Abstract: Sheet loading in an image recording apparatus is automatically performed by drawing the leading edge of an elongated, web-like image photosensitive recording medium out of a sheet cartridge, passing it through a predetermined sheet feed path provided between the sheet cartridge and a take-up shaft, and attaching the leader portion of the recording medium to the take-up shaft. A plurality of sensors are disposed alongside the sheet feed path for sensing that the sheet loading is being appropriately performed. The recording medium is successively moved to each of the sensors, and if the recording medium is not sensed thereby, it is rewound around the cartridge shaft.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus has a thermal fixing unit which includes a heater to thermally fix an image on a recording medium. The temperature in the apparatus goes down when a replaceable unit is exchanged. A temperature sensor detects the reduction in temperature. A status sensor detects an exchanging state in which the replaceable unit is exchanged and outputs a detection signal indicating the exchanging state. A CPU judges that the heater is properly operating even if the temperature signal indicates the reduction in temperature when the detection signal is outputted.

Abstract: A light-and pressure-sensitive recording sheet and an original, overlapping each other, are introduced into an image forming apparatus, and are exposed to radiation on a transparent drum by means of a light source in the drum, whereupon a latent image, based on the contents of the original, is formed on the recording sheet. Then, the recording sheet is separated from the original by means of a separator, and is passed between a pair of pressure rolls. When the recording sheet is exposed, microcapsules thereon change their hardness. These microcapsules are ruptured selectively by pressure applied to the sheet. As a result, a chromogenic material, contained in the microcapsules, and a developer material, on the surface of a substrate of the recording sheet, react with each other, so that the sheet surface changes its color. Thus, the latent image is developed to accomplish copying in accordance with the original.

Abstract: The invention provides a color copying machine or apparatus for forming chromatic images which irradiates an original with rays from a light source, focuses the reflection from the original as latent images on a photosensitive recording medium, and forms chromatic images corresponding to the latent images on a copy sheet. The apparatus includes supplementary exposing means for irradiating a specified region on the photosensitive recording medium with desirable chromatic light. Thus the color of images on the region is desirably changed to make the region conspicuous or inconspicuous.

Abstract: An image recording apparatus using an elongated photosensitive recording medium stored in a sheet cartridge in a rolled fashion. The apparatus provides an exposure stand and a reversal sheet feeding arrangement for reversely feeding completely unexposed microcapsule sheet to a position upstream of the exposure stand for the purpose of a subsequent exposure operation. A control means is further provided for automatically starting the subsequent copying operation. In one embodiment, the control means stores therein a copy start signal and automatically starts the next copying operation upon completion of the reversal sheet feeding operation. The copy start signal is generated by the manipulation of the copy start key manipulated at the reversal sheet feeding phase. In another embodiment of this invention, the control means forcibly stops the reversal sheet feeding operation in response to the copy start signal so as to automatically start the copying operation.

Abstract: An image recording apparatus having a sheet cartridge in which a rolled photosensitive recording medium is accommodated. The sheet cartridge has a sheet retaining device for preventing the recording medium from being retracted into a cartridge casing. The retaining device also provides a light shielding member. The image recording apparatus also includes structure for preventing the cartridge from being removed in a case where a residual recording medium is still rolled in the cartridge casing. The image recording apparatus is provided with a wiper member for removing dusts deposited on a surface of a feed roller. Further, a sensor element is provided for detecting non-rotation of a takeup shaft or a slack of the recording medium.

Abstract: An image recording apparatus for recording an image of an original on a photosensitive recording medium. Light emitted from a light source is irradiated onto the original to optically scan the original, and light reflected from or transmitted through the original is applied to the recording medium to thereby record the image on the recording medium. The density of an image to be recorded on the photosensitive recording medium is adjusted by changing the scanning speed while maintaining an amount of light emitted from a light source at constant, whereby a load imposed to the light source is reduced which may otherwise be increased if an amount of light emitted therefrom is changed to adjust the image density.

Abstract: Motor-control device for an image forming apparatus includes a motor, an encoder, a microcomputer, and a driving circuit. The encoder generates a pulse signal in response to rotation of the motor. The microcomputer includes a CPU, a RAM and a ROM. The CPU detects actual rotational speed of the motor based upon the pulse signal generated by the encoder. The CPU cyclically provides a driving signal by comparing the actual rotational speed with a predetermined target rotational speed of the motor. An operating cycle is proportional to a cycle of the pulse signal generated by the encoder. The driving circuit drives the motor based upon the driving signal provided by the CPU. The CPU determines the operating cycle based upon the predetermined target rotational speed. The CPU also determines whether the motor condition is normal or abnormal by comparing the driving signal with a predetermined reference driving signal.

Abstract: An image recording apparatus for recording an image on a photosensitive recording medium employs an elongated continuous form photosensitive recording medium capable of receiving a latent image of an output image to be formed, and a cut sheet type of a developer recording medium which produces an output image upon reaction with the latent image on the photosensitive recording medium.

Abstract: A sheet supplying device for supplying an uppermost sheet of a stack of sheets in a sheet cassette used in an image forming apparatus includes suction cups movable into and out of contact with the uppermost sheet in the sheet cassette, an evacuator for developing a vacuum in the suction cups to enable the suction cups to attract the uppermost sheet, a moving member for upwardly and downwardly moving the suction cups to pick up the sheet from the sheet cassette, a sheet feeding member for feeding the sheet from the moving member along a sheet feed path, and a control system for judging on the basis of a detection signal from each sensor for detecting an image forming error provided in the image forming apparatus whether the error occurs during the sheet supplying operation, and when judging that the image forming error occurs during a sheet supplying operation, the control unit ceasing the sheet supplying operation and controlling the driving of at least one of the suction cups, the evacuator, moving member an

Abstract: An image forming apparatus for performing an exposure process of exposing a microcapsule sheet to light and performing a pressure-developing process of contacting the microcapsule sheet having the latent image thereon with a developer sheet under pressure, thereby to form a visible image on the developer sheet, comprises plural sheet feed rollers for feeding the microcapsule sheet from the sheet feed-out side of the microcapsule sheet to and along a sheet feed path and winding up the microcapsule sheet to thereby perform a sheet feeding operation, an optical sensor or lever sensor provided in the neighboring of the sheet feed-out side of the microcapsule sheet for detecting a sheet feeding condition, such as a residue of the microcapsule sheet, a sheet feed error, a sheet feed speed and so on in the sheet feeding operation and outputting a detection signal indicative of a detection result and a control unit for beforehand storing distance data on the sheet feed path of the latent image forming medium between

Abstract: An image recording apparatus for recording an image of an original on a photosensitive recording medium. At an exposure zone, a latent image corresponding to the original image is formed on the photosensitive recording medium through filters. The filters provide insufficient spectral transmission characteristics, yet resultant output image has sufficient quality by controlling light irradiation amount from a light source or by controlling an exposure speed in response to insertion amounts of the filters with respect to an optical path.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus including elements such as a light source, an exposure stand heater, a heat-fixing heater, a sheet feed motor and so on for performing a series of copying processes to form an image on a sheet and at least one power source for commonly supplying a power to the elements, further comprising plural sensors for detecting an operational condition of each of the elements such as a temperature of the heater, a rotation angle of the motor and so on and outputting a detection signal representative of the operational condition, and a control unit for controlling the power supply from the power source to the elements so that when the power supply to one of the elements is carried out to drive said one of the elements, the power supply to at least one of the other elements is ceased to stop the driving of at least one of the elements, and controlling the one of the elements on the basis of the detection signal from the sensors so that the operational condition of the one of the elements is subs

Abstract: An imaging device includes a first motor for feeding one of two sheets and a second motor for feeding the other sheet. The amounts of feeding of the sheets is detected and used to control the motors to maintain a predetermined relationship between the sheets.

Abstract: An image recording apparatus for recording an image corresponding to an original on a recording medium including a photosensitive recording medium and an image forming sheet. The apparatus comprises a light source for irradiating the original, scanning device for moving the light source and the original relatively to each other during exposure, moving device for moving the photosensitive recording medium during exposure, transferring device for transferring an image on the photosensitive recording medium to the image forming sheet, thermal fixing device for fixing the transferred image on the image forming sheet, temperature detecting device for detecting temperature of the thermal fixing device, first control device for controlling the quantity of current to be supplied to the light source, and second control device for controlling speeds of the scanning device and the moving device.

Abstract: An imaging device for forming a visible image by pressurizing and feeding an exposed recording sheet with a developing sheet detects that the recording sheet and the developing sheet are accurately overlapped with each other before the pressurizing operation is begun. The position of the sheets is monitored and the pressurizing rollers are controlled in accordance with the detected positions.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus including an image forming device for image-wise exposing a photosensitive medium to form an image, and a reading device for reading information which is provided on the photosensitive medium and which is associated with image forming conditions in which the image forming is operated, and which is provided on said photosensitive medium. A control device is provided to control the image forming device according to the information read by said reading device.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus including an image forming device for forming an image on a photosensitive recording medium is disclosed. The image forming device forms the image in accordance with at least one operating parameter. A humidity detecting sensor detects an ambient humidity in the apparatus. A heater changes a relative humidity in the apparatus. A controller controls the heater in accordance with the sensed humidity and optimizes the at least one operating parameter at a temperature changed by the heater.

Abstract: An image recording apparatus for recording an image of an original on a developer sheet with the use of a microcapsule, in which the developer sheet and the microcapsule sheet having a surface coated with immense number of photosensitive and pressure-rupturable microcapsules are subjected to pressure development by a pair of pressurizing rollers. To ensure that the pressure development is performed under the condition where the developer sheet and the microcapsule sheet are superposed one on the other, the nip and retract timings of the pressurizing rollers are determined properly according to the present invention. For example, the developer sheet is conveyed at a speed asynchronous with the microcapsule conveying speed and the conveyance of the developer sheet is stopped after its leading edge is introduced between the rollers held in spaced apart condition.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus, including an irradiating device for emitting an image radiation representative of an original image, a projecting device having a viewing screen which is irradiated by the image radiation from the irradiating device and which provides a view of a visible image represented by the image radiation, and an exposing device for exposing a photosensitive recording medium to the image radiation from the irradiating device to produce a visible image represented by said image radiation. The apparatus further includes an optical guide device for directing the image radiation from the irradiating device to the projecting device and the exposing device.