Abstract: An imaging apparatus such that residual toner on a transfer/conveyer mechanism such as a transfer belt and an intermediate transfer material is effectively removable. High-tension voltage opposite in magnetic polarity (plus) to the charged toner and a photosensitive drum is applied to a discharger 15 provided ahead of a drive member 12 for driving a transfer belt 6. The residual toner on the transfer belt 6 is removed by a brush 21, and the residual foreign substances come in contact with the photosensitive drum 1 and move onto the photosensitive drum 1 before a printing operation is started. The foreign substances are then removed by a photosensitive drum cleaner.

Abstract: An electrostatic recording apparatus and a management system thereof wherein the recording apparatus includes a photoconductor drum having a cap provided at an opening of the drum and a photoconductor sheet wound on a portion of the drum other than the opening, with the photoconductor drum being rotated. The cap is electrified and a capacitor is provided between the cap and a terminal and charged through the cap to maintain the cap in an electrified state. A potential of the terminal is equal to a ground potential or a potential approximating the ground potential. Further, a controller is provided for discharging the electrified electric charge of the cap in response to a discharge instruction. A managing system may be provided for judging the state of the electrostatic recording apparatus.

Abstract: In order to edit print information, the print information from a memory may be printed on a sheet by a printing arrangement and the sheet transported to a window at which the sheet is supported so that it is aligned with an editing unit and an editing display. Editing data are then input via the editing unit and are displayed by the editing display so that the editing data appear in the window at the same position as the part of the print information to be edited. At the same time the information in the memory may be changed in accordance with the editing. In this way, the print information can be displayed clearly, and the editing data input quickly. The sheet may be paper but may also be a composite film having low molecular weight liquid crystal material dispersed in high molecular weight material such as high molecular weight liquid crystal material.

Abstract: Device and method for evaluating a defect of a photoconductive body in which the position and number of defects such as pinholes in the photoconductive body are detected. The defect evaluation device includes a charger, a photoconductive body moving mechanism, a surface potential sensor, a position sensor detecting the position of a cap member on the photoconductive body and an arithmetic operation unit and a diagnosing device. A rotating photoconductive drum is charged by the charger, and the charged surface potential of the drum is measured by the surface potential sensor. The measured position is determined by the position sensor. The measured values by the surface potential sensor is subjected to differentiation processing by the arithmetic operation unit to determine a differentiation value dV/dt of the surface potential V of the photoconductive body with respect to time t.

Abstract: A plurality of sheet hoppers and a plurality of output stackers are provided so that sheets of paper are selectively output from a specific sheet hopper. The printed sheet is output to a specific output stacker according to a type of document to be printed. The specific output stacker can be selected based on a control signal from a computer or a signal from a mark discrimination sensor, and the printed sheet of a confidential/secret document can be output to the specific output stacker even if a general document and a confidential/secret document are both printed by a single recording apparatus.

Abstract: A potential of a reference potential measure section is set to a desired value of a potential of a drum surface (charge receptive surface) such that a potential of the reference potential measure section and a potential of the charge receptive surface are detected by a surface potential detect device during a rotation of the drum to obtain a difference between the values of the measured potential, so that an operation of a charger is controlled to be reduced to zero, thereby changing the potential of the charge receptive surface. This enables the surface potential to be precisely controlled without necessitating a frequent calibration of the surface potential detect device. In addition, the potential of the reference potential measure section is appropriately set depending on a develop condition so as to prevent a toner, when the portion passes a developer at a position over a circumferential area of the drum, from being fixed thereonto.

Abstract: A parallel circuit of a capacitor and a varistor is connected between a ground and an aluminum cap of a photosensitive drum having a photoconductor sheet wound on a surface of an aluminum drum. The capacitor is charged by a charger. A developer roll connected to a bias voltage supply is provided with a retraction mechanism and is controlled so that the developer roll is separated from the drum mechanically upon start of operation of a recording apparatus until a potential of the cap is increased to a predetermined value and a developing agent layer does not come into contact with the cap. Alternatively to retraction of the developing roll, the developing roll may be stopped to control a height of bristle of developing agent or a bias voltage of the developer may be reversed.

Abstract: A printing and binding system and method utilize an electrophotographic apparatus for performing a printing operation so that a plurality of booklets can be simultaneously printed and bound even if the quantity to be printed is not large. Rolled paper is cut in a pre-treatment portion i a direction in which the rolled paper is supplied, into sizes each corresponding to a desired booklet so as to prepare cut paper sheets, then the same pages of booklets of a number which can be printed are simultaneously printed on the cut paper sheets in a printing portion, and then the next pages of the booklets are sequentially printed on the next cut paper sheets. After the pages of a plurality of booklets which can be printed simultaneously have been printed, the printed paper sheets for a plurality of the booklets are conveyed to a post-treatment portion so as to be cut into individual booklets so that desired booklets are bound. If the required number of the booklets has not been bound, the aforesaid steps are repeated.

Abstract: It has been discovered that a cause of a transfer member winding on an image carrier at the time of transfer is attributable to a discharge in a gap formed between a forward end of the image carrier and a transfer member transporter and is characterized in that the discharge in that gap is ineffectuated by being controlled. An image-forming apparatus capable of preventing not only the winding on the image carrier, but also the fouling of the forward end even when the transfer member is changed in size, is provided by controlling the discharge in the gap. The gap may be ineffectuated by being pressed physically using a guide, thereby preventing the discharge in the gap. As an alternative, the transfer charge amount is controlled in accordance with the position where the forward end of the image carrier passes the transfer element.

Abstract: A driving method is provided for an electrooptical device having scanning and signal electrodes arranged in a matrix with a plurality of picture elements formed in association with intersections of the electrodes. Voltages of high-frequency pulses are applied to both the scanning and signal electrodes, and a DC voltage pulse for setting the optical state of the electrooptical material is applied to the picture elements during a selected period for the scanning electrodes, while a high-frequency AC voltage for holding the previously set optical state of the electrooptical material is applied to the picture elements during a non-selected period for the scanning electrodes. A circuit is also provided for carrying out the method, and an electrooptical apparatus is provided employing the electrooptical device described above.

Abstract: A device for measuring a surface potential at a photosensitive body including: a potential sensor for measuring surface potentials at a plurality of positions on the photosensitive body; a plurality of sample hold circuits; and an adder for adding each measured surface potential held in each sample hold circuit, or an adder which adds up each measured surface potential and average the sum. The addition or averaging of the measured values serves to eliminate eccentricity-induced errors and noise in the surface potential measurements, thereby allowing a correct surface potential to be obtained.

Abstract: An electrostatic recorder including an electrostatic latent image measuring instrument for measuring a state of an electrostatic latent image formed on a photosensitive substance, and executed a printing process until an electrostatic latent image formed on a surface of a photosensitive substance based on measured data is transferred onto a blank form as a visual image by a transfer device by adjusting control factors such as exposure, exposure time, electrostatic charge voltage, development bias, temperature and humidity. The electrostatic latent image measuring instrument is provided with distance sensors which, when a measuring electrode is disposed near to the photosensitive substance, maintains a constant distance therebetween. It is thus possible to measure an electrostatic latent image even if the photosensitive substance is eccentric.

Abstract: A potential of a reference potential measure section is set to a desired value of a potential of a drum surface (charge receptive surface) such that a potential of the reference potential measure section and a potential of the charge receptive surface are detected by a surface potential detect device during a rotation of the drum to obtain a difference between the values of the measured potential, so that an operation of a charger is controlled to be reduced to zero, thereby changing the potential of the charge receptive surface. This enables the surface potential to be precisely controlled without necessitating a frequent calibration of the surface potential detect device. In addition, the potential of the reference potential measure section is appropriately set depending on a develop condition so as to prevent a toner, when the portion passes a developer at a position over a circumferential area of the drum, from being fixed thereonto.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for driving an optical printer having at least one liquid crystal optical switch including a ferroelectric liquid crystal layer interposed between a pair of substrates having electrodes on confronting surfaces thereof, the at least one liquid crystal switch being disposed between a light source and a photosensitive surface, a light transmission state of the at least one liquid crystal optical switch being controlled by application of a voltage signal to the at least one liquid crystal optical switch so as to control light transmission to the photosensitive surface. A first voltage signal is applied to the liquid crystal of at least one liquid crystal optical switch in a writing period in which the light transmission state is determined in accordance with a printing signal for printing. A second voltage signal having a DC component of one polarity is applied to the liquid crystal layer in a retention period.

Abstract: An aerial recording sheet carrier is provided downstream of a fixing station. The aerial recording sheet carrier has one pair of pressure chambers with wall surfaces facing each other and in parallel. Air jets are arranged on opposite wall surfaces of the pressure chambers. A recording sheet and a toner image from the fixing station are carried by an air stream and cooled down. The toner image on the recording sheet, which is in fusion, is prevented from coming into contact with any parts, such as a recording sheet carrying passage. Thus a stain on parts due to contact with the toner image can be prevented.

Abstract: A laser marker comprises a liquid crystal device for displaying pattern information representative of a character to be printed on an object to be worked, a pulse laser oscillator, a liquid crystal device power switch connected to the liquid crystal device, a laser switch connected to the pulse laser oscillator, and timer circuits operative to retard the operation of the laser switch with respect to that of the liquid crystal device power switch, whereby after the character to be printed is displayed properly on the liquid crystal device, a pulse laser beam is irradiated on the liquid crystal device so as to sharply print the character on the object.

Abstract: The invention relates to a liquid crystal optical switch array in which optical switch elements are opened and closed by the time-sharing drive and to an optical printer using this optical switch array. The optical switch element comprises a ferroelectric liquid crystal having a relaxative memory effect, signal electrodes and scanning electrodes which sandwich the liquid crystal layer, and a resistor element which is formed between the scanning electrode and the liquid crystal. A line selection signal is sequentially supplied to the scanning electrodes, these scanning electrodes become substantially the open state when the selection signal is not supplied. When the scanning electrodes are open, the resistor element has a predetermined resistance value. When the selection signal is supplied to the scanning electrodes, the resistor element has a lower resistance value.

Abstract: A printer for printing a desired print pattern on print regions of a paper having non-print regions including a light source, a control device including a plurality of optical switch elements having opposed electrodes with a ferroelectric liquid crystal material being interposed therebetween, and a photosensitive drum to which transmission light of the optical switch elements is radiated for enabling printing the pattern on the paper. The control device applies a positive or negative voltage between the opposed electrodes of each of the plurality of optical switch element selectively during a first period so as to control the quantity of transmission light between the opposed electrodes, and effects a short-circuit by simultaneously applying a substantially zero voltage between the opposed electrodes of all of the plurality of optical switch elements during a second period so as to reduce the quantity of non-uniform existence of ions in the ferroelectric light crystal material between the opposed electrodes.

Abstract: A multiplexed driving method of an optical switching element employing ferroelectric liquid crystal with a negative dielectric anisotropy including signal electrodes and common signal electrodes arranged in matrix and a ferroelectric liquid crystal layer disposed therebetween so as to constitute pixels at the respective facing portions of the signal electrodes and the common signal electrodes comprising a step of applying a common writing signal voltage to one of the common signal electrode to select pixels to which information be written, simultaneously applying a common status holding AC signal voltage to the other common signal electrodes covering non-selected pixels and simultaneously applying one of two signal pulses with opposite polarities to the signal electrodes, whereby resultant information writing voltages formed in combination of the common writing signal voltage and the signal pulses, which are enough to determine the orientation of the ferroelectric liquid crystal molecules, are applied on the

Abstract: In a driving method of an optical switch element for controlling a quantity of transmission light between opposed electrodes by interposing a transparent, high dielectric material between the opposed electrodes and applying a positive or negative voltage between the opposed electrodes, the improvement wherein a period in which the opposed electrodes are substantially short-circuited is disposed in order to make it possible to either reduce or eliminate stored charge.