Abstract: A toner for developing electrostatic images which is obtained by melt mixing at least a binder resin and a coloring agent, forming a powder material by pulverizing the obtained mixture after cooling and removing rough particles and fine particles from the formed powder material by classification, wherein inorganic fine particles having a roundness of 1.00 to 1.30, an average of the diameter of primary particles of 0.05 to 0.45 ?m and a ratio of a standard deviation to the average of the diameter of primary particles of 0.25 or smaller are added as an external additive, and a process for producing a toner for developing electrostatic images which comprises melt mixing at least a binder resin and a coloring agent, forming a powder material by pulverizing the obtained mixture after cooling, rounding the powder material by a heat treatment and adding the above inorganic fine particles to the rounded powder material.

Abstract: An image forming device includes a feeding unit, a recording unit, and a controller. The feeding unit includes a first feeding member and a second feeding member disposed at a downstream of the first feeding member in a feeding direction. At least one of the first feeding member and the second feeding member feeds a recording medium in the feeding direction. The recording unit is disposed between the first feeding member and the second feeding member to eject a plurality of ink droplets onto the recording medium fed between the first feeding member and the second feeding member. A plurality of ink droplets ejected onto the recording medium forms a plurality of raster lines extending in a main-scanning direction orthogonal to the feeding direction.

Abstract: In a color laser printer, the printing density of images to be formed is corrected based on a correction values stored in a control memory, For each printing operation the printer determines whether the correction values stored in the control memory matches a value stored in a backup memory. If the correction values in the control memory does not match the correction values in the backup memory, the value of a number of printed pages A serving as the printing performance is incremented by one. If the number of printed pages A is greater than a reference performance number of sheets B pre-stored in memory, then the correction values in the control memory is copied to the backup memory, and the printing operation is executed. If a “Restore correction data” command is inputted, the contents of the backup memory are copied to the control memory.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus comprises an image data generating unit configured to convert a tone of an input value which indicates a density of a pixel by using a predetermined dither matrix and generate image data. The image forming apparatus further comprises a drive source and a gear configured to transmit a drive force from the drive source to an image carrier. The dither matrix includes a plurality of sub-matrixes arranged in a predetermined rule and a dot in each of the plurality of the sub-matrixes grows from a corresponding original point. The image forming apparatus satisfies a relation of (1) a?0.24 mm and b/a<0.78, or (2) a<0.24 mm and b/a>1.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus comprises an image data generating unit configured to convert a tone of an input value which indicates a density of a pixel by using a predetermined dither matrix and generate image data. The image forming apparatus further comprises a drive source and a gear configured to transmit a drive force from the drive source to an image carrier. The dither matrix includes a plurality of sub-matrixes arranged in a predetermined rule and a dot in each of the plurality of the sub-matrixes grows from a corresponding original point. The image forming apparatus satisfies a relation of (1) a?0.08 mm and b/a<0.80, or (2) a<0.08 mm and b/a>1.

Abstract: A method of evaluating an image, including: (a) obtaining evaluation-image data of an evaluation image to be evaluated, the evaluation-image data including coordinate-position data indicative of coordinate positions in the evaluation image and optical-characteristic-value data indicative of optical characteristic values at respective coordinate positions; (b) identifying, based on the evaluation-image data, a characteristic-value fluctuation which is a fluctuation of the optical characteristic values of the evaluation image in relation to the coordinate positions; (c) estimating, based on the evaluation-image data, an unperceivable low-frequency-fluctuation component which is one component of the characteristic-value fluctuation and which is a component that cannot be perceived due to a considerably low frequency of the fluctuation; and (d) evaluating the evaluation image based on the characteristic-value fluctuation and the unperceivable low-frequency-fluctuation component.

Abstract: Object of this invention is to provide a plasma CVD method capable of forming a microcrystalline silicon film at low hydrogen gas flow rate, thereby providing a low-cost microcrystalline silicon solar cell. In the plasma CVD method forming the microcrystalline silicon film, plural antennas are arranged to form an antenna array structure in a vacuum chamber. One end of each antenna is connected to a high frequency power source and anther end is grounded. Substrates are placed facing the antenna arrays, and the substrate temperature is kept between 150 and 250° C. Plasma is generated by introducing gas mixture of hydrogen and silane to the chamber, and by introducing high frequency power to the antennas.

Abstract: An image-processing system for printing an image based on original image data. The storing unit stores at least one look-up table in association with at least one printing condition. The at least one look-up table is used to convert a color value in original image data into a limited color value that limits a total quantity of ink to be used in printing. The detecting unit detects, as a printing condition, at least one of a type of color material and a type of recording medium which are used for printing operation. The converting unit converts the color value data into the limited color value by using a look-up table that is assigned with a printing condition corresponding to the detected printing condition.

Abstract: The invention provides an inkjet recording device comprising an ink cartridge receiving unit configured to receive an ink cartridge and an inkjet head configured to eject an ink. The inkjet recording device further comprising an ink passage configured to transport the ink from the ink cartridge to the inkjet head and comprising a detecting unit configured to detect a type of the ink cartridge received in the ink cartridge receiving unit. The inkjet recording device still further comprising a waste ink collection unit comprising an absorber configured to absorb the ink, and comprising a discharging unit configured to discharge ink remaining in the ink passage at one of a first discharging rate and a second discharging rate. Moreover, the inkjet recording device comprising a controller configured to control the discharging unit to discharge an amount of the ink.

Abstract: A plasma CVD apparatus includes a an electrode array in a reaction chamber, the electrode array including a plurality of inductively coupled electrodes, each electrode being folded back at the center so that each electrode is substantially U-shaped with two parallel straight portions, the electrodes are arranged such that all of the parallel straight portions are arranged parallel to each other in a common plane, each of the electrodes having at least a portion with a diameter of 10 mm or less, and a phase controlled power supply for feeding high frequency power to the feeding portions so as to establish a standing wave of a half wavelength or natural number multiple of a half wavelength between a feeding portion and a folded back portion and between a grounded portion and the folded back portion, and is controlled to have a phase difference between adjacent two feeding portions.

Abstract: A method of detecting color deviation in a color image forming apparatus by obtaining basic color information including at least one of (A) color information of at least one of a first-color basic image, a second-color basic image, and a superposed-color basic image which is formed by the color image forming apparatus, and (B) color information of the image-formation medium which is not colored by any of the two colors; obtaining superposed-pattern color information which is color information of a pattern-superposed image formed by the color image forming apparatus such that two pattern images each provided by each of the two colors are superposed; and detecting a relative positional deviation between the two pattern images, on the basis of the basic color information and the superposed-pattern color information.

Abstract: A print method and apparatus for minimizing effects of error in repositioning during printing process may include generating successive scans of a recording head, wherein the scans may partially overlap to account for the error in repositioning. As an example, after the recording head makes one scan across the document being printed, the document (or the head) may be repositioned for the next scan so that several print elements of the recording head are aligned to lie between certain rows of dots printed in the previous scan, resulting in a higher number of rows in the overlapping portion of the scans. Additional features may include varying the row/column arrangement of dots in the overlap portion, or performing error diffusion and correction for different areas of resolution in the scans.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a recording head including a plurality of printing elements each of which offsets at least in a auxiliary-scanning direction one another and ejects droplets toward a recording medium. The image forming apparatus further includes a main scanning unit configured to scan the recording head, relative to the recording medium, in a main scanning direction perpendicular to the auxiliary-scanning direction. The image forming apparatus still further includes a auxiliary-scanning unit configured to scan the recording head, relative to the recording medium, in a main scanning direction perpendicular to the auxiliary-scanning direction.

Abstract: When the input value becomes close to the medium dot relative density value (Den_M), the large dot threshold value (Thre_L) and medium dot threshold value (Thre_M) become close to each other. It is possible to prevent output values from being converged to the particular medium-dot output value. When the input value becomes close to the small dot relative density value (Den_S), the medium dot threshold value (Thre_M) and the small dot relative density value (Den_S) become close to each other. It is possible to prevent output values from being converged to the particular small-dot output value.

Abstract: An error utilization factor line, indicative of a relationship between the amount of the error utilization factor K and input data for a present pixel, is determined dependently on characteristics of the image, on the value of the threshold, on the size of the distribution matrix, or on the condition of the recording operation. The amount of the error utilization factor K is determined dependently on the input data of the present pixel and based on the error utilization factor line. The correction amount F, collected from the already-processed nearby pixel, is multiplied by the error utilization factor K, before being added to the input data of the present pixel for the halftone process.

Abstract: The present invention provides a radiolabeled ligand which is highly selective and potent for glutamate transporters and is usable in specifically detecting the glutamate transporter. Specifically, the present invention provides a 3-[3-(benzoylamido)benzyloxy]aspartic acid having a radioactive substituent on the benzoyl group which is represented by the following formula (1), or an ester or salt thereof: wherein X represents a substituent containing a radioactive atom(s) which is selected from a straight or branched lower aliphatic alkyl group, a hydroxyl group, a straight or branched lower aliphatic alkoxy group, an amino group, a straight or branched lower aliphatic acylamido group, a halogen atom and a straight or branched lower aliphatic haloalkyl group; and R1 and R2 each represents a hydrogen atom, a straight or branched lower aliphatic alkyl group or an acetoxymethyl group.

Abstract: An actuator of a variable valve operating device includes an electric motor for varying the distance by which an intake valve of an internal combustion engine is lifted. The electric motor has a hollow cylindrical magnet assembly disposed around a hollow cylindrical holder, and a shaft rotatably supported in a housing, with a hollow region being defined between the shaft and the holder. The magnet assembly is skew-magnetized at a predetermined angle to the axis of the magnet assembly.

Abstract: An inkjet recording apparatus includes a recording head having a nozzle row aligned with a plurality of nozzles and a carrying mechanism capable of carrying a record medium by a multiple of an arbitrary natural number of a unit carry amount in a direction in parallel with the nozzle row. The record medium is carried by any of quasi logical carry amounts including a natural number larger than a logical carry amount determined based on a recording resolution and a number of nozzles and represented as a multiple of the unit carry amount and a natural number smaller than the logical carry amount. The record medium is recorded at each time of carrying the record medium. A carry amount of the record medium is determined such that a difference between the logical carry amount and an actual carry amount of the record medium does not exceed a predetermined value.

Abstract: According to a hue conversion, hue angles of C, M, and Y are always set to hue angles HC, HM, and HY of C, M, and Y of a printer, hue angles of R and G are always set to hue angles HR and HG of R and G of a monitor, and the hue angle of B is always set to a value HB desired by a user. The gradation from black through a full color to white is made linear in each color of R, G, B, C, M, and Y according to the hue conversion. The user sets the hue angle HB for B. Therefore, the user can obtain blue color B which provides the user's favorite hue and gradation. Every hue can be reproduced excellently and gradations can be reproduced without color shifts.

Abstract: A method for updating profiles is provided. The method involves storing a plurality of successive profiles for an image recording device, and changing at least two of the successive profiles when characteristics of the image recording device change. The profiles are successively used to process image data that is used for recording images on a recording medium by the image recording device.