Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a transparent image forming unit configured to form a transparent toner image on a recording material, a fixing unit configured to fix the transparent toner image formed on the recording material, an acquisition unit configured to acquire a region where a mark visually recognizable due to a glossiness difference is to be formed, and a control unit configured to control the transparent image forming unit such that the transparent toner image formed in the region acquired by the acquisition unit is formed in a predetermined pattern in which a first portion having first glossiness after fixing and a second portion having second glossiness after fixing that is different from the first glossiness are at least alternately disposed.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a charging device, an image bearing member, an electrostatic image forming device, a development device including a developer bearing member, a transfer device, and a controller. The controller controls a potential of the image bearing member such that, during image formation to form an image on a recording material having a predetermined size, an absolute potential value (V1) of a region on a surface of the image bearing member outside a region corresponding to a passage region for a recording material in a width direction orthogonal to a movement direction of the surface of the image bearing member, an absolute potential value (V2) of a non-image portion in the region corresponding to the passage region for the recording material, and an absolute potential value (Vdc) of the developer bearing member satisfy the following condition: Vdc<V1<V2.

Abstract: A repulsive magnetic field is formed in a section immediately upstream of a regulating blade, so that generation of a developing-agent stationary layer is suppressed or eliminated. Accordingly, a developing apparatus capable of stably maintaining the layer thickness of developing agent conveyed to a developing area for a long time is provided.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a color image forming portion for forming a color toner image on an image bearing member; a transparent image forming portion for forming a transparent toner image on the image bearing member. The color image forming portion is capable of forming a test color toner image on the image bearing member, and the transparent image forming portion is capable of forming a test transparent toner image on the image bearing member. The apparatus further includes a detecting portion for detecting a density of each of the test color toner image and the test transparent toner image; and a control portion for controlling an image forming condition for an image to be formed on a recording material, on the basis of a result of detection of the density of each of the test color toner image and the transparent toner image.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus including a first developing device including a first developer carrying member for carrying a developer containing toner, wherein a developing voltage including an AC component is applicable to the first developer carrying member to develop an electrostatic image; a second developing device including a second developer carrying member for carrying a developer containing toner, wherein a developing voltage including an AC component is applicable to the second developer carrying member to develop an electrostatic image; a transferring device for transferring a toner image formed by the first developing device to a moving transfer medium and then transferring a toner image formed by the second developing device onto the transfer medium; a controller for selectively executing an operation in a first mode wherein the image is formed by both of the first developing device and the second developing device or in a second mode wherein the image is formed by only the second developing device

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an exposure area controller for controlling an exposure area per pixel of an exposure device on the basis of image information and a switching device for switching an amount of exposure so as to decrease an exposure intensity of the exposure device during reference toner image formation and increase the exposure area per pixel of the exposure device when compared with those during normal image formation.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a toner image forming device for forming a color image. The toner image forming device forms a first color test image and a second color test image superposedly on an image conveying member so that at least one of a screen angle and a screen ruling with respect to the first color test image is different from that with respect to the second color test image. The image forming apparatus further includes a detecting device for detecting a distribution of heights of the first and second color test images formed superposedly on the image conveying member by the toner image forming device, and a control device for controlling a toner image forming condition of the toner image forming device on the basis of the distribution detected by the detecting device.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus having a plurality of image bearing members, a plurality of colored toner developing units, and a transparent toner developing unit. Each colored toner developing unit has a developer bearing member. The rotational direction of the developer bearing members of the colored toner developing units is opposite to the rotational direction of the corresponding image bearing member, and the rotational direction of the developer bearing member of the transparent toner developing unit is the same as the rotational direction of the corresponding image bearing member.

Abstract: A sensor system includes an LED configured to emit light to a recording medium and a light-receiving sensor configured to receive a transmitted light that has passed through the recording medium after having been emitted from the LED to the recording medium. An emitting optical axis of the LED is away from a perpendicular receiving optical axis of the light-receiving sensor.

Abstract: A sensor system includes an LED configured to emit light to a recording medium and a light-receiving sensor configured to receive a transmitted light that has passed through the recording medium after having been emitted from the LED to the recording medium. An emitting optical axis of the LED is away from a perpendicular receiving optical axis of the light-receiving sensor.

Abstract: The present invention provides a conductive paste, which is suitable for forming and protecting a circuit, an electrode and the like and is capable of connecting electrodes of a plurality of circuit boards in a short time, a circuit board, a circuit article excellent in moisture and heat resistance and the like, and a method for producing the circuit article. The present conductive paste comprises a conductive material that is scaly, has a mean particle diameter of 1 ?m or more and 10 ?m or less, and is at least one material selected from the group consisting of Ag, an Ag alloy, an Ag-coated material, and an Ag alloy-coated material, and a resin having a storage modulus at 25° C. of 100 MPa or more. The present circuit board (1?) is provided with a substrate (11) and an electrode (12) formed at least on one side of the substrate (11) using the above conductive paste. On the surface of the electrode (12), an adhesive insulating area composed of a composition having a storage modulus at 25° C.

Abstract: The invention is objected to perform fixing in an optimum fixing condition even with various kinds of recording materials or the like while improving usability by discriminating the kinds of recording materials. An image reading sensor 123 includes a reflective LED 301, a transmissive LED 303 disposed on the opposite side relative to a recording material 304 for detecting the transmitted amount of light, a CMOS area sensor 211, and an imaging lens 1113. The light from the reflective LED 301 as a light source is applied toward the surface of the recording material 304, and the reflected light from the recording material 304 is collected via the lens 303 and an image is formed on the CMOS area sensor 211. The LED 301 is disposed so as to apply LED light to the surface of the recording material 304 diagonally at a predetermined angle.

Abstract: An image-forming apparatus includes a first developer container accommodating a first developing agent containing a dark-colored toner and a first carrier; a first developing agent-bearing member at the first developer container, that transports the first developing agent to a first developing region; a first unit for generating a magnetic field in the first developing region, disposed in the first developing agent-bearing member; a second developer container accommodating a second developing agent containing a light-colored toner and a second carrier; a second developing agent-bearing member at the second developer container, that transports the second developing agent to a second developing region; and a second unit for generating a magnetic field in the second developing region and disposed in the second developing agent-bearing member. Magnetic binding force applied to the second carrier in the second developing region from the second unit is larger than that to the first carrier from the first unit.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a charging device, an image bearing member, an electrostatic image forming device, a development device including a developer bearing member, a transfer device, and a controller. The controller controls a potential of the image bearing member such that, during image formation to form an image on a recording material having a predetermined size, an absolute potential value (V1) of a region on a surface of the image bearing member outside a region corresponding to a passage region for a recording material in a width direction orthogonal to a movement direction of the surface of the image bearing member, an absolute potential value (V2) of a non-image portion in the region corresponding to the passage region for the recording material, and an absolute potential value (Vdc) of the developer bearing member satisfy the following condition: Vdc<V1<V2.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus including a first developing device including a first developer carrying member for carrying a developer containing toner, wherein a developing voltage including an AC component is applicable to the first developer carrying member to develop an electrostatic image; a second developing device including a second developer carrying member for carrying a developer containing toner, wherein a developing voltage including an AC component is applicable to the second developer carrying member to develop an electrostatic image; a transferring device for transferring a toner image formed by the first developing device to a moving transfer medium and then transferring a toner image formed by the second developing device onto the transfer medium; a controller for selectively executing an operation in a first mode wherein the image is formed by both of the first developing device and the second developing device or in a second mode wherein the image is formed by only the second developing device

Abstract: An image forming apparatus having a plurality of image bearing members, a plurality of colored toner developing units, and a transparent toner developing unit. Each colored toner developing unit has a developer bearing member. The rotational direction of the developer bearing members of the colored toner developing units is opposite to the rotational direction of the corresponding image bearing member, and the rotational direction of the developer bearing member of the transparent toner developing unit is the same as the rotational direction of the corresponding image bearing member.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an exposure area controller for controlling an exposure area per pixel of an exposure device on the basis of image information and a switching device for switching an amount of exposure so as to decrease an exposure intensity of the exposure device during reference toner image formation and increase the exposure area per pixel of the exposure device when compared with those during normal image formation.

Abstract: Provided is a picture reading device that is suited for discriminating the type/surface condition of a recording medium while requiring only a small circuit scale and less memory, and an image forming apparatus that uses the picture reading device. In a CMOS area sensor chip having a plurality of photoelectric conversion elements, there is provided a calculating unit for calculating the maximum value, the minimum value, and an average value of digital information related to a photoelectric conversion element in a specific area among the plurality of photoelectric conversion elements. Information calculated by the calculating unit is output in addition to digital information related to the plurality of photoelectric conversion elements.

Abstract: Provided is a non-contact ID card which is superior in the productivity and the electrical properties, and a method capable of manufacturing such non-contact ID card. The non-contact ID card of the present invention is characterized in that the non-contact ID card comprises an antenna circuit board in which an antenna is formed on a substrate and an interposer board in which an enlarged electrode, which is connected to an electrode of an IC chip, is formed on a substrate on which the IC chip is mounted. The non-contact ID card is formed by laminating both boards in such a manner that the electrode of the antenna and the enlarged electrode are bonded, in which both electrodes are adhesively bonded by an insulating adhesive filled in minute recesses dispersed on bonding faces of the electrode of the antenna and/or the enlarged electrode.

Abstract: To provide a recording-material type determination apparatus and recording-material type determination method which can determine the type of recording material using simple calculations as well as to provide an image forming apparatus capable of obtaining stable image quality independent of the type of recording material using the apparatus and method. Based on data read by a read unit which reads surface images of recording material, a first calculation unit calculates the depth of irregularities in the surface of recording material and stores the results of calculation in a register A while a second calculation unit calculates the spacing of irregularities on the surface of the recording material and stores the results of calculation in a register B. Based on the values in the registers A and B, the type of recording material such as gloss paper, plain paper, rough paper or OHT is determined.