Abstract: A removable device is removably attachable to an image forming apparatus main body. The removable device includes an information storage device, a holder, and a low frictional structure. The information storage device includes: an information storage unit that stores information to be communicated between the apparatus main body and the removable device; a terminal to be contacted with an apparatus main-body terminal, for communicating information with the apparatus main body; and a substrate that holds the information storage unit and the terminal and that includes a guide to be fitted to a protrusion provided on the apparatus main body. The holder holds the substrate such that the substrate can move, when the removable device approaches the apparatus main-body terminal, on a virtual plane intersecting with a moving direction of the removable device. The low frictional structure is arranged on a contact area between the substrate and the holder.

Abstract: Described herein is an insertion mount, including a threaded cylindrical mount with a hollow inner diameter and a lengthwise slot cutout for receiving a probe; and a drive assembly further comprising a drive nut, wherein the drive nut has threads that engage the threaded outer diameter of the threaded cylindrical mount which allows the drive nut to be moved the length of the cylindrical mount by screwing the drive nut of the drive assembly onto the threads of the threaded cylindrical mount.

Abstract: There is provided an image forming apparatus including a main body, a drum cartridge attachable to and detachable from the main body and including a photosensitive drum, a developing agent cartridge attachable to and detachable from the main body and containing a developing agent to be supplied to the photosensitive drum, and an exposure unit configured to expose a surface of the photosensitive drum. The main body includes a drum cartridge guide which is configured to guide the drum cartridge such that the drum cartridge passes above the exposure unit, when the drum cartridge is attached to or detached from the main body, and a developing cartridge guide which is configured to guide the developing agent cartridge such that the developing agent cartridge passes below the exposure unit, when the developing agent cartridge is attached to or detached from the main body.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an electrostatic latent image bearer; a charger to charge a surface of the electrostatic latent image bearer; a power source to output a charging bias supplied to the charger; an electrostatic latent image writing unit to write an electrostatic latent image on the surface of the electrostatic latent image bearer charged by the charger; a developing unit including a developing member to develop the electrostatic latent image to obtain a toner image; a developing power source to output a developing bias supplied to the developing unit; a processor to adjust the charging bias output from the power source to a predetermined target value; and a storage unit to store an adjustment value algorithm.

Abstract: A system that measures a high electric voltage on an electrical transmission line has an electro optical voltage transducer sensor connected between the electrical transmission line and ground for providing in response to the measured high electric voltage a Sin optical intensity signal and a Cos optical intensity signal. The system also has a signal processor that operates in a first state to digitally process samples of the Sin and said Cos optical intensity signals. The process samples are used to provide a representation of the high electric voltage on the transmission line. The representation can be used for one or more of metering, relaying and transient capture.

Abstract: A matrix key input interface has key common signal lines and key data signal lines wired in a matrix and key switches disposed at positions where the key common signal lines intersect the key data signal lines. The key data signal lines are periodically monitored while key scan signal is not output to any of the key common signal lines. Based on the results of monitoring, an earth fault is detected in key common signal lines or key data signal lines.

Abstract: A transfer device (35) includes a conveyance belt (351), a transfer roller (352), and a stretch roller (354). The conveyance belt (351) is in contact with an image carrier (31) that carries a toner image, and conveys a sheet via a contact position with the image carrier (31). A voltage having a polarity opposite to a charging polarity of toner that forms the toner image is applied to the transfer roller (352), and the transfer roller (352) transfers the toner image carried by the image carrier (31) onto the sheet at the contact position. The stretch roller (354) is in an insulated state, and stretches the conveyance belt (351) at a separation position in which the sheet is separated from the conveyance belt (351) and which is downstream of the contact position in a conveyance direction in which the sheet is conveyed by the conveyance belt (351).

Abstract: A sampling device for retrieving a sample having a frame, a scoop with an open end configured to retrieve a sample, an actuator in communication with the scoop, a base plate mounted below the frame, configured to support the sampling device on the material, and a spade at least as large as the opening, extending below the base plate, configured to extend into the material and configured to engage with the open end of the scoop once a sample has been retrieved, wherein the actuator is configured to move the scoop between an open and a closed position, and in the open position, there is a gap between the open end of the scoop and the spade for the entry of a sample, and in the closed position, the open end of the scoop sealingly engages with the spade to close the scoop and retain the retrieved sample.

Abstract: A lubricant application device includes: a lubricant supply unit; a roller-type rotatable lubricant application member that applies a lubricant agent to a lubricant-applied member, the lubricant agent being supplied from the lubricant supply unit; and a flicking member to be brought into contact with the lubricant application member in a position that is on the downstream side of the lubricant supply unit and is on the upstream side of the lubricant-applied member in the rotation direction of the lubricant application member, the flicking member being brought into contact with the lubricant application member so that the amount of the lubricant agent to be applied to either end portion of the lubricant-applied member becomes smaller than the amount of the lubricant agent to be applied to the middle portion of the lubricant-applied member in the axial direction of the lubricant application member.

Abstract: A fixing device having: a heating unit; a first rotating member and rotating in a first rotational direction; a second rotating member contacting the first rotating member and thereby forming a nip through which a printing medium passes, wherein the second rotating member rotates in a second rotational direction opposite to the first rotational direction; a reflective member provided around the first rotating member and having a reflection surface provided so as to face the first rotating member; and an inhibitory member inhibiting air in a space between the reflective member and the first rotating member from flowing out through a first gap between a downstream end of the reflective member in the first rotational direction and a closest portion of the first rotating member to the downstream end of the reflective member, wherein the inhibitory member overlaps with a part of the first gap.

Abstract: An optical apparatus includes a blurring detection unit configured to detect image blurring applied to the optical apparatus; and a motion vector calculation unit configured to calculate a motion vector among a plurality of images shot by the optical apparatus. Image blurring is corrected in accordance with a signal obtained from blurring detected by the blurring detection unit; the motion vector is calculated using a correction result of the image blurring; and the image blurring is further corrected using the calculated motion vector.

Abstract: A fixing device for fixing an unfixed image onto a recording medium includes a fixing belt, a nip forming member, an opposing rotary member, a heater, and a temperature detector. The fixing belt is formed into a loop to move endlessly and fix the unfixed image on the recording medium. The nip forming member is disposed inside the loop formed by the fixing belt. The opposing rotary member contacts the nip forming member via the fixing belt to form a nip portion therebetween while rotating. The heater heats the fixing belt at a place other than the nip portion. The temperature detector detects a temperature of the surface of the fixing belt. The temperature detector detects the temperature near a place of the fixing belt that easily deforms as the fixing belt is heated by the heater.

Abstract: A control method for a printing apparatus including a reading unit configured to read an image to generate image data includes printing, via a printing unit, an adjustment image, which is used to adjust a printing position, in such a way that the adjustment image is in contact with an end of a sheet, detecting the end of the sheet based on adjustment image data generated by the reading unit reading the adjustment image printed on the sheet by the printing unit, obtaining an amount of shift in the printing position based on the detected end of the sheet and the adjustment image data, and controlling, based on the obtained amount of shift in the printing position, the printing unit to print an image on the sheet.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: an image bearing member; a developer carrying member for carrying developer; a cartridge detachably mountable to a main assembly of the image forming apparatus, the cartridge includes a cleaning means for removing the developer remaining on the developer carrying member after a developer image is transferred onto a transfer material, a developer buffering portion for accommodating the developer removed by the cleaning portion, and a feeding member driven for feeding the developer from the developer buffering portion to a developer container provided in the main assembly; a storing portion for storing cartridge operation information; and a controller for controlling the feeding member to stop drive of the feeding member on the basis of the cartridge operation information stored in the storing portion.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, a fixing device includes a heat roller, a heat generating body, and a controller. The heat roller heats a conveyed sheet. The heat generating body generates heat with electric power in the heat roller. The controller applies thinning control to electric energy supplied to the heat generating body in processing for heating the heat roller.

Abstract: To provide an image forming apparatus in which the paper is cooled early by blowing air to the paper in the conveying path so as to prevent a sticking phenomenon on a paper output tray while paper turning, paper folding, paper breakage and paper jamming due to influence on paper conveyance by blowing air onto the paper in the conveying path, can be prevented. At the start of paper conveyance, a gate 73 is turned upwards to a first position to thereby close a sixth conveying path 44 and establish communication between a first conveying path 42 and a second conveying path 43 so that the paper having passed through a fixing unit 21 starts to be conveyed from first conveying path 42 to second conveying path 43. At the same time, air is exhausted from an exhausting mechanism 53 arranged upstream of a cooling mechanism 76.

Abstract: A supplying device includes first and second bottles each including a bottle gear for inputting a driving force. A driving source drives a driving gear, and a swingable gear is in engagement with the driving gear. The swingable gear swings between a first drive transmitting position where the driving force is transmitted from the swingable gear to the first bottle gear in engagement with the first bottle gear, and a first retracted position, where the swingable gear is retracted from the first drive transmitting position. In addition, a movable gear is movable between a second drive transmitting position, where the driving force is transmitted from the swingable gear to the second bottle gear in engagement with both of the second bottle gear and the swingable gear located in the first retracted position, and a second retracted position where the movable gear is retracted from the second drive transmitting position.

Abstract: A development rotating member for liquid development includes a base material, an elastic layer that is provided on the base material, and a surface layer that is provided on the elastic layer and contains a polyimide resin, wherein a JIS-A hardness of the development rotating member is in a range of 40 degrees to 80 degrees.

Abstract: A method of controlling a portable electronic device including a digital camera for setting automatic exposure and automatic white-balance values for capturing a digital image. The method includes identifying an available current for a main flash output of the digital camera for capturing the digital image, in response to determining that the available current for the main flash output is less than a full current value, identifying a corresponding current value for a preflash output based on the available current for the main flash output and setting the current value for the preflash output to the corresponding current value, actuating the preflash output utilizing the corresponding current value and receiving light at an image sensor, and based on the light received at the image sensor, setting automatic exposure and automatic white-balance values for use in capturing the digital image.

Abstract: A gear device includes a gear means configured to transmit a torque of a motor to a rotating member. The gear means includes a rotor and an armature. The gear device further includes a coupling force applying part and a resistance force generating part. The coupling force applying part is configured to apply a coupling force so as to couple the rotor and the armature to each other. The resistance force generating part is configured to apply a resistance force acting against the coupling force to the gear means along with movement of the gear means away from the rotating member.