Abstract: An image-forming device is configured so that a process to print confidential print data is not automatically resumed after the printing process has been interrupted and the cause of the interruption has been resolved. Accordingly, the printing of confidential print data is not resumed when the user who requested the printing operation is not near the printer during an interruption and another person resolves the cause of the interruption. In this way the image-forming device prevents content of the confidential print data from being exposed to another person.

Abstract: An image-forming device is configured so that a process to print confidential print data is not automatically resumed after the printing process has been interrupted and the cause of the interruption has been resolved. Accordingly, the printing of confidential print data is not resumed when the user who requested the printing operation is not near the printer during an interruption and another person resolves the cause of the interruption. In this way the image-forming device prevents content of the confidential print data from being exposed to another person.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus for feeding a photosensitive recording sheet having a leader on which characteristic information for the photosensitive recording sheet, such as exposure and development characteristics, is recorded. The apparatus having the capability to read the characteristic information and mechanisms for performing exposure, development and other processes on the basis of the read-out characteristic information, the capability comprising plural rollers disposed spacedly away from one another along a sheet feeding path for feeding the photosensitive recording sheet along the sheet feeding path and a detector disposed between two rollers of the plural rollers for reading out the characteristic information on the leader.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus has a thermal fixing unit which includes a heater to thermally fix an image on a recording medium. The temperature in the apparatus goes down when a replaceable unit is exchanged. A temperature sensor detects the reduction in temperature. A status sensor detects an exchanging state in which the replaceable unit is exchanged and outputs a detection signal indicating the exchanging state. A CPU judges that the heater is properly operating even if the temperature signal indicates the reduction in temperature when the detection signal is outputted.

Abstract: A light-and pressure-sensitive recording sheet and an original, overlapping each other, are introduced into an image forming apparatus, and are exposed to radiation on a transparent drum by means of a light source in the drum, whereupon a latent image, based on the contents of the original, is formed on the recording sheet. Then, the recording sheet is separated from the original by means of a separator, and is passed between a pair of pressure rolls. When the recording sheet is exposed, microcapsules thereon change their hardness. These microcapsules are ruptured selectively by pressure applied to the sheet. As a result, a chromogenic material, contained in the microcapsules, and a developer material, on the surface of a substrate of the recording sheet, react with each other, so that the sheet surface changes its color. Thus, the latent image is developed to accomplish copying in accordance with the original.

Abstract: An image recording apparatus for forming a latent image on a photosensitive recording medium and for developing the latent image on a developer sheet. The apparatus includes a winding unit for winding up the photosensitive recording medium subjected to development, a detecting unit for detecting occurrence of malfunction of the winding unit, and an alarming unit for alarming the occurrence of malfunction. The detecting unit detects the occurrence of malfunction of the winding unit, and the detection signal from the detecting unit is supplied to the alarming unit, to thereby alarm the occurrence of malfunction and stop the copying operation.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus has a thermal fixing device having a first thermistor in the thermal fixing device for detecting the temperature in the thermal fixing device and a second thermistor being substantially at the center of the apparatus out of the thermal fixing device for detecting the temperature in the apparatus. In the image forming apparatus, the temperature detected by the second thermistor is compared with two predetermined reference temperatures T1 and T2 (T1<T2) repectively.

Abstract: An image recording apparatus for recording an image corresponding to an original on a photosensitive recording medium by irradiating light onto the original and converging light from the original onto the photosensitive recording medium. The apparatus includes a lens unit vertically movably supported by the frame, a plurality of position setting holes arrayed in a vertical direction of the frame, position setting means provided on the lens unit and capable of being inserted into one of the position setting holes for fixing the lens unit to the frame, urging means provided on the lens unit for urging the position setting means toward the frame to project the position setting means, actuating means provided on the lens unit for actuating the position setting means so that the position setting means retracts and moves away from the frame against urging force of the urging means when electric current is supplied to the actuating means.

Abstract: An image recording apparatus for recording an image of an original on a photosensitive recording medium. Light emitted from a light source is irradiated onto the original to optically scan the original, and light reflected from or transmitted through the original is applied to the recording medium to thereby record the image on the recording medium. The density of an image to be recorded on the photosensitive recording medium is adjusted by changing the scanning speed while maintaining an amount of light emitted from a light source at constant, whereby a load imposed to the light source is reduced which may otherwise be increased if an amount of light emitted therefrom is changed to adjust the image density.

Abstract: Motor-control device for an image forming apparatus includes a motor, an encoder, a microcomputer, and a driving circuit. The encoder generates a pulse signal in response to rotation of the motor. The microcomputer includes a CPU, a RAM and a ROM. The CPU detects actual rotational speed of the motor based upon the pulse signal generated by the encoder. The CPU cyclically provides a driving signal by comparing the actual rotational speed with a predetermined target rotational speed of the motor. An operating cycle is proportional to a cycle of the pulse signal generated by the encoder. The driving circuit drives the motor based upon the driving signal provided by the CPU. The CPU determines the operating cycle based upon the predetermined target rotational speed. The CPU also determines whether the motor condition is normal or abnormal by comparing the driving signal with a predetermined reference driving signal.

Abstract: A sheet supplying device for supplying an uppermost sheet of a stack of sheets in a sheet cassette used in an image forming apparatus includes suction cups movable into and out of contact with the uppermost sheet in the sheet cassette, an evacuator for developing a vacuum in the suction cups to enable the suction cups to attract the uppermost sheet, a moving member for upwardly and downwardly moving the suction cups to pick up the sheet from the sheet cassette, a sheet feeding member for feeding the sheet from the moving member along a sheet feed path, and a control system for judging on the basis of a detection signal from each sensor for detecting an image forming error provided in the image forming apparatus whether the error occurs during the sheet supplying operation, and when judging that the image forming error occurs during a sheet supplying operation, the control unit ceasing the sheet supplying operation and controlling the driving of at least one of the suction cups, the evacuator, moving member an

Abstract: An image forming apparatus for performing an exposure process of exposing a microcapsule sheet to light and performing a pressure-developing process of contacting the microcapsule sheet having the latent image thereon with a developer sheet under pressure, thereby to form a visible image on the developer sheet, comprises plural sheet feed rollers for feeding the microcapsule sheet from the sheet feed-out side of the microcapsule sheet to and along a sheet feed path and winding up the microcapsule sheet to thereby perform a sheet feeding operation, an optical sensor or lever sensor provided in the neighboring of the sheet feed-out side of the microcapsule sheet for detecting a sheet feeding condition, such as a residue of the microcapsule sheet, a sheet feed error, a sheet feed speed and so on in the sheet feeding operation and outputting a detection signal indicative of a detection result and a control unit for beforehand storing distance data on the sheet feed path of the latent image forming medium between

Abstract: An imaging device includes a first motor for feeding one of two sheets and a second motor for feeding the other sheet. The amounts of feeding of the sheets is detected and used to control the motors to maintain a predetermined relationship between the sheets.

Abstract: An imaging device for forming a visible image by pressurizing and feeding an exposed recording sheet with a developing sheet detects that the recording sheet and the developing sheet are accurately overlapped with each other before the pressurizing operation is begun. The position of the sheets is monitored and the pressurizing rollers are controlled in accordance with the detected positions.

Abstract: An image recording apparatus for recording an image corresponding to an original on a recording medium including a photosensitive recording medium and an image forming sheet. The apparatus comprises a light source for irradiating the original, scanning device for moving the light source and the original relatively to each other during exposure, moving device for moving the photosensitive recording medium during exposure, transferring device for transferring an image on the photosensitive recording medium to the image forming sheet, thermal fixing device for fixing the transferred image on the image forming sheet, temperature detecting device for detecting temperature of the thermal fixing device, first control device for controlling the quantity of current to be supplied to the light source, and second control device for controlling speeds of the scanning device and the moving device.

Abstract: An image recording apparatus for recording an image of an original on a developer sheet with the use of a microcapsule, in which the developer sheet and the microcapsule sheet having a surface coated with immense number of photosensitive and pressure-rupturable microcapsules are subjected to pressure development by a pair of pressurizing rollers. To ensure that the pressure development is performed under the condition where the developer sheet and the microcapsule sheet are superposed one on the other, the nip and retract timings of the pressurizing rollers are determined properly according to the present invention. For example, the developer sheet is conveyed at a speed asynchronous with the microcapsule conveying speed and the conveyance of the developer sheet is stopped after its leading edge is introduced between the rollers held in spaced apart condition.

Abstract: A light irradiation control device for use in an image recording apparatus is disclosed. In one embodiment, the image recording apparatus uses an intermediate sheet on which a mask image is formed at a laser printer. The mask image is introduced into the apparatus and is in surface contact with a photosensitive pressure sensitive recording medium. The light transmission factor of the intermediate sheet is detected by a detection means, and a signal indicative of the factor is sent to a control unit. The control unit control amount of light irradiation against the photosensitive pressure sensitive recording medium through the intermediate sheet. In another embodiment, a light transmitted through an original is directly applied onto the photosensitive pressure sensitive recording medium. The amount of light irradiated onto the original is controlled by detecting a thickness of the original and irradiating a controlled amount of light responsive to the detection.

Abstract: An image transfer system including a photosensitive medium having a layer of microcapsules formed on a substrate, an exposing device having a cathode ray tube for emitting a radiation for imagewise exposing the photosensitive medium, and a CRT control device for controlling the cathode ray tube. Each microcapsule includes a photosensitive resin whose strength is varied according to an amount of exposure thereof to the radiation, and contains a chromogenic material capable of chemically reacting with a developer material, to form a visible image. The CRT control device stores image signals representative of a picture frame, and applying the image signals to the cathode ray tube, to cause the tube to emit the radiation for forming a latent image of the picture frame on the photosensitive medium, so that the latent image is subsequently developed into a visible image.

Abstract: In an image recording apparatus, a desired recording sheet is automatically selected from a sheet feeding section that is provided with plural types of image recording sheets at least one of which is a photosensitive and pressure-sensitive recording sheet, based on encoded data that corresponds to the individual types of recording sheets. The selected recording sheet is fed through feeding means to an image recording section where an image recording operation is performed in accordance with the type of the selected sheet.

Abstract: An imaging device wherein a latent image is formed on a photo and pressure sensitive recording sheet by exposing a light thereon and the latent image is then developed by applying a pressure thereon. The degree of pressing is automatically and/or manually controlled so as to obtain a visible image of stable color deepness and of good quality.