Abstract: An analog signal input circuit with a first number of analog signal detection channels and a diagnostics circuit, with each analog signal detection channel including a third number of analog signal detection circuits and a first connection selection device, and each analog signal detection circuit comprising a first connection device and a second connection device. For each analog signal detection channel, for detecting analog input signals applied at analog signal inputs from a second number of analog signal inputs, and for the respective issuance of output signals for the detected analog input signals, respectively one analog signal detection circuit is alternatingly selected for a certain period of time, not connected to its first connection device comprising an analog signal input for detecting an analog input signal, but used for testing and/or diagnostic purposes.

Abstract: Provided is a method for determining an operating range of an ultrasonic vibrating unit (7), which ultrasonic vibrating unit (7) is supplied with electrical power by a generator (2) via an output (2a) and is excited to vibrate ultrasonically, wherein at least constituent parts of the ultrasonic vibrating unit (7), preferably an ultrasonic transducer (8) contained therein, and constituent parts of the generator (2), preferably a matching network (2b) on the output side, form a tuned circuit (2c, 2d). The method is characterized in that a measuring circuit (3) is connected upstream of the output (2a) of the generator (2), via the measuring circuit (3), a voltage (U) is applied to the tuned circuit, and by the measuring circuit (3), at least the phase, preferably magnitude and phase, of an impedance of the tuned circuit are measured, and at least the phase, preferably the phase and magnitude, of the impedance are evaluated in order to determine the working range.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus is provided that includes a light-emitting unit which emits light to an image bearing member which bears a developer image and that detects presence or absence of a developer container storing developer or a shape of the developer container on the basis of the number of electrons discharged from or received by the image bearing member when the light-emitting unit emits the light.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image bearing member; an electrostatic image forming unit; a developing device; an intermediary transfer member; a rotatable transfer member; a constant-voltage element; a power source; a cleaning device; an executing portion capable of executing a toner image collecting mode after jam clearance; and a controller for controlling the power source in an operation in a collecting mode so that a voltage of an identical polarity to a charge polarity of the toner is applied to the rotatable transfer member to transfer, onto the intermediary transfer member, the toner in an upstream-side end region of the toner image carried on the image bearing member with respect to the rotational direction of the image bearing member, and then a voltage of an opposite polarity to the charge polarity of the toner is applied to the rotatable transfer member.

Abstract: A system and method for controlling the fuser assembly of an electrophotographic imaging device, including initiating reading line current and line voltage for a plurality of consecutive AC cycles; from the AC cycle readings, identifying heater on cycles in which power is applied to the fuser heater and heater off cycles in which power is not applied to the fuser heater; calculating heater power from the identified heater on cycles and the heater off cycles, the heater power being the power of the fuser heater during a predetermined heater on cycle of the consecutive AC cycles; calculating a fuser heater voltage of the fuser heater during the predetermined heater on cycle based on the voltage readings; calculating a resistance of the fuser heater based on the calculated heater power and the calculated fuser heater voltage; and controlling the fuser assembly based upon the calculated resistance of the fuser heater.

Abstract: Disclosed is a power inductor. The inductor comprises a magnetic core and multiple lines. The multiple lines have a first terminal and a second terminal, are parallel with each other, and wind the magnetic core to form a winding. The lines at the first terminal depart from the magnetic core at the same position, and the lines at the second terminal depart from the magnetic core at the same position. At least one line at the first terminal forms a first interface end, the other lines at the first terminal, which are not utilized to form the first interface end, form a second interface end, and the lines at the second terminal together form a third interface end. By measuring the current flowing through the first interface end using a current sensor with a small measuring range, the current flowing through the power inductor can be estimated based on ratio.

Abstract: An image forming device includes a main casing, a process cartridge, a sheet passage, and a first guide. The process cartridge includes a photosensitive body, and a transfer member, and is configured to be attachable to and detachable from the main casing. The sheet passage extends in a first direction and is configured to allow a sheet to pass between the photosensitive body and the transfer member. The first guide is configured to guide the process cartridge such that the process cartridge is attachable to and detachable from the main casing. The first guide has a support portion extending in a second direction substantially perpendicular to the first direction and configured to support the process cartridge in a state where the process cartridge is attached to the main casing.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: a latent image carrier; an image forming unit configured to form, on the latent image carrier, a toner image using a developer including a toner and a lubricating external additive charged with an opposite polarity to a charge polarity of the toner; a transfer device configured to electrostatically transfer, at a transfer position, the toner image formed by the image forming unit to a transfer medium; and a cleaning device configured to remove the toner remaining on the latent image carrier after passing the transfer position. The transfer device is configured to control a transfer voltage applied at the transfer position, based on an area ratio of an image to be printed.

Abstract: A lubricant applicator includes a lubricant, a supply member contactable against the lubricant to supply the lubricant to a target, and a lubricant gauge to detect whether an amount of lubricant remaining is less than a threshold value. The lubricant gauge includes a rotary member rotatable about a shaft, a pressing member to press and rotate the rotary member as the lubricant is consumed, a contact part of the rotary member pressed by the pressing member, and a detection part of the rotary member opposite to the contact part across the shaft of the rotary member.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image bearer, a toner image forming device, a nip forming device, a power source, a controller, and a temperature-and-humidity detector. The toner image forming device forms a toner image on the image bearer. The nip forming device contacts the image bearer to form a transfer nip. The power source outputs a transfer bias, in which an alternating current component is superimposed on a direct current component, to transfer the toner image onto a recording medium interposed in the transfer nip. The temperature-and-humidity detector detects a temperature and humidity. The controller controls the power source to output the transfer bias including the direct current component with a smaller absolute value as at least one of the detected temperature and humidity increases.

Abstract: Methods are described for measuring data in a test setup including an impedance tuner. In an exemplary embodiment, the data is data for measuring noise parameters. The data is measured versus a sweep parameter for one tuner state at a time.

Abstract: In accordance with an embodiment, an image forming apparatus controls the heating of a fixing section in such a manner that the heating mode is switched to a second heating mode through a switching section in a case in which the temperature of a heating section is lower than a predetermined temperature, and the heating mode is switched to a first heating mode through a switching section in a case in which the temperature of the heating section is equal to or higher than the predetermined temperature.

Abstract: A leakage current detection method and apparatus are provided. The method is applied to leakage current detection for a board-mounted component on a printed circuit board assembly (PCBA) board, and includes: providing a fixed voltage for a leakage current input end of a board-mounted component under detection, and connecting a leakage current output end to an inverting input end of an operational amplifier of a resistance testing module, where the resistance testing module includes the operational amplifier and a reference resistor that is connected between the inverting input end of the operational amplifier and the voltage output of the operational amplifier; detecting an output voltage of the resistance testing module; and calculating, based on Ohm's law and according to the output voltage and the reference resistor, a leakage current flowing through the board-mounted component under detection.

Abstract: A diagnostic circuit arranged to measure an electrical characteristic in a drive circuit of a coil of a fluid injector and compare the measured electrical characteristic with another electrical characteristic to determine whether a PN junction is working to discharge electrical energy in the coil of the fluid injector, in particular a selective catalytic reduction dosing injector.

Abstract: An image formation device includes: an image formation unit configured to perform image formation processing of forming a print image based on a print job on a medium using developers of different colors; a misregistration check image formation unit configured to control the image formation unit to cause the image formation unit to form a misregistration check pattern on the medium; a misregistration correction amount input unit configured to receive input of an amount of misregistration correction to be applied to the image formation unit; and a controller configured to correct misregistration in the image formation processing by the image formation unit, based on the amount of misregistration correction received by the misregistration correction amount input unit.

Abstract: A system for transmitting data signals from a sensor on a vehicle through magnetic resonance coupling (MRC). The system includes a control circuit having a base coil, a variable current source, a variable capacitor and a control load, where the variable current source and the capacitor are tuned to provide a predetermined AC current to the base coil so as to generate an oscillating magnetic field at a predetermined frequency. The system also includes a receiver circuit associated with the sensor, where the receiver circuit includes a receiver coil, a tuning capacitor and a variable resistive load. The receiver coil is tuned and magnetically coupled to the base coil at the predetermined frequency. A change in the variable resistive load in the receiver circuit in response to a sensor measurement causes a change in the voltage across the control load that gives an indication of the sensor measurement.

Abstract: A test system (and methodology) suitable for testing a resonant sensor circuit configured to drive a sensor resonator with a negative resistance. Example embodiments include a test sensor resonator setup configured to simulate a sensor resonator with a selectable loss factor Rs, and includes, in a single-ended configuration, a first oscillator signal source that generates a first oscillation signal, coupled to a first controllable resistor that provides a controlled resistance R1 that simulates a selectable sensor resonator loss factor Rs, which together generate a first oscillation voltage signal based on the controlled resistance R1. A DUT resonant sensor circuit is coupled to receive the first oscillation voltage signal at a first input, and generate a negative resistance ?Ra that substantially counterbalances the resistance R1 (corresponding to sustained oscillation).

Abstract: An electrical power supply includes DC source outputting Vm and a device that detects insulation defects in the DC source. The device includes input terminals connected to the source's terminals, impedances Z1 and Z2 connected in series between the input terminals, where Z1=Z2=Z and Vm/Imax<z<(3/2)*Vm/Imax, wherein Imax is a maximum insulation defect current defined by a standardized safety threshold, and a current-detection circuit connected between ground and an intermediate point between the impedances. The current-detection circuit includes a microcontroller that receives a voltage proportional to the defect current originating from the intermediate point, the input terminal being connected by Z3 to a power supply with Vcc<Vm, the input terminal being connected to ground by way of Z4. The microcontroller is configured to determine amplitude of an insulation defect as a function of the voltage applied to the input terminal, wherein Z*Vcc/(4*Vm)<(Z3,Z4)<Ztmax=Z*Vcc/2Vm.

Abstract: An accommodating container includes: an accommodating chamber, provided with an opening, for accommodating a developer; a seal member for unsealably sealing the opening; and a rotatable member rotatably supported inside the accommodating chamber. The seal member includes a sealing portion for sealing the opening, a connecting portion connected with the rotatable member, and at least one hole provided between the sealing portion and the connecting portion. The rotatable member includes a shaft portion and at least one projection extending in a direction of being spaced from the shaft portion. The hole and the projection are provided to establish a non-overlapping positional relationship with respect to a direction along the shaft portion.

Abstract: A fixing device includes a fixing rotator rotatable in a predetermined direction of rotation and including a heated face and a heater including a contact face contacting the heated face of the fixing rotator. The contact face has a Vickers hardness not greater than about 600 Hv.