DEVELOPER CONVEYING APPARATUS AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - A developer-conveying apparatus is provided, the developer-conveying apparatus including: a conveying member that has a rotational axis rotatably set in a container and a blade formed around the rotational axis, the conveying member conveying a developer along the rotational axis by rotation; and a static eliminating member set in the container and eliminating static electricity of the developer in the container by being brought into contact with the developer. | 2010-09-16 |
20100232852 | TONER CONVEYING MECHANISM, CLEANING UNIT INCLUDING THE SAME, AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - An embodiment of a toner conveying mechanism may include a housing, a conveying member, and a protrusion. In some embodiments, the housing configured to hold toner. An embodiment of a conveying member may be disposed in the housing and may be configured to convey the toner by rotation. In some embodiments, a protrusion may be disposed on the surface of the inner wall of the housing. An embodiment of the protrusion may protrude toward the conveying member. In some embodiments, the protrusion may intermittently contact the conveying member during rotation of the conveying member. | 2010-09-16 |
20100232853 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - An image forming apparatus includes: an image holder that holds an image; a conveying member that conveys an image transferred from the image holder or a recording medium with the image transferred from the image holder thereto; an image holder supporting part that supports the image holder; and a conveying member supporting part that is a separate body from the image holder supporting part and supports the conveying member such that the conveying member is openable and closable. | 2010-09-16 |
20100232854 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - An image forming apparatus | 2010-09-16 |
20100232855 | DOUBLE-SURFACE IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - A double-surface image forming apparatus, including: an image carrier; a registration section; an image fixing device; a sheet recirculating supplying section; a sheet reversing section, arranged on a path of the sheet recirculating supplying section, to reverse the recording sheet from the front surface to a reverse surface by a switch-back conveyance; and a sheet rotating device, arranged on a path of the sheet recirculating supplying section, to stop the sheet at a predetermined position and to rotate the stopped sheet 180° in the sheet conveying direction, wherein the sheet rotating device includes; a positive rotation conveying section; a positive-negative rotation conveying section to rotate the sheet to the sheet conveying direction and to an opposite direction of the sheet conveying direction; and a rotation center nipping section, arranged to meet a position of the rotation center of the sheet, to support the sheet. | 2010-09-16 |
20100232856 | DISCHARGE MECHANISM AND IMAGE FORMING DEVICE - A discharge mechanism includes: a rotating shaft that is rotatable; a plurality of roll portions provided around the rotating shaft; an opposing member provided above the roll portions so as to oppose the roll portions, the opposing member holding and conveying a material to be conveyed, in cooperation with the roll portions so that the material to be conveyed is discharged onto a discharge section; and a protrusion formed on an outer periphery of the rotating shaft, the protrusion not protruding beyond the outer diameter of the roll portions. | 2010-09-16 |
20100232857 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - An embodiment includes an image forming apparatus utilizing internal paper ejection. An embodiment may include a paper ejection tray disposed on the bottom of a paper ejection space. In some embodiments, the paper ejection tray may include a flat portion, a sloping portion, and/or a protruding portion. In an embodiment, the flat portion of the paper ejection tray may extend substantially horizontally by a predetermined distance downstream from a wall on the upstream side in a paper ejection direction. An embodiment may include a sloping portion that slopes upward downstream from the flat portion. In some embodiments, the protruding portion may slope upward from the flat portion to the front of the apparatus, the top of the protruding portion being higher than an operation panel. | 2010-09-16 |
20100232858 | METHOD AND APPARATUS TO CONTROL PRINTER BASED ON FEEDING DIRECTION OF PAPER - A method and a printer device capable of correctly processing a printing operation even when a user feeds particular paper, of which a front/back surface (printing surface) and a top/bottom direction (printing direction) are fixed, in a incorrect direction, by determining whether a current feeding direction of the paper is correct and rotating a printing direction by 180° before performing the printing operation if the feeding direction is incorrect. | 2010-09-16 |
20100232859 | PRINTING ARRANGEMENT INCORPORATING TWO-PART ADHESIVE APPLICATOR - A printing arrangement includes a driving station for driving print media along a path, the driving station comprising a pair of opposed pinch rollers between which print media is pinched when driven; a printing station for printing upon print media, the printing station comprising a pair of opposed printheads on opposite sides of the path and between which print media passes; an adhesive application station for applying adhesive to print media, the adhesive application station comprising a pair of applicators on opposite sides of the path and configured to apply respective parts of a two-part adhesive to opposite sides of print media; and a binding station for collecting printed media in a stack, the binding station including a tray, and a press having a plurality of spaced semicircular disks mounted to a common pivotal shaft. The tray defines a plurality of vertical slots through which respective semicircular disks pass. | 2010-09-16 |
20100232860 | Keys for an apparatus - An apparatus including: a plurality of keys each having an in-use configuration and a stowed configuration, wherein a key when in the in-use configuration is configured to travel between a first relatively raised position and a second relatively lowered position under a user applied force and is configured to return to the first relatively raised position after removal of the user applied force and wherein a key when in the stowed configuration is unable to travel to the first relatively raised position. | 2010-09-16 |
20100232861 | PROTECTIVE SHEET AND INPUT DEVICE - An input device of the present application includes a plurality of input portions. The input device of the present application has a protective sheet capable of covering at least regions between the input portions. The protective sheet is formed of a plurality of layers including at least a first layer and a second layer. The first layer contains a material having elasticity. The second layer contains a material having a buffering property. With such a configuration, an input device can be realized, which includes a protective sheet that is unlikely to be broken even after the use for a long period of time. | 2010-09-16 |
20100232862 | Tape Printing Apparatus and Tape Cassette - A composite tape supply for use in a tape printer comprising an image receiving layer; a backing layer; and a liner layer. | 2010-09-16 |
20100232863 | MECHANICAL PENCIL | 2010-09-16 |
20100232864 | WRITING INSTRUMENT HAVING A MOVABLE ORNAMENT MOUNTED THEREON - An amusement writing instrument with a mechanical toy consists of an elongated pen body having a seat mounted on an end, a toy housing said seat and a working piece passing through said seat. The working piece comprises of a rod, pluralities of driving elements driven by the rod and pluralities of resilient devices for providing reciprocal movement. The toy composes of a frontal and rear casings and a decorating object is further attached to the seat. The working piece is driven as the user propels the refill to disengage the frontal casings from the rear casing, creating a slit for allowing the decorating object to be extended and exposed. | 2010-09-16 |
20100232865 | WATER-BASED INK COMPOSITION FOR BALLPOINT PENS - A water-based ink composition for a ballpoint pen wherein the initial start of writing and writing over time is good, and no blur in handwriting occur and a stable writing performance can be sustained and good handwriting can be continuously formed. A water-based ink composition for a ballpoint pen dissolving or dispersing a coloring agent in an aqueous medium. The aqueous medium substantially contains no water-soluble organic solvent and is composed of water. The water-based ink composition includes a thickening inhibitor together with a shear thinning viscosity-imparting agent. As the thickening inhibitor, one or two or more are selected from a group of polyalkylene glycol, polypropylene glycol derivatives, polyvinyl alcohol, polyvinyl pyrrolidone, cellulose-based polymer compounds, polymer compounds having a polyalkylene oxide group and/or surfactants having a polyoxyethylene group. | 2010-09-16 |
20100232866 | LIQUID APPLICATOR - A liquid applicator | 2010-09-16 |
20100232867 | RING BINDER MECHANISM - A ring mechanism has housing supporting pivoting hinge plates. The mechanism has rings for holding loose-leaf pages. An actuator is mounted on the housing for causing pivoting motion of the hinge plates to open the rings. The mechanism includes a travel bar and intermediate connector connecting the travel bar to the actuator so movement of the actuator to pivot the hinge plates causes longitudinal movement of the travel bar. The intermediate connector and travel bar are formed as one piece and have a living hinge adapted to allow the intermediate connector to pivot relative to the travel bar. The mechanism has a locking element moveable with the travel bar between a locking position and non-locking position. The living hinge is constructed to maintain a substantially constant spacing between the intermediate connector and the travel at points of connection of the living hinge to the intermediate connector and travel bar. | 2010-09-16 |
20100232868 | APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR ENHACEMENT OF CONNECTION PERFORMANCE AND FATIGUE DETECTION - An apparatus and method adapted to enhance the structural performance of a desired connection and provide a readily perceivable indication of predetermined limitations having being reached prior to actual failure of a connection. A method for enhancing structural performance of a desired structure by preventing fracture propagation. | 2010-09-16 |
20100232869 | BALL-AND-SOCKET JOINT FOR WORK VEHICLE - A ball-and-socket joint ( | 2010-09-16 |
20100232870 | SELECTIVELY REINFORCED PISTON PIN - A pin assembly including a piston pin configured to couple a piston to a connecting rod. The piston pin includes a pin body having an inner cavity and a stiffening rib positioned to resist forces applied to the pin body by a connecting rod. The assembly further includes a pair of ovalarity-resisting ribs and a pair of shear-resisting ribs. Each shear-resisting rib is axially positioned between one of the ovalarity-resisting ribs and the stiffening rib and positioned to resist shear forces applied to the pin body by a connecting rod and a piston. The assembly further includes at least one insert received in the inner cavity, wherein the at least one insert provides at least one of the stiffening rib, or at least one of the ovalarity-resisting ribs, or at least one of the shear-resisting ribs. | 2010-09-16 |
20100232871 | Supply-Line Management Device - A line-management device for use in applications involving hoisting a load, the device having two or more parts, each part being releasably securable to at least one other part and comprising a body portion ( | 2010-09-16 |