Abstract: The present invention discloses a color toner providing highly gloss image and documents with excellent long term storability; an electrostatic latent image developer; and an image forming method. Disclosed is a color toner comprising a binder resin and colorant, wherein the weight average molecular weight of the binder resin is from 6000 to 45000, the toner's glass transition temperature (Tg) is from 40 to 70° C., the loss tangent tan ? of dynamic viscoelasticity is from 0.1 to 2.5 in the temperature of from the toner's glass transition temperature (Tg) to the temperature at which the loss modulus (G?) is 1×105 Pa, and the toner comprises 3 to 20% by mass of an ester derivative of an alicyclic compound having 1 or more carboxyl groups, and an electrostatic latent image developer and an image forming method, which use the color toner.

Abstract: The present invention comprises an electromagnetophoretic ink material for use as electronic and magnetic display elements. In particular, the present invention relates to the preparation and use of microencapsulated aspect elements having both an electrostatic layer and a magnetic layer, and that can be addressed to produce a display aspect by the application of external electric fields and external magnetic fields.

Abstract: In a photosensitive apparatus having photodiodes, such as a photosensor chip used in digital office equipment, a “fat zero” initial bias is injected on the photodiode. With every cycle of operation, a first fat zero is placed on the photodiode and then sampled. Then, a second fat zero is placed on the photodiode just before the integration of a light signal from an image being recorded. The light signal plus the second fat zero is transferred out of the photodiode and the sampled signal is subtracted therefrom, leaving only the light signal. The system obviates both fixed-pattern and some thermal noise within the apparatus.

Abstract: A printer paper tray improper loading protection system which is automatically moved by the repositioning of a conventional repositionable stack edge guide to restrict improper loading of sheets into the area of the tray which is outside of the proper sheet stacking area for sheet feeding, even though that restricted area varies depending on the selected size of the sheets being properly loaded within the proper sheet stacking area. A customer warning and partial obstruction of the non-feeding restricted area of the tray eliminates confusion as to where the operator should load paper into the tray whenever the tray is accessed, no matter where the tray stack edge guides are positioned for different paper sizes. An accordion-folded, reeled, or other expandable and contractible member operatively connects between the repositionable stack edge guide and the opposite end of the tray, extending above the tray stacking surface therebetween.

Abstract: An image structure formed on a medium. The image structure is so formed that an angular distribution of surface reflection light beams under the condition that a surface of an image G formed on a medium is irradiated with a slit-transmitted light beam satisfies the following three characteristics: (1) an angle A corresponding to a half value of a reflected light peak is not smaller than unity but not larger than twice as large as a reference angle A0; (2) the ratio ?XGWS/?XGWS0 of the value of WS of center-of-gravity fluctuation to the value of reference WS0 of center-of-gravity fluctuation is not larger than 10; and (3) an angle B at which the quantity of reflected light becomes {fraction (1/10)} as large as the peak value is in a range of from 3×A0 to 6×A0, both inclusively.

Abstract: Disclosed is a recording sheet which comprises a substrate and a material selected from the group consisting of purine compounds, pyrimidine compounds, benzimidazole compounds, imidazolidine compounds, urazole compounds, pyrazole compounds, triazole compounds, benzotriazole compounds, tetrazole compounds, pyrazine compounds, and mixtures thereof. Also disclosed is a recording sheet which consists essentially of a substrate, at least one material selected from the group consisting of purine compounds, pyrimidine compounds, benzimidazole compounds, imidazolidine compounds, urazole compounds, pyrazole compounds, triazole compounds, benzotriazole compounds, tetrazole compounds, pyrazine compounds, and mixtures thereof, an optional binder, an optional antistatic agent, an optional biocide, and an optional filler.

Abstract: An acoustic ink printing print head utilizing metal alloy 42 is disclosed. Additionally, a process for incorporating the metal alloy 42 (alloy with approximately 42% nickel and 58% iron) to build the liquid level control/aperture plate defining an AIP print head is disclosed. The process consists of fabricating a channel plate and an aperture plate from the metal alloy 42 and bonding the two structures together thereby defining the liquid level control/aperture plate.

Abstract: Methods and systems consistent with the present invention can be used to assemble composite rotatable-element components and can be used to form a laminate substrate system, and use a plurality of rotatable-element components or rotatable-element component material of two classes. Each class is defined by a common response or responses to incident electromagnetic radiation of interest.

Abstract: The present invention is an ink set for ink-jet recording using at least two kinds of inks comprising a first ink containing at least a pigment, a water-soluble solvent and water, and a second ink containing at least a pigment, a coagulant, a water-soluble solvent and water and having the absolute value of ?-potential of not less than 10 mV. The present invention also provides an ink-jet recording method using the ink set for ink-jet recording, wherein an image is formed by applying the first ink and second ink on a recording medium so as to contact to each other. The present invention further provides an ink-jet recording apparatus comprising a recording head for ejecting at least the first ink and second ink.

Abstract: A hologram is recorded by irradiating, with a reference light beam, a region corresponding to an intensity distribution of a signal light beam on an optical recording medium. For example, the reference light beam having the intensity distribution which substantially coincides with the intensity distribution of the signal light beam is generated, and only the region which substantially coincides with the region irradiated by the signal light beam (i.e., the signal light beam defocused region) is irradiated with the reference light beam. This enables only the necessary region to be exposed and the regions which need not be exposed not to be exposed. Accordingly, the hologram can be recorded without losing information of the signal light beam and thus high-density recording can be realized.

Abstract: The present invention discloses a hologram erasing method, in which a predetermined hologram is erased by irradiating a predetermined region of a hologram recording medium in which the hologram to be erased is recorded with a reference light beam and a signal light beam holding a random data pattern at the same time. In this method, the signal light beam and the reference light beam interfere with each other in the medium, and a Fourier transform hologram recorded in the region where the interference occurs is destroyed and erased by interference light beam. That is, a data page for erasing including a random pattern is overwritten to erase an original data page. According to the present invention, the hologram recorded in the optical recording medium can be selectively and completely erased in a simple method.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a maleimide group-containing polymer particle containing a crosslinked polymer particle containing a group represented by the following formula (1) and to a method of producing the maleimide group-containing crosslinked polymer particle by reacting hydroxymethylmaleimide with a hydroxyl group-containing polymer particle obtained by introducing a polyethylene glycol into a crosslinked polymer particle: wherein n denotes an integer of 1 or more.

Abstract: A microelectromechanical system (MEMS) based sensor comprises: a substrate defining a plane; a first conductive material layer having a first stress, a first portion of the first conductive material layer being connected to the substrate and extending in a substantially parallel direction to the plane defined by the substrate and a second portion being disconnected from the substrate and extending in a substantially non-parallel direction to the plane defined by the substrate; and a sensor material layer formed over at least the second portion of the first conductive material layer, the sensor material layer having a second stress that is less than the first stress of the first conductive material layer. The stresses form a stress gradient that bends the second portion of the first conductive material layer and the sensor material layer formed over the second portion of the first conductive material layer away from the substrate.

Abstract: A polycarbonate comprised of a repeating unit represented by Formula (I) with R1, R2, R3 and R4 being, for example, alkyl; Ar being, for example, aryl; and m representing the number of groups.

Abstract: A method of correction for toner misregistration in color printing systems, specifically for run length encoded image data. This method, called “trapping”, usually involves extending the color separations one or more pixels to overlay the edge. The color of the “trap zone” is chosen such that it is nearly imperceptible in the presence of the two initial colors. Our approach assumes the existence of a “trap generator”, which provides a trap color given two input colors. In run length encoded image format, the image is comprised of an array of “scanlines”, consisting of a string of “runs” that are specified by a minimum position in the fast (horizontal) direction, a length, and a color. We describe a method of trapping involving the following steps: 1) inspecting the run lengths in each scanline to determine the color edges of the image; 2) sending the colors at the boundaries to the trap generator to determine the trap color; and 3) modifying the intersecting runs with the trap color.

Abstract: A method is provided for rendering a color image with a plurality of separations with a halftone process using a single screen for a plurality of separations. The screen is comprised of a plurality of pixel locations with associated threshold values and the image is comprised of a plurality of separation values. The method includes the steps of rendering a first one of the plurality of separations in accordance with the screen, wherein the plurality of pixel locations are turned on or off at a given pixel location based on a comparison of the image separation value at that pixel with the screen threshold value. The rendering of the next color separation is made in accordance with the rendering of the first separation and the screen, wherein for constant image separation values, pixel locations are turned on for the separation at pixel locations disposed in a highest available luminance region having a lowest available threshold value.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image carrier and a first developing unit for forming an image on the image carrier using at least one type of first developer to which a second developing unit for forming an image using at least one type of second developer which differs from the first developer is installable. The apparatus includes a developing unit determination part for determining the type of developing unit of the image forming apparatus, and an announcement part for announcing to the user that, when the second developing unit is not installed and an image formation instruction for instructing the formation of an image obtained by using the second developer is inputted, the image formation instruction cannot be made to effect a response.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for automatically adjusting the timing of a transfer assist blade in an electrostatographic imaging system. The apparatus and method operate by partially toning an area of the photoreceptor and then actuating the transfer assist blade such that it smears at least a portion of the partially toned area. Using an electronic toner area cover sensor system, the amount of smearing can be determined, From this, the timing of engagement of the transfer assist blade with the photoreceptor can be determined and, if necessary, adjusted.