Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an exposure portion having a light source, for forming a latent image on a photothermographic imaging material by exposing a light beam, a thermal development portion having a heating portion for thermally developing by heating the photothermographic imaging material on which the latent image is formed, and a cooling and conveying portion for conveying and cooling the thermally developed photothermographic imaging material, a temperature detecting member for detecting at least one of a temperature of a predetermined portion concerning the cooling and conveying portion, and a temperature in a vicinity of the exposure portion, and a control unit for controlling a factor relating to thermal development on a basis of the temperature detected by the temperature detecting member.

Abstract: A density adjustment method for adjusting a density of a diagnostic image, having the steps of; exposing an image; developing the latent image; measuring a density of the developed image; creating a lookup table for relating the diagnostic image data and amount of exposure so as to form a density specified by the diagnostic image data; and correcting at least one of an exposure condition and a development condition to ensure that the next film has the optimized density, based on the difference between the measured density of a partial area of the film, and a density for comparison; wherein, a density of a prescribed area in a test exposure image is used as the density for comparison; while the exposure amount is used for exposing the partial area of the film at the time of forming a diagnostic image.

Abstract: A thermal development apparatus for developing a thermal development film, having a heating section, which has at least a partially cylindrical surface for transporting and heating the film and plural parallel pressing rollers to press the film onto the cylindrical surface. When “P” denotes the pitch with which the pressing rollers are provided, and “l” denotes the shortest distance between the leading or trailing edge of the effective image area and the leading or the trailing edge of the film, the relationship of l>P is satisfied.

Abstract: A density adjustment method for adjusting a density of a diagnostic image, having the steps of; exposing an image; developing the latent image; measuring a density of the developed image; creating a lookup table for relating the diagnostic image data and amount of exposure so as to form a density specified by the diagnostic image data; and correcting at least one of an exposure condition and a development condition to ensure that the next film has the optimized density, based on the difference between the measured density of a partial area of the film, and a density for comparison; wherein, a density of a prescribed area in a test exposure image is used as the density for comparison; while the exposure amount is used for exposing the partial area of the film at the time of forming a diagnostic image.

Abstract: A thermal development apparatus for developing a thermal development film, having a heating section, which has at least a partially cylindrical surface for transporting and heating the film; plural parallel pressing rollers for pressing the film onto the cylindrical surface;

Abstract: A thermal developing apparatus in which a photothermographic element having a latent image is interposed between a heated member and a plurality of guiding rollers and when the photothermographic element is conveyed and heated while the guiding rollers are rotated, the thermal developing is conducted, and the visible image is obtained, a plurality of guiding rollers are arranged so that the variation cycle of the radius of each guiding roller is not synchronized with each other on the photothermographichic element during the rotation of each guiding roller.

Abstract: In a heat developing apparatus having a heat applying member to thermally developing a photothermographic element by bringing the heat applying member into contact with the photothermographic element conveyed at a predetermined processing speed, and a guide surface to guide the element to a developing section, or a guide surface to guide the element from the developing section to the downstream portion in the developing section covered by a housing, at least either one of the guide surfaces is structured by a material having a low heat conductivity such as, for example, a heat insulating material.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus comprising: an exposure portion having a light source, for forming a latent image on a photothermographic imaging material by exposing a light beam to the photothermographic imaging material from the light source; a thermal development portion having a heating portion for thermally developing by heating the photothermographic imaging material on which the latent image is formed, and a cooling and conveying portion for conveying and cooling the thermally developed photothermographic imaging material; a temperature detecting member for detecting at least one of a temperature of a predetermined portion in the thermal development portion and a temperature in a vicinity of the exposure portion; and a control unit for controlling a factor relating to thermal development on a basis of the temperature detected by the temperature detecting member.

Abstract: A thermal developing apparatus in which a photothermographic element having a latent image is interposed between a heated member and a plurality of guiding rollers and when the photothermographic element is conveyed and heated while the guiding rollers are rotated, the thermal developing is conducted, and the visible image is obtained, a plurality of guiding rollers are arranged so that the variation cycle of the radius of each guiding roller is not synchronized with each other on the photothermographichic element during the rotation of each guiding roller.

Abstract: In a heat developing apparatus having a heat applying member to thermally developing a photothermographic element by bringing the heat applying member into contact with the photothermographic element conveyed at a predetermined processing speed, and a guide surface to guide the element to a developing section, or a guide surface to guide the element from the developing section to the downstream portion in the developing section covered by a housing, at least either one of the guide surfaces is structured by a material having a low heat conductivity such as, for example, a heat insulating material.

Abstract: A method for disclosing at least half or more of the content of a book via the Internet and promoting the motivation to buy a book is provided. A book to be viewed is selected (52) from books listed on a book purchase home page (51). A portion (or the whole, in some cases) of the book is disclosed, and the reader selects (54) to purchase a book, and when he decides to purchase the book, he clicks (55) the “Buy” button on the home page. His address, name, and payment method for purchasing the book are inputted (58), and the resulting information is sent to a book printing/binding vendor, where printing and binding of the book is initiated. A completed copy of the book is sent to the buyer by mail or home delivery service.

Abstract: A system and method for facilitating password control and maintenance is provided. A system 10 is provided where a plurality of categories are set so that a single piece or multiple pieces of information that are familiar to the user can be set as a password element(s) for each category. Each sampled password element that is grouped according to each category that is randomly sampled from said categories is displayed, in random order, together with a plurality of scramble elements, on a display device 17. Of those displayed, the user chooses selected password elements that are familiar to him. If all of the selected password elements match the preset sampled password elements, authentication is issued to the user.

Abstract: A thermally developing apparatus for thermally developing a thermally developable material by heating the thermally developable material to 80° C. or more, is provided with a thermally developing device having a heater and for thermally developing the thermally developable material with heat generated by the heater; and a controller to control heat generation by the heater; wherein the thermally developing device thermally develops the thermally developable material such that an amount M of heat given to the thermally developable material during thermally developing a single sheet of the thermally developable material satisfies the following formula for a maximum amount Hmax of heat generation of the heater: 0.07≦M/Hmax≦0.

Abstract: A pressure-sensitive adhesive comprising 100 parts by weight of an isobutylene polymer having been masticated in an organic solvent with a radical generator and 0.001 to 5 parts by weight of at least one release control agent selected from the group consisting of an alcohol having a molecular weight of 90 to 300 and an oxygen atom content of 8.5% or more or a derivative thereof and a carboxylic acid having a molecular weight of 70 to 400 and an oxygen atom content of 11% or more or a derivative thereof; and a surface protecting material having a pressure-sensitive adhesive layer comprising the adhesive. The adhesive has well-balanced characteristics in initial adhesion, retention of initial adhesion, and weather resistance.

Abstract: A thermally developing apparatus is provided with a heating device to heat a thermally developable material; a supplier for supplying the thermally developable material in a predetermined supplying direction to the heating device; the heating device having plural regions aligned in a direction substantially perpendicular to the supplying direction of the thermally developable material by the supplier; plural heaters each provided separately to one of the plural regions and to heat a corresponding one of the plural regions of the heating device; and a controller to control heat generation of the plural heaters, the controller controlling at least one of the plural heaters in accordance with a size of the thermally developable material which is a length substantially perpendicular to the supplying direction.

Abstract: In a thermal development apparatus provided with a drum to heat a thermally developable material on an outer circumferential surface thereof while rotating at a predetermined constant rotation speed; a feeding device which feeds a sheet-like thermally developable material onto the outer circumferential surface of the drum, whereby the thermally developable material fed by the feeding device is thermally developed by being heated while being held on the outer circumferential surface of the drum; the feeding device feeds each of thermally developable materials to the drum with a timing to shift a position of a leading end of each of thermally developable materials to be held on the drum into a rotation direction of the drum with the shortest time interval Tmin or longer among the thermally developable materials fed onto the drum so as to be continuously heated by the drum.

Abstract: A plurality of image arrays are sandwiched between a first and a second substrates. The common electrodes of the image arrays are connected to the first substrate; the individual electrodes of the image arrays are connected to the second substrate by flip chip connection. The image arrays are installed in holes of a spacer made by etching a metal plate. Plural lenses are installed in a lens plate made by etching a metal plate; the lens plate is secured to support members for positioning the lenses with respect to the image arrays. The image arrays include a plurality of light elements which may be either light emitter or light receiver elements.

Abstract: A treating system comprising a horizontal zigzag flow or vertical zigzag flow treating tank having a plurality of chambers constituted by horizontally or vertically dividing the inside of the tank by partitions and connected to one another in a horizontal or vertical zigzag fashion and having filter media installed in each chamber in a standing or lying position, or a treating system having independent chambers connected with one another where treating substances flow in an alternate fashion of downward and upward flows and is discharged from the last chamber and having filter media installed in each chamber in a standing position, said filter medium comprising a core element and a number of thin tapes of synthetic resin extending radially around the core element.The treating efficiency of the system may be increased by connecting an automatic gas-lift stirring device which performs stirring of the contents of the treating tank using methane gas generating in the treating tank.

Abstract: A method of transferring material from the bottom of a body of water provides a first tank submerged at a predetermined depth above the bottom. A material source is provided at the bottom subject to ambient water pressure, and is fluidly connected with the first tank. Material is transferred from the material source to the first tank by reducing the pressure in the first tank below the ambient water pressure at the predetermined depth. The ambient water pressure at the bottom thus forces the material into the first tank. Material is transferred from the first tank to a second tank under the force of compressed air until the first tank is substantially empty of material and full of compressed air. The first tank is connected to a third tank and an air compressor, the material transfer from the first tank to the second tank taking place by the compressor transferring compressed air to the first tank from the third tank.

Abstract: A method of transferring fluent material transfers the material from a first pressure tank to a fluent material transfer destination by supplying compressed gas to the first tank through a compressor. The compressed gas is retained in the first tank for reuse. Additional fluent material is drawn into a second pressure tank and is transferred therefrom to the fluent material transfer destination by supplying the compressed gas from the first pressure tank to the second pressure tank through the compressor. The compressed gas is further retained in the second pressure tank transferring fluent material from the first pressure tank. As the compressed gas is emptied from each tank to the other tank, additional fluent material is drawn into that tank. The cycle can be repeated on a continuous basis to transfer large quantities of fluent material.