Abstract: The present invention provides a process cartridge that is freely attachable to and detachable from a main body of an image forming apparatus and that includes a latent image bearing body and a developing device having a developer storage space for storing a developer, the image forming apparatus and an image forming method. The invention also provides another image forming method using a one-component magnetic toner that is employable in a wide region of from a low process speed to a high process speed while achieving a high fixing ability.

Abstract: The present invention discloses a color toner providing highly gloss image and documents with excellent long term storability; an electrostatic latent image developer; and an image forming method. Disclosed is a color toner comprising a binder resin and colorant, wherein the weight average molecular weight of the binder resin is from 6000 to 45000, the toner's glass transition temperature (Tg) is from 40 to 70° C., the loss tangent tan ? of dynamic viscoelasticity is from 0.1 to 2.5 in the temperature of from the toner's glass transition temperature (Tg) to the temperature at which the loss modulus (G?) is 1×105 Pa, and the toner comprises 3 to 20% by mass of an ester derivative of an alicyclic compound having 1 or more carboxyl groups, and an electrostatic latent image developer and an image forming method, which use the color toner.

Abstract: There is provided an image reading apparatus that can read a plurality of images without troublesome operations by a user, in which a small-size light source with a small electric power consumption is used as an illumination light source used for reading an image of a transparent original. A surface illumination light source having a size large enough to illuminate one image among a plurality of images included in a transparent original is moved sequentially to positions at which the illumination light source can illuminate the respective images. Each image is read while the illumination light source is kept stationary at the position of the image. In addition, at the position of each image, the transparent original is pressed against an original table of the image reading apparatus.

Abstract: The present invention discloses a color toner providing highly gloss image and documents with excellent long term storability; an electrostatic latent image developer; and an image forming method. Disclosed is a color toner comprising a binder resin and colorant, wherein the weight average molecular weight of the binder resin is from 6000 to 45000, the toner's glass transition temperature (Tg) is from 40 to 70° C., the loss tangent tan ? of dynamic viscoelasticity is from 0.1 to 2.5 in the temperature of from the toner's glass transition temperature (Tg) to the temperature at which the loss modulus (G?) is 1×105 Pa, and the toner comprises 3 to 20% by mass of an ester derivative of an alicyclic compound having 1 or more carboxyl groups, and an electrostatic latent image developer and an image forming method, which use the color toner.

Abstract: The present invention discloses a color toner providing highly gloss image and documents with excellent long term storability; an electrostatic latent image developer; and an image forming method. Disclosed is a color toner comprising a binder resin and colorant, wherein the weight average molecular weight of the binder resin is from 6000 to 45000, the toner's glass transition temperature (Tg) is from 40 to 70° C., the loss tangent tan ? of dynamic viscoelasticity is from 0.1 to 2.5 in the temperature of from the toner's glass transition temperature (Tg) to the temperature at which the loss modulus (G?) is 1×105 Pa, and the toner comprises 3 to 20% by mass of an ester derivative of an alicyclic compound having 1 or more carboxyl groups, and an electrostatic latent image developer and an image forming method, which use the color toner.

Abstract: The present invention provides a process cartridge that is freely attachable to and detachable from a main body of an image forming apparatus and that includes a latent image bearing body and a developing device having a developer storage space for storing a developer, the image forming apparatus and an image forming method. The invention also provides another image forming method using a one-component magnetic toner that is employable in a wide region of from a low process speed to a high process speed while achieving a high fixing ability.

Abstract: It is an object of this invention to provide an image input system, image input apparatus, and image input method which can greatly reduce the time before actual image reading is started, and which is easy to use in accordance with a power-saving standard. To achieve this object, an image input system having an image input apparatus whose image reading is controllable from an external apparatus includes a light source light amount controller for controlling a light source for illuminating an original, and a switch for designating the start of original image reading. When designation of the start of original image reading is detected, the light source light amount controller turns on the light source and starts light amount adjustment, and the start of the image input apparatus from the external apparatus is designated.

Abstract: An image scanning apparatus is capable of successively scanning a plurality of documents arranged on a document plate in an efficient manner by moving a sensor unit over the documents in a sub-scanning direction. When the plurality of documents arranged on the document plate is scanned, the motion of the sensor unit is selectively controlled in such a manner that after completion of scanning one document, the sensor unit is returned to its home position before starting scanning a next document, the sensor unit is temporarily stopped before starting scanning the next document, or the sensor unit is moved backward by a particular distance before starting scanning the next document.

Abstract: The present invention discloses a color toner providing highly gloss image and documents with excellent long term storability; an electrostatic latent image developer; and an image forming method. Disclosed is a color toner comprising a binder resin and colorant, wherein the weight average molecular weight of the binder resin is from 6000 to 45000, the toner's glass transition temperature (Tg) is from 40 to 70° C., the loss tangent tan &dgr; of dynamic viscoelasticity is from 0.1 to 2.5 in the temperature of from the toner's glass transition temperature (Tg) to the temperature at which the loss modulus (G″) is 1×105 Pa, and the toner comprises 3 to 20% by mass of an ester derivative of an alicyclic compound having 1 or more carboxyl groups, and an electrostatic latent image developer and an image forming method, which use the color toner.

Abstract: An image forming method has steps of transferring a toner image formed on an image bearing member onto an intermediate transfer member and simultaneously transferring and fixing the toner image on the intermediate transfer member onto a recording medium. The toner contains a binder resin and a colorant, and has a storage elastic modulus (G′) of 2×102 to 6×103 Pa at a temperature at which a loss elastic modulus (G″) reaches 1×104 Pa, and the simultaneous transfer and fixing is conducted using a transfer and fixing unit which has a nip between a fixing roll coated with an elastic member and a heat-resistant belt laid across support rolls, and the heat-resistant belt is urged against the fixing roll and the elastic member of the fixing roll is twisted at an exit of the nip with a pressure roll mounted inside the heat-resistant belt.

Abstract: An electrophotographic color toner containing at least a coloring agent, a binder resin, and light-color or colorless fine particles, wherein toner particles containing particles having particle sizes of at least 1.0 &mgr;m as said fine particles are not more than half of the total toner particles. The electrophotographic color toner has a broad fixable temperature region of the toner and does not cause an image deterioration by preventing the occurrence of the penetration phenomenon into a paper while keeping a high image quality and high coloring even by using paper other than a paper for color copy without deteriorating various characteristics of a toner of prior art.

Abstract: It is an object of this invention to provide an image input apparatus, image input system, light source control method, and storage medium capable of providing on the market an image input apparatus which greatly reduces the time before actual reading starts and which can be easily used in a manner based upon the energy saving standard. To achieve this object, the image input apparatus includes internal and external light sources for irradiating an original, an internal light source light amount controller for turning on/off the internal light source, an external light source light amount controller for turning on/off the external light source, a CCD for reading an original irradiated with light, a RAM for temporarily storing the read data, an interface circuit for transferring the data stored in the RAM to an external apparatus, and a CPU for turning on the light sources when an application program is enabled by the OS of the external apparatus.

Abstract: An image forming method has steps of transferring a toner image formed on an image bearing member onto an intermediate transfer member and simultaneously transferring and fixing the toner image on the intermediate transfer member onto a recording medium. The toner contains a binder resin and a colorant, and has a storage elastic modulus (G′) of 2×102 to 6×103 Pa at a temperature at which a loss elastic modulus (G″) reaches 1×104 Pa, and the simultaneous transfer and fixing is conducted using a transfer and fixing unit which has a nip between a fixing roll coated with an elastic member and a heat-resistant belt laid across support rolls, and the heat-resistant belt is urged against the fixing roll and the elastic member of the fixing roll is twisted at an exit of the nip with a pressure roll mounted inside the heat-resistant belt.

Abstract: It is an object of this invention to provide an image input system, image input apparatus, and image input method which can greatly reduce the time before actual image reading is started, and which is easy to use in accordance with a power-saving standard. To achieve this object, an image input system having an image input apparatus whose image reading is controllable from an external apparatus includes a light source light amount controller for controlling a light source for illuminating an original, and a switch for designating the start of original image reading. When designation of the start of original image reading is detected, the light source light amount controller turns on the light source and starts light amount adjustment, and the start of the image input apparatus from the external apparatus is designated.

Abstract: A process for forming an image uses a transfer fixing process that can maintain high image quality for a long period of time. The process contains the steps of: transferring a toner image formed on the image bearing member to an intermediate transfer member; simultaneously transferring and fixing the toner image on the intermediate transfer member to a recording medium; the process containing a cleaning step of supplying and removing a cleaning material to the intermediate transfer member, so as to clean a surface of the intermediate transfer member, the cleaning material containing at least powder of a thermoplastic resin having a volume average particle diameter of about from 1 to 50 &mgr;m, and the cleaning material having a storage modulus of about from 1×103 to 1×105 Pa at a temperature, at which the cleaning material has a loss modulus of 1×104 Pa.

Abstract: An electrophotographic color toner containing at least a coloring agent, a binder resin, and light-color or colorless fine particles, wherein toner particles containing particles having particle sizes of at least 1.0 &mgr;m as said fine particles are not more than half of the total toner particles. The electrophotographic color toner has a broad fixable temperature region of the toner and does not cause an image deterioration by preventing the occurrence of the penetration phenomenon into a paper while keeping a high image quality and high coloring even by using paper other than a paper for color copy without deteriorating various characteristics of a toner of prior art.

Abstract: A process for forming an image uses a transfer fixing process that can maintain high image quality for a long period of time. The process contains the steps of: transferring a toner image formed on the image bearing member to an intermediate transfer member; simultaneously transferring and fixing the toner image on the intermediate transfer member to a recording medium; the process containing a cleaning step of supplying and removing a cleaning material to the intermediate transfer member, so as to clean a surface of the intermediate transfer member, the cleaning material containing at least powder of a thermoplastic resin having a volume average particle diameter of about from 1 to 50 &mgr;m, and the cleaning material having a storage modulus of about from 1×103 to 1×105 Pa at a temperature, at which the cleaning material has a loss modulus of 1×104 Pa.

Abstract: It is an object of this invention to provide an image input apparatus, image input system, light source control method, and storage medium capable of providing on the market an image input apparatus which greatly reduces the time before actual reading starts and which can be easily used in a manner based upon the energy saving standard. To achieve this object, the image input apparatus includes internal and external light sources for irradiating an original, an internal light source light amount controller for turning on/off the internal light source, an external light source light amount controller for turning on/off the external light source, a CCD for reading an original irradiated with light, a RAM for temporarily storing the read data, an interface circuit for transferring the data stored in the RAM to an external apparatus, and a CPU for turning on the light sources when an application program is enabled by the OS of the external apparatus.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus includes a processing unit for processing an image signal into which an original document, after being exposed to light, is photoelectrically converted, a compression module for compressing image information processed through the processing unit, a memory for storing image data compressed by the compression module, a control unit for setting a diversity of image processing modes, and a predicting module for predicting an image compression rate used by the compression module. The predicting module predicts the image compression rate of an image after being processed according to the image processing mode set by the control unit.

Abstract: A binding apparatus is provided with a tape reel on which a bind tape of a small tape width size is wound, and a tape reel on which a bind tape of a large tape width size is wound. When the tape reels and are set, the width size of each bind tape is read by means for detecting a width size discrimination mark (ring) formed on each tape reel and is memorized by width size memory means. The thickness of a bundle of sheets is measured by the use of a clamp member for clamping the bundle of sheets aligned on an aligning tray, and is memorized by thickness memory means. A bind tape of a tape width size corresponding to the thickness memorized by the thickness memory means is selected from among the sizes memorized by the width size memory means, and a carriage is moved to the tape reel on which a bind tape of the same size is wound.