Abstract: An image-forming apparatus includes a rotatable photoreceptor carrying a toner image thereon, a rotatable intermediate transfer member, a primary transfer device facilitating primary transfer of the toner image from the photoreceptor onto the intermediate transfer member, a secondary transfer device facilitating secondary transfer of the toner image from the intermediate transfer member onto a sheet, and a controller controlling rotation speed of the intermediate transfer member. The controller sets the rotation speed at a first speed during primary transfer. After primary transfer and a delay period, the controller changes the rotation speed to a second speed. The controller determines which rotation of the intermediate transfer member to change the speed.

Abstract: A design support method which enables the verification of processing operation of software which controls a sheet conveying mechanism by displaying the process, in which a virtual sheet is conveyed, on a display portion, comprising a first procedure of setting failure occurrence conditions of a virtual device beforehand, a second procedure of judging whether the failure occurrence conditions set in the first procedure are satisfied, and a third procedure of generating a failure of a virtual device when it is judged in the second procedure that the failure occurrence conditions are satisfied.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a photosensitive member, an intermediate transfer material, a first transfer device, a second transfer device, a feed device, a refeed device, and a controller which executes selectively first and second modes, in which one or two images are formed on one round of the intermediate transfer material. An image, which should be formed on a refed sheet, is formed on a first half area on one round of the intermediate transfer material, and an image, which should be formed on a fed sheet, is formed on a second half area on one round, in a case of executing the second mode when performing image formation on both sides of a sheet. The first mode is executed before returning to the second mode after executing the first mode instead of executing the second mode when performing both side image formation.

Abstract: A motor drive control apparatus which are capable of improving quietness during operation of a motor without the need of modifying the motor driving circuit and without increasing the load torque on the motor. The motor drive control apparatus is connected to a pulse motor via a driving gear disposed on an output side of the motor, and a driven gear engaging the driving gear. The motor drive control apparatus performs drive control in which the motor is driven to transmit a driving force of the motor to a load via the driving gear and the driven gear, and performs position control in which the driving gear is moved by a predetermined amount such that a gap formed between the driving gear and the driven gear is reduced or removed, before the drive control is performed. The drive control is performed when a predetermined period of time has elapsed after the position control is performed.

Abstract: In a case where a rotating speed of an intermediate transfer member is reduced during the process of image formation, carriers may adhere to a photosensitive member before the rotating speed of the intermediate transfer member stabilizes. To cope therewith, in changing an image formation speed in accordance with a conveying speed of a recording material on completion of primary transfer, a developing rotary is rotated so as to keep any developing device off a developing position. Consequently, a situation in which the carriers adhere to an image bearing member can be avoided. At the same time, stopping a charging operation of a charger enables a longer service life of the image bearing member.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a latent image bearing member and a developing portion having a plurality of developing devices provided facing the latent image bearing member, as well as an inputting portion for inputting an image signal, an auto-discriminating portion for automatically discriminating the kind of image input, and a control portion for changing between a first mode for executing monochrome image formation, a second mode for executing color image formation, and an auto-selecting mode for changing over between the first mode and the second-mode according to the discrimination of the auto-discriminating portion. In the auto-selecting mode, movement of a predetermined developing device to a predetermined position is started before the auto-discriminating portion makes the discrimination.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a latent image bearing member and a developing portion having a plurality of developing devices provided facing the latent image bearing member, as well as an inputting portion for inputting an image signal, an auto-discriminating portion for automatically discriminating the kind of image input, and a control portion for changing between a first mode for executing monochrome image formation, a second mode for executing color image formation, and an auto-selecting mode for changing over between the first mode and the second-mode according to the discrimination of the auto-discriminating portion. In the auto-selecting mode, movement of a predetermined developing device to a predetermined position is started before the auto-discriminating portion makes the discrimination.

Abstract: When a plurality of toner containers mounted on a developing rotary is simultaneously determined as toner-absent toner containers, toner container replacement may not be efficient because toner containers are replaced at on replacement position. Therefore, when the toner containers mounted on the developing rotary are simultaneously determined as toner-absent toner containers, a toner container to be preferentially replaced is selected so as to be able to a replacement position by considering the usability.

Abstract: An image-forming apparatus includes a rotatable photoreceptor carrying a toner image thereon, a rotatable intermediate transfer member, a primary transfer device facilitating primary transfer of the toner image from the photoreceptor onto the intermediate transfer member, a secondary transfer device facilitating secondary transfer of the toner image from the intermediate transfer member onto a sheet, and a controller controlling rotation speed of the intermediate transfer member. The controller sets the rotation speed at a first speed during primary transfer. After primary transfer and a delay period, the controller changes the rotation speed to a second speed. The controller determines which rotation of the intermediate transfer member to change the speed.

Abstract: In a case where a rotating speed of an intermediate transfer member is reduced during the process of image formation, carriers may adhere to a photosensitive member before the rotating speed of the intermediate transfer member stabilizes. To cope therewith, in changing an image formation speed in accordance with a conveying speed of a recording material on completion of primary transfer, a developing rotary is rotated so as to keep any developing device off a developing position. Consequently, a situation in which the carriers adhere to an image bearing member can be avoided. At the same time, stopping a charging operation of a charger enables a longer service life of the image bearing member.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus including a photosensitive member, an intermediate transfer material, a first transfer device which transfers on the intermediate transfer material an image formed on the photosensitive member, a second transfer device which transfers on a sheet the image formed on the intermediate transfer material, a feed device which feeds the sheet to the second transfer device, a refeed device which refeeds the sheet, on which the image is transferred by the second transfer device, to the second transfer device with reversing the sheet, and a controller which executes selectively a first mode, in which one image is formed on one round of the intermediate transfer material, and a second mode in which two images are formed on one round of the intermediate transfer material, wherein the controller makes an image, which should be formed on a sheet refed by the refeed device, formed on a first half area on one round of the intermediate transfer material, and makes an image, which should be formed on

Abstract: An image forming apparatus that is capable of carrying out image formation on a recording medium such as plain paper without increasing the FCOT (First Copy Out Time) and is also capable of carrying out optimal image formation on a recording medium, such as thick paper, for which the processing speed is reduced with no registration misalignment between the leading ends of toner images and the leading end of the recording medium. An image is primarily transferred onto a rotatively driven image carrier, and the image on the image carrier is secondarily transferred onto a recording medium. An image writing reference position signal for starting image formation is issued based on the circumference of the image carrier which is the length of the image carrier in the direction of rotation thereof or based on a detected reference position on the image carrier.

Abstract: In an image forming apparatus including a latent image bearing member and a developing portion having a plurality of developing devices provided facing the latent image bearing member, since an inputting portion for inputting an image signal, an auto-discriminating portion for automatically discriminating the kind of an inputted image, and a control portion for changing over a first mode for executing monochrome image formation, a second mode for executing color image formation, and an auto-selecting mode for changing over the first mode and the second mode according to the discrimination of the auto-discriminating portion, capable of controlling such that movement of a predetermined developing device to a predetermined position is started before the auto-discriminating portion makes the discrimination in the case the auto-selecting mode is selected, are provided, at the time of starting the image formation by the auto-selecting mode, the developing device can be provided to the vicinity of the developing pos

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a latent image bearing member and a developing portion having a plurality of developing devices provided facing the latent image bearing member, as well as an inputting portion for inputting an image signal, an auto-discriminating portion for automatically discriminating the kind of image input, and a control portion for changing between a first mode for executing monochrome image formation, a second mode for executing color image formation, and an auto-selecting mode for changing over between the first mode and the second-mode according to the discrimination of the auto-discriminating portion. In the auto-selecting mode, movement of a predetermined developing device to a predetermined position is started before the auto-discriminating portion makes the discrimination.

Abstract: In an image forming apparatus including a latent image bearing member and a developing portion having a plurality of developing devices provided facing the latent image bearing member, since an inputting portion for inputting an image signal, an auto-discriminating portion for automatically discriminating the kind of an inputted image, and a control portion for changing over a first mode for executing monochrome image formation, a second mode for executing color image formation, and an auto-selecting mode for changing over the first mode and the second mode according to the discrimination of the auto-discriminating portion, capable of controlling such that movement of a predetermined developing device to a predetermined position is started before the auto-discriminating portion makes the discrimination in the case the auto-selecting mode is selected, are provided, at the time of starting the image formation by the auto-selecting mode, the developing device can be provided to the vicinity of the developing pos

Abstract: In manufacturing of welding wires, rough surfaces are formed on the product wires to ensure retention of applied lubricants for satisfactory feeding performance. For this purpose, steps of dry hole die drawing with an application of powder lubricants, roller dies drawing, and wet hole die drawing are executed, at least in a part of a sequence of wire drawing processes. As a result of denting of the powder lubricants on the surfaces of the wires during the dry hole die drawing, rough surfaces are formed on the drawn wires.

Abstract: A multi-tier winding coil 1 of a welding wire in a hollow cylindrical configuration having a beginning wire end which is located in the innermost tier and at one of cylinder end faces, a combination of such coil with a shipment packaging box 21, and a combination of the coil 1 and a wire feed adapter 5 which is used to mount the coil on a welding machine are disclosed. The coil 1 includes bundling wires 3a-3d. The beginning wire end of the coil is bent to extend in a radial direction of the coil loop, and is then bent in a direction to extend parallel to the center axis of the coil, thus defining an L-configuration 1sr+1sa. A wire feed adapter 5 includes a barrel 5b formed with notches 5br-5br4 and 5ar-5a4 for receiving beginning ends 1s.

Abstract: The invention is aimed at to provide ornamental nuts and bolts of a solid and high-quality characteristic, which are prevented from breakage and dislodgement due to a shock, which are easily manufactured and assembled, which are easily modified in their design, and which are produced at low cost.An ornamental seal 2 is inserted into a recess 1b formed at the rearward portion of a nut body 1c or into a recess 5b formed in a head 5a of a bolt body 5c, and secured therein. The upper surface of the ornamental seal 2 is protectively covered with a film layer of a transparent or translucent material.

Abstract: The present invention aims to provide a metal mold for glass, which needs not apply any swab in molding of glass, enabling no-swabbing glass forming. The alloy for the mold comprises by weight Cu: 10 to 80%, Al: 4 to 11%, Cr: 3 to 16%, Ni: 2 to 36%, and at least one rare earth element: 0.02 to 2.0% with the balance consisting of Fe and further comprises at least one member selected from the group consisting of Ti: Al%.times.0.5 to 2, V: Al%.times.0.2 to 1, Zr: Al%.times.0.1 to 0.3, and Nb: Al%.times.0.1 to 0.3. The alloy is gradually cooled from the solidification initiation temperature to 50.degree. C. at a cooling rate of 10.degree. C./ min. The surface of the mold is coated with an Al-containing coating or roughened to an average roughness of 0.3 to 5 .mu.m. A solid lubricating film is provided in a fitting portion of the mold, or alternatively a self-lubricating solid is embedded in the fitting portion of the mold.