38th week of 2010 patent applcation highlights part 34 |
Patent application number | Title | Published |
20100239261 | Electronic Compensation of Impairments Using Wavelet Filters for Backward Propagation - Systems and methods of compensating for transmission impairment over an optical transmission channel are disclosed. The optical transmission channel includes an optical fiber and an optical amplifier. One such method includes: receiving an optical signal which has been distorted in the physical domain by an optical transmission channel; and solving a non-linear Schrödinger equation (NLSE) using a split-step Fourier Method (SSFM). The NLSE describes a virtual optical fiber corresponding to the optical fiber. The SSFM implements a linear operator with a wavelet-based FIR filter. | 2010-09-23 |
20100239262 | Compensation of Optical Transmission Impairments Using Digital Backward Propagation - Systems and method of compensating for transmission impairment are disclosed. One such method comprises receiving a wavelength-division multiplexed optical signal. The received optical signal has been distorted in the physical domain by an optical transmission channel. The method further comprises propagating the distorted optical signal backward in the electronic domain in a corresponding virtual optical transmission channel. The backward propagation fully compensates for fiber dispersion, self-phase modulation, and cross-phase modulation (XPM) and partially compensates for four-wave mixing (FWM). | 2010-09-23 |
20100239263 | OPTICAL RELAY DEVICE AND OPTICAL RELAY TRANSMISSION SYSTEM - A control-target-value setting unit sets a control target value corresponding to the number of multiplexed wavelengths measured by a number-of-multiplexed-wavelengths measuring unit. A controller controls the variable optical attenuator based on the control target value. An optical amplifier performs an optical amplification with a constant gain regardless of power of a wavelength-multiplexed light. The controller performs feedback control of the variable optical attenuator such that a result of measurement of the total power of the wavelength-multiplexed light coincides with the control target value. | 2010-09-23 |
20100239264 | OPTICAL TRANSMISSION SYSTEM, APPARATUS AND METHOD - An optical transmission system, an optical transmitting apparatus, an optical transmitting method, an optical receiving apparatus, and an optical receiving method are provided. The optical transmitting apparatus includes a pre-coding module, a multiplexing module, and a modulating module. The optical receiving apparatus includes a demodulating module and a converting module. The optical transmitting method includes: performing pre-coding, multiplexing, and modulation for a signal to be transmitted, and then outputting the signal. The optical receiving method includes the following steps: receiving an optical signal of a transmitted signal; demodulating the optical signal according to a preset time delay, where the preset time delay equals to a product of a number of branches multiplexed by a transmitting apparatus and an element period of a signal multiplexed by the transmitting apparatus; converting the demodulated optical signal into an electrical signal; and obtaining information of the transmitted signal according to the electrical signal. | 2010-09-23 |
20100239265 | CARRIER CURRENT COMMUNICATION SYSTEM WITH INFRARED RECEIVER - Embodiments of a method and apparatus are described to transmit a data signal from a power supply unit, over existing direct current (DC) power transmission lines, to a residential gateway which includes an infrared (IR) receiver designed to receive optical signals. In one embodiment, the IR receiver is configured to receive a carrier current communication signal from the power supply unit over a pair of copper wires coupled to the IR receiver. The carrier current communication signals may be encoded by a transmission encoding logic circuit using pulse position modulation techniques. The received carrier current communication signals may be demodulated and decoded to reproduce an input data stream. | 2010-09-23 |
20100239266 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR IMPLEMENTING NON-BLOCKING COMPUTER INTERCONNECTION NETWORK USING BIDIRECTIONAL OPTICAL SWITCH - According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, a bidirectional communications system includes a first non-blocking network including a bidirectional optical switch, a plurality of nodes, a plurality of optical transceivers connected between the bidirectional optical switch and the plurality of nodes, each optical transceiver including a transmitter, a receiver and an optical combiner, and a second network connected to at least one of the nodes and the at least one at least one bidirectional optical switch for control of a crossconnect. | 2010-09-23 |
20100239267 | PHOTOFIELD TRANSMITTER AND PHOTOFIELD TRANSMISSION SYSTEM - It is provided an optical field transmitter comprising a light source, a DA converter and an optical field modulator. The optical field transmitter modulates an information signal into an optical field signal. The information signal includes one of multilevel signals arranged irregularly on a complex plane and multilevel signals arranged by combining mutually different numbers of phase values in at least two amplitude values. The optical field transmitter further comprises a phase pre-accumulation circuit for outputting phase pre-accumulation complex information obtained by previously accumulating a phase component of the information signal at predetermined time intervals. The DA converter converts the information signal including the output phase pre-accumulation complex information into an analog signal, and inputs the converted analog signal to the optical field modulator. The optical field modulator modulates output light into the optical field signal by using the analog signal, and transmits the modulated optical field signal. | 2010-09-23 |
20100239268 | HIGH-SPEED OPTICAL MODULATION USING A QUANTUM-WELL MODULATOR - An optical transmitter having a quantum-well (QW) modulator and a method of operating the same. The QW modulator is configurable to perform both amplitude and phase modulation. Using the disclosed methods, the length of the QW modulator, one or more drive voltages, and/or an operating wavelength can be selected to enable the optical transmitter to generate a modulated optical signal having a relatively high bit rate, e.g., an optical duobinary signal having a bit rate greater than about 80 Gb/s. | 2010-09-23 |
20100239269 | PHASE SYNCHRONIZATION APPARATUS AND DIGITAL COHERENT LIGHT RECEIVER - A phase synchronization method uses a removal path for removing an error component contained in an input signal and a delay addition path for adding a delay corresponding to a processing time period taken to remove the error component in the removal path. The removal path includes an averaging section. The averaging section includes a shift register and an obtaining unit. The shift register stores as many data as the maximum number of data to be averaged and successively receives processing data from which the error component has been extracted in the removal path. The obtaining unit obtains, among the successive processing data input to the shift register, as many processing data as the number of data to be averaged from a position near the center toward both ends in the shift register. | 2010-09-23 |
20100239270 | Electronic Compensation of Nonlinear Effects of Semiconductor Optical Amplifiers - Systems and methods are disclosed for compensating for impairments caused by a semiconductor optical amplifier (SOA). One such method comprises receiving an optical signal which has been distorted in the physical domain by an SOA, and propagating the distorted optical signal backward in the electronic domain in a corresponding virtual SOA. | 2010-09-23 |
20100239271 | COLOR ELECTROPHOTOGRAPHIC IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - A color electrophotographic image forming apparatus for forming an image on a recording material, wherein plurality of cartridges are detachably mounted to a main assembly of the apparatus, the color electrophotographic image forming apparatus includes a cartridge supporting member for supporting the cartridges, the cartridge supporting member being movable between an inside position which is in the main assembly the outside position which is out of the main assembly; a belt unit including a feeding belt for feeding a recording material on which the image is to be formed; and locking means for locking the cartridge supporting member and the belt unit in the state that the feeding belt and the cartridge are contacted to each other, wherein the belt unit and the cartridge supporting member in the state of being locked by the locking means are movable from the inside position to the outside position, and the feeding belt and the cartridge are capable of being spaced from each other by releasing the locking means. | 2010-09-23 |
20100239272 | DEVELOPING DEVICE AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - A developing device includes: a developer carrier configured to carry toner; a toner supply member configured to supply developer to the developer carrier; a developing chamber having the developer carrier and the toner supply member; and a sensing device disposed above a toner level in the developing chamber and configured to sense a toner flow. | 2010-09-23 |
20100239273 | DEVELOPING APPARATUS AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - A developer accommodating container is provided with a first accommodating portion in which a first feeding member is arranged, a second accommodating portion in which a second feeding member is arranged, a first communication portion communicating the first accommodating portion and the second accommodating portion in their one end sides, a second communication portion and a third communication portion communicating the first accommodating portion and the second accommodating portion at two positions in the other end sides so as to be shifted their positions in a feeding direction of the developer, a discharge portion arranged between the second communication portion and the third communication portion in the second accommodating portion, and provided for discharging the developer, and a replenishing portion arranged in a downstream side in the feeding direction of the developer than the third communication portion in the first accommodating portion, and provided for replenishing the developer. | 2010-09-23 |
20100239274 | TONER DETERIORATION JUDGING METHOD, DEVELOPING APPARATUS AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - A toner deterioration judging method includes measuring a time taken for a recess formed on a toner surface to be evened due to flowability of the toner, and judging deterioration of the toner in accordance with the measured time. | 2010-09-23 |
20100239275 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS AND PRINTING CONTROL METHOD - An image forming apparatus having a printing section loaded with a first toner group, and a second toner group having a higher chroma value than the first toner group; and a control section which is configured to: convert color information of each part of an image based on image data specified by a print job into values in a prescribed color space; make a first judgment of a toner group proper to the image by comparing the values in the prescribed color space with color reproducible range of previously registered each toner group; make a second judgment of the toner group proper to a recording sheet and/or a printing condition which being specified by the print job, by referring to previously stored correlation information; and determine the toner group to be used for printing the image, based on results of the first and second judgments. | 2010-09-23 |
20100239276 | IMAGE FORMING DEVICE AND COMPUTER-READABLE RECORDING MEDIUM - An image forming device includes an image support object, a charging unit, an exposure unit, and a developing unit. The image forming device further includes a monitoring unit that sequentially updates a count value to a new count value according to a rotation state and a stop state of the image support object, and an intermittent driving unit that intermittently rotates the image support object according to the new count value generated by the monitoring unit after an image formation operation to form the toner image on the image support object surface is completed. | 2010-09-23 |
20100239277 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS, PRINTING OPERATION CONTROL METHOD AND COMPUTER-READABLE INFORMATION RECORDING MEDIUM - An image forming apparatus includes a photosensitive member driving part that drives a photosensitive member, a counting part that carries out an adding operation when the photosensitive member driving part drives the photosensitive member, and carries out a subtracting operation when the photosensitive member driving part stops the photosensitive member; and a control part that interrupts, when a count value of the counting part becomes equal to or more than a first predetermined value, a printing operation of driving the photosensitive member, forming an electrostatic latent image on the photosensitive member, and fixing a toner adhering to the photosensitive member onto a recording sheet, and causes the counting part to start the subtracting operation. | 2010-09-23 |
20100239278 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - An image forming apparatus includes: an image forming section attached on an apparatus main body, having a forming and writing section that forms and writes an electrostatic latent image on an image carrier based on image information, and a transfer section which transfers a developed image after the electrostatic latent image has been developed, onto a sheet; a sheet conveyance section detachably attached on the apparatus main body, which conveys the sheet to the image forming section; a sheet detection section attached on the apparatus main body, which detects a sheet position conveyed to the image forming section by the sheet conveyance section; and a position correction section which corrects an image writing position for an image in the image forming section based on information of the detected sheet position. | 2010-09-23 |
20100239279 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - A prediction table is stored in an NVM and an in-apparatus temperature is measured by a temperature sensor, a registration control adjustment based on the prediction table is carried out if an absolute value of a variation in the in-apparatus temperature is smaller than a threshold, and a registration adjusting patch is formed to actually measure a positional shift amount if the absolute value of the variation in the in-apparatus temperature is equal to or greater than the threshold. When the positional shift amount measured actually is greatly different from a value of the prediction table, the value of the prediction table is modified into the actually measured value. | 2010-09-23 |
20100239280 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS, IMAGE FORMING UNIT, AND ERASE LIGHT CONTROL METHOD - Electric charge remaining on a photoreceptor after transfer causes image deterioration. According to one conventional method widely used in view of this problem, erase light is emitted onto a photoreceptor after the transfer to remove the electric charge remaining on the photoreceptor. However, such a method poses the following problem: emission of erase light leads to light-induced fatigue of the photoreceptor, and as a result, the photoreceptor which has deteriorated from the light-induced fatigue wears down due to abrasion and the like with a cleaner blade, resulting in a shorter lifetime of the photoreceptor. Thus, the thickness of the photosensitive layer is detected to acquire the amount of thickness decrease, and the amount of the erase light is reduced according to the acquired amount of thickness decrease. | 2010-09-23 |
20100239281 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - An image forming apparatus includes an image carrier, a transfer member provided at a position at which the transfer member can be pressed against the image carrier, a detection device for detecting a toner attachment amount of the toner image formed on the image carrier, an avoidance judging section for judging whether or not avoidance of a pressed region should be performed when a toner image for image formation is formed on the image carrier, the pressed region serving as a region located on the image carrier and being pressed against the transfer member from the end of a previous image forming operation to the start of a present image forming operation, and an avoidance continuation judging section for judging the necessity for continuation of the avoidance by being operated when it is judged as avoidance by the avoidance judging section. | 2010-09-23 |
20100239282 | To-be-transferred object length measurement device and image forming apparatus and computer-readable storage medium - A disclosed to-be-transferred object length measurement device includes a first rotating body; a passage detection unit detecting a passage of the to-be-transferred object; a rotation amount measurement unit measuring a rotation amount of the first rotating body in a first measurement period; a second rotating body feeding the to-be-transferred object; a speed detection unit detecting a first feeding speed and a second feeding speed of the to-be-transferred object; and a calculation unit calculating a feeding distance of the to-be-transferred object per a predetermined rotation amount of the first rotating body based on the first feeding speed, and further calculating a length of the to-be-transferred object based on the rotation amount of the first rotating body in the first measurement period, the feeding distance, and the second feeding speed of the to-be-transferred object in the second measurement period. | 2010-09-23 |
20100239283 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - An image forming apparatus includes a movable image bearing member; an exposure device for exposing the image bearing member after being electrically charged; a developing device for developing, with toner, a latent image formed on the image bearing member by the exposure device; and a movable intermediary transfer member for receiving a toner image from the image bearing member, wherein the toner image on the intermediary transfer member is transferred onto a transfer material, wherein the transfer material is fed at a first speed, a moving speed of the image bearing member, an exposure speed of the exposure device in a moving direction of the image bearing member, and a moving speed of the intermediary transfer member are equal to the first speed, and wherein when the transfer material is fed at a second speed which is lower than the first speed, the moving speed of the image bearing member is equal to the first speed, and the speed of the exposure device and the moving speed of intermediary transfer member is equal to the second speed. | 2010-09-23 |
20100239284 | IMAGE FORMING DEVICE THAT REDUCES CONSUMPTION OF TONER USED FOR NON-PRINTING PURPOSE - When carrying out monochrome printing, an engine unit of a printer calculates an amount of toner consumed as lubricant by a color photoreceptor according to the number of sheets to be printed (S | 2010-09-23 |
20100239285 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - An image forming apparatus includes a rotatable photosensitive member; charging device for electrically charging the photosensitive member by being supplied with a charging bias; a current detecting device for detecting a DC current flowing when a test bias in the form of a predetermined DC voltage biased with a predetermined AC voltage is applied to the charging device so as to cause discharging between the photosensitive member and the charging device; and a control device for controlling the charging bias on the basis of an output of the current detecting device. | 2010-09-23 |
20100239286 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - An image forming apparatus includes a drum; a charging member; a charging bias applying device; an image forming device; a detecting device for detecting a current passing between the charging member and the drum; an executing device for selectively executing a first mode in which the charging bias of a first frequency is applied to form the image on the drum rotated at a first speed and a second mode in which the charging bias of a second frequency is applied to form the image on the drum rotated at a second speed; a calculating device for calculating information indicating a relationship between an output of the detecting device when the AC voltage of the first frequency is applied and an output of the detecting device when the AC voltage of the second frequency is applied; and an adjusting device for adjusting a peak-to-peak voltage to be applied to the charging member in the first mode based on the output of the detecting device obtained by applying the AC voltage of the first frequency to the charging member and for adjusting a peak-to-peak voltage to be applied to the charging member in the second mode based on the output of the detecting device obtained by applying the AC voltage of the first frequency to the charging member and the information calculated by the calculating device. | 2010-09-23 |
20100239287 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - An image forming apparatus includes a rotatable photosensitive member; charging device for electrically charging the photosensitive member by being supplied with a charging bias; a current detecting device for detecting a DC current flowing when a test bias in the form of a predetermined DC voltage biased with a predetermined AC voltage is applied to the charging device so as to cause discharging between the photosensitive member and the charging device; and a control device for controlling the charging bias on the basis of an output of the current detecting device. | 2010-09-23 |
20100239288 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS AND IMAGE FORMING METHOD - An image forming apparatus that performs a shading correction includes a light source that emits a light beam; a light-source drive unit that drives the light source; and a light-quantity-adjustment-amount control unit that performs an adjustment of a light quantity in accordance with a shading correction curve by controlling, for the light-source drive unit, a light-quantity adjustment amount and an increase/decrease cycle of the light-quantity adjustment amount. The increase/decrease cycle is a unit of time within a time period during which the light-quantity adjustment amount increases or decreases. | 2010-09-23 |
20100239289 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - In an image forming apparatus of a rotary type, when a pause is made during continuous image formation, the time taken to restart image formation after the pause is shortened so as to reduce stress on the user. In the image forming apparatus, it is determined beforehand whether the next image formation mode is a color mode or a mono mode, and a developing device to be first used in the next image formation mode is moved to a developing standby position. | 2010-09-23 |
20100239290 | TONER AGITATING STEPPING MOTOR CONTROL UNIT, IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS AND STEPPING MOTOR CONTROL METHOD - A control unit is provided with an excitation current output section for outputting an excitation current to a stepping motor, a first level judging section for judging a drive stop time level indicating the duration of a time during which the stepping motor is not driven, a storage storing a plurality of starting torque values required to start driving the stepping motor and a plurality of drive stop time levels while relating them to each other, and a controller for obtaining the starting torque value corresponding to the drive stop time level judged by the first level judging section by referring to the storage, calculating an excitation current value which gives the obtained starting torque value and outputting an excitation current having the calculated excitation current value. | 2010-09-23 |
20100239291 | HIGH-VOLTAGE POWER SUPPLY - A high-voltage power supply for applying a developing bias to a developing roller of an image forming apparatus is provided. The high-voltage power supply includes: a developing bias application unit that applies a developing bias to the developing roller in accordance with a control voltage that is input therein; a developing bias detection unit that detects the developing bias applied to the developing roller; a control voltage adjustment unit that adjusts the control voltage input to the developing bias application unit such that the developing bias detected by the developing bias detection unit approaches a predetermined target value; and a condensation determination unit that determines condensation of the developing bias application unit based on the control voltage. | 2010-09-23 |
20100239292 | Transfer-fixing device and image forming apparatus incorporating same - In a transfer-fixing device for transferring and fixing a toner image on a transfer-fixing side of a recording medium, a transfer-fixing member carries the toner image. A pressing member presses against the transfer-fixing member to form a nip between the transfer-fixing member and the pressing member through which the recording medium passes. A heat transmission member is provided upstream from the nip in a recording medium conveyance direction to heat the transfer-fixing side of the recording medium while guiding the recording medium to the nip. A heating member is connected to the heat transmission member to heat the heat transmission member. A biasing member biases the recording medium guided by the heat transmission member against the heat transmission member. | 2010-09-23 |
20100239293 | Moving body controlling device, intermediate transferring device, and image forming apparatus having the same - A disclosed moving body controlling device includes a first moving body driven by a first motor that is controlled by a first control unit, a second moving body driven by a second motor that is controlled by a second control unit and affecting movement of the first moving body, a memory unit storing a relationship between the second motor rotational speed and an indicating value for driving the first and second motors when the second control unit changes the second motor rotational speed while the first control unit controls a first motor rotational speed to cause a first rotational body surface speed to be a predetermined speed in a mode of setting a second motor target rotational speed, whereby a reference point at which the surface speed starts to exceed the predetermined speed is detected, and based on the reference point the second motor target rotational speed is set. | 2010-09-23 |
20100239294 | COLOR-IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS, IMAGE FORMING METHOD, AND COMPUTER PROGRAM PRODUCT - A print control unit causes a secondary-transfer control unit to move a secondary transfer unit apart from an intermediate transfer member, causes a direct-transfer control unit to cause a black image forming unit to form a black image and transfer the black image onto a transfer sheet being conveyed along a conveying path, and causes a positional-alignment control unit to perform positional alignment. | 2010-09-23 |
20100239295 | CONVEYANCE SPEED DIFFERENCE MAINTAINING HEAT AND PRESSURE FIXING SYSTEM - A fixing apparatus includes a fixing mechanism having a first motor, and a conveyance mechanism arranged downstream of the fixing mechanism having a second motor. A motor control section is provided to control sheet conveyance speeds V | 2010-09-23 |
20100239296 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - An image forming apparatus connected to a conveying-speed-changeable sheet post processing device includes a discharging unit which discharges a sheet in a reverse discharge mode with front and back surfaces of the image-formed sheet reversed, and a non-reverse discharge mode without front and back surfaces of the image-formed sheet reversed, and discharges the sheet at a first speed or a second speed lower than the first speed; and a control unit which controls the discharging unit to discharge the sheet at the first speed in the reverse discharge mode and at the second speed in the non-reverse discharge mode. When the sheet is discharged at the second speed, the control unit controls the discharging unit to discharge a subsequent sheet at the second speed even if the subsequent sheet is to be discharged in the reverse discharge mode. | 2010-09-23 |
20100239297 | Fixing device and image forming apparatus including same - A fixing device includes a cylindrical fixing member, having an external circumferential surface including a crown portion curved radially outward and a inverted-crown portion curved radially inward, a pressing unit including a convexity and a concavity formed on a facing surface facing the fixing member, a first heating member to heat the fixing member, corresponding to the crown portion of the fixing member, a second heating member to heat the fixing member, corresponding to the inverted-crown portion of the fixing member, a temperature detector to detect a surface temperature of the fixing member, and a controller to control the first heating member and the second heating member independently. The pressing unit presses against the fixing member while the crown portion and the inverted-crown portion of the fixing member match the concavity and the convexity of the pressing unit, respectively, forming a curved fixing nip therebetween. | 2010-09-23 |
20100239298 | IMAGE FORMING DEVICE, PRINTING SYSTEM, AND PRINTING METHOD - A fixing device including: an endless belt that is driven to perform a circulating motion; a pressing member and a fixing roller that face each other with the endless belt therebetween, the pressing member being caused to press the fixing roller, which is preliminarily heated, via the belt to form a fixing nip in which a toner image is thermally fixed onto a recording sheet S passing through therein; a cooler that cools at least a paper-contact range of the belt within which the recording sheet S passing through the fixing nip contacts; and a temperature-decrease controller that causes the cooler to cool at least the paper-contact range of the belt before the toner image is thermally fixed onto the recording sheet S. | 2010-09-23 |
20100239299 | TEMPERATURE CONTROL APPARATUS, ELECTROPHOTOGRAPHIC APPARATUS, AND TEMPERATURE CONTROL METHOD FOR HEATING ELEMENT - A temperature control apparatus includes a temperature sensor which detects a temperature of a heating element, a controller for controlling heat generation of the heating element in accordance with a detected temperature by the temperature sensor, and a monitoring circuit which monitors the detected temperature, and stops operation of the controller in a predetermined stop period defined on the basis of the detected temperature when a predetermined operation mode of plural operation modes is set. | 2010-09-23 |
20100239300 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - An image forming apparatus includes: a heat transfer member having a width extending along a direction orthogonal to a medium conveying direction along which a medium is conveyed, the heat transfer member transferring heat from a heater to the medium; the heater provided along substantially the entire width of the heat transfer member and configured to heat the heat transfer member so as to heat the medium via the heat transfer member; a temperature detector configured to detect the temperature of the widthwise center of the heat transfer member; a temperature setting unit configured to set a target temperature by correcting a default target temperature, depending on the difference between the default target temperature and the temperature that is detected by the temperature detector when the heater starts to heat; a heat controller configured to control the heater to make the temperature detected by the temperature detector the target temperature. | 2010-09-23 |
20100239301 | HEATER CONTROL WITH VARYING CONTROL CYCLE AND LIGHTING PATTERN - A heater controlling apparatus for controlling supply of alternating current power to at least one heater that heats a heating object includes a detection unit configured to detect a temperature of the heating object, a determining unit configured to determine a proportion of lighting time for lighting the heater based on the detected temperature and a preset target temperature of the heating object, and a control unit configured to control the supply of alternating current power to the heater based on both a control cycle and one or more lighting patterns, the heater being lit according to the one or more lighting patterns defined for each control cycle, and both the control cycle and the lighting pattern varying in response to the determined proportion of lighting time. | 2010-09-23 |
20100239302 | Cleaning unit, process cartridge, and electrophotographic image forming apparatus - A cleaning unit that can remove particles of residual toner remaining on an image carrier after transfer and be incorporated in a process cartridge removably installable to an image forming apparatus, includes a brush roller disposed in contact with the image carrier to remove the residual toner remaining on the image carrier from the image carrier, and a polarity control member disposed in contact with the image carrier to control charge polarities of the residual toner remaining on the image carrier before the residual toner is removed by the brush roller. The polarity control member includes a first surface where the polarity control member contacts the image carrier, a second surface where the polarity control member does not contact the image carrier, and a conductive filler that is not exposed on the first surface that contacts the image carrier. | 2010-09-23 |
20100239303 | CONVERTER, SWITCHING POWER SUPPLY, AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - A converter includes a switching element configured to switch an input voltage, a drive unit configured to drive the switching element, a pulse signal generating unit configured to supply a pulse signal to the drive unit, and a bypass unit configured to connect the switching element and the pulse signal generating unit without involving the drive unit. An operation of the bypass unit maintains the switching element in an on state when the input voltage is switched to a lower voltage and switching of the input voltage is stopped. | 2010-09-23 |
20100239304 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - An image forming apparatus comprises: a housing that is fixedly placed in the image forming apparatus and integrally accommodates an imaging portion that includes at least an image holding member; a transferring unit that is disposed against the image holding member so that the transferring unit is capable of pressing and separating the image holding member; and a high-voltage power supplying unit that supplies a high voltage, wherein a power supplying path that is formed on an outer surface of the housing so that the high voltage is supplied from the high-voltage power supplying unit to the imaging portion and the transferring unit via the power supplying path. | 2010-09-23 |
20100239305 | Developer Cartridge for Image-Forming Device - A developer cartridge provided in an image-forming device has a developer side casing that includes a toner-accommodating chamber and a developing chamber; and a plate wall disposed in the developing chamber for partitioning a thickness-regulating blade from the toner-accommodating chamber. When a thickness-regulating blade scrapes excess charged toner off the developing roller, the plate wall prevents this charged toner from returning to the toner-accommodating chamber. A flexible wiper for cleaning toner detection windows is attached to an agitator for stirring toner in the toner-accommodating chamber via a fixing member. The fixing member includes a support plate and a gripping plate disposed opposite each other with a slit formed therebetween. The wiper is inserted into the slit and is fixed to the fixing member when a boss protruding from a restricting plate becomes inserted into a through-hole formed in the wiper. | 2010-09-23 |
20100239306 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - An image forming apparatus including: a frame member including a first electrode; a replacement unit including a second electrode that electrically contacts the first electrode, wherein the replacement unit is movable relative to the frame member along with a moving direction, the moving direction includes a first direction and second direction that intersects the first direction, wherein one of the first electrode and the second electrode, which is formed by a wire, and which includes a contact portion, wherein the contact portion, which is bent along a intersection plane, and which is movable in a third direction that is perpendicular to the first direction and the second direction, and wherein a direction of contact portion is set so that the intersection plane intersects with a first plane and a second plane at angles smaller than an intersection angle formed by the intersection of the first plane and the second plane. | 2010-09-23 |
20100239307 | Interlock Device And Image Forming Apparatus Incorporating Same - In an interlock device for turning a switch on and off in accordance with closing and opening of a plurality of covers covering a body of an electronic apparatus, one striker protrudes from each of the covers. An engagement member is provided inside the body of the electronic apparatus to move in a predetermined direction to contact and separate from the switch to turn the switch on and off. All the strikers contact the engagement member to turn on the switch when all the covers are closed. At least one of the strikers separates from the engagement member to turn off the switch when the corresponding cover is opened. | 2010-09-23 |
20100239308 | COLOR ELECTROPHOTOGRAPHIC IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - A color electrophotographic image forming apparatus includes an image forming unit including a transfer member for transferring a developed image formed on an electrophotographic photosensitive drum onto the recording material, and mounting portions for demountably mounting cartridges arranged substantially in a vertical direction, the unit being movable, in a state that the cartridge is demountably mounted to the mounting portions, between a transfer position for transferring the developed image from the transfer member onto the recording material in a main assembly of the apparatus, and a mounting and demounting position, different from the transfer position, for mounting and demounting the cartridges relative to the mounting portion; a first path for mounting and demounting the cartridge relative to such a mounting portion of the mounting portions as is provided at a topmost position; and a second path, different from the first path, for mounting and demounting the cartridge relative to the mounting portion. | 2010-09-23 |
20100239309 | Image-bearing member protecting agent, protective layer forming device, image forming method, image forming apparatus, and process cartridge - An image-bearing member protecting agent including a fatty acid metal salt, and an inorganic lubricant, wherein the image-bearing member protecting agent is a solid formed by compression molding a particulate or granulated raw material containing the fatty acid metal salt and the inorganic lubricant, and applied or adhered to a surface of an image bearing member, and wherein the image-bearing member protecting agent has a front surface which is a side of the image-bearing member protecting agent. to be used at the beginning, and a rear surface which is a side thereof to be left when most of the image-bearing member protecting agent is used up, and the image-bearing member protecting agent has a density decreasing from the front surface toward the rear surface. | 2010-09-23 |
20100239310 | REPLACEMENT UNIT AND IMAGE FORMING DEVICE - A replacement unit includes a bottom member and a guide groove. The bottom member is supported at one of plural support members. The guide groove provided at the bottom member, is guided by plural protrusions provided at the support member and disposed in a row, and extends in an installation direction along which the replacement unit is installed in a device body from sideward of the device body. | 2010-09-23 |
20100239311 | ELECTROPHOTOGRAPHIC IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - An electrophotographic image forming apparatus includes an image forming unit including a transfer member for transferring a developed image formed on an electrophotographic photosensitive drum, and a mounting portion for demountably mounting a cartridge, the image formation unit being movable, in a state that the cartridge is demountably mounted to the mounting portion, between a transfer position for transferring the developed image from the transfer member onto the recording material in a main assembly of the apparatus, and a mounting and demounting position, different from the transfer position, for mounting and demounting the cartridge relative to the mounting portion; and a regulating member for limiting movement, outward of the unit, of the cartridge mounted to the mounting portion, when the unit moves between the transfer position and the mounting and demounting position, the regulating member being movable between a regulating position for limiting the movement, outward of the unit, of the cartridge, and a permitting position for permitting mounting and demounting of the cartridge relative to the mounting portion, and the regulating member being in a regulating position when the unit moves between the transfer position and the mounting and demounting position. | 2010-09-23 |
20100239312 | ELECTROPHOTOGRAPHIC IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - An electrophotographic image forming apparatus for forming an image on a recording material, includes an electrophotographic photosensitive drum; a cartridge including a developing roller for developing an electrostatic latent image formed on the electrophotographic photosensitive drum, the cartridge containing a developer for effecting development and including a force receiving portion, wherein the cartridge is mounted to a main assembly of the electrophotographic image forming apparatus; and an urging member for urging the cartridge; wherein by mounting the cartridge, the force receiving portion receives a force from the urging member to urge the developing roller to the electrophotographic photosensitive drum. | 2010-09-23 |
20100239313 | COLOR ELECTROPHOTOGRAPHIC IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - A color electrophotographic image forming apparatus including: an opening in a main body; a door opening and closing the opening; a first tray movable between an inside position and an outside position through the opening while removably supporting drum cartridges having photosensitive drums; a second tray movable between the inside position and the outside position through the opening while removably supporting developing cartridges having developing rollers; a transfer member to which toner images are transferred from the photosensitive drums; and a positioning member, which releases, when the door is opened, an engagement between engaging portions of the developing cartridges and engaged portions of the drum cartridges to hold the developing cartridges so that the second tray can be pulled out, and which engages, when the door is closed, the engaging portion with the engaged portion to position the developing cartridges for image formation. | 2010-09-23 |
20100239314 | COLOR ELECTROPHOTOGRAPHIC IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - A color electrophotographic image forming apparatus for forming an image on a recording material, wherein a plurality of cartridges are detachably mountable to a main assembly of the apparatus, the apparatus includes a cartridge supporting member movable between an inside position inside the main assembly of the apparatus while supporting the cartridge and an outside position outside the main assembly of the apparatus; an opening for permitting the cartridge supporting member between the inside position and the outside position; an openable member movable between a close position for closing the opening and an open position for opening the opening; positioning urging device for urging in the of positioning the cartridge to a positioning portion of the main assembly of the apparatus by closing the openable member and for releasing the cartridge from the urging by opening the openable member; and spacing urging device for urging the cartridge in a direction of spacing from the positioning portion; wherein an urging force of the spacing urging device is smaller than a resultant force of an urging force of the positioning urging device and a force applied to the spacing urging device by a weight the cartridge and is larger than the force applied to the spacing urging device by the weight the cartridge. | 2010-09-23 |
20100239315 | Image Forming Device Employing Charger for Charging Photosensitive Member - An image forming device includes a photosensitive member and a charger for charging the photosensitive member. The photosensitive member has a photosensitive surface that moves in a moving direction and that is configured to form a latent electrostatic image thereon. The charger opposes the photosensitive surface and includes a wire electrode, a grid electrode and a shield electrode. The wire electrode is applied with a voltage for charging the photosensitive surface. The grid electrode is disposed between the wire electrode and the photosensitive surface. The shield electrode is arranged to partly surround the wire electrode, the shield electrode having a plurality of sections, the shield electrode having an opening at a side the same as the grid electrode with respect to the wire electrode, the shield electrode including a first end and a second end each facing the photosensitive surface, the first end being disposed upstream relative to the second end in the moving direction, the opening being defined between the first end and the second end, a shortest distance being defined between each of the plurality of sections of the shield electrode and the wire electrode and being a length of a straight line that connects the wire electrode and an imaginary plane extending along the each section and that is perpendicular to the imaginary plane, the shortest distances between the respective sections of the shield electrode and the wire electrode being equal to one another, a first distance defined between the first end and a reference plane being smaller than a second distance defined between the second end and the reference plane, the reference plane including the wire electrode and extending perpendicularly to the photosensitive surface. | 2010-09-23 |
20100239316 | FIXING UNIT AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS THEREWITH - A fixing unit is provided with a heat roller having a plurality of heaters provided therein for applying heat to a toner image formed on a sheet of paper, an upper-side casing for holding the heat roller, a holding member detachably fitted to the upper-side casing, and a plurality of fitting portions that are provided in the holding member and to which first to third terminal portions of the plurality of heaters can be detachably fitted from a same direction. | 2010-09-23 |
20100239317 | IMAGE FORMING UNIT AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - A durability with respect to a film wear and defect of a photosensitive layer on the photosensitive body is improved, and thinning the photosensitive layer is planned. An image forming unit that comprises a photosensitive body; a charge means that charges surface of the photosensitive body; a development means that develops an electrostatic latent image formed on the surface of the photosensitive body with the developer through shining an exposure light to form a developer image on the surface of the photosensitive body; and a cleaning means that removes remaining developer on the surface of the photosensitive body by pressing against the surface of the photosensitive body. On the top surface layer of the photosensitive body, Martens hardness value is 175˜196N/mm | 2010-09-23 |
20100239318 | Image forming apparatus - A printer according to the present invention is a so-called tandem-type printer, and has a configuration that a motor gear is directly connected to an M-photoconductor driving gear and an idler gear is directly connected to a Y-photoconductor driving gear and the M-photoconductor driving gear. A diameter of the Y and M photoconductors driving gear, a distance between transfer sections of the Y and M photoconductors, a motor gear input angle, and an idler input angle are set so that an absolute value of a value obtained by subtracting 1 from an ideal amplitude ratio, which indicates a ratio of an ideal amplitude of an eccentric component of the Y-photoconductor driving gear to an actual amplitude of an eccentric component of the M-photoconductor driving gear, is equal to or less than a maximum allowable amplitude ratio. | 2010-09-23 |
20100239319 | METHOD AND DEVICE FOR MEASURING SURFACE POTENTIAL DISTRIBUTION, METHOD AND DEVICE FOR MEASURING INSULATION RESISTANCE, ELECTROSTATIC LATENT IMAGE MEASUREMENT DEVICE, AND CHARGING DEVICE - A surface potential distribution measurement method and device including setting a sample having a surface with a surface potential distribution in a sample installation unit wherein both an electric field intensity formed on the sample surface and a potential bias component of the sample are variable, and scanning the sample surface in a one-dimensional or two-dimensional manner by irradiating a charged particle beam to the sample. The method also includes obtaining a detection signal from charged particles generated by the scanning, to measure the surface potential distribution of the sample by varying the electric field intensity and the potential bias component in order to control a quantity of the detection signal obtained from the charged particles. | 2010-09-23 |
20100239320 | COROTRON DEVICE FOR AN ELEMENT MOVING VIA A GUIDE UNIT, IN PARTICULAR IN AN ELECTROGRAPHIC PRINTING APPARATUS - In a corotron device system, a moving element moves via a guide unit. A corotron having a corotron element and a corotron shield is provided. The corotron element is arranged relative to the moving element such that a distance from, and a parallel position of, the corotron element relative to the moving element substantially do not change. | 2010-09-23 |
20100239321 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS AND IMAGE FORMING SYSTEM - An image forming apparatus includes a first development unit, a second development unit, and a control unit. The first development unit forms a first developer image with a first developer absorbing a light having a prescribed wavelength. The second development unit forms a second developer image with a second developer permeating the light having prescribed wavelength therethrough. The control unit controls print of a background design image by the first development unit and print of a print image by the second development unit. | 2010-09-23 |
20100239322 | DEVELOPING APPARATUS AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - A developer accommodating container is structured such as to be provided with a first accommodating portion in which the first feeding member is arranged, a second accommodating portion in which the second feeding member is arranged, a first communication portion communicating the first accommodating portion and the second accommodating portion in one end side, a second communication portion communicating the first accommodating portion and the second accommodating portion at the other end side, a developer replenishing portion arranged in the other end side rather than the second communication portion, in the other end side of the first accommodating portion, a developer discharge portion arranged in the other end side rather than the second communication portion, in the other end side of the second accommodating portion, and a flow rate regulating portion arranged between the second communication portion and the developer discharge portion, and regulating an amount of the passing developer. | 2010-09-23 |
20100239323 | CONTAINER FOR THE STORAGE OF TONER, CONTAINER FOR THE STORAGE OF DEVELOPER AND IMAGE-FORMING APPARATUS USING THESE CONTAINERS - A container for storing a toner includes: an electrostatic latent image developing toner that contains: a binder resin containing a polyester resin; a coloring agent; and a release agent, and that has a volume average particle size of about 4 to about 8 μm and an average degree of circularity of about 0.94 to about 0.99; and a toner container main body that stores the electrostatic latent image developing toner, the toner container main body including a material containing at least one of polyethylene terephthalate and polybutylene terephthalate. | 2010-09-23 |
20100239324 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR PRODUCING A DRY TONER ASSOCIATED WITH A SELECTED GLOSS LEVEL - A system and method for producing toner associated with a selectable gloss level is provided. The method includes holding a first toner formed of particles, associated with a relatively low gloss level, and having two particle properties, each having a first and second characteristic, respectively, and holding a second toner formed of particles, associated with a relatively high gloss level, and having the two particle properties, each having a third and fourth characteristic, respectively. The first and third and the second and fourth characteristics are substantially the same. The first and second toners are transported and a ratio of their respective volumes is determined so that when blended a third toner is produced which is associated with a selected gloss level that is in-between the low and high gloss levels. The transporting is controlled in accordance with the determined ratio. | 2010-09-23 |
20100239325 | TONER CONTAINER AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS COMPRISING THE SAME - A hollow cylindrical cap is rotatably attached to a container body opening provided in one end of a hollow cylindrical container body. A seal member around the container body opening forms a seal between the container body and the cap. Once the cap is attached to the container body, pressing chips are circumferentially slidably engaged with a flange, and the seal member is pressure-sealed to a pressure-seal portion. A toner container identification is contiguous with the rear edge of one of the pressing chips. The toner container identification is formed by denting one part of the cap so its outer surface radially protrudes outward, and has a predetermined cross-section. | 2010-09-23 |
20100239326 | DEVELOPING DEVICE, IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS AND IMAGE FORMING METHOD - A developing device, an image forming apparatus and an image forming method are disclosed. The developing device includes a housing that stores toner therein; a toner carrying roller that has a plurality of convex portions and concave portions surrounding the convex portions are formed on the surface of the toner carrying roller; and a conductive regulation blade having a free end comes in contact with the surface of the toner carrying roller. The toner includes a conductive external additive as an external additive. The toner carrying roller carries both contact toner which is in direct contact with the surface of the toner carrying roller and non-contact toner which is not in direct contact with the surface of the toner carrying roller, on the concave portion. The regulation blade is applied with a regulation bias voltage of the same polarity as a normal charge polarity of the toner. | 2010-09-23 |
20100239327 | DEVELOPING DEVICE, IMAGE FORMING DEVICE AND IMAGE FORMING METHOD - A development device includes a housing having toner housed therein; a toner carrying roller that has a plurality of convex portions and concave portions surrounding the convex portions, formed on a surface thereof; and a conductive restriction blade in which a free end or an adjoining region adjacent to the free end abuts the surface of the toner carrying roller, thereby restricting the amount of the toner carried on surface of the toner carrying roller, wherein the toner has an external additive including a metal oxide, the restriction blade is applied with a restriction bias voltage of the same polarity as the regular electrification polarity of the toner, and a gap between the front end of the free end and the convex portion of the toner carrying roller is smaller than a volume average particle diameter of the toner. | 2010-09-23 |
20100239328 | DEVELOPING APPARATUS, IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS, IMAGE FORMING METHOD, AND TONER - A developing apparatus includes: a housing which contains toner; a toner supporting roller; and a regulating blade, wherein bias voltage is applied to the regulating blade, the toner includes, an insulating external additive and an electrically-conductive external additive, satisfies any of the following first to third conditions, the first condition: a volume average grain diameter of the electrically-conductive external additive is larger than a volume average grain diameter of the insulating external additive, the second condition: a volume average grain diameter of the electrically-conductive external additive is larger than a volume average grain diameter of the insulating external additive in which coverage in the toner is higher than that of the electrically-conductive external additive, and the third condition: coverage of the electrically-conductive external additive in the toner is higher than coverage of the insulating external additive that is larger in volume average grain diameter than the electrically-conductive external additive. | 2010-09-23 |
20100239329 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - An image forming apparatus includes a photoreceptor having a first support shaft supported in a first frame body, a photosensitive portion supported by the first support shaft, and a tapered portion having first tapered surfaces on both sides of the photosensitive portion; a development roller opposed to the photoreceptor and having a second support shaft rotatably supported by a second frame body, the development roller being movable in a direction perpendicular to the second support shaft so as to approach and separate from the photoreceptor; roller members disposed on both sides of the development roller coaxially with the second support shaft, the roller member being movable in an axial direction of the second support shaft and including a second tapered surface which abuts against the first tapered surface; a moving member allowing the roller member to move on the second support shaft; and a biasing member biasing the development roller toward the photoreceptor. | 2010-09-23 |
20100239330 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - An image forming apparatus includes an image bearing member, a belt member, a stretching roller, a driving roller configured to transmit a driving force to the belt member, a motor configured to supply a driving force to the driving roller, a first frame configured to rotatably support two ends of the stretching roller, a second frame disposed to be tiltable relative to the first frame and configured to rotatably support two ends of the driving roller, a steering driving unit configured to cause the second frame to perform a tilt operation, a tension roller disposed at a position adjacent the driving roller in the downstream side of the driving roller in the rotational direction of the belt member and configured to supply a tension to the belt member, and an elastic unit configured to elastically support the tension roller. | 2010-09-23 |
20100239331 | POSITION ERROR CORRECTING METHOD, POSITION ERROR CORRECTING APPARATUS, AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS INCLUDING THE POSITION ERROR CORRECTING APPARATUS - A position error correcting method includes forming an image-forming condition determination pattern on an endless transport unit transported in a first direction, the image-forming condition determination pattern including plural unit patterns having different unit-area attached toner amounts and arranged in the first direction; detecting a detection limit pattern having the minimum detectable unit-area attached toner amount from the unit patterns; calculating an image-forming condition of the detection limit pattern; forming a position error correction pattern on the endless transport unit in the first direction in accordance with the image-forming condition; and correcting a position error of a toner image formed on the endless transport unit by plural image forming units, using the position error correction pattern, wherein the position error is corrected with respect to a second direction perpendicular to the first direction. | 2010-09-23 |
20100239332 | ELECTRO-CONDUCTIVE BELT, FABRICATION METHOD THEREOF, AND IMAGE FORMING DEVICE - There is provided an electro-conductive belt including a resin material and conductive particles, the electro-conductive belt including: an innermost layer that contains none of the conductive particles; a first conductive layer that is adjacent to the innermost layer at an outer side thereof, a concentration of the conductive particles being highest in the first conductive layer; and a second conductive layer that is adjacent to the first conductive layer at an outer side thereof, the second conductive layer containing the conductive particles in a concentration lower than in the first conductive layer and higher than in the innermost layer. | 2010-09-23 |
20100239333 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS HAVING LESS DECREASE IN PRIMARY TRANSFER EFFICIENCY OF TONER IMAGE - The decrease of the transfer efficiency of transferring a toner image from a photosensitive drum onto an intermediate transfer belt is suppressed by the structure of an image forming apparatus comprising: a photosensitive drum holding member that pivotally supports the photosensitive drum at both ends thereof; a transfer roller holding member that pivotally supports a primary transfer roller at both ends thereof; and a transfer roller holding unit that determines a relative position between the photosensitive drum holding member and the transfer roller holding member by guiding the transfer roller holding member in a direction substantially perpendicular to a running surface of the belt and abutting an opposing part of the photosensitive drum holding member and an opposing part of the transfer roller holding member with each other, the opposing parts opposing each other, the transfer roller holding unit includes: a guide member having a reference surface; and a plate spring operable to force the transfer roller holding member toward the reference surface so as to be brought in contact with the reference surface, and when viewed in an axis direction of the transfer roller, one of the opposing parts has a straight linear outline parallel to a running direction of the belt, and the other of the opposing parts has a convex curved outline. | 2010-09-23 |
20100239334 | Image forming apparatus - An image forming apparatus includes an image carrier; a movable endless belt member forming a nip between the image carrier; and a transfer roller made of metal contacting the belt member at a region corresponding to the nip. At the nip, a toner image on the image carrier is transferred onto the belt member. The transfer roller slidably rotates in bearings supporting its shaft. Members having a higher friction coefficient than that of the transfer roller are provided at end portions of the transfer roller. F | 2010-09-23 |
20100239335 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - An image forming apparatus includes a first endless transfer belt, first extending members, a first transfer electric generator, a secondary transfer unit disposed outboard and at least partially facing the first endless transfer belt, and an ultrasonic vibration generator, including a vibration imparting part from which ultrasonic vibrations is applied to the first endless transfer belt. The secondary transfer unit and the first endless transfer belt form a transfer nip forming a transfer electric field due to a difference in electric potential therebetween. The first transfer electric field generator contacts the first endless transfer belt at a position other than a position disposed opposite the secondary transfer unit. The vibration imparting part contacts the first endless transfer belt at a position intermediate between the first transfer electric field generator and the secondary transfer unit in a direction of rotation of the first endless transfer belt. | 2010-09-23 |
20100239336 | FIXING DEVICE AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS USING THE SAME - A fixing device includes an endless belt member and a rotating body that are arranged to come in pressure contact with each other, the endless belt member and the rotating body having a source of heat generation; a pressing member that is arranged within the endless belt member and comes in pressure contact with the endless belt member to the rotating body; and a lubricant reservoir that is provided in the pressing member and reserves a semisolid or solid state lubricant, wherein a width in a central portion of the lubricant reservoir is wider than that in both ends of the lubricant reservoir, and widths along a length direction of the lubricant reservoir narrows from the central portion toward the both ends. | 2010-09-23 |
20100239337 | Fixing device and image forming apparatus incorporating same - A belt-fixing device includes a first seamless belt, a second seamless belt disposed in contact with the first belt to form a nip, a heating member, a first roller disposed inside the first belt, a second roller disposed inside the first endless belt upstream from the first roller in a direction in which the recording medium is conveyed, a third roller disposed inside the second belt, facing the first roller, to cause the first belt and the second belt to press against each other at the nip, and a fourth roller disposed inside the second belt, facing the second roller to cause the first belt and the second belt to press against each other at the nip. The second roller rotates at a peripheral velocity different from that of the first roller and the fourth roller rotates at a peripheral velocity different from that of the third roller. | 2010-09-23 |
20100239338 | FIXING APPARATUS AND IMAGE FORMATION APPARATUS - In a fixing apparatus including a fixing roller including an elastic layer, a heating roller including a heat source, the heating roller being formed by sequentially layering an elastic layer and a mold release layer on an outer circumferential face of a shaft, a fixing belt wound around the fixing roller and the heating roller, the fixing belt being formed by sequentially layering an elastic layer and a mold release layer on an endless belt type base material layer formed from heat-resistant resin, and a pressurizing roller that is pressed to the fixing roller via the fixing belt, volume resistivity of the base material layer of the fixing belt is in a range of 10 | 2010-09-23 |
20100239339 | HEATING ROTATOR, FIXING DEVICE AND IMAGE FORMING DEVICE - A heating rotator that is used for heating a developer on a recording medium has a cylindrical body that is made of a metal and both end portions of the cylindrical body is rotatably supported. The cylindrical body has a thick-walled portion at both end portions that is thicker than a center portion in an axial direction of the cylindrical body, and a cross-sectional shape of the heating rotator changes from the end portions toward the center portion in a pressure area of an outer peripheral surface to which pressure is applied by a pressure rotator. | 2010-09-23 |
20100239340 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - An image forming apparatus includes: a plurality of image forming sections respectively including developing portions and first removing portions as defined herein; a plurality discharging pipes as defined herein; and a delivery pipe as defined herein, the delivery pipe includes a changing portion in which a direction of delivering the coloring materials is changed to an upper side, and, among the discharging pipes, a discharging pipe that is downward extended from one of the first removing portions that is placed on a most downstream side in the oblique direction is disposed downstream from the changing portion of the delivery pipe in the delivering direction, and has a length shorter than lengths of the other discharging pipes. | 2010-09-23 |
20100239341 | COLLECTION DEVICE AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - A collection device includes: a collection container that collects output material; a storage box that is opened upward to store a lower part of the collection container; and a support member that is fixed to a housing and supports the storage box so that the collection container is stored in the storage box and is freely drawn to the outside of the housing. The collection container includes a handle located frontward in a pulling direction and at an upper part of the collection container. The storage box includes a notch formed in a rear surface in the pulling direction. When the handle of the collection container is pressed backward in the pulling direction, a part of the collection container, which part is located backward in the pulling direction, protrudes from the storage box through the notch, so that the collection container inclines backward in the pulling direction. | 2010-09-23 |
20100239342 | INFORMATION PROCESSING APPARATUS AND INFORMATION PROCESSING METHOD - An information processing apparatus generates printing image data of a printing image and copy-forgery-inhibited-pattern-image data of a copy-forgery-inhibited pattern image to be added to the printing image. The copy-forgery-inhibited pattern image includes a latent image and a background image. The apparatus includes a selecting unit and a printing-data generating unit. The selecting unit selects either the transparent-printing designation or overlay-printing designation, the transparent-printing designation is used for generating printing data so that the copy-forgery-inhibited pattern image is superimposed on the printing image, and the overlay-printing designation is used for generating printing data so that the printing image is superimposed on the copy-forgery-inhibited pattern image. The printing-data generating unit generates printing data based on the printing designation selected by the selecting unit. | 2010-09-23 |
20100239343 | IMAGE FORMING DEVICE AND IMAGE FORMING METHOD - An image forming device makes a sheet pass between first rotating member and separator in a pressed position, causes second rotating member pair to transport a sheet, transports the sheet from second rotating member pair with the sheet held between third rotating member and image carrier in a transfer position, transfers an image formed on image carrier onto the sheet, and suspends rotation of first rotating member when a portion of the sheet, which is distance L away from the sheet's rear end, passes the pressed position. Provided that length | 2010-09-23 |
20100239344 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS, IMAGE FORMING SYSTEM, AND COMPUTER PROGRAM PRODUCT - An image forming apparatus receives input of sheet information of a print sheet designated as a print destination of print data by a predetermined information processing apparatus as first sheet information, and stores therein sheet information of a print sheet designated as a print destination in advance by the image forming apparatus as second sheet information. A feed-timing determining unit compares the first sheet information with the second sheet information and determines the feed timing of a print sheet contained in a feed tray in accordance with the comparison result. | 2010-09-23 |
20100239345 | KEYBOARD - A keyboard is configured for using the kinetic energy of the keystroke to generate electricity, the keyboard includes a key, a base, a resilient element connecting to the key and the base to restore the key after the key is pressed, a transmission device slidablely connected to the base, and a generator engaged with the transmission device. When the key is pressed, the transmission device is forced to slide on the base by the key and drive the generator to generate electricity. | 2010-09-23 |
20100239346 | Modified-QWERTY Letter Layout for Rapid Data Entry - Data entry arrangements that include twenty-six letters of the Roman alphabet arranged in matrices including six rows of three to six letters per row and in five column matrices. The transposition of the letters of the Roman alphabet on a standard three-row QWERTY keyboard into six row matrices and five column matrices utilizes spacing between the letters wherein a vertical distance between adjacent letters is at least the same. | 2010-09-23 |
20100239347 | AUTO-CUTTER FOR ROLL PAPER PRINTER - Disclosed is an auto-cutter which is installed in a roll paper printer which prints a receipt, a barcode, a label or the like on paper and outputs it. The auto-cutter functions to automatically cut a section of roll paper off. A casing is provided in a main body of the roll paper printer. A step motor is installed in the casing and connected to a movable cutting blade through spur gears. Therefore, a paper cutter structure and a full and partial cut structure can be simplified. In particular, the present invention can prevent a cutter jam, thus enhancing reliability of the operation of cutting. | 2010-09-23 |
20100239348 | TAPE PRINTING APPARATUS AND TAPE CASSETTE - A tape cassette includes an ink ribbon having an ink layer formed thereon and a film tape having a transparent film with an adhesive layer formed on one side thereof. In the tape cassette, the adhesive layer and an ink layer contact at a printing position and the adhesive layer is heated by a thermal head, thereby exhibiting adhesiveness. Then, the ink layer and the adhesive layer are adhered and characters are printed on the film tape. In a tape printing apparatus, a cutter unit is arranged close to the downstream side from the thermal head in the conveying direction. Accordingly, the film tape is cut immediately after printing. The adhesive layer side of the film tape is adhered to an auxiliary sheet medium at the position of a feed roller. The film tape is cut by the second cutter arranged downstream of the feed roller in the conveying direction. | 2010-09-23 |
20100239349 | SHEET FEEDING APPARATUS AND PRINTER INCLUDING THE SAME - An apparatus includes a supporting surface including a curved surface that is convex in a direction opposite to gravity, the supporting surface supporting a sheet under the weight of the sheet, wherein an air venting path is disposed at the supporting surface, the air venting path allowing air to be vented from an air space between the supporting surface and the sheet placed on the supporting surface; a holding section holding an end of the sheet, the sheet drooping toward both sides of the supporting surface; and a feeding path through which the sheet is fed from the holding section side to a processing unit. | 2010-09-23 |
20100239350 | APPARATUSES USEFUL FOR PRINTING AND CORRESPONDING METHODS - Apparatuses useful for printing and methods of stripping media from surfaces in apparatuses useful for printing are provided. An exemplary embodiment of an apparatus useful for printing includes a first roll, a belt including an inner surface and an outer surface, the first roll and the outer surface of the belt forming a nip, and a stripping member located internal to the belt. The stripping member includes a first needle bearing, wherein the first needle bearing contacts with the inner surface of the belt to facilitate stripping of media fed to the nip from the outer surface of the belt. | 2010-09-23 |
20100239351 | MECHANICAL PENCIL | 2010-09-23 |
20100239352 | MAKEUP APPLICATOR - A makeup applicator is provided. The applicator includes a main body, a holding portion, a cushion sleeve, a shaft, a covering ring, an applying element and a rotating rod. The main body includes a vibration motor assembly and a case, the holding portion covers the vibration motor assembly, and the cushion sleeve is sandwiched between the main body and the holding portion. Therefore, the applying element can be driven to vibrate and rotate steadily by the vibration motor assembly no matter where the user holds the holding portion, which facilitates the user's makeup. | 2010-09-23 |
20100239353 | Disposable Fluid Applicator - A disposable fluid applicator having a reservoir with a first membrane and a second membrane. Said reservoir containing a fluid to be dispensed. Said first membrane of the reservoir having perforations and being covered by a permeable and/or absorbent spreader. A removable tab assembly is disposed between said spreader and said first membrane of the reservoir that seals said reservoir. When the tab is pulled from between said spreader and said first membrane of the reservoir the reservoir becomes unsealed allowing the fluid contained inside the reservoir to flow out through an opening in the first membrane into and through the spreader where the fluid can be applied to a desired surface. | 2010-09-23 |
20100239354 | Cosmetic Pen - A cosmetic pen has a rotary assembly, a pen tube and a discharge assembly. The rotary assembly has a rotary seat, a threaded rod, a drive part and a plunger. The threaded rod is mounted movably in the rotary seat and has an end. The drive part is mounted around the threaded rod. The plunger is mounted rotatably around the end of the threaded rod. An end of the pen tube is connected to the rotary assembly. The discharge assembly is connected to another end of the pen tube. The rotary seat is rotated to drive the threaded rod to push cosmetic liquid out of the discharge assembly. Since the elements of the rotary assembly are simplified production efficiency increases while costs are reduced. | 2010-09-23 |
20100239355 | Apparatus for Discharging a Pourable Substance - Proposed is a device for applying a flowable substance comprising an outer shell ( | 2010-09-23 |
20100239356 | DEVICE INCLUDING A ROTARY APPLICATOR MEMBER WITH AT LEAST ONE DISPENSER ORIFICE THAT OPENS UNDER PRESSURE FROM THE COMPOSITION - A device for packaging and applying a liquid composition, the device comprising:
| 2010-09-23 |
20100239357 | MARKER APPARATUS - An apparatus for applying a mark to a substrate, the apparatus comprising a housing ( | 2010-09-23 |
20100239358 | BRUSH HEAD FOR USE ON A CONTAINER FOR DISPENSING A COMPOSITION - A brush for providing a composition to a surface comprising: a base; a plurality of bristles, said plurality of bristles having a distal end and a proximal end, wherein said distal end is functionally attached to the base; wherein the distal end has a greater bristle density than the proximal end wherein said plurality of bristles forms at least one flow path from said distal end towards said proximal end. | 2010-09-23 |
20100239359 | Basting Brush with Reservoir Applicator - A device for transferring viscous liquids includes a handle removably coupled to a brush head, said brush head comprising a plurality of flexible bristles and an integral reservoir which allows for dispensing of liquids directly to the bristles while the baster is in use without the need for repeated dipping or coating. | 2010-09-23 |
20100239360 | Drive train connection for vehicles - A drive train connection has a shaft, a joint, particularly a constant velocity joint, and a coupling device. The coupling device is a planetary gear mechanism having a hollow wheel, at least one planet wheel and a sun wheel. The shaft and the sun wheel have corresponding locking means oriented in the axial direction. The sun wheel, together with the joint, can be screwed onto the shaft or unscrewed from the shaft by turning the hollow wheel. | 2010-09-23 |