Abstract: A sheet feeder which feeds a sheet in a sheet storage case includes a sheet storage case in which a sheet is stored, a dehumidifier which dehumidifies air, an air tank in which air dehumidified by the dehumidifier is stored, shutters and which bring the air tank and the sheet storage case into communication and out of communication, and fans and which send air between the air tank and the sheet storage case. The shutters and the fans are operated in accordance with humidity in the sheet storage case.

Abstract: A sheet feeding apparatus includes a sheet feeding unit configured to suction a stored sheet with a negative pressure to feed the suctioned sheet, a suction duct connected to the sheet feeding unit, a suction fan configured to generate a negative pressure in the suction duct, a shutter disposed in the suction duct and configured to allow and shut off communication between the sheet feeding unit and the suction fan, and a communicating mechanism configured to cause a space in the suction duct between the shutter and the sheet feeding unit to communicate with an outside of the suction duct. The communicating mechanism is configured to cause the space in the suction duct to communicate with the outside of the suction duct according to the shutter shutting off communication between the sheet feeding unit and the suction fan.

Abstract: There is provided an image reading apparatus for acquiring a read signal of an image by receiving and photoelectrically converting a light reflected from a document. The location of an alien substance on an original plate is detected based on a reflected light received by a light receiving unit adapted to receive a light reflected from a document. When an alien substance is detected, an illumination unit selectively illuminates the location in which the alien substance has been detected. Also, a message which prompts cleaning of the alien substance is displayed. A method of displaying the alien substance location are also provided. Thereby, the image reading apparatus of the present invention can assists a user in cleaning the alien substance such as a dust or dirt on the original plate.

Abstract: A loosening fan provided in an air blowing unit blows at sheets stacked on a tray to loosen the sheets. When, during a sheet feeding operation, a multi-feed detection unit detects a multi-feed condition, the loosening fan is controlled such that an air pressure that enables the sheets to be loosened is obtainable. Therefore, the occurrence of multi-feed conditions can be reduced.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus has a sheet feeding apparatus which separates and feed a sheet one by one using a loosening fan which blows air from an air blowing portion for loosening the sheet on a tray. The rotating speed of the sheet loosening fan is adjusted while the sheet supported by the tray is not located in front of a position where the air is blown from the air blowing portion.

Abstract: To determine an area of a whiteout applied on an original, an area in which an output of a CCD is saturated is determined to be a correction trace area based on image read in an exposure-down having exposure reduced from a normal exposure amount. Correction trace information obtained by determining and detecting the correction trace area is correlated with image data to be stored as attribute information of an image file. When the image file is displayed on a PC screen, the correction trace area of an original image read based on position information of a correction trace contained in the attribute information transferred from an image reading apparatus is highlighted.

Abstract: An image reading apparatus reads an image from a document being simultaneously fed by the apparatus. A document feeder unit feeds the document on a original plate. A first image reading unit reads an image from the fed document at a first document-read position on the original plate. A second image reading unit reads an image from the fed document at a second document-read position located at a predetermined distance from the first document-read position in a document feeding direction. An abnormal pixel detection unit detects abnormal pixels resulting from rubbish moved between the first document-read position and second document-read position on the original plate together with the document.

Abstract: An image reading apparatus having an original sheet feeding portion and an image reading portion includes two reading sensors which read an image (top surface and back surface) of an original and can almost simultaneously read both sides of the original without a reversing mechanism. In the image reading apparatus, when an instruction for starting reading is implemented without selecting a single-side reading mode or a both-side reading mode of the original, the reading of the both sides is executed for a first original. In the case that the first original is determined to be the both-side original, the both-side reading mode is still executed. In the case that the first original is determined to be the single-side original, the single-side reading mode is executed.

Abstract: An image reading apparatus having an original sheet feeding portion and an image reading portion includes two reading sensors which read an image (top surface and back surface) of an original and can almost simultaneously read both sides of the original without a reversing mechanism. In the image reading apparatus, when an instruction for starting reading is implemented without selecting a single-side reading mode or a both-side reading mode of the original, the reading of the both sides is executed for a first original. In the case that the first original is determined to be the both-side original, the both-side reading mode is still executed. In the case that the first original is determined to be the single-side original, the single-side reading mode is executed.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus has a recording element array including plural recording elements, an image forming section for causing a relative movement between the recording element array and a recording medium, thereby to form an image, and a drive section for driving the recording element array based on image data. A duty control unit varies the recording duty of the recording elements according to the relative movement speed between the recording element array and the recording medium.

Abstract: This invention relates to a driving control device for a vibration wave motor. A periodic change in frequency of a driving periodic signal is detected during driving of the motor, a frequency corresponding to the detected change is set as a lower limit value, and the driving frequency is controlled not to drop below the lower limit value, thereby preventing the motor from abruptly stopping due to a motor load drift.

Abstract: A unit connector for electrical connection with a main assembly connector provided in a main assembly of an electrophotographic image forming apparatus, includes memory for storing information; a memory connecting portion for electrical connection with said memory when said unit connector is mounted to a unit; an electrical part connecting portion for electrical connection with an electrical part of the unit when said unit connector is mounted to the unit; and a connector connecting portion for electrical connection with the main assembly connector of said apparatus.

Abstract: A vibration control device of a vibration type motor stops motor driving when the actual driving speed, does not come close to a target speed though the frequency of a driving periodic signal is feedback-controlled to the target speed, to prevent an error when the driving circuit fails.

Abstract: In a control device for a vibration wave motor, in the case where the device executes an operation involving a large variation in the load while the motor is controlled at a target speed by the driving frequency using a feedback system, such feedback control is inhibited or the response of the feedback control is restricted in order to avoid the drawback resulting from feedback control at the time of generation of the variation in the load.

Abstract: An image formation apparatus which records an image on a recording medium is provided. The apparatus has a recording element array head on which plural recording chips are arranged, plural recording elements being arrayed on the recording chip, a reference clock generation unit for generating a reference clock, a main scan sync signal generation unit for generating a main scan sync signal by dividing the reference clock into 2n1 (n1: positive number) parts, an input unit for raster inputting image data for one line in synchronism with the main scan sync signal, a drive clock generation unit for generating a drive clock by dividing the reference clock into 2n2 (n2: positive number) parts and a drive unit for driving the recording chips in synchronism with the drive clock.

Abstract: A motor control apparatus, which can control the speeds of a plurality of motors with nearly no speed variations until the final target speed is reached, includes a target speed setting circuit for dividing the speed range of the motors up to the final target speed into n steps (n is an integer and n.gtoreq.2) to set a target speed, and setting the next divided target speed after all the motors have reached the current divided target speed.