Abstract: A bias charging member capable of receiving a bias for contact charging a member to be charged, wherein the bias charging member has an electrically conductive core, an optional intermediate layer, and an outer surface layer comprising a fluorinated carbon filled fluoroelastomer is disclosed.

Abstract: Amorphous and polycrystalline silicon (hybrid) devices are formed close to one another employing laser crystallization and back side lithography processes. A mask (e.g., TiW) is used to protect the amorphous silicon device during laser crystallization. A patterned nitride layer is used to protect the amorphous silicon device during rehydrogenation of the polycrystalline silicon. An absorption film (e.g., amorphous silicon) is used to compensate for the different transparencies of amorphous and polycrystalline silicon during the back side lithography. Device spacing of between 2 and 50 micrometers may be obtained, while using materials and process steps otherwise compatible with existing hybrid device formation processes.

Abstract: A developing device is provided with developing unit covers mounted on opening portions of developing units through which developing rollers are exposed to close the opening portions. Due to such a construction, even when the developing units receive the vibration or the impact of falling during the course of transportation of an image forming apparatus on which the developing device is mounted, the overflow of a developer through the opening portion can be prevented.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for determining and correcting registration skew in an image is presented. In the method and apparatus according to this invention, problems in registration, such as misalignment of images and incorrect registration with a receiving substrate are reduced or eliminated. According to this invention, an addition of a second sensor at the transfer end of the photoreceptor belt and the inclusion of a dynamic skew controller will help solve this problem for the lateral direction registration errors. To this end, this invention provides an image processing device embodied as the dynamic skew controller with an additional belt sensor mounted at the transfer end of the photoreceptor module and a microcontroller to measure and calculate the required adjustments. Based on the calculations, the lateral position of images and substrates are adjusted, thus eliminating lateral dynamic registration errors.

Abstract: A method and apparatus to process an electronic image of a document that is previously divided into a plurality of classified tiled rectangular blocks. Each pixel within halftone blocks is analyzed to calculate a busyness measure value, preferably a sum of Laplacians although other range-type functions could be used. When the busyness value is less than a first predetermined threshold value, the video intensity level of the pixel is compared against a second predetermined threshold value and when greater than the second predetermined threshold value, the pixel is re-classified as being a Text document type to produce a crisp, clean background in the rendered image.

Abstract: The present invention is a method for efficiently processing an image to detect antialiased pixels using reduced buffering memory. The method stores, in a scanline buffer memory, a predefined number of scanlines of data including data for a target pixel position and, in a tag buffer memory, a plurality of binary antialiasing tags, including at least a previously estimated tag for the target pixel position. Then using the stored pixel data and previously estimated tag, an antialiasing tag for the target pixel position is generated.

Abstract: An improved electric paper which allows it to form an image from a light image rather than from an applied electric field. The prior art embodiment had a number of rotatable balls imbedded in a plastic substrate. Each ball had hemispheres that had different electrical characteristics, and were colored differently. Under the influence of an image in the form of an electrical field, the balls would selectively rotate to form a permanent visible image, whereupon the field could be removed. This invention has two conductive surfaces to provide a uniform electric field across the substrate, and then exposes the substrate to light which selectively changes the electrical characteristics of one of the two hemispheres, resulting in the rotation of the selected balls to form the image.

Abstract: The present invention is a method and apparatus for digitally controlling the output of multiple laser diodes in a system that forms a plurality of scan lines in a Raster Output Scanning (ROS) system. Output of the laser diodes is digitally controlled by monitoring and controlling the bias and run level power for each of the laser diodes. The system employs predetermined, controllable biasing currents to increase the resolution of the exposure current and thereby accurately control the output power of each of the multiple laser diodes, and to provide a fixed exposure level that is detectable by a low-cost start-of-scan detector.

Abstract: This invention relates to a multiple wavelength laser structure, and more particularly, to a multiple wavelength laser array structure fabricated by flip-chip bonding from laser structures on two different substrates. A side by side red/IR laser structure is flip-chip bonded to a blue laser structure to form a red/blue/IR hybrid integrated laser structure.

Abstract: A method of fabricating a lens comprising providing a photosoluble substrate having opposed first and second surfaces; exposing one of the surfaces of the substrate to a photoactive etchant; and exposing said etchant to patterned light such that a convex or concave, generally semi-spherical bulge or recess is formed in said substrate.

Abstract: Provided are a process for producing a high-molecular-weight polycarbonate, which comprises polymerizing a diol and a carbonate diester through transesterification with heating in the presence of a basic oxide catalyst, and an electrophotographic photoreceptor containing this high-molecular-weight polycarbonate as a binder resin. This process can easily produce the high-molecular-weight polycarbonate safely without having an adverse effect on humans and environment. This electrophotographic photoreceptor can provide a high-quality image having a high stability at high speed over a long period of time.

Abstract: An amorphous silicon sensor array is comprised of a plurality of individually addressable sensor elements. A control circuit, including gate lines, data lines and a control lines, selects the elements for readout discharge. The number of gate lines, data lines and control lines are reduced from conventional sensor array selective discharge control systems. The array includes a plurality of clusters of associated sensor elements wherein each element in a cluster includes a switch for switching integrated charge between the associated sensor elements. One of the gate lines and a one of the data lines is associated with each one of the clusters. The control line is associated with each of the sensor elements in each cluster for selectively and independently addressing for discharge the sensor elements in the clusters of the array.

Abstract: An optical scanner can inhibit the quantity of thermal deformation and the variation of an optical path of an optical box attached to the frame of an image information device. In the scanner, a fixed part fixed to the frame of an image formation device is provided in a part of which the rigidity is relatively low apart from the corner in the vicinity of the vertex of the outside shape of the bottom of which the rigidity is relatively high in an optical box. Hereby, deformation of each part (in the vicinity of the corner and the side) by stress caused in the optical box due to a difference in the coefficient of linear expansion between the frame and the optical box as temperature in the image formation device varies can be uniformed, and warp like adrum that is apart to which an optical component is attached, that is, the bottom is tilted, which is the worst mode of deformation out of the variation of an optical path, can be reduced.

Abstract: An apparatus for developing a latent image recorded on an imaging surface, including: a housing defining a chamber for storing a supply of developer material comprising toner; a donor member, spaced from the imaging surface, for transporting toner on the surface thereof to a region opposed from the imaging surface, the donor member includes an electrode array on the outer surface thereof, the array including a plurality of spaced apart electrodes extending substantial across width of the surface of the donor member; and a multi-phase voltage source operatively coupled to the electrode array, for generating a first electrodynamic wave pattern for moving toner particles along the surface of the electrode array to and from a development zone and generating a second electrodynamic wave to provide a fast oscillating-like toner motion along and perpendicular to the surface of the electrode array.

Abstract: A system for dispensing imaging development material into a printer from a re-supplying container dispensing aperture sealed by a sealing plug, which plug is automatically unsealed by the insertion of the container into the printer, and automatically resealed by removal of the container. Simply pushing the container towards its normal position against the imaging material input of the printer (here, a fixed auger tube) first automatically grasps the plug in a gripping system and then pushes the gripped plug into the interior of the container while firmly holding the plug on the end of the auger tube. After the material dispensing, or whenever else the container is removed, simply pulling the container away causes the plug to automatically re-seal the dispensing aperture and then to automatically release the plug gripping system so that the re-sealed container can be cleanly removed.

Abstract: A tensioning system that precisely sets and monitors tension in a photoreceptor belt and includes a stepper motor that is actuated by a controller to apply pressure to the photoreceptor belt through a roll over which the belt is mounted. A load cell is positioned with respect to a piston actuator to sense the pressure applied by the piston actuator against the photoreceptor belt and signals the controller which in turn actuates the stepper motor to bring the tension on the belt to a predetermined set amount.

Abstract: A multi-layer organic, top-surface, semiconducting dielectric overcoat, having a selected time constant permits electric field charge and dissipation at a selected rate to facilitate particulate material movement over an underlying electrode grid. The coating may be made from a first layer including an oxidant, and a second layer thereover which omits said oxidant. Each layer may further include a compound including a polymer such as bisphenol A polycarbonate, and a charge transport molecule such as m-TBD. A planarized, wear resistant, chemically stable surface, with minimized inter-electrode build-up are also provided by the overcoat.

Abstract: An integrating xerographic light emitter array includes circuitry for using organic light emitting diodes (OLEDs) operated at modest light levels to expose a photoreceptor drum or belt. This is accomplished by staging an array of the emitters in the slow scan direction and clocking the data through pixel driving shift registers synchronously with the movement of a photoreceptor past the array in the slow scan direction. Increased emitter lifetime and the ability to operate at lower light levels are achieved in proportion to the number of stages. The method for operating the xerographic light emitter array includes transmitting data signals to the first row pixels, shifting the data signals down the columns synchronously with photoreceptor movement and supplying current to drive the OLEDs. Multicolor devices for xerocolography and tandem or multipass color architectures are straightforward extensions of this design.

Abstract: A caster for rollably supporting a device with respect to a support surface is disclosed. The caster includes a body and a spherical member. The body has a concave surface thereof. The spherical member is rotatably contactable with at least a portion of the concave surface and rotatable with the support surface.

Abstract: Disclosed is a recording sheet which comprises a substrate, an image receiving coating, and a biocide.