Abstract: A digital image forming apparatus includes a CCD optical unit and an information editing section. The CCD optical unit inputs image information to an image control unit (ICU) upon an instruction to start image formation input through an operation panel. The information editing section inputs the image information to the ICU upon an instruction to start image formation input by a keyboard. The ICU stores the image information input from the information editing section page by page depending on an image processing mode specified through the operation panel and the keyboard, and successively performs image processing on the stored image information page by gage. With this arrangement, various image editing functions of a digital copying machine is effectively used for image information input from the information editing section.

Abstract: An X-ray image pickup tube converts a transmitted X-ray image into electric signals. The pickup tube includes a target structure having a fluorescent element, and a translucent conductive film for receiving a high voltage, with a photoconductive film laminated thereupon. The fluorescent element receives transmitted X rays in a two-dimensional distribution, and converts them into visible rays in a two-dimensional distribution. The translucnet conductive film is optically coupled to a surface of the fluorescent element opposite from an X-ray incident surface thereof. The photoconductive film includes an amorphors semiconductor layer which converts the visible rays transmitted in a two-dimensional distribution through the translucent conductive film, into electric charges in a two-dimensional distribution, and which multiplies the electric charges in the two-dimensional distribution based on electric fields formed by the high voltage applied to the translucent conductive film.

Abstract: The present invention is made to reduce the effect of variation of pulses for driving a printer when recording image data and to improve the gray level representation of picture images to be printed. Data incoming through an image reading device are quantized and processed two pixels at a time by a gray level image processing circuit. The two-pixels' data are first discriminated by an edge discriminator to determine whether they represent an edge portion within the image or not. An object image, on which an operation for inter-pixel spacing shall be conducted, is selected according to the discrimination result. The arithmetic and logic portion performs the above-mentioned operation by two pixels at a time if the data correspond to a non-edge portion and performs correction for enhancement if the data correspond to an edge. This may eliminate the effect of dot displacement due to variation of drive pulses of a printer and improve the quality, in particular, of a gray level image portion.

Abstract: A photoconductive target having a transparent electrode layer and a photoconductive layer on a transparent substrate is disposed opposite to a group of integrated electron beam emitters having gate electrodes. A number of the electron emitters are activated to apply electron beams to the photoconductive target and the activated ones of the electron beam emitters are temporally changed over by an electron emitter selector circuit and a gate selector circuit. Signal charge generated and stored in the photoconductive layer is read. A time-series electric signal corresponding to a spatial distribution of the incident light is generated. A thin imaging apparatus suitable for a larger area is thus provided.

Abstract: A document feeding device for feeding documents to a document scanning section where the image of the document is scanned. The document feeding device has first trasnport rollers for feeding each document to the scanning section, discharge rollers for discharging from the scanning section the document thus supplied, a reversing transport path for passing and turning over the document sent from the discharge rollers, and second transport rollers for feeding the document that has been turned over through the reversing transport path to the document reading section. The reversing transport path is designed to change the length of the document transport path depending on the size of the document. With the arrangement, reversing operation and scanning operation of the documents can be performed effectively.

Abstract: A charged-particle beam tube having an envelope of a dielectric material and a pattern yoke formed on the inner surface of the envelope. The pattern yoke has a pair of horizonal deflection electrodes and a pair of vertical deflection electrodes arranged alternately. The horizontal deflection electrodes have a greater circumferential width than the vertical deflection electrodes. The horizontal and vertical deflection electrodes are supplied with different bias voltages.

Abstract: An original document detecting device includes at least a pair of elements made up of a light emitting element and a light receiving element oppositely arranged on both sides of an original placing platform which is used for placing an original document, for example, on a copying machine. When no original document is present on the platform, the light receiving element receives the light from the light emitting element. When an original document is placed on the platform, the light is interrupted because of the presence of the original document. The detecting apparatus is provided for detecting whether the light is received by the light receiving element or the light is interrupted by an original document. Because the light is interrupted, the presence or absence of the original document is detected.

Abstract: A timing control device for a driving mechanism including a clutch or a solenoid has a sensor which operates a fixed time interval after the mechanism is driven in response to a drive signal and a timer which measures the time interval between when this drive signal is given and when the sensor operates. This measured time interval is compared with a reference value and the timing of providing the drive signal is adjusted according to the result of this comparison.

Abstract: An image forming device such as a copier has separate upper, middle and lower units which are mutually openable. The axes of rotation around which the upper unit can rotate with respect to the middle unit and the middle unit with respect to the lower unit are symmetrically disposed and engaging and locking mechanisms are provided such that when one of the pairs of mutually openable units is opened, the other pair is prevented from opening. Thus, the overall equalibrium of the device is not lost even if both pairs of units are opened.

Abstract: A multiple-unit type copying apparatus having an apparatus housing divided into a plurality of units including an optical system unit in which an optical system and a driving device are incorporated and which is openably provided so as to be opened about its one end portion relative to the remaining units. The copying apparatus further includes a connector for coupling the driving device with a power source circuit, a coupling detecting device for detecting a coupling state of the connector and a power supply cut-off device for cutting off power supply to the remaining units when it has been found by the coupling detecting device that the connector is in an uncoupled state.

Abstract: An improved copying apparatus for copying by shifting images by a desired distance, and also for copying the central portion of a copy paper sheet according to copying factors such as the copy paper sheet sizes, original document sizes and copying magnifications.

Abstract: An electric element breakdown detector includes an electric element (5: 5a: 106: 132: 172) connected in series with a switching element (6: 6a: 116: 116a: 171) which define a series connection. A processing circuit (40: 110: 174) produces a control signal to the switching element to control on and off operation of the switching element, so as to control the current flow through the series connection. A comparator (10: 119) is provided for comparing a voltage at one end of the electric element with a reference voltage produced from a reference voltage producer (12: 121, 123), and generates a result signal representing the result of the comparison. The result signal is fed to the processing circuit. The processing circuit detects the condition of the series connection by the detection of combination of the control signal and the result signal.

Abstract: A heat fixing device comprises a fixing member for fixing particles onto a base material by heating, a detector for detecting environmental conditions surrounding and/or applied to the fixing member, and a controller responsive to the detector, for controlling the speed of the base material passing through the fixing means.

Abstract: An electrophotographic copying machine comprises a body for accommodating a number of elements to execute a copying operation, a subsystem such as a sorter for sorting a plurality of copied papers in the copied order on each of shelves, and an optical communication system between the body of the copying machine and the sorter. For the optical communication system, the sorter includes some light emitting diodes while the copying machine includes some light receiving elements. In place of optical communication, magnetic communication may be provided.

Abstract: An electrophotographic copying machine includes a combined developing-cleaning magnetic brush element. When the copy sheet is smaller than half the size of a photosensitive drum surface, two sheets of copy are obtained by three revolutions of the photosensitive drum in a multi-copy mode. During the first revolution of the photosensitive drum, the combined developing-cleaning magnetic brush element conducts the developing operation onto a first half section of the photosensitive drum and conducts the cleaning operation onto a second half section of the photosensitive drum. During the second revolution of the photosensitive drum, the first half section is cleaned and the second half section is developed. During the third revolution of the photosensitive drum, the first and second half sections are cleaned by the combined developing-cleaning magnetic brush element.

Abstract: Within an electrophotographic copying machine having a predetermined number of sensing elements each deriving an output indicative of respective one of operating states of the machine, there is provided a single chip, MOS-LSI microprocessor responsive to the outputs of the sensing elements to control the machine in a sequential or serial mode.