Abstract: The fixing device is provided with: a fixing member that has a rotating member which rotates and a heat source which heats the rotating member; a pressure member that is driven to rotate while pressing the fixing member, and that forms a nip portion where a recording medium passes, between the fixing member and the pressure member; a separation unit that separates the fixing member and the pressure member from each other; and a cooling unit that cools a face of the pressure member separated by the separating unit. The face is opposed to the fixing member.

Abstract: An image formation apparatus belt, including a belt that includes a belt main body, the belt having a recess; and a detected part for position detection that is located in a side edge region of the belt, the detected part being placed in the recess provided in the belt and covered with a ceramic film.

Abstract: Disclosed is a hand-held photochromic marking implement including a photochromic colorant and solid phase colorant carrier which can be used in direct-to-media marking and a method of forming same.

Abstract: An archiver system for tracking the exchange of personally identifiable information in document production systems includes a document production device and a media writer. When a document processing job is initiated, a digital image of the document is prepared, the document digital image is encrypted with a session key, and the encrypted document digital image and job data associated with the document processing job are stored in a job record of a database on a storage media by the media writer.

Abstract: The image forming system is provided with: a printer that superposes and transfers plural images formed by use of plural image forming materials to a medium; and a data processor that supplies data of the images to the printer. The data processor includes: a data generation unit that generates data of image components corresponding to the respective kinds of the image forming materials; a data forwarding unit that forwards the generated data to the printer; and an assigning unit that assigns the image components in accordance with the data amount of the forwarded data. The printer includes: an output controller that controls an image forming mechanism to form an image by use of the image forming materials; and a switch processing unit that transmits the data received from the data processor, to the output controller corresponding to the image components of the received data.

Abstract: A sheet feeding device includes a sheet storing unit in which sheets are stacked; a lifting unit that lifts and lowers the sheets; an air blowing unit that blows air to an end faces of the stacked sheets; a feeding roller that is pressed against an upper surface of an uppermost sheet of the sheets and feeds the uppermost sheet by rotating; and a supplying roller that supplies the uppermost sheet, wherein the lifting unit is driven so that height of the uppermost sheet, which is fed by the feeding roller while air is blown by the air blowing unit, is set to be lower than height of the uppermost sheet, which is fed by the feeding roller while air is not blown by the air blowing unit.

Abstract: The invention provides an annular body having an inner surface including a base material layer, the base material layer having a resin and a conductive agent, and the inner surface comprising a carbonized region. The invention further provides an annular body stretching device having: the annular body; and a stretching unit pushing outward the annular body with tension from an inner circumferential side of the annular body. The invention further provides an image forming apparatus having the annular body as an intermediate transfer body provided thereto. The invention further provides a method for forming the annular body, having forming a carbonized region by a process to give conductivity to the inner surface of the annular body.

Abstract: A structure includes two plates (planar plates) joined at right angles to one another. The first plate has a non-round opening (first opening) and can include tabs extending from one end (a first end) of the first plate. The second plate has a round opening and/or a notch, depending upon implementation. The second plate can also include tab openings on opposite sides of the round opening, again depending upon implementation. If a notch is used, the notch is positioned along an edge of the second plate (positioned along a second end of the second plate). When the first and second plates are connected, the optional tabs are positioned within the optional tab openings, a first end of the first plate being connected to the second end of the second plate. A locking structure is positioned within the first opening, the round opening, and the notch (if used). The locking structure connects the first plate to the second plate.

Abstract: A method for dicing a semiconductor wafer, including: cutting a reference slot in a back main surface of the wafer; cutting a back slot in the back main surface, the back slot positioned with respect to the reference slot; determining a desired location for a chip edge with respect to the reference slot; and applying radiant energy in a path such that a series of reformed regions are formed within the wafer along the path. A crystalline structure of the wafer is modified in the series of reformed regions and an alignment of an edge of the laser is with respect to the desired location for the chip edge and in alignment with the back slot. The method includes separating the wafer along the series of reformed regions to divide portions of the wafer on either side of the series of reformed regions.

Abstract: An inkjet recording apparatus has: a pressure control device which controls a liquid movement device in accordance with determination results of a first pressure determination device and a second pressure determination device in such a manner that interiors of a first liquid chamber and a second liquid chamber respectively assume prescribed pressures, wherein the pressure control device controls the liquid movement device so as to adjust the internal pressures of the first liquid chamber and the second liquid chamber in such a manner that a prescribed pressure differential between the internal pressures of the first liquid chamber and the second liquid chamber is produced and a prescribed back pressure is applied to the liquid inside a plurality of nozzles of a recording head.

Abstract: A failure diagnosis method diagnoses a failure occurring in a diagnosis target apparatus including a drive mechanism having a drive member that receives power supply to operate and a power transmission member that transmits drive force of the drive member to another member. The method includes automatically acquiring by a sensor an operation state signal indicating an operation state during the drive mechanism operating for a predetermined period; and analyzing the automatically acquired operation state signal based on a failure probability model, which is obtained by modeling a cause of failure occurring in the diagnosis target apparatus with using probabilities, to execute failure diagnosis with respect to each of constituent members of the drive mechanism.

Abstract: A UV curable intermediate transfer media, such as a belt, that includes for example, a first supporting substrate, such as a polyimide substrate layer, and a second surface layer of a mixture of a dendritic, crosslinked, or branched polyester polyol acrylate, an acrylate, an optional vinyl monomer, and a photoinitiator component.

Abstract: A scanner has a computer readable memory with programmatic instructions which are adapted to cause physical documents to be scanned, generate image data corresponding to the physical documents, in response to a scanning triggering event, electronically package image data into a unitary compressed file, and attach the unitary compressed file to an electronic message.

Abstract: A tubular article includes a layer containing a polyimide resin, a fluorinated polyimide resin and fluorine resin particles as an outermost layer.

Abstract: An electrostatic image developing toner includes a core particle containing a binder resin and a coating layer on the core particle. The coating layer contains a resin having a crosslinked structure formed by using at least one of boric acid and derivatives thereof, and the resin having the crosslinked structure is obtained by polymerizing monomers in the presence of the core particle.

Abstract: An attachable/detachable body includes a main body, a positioned portion, a transmitted member a contacting portion. The main body of the attachable/detachable body is supported to be attachable to and detachable from a main body of an image forming apparatus. The positioned portion is positioned at a positioning portion provided at the main body of the image forming apparatus. The transmitted member is connected to a transmission member provided at the main body of the image forming apparatus to transmit a drive thereto, the transmitted member transmitting the drive to a driven member provided at the main body of the attachable/detachable body. The contacting portion comes into contact with a contacted portion that is provided at the main body of the image forming apparatus to be connected electrically thereto.

Abstract: A method of determining whether labor costs associated with providing a service can be reduced may include identifying a plurality of service locations associated with a service provider, determining a labor cost associated with each service location, where the labor cost includes a cost of compensating the assigned service personnel for performing the service over a period of time, and determining, by the computing device, a total labor cost equal to the sum of the determined labor costs associated with each service location. The method may include determining a pooled labor cost associated with pooling at least a portion of the service personnel from the plurality of service locations, and in response to the total labor cost exceeding the pooled labor cost, transmitting a notification that pooling service personnel results in a reduced labor cost.

Abstract: An image transfer mechanism includes a pressure element and a lever system. The lever system has a load attachment point with a range of position that depends on the thickness of a print medium positioned between the imaging element and the pressure element. A load mechanism includes a load connector with a distal end attached to the lever system load attachment point so that displacement of the lever system attachment point causes longitudinal movement of the load connector. The load mechanism applies a load that is substantially constant throughout the range of position of the lever system load attachment point. The load mechanism includes a spring and a crank attached to the spring and to the proximal end of the load connector. The crank is configured so that a change in the spring force produces a lesser change in the load force at the distal end of the load connector.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides systems and methods for selectively varying the operating speed of an image-forming apparatus. The method includes selecting an identifier specifying a desired operating speed for executing a job on the image-forming apparatus. The method includes configuring the image-forming apparatus with the desired operating speed upon verification of authorization information received along with the identifier. In case the identifier does not specify a desired operating speed, the method includes identifying an appropriate operating speed of the image-forming device for executing the job and configuring the image-forming apparatus with the identified operating speed. Once the image-forming apparatus is configured with the desired or appropriate operating speed, the job is executed with the set configuration.

Abstract: A photoconductor that includes, for example, a supporting substrate, an undercoat layer thereover that contains a metal oxide, a phenolic resin, and a pentanediol ester; a photogenerating layer; and at least one charge transport layer.