Abstract: Although a conventional method of inspecting an ink discharge state in which the temperature change of the heater is detected enables accurate and high-speed inspection, due to the situation in which the inspection was performed, appropriate post-processing depending on the situation cannot be executed based on a result of the inspection. Therefore, it is necessary to determine the ink discharge state in detail. A plurality of modes are provided in accordance with the purpose of performing an inspection of the ink discharge state, and a discharge inspection threshold is provided for each of these modes. By selectively executing or continuously executing these modes, it is possible to determine the ink discharge state in more detail.

Abstract: A toner includes a toner particle, which contains at least a binding resin, a colorant, and two types of polar resins, i.e., a polar resin H and a polar resin L, and which is obtained with granulation in a water-based medium, wherein solubility parameters, glass transition points, and weight-average molecular weights of the binding resin, the polar resin H, and the polar resin L, as well as amounts of the added resins satisfy respective specific relationships.

Abstract: In order to maintain stackability while taking printing conditions into consideration, a control method for controlling a printing system for a stacking unit stacking a sheet printed by a printing unit, includes: determining whether or not a predetermined number of sheets on which the same printed data is printed by the printing unit are stacked continuously by the stacking unit; and controlling, in a case where a predetermined number of the sheets on which the same printed data is printed are determined by the determining unit to be continuously stacked by the stacking unit, the stacking unit so as to not continuously stack more of the sheets on which the same printed data is printed than the predetermined number of sheets.

Abstract: An exposure apparatus has a mask stage (9), a prealignment device (7) which prealigns a mask (1) to be transferred to the stage (9), and a manipulating mechanism (10) which transports a master or exchanges two masters between the stage (9) and prealignment device (7). A master transport apparatus (30) includes a mask transport mechanism (8) which holds the mask (1) with holding portions (8a, 8b) that can hold at least two masks (1) and transports the master (1), and a controller (11) which controls the transport mechanism (8). The controller (11) controls the transport mechanism (8) such that, when a mask (1) that should be used in a first turn for exposure is to be mounted on the stage (9), a mask (1) to be used in a second turn is provided to the prealignment device (7), and a mask (1) to be used in a third turn is held by the holding portion (8a, 8b).

Abstract: A color image forming apparatus, when a white LED is made to emit light to thereby detect reflected light from a color image, changes a color measuring condition in adaptation to a reflectance predicted from the forming condition of the color image to be detected and detects the amount of reflected light by photodiodes (R,G,B), and adjusts the image forming condition from the detected amount of reflected light of each color image. Thereby, irrespective of the reflectance of each color image, the color measurement of each color image is effected with good accuracy, and the hue and density of the color image to be detected are accurately detected to thereby form a color image excellent in color reproducibility.

Abstract: A fixing member has a hollow fixing roller and an induction coil inside the fixing roller for generating heat from an induction current. The fixing roller has an outer surface and an inner surface, the inner surface facing the induction coil and the inner surface also having a heat insulating layer formed of hollow glass.

Abstract: An image reading apparatus includes a line sensor for reading an image of a document sheet, an A/D converter for converting image data from the line sensor to multi-level image data, a binarization comparator for converting the multi-level image data from the A/D converter to bi-level image data and an image processing IC for selectively outputting the multi-level image data from the A/D converter and the bi-level image data from the binarization comparator. The number of read pixels in the multi-level image data output mode is set to be smaller than the number of read pixels in the bi-level image data output mode.