Abstract: A hydrodynamic bearing unit is provided, by which the touch between oil and a sealing member in a housing is prevented to prevent oil leakage. A bearing member made of a sintered lubricant-containing metal is disposed along the inner periphery of the housing and a spindle is supported in a non-contact manner by the hydrodynamic oil pressure that is generated in a bearing gap by the rotation of the spindle. The opening of the housing is sealed by the sealing member. A ventilation path is formed so as to communicate a sealed space enclosed by the distal end of the spindle at the bottom of the housing, the bearing member and the housing with open air. An oil reservoir is formed between the inner periphery of the housing and the outer periphery of the bearing member at the end portion of the opening side of the housing. The oil reservoir is made so as to communicate with the ventilation path.

Abstract: A thermal master making device and a thermal printer including the same are disclosed. A thermistor senses ambient temperature around a thermal head. A correcting device corrects the amount of heat to be generated by the thermal head, i.e., the duration of energization at least two times during a single master making operation. This configuration reduces a change in the perforation conditions of a thermosensitive medium ascribable to the heat accumulation characteristic of the head. The printer achieves high resolution, high-speed master making and space saving.

Abstract: A sheet feeding device capable of again feeding, when failed to feed a sheet, the sheet by retry control is disclosed. The sheet feeding device includes a sheet tray loaded with a stack of sheets and a feed roller for sequentially feeding the sheets from the sheet tray one by one. A leading edge sensor is positioned downstream of the feed roller in the direction of sheet feed for sensing the leading edge of the sheet fed from the sheet tray. A registration roller pair is positioned downstream of the leading edge sensor in the direction of sheet feed for conveying the sheet toward an image transfer station at a preselected timing. When the retry control is to be executed, control means varies the content of control in accordance with information output from the leading edge sensor.

Abstract: A stencil printer of the present invention includes a print drum implemented as a porous hollow cylinder rotatably supported and configured such that a perforated stencil is wrapped therearound. A pressing device forms a pressing portion when pressed against the print drum. A feeding device feeds a sheet toward the pressing portion. A registration roller pair conveys the sheet toward said pressing portion at preselected timing. One roller of the registration roller pair expected to contact, when the sheet carrying an image on its one surface is reversed and again fed by said feeding device, the one surface first is provided with a highly oil-repellent surface configuration.

Abstract: Provided is a bulk paper feeding device with an intermediate conveyor comprising a carrier capable of carrying a large quantity of paper, a paper feeding mechanism for picking up and feeding one sheet at a time of the paper from the carrier, and an intermediate conveyor for transporting a sheet of paper fed from the feeding mechanism to the main paper feeding table of the paper feeder on the body of the image forming device or to the vicinity of a paper feeding port that faces the main paper feeding means of the paper feeder.

Abstract: A bar code reader provided with a laser diode (2) and a rotatory mirror (8) for deflecting a laser beam emitted by the laser diode for scanning, wherein a strip (20A) attached to the rotatory mirror (8), serving as a sensing indicator, is sensed at a position corresponding to a reading start edge of a laser beam scanning range of a bar code (1), and rotation of the rotatory mirror (8) is stopped for a predetermined time length after sensing of the strip (20A) and measurement of a scanning time length up to the final position of bar code reading, respectively, in the case of automatic scanning while rotation of the rotatory mirror (8) is locked upon measurement of half of a scanning time length up to the final position of the bar code reading after the sensing of the strip (20A) in the case of manual scanning, so that the laser beam can be recognized with ease, enabling focusing thereof or the manual scanning to be implemented.

Abstract: A multicolor printing method using a plurality of ink drums each being loaded with a respective master and a system therefore are disclosed. A plurality of removable ink drums replaceable with each other are fed with respective masters by fixed master feeding devices smaller in number than ink drums via the replacement of the drums and are used for printing. The method and system of the present invention are low cost and enhance downsizing and accurate registration between the masters.

Abstract: A data storing device of the present invention includes a cylindrical or hollow cylindrical data storing medium rotatable about its own axis and having a storage layer formed on its circumferential surface for storing data. A head adjoins the storage layer for writing or reading data in or out of the storage layer. A head moving mechanism causes the head to move back and forth along the axis of the data storing medium. A drive motor includes a stator and a rotor spaced from the stator and directly coaxially connected to the data storing medium.

Abstract: When a holder of an ID card approaches an image formation instructing device for sending an image forming instruction to an image forming apparatus, an ID code stored in a RF-ID element built in the ID card is read by a RF communication device, an image forming operation is executed, and the number of sheets for image formation is counted by counting means. Further, the counted number of sheets for image formation is associated with an ID code having predetermined bearing on the personal ID code read by the RF communication device and thereafter stored and held in a number-of-sheets file. Thus, the number of sheets for image formation is managed without preparing a key counter, a key card, etc. and without special operation.

Abstract: A bar code reader for reading a bar code by emitting a laser beam from a laser diode toward the bar code and receiving the subsequently reflected light on a photosensor, in which the photosensor is disposed along an irradiating direction of the laser beam emitted from the laser diode, thereby achieving the most effective arrangement of the laser diode and the photosensor occupying less area.

Abstract: A mater making device of the present invention includes a front tension roller pair located downstream of the nip of a thermal head and a platen roller for applying tension to a stencil. The front tension roller pair is made up of an upper roller formed of rubber and a lower roller formed of metal. The lower roller is formed with a plurality of groove portions spaced from each other in the axial direction and each having a small diameter not contacting the stencil. The groove portions therefore reduce the area of contact with the stencil for thereby reducing the influence of static electricity on the stencil.

Abstract: An induction heating device includes a plurality of induction coils connected to a single high-frequency power source and each being able to be ON/OFF controlled by a switch. A current is selectively fed only to desired part of the induction coils or to all of the induction coils connected in parallel. The coils are driven by a current fed thereto at the same time in the same phase. The device may include inverters for controlling power to be fed coil by coil. The device is free from interference and irregular heating and can readily cope with a change in a heating range while controlling power coil by coil.

Abstract: A water-in-oil type emulsion ink composed of 10-90% by weight of an oil phase and 90-10% by weight of an aqueous phase. The oil phase contains an esterified vegetable oil (an esterified vegetable oil obtained by recycling and esterifying edible waste oil such as soybean methyl ester, soybean butyl ester, or tall oil butyl ester).

Abstract: One roller (6) of paired feed rollers is a driving roller which is rotated by a motor (8), and a platen (3) and the other roller (which is a driven roller) (7) of the paired feed rollers are rotatably mounted on a swingable bracket (11) through a platen support member (12) and a roller support member (13) respectively to be free from being rotated by the motor (8).

Abstract: A stencil printer of the present invention includes a print drum for wrapping a master therearound, a master making and conveying section for perforating a stencil paid out from a stencil roll while conveying it to thereby produce the master, a master stocking section for stocking the master being conveyed by the master making and conveying section, and a roller pair for conveying the master out of the master stocking section. A movable master guide selectively guides the stencil paid out from the stencil roll to the master stocking section or the roller pair. A stretching member adjoins the print drum and is movable between a contact position where it contacts the stencil present on the print drum to thereby exert a stretching force on the master and a released position where the former is released from the latter. The stretching member and movable master guide are interlocked to each other.

Abstract: A stencil printer of the present invention perforates, or cuts, a thermosensitive stencil with a thermal head to thereby make a master. The stencil printer includes a stencil distinguishing device for automatically identifying the kind of the stencil or a master setting device for allowing the operator of the printer to set the kind of the stencil. An adjusting device selects, among master making conditions experimentally determined beforehand, a master making condition matching with information output from the stencil distinguishing device or the stencil setting device. The operator can easily change the master making condition in accordance with the kind of a stencil to use.

Abstract: A stencil printer of the present invention includes a print drum around which perforated part of a stencil or master is to be wrapped. A master making section make a master and includes a cutter for cutting the stencil paid out from a roll. A master discharging section removes the master wrapped around the print drum and then discharges it. A deciding device determines, on the turn-on of a power supply, whether or not the power supply has been turned off during an interval between the time when the stencil paid out from the roll starts being perforated and the time when the cutter cuts the stencil. When the deciding device determines that the power supply has been turned off during the above interval, the master discharging section discharges the master present on the print drum.

Abstract: An induction heating type fixing device for an electrophotographic image forming apparatus is disclosed. An inducting heating coil has a plurality of bobbins each having a particular diameter and assembled in a telescopic manner. A particular conductor is wound round each bobbin beforehand with leads being laid inside of the conductor. The bobbin may be implemented as a plurality of bobbin members removably connected together.

Abstract: A stencil printer of the present invention includes a print drum for wrapping a master therearound, a master making and conveying section for perforating a stencil paid out from a stencil roll while conveying it to thereby produce the master, a master stocking section for stocking the master being conveyed by the master making and conveying section, and a roller pair for conveying the master out of the master stocking section. A movable master guide selectively guides the stencil paid out from the stencil roll to the master stocking section or the roller pair. A stretching member adjoins the print drum and is movable between a contact position where it contacts the stencil present on the print drum to thereby exert a stretching force on the master and a released position where the former is released from the latter. The stretching member and movable master guide are interlocked to each other.

Abstract: A thermal master making device and a thermal printer including the same are disclosed. A thermistor senses ambient temperature around a thermal head. A correcting device corrects the amount of heat to be generated by the thermal head, i.e., the duration of energization at least two times during a single master making operation. This configuration reduces a change in the perforation conditions of a thermosensitive medium ascribable to the heat accumulation characteristic of the head. The printer achieves high resolution, high-speed master making and space saving.