Abstract: A method of producing a printer head wherein a substrate including at least one piezoelectric member polarized in its thickness direction is formed. A plurality of grooves and a plurality of posts are alternately defined in the substrate. A pre-processing solution is allowed to flow along the grooves at the following relative velocity so as to effect pre-processing when the velocity of the pre-processing solution for electroless plating relative to an object to be plated is V, the height of each of electrodes formed on the internal surfaces of the grooves is H, the width of each groove is W and a contact angle at which the pre-processing solution is brought into contact with the internal surfaces of the grooves is .theta..VW.sup.2 (1+cos.theta. )/H.sup.2 >0.6 mm/sThereafter, the substrate is immersed in an electroless plating solution to form the electrodes.

Abstract: A multi-color ribbon cassette position adjusting apparatus comprises a carrier having a print head, a cassette mounting member rockably supported on the carrier, and a fine adjustment mechanism attached to the cassette mounting member, for finely rocking the mounting member. The fine adjustment mechanism includes a guide member fixed to the cassette mounting member, a follower piece guided by the guide member to engage a helical cam for shifting the position of the cassette mounting member, and a position adjusting member for relatively moving the guide member and the follower piece.

Abstract: An electrophotographic printing apparatus includes a paper conveyor path, a photosensitive drum arranged on the paper conveyor path, a conveyor unit for conveying paper along the conveyor path, an image forming unit for forming an electrostatic latent image on the photosensitive drum, developing the electrostatic latent image by depositing a developer on the electrostatic latent image, and transferring the developer image onto paper, and a fixing unit, arranged on the paper conveyor path, for fixing the transferred image on the paper by heat and pressure. The printing apparatus further comprises a control circuit for detecting overheating of the fixing unit and commanding the conveyor unit to stop conveyance of paper after confirming that no paper is present in the fixing unit when the fixing unit is detected to be overheating.

Abstract: An information communication apparatus includes acoustic and non-acoustic couplers, a switch for selectively connecting an information sending source of the apparatus to the acoustic or non-acoustic couplers, a setting unit for selectively setting items of a communication characteristic of each of the acoustic and non-acoustic couplers, a memorizing circuit for memorizing communication characteristics each having items the values of which are preset by the setting unit, a connection detector for detecting the connection of the acoustic coupler to a communication line, and an information sending controller. The controller connects the sending source to the acoustic or non-acoustic coupler by the switch in response to the acoustic coupler connection or not connection and controls the information sending according to the acoustic coupler or non-acoustic coupler communication characteristic from the memorizing circuit.

Abstract: A recording apparatus has a development unit for depositing a toner on an electrostatic latent image on the outer surface of a photosensitive drum while attractively collecting a residual toner on the surface of the photosensitive drum, a transfer charger device for transferring the toner image to a transfer sheet, a conductive brush for uniformalizing a residual toner distribution on the photosensitive drum, after a transfer step has been carried out, and at the same time charging the surface of the photosensitive drum, and a scorotron charger located on the downstream side of the conductive brush, but on the upstream side of the exposure device, and assisting the charging of the drum surface by the conductive brush. The surface of the drum charged by the scorotron charger is exposed by a light beam to provide an electrostatic latent image thereon.

Abstract: An optical reading apparatus for optically reading information of a symbol on an article is comprised of a bar code reading circuit for emitting laser beams to a bar code printed on a commodity passing in front of the bar code reading circuit and for reading the information of the bar code from the laser beams reflected at the bar code. In the optical reading apparatus the bar code reading circuit includes a plurality of bar code readers which are put toward a path through which the commodity is moved so that read areas formed by the bar code readers contain the article moving path at different angles. A priority decision circuit is provided for applying a selective operation to the data read by the bar code readers.

Abstract: A reader comprises a feeding path for boarding pass to be inserted in various orientations, pairs of feeding rollers for transporting the boarding pass along the path, and four sensor units arranged along the path each for sensing a signal recorded on the boarding pass inserted in a particular orientation.

Abstract: A drive controller for a stepping motor having a plurality of excitation phases which designate stepping positions thereof, includes a motor driver for sequentially exciting the excitation phases to rotate the stepping motor in increments of one step angle, and a control section for controlling the motor driver to set an excitation interval. When the control section sets the excitation interval to be shorter than an interval of a stepping range in which the stepping motor temporarily stops for each increment, the stepping motor is driven in a slewing mode in which the rotation of the stepping motor is continued without stopping for each increment.

Abstract: A paper size determination device comprises a paper sensor for detecting paper passing a preset position on a feeding path and generating a detection signal, and a processing circuit for measuring the generation period of the detection signal supplied from the paper sensor and determining the paper size according to the generation period measured. The processing circuit of the determination device includes a step counter for measuring and holding time data on the generation period of the detection signal, in response to the detection signal generated from the paper sensor, a mode counter circuit for detecting that the step counter has completed the measurement and generating a measurement completed mode, and a data processor for detecting that the measurement completed mode has been set and determining the paper size according to the time data held by said step counter.

Abstract: In a bar code reading apparatus, a laser beam emitted from a laser beam source disposed in a casing is reflected by a rotational mirror to scan a bar code. The reflected laser beam is reflected by a fixed scan mirror having four mirror members continually arranged with given angles therebetween, and the resultant beams are irradiated outward through a read window formed in the casing. Multiple scan lines in multiple directions are obtained on a normal plane to the read window. These scan lines consist of two groups of vertical scan lines in the normal plane, and two groups of oblique scan lines inclined at a given angle with respect to the horizontal direction.

Abstract: A portable facsimile equipment having a plurality of power source connecting portions adapted to be selectively connected to plural kinds of power sources. The facsimile equipment is operable in correspondence with the kind of power source connected thereto. A power source kind detector detects the kind of power source connected. A communication mode storing device stores a communication mode corresponding to the power source connected. A communication mode selecting device accesses the communication mode stored in the communication mode storing device according to a signal from the power source kind detector to automatically set the communication mode. A compact battery can be detachably fixed as one of the power sources. An AC power source can be detachably fixed as one of the power sources. A DC power source can also be detachably fixed as one of the power sources.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a fixing device comprising a heater which is formed of a heating element produced by dispersing particles of ceramic having a negative resistance-temperature coefficient into a binding member. The heater is formed by mounting a heat-shrinkable tubing on the heating element. A heating temperature of the heater is adjusted based on the thickness of the heat-shrinkable tubing. In addition, the heating element is covered by the heat-shrinkable tubing so as to reduce its high surface roughness.

Abstract: A fixing temperature controller comprising a heater for heating a fixing roller, a measuring circuit for detecting the fixing temperature of the fixing roller to produce detected temperature data, a first register for storing reference data for designating a fixing temperature for the fixing roller, a control circuit for comparing the reference data with the detected temperature data from the measuring circuit, and selectively activating the heater based on the comparison result. Particularly, the controller further comprises a second register for storing second reference data lower than the first reference data, and a selector for selecting one of the first and second reference data. The selector selects the first reference data and the control circuit activates the heater when it is detected that the detected temperature data<the reference data, and the selector selects the second reference data and the control circuit deactivates the heater when it is detected that the detected temperature.gtoreq.

Abstract: A movable plate (7) of a paper lateral ends positioning mechanism (5) is located on the side of a home position (HP), and a fixed plate (6) of the paper lateral ends positioning mechanism (5) is located on the other side opposite to the home position (HP) side. A paper width detecting device (10) is so designed as to detect a width (W1, W2) of a printing paper (P) by subtracting from a known distance (C1) a quantity of movement (X) of a carrier (3) from the home position (HP) at the time when a lateral end of the printing paper (P) on the home position (HP) side is detected by a paper lateral end sensor (11).

Abstract: A laser printer comprises a cartridge of a photosensitive unit, a printing mechanism for effecting a printing operation by electrifying a photosensitive member of the photosensitive unit, applying a light beam to the electrified photosensitive member to form an electrostatic latent image thereon, developing the electrostatic latent image to create a visible image and then transferring the image to printing paper, and a nonvolatile memory for storing data indicating the printing history of the photosensitive unit. The printing device further comprises a microprocessor for updating the data stored in the nonvolatile memory each time the printing operation is effected, checking whether the data stored in the nonvolatile memory has reached a value corresponding to a service life of the photosensitive unit, and generating a replacement requiring signal when it is detected that the data stored in the nonvolatile memory has reached the value.

Abstract: A power supply control apparatus, in which a high voltage generated by a switching transistor is prevented from being deviated from a nominal value, includes an arithmetic operator for controlling a duty ratio of switching operation of the switching transistor in response to a feedback value. The arithmetic operator includes a comparator for comparing a reference value with a digitized monitor voltage corresponding to the high voltage, and an adder for adding a minimum unit to the feedback value when the digitized monitor voltage is smaller than the reference value and for subtracting the minimum unit to the feedback value when the digitized monitor voltage is larger than the reference value. The result of addition from the adder is used for controlling the duty ratio of switching operation of the switching transistor.

Abstract: A recording apparatus has a main body case housing a printing head. A recording-paper insertion slot is formed in the upper surface of the case and a recording paper discharge slot is formed in the side surface of the case. A pair of stop levers are mounted on the upper surface so as to be pivotable between standing and horizontal positions. A part of the upper surface is used as a continuous-recording-paper receiving portion on which the recording paper is placed and is led to the insertion slot. The standing stop levers contact the insertion-slot-side end of the recording paper to hold it in its predetermined posture or position and restricts the movement of the recording paper toward the insertion opening.

Abstract: A key device includes a plurality of coils arranged on a printed board having an insertion hole along the longitudinal direction of the insertion hole. One of the plurality of coils is an electromagnetic induction generating coil connected to a power supply, and at least two of the remaining coils are key signal generating coils. In a key main body which can be inserted/removed into/from the insertion hole, a closed circuit is formed on a printed board. In the closed circuit, a plurality of coils and capacitors arranged between the plurality of coils are formed at positions opposite to the plurality of coils arranged along the longitudinal direction of the insertion hole. A bypass is formed in each of the coils arranged in the key main body, and a coil or coils for specifying a key type by switching operations of jumper line switching sections are selected. A key signal or key signals are generated from a key signal generating coil or key signal generating coils opposite to the selected coil or coils.

Abstract: A discharge lamp lighting apparatus comprises a transformer for stepping up an AC power source voltage from an AC power source to produce a high voltage as an output voltage required for lighting a discharge lamp. Particularly, the lighting apparatus further comprises a diode for rectifying the output voltage of the transformer to be supplied to the discharge lamp. The amount of current supply from the AC power source is determined to obtain an output impedance capable of limiting the current which is to flow through the discharge lamp after the start of discharging to maintain the voltage across the discharge lamp at a level required for continuing the discharge.