Abstract: In a new printer, a toner cartridge is mounted in the state where there is no toner in a reserve tank, and toner of the amount of filling toner D therein is supplied with the amount of full accommodation toner E for filling up the reserve tank by a toner supply mechanism. The toner of the amount of remaining surplus toner F remains in the toner cartridge. The amount of toner consumption G is measured by a dot counter during a printing execution. In the case where a toner density sensor detects a toner decreasing, the toner is supplied to a developing unit from the reserve tank. When it becomes G>F, it display-informs a user of “toner cartridge exchange is allowed”. Hereby, it enables to exchange the toner cartridge without stopping operation of the main body of the image forming apparatus using a two-component developer.

Abstract: A LAN control unit receives print data from a client device or the like. An input job storage unit registered on a hard disk a series of PDL commands included in the print data received. An input job queue management unit registers print job specifying information specifying a print job represented by the print data received to the end of an input job queue. A PDL interpretation/execution unit successively executes from the head of the series of PDL commands stored on the hard disk device. When it is determined that the PDL command that has been executed is a re-execution unnecessary command, the PDL interpretation/execution unit overwrites the PDL command stored on the hard disk with a NOP command.

Abstract: A penetrating hole is positioned facing a concave area between a separation guide and a separation guide of a sheet supporting the separation guides. When the front edge of a printing medium has passed through and emerged from a fixing clasp, water vapor generated from the printing medium by heating from a heating belt catches airflow flowing along a circulation movement surface of the heating belt and is sucked into a spatial region where a frame of the fixing device body is positioned from the penetrating hole.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a color printer and particularly to a color printer reducing power consumption and complying with international criteria ensuring sustained earth environment. In a color printer having multiple optical writing heads for individual recording colors, the activated periods of individual color recording heads are set to different periods and one writing period of individual recording heads is divided into multiple periods, video data for recording one dot line are divided into multiple blocks in the main scan direction, and the divided video data are used for emission at different times in the sub-scan direction, whereby a smaller number of optical writing elements are simultaneously driven for emission and the peak power consumption of the entire apparatus is reduced.

Abstract: A conversion unit converts a command part of an image inclusion command into an internal command. A first memory unit stores an image non-inclusion command and the internal command converted by the conversion unit. A second memory unit stores an image data part of the image inclusion command. A restart page number memory unit stores restart page number information when a print process being executed is interrupted in order to execute an interruption print process. When restarting the interrupted print process, a control unit executes control to read out the internal command and the image non-inclusion command stored in the first memory unit up to the page indicated by the restart page number information, and from the page indicated by the restart page number, further executes control to read out from the second memory unit the image data part following the internal command read out from the first memory unit.

Abstract: To provide a clock signal generating device that changes the frequency of a predetermined clock signal in a short time and prevents or mitigates instability in the operation of the supply destinations of the clock signal when the frequency of the clock signal is changing. The clock signal generating device is provided with a second control unit that, when the target frequency changes, successively changes the voltage impressed on the clock signal generating unit with a preset change value and a preset interval in a preset time in place of the first control unit, causing the frequency of the clock signal newly generated by the clock signal generating unit to approach the target frequency.

Abstract: An achromatic apparatus achromatizing an achromatic toner image on paper by an achromatic toner containing a near-infrared ray absorbing colorant that is a cyanine-based colorant, and an organic boron-based compound includes heater units each of which are a ceramic heater arranged across an achromatic convey path of an achromatic unit, and light source units each of which include an LED array chip having a center wavelength shifted to the long-wavelength side from the peak of the first absorption band of the near-infrared ray absorbing colorant and within a predetermined wavelength range. While the paper formed with the achromatic toner image is being conveyed through the achromatic convey path at a liner speed of equal to or faster than 15 mm/sec, the achromatic toner image is heated to a predetermined temperature, and is irradiated with achromatic light from the LED, and thus achromatized efficiently at a low energy consumption.

Abstract: A LAN control unit receives print data from a client device or the like. An input job storage unit registered on a hard disk a series of PDL commands included in the print data received. An input job queue management unit registers print job specifying information specifying a print job represented by the print data received to the end of an input job queue. A PDL interpretation/execution unit successively executes from the head of the series of PDL commands stored on the hard disk device. When it is determined that the PDL command that has been executed is a re-execution unnecessary command, the PDL interpretation/execution unit overwrites the PDL command stored on the hard disk with a NOP command.

Abstract: Provided is an image forming apparatus whose primary transfer roller is structured in a way as to move from a transfer position along a locus of a rotational motion of a radius r about a rotational center of a photosensitive drum as a rotational axis so that the transfer position is set to a position shifted downstream in a belt moving direction from a position of contact between the photosensitive drum and an intermediate transfer belt by a shift amount f. Accordingly, even when there is an error the upward/downward movement of the primary transfer roller to shift the position of contact, the distance of the primary transfer roller from the circumferential surface of the photosensitive drum is constant, so that the shift amount f which is the tangent of the circumferential surface of the photosensitive drum and the circumferential surface of the primary transfer roller is always set constant.

Abstract: The present invention provides an image forming device that reduces power consumption by setting the color image recording units to low power consumption mode during monochrome image recording, and a power consumption control method in an image forming device. Furthermore, this image forming device has a monochrome image recording unit and color image recording units, and is an image forming device capable of setting the monochrome image recording unit and color image recording units to low power consumption mode, and has a switching unit for switching between monochrome image recording and color image recording, and a control unit that sets the color image recording units to low power consumption mode during monochrome image recording and continues to set the color image recording units to low power consumption mode while this monochrome image recording continues.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a color printer and particularly to a color printer reducing power consumption and complying with international criteria ensuring sustained earth environment. In a color printer having multiple optical writing heads for individual recording colors, the activated periods of individual color recording heads are set to different periods and one writing period of individual recording heads is divided into multiple periods, video data for recording one dot line are divided into multiple blocks in the main scan direction, and the divided video data are used for emission at different times in the sub-scan direction, whereby a smaller number of optical writing elements are simultaneously driven for emission and the peak power consumption of the entire apparatus is reduced.

Abstract: A toner conveying unit includes a first toner conveying passage, a second toner conveying passage, a conveying member, a crank, and a vertical slide member. The first toner conveying passage includes a receiving port and allows toner to fall down from the receiving port. The second toner conveying passage joins a lower portion of the first toner conveying passage. The conveying member is provided in the second toner conveying passage and conveys the toner in a predetermined direction while rotating. The crank is provided in the second toner conveying passage below the first toner conveying passage and is connected to the conveying member. The vertical slide member is connected to the crank, is inserted into the first toner conveying passage, and is formed so as to come into slide contact with an inner wall of the first toner conveying passage.

Abstract: The print data distribution management system comprising a distributor terminal used by a user who is the distributor of print data to be distributed, a recipient terminals used by a distribution receiver of the print data to be distributed and a printing device connected to the distributor terminal and the recipient terminal via a network and printing the print data distributed. The distributor terminal comprises a transmitter including information specifying the distribution receiver in the print data and sending the print data to the printing device. The printing device comprises a print controller analyzing the print data sent from the transmitter of the distributor terminal and creating print image data, a print outputter printing out the print image data on a recording medium based on print instruction from the distribution receiver and a distribution status manager managing the distribution status of the print image data with the distribution receiver.

Abstract: A toner replenishing container includes a storage chamber, a hole and an identification member. The storage chamber stores a toner for replenishment. The hole is engaged with the toner replenishing container identifying portion of the mounting portion when the toner replenishing container is mounted on the mounting portion, is formed at a predetermined position on a front surface of the toner replenishing container in a mounting direction, and has a polygonal cross-section. The identification member is detachably inserted into the hole in a form corresponding to the polygonal shape of the hole when an orientation of the identification member is rotated about a center line of the hole.

Abstract: In an image forming apparatus provided with a detachable fixing unit having fixing paired-rollers, a heating unit heats at least one of the fixing paired-rollers, and a temperature detecting unit detects a temperature of the detachable fixing unit. The image forming apparatus is further provided with an adjustment mechanism for preventing the detachable fixing unit from being taken out from the apparatus body, when the temperature detecting unit determines that the temperature of the detachable fixing unit exceeds a predetermined value, and allowing the detachable fixing unit to be taken out from the apparatus body, when the temperature detecting unit determines that the temperature of the detachable fixing unit is the predetermined value or less, whereby protecting users from getting their hands burned when taking out the detachable fixing unit from the apparatus body.

Abstract: An erasable electrophotographic toner includes a binder resin, a near-infrared absorbing material, a decolorizing agent and an organic white pigment.

Abstract: An intermediate transfer belt is built in an electro-photographic image forming apparatus. A toner image formed on a photosensitive element is primary transferred on the intermediate transfer belt. The intermediate transfer belt secondary transfers the primary transferred toner image on a recording medium being conveyed at a secondary transfer unit. The intermediate transfer belt has streaks formed by surface roughening on the surface thereof and directed so as to have an angle relative to the driving direction of the intermediate transfer belt within a range from 40 to 140 degree. This angle setting enables stable transfer of an image without causing any character missing.

Abstract: The printing device is a printing device having a reception part receiving print data, a print job information storage storing print job information of the print data, an image data conversion part concerting the print data to image data, a print queue generation part generating print queue information administrating the print data on the basis of page upon conversion from the print data to image data, a print job ID storage storing the print job ID at the time of an order when job cancellation is ordered, and a control part comparing the print job ID stored in the print job ID storage with the print job ID at the time of execution in execution of job cancellation and cancelling the print job ID when the print job IDs are equal. The printing device allows job cancellation to be specified without multiple panel operations in ordering job cancellation order.

Abstract: There is provided an apparatus for forming a thermal transfer printing sheet. The apparatus includes: a release sheet feeder that feeds a release sheet having a release surface; a first image forming section that transfers an image, which is to be thermally transferred and printed on a transfer medium, onto the release surface of the release sheet; a second image forming section that forms a thermoplastic resin pattern corresponding to the image as a transfer base material and transfers the thermoplastic resin pattern onto the release surface of the release sheet; and a fixing section that fixes the image and the thermoplastic resin pattern onto the release surface of the release sheet in a film shape, through heat and pressure.

Abstract: The present invention relates to: a composition for label base containing a polyester resin having a repeating unit formed by condensation of an aliphatic dicarboxylic acid and an aliphatic diol; a method for producing a label base containing developing the composition for label base to form a solid image having a label shape, transferring the solid image onto a pressure-sensitive adhesive layer side of a release paper, and fixing the transferred solid image on the pressure-sensitive adhesive layer by heat and pressure application into a film shape; and a label containing the label base and a label image provided thereon obtained by transferring a toner image to the label base and fixing the transferred toner image to the label base by heat and pressure application