Abstract: An image forming apparatus, including: a laser light source supplied with a bias current and a superimposed current to emit laser light; a splitting unit configured to split the laser light into first and second laser lights; a photoelectric conversion unit configured to output a voltage corresponding to a light intensity of the second laser light; a voltage holding unit configured to hold a voltage output from the photoelectric conversion unit with not the superimposed current but the bias current being supplied to the laser light source; a voltage conversion unit configured to remove the voltage held by the voltage holding unit from the voltage from the photoelectric conversion unit which receives the second laser light; and a current control unit configured to control, based on a voltage from the voltage conversion unit, a value of the superimposed current supplied to the laser light source based on image data.

Abstract: Provided is a printing method for multi-pass printing with column thinning in which the multi-pass number is not restricted to being a multiple of the column thinning number. A mask pattern of a size corresponding to the number of printing elements in use is prepared, and divided into blocks 1 to P. Taking R(x) to be the mask pattern for the region corresponding to block x (where x=1 to P), these P block mask patterns satisfy the following condition. Namely, for all integers s obtainable between the values from 1 to M, the arrangements of printing pixels exist in a complementary relationship with each other in the combination of mask patterns R(s), R(s+M), R(s+2M), and so on to R(s+N×M). However, for all s, N is taken to be the largest integer satisfying s+N×M?P.

Abstract: A print head system useful for xerographic printing includes an LED bar print head; a photoreceptor, the photoreceptor having a conductive surface; a sensor, the sensor being disposed on the LED bar, the LED bar being disposed a conjugate distance from the photoreceptor, wherein the sensor and the photoreceptor are configured to enable a measurement of the conjugate distance.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a vibration adjustment unit which adjusts a natural frequency of an optical system, a measuring unit which measures vibrational information indicating change in vibration, and a controller which individually drives each unit. The measuring unit measures the vibrational information after the natural frequency is adjusted to a drive frequency of each unit at an initial state. The controller stores this vibrational information as initial vibrational information. The measuring unit measures the vibrational information after the natural frequency is adjusted to a drive frequency of a unit to be checked. The controller compares this vibrational information with the initial vibrational information measured after adjustment of the natural frequency to the drive frequency of the unit to be checked. The controller determines abnormality in the unit to be checked according to the comparison.

Abstract: An apparatus includes a memory storing computer-readable instructions to cause the apparatus to perform determining a scanning number of times. The scanning number of times is a number of times that a carriage of a printer is to be moved to increase a maximum density of a first ink to be higher than a unit density. The instructions also cause the apparatus to perform generating print data to cause ejection of the first and a second ink by multi-pass scans in a final printing unit. The final printing unit is continuous scans corresponding to a number of passes including a last scan, among the scans to be performed the scanning number of times. The second ink is an ink whose density is equal to or less than the unit density, among the different inks.

Abstract: An image forming method includes: exposing a surface of an image carrier with a light based on an image pattern including an image portion and a non-image portion to form an electrostatic latent image corresponding to the image pattern. The image portion is made up of a plurality of pixels. Some of the pixels that make up the image portion are exposed with light of a first output value that is higher than a prescribed optical output value when the entire pixels corresponding to the image portion are exposed over a prescribed time period.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image forming unit configured to perform a printing operation by using a plurality of photosensitive media, a plurality of motors configured to drive the plurality of photosensitive media, and a motor controller configured to control a phase and a velocity of the other motor based on a periodic velocity of one motor from among the plurality of motors.

Abstract: A method for generating a BD signal and identifying a reflection surface after a polygonal mirror has reached approximately constant rotation speed increases time to start image formation because the step of generating the BD signal is needed. An image forming apparatus identifies a reflection surface on which a light beam is incident by using the period of an FG signal.

Abstract: An optical scanning device includes a light-source unit that emits a plurality of light beams, a deflector that deflects the light beams, and an image-forming optical system that receives the light beam deflected by the deflector and forms a spot image on photoconductors. The image-forming optical system includes a first scanning lens that allows only a corresponding light beam to pass and is arranged to form, upon receiving a virtual light beam, the spot image on the photoconductor with a not-curved line. The virtual line lies between a pair of light beams that travels in one of areas separated by a reference plane that is parallel to a sub-scanning direction and on which a normal line to a deflection plane of the deflector falls.

Abstract: Systems and methods for pharmacy messaging are described. A system includes a laser module and a control module. The laser module includes a marking chamber with a plurality of laser heads therein. A first and second entry gate are adjacent the marking chamber. The first entry gate is configured to open when the second entry gate is closed. A first and second exit gate are adjacent the marking chamber at a side different from the first entry and second entry gate. The first exit gate is configured to open when the second exit gate is closed. A transporter moves the objects being marked into and out of the marking chamber through the various gates. The control module is communicatively coupled to the laser module and adapted to control the laser module. Additional methods and systems are disclosed.

Abstract: An exposure apparatus includes: a substrate that has a light emitting element mounted on a front surface of the substrate; a casing to which the substrate and an optical element are fixed so as to allow the substrate to face the optical element that focuses light emitted from the light emitting element; a sealing material that seals a fitting portion between the substrate and the casing from a rear surface side of the substrate; and a conductive component that is mounted on a ground terminal formed on the rear surface of the substrate and has a height from the rear surface higher than a height of the sealing material at an end portion on a central portion side of the substrate.

Abstract: An optical scanning apparatus includes, a deflection unit configured to deflect first and second light fluxes in a main scanning direction by a same deflection surface, an incident optical system configured to cause the first and second light fluxes to enter the deflection surface, and an imaging optical system configured to converge the first and second light fluxes deflected by the deflection unit to first and second surfaces to be scanned, respectively. The imaging optical system includes first imaging optical element having an output surface including first and second curves that the first and second light fluxes respectively enter, and among light rays included in the first and second light fluxes, the light rays that are reflected by the first and second curves, intersect each other in a sub-scanning cross section perpendicular to the main scanning direction.

Abstract: A three-dimensional object printer compensates for variations in ejected material drop volumes by adjusting firing signal parameters. The printer includes an optical sensor that generates height measurement data of columns of material in a test pattern. Differences between the height of columns of material in the test pattern formed by the ejectors in the printhead and the expected height of the columns are compared to a predetermined range to detect drop variations that are out of tolerance. The modification of the firing signal parameter adjust the operation of the ejectors to bring the volume of the drops ejected by the ejector within tolerance range to reduce the ink drop velocities of the ejected drops within a predetermined range.

Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to an image printing apparatus, image printing method, and image processing apparatus. The image printing apparatus and image printing method print images by controlling the connectivity of dots by using mask patterns having different numbers of print permitting pixels in accordance with the attributes of the images.

Abstract: A structure in which a shutter is moved in a first direction by a motor, an opening is provided in the shutter, and the shutter is moved in a second direction using an elastic force of a spring connected to an upper cover of a light scanning device and an inside wall at the opening of the shutter increases the size of the structure of the shutter and the structure of the light scanning device due to the position of the spring. Therefore, a recess 218b is provided in an opposing surface 218g of a cover 218 opposing a shutter 300, and a spring 310 for sliding the shutter 300 is connected to a connection portion 218e provided at the recess 218b. The recess 218b is provided at a side opposite to the light source units with a polygon mirror 203 being interposed therebetween.

Abstract: Each data line includes base parts covering contact holes and line parts extending in an array direction of pixel circuits and connecting adjacent base parts to each other. The line parts have a smaller width in a direction perpendicular to the array direction than the base parts and are connected to the base parts while being offset in the direction perpendicular to the array direction from each other on both sides of at least two base parts that include first and second base parts. A connection position of the first base part with the line part on one side among both sides of the base units is located on the pixel circuit side with respect to the other side, and a connection position of the second base part on the one side is located on an opposite side to the pixel circuit side with respect to the other side.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an apparatus body including positioning faces; a detachably attachable unit including receiving parts and contact parts; and a biasing member to press the receiving parts of the detachably attachable unit to the positioning faces disposed on the apparatus body. The biasing member is rotatably disposed to the apparatus body, contacts the contact parts disposed on the detachably attachable unit, presses the receiving parts against the positioning faces, and is elastically deformable in a direction separating from a rotary supporting point of the biasing member; and when the biasing member is rotated to a locked state from a release state, the biasing member is hooked to the contact parts, so that the receiving parts are pressed toward the positioning faces by the biasing member.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus is provided. The image forming apparatus includes: plural photosensitive members; plural exposing units opposed to the photosensitive members, respectively, each of the exposing units including a plurality of light emitting elements arranged in a first direction; and a body frame which is provided at both sides of the exposing units in the first direction. Each of the exposing units includes: a gap maintaining member which abuts a respective one of the photosensitive members to define a distance between the exposing unit and the photosensitive member; a first-direction positioning portion which abuts the body frame in the first direction to position the exposing unit in the first direction; and a second-direction positioning portion which abuts the body frame in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction and an exposing direction of the light emitting elements, to position the exposing unit in the second direction.

Abstract: A cover member to be attached to a housing including a bottom portion and a side wall, the cover member including: a closing surface configured to close an opening surrounded by the side wall; at least three protruding portions protruding from the closing surface so as to be located on an inside of the housing; and a protection portion configured to protect a circuit board fixed to the side wall, the protection portion having: a first opposed portion opposed to the circuit board and provided to stand on the closing surface; a second opposed portion opposed to the circuit board and protruding with respect to the first opposed portion away from the circuit board; and a connecting portion configured to connect the first opposed portion and the second opposed portion, wherein a length of the at least three protruding portions is larger than a length of the first opposed portion.

Abstract: An angle formed between a first beam light ray D1 and a second beam light ray D2 is ?12, an angle formed between the second beam light ray D2 and a third beam light ray D3 is ?23, and an angle formed between the third beam light ray D3 and a fourth beam light ray D4 is ?34, where the first, second, third, and fourth beam light rays D1, D2, D3, and D4 have been reflected by a reflective surface of a rotating polygon mirror, ?23 is the smallest, of the three angles, that is, ?12, ?23, and ?34.