Abstract: An image forming apparatus including an image forming unit; a first conveying path, along which a recording medium accommodated in a paper feeding cassette is conveyed to the image forming unit; and a second conveying path, along which a recording medium inserted into a manual paper feeding port is conveyed to the image forming unit; wherein the manual paper feeding port is formed at a front side of the image forming apparatus on an upper surface of an apparatus main body and wherein an inclined path obliquely extending from the manual paper feeding port to below and toward a rear of the apparatus main body is also formed, wherein the second conveying path is structured so that a recording medium inserted into the manual paper feeding port can fall into the inclined path due to the weight of the recording medium.

Abstract: A method of printing a printed output of a press comprising ink on a print medium applies ink to a surface, places individually controlled drops of aqueous solution onto the print medium in a drop pattern, and transfers ink from the surface to areas of the print medium that are free of aqueous solution to produce the printed output of the press. A method of variable printing is also disclosed.

Abstract: Apparatus and methods for transferring a principal substance to a substrate involve the use of a gating agent that blocks the substance from or attracts the substance to the substrate. The apparatus and methods may utilize ink jet technology to apply the gating agent directly to the substrate or to an intermediate surface. The substance may be an ink, an electrically conductive material, a magnetic material, a carrier for a therapeutic, diagnostic, or marking substance other than an ink, or a carrier for any other type of substance.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus has a pair of registration rollers which are moved in the width direction so that a sheet side end position is within a predetermined range in the width direction based on sheet side end position information from a lateral registration detection sensor. In the case that an image-formed sheet is conveyed to a sheet processing portion without being reversed, the pair of registration rollers are moved so that the sheet side end position is within the first range, and in the case that an image-formed sheet is conveyed to the sheet processing portion, the pair of registration rollers are moved so that the sheet side end position is within the second range being different from the first range before reversing and within the first range after reversing.

Abstract: A variable cutoff printing unit is provided that includes a plate cylinder, a plate cylinder support removably supporting the plate cylinder, a blanket cylinder, a blanket cylinder support removably supporting the blanket cylinder, a frame, the plate cylinder support and the blanket cylinder support being coupled to the frame, a sliding element coupled to the blanket cylinder support for moving the blanket cylinder support toward and away from the plate cylinder support, and a stopping device for stopping movement of the sliding element to limit the movement of the blanket cylinder toward and away from the plate cylinder to a defined range. A method of operating a variable cutoff printing unit is also provided.

Abstract: Provided is an image forming apparatus including: an image carrying unit on which a toner image is carried; a transfer unit that transfers a toner image carried by the image carrying unit onto a sheet at a transferring position; a sheet conveyor unit that conveys the sheet having the toner image transferred thereto by the transfer unit; a suction device that sucks the sheet to the sheet conveyor unit; and a controller that stops or reduces a sucking operation of the suction device where the toner image carried by the image carrying unit passes the transferring position without being transferred onto the sheet.

Abstract: Systems and methods for high-speed variable printing are provided. Ink jet technology and lithographic systems may be combined in such a way to create a fully variable and high-quality print system. At least one area of a plate is reserved for variable information to be printed. The plate may already comprises static information to be printed. Ink is then applied to the at least one area of the plate reserved for the variable information. An aqueous solution is applied to a web to produce a negative image of the variable information, and a positive image of the variable information is transferred in ink to the web. The systems and methods described herein may be used to create high-quality one-to-one marketing applications.

Abstract: A print system includes a paper feed device; a print device which has a platen roller and a print head and inserts the fed paper and an ink ribbon at a head position between the platen roller and the print head to perform printing; a disjunction device which relatively moves the platen roller with respect to the print head between a contact position where the platen roller contacts and a separation position where the platen roller is away therefrom; a non-print section acquiring device which acquires non-print section data of a character image in a feed direction of the paper from print data; and a print control device which controls the devices. The print control device relatively moves the platen roller to the separation position during a non-print section of the fed paper passes through the print head, based on the non-print section data.

Abstract: A device for supplying radiant energy onto a printing substrate (14), including at least one radiant energy source (10) whose light (12) impinges on the printing substrate (14) on the path (16) of the printing substrate (14) through a printing press at a position (116) downstream of at least one printing nip (18) in a printing unit. The radiant energy source (10) emits light (12) having a peak-to-valley homogeneity of less than 15% in a direction transverse to the direction of the path (16) of the printing substrate (14).

Abstract: An apparatus for curing a printing plate made of or having photo-curable material, a method of curing such a printing plate, and a printing plate cured by the method. One embodiment of the method includes curing a printing plate made of or having photo-curable material thereon. The method includes producing light energy on part of the printing plate using a light exposure unit, including relative motion between the light energy and the plate in a transverse direction at a changeable period of repetition, such that curing can produce printing features on the plate that can be switched to have either flat tops or round tops according to the period of repetition.

Abstract: A clamping device for a printing cylinder with two holders arranged on a joint axis, the holders each having a recess for receiving one end of the printing cylinder and being arranged with their recesses oriented towards each other and positioned adjustably to each other, with at least one of the recesses having a contact surface on which the allocated end of the printing cylinder is held during clamping. At least one of the holders comprises a carrier and a contact element fastened on the carrier on which the contact surface is formed. The contact element comprises a material which has a higher current conductivity and/or thermal conductivity than steel. In particular, copper or a copper alloy is suitable as a material for the contact element.

Abstract: A sheet which entered between a first sheet conveying unit and a second sheet conveying unit is detected by a sheet detecting unit. A loop of the sheet formed with a difference of sheet conveying speeds between the first and second sheet conveying units is detected by a loop detecting sensor. After the sheet detecting unit detected the sheet, if the loop detecting sensor does not detect the loop, a control unit which controls the sheet conveying speed of at least one of the first and second sheet conveying units controls the sheet conveying speed of at least one of the first and second sheet conveying units, thereby reducing an amount of the formed loop.

Abstract: A web printing press is provided including a printing unit for printing a web, a delivery for printed products formed from the web, the web and printed products defining a printed product stream, a first sensor sensing a first characteristic of the web or printed products, a controller connected to the first sensor, and an indicator indicating in real-time a print defect in the printed product stream as a function of the first sensor. A method is also provided.

Abstract: An apparatus for applying a marking to an elongated sheet material is provided. The apparatus includes a processing machine through which an elongated length of the sheet material is passed. A marking system is arranged to apply a marking to the elongated length of sheet material passing through the processing machine. The marking system comprises at least one spray gun and a pump for supplying marking fluid to the spray gun. The pump is operable at selectively variable speeds. A controller controls the speed of the pump based upon a speed at which the sheet material is passed through the processing machine.

Abstract: An exterior structure of an apparatus for covering the outside of an apparatus main body with a multiple number of panel elements uses shielding panels, heat-radiating panels and machine-interior anti-scatter panels as the multiple number of panel elements. The apparatus has a framework to which shielding panels, heat-radiating panels and machine-interior anti-scatter panels are appropriately arranged in combination to cover the apparatus in conformity with the functional configuration of the apparatus.

Abstract: A printing device, a patterning method using the same and a method of fabricating an LCD device using the same are disclosed. The printing device includes a printing roll having a blanket adhered to an outer surface thereof; and an absorption nozzle to absorb solvent from the blanket. The absorption nozzle may include an absorber having a slit, a vacuum controller connected to the absorber, and a pipe connected to the vacuum controller.

Abstract: A first movable blade and a second movable blade cooperate as part of a cutter drive mechanism to cut roll paper in conjunction with a fixed blade. A gear train 132 has a first gear 141 that rotates when drive power from the cutter motor 131 is input thereto, and a second gear 142 to which rotation of the first gear 141 is transferred, causing the second gear 142 to turn. A first eccentric pin 151 engaging the first movable blade 81 is disposed at an eccentric position to the first gear 141, and a second eccentric pin 152 engaging the second movable blade 82 is disposed at an eccentric position to the second gear 142. The first movable blade 81 has a first guide channel 115 regulating the cutting operation of the first movable blade 81 on the first blade point 114 side, and the first guide channel 115 and the first eccentric pin 151 together render a first opposing cam 161.

Abstract: A printer that includes a cassette mounting portion into which a tape cassette is mounted and from which is removed a tape cassette in an up-down direction, a printing head that performs printing on the tape, a platen roller that faces the printing head, a roller holder that rotatably supports the platen roller, a sensor that detects the type of the tape, a sensor holder that holds the sensor, and a protective portion that is provided on the roller holder and is provided above the sensor.

Abstract: A compact alphanumeric keyboard providing the clock face familiarity for ease of learning and ease of use, with at least twenty eight alphanumeric keys, where the keys are arranged in a first set of twelve keys, a second set of twelve keys, and a third set of four alphanumeric keys. The first set and second set of keys are arranged to correspond with positions of a set of twelve hours on a clock face and the first set, second set, and third set are concentric with respect to a center, where the ratio of the radii of the first bounding circle, second bounding circle, and third bounding circle is substantially square root of seven, two, and one so that each of the plurality of key areas have substantially of equal area. Each of the at least twenty-eight alphanumeric keys has an indicia surface for being comfortably pressed by a finger.

Abstract: A sheet conveyance apparatus includes a first roller and a second roller. The second roller is urged to the first roller by an elastic member. In the sheet conveyance apparatus, sheet guide rib is provided which can project into a sheet conveyance path formed by a sheet guide plate. The sheet conveyance apparatus further includes an interlock portion which is mechanically interlocking with a changing position of the second roller, and changes the projecting amount of the sheet guide rib into the sheet conveyance path such that the more the thickness of a sheet increases, the smaller the projecting amount becomes.