Abstract: A high quality image is obtained by decreasing color aberration and image blurring accompanying the temperature rise in an image forming apparatus while escaping the rise of costs and the increase of the size thereof. A DSP samples a surface image of a transferring belt or a transferring material at a fixed period with a CMOS sensor, and the DSP takes the sampled image into an inner buffer and stores it in an image memory. Next, the DSP performs the comparison operation of the image taken in by the sampling and an image on the image memory that has been sampled at last sampling in advance with an image comparison processing part. Next, the DSP detects a shifted amount of the image in the conveyance direction of the transferring material or the transferring belt. Thereby, it is introduced how many pixels of the last sampled image has shifted in the conveyance direction at the time of the next sampling, and then the movement rate is calculated on the sampling time.

Abstract: A method of reversible selective manifestation of different states of a functional element is disclosed. The functional element is composed of at least two compounds and is capable of alternatively assuming (a) a first state in which the two compounds interact to form a regular aggregate structure, or (b) a second state in which the two compounds do not interact, and at least one of the two compounds is in an aggregate or crystallized state. The respective conditions for attaining one of the two states can be reversibly and extremely speedily controlled, for instance, by use of a heat application device.

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: 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.

Abstract: It enables an image forming apparatus to switch back a recording medium without increasing costs and apparatus size. In order to do so, the image forming apparatus comprises a switchback unit for switching back the recording medium of which an image was recorded on one face, to record an image on the other face thereof, a DC blushless motor for driving the switchback unit, and a controller for performing operation control of the DC blushless motor, wherein the controller reversely rotates the DC blushless motor for a predetermined time after performing brake control of the DC blushless motor for a predetermined time, at predetermined timing.

Abstract: A method of reversible selective manifestation of different states of a functional element is disclosed. The functional element is composed of at least two compounds and is capable of alternatively assuming (a) a first state in which the two compounds interact to form a regular aggregate structure, or (b) a second state in which the two compounds do not interact, and at least one of the two compounds is in an aggregate or crystallized state. The respective conditions for attaining one of the two states can be reversibly and extremely speedily controlled, for instance, by use of a heat application device.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image bearing body. A transferring portion transfers an unfixed image in the image bearing body onto a recording material, while conveying the recording material. A fixing portion fixes the unfixed image onto the recording material, while conveying the recording material having the unfixed image is transferred in the transferring portion. A flexure detecting device detects flexure of the recording material between the transferring portion and the fixing portion. A recording material detecting device detects the presence/absence of the recording material at a downstream side of the fixing portion with respect to a conveying direction of the recording material. A control device controls a convey velocity of the recording material in the fixing portion on the basis of a time from the detection of the recording material detected by the recording material detecting device to the detection of the flexure of the recording material detected by the flexure detecting device.

Abstract: A servo-control apparatus for a motor includes a position detector for detecting a rotational position of a motor, a rotational speed signal generator for generating a rotational speed signal corresponding to a rotational speed of a motor, and a digital controller for generating an exciting electric current to be supplied to a coil of the motor as a pulse width modulated signal in accordance with the rotational speed signal from the rotational speed signal generator. A switching signal for switching the exciting electric current to be supplied to the coil of the motor is formed by a pre-driver in accordance with the position detection signal from the position detector, and the pre-driver combines the switching signal with the pulse width modulated signal from the digital controller to generate an electric current control signal by which the motor is driven, thereby coping with the speed change of the motor quickly and stably.

Abstract: A test tube rack includes top and bottom plates. Openings in the top plate are aligned with corresponding cavities formed in the bottom plate. The two plates are spaced apart and secured together by legs which are reinforced by internally embedded dowel pins. Respective test tube clamps fit snugly in respective openings in the top plate. The clamp includes a ring section with a first set of downwardly extending fingers which grip a test tube in a first plane substantially parallel to the top and bottom plates. The ring also carries a second set of fingers which grip the test tube in a different plane so the test tube is automatically aligned to be substantially perpendicular to the top and bottom plates.

Abstract: The present invention provides a servo-control apparatus for a motor, comprising position detecting means for detecting a rotational position of a motor, rotational speed signal generating means for generating a rotational speed signal corresponding to a rotational speed of a motor, and digital control means for generating an exciting electric current to be supplied to a coil of the motor as a PWM signal in accordance with the rotational speed signal from the rotational speed signal generating means, and wherein a switching signal for switching the exciting electric current to be supplied to the coil of the motor is formed by a pre-driver in accordance with the position detection signal from the position detecting means, and the pre-driver combines the switching signal with the PWM signal from the digital control means to generate an electric current control signal by which the motor is driven, thereby coping with the speed change of the motor quickly and stably.

Abstract: A high quality image is obtained by decreasing color aberration and image blurring accompanying the temperature rise in an image forming apparatus while escaping the rise of costs and the increase of the size thereof. A DSP samples a surface image of a transferring belt or a transferring material at a fixed period with a CMOS sensor, and the DSP takes the sampled image into an inner buffer and stores it in an image memory. Next, the DSP performs the comparison operation of the image taken in by the sampling and an image on the image memory that has been sampled at last sampling in advance with an image comparison processing part. Next, the DSP detects a shifted amount of the image in the conveyance direction of the transferring material or the transferring belt. Thereby, it is introduced how many pixels of the last sampled image has shifted in the conveyance direction at the time of the next sampling, and then the movement rate is calculated on the sampling time.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus which achieves improvements in usability and cost performance and yet can effect the fixing process on recording materials of various types under an optimum fixing process condition to thereby obtain good fixed images. The image forming apparatus is provided with an LED for applying a light to the surface of a recording material before fixed, a CMOS for reading and outputting the interior of that area of the surface of the recording material to which the light is applied by the LED as a picture, and a fixing condition setting device for controlling so as to set the fixing process condition of a fixing device correspondingly to the output value from the CMOS.

Abstract: The present invention relates to animage forming apparatus which has an image bearing body, a transferring portion for transferring an unfixed image on the image bearing body onto a recording material while conveying the recording material, a fixing portion for fixing the unfixed image onto the recording material while conveying the recording material having the unfixed image transferred in the transferring portion, flexure detecting device for detecting flexure of the recording material between the transferring portion and the fixing portion, recording material detecting device for detecting presence/absence of the recording material on a downstream side of the fixing portion with respect to a conveying direction of the recording material, and control device for controlling a convey velocity of the recording material in the fixing portion on the basis of a time from the detection of the recording material detected by the recording material detecting device to the detection of the flexure of the recording mat

Abstract: It enables an image forming apparatus to switch back a recording medium without increasing costs and apparatus size. In order to do so, the image forming apparatus comprises a switchback unit for switching back the recording medium of which an image was recorded on one face, to record an image on the other face thereof, a DC blushless motor for driving the switchback unit, and a controller for performing operation control of the DC blushless motor, wherein the controller reversely rotates the DC blushless motor for a predetermined time after performing brake control of the DC blushless motor for a predetermined time, at predetermined timing.

Abstract: A thermally reversible color forming composition which includes an electron-donating chromophoric compound and an electron-accepting compound, by which formation and deletion of a color image may be carried out by adjusting thermal energy applied to the composition, wherein the electron-accepting compound is a carboxylic acid compound having the following general formula (1):R.sub.1 --X--R.sub.2 --COOH (1)in which, X represents a divalent group having at least one hetero atom, R.sub.1 represents a hydrocarbon group having at least one hetero atom, R.sub.2 represents an aliphatic hydrocarbon group, which may be substituted and whose principle chain contains less than 6 carbon atoms.

Abstract: An image formation material for forming images including color images, such as a toner or developer for use in image formation methods such as electrophotography, electrostatic recording, and in an ink jet printing, includes a binder resin, a dye, and a quencher for preventing the deterioration of the dye; and a method of preventing the fading of images formed by the above image formation methods can be carried out by use of this image formation material.

Abstract: A reversible thermosensitive coloring composition is composed of an electron-donor coloring compound; an electron-acceptor compound which is capable of producing a colored material with a regularly aggregated structure in the electron-doner coloring compound at a color development initiation temperature to obtain a color development state, and is capable of crystallizing out of the colored material at a decolorization initiation temperature which is lower than the color development initiation temperature; and an organic compound serving as a decolorization-accelerating agent capable of inducing the destruction of the regularly aggregated structure of the colored material to accelerate the decolorization of the composition. A reversible thermosensitive coloring recording medium is composed of a support and a recording layer formed thereon, which contains the above-mentioned reversible thermosensitive coloring composition.

Abstract: A rewritable bar code display medium is disclosed, which is composed of a support and a reversible thermosensitive recording layer for reversibly forming bar codes therein formed on the support, which reversible thermosensitive recording layer varies in transparency with change in temperature, and an image display method using the rewritable bar code display medium, and an apparatus for implementing the image display method are also disclosed.

Abstract: A reversible thermosensitive coloring composition is composed of (i) an electron-donor coloring compound and (ii) an electron-acceptor compound selected from the group consisting of an organic phosphoric acid compound, an aliphatic carboxylic acid, and a phenolic compound, each having a straight chain or branched chain alkyl group or alkyenyl group having 12 or more carbon atoms, the electron-donor coloring compound and the electron-acceptor compound being capable of reacting to induce color formation in the reversible thermosensitive coloring composition at the eutectic temperature thereof. The electron-donor coloring compound and the electron-acceptor compound, when fused and colored in a mixed state, with application of heat thereto, followed by rapidly cooling the fused mixture, exhibit an exothermic peak in a temperature elevation process in a differential scanning calorific analysis or in a differential thermal analysis.

Abstract: A reversible thermosensitive coloring composition is composed of (i) an electron-donor coloring compound and (ii) an electron-acceptor compound selected from the group consisting of an organic phosphoric acid compound, an aliphatic carboxylic acid, and a phenolic compound, each having a straight chain or branched chain alkyl group or alkyenyl group having 12 or more carbon atoms, the electron-donor coloring compound and the electron-acceptor compound being capable of reacting to induce color formation in the reversible thermosensitive coloring composition at the eutectic temperature thereof. The electron-donor coloring compound and the electron-acceptor compound, when fused and colored in a mixed state, with application of heat thereto, followed by rapidly cooling the fused mixture, exhibit an exothermic peak in a temperature elevation process in a differential scanning calorific analysis or in a differential thermal analysis.