Abstract: A system is described for providing positional information regarding a media sheet in an image forming apparatus. The system includes a laser for providing a beam of collimated light and a mechanism for moving a media sheet along an imprinting path. Beam sensors are placed in the imprinting path, and positioned so as to be partially shaded by a media sheet when it is moved along the imprinting path. A scanning system moves the light beam across the media sheet and past its edges to cause the beam to fall on the beam sensors, when the media sheet is partially shadowing the beam sensors. A processor is responsive to outputs from the beam sensors to determine positional information regarding the media sheet. Positional information is derived by determining the time during which the scanned beam is incident on a sensor.

Abstract: An image communication apparatus for recording received image using a recording head capable of ejecting ink from orifices by utilizing energy generated from ejection energy generating elements includes a communication unit for receiving procedure signals concerning communication and image data, a driving control unit for controlling the driving of the recording head according to image data received by the communication unit, a timer unit for measuring a predetermined period of time according to the end of processing of a predetermined quantity of received image data, and a communication control unit for controlling the sending to the transmitting side of a signal for enabling reception of next image data according to the count of the timer unit.

Abstract: There is disclosed a thermal transfer printer utilizing a one time ink sheet or a multi-print ink sheet. In order to avoid sticking of the ink sheet and the recording sheet, for example where there is an interruption in facsimile transmission or when a recording interval exceeds a predetermined time, the thermal head is energized to maintain a high temperature state and then the recording paper is transported by a predetermined amount, thereby separating the ink sheet and the recording paper.

Abstract: The invention relates to a thermal printer and a printing method thereby, using a step motor for feeding a sheet of paper, a scanning type thermal head and a control unit by which the paper feeding operation is temporarily stopped and the printing operation is restarted after the stopped period. This thermal printer further comprises a delay drive unit which drives the thermal head with delay of one or two clock periods, predetermined as a control parameter for this printing operation, by a phase switch timing point for the step motor, in response to the time-lag defined by the phase switch timing point to an actual paper feeding motion; and a pre-print unit which outputs a command signal to begin the printing operation of the thermal head for printing one or more times the print data which follows the final print data of when the paper feeding operation was stopped, prior to the above described regular drive operation of the thermal head at the restart of the printing operation.

Abstract: A page printer having a housing body and including a gate roller, a developing unit, a photosensitive drum unit, a fixing unit and a sheet discharging roller arranged on the front side of the housing body in the order stated from above so that the printing sheet conveying path is substantially vertical to reduce floor area required for installation. An optical writing unit is provided on the rear side of the housing body. Guide members are provided on the housing body to readily mount or demount the photo-sensitive drum unit. Further, a shield board is disposed between the photo-sensitive drum unit and the fixing unit so that the printing sheet will not be stained by toner scattering from the photo-sensitive drum.

Abstract: A sheet conveyor apparatus is provided with a first rotator for supplying the feeding force to a sheet in contact with the sheet, a second rotator for supplying the feeding force to the sheet in contact with the sheet and from the opposite side of the sheet, a drive rotator rotatable by the drive force from a drive source, and a drive transmission for transmitting the drive force of the drive rotator to the second rotator so as to rotate the second rotator at a peripheral velocity higher than that of the first rotator. While the sheet is being conveyed, the drive transmission allows a slip as it transmits the drive force so that the second rotator can rotate at a peripheral velocity in conformance with that of the sheet.

Abstract: A recording apparatus for effecting recording on a recording medium has a recording head for effecting recording on the recording medium, conveying rollers for conveying the recording medium, a first and a second case for covering the recording head and the conveying means, and a mechanism for effecting relative movement of the first case and the second case.

Abstract: An image copying apparatus for copying an original by scanning a print head having a predetermined head print width a plurality of times in a main scanning direction and displacing an object to be recorded in a subscanning direction, thereby forming an image of the original on the object, includes circuitry for calculating a print width formed at a last line, and for displacing the calculated printed width before the last line and for reducing a suction area of the object on a platen at the time of printing of the last line. The copying apparatus includes a continuous rolled sheet supply and cutter and a stacked pre-cut sheet supply, both sheet supplies have a conveyor for feeding the respective sheet to a recording area. Recording is performed on the inside surface of the rolled sheet and on the lower surface of the cut sheet to avoid the problem of dust collecting on the opposing surfaces.

Abstract: A transport device for use in a recording apparatus is disclosed. The transport device includes a conveyor belt having at least three layers. The upper layer of the belt is a conductive or semiconductive layer that is discriminable from a recording material by a detector. Below the first conductive or semiconductive layer is an insulating layer and below the insulating layer is a third conductive layer. The first layer has a volume resistivity value of from 10.sup.14 to 10.sup.17 .OMEGA.cm. The detectors are positioned upstream and downstream of the recording region and disposed downstream of that recording region is a cleaning blade and absorber which together work under control of a controller to clean ink from the conveyor before it soils the charging roller or the next recording sheet. The controller also controls the cleaning operation in accordance with the amount of ink that was unnecessarily jetted onto the conveyor belt.

Abstract: The present invention provides a recording apparatus comprising a conveyor for conveying a sheet while contacting therewith, a recording device for recording an image by discharging ink onto the sheet conveyed by the conveyor, a cleaning device for sweeping the ink adhered to the conveyor by slidingly contacting therewith, and an absorbing member for absorbing the ink adhered to the conveyor.

Abstract: A recording apparatus using a recording head driven in accordance with print information includes a feeder for feeding a recording material; a discriminator for discriminating presence or absence of next printing information before completion of discharging of a current printed recording material; and a controller for controlling the feeder to start feeding of the next recording material prior to completion of the discharging of the current recording material, when the discriminator discriminates the presence of the next printing information.

Abstract: A travel roller moves between the initial and the end points in a loosening unit while supporting a photosensitive material to thereby form a loop thereof. A first sensor, for detecting that the travel roller locates on the end point, is provided in the loosening unit. When it is not detected at the end of recording that the travel roller locates on the end point, a portion of the photosensitive material is cut off, whereby the photosensitive material is divided into a sheet with a reproduced image and an unexposed photosensitive material. The unexposed photosensitive material is rewound until a leading edge portion thereof reaches a recording unit, and then an image to be reproduced next is recorded onto the unexposed photosensitive material.

Abstract: A continuous tone themal printing apparatus of the type having a printing station and a receiver paper drive station. The drive station repeatedly advances receiver paper back and forth through the printing station in conjunction with the advance of successive thermal transfer donor dye colors on a carrier web through the printing station to successively print the different color separations. The platen drum in the printing station is coupled to a platen drag force mechanism for imparting reverse torque to the torque imparted by the drive station to impart a degree of tension to the receiver paper as it passes through the printing station that exceeds stick/slip variations in movement of the receiver paper therethrough by the sublimation of the dyes from the donor dye carrier web to the receiver paper in the creation of the image thereon. The platen drag force may be effected by overdriving a motor or generator or drag brake coupled to the platen drum.

Abstract: An ink jet printer includes a platen having a planar surface sized to hold a sheet upon which an image is to be printed flat on the planar surface. The platen is movably mounted for linear reciprocal movement between a sheet receiving position and a sheet releasing position. In operation, a sheet is fed onto or otherwise acquired on the platen. The sheet can be held on the platen by a holddown force such as by vacuum or electrostatic attraction. The platen moves a sheet held thereon across a full width printhead located between the two positions to print an image on the sheet. Sheets are released from the platen at the sheet releasing position which may include an output tray. After the sheet is released from the platen, the platen is reciprocated back to the receiving position to accept another sheet.

Abstract: An apparatus for automatically discharging a paper box of a color video printer comprising paper box discharging lever for pushing the paper box toward a predetermined discharging position, the lever rotatably mounted on a main frame of the printer, a sliding lever for causing discharging lever to rotate, the sliding lever movably mounted on the main frame so as to be rectilinearly reciprocated, a sensing member for determining whether the printed paper is received by the paper box, a driving member for selectively driving the sliding lever in accordance with a control signal applied from the sensing member thereto, and an elastic support member for elastically supporting the sliding lever. The paper box discharging apparatus of this invention provides advantage in that it provides the facility in maniuplation of the color video printer and improving the reliability of the printer.

Abstract: An image printing method and system. Information of printing paper size, image size to be printed and printing position is inputted by user. On the basis of the information, a control circuit determines the number of data to be printed in the primary scanning direction as well as the number of data for blanks at both sides and additionally determines the number of lines for printing in the secondary scanning direction as well as line numbers for processing and succeeding blanks. In the primary scanning, the data to be printed is supplied to a thermal head together with the data for the blanks. In the secondary scanning, a printing sheet is transported idly for the blank portions. The thermal head is electrically energized in the printing portion for printing the image at a predetermined position on the printing paper.

Abstract: A thermal printer comprises a thermal head having a plurality of heating elements arranged in line in the horizontal direction, a printing data processing circuit responsive to input video signal for energizing the heating elements of the thermal head in accordance with density information of each pixel, a driving device for moving a print paper relative to the thermal head continuously in the vertical direction, a pitch setting circuit for setting a vertical print pitch according to the number of effective horizontal print lines, effective width of the thermal head in the horizontal direction and aspect ratio of a printed image, and a speed control circuit coupled to the driving device for changing a moving speed of the print paper according to the vertical print pitch, wherein an energizing time to the heating elements is fixed independent of the vertical print pitch, and the moving speed of the print paper and an interval between first printing data and second printing data are controlled in order to make

Abstract: The present invention relates to techniques for ensuring that an image receiving sheet, which has only one major surface thereof coated with an image receiving coating, is properly oriented prior to an image being printed thereon. The image receiving sheet has a concave or convex irregularity (e.g., a notch, arc, etc.) formed in at least one nominally straight edge of the sheet. In a first embodiment, a mechanical or optical sensing means detects whether or not the image receiving sheet is stacked correctly in a loading tray by sensing whether or not the edge irregularities are properly positioned. In a second embodiment, an edge and a notch sensing means detect whether or not the image receiving sheet is oriented properly while being fed into the printer. An improperly loaded image receiving sheet is either not fed into the printer, or transits the printer without causing the printer to attempt to print the image thereon.

Abstract: A method and a circuit for preventing the irregularities of color printing position in the heating-transcription video color printer of non-impact type, are disclosed.

Abstract: A laser printer characterized by compact construction, and by ease of servicing and film loading. A light-tight upper compartment contains a printer station which includes a film moving roller at one side of the apparatus, and toward which film is fed sideways from a registration station. The printer includes a laser and optics located above the alignment station. Various sizes of film are stored in respective magazines carried by stacked drawers located below the alignment station, and a transport mechanism located in front of the magazine withdraws film from the drawers and carries it upwardly and moves it into the alignment station by movement of the film toward the rear of the apparatus. Film moving from the printer station moves downwardly along one side of the machine into a chute and then to a roller device which can direct the exposed film either into a storage magazine under the fresh film magazines, or to an adjacent processor located to the side of the printer.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a paper stacking section for stacking a plurality of paper sheets cut to a given size.

Abstract: This is an apparatus and associated method for rolling large pieces of a flexible media such as completed plots produced by a plotting pen plotter. The rolling mechanism is placed adjacent an exit of the pen plotter to received ejected media pieces therein. Upon detecting the leading edge of a media piece while in an open position, the mechanism closes to form a guide slot to a cylindrical rolling chamber. The media piece is then urged along the guide slot and into the rolling chamber where it is rolled by a drive roller. Upon detecting the trailing edge of the media piece, the mechanism opens allowing the rolled media piece to fall into a receiving bin. The stationary portion and the rotating portion are formed of a plurality of slats having low contact area edges disposed for media pieces to move along whereby the media pieces move along a low friction path.

Abstract: The recording apparatus includes a continuous rolled sheet supply and cutter and a stacked pre-cut sheet supply, both sheet supplies have a conveyor for feeding the respective sheet to a recording area. Recording is performed on the inside surface of the rolled sheet and on the lower surface of the cut sheet to avoid the problem of dust collecting on the opposing surfaces.

Abstract: A positioning apparatus for positioning a reciprocally movable member, such as a guide member for a sheet of recording paper, between a reference position and a predetermined position. The apparatus includes a detector for detecting that the movable member is in the proximity of the reference position, and a counter for counting the amount by which the movable member is shifted while the detector is detecting that the movable member is in the proximity of the reference position. A controller stores the value counted by the counter, and controls drive of the movable member when the movable member is being returned to the reference position based on the count in the counter and the stored count value. A second counter may be provided to count the amount by which the movable member is shifted from the reference position to the predetermined position.

Abstract: The present invention provides an image recording apparatus, comprising a conveying rotary member for conveying a sheet by rotating while contacting the sheet, an image recording device disposed in confronting relation to the conveying rotary member and adapted to record an image on the sheet conveyed by the conveying rotary member, a pressing member disposed at an upstream side of the image recording device in a sheet conveying direction and adapted to press the sheet against the conveying rotary member, a biasing device engaged by the pressing member and adapted to bias the pressing member toward the conveying rotary member, and a shifting device for shifting the biasing device to a position where the biasing device does not act on the pressing member.

Abstract: A recording medium discharge mechanism which discharges a recording medium (S) into a discharge tray (14) using a sheet discharge roller (69) and a sheet discharge biasing roller (72) that confronts the sheet discharge roller (66). The sheet discharge roller (69) has a plurality of vortical teeth extending in the direction of rotation of the sheet discharge roller. When the tail end of the recording medium (S) approaches the discharge roller (69), the circumferential speed of the sheet discharge roller (69) is increased so that the recording medium (S) can be accelerated into the sheet discharge tray (14) while biasing the tail end of the recording medium (S).

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes recording material carrying device for carrying thereon a recording material; image forming device for forming an image on the recording material carried on the recording material carrying device; attracting charger for electrostatically attracting the recording material on the recording material carrying device, the attracting charger first attracting the recording material on the recording material carrying device; feeding rollers for feeding the recording material to the recording material carrying device to attract it to the recording material carrying device, wherein a feeding speed by the feeding rollers is the same as or larger than a movement speed of the recording material carrying device or larger.

Abstract: The apparatus includes a bearing structure (2), a slidably movable print head (6) guided in said bearing structure, a dragging unit (22, 23) adapted to move a sheet (7) to be printed under the print head and exhibiting dragging members (22) directly acting on the sheet, a plate-like body (4) provided with a write surface (5) located under the print head and representing a rest surface for the sheet, the bearing surface being oscillatable relative to the plate-like body between an operating position in which the bearing surface and plate-like body are substantially in mutual contact and a raised position for putting the sheet in place, in which the dragging members directly acting on the sheet are located in the plate-like body substantially below the write surface.

Abstract: A sheet feed mechanism for a plotter comprises a main drive roller, and a plurality of sub drive rollers which are serially arranged at predetermined spacings from the main drive roller. A main pinch roller is arranged in opposition to the main drive roller so as to be rotatable and movable over and axially of the main drive roller, and a sub pinch roller is arranged in opposition to the sub drive rollers so as to be rotatable and movable over and axially of the sub drive rollers. The axial length of the main drive roller is made greater than that of the main pinch roller. The side edges of a sheet are respectively held between the main drive roller and the main pinch roller and between one of the sub drive rollers and the sub pinch roller, and the main and drive rollers are synchronously rotated, thereby to feed the sheet in the lengthwise direction thereof.

Abstract: A thermal printer includes a platen roller on which a recording sheet is wound in such a manner that the recording sheet is laid over a part of the cylindrical wall of the platen roller. A thermal head is pushed against the platen roller to heat heating points selected for transferring ink from an ink sheet onto the recording sheet. A sheet pulling means pulls the recording sheet in a predetermined direction. A pinch roller on the sheet supplying side pushes the recording sheet against the platen roller with a predetermined force of depression so that the recording sheet is wound on the platen roller. A pinch roller rotating means is provided at at least one end of the pinch roller for rotating the pinch roller at a peripheral speed lower than that of the platen roller.

Abstract: In a technique in which a thermosensitive recording paper and a recording head are arranged in contact with each other and a voltage is applied to the recording head in accordance with an image to be recorded while the recording paper being transferred by a motor, striped lines, so-called blanks, where no image is recorded, appear because of a delay on starting the motor. The present invention solves this problem by delaying the timing of the image recording by the amount of the delay in starting the motor.

Abstract: In an image recording apparatus, a supply magazine and a receive magazine are arranged almost in a row, and a sheet transport path is formed along the periphery of both magazines. A recording sheet, which is taken out of the supply magazine, is once moved to a path whose transport resistance is small, so that the trailing edge of the recording sheet is completely out of the supply magazine. Then, a subscanning operation for image recording is performed along the path whose transport resistance is small.

Abstract: A graphics printer including a device for ensuring contact between a print medium and a guiding platform at the printing zone of the graphics printer, including a suction chamber, a suction means for creating a partial vacuum in the suction chamber located beneath the guiding platform and a plurality of orifices formed across the width of the platform communicating with the suction chamber, the print medium being guided over the platform covering a variable portion of the width of the platform as a function of the format of the print medium, the suction chamber being provided with one or more partitions separating the chamber width-wise into compartments while leaving a limited air passage section between the adjacent compartments.

Abstract: A color printer is provided in which a paper sheet is wrapped about a rotatable platen and three colors are printed on the sheet, to obtain an image, by a thermal head and a color ribbon during three rotations of the platen. In a paper feeding device for the printer, a sheet of paper is fed by a feeding roller, from the bottom of a stack of paper sheets in a paper tray through, a feeding guide to the platen. The tray has an opening in its bottom plate so as to expose the lowermost paper sheet stored therein. The feeding roller is provided under the tray and lifts up toward the opening of the tray so as to come in engagement with the lowermost paper sheet, the feeding roller rotating to feed it to the platen. The width of the platen is less than that of the sheet and the circumference thereof is less than the length of the sheet. Therefore, when the sheet is wrapped about the platen, it extends laterally outward from the ends thereof, and its ends overlap.

Abstract: A line-type thermal printing apparatus includes a thermal head for recording on a sheet whose thickness is even in the feeding direction thereof and uneven in the print line direction. The apparatus also includes a platen having a platen body portion that rotates integrally with a platen shaft and that feeds the sheet by pinching a part of the sheet between the thermal head and the platen body portion, and separate platen portion that face other parts of the sheet which have thicknesses different from that of the part of the sheet pinched between the thermal head and the platen body portion. The separate platen portions have center holes that are dimensioned to loosely fit the platen shaft. Urging mechanisms are provided for urging the separate platen portions so as to press the other parts of the sheet against the thermal head. For example, a part of a sheet is located opposite to the platen body portion and the other parts of the sheet are located opposite to the separate platen portions.

Abstract: A micro scanning tunneling microscope ("STM") arithmetic circuit device comprises an information-rewritable micro STM recording medium and a micro STM recording apparatus which temporarily stores information on the recording medium such that the information can be read as a variation in a tunnel current. The recording apparatus has a probe (probes) for writing/reading information on the recording medium and a scanner for varying a relationship in position between the probe and the recording medium. The micro STM recording apparatus uses a recording medium having a specific format as the micro STM recording medium in which recorded information is read as a variation in a tunnel current. That is, the recording medium has an address area in which address information is recorded and a data area in which data information is recorded.

Abstract: A plotter wherein, while a sheet is being moved on a recording surface, figures, characters etc. are automatically depicted on the surface of the sheet, or the contours of figures, characters etc. are automatically cut in the surface of the sheet. In the plotter, both the side edges of the sheet are respectively held between drive rollers and corresponding pinch rollers mounted at both the sideward parts of the recording surface in opposition to each other, and the drive rollers at both the sideward parts of the recording surface are rotated synchronously to each other, whereby the sheet is moved in the rotating direction of the drive rollers on the recording surface. Each of the drive rollers is formed at its peripheral surface with milling or ruggedness for preventing the sheet from slipping.

Abstract: A recording apparatus effects a recording operation by scanning a recording medium in a predetermined direction with a recording head provided with discharge openings for recording liquid. A cap member is capable of covering a face with discharge openings of said recording head. A transmission member causes said cap member to cover said face with discharge openings in response to a motion setting said recording head to a predetermined position; and engaging members consisting of a protruding part are provided on one of said recording head and a carriage supporting said head. The protruding part engages a receiving part for said protruding part formed on the other of said recording head and said carriage, wherein said protruding part and said receiving part mutually engage at two points when said cap member covers said face with discharge openings.

Abstract: A display includes a matrix display panel having a first common line and a first data line intersecting to form a picture element for displaying data, with the first common line and the first data line being driven. A line recording head includes a second common line and a second data line for recording the data when the second common line and the second data line are driven. A device drives the first and second data lines by a common data-line drive circuit.

Abstract: An ink jet recording apparatus includes a recording head for ejecting recording liquid to perform recording operation on a recording medium; a laser source, disposed facing to the recording medium, for projecting a laser beam on the recording medium; and a control device responsive to a record signal supplied to the recording head for the recording operation to control the laser source to project the laser beam from the laser source onto the recording medium.

Abstract: In a sheet transport unit for recording systems which uses a pulse motor to feed a recording sheet quantitatively and intermittently, multiple different current apply intervals are specified within the stop period during intermittent sheet feed, so that a maximum amount of current will be applied to the first interval immediately after the drive stops. Thereby, the pulse motor is never be damaged due to its temperature rise despite a load variation and the load variation can be absorbed enough to ensure high positioning accuracy.

Abstract: A page printer includes a first and a second paper feed sections for storing a first and a second paper sheets respectively, a printing mechanism, a mediation control circuit, and a printing operation control circuit. The mediation control circuit identifies printing data sequentially input from a host unit and generates paper feed operation designation data, printing operation designation data, and image data. The printing operation control circuit controls the printing mechanism in accordance with the paper feed operation designation data, the printing operation designation data, and the image data.

Abstract: An ink jet recording apparatus composed of a print head of the on-demand type for ejecting an ink droplet according to print data and a platen having a flat section opposed to the head and extending at least over a region corresponding to a printing span through which the head is displaced to effect printing. The flat section of the platen is formed with a plurality of opening holes each having a relatively small diameter. A vacuum device creates a vacuum beneath the platen to attract a recording medium onto the flat section to enable the recording medium to receive ink droplets ejected from the head so as to print an image. The dimensions or the density of the opening holes is gradually reduced so as to compensate for differences in width of the recording media to thereby effectively avoid floating of a medium.

Abstract: A color thermal printer in which the positioning of the paper in the vicinity of the transfer section is precisely controlled while the paper is being transported and printed. Thus good registration of the various colors used is ensured and the printable area of the paper is enabled to be extended. At the same time, the strain on the thermal print head is minimized by using only the amount of contact pressure required to perform the printing.

Abstract: A printer uses a rotating platen to transport a sheet of receiver (print media) across a programmable print head. The receiver is held to the platen with a positive receiver-locking clamp at the beginning of a print cycle. The clamp is released prior to the completion of formation of an image on the receiver so that the receiver can be quickly removed from the platen. This reduces the print cycle time of the printer. The clamp is configured and operated such that the speed of the moving receiver is not changed when the clamp is released. The clamp configuration and operation thereof permit the printing of high-resolution images without any discernible image distortions being caused by the release of the clamp during image formation.

Abstract: A compact ink jet printer is described utilizing a small drum for carrying a sheet of record medium during the printing operation. In one embodiment, the drum has an exterior surface with a high coefficient of friction with a contact roller retaining the record medium against the drum as the drum is rotated. Printing is accomplished as by jetting ink from an ink jet print head onto the medium while the medium is backed up by a fixed platen. A fusing mechanism may be utilized to flatten ink drops on the printed medium. A drive mechanism for an ink jet printer may include a stepper motor coupled by timing belt sprockets and a timing belt to the drum of the printer. These components may be selected such that the drum is incremented a multiple of a pixel height during each step of the stepper motor. The record medium may also be clamped to a drum by a clamping mechanism and rotated through plural revolutions of the drum during respective printing and fusing steps.

Abstract: A recording medium detecting apparatus detects the fact that a recording medium has been conveyed to an image forming part of a laser beam printer. The image forming part is provided with a driving roller for producing a rotational motion and a following roller held in pressed contact with the driving roller and consequently allowed to follow the rotational motion. The thrust of the recording medium in between the two rollers is discriminated by the detection of a change in the rotational speed of the driving roller which change is caused by the thrust of the recording medium in between the rollers. In accordance with the result of detection of this thrust, the timing for image formation in the image forming part is controlled. Thus, the arrival of the recording medium at a prescribed destination can be detected without requiring use of a sensor or a switch.

Abstract: A sequence controller controls an image forming apparatus which includes a plurality of paper supply paths, a plurality of paper eject paths, an image forming device, and abnormally informing devices for informing an abnormity in the paper supply and eject paths. The sequence controller includes a memory device for storing at least image forming information related to a plurality of pages, the image forming information including image data related to images to be formed and paper path information for selecting one paper supply path and one paper eject path out of the plurality of paper supply and eject paths, and a control device for controlling an image forming operation of the image forming apparatus so as to form an image using the selected paper supply and eject paths which are selected by the paper path information.

Abstract: In a printer control device, the number of documents to be copied and the number of recording sheets on a sheet supplying tray are detected and subjected to comparison, and when the number of recording sheets is smaller than the number of documents, a signal is generated to replenish the tray with recording sheets, whereby if the number of recording sheets on the tray is not sufficient to copy all the documents, the operator is informed of the shortage of recording sheets before the printing operation starts.

Abstract: A system for maintaining a uniform velocity of a belt which is driven on rollers. A first roller is provided with a first encoder which supplies a pulse train to a first control device which controls a first servomotor. The first servomotor drives the first roller which provides torque to the belt. A second roller is provided with a second encoder which supplies a pulse train to a second control device which controls a second servomotor for selectively dampening the second roller. When a variation in the speed of the belt is detected by the second control device a signal is sent from the second control device to the second servomotor. The second servomotor dampens any speed variations so that the belt maintains a constant speed at a location proximate to the second roller.