Abstract: Discloses an optical deflector that enables a rotary polygon mirror to rotate at high speed with high reliability and a low noise level, and can prevent the rotary polygon mirror from disengaging from a stationary axis with a compact and simple construction, and an optical scanner including the optical deflector. A disengagement prevention member is mounted at the tip of a stationary axis. Since a gap is formed between the stationary axis and a rotary axis and prevents friction by rotation, a rotary polygon mirror can be rotated at higher speed. There is no or less noise and vibration due to the rotation of the rotary polygon mirror, so that durability and reliability are improved. Even if a rotor moves in the axial direction, the rotor is prevented from disengaging by the disengagement prevention member, so that it never disengages accidentally from the stationary axis.

Abstract: Electronically-rendered auditron data, such as from a copier or printer, is formatted with an initial structured portion followed by an unstructured portion. A code within the structured portion instructs a downstream computer how to interpret the digits in the unstructured portion of the data, so that different sets of digits within the unstructured portion are converted to discrete numbers having assigned meanings. The resulting numbers and their assigned meanings can be readily ported to a commercial spreadsheet program.

Abstract: A method of fabrication is provided for multi-step microlithographic structures including Fresnel lenses whereby the process includes the formation of intermediate etch stop layers that are embedded with the structure material. This is accomplished in one aspect of the invention by depositing Fresnel lens material using known techniques and the selectively altering the chemistry of the material being deposited to form the intermediate etch stop layers at suitable positions without interrupting the deposition process. In another aspect, etch stop layers are patterned on layers of the lens material and embedded between such layers. The structure, or lens, is then formed using masking, patterning and etching techniques.

Abstract: An ink composition comprised of (1) a thiourea with a melting point of from about 60 to about 120° C. and with an acoustic-loss value of from about 25 to about 80 dB/mm, (2) an optional ink carbamate with a melting point of from about 25° C. to about 60° C. and with an acoustic-loss value of from about 5 to about 40 dB/mm, (3) a lightfastness component, (4) a lightfast antioxidant, and (5) a colorant.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to device for feeding sheets seriatim from a stack. The sheet feed device includes a variable vacuum source being selectively actuable to acquire and release a top sheet from a stack; a feedhead, attached to the vacuum source to acquire the top sheet of the stack; a device to determine a plurality of predetermined properties of the sheets and to generate signals indicative thereof; and a controller to receive the generated signals and generate a signal to selectively control the vacuum source.

Abstract: A raster input scanner, and a reproduction system that uses that input scanner, having multiple depths of focus. The raster input scanner includes a light source for emitting light toward an image bearing member and at least two lens arrays, with the ability to selectably position any one lens array in optical conjugate relationship between the image bearing member on a transparent platen and a photosensor array. One of the lens arrays has a first depth of focus, while the other lens array has a second depth of focus that is different than the first depth of focus. Beneficially, the input scanner responds to an operator selection of which depth of focus is to be used to image a given image bearing member.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for transferring an image from an imaging surface to a sheet. The apparatus includes a transfer assist blade having a contact surface which is moved from a nonoperative position spaced from the sheet, to an operative position, in contact with the sheet for pressing the sheet into contact with the image. The transfer assist apparatus includes a cleaning member for cleaning the contact surface as it moves between the operative and nonoperative positions.

Abstract: Disclosed is an ink composition comprising (a) an ink vehicle which is selected from (i) 1,3-dialkyl ureas, (ii) N,N′-ethylene bisalkylamides, (iii) N-[4-chloro-3-[4,5-dihydro-5-oxo-1-(2,4,6-trichlorophenyl)-1H-pyrazol-3-ylamino] phenyl]-2-(1-octadecenyl) succinimide, (iv) 1,3-diamino-5,6-bis(octyloxy) isoindoline, (v) N,N-dimethyl alkylamine N-oxides, (vi) alkyl amides, or (vii) mixtures thereof, said ink vehicle having a melting point of no lower than about 60° C. and no higher than about 155° C., (b) a viscosity modifier which is an amide having a melting point of no lower than about 60° C. and no higher than about 155° C., (c) a conductive sultonate salt having a melting point of no lower than about 60° C. and no higher than about 155° C., (d) a colorant, (e) an optional antioxidant, and (f) an optional ultraviolet absorber.

Abstract: A process including: forming a first image on a first substrate with a liquid toner comprising a resin, a colorant, a carrier liquid, and an adhesion promoting compound; transferring the image from the first substrate to a second substrate; overcoating the image on the second substrate with a transparent overcoat layer, and treating the resulting overcoated image.

Abstract: A print control system and a print control method thereof are disclosed. The print control system comprises a print instruction system issuing a print request for printing a print object, and a plurality of print servers connected to the print instruction system through a data communication network, the respective print server having a print processing device for printing out the print object.

Abstract: A crack resistant, curl-free electrophotographic imaging member includes a charge transport layer comprising an active charge transporting polymeric tetraaryl-substituted biphenyidiamine and a plasticizer.

Abstract: An ink jet printhead is disclosed which has a heater plate containing the heating elements and driving circuitry means monolithographically formed on one surface thereof and the ink flow directing channel structure is formed on the heater plate using a layer of patternable material, so that all critical alignments are done directly on the heater plate. In one embodiment, the patternable material is a photosensitive polymer which is exposed using a mask to define the channel and reservoir pattern, which is then developed and cured. After curing, the patterned channel structure is polished to provide a smooth coplanar surface and a cover plate with an aperture therein is aligned with a loose tolerance to the channel structure and bonded thereto to complete the printhead. The aperture serves as both ink inlet and a portion of the ink reservoir. The channels are open at one end and serve as the droplet ejecting nozzles, while the other ends are connected to the reservoir.

Abstract: A multicolor image-on-image reproduction machine includes a main assembly, a controller, a movable image bearing member having a path of movement, and a plurality of air breakdown charge and development (ABCD) imaging units mounted along the path of movement for forming color separation toner images. Each (ABCD) imaging unit includes a photoreceptor having a photoconductive surface forming a toner image separation development nip with the movable image bearing member; a toner supply apparatus for applying a layer of toner onto the photoconductive surface; a charging device for uniformly charging the photoconductive surface through the layer of toner; and an exposure device connected to the controller for image-wise exposing of the photoconductive surface and the layer of toner to form therein image areas and background areas of a desired color separation image.

Abstract: A charging apparatus for applying a uniform electrostatic charge to a charge retentive surface is provided. There is also provided a housing; an array of pin electrodes supported by said housing and positioned adjacent said surface in a non-contact relationship; wherein each pin in said array being composed of austenitic stainless steel; a power supply operatively coupled to said pin electrodes for supplying a predetermined current to each of said pin electrode, wherein said predetermined current ranges from 5 &mgr;A/pin and which co-acts with a protruding distance of the pins from the housing so as to optimize the charge uniformity and to minimize the ozone generated within said charging apparatus.

Abstract: A photolithographically patterned spring contact is formed on a substrate and electrically connects contact pads on two devices. The spring contact also compensates for thermal and mechanical variations and other environmental factors. An inherent stress gradient in the spring contact causes a free portion of the spring contact to bend up and away from the substrate. An anchor portion remains fixed to the substrate and is electrically connected to a first contact pad on the substrate. The spring contact is made of an elastic material and the free portion compliantly contacts a second contact pad, thereby electrically interconnecting the two contact pads.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method for processing color image data to maintain edge quality in an image recorded on a receiving medium. The method includes receiving a target pixel comprising multiple separation pixels, each separation being associated with a separate color plane and having at least three states, a first state corresponding to depositing no ink, a second state corresponding to depositing one ink drop, and a third state corresponding to depositing more than one ink drop; determining if the target pixel is within a black border region near a black/non-printed interface; and if so, setting the separation pixel associated with a black color plane to a selected black pixel state.

Abstract: A photolithographically patterned spring contact is formed on a substrate and electrically connects contact pads on two devices. The spring contact also compensates for thermal and mechanical variations and other environmental factors. An inherent stress gradient in the spring contact causes a free portion of the spring contact to bend up and away from the substrate. An anchor portion remains fixed to the substrate and is electrically connected to a first contact pad on the substrate. The spring contact is made of an elastic material and the free portion compliantly contacts a second contact pad, thereby electrically interconnecting the two contact pads.

Abstract: An analog color image signal sent from a D/A converter is compared with a triangular-wave signal generated by a triangular-wave generator, to produce a pulse-width modulation signal serving as a dot signal. The phase of a clock signal supplied to the triangular-wave generator is shifted on a line-by-line basis to produce a screen angle of each color so that the initial phases become different from one another for the respective colors.

Abstract: Disclosed is a fuser member comprising a substrate, a layer thereover comprising a polymer, and, on the polymeric layer, a coating of a release agent comprising a mixture of (a) an organosiloxane polymer concentrate containing amino-substituted or mercapto-substituted organosiloxane polymers, wherein there are amino or mercapto functional groups on at least some of the polymer molecules of the concentrate, said concentrate having a degree of functionality of from about 0.2 to about 5 mole percent, said concentrate having a viscosity of from about 50 to about 500 centistokes; and (b) a nonfunctional organosiloxane polymer diluent, said diluent having a viscosity of from about 100 to about 2,000 centistokes; said mixture having a degree of functionality of from about 0.05 to about 0.4 mole percent, wherein the mixture has a viscosity of from about 100 to about 1,000 centistokes, and wherein the ratio by weight of concentrate to diluent is from about 1:2 to about 1:30.

Abstract: The disclosure relates to separating and feeding previously printed document sheets from a stack with reduced inter-sheet document image smearing using a retard-type sheet separator-feeder. For duplex documents, the intermittent drive system for the retard feeder drives the sheet being fed downstream out of the retard nip for only a short initial feeding distance which is only a minor portion of the document dimension, then reverse drives the sheet in the upstream direction for only a short reverse distance sufficient to eject all the sheets from the retard nip other then the one being fed out. Meanwhile a nudger system feeding sheets from the stack to the retard nip is disengaged. Then the feeder is driven in the downstream sheet feeding direction again, but for a much longer sheet feeding distance, Thus, the sheet being fed by the retard feeder may be fed out of the retard nip without duplex document image smearing against other sheets in the retard nip.