Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: a former that performs image formation on a sheet conveyed on a conveyance path; a first hardware processor that detects a type of the sheet on which the image is formed; a second hardware processor that receives specification of a type of a sheet from a user; and a third hardware processor that receives a user setting regarding the image formation, wherein the user setting includes a setting for allowing the former to continuously perform the image formation in a case where the sheet type detected by the first hardware processor is different from the sheet type specified by the user received by the second hardware processor.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: a former that performs image formation on a sheet conveyed on a conveyance path; a first hardware processor that detects a type of the sheet on which the image is formed; a second hardware processor that receives specification of a type of a sheet from a user; and a third hardware processor that receives a user setting regarding the image formation, wherein the user setting includes a setting for allowing the former to continuously perform the image formation in a case where the sheet type detected by the first hardware processor is different from the sheet type specified by the user received by the second hardware processor.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: a state monitor that monitors an apparatus state; an electrostatic noise detector that detects electrostatic noise; and an erroneous detection determiner that determines whether or not the state monitor has erroneously detected a change in the apparatus state due to electrostatic noise from a detection result of the change in the apparatus state by the state monitor and a detection result of the electrostatic noise detector.

Abstract: Provided is an inspection device that performs inspection using ultrasonic waves transmitted on the basis of a burst signal including a plurality of pulses, the inspection device includes: a decider that decides the number of pulses included in the burst signal, or a burst cycle of the burst signal, on the basis of an atmospheric pressure at an installation position of the inspection device; a generator that repeatedly generates the burst signal including the decided number of pulses, or the burst signal having the decided burst cycle; a transmitter that transmits ultrasonic waves on the basis of the burst signal repeatedly generated; and a receiver that receives ultrasonic waves.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: a transport device that transports a sheet placed on a sheet holding member; a detector that detects one type from among a first number of types as a type of the sheet transported by the transport device; a display that displays the type of the sheet placed on the sheet holding member; and an input device that accepts an instruction related to a display pattern of the type of the sheet, wherein the input device accepts an instruction to select the display pattern from a first display pattern in which the type of the sheet is selected from among the first number of types, and a second display pattern in which the type of the sheet is selected from a second number of types, and the display displays the type that is a result of the detection by the detector.

Abstract: A fixing apparatus includes: a fixing member including a heater as a heat source; and a hardware processor that uses pulse width modulation (PWM) control to control power supplied to the heater; wherein the hardware processor changes a duty of the PWM control within a half cycle of an input current of the PWM control.

Abstract: An image forming system includes: an image forming apparatus; and an image reading apparatus that reads an image, wherein temperature correction patches with the same color are formed at a reference position and a comparison position, the image reading apparatus includes: a scanner that reads respective colors of the temperature correction patches at the reference position and at the comparison position; and a colorimeter that performs colorimetry to the temperature correction patch at the reference position, the image forming apparatus includes: a detector that detects a temperature of the temperature correction patch at the reference position; a first calculator that calculates a color difference of color values of the temperature correction patches at the reference position and at the comparison position; and a second calculator that calculates a temperature distribution, and as a temperature difference between a first position and a second position increases, the color difference increases.

Abstract: An image forming system includes: an image forming apparatus; and an image reading apparatus that reads an image, wherein temperature correction patches with the same color are formed at a reference position and a comparison position, the image reading apparatus includes: a scanner that reads respective colors of the temperature correction patches at the reference position and at the comparison position; and a colorimeter that performs colorimetry to the temperature correction patch at the reference position, the image forming apparatus includes: a detector that detects a temperature of the temperature correction patch at the reference position; a first calculator that calculates a color difference of color values of the temperature correction patches at the reference position and at the comparison position; and a second calculator that calculates a temperature distribution, and as a temperature difference between a first position and a second position increases, the color difference increases.

Abstract: When changing the turn-on/off patterns, a controller of a fixing device sets a control interval of the turn-on/off pattern so as to be longer than a first period of time that does not exert any influence to a flicker value and to be shorter than a second period of time that does not exert any influence to a response to temperature control. The controller of the fixing device selects a third turn-on/off pattern in which power difference between power of a first turn-on/off pattern before the change in the turn-on/off pattern and power of a second turn-on/off pattern after the change in the turn-on/off pattern is smaller than a set reference power difference.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus detects that the temperature of a fixing member reaches a lower limit value at which the temperature once reduced by the start of a heating and fixing process to a paper turns to rise, after an image forming operation starts, and determines the type of the paper based on at least one of an elapsed time from a predetermined reference time point after the image forming operation starts to a time point at which it is detected that the temperature reaches the lower limit value, and a temperature difference between the temperature of the fixing member at the reference time point and the lower limit value.

Abstract: In an image forming apparatus according to the present invention, when an image forming operation is started from a standby state, electric power is supplied to a heater by switching to a first fixing control to turn on and off the heater to heat a heating roller with a fixed duty ratio based on the detected temperature of the heating roller, and thereafter, when detecting a state that the falling detected temperature reaches a lower limit value at which the detected temperature turns to rising, electric power is supplied to the heater by switching to a second fixing control which changes a duty ratio in accordance with a temperature difference between the detected temperature and a target control temperature.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus detects that the temperature of a fixing member reaches a lower limit value at which the temperature once reduced by the start of a heating and fixing process to a paper turns to rise, after an image forming operation starts, and determines the type of the paper based on at least one of an elapsed time from a predetermined reference time point after the image forming operation starts to a time point at which it is detected that the temperature reaches the lower limit value, and a temperature difference between the temperature of the fixing member at the reference time point and the lower limit value.

Abstract: In an image forming apparatus according to the present invention, when an image forming operation is started from a standby state, electric power is supplied to a heater by switching to a first fixing control to turn on and off the heater to heat a heating roller with a fixed duty ratio based on the detected temperature of the heating roller, and thereafter, when detecting a state that the falling detected temperature reaches a lower limit value at which the detected temperature turns to rising, electric power is supplied to the heater by switching to a second fixing control which changes a duty ratio in accordance with a temperature difference between the detected temperature and a target control temperature.

Abstract: When changing the turn-on/off patterns, a controller of a fixing device sets a control interval of the turn-on/off pattern so as to be longer than a first period of time that does not exert any influence to a flicker value and to be shorter than a second period of time that does not exert any influence to a response to temperature control. The controller of the fixing device selects a third turn-on/off pattern in which power difference between power of a first turn-on/off pattern before the change in the turn-on/off pattern and power of a second turn-on/off pattern after the change in the turn-on/off pattern is smaller than a set reference power difference.

Abstract: A document feeder feeds document sheets one by one from a stack on a tray by pressing one or more pick-up rollers against an uppermost document sheet and guiding one widthwise edge of the document sheet. The width direction is perpendicular to a document transport direction. The document feeder includes: a document size obtainer that obtains size information indicating a width of the document sheet; and a center-of-contact shifting mechanism that shifts a center of contact of each pick-up roller along an axial direction of the pick-up roller according to the obtained size information. The center of contact is a central point of an area where the pick-up roller is in contact with the document sheet. Each pick-up roller is in a barrel shape. The center-of-contact shifting mechanism shifts the center of contact of each pick-up roller by axially tilting the pick-up roller relative to the document surface.

Abstract: A document feeder feeds document sheets one by one from a stack on a tray by pressing one or more pick-up rollers against an uppermost document sheet and guiding one widthwise edge of the document sheet. The width direction is perpendicular to a document transport direction. The document feeder includes: a document size obtainer that obtains size information indicating a width of the document sheet; and a center-of-contact shifting mechanism that shifts a center of contact of each pick-up roller along an axial direction of the pick-up roller according to the obtained size information. The center of contact is a central point of an area where the pick-up roller is in contact with the document sheet. Each pick-up roller is in a barrel shape. The center-of-contact shifting mechanism shifts the center of contact of each pick-up roller by axially tilting the pick-up roller relative to the document surface.

Abstract: An image reading device having: a light source unit for irradiating a document on a reading point; an image pick-up element for receiving light reflected from the document on the reading point; and a light absorber; wherein the light source unit comprises: a light source for emitting light; and an optical guide for guiding the light emitted from the light source and irradiating the document on the reading point with the light; wherein a prism is provided on a surface of the optical guide so as to reflect the light traveling in the optical guide to the reading point; and wherein the light absorber for absorbing light that was reflected from the document on a point different from the reading point, so that the light can be prevented from being reflected thereby and from traveling to the reading point.

Abstract: A box for an image reading apparatus, the box comprising a box body and a reinforcing member, the box body comprising a rectangular frame and a base plate fixed to the rectangular frame, and the reinforcing member being attached to the box body. The reinforcing member has a downwardly drawn area, upwardly drawn areas which are adjacent to the downwardly drawn area on front side and rear side for placing a reading block without interfering with the movement of an original document scanning unit and a cutout portion for disposing at least an image processing unit formed from the downwardly drawn area to end-of-scan side in the subscanning direction of the box body. An image reading apparatus having reduced thickness is provided by employing this box. An image forming apparatus in which height position of the image reading apparatus is set to such a height position that allows easy operation is provided.

Abstract: A method for driving a flat-type display device which includes a cathode panel having first electrodes and second electrodes and an anode panel, the cathode panel and the anode panel having spacers is provided. The method includes the steps of: in the non-display operation period of the flat-type display device, determining a normalized first current from a first current by non-display-driving the electron emitter areas near the spacers, and determining a normalized second current from a second current by non-display-driving the electron emitter areas which are not near the spacers; and in the actual display operation period of the flat-type display device, setting the driving conditions for the electron emitter areas on the basis of the normalized first current and normalized second current so that the electron emission conditions in the electron emitter areas near the spacers and not near the spacers are substantially the same.

Abstract: An image reading apparatus for reading an image of a document in a selected one of a first mode and a second mode includes: a light source adapted to illuminate a surface of the document; a CCD sensor adapted to receive light reflected from the document surface; and a light intensity controller adapted to control the light source to emit light at a different intensity between the first and second modes.