Abstract: High accuracy is achieved in paper feed control without increasing the size of an encoder, which would result in an increase in cost. The velocity of a paper feeding mechanism is calculated from an edge signal that is generated by the encoder in response to the motion of the paper feeding mechanism. Based on the calculated velocity, a calculation is performed as to the time needed to reach a stop position since a detection of an encoder signal edge immediately before the stop position. Based on the calculated time, a control signal for stopping the paper feeding mechanism is generated.

Abstract: A positioning apparatus includes first and second stages, a pair of first mirrors having reflective surfaces disposed on the first stage at an acute angle with a vertical axis, a pair of second mirrors disposed on the second stage and having reflective surfaces orthogonal to the vertical axis, a reference structure functioning as a reference for measuring the vertical position of the second stage, a pair of third mirrors disposed on the reference structure and having reflective surfaces orthogonal to the vertical axis, and a pair of interferometers for measuring the vertical position of the second stage using the first, second, and third mirrors.

Abstract: A charging apparatus having a charging device for contact charging a rotatable member. The charging device rotates upon reception of a drive force from a drive force transmitting device. The axis of rotation of the charging roller and the axis of rotation of the photoreceptor drum intersect each other. It is a characteristic of the invention that a force received by the charging device from the drive force transmitting device and a force generated between charging device and the rotatable member are oriented in the same direction. With this arrangement, the thrust position of the charging device when the charging device is driven is stabilized.

Abstract: A liquid accommodating container having a configuration that allows ink to be substantially used up, does not require an increase in size or a complicated construction, and can be fabricated at lower costs. The container includes an ink chamber for holding ink and having an upper air layer. A second chamber is provided in the upper air layer. A partition divides the second chamber into an ink absorber chamber that accommodates an ink absorber and a sub ink chamber for storing a small amount of ink. A third chamber defines a space between the atmosphere and the ink absorber. An upper portion of the sub ink chamber adjacent to the ink chamber is open so as to provide communication between the upper air layer and the atmosphere through the intermediary of the sub ink chamber and the ink absorber chamber in this order. An atmosphere communicating hole is defined. A print head that discharges ink of the ink chamber is provided at the bottom of the container.

Abstract: An ink supply system in which gas is promptly and smoothly discharged without having a complex structure. The ink supply system includes a hermetically-sealed structure communicating with a liquid-using section, a liquid accommodating section having a liquid storage adapted to store liquid, the liquid accomodating section including a negative pressure generation means, and a plurality of communication paths, including first and second communication paths, that facilitates communication between the liquid chamber and the liquid accommodating section. Each of the first and second communication paths includes a liquid chamber side opening extending into the liquid chamber and a liquid accommodating section side opening extending into the liquid accommodating section.

Abstract: A converter lens includes a front unit and a rear unit disposed on an image side with respect to the front unit. The front unit has positive optical power and includes two positive lens elements. The two positive lens elements are spaced apart. The rear unit has negative optical power and includes a positive lens element and a negative lens element.

Abstract: A frequency modulation device for use in an image forming apparatus. The image formation apparatus includes an image carrier and a laser device for scanning the image carrier along a plurality of scan lines. Each scan line is divided into segments having segment boundaries in which the same segment boundary in adjacent scan lines are offset. The frequency modulation device generates frequency data for use in modulating the input image data, which is utilized by the laser device to scan the image carrier, which permits output of an electrophotograph of high image quality by suppressing segment boundaries caused by moiré fringes or color shifting to below a level at which such boundaries are not visually detectable.

Abstract: A printer and a method of controlling the printer. The printer includes a color ink ribbon and a thermal head for forming images on recording sheets and an accommodating portion accommodating the ink ribbon and the thermal head therein. The printer includes several paths for conveying the recording sheet including a circular path around the accommodating portion. Depending on the length of the recording sheet, the printer conveys the recording sheet along one of the several paths during a printing operation.

Abstract: An image formation device changes the rotational rate of a polygon motor, i.e. the main-scanning rate, and selects one of pulse width conversion tables when an image formation is performed multiple times on a single sheet of transfer paper. The changing of the main-scanning rate is for preventing inconsistent sizes between a first recorded image and a second recorded image caused by shrinkage of transfer paper. The pulse width conversion tables allow the pulse widths to be modulated.

Abstract: An optical apparatus includes a light-quantity-adjusting unit, a first lens unit disposed closer to an object than the light-quantity-adjusting unit, a second lens unit disposed closer to an image plane than the light-quantity-adjusting unit, and a drive unit for driving the first lens unit and the second lens unit in an orthogonal-to-optical-axis direction.

Abstract: An image forming device and control method thereof. The image forming device includes a printer engine control unit capable of detecting failure in transport of a sheet on which image data of a page is to be printed, a printer controller controlling output of image data from an output unit to a printer engine according to a first control mode wherein the image data of the page is re-outputted, and a second control mode wherein the image data of the page is not re-outputted, based upon settings in a job management table corresponding to the sheet. This enables suitable determination regarding whether or not the image data of the page corresponding to the jammed sheet should be re-outputted.

Abstract: A folded back portion flattening device includes a gripper and a presser. The gripper grips a sheet bundle formed into a booklet with the folded back portion protruding from the gripper. The presser presses the folded back portion of the sheet bundle gripped by the gripper, and includes pressing rollers which have pressing rotational surfaces and which are disposed along the folded back portion. The pressing rotational surfaces press the folded back portion. The pressing rollers are disposed so that the rotational pressing surface of a second pressing roller, which presses the folded back portion after the rotational pressing surface of a first pressing roller has pressed the folded back portion, presses deeper into an edge of the sheet bundle than the rotational pressing surface of the first pressing roller. At least one of the gripper and presser is movable in a direction parallel to the folded back portion.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus capable of connecting to a sheet post-processing equipment, includes an image data inputting unit which inputs a plurality of pages of image data to be formed as images on sheets; an image forming unit configured to form the image on the sheet based on the image data inputted with the inputting unit; a retaining unit including a first conveying path branching from a second conveying path of the sheet post-processing equipment, the retaining unit temporarily retaining the sheet, and then while the sheet post-processing equipment is performing post-processing of a sheet bundle, conveying the sheet to the sheet post-processing equipment; and a control unit which differentiates an order of pages on which the image is formed from an order of pages at a time of normally forming the image in the sheet bundle, to which the sheet post-processing equipment performs the post-processing.

Abstract: A recording head substrate allowing an increased number of the exothermic bodies driven at a time without increasing the substrate size so as to increase a number of nozzles arranged in high density. The recording head substrate includes a plurality of electrothermal conversion members having exothermic bodies respectively corresponding to a plurality of discharge ports; a plurality of drive elements for driving the exothermic bodies; common wiring A connected to the exothermic bodies; and common wiring B connected to the drive elements; and an electrode pad connected to the common wiring A and the common wiring B. A number of the exothermic bodies driven at a time is determined by (RlineA+RlineB)/(Rh+Rd)<0.05/(0.95 n?1).

Abstract: A recording-head substrate including a recording element, a driving circuit for driving the recording element, a temperature-detecting element for measuring the temperature of the recording-head substrate by outputting at least one of a maximum output voltage and a minimum output voltage, a first detection circuit for detecting the maximum output voltage from the temperature-detecting element, a second detection circuit for detecting the minimum output voltage from the temperature-detecting element, and first and second output terminals coupled to the first and second detection circuits for outputting the maximum and minimum output voltages respectively.

Abstract: A mechanism for mechanically coupling a driving source and a driven member. The mechanism includes a first member coupled to the driving source and a second member coupled to the driven member. A resilient member exerts a force to bring the first and second members into pressure contact at a contact surface. A vibration is excited in the contact surface of the first member to produce a levitation force, based on an ultrasonic levitation, acting upon the second member. Frictional force between the first member and the second member is changed depending on the levitation force, thereby changing power transmitted between the first member and the second member.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus having a sharp neutralizing member which can perform uniform neutralizing effects for a long period of time. The sharp neutralizing member includes sharp projections in which tip portions having the following relationship between a distance P between the tip portions of neighboring projections and the distance D between the tip portion of the projection and an object of neutralization: D?4.0 mm, and 0.8*D?P?1.5*D. Particularly for neutralization of a carrier of toner images, it is possible to achieve uniform neutralization of the medium and to provide a high-quality image.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus having an image forming unit for forming toner images on an image carrier, a transfer unit for transferring an image on an image carrier onto a transfer medium, a detecting unit for detecting a toner image for detection on the image carrier, and a cleaning unit having a cleaning member that comes in and out of contact with the surface of the image carrier, wherein the cleaning unit is disposed downstream of the detecting unit and upstream of the transfer unit in the traveling direction of the image carrier, and the cleaning member is brought in contact with the image carrier when removing a toner image for detection on the image carrier.

Abstract: A process cartridge to be detachably attached to an electrophotographic image-forming apparatus body includes a cartridge frame; an electrophotographic photosensitive drum; a processing unit for acting on the electrophotographic photosensitive drum; a handle for gripping the process cartridge when the process cartridge is mounted on a first electrophotographic image-forming apparatus body; and an mounting unit provided in the cartridge frame, to which a handle member is attached for gripping the process cartridge when the process cartridge is mounted on a second electrophotographic image-forming apparatus body in a case where the second electrophotographic image-forming apparatus body is used on which the process cartridge is mounted in a direction different from that of the first electrophotographic image-forming apparatus.

Abstract: A lens-controlling device controls a first lens unit which moves for zooming and a second lens unit which moves for correcting the displacement of an image plane caused by zooming and for focusing. The lens-controlling device includes a memory which stores data for obtaining target-position information representing a target position to which the second lens unit is to be moved, the target position corresponding to a position to which the first lens unit is moved from a current position and a controller which generates the target-position information on the basis of the data and controls the movement of the second lens unit on the basis of position information of the first lens unit and the target-position information.