Abstract: An apparatus for removing charged particles from a surface, the surface being capable of movement, including: a conductive brush in contact with the surface, the conductive brush having a first region thereof having a first polarity and a second region having a second polarity; the conductive brush includes a core and conductive fibers attached thereto, the core being electrically segmented into the first region and the second region.

Abstract: An image finder method and apparatus are provided for identifying a source image data file in a database based upon a printed image actually generated from a source image data file in the database. Input image data that represent a printed input image are received from a scanner. Source image data are received from the database that is defined by a plurality of different source image data files stored on a CD-ROM or other storage medium. Correlation operations are carried out to identify any source image data files that are highly correlated with the input image data. The results of the correlation operations are used to identify the source image data file from which the input printed image was actually generated or, if this is not possible, to identify more than one source image data file that could be the source image data file from which the printed input image was actually generated.

Abstract: The inventive device reduces noises and stabilizes the image quality of an image forming apparatus by reducing vibration thereof by reducing vibration of a driving source itself within a preset frequency range without changing the resonating condition of a housing. A mass member is added to a stationary shaft of a driving motor for rotating a polygon mirror. It then becomes possible to reduce the vibration and noise of an image forming apparatus by avoiding resonation by moving a resonance point by adding the mass member to the stationary shaft. Thus, a high image quality image forming apparatus can be realized.

Abstract: A method for cleaning portions of a particle classifier, such as for example the rotor and/or stator, includes providing carbon dioxide particles to the classifier. Carbon dioxide particles are supplied to the classifier via a particle inlet and subjected to processing conditions similar to those utilized in particle classification. Cleaning a classifier with carbon dioxide particles may be accomplished off-line or on-line.

Abstract: To produce an electrophotographic print with high image quality and good texture and with minimized curling, a method produces an electrophotographic print by fixing a toner image on an image bearing surface of an electrophotographic image-receiving sheet using a belt fixing and smoothing apparatus including a hot-pressing device, a belt member, a cooling device, and a cooling-releasing section, smoothing the toner image, and releasing the sheet, in which an amount of curling C (mm) of the electrophotographic print is controlled to be more than ?0.10 L and less than +0.05 L, wherein L is a length (mm) of a short side of the electrophotographic print; a negative value (?) of the amount of curling C means that the electrophotographic print curls toward its back side not bearing the image; and a positive value (+) of the amount of curling C means that the electrophotographic print curls toward its image-bearing surface.

Abstract: An apparatus for developing a latent image recorded on a movable imaging surface, including: a reservoir for storing a supply of developer material including toner particles; a donor member being arranged to receive toner particles from the reservoir and to deliver toner particles to the image surface at locations spaced apart from each other in the direction of movement of the imaging surface thereby to develop the latent image thereon; and a humidification system, associated with the reservoir, for maintaining the supply of developer material at a predefined humidity.

Abstract: A method for detecting a state of an electric motor includes: energizing the motor with electrical power such that an associated current applied to the electric motor rises over time toward a reference level; determining an amount of time that elapses between when the motor is energized and the reference level is reached; and, evaluating a state of the motor based upon the determined amount of time.

Abstract: A thin film device comprises: a substrate and a thin film having a thickness formed on the substrate, wherein the thickness of the thin film is at least 1 micrometer, a crystal structure having crystals with a grain size formed within the thin film, wherein the grain size of a majority of the crystals includes a height to width ratio greater than three to two.

Abstract: A method for creating multiple punch holes during a finishing process of paper sheets and other sheet materials. A highlight of the present invention is the ability to select between at least two configurations of punch holes automatically, without manual adjustment, and “on-the-fly” without interruption of the sheet or paper flow. The perforation method utilizes two rotatable punches set at different angles such that when one intersects the sheet path, the other clears the sheet path. The speed of rotation is controlled such that the non-selected punch intersects the sheet path in a space between pitches.

Abstract: The image processing equipment produces an image of enhanced quality, having dots with higher density than in an original image, by collating an original image with templates. The present invention reduces required number of templates. Original image data in a collation window is either mirror-converted, flip-converted or flip-and-mirror-converted in an array converter (33) and selected on a time-division basis to collate with a single template pattern (34). The effect is equivalent to the collation with maximum four templates. Thus the number of template patterns to be prepared is greatly reduced. Also, by preparing additional patterns to be stored into an area that became vacant attributed to the reduction of patterns, more sophisticated image enhancement may be attained.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus is provided with a photosensitive drum in which a toner image is formed on surface thereof; an intermediate transfer belt to which the toner image of the photosensitive drum is transferred via a primary transfer portion and the transferred toner image is transferred via a secondary transfer portion to a paper; and a wrap-out roller which abuts against a rear surface of this intermediate transfer belt so as to apply tension to the intermediate transfer belt. This wrap-out roller forms the primary transfer portion which causes the intermediate transfer belt to abut against the photosensitive drum in a wrap shape, and forms a flat plane portion toward the secondary transfer portion. This wrap-out roller is arranged within a projection area which is directed from a secondary transfer roller toward the photosensitive drum.

Abstract: A multi-stage fusing system for fixing toner images to copy substrates of various weights has a primary fuser and a secondary fuser in series with the primary fuser. Various weights of print substrates may have toner images fixed thereon by the primary fuser. The various print substrates are then transmitted to the secondary fuser or directly to a finishing area. The secondary fuser is designed specifically for heavier weight substrates and a bypass paper path is provided for allowing lighter weight substrates to bypass the secondary fuser.

Abstract: An improved cantilever beam optical switch methodology which provides the function of a variable optical attenuator (VOA). A small degree of intentional misalignment of the waveguide will create different levels of optical attenuation. By finely controlling the misalignment of a selected switched position, a single device may be realized that will provide the functions of both switching and attenuating or just attenuation alone. The optical MEMS device utilizes a latching mechanism in association with a thermal drive actuator for aligning a cantilever beam platform. The integration of the switching function and the VOA function reduce the optical loss which is otherwise unavoidable when the inevitable alterative of a separate switch and a separate VOA must necessarily be employed. The resultant improved device can also be applied for correcting the difference in optical intensity created by the manufacturing tolerances inherent in the fabrication of array waveguide gratings.

Abstract: Various layered arrays utilizing encapsulated bichromal balls are disclosed that can be used in display applications. Also disclosed are related methods for manufacturing the layered arrays using adhesive layers, and forming displays. The methods are particularly well-suited for forming displays having one or more monolayer(s) of closely-packed encapsulated bichromal balls.

Abstract: A heater including a plurality of first dielectric vanes and a plurality of second dielectric vanes arranged about a longitudinal axis, each first dielectric vane and second dielectric vane having a plurality of wire guiding grooves, a heater wire structure wound around the first and second dielectric vanes in wire guiding grooves, and wherein the heater wire structure substantially avoids contact with bottoms of the wire guiding grooves of the second dielectric vanes.

Abstract: A drop transfer system has a plurality of acoustic transducers capable of generating acoustic waves. A plurality of spacing components are located between at least some of the acoustic transducers. A controller is placed in operative connection with the acoustic transducers and configured to activate the acoustic transducers in a phase relationship with each other. The acoustic transducers are positioned in relationship to each other and are operated in the phase relationship to have at least some of the acoustic waves converge at a selected point at a selected time.

Abstract: When a multicolor image indicated by image data is generated, a signal for generation of a monochrome image according to the image data is amended according to the information about the monochrome image contained in the image data and according to the information about a monochrome image of another color contained in the image data. Then, monochrome images are generated according to the amended signals, and the multicolor image is generated by overlapping the generated monochrome images.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus is included of a pivotally rotated photosensitive drum, a developing roller for developing an electrostatic latent image formed on this photosensitive drum, and an intermediate transfer belt for temporarily holding the toner image which has been developed to be formed by the developing roller. This developing roller is equipped with a tracking roller which abuts against the photosensitive drum so as to keep a distance between the developing roller and the photosensitive drum as a constant distance. A direction of weight “a” produced by this tracking roller with respect to the photosensitive drum may be positioned within a so-called “wrap range” corresponding to an abutting range between the intermediate transfer belt and the photosensitive drum.

Abstract: An electrophotographic transfer paper has a substrate and a thermoplastic foamed resin layer which is provided on at least one surface of the substrate and has pores. In the electrophotographic transfer paper, the temperature at which the viscosity of the thermoplastic foamed resin layer becomes 1×100 Pa•s ranges from 60° C. to 100° C. and a gradient R of a viscosity-temperature curve of the thermoplastic foamed resin layer defined by the following Equation (1) ranges from 0.02 to 0.10: R={Log(?t)?Log(?t+20)}/20??(1) where ?t indicates 1×104 Pa•s and ?t+20 indicates the viscosity (Pa•s) of the thermoplastic foamed resin layer at the temperature higher by 20° C. than the temperature showing the viscosity ?t.

Abstract: The present invention provides a sensor including an acidic medium; a first electrode disposed in the acidic medium; a basic medium adjacent to or close to the acidic medium; a second electrode disposed in the basic medium; and a detector for detecting one of voltage and current that is generated between the first and second electrodes by a first substance which causes a reaction of removing electrons from the first electrode with hydrogen ions contained in the acidic medium, and a second substance which causes a reaction of supplying electrons to the second electrode with hydroxide ions contained in the basic medium, and provides a method of detecting a substance using the sensor.