Abstract: An ink jet printing apparatus includes a sheet transporting mechanism for transporting a printing sheet along a vertical plane; a first printing head unit provided on a horizontal plane perpendicularly intersecting the vertical plane and having an ink emission portion for emitting ink to one side surface of the printing sheet; and a second printing head unit provided on a horizontal plane perpendicularly intersecting the vertical plane and having an ink emission portion for emitting ink to the other side surface of the printing sheet.

Abstract: A toner replenishing device including a container having an acceptance opening for a toner, and a toner cartridge removably mounted on the container so as to traverse the acceptance opening along an upper surface portion extending at the upper end of the acceptance opening, and using a shutter member when the toner cartridge is removed from the container. An engaged hole is formed in one side part of the container. In one side part of the shutter member opposed to the one side part of the container, a hook portion is formed for being engaged with the engaged hole to allow the turn of the shutter member in the direction of insertion between the lower surface of the toner cartridge and the upper surface portion of the container, as well as in the reverse direction, and to regulate the position of the shutter member in the width direction relative to the container.

Abstract: A device for developing an electrostatic latent image includes a developing roller disposed in a developing housing and a developing agent-limiting device for limiting the amount of the developing agent held on the peripheral surface of the developing roller. The developing agent-limiting device includes a flexible blade brought into pressed contact with the peripheral surface of the developing roller, a flexible support plate that is mounted on the blade and supports the blade in a predetermined positional relationship with respect to the developing roller, and a resilient urging device that is constituted by a plurality of spring members arranged on the back surface of the support plate at a distance in the direction of width thereof and pushes the blade in a direction in which it comes into pressed contact with the peripheral surface of the developing roller via the support plate.

Abstract: In a management system in which a plurality of copiers are managed by a host computer, each copier is provided with a device that is connected to the host computer so as to manage the copier. The device can be initialized from the copier without advance registration in the host computer. To achieve this, when a serviceperson, having set up the copier, enters a registration code and executes initialization, the device communicates with the host computer and transmits thereto an initialization report. On receiving the initialization report, the host computer creates a database, and subsequently sets the device using predetermined values in the database and assigns thereto a copier ID number. When communication has been completed without errors, the device returns the copier ID number to the copier. To register the copier, an operator of the host computer opens a screen of a list of non-registered pieces of equipment to be managed in order to select and register the corresponding copier on that screen.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus which forms identical images both on a sheet of a first type (overhead projector sheet) and on a sheet of a second type (normal paper sheet). One-side image formation is performed to form images on front sides of OHP sheets which are then discharged into a non-sort bin. Two-side image formation is performed to form images on the both sides of normal paper sheets which are then sorted and discharged into sort bins. Thus, sets of document sheets for presentation can be prepared in a sorted state. Since images are formed on both sides of the normal paper sheets, the normal sheets can be economized and saved.

Abstract: A developing device includes a toner cartridge mounting portion, and a toner cartridge to be detachably mounted on the toner cartridge mounting portion. The toner cartridge mounting portion has a bottom wall having a toner acceptance opening formed therein, and a pair of supporting side walls disposed on the opposite side edges of the bottom wall, and an engaging means is disposed on the inner surface of one of the supporting side walls. The toner cartridge includes a generally cylindrical container having an unsealably sealed toner discharge opening formed in the peripheral wall of the container, and a toner accommodated in the container. An engaged means to be engaged with the engaging means is disposed in the outer surface of one side wall of the container.

Abstract: A process unit including a photoconductor unit having a photoconductor drum, a developing unit having a developing roller disposed in a development housing, and a support shaft means for supporting the developing unit pivotably relative to the photoconductor unit. The developing roller is disposed such that its surface is pressed against the surface of the photoconductor drum in a developing zone. The photoconductor drum and the developing roller are rotationally driven such that their respective surfaces move from below to above in the developing zone.

Abstract: This invention provides an electrophotographic toner comprising the polyester resin being fixing resin and the electric charge control resin having the functional group that endows positively charging property to the toner, in which the polyester resin has an acid value of not more than 10 mgKOH/g and a hydroxyl value of not more than 40 mgKOH/g, and the functional group is present in 2 to 5 mol % in the electric charge control resin. This electrophotographic toner has stable positively charging property, so that good image is obtainable.

Abstract: In a management system in which a plurality of copiers are managed by a host computer, initialization of a copier can be conducted easily and without a risk of causing damage to databases for other copiers. Each copier is provided with a device that is connected to the host computer so as to manage the copier. In initialization, when only a check code is entered into the device, the device conducts initialization by creating an initialization report but without filling in its copier ID area. The host computer distinguishes a copier ID number included in the initialization report, and searches a database by use of the check code. When no initialization date/time fields contain data, the host computer recognizes that the device has not yet been initialized, and initializes it. After initialization, the device stores the copier ID number received from the host computer into the copier ID area in a RAM, and transmits the copier ID number to the copier.

Abstract: Input data corresponding to three primary colors C, M and Y are subjected to masking correction, to obtain data C', M' and Y'. A correction factor in a masking equation is varied depending on which of three sections into which all the gray levels of each of the input data C, M and Y are divided, the section being a section to which the input data of a selected color belong. As a result, suitable masking correction conforming to the value of the input data is made, thereby to improve color reproducibility of a color image.

Abstract: An apparatus and a method for contrast adjustment are provided which require a reduced amount of information for the contrast adjustment. A preliminary adjustment factor is first calculated on the basis of a contrast adjustment factor, and then input image data is processed on the basis of these two adjustment factors to provide contrast-adjusted image data. For example, the inclination of a contrast adjustment line is defined by the contrast adjustment factor, and a shift amount (intercept) of the contrast adjustment line is defined by the preliminary adjustment factor which is properly determined in correspondence with the contrast adjustment factor. Thus, not only the contrast of an image but also the density of the overall image can be properly adjusted simply by specifying a single adjustment factor.

Abstract: Disclosed is an image data processor for processing input image data representing the gray level of each of pixels constituting an image to produce output image data representing the gray level of each of pixels constituting an output image. The relative position of the pixel corresponding to the input image data in a group of pixels including a predetermined number of pixels is identified. The input image data is subjected to data processing corresponding to the relative position of the pixel in the group of pixels on the basis of the result of the identification. Consequently, gray levels are represented by the entire group of pixels.

Abstract: A copying machine managing system for managing copying machines connected to a host computer via a circuit, wherein each copying machine includes a help data storage unit having a first storage region for storing simple help data related to the copying operation and a second storage region for temporarily storing detailed help data related to the copying operation. The detailed help data are transmitted from the host computer. The copying machine managing system further includes a detailed data request unit for requesting the host computer to transmit the detailed help data via a circuit; and a display unit for displaying the data stored in the help data storage unit. The host computer includes a data base for storing detailed data, and a help data retrieval unit for retrieving the corresponding detailed help data from the data base in compliance with a request from the detailed data request unit.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus according to the present invention comprises three units, that is, an image forming unit 40, a fixing unit 60, and a transfer unit 50. The three units are mounted on a main frame 10 with a positional relationship upon being positioned therebetween. The image forming unit 40 is fixed to a predetermined position with respect to the main frame 10. Further, the main frame 10 comprises a positioning pin 14 arranged in a predetermined positional relationship with the image forming unit 40. The fixing unit 60 and the transfer unit 50 are positioned upon being engaged with the positioning pin 14. Consequently, there is no shift in position among the image forming unit 40, the transfer unit 50, and the fixing unit 60. The three units can be correctly mounted on the main frame 10.

Abstract: A toner cartridge is disclosed which includes a case having two toner discharge openings through the surface connected to a toner hopper, two sealing films, and a reeling shaft. The sealing films are removably adhered to the portion adjacent to the toner discharge openings, and seal the toner discharge opening. The reeling shaft is rotatably supported by the case, and allows the plurality of sealing films to be removed from the toner discharge openings during toner cartridge installation by reeling the sealing films around the reeling shaft. At least one of the plurality of sealing films is longer than the others, and is attached to the reeling shaft in a direction opposite that of the others. This arrangement allows the timing of removal of the sealing films to be shifted, thereby reducing the amount of torque required for their removal.

Abstract: A terminal device management system includes a plurality of terminal devices and a remote management apparatus for remotely managing the plurality of terminal devices. The remote management apparatus includes a data receiving section, a management table storing section for storing a management table including identifiers for the terminal devices which are set to transmit data in a transmission time interval for identifying whether data has been Bent from the terminal devices or not, a timer section for measuring a time period during which a line is not connected in the transmission time interval, and a control section for detecting whether or not the time period measured by the timer section reaches a predetermined time period, and for, when it is detected that the predetermined time period is reached, detecting a terminal device the identifier of which in the management table stored in the management table storing section indicates data has not been received therefrom, as a failed terminal device.

Abstract: A grounding device for use with an image forming machine includes an electric conductive member and radio wave absorbing device associated with the electric conductive member. The electric conductive member is composed of a metal plate or a metal bar. The radio wave absorbing device is composed of a radio wave absorbing member containing sintered ferrite or ferrite particles, a radio wave absorbing sheet piece containing ferrite particles, or a radio wave absorbing paint containing ferrite particles.

Abstract: A copying apparatus includes a copying machine unit, an operation portion having a central processing unit and an image processing unit having a central processing unit. A workstation is connected to the operation portion through the image processing unit. Data communication is performed between the workstation and the image processing unit and between the image processing unit and the operation portion. The image formation processing performed by the copying machine unit is controlled based on a command generated by operating the workstation.