Abstract: An improved electronic data recorder for use in a vehicle includes a housing having a pair of connectors. The housing encloses a modular converter, a printer module, a continuous roll of paper, a modular paper advance mechanism, conversion electronics, and memory and computation electronics. Also included in the housing are a driver code input keypad, a clock and date display, and keys for selecting a variety of functions. The data recorder connects to a free end of a rotatable odometer-speedometer cable between a rotating part of a vehicle to which the cable is attached and the vehicle odometer-speedometer. The data recorder also connects to the vehicle battery and ignition switch. The rotational motion of the cable is communicated into the housing of the data recorder by one of the connectors and from there into the modular converter. The converter converts the rotational motion into a plurality of unique electrical signals representative of mileage.

Abstract: A photosensitive, photoconductive media moving in a first direction relative to a laser light beam scanning in a second direction, transverse to the first direction, incurs velocity variations. These velocity variations result in variations in the absolute and relative heights of white and black image features. This printed image nonuniformity is especially visually detectable for closely spaced parallel lines in the second direction, and/or gray scale. An optical velocity sensor senses instantaneous media velocity. An analog or digital velocity error processor maintains a running average velocity and determines, by subtraction, an instantaneous velocity error as the difference between currently sensed and running average velocities. The instantaneous velocity error so determined is used to adjust the intensity of the laser light beam to be proportionally brighter (dimmer), exposing a wider (narrower) scan line, on a faster-moving (slower-moving) media region.

Abstract: A reproduction apparatus includes a plurality of recording elements, for exampl, LED's, arranged in a row along the length of the printhead. An image scanner scans an original document sheet to generate data signals related to the information on the sheet. In rasterizing the data for reproduction by the printhead upon a photoreceptor, means are provided for locating a pictorial portion on the document sheet which will require screening during the reproduction process. Image information comprising text and charts not in the area determined to include the pictorial information is reproduced at a resolution of N.times.M dots per square inch. Image information including text, etc., in the area determined to include the pictorial information is reproduced at N.times.(L.times.M) dots per square inch. The apparatus also includes means for providing additional emissions of the light emitting diodes, in response to photoreceptor travel, for correcting for nonuniformities in emissions of the LED's.

Abstract: In a device for exhanging objects, in particular writing instruments, between two holders (4, 5) open on one side, in which the object (6) is retained at least in one holder (4) by the cooperation of two retaining elements, one of which is a permanent magnet and the other is a ferromagnetic element. The retaining element provided in the one holder (4) is connected to a raceway mechanism and in the retaining position is disposed at least near the receiving zone of the holder (4), and in the separating position is located farther away from the receiving zone of the holder (4).

Abstract: In optical scanning system of laser printer, laser lights are scanned at uniform speed on a photosensitive plane through the projection lens which brings focuses on the photosensitive element. The f.multidot..theta. correction technique is required so that the light reflected from the rotating mirror at the angle .theta. formed between the light ray and the light axis may be made incident at a position c constant times as large as the angle .theta. onto the photosensitive drum. The f.multidot..theta. correction is, without constituting and using the known optical system by a plurality of lenses, electrically performed by attaching to the rotating polygon mirror a chopper grooved at intervals, corresponding to the uniform speed correction to generate the pulse signal, thereby obtaining the optimum width of picture line.

Abstract: An image is recorded on an elongate image recording medium by feeding the image recording medium in an auxiliary scanning direction from a loading unit and applying a light beam to the image recording medium in a main scanning direction transverse to the auxiliary scanning direction. A loose loop is formed out of the image recording medium between the loading unit and an image scanning recording unit. Guide plates are angularly displaced to allow the image recording medium to hang by gravity with the image recording medium with the image recorded thereon having a free distal end. The hanging image recording medium is moved back toward the image scanning recording unit after the image has been recorded. The guide plates are displaced back to deliver the image recording medium to a next process.

Abstract: An optical printer head with a light emitting diode array comprises means for setting a distance between a light emitting surface of a light emitting diode array chip and a rod lens array. The means is provided with two reference position levels at which the light emitting diode array chip and the rod lens array are held. Therefore, there is no necessity for adjusting the distance between the light emitting diode array chip and the rod lens array so that a productivity thereof is much improved.

Abstract: A laser beam scanning apparatus for beam scanning a medium with the laser beam being deflected by a deflector, comprising a first mirror provided for reflecting the laser beam after deflected by the deflector and a second mirror provided for folding a light path between the first mirror and the recording medium in relation that a first light path between the deflector and the first mirror is intersected with a second light path between the second mirror and the recording medium. The first and second mirrors are arranged so as to be movable in parallel respectively for adjusting a length of scanning line on the recording medium in a direction perpendicular to the scanning line, wherein either one of the first and second mirrors is moved when adjusting said moved mirror has lesser shift amount of the scanning line on the recording medium as compared with the other mirror.

Abstract: A head tending system for purging and cleaning an ink jet print head includes a self-aligning purge nozzle which can float into positive engagement with a vent hole of the print head and a wiping roller of a non-circular contour about which a tape of wiping cloth passes.

Abstract: In an image recording apparatus in which an image optically formed on a photosensitive material is transferred as a visible image onto an image receiving material by pressurization, a back-up roller is employed to press a free nip roller against a fixed nip roller so that the pressure at the nip region of the two nip rollers is made uniform over the entire length thereof. The back-up roller has a width smaller than the width of the free nip roller against which it presses, and the back-up roller presses only against a central portion of the free nip roller.

Abstract: A symmetrical braking system for a graphic recorder includes a generally cylindrical brake support supported by a carriage drive and having a combination of cam surfaces. A brake rotor is rotatable supported upon the brake support and defines an arrangement of captivating notches which receive a pair of brake shoes in an overlying arrangement. Bearing means are coupled to each of the brake shoes and are driven by the cam surfaces of the brake support. A coupling arrangement is secured to the brake rotor and provides a coupling for rotational forces between the brake rotor and an actuator beam extending through the brake structure. Rotational forces applied to the actuator beam are coupled to the brake rotor and the bearing means cooperate with the cam surfaces to move the brake shoes into or out of engagement with the actuator beam as a function of rotational position.

Abstract: Electronic printers, wherein multi-page documents to be printed are received as character code signals to be applied to a pattern generator for mapping and rasterization, electronically store the character code signals of a multi-page document for repeatedly presenting the stored signals to the pattern generator in the proper sequence to produce a plurality of collated printed sets. If the number of skip cycles required while the print engine waits for the pattern generator to finish mapping a particular page during the first printing of the document exceeds a threshold, the print engine will assume a shut down mode during mapping of that page on subsequent printings.

Abstract: There is disclosed a recording apparatus capable of data recording with a suitable size according to the size of the recording sheet. There are provided plural pattern generators to generate plural different patterns for each character code, and one of the patterns is selected according to the size of the recording sheet.

Abstract: An LED array head has an LED array which selectively emits light. The LED array is mounted on a substrate in a flip chip form with a light emitting section located opposed to a surface of the substrate. A fiber bundle including a plurality of optical fibers is buried in the substrate with an end portion of the fiber bundle located at a position in the vicinity of the light emitting section of the LED array.

Abstract: A write device for an optical printer capable of determining intervals between luminous dots and inclination and dimensions of the luminous dots with high precision to improve printing quality of a printer. The write head includes luminous dots defined on each of a plurality rows of anodes. The luminous dots arranged obliquely across the row of the anodes are driven to emit lights which are uninterruptedly linearly irradiated together in a direction perpendicular to a direction of movement of a record medium on a surface of a record medium. The write head also includes an electro-optical shutter which is arranged in front of the obliquely arranged luminous dots and adapted to be varied in optical characteristics in synchronism with an emission driving signal supplied to the anodes to selectively shield or transmit light emitted from each of the luminous dots.

Abstract: An improved cartridge for containing a pellet of hot melt or phase change ink in an ink jet apparatus having at least one ink jet, a reservoir for containing and melting the hot melt or phase change ink from its solid state to a liquid state, and a receiver adapted to receive the cartridge, wherein the receiver includes an outlet at the base thereof for flowing liquified ink into the reservoir, and wherein the pellet is comprised of a size and shape so as to substantially fill the receiving means. The improvement consists of a hollow member of a predetermined geometry corresponding substantially to the geometry of the receiver, open at one end and deformable so as to permit the discharge of the pellet contained within the member through its open end, a retainer for the pellet, and a seal at the open end to protect against contamination of the ink.

Abstract: An improved laser printer having a density sensor which reads a density of an automatic image density control (AIDC) mark formed outside an image area on a photoconductor 2. A CPU controls a solenoid based on an output of the density sensor and regulates the amount of toner supply to a developing device. A start counter and an end counter define a start position and an end position in both the primary scanning direction of the image area and in the main scanning direction of the AIDC mark. The start and end positiones are based on timer values set in their respective counters.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an recording medium, a beam radiating unit for radiating a beam to form an image on the recording medium, and a drive unit for driving the recording medium, wherein the drive unit has a stepping motor for performing a step operation of the recording medium.

Abstract: A lateral registration adjusting device for use in an optical writing system, such as a laser beam printer, is provided. When a sheet of recording paper has arrived at a registration roller which is driven to rotate intermittently in association with the rotation of a photosensitive drum, a discrepancy between the sheet of recording paper and a reference position in the lateral direction transverse to the direction of transportation of the sheet of recording paper is detected. Based on this information of lateral discrepancy, the writing start position for writing an image on the photosensitive drum in a scan line is adjusted such that the lateral discrepancy is absorbed. Thus, when the image is formed on the drum and then transferred onto the sheet of recording paper, there is obtained a predetermined relative positional relationship between the sheet of recording paper and the image in the lateral direction at all times.

Abstract: A laser recorder applicable to computer output microfilm recording apparatus comprises: a housing, a film feed unit having a film cassette loaded with a rolled heat development film; a film take-up unit for taking up the heat development film on a reel or on a tray, including a film storing mechanism for storing cut films sequentially; a main driving unit for driving the heat development film for advancing at a fixed speed for auxiliary scanning for recording image information on the heat development film, including a slackened film relief mechanism for eliminating slackened film around the main driving unit and a stepping motor driving current control circuit for driving the main driving unit at a low and fixed speed; loop detectors for preventing film feed force and film delivery force from working on the main driving unit, an image information recording unit for main scanning, having a laser optical system for scanning the heat development film across the width thereof to record image information recorded