Abstract: In a computer-to-plate system, printing plates are loaded from their shipping container onto a drum, where they are exposed by a laser. As the plates are packed with paper sheets between them, a paper removal system followed by a capacitance probe is used. The capacitance probe detects any paper remaining on the front or back of the plate. The plate is gravity loaded onto the drum and is resting on two contact points identical in position to the contact points of plate punching equipment. The orthogonal edge of the plate is detected electronically, in order to fully register the image to the plate. Magnetic clamps hold the plate to the imaging drum.

Abstract: In a deflection scanning apparatus used for a laser beam printer or the like, a rotating body is provided with a deflector which has a plurality of recesses arranged in a concentric manner with the center at the rotation axis of the rotating body. Balance weights are set in the recesses so as to remove rotation unbalance in rotation of the rotating body.

Abstract: A laser liquid crystal marker and a method of judging deterioration of the liquid crystal make it possible to maintain high printing accuracy, ascertain the proper time for replacement of liquid crystal and, further, maintain high printing accuracy even when high speed printing is continuously performed. The marker has a temperature sensor (4), light emitting means (5), light receiving means (6), and a controller (7). The controller (7) calculates a light transmittance (Qi) from the irradiation quantity of light (R1) of the light emitting means (5) and the transmitted quantity of light (R2) received by the light receiving means (6), and adjusts the applied voltage (Vi) of the liquid crystal (2) so that the light transmittance (Qi) becomes equal to an optimum light transmittance (Qo), stored in advance.

Abstract: A beam passing position controlling apparatus comprises a light source for emitting a beam, a mechanism for reflecting the beam toward an image carrier surface to scan the image carrier surface, a sensor for detecting a position where the beam passes on the image carrier surface, a circuit for calculating a correction amount from the position detected, a mechanism for correcting the passing position of the beam on the basis of the correction amount, and a circuit for controlling respective operations of the apparatus.

Abstract: A laser scanning device emits a scanning laser beam which scans a predetermined surface to be scanned to form an image consisting of a plurality of pixels on the surface. The laser scanning device determines the intensity of the laser beam for each pixel of an image to be formed, and executes a feed-back control of the laser diode so that the intensity of the laser beam for each pixel accurately corresponds to the gradation level thereof.

Abstract: A projection exposure apparatus includes a projection optical system for projecting a pattern of a first object onto a second object; a laser source; an optical integrator for forming a secondary light source from the laser source; and a condenser optical system for imaging the secondary light source behind the first object at positions different in a direction of an optical axis with respect to two different directions to illuminate the first object therewith.

Abstract: A print control method of an image forming apparatus having a print engine unit which is controlled by a command applied from an external device and prints an image in accordance with image data applied from the external device on a recording medium by a page unit. The method includes the steps of: standing-by a reception of a print command signal from the external device in a stand-by state; detecting an operation state of the external device after starting a print operation in response to the received print command signal; printing an image in accordance with image data on printing paper, discharging the printed paper to outside of the image forming apparatus, and then executing a stand-by mode, when the external device is in a normal state; and stopping a print operation and then performing error processing operation, after discharging printing paper in state of white paper to outside of the image forming apparatus, when the external device is in an abnormal state.

Abstract: An optical write element is adapted to be used in an image writing device to form a visual or latent image on a recording medium. The optical write element comprises a rectangular casing having an interior maintained in a high vacuum condition, at least one light-emitting dot array composed of multiple fluorescent light-emitting dots attached along the length of a substrate as part of the casing, at least one cathode placed above the light-emitting dot array, and a pair of shielding members placed over the outside of the light-emitting dot array.

Abstract: An image printing method and apparatus for combining and printing image data that has already been stored with the image of a read original. The stored image data is printed at a prescribed density, and the image of the original is printed at a density conforming to the gray level thereof. At a portion of a recording medium on which the stored image data and the image of the original will overlap, the stored image data is printed preferentially. Further, the printing of the image and the scanning of the original image for reading the same are executed synchronously.

Abstract: A halftoning method characterized by two nonaligned halftone screens, one for black and the other for the subtractive primary colors cyan, magenta, and yellow, produces multi-color images on a color laser printer. The black screen is the inverse of, i.e., in reverse fill order to, the subtractive primary colors screen. The halftone pattern is a vertical line screen. In a preferred embodiment, the cells are grouped on hexagonal centers and aligned along X and Y coordinate axes. The dots are grouped in the linear direction of print medium motion. The grouping of dots reduces the effect of halftone screen misregistration, and the cell alignment in X and Y results in fewer high frequency artifacts. Inverting the black screen increases the number of possible chromatic mixed colors that include black, increases color uniformity and reduces the frequency of white "holes" in the printed images.

Abstract: When image formation on an image area corresponding to a recording section of a recording head is completed by executing a plurality of number of times of record scans of the recording head using a plurality of complementary thin-out patterns, scan intervals are gradually increased before execution of pre-ejection (Nos. 29 to 33), and scan intervals are gradually decreased after execution of pre-ejection (Nos. 36 to 40), so that a variation in scan intervals of the plurality of times of record scans for a single image area is limited to fall within a predetermined time range.

Abstract: A light beam focal position detecting device for detecting the focal position of a scanning light beam to correct the focal error on the photosensitive drum surface includes a photosensor which is placed at a position on the light beam axis before or after the expected focal position and made up of a pair of rectangular opto-electric transducers having their confronting sides extending along the main scanning direction or a plurality of opto-electric transducers arrayed along the subordinate scanning direction.

Abstract: A printer system includes (a) an f-.theta. lens producing lateral color aberration; (b) three laser light sources, each producing a light beam for use with said f-.theta. lens; and (c) modulators modulating these laser light beams at different data rates from one another. The ratio of the different data rates is being used to compensate for the lateral color aberration produced by the f-.theta. lens.

Abstract: A laser marking apparatus and method for marking the surface of a semiconductor chip are described herein. A laser beam is directed to a location on the surface of the chip where a laser reactive material, such as a pigment containing epoxy is present. The heat associated with the laser beam causes the laser reactive material to fuse to the surface of the chip creating a visibly distinct mark in contrast to the rest of the surface of the chip. Only reactive material contacted by the laser fuses to the chip surface, and the remaining residue on the non-irradiated portion can be readily removed.

Abstract: A CPU in the main body of the apparatus reads out data for smoothing processing from a ROM in an image cartridge for output to a smoothing circuit. The smoothing circuit performs a prescribed smoothing processing based on the data for smoothing processing and outputs the smoothed image data through an input/output control circuit and a printer engine interface circuit to a printer engine which forms an image. As a result, an optimum image processing suitable for any development characteristic can be performed for an image cartridge which is not compatible with the data for image processing of the main body, and a good quality image can be formed.

Abstract: Compensation for pixel aberrations in a laser printer is accomplished by selecting pixels to be augmented, and providing additional optical energy to the selected pixels. In one embodiment, the pixels are selected by selecting pixels in combinations in which required pixel augmentation is indicated. The additional optical energy may be applied at the sub-pixel level so that a threshold of energy depletion on an optical photoreceptor (OPR) is not reached where image development would occur. The energy applied at the sub-pixel level results in enhancement of the selected pixels at an adjacent pixel location.

Abstract: A transparent adhesive layer 3 with good permeability to laser light is provided on a base sheet 4, a colored layer 2 with good absorption of laser light is provided on the transparent adhesive layer 3, and a transparent layer 1 with good permeability to laser light is provided on the colored layer 2. Laser light 6 is irradiated from the side of the transparent layer 1 to form marked sections 5 at prescribed areas of the colored layer 2. To paste the marking sheet A onto the outer surface of a product, the base sheet 4 is peeled off and the transparent adhesive layer 3 is pasted onto the outer surface of the product. The color of the outer surface of the product may then be seen through the marked sections 5. Thus, satisfactory displays may be provided using only the marked sections 5 formed by laser light irradiation, without any additional special painting step.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus according to the present invention comprises image forming unit for forming an image from a plurality of first pixels having a predetermined size, and smoothing processing unit for executing a smoothing process by controlling the image forming unit so that picture elements situated near the outline of the image formed by unit of the image forming unit are composed of second pixels having a size larger than that of the first pixels.

Abstract: Rotating drum (10) imagesetter for producing an image on a flexible sheet of radiation-sensitive material, wherein a sheet (20) is held on the inside surface of the drum (14), and the exposure means (25) his located inside the drum.

Abstract: An imaging apparatus has a support shoe with an at-least-partially cylindrical inner surface for receiving a recording media. A rotor is simultaneously rotatable about, and linearly translated along, a fixed axis; and a write head assembly is carried by the rotor to write on recording media received on the inner surface of the support shoe. A pair of disks, having arcuate outer peripheries, are supported within the support shoe for movement with the rotor along the fixed axis on opposed axial sides of the rotor. One of the disks leads the translation of the rotor along the fixed axis as the rotor moves in either axial direction during a write operation. The disks are rotationally fixed relative to the support shoe and have circular outer peripheries.