Abstract: An optical scanning apparatus includes: a rotational polygonal mirror on the the side of which a plurality of reflecting surfaces are provided, the reflecting surfaces deflecting a beam of incident light in the primary scanning direction at a substantially equal angular velocity; a first optical system for forming a beam of light sent from the light source into an image long in the primary scanning direction in such a manner that the formed image strides over the plurality of deflecting surfaces; and an f.theta. lens for converging the beam of light deflected on the deflecting surface at a position close to the surface of the photoreceptor drum so that a spot of light irradiated on the photoreceptor drum can be moved at a substantially equal speed. In the optical scanning apparatus, the angles .alpha. and .beta. satisfy the following expression:(cos ((.beta.+.alpha.).div.2)).div.(cos ((.beta.-.alpha.).div.2)).gtoreq.0.75where .alpha.

Abstract: A method of forming a multi-color image is provided with which a high quality image having appropriate glossiness, satisfactory graininess, excellent color tone quality and smooth characteristic, similarly to that obtainable by printing or silver salt photography, can be formed uniformly on a transfer member by an electrophotographic method regardless of the type of the image. A method of forming a multi-color image in which a plurality of color toner layers are fixed onto a transfer member as images, having the step of: fixing a transparent toner layer to at least non-image portions, wherein mean surface roughness (Ra) of a fixed layer is 0.0<Ra<1.5 .mu.m and/or maximum surface roughness (Rmax) is 0.0<RMax<10 .mu.m.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for using one moving system to transmit output data in a pattern that is dependent upon the motion of another moving system is disclosed. More specifically, the present invention enables a line writing device, such as a raster output scanner or a thermal inkjet array, to transmit imaging data to a target, typically an imaging member or a recording medium, in a pattern that is dependent upon the motion of the target. Thus, if motion of the target is altered due to wear and tear, malfunctioning of the printing machine, or for any other reason, the line writing device will adjust its data transmission rate to cause the imaging data to strike its target in the appropriate location.

Abstract: An apparatus for applying an electrical charge to a charge retentive surface by transporting ions through an electrically biased ionically conductive liquid and transferring the ions to the member to be charged across the liquid/charge retentive surface interface. The electrically biased ionically conductive liquid medium is brought into contact with the photoreceptor by placing a hydrophilic material imbibed with the ionically conductive liquid in contact with the photoreceptor. The hydrophilic material is partially surrounded by a pair of elongated blade elements as well as a pair of end seal elements for providing a sealed structure for containing the hydrophilic material A voltage is applied to the ionically conductive liquid medium while translating or rotating the charge retentive surface past the ionically conductive medium, thereby enabling the transfer of ions to the charge retentive surface A support blade may be provided for urging the donor blade into contact with the photoreceptor.

Abstract: A transparency for ink jet printing is enhanced for use as an ink jet recording medium by increasing the hydrophilicity of the coating formed on a transparent substrate. In one embodiment, the coating is subjected to a corona plasma discharge exposure to create changes in oxygen functionality at the coating surface resulting in increases in surface hydrophilicity. In another embodiment, the surface is exposed with UV radiation and ozone exposure for controlled periods of time. In both cases, the surface hydrophilicity is increased by generating highly reactive free radical oxygen (O.sup.-) which results primarily in increases in the oxygen functional groups C.dbd.O and COO.sup.-.

Abstract: A system and method for color mixing management in an electrostatographic printing system, wherein a developing material reservoir containing an operative solution of colored developing material including a mixture of selected color components is continuously replenished with selected differently colored developing material concentrates in a predetermined ratio so as to be capable of producing a customer selectable color image area on an output substrate. The present invention may also be utilized to mix a customer selectable color in situ, either from stored proportions known to compensate for developability differences or from approximate amounts of primary color components initially deposited and mixed in the developing material reservoir with the resultant operative developing material mixture continually developed and replenished with a predetermined ratio of color components until the developing material mixture reaches a steady state color.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for achieving optimum noise control of multiple coronode wires in a copier/printer involves optimizing phase relationships of the voltage on the wires in such a way so as to steer the maximum part of the noise distribution profile in the direction best suited for absorption or dissipation. In a two corotron charging system, the coronodes are preferably charged to where the phase angle, charge frequency and spacing between wires are optimized. If desired, a sound absorption material could be added to the charging system.

Abstract: A document server is provided for processing a distribution job in a document processing system. The document processing system includes a document manager, communicating with first and second virtual services, for coordinating the storing or processing of first and second copies of an image data set at the first and second virtual services, respectively. The document processing system further includes a distribution agent, communicating with the document manager, for receiving a first job ticket, including attributes for controlling the storing or processing of the first copy of the image data set at the first virtual service and a second job ticket for controlling the storing or processing of the second copy of the image data set at the second virtual service.

Abstract: A development system is which includes a flexible belt having a magnetic surface. The belt has a static magnetic field pattern for transporting developer material to a development zone; and a magnetic system for generating a superimposed alternating magnetic field to agitate developer material in the development zone in order to produce a charged toner cloud intended for the non-interactive development of latent electrostatic images.

Abstract: A system is provided for generically scheduling operations necessary to produce desired documents on a print engine. Such print engine scheduling employs identifying, sequencing, and initiating print engine operations that will produce a desired document. The system employs a specified description of print engines that enable a scheduler to look up what operations are necessary to produce portions of a document, to find allowable times for those operations, and to send control commands to various print engine components to perform the operations. The system is independent of any particular print engine configuration Thus, it is reusable for a wide range of configurations.

Abstract: An ionographic process which comprises the generation of a latent image comprised of characters; developing the image with an encapsulated magnetic toner comprised of a core comprised of a polymer and magnetite and wherein the core is encapsulated within a polymeric shell; and subsequently providing the developed image with magnetic ink characters thereon to a reader/sorter device.

Abstract: An image input apparatus capable of reliably reducing random noise and switching noise arising during a dummy pixel period using a simple circuit configuration and providing a high-quality video signal without horizontal lines. The image input apparatus is provided with a clamping circuit made up of a capacitor for feeding an analog image signal supplied from a CCD solid-state image pickup element via a first amplifier to a second amplifier through an alternating-current link, a reference voltage source for generating a predetermined reference voltage VR, and a first switch for effecting switching during the dummy pixel period of the CCD solid-state image pickup element. The clamping circuit is further provided with a resistor disposed between the capacitor and the second amplifier, and a second switch for selectively bridging across the resistor 152. This second switch is complimentarily activated in relation to the operation of the first switch.

Abstract: To generate computationally efficient computer program code for carrying out computer computations on matrix organized input data, a program first is written in a relatively high-level language which includes programmer specifiable constructs for manipulating matrices and parts thereof; and which permits certain of the constructs to be annotated to specify programmer selected data structures and programmer selected operations on those data structures. This high-level program then is translated into a relatively high-level program into a relatively low-level language using low-level language routines that provide a compilable representation of the program, including all programmer selected data structures and all programmer selected operations on said data structures then the low-level representation of the program is compiled to generate computer executable code for implementing the program, including all programmer selected data structures and all programmer selected operations on said data structures.

Abstract: A process cartridge including a housing having walls defining a process chamber and a photoreceptor mounted to the walls within the process chamber and having a closed loop path and an imaging area having a given length. The process cartridge also includes plural process components acting along the closed loop path for producing imaging affects on the photoreceptor for forming on, and for transferring from, the photoreceptor, a toner image. The process components include a charging component that includes a pin-array charge emitting device having an acting region precisely only as long as the length of the imaging area, in order to avoid occurrence of "dark bands" towards edges of a formed and transferred toner image. The process components also include a developer roll for applying charged toner particles to the imaging area. The developer roll has an acting region centered relative to, and extending slightly beyond, each end of the length of the imaging area.

Abstract: The present invention provides a file management device for managing a file accessed by a plurality of users which comprises setting means for setting a plurality of attribute values related to a particular attribute of the file, and for setting access rights in accordance with the plurality of attribute values related to the attribute, storing means for storing a result set by the setting means, and changing means for changing the access rights for the file corresponding to attribute values specified in the group of the plurality of attribute values based on the contents stored in the storing means.

Abstract: A scanning system that accurately positions a moving carriage assembly in two directions relative to a platen. Such a scanning system includes a frame that has a registration member that extends in the Y direction, and a platen whose plane is normal to the Z direction and which is attached to the frame. The platen receives a substrate in a predetermined position relative to the registration member. The scanning system further includes a base that has a first and second tilted surfaces that extend in the Y direction, and a moving carriage assembly that is disposed between the platen and the base. The moving carriage assembly includes a housing, at least one button connected to the housing, and first and second biased pivot arms with first and second rollers that ride on the first and second tilted surfaces. The biased pivot arms push the housing against the tilted surfaces such that the button contacts the platen and the registration member.

Abstract: An apparatus for charging an ionographic member, comprising an electrically insulating substrate containing affixed thereto a plurality of electroded grooves each capable of retaining a single wettable fiber, thereby forming a collection of fibers in contact with the substrate; a resin layer that isolates said fibers from each other, and that adheres the fibers to the electroded grooves; providing an ionically conductive fluid to said collection of fibers; applying an electrical bias to said fibers thereby transporting ions through the fibers to the surface of said ionographic member and which ions charge said member.

Abstract: A method of accomplishing rotational alignment of laser arrays relative to an external optical axis is described. The method uses the laser polarization, which is oriented relative to the axis of the array, as the means of determining the laser array rotational orientation. The method can be rapidly executed in a manual or automatic procedure, has accuracy of better than 0.1 degree, and can be used to orient a laser array at any chosen angle with reflect to an external optical axis.

Abstract: An electrophotographic imaging apparatus including at least a first rotatable belt support roller and a second rotatable belt support roller, each of the first and second rotatable belt support rollers having an imaginary axis parallel to and spaced from the other, a flexible electrophotographic imaging belt in contact with and supported by the first and second rotatable belt rollers, a belt driving device and at least one flexible non-stretchable drive belt extending from the belt driving device directly to each of the belt support rollers whereby activation of the belt driving device applies a pushing force directly to the drive belt in the region between the drive belt driving device and the first rotatable belt roller and simultaneously applies pulling force directly to the drive belt in the region between the driving device and the second rotatable belt support roller.

Abstract: An auxiliary storage controlling device is able to assure the data transferring rate even when an irregular occurs. The controlling device comprises a plurality of auxiliary storage units each of which stores the same data, a readout system for reading out said data from said plurality of auxiliary storage units simultaneously in response to a readout command, a detecting system for detecting an auxiliary storage unit in which the reading out of said data is finished at the earliest, a selecting system for selecting said data which is read from said detected auxiliary storage unit, an irregular detecting system for detecting an irregular auxiliary storage unit which is still working, and a readout prohibiting system for prohibiting a consecutive readout command against said irregular auxiliary storage unit. Additional features to assure the data transferring rate are also disclosed.