Abstract: A developing unit is provided with developers, toner supply pipes, a drive mechanism, a position holding mechanism, and a retraction mechanism. Each of the plurality of developers has a development roller that corresponds to a color. Each toner supply pipe has a toner supply port and supplies toner to one of the plurality of developers. The drive mechanism moves the toner supply pipes so that each toner supply pipe can be positioned at a toner supply position and a retraction position. The position holding mechanism restricts the movement of the toner supply pipes so that one of the toner supply pipes is positioned at the toner supply position. If the electric power is cut off such that one of the toner supply pipes is positioned at the toner supply position, then the retraction mechanism releases the restriction of movement of that toner supply pipe and positions that toner supply pipe at the retraction position.

Abstract: A color printer includes a color printer main body, a photosensitive drum, a rotary development device, a plurality of toner containers and a drive power transmission mechanism. The drive power transmission mechanism includes a housing, a shaft member, a first transmission mechanism, and a second transmission mechanism. The housing is mounted on the color printer main body. The shaft member is mounted in the housing so as to be axially rotatable, and mobile in the axial direction. The first transmission mechanism is mounted in the housing and transmits the drive power of the drive motor to the shaft member, so that the shaft member can be moved in the axial direction. The second transmission mechanism is mounted in the housing and transmits the drive power of the drive motor to the shaft member, so that the shaft member can be rotated.

Abstract: A color printer includes a color printer main body, a photosensitive drum, a rotary development device, a plurality of toner containers and a drive power transmission mechanism. The drive power transmission mechanism includes a housing, a shaft member, a first transmission mechanism, and a second transmission mechanism. The housing is mounted on the color printer main body. The shaft member is mounted in the housing so as to be axially rotatable, and mobile in the axial direction. The first transmission mechanism is mounted in the housing and transmits the drive power of the drive motor to the shaft member, so that the shaft member can be moved in the axial direction. The second transmission mechanism is mounted in the housing and transmits the drive power of the drive motor to the shaft member, so that the shaft member can be rotated.

Abstract: A toner supply device is disclosed that supplies toner contained in a toner container to a developing device in an image forming device. The toner supply device includes a conveyance pipe for conveying the toner from the toner container to the developing device downward, and at least one supply pipe for supplying the toner from the conveyance pipe to the developing device downward. The conveyance pipe is connected to the toner container for conveying the toner from the toner container to the developing device. The supply pipe has an upper portion connected to the conveyance pipe and a lower end capable of advancing into the developing device. In addition, a conveyance member is rotatably located in the supply pipe for conveying the toner downward. The supply pipe is located such that a center axis of the supply pipe is slanted relative to the horizontal line at a repose angle of the toner or more.

Abstract: A developing unit is provided with developers, toner supply pipes, a drive mechanism, a position holding mechanism, and a retraction mechanism. Each of the plurality of developers has a development roller that corresponds to a color. Each toner supply pipe has a toner supply port and supplies toner to one of the plurality of developers. The drive mechanism moves the toner supply pipes so that each toner supply pipe can be positioned at a toner supply position and a retraction position. The position holding mechanism restricts the movement of the toner supply pipes so that one of the toner supply pipes is positioned at the toner supply position. If the electric power is cut off such that one of the toner supply pipes is positioned at the toner supply position, then the retraction mechanism releases the restriction of movement of that toner supply pipe and positions that toner supply pipe at the retraction position.

Abstract: There is provided a tape printing apparatus in which a cartridge mounting unit where a tape cartridge having a print tape accommodated therein is detachably mounted, a battery accommodating unit where a plurality of batteries serving as power supply are accommodated, and a finger-hooking groove unit for removing the batteries from the battery accommodating unit are formed with a groove on a surface of an apparatus casing, wherein the finger-hooking groove unit and the cartridge mounting unit are disposed such that they are overlapped with each other in the plane of the surface.

Abstract: A toner supply device is disclosed that supplies toner contained in a toner container to a developing device in an image forming device. The toner supply device includes a conveyance pipe for conveying the toner from the toner container to the developing device downward, and at least one supply pipe for supplying the toner from the conveyance pipe to the developing device downward. The conveyance pipe is connected to the toner container for conveying the toner from the toner container to the developing device. The supply pipe has an upper portion connected to the conveyance pipe and a lower end capable of advancing into the developing device. In addition, a conveyance member is rotatably located in the supply pipe for conveying the toner downward. The supply pipe is located such that a center axis of the supply pipe is slanted relative to the horizontal line at a repose angle of the toner or more.

Abstract: For enabling many peoples to make an input operation, for producing and recognizing the braille characters and/or normal characters, easily, thereby contributing of spreading the braille labels, widely, on which the braille characters are described, not only forming convex portions on a braille label, corresponding to the contents of braille characters, which are taken into, but also printing out the print character lines thereon, which are taken into. Herein, a user can made selection of a layout for the braille character line and the print character lines, arbitrarily. If there is coincidence between the contents of braille characters and the print character lines, a person other than the visually handicapped person can also recognize the contents of braille characters. Further, an input operation can easily be made by converting the print character lines that are inputted into the contents of braille characters, corresponding thereto, automatically, to be inputted in the condition thereof.

Abstract: A main image and a background image are formed using colors each defined by a set of n-valued basic color gradation values each having any one of n possible values (n is an integer equal to or larger than 3) and defining a gradation value of a corresponding one of a predetermined set of basic colors. Different data items representative of candidates for the background image are stored as background image data candidates. Different sets of the basic gradation values corresponding respectively to the background image data candidates are stored as candidates for a main image gradation value set commonly applied to all valid pixels of the main image. One of the background image data candidates is arbitrarily set to a background image data item representative of the background image.

Abstract: In a character information processor adapted to print an input character string in accordance with a designated printing attribute on a print medium which is limited in at least one of the transversal or longitudinal directions, the type of currently loaded print medium is detected; a fixed phrase is selected by a user from a plurality of stored fixed phrases; and the selected fixed phrase is printed in accordance with a printing attribute determined by the detected type of the print medium and stored fixed phrase information.

Abstract: A synthesized image is formed by synthesizing a main image and a background mage represented by respective image data items each having n-valued gradation values each having any one of n possible values(n is an integer which is equal to or larger than 3) and defining a density of pixels. A plurality of different data items representative of candidates for the background image are stored as background image data candidates. An arbitrary one of the background image data candidates is set to a background image data item representative of the background image. There is formed a main image data item forming a main image data item representative of the main image, the main image data item having n-valued main image gradation values commonly applied to all valid pixels of the main image, as values of the n-value gradation values.

Abstract: There is provided a color printing apparatus capable of easily and rapidly setting the color for each of edited items relating to color without lowering the degree of freedom of setting even if there are a large number of selectable edited items relating to color. The color printing apparatus has previously stored a plurality of sets of combinations of set values for a plurality of edited items relating to the color of the printed image, allows a user to select any one of the combinations of set values, and stores the set values of the selected combination along with the printed image so that the stored set values are rewritable by separately setting the edited items relating to the color of the printed image.

Abstract: A fixing unit has a heating roller for fusing a toner image on a copy sheet thereon, a pressing roller which is rendered in pressing contact with the heating roller while the copy sheet is transported through a clearance defined by the heating roller and the pressing roller, and a control lever which is operative to selectively move the pressing roller toward and away from the heating roller so as to set the fixing unit between a pressing-contact state where the pressing roller is pressed against the heating roller and a released state where the pressing roller is set away from the heating roller. A warning display member bearing information relating to manipulation of the control lever is detachably attached to the control lever in such a manner as to be removable from the control lever by pulling the warning display member generally in the same direction as manipulating the control lever to set the fixing unit to the pressing-contact state.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus is able to maintain an image density at a constant level. The apparatus has a FC mode selecting key for allowing a user to selectively designate a low FC mode indicating that the apparatus is in a less-used state where the number of times of image formation is smaller than a predetermined value and a high FC mode indicating that the apparatus is in a highly-used state where the number of times of image formation is not smaller than the predetermined value, and a CPU for correctively setting a target value of toner density at a value higher than a target value of toner density at the low FC mode when the apparatus is in the high FC mode.

Abstract: A monochrome display device easily and clearly distinguishes a multicolored character image from a multicolored background image by employing four gradations of monochrome. First and second monochrome gradations are assigned to any respective non-colored and colored elements of the background image and third and fourth monochrome gradations are assigned to any respective non-colored and colored elements of the character image to display a composite image of the background image and the character image.

Abstract: A fixing unit has a heating roller for fusing a toner image on a copy sheet thereon, a pressing roller which is rendered in pressing contact with the heating roller while the copy sheet is transported through a clearance defined by the heating roller and the pressing roller, and a control lever which is operative to selectively move the pressing roller toward and away from the heating roller so as to set the fixing unit between a pressing-contact state where the pressing roller is pressed against the heating roller and a released state where the pressing roller is set away from the heating roller. An warning display member bearing information relating to manipulation of the control lever is detachably attached to the control lever in such a manner as to be removable from the control lever by pulling the warning display member generally in the same direction as manipulating the control lever to set the fixing unit to the pressing-contact state.

Abstract: Disclosed is an image forming apparatus that enables to maintain an image density at a constant level. The apparatus has a FC mode selecting key for allowing a user to selectively designate a low FC mode indicating that the apparatus is in a less-used state where the number of times of image formation is smaller than a predetermined value and a high FC mode indicating that the apparatus is in a highly-used state where the number of times of image formation is not smaller than the predetermined value, and a CPU for correctively setting a target value of toner density at a value higher than a target value of toner density at the low FC mode when the apparatus is in the high FC mode.

Abstract: There are provided a tape printing apparatus and a method of forming a print image for a tape. A basic image is deformed in the direction of width of a tape, based on a specific modification pattern, and then the deformed basic image is printed on the tape. Modifying data of the modification pattern is stored in a memory device. The basic image data representative of the basic image is developed into a dot matrix corresponding to a print area of the tape. Each dot of each dot line of the basic image data developed into the dot matrix, the each dot line extending in the direction of the width of the tape, is shifted in a direction corresponding to the direction of width of the tape, based on the modification pattern to thereby form the print image.

Abstract: The printing apparatus comprises: an image display part for displaying an image to be printed on a display screen; a screen switching part being capable of switching the display screen of the image display part to any one of a plurality of editing screens for editing the image to be printed; a storage part for storing a printed information of the image to be printed, the printed information being based on an edited content set by each of the editing screens; and a printed information display part for displaying the printed information, which is stored in the storage part, on the display screen by hierarchical printed information screens.

Abstract: There are provided an image-forming device and method for varying an elongation rate of a basic image in at least one of a direction of length of the basic image and a direction of width of the basic image based on a specific elongation pattern to thereby form a deformed image from the basic image, as well as a printing apparatus incorporating the image-forming device. Elongation data of the elongation pattern is stored. Basic image data representative of the basic image is developed into a dot matrix. Each dot line of the basic image data extending in at least one of directions corresponding respectively to the direction of length of the basic image and the direction of width of the basic image is duplicated based on the elongation data. A dot line generated by duplication of the each dot line is added between the each dot line and a following dot line adjacent to the each dot line.