Abstract: A drive mechanism includes a first transmission mechanism that transmits a driving force of a drive unit to a first rotary member to rotate the first rotary member; a second transmission mechanism including a first drive path along which the second transmission mechanism transmits the driving force to a second rotary member through a first gear train to rotate the second rotary member, and a second drive path along which the second transmission mechanism transmits the driving force to the second rotary member through a second gear train to rotate the second rotary member, the second gear train having a gear ratio that differs from a gear ratio of the first gear train; and a switching mechanism that is operated by the driving force and switches the second transmission mechanism between the first drive path and the second drive path.

Abstract: An apparatus for determining the conditions of a pipeline and for the analysis of the fluid contained therein comprising: a central body having a substantially cylindrical form perforated for the whole length and comprising at least a salinity sensor and at least a pH measurement sensor; a first crown of petals connected to the central body, wherein each petal extends from the central body until it touches the internal wall of the pipeline and wherein each petal comprises at least one deformation sensor and at least one roughness sensor; a sliding device integrally connected to the central body in a more advanced position with respect to the first crown of petals, wherein the sliding device can be a second crown of petals identical to the first crown of petals or a foam pig suitably perforated. A method is for determining the conditions of a pipeline and for the analysis of the fluid contained therein, which uses the apparatus.

Abstract: An apparatus for detecting a variation abnormality in an air-fuel ratio between cylinders according to the present invention is configured to calculate a value representing a change in an air-fuel ratio based on an output of an air-fuel ratio sensor that is provided in an exhaust passage in a predetermined operating state in which fuel is injected from a fuel injection valve, perform, to the calculated value, sensitivity correction in accordance with a sensitivity of the sensor based on the output of the sensor during fuel-cut operation and outside atmospheric pressure correction based on outside atmospheric pressure, and determine the presence or absence of a variation abnormality in an air-fuel ratio between cylinders by comparing the corrected value with a predetermined value.

Abstract: A drum unit includes a photosensitive drum, a side plate, a cleaning unit, a waste-toner conveyor unit. The photosensitive drum has a first drum body and a second drum body, each having a photosensitive layer and a supported portion extending from one end of the drum body in a first direction along a rotational axis of the photosensitive drum. The side plate supports the supported portions. The cleaning unit has cleaners and conveyors corresponding to the drum bodies so as to remove waste toner from the photosensitive drums and convey the waste toner removed by the cleaners in the first direction. The waste-toner conveyor unit has a collecting conveyor configured to convey the waste toner conveyed by the. The collecting conveyor is disposed between the side plate and the drum bodies. The collecting conveyor is disposed below the first conveyor.

Abstract: An apparatus and methods for measuring the clamping force applied to a substrate by clamping elements of a substrate holder. The apparatus include a pneumatic cylinder, a two position, three way valve and a pressure gauge. In a first position of the valve, the gauge and a bore of the cylinder are vented or pre-pressurized. In a second position of the valve, the bore and gauge are isolated. The methods include placing the apparatus with the valve in the first position between clamping elements set to a non-clamping position, moving the valve to the second position, setting the clamping elements to a clamping position and reading a pressure on the gauge.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus may include a photosensitive member, a developing device including a developing roller, pressing members configured to engage with the developing device and springs configured to urge the pressing members. In some examples, each of the pressing members may be configured to contact and move the developing device between various positions based on the urging of the springs. Additionally or alternatively, various ends of a contact surface of the developing roller configured to contact developer may be disposed relative to an axis line of the developing roller and pressing surfaces of the pressing members.

Abstract: Provided is a powder container having a new structure capable of stable discharge and transport of a powder contained in a container by enabling the powder to be reliably discharged to the outside of the package while preventing the powder from spilling and flying out of the container.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a transfer bias output device and an information receiving device. The transfer bias output device outputs a transfer bias including a superimposed bias composed of an AC bias superimposed on a DC bias to form a transfer electric field in a transfer nip between an image bearing member bearing a toner image and a nip forming member, to transfer the toner image onto a recording medium in the transfer nip. A controller operatively connected to the information receiving device and the transfer bias output device causes the transfer bias output device to change a target output of a peak-to-peak voltage of the AC bias based on information received by the information receiving device that affects transfer of the toner image and to reduce a target output of the DC bias as the target output value of the peak-to-peak voltage of the AC bias increases.

Abstract: Provided is a powder container having a new structure capable of stable discharge and transport of a powder contained in a container by enabling the powder to be reliably discharged to the outside of the package while preventing the powder from spilling and flying out of the container.

Abstract: A fixing apparatus for fixing an image on a recording material includes a cylindrical film, a heater configured to heat the film, the heater contacting an inner surface of the film, a heat transfer member configured to contact a surface opposite to a surface of the heater that contacts the inner surface of the film, and a support member configured to support the heater. A heat capacity per unit length of a first portion that is a portion of the heat transfer member corresponding to a region near an end of the recording material in a width direction among non-sheet passing region is larger than that of a second portion that is a portion of the heat transfer member corresponding to a center of the recording material in the width direction.

Abstract: A method for printing on a receiver with a plurality of colored dry inks and a dry white ink, the method includes providing a look-up table having a set of one dimensional look-up tables for each of the colored inks and black inks; inputting a value to each of the one dimensional look-up tables, which value corresponds to a laydown at each pixel location of the receiver; wherein the look-up table determines a laydown of white ink at each pixel location depending on the laydown of the colored inks and black ink; and determining an amount of white ink to laydown by computing a value from the determined white laydowns of each look-up table.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a support column having one end fixed to an apparatus body and the other end that turnably supports an operation unit, an opening and closing member that moves between a closed position to hide an inside of the apparatus body and an open position to expose the inside, and a lock unit that holds the operation unit at a first holding position to hold the operation unit within a moving area of the opening and closing member and a second holding position to hold the operation unit outside the moving area of the opening and closing member. The lock unit releases the operation unit in cooperation with opening of the opening and closing member in a state in which the operation unit is held at the first holding position, and moves the operation unit to the second holding position while keeping the operation unit released.

Abstract: A scan unit for an imaging device having a movable mirror and one or more light sources. A light beam generated by each light source is directed towards the movable mirror, movement of the mirror causing each light beam that is reflected by the mirror to follow a distinct scan pattern. An optical assembly is associated with each reflected light beam to form an optical path for each reflected light beam from the mirror. A housing in which the movable mirror, the one or more light sources and the optical assembly are secured has at least a portion made from electrically conductive material for shielding an interior of the housing from electromagnetic fields external to the housing. A light drive circuitry card is disposed in the interior of the housing and communicatively coupled to the one or more light sources for driving the one or more light sources.

Abstract: A toner cartridge for an image forming device according to one example embodiment includes a housing having a reservoir for containing toner therein. The housing has an exit port on a front of the housing in fluid communication with the reservoir. A first leg and a second leg each project from a bottom of the housing and extend primarily along a front-to-rear dimension of the housing. A first alignment guide is positioned on a first side of the housing and a second alignment guide is positioned on a second side of the housing. Each alignment guide extends primarily along the front-to-rear dimension of the housing. The first alignment guide includes a pair of rounded contact points and the second alignment guide includes a rounded contact point. The rounded contact points of the first and second alignment control the vertical position of the toner cartridge in the image forming device.

Abstract: A drum unit includes a photosensitive drum, a side plate, a cleaning unit, and a waste-toner conveyor unit. The photosensitive drum has a first drum body and a second drum body, each having a photosensitive layer and a supported portion extending from one end of the drum body in a first direction along a rotational axis of the photosensitive drum. The side plate supports the supported portions. The cleaning unit has cleaners and conveyors corresponding to the drum bodies so as to remove waste toner from the photosensitive drums and convey the waste toner removed by the cleaners in the first direction. The waste-toner conveyor unit has a collecting conveyor configured to convey the waste toner conveyed by the individual conveyors. The collecting conveyor is disposed between the side plate and the drum bodies. The collecting conveyor is disposed below the first conveyor.

Abstract: An urging roller for urging a cleaning web to a rotatable member of an electrophotographic image forming apparatus includes a shaft; an elastic layer provided on a peripheral surface of the shaft; a wire wound on a peripheral surface of the elastic layer; and a toner parting layer coating a peripheral surface of the elastic layer with the wire.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, an image processing apparatus includes a heating unit configured to heat an image formed on a sheet, and a control unit configured to control a temperature of the heating unit to be (i) above a first temperature when performing an image erasing operation on a first sheet supplied thereto, and (ii) below a second temperature that is lower than the first temperature when performing an image fixing operation on a second sheet supplied thereto. The control unit permits a first type of job to interrupt a currently-executing job while the image erasing operation is being performed and prohibits a second type of job from interrupting the currently-executing job while the image erasing operation is being performed.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a plurality of image carriers that carries toner images, a belt that is supported by a plurality of rollers including a support roller and an opposing roller, a transfer roller disposed opposed to the opposing roller via the belt, and a bending roller that bends the belt from outside toward inside and is disposed downstream from the opposing roller and upstream from support roller. The belt is stretched between the support roller and the bending roller in a first area. The plurality of image carriers contacts the belt in a second area other than the first area. A surface of the belt in the first area is parallel to that of the belt in the second area.

Abstract: A control portion of this image forming apparatus can selectively execute first and second modes. The first mode is a mode of forming a controlling toner image in an inter-image period until when a succeeding electrostatic latent image is developed after when a preceding electrostatic latent image is developed. The second mode is executed with priority over the first mode in a case when the integrated value of the values related to the toner replenishing amount is greater than a predetermined threshold value.

Abstract: A cleaning blade lubricant including an acicular shape lubricant is provided. The cleaning blade lubricant is applied to a cleaning blade of an electrophotographic printing device for improving the cleaning performance of a cleaning blade of an electrophotographic printing device.