Abstract: A polychromatic image sensor having a semiconductor for converting an optical signal into an electrical signal, in which the sensor is provided with at least two PN-junctions of which the depth from a light incident plane varies continuously. A plurality of sensors may be arranged into a sensor array.

Abstract: A transfer type heat sensitive recording medium includes a base member and an ink layer formed thereon of a colored ink which is adapted to be fluidized or sublimated at a predetermined temperature higher than room temperature. The surface of the ink layer is covered with a coating layer of a coating material which is adapted to be dissolved into the ink layer or sublimated when heated at a temperature higher than a predetermined temperature.

Abstract: A thermal head is provided with first and second sets of parallel bar-shaped electrodes which are arranged in slightly spaced parallel planes and cross over one another. Individual crossing resistors are selectively energized to produce a heat generating dot which may be reproduced on a heat sensitive media.

Abstract: A heat-sensitive recording head, comprising:two heat generating resistors which are obtained by dividing a conventional heat generating resistor, the resistors being arranged substantially in parallel with each other on a substrate; andfirst and second groups of lead electrodes which are coupled to the two heat generating resistors, respectively, in such a manner that the first and second groups of lead electrodes are shifted by half a pitch from each other.

Abstract: A recording apparatus in which recording is made several times each line in a partitioning manner part after part on each recording line for which there exists picture data to be printed. The system determines whether there exists picture data to be printed on each line or not. A sub-scanning speed per line is set such that when the determination is made that one or more successive lines immediately before a recording line for which there exists picture data to be printed is or are an entire blank line or successive entire blank lines for which there exists no picture data to be printed, the sub-scanning speed for the entire blank line or successive ones of the successive entire blank lines adjacent to the recording line is selected to be substantially equal to that at the recording line. The sub-scanning speed of other entire blank line or lines for which there exists no picture data is selected to be a speed which is sufficiently higher than that for the recording line.

Abstract: A transfer type heat-sensitive recording medium having a porous base impregnated with a colorless color former. A layer of thermally melting ink is formed on one side of the porous base. The first layer is brought into contact with a recording sheet. A layer of thermally melting wax containing a color developer is formed on the opposite side of said porous base and selectively heated according to a video signal. The wax melts and permeates into the porous base to allow the color developer to color on reaction with the colorless color former. The wax layer is further heated by thermal irradiating so that the ink of the ink layer is molten in correspondence to the coloring.

Abstract: A copying machine body includes only those hardware components which are essential for the physical reading and recording operations, with the electrical control and processing circuitry being disposed in a separate housing.

Abstract: An image input/output device having a device body with an operating panel and a controlling computer section comprising a central processing unit, a read-only memory a random access memory and a bus line for transmitting data therebetween. An input/output control section connects the controlling computer section and the device body to each other. A start/stop switch is provided on said operating panel. The computer determines (1) whether or not the device body is in operation, (2) whether or not said device body is connected through a line to an outside device, and (3) whether or not an original is set at a predetermined position. When the start/stop switch is operated, according to outputs of the computer, the device is stopped, or a specific mode copying, signal receiving or a signal transmitting is selected, so that the device is automatically operated in the mode thus selected.

Abstract: A thermal head driving method in which serial picture data to be recorded on one line is inputted into a shift register which produces parallel picture data corresponding to the input series picture data to drive heating elements of a thermal head by the parallel picture data. The method comprises the steps of inputting serial picture data into the shift register and a distinguishment data element is added in front of the serial picture data. A timing determination of when a predetermined amount of picture data to be simultaneously recorded have been set in the shift register is made on the basis of a timing when the distinguishment data element is outputted from an output terminal through which the serial picture data is outputted. The thermal head is driven while stopping input of a serial picture data into the shift register, at the first-mentioned timing.

Abstract: An ink donor sheet comprising a porous sheet and a heat-fusible ink layer formed on it is disclosed. The ink layer has such temperature-dependent gradation characteristics that it remains solid at ordinary temperatures and when it is heated to a certain temperature its viscosity is suddenly decreased and upon further heating, the viscosity is decreased gradually. The ink donor sheet is capable of producing halftones in the images it creates.

Abstract: A heat transfer recording medium which comprises tissue paper having thereon an ink layer comprised of material fluidizable or sublimatable upon the application of heat. The tissue paper has a thickness of 5 to 25 .mu.m, a density of 0.8 to 1.45 g/cm.sup.3, a smoothness of 200 to 20,000 seconds (determined by the Oken type measurement) and a water content adjusted to 6 to 13 wt % after forming the ink layer thereon. The medium does not generate puckers when employed in a transfer type heat sensitive recording apparatus under high temperature and humidity conditions.

Abstract: In a heat transfer recording apparatus, the recording medium and ink donor film are drawn from separate sources and joined together only for the recording operation.

Abstract: A compact thermosensitive printing machine includes a paper supply guide extending obliquely into a housing to a printing roller at its lower end, and a discharge tray on top of the supply guide for receiving the copied paper face-up after it has passed around the printing roller.

Abstract: A heat-sensitive recording apparatus includes a two-stage buffer memory for storing input video signals corresponding to one line, and a counter which determines the proportion of "black" signals in one line as the signals are input thereto. Whether printing of the line is to be carried out in one or plural operations is determined by the determined proportion, and a signal indicative of the number of operations is outputted to a block driver prior to the time when the corresponding video signals are outputted by the second stage of the buffer memory to a shift register.

Abstract: A copying machine includes an optical sensor of the line scanning type for converting an image into electrical signals, and a thermal recording head controlled in accordance with the image signals. The platen moves with respect to the read unit and the read unit will read in both forward and reverse directions of the platen, and the magnification value can be varied. The total width of energized heating elements and the movement length and speed of the platen may be controlled in accordance with the size of the original. The total number of heating elements energized at any one time is limited, and the machine includes input and output terminals for sending image information externally and for receiving and recording image information other than directly from the read unit.

Abstract: A thermal recording head driving system includes a device for maintaining the head at a substantially constant temperature between recording operations, the head however not being excited to an extent as could cause erroneous printing. The device is capable of preventing fluctuations in printing density owing to variations in the waste heat from the previous line recording operation.

Abstract: A thermal recording method which prevents recording density defects includes preheating the heating elements of the thermal recording head during a time when printing is not carried out. Particularly, the head may be preheated during times when a line is not printed, as between adjacent character lines of a printed or typed document, to prevent recording density deterioration of the next printed line.

Abstract: A thermal recording device is equipped with counters and an adder for determining the number of record bits applied to the heat generating unit arrays, and the number of blocks to be simultaneously driven is determined according to this value such that the power source capacity is not exceeded. When over a predetermined value, the blocks may be operated successively without overlap rather than simultaneously.

Abstract: A stencil paper for mimeography is disclosed. The paper is comprised of a porous base which is permeable to mimeographic ink, having thereon a heat-sensitive layer of a material that is solid at ordinary temperatures but which liquifies upon heating. A process for making a stencil is also disclosed, which comprises placing the stencil paper in contact with a receiving medium and selectively heating the stencil paper to liquify portions of the heat-sensitive layer, and allowing the liquified portions of the heat-sensitive layer to transfer to the receiving medium.

Abstract: A heat-transfer recording medium is described, which includes a substrate and a two color transfer layer on the substrate, wherein the two color transfer layer contains a solid heat-sensitive ink which melts or sublimates at a relatively low temperature and is transferred to a recording paper as a predetermined color, and a heat-sensitive color-forming ink dispersed in the solid heat-sensitive ink, which melts or sublimates at a relatively high temperature, and is transferred to the recording paper in a color different from the above color.