Abstract: A plate-making method for manufacturing a printing plate includes: manufacturing the printing plate based on a knockout method in which knockouts of halftone dots in one color are formed, and halftone dots in the other color are overprinted onto positions of the knockouts; for each of pixels, when a sum of a halftone dot area ratio of the one color and a halftone dot area ratio of the other color is smaller than 100%, forming a gap from a knockout in the one color around a halftone dot in the other color; and for each of pixels, when the sum of the halftone dot area ratio of the one color and the halftone dot area ratio of the other color is greater than 100%, forming an overmask such that the halftone dot in the other color penetrates a periphery of the halftone dot in the one color.

Abstract: A plate-making method for manufacturing a printing plate includes: manufacturing the printing plate based on a knockout method in which knockouts of halftone dots in one color are formed, and halftone dots in the other color are overprinted onto positions of the knockouts; for each of pixels, when a sum of a halftone dot area ratio of the one color and a halftone dot area ratio of the other color is smaller than 100%, forming a gap from a knockout in the one color around a halftone dot in the other color; and for each of pixels, when the sum of the halftone dot area ratio of the one color and the halftone dot area ratio of the other color is greater than 100%, forming an overmask such that the halftone dot in the other color penetrates a periphery of the halftone dot in the one color.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a controller configured to control a first image forming unit such that while a plurality of images are being sequentially formed, a first pattern image is formed in a first sheet-to-sheet area between a first black image and a second black image among the plurality of images on a first photosensitive body, and control the second image forming unit such that while the plurality of images is being sequentially formed, a second pattern image are formed in a second sheet-to-sheet area between a first color image and a second color image among the plurality of images on a second photosensitive body. The first sheet-to-sheet area in a case where the first pattern image is formed without the second pattern image being formed is narrower than the first sheet-to-sheet area in a case where the first pattern image and the second pattern image are formed.

Abstract: A method of electrostatic printing may include forming a latent electrostatic image on a surface and transferring a first volume of a charged toner to the latent electrostatic image on the surface. The method may also include transferring a second volume of a charged toner to the surface, such that a toner image including the first volume of charged toner and the second volume of charged toner is formed on the surface, the second volume of charged toner being disposed on the first volume of charged toner. The method may also include transferring the image to a print substrate.

Abstract: A toner container includes a body housing, the body housing being provided with a toner containing portion, an air flowing portion, an air inlet, and an air outlet. The toner containing portion is configured to contain toner for use in image formation. The air flowing portion adjoins the toner containing portion. The air inlet is configured so that air is taken into the air flowing portion therethrough. The air outlet is configured so that the air is discharged from the air flowing portion therethrough. The toner containing portion is separated from the air flowing portion by a partition wall and the toner container is configured to bring the air flowing through the air flowing portion comes into contact with the partition wall.

Abstract: A wet-type image formation apparatus includes: an intermediate transfer body that carries a toner image including toner particles, which are charged to have a first polarity, and a carrier liquid; a transferring roller that transfers a toner image onto a transfer surface of a recording medium; a charging device that charges the transfer surface to have a second polarity opposite to the first polarity; and a fixing mechanism that fixes the toner image. The fixing mechanism includes a noncontact heating device. The noncontact heating device forms the toner particles into a film such that the toner particles and the carrier liquid are separated from each other by heating the toner image when the toner particles charged to the first polarity is electrostatically adsorbed onto the transfer surface charged to have the second polarity. The film of the toner particles is fixed onto the transfer surface.

Abstract: In response to a reading start instruction, a second size detection processing portion detects a predetermined maximum sheet size for which reading can be performed by an image reading portion, among sheet sizes having the same size in a main scanning direction as that of a document sheet indicated by an output signal from a document sheet width sensor. A first blank sheet determination processing portion sets a first determination region corresponding to the sheet size, and a control portion causes the image reading portion to perform a reading operation. If image information of the first determination region is obtained, the first blank sheet determination processing portion determines whether a document sheet image is a blank sheet image, based on the image information. If the document sheet image is a blank sheet image, a first image processing portion deletes image information of the document sheet image.

Abstract: A recording substrate treatment apparatus, includes a heating device for directly heating a recording substrate, a condenser for condensing liquid from air from surroundings of a recording substrate, and an energy transfer system arranged for transferring energy from latent heat, which is released by the condensing of liquid by the condenser, to the heating device. Further, a method of drying a recording substrate and a method of fixing a printing substance on a recording substrate include heating a recording substrate by a heating device; condensing liquid from air from surroundings of the recording substrate; and transferring energy from latent heat, which is released by the condensing of liquid, to the heating device.

Abstract: A scanning laser having a wavelength compatible with a coating binder so as to cure it as the laser scans and irradiates the coating on a moving web. A system and method for curing flakes by providing a scanning laser which scans across a moving coated substrate in a magnetic field allows images to be formed as magnetically aligned flakes are cured into a fixed position. The images have regions of cured aligned flakes. The scanning laser cures the magnetically aligned flakes within it region it irradiates. Alternatively an array of lasers can be used wherein individual lasers can be switched on and off to fix irradiated coating as a moving web is moved at a high speed.

Abstract: A print is produced on a semiporous recording medium. The semiporous recording medium is dried to an equilibrated 20% RH. Hydrophilic liquid is deposited on the medium in a selected fluid pattern within 15 seconds after the completion of drying. The recording medium is charged so that a charge pattern of charged and discharged areas is formed on the recording medium and the discharged areas correspond to the fluid pattern. Charged dry ink having charge of the same sign as the charge in the charged areas on the recording medium is deposited on the medium in a pattern corresponding to the selected fluid pattern. The dry ink is at least in part hydrophilic, so the dry ink adheres to the hydrophilic liquid, and at least some of the liquid is drawn into or around the deposited dry ink particles.

Abstract: According to aspects of the embodiments, there is provided methods and systems that incorporate a model predictive controller (MPC) in an image reproduction machine with known disturbance information. The MPC uses the control action at a current time in order to minimize the impact of an impending disturbance as well as to maximize current control performance. The impending disturbance is used by the MPC to determine an incremental change that combines steady state and transient state impact on the image reproduction machine. Disturbance such as print media type, image content type, physical dimension of the print media, weight of the print media, and print job data can be employed. Further, control of the image reproduction machine is generated in real time over a receding horizon, for the purpose of minimizing a cost function indicative of image variation, energy consumption, or the like.

Abstract: Exemplary embodiments provide materials and methods for a printer member used in ink-jet marking systems that can include a layer electrospun over an aluminum roller to facilitate transport of a printable substrate having ink images thereon and to reduce ink offset from the printable substrate.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus for printing on at least one page of a print media is disclosed. The apparatus includes a removable media handling device that directs the printed media to a first location or a second location, the second location functions as a finishing stage to perform a finishing step on the print media. The removable media handling device includes a media diverter to direct the media to either the first or second location. The image forming apparatus also includes a housing, a print engine to fix an image representing data to the page of print media, a formatter to supply data to the print engine, the formatter being configured to supply a first set of data representing the side of the page to be printed and a second set of data to provide instructions on the output of the printed page, and print media supplier to supply pages of print media to the print engine from a stack of print media pages having leading edges.

Abstract: A fixing apparatus of the invention includes a heating roller, a fixing roller, a fixing belt that is wound around the heating roller and the fixing roller and circulates between the heating roller and the fixing roller, a pressing roller to press the fixing roller through the fixing belt, a first heater that is included in the heating roller and mainly heats a center part of the heating roller, a second heater that is included in the heating roller and mainly heats a peripheral part of the heating roller, and a temperature control unit to control a temperature of the heating roller by an on/off control of the first heater and the second heater, and the temperature control unit performs the on/off control in which when one of the first heater and the second heater is turned on, the other is turned off.

Abstract: A method of reusing a sheet includes receiving a sheet having a printed image, scanning a new image, determining whether the sheet is acceptable for reuse, covering at least one portion of the printed image on the sheet with a white-out toner via a white-out unit, fusing the white-out toner to the at least one portion of the sheet, printing a new image onto the sheet, and performing the receiving, scanning, determining, covering, fusing and printing operations on the sheet a plurality of times. A printing device for covering and printing over a printed image includes a receiving subsystem configured to receive a sheet, a processing module configured to determine whether the sheet is acceptable for reuse, and a fuser module configured to fuse a white-out toner.

Abstract: There is provided an image formation device including: a receiving section, which receives content information of a printing object from a content recording server via a network; a judgement section, which judges a category of the received content information; a specification section, which specifies a printing method and printing parameter in accordance with the judged category; and a printing section, which prints the printing object with the printing method in accordance with the specified printing parameter.

Abstract: A multi-functional sensor for deriving information on a recording sheet material comprising an impact-applying unit for applying an external mechanical force onto the recording sheet material, a signal-detecting unit for detecting a signal of response of the recording sheet material to the external mechanical force, a signal-processing unit for processing the signal, and a signal-judging unit for deriving a property of the recording sheet material by comparison of a signal from the signal-detecting unit or the signal processing unit with information memorized preliminarily, wherein the signal-processing unit comprises a separation section for separating the signal from the signal-detecting unit into output signals on the properties of the recording sheet material, and a processing section for deriving, by statistical treatment, a correlation equation showing a correlation between the separated output signal and the properties of the recording sheet material.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus, which reduces toner spatter and produces a good quality image when forming a toner image using the direct recording method. An image forming part includes: a toner carrier for carrying toner; and toner controlling means, which is disposed between the toner carrier and recording paper on which the toner is made to adhere, and which has a plurality of toner passage holes, the toner controlling means having a control electrode for controlling the passage of toner on the toner carrier side surface in the area around the toner passage hole, and forming a toner image by causing the toner to fly to the recording paper, and the image forming apparatus having liquid applying/humidifying means for either applying a liquid to or humidifying the imaging surface of the recording paper prior to forming a toner image.

Abstract: A direct image-recording device in which a predetermined gap set between an image carrier and a hole forming member can be maintained, and an image forming apparatus provided with the direct image-recording device.

Abstract: A print media preheating system and method of preheating print media that includes an upper heating plate that is arranged to heat a pre-printed side of the print media with a pressure of the upper heating plate on the print media being relieved by lifting the upper heating plate away from the print media so as to reduce smudging of ink printed on the pre-printed side of the print media.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus uses toner that is given color-generation information and a color-generation state or a non-color-generation state of the toner is controlled, and includes an image carrier, a unit that forms toner image on the image carrier, an intermediate transfer medium that the toner image formed on the image carrier is transferred to, a first transfer unit that transfers the toner image to the intermediate transfer medium surface, a unit that gives color-generation information to the toner image transferred to the intermediate transfer medium, a second transfer unit that transfers the toner image transferred to the intermediate transfer medium surface to a recording medium, a unit that fixes the toner image transferred to the recording medium and a unit that causes color generation in the toner image that the color-generation information is given.

Abstract: A decomposed original video sequence includes one or more original camera-motion layers and zero or more original fixed-frame layers decomposed from an original video sequence. The decomposed original video sequence is edited by editing at least one of the original camera-motion layers to obtain modified camera-motion layers such that each frame of a composite modified video sequence composed from the modified camera-motion layers and the original fixed-frame layers is obtained without editing each frame of said original video sequence. The editing comprises performing an edge operation to one of said original camera-motion layers.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus including a developing apparatus for developing a latent image formed on an image bearer by applying toner and a cleaning apparatus for removing the toner remaining on the image bearer after a toner image is transferred to a transfer medium. Also included is a toner scattering prevention apparatus to prevent toner scattering. The toner scattering prevention apparatus includes a pair of substantially similar air filters and is detachably attached to air draining openings respectively formed on the developing and cleaning apparatuses.

Abstract: A method for reducing rub-off from a substrate having a front side and a back side with the front side, back side, or both sides bearing toner images, by depositing a substantially clear phase change composition on the front side, back side, or both sides of the substrate as a plurality of dots using a ribbon printer or a diffusion process printer, with the plurality of dots cumulatively covering an area of the front side, back side, or both sides sufficient to reduce rub-off from the toner image bearing sides. The dots may also be applied only to the images rather than both the image-bearing and non-image-bearing surfaces of the substrate.

Abstract: A printing mechanism comprises a print engine that prints an image on a first side of a photographic print media, a laminator that laminates the first side of said photographic print media having said image printed thereon, and a duplexer that returns said photographic print media to said print engine for printing on a second side of said photographic print media.

Abstract: Apparatus and methods for cooling a sheet of media in an imaging apparatus wherein an image is deposited on, and fused to, the sheet of media. The sheet of media is cooled before the media exits the imaging apparatus. The apparatus includes a cooling surface configured to contact the sheet of media whereupon heat energy is transferred from the relatively hot sheet of media to the cooling surface which can act as a heat sink to dissipate heat energy. Other devices such as fans, cooling fins, coolant circulation systems and the like can be employed by the apparatus to further facilitate dissipation of the heat energy from the cooling surface.

Abstract: In an image forming apparatus comprising a latent image carrier and a writing means having a plurality of writing electrodes which are aligned in the axial direction of the latent image carrier and arranged in contact with or proximity to the latent image carrier to form an electrostatic latent image on the latent image carrier, the contact width of the writing means relative to the latent image carrier is set to be smaller than the contact width of any cleaning means, the width of a toner carrying portion of a developing means confronting the latent image carrier, the width of a transferring means, and the width of a charge removing portion of a charge removing means. In addition, the width of the writing means is set to be smaller than the width of the latent image carrier.

Abstract: In an image forming apparatus comprising a latent image carrier and a writing means having a plurality of writing electrodes which are aligned in the axial direction of the latent image carrier and arranged in contact with or proximity to the latent image carrier to form an electrostatic latent image on the latent image carrier, the contact width of the writing means relative to the latent image carrier is set to be smaller than the contact width of any cleaning means, the width of a toner carrying portion of a developing means confronting the latent image carrier, the width of a transferring means, and the width of a charge removing portion of a charge removing means. In addition, the width of the writing means is set to be smaller than the width of the latent image carrier.

Abstract: A process including:

Abstract: A sheet treating apparatus has a container containing a plurality of sheets therein, a recorder for effecting recording on the sheets, a substantially straight path for conveying the recorded sheets and a heat-developer for heat-developing the sheets in the path. The container and/or the recorder are disposed under the heat-developer, are vertically overlapped with one another, and may be vertically overlapped with the heat-developer. The container and the straight path are disposed so that the straight path and the sheets in the container may be substantially parallel or substantially orthogonal to one another.

Abstract: In an electrostatic recording apparatus, a recording medium is transported to a vaporized solvent supply unit where a vaporized organic solvent is given to the recording surface of the recording medium. Then, the recording medium is transported to an electrostatic recording head where an electrostatic latent image is formed on the recording medium. Next, the recording medium is transported to a development processing unit where the development process of the electrostatic latent image using a liquid toner is performed.

Abstract: The toner supplying opening of a toner container for storing powder toner or the like used in image-forming apparatuses such as copying machine or the like is sealed with a laminated lid material film. This sealing film comprises a base layer having tearing directionality, a guide layer having tearing guide portions formed by laser processing and a laser barrier layer provided between the base layer and the guide layer for shielding laser beams.

Abstract: Xerographic printing system using a Raster Output Scanning (ROS) system incorporating a two wavelength (.lambda.) laser diode source for the ROS and a charge retentive member in the form of a belt or drum structure which is responsive to the two wavelengths. The printing system utilizes a CAD development system in addition to two DAD developments during the second pass for enabling the addition of a gamut broadening color resulting in process color imaging with an enhanced gamut.

Abstract: A printing machine composed of: (a) an electrographic imaging member including a substrate layer and a charge accepting layer selected from the group consisting of a silicone elastomer and a grafted elastomer composed of a polyorganosiloxane bonded to a fluoroelastomer; (b) latent image generating apparatus for recording an electrostatic latent image on the imaging member; (c) developer apparatus for depositing marking material on the imaging member to produce a marking material image; (d) a heating device for heating the imaging member so as to form a tackified marking material image thereon; and (e) transfer apparatus for transfering the tackified marking material image from the imaging member to a recording sheet

Abstract: An image forming method according to the present invention comprises the steps of forming an electrostatic latent image on an image carrying member by a latent image forming device, applying a release agent to the surface of the image carrying member by an application device, and bringing an ink carried on an ink carrying member into contact with the surface of the image carrying member coated with the release agent to form an ink image corresponding to the electrostatic latent image on the surface of the image carrying member.

Abstract: An electrophotographic laser printing process using dry low gloss toner formulations for producing either low gloss images or high gloss images. In an instance when a low gloss image is produced, the process selects a low gloss paper, and all other parameters of the process of printing low gloss images are consistent with known parameters for the production of electrophotographic low gloss images using dry toner formulations. In order to produce a high gloss image using a low gloss toner formulation, the method involves selecting a high gloss media, if available, from a media source and reducing the feed speed of the media through the process. Additionally, the fuser roller temperature is increased to ensure maximum fixing and fusing of the toner to produce a single voidless plane of toner on top of the media which exhibits a high reflective index and results in less light scattering at the surface of the toner.

Abstract: A heating device for desensitizing migration imaging film on an external imaging member scanner. The heating device is curved and has a large surface area to provide maximum heating efficiency. The heating device is mounted to a bracket connected to a scanner cartridge and moves integrally with the scanner cartridge in the direction of the longitudinal axis of the imaging member. The heating device heats the migration imaging film to a temperature to ensure that the surface charge on the film is changed, but is less than a temperature needed for selenium particle migration. As a result, the selenium in the migration imaging film is no longer sensitive under daylight conditions. Thus, the migration imaging film can be removed and heated under daylight conditions providing a significant advantage over film that must be removed and heated under red light conditions.

Abstract: This invention relates to a laser marking method which comprises heating a base article having on its surface a thin film of a laser marking composition containing a color former and a color developer having a melting point of 200.degree. C. or above, and then applying laser light to the thin film. The method of this invention is capable of no-break marking with vivid color development by application of laser light, without causing discoloration of the ground even under a condition of 120.degree. C. or above.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image carrier, a means for forming colorant holding regions on the image carrier, the colorant holding regions having better ink or developing agent holding properties than the image carrier, a means for supplying a colorant to the colorant holding regions, and a means for transferring the colorant, held in the colorant holding regions, onto a printing medium.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus of the electrophotographic type wherein a toner image formed on a photosensitive drum is transferred to recording paper by a transfer roller to form an image is disclosed. When the size of the toner image formed on the photosensitive drum is larger than the size of the recording paper, a portion of the toner image which projects from the recording paper is transferred to the transfer roller and will soil another sheet of recording paper supplied subsequently. Therefore, when comparison between the size of the toner image formed on the photosensitive drum and the size of the recording paper reveals a difference between them, an image forming operation is interrupted and a cleaning device is rendered operative to remove the toner from the transfer roller.

Abstract: Charged toner is transferred from an image member (such as an image cylinder or belt) to a web of imagable material (typically paper), preferably utilizing a rotating conductive impression cylinder. The toner, having a first polarity, is applied to the image member. The paper web, typically by contact with the impression cylinder, is moved into contact with the image member so that the toner transfers from the image member to the web under pressure. Even despite a high speed of movement of the web (e.g. 200 feet per minute or more), toner back scatter is substantially prevented by applying an electrical bias of the first polarity to the impression cylinder so as to impose an electric force field on the toner particles of sufficient intensity to overcome aerodynamic drag forces which would separate particles from the image areas between the impression cylinder and the image member.

Abstract: A charge carrier medium 1 including an insulating layer 11 laminated on an electrically conductive layer 12 with an electrostatic latent image 2 recorded on the insulating layer 11 is brought into contact with water, etc., to resurrect the attenuated potential. Alternatively, the charge carrier medium 1 is previously immersed in water, etc., to deposit onto the surface thereof charges opposite in polarity to those of the electrostatic latent image 2 generated by charging, thereby attenuating the surface potential. This makes any external access to the image information impossible. In reading the image information, a PET film 5 or the like is brought into close contact with the surface of the charge carrier medium 1, and is then peeled apart from that surface to remove the charges of the opposite polarity and thereby resurrect the image information for reading.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus which feeds a predetermined bias current smaller than a threshold current to a semiconductor included in digital optics at least during image formation so as to enhance response. During image formation, the apparatus maintains the bias current at an adequate value.