Abstract: A display medium comprises: a pair of electrodes to which a voltage is applied; and a liquid crystal layer stack provided between the pair of electrodes. The liquid crystal layer stack contains a first liquid crystal layer having a first liquid crystal that undergoes transition into a specific alignment state in response to the voltage applied to the electrodes becoming equal to or greater than a first voltage value, and a second liquid crystal layer having a second liquid crystal that undergoes transition into the specific alignment state in response to the voltage becoming equal to or greater than a second voltage value. The second voltage value is greater than the first voltage value, and the second liquid crystal has a higher isotropic phase transition temperature than the first liquid crystal.

Abstract: A fixing device includes a heating member disposed with an internal heating source and a pressuring member that presses against the heating member. The fixing device is configured to be attachable to and detachable from an image forming apparatus body, and includes: brackets that retain the heating member; pressuring levers that retain the pressuring member and are movably supported in the brackets; urging means that push the pressuring levers in a direction where the pressuring member presses against the heating member; and cams that are rotatably supported in the brackets, contact the pressuring levers, and adjust the pressuring force of the pressuring member.

Abstract: A method of changing a color developer in a developer housing of xerographic marking system are disclosed, and may include supplying a chart divided into a plurality of color family sections or quadrants, selecting a new color to be installed in a developer housing corresponding to the color family section, purging old toner from the developer housing until a concentration of old toner is reduced to about 0.1% to 6.0% from its nominal concentration, installing a container of a new color developer in the developer housing, and running the marking system until the required concentration of the new color developer is attained.

Abstract: An information writing apparatus includes: a transport unit that transports a sheet having a wireless IC element; and a transmitting and receiving unit that transmits and receives signals to/from the wireless IC element in a sheet transported by the transport unit, the transport unit including a first belt made of nonmetal and a second belt made of nonmetal placed facing and contacting the first belt, the sheet being transported, caught between the first belt and the second belt.

Abstract: Systems and methods are described that facilitate permitting a high-speed marking system or printer to run at maximum speed without being impeded by a relatively slow, low-speed finisher. A plurality of low-speed finishers are coupled to the high-speed marking system in a tandem, and optionally parallel-tandem, arrangement, where the number of finishers is equal to or greater than the ration of the maximum operating speed of the marking system to individual finisher maximum operating speed. In this manner, a low-cost solution is provided to overcome bottleneck problems associated with low-speed finishers.

Abstract: An ink stick comprises an ink stick body having a plurality of tracks formed in one or more side surfaces extending from a leading surface to a trailing surface substantially parallel to a feed direction of the ink loader. Each track forms a path corresponding to a track sensor in the ink loader and includes a leading sensor actuator and a trailing sensor actuator for actuating the respective track sensor. The leading sensor actuators and the trailing sensor actuators are configured to actuate the respective track sensors in an actuation sequence indicative of variable control/attribute information pertaining to the ink stick. A transition indicating region is formed between the leading sensor actuators and the trailing sensor actuators in the plurality of tracks. The transition indicating region is configured to interact with the track sensors to generate a signal indicative of a transition between the leading sensor actuators and the trailing sensor actuators.

Abstract: The presently described embodiments generate a single job that tests multiple image path parameter combinations. The user first selects the part of the document that will be used for the test run. The system then determines all the available image path control parameters and settings that are compatible with the selected document parts. The system builds a menu, and the user chooses the image path control parameters and settings combinations that are to be tested. The user then sends the job to the printer which prints the selected parts of the documents using each of the selected image path parameter combinations. Appropriate labels are included in the printed output so the user can easily identify the combination that delivers the most satisfactory results.

Abstract: A method for assembling a micro-fluidic device better preserves the integrity of a filter in a filter layer and simplifies the bonding of the filter layer to the channel layers on each side of the filter layer. The method includes aligning a polymer layer having a plurality of filter elements and a plurality of fluid passages arranged between the filter elements between two substrates of a micro-fluidic device, and bonding the polymer layer between the two substrates to seal an area between the filter elements and the fluid passages to enable fluid flow through the filter elements to be segregated from fluid flow through the fluid passages.

Abstract: The process provides an expandable chuck with a variable diameter bulb having a variable wall thickness, the chuck being operatively designed to stretch the bulb to reduce its diameter for insertion into a photoreceptor pipe and upon relaxation to the compress the bulb so as to increase its diameter. The design provides a universal chuck to reduce the cost of changing to different diameter chucks in accommodating different size photoreceptors during the coating and drying process.

Abstract: A compiling unit includes a collection tray and a variable-speed compiling system adapted to operate at at least two speeds to thereby receive a sheet of media at a higher speed and register the sheet of media within the collection tray at a lower speed. A control system is adapted to selectively operate the variable-speed compiling system at the at least two speeds. A printing system having a sheet media source, at least one marking engine, such a compiling unit and such a control system is included. A method of compiling sheet media is also included.

Abstract: In an apparatus which detects overlapped conveyance of a printing sheet using ultrasonic wave attenuation, when a printing sheet with an IC tag is conveyed, the position of the IC tag on the printing sheet is acquired. By reference to the acquired IC tag position, overlapped conveyance detection is performed at a position which is not under the influence of the IC tag.

Abstract: A device for tensioning a flexible drive member includes a pair of opposing contact elements adapted to simultaneously engage upper and lower spans of the flexible drive member. The device further includes a connecting member to draw the contact elements together and position the contact elements at a selected distance from each other to provide a predetermined tension to the flexible drive member. The tensioning device may be implemented in a print substrate transport subsystem adapted to move media through a print system.

Abstract: A folded portion flattening device has: a sheet conveying section that conveys a booklet of folded sheets in a predetermined conveyance direction with a folded portion ahead; a sheet stopper that stops the booklet conveyed by the sheet conveying section at a fixed position; a pair of booklet holding members that hold the booklet stopped by the sheet stopper by gripping the booklet at both faces of the booklet; a pressing member that presses the front end of the folded portion of the booklet held by the booklet holding members in an opposite direction to the conveyance direction, so that a curve at the front end of the folded portion is flattened to form a flat face; and a wrinkle preventing member that prevents wrinkle from being generated in the flat face when pressed by the pressing member.

Abstract: A resin composition includes (A) a polylactic acid and (B) polyarylate particles having a number average particle diameter of from 10 nm to 300 ?m.

Abstract: An imaging apparatus includes two subsets of photosensors, the two subsets being interleaved along a linear array. Each photosensor is connectable, by the operation of a shift register, to a reference line and a signal line, to permit double-sampling of signals therefrom. Each subset of photosensors is associated with its own reference line and signal line, and signals from the two subsets of photosensors can be read out largely simultaneously.

Abstract: The invention provides a toner for electrostatic image development having at least a binder resin and a colorant and having an existence ratio of an IA Group element, from which hydrogen is excluded, measured by XPS (X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy) in a range of about 0.03 to 1.0 atom % and a total of existence ratios of an IIA Group element, an IIIB Group element and an IVB Group element, from which carbon is excluded, measured by XPS in a range of about 0.05 to 2.0 atom %. The invention further provides an electrostatic image developer having at least a carrier and the toner, and an image forming method including at least developing an electrostatic latent image with a developer containing at least the toner to form a toner image.

Abstract: A printing system includes a lithographic plate information printing unit, a variable information printing unit, and a control component. The lithographic plate information printing unit prints lithographic plate information on a recording medium using a lithographic plate. The variable information printing unit prints predetermined variable information on the recording medium on which the lithographic plate information is printed by the lithographic plate information printing unit. The control component controls so that the lithographic plate information to be printed by the lithographic plate information printing unit and the variable information to be printed by the variable information printing unit are printed in preset correspondence with each other.

Abstract: A variable data pantograph is formed by receiving a variable data string and retrieving at least one character representation from a vocabulary of character representations stored in memory. The retrieved at least one character representation corresponds to the variable data string. Each of the character representations in the vocabulary include a foreground region including a character shape and a background region suitably sized and arranged for encompassing the foreground region. The background region incorporates a first pattern of elements and the foreground region incorporates a second pattern of elements. The retrieved at least one character representation is assembled to form a variable data pantograph, whereby when the variable data pantograph is rendered in an original document, the foreground and background regions are similar in tone, the foreground and background regions being substantially less similar in tone in a copy of the original document to render the character visible.

Abstract: A developer transporting apparatus includes: a drop path; a developer transporting path; a developer transporting member; and an aggregation preventing member including: a contact portion that is in contact with the developer transporting member, and that moves in conjunction with the rotation of the developer transporting member; and a developer scrub-off portion that is disposed between an inner wall surface of the developer transporting path and the developer transporting member, and that moves along the inner wall surface in conjunction with the movement of the contact portion, at least part of the aggregation preventing member being disposed at a connecting portion between the drop path and the developer transporting path to prevent the aggregation of the developer to the inner wall surface.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes at least one paper supply portion including a roll paper accommodating portion adapted to accommodate a paper roll constituted by winding long paper around a shaft, a roll paper holding portion on which the paper roll is temporarily put, a paper feeding portion adapted to deliver paper from the paper roll accommodated on the roll paper accommodating portion, a horizontal rotating-shaft adapted to support the paper supply portion in a body of the image forming apparatus, the paper supply portion drawn outwardly from the body of the image forming apparatus by being rotated when change of the paper roll is performed, wherein the change of the paper roll can be performed by rotating the paper supply portion to thereby draw out the paper supply portion.