Abstract: A cleaning method for a contact type charger in an cleanerless image forming apparatus. The method includes a step of switching bias voltages applied to the contact type charger and a develop/cleaning device from first level to a second level so as to release developer adhering to the contact type charger onto an image-bearing member as well as to collect a part of the developer moved onto the image-bearing member by the developing/cleaning device, and a step of switching the bias voltage from the second level to the first level so as to collect the rest of the developer released onto the image-bearing member by the develop/cleaning device.

Abstract: A distance measuring device according to the present invention includes a light projector, a controller, and a light receiver. The light projector projects light toward an object to be measured, and the controller controls the light projector to carry out a first light projection to emit a first light at a predetermined angle with a first light distribution, and subsequently to carry out a second light projection to emit a second light at the predetermined angle with a second light distribution which is different from the first light distribution. The light receiver receives the first and second light emitted by the light projector and reflected from the object, and produces light reception signals, and a circuit arrangement calculates a distance to the object by means of the light reception signals.

Abstract: An image reading apparatus provided with a document feeder, and in which a plurality of originals are set on a platen glass and read in a single reading operation to obtain image data. The obtained image data are stored in an image memory. The number of originals which can be placed on the platen glass varies in accordance with the size of the originals to maximize the number of originals to be placed on the platen glass.

Abstract: A zoom lens system is provided with, from the object side, a first lens unit having a negative refractive power, a second lens unit having a positive refractive power and a third lens unit having a negative refractive power. Zooming from a shortest focal length condition to a longest focal length condition is performed by moving all of the lens units while reducing the distance between the first and second lens units and the distance between the second and third lens units. The second lens unit includes three lens elements of a positive lens element, a negative lens element and a positive lens element from the object side.

Abstract: Upon detecting a plurality of troubles based on input numerals by various sensors and the like, warnings corresponding to respective troubles simultaneously appear on a part of a liquid crystal display as pictorial characters, and a help key blinks. Processing contents for the warning of the highest priority appears on the liquid crystal display, as well. Each time the help key is turned on, processing contents for a warning on display changes into that for another warning corresponding to each pictorial character according to the order of priority.

Abstract: A camera system comprises a brightness measuring circuit, a exposure line choosing circuit, an operable switch, a film driver and a film driving mode selector.The brightness measuring circuit measures brightness of a photographic scene to send a brightness value. The exposure line choosing circuit chooses one of a plurality of exposure lines in which each lines selects a combination of an aperture value and a shutter speed value at each brightness value. The film driver drives a film in either of a first mode in which the film is wound only one frame in response to the operation of the operable switch and a second mode in which the film is wound frame by frame continuously as long as the operable member is operated. The film driving mode selector selects one of the modes in accordance with the exposure line chosen by the choosing circuit.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus for forming images by an electrophotographic process. The image forming apparatus includes a humidity sensor for detecting the humidity in the area around the image forming members provided therein, a density sensor for detecting the density of images formed on a photoreceptor, and a humidity controller having a dehumidifying unit and a humidifying unit for adjusting the humidity in the area around image forming members. The humidity controller is operated according to humidity historical data generated based on the humidity data outputed from the humidity sensor, a detected photoreceptor potential, a detected amount of developer scattered from the developing unit or the detection result from the density sensor.

Abstract: A transparent film used as recording media in an electrophotographic apparatus and having different expansion and shrinkage characteristics during heating in length and width directions. At the end portion of the film in the direction in which the film has slighter shrinkage is provided a non-transparent member so that the passage of the film can be detected by means of photosensors without the non-transparent member being peeled away from the film due to the differences in the shrinkage factors of the film and the non-transparent member upon fixing.An image forming method for forming an image on the transparent film. In the above method, the transparent film is set at a supply portion of the electrophotographic apparatus so as to be fed along the direction in which the film has greater shrinkage during heating, so that the film does not jam and roll up on a fixing rollers and is allowed stable image formation.

Abstract: The present invention provides a photosensitive member composed of a photosensitive layer and a surface protective layer on an electrically substrate in this order, in which the surface protective layer comprises an amorphous carbon layer which has a specified ratio of absorptivity coefficients of infrared absorption peaks in infrared absorption spectrum.

Abstract: The image forming apparatus, in forming an image on the blank surface of a recording paper the one-side surface of which has an image already formed thereon for the purpose of promoting further utilization of the recording paper, forms on the aforementioned one-side surface of the recording paper a mark indicating unnecessariness of the image already formed on the one-side surface. This apparatus is provided with a marking unit capable of inscribing on the used surface having an unnecessary image recorded thereon a mark indicating unnecessariness of this image. This marking unit is actuated only when the fact that the reverse surfaces of recording papers have unnecessary image information already recorded thereon is detected, when the fact that the particular one of a plurality of paper feeding trays which accommodates used recording papers has been designated is detected, or when recording papers have been supplied from the paper feeding tray accommodating used recording papers.

Abstract: A facsimile apparatus includes a plurality of image reading units, each reading an image and converting the read image into image data, and a main controlling unit for receiving image data through a communication line and transmitting the received image data through another communication line to another facsimile apparatus of a destination. In the main controlling unit of the facsimile apparatus, a selector selects one of the image reading units, and a communication line connection controller connects the main controlling unit through the communication line with the selected one of the image reading units. Further, a data receiver receives image data from one of the image reading units cconnected throught the comunication line by the communication line connection controller.

Abstract: A light beam scanning optical apparatus which deflects a light beam emitted from a light source with a polygonal mirror and scans the light beam on a photosensitive member through an f.theta. optical system. Suppose the distance between a rotation axis of the polygonal mirror and each reflecting facet in a case wherein the reflecting facets are flat to be A. If a convergent light beam is incident to the polygonal mirror, and if the reflecting facets are concave, the distance between the rotation axis and the facets is adjusted to be larger than A. If the reflecting facets are convex, the distance is adjusted to be smaller than A. Also, if a divergent light beam is incident, and if the reflecting facets are concave, the distance between is adjusted to be smaller than A. If the reflecting facets are convex, the distance is adjusted to be larger than A.

Abstract: A device for detecting the residual amount of a developer has a developer storing vessel, a light-emitting element for projecting a light for irradiation from the outside to the inside of the vessel, a light-receiving element disposed outside the vessel and adapted to receive the light for irradiation projected by the light-emitting element into the interior of the vessel and issuing a signal in response to the received light, and a control device for discerning between arrival and no arrival of the residual amount of the developer in the vessel at the prescribed level on the basis of the signal from the light-receiving element.

Abstract: A charging device with a plate-like electrode having a plurality of protrusions, the charging device having a cleaning device including cleaning members which are positioned bilaterally to the electrode and grip the electrode therebetween to clean. The cleaning device cleans the electrode while the cleaning members slide on a guide formed along the electrode, or the cleaning device cleans the electrode by griping the electrode by the cleaning members which are positioned along the electrode.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus having an image carrying member onto which an electrostatic latent image is formed, a developing device that accommodates a liquid developer including toner particles for forming a toner image on the image carrying member by developing the electrostatic latent image, and an intermediate transfer member onto which .is transferred the toner image formed on the surface the image carrying member. The image on the surface of the intermediate transfer member is further transferred onto a recording medium. The intermediate transfer member surface has a mean roughness of 0.5-10 times greater than the volume-average particle size of the toner particles.

Abstract: In an image forming apparatus having a two-face copy mode wherein document images are formed on front and back faces of a paper, a direction of an image such as portrait or landscape in a document is set by a user or according to a document size, while a first margin is also set by a size or a document size for a document image on the front face in a reproduced image on a paper. A second margin for another document image on the back face is determined at a position opposite to the first margin. An image memory stores the digital image data. A rotation angle is set according to the document direction and the margin position, so that normal images can be observed in the front and back faces of a paper if the paper is turned over by fixing it at the margin. Then, the digital image data read from said image memory is rotated by the rotation angle. Then, the digital image data is printed on the front and back faces of a paper.

Abstract: A processing device for processing sheet-like media via immersion in a special fluid, for example, for renewing a copy sheet by removing printed material such as toner therefrom. The processing device has a tank accommodating a fluid therein; a sheet feeding device for feeding a sheet into the fluid in the tank, a sheet accommodating device for accommodating a sheet, a sensing device for outputting a signal responsive to a state of the sheet in the sheet accommodating device, and a changing device for changing a relative position between the tank and the sheet accommodating device, the relative position including a retracted position where the sheet accommodating device is positioned outside the tank and an operating position where the sheet accommodating device is positioned within the fluid in the tank, the changing device changing the relative position in response to the signal outputted by the sensing device.

Abstract: Developer density measuring apparatus comprising a transparent detection window confronting the interior of a developing device, illumination means for illuminating developer comprising a toner and a carrier accommodated in said developing device, and density determining means for determining developer density by the amount of light reflected from said developer measured through said transparent detection window, and wherein the surface of the transparent detection window on the side confronting the interior of the developing device is roughened.

Abstract: A non-invasive glucose concentration measurement apparatus includes: a light source which projects at the sample radiation of a wavelength range including a wavelength at which absorption greatly changes with glucose concentration but does not greatly vary with temperature; a photosensor which receives the radiation which have been projected by the light source, and transmitted through or reflected by the sample, and generates an electrical signal corresponding to a through-transmitted or reflected level of the radiation of the wavelength; and a calculator which calculates a glucose concentration based on the electrical signal. A more accurate glucose concentration can be obtained without the influence of temperature.

Abstract: A laser beam optical scanning device which has a laser diode, a collimator lens, a cylindrical lens, a polygonal scanner and an f .theta. lens. The polygonal scanner is made of resin, and when the polygonal scanner is driven to rotate, the reflective facets of the polygonal scanner are distorted to be concave or convex because of a centrifugal force. If the reflective facets are distorted to be concave with rotation of the polygonal scanner, the image surface shifts along the optical axis toward the polygonal scanner. Therefore, in this case, the elements of the optical scanning device are positioned such that the image surface is located behind a light receiving surface while the polygonal scanner is stationary and is located nearer to the light receiving surface while the polygonal scanner is rotating.