Abstract: An apparatus includes an image-processing-unit that generates tag information indicating whether each of pixels of a first-resolution image data is a pixel of a character or a line, a resolution-converting-unit that converts the first-resolution image data to image data with a second resolution higher than the first resolution, and a light-source-driving-unit that drives light-source according to the second-resolution image data. The resolution-converting-unit includes an image-matrix-acquiring-unit that acquires an image matrix being image data and tag information with the first resolution in an area containing a target-pixel and pixels around the target-pixel, a pattern-matching-unit that determines whether the target-pixel is a pixel of an edge of a character or a line based on the image matrix, and a first-converting-unit that, when the pixel is the edge pixel, converts the image data to image data with the second resolution of a pattern determined in accordance with a layout of the target-pixel.

Abstract: A tray includes a support base having both a first face on which a clamp object is placed and a second face opposite the first face, an upper electrode embedded in the support base and situated toward the first face, a lower electrode embedded in the support base and situated further toward the second face than the upper electrode is, and one or more interconnect lines configured to provide an electrical connection between the upper electrode and the lower electrode.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus forms an image by optical scanning. The image forming apparatus includes: a light source; an image processing unit that processes image data; a modulation signal generation unit that generates a light source modulation signal; a light source drive unit that drives the light source based on the light source modulation signal; and a correction value identifying unit that identifies a correction value for correcting a registration error of an image to be formed. The image processing unit performs first image processing of image data with first resolution based on a correction value identified by the correction value identifying unit, the first image processing including deformation processing and gradation processing of the image data. The modulation signal generation unit converts image data processed in the image processing unit into image data with resolution higher than the first resolution and performs second image processing.

Abstract: Each scanning optical system includes a first scanning lens and a second scanning lens through which a light beam is incident onto the first scanning lens. The second scanning lens of each scanning optical system is disposed at the optically most downstream side in the scanning optical system and has an optical plane that has the strongest power in a sub-scanning corresponding direction. In addition, the optical plane of each second scanning lens, which has the strongest power in the sub-scanning corresponding direction, is located under the shaft bearings of neighboring polygon mirrors in the vertical direction.

Abstract: A method for storing upgraded coal, which is economical and whereby it becomes possible to prevent the spontaneous ignition of piles; and grain-size-controlled coal which rarely undergoes spontaneous ignition during storage. The method for storing upgraded coal includes piling up granular coal containing upgraded coal, wherein the content of grains each having a grain size of 10 mm or less in the coal is 50 mass % or more. It is preferred that the content of grains each having a grain size of 1 mm or less is 25 mass % or more and the content of grains each having a grain size of 0.15 mm or less is 7 mass % or more in the coal.

Abstract: A vehicle such as an automobile includes: a vehicle body having an opening; an opening-closing member that closes the opening; a drive member that drives the opening-closing member so as to open and/or close the opening; a controller that controls the drive member to control the opening-closing member between a fully open position and a fully closed position; and an elastic member provided at a mating portion of the closed opening-closing member and the vehicle body and inserted between the closed opening-closing member and the vehicle body. The controller controls the drive member in a stopping state of the vehicle and opens the opening-closing member from the fully closed position so as to reduce a pressure acting upon the elastic member.

Abstract: An optical scanning apparatus scans a target surface with a light beam along a main scanning direction. The apparatus includes a light source, an optical deflector which includes a rotating multi-faceted mirror, each surface of the multi-faceted mirror acting as a reflecting surface to deflect the light beam from the light source, and a scanning optical system configured to guide the light beam deflected by the optical deflector to the target surface. An angle which is formed between the light beam toward the reflecting surface of the optical deflector and the corresponding reflecting surface and which includes a reflected light reflected from the corresponding reflecting surface is always obtuse.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: a light source; and a light source control unit that supplies a pulse drive current according to image data to the light source. An amplitude of a part of the drive current corresponding to a specified pixel of the image data is larger than an amplitude of a part of the drive current corresponding to a normal pixel of the image data that is a pixel other than the specified pixel and the pulse width of the part of the drive current corresponding to the specified pixel is smaller than the pulse width of the part of the drive current corresponding to the normal pixel.

Abstract: An optical scanning apparatus includes a light source; and a rotational polygon mirror having N reflecting surfaces, the rotational polygon mirror being configured to reflect a light flux emitted from the light source so that a scanning surface is scanned along a main-scanning direction with reflected from the rotational polygon mirror. A width of the light flux incident on the rotational polygon mirror in a direction corresponding to the main-scanning direction is smaller than a width of each reflecting surface of the rotational polygon mirror in the direction corresponding to the main-scanning direction.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, a solid-state imaging device includes a storage unit configured to temporarily store digital data received via an encoder and to output the digital data via a decoder, and a calculation unit configured to calculate the digital data received from the storage unit via the decoder and to output the resultant data. The encoder encodes the digital data so as to subtract a predetermined level+1 level from data included in the digital data and having a luminance level higher than the predetermined level. The decoder decodes the digital data so as to add the predetermined level+1 level to data included in the digital data, having a luminance level, and resulting from a subtraction of the predetermined level+1 level carried out by the encoder.

Abstract: An optical scanning device separately scanning plural scan target surfaces in a first direction with light includes: a light source unit configured to emit first and second light beams mutually different in polarization state; an optical deflector configured to rotate around an axis parallel to a second direction perpendicular to the first direction, and deflect the emitted light beams; an imaging optical element provided on respective optical paths of the deflected light beams; a polarization adjustment element provided on the optical paths of the light beams transmitted through the imaging optical element, and configured to correct respective changes in polarization state of the light beams occurring during the transmission of the light beams through the imaging optical element; and a polarization separation element provided on the optical paths of the light beams emitted from the polarization adjustment element, and configured to separate the light beams from each other.

Abstract: An optical scanning device scanning scan target surfaces in a first direction with light includes: a light source emitting first and second light beams corresponding to two of the scan target surfaces; an optical deflector including a reflection surface on which the emitted first and second light beams are obliquely incident while being separated from each other in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction, and deflecting the first and second light beams; a scanning lens disposed on respective optical paths of the deflected first and second light beams; and a branching optical element transmitting therethrough most of the first light beam transmitted through the scanning lens, and reflecting most of the second light beam transmitted through the scanning lens. The deflected first and second light beams intersect between the optical deflector and the branching optical element, when projected on a plane perpendicular to the first direction.

Abstract: A stacker includes a plurality of sheet stacking units individually movable upward and downward. Sheets are selectively stacked onto either of the stacker trays. To remove the sheets stacked on one of the stacker trays, a door is opened. In a state where the door is open, the stacker trays moved by respective elevation units are movable only downward. In this manner, accidental upward movement of each of the stacker trays caused by a malfunction of a motor or the like is regulated, whereby damage to the stacker is prevented.

Abstract: An optical scanning apparatus includes a light source; and a rotational polygon mirror having N reflecting surfaces, the rotational polygon mirror being configured to reflect a light flux emitted from the light source so that a scanning surface is scanned along a main-scanning direction with reflected from the rotational polygon mirror. A width of the light flux incident on the rotational polygon mirror in a direction corresponding to the main-scanning direction is smaller than a width of each reflecting surface of the rotational polygon mirror in the direction corresponding to the main-scanning direction.

Abstract: An exposure device to expose an exposure element includes a light source; an optical system to guide light emitted from the light source to the exposure element; and an optical housing, configured with a plurality of plates, to support the light source and the optical system. At least one of the plurality of plates configuring the optical housing is formed with a plurality of grooves on each of a first face and a second face with a given pitch on the one of the plurality of plates, the first face and the second face being opposite faces with each other. The plurality of grooves are arranged by shifting the center of each of grooves formed on the first face and the center of each of grooves formed on the second face.

Abstract: A printing system includes, for example, a printing apparatus which forms an image on a sheet, and a plurality of dollies which are assigned different dolly identification information and used to stack the sheet discharged from the discharging port of the printing apparatus. The printing system also includes a designation unit which designates a dolly to be used for a print job, and an output unit which outputs alert information when the dolly designated by the designation unit is not allocated at the discharging port.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: a charging unit that uniformly charges a surface of a latent image carrier; a latent-image forming unit; a developing unit that performs development by causing toner to electrostatically adhere on the surface of the carrier; a transfer unit that transfers a toner image onto a recording medium; and an image-density adjusting unit that causes to form a multi-gradation patch pattern on the surface of the carrier, that causes to detect potentials of latent image patches in the multi-gradation patch pattern, that causes to detect a toner adhesion amount on each toner patch, and that performs control of an image density. One of part and all of the low-density latent image patches is a dot-dispersed latent image patch in which the arrangement of unit dot latent images in the basic dot matrix is determined so that a minimum center-to-center distance having a smallest value is maximized.

Abstract: An optical device includes: an irradiation unit that irradiates a part of laser beams output from a light source as a scan beam onto an irradiation target and outputs the remaining part of the laser beams as a monitor beam used to monitor a light amount of the laser beams; a measurement unit that measures a light amount of the monitor beam; a storage unit that stores a plurality of measurement results obtained by the measurement unit when the laser beams are output in a plurality of different light amounts, and the plurality of the different light amounts associated with each other; and a prediction unit that predicts the light amount of the monitor beam relative to a reference light amount of the laser beam using a plurality of the light amounts stored in the storage unit and the measurement results corresponding to the plurality of the light amounts.

Abstract: A sheet processing apparatus which has a flattening processing unit which presses a folded end of a folded booklet bundle to flatten the folded end, and cutting units which cut and align edges of the booklet bundle, wherein the edges crossing the folded end of the booklet bundle are cut by the cutting unit and the folded end of the booklet is then flattened by the flattening processing unit.

Abstract: A scanning unit in an image forming apparatus includes a light source, a coupling lens, an aperture, an image forming lens, and a polygon mirror. The light source includes a plurality of surface-emitting lasers. The coupling lens, the aperture, and the image forming lens are arranged on the optical path of light beams emitted by the light source. The polygon mirror deflects light beams of an image formed by the coupling lens towards a photosensitive drum for scanning. The focal length of the image forming lens in a sub-scanning direction is set to be equal to or smaller than an optical path length between the image forming lens and the aperture.