Abstract: An image hold body includes a support body, a plurality of pixel electrodes, charge storage members, switch members, scanning lines, signal lines and shield members. A latent image voltage is applied to the plurality of pixel electrodes based on an image signal. The charge storage members store charge corresponding to the latent image voltage. The scanning lines select and scan pixel electrode groups through the switch members. The signal lines apply the latent image voltage through the switch members to the pixel electrodes of each of the pixel electrode groups selected by the scanning lines. The shield members are provided on the support body corresponding to the signal lines placed in the proximity of the pixel electrodes, and shield an effect of at least a part of an electric field from the signal line on an electric field based on the latent image voltage of the pixel electrodes.

Abstract: A color correction data acquiring system includes: an analysis unit that analyzes a data uniform part in an input image; and an area setting unit that sets a patch data acquiring area based on an analysis result of the analysis unit. The color correction data acquiring system acquires color correction data based on a patch data in the patch data acquiring area of the input image and a patch data in the patch data acquiring area of a read image.

Abstract: A development unit includes a developer accommodating part that accommodates a developer therein, a developer stirring-transporting member that transports the developer in the developer accommodating part while stirring the developer, a bearing part that receives a rotating shaft of the developer stirring-transporting member, a magnetic member that is located between the bearing part and the developer accommodating part and fixed around the rotating shaft, and a stirring member that is spaced apart from the magnetic member so as to be opposed to the magnetic member and that is arranged at the rotating shaft of the developer stirring-transporting member.

Abstract: An image hold body includes a support body, a plurality of pixel electrodes, charge storage members, switch members, scanning lines, signal lines and shield members. A latent image voltage is applied to the plurality of pixel electrodes based on an image signal. The charge storage members store charge corresponding to the latent image voltage. The scanning lines select and scan pixel electrode groups through the switch members. The signal lines apply the latent image voltage through the switch members to the pixel electrodes of each of the pixel electrode groups selected by the scanning lines. The shield members are provided on the support body corresponding to the signal lines placed in the proximity of the pixel electrodes, and shield an effect of at least a part of an electric field from the signal line on an electric field based on the latent image voltage of the pixel electrodes.

Abstract: There is provided an image forming apparatus. The image forming apparatus, after controlling so as to develop the developer image representing the predetermined image formed a plurality of times in the same location on an image carrier by an exposing component, controls such that without performing exposure with the exposing component, the developer image, developed on the image carrier by the developing component applying a biasing voltage to the developer so as to adhere the developer to the image carrier including to the same location on the image carrier, is transferred to the transfer component and detects whether or not a ghost image is generated by comparing the density detected by a detecting component at a position of a transfer body corresponding to the same location of the image carrier to a reference density.

Abstract: A thickness variation detector of a photoconductor includes: a current detection unit that detects a value of current being used for charging a surface of the photoconductor in a state in which a charging unit is in contact with a surface of the photoconductor; and a thickness variation detection unit that detects a thickness variation along a rotation direction of the photoconductor based on the value of current.

Abstract: There is provided an image forming apparatus. The image forming apparatus, after controlling so as to develop the developer image representing the predetermined image formed a plurality of times in the same location on an image carrier by an exposing component, controls such that without performing exposure with the exposing component, the developer image, developed on the image carrier by the developing component applying a biasing voltage to the developer so as to adhere the developer to the image carrier including to the same location on the image carrier, is transferred to the transfer component and detects whether or not a ghost image is generated by comparing the density detected by a detecting component at a position of a transfer body corresponding to the same location of the image carrier to a reference density.

Abstract: A development unit includes a developer accommodating part that accommodates a developer therein, a developer stirring-transporting member that transports the developer in the developer accommodating part while stirring the developer, a bearing part that receives a rotating shaft of the developer stirring-transporting member, a magnetic member that is located between the bearing part and the developer accommodating part and fixed around the rotating shaft, and a stirring member that is spaced apart from the magnetic member so as to be opposed to the magnetic member and that is arranged at the rotating shaft of the developer stirring-transporting member.

Abstract: A thickness variation detector of a photoconductor includes: a current detection unit that detects a value of current being used for charging a surface of the photoconductor in a state in which a charging unit is in contact with a surface of the photoconductor; and a thickness variation detection unit that detects a thickness variation along a rotation direction of the photoconductor based on the value of current.

Abstract: An image processing method that puts input image data represented by multi-value pixels into gradation representation of dots having binary data of plural minute pixels while performing error diffusion processing. The method includes a first step that when a dot is formed which corresponds to correction image data produced by adding correction data to multi-value image data of a multi-value target pixel, only in the case where the dot is to be formed so as to be adjacent to a dot formed for a proper adjacent multi-value pixel, forms the dot even if it has less than k (2 or greater integer) number of minute pixels. In other cases, the method forms only a dot having k number of minute pixels or more.

Abstract: A color correction data acquiring system includes: an analysis unit that analyzes a data uniform part in an input image; and an area setting unit that sets a patch data acquiring area based on an analysis result of the analysis unit. The color correction data acquiring system acquires color correction data based on a patch data in the patch data acquiring area of the input image and a patch data in the patch data acquiring area of a read image.

Abstract: An image processing method that puts input image data represented by multi-value pixels into gradation representation of dots having binary data of plural minute pixels while performing error diffusion processing. The method includes a first step that when a dot is formed which corresponds to correction image data produced by adding correction data to multi-value image data of a multi-value target pixel, only in the case where the dot is to be formed so as to be adjacent to a dot formed for a proper adjacent multi-value pixel, forms the dot even if it has less than k (2 or greater integer) number of minute pixels. In other cases, the method forms only a dot having k number of minute pixels or more.

Abstract: A heat generating medium for image fixing includes a conductive support layer of good electrical and thermal conductivity, a low surface energy layer formed on one of the surfaces of the conductive support layer, and a heat generating layer formed on the other surface of the conductive support layer. A fixing apparatus is also disclosed, which includes the heat generating medium as described above, and a power supplying device for feeding current to the heat generating layer, wherein a recording sheet bearing a non-fixed toner image thereon is brought into press contact with the heat generating layer which generates heat when it receives current from the power supply device.

Abstract: In view of realizing higher resolution in the sub-scanning direction and achieving high precision and high quality image formation without generating ununiform distribution of exposure, a scanning surface of a photosensitive material is scanned with an optical beam on sequential parallel linear scanning lines with a predetermined angle for the main scanning direction to form an exposed image thereon.

Abstract: Multi-value character (line image) data, characteristic information and half-tone data are stored while the memory is effectively used. Half-tone data is outputted from the attribute separating section 20. Vector pixels or the density data of 5 bits and the characteristic flag of 3 bits are outputted from the resolution converting section 12 and the edge detecting section 13. After a discriminating flag (1 bit) has been added to them by the data mixing section 21, they are formatted in a predetermined manner and stored in the memory M. In this case, both halftone data and vector pixels are stored as raster data of 9 bits. Further, the characteristic flag is stored as a portion of the vector pixels. Accordingly, the memory M is not wasted, and it is not necessary to separately provide a memory exclusively used for the characteristic flag.

Abstract: To form an exposed image with striking contrast on photosensitive material and form a high definition and high quality image, a first beam modulated according to an image signal and a second beam modulated according to an inverted image signal generated by inverting this image signal with smaller deelectrification effect than the first beam are synthesized on the photosensitive material.

Abstract: The invention provides an image output device for use with a host computer connected to a network including an input unit for getting an image formation command for an image edit processing transmitted from the host computer through the network and inputting the image formation command to inside of the device, a raster image data conversion unit for sequentially converting the image formation command input by the input unit to raster image data, an image data coding unit for coding the raster image data converted by the raster image data conversion unit, a storing unit for storing the image formation command and raster image data coded by the image data coding unit, a decoding unit for decoding the raster image data stored in the storing unit in accordance with the image formation command, and an output unit for outputting the raster image data decoded by the decoding unit.

Abstract: An ink transfer medium for toner is disclosed, comprising the following layers, in this order: a heat-generating resistive layer heated by input of electrical signal, a conductive layer, and an ink release layer having a toner layer on it, an adhesion from 0.2 g/mm to 40 g/mm as measured by the 90.degree. peeling off method and consisting of a viscoelastomer having a critical surface tension of 35 dyne/cm or less. It can be re-inked by attaching toner to the portions of the ink transfer medium from which the ink has been removed, using toner held in a toner holding means.

Abstract: An ink transfer medium for toner is disclosed, comprising the following layers, in this order: a heat-generating resistive layer heated by input of electrical signal, a conductive layer, and an ink release layer having a toner layer on it, an adhesion from 0.2 g/mm to 40 g/mm as measured by the 90.degree. peeling off method and consisting of a viscoelastomer having a critical surface tension of 35 dyne/cm or less. It can be re-inked by attaching toner to the portions of the ink transfer medium from which the ink has been removed, using toner held in a toner holding means.

Abstract: An ink transfer medium for toner is disclosed, comprising the following layers, in this order: a heat-generating resistive layer heated by input of electrical signal, a conductive layer, and an ink release layer having a toner layer on it, an adhesion from 0.2 g/mm to 40 g/mm as measured by the 90.degree. peeling off method and consisting of a viscoelastomer having a critical surface tension of 35 dyne/cm or less. It can be re-inked by attaching toner to the portions of the ink transfer medium from which the ink has been removed, using toner held in a toner holding means.