Abstract: Disclosed is a printing agent service method for performing agent printing on a printing agent printer in accordance with a print request of a client terminal, and selects a printing agent printer that is nearest to a client. This method has the steps of receiving a print request and location information from a client terminal (1); retrieving the printing agent printer site (8-1) closest to the location of the client terminal (1) based on the location information; sending the nearest printing agent printer site (8-1) to the client terminal (1) for display; and receiving the printing agent printer site (8-1) specified from the above-mentioned client terminal (1), and sending the print data of the print request to a printer (11) at the specified printing agent printer site. Therefore, a client can easily select a printing agent printer that is close to his current location.

Abstract: There is provided a new image formation apparatus which does not generate a positional gap or discrepancy of a transferred image even when a final product is dependent upon a manufacturing accuracy in the exposure portion, particularly at the time of formation of the color image. Further, the present invention provides a new image exposure apparatus such as an LED head, an EL head, an LD scan unit, etc. which are used for the image formation apparatus. The image formation apparatus comprises an image storage device for storing image information, a read-out device for assigning an image information read-out position of an image storage device to read out the image information, an image transfer unit for transferring an image onto a paper in accordance with the image information read out by the read-out device from the image storage device, and an accuracy information storage device for storing position accuracy information in a scanning direction of the image transfer unit.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus equipped with a first image forming unit, plural second image forming units, and a test-pattern image forming control unit for controlling the first and second image forming units which controls the first and second image forming units to form a test-pattern image, in such a manner that first and second marks of different densities are disposed adjacent to one another, based on test-pattern image data. This test-pattern image data includes first data serving to arrange a plurality of first color lines, which have each a predetermined line width, at a predetermined pitch by the first image forming unit, second data serving to form the first mark overlapping with the plural first color lines by the second image forming units, and third data serving to form the second mark displaced in a direction perpendicular to the plural first color lines.

Abstract: A toner mark transfer unit transfers a halftone pattern such as a transverse line pattern or a slanted line pattern on a belt by using a plurality of electrostatic recording units. A toner density measurement unit figures out density control parameters such as emission time and emission current on the basis of the ratio of a reflected light (inter-line space width) from the toner free portion to a light (line width) attenuated due to a diffuse light from the toner bearing portion in a read signal of a halftone pattern from a sensor unit.

Abstract: An image-forming device such as a full color printer is provided which is designed to correct the speed of an image carrier such as a sheet conveyer belt for compensating for a shift between colors. The image-forming device forms electrostatic marks on the image carrier at regular intervals and detects the marks using a sensor(s) to determine a change in speed of the image carrier based on sensor signals.

Abstract: Disclosed is a printing agent service method for performing agent printing on a printing agent printer in accordance with a print request of a client terminal, and selects a printing agent printer that is nearest to a client. This method has the steps of receiving a print request and location information from a client terminal (1); retrieving the printing agent printer site (8-1) closest to the location of the client terminal (1) based on the location information; sending the nearest printing agent printer site (8-1) to the client terminal (1) for display; and receiving the printing agent printer site (8-1) specified from the above-mentioned client terminal (1), and sending the print data of the print request to a printer (11) at the specified printing agent printer site. Therefore, a client can easily select a printing agent printer that is close to his current location.

Abstract: It is an exemplified object of the present invention to provide a manufacturing device and method that can manufacture a high-performance exposure device in a short time. To achieve this object, the manufacturing method of the exposure device is configured to have its part detachable from its main body. This may allow, for instance, a holding member that holds the exposure device after a bonding step of the exposure device is finished while an adhesive is being cured, to be detached from the manufacturing device and to attach another holding member to the manufacturing device to continue the manufacturing process up to a bonding step, thereby reducing or eliminating a downtime of the device.

Abstract: The present invention aims at providing an exposure device, image-forming device, and manufacturing method of the exposure device that can reduce a color deviation and form a high-quality multicolor image. An interval of dots in an LED array that is most likely to undergo a thermal influence by radiant and conductive heat from a fixer is made smaller beforehand, whereby the color deviation that would otherwise be produced by the image-forming device is reduced.

Abstract: An exposure device in which an image forming lens is disposed in such a posture that the center line of an image forming is out of axial alignment with the center of beam intensity distribution of the light emitting diode output (the center of beam intensity distribution) so as to reduce possible incidence of stray light when local part of the light output from the light emitting diode array reflects on said wires. As a result, the stray light does not strikes the circumference surface of the image supporting body and the vivid image can be formed.

Abstract: A toner mark transfer unit transfers a halftone pattern such as a transverse line pattern or a slanted line pattern on a belt by using a plurality of electrostatic recording units. A toner density measurement unit figures out density control parameters such as emission time and emission current on the basis of the ratio of a reflected light (inter-line space width) from the toner free portion to a light (line width) attenuated due to a diffuse light from the toner bearing portion in a read signal of a halftone pattern from a sensor unit.

Abstract: An electrophotography apparatus is provided with one or a plurality of recording units which optically form a latent image on a body. Each of the recording units includes a plurality of light emitting elements having a shape which satisfies a relationship t/y<T/Y<1, where t indicates a width of a pixel of the latent image in a sub scanning direction, y indicates a length of the pixel in a main scanning direction, T indicates a width of a light emitting element in the sub scanning direction, and Y indicates a length of the light emitting element in the main scanning direction.

Abstract: A plurality of resist marks of K, C, M and Y color toner components are transferred at predetermined pitches onto a belt for conveying record paper, by means of a plurality of electrostatic recording units. The resist marks are optically detected by sensors. A positional offset detection unit detects positions of resist lines from phases &phgr; obtained through Fourier transform of sensor detection signals, and employs as the reference the detected position of the resist mark of K component to thereby detect positional offsets of the detected positions of the resist marks of the other C, M and Y color toner components. A positional offset correction unit corrects the transferred positions of the other C, M and Y color toner components so as to eliminate any positional offsets relative to the K component image.

Abstract: Electrostatic developing units are arranged in the record paper conveyance direction, form dot latent images in conformity with image dot data through the issue of scanning light on photosensitive drums in rotation, and after developing by toner components, transfer dots onto record paper for development. For each lighting noticeable dot amount image dot data, a quantity-of-light control unit provides control and output of optical energy of the noticeable dot on the basis of peripheral dots which may have influence on the size of the noticeable dot on the record paper, for example, in response to the distance from the peripheral dots.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a frame, a closing cover mounted to said frame so as to be opened and closed, a plurality of printing assemblies each comprising a developing device for developing an image, a fixing device, and a paper conveyer belt for conveying paper through said plurality of printing assemblies. The apparatus further includes an optical sensor having a light-emitting element and a light receiving element to read marks readably formed on the paper conveyer belt. A movable cover is provided which is operatively connected to the closing cover to open an optical passage of the optical sensor when the apparatus is in operation and shut off the optical passage of the optical sensor when the apparatus is not in operation.

Abstract: An image-forming device such as a full color printer is provided which is designed to correct the speed of a conveyer belt on which print sheets are transported or intervals between image-transferring units for compensating for a shift between colors. The image-forming device has a timer which measures an elapsed time from turning on of the device or release of a sleep mode, a print-off time and a print time and determines a correction value as a function of the times measured by the timer by look-up using a table.

Abstract: By means of a plurality of image carrying units, a correction mark formation unit transfers mixed color mark trains in right and left lines onto a moving member in the form of a belt. The mixed color mark trains serve as marks for correcting image offsets between color images and each consist of K-C, K-M and K-Y two-color marks which are superposed on each other in an offset manner. A correction value calculation unit detects a lightness pattern of the mixed color mark trains transferred onto the moving member and figures out correction values for image offsets between color images from the phase of this lightness pattern. A positional offset correction unit automatically corrects the offsets between the color images on the basis of the correction values acquired by the correction value calculation unit.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a transport mechanism transporting a recording medium on a belt which is transported at a constant speed in a transport direction, a plurality of electrostatic recording units arranged in the transport direction of the recording medium and transferring toner images of different colors, a positional error detecting part using the toner image of a reference color transferred by one of the electrostatic recording units as a reference image, and relatively detecting positional error information related to positional errors of the toner images of remaining colors transferred by the remaining electrostatic recording units with respect to the reference image, and a positional error correcting part relatively correcting the positional errors of the toner images transferred by the remaining electrostatic recording units based on the positional error information.

Abstract: A drum phase correction unit for detecting rotational positions of a plurality of photosensitive drums by means of a plurality of drum position sensors and corrects to set rotational phases of the drums to predetermined phases in such a manner that transfer positions on drum circumferential surfaces relative to a belt when employing the thus detected rotational positions as their respective references have a specific relationship including coincidence. A positional offset detection unit detects positional offsets of transfer image on recording paper attributable to the wow and flutter in a drive system including the belt and the photosensitive drums. On the basis of the thus detected positional offsets, a wow and flutter correction unit corrects the positional offsets of the transfer images on the recording paper attributable to the wow and flutter.

Abstract: A drum phase correction unit for detecting rotational positions of a plurality of photosensitive drums by means of a plurality of drum position sensors and corrects to set rotational phases of the drums to predetermined phases in such a manner that transfer positions on drum circumferential surfaces relative to a belt when employing the thus detected rotational positions as their respective references have a specific relationship including coincidence. A positional offset detection unit detects positional offsets of transfer image on recording paper attributable to the wow and flutter in a drive system including the belt and the photosensitive drums. On the basis of the thus detected positional offsets, a wow and flutter correction unit corrects the positional offsets of the transfer images on the recording paper attributable to the wow and flutter.

Abstract: The image forming apparatus includes a frame, a top cover pivotally mounted to the frame, a lock member for locking the top cover onto the frame, a plurality of printing assemblies, a fixing device, and a paper conveyor belt. Each of the printing assemblies having a photosensitive body, a charger, an optical head for forming an electrostatic latent image on the photosensitive body, a developing device, and a transfer element. An optical sensor is used to read marks formed on the paper conveyor belt. The top cover opens an optical passage of the optical sensor when the apparatus is in operation and shuts off the optical passage when the apparatus is not in operation.