Abstract: A fixing device includes a fuser member, a pressure member, a positioning mechanism, an operational thermometer, an environmental sensor, and a controller. The fuser member is subjected to heating. The pressure member is opposite the fuser member. The fuser member and the pressure member press against each other to form a fixing nip therebetween through which a recording medium is passed. The positioning mechanism is coupled with the pressure member to move the pressure member into and away from contact with the fuser member. The operational thermometer adjoins the pressure member to detect an operational temperature at a surface of the pressure member. The environmental sensor is disposed in the image forming apparatus to detect an environmental condition. The controller is connected to the operational thermometer and the environmental sensor to control the positioning mechanism to adjust spacing between the fuser member and the pressure member.

Abstract: A thermosensitive recording medium including a support, and a thermosensitive recording layer containing a leuco dye and a developer, and formed on a surface of the support, wherein the thermosensitive recording medium comprises at least any one of diiodomethyl-p-tolylsulfone and 3-iodo-2-propynyl-butyl-carbamate.

Abstract: A device may include a first manager to store attribute information of a first program in a first storage in response to an install request to install the first program, and a second manager to store attribute information of a second program in a second storage in response to an install request to install the second program. The second manager may store attribute information of a third program and attribute information of the second program included in the third program in the second storage, and store attribute information of the first program included in the third program in the first storage, in response to an install request to install the third program that includes the first program and the second program.

Abstract: A display device includes a substrate; a matrix of scan lines and signal lines formed on the substrate; switching elements formed in pixel areas defined by the scan lines and the signal lines crossing each other; a first insulating film formed over the scan lines, the signal lines, and the switching elements; and display elements to be driven by the switching elements. The pixel areas are located in a display area and the first insulating film has openings above the scan lines or the signal lines in an outer area outside of the display area.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus executing a job based on authority of an account and capable of controlling a job instructed by an authorized user is disclosed. The image forming apparatus includes a certification ticket generation unit generating a certification ticket corresponding to the job and account information of the account instructing the execution of the job; a job information generation unit generating job information of the job; a certification ticket validity determination unit determining whether the certification ticket is valid; a job validity determination unit determining whether the execution of the job by the account is valid based on the job information corresponding to the certification ticket that has been determined valid by the certification ticket validity determination unit; and a job control unit executing the job, the execution of the job having been determined valid by the job validity determination unit.

Abstract: An optical writer includes a light source, an optical part, a housing, and an elastically deformable retainer. The light source projects light against a target. The optical part is disposed on a light path between the light source and the target. The housing houses the light source and the optical part. The elastically deformable retainer is detachably fixed to the housing and includes a plurality of contact portions on an inner surface of the retainer to hold the optical part. The retainer elastically deforms to separate at least one of the contact portions from other contact portions to hold the optical part by the plurality of contact portions.

Abstract: A lubricant supplying device includes a lubricant supplying roller configured to rotate in a certain direction and makes a sliding contact with an image carrier on which a toner image is carried; a solid lubricant arranged to slide in contact with the lubricant supplying roller; a changing unit configured to change a revolution of the lubricant supplying roller to adjust an amount of the solid lubricant supplied onto the image carrier; and a calculation unit configured to obtain a product life or total consumption of the solid lubricant from a total running distance or total operating time of the image carrier or the lubricant supplying roller, the product life or the total consumption of the solid lubricant being corrected based on the amount of the solid lubricant supplied onto the image carrier.

Abstract: A droplet ejection head that is attachable to and removable from a droplet ejection apparatus, includes: a nozzle plate having multiple nozzle holes to eject droplets; an individual-channel substrate in which multiple individual-liquid-chambers to supply liquid to the nozzle holes are formed; a common-channel substrate to supply liquid to the individual-channel substrate; a base plate made of metal and including a first positioning part to be engaged with a part of the droplet ejection apparatus at a given position to perform positioning with respect to the droplet ejection apparatus in a direction along an opening surface of the nozzle plate at which the nozzle holes are opened; and a housing made of resin and including a second positioning part to perform positioning with respect to the droplet ejection apparatus in a direction intersecting with the opening surface.

Abstract: Methods and systems herein provide for the use of virtually stored media “snapshots” for rasterizing print jobs. In one embodiment, a print controller receives a print job. The print controller identifies a virtually stored media that specifies a media property utilized for rasterizing the print job, where the virtually stored media is associated with a media tray of a printer. The print controller identifies the media property specified by the virtually stored media, and rasterizes the print job based on the media property specified by the virtually stored media.

Abstract: A disclosed data transfer device includes one or more data transfer control unit configured to control a command issuance and a data transfer separately, a command issuing unit configured to determine priorities of commands and issue the commands in an order from a higher priority, a memory communication control unit configured to perform the data transfer corresponding to the command from and to a memory, and a signal output unit configured to output a completion signal of the data transfer in a case where the data transfer is normally completed. The command issuing unit sets a priority of a command corresponding to a request for resetting the data transfer control unit lower than the priority of the command issued by the data transfer control unit when the request for resetting is received, and the signal output unit outputs a dummy completion signal to the memory communication control unit.

Abstract: Techniques are provided for managing multiple Web services on a single device. The device includes device metadata and a service manager. Each Web service registers with the service manager. Registration includes providing service metadata to the service manager. The service manager may generate (e.g., at least some) service relationship data based on the service metadata. The service relationship data indicates (either explicitly or implicitly) a relationship (e.g., a dependency) between a first Web service of the multiple Web services and a second Web service. In response to one or more criteria being satisfied with respect to the first Web service, the service manager uses the service relationship data and/or the device metadata to determine that one or more actions should be initiated with respective to the second Web service.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image carrier to carry a toner image, a transfer member to form a transfer nip by contacting the image carrier surface, and a power supply to output a voltage to the recording material captured in the transfer nip so as to transfer the toner image formed on the image carrier surface. The voltage is switching alternately between a voltage in the transfer direction and a voltage opposite to the voltage in the transfer direction, and a time average value (Vave) of the voltage is set to have a polarity of the transfer direction, and is set to a value in the transfer voltage side, and a change mode to change a cycle of the voltage output from the power supply can be changed based on the toner deterioration information which determines the deterioration status of the toner.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a dual purpose tray that accommodates a document and a transfer sheet, a document transport mechanism to transport the document from the dual purpose tray to an image reading position, an image reading mechanism disposed beneath the document transport mechanism, an image forming mechanism disposed beneath the image reading mechanism, a transfer sheet transport mechanism to transport the transfer sheet from a bifurcation point through the image reading mechanism, a sheet feeding path that bifurcates into a first transport path through which the document is transported to the image reading position and a second transport path through which the transfer sheet is transported through the image reading mechanism to an image forming position by switching a switching member in accordance with one of a type of a recording medium set on the dual purpose tray and an operation mode of the image forming apparatus.

Abstract: Inkjet recording treatment liquids include: at least one water-soluble organic solvent; water; at least one compound according to formula (I) wherein: each of R1 and R3 independently represents H, a lower alkoxy group, or a lower perfluoroalkoxy group; each of R2 and R4 independently represents a lower perfluoroalkyl group; each of p, q, and r is independently an integer of 1 to 24; m is an integer of 1 to 28; and n is an integer of 0 to 10; and at least one compound according to formula (II) wherein: each of R5, R6, and R7 independently represents a lower alkyl group, a lower perfluoroalkoxy group, or F; and M is Li, Na, or K. Methods of inkjet recording, inkjet recording apparatus, storage bags, and cartridges employing the inkjet recording treatment liquids are also provided.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: a first image carrier; a first image forming unit that forms an image; an intermediate transfer belt; a primary transfer unit that primarily transfers the image onto the intermediate transfer belt; a secondary transfer unit that secondarily transfers the image transferred further onto a recording medium; a second image carrier that transfers the image onto the recording medium; a second image forming unit that forms an image on the second image carrier; a direct transfer unit that directly transfers the image onto the recording medium; a recording medium carriage belt, and a driving roller that drives the recording medium carriage belt; a speed fluctuation detecting unit; and a drive control unit that controls driving of the driving roller so as to reduce the cyclic speed fluctuation of the carriage belt based on a detection result of the speed fluctuation detecting unit.

Abstract: An image forming system includes a printing unit which prints an image on a recording sheet and a wrap bookbinding unit which performs wrap bookbinding of a batch of recording sheets including a plurality of document sheets on which images are printed by the printing unit. In the image forming system, a thickness detection unit detects a thickness of the batch of recording sheets. A wrap bookbinding control unit causes, when the detected thickness of the batch of recording sheets exceeds a thickness threshold value, the wrap bookbinding unit to perform wrap bookbinding to create two or more volumes. A relevant information printing control unit causes the printing unit to print an image of relevant information, indicating a relationship of the two or more volumes, on a cover sheet used to wrap each volume.

Abstract: A cleaning device includes a laminated blade member including multiple layers made of materials different in permanent set value and a holding member to hold the blade member. The multiple layers include an edge layer formed of a material higher in permanent set value among the materials and a backing layer disposed against a distal surface of the edge layer. The laminated blade member includes a leading edge where an edge portion of the edge layer contacting a cleaning target is located and a trailing edge where the holding member supports the blade member. A ratio of a thickness of the edge layer to a thickness of the backing layer at the trailing end of the blade member is smaller than a ratio thereof at the leading edge of the blade member.

Abstract: An image recording device records an image on a recording sheet based on input image information. The image recording device includes: an illumination-light-information inputting unit that inputs information of illumination light when the recorded image is observed; a whiteness setting unit that sets a whiteness of the recording sheet when the recorded image is observed; an addition amount determining unit that determines an amount of fluorescent-whitening-agent to be added to the recording sheet based on the input information of the illumination light and the whiteness that is set; and a fluorescent-whitening-agent adding unit that adds an amount of fluorescent-whitening-agent onto the recording sheet according to the determined amount of fluorescent-whitening-agent.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a toner including supplying a fluid containing a resin and a coloring agent to a retaining member including a film having multiple discharge orifices, discharging droplets of the fluid from the multiple discharge orifices at a speed of from 2 to 4 m/s by applying a pulse voltage having a trapezoid waveform to a piezoelectric body having a surface provided substantially parallel to the film to move the surface in a direction away from the film relative to a reference position of the surface followed by holding the surface there for a predetermined time, and bringing the surface back to the reference position; and solidifying droplets of the fluid discharged from the multiple discharge orifices to form mother particles.

Abstract: In an image forming apparatus, an operation result output part outputs a result of operation of a component. An operation result information creation part creates operation result information by giving information identification character information, which is determined by the component or the result of operation of the component, to the result of operation of the component. An identifier table stores the information identification character information and a unique identifier related to each other and the result of operation of the component and a unique identifier related to each other. An operation result information conversion part reads the identifier related to the information identification character information from the identifier table and converts the operation result information into after conversion operation result information in which at least the information identification character information is replaced by the identifier.