Abstract: The presently disclosed embodiments are directed to an improved imaging member exhibiting little or no plywood print defect comprising an undercoat layer formed from an undercoat layer dispersion comprising silica microspheres, a binder resin and a solvent, and a method for making the undercoat layer.

Abstract: A printer includes a printing module, a system status module, and a transmitter. The transmitter is in communication with the system status module. The transmitter is adapted to transmit a signal in response to a code generated by the system status module. A method for providing a code to an operator of a printer includes communicating a fault or warning code to a transmitter of the printer and transmitting a signal that corresponds to the code via an RF, an IR or an ultrasonic transmission.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a vapor-sensing device, including placing an aqueous dispersion of colloidal spheres on a substrate, drying the aqueous dispersion of colloidal spheres to obtain a colloidal crystal, filling the voids among the colloidal crystal with a vapor-expandable matrix composition, curing the vapor-expandable matrix composition, and peeling away any excess vapor-expandable matrix material from the surface of the film, so that the colloidal crystal is exposed.

Abstract: A toner having a core with a first latex having a specific glass transition temperature, and further having a shell surrounding the core with a second latex having a specific glass transition temperature, and processes for producing the same.

Abstract: A mechanical device to stabilize the stack height position of a compiler output tray and compress the sets in the tray is provided. The small mechanical device may be mounted in the back wall of the stacker tray near the top limit. The mechanical device includes a gravity-activated arm that moves out of the way when a set is ejected and, then, when the stacker tray lowers, the arm returns to the extended position. The tray rises again to the compiling position for the next set, pushing the arm upwards and compressing the set against the rubber contact member. The compression reduces the stack height, increases tray capacity and prevents each new set from pushing out the top of the stack.

Abstract: A method for identifying and correcting for spatial variation within scanning bars includes performing diagnostic scans of at least one sheet, in which a sheet(s) is scanned in various orientations and translations, with each of the orientations identified. The diagnostic scans are registered with one of the individual diagnostic scans to produce registered scans. The registered scans are averaged to create a master scan corresponding to the sheet, such that the master scan is indicative of the spatial variation within the sheet.

Abstract: The image forming apparatus is provided with: an image carrier that carries an image; an intermediate transfer belt that is arranged as opposed to the image carrier, and that rotationally moves in a predetermined direction; a primary transfer member that is arranged as opposed to the image carrier through the intermediate transfer belt, and that primarily transfers the image on the image carrier to the intermediate transfer belt; a secondary transfer member that secondarily transfers the image on the intermediate transfer belt to a recording medium; first, second and third hanging members that hang the intermediate transfer belt; and a drive device that transmits drive force to the first and the second hanging members such that drive force by the second hanging member is larger than drive force by the first hanging member.

Abstract: An ink stick having a solid ink stick body adapted for insertion in an insertion direction into an ink loader of a phase change ink device. The solid ink stick body includes a top and bottom surface that are oriented substantially perpendicular to the insertion direction and a plurality of side surfaces that are substantially parallel to the insertion direction. The plurality of side surfaces define a plurality of corner edges that extend from the top surface to the bottom surface where adjacent side surfaces meet. A corner guide element extends at least partially along at least one corner edge in a feed direction of the feed channel. The corner guide elements are configured to engage guide members in the feed channel to restrain movement of the ink stick body in at least one direction other than the feed direction. The insertion direction is parallel to the feed direction.

Abstract: A method maintains an environment within an interior of a sheet feeder during dead-cycling of an image forming device to which the sheet feeder is operatively connected. The method jets pulses of air into the interior of the sheet feeder that houses two or more pieces of media therein while the image forming device is dead-cycling. By the method, the attractive forces between two pieces of adjacent media. In a stack are reduced or minimized, and feeding of multiple sheets can be reduced or eliminated.

Abstract: An image forming member includes: an electrostatic latent image holding member that holds an electrostatic latent image; a developing unit that develops a toner image formed by a toner on a surface of the electrostatic latent image holding member; a toner removing member that removes a residual toner remaining on a surface of the electrostatic latent image holding member; a conveying path including a conveying member that is internally provided in the conveying path and that returns the residual toner removed from the surface of the electrostatic latent image holding member to the developing unit; and a trapping portion that traps a foreign matter conveyed by the conveying member, the electrostatic latent image holding member, the developing unit, the toner removing member, the conveying path, and the trapping portion of the image forming member being integrally and detachably attached to an image forming apparatus body.

Abstract: In accordance with one aspect of the present exemplary embodiment, a system transports paper to prevent stubbing within a printing machine. The paper path facilitates transport of one or more sheets of paper from the first end to the second end, each sheet of paper has a leading edge. A first entry point is located between the first end and the second end that allows one or more sheets to enter the paper path in succession. A first nip is adjacent to the first entry point to direct the leading edge of the one or more sheets away from the first entry point. A second entry point is located a distance from the first entry point that allows one or more sheets to enter the paper path. A second nip is adjacent to the second entry point to direct the leading edge of the one or more sheets away from the second entry point.

Abstract: A method for detecting a defect in an inkjet print head for printing a substantially clear ink includes including an ultraviolet or infrared sensitive material in the substantially clear ink, marking a test image on a substrate by jetting the substantially clear ink through one or more jets of the inkjet print head to be evaluated, exposing the test image to activating radiation having a wavelength to which the included ultraviolet or infrared sensitive material responds. During or following the exposing, the test image is evaluated with an image sensor, and whether the inkjet print head or any one of the one or more jets thereof being evaluated is defective is then determined based on the evaluation. A system for the method is also set forth.

Abstract: An image-forming apparatus includes: an image carrier; a latent image-forming unit for forming a latent image on the image carrier; a cleaning unit including a residue removal member a residue transport member; a residue collecting unit having an receiving port adapted to be able to connect to and be away from the ejecting port and to receive the residue ejected from the ejection port; a shield member capable of shifting between an ejection position and a shield position; and an approach and separation mechanism that moves the latent image-forming unit between an approach position where the latent image-forming unit approaches the image carrier and a separate position where the latent image-forming unit is separated from the image carrier, the approach and separation mechanism allowing the latent image-forming unit to move to the separation position as the shield member shifts to the shield position.

Abstract: The present invention provides a filter device including a supply channel where a liquid flows in; a first liquid chamber that is communicated with the supply channel; a second liquid chamber that is communicated with the first liquid chamber; a first discharge channel that is communicated with the second liquid chamber and that discharges the liquid; a first filter that is provided between the first liquid chamber and the second liquid chamber; and a second filter that is provided between the first liquid chamber and the second liquid chamber and whose lower end is positioned higher than a lower end of the first filter.

Abstract: An ink jet ink includes an ink vehicle, wherein the ink vehicle includes at least one wax monomer functionalized to include in the chain at least one reactive group curable upon exposure to radiation. The reactive group is preferably curable via cationic or free radical polymerization. In a preferred embodiment, the ink vehicle includes a wax monomer having a structure: wherein C represents a cationically curable group and R represents a radically curable group. The inks may be used to form an image by jetting the ink onto a transfuse member surface, increasing the viscosity of the ink upon the transfuse member surface, subsequently transferring the ink from the transfuse member surface to an image receiving substrate, and exposing the ink to radiation following the transfer to the image receiving substrate to effect reaction of the at least one reactive group.

Abstract: This is a process to restore compression set properties of a silicone rubber fuser structure that has been damaged during the coating of the silicone with Teflon; Teflon is a registered trademark of DuPont. This restoration is achieved by re-baking the coated fuser roll at temperatures of 175° C. to 275° C. This will improve the compression set and will give the fuser structure improved life and provide better image quality.

Abstract: A method and or a device for comprehensive temperature calibration of a full width array (FWA) image sensor may minimize loss of productivity and/or image quality. Multiple temperature sensors disposed along a width of the FWA image sensor may provide temperature points used to correct for temperature shifts in output of individual pixel sensors of the FWA image sensor. Under control of a microprocessor, a real-time correction may be calculated for each pixel of the FWA image sensor. The correction may be based upon a real-time temperature profile of the FWA image sensor and temperature dependent factors of at least one calibration equation. The factors may be predetermined, or be determined at factory test, at warm-up or at a specified time.

Abstract: A method and apparatus is provided for converting a document in a first format essentially comprising a flat layout structure into a structured document in a hierarchical form in accordance with predetermined attributes identified from the input format. The process comprises fragmenting the input document into a plurality of document content elements in accordance with a predetermined set of document attributes identifiable from the input document format. The content elements are clustered into selective sets having similar document attributes. The clustered sets are validated with reference to common textual properties organizational content common in documents in the collection. The clustered sets are then categorized into predetermined categories comprising structured elements of the structured document format and the document content elements are organized by hierarchical dependency from the predetermined categories wherein the organized document elements comprise the desired structured document format.

Abstract: A moving object recognition apparatus includes: a feature image extraction unit that extracts feature image portions for enabling the moving object to be determined from the moving image; a position detection unit that detects position information of the moving object in time series from the moving image, the position information based on which the feature image portion is extracted; a determination unit that determines identity of the feature image portions extracted from the moving object; and a track information retention unit that retains the time-series position information linked to the moving object having the feature image portion having the identity based on the determination.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: an image carrier that rotates and carries a toner image by a surface layer disposed on a surface thereof; a charging roll that charges the surface layer while the image carrier completes one or more rotations; a power supply unit that supplies a current to the charging roll; a detector that samples and detects the current that the power supply unit outputs; a leak current detector that detects a leak current included in the current that the detector has detected; a layer thickness calculating unit that calculates a numerical value relating to the thickness of the surface layer on the basis of the current that the detector has detected; and a current leak state determining unit that determines a current leak state on the basis of the current that the detector has detected and the leak current that the leak current detector has detected.