Abstract: An image-reading unit includes an original document conveyor that includes a first original document tray to hold an original document to be read, a first original document feeding port to feed the original document placed on the first original document tray, and an original document conveying path to convey the original document from the first original document feeding port to an original document discharging port. The original document conveyor further includes an openable second original document tray attached near an intermediate portion of the original document conveying path to hold an original document when opened, and a second original document feeding port to feed the original document on the second original document tray. The image-reading unit further includes an image reader to read an image of the original document being conveyed along the original document conveying path.

Abstract: An image reading device includes: a reading unit; a first detecting unit that detects a position of the reading unit in the sub-scanning direction; a second detecting unit that detects a position of the reading unit in the sub-scanning direction; and a calculating unit that calculates a skew quantity and a skew direction of the reading unit, based on a difference, introduced by the skew, between a travel distance by which the reading unit has travelled from a measurement reference position located on an upstream side of the first detecting unit and the second detecting unit in a moving direction to a point where the reading unit is detected by the first detecting unit, and a travel distance by which the reading unit has travelled from the measurement reference position to a point where the reading unit is detected by the second detecting unit.

Abstract: An image-reading unit includes an original document conveyor that includes a first original document tray to hold an original document to be read, a first original document feeding port to feed the original document placed on the first original document tray, and an original document conveying path to convey the original document from the first original document feeding port to an original document discharging port. The original document conveyor further includes an openable second original document tray attached near an intermediate portion of the original document conveying path to hold an original document when opened, and a second original document feeding port to feed the original document on the second original document tray. The image-reading unit further includes an image reader to read an image of the original document being conveyed along the original document conveying path.

Abstract: An image-reading unit includes an original document conveyor that includes a first original document tray to hold an original document to be read, a first original document feeding port to feed the original document placed on the first original document tray, and an original document conveying path to convey the original document from the first original document feeding port to an original document discharging port. The original document conveyor further includes an openable second original document tray attached near an intermediate portion of the original document conveying path to hold an original document when opened, and a second original document feeding port to feed the original document on the second original document tray. The image-reading unit further includes an image reader to read an image of the original document being conveyed along the original document conveying path.

Abstract: An automatic document feeder that is included in an image reader of an image forming apparatus includes a sheet conveying roller, a document feeder cover, a projection piece, a motor, a driving side gear, and a driving force transmission device including an idler gear, a driving force release gear, a slide body, a first elastic body to bias the idler gear and the driving force release gear to be separated, a second elastic body to bias the driving force release gear and the slide body to be separated, and a drive shaft. The driving force transmission device meshes the driving and driven side meshing portions together with a biasing force applied by the second elastic body when the document feeder cover is closed, and releases the driving and driven side meshing portions with a biasing force applied by the first elastic body when the document feeder cover is opened.

Abstract: An image reading device includes: a reading unit; a first detecting unit that detects a position of the reading unit in the sub-scanning direction; a second detecting unit that detects a position of the reading unit in the sub-scanning direction; and a calculating unit that calculates a skew quantity and a skew direction of the reading unit, based on a difference, introduced by the skew, between a travel distance by which the reading unit has travelled from a measurement reference position located on an upstream side of the first detecting unit and the second detecting unit in a moving direction to a point where the reading unit is detected by the first detecting unit, and a travel distance by which the reading unit has travelled from the measurement reference position to a point where the reading unit is detected by the second detecting unit.

Abstract: An image-reading unit includes an original document conveyor that includes a first original document tray to hold an original document to be read, a first original document feeding port to feed the original document placed on the first original document tray, and an original document conveying path to convey the original document from the first original document feeding port to an original document discharging port. The original document conveyor further includes an openable second original document tray attached near an intermediate portion of the original document conveying path to hold an original document when opened, and a second original document feeding port to feed the original document on the second original document tray. The image-reading unit further includes an image reader to read an image of the original document being conveyed along the original document conveying path.

Abstract: An automatic document feeder that is included in an image reader of an image forming apparatus includes a sheet conveying roller, a document feeder cover, a projection piece, a motor, a driving side gear, and a driving force transmission device including an idler gear, a driving force release gear, a slide body, a first elastic body to bias the idler gear and the driving force release gear to be separated, a second elastic body to bias the driving force release gear and the slide body to be separated, and a drive shaft. The driving force transmission device meshes the driving and driven side meshing portions together with a biasing force applied by the second elastic body when the document feeder cover is closed, and releases the driving and driven side meshing portions with a biasing force applied by the first elastic body when the document feeder cover is opened.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a housing, an image forming device, an image reading device coupled with the housing via a first hinge and switchable between an overlapping state and a standing state, the image reading device configured to read an image on an original document, an automatic document feeder coupled with the image reading device via a second hinge and switchable between an overlapping state overlapping the image reading device and a standing state standing at the image reading device, the automatic document feeder configured to turn the original document and convey the original document to an image position, and an automatic coupling device to couple the automatic document feeder and the image reading device when the image reading device is opened while the automatic document feeder is overlapped on the image reading device.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus includes a rotation processing unit, an output image information output unit, and a shared area generation unit. The rotation processing unit performs a rotation process on an image to generate a rotated image. The output image information output unit performs, based on the rotated image, an output image information output process of outputting output image information of an image to be output. The shared area generation unit generates a shared area in a memory in the image processing apparatus shared by the rotation process and the output image information output process. The rotation processing unit stores information of the rotated image in a region in the generated shared area. The output image information that is output in the output image information output process is stored in the region in the shared area storing the information of the rotated image.

Abstract: An image forming device includes: an endless transport belt in which a plurality of through holes are formed, the transport belt circulating to carry sheets; a recording head with a plurality of nozzles through which ink droplets are discharged, the nozzles being arranged in a width direction of the transport belt. The image forming device performs preliminary discharge of ink droplets in which the ink droplets discharged through the nozzles pass through the through holes. The image forming device further includes: a sensor that detects an element to be detected formed on the transport belt when the transport belt circulates; and a preliminary discharge control unit that controls timings of discharge of ink droplets through the nozzles in the preliminary discharge based on a plurality of results of detecting the elements to be detected given from the sensor.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a recording head having nozzles to form an image by squirting droplets onto a recording medium, a transfer member transferring the recording medium and having holes which allows passage of droplets squirted by the recording head for non-printing discharge, an area detecting unit to detect a plurality of non-printing discharge areas that are areas between adjacent recording media, and a non-printing discharge instructing unit to cause the nozzles to perform non-printing discharge such that all the nozzles perform non-printing discharge at least once in the non-printing discharge areas.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a recording head having nozzles to form an image by squirting droplets onto a recording medium, a transfer member transferring the recording medium and having holes which allows passage of droplets squirted by the recording head for non-printing discharge, an area detecting unit to detect a plurality of non-printing discharge areas that are areas between adjacent recording media, and a non-printing discharge instructing unit to cause the nozzles to perform non-printing discharge such that all the nozzles perform non-printing discharge at least once in the non-printing discharge areas.

Abstract: An image forming device includes: an endless transport belt in which a plurality of through holes are formed, the transport belt circulating to carry sheets; a recording head with a plurality of nozzles through which ink droplets are discharged, the nozzles being arranged in a width direction of the transport belt. The image forming device performs preliminary discharge of ink droplets in which the ink droplets discharged through the nozzles pass through the through holes. The image forming device further includes: a sensor that detects an element to be detected formed on the transport belt when the transport belt circulates; and a preliminary discharge control unit that controls timings of discharge of ink droplets through the nozzles in the preliminary discharge based on a plurality of results of detecting the elements to be detected given from the sensor.

Abstract: An image forming method applied to an image forming apparatus including an image inputting unit for inputting image data, a memory for storing the image data inputted from the image inputting unit, and a printer for forming the image data on an image forming medium. At a start of image forming processing on the image data inputted from the image inputting unit, if the printer is performing any other processing, all the image data inputted by the image inputting unit is stored in the memory. The printer performs image forming processing on the image data stored in the memory after completing performing the other processing.

Abstract: An image forming method applied to an image forming apparatus including an image inputting unit for inputting image data, a memory for storing the image data inputted from the image inputting unit, and a printer for forming the image data on an image forming medium. At a start of image forming processing on the image data inputted from the image inputting unit, if the printer is performing any other processing, all the image data inputted by the image inputting unit is stored in the memory. The printer performs image forming processing on the image data stored in the memory after completing performing the other processing.

Abstract: An image forming method applied to an image forming apparatus including an image inputting unit for inputting image data, a memory for storing the image data inputted from the image inputting unit, and a printer for forming the image data on an image forming medium. At a start of image forming processing on the image data inputted from the image inputting unit, if the printer is performing any other processing, all the image data inputted by the image inputting unit is stored in the memory. The printer performs image forming processing on the image data stored in the memory after completing performing the other processing.

Abstract: A file transfer system includes a file management server, a file transmitting terminal, and a file receiving terminal connected each other via a network. The file transmitting terminal transmits to the file management server a file and an authorization condition for accessing the file. The file management server stores the file and the authorization condition relating each other. The file receiving terminal transmits to the file management server a request for transferring the file. The file management server, in response to the request, determines whether the authorization condition is satisfied, and if the authorization condition is satisfied, transfers the file to the file receiving terminal. Accordingly, a user can safely receive the file via the network even if the user does not have an information apparatus having memory capacity large enough to receive the file.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus checks the paper size of input documents images one by one, and cancels the stapling process when the documents have different widths in the main scanning direction. When the documents have the same width in the main scanning direction, the maximum number of the documents that can be stapled is set to be the value which is set when the documents have different sizes. Therefore, even if it is not preliminary known whether the documents have the different sizes, the appropriate stapling operation can be executed, the received document images can be sequentially printed, and processing can be improved.

Abstract: The present invention checks the paper size of input document images one by one, and cancels the stapling process when the documents have different widths in the main scanning direction.