Abstract: An optical code reader has of a reading window, a guide light source for guiding a two-dimensional code into a reading range outside the read window, an illumination light source for illuminating the two-dimensional code guided into the reading range, an optical system for focusing light reflected from the two-dimensional code illuminated by the illumination light source to form an image, an image sensor for sensing the image formed by the optical system, a read control circuit for reading the two-dimensional code on the basis of the sensed image, and a hand-held frame, having an opening which serves as the read window. The hand-held frame holds the guide light source, illumination light source, optical system, image sensor, and read control circuit.

Abstract: A code reader, for reading a code printed on a surface of a printing medium, includes a photoelectric device for converting light reflected from the code into an electric signal. An amplifier is provided for amplifying the electric signal converted by the photoelectric device. A gain adjusting device is provided for adjusting a gain of the amplifier such that a summit level of the electric signal can be raised to a predetermined upper limit level. A digitizing device is provided for converting the electric signal amplified by the amplifier into a binary signal, using a predetermined level.

Abstract: A developing apparatus includes a housing having a toner holding space and toner discharging aperature, a developing roller rotated in a predetermined direction in the aperature, a toner leveling member closing a gap between a periphery of the developing roller and an edge of the aperture at which the periphery of the developing roller is moved out from the aperture in its predetermined rotating direction, and slidably pressed against the periphery of the developing roller, a toner supplying roller rotated in the space and pressed against the periphery of the developing roller, and a sliding and closing member closing a gap between the periphery of the supplying roller and a portion of the inner surface of the housing corresponding to a gap between the periphery of the developing roller and an edge of the aperture at which the periphery of the developing roller is moved into the aperature in its predetermined rotating direction, and slidably pressed against the periphery of the supplying roller.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a photosensitive member, a charging device for charging the surface of the photosensitive member at a constant potential, a light beam for exposing the photosensitive member charged by the charging device to form an electrostatic latent image, a developing device for developing the electrostatic latent image by selectively sticking toner to the surface of the photosensitive member so as to correspond to the electrostatic latent image formed by the light beam, and a transfer device for transferring to recording paper the toner image formed by the developing device on the surface of the photosensitive member. The image forming apparatus is applied to a cleanerless system in which the developing device develops the toner image and simultaneously sucks and recovers residual toner remaining on the surface of the photosensitive member after transfer.

Abstract: A transmission type optical sensor, which is disposed in a position facing a label sheet fed by a sheet feeding mechanism. It detects the position of a label according to the output value of the same, and a reflection type optical sensor, which is disposed in a position facing a tag sheet fed by the sheet feeding mechanism detects the position of a tag according to the output value of the same. The apparatus, when the detection timing of the label or the tag deviates from a predetermined tolerance, detects a sheet failure, and at this time, it (when a label sheet is fed) determines whether the output value of the reflection type optical sensor provided as the sensor for detecting the position of the tag is high or low, or (when a tag sheet is fed) determines whether the output value of the transmission type optical sensor provided as the sensor for detecting the position of the label is high or low.

Abstract: An electrophotographic device for enabling an electrophotographic process unit to be detachably received in an inner receiving section of an electrophotographic apparatus body. The electrophotographic apparatus body is selected from a plurality of kinds of apparatus bodies differing in their performances including an older type apparatus body and a newer type apparatus body, and the electrophotographic process unit is selected from a plurality of kinds of process units including an older type process unit corresponding to the older type apparatus body and a newer type process unit corresponding to the newer type apparatus body. The electrophotographic device includes a fitting structure integrally provided on at least one of the electrophotographic apparatus body and the electrophotographic process unit.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is an ink jet printer head including a substrate which includes a piezoelectric member polarized across a thickness thereof and a plate-like low-rigid member bonded to an upper surface of the piezoelectric member. The low-rigid member has a low permittivity and a rigidity lower than that of the piezoelectric member. The substrate has a plurality of grooves cut from an upper surface of the low-rigid member to a depth beyond a bonded surface between the low-rigid member and the piezoelectric member. A top plate is bonded to the upper surface of the low-rigid member so as to cover upper openings of the grooves, thereby defining a plurality of pressure chambers between the grooves and the top plate. A plurality of ink jet nozzles are provided so as to respectively communicate with the pressure chambers. A plurality of electrodes are formed on inner surfaces of the pressure chambers.

Abstract: An optical code reader is held in a hand of an operator and is brought near an article having a 2-dimensional code affixed thereto at the time of reading. The optical code reader includes a read window, a light source for illuminating an article via the read window, and a read control circuit for receiving light reflected by the article via the read window and detecting a 2-dimensional code from an image corresponding to the reflected light. The light source may include a guide beam projector for radiating guide light in a direction almost perpendicular to a read window plane, the guide light indicating a read range corresponding to the size of the read window on a plane parallel to the read window plane. Transparent cap may be provided at the read window for permitting a code on the article to be seen from the outside, while reducing external light entering the cap from the outside of the cap.

Abstract: The present invention comprises a photosensitive member supported for rotation within a unit case and a charger for uniformly charging the photosensitive member. The charger includes a conductive member in the form of a sheet held in contact with the photosensitive member and a supporting member having a non-flat cross section for supporting the conductive member, in which the charger applies a voltage formed of a direct-current voltage with an alternating-current voltage added thereto to the conductive member to thereby uniformly charge the photosensitive member. The charger is kept in place by having the supporting member fixed to vertical planes of the unit case at positions off vertical planes crossing the photosensitive member.

Abstract: A checkout device including a conveying section for conveying an article in one direction, an optical scanner for scanning the article conveyed by the conveying section with a scanning light beam to read an article code affixed thereto, and a registration processing section for registering the article based on the article code read by the optical scanner. The optical scanner is provided with a variable scanning range to which the scanning light beam is applied, and the registration processing section includes control means for detecting physical features of the article conveyed by the conveying section and for controlling the scanning range of the optical scanner to be optimized for reading the article code affixed to the article based on a conveying position and the detected physical features of the article.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus comprises a contact charging member for contacting a photosensitive drum and charging it with electricity, an exposer for exposing the charged photosensitive drum to light and forming an electrostatic latent image thereon, a developing device for visualizing the electrostatic latent image formed on the photosensitive drum by means of coloring powder, a transferring device for transferring the image visualized by the developing device onto a recording medium and a deelectrifier for deelectrifying the photosensitive drum after transferring the image by the transferring device. Any residual coloring powder remaining on the surface of the photosensitive drum after transfer is collected and cleaned by the developing device simultaneously with the developing operation.

Abstract: Disclosed is a transfer device using a transfer roller including a conductive elastic layer having a heat resistance not less than 180.degree. C., an adhesive layer formed on the conductive elastic layer, and a fluorine-based film resistance layer formed on the adhesive layer, or a transfer roller in which the adhesive strength between an adhesive layer formed on a conductive elastic layer and a fluorine-based film resistance layer formed on the adhesive layer is 150 g/cm or higher.

Abstract: When a reading mode selection switch is depressed in a state where a document detection switch detected that a document is set in a facsimile device, a central processing unit sets the document reading mode in the regular scanner mode in which the document is read by being automatically conveyed within the facsimile device. When the reading mode selection switch is depressed in a state where the document detection switch detected that the document is not set in the facsimile device, the central processing unit sets the document reading mode in the hand scanner mode in which a document is read by a hand scanner moved by an operator manually on the document.

Abstract: A self-scanning checkout apparatus for reading article information of articles to be purchased during a checkout operation carried out individually by a customer and for determining whether the check-out operation individually carried out by the customer is normal or abnormal.

Abstract: An optical reading apparatus for reading a two-dimensional symbol includes a housing having an opening portion for confronting the symbol, a gripping portion, and a serial I/F for transmitting a two-dimensional code data corresponding to the two-dimensional symbol to an external apparatus. LEDs mounted near the opening portion generate light to illuminate the two-dimensional symbol. A mirror reflects light reflected from the two-dimensional symbol toward the gripping portion. An automatic diaphragm mechanism regulates the light from the mirror. A two-dimensional type CCD generates electrical signals corresponding to the regulated light. Image processing circuits convert the electrical signals to the two-dimensional code data.

Abstract: A manufacturing method for an ink jet printer head, includes the steps of: cutting a plurality of channels for forming a plurality of ink chambers, on the upper surface of a substrate composed of a plurality of layers including at least one piezoelectric member polarized across its thickness; forming a pattern resist film covering a portion of the upper surface of the substrate except electrode forming portions on the inner surfaces of the channels and wiring pattern forming portions on the substrate; performing a process for adsorption of Pd on the electrode forming portions and the wiring pattern forming portions after forming the pattern resist film, for example, by performing a sensitizing process of adsorbing Sn on the substrate and next substituting Pd for the Sn, or by performing a catalyzing process of adsorbing a complex compound of Pd on the substrate and next performing an accelerating process of metallizing the complex compound of Pd; separating the pattern resist film; immersing the substrate fro

Abstract: A serial printer is composed of a paper feeding mechanism for feeding paper, a print head having a plurality of dot printing elements arranged in a feeding direction of the paper, a head moving mechanism for moving the print head in a direction substantially perpendicular to the paper feeding direction to scan the paper, a raster buffer for storing bit map pattern data for a scanning area of the print head, and a control section for causing the print head to print a dot image corresponding to the bit map pattern data stored in the raster buffer while moving the print head in a printing direction and reversing the printing direction after printing the dot image.

Abstract: A data transfer system uses a Centronics compatible parallel interface having a plurality of control signal lines to transfer signals, such as Auto Feed, Select In, PError, nFault, Select and Strobe, and a data line for parallel transfer of data having a predetermined bit width, and starts high-speed data transfer at the timing of a change in level of the signal Auto Feed, Select In, PErrot, nFault, Select or Strobe. In the high-speed data transfer mode, the data transfer system transfers data in parallel to the printer at the time when the signal Strobe changes its level.