Abstract: Output signals Vp from a density sensor are sampled for plural positions on an intermediate transfer belt and an amount of toner adhesion is determined based on the results of sampling. Since these sample data pieces may contain noises, each predetermined number of data pieces of higher order and of lower order are removed from the resultant sample data string. The removed data pieces are each replaced by an average value Vpavg of the other sample data pieces. The amount of toner adhesion is calculated based on the data string thus replaced.

Abstract: A long sheet polarizer which has a transmission axis neither parallel nor perpendicular to the longitudinal direction and thereby can increase a yield rate in stamping and simplify the stamping process; a method of producing a long sheet polarizer comprising a step of coating a long transparent substrate with a polymer layer, a step of subjecting the polymer layer to a rubbing treatment, and a step of adsorbing iodine or a dichroic dye to the rubbed polymer layer to bring about a state of orientation; a sheet polarizer comprising two transparent substrates and a polarization layer sandwiched between them, wherein the polarization layer comprises a polyvinyl alcohol film stretched at an oblique angle ranging from 10 to 80 degrees and a polarizing element adsorbed to the film in an oriented state; and a sheet polarizer provided with at least one transparent substrate satisfying the following relations at any of wavelengths ranging from 380 nm to 780 nm:

Abstract: A substantially colorless and optically anisotropic material is obtained from substantially colorless and optically anisotropic micelles. The micelles are oriented in a definite direction. The optically anisotropic material is usable in optical films and polarization elements.

Abstract: Power transmission members (91), which transmit rotational drive force from a drive source (81), such as a motor, to an intermediate transfer drum (41D) is elastically deformed due to a load change which is generated as a cleaning part (49) contacts and moves away from the intermediate transfer drum (41D). Registration control amounts (Ra, Rb and Rc) attributed to the elastic deformation are obtained in advance. Transfer start positions for toner images in at least one or more toner colors out of four toner colors are corrected based on the registration control amounts (Ra, Rb and Rc), whereby registration deviations are suppressed to minimum and a high-quality color image is obtained.

Abstract: A method for stretching an optical polymer film is described, which comprises allowing a locus L1 of the holding means from a substantial holding Initiation point to a substantial holding release point on one edge of the polymer film, a locus L2 of the holding means from a substantial holding initiation point to a substantial holding release point on the other edge of the polymer film, and a distance W between the two substantial holding release points to satisfy the following equation (1), maintaining the supporting property of the polymer film, stretching the film in the presence of a state in which the volatile content is 5% or more, and then, decreasing the volatile content while shrinking the film:

Abstract: Power transmission members which transmit rotational drive force from a drive source such as a motor, to an intermediate transfer drum is elastically deformed due to a load change which is generated as a cleaning part contacts and moves away from the intermediate transfer drum. Registration control amounts (Ra, Rb and Rc) attributed to the elastic deformation are obtained in advance. Transfer start positions for toner images in at least one or more toner colors out of four toner colors are corrected based on the registration control amounts (Ra, Rb and Rc), whereby registration deviations are suppressed to minimum and a high-quality color image is obtained.

Abstract: An intermediate transfer belt comprises a plurality of layers including a conductive layer, and has a transfer area and a transfer protection area. A CPU 111 sends a control signal to a primary transfer bias generating circuit 116, and applies a primary transfer bias upon the conductive layer of the intermediate transfer medium through a bias applying member 31A. The CPU 111 changes an output value of the primary transfer bias in accordance with a predetermined bias change condition when secondary transfer is not ongoing and when a non-image area, in which there is no toner image transferred on the intermediate transfer belt, such as the transfer protection area is passing the primary transfer part.

Abstract: A CPU 111 drives an intermediate transfer belt at a first speed in a normal mode, but drives the intermediate transfer belt at the first speed in a low speed mode at least until the end of forming a toner image performed by a developer part 20, reduces the speed from the first speed to a second speed after the end of forming the toner image and then maintains the second speed at least until the end of secondary transfer. In the intermediate transfer belt, there are a transfer area, in which primary transfer of a toner image is possible, and a transfer protection area in which primary transfer of a toner image is prohibited and which is provided along a direction of rotation axis. In the low speed mode, the CPU 111 controls image forming so that a toner image will be primarily transferred onto such a portion of the transfer area which is close to the transfer protection area and on the upstream side of the intermediate transfer medium along a direction of rotational driving.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to realize a highly-reliable image-forming apparatus. The image-forming apparatus comprises: an image carrier on which a latent image is formed; and a plurality of holders for detachably holding a plurality of developing devices, respectively. The developing devices develop the latent image formed on the image carrier with toner having colors that differ from each other.

Abstract: A dichromatic polarizing element comprising a water-soluble organic dichromatic dye selected from the group consisting of a bisazo compound of a specific structure, the tautomer thereof, and the salts of them, wherein the dichromatic dye comprises the aggregates thereof oriented to a definite direction such that the dye can polarize a light passed therethrough, and a method of producing the polarizing element orienting the aggregates by a specific method are provided.

Abstract: A dichromatic polarizing element, which can be simply produced, has a high degree of polarization, and can cope with small-sizing, thinning, and light-weighting of a liquid crystal display device, is provided, and a method of producing a long dichromatic polarizing element capable of giving dichromatic polarizing element chips with a good yield is provided.

Abstract: A method for stretching an optical polymer film is described, which comprises allowing a locus L1 of the holding means from a substantial holding initiation point to a substantial holding release point on one edge of the polymer film, a locus L2 of the holding means from a substantial holding initiation point to a substantial holding release point on the other edge of the polymer film, and a distance W between the two substantial holding release points to satisfy the following equation (1), maintaining the supporting property of the polymer film, stretching the film in the presence of a state in which the volatile content is 5% or more, and then, decreasing the volatile content while shrinking the film:

Abstract: A color imaging element comprising a dye formed upon a reaction of an oxidation product of a compound represented by formula (I) shown below together with at least one water-soluble compound represented by formula (II) shown below on a support: wherein Z represents a carbamoyl group, an acyl group, an alkoxycarbonyl group, an aryloxycarbonyl group, a sulfonyl group or a sulfamoyl group; and Q represents an atomic group necessary for forming an unsaturated ring together with the carbon atom; wherein X represents a hydrogen atom, a hydroxy group, an aliphatic group, an acyl group, an aliphatic oxy group, an aliphatic oxycarbonyl group or an aryloxycarbonyl group; Y1 and Y2, which may be the same or different, each represents a hydrogen atom or a substituent, or Y1 and Y2 may be combined with each other to form a 5-membered or 6-membered ring; Z1 represents a simple bond, a methylene group which may be substituted or an ethylene group which may be substituted; Z2 represents a

Abstract: There is disclosed an image element wherein a dye, formed or released by reaction with an oxidized product of specific a compound, and specific a fixed compound, coexist in a binder on a support. The image element can have high color density in image, and it can be excellent in light fastness. Furthermore, there is also disclosed an image formation method to provide the image element.

Abstract: A method and apparatus of reproducing and recording data stored in a plurality of tracks of a memory. A recording and reproducing head reproduces data from at least one of a plurality of tracks of a disk-shaped recording medium. The reproduced data is stored in a memory and rewritten. Data is read out of the memory and controllably supplied to a recording operation of the recording and reproducing head so that data of every track read out from the memory is recorded on the disk-shaped recording medium. In a preferred embodiment, the reproduced data is stored, rewritten read out from the memory in response to an index signal representing a starting portion of a track and then recorded on a magnetic floppy disk.

Abstract: A magneto-optical recording apparatus for recording information signals on a magneto-optical recording medium is comprised of an optical pickup device for emitting a laser beam to a lower side of the magneto-optical recording medium, a magnetic head including a pot core which has a center pillar and a coil which is wound around the center pillar and supplying a magnetic power to an upper side of the magneto-optical recording medium, and a holding device for holding the magnetic head so as not to contact with the upper side of the magneto-optical recording medium when the information signals are recorded on the magneto-optical recording medium.

Abstract: A sheet stack handling apparatus discharges sheet stacks from a bin of a sorter disposed on the side of an image forming apparatus, and includes a sheet stocker, a sheet stack transporting route, and a sheet grasping mechanism. The stack handling or discharge apparatus is disposed on the front side of the sorter. The sheet stocker is disposed in the bottom of the discharging apparatus and stores the sheet stacks. The sheet stack transporting route is provided in the discharging apparatus and extends laterally from the side of the bin and downward to the sheet stacker. The sheet stack grasping mechanism is disposed under the sheet stack transporting route. The sheet stack grasping mechanism grasps a sheet stack in a bin of the sorter, then moves length-wise away from the image forming apparatus, and then moves width-wise to transfer the stack from the bin into the sheet stocker.

Abstract: Image forming apparatus including a sheet finish-processing unit for finish-processing sheets discharged from a copying machine to which the unit is laterally positioned and stored thereby into a plurality of stacks. A sheet stack finish-processing mechanism of the unit, incorporating a stapler, is shiftable by an associated drive mechanism in the widthwise direction along the adjacent end of a positioned stack in storage. A sheet stack handling mechanism therein draws the end of the positioned stack into a finishing locale of the finish-processing mechanism, and subsequent to a finishing (stapling) operation, returns the finished sheet stack into storage. Thereupon, the stack is transversely discharged frontward of the image forming apparatus from storage, during which operation a subsequent finishing operation is concurrently executable; by such discharge a number of copy stacks greater than the number of stacking storages can be processed.

Abstract: In a magnetic recording/reproducing apparatus data is recorded in the trailing portion of an area erased by an erase magnetic head, thereby surely extracting a regenerative clock at the reproducing time so that the operation of a regenerative clock system can be stabilized.

Abstract: An image receiving material comprises an image receiving layer provided on a support. The image receiving layer contains particles of a thermoplastic compound. The image receiving layer has a porous surface formed by the particles. According to the present invention, the image receiving material is prepared by forming the image receiving layer on the support and heating the image receiving layer at a temperature of higher than a softening point of the thermoplastic compound to widen pores in the porous surface. The image receiving material is preferably used in combination with a light-sensitive material which comprises a support and a light-sensitive layer in which light-sensitive microcapsules are dispersed. The light-sensitive microcapsules contain silver halide, a reducing agent, an ethylenically unsaturated polymerizable compound and a color image forming substance.