Abstract: A reading apparatus configured to read a plurality of colorimetric patches in different colors formed on a paper sheet and trigger patches formed so as to correspond to the colorimetric patches includes: a colorimeter configured to read the colorimetric patches; a trigger sensor configured to read the trigger patches; and a controller configured to control a reading region, wherein the controller has a colorimetry region determination mode in which the reading region is determined and a colorimetry adjustment mode in which the reading region is controlled, and in the colorimetry region determination mode, after the reading regions are set to states where the reading regions are gradually shifted in a reading direction, the reading results for the colorimetric patches are collected and thereafter, a region for which a state consistent with a characteristic of the colorimetric patch has been obtained as the reading result is determined as the reading region.

Abstract: An image reading apparatus and an image forming system are provided which can reduce the influence of magnification error, detect patches in correct positions, and save the sheets required for adjusting an image. The image reading apparatus makes use of an image scanner which reads patches printed on a sheet P, a spectral colorimeter which colorimetrically measures the patches read by the image scanner, and is provided with a timing compensation unit which compensates the colorimetric measurement timing with which colorimetric operation of the spectral colorimeter is triggered based on the positional information of the patches read by the image scanner, and an image correction unit which corrects the color information of the patches read by the image scanner based on the colorimetric values of the patches colorimetrically measured by the spectral colorimeter.

Abstract: In a bending tube for endoscope on which torsion preventing tab mechanisms are provided on the respective middle parts of first and second slots for bending located in an area from the proximal end of a bending tube body to a predetermined position on the distal end side (the torsion suppressing area), and the bending tube body being permitted to bend by the first and second slots for bending, the torsion preventing tab mechanism of at least any one of the first and second slots for bending arranged on the proximal end side of each of arrays (first and second arrays), other than the first and second slots for bending located at the most proximal end, among the first and second slots for bending arrayed in a same line, respectively, along a longitudinal direction of the bending tube body, is removed.

Abstract: An endoscope bending portion includes a circular cylindrical member on which a plurality of slots for bending are formed in a manner penetrating in a radial direction, a first slot among the plurality of slots for bending, a groove formed on the circular cylindrical member, a protrusion portion that is provided by being inserted into the circular cylindrical member through the groove from outside and by protruding on an inner circumference of the circular cylindrical member, where a wire hole is disposed inside the circular cylindrical member, a pulling wire that has a maximum outer diameter portion formed at a distal end portion, and that is inserted in the wire hole to have the maximum outer diameter portion engaged with the protrusion portion, and a restriction portion that is provided inside the circular cylindrical member.

Abstract: A reading apparatus configured to read a plurality of colorimetric patches in different colors formed on a paper sheet and trigger patches formed so as to correspond to the colorimetric patches includes: a colorimeter configured to read the colorimetric patches; a trigger sensor configured to read the trigger patches; and a controller configured to control a reading region, wherein the controller has a colorimetry region determination mode in which the reading region is determined and a colorimetry adjustment mode in which the reading region is controlled, and in the colorimetry region determination mode, after the reading regions are set to states where the reading regions are gradually shifted in a reading direction, the reading results for the colorimetric patches are collected and thereafter, a region for which a state consistent with a characteristic of the colorimetric patch has been obtained as the reading result is determined as the reading region.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: an image forming section that forms an image; and an image forming control section that acquires information on a detection result of the image by a first image detecting section which has relatively higher failure detection accuracy than that of a second image detecting section, and information on a detection result of the image by the second image detecting section which has relatively higher color measurement accuracy than that of the first image detecting section, wherein the image forming control section acquires second image detection information in a region that has been detected by the second image detecting section and in which an exclusion detection region has been removed, based on the exclusion detection region that has been determined to contain a failure in the image, by first image detection information based on the detection result of the first image detecting section.

Abstract: A fixing device includes: a fixing member; a pressure member pressed against the fixing member; a plurality of halogen lamp heaters configured to heat the fixing member; a temperature detecting unit configured to detect a temperature of the fixing member; and a control unit configured to perform half-wave control on at least one first halogen lamp heater by calculating an output Duty and performing energization or de-energization for each half-wave of an AC waveform, and perform switch on/off control on a second halogen lamp heater, the second halogen lamp heater being other than the first halogen lamp heater, wherein the first halogen lamp heater and the second halogen lamp heater have reference voltages satisfying the reference voltage of the first halogen lamp heater<the reference voltage of the second halogen lamp heater, the reference voltages being set in accordance with densities of contained halogen gases.

Abstract: A colorimetric device includes: a feeding unit configured to feed a transfer medium; a colorimeter configured to perform colorimetry of an image that is formed on the transfer medium and that has a color boundary in a feeding direction; and a colorimetry control unit configured to control the feeding unit and the colorimeter, wherein the colorimetry control unit acquires color information related to the color boundary of the image and determines the color boundary of the image based on the color information and a result of the colorimetry performed by the colorimeter.

Abstract: An image-forming apparatus contains a control portion, a thermopile sensor, a temperature sensor, a fan, a heater, a guide plate temperature detection sensor, an external air temperature detection sensor, a fixing temperature detection sensor and the color sensor. The control portion calculates estimated sheet temperature of the conveying sheet using information such as guide plate temperature, external air temperature, fixing temperature and paper weight. The control portion controls the fan or the heater to drive so that sensor temperature of the thermopile sensor approaches the estimated sheet temperature of the sheet. The control portion controls the thermopile sensor to carry out a measurement of the temperature of the sheet when the sensor temperature falls within a set range in relation to the estimated sheet temperature.

Abstract: An image reading apparatus and an image forming system are provided which can reduce the influence of magnification error, detect patches in correct positions, and save the sheets required for adjusting an image. The image reading apparatus makes use of an image scanner which reads patches printed on a sheet P, a spectral colorimeter which colorimetrically measures the patches read by the image scanner, and is provided with a timing compensation unit which compensates the colorimetric measurement timing with which colorimetric operation of the spectral colorimeter is triggered based on the positional information of the patches read by the image scanner, and an image correction unit which corrects the color information of the patches read by the image scanner based on the colorimetric values of the patches colorimetrically measured by the spectral colorimeter.

Abstract: An image-forming apparatus contains a control portion, a thermopile sensor, a temperature sensor, a fan, a heater, a guide plate temperature detection sensor, an external air temperature detection sensor, a fixing temperature detection sensor and the color sensor. The control portion calculates estimated sheet temperature of the conveying sheet using information such as guide plate temperature, external air temperature, fixing temperature and paper weight. The control portion controls the fan or the heater to drive so that sensor temperature of the thermopile sensor approaches the estimated sheet temperature of the sheet. The control portion controls the thermopile sensor to carry out a measurement of the temperature of the sheet when the sensor temperature falls within a set range in relation to the estimated sheet temperature.

Abstract: In a bending tube for endoscope on which torsion preventing tab mechanisms are provided on the respective middle parts of first and second slots for bending located in an area from the proximal end of a bending tube body to a predetermined position on the distal end side (the torsion suppressing area), and the bending tube body being permitted to bend by the first and second slots for bending, the torsion preventing tab mechanism of at least any one of the first and second slots for bending arranged on the proximal end side of each of arrays (first and second arrays), other than the first and second slots for bending located at the most proximal end, among the first and second slots for bending arrayed in a same line, respectively, along a longitudinal direction of the bending tube body, is removed.

Abstract: Included are a bending tube; slits; wire guides; an outer coat member; and hole portions that are formed between particular slits in a distal end region that is forward from a central region on an outer circumference of a cylindrical member, each of the hole portions being communicated with any one of the slits, the wire guides covered by the outer coat member being respectively fixed to the hole portions while being attached to the cylindrical member from an outside thereof.

Abstract: When an input image is to be formed on a sheet conveyed to a transfer roller, the exposure section is controlled and deviation correction is performed to offset the image forming position across the width of the sheet in response to the result of detection by a deviation sensor. By contrast, when pattern images are to be formed on a sheet in response to the instruction of the main control section, the image forming control section does not perform deviation correction in the process of forming a pattern image.

Abstract: An image formation control section sets a secondary transfer section in the pressed state in the case of execution of a main scanning correction processing as color registration correction, and sets the secondary transfer section in the separated state in the case of execution of a sub-scanning correction processing, an entire lateral magnification correction processing, a partial lateral magnification correction processing, or a skew correction processing, which is the correction of the image position for components other than the main scanning direction as color registration correction so as to prevent the situation where the correction accuracy of the image position with respect to the main scanning direction decreases and to prevent a decrease in print quality due to a residual image of a registration correction processing.

Abstract: Included are a bending tube; slits; wire guides; an outer coat member; and hole portions that are formed between particular slits in a distal end region that is forward from a central region on an outer circumference of a cylindrical member, each of the hole portions being communicated with any one of the slits, the wire guides covered by the outer coat member being respectively fixed to the hole portions while being attached to the cylindrical member from an outside thereof.

Abstract: A belt drive apparatus, including, an endless belt to be laid across in a tensioned condition between supporting rollers and to travel being in pressure contact with or being separated from a body to receive the pressure contact, a pressure contact/separating state detection section to detect whether the endless belt is in the pressure contact with the body or separated therefrom, a belt position detection section to detect a position of the endless belt in a width direction thereof, a belt abnormality judging section to judge whether the endless belt is in an abnormal position based on a detection result obtained by the belt position detection section and one of judgment values which are set correspondingly to the pressure contact/separating state of the endless belt, and a belt drive control section to control a drive of the endless belt.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus has an image forming section which transfers a toner image according to image data onto a recording sheet, a first fixing section which fixes the toner image with heat of the first fixing roller, a clear layer forming section which forms a clear layer on the toner image which the first fixing section has fixed, a second fixing section which fixes the clear layer with heat of the second fixing roller and a control section which controls the clear layer forming section to increase the thickness of the clear layer in a recording sheet area corresponding to a fixed area during the second revolution of the first fixing roller on the recording sheet, compared with a recording sheet area corresponding to a fixed area during the first revolution thereof.

Abstract: A color image forming apparatus for forming toner images by carrying out charging, exposure, and development on at least one photoreceptor drum, and forming color images by transferring the toner images onto sheets, the color image forming apparatus including: a photoreceptor drum which rotates around an axis; an exposure section which intermittently emits a light beam onto the cylindrical surface of the rotating photoreceptor drum along scanning lines parallel to the axis of the photoreceptor drum; a calculation section which calculates a printing ratio of a color image to be formed on one sheet, wherein the printing ratio is the ratio of the area covered by toner in the color image; and a timing control section which controls a timing when the exposure section emits the light beam in a direction of rotation of the photoreceptor drum based on the printing ratio calculated by the calculation section.

Abstract: An image formation control section sets a secondary transfer section in the pressed state in the case of execution of a main scanning correction processing as color registration correction, and sets the secondary transfer section in the separated state in the case of execution of a sub-scanning correction processing, an entire lateral magnification correction processing, a partial lateral magnification correction processing, or a skew correction processing, which is the correction of the image position for components other than the main scanning direction as color registration correction so as to prevent the situation where the correction accuracy of the image position with respect to the main scanning direction decreases and to prevent a decrease in print quality due to a residual image of a registration correction processing.