Abstract: A fixing device (20) for heating and then fixing an unfused toner image onto a sheet substrate includes a first roller (24) and a second roller (28) spaced apart from the first roller. A third roller (26) is arranged between the first and second rollers. A portion of the third roller is protruded across an imaginary line (38) which contacts with outer peripheries of the first and second rollers on the same side thereof into a region (40) in which the first and second rollers are located. A fourth roller (30) is spaced apart from the third roller beyond the first or second roller. A portion of the fourth roller is also protruded across the imaginary line into the region. A heater (36) is mounted for heating the rollers. The sheet (22) is transported with one surface thereof contacted with the first and second rollers while the other surface thereof is contacted with the third and fourth rollers along a sheet path (42) defined by peripheral portions of the four rollers.

Abstract: A camera includes a CCD line sensor divided into a plurality of blocks and a plurality of monitors provided near each of the divided blocks and sensing the amount of received light corresponding to each block. The storage of charge in each block of the CCD is controlled based on the amount of the light received by the monitor. Each block corresponds to each part of an object in a finder of the camera.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus for copiers, printers and the like. In the image forming apparatus, a standard pattern image, the density of which is detected by a sensor for controlling conditions of image forming operations, is formed on a photosensitive member. Density values are sampled at a plurality of sampling points on a standard pattern image by operating the sensor with a timing at which said sensor confronts said standard pattern image, and are mutually compared with each other. If the comparison result indicates that the timing of the sampling operation lags the standard pattern image, the sampling timing is corrected by eliminating the timing lag. The sampling operation of a subsequent sampling cycle is thereby conducted based on a corrected timing.

Abstract: A camera capable of taking pictures selectively in a standard or full size frame and a panorama frame having a reduced vertical dimension. This camera includes vertically movable light-shielding members for partly light-shielding an exposure range of the standard frame to set an exposure range of the panorama frame. When the panorama frame is selected, a warning is given on a display provided on the camera body to the effect that a date and other photographic information cannot be recorded on pictures taken in the panorama frame. The shutter of the camera includes an electronic device for detecting an amount of light traveling from a photographic object to which light is flashed. Output of this device is used for suitably controlling exposure for photography in the standard and panorama frames.

Abstract: This invention concerns an automatic exposure adjusting apparatus which permits infallible production of a signal corresponding exactly to the density of a given original document constantly even when the components of an optical system thereof cause any dispersion or gradual deterioration due to aging. First, the apparatus exposes a standard white subject copy 1 set on a document table 2 to the light of a preset standard amount of exposure, samples the reflected light from the copy 1 by a light detector 14, and adjusts to a proper magnitude the output value of an original document density signal emitted from a noninverting amplifier 33. Then, it exposes the standard density plate 3 to the light of an adjusted standard amount of exposure, samples the reflected light from the standard density plate 3 by the light detector 14, and readjusts to a proper magnitude the output value of an original document density signal issued from the noninverting amplifier 33.

Abstract: In a charging device used in a cleanerless image forming apparatus and including a charging brush in contact with an image bearing member, a scraping member is provided which is in contact with the charging brush with a predetermined amount of indentation overlap on an upstream side of a contact portion between the charging brush and the image bearing member with respect to a rotational direction of the charging brush. With such an arrangement, the developer, which is scraped from the charging brush by the scraping member and then adheres onto the image bearing member, is recharged by the charging brush so as to be collected by a developing-cleaning device.

Abstract: A toner image formed on a recording member is fixed onto the recording member by a fixing device having a heatable member, a heater for heating the heatable member positioned on one side of the heatable member, the recording member being positioned on an opposite side of the heatable member and spaced from the heatable member to heat the recording member by radiation from the heatable member, and a fixing structure for fixing the toner image on the heated recording member. The heatable member can be a fixing belt arranged in a loop while the heater is an electromagnetic induction coil positioned substantially within the loop. The electromagnetic induction coil generates a magnetic flux perpendicular to the transport direction of the fixing belt to produce an eddy-like induction current in a conductive member of the fixing belt to heat the fixing belt. The fixing belt, in turn, heats the recording member on the exterior side of the belt to soften the toner image thereon. The fixing structure, e.g.

Abstract: The induction-heating apparatus of this invention contains a conductive member, a power source, and a first and a second induction coil connected to the power source and adapted for causing the conductive member to generate an induced current, the first and the second induction coil being parallelly connected. The induction coil is formed by winding a copper wire round a core in such a manner that the numbers of turns of the copper wire gradually decrease from the lowermost layer approximating most closely to the core to the upper layers. This heating apparatus has the thickness of the induction coil in the range of 0.2-0.8 mm. The gap between the induction coil and the conductive member is in the range of 0.5-4.0 mm. This heating apparatus has the induction coil thrust out of the conductive member. The induction coil is formed of a Litz wire.

Abstract: In a powder filling method for supplying the powder from a powder supply hopper into a container, the air inside the hopper and/or the container is pressured and then restored to an atmospheric pressure by discharging the pressured air in the hopper and/or the container. With this method, even a powder of an inferior filling performance can be filled into a container to a high density.

Abstract: A film image reading system includes: an image pickup device which picks up a light image of an image recorded on a film to produce raw image signals corresponding to three colors of the light image and indicative of magnitudes corresponding to light amounts of their respective three colors; a signal processor which processes raw image signals of three colors in accordance with a reference to produce output image signals corresponding to three colors of the light image, the output image signals being operable to ensure a proper color balance; a first calculator which calculates differences between a high magnitude image signal of a particular color and respective high magnitude image signals of the remaining colors; and a second calculator which calculates differences between an average magnitude image signal of the particular color and average magnitude image signals of the remaining colors; and a reference changer which changes the reference of the signal processor based on differences calculated by the fir

Abstract: A sheet feeding apparatus has a forwarding device for successively forwarding a plurality of sheets accommodated in a state of stacked layer one by one. The forwarding device is movable between a sheet forwarding position where the forwarding device is brought in contact with the leading end of a sheet for forwarding the sheet and a retracted position where the forwarding device is separated away from the sheet. The apparatus includes a transport device for receiving a sheet forwarded by the forwarding device and transporting the sheet in a predetermined direction of transport.

Abstract: In a flash light amount control device capable of operating according to multiple methods, the flash light control method alternates according to the detected AF mode setting, the camera panning status, or the reliability of the detected object distance. For example, if AF lock is on, control is performed by flash light adjustment, but if AF lock is not on, control is performed by flashmatic. If panning is performed after AF lock, the method of control alternates between flash light adjustment and flashmatic in response to the amount of panning movement.

Abstract: A toner for developing electrostatic latent images comprising: colored resin particles which include a binder resin and a colorant, and hydrophobic titania micro particles which are obtained by surface treating of anatase-type titania micro particles having average primary particle size of 30 to 90 nm with a hydrophobicity imparting agent and satisfy following relationship:S=1125/D+kwherein S expresses BET specific surface area (m.sup.2 /g) of hydrophobic titania micro particles, D expresses average primary particle size (nm) of anatase-type titania micro particles, and k expresses a constant of 0 to 60.

Abstract: The present invention provides a laminated-type photosensitive member comprising a photosensitive layer which is comprised ofa charge generating layer containing an organic charge generating material anda charge transporting layer having a thickness of at least 27 .mu.m and containing an organic charge transporting materialon an electrically conductive cylindrical substrate having a small drum size.a mobility (.mu.) of electrical charges in the charge transporting layer has a specified value. The laminated-type photosensitive member can be applied to an image-forming process in which electrostatic latent images are formed at the identical position of the photosensitive member at a 0.5 or less second interval.

Abstract: A feeding device which feeds paper sheets accommodated in a paper supply tray detachable from a body of an image forming apparatus. Paper sheets stacked in the paper supply tray is induced to make pressure contact with a feed roller in conjunction with attachment of the paper supply tray to the body of the apparatus, and release the pressure contact between paper sheets and the feed roller in conjunction with detachment of the paper supply tray from the body of the apparatus. The feed roller has on an exterior surface at least one portion having a friction coefficient lower than the rest portion of the exterior surface, and is stopped its rotation in a state that the lower friction coefficient portion contacts with an uppermost paper sheet when paper feeding is completed, so as to prevent paper jams caused by shifting or deformation of the uppermost paper sheet during attachment or detachment of the paper supply tray to the body of the apparatus.

Abstract: A linear motor apparatus includes a stator extending in a predetermined direction and having a field magnet for driving; a movable piece having an armature coil opposed to the field magnet, and being reciprocatable along the stator; a Hall element disposed at a portion on the movable piece opposed to the field magnet for outputting a voltage signal depending on an intensity and a direction of a magnetic field formed by the field magnet as well as a Hall element reference input voltage supplied thereto; a correction circuit for producing an output signal by correcting an output signal issued from the Hall element to have a cycle equal to that of the Hall element output signal and a constant maximum amplitude depending on the Hall element reference input voltage; and a current supply circuit for supplying a current, depending on the output voltage issued from the correction circuit, to the armature coil for producing a driving force of the movable piece.

Abstract: In performing an AF operation in a lens-exchangeable camera, whether or not the DVP reference for a lens mounted (i.e., a position serving as a reference for forward movement of the lens) is infinity, is determined. When the DVP reference is infinite, an AF operation is performed with a decision on subject movement. If the DVP reference is not infinity, an AF operation is performed without a decision on subject movement. Thus, a lens-exchangeable camera can be provided capable of preventing malfunction due to an inappropriate reference position for forward movement of the lens.

Abstract: An eyepiece for use in a viewfinder optical system has a wide dioptric power adjustment range. The eyepiece is provided with, from a side of a secondary-image plane formed by a first, a second, and a third relay lens, a first, a second, and a third eyepiece lens having a positive, a negative, and a positive refractive power, respectively. For dioptric power adjustment, the positive first eyepiece lens or the negative second eyepiece lens is moved in an optical axis direction.

Abstract: A light modulation apparatus having a light shutter element which has an electro-optic effect, such as a PLZT. A pair of electrodes are provided on the light shutter element, and a DC voltage applying circuit is connected to the electrodes. The top surface, where the electric field is applied, exhibits modified electrical characteristics.

Abstract: The invention relates to an image reading apparatus for reading images of original documents by moving the original relative to a stationary image reader. A single image reader is used in a first embodiment. When reading the image of a first side, the single image reader is stationary at a first position to read the original. When reading the image of a second side, the single image reader is moved to a second position corresponding to the size of the original, and reads the image of the second side while said image reader is stationary at the second position. The image reading apparatus of the second embodiment uses a stationary first reader for reading a first side of an original, and a movable second image reader for reading a second side of an original. The image reading apparatus of the second embodiment changes the position of the image reader in accordance with the size of the original.