Abstract: A printer is provided with at least one detachable print unit provided with a driven unit which is driven to print an image on a recording sheet. The condition of operation of the print unit is detected and the detected condition of operation of the print unit is stored in a data storage device that allows the updating of its contents. Thus, various kinds of information useful for the quality control of the printer and the print unit can be readily and surely collected and the collected information is stored in the print unit. The information useful for the quality control of the printer and the print unit can be read out from the data storage device after the print unit has been removed from the printer.

Abstract: A developing apparatus is disclosed which is disposed opposite to an electrostatic latent image holding member and adapted for developing an electrostatic latent image formed on the electrostatic latent image holding member to a visible image with a single component toner, the apparatus comprising a first toner carrier having a peripheral surface and being adapted for holding the single component toner on the peripheral surface, a first regulating member which is in contact with the first toner carrier, a second toner carrier having a peripheral surface and being adapted for holding the single component toner and for relatively approaching to or coming in contact with the first toner carrier so as to transfer the single component toner to the first toner carrier, and a second regulating member which is in contact with the second toner carrier, wherein the first toner carrier or the second toner carrier is adapted to relatively and selectively approach to or come in contact with the electrostatic latent image

Abstract: An image reading apparatus includes a light source for illuminating a document, and a line image CCD for performing photoelectric conversion on the light reflected from the document. Particularly, the image reading apparatus further includes a light shutting device for selectively shutting off the light directed toward the line image CCD, and a processing section for obtaining, as reference black data, the output data of the line image CCD produced in a state where the light directed toward the line image CCD is shut off, for obtaining, as image data of the document, the output data of the line image CCD produced in a state where the light directed toward the line image CCD is not shut off, and for performing shading correction on the image data according to the reference black data.

Abstract: A communication apparatus includes a control circuit for obtaining a transmission text formed of one of a single character and a series of characters, the last of which is one of specified control characters and a character of error check data, and a radio communication unit connected to the control circuit, for storing each character of the transmission text supplied from the control circuit and transmitting the transmission text stored therein. Particularly, the control circuit is arranged to add a dummy character after the character of error check data as a new last character except in the case where the character of error check data has a value identical to the code of the dummy character. The radio communication unit is arranged to transmit the transmission text upon detecting the code of any one of the dummy and specified control characters in the transmission text.

Abstract: The optical unit forms an electrostatic latent image by applying scanning light onto the photosensitive member charged by the charger device from above at an angle. The developing device forms a toner image by developing the electrostatic latent image formed on the photosensitive member with toner. The transfer charger device transfers the toner image formed on the photosensitive member onto a transfer charger sheet. The main body accommodates the sheet feeding section at a rear section, and the optical unit in front of the feeding section, both of which are vertically arranged. The photosensitive member and the developing device are integrated into the image formation unit, which is detachably set in the main body.

Abstract: An ink jet printer head including a pair of body plates bonded together; a recess portion formed on at least one of the body plates, the recess portion having a plurality of pressure chambers and a plurality of orifices respectively communicating with the pressure chambers; a pressure generating section having a plurality of driving portions formed from a piezoelectric member, the driving portions having pressure applying surfaces respectively opposed to the pressure chambers; and a resin member molded with the pressure generating section inserted therein to form at least one of the body plates. Accordingly, even when the density of arrangement of the driving portions is increased, the resin member can be surely filled into each space between the adjacent driving portions, thus realizing high-density printing and improving the productivity of the ink jet printer head.

Abstract: A photoconductor is disclosed, which comprises a conductive cylindrical support which is substantially not hollowed, the conductive cylindrical support having a drive transferring mechanism coaxially and unifiedly provided on at least one of the end portions thereof, the conductive cylindrical support having a photoconductive layer on the outer periphery. The moment of inertia I (g . cm.sup.2) of the substantially not-hollowed conductive support is in the range of 0.4.ltoreq.I.ltoreq.140 (g . cm.sub.2), the diameter thereof being in the range from 0.5 to 2.0 cm. When the relation of C/(S . .omega.).ltoreq.0.4 (where S (cm.sup.2) is the square measure of the portion of the photoconductive layer on the photoconductor; C (cal/.degree.C.) is the heat capacity of the substantially not-hollowed cylindrical support; and .omega. (rad/s) is the rotating speed in development) is satisfied, high quality images can be readily and stably obtained without damages of the drive system.

Abstract: A paper feeding apparatus of the present invention, in which it is adapted such that a paper tray holding plural sheets of paper in a pile is supported by a fulcrum for rotation round the same and the paper tray is rotated by a paper setting mechanism so that the topmost copy paper of the paper held in the paper tray is brought into abutment with a feed roller and fed to a printing portion. As the drive power source of the paper setting mechanism and the feed roller, a constituent of a paper feeding mechanism, is used only a single motor rotatable in both normal and reverse directions. The normal or reverse rotation of the motor is selectively transmitted by a drive gear mechanism to the paper setting mechanism or the paper feeding mechanism, and thereby, it is made possible to selectively drive either the paper setting mechanism or the paper feeding mechanism using only a single motor. Thus, it is made possible to make the apparatus smaller and to reduce the cost of parts.

Abstract: A developing apparatus is disclosed which is disposed opposite to an electrostatic latent image holding member and adapted for developing an electrostatic latent image formed on the electrostatic latent image holding member to a visible image with a single component toner, the apparatus comprising a first toner carrier having a peripheral surface and being adapted for holding the single component toner on the peripheral surface, a first regulating member which is in contact with the first toner carrier, a second toner carrier having a peripheral surface and being adapted for holding the single component toner and for relatively approaching to or coming in contact with the first toner carrier so as to transfer the single component toner to the first toner carrier, and a second regulating member which is in contact with the second toner carrier, wherein the first toner carrier or the second toner carrier is adapted to relatively and selectively approach to or come in contact with the electrostatic latent image

Abstract: A sheet passage is formed so as to extend from a sheet feed position via a printing position to a sheet delivery position, delivery rollers driven by a driving unit are disposed between the printing position and the sheet delivery position on the sheet passage, pressure rollers are disposed on one side of the sheet passage so as to be in contact respectively with the delivery rollers disposed on the other side of the sheet passage, a back sheet guide is disposed between the delivery rollers and the sheet delivery position, and a printed sheet delivered by the delivery rollers and guided by the back sheet guide is transferred to a printed sheet storage unit by sheet transfer arms.

Abstract: A label printer for printing an image on a plurality of labels attached to a base sheet and issuing the labels on which the image has been printed. The label printer includes a platen roller, a pinch roller adapted to separably contact the platen roller through the base sheet, a slide frame for supporting the pinch roller so that the pinch roller is movable between a contact position and a separate position with respect to the platen roller, and a frame stopper for releasably holding the slide frame in the contact position where the pinch roller is in contact with the platen roller. When the frame stopper is released from the slide frame, the slide frame is slid to reach the separate position to widely separate the pinch roller from the platen roller. Accordingly, the base sheet can be easily inserted through the space defined between the platen roller and the pinch roller separated therefrom.

Abstract: A laser beam emitted from the beam emitting unit is deflected for scanning by a reflector rotated by a scanner motor. The deflection scanning beam passes through a meniscus lens device provided close to the reflector, and converges the laser beam on an image-forming surface. The meniscus lens device has an incident surface, a radius of curvature of which is set smaller than that of an output surface thereof, with a convex surface thereof facing the image-forming surface. The laser beam emitting unit, the reflector, the scanner motor, and the meniscus lens device are all integrally built in a housing.

Abstract: A printed slip issuing apparatus is provided with a cutting blade having a cutting portion and disposed with its cutting portion extending along the width of a form web at a position immediately below a printing unit for printing on the form web, and a nipping member disposed near and opposite to the cutting portion of the cutting blade so as to form a web nipping region in combination with the cutting portion. When cutting off a printed portion of the the form web, the form web is nipped between the cutting portion of the cutting blade and the nipping member in the web nipping region to enable the cutting blade cut off the printed portion clearly.

Abstract: A binded carbon brush includes a brush main portion formed mainly of carbon, and an electric conductor formed by a material, such as a copper powder, having an electric resistivity lower than that of the brush main portion and extending along a main current direction of the brush. In the cross section of the brush perpendicular to the main current direction, the diameter or the vertical and horizontal sizes of the conductor is so set as to be smaller than both the vertical and horizontal sizes of the brush main portion.

Abstract: A check-out device includes an input section for inputting an article code recorded on an article, an entry conveyor for conveying an article put thereon after the article code is input, a weighing device for measuring the weight of the article put on the entry conveyor, an electronic cash register storing reference weights assigned to various articles along with article codes assigned to the various articles, for comparing the weight measured by the weighing device with reference weight of an article corresponding to the input article code, and performing registration and settlement of the article corresponding to the input article code when it is detected from a result of comparison that the article corresponding to the input article code is identical to one put on the entry conveyor.

Abstract: According to the present invention, a film which has been inserted into a film insertion opening of a support is conveyed toward the inner part reciprocatably by a conveyance means; light is emitted from a light source and is allowed to pass through the film being conveyed; the light which has passed through the film is refracted along the film conveying direction by a refractor; and the light thus refracted by the refractor is received by an optical reader, which reads an image formed on the film. This construction permits the reduction in size of the entire apparatus.

Abstract: An electrophotographic apparatus includes an image forming mechanism for forming an image on a paper sheet, and a magnetic cleaning system for magnetically cleaning cleaning a surface of an image carrier of the mechanism for each cycle of image formation. A mechanical cleaning system is provided for mechanically cleaning the image carrier. The mechanical cleaning system includes a blade movable between a contact position where it contacts with the surface of the carrier and an off position where it is kept apart from the surface. The blade is intermittently moved to the contact position, by a drive mechanism and a control unit, for predetermined operating times at predetermined time intervals. The blade is arranged to be manually operable through a lever attached to the blade.