Abstract: An image forming apparatus has exposure unit for emitting light modified in accordance with image information, the light quantity of said exposure unit being variable, image forming unit for forming image on a photosensitive medium in accordance with light emitted from the exposure unit, detector for detecting the surface state of the photosensitive medium, and controller for optimizing the light quantity of the exposure unit in accordance with the output of the detecting unit. The control unit obtains a potential versus image information variation characteristic of the photosensitive medium based on the output of the detecting unit and sets the light quantity of the exposure unit such that the characteristic approximate a straight line.

Abstract: In an image processing apparatus according to the present invention, the density of each pixel in a multi-level pixel block composed of a set of input multi-level pixel data is examined and a decision is made as to whether a pixel having a density which does not reach the minimum density below which printing is impossible, is present in the multi-level pixel block. If a pixel having a density below the minimum density is detected, the density of this pixel is distributed to another pixel position in the multi-level pixel block. In this manner, the number of pixels with a density which does not reach the minimum density below which printing is impossible, is reduced within each multi-level pixel block.

Abstract: A method of and an apparatus for recording an image on a recording medium. A heat-sensitive sheet having a light-transmissive base sheet provided with a heat-fusible supercooled substance layer is made to abut a copy original such that the heat-fusible supercooled substance layer faces the original image to be copied while flashlight is projected onto the base sheet of the heat-sensitive sheet. Thus, the image portion of the copy original to be copied absorbs the light transmitted through the heat-sensitive sheet and thereby generates heat so that an adhesive area containing a pattern corresponding to the original image is formed on the supercooled substance layer. After the heat-sensitive sheet has been removed from the copy original, such an adhesive area is transferred to the recording medium owing to the adhesiveness of the adhesive area.

Abstract: A method of charging or discharging a member including the steps of, opposing to a member to be acted, a discharging member having a dielectric member, an inducing electrode and a discharging electrode sandwiching the dielectric member so that the discharging electrode faces the member to be acted, applying an alternative voltage between the inducing electrode and the discharging electrode to produce a surface discharge on a surface of the dielectric member at the discharging electrode side, moving the member to be acted relative to the discharging electrode to charge or discharge the member to be acted by the thus formed surface discharge, ceasing the production of the surface discharge by attenuating both of positive and negative, at the discharging electrode relative to the inducing electrode, components of the alternating voltage at least down to a discharge stopping voltage and then rendering the voltage zero.

Abstract: A device for electrically discharging or charging a member to be discharged or charged, includes a dielectric member, first and second electrodes embedded in the dielectric member, the first and second electrodes being supplied with an alternating voltage therebetween to cause discharge adjacent a part of a surface of the dielectric member at a predetermined discharge starting voltage, a third electrode disposed to or adjacent a part of the surface of the dielectric member at such a position as when the discharge occurs by application of the alternating voltage between the first and second electrodes, no discharge occurs between the first electrode and the third electrode or between the second electrode and the third electrode, AC source for applying an alternating voltage between the first electrode and the second electrode, DC source for applying a bias voltage between the third electrode and the member to be discharged or charged.

Abstract: A method of charging or discharging a member including the steps of, opposing to a member to be acted, a discharging member having a dielectric member, an inducing electrode and a discharging electrode sandwiching the dielectric member so that the discharging electrode faces the member to be acted, applying an alternating voltage between the inducing electrode and the discharging electrode to produce a surface discharge on a surface of the dielectric member at the discharging electrode side, wherein width of an area where the surface discharge is produced is substantially equal to width of the inducing electrode, and charging or discharging the member to be acted by the thus formed surface discharge.

Abstract: A discharging device includes first and second electrodes sandwiching therebetween a dielectric member, wherein an alternating voltage is applied between the first electrode and the second electrode to produce electric discharge adjacent to the second electrode. The relation between the alternating voltage and a distance between an end surface of the second electrode to a corresponding end of a region where the electric discharge occurs, is so determined that an intermediate saturation property is exhibited. The level of the alternating voltage is set to provide the intermediate saturation property. With such a discharging device, a member is electrically charged or discharged.

Abstract: An electrostatic recording apparatus includes a recording member having a surface on which an electrostatic latent image is formed; a recording head, to effect discharging to produce the ions; first bias voltage source for applying a bias voltage to the second electrode; second bias voltage source for applying to the third electrode a bias voltage having the same polarity as that of the bias voltage applied to the second electrodes and having an absolute voltage which is smaller than that of the bias voltage applied to the second electrode. The parameters of the means for so determined that the ions produced by the recording head and moved to the recording surface are controlled so as to provide a high resolution image.

Abstract: An image recording apparatus includes a rotatable transfer member and a plurality of latent image bearing members which are in rolling press-contact with the transfer member at different positions. Around the latent image bearing members, are provided latent image forming devices and devices for developing the latent image. The developed images formed on the respective latent image bearing members are transferred by pressure onto a recording material or onto the transfer member at the respective nips formed between the transfer member and one of the latent image bearing members. With this apparatus, duplex image recording, overprint or superimposing recording, and/or high speed recording can be accomplished.

Abstract: A method of charging or discharging a member including the steps of, opposing to a member to be acted on, a discharging member having a dielectric member, an inducing electrode and a discharging electrode sandwiching the dielectric member so that the discharging electrode faces the member to be acted on, applying an alternating voltage between the inducing electrode and the discharging electrode to produce a surface discharge on a surface of the dielectric member at the discharging electrode side, wherein a charge density of the surface discharge area is changed in the direction of the width of the discharging electrode, and moving the member to be acted on relative to the discharging electrode to be subjected to a low charge density portion and then to a high charge density portion to charge or discharge the member to be acted on by the thus formed surface discharge.

Abstract: A method of charging or discharging a member including the steps of, opposing to a member to be acted on, a discharging member having a dielectric member, an inducing electrode and a discharging electrode sandwiching the dielectric member so that the discharging electrode faces the member to be acted on, applying an alternating voltage between the inducing electrode and the discharging electrode to produce a surface discharge on a surface of the dielectric member at the discharging electrode side, wherein a charge density of the surface discharge area is changed in the direction of the width of the discharging electrode, and moving the member to be acted on relative to the discharging electrode to be subjected to a low charge density portion and then to a high charge density portion to charge or discharge the member to be acted on by the thus formed surface discharge.