Abstract: Light of a light emitting portion is received by a total of two light receiving portions disposed opposite to each other through a record medium. The surface condition of the record medium is detected corresponding to the amount of light reflected and the amount of light transmitted so as to determine whether the record medium placed is plain paper, coated paper, OHP film, or the like. By controlling the number of heating elements of a heater or turning on/off the heater, an optimum fixing condition is accomplished.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for replenishing toner and collecting used toner in an electrostatographic machine. The apparatus includes a replenishment hopper having a supply of fresh toner. A development device feeds toner onto a recording member having an electrostatic image to be developed. A feeding device feeds fresh toner to the development device from a replenishment bottle. A replenishment motor drives the feeding device to feed fresh toner to the development device. A collection container or bottle collects used toner removed from a recording member. A controller tracks a first accumulated motor operating on-time and is programmed to compare the operating on-time with a first pre-programmed value for determining when the collection container is to be emptied or to be replaced or that the machine is to be cycled down. The controller also tracks a second accumulated motor operating on-time for determining when the replenishment bottle is to be replaced.

Abstract: A toner cartridge has a comminuator that prevents the buildup of toner behind the doctor blade that meters the toner delivered to the developer roller for later image development and printing. The comminuator is mounted to, and for movement with, an agitator adjacent to an exit port of the toner hopper. A paddle that rotates within the toner hopper contacts the agitator and generates joint movement of the agitator and comminuator. The comminuator comprises a plurality of spaced blades held by a coupler mounted to the agitator. Alternatively, the comminuator comprises a wire mounted in opposing connectors mounted to the agitator.

Abstract: A developing roller cleaning apparatus for a liquid printer includes a cleaning brush rotating in contact with a developing roller so that developer adhering to an outer circumferential surface of the developing roller can be cleaned, a blade holder, and a blade installed to be bent as the blade contacts the developing roller for removing foreign material back-plated on the developing roller after being cleaned by the cleaning brush, one end of the blade being coupled to the blade holder and the other end thereof contacting the outer circumferential surface of the developing roller. The blade has a blade interference &dgr;=(R−r), a blade leading edge pressure P, and a cleaning angle &thgr;2 satisfying the below conditions of 1.0 mm≲&dgr;≲1.5 mm, 10 g/cm≲P≲20 g/cm, and 5°≲&thgr;2≲20°.

Abstract: A digital image reproduction apparatus including a scanner unit, a printer unit, a memory, an operator control unit integrated in the apparatus and provided with an input device and a display for the user to give operator control commands to the apparatus, a network connection unit for coupling to a network for the purpose of communication with a digital external environment including at least a number of workstations of users, a management unit connected to the scanner unit, printer unit, memory and network connection unit, and, via the network connection unit, to the workstations, which management unit maintains logic storage spaces in the memory, each allocated to a specific user.

Abstract: In a printing or copying device which has one or several exchangeable part units with a modular assembly, the part unit to be identified has an identification device with a non-volatile memory for storing function-relevant operating data of the part unit, said operating data being allocated to operating states. The part unit also has a communication interface for detachably connecting the identification device to a process control device of the printing or copying device.

Abstract: A scanning exposure apparatus having a stage device. The apparatus includes a reticle stage for moving a reticle having a pattern, a wafer stage for moving a wafer in a timed relation with the movement of the reticle stage and an optical system for projecting the pattern of the reticle onto the wafer. At least one of the reticle stage and the wafer stage includes (i) a movable stage movable along a path having a constant speed movement region and an acceleration region, (ii) a first thrust producing device for moving, with acceleration, the movable stage in the acceleration region of the paths and (iii) a second thrust producing device, separate from the first thrust producing device, for moving the movable stage at a constant speed in the constant speed movement region of the path. The second thrust producing device includes a linear motor.

Abstract: A photoreceptor web grounding structure of a liquid electrophotographic printer for grounding a photoreceptor web installed in the printer, the structure includes a removable cartridge detachably installed in the printer, a first grounding brush installed at the removable cartridge and contacting the photoreceptor web, and a second grounding brush installed at a main frame to be in contact with the first grounding brush when the removable cartridge is installed in the printer. Thus, the first grounding brush installed at the removable cartridge is also replaced when the photoreceptor web is replaced so that replacement process due to contamination of the grounding brush can be very easily done.

Abstract: To prevent formation of a white streaking line on an image by a blade member for a developing unit in an image forming apparatus, a blade member is formed by welding magnetic and nonmagnetic members to each other by laser irradiation. The laser beam is pulsed so that the laser beam irradiating a welding portion is in-focus or out-of-focus.

Abstract: A method to print images on media sheets prints test patterns in an interrupt mode while printing the main job in a regular mode. The method includes marking a first group of images on a corresponding first group of sheets, marking a test pattern on a first test pattern sheet, marking a second group of images on a corresponding second group of sheets, delivering the first test pattern sheet to a sample tray, and passing the first and second groups of sheets to a finishing module. In a varient, the first test pattern sheet follows the first group of sheets in a sequence, the second group of sheets follows the first test pattern sheet in a sequence, and the second group of images follows the first group of images in a sequence.

Abstract: An electrophotographic recording apparatus includes a photosensitive drum on which an electrostatic latent image can be written, a developing device for developing the latent image of a charged visible image with a one-component developer, and a transferring device for electrostatically transferring the charged visible image from the drum to a sheet or paper. The developing device has a conductive foam rubber roller for entraining the developer to form a developer layer therearound and for bringing the layer to the drum for the development of the latent image, a conductive blade resiliently engaged with the foam rubber roller for uniformly regulating a thickness of the developer, and an electric source for applying electric energy to the blade to electrically charge the developer layer by a charge-injection effect.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus having a roller-shaped charging brush includes a first member for raising the brush pile and cleaning it while rotating in contact with the roller-shaped charging brush and a second member located at a position following the first member in the rotation direction of the roller-shaped charging brush, for shaping the brush pile raised by the first member while contacting with the roller-shaped charging brush. A combination of the first and second members can provide a satisfactory charging function at all times.

Abstract: An automatic sheet feeder is provided with a controller and the controller is provided with a scanning input and user-controlled inputs. Sheets provided at the feeder are scanned to determine image status with regard to face up/face down orientation and simplex/duplex image presentation. The scanned input compared with pre-established and user-provided data.

Abstract: A developing device frame usable with a process cartridge detachably mountable to a main assembly of an image forming apparatus, wherein the process cartridge includes an electrophotographic photosensitive member, a developing roller for supplying toner to the electrophotographic photosensitive member to develop a latent image formed on the photosensitive member, a toner accommodating portion for accommodating the toner to be used for development operation of the developing roller, and a stirring member for stirring the toner fed out of the toner accommodating portion, the developing device frame includes a developing roller mounting portion for mounting the developing roller; an antenna member mounting portion for mounting, along a longitudinal direction of the developing roller, an antenna member having a portion opposed to the developing roller and an extension discharging portion extended to a portion not opposed to the developing roller from the opposed portion, wherein the antenna member produces an ele

Abstract: The present invention relates to an electrophotographic apparatus in which maximum potential difference &Dgr;VD (volt) in a potential of a dark portion of the electrostatic image in the longitudinal direction, maximum potential difference &Dgr;VL in a potential of a light portion of the electrostatic image in the longitudinal direction, a value a (1/volt) represented by (variation amount in density, in the longitudinal direction, in the image formed by developing the light portion with the developing means)/(the maximum potential difference &Dgr;VD) and a value b (1/volt) represented by (variation amount in density, in the longitudinal direction, in the image formed by developing the light portion with the developing means)/(the maximum potential difference &Dgr;VL) satisfy a relation: 0.3≦a×&Dgr;VD+b×&Dgr;VL≦0.3 in which 100≧|&Dgr;VD|≧20 and 100≧|&Dgr;VL|≧20.

Abstract: A liquid discharging method of regulating and directing an air bubble to a discharge port by a substrate having a heat generating surface for generating heat for creating an air bubble in a liquid disposed in face-to-face relationship with a liquid discharge port, a movable member provided so as to intervene between the heat generating surface and the discharge port, and having a free end displaceable by the air bubble, the free end or a changing portion being located in an area opposed to the minimum area region of the discharge port or upstream of the opposed area, and an opposed surface opposed to a surface which provides the heat generating surface side of the movable member when the free end of the movable member is displaced by the air bubble, and fixed to cooperate with the movable member during the displacement of the movable member to direct the air bubble toward the discharge port.

Abstract: An apparatus which develops an electrostatic latent image recorded on a photoconductive member used in an electrophotographic printing machine. The apparatus employs a development material wherein developability degradates as the duration of time that the toner particles remain in the developer housing increases. Developability is significantly improved by periodically adding a flow additive material to the developer material.

Abstract: There is provided an image forming apparatus which fixes ink in a short time without deteriorating clearness or transparency of the ink. An ink image is formed on a recording medium by the ink containing a resin and a solvent miscible with the resin. An ink curing liquid is applied to contact the ink image on the recording medium. The ink curing liquid is miscible with the solvent, and has a molecular weight greater than a molecular weight of the solvent. Alternatively, an ink curing solid is applied to contact the ink image on the recording medium. The ink curing solid has a swelling property with respect to the solvent contained in the ink.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is an ink-jet recording process for forming an image by applying an ink to a recording medium in accordance with an ink-jet recording system, comprising the steps of:(A) applying an ink containing a coloring material to the recording medium in accordance with the ink-jet recording system; and(B) applying a liquid composition different from the ink to an ink-applying region of the recording medium in accordance with the ink-jet recording system, wherein the liquid composition is applied in an amount less than 50% by volume of the amount of the ink to be applied to the ink-applying area.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus in which each test image formed in a plurality of image forming sections is transferred onto a transfer carrier belt by transfer means respectively provided corresponding to the plurality of image forming sections, and the transfer state is detected to control the image forming conditions, wherein the transfer condition of the respective transfer means is different when the test image is transferred onto the transfer medium and when the test images already formed and transferred in other image forming sections pass through the transfer means.