Abstract: A liquid developer transfer device disposed between a reservoir accommodating a liquid developer having a fluid medium and electrically charged toner particles dispersed therein and an electrostatic latent image carrying member, which performs toner transfer by repeating electrodeposition.

Abstract: The present invention relates to toners for developing electrostatically charged images which contains polyethylene fine particles and polypropylene fine particles as wax, which have a specific particle size. By incorporating such polyethylene and polypropylene fine particles into toners the prevention of smear, offset, filming, and improvement of fluidity and chargeability of the toners can be achieved.

Abstract: Where a person is being photographed, for example, both light from the person located at closer range and light from the background located farther away enter the photodetector elements. Where the contrast of the background is high, the rate at which the information from the background contributes to the focus detection becomes larger, which hinders accurate focus detection with regard to the person. In this case, the focus detection device divides a predetermined focus area into smaller areas and detects focus condition in each smaller area.

Abstract: The size of a paper put in a tray for manual insertion is decided according to detectors provided in the tray. When detection precision of the paper size is not so high to determine paper size, it is instructed to specify a paper size manually. In another example, a paper size selection picture including a plurality of paper sizes is displayed in a touch panel for assisting an operator to select paper size manually. Thus, paper size for the tray can be specified manually, and erroneous copying can be prevented. In situations where paper size is not needed to update, paper size selection is not instructed.

Abstract: A fixing device for heating and fixing an unfixed image to a record medium bearing the unfixed image, includes a heating roller provided with a core roller and at least two resistance heating members arranged at the core roller and controlled to be electrically powered independently of each other, the resistance heating members provide different heat distributions in a direction of a rotation axis of the heating roller.

Abstract: Binoculars having a fixed lens mount, a movable lens mount which is movable straight in a direction as approaching or moving away from the fixed lens mount to adjust their distance to viewer's eyes, a cover member for concealing a space formed between the fixed lens mount and the movable lens mount in accordance with a moving state of the movable lens mount. To the fixed lens mount is attached a first guide engaging with the movable lens mount to slidably guide the movable lens mount as well as a second guide engaging with the cover member so that the cover member is slidable along the second guide together with the movement of the movable lens mount. The binocular further includes a focus adjusting system between both lens mounts to move an objective lens incorporated in each lens mount in a direction of an optical axis, and an erect prism unit including a roof prism in each lens mount.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus is provided which is immune to characteristic variations of a photoconductor and a developer material, which can detect the amount of toner adhering to a test toner image accurately, and which can always form a favorable image using an optimal image forming parameter. A predetermined test toner image is formed on the photoconductor using developing devices. The amount of toner adhering to the formed test toner image is detected by an AIDC sensor. A printer control unit determines grid potential Vg of a corona charger and development bias potential Vb of each developing device based on the detected amount of adhering toner. A predetermined image is formed using the determined grid potential and development bias potential.

Abstract: An induction heating device for printers, copiers and the like includes a magnetic coil assembly and a heated metal body that form a closed magnetic circuit. To compensate for the effects of heat radiation at the ends of the heated metal body, a greater amount of heat is generated at the ends of the body than at the center thereof. In one approach, the amount of heat is varied by changing physical parameters of the magnetic circuit, such as the spacing of the coil assemblies from the heated body, the relative sizes of the cores, and/or the relative magnetic permeability of the cores. In another approach, the electrical connection of the coils of multiple assemblies are arranged such that the coils in the center of the heated body are in parallel, and the coils at the ends of the body are in series with the parallel central coils.

Abstract: A copying machine having a two-in-one copying mode comprises a document feeder means 65, 75 and three conveying means 90, 95, 101. The feeder means 65, 75 feeds a document toward a glass platen 29 one by one to stop the document at a first-out position. The first conveying means 90 conveys the document fed by the feeder means 65, 75 onto the glass platen. The second conveying means 95 conveys the document conveyed by the first conveying means 90 along the glass platen 29 until the rear end of the document reaches at a predetermined switch-back position, then conveys the document to the opposite direction to retreat a predetermined distance, and then conveys the document as well as a succeeding document stopped at the first-out position such that the front end of the document situated on a downstream side of the document conveying direction may be aligned with a exposure reference SP, and then discharging the documents to the downstream side of the document conveying direction after exposure.

Abstract: After the jam is cleared or after instruction of the start of printing, in order to remove the residual toner on an endless transfer belt or a secondary transfer roller, the endless transfer belt rotates in a state that the cleaner is contacted with the endless transfer belt and the secondary transfer roller is retracted from the endless transfer belt without applying the voltage by the voltage application means, and after one or more rotations of the endless transfer belt, the endless transfer belt continues to rotate in a state that the cleaner and the secondary transfer roller are contacted with the endless transfer belt with applying the voltage by the voltage application means.

Abstract: A projection optical device includes a projection optical system for projecting an image of an object plane onto a screen without forming an intermediate real image. The projection optical system includes a coaxial first lens group to be arranged relatively near the object plane, a coaxial second lens group to be arranged relatively near the screen, and a stop arranged between the first and second lens groups. The second lens group has an optical axis inclined with respect to an optical axis of the first lens group. A magnification .beta.1 of the first lens group satisfies a relationship of .vertline.1/.beta.1.vertline.<0.05. The second lens group is angularly deviated from the first lens group around a position of the stop.

Abstract: A sterilizer supplies liquid over an object and then irradiates far-infrared radiation to the object. The object is fully sterilized since the supplied liquid well absorb far-infrared radiation with sterilizing effect.

Abstract: When a communication header transmit from the lens side to the body side is input, a reset and start detection signal is checked and if the lens is found to have been reset and started, a body/lens identify signal is communicated to exchange identification signals of each other and the like and resetting of the mechanism is instructed. Thus, malfunction of the lens can be prevented even when the microcomputer for the lens side is reset with the lens mounted on the body.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus and an image forming method including a first process in which a resin-formed image is formed on a recording medium, and a second process in which the image formed on the recording medium is brought into contact with a solution containing a plasticizer which plasticizes the resin contained in the image.

Abstract: A voltage that has a difference in potential in the polarity direction opposite to the charge of the developer relative to the voltage applied to the sleeve by power supply 34 is applied to the control member by power supply 36. By this use of power supply 36, when the amount of remaining developer has fallen to a prescribed level, the conveyance of the developer to the photosensitive member by the sleeve is prevented, preventing image formation. Therefore, the image formation operation does not continue where the amount of remaining developer is small, which in turn eliminates the scattering of developer and maintains the cleanliness of the interior of the apparatus.

Abstract: When CPU 2 is in the standby state, switch S4 is turned OFF such that switch S1 is not connected to condenser C1 and the signals from switch S1 are pulled up by means of resistor R2. When CPU 2 becomes activated through the detection of a change in the state of switch S1, switches S3, S4 and S5 are turned ON to connect condenser C1 and resistor R1 to switch S1 and to connect resistor R3 to switch S2. Through this construction, the chattering in switches S1 and S2 may be eliminated, and CPU 2, which is in a standby state, may be activated based on signals from switch S1.

Abstract: Disclosed is an ink jet head which ejects an ink drop from an ink room throughout an orifice in response to deformation of piezoelectric member. The ink jet head has a non-piezoelectric member having a groove; a film provided on the non-piezoelectric member to cover the groove, the space formed between the groove and the film being uses as the ink room; a substrate provided opposing to the film; and a piezoelectric member having a first surface, the first surface contacting with the substrate corresponding to the ink room. A part of the first surface is fixedly connected with the substrate. The remaining part of the first surface is facing to the substrate, but is not fixedly connected.

Abstract: The robot according to the present invention sequentially performs a collecting operation in which dust and particles on the floor are collected, and a cleaning or waxing operation. The cleaning robot includes a moving unit including driving wheels or crawlers, a collecting unit for suctioning dust from the floor, and a wiping unit for wiping the floor with a detergent, disinfectant, wax, etc. The collecting unit is positioned on the front of the cleaning robot with respect to the moving direction while the wiping unit is positioned on the back of the cleaning robot. Thus, the robot prevents secondary contamination of the floor and slippage or failure of the moving means caused by soiling of the moving means. The cleaning unit and the wiping unit include sensors which sense an obstacle and determine whether the obstacle is one which can be moved over, such as a cord, or whether the obstacle is one which must be avoided, such as a wall.

Abstract: A drip-proof mechanism in an apparatus which is operated by moving an operation member relative to a member that is adjacent to the operation member. The operation member includes a main unit which is substantially cylindrical shaped and rotatable with respect to the adjacent member, and an elastic member which covers the outer surface of the main unit. On each circumference of the elastic member, extensions are formed as a unit at both ends of said the operation member, and each extensions is elastically pressed against the adjacent member when the operation member is assembled with the adjacent member to prevent drip.

Abstract: A control device for feeding and positioning a film precisely, in a camera, a printing apparatus, etc., includes a photo interrupter with a light emitter, a light detector for detecting a light emitted from the light emitter, and a holding member for keeping both the light emitter and the light detector in position; a frame with a guiding member for guiding a film having a longitudinal edge with a plurality of perforations which travels between the light emitter and the light detector of the photo interrupter; a perforation detector for detecting a perforation based upon a signal outputted from the light detector, which outputs the signal each time a perforation of the film edge passes a location corresponding to an optical axis existing between the light emitter and the light detector; and a controller for controlling a film feeding operation in accordance with the detection of a perforation by the perforation detector.