Abstract: To provide an image forming apparatus capable of forming an image with a normal toner and forming an image with special toner, which makes it possible to perform appropriate fixing of a toner to be used according to characteristics of the toner.

Abstract: The center of a turntable 30 moves around the central axial line of an autoroation disk 20 along the circular orbit C of a smaller diameter than that of an autorotation disk 20. Thus, the turntable 30 revolves both around a center point O and on its own axis in accordance with an autorotation of the autorotation disk 20. A polishing holder 60 holds a connector of an optical fiber polished by a polishing film 41 arranged on the upper plane of the turntable 30. An optical fiber end face polishing machine provided with a memory 85 for storing a control program which allows a control device 80 to execute predetermined polishing steps, the control device 80 being for controlling an autorotation motor 16 of the turntable 30 and a revolution motor 14 thereof.

Abstract: An image formation method for forming an image containing an embossed portion of an expandable material on a recording medium, comprising converting height information about an embossed image which is the image of the embossed portion to the same density information as one used to indicate a density of a non-embossed image which is not raised, and controlling an amount of the expandable material formed on the recording medium according to the converted density information.

Abstract: The present invention discloses a method of encoding and decoding motion picture, a motion picture encoding device and a motion picture decoding device, which enables high-efficiency coding capable of avoiding the occurrence of any block distortion. According to the present invention, motion estimation and motion compensation are performed based on patches divided according to the textural characteristics, in combination with global motion compensation of unpredicted regions for unintentional non-prediction, which partially changes between the key frames to deal with double-image or frame-out problems.

Abstract: A holder for an optical fiber ferrule end face grinding apparatus is provided which can grind an increased number of optical fiber ferrules simultaneously. The bolder comprises a holder plate provided with a plurality of ferrule insertion holes, a seat extending to at least one insertion hole and having a first wall, and a second wall on a side of the insertion hole opposing the seat. A slidable holding member including a front face facing the second wall, and an inclined rear face is disposed on the seat. A depression member is mounted on the holder plate that presses downwardly on a rod member disposed on the inclined rear face. As the depression member is operated, the rod member is pressed downwardly along the first wall, and the holding member is pushed forward such that a ferrule is clamped between the front face and the second wall.

Abstract: An image formation method for forming an image containing an embossed portion of an expandable material on a recording medium, comprising converting height information about an embossed image which is the image of the embossed portion to the same density information as one used to indicate a density of a non-embossed image which is not raised, and controlling an amount of the expandable material formed on the recording medium according to the converted density information.

Abstract: A method for forming a plurality of slits in a tube includes first, forming a plurality of grooves in the pipe by operating a grooving punch along the length of each of the slits to be made. Then, each slit is formed in the pipe by operating a hole-making punch. The punch has ends at an acute angle and the punch is recessed from the ends toward the center thereof. In view of the fact that each groove is formed beforehand in the surface of the pipe and that the corresponding slit is made while moving the hole-making punch slowly from the ends, a large load is not exerted on the pipe and therefore the pipe is not crushed, burrs are not generated and the cutting chip is removed.

Abstract: A ferrule heating apparatus 1, which is configured to heat a ferrule and thereby adhere an optical fiber and the ferrule together, includes a plurality of ferrule housing portions capable of freely housing and aligning ferrules 27, a holder 5 made of a thermally conductive member, a holder heating unit 9 for supporting and heating the holder 5, and a temperature control unit 11 for controlling a temperature of the holder heating unit 9. The holder heating unit 9 and the temperature control unit 11 are provided mutually separately. Meanwhile, the holder heating unit 9 and the temperature unit 11 are mutually connected to each other through an electric power cable 13.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus that forms a raised print image by successively transferring foaming toner and non-foaming toner onto a recording medium in correspondence to print image information and heat-fixing onto the recording medium the foaming toner and the non-foaming toner that have been transferred onto the recording medium. The image forming apparatus includes an image processing section that image-processes the print image information so that transfer of an image resulting from the foaming toner is selectively prohibited in correspondence to a line width or size of an image to be transferred by the non-foaming toner onto the foaming toner.

Abstract: To provide an image forming apparatus capable of forming an image with the normal toner and forming an image with the special toner, which makes it possible to perform appropriate fixing of a toner to be used according to characteristics of the toner.

Abstract: An image formation apparatus for forming a three dimensional print image on a recording medium by an image of three dimensional printing material and an image of color material in accordance with image data, comprises a designation unit for designating a three dimensional print region using three dimensional printing material and a non-three dimensional print region, with regard to the image data; and an image processing unit for performing different color conversions on the image data depending on the three dimensional print region and the non-three dimensional print region designated by the designation unit.

Abstract: In an image processing section, a foam toner signal generator generates a foam toner signal corresponding to a foam toner amount to be transferred to a three-dimensional print designation region discriminated at a three-dimensional print region discriminator, and a foam toner interpolation signal generator generates a foam toner interpolation signal corresponding to a foam toner amount to be transferred to an image region equal to or greater than a constant area in an ordinary print region discriminated at the three-dimensional print region discriminator. Foam toner of a predetermined amount corresponding to the foam toner signal is transferred to the three-dimensional print region, and foam toner of an amount that is less (of a lower height) than the predetermined amount and corresponds to the foam toner interpolation signal is transferred to the ordinary print region.

Abstract: There is provided an image forming apparatus in which, if the image forming apparatus using only a normal toner is modified to be capable of forming an image formed of a special toner, an appropriate image can be formed in accordance with the characteristics of the special toner.

Abstract: A three-dimensional image forming method or the like is provided which is capable of forming a three-dimensional white image or black-and-white image or even a three-dimensional color image with ease and at low costs. The three-dimensional image forming method includes, for example, a first step of forming an unfoamed-toner image consisting of at least a foamable toner on paper as an image forming object by using an electrophotographic system or the like, a second step of forming a three-dimensional foamed-toner image by subjecting to heat treatment the unfoamed-toner image formed on the image forming object and foaming and fixing the foamable toner, and a third step of forming an ink image consisting of an ink on the image forming object with the foamed-toner image formed thereon by using an ink jet system.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image carrier and a first developing unit for forming an image on the image carrier using at least one type of first developer to which a second developing unit for forming an image using at least one type of second developer which differs from the first developer is installable. The apparatus includes a developing unit determination part for determining the type of developing unit of the image forming apparatus, and an announcement part for announcing to the user that, when the second developing unit is not installed and an image formation instruction for instructing the formation of an image obtained by using the second developer is inputted, the image formation instruction cannot be made to effect a response.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus that forms a raised print image by successively transferring foaming toner and non-foaming toner onto a recording medium in correspondence to print image information and heat-fixing onto the recording medium the foaming toner and the non-foaming toner that have been transferred onto the recording medium. The image forming apparatus includes an image processing section that image-processes the print image information so that transfer of an image resulting from the foaming toner is selectively prohibited in correspondence to a line width or size of an image to be transferred by the non-foaming toner onto the foaming toner.

Abstract: An image formation processing method for forming an image to be raised with color toners on a raised portion of an expandable toner which is formed on a recording sheet according to an original image, comprising extracting a contour section of the image to be raised from the original image, and changing a color of the extracted contour section to enhance the image to be raised.

Abstract: A ferrule holder assembly for an optical-fiber-end-face grinding apparatus comprises a ferrule holder board supported to be moved upward and downward in parallel with a grinding board of the optical-fiber-end-face grinding apparatus, a ferrule sleeve provided at the ferrule holder board for receiving and supporting an optical fiber ferrule while putting the tip at the grinding board, an adapter for retaining the optical fiber ferrule or a connector for supporting the optical fiber ferrule in a state where the optical fiber ferrule is inserted into the ferrule sleeve, and an urging unit for urging the adapter in a direction opposite to the grinding board from the ferrule holder board.

Abstract: A ferrule holder assembly for an optical-fiber-end-face grinding apparatus comprises a ferrule holder board supported to be moved upward and downward in parallel with a grinding board of the optical-fiber-end-face grinding apparatus, a ferrule sleeve provided at the ferrule holder board for receiving and supporting an optical fiber ferrule while putting the tip at the grinding board, an adapter for retaining the optical fiber ferrule or a connector for supporting the optical fiber ferrule in a state where the optical fiber ferrule is inserted into the ferrule sleeve, and an urging unit for urging the adapter in a direction opposite to the grinding board from the ferrule holder board.