Abstract: A toner is provided. The toner includes at least two types of polyester resins and a release agent. When the toner is subjected to a dynamic viscoelasticity measurement at a frequency of 6.28 rad/sec to obtain a temperature-dependent curve of loss tangent (tan ?), and the temperature-dependent curve is differentiated one time with temperature, a resulting curve has a maximum value of 0.07 or more and a minimum value of 0.025 or less within a temperature range of from 85° C. to 110° C. When the toner is subjected to a differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), an endothermic amount measured in a first temperature rising in the DSC is 3.5 J/g or less within a temperature range of from 85° C. to 120° C.

Abstract: A liquid electrophotographic composition is described, which comprises a carrier liquid, a polymer resin comprising a copolymer of an alkylene monomer and a monomer selected from acrylic acid and methacrylic acid, and at least 5 wt. % of an optical brightening agent based on the total solids content of the composition.

Abstract: A toner is provided. The toner includes toner particles each comprising a binder resin and plate-like pigment particles. In a cross-section of the toner, the plate-like pigment particles have an average thickness D of 1.0 ?m or less and a maximum length L of 5.0 ?m or more. In a fixed toner image formed with the toner, the plate-like pigment particles have a maximum width W of 3.0 ?m or more. The toner has a circularity of from 0.950 to 0.985.

Abstract: A carrier is provided including a core particle and a resin layer coating the surface of the core particle. The resin layer includes fine metal particles, and a detected metal element amount A obtained by X-ray photoelectron spectrometry of the surface of the carrier is in a range of 4.0 atomic %?A?20.0 atomic % and an average major-axis length B of the fine metal particle exposing from the resin layer is in a range of 100 nm?B?800 nm.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: a photoconductor; an optical writer to write a latent image on the photoconductor; an image data generator to generate image data of at least one of text and image and of a correction pattern; a light emission controller to control a light source of the optical writer; a developing device to develop the latent image into a toner image; a transfer device to transfer the toner image onto a recording medium; a fixing device to fix the toner image thereon; a detector to detect the toner image of the correction pattern formed according to the image data; and a writing position controller to control when the light source emits light based on the toner image detected. The correction pattern is formed at each of four corners inside a margin of the recording medium, and includes two edges in each of main scanning and sub-scanning directions.

Abstract: A muffling member for an image forming apparatus includes a thermoplastic member disposed in a photoconductor drum and having a substantially hollow cylindrical shape. The thermoplastic member has a slit-shaped opening at a certain position in a circumferential direction of the thermoplastic member. The thermoplastic member also has a second opening at least at a certain position along the slit-shaped opening, the second opening having an opening width greater than an opening width of the slit-shaped opening.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: a photosensitive member; a power supply that applies a bias voltage to the photosensitive member to charge a surface of the photosensitive member; a developer that develops an electrostatic latent image on the photosensitive member; an exposing device that forms the electrostatic latent image on the photosensitive member; a hardware processor; and a memory, wherein the memory stores, in advance, a relationship between a suitable AC voltage at which a discharge amount of AC electric discharge is balanced between positive and negative sides and a current value of a specific AC voltage, and the hardware processor controls the bias voltage in an AC charging type, detects the current value at the specific AC voltage, and determines a setting AC voltage on the basis of the relationship.

Abstract: Patterns from a phase array are transferred to a substrate such as a series of overlapping patterns and non-overlapping patterns. The overlapping patterns are associated with phase array pixel offsets so as to overlap at the substrate and the necessary overlap is based on substrate scan speed. Non-overlapping or offset patterns are obtained by varying optical pulse timing as the substrate is scanned, or by including a corresponding offset to pattern definition at the phase array.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image carrier, a development unit, and an apparatus main body. On the image carrier, an electrostatic latent image is formed. The development unit develops the electrostatic latent image formed on the image carrier. To the apparatus main body, the development unit is attached. The development unit includes a toner supplying member, a supporting member, at least one mounting component, and at least one pressing member. The toner supplying member supplies a toner to the image carrier. The supporting member supports the toner supplying member. The at least one mounting component is positioned to the apparatus main body and rotatably supports the supporting member. The at least one pressing member presses the toner supplying member to the image carrier by biasing the supporting member in a rotating direction.

Abstract: A developing device includes a container that contains developer; a rotating body that rotates while carrying the developer and supplies the developer to a latent image formed on an image carrier; a channel through which air in the container is discharged out of the container; a first member that is positioned downstream of a position at which the developer is separated from the rotating body in a rotation direction of the rotating body and with which the developer separated from the rotating body comes into contact; and a second member that is positioned downstream of the first member in the rotation direction of the rotating body and with which the developer separated from the rotating body comes into contact.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus capable of preventing unnecessary replacement of a toner cartridge when a drum part is replaced. The toner cartridge supplies toner. The drum part uses the toner supplied from the toner cartridge as lubricant when the drum part performs a first time operation after it has been mounted. The toner cartridge and the drum part are removably mounted. The image forming apparatus detects a value indicative of the remaining amount of toner stored in the toner cartridge and a value indicative of the remaining lifetime of the drum part. When the value indicative of the remaining lifetime is not larger than a predetermined threshold value, replacement of the drum part is notified. Contents of the notification are changed according to the value indicative of the remaining amount of toner stored in the toner cartridge.

Abstract: A developer container includes a container, a transporting member, and a passage portion. The container holds a developer. The transporting member includes a shaft, rotatably supported by the container, and a transporting portion that is supported by the shaft and that transports the developer in the container when the shaft rotates. The passage portion is formed in the transporting portion and allows air to pass therethrough in an axial direction of the shaft.

Abstract: A powder container is removably mountable in one of a process cartridge and an image forming apparatus. The powder container includes a discharge port to discharge powder stored inside the powder container, a collection port to correct the powder from outside of the powder container, a first shutter to open and close the discharge port, a first opening and closing member to open and close the first shutter, a second shutter to open and close the collection port, a second opening and closing member to open and close the second shutter, and a shaft portion to link the first opening and closing member and the second opening and closing member.

Abstract: A developing device includes a housing including a container that holds a developer containing toner and a magnetic carrier, a feed port member that allows toner or a magnetic carrier to pass therethrough to be fed into the container, a rotary member spaced apart by a gap from a surrounding portion of the housing including the feed port member, the rotary member transporting the developer while holding the developer on an outer circumferential surface of the rotary member to cover the gap when a developer level of the developer inside the container exceeds a reference level, and a developer-level adjusting magnetic pole that holds the developer and that is located at the same level as an end of the gap located downstream from the feed port member in a rotation direction of the rotary member or located downstream from the end of the gap in the rotation direction.

Abstract: A method of refilling a used flexible toner container having a plurality of toner openings configured to discharge toner during a print operation. The method including forming a fill opening in the used flexible toner container. The fill opening may be formed separately from the toner openings. The method further including attaching a toner seal to the flexible toner container to cover the plurality of toner openings. The method further including, after attaching the toner seal, refilling the flexible toner container via the fill opening. The method further including sealing the fill opening.

Abstract: A development device includes a power source capable of applying a second voltage higher than a first voltage to be applied to a developer bearing member, a scattering prevention electrode that is arranged opposite the developer bearing member and to which the second voltage is applied from the power source, and a step-down circuit. The step-down circuit steps down a voltage from the power source from the second voltage to the first voltage to apply the stepped-down voltage to the developer bearing member.

Abstract: The purpose of the present invention is to provide a transfer member for an image forming device for which the transfer properties for recording media having recesses and protrusions on the surface, such as embossed paper, are superior. The transfer member for an image forming device is characterized by including a base material layer and a coating layer formed from an inorganic/organic hybrid material provided on the surface of the base material layer, the thickness of the coating layer being 10 ?m or less, and the micro hardness of the coating layer surface being 140 mN/mm2 or greater when measured by a method complying with ISO 14577-1 using a Berkovich indenter with a pressing depth of 0.05 ?m.

Abstract: An intermediate transferor (22;501) for an image forming apparatus includes a base layer (11), an elastic layer (12) layered on the base layer (11), and fine particles (13) on the elastic layer (12) to form an uneven surface of the elastic layer (12). The fine particles (13) have a volume resistivity of 1×100 ?·cm to 1×106 ?cm.

Abstract: A transfer device includes a transfer member that transfers an image from an image carrier to a recording medium; a first member that is electrically connected to the transfer member; a downstream member that is located downstream of the transfer member in a direction in which the recording medium moves, that is electrically connected to the transfer member via the first member, and that transfers the recording medium to a second member that is located downstream of the downstream member and that is electrically insulated from the downstream member; and a first electric potential controller that, when the recording medium is changed to a recording medium having a higher bending strength, changes an electric potential of the downstream member to an electric potential that is higher than an electric potential of the downstream member before the recording medium is changed.

Abstract: A belt device includes a plurality of support rotators, a belt, a rotator inclination unit, a belt tension adjuster, and a descent stopper. The belt is looped around the plurality of support rotators and rotated by rotation of the plurality support rotators. The rotator inclination unit inclines a rotation axis of a first support rotator of the plurality of support rotators relative to a rotation axis of another support rotator of the plurality of support rotators that is different from the first support rotator. The belt tension adjuster adjusts tension of the belt, and the descent stopper prevents the first support rotator from descending.

Abstract: A printing apparatus including a plurality of print driving units for printing a print dot on a print medium, a storage unit that stores a generated electromagnetic wave noise value which is a value of an electromagnetic wave noise to be generated by driving the print driving unit and an allowable electromagnetic wave noise value indicating tolerance of the generated electromagnetic wave noise, as electromagnetic wave noise data, and a control unit that controls driving of the print driving unit, in which the control unit controls the number of the print driving units to be simultaneously driven so as to be the generated electromagnetic wave noise value equal to or less than the allowable electromagnetic wave noise value.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a liquid electrophotographic composition comprising: a polymer resin comprising a side group comprising a cross-linkable moiety; and a carrier liquid.

Abstract: A fixing device includes a light source fixed to an apparatus body, a transmission member that touches a developer image on a recording medium while rotating and that allows light from the light source to pass therethrough toward the developer image, and a moving unit located on a side of the recording medium opposite to the transmission member, the moving unit increasing, when moved relative to the transmission member, an area of the recording medium over which the recording medium touches the transmission member downstream from an illumination position, at which the developer image on the recording medium is irradiated with light.

Abstract: A fixing device includes a belt member used to fix an image on a recording material; a heating source that has a facing surface facing the belt member and an opposite surface and heats the belt member; a heat receiving member that is disposed in contact with the opposite surface of the heating source and receives heat from the heating source; and a temperature detector that is provided on an opposite surface side of the heating source and detects temperature of the heating source without interposition of the heat receiving member between the heating source and the temperature detector.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image forming unit to form a toner image on a recording material based on image data, an acquisition unit to acquire image information of the toner image from the image data, a fixing unit including a heating member and a pressure member forming a nip with the heating member, to convey and to heat, at the nip, the recording material on which the toner image is formed so as to fix the toner image on the recording material, a temperature detecting unit to detect a temperature of the heating member, and a control unit to set a fixing temperature for each of a plurality of recording materials so that the temperature detected by the temperature detecting unit becomes the set fixing temperature.

Abstract: A fusing apparatus includes a heater that heats a fuser belt at a nip between the fuser belt and a pressure roll through which a sheet is conveyed to permanently fuse an image onto the sheet. The heater has a silicon wafer with a smooth side that contacts and heats the fuser belt at the nip, and circuitry at a second side, with the circuitry generating heat through the silicon wafer to heat the fuser belt. The circuitry may include a plurality of heat producing integrated circuits etched in the silicon wafer, with each heat producing integrated circuit configured to heat the fuser belt. Each integrated circuit may self-control its amount of heat produced to the silicon wafer, for example, by automatically switching back and forth between a heat-on-state and a heat-off-state to maintain a desired temperature within the silicon wafer that heats the fuser belt.

Abstract: A fixing apparatus includes a heating rotator which generates heat with an induced current, an excitation coil arranged outside the heating rotator, a pressure roller which rotates with paper being held between the pressure roller and the heating rotator, the paper having a toner image developed thereon, and a relative position changer which changes a relative position of the excitation coil and the heating rotator to a first relative position when the toner image is being fixed to the paper and to a second relative position when the toner image is not being fixed to the paper. In a cross-section perpendicular to a rotation axis of the heating rotator, a distance from a point in an outer circumferential surface of the heating rotator closest to the pressure roller to the excitation coil is shorter at the second relative position than at the first relative position.

Abstract: A fixing device includes a heating unit that rotates and that fixes a toner image on a recording medium, a pressing unit that rotates and that presses the heating unit, and a potential-difference application unit that applies a potential difference between the pressing unit and the heating unit so that a potential of the heating unit is higher than a potential of the pressing unit.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: a fixing device having: a heating member having a heat source; a pressing member; and a fixing member heated by the heating member and forming a nip portion passing through a recording material together with the pressing member; and a hardware processor that: estimates a temperature of the fixing member based on a temperature of the heating member; and estimates a durability state of the fixing member according to the temperature of the fixing member estimated.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus: acquires, before start of current supply to electric elements including heater, information indicating rated power of the heater and total consumption power of the electric elements excluding the heater; subtracts the total consumption power from upper power limit of the apparatus, and calculates maximum power not exceeding the rated power and remaining power thus subtracted; obtains duty ratio based on assumption of current supply corresponding to the maximum power according to pulse modulation, and determines whether the duty ratio falls within predetermined range; and controls, when the duty ratio falls within the range, drive circuit to supply alternating current by pulse modulation method, and when the duty ratio falls outside the range, to supply the alternating current by phase control method that temporarily interrupts the supply of the alternating current to the heater in half cycles of the alternating current.

Abstract: To switch between four nip modes, a cam is driven by a single drive to move between first to fourth positions. At the first position, a first nip between a first pressing body and a fixing member has a first width, and a second nip between a second pressing body and the fixing member has a second width. At the second position, the first nip has a third width smaller than the first width, and the second nip has a width greater than or equal to the second width. At the third position, the first nip has a width greater than or equal to the first width, and the second nip has a fourth width smaller than the second width. At the fourth position, the first nip has a fifth width smaller than the first width, and the second nip has a sixth width smaller than the second width.

Abstract: A fixing device includes a rotator, an endless belt, and a nip formation pad. The endless belt contacts the rotator and rotates in a direction of rotation. The nip formation pad contacts an inner circumferential surface of the endless belt to form a fixing nip between the endless belt and the rotator that presses the endless belt against the nip formation pad. The nip formation pad includes a slide layer, a base layer, and a lubricant holding layer. The slide layer contacts the endless belt. The base layer is disposed away from the endless belt. The lubricant holding layer is interposed between the slide layer and the base layer to hold a lubricant inside the lubricant holding layer and supply the lubricant to the slide layer. The slide layer has a porous structure including a plurality of through holes in a thickness direction of the slide layer.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a first outlet portion that allows sheet to be discharged therethrough toward a side surface of the apparatus, a holding portion that holds sheets that are to be reversed, a second outlet portion that is disposed at an upper portion of the apparatus and that allows sheets to be discharged therethrough toward an upper side of the apparatus, a first switching member that changes a destination of a sheet transported thereto between the holding portion and the first outlet portion, and a second switching member that changes a destination of a sheet transported thereto between the second outlet portion and the holding portion or the first outlet portion to which the first switching member has changed the destination.

Abstract: A feeding apparatus includes a feeding rotary member, a conveying rotary member pair, an output unit, a detection unit, and a control unit. The conveying rotary member pair includes first and second rotary members. The control unit stops a feeding operation when the detection unit does not detect the recording material by the time when a threshold time has elapsed after an operation of feeding a recording material is stated. The control unit determines that the recording material is stopped at a position on an upstream side relative to the nip portion in the feeding direction in a case where a rotation speed of the second rotary member, indicated by a state signal output from the output unit at least in a period of time from when the recording material reaches the nip portion to when the feeding operation is stopped, is faster than a threshold speed.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a latent image bearer to bear a plurality of halftone images having a same image density and a high-density image located one cycle downstream of the latent image bearer from at least one of the plurality of halftone images, a transferor to apply a predetermined transfer voltage to transfer the plurality of halftone images and the high-density image, a transfer electric field forming target to bear the plurality of halftone images and the high-density image transferred from the latent image bearer, a detector to detect image densities of the plurality of halftone images on the transfer electric field forming target, and a controller to determine a primary transfer voltage applied at a time of image formation, based on image density variations of the plurality of halftone images detected by the detector.

Abstract: A sheet feeding apparatus includes a sheet tray configured to hold sheets, a sheet feeding unit configured to feed sheets from the sheet tray, and a lift unit configured to move the sheet tray up and down. When the type of sheets to be held on the sheet tray is to be changed to another type, the lift unit moves the sheet tray up or down to a sheet holding position set for sheets of the other type. Thus, the position where the sheet tray can hold sheets is changed in accordance with the material or size of the sheets. The largest number, in which sheets can be mounted on the sheet tray, can thereby be changed.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a fixing portion, a conveyance path, and an electricity removing portion. The conveyance path has a guide surface configured to guide a sheet with a toner image transferred thereto, to the fixing portion. The electricity removing portion includes a conductive member and an operation member. The conductive member removes charges from the sheet guided by the guide surface. The operation member changes a relative position of the conductive member with respect to the guide surface and adjusts a distance of the conductive member with respect to the sheet guided by the guide surface.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes multiple image bearers, multiple image bearer gears, a drive source, an output gear, a drive transmission body, multiple relay gears, and multiple drive gears. A center of rotation of each of the multiple drive gears to which a driving force is transmitted from the drive source is located downstream from a corresponding one of the multiple relay gears in a rotation direction of the corresponding one of the multiple relay gears, relative to a virtual line segment connecting a center of rotation of the corresponding one of the multiple relay gears connected to the multiple drive gears and the center of rotation of a corresponding one of the multiple image bearer gears.

Abstract: A method for demanding a more flexible printing processing by an image forming apparatus which comprises a first storage section and a second storage section involves deciding whether to print the image information contained in the file; determining whether or not an image indicated by the emphasis information stored in the second storage section is contained in the image information contained in the file if the decision is carried out; creating a print command to print the image indicated by the emphasis information with a decolorable recording material in a case in which it is determined that the image indicated by the emphasis information is contained in the image information contained in the file; and sending the created print command through the communication section.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus determines the replacement timing of a component of the image forming apparatus and includes: a rotatable body; a cleaner to remove developer adhered to the rotatable body; and a controller determining that a usable period of the cleaner is longer as a charge amount of the developer is smaller.

Abstract: An image heating apparatus includes a frame including a first side plate and a second side plate, a cylindrical rotatable member, a heater, a holder having a length longer than a distance between the first and second side plates, a first preventing member, and a second preventing member. An image formed on a recording material is heated by heat of the heater while moving in a state in which the recording material contacts the rotatable member. The holder is unintegral with the first and second preventing members. The holder includes a positioning portion, contacting the first side plate, for positioning a position of the holder with respect to the longitudinal direction.

Abstract: A process cartridge having a drum cartridge and a toner cartridge is provided. The drum cartridge includes a photosensitive drum, a cleaner, a conveyer tube, a developing roller, and a developing device. The toner cartridge is attachable to the drum cartridge and is located on a side of the developing roller opposite to the photosensitive drum in an attaching direction. The toner cartridge includes a waste toner container to store the toner conveyed through the conveyer tube and a toner container to store the toner to be supplied to the photosensitive drum. The toner container communicates with a developing chamber in the developing device and is located at least partly between the waste toner container and the developing chamber. The conveyer tube extends in the attaching direction and is arranged to overlap the photosensitive drum, the toner container, and the waste toner container in a view along an axial direction.

Abstract: A terminal contact structure includes a first terminal provided on a removable body; a second terminal provided on an apparatus body in which the removable body is inserted, the second terminal not being in contact with the first terminal when the removable body is in a removable state, the second terminal being in contact with the first terminal when the removable body is in a fixed state; and a guide member provided on the apparatus body and having a first surface and a second surface, the first surface guiding the first terminal in an insertion direction in which the removable body is inserted, the second surface guiding the second terminal in a contact direction in which the second terminal comes into contact with the first terminal, the contact direction being a crossing direction that crosses the insertion direction.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus that forms a toner image on a recording medium includes an image forming unit that forms an unfixed toner image on a recording medium; a fixing unit that heats the recording medium bearing the unfixed toner image and fixes the unfixed toner image onto the recording medium at a nip portion; a heating member and a pressurizing member that touches the heating member and forms the nip portion therebetween; a first blower that blows air to a non-sheet-passing area of a small-size recording medium in the heating member; and a second blower that blows air to a non-sheet-passing area of a small-size recording medium in the pressurizing member. Upon the temperature of the non-sheet-passing area of the heating member exceeding a threshold temperature, the first blower blows without the second blower blowing, then the two blowers start blowing together.

Abstract: A system and apparatus for scanning and displaying at least a portion of a body comprises at least one scanner operable to perform a scan and output a data signal pertaining to a body. The system further includes a processing circuit operable to receive the data signal from the at least one scanner and compile an image representing the body and a display operable to receive the image representing the body from the processing circuit and display the image to a user. The apparatus includes the system located within an outer casing having an interior therein operable to receive a user wherein the body of the user is scanned and the image is presented to the user within the outer casing.

Abstract: An addressing method of a spatial light modulator, a holographic display device and a control method thereof is disclosed and relates to the field of display technology. The methods and device can simplify the addressing process of the spatial light modulator. The addressing method of the spatial light modulator includes the steps of: first dividing the spatial light modulator to obtain a plurality of modulation regions, each of the modulation regions including a plurality of pixel units; and then addressing one modulation region within a frame so as to load holographic data of a frame of a hologram to all the pixel units of the current modulation region.

Abstract: In relation to recording and reproducing of a hologram, consideration has not thus far been given to crosstalk among adjacent pages Information is recorded by writing onto a holographic medium, an interference pattern formed by signal light and reference light, and the recorded information is reproduced by the reference light being projected on the interference pattern. According to the method, when angle multiplexing recordings in units of pages is carried out in a holographic medium by changing the angle of incidence of reference light, and if a stack is defined as a unit of angle multiplexing recording in the same location in the holographic medium and a book is defined as a set of multiple stacks with shifted recording positions, for adjacent stacks therein, recording is carried out by allotting, between the reference light angles for one of the stacks, reference light angles for the stacks adjacent thereto.

Abstract: A method for processing a sequence of holographic images with a view to playing the images back on a holographic display device to at least one viewer. A subset of wavelet coefficients relevant for the reconstruction of a sub-hologram visible for the at least one viewer from at least one viewing point is selected from a decomposition of at least one holographic image on a wavelet basis and information representative of a location of the at least one viewer in a repository of the display device. In the method, decomposition of the at least one holographic image is carried out on a Shannon wavelet basis.

Abstract: Provided is a method for converting a hologram resolution of an apparatus for converting a hologram resolution. The apparatus for converting a hologram resolution includes receiving a hologram data and determining a direction and a height of an envelope for the hologram data based on first information associated with the hologram data. The apparatus for converting a hologram resolution includes converting the resolution of the hologram data from a first resolution into a second resolution based on the envelop having the determined direction and height.

Abstract: A holographic display apparatus is provided. The holographic display apparatus includes a spatial light modulator configured to diffract light emitted from an incident light source with a shape corresponding to a computer generated hologram (CGH) pattern to generate an image signal, a filtering optical system configured to filter the image signal to select a first signal component among signal components included in the image signal, a first formation optical system configured to form a focus plane with a smaller size than the first image plane on a surface of a mirror via focus on the first image plane based on the first signal component, and a focus scanner configured to form a beam in a direction of 360 degrees based on a tilting angle of the mirror and rotation of the mirror.