Abstract: Provided is a system that enables additional information to be further posted in a state of being annexed to a posting image. The system includes: a posting-side annexed posting information registration unit that registers annexed posting information provided from a poster of the posting image in association with a position designated by the poster in the posting image; and a viewing-side annexed posting information registration unit that registers annexed posting information provided from a viewer of the posting image in association with a position designated by the viewer among the poster designation position and other positions. The poster can post annexed posting information by designating a position where the poster desires to get evaluation, and the viewer can post annexed posting information in association with the poster designation position, or can post the annexed posting information by designating a position where the viewer desires to perform evaluation or to make a comment.

Abstract: In an optical scanning apparatus, a light-emitting unit emits light waves. A light-receiving unit receives reflected light of the light waves. A transmissive member transmits the light waves and the reflected light of the light waves. A reflection mirror is arranged further toward the light-emitting unit side and light-receiving unit side than the transmissive member is, includes a reflection surface that rotates, and deflects at least either of the light waves and the reflected light using the reflection surface. The reflection mirror includes a low reflection region on the transmissive member side. The low reflection region has a reflectance of the light waves on the reflection surface that is set to be lower than a reflectance of the light waves on the other region other than the low reflection region, in a state in which the reflection surface is facing the light-emitting unit side or the light-receiving unit side.

Abstract: A light detection module projects a light beam to scan the light beam in a scanning direction, and receives a light beam arriving from a scanning region of the light beam. The light detection module is arranged such that a scanning center indicative of a center of the scanning of the light beam is located to be different from a window center of an optical window in the scanning direction. The optical window has a target surface that is one of the outer side surface and the inner side surface. The target surface has a cross-section along a scanning surface of the transmitted light beam. The scanning surface is defined by the scanning direction of the transmitted light beam and the transmission direction of the light beam from the light detection module. The cross-section of the target surface is shaped to be asymmetrical about the window center.

Abstract: A reflective optical sensor includes at least three light-emitting elements; a lighting optical system that guides light emitted from the light-emitting elements to a toner pattern; and at least three light-receiving elements that receive the beams of light reflected by the toner pattern. The lighting optical system has a lateral magnification m that satisfies m?P/S, where S is the size of the light-emitting elements and P is the arrangement pitch of the light-emitting elements.

Abstract: A fixing device that fixes a toner image carried on a transfer sheet onto the transfer sheet includes a fixing belt that relatively moves, with its surface being in contact with the toner image during the fixing operation, with respect to the transfer sheet, surface information detecting devices that determine surface information of the fixing belt, a surface condition changing roller that is arranged so as to be capable of coming into contact with and separating from the fixing belt and abrades the surface of the fixing belt in contact with the fixing belt, and a surface condition changing controller that controls the contact and separation of the surface condition changing roller with and from the fixing belt based on detection results obtained by the surface information detecting devices.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a charging device configured to uniformly charge a surface of a photoconductive element; an image writing device configured to write an image in the charged photoconductive element by light to form an electrostatic latent image; a developing device configured to visualize the formed electrostatic latent image as a toner image; a transfer device configured to transfer the toner image to a sheet recording medium; a fixing device configured to fix the transferred toner image onto the medium; and a surface information detecting device configured to detect surface information of a fixing member of the fixing device. The surface information detecting device radiates optical spots on a surface of the fixing member in a direction crossing a conveying direction, receives reflected light of each optical spot, and detects the surface information of the fixing device based on the detection results of the reflective lights.

Abstract: A reflective optical sensor for detecting surface information on a moving element moving in a certain direction includes at least one light emitter, a light emitting lens provided between the light emitter and a surface of the moving element and formed to become conjugated with the light emitter in the moving direction of the moving element in a longer distance from the light emitter than in a vertical direction relative to the moving direction, at least one light receiver, and a light receiving lens provided between the light receiver and the surface of the moving element.

Abstract: A reflection type optical sensor that detect a surface condition of a moving body and that is used for an image generation apparatus which forms images on a recording media includes a light-emitting device which has a plurality of light emitter systems including at least two light-emitting members and a light-emitting optical system having a plurality of light-emitting lenses corresponding to a plurality of the light emitter systems and guiding light emitted from the light emitter systems to the moving body and a light-receiving device which has a light receiver system including at least two light-receiving members and a light-receiving optical system having light-receiving lenses corresponding to the at least two light-receiving members and guiding light reflected by the moving body to the light receiver system. The image generation apparatus has further a surface condition judging device in addition to the reflection type optical sensor.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a fixing member, at least one reflective optical sensor, a heat shielding member, and a processor. The fixing member fixes an image on a recording medium moving in a first axis direction. At least one reflective optical sensor emits light toward the fixing member and receives light reflected by the fixing member. The heat shielding member is arranged between the fixing member and the at least one reflective optical sensor, has a light passing part through which light directed to the fixing member from the at least one reflective optical sensor and light reflected by the fixing member and directed to the at least one reflective optical sensor passes, and prevents heat transfer from the fixing member to the at least one reflective optical sensor. The processor is configured to obtain a surface state of the fixing member on the basis of an output signal from the at least one reflective optical sensor.

Abstract: A reflective optical sensor for detecting surface information on a moving element moving in a certain direction includes at least one light emitter, a light emitting lens provided between the light emitter and a surface of the moving element and formed to become conjugated with the light emitter in the moving direction of the moving element in a longer distance from the light emitter than in a vertical direction relative to the moving direction, at least one light receiver, and a light receiving lens provided between the light receiver and the surface of the moving element.

Abstract: A fixing apparatus for fixing a toner image borne on a sheet-like recording medium onto the sheet-like recording medium, including: a fixing member relatively moving in a first direction with respect to the sheet-like recording medium, and having a surface in contact with the toner image during a fixing operation; a surface-information-detecting device for obtaining surface information of the fixing member; a surface-condition-changing device arranged to abut on and separate from the fixing member, and abrading the surface of the fixing member in contact with the fixing member; and a surface-condition-change controller for controlling an abutting and separating of the surface-condition-changing device with respect to the fixing member according to a detection result of the surface-information-detecting device.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a charging device configured to uniformly charge a surface of a photoconductive element; an image writing device configured to write an image in the charged photoconductive element by light to form an electrostatic latent image; a developing device configured to visualize the formed electrostatic latent image as a toner image; a transfer device configured to transfer the toner image to a sheet recording medium; a fixing device configured to fix the transferred toner image onto the medium; and a surface information detecting device configured to detect surface information of a fixing member of the fixing device. The surface information detecting device radiates optical spots on a surface of the fixing member in a direction crossing a conveying direction, receives reflected light of each optical spot, and detects the surface information of the fixing device based on the detection results of the reflective lights.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a charging device configured to uniformly charge a surface of a photoconductive element; an image writing device configured to write an image in the charged photoconductive element by light to form an electrostatic latent image; a developing device configured to visualize the formed electrostatic latent image as a toner image; a transfer device configured to transfer the toner image to a sheet recording medium; a fixing device configured to fix the transferred toner image onto the medium; and a surface information detecting device configured to detect surface information of a fixing member of the fixing device. The surface information detecting device radiates optical spots on a surface of the fixing member in a direction crossing a conveying direction, receives reflected light of each optical spot, and detects the surface information of the fixing device based on the detection results of the reflective lights.

Abstract: A reflection type optical sensor that detect a surface condition of a moving body and that is used for an image generation apparatus which forms images on a recording media includes a light-emitting device which has a plurality of light emitter systems including at least two light-emitting members and a light-emitting optical system having a plurality of light-emitting lenses corresponding to a plurality of the light emitter systems and guiding light emitted from the light emitter systems to the moving body and a light-receiving device which has a light receiver system including at least two light-receiving members and a light-receiving optical system having light-receiving lenses corresponding to the at least two light-receiving members and guiding light reflected by the moving body to the light receiver system. The image generation apparatus has further a surface condition judging device in addition to the reflection type optical sensor.

Abstract: A fixing apparatus for fixing a toner image borne on a sheet-like recording medium onto the sheet-like recording medium, comprising: a fixing member relatively moving in a first direction with respect to the sheet-like recording medium, and having a surface in contact with the toner image during a fixing operation; a surface-information-detecting device for obtaining surface information of the fixing member; a surface-condition-changing device arranged to abut on and separate from the fixing member, and abrading the surface of the fixing member in contact with the fixing member; and a surface-condition-change controller for controlling an abutting and separating of the surface-condition-changing device with respect to the fixing member according to a detection result of the surface-information-detecting device, wherein the surface-condition-change controller controls the surface-condition-changing device according to the detection result of the surface-information-detecting device with a criteria which varies

Abstract: A reflection type optical sensor that detect a surface condition of a moving body and that is used for an image generation apparatus which forms images on a recording media includes a light-emitting device which has a plurality of light emitter systems including at least two light-emitting members and a light-emitting optical system having a plurality of light-emitting lenses corresponding to a plurality of the light emitter systems and guiding light emitted from the light emitter systems to the moving body and a light-receiving device which has a light receiver system including at least two light-receiving members and a light-receiving optical system having light-receiving lenses corresponding to the at least two light-receiving members and guiding light reflected by the moving body to the light receiver system. The image generation apparatus has further a surface condition judging device in addition to the reflection type optical sensor.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus comprises: a sensor that includes a light-emitting part for emitting light to a moving body and a light-receiving part; a light-incidence adjusting mechanism that is able to alternatively select from a first state where the light-incidence adjusting mechanism causes light which have been emitted from the sensor and then reflected by the moving body to enter the sensor and a second state where the light-incidence adjusting mechanism causes a reflected light of light emitted from the sensor not to enter the sensor; and a processing unit that causes the sensor to emit light, and corrects output of the sensor when the light-incidence adjusting mechanism is in the first state on the basis of output of the sensor when the light-incidence adjusting mechanism is in the second state.

Abstract: A reflection type optical sensor that detect a surface condition of a moving body and that is used for an image generation apparatus which forms images on a recording media includes a light-emitting device which has a plurality of light emitter systems including at least two light-emitting members and a light-emitting optical system having a plurality of light-emitting lenses corresponding to a plurality of the light emitter systems and guiding light emitted from the light emitter systems to the moving body and a light-receiving device which has a light receiver system including at least two light-receiving members and a light-receiving optical system having light-receiving lenses corresponding to the at least two light-receiving members and guiding light reflected by the moving body to the light receiver system. The image generation apparatus has further a surface condition judging device in addition to the reflection type optical sensor.

Abstract: A fixing device that fixes a toner image carried on a transfer sheet onto the transfer sheet includes a fixing belt that relatively moves, with its surface being in contact with the toner image during the fixing operation, with respect to the transfer sheet, surface information detecting devices that determine surface information of the fixing belt, a surface condition changing roller that is arranged so as to be capable of coming into contact with and separating from the fixing belt and abrades the surface of the fixing belt in contact with the fixing belt, and a surface condition changing controller that controls the contact and separation of the surface condition changing roller with and from the fixing belt based on detection results obtained by the surface information detecting devices.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a fixing member, at least one reflective optical sensor, a heat shielding member, and a processor. The fixing member fixes an image on a recording medium moving in a first axis direction. At least one reflective optical sensor emits light toward the fixing member and receives light reflected by the fixing member. The heat shielding member is arranged between the fixing member and the at least one reflective optical sensor, has a light passing part through which light directed to the fixing member from the at least one reflective optical sensor and light reflected by the fixing member and directed to the at least one reflective optical sensor passes, and prevents heat transfer from the fixing member to the at least one reflective optical sensor. The processor is configured to obtain a surface state of the fixing member on the basis of an output signal from the at least one reflective optical sensor.