Abstract: An image reading apparatus includes a for-still-document contact glass serving as a reading face for a placed document, a for-moving-document contact glass serving as a reading face for a document conveyed by an automatic document feeder, and an optical scanner unit to move in a scanning range of the for-still-document contact glass back and forth in a sub-scanning direction to scan the document. The optical scanner unit moves to a scanning range of the for-moving-document contact glass and scans the document in a static manner when the document is conveyed in an automatic manner, and the optical scanner unit includes a contact image sensor, a carriage that holds the contact image sensor in a movable manner in the sub-scanning direction, and a pair of end sliders arranged on both ends of a plane facing the reading face in a longer-side direction of the optical scanner unit.

Abstract: A stripping mechanism includes a substantially sheet-shaped stripping member that has a first surface and a second surface opposite the first surface, that is elastically deformed with part of the first surface in contact with an image carrier which rotates and carries an image, and that strips a recording medium from the image carrier; and an opposing member that is disposed downstream of the stripping member in a direction in which the image carrier moves, that extends toward the image carrier, and that is opposite the first surface of the stripping member.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a main body of the image forming apparatus; at least one image forming unit disposed in the main body; a light scanning unit that is disposed in the main body and scans light to form an electrostatic latent image on a photosensitive medium of the at least one image forming unit; a window open-closing shutter that is disposed to slidably move on a surface of the light scanning unit from which light emits, and moves between an open position where a light moving path is opened and a blocking position where the light moving path is blocked; a shutter operating lever that is disposed in the main body, and activates the window open-closing shutter to be positioned at either of the open position and the blocking position; and a pressure member that is disposed in the main body and presses the shutter operating lever.

Abstract: An image forming device capable of providing precise positional relationship between an exposure unit and a photosensitive body. The exposure unit having an exposure head elongated in a longitudinal direction and having light emitting sections arrayed in the longitudinal direction. The light elements emit light in an optical axis direction. A frame supports the photosensitive body. A positioning protrusion protrudes in the optical axis direction from one of the frame and the exposure unit. A remaining one of the frame and the exposure unit is formed with a positioning part engageable with the positioning protrusion. A biasing unit provides a biasing force that ensures engagement between the positioning protrusion and the positioning part.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a rotatable photosensitive member; a corona charger provided with an opening opposed to a surface of the photosensitive member; image forming means for forming a toner image on the photosensitive member; a shutter for opening and closing the opening relative to the photosensitive member; sliding means for sliding in contact with the photosensitive member; measuring means for measuring time elapsed from end of image formation; and control means for controlling the apparatus on the basis of an output of the measuring means such that shutter is closed and the photosensitive member is rotated in contact with the sliding means.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus for forming an image on a recording material, to which apparatus a process cartridge is detachably mountable, wherein said process cartridge includes a photosensitive drum unit and a developing unit, wherein said photosensitive drum unit includes a photosensitive drum, and said developing unit is rotatably engageable with said photosensitive drum unit and includes a developing roller for developing an electrostatic latent image formed on said photosensitive drum, and wherein said developing unit is movable between a contact position in which said developing roller is in contact to said photosensitive drum and a spaced position in which said developing roller is spaced from said photosensitive drum, said image forming apparatus including means for exposing said photosensitive drum with light through a transmission member to form the electrostatic latent image, wherein said exposure means is positioned below said process cartridge when said process cartridge is mounted to a main assem

Abstract: An optical scanning unit of an image forming apparatus may include: an optical housing configured to include at least one optical part and to have a light-beam emitting aperture through which a light beam can emanate from the optical housing; a shutter configured to cover the light-beam emitting aperture; and a driving unit configured to drive the shutter to and fro, thus opening and closing the light-beam emitting aperture. Such a driving unit further can operate to coordinate at least one of the opening and the closing to occur after activation and before deactivation of a writing operation conducted by the optical scanning unit, respectively.

Abstract: An imaging lens assembly includes a mount which comprises a mount adhering portion on which a light curable adhesive is applied, an imaging lens which comprises a lens portion, and a supporting portion to extend from the lens portion, and a holder coupled to the mount adhering portion by the light curable adhesive, and to support the supporting portion.

Abstract: In an optical scanning device having a lens within a housing, the attachment of the lens to the housing is facilitated. The occurrence of lens distortion and warpage is prevented when the lens is formed by an injection molding apparatus. The lens is a long lens elongated in the main scanning direction for a photoreceptor and has support ends formed at both ends of outside of the lens effective area in the longitudinal direction, and one of the support ends formed at both the ends has a first projection that projects from a side surface in a thickness direction of the lens. The lens is positioned and equipped in the longitude direction of the lens relative to the housing supporting the lens with the first projection in the optical scanning device.

Abstract: A drive system for an optical imaging head assembly of a scanner includes a rack having a first side and a second side opposite the first side, the first side including a toothed surface and the second side including a guide surface, a pinion engaged with the toothed surface of the rack, and at least one guide member contacting the guide surface of the rack.

Abstract: An image-reading apparatus for reading an image formed on a document is provided which includes an automatic document feeder, a dynamic-document reading section, a static-document reading section, and a document-covering member. A light source mechanism irradiates an exposing light onto the document at either the dynamic-document reading section or the static-document reading section. A shutter member is provided which is movable between a shading position at which the shutter member blocks a portion of the emitted exposing light, and a non-shading position at which the shutter member does not block the exposing light. When the document is moved by the automatic document feeder at the dynamic-document reading section to read the image on the document, the shutter member is positioned at the non-shading position. When the document is stationarily placed on the static-document reading section to read the image, the shutter member is positioned at the shading position.

Abstract: An original document scanning apparatus includes a supporting plate for supporting an original document; a scanning unit, movable relative to the supporting plate, for scanning the original document; a spacer member for regulating a clearance between the supporting plate and the scanning unit; wherein spacer member is in line contact to the supporting plate along a line extending in a moving direction of the scanning unit.

Abstract: An image-reading apparatus for reading an image formed on a document is provided which includes an automatic document feeder, a dynamic-document reading section, a static-document reading section, and a document-covering member. A light source mechanism irradiates an exposing light onto the document at either the dynamic-document reading section or the static-document reading section. When the automatic document feeder is opened with regard to the dynamic-document reading section and a stationary document is placed on the static-document reading section to read the image formed on the document, a controller controls the light source mechanism so that substantially none of the exposing light emitted from the light source mechanism leaks outside through the dynamic-document reading section.

Abstract: A head for a printer and an image processing system is provided in which light emitted from light emitting elements formed on a substrate of the head does not leak from pinholes of a non-corresponding light emitting elements and does not interfere with light emitted by other light emitting elements, so that satisfactory printing can be carried out. An aperture has on opposite ends sandwiching portions and covers a substrate to sandwich a carriage. Concave portions are formed correspondence with light emitting elements. Pinholes are provided in a front wall and an insulating black coat is formed on the surfaces of the concave portions to prevent a short circuit. Light from the light emitting elements which does not pass through the pinholes is absorbed by the surfaces of the concave portions.

Abstract: A tension mechanism for a carrier driving wire in an image processor in which a tension spring used to put the carrier driving wire under a tension is position regulated so that the tension spring is prevented from being stretched due to a vibration inevitably caused, for example, during transport of the image processor, and thereby the wire is reliably maintained in engagement with the guide pulleys. The housing of the image processor is provided with a spring stopper slidably moved longitudinally of a tension spring. The spring stopper has a pin adapted to be loosely inserted into an oval-shaped hook in one end of the tension spring adjacent an end of the wire.

Abstract: A flash device comprising a power source; a main capacitor adapted to be charged by the power source; a flash firing unit operable to consume charge stored in the main capacitor to emit a flash light; a switching unit disposed in a discharge loop for the main capacitor through the flash firing unit; a trigger circuit for exciting the flash firing unit in response to a flash firing command; a pulse output unit, which is operable to output some kinds of pulses, the duty factors of the pulses being different from each other, for inputting a selecting command and For outputting one of the pulses in accordance with the selecting command; and a control unit for causing the switching unit to be switched on and off repeatedly in response to the pulse outputted from the pulse output unit.

Abstract: A carriage positioning structure includes a carriage pivoted to a longitudinal guide rod and reciprocated along a longitudinal sliding rail inside a scanner between a bottom shell and a flat glass plate, an image pick-up mechanism carried on the carriage and moved with the carriage to pick up the image of an object placed on the flat glass plate, a bottom guide wheel mounted on the carriage at the bottom and supported on the longitudinal sliding rail to guide reciprocating movement of the carriage along the longitudinal sliding rail, and a top guide wheel mounted on the carriage at the top and spaced below the flat glass plate by a gap, the top guide wheel being forced into contact with the flat glass plate by the gravity weight of the carriage when the scanner is turned upside down, permitting the carriage to be reciprocated on the flat glass plate along the longitudinal guide rod so that the image pick-up mechanism can pick up the image of a 3-D document placed below the scanner.

Abstract: There is provided an image scanner in which no shock is applied to a carrier moving an image sensor when the carrier is moved between an automatic document feeder and a contact glass on which an original document is placed. The image sensor is pressed against the contact glass by a spring. A plurality of rollers are provided between the image sensor and the contact glass so that the image sensor is pressed against the contact glass via the rollers. The rollers are separated from the contact glass by a separating member when the image sensor passes an area between the contact glass and the automatic document feeder. A housing of the image scanner is made of a plastic.

Abstract: An exposure device which scans and exposes a photosensitive material at low cost and with an appropriate amount of light. In a state in which the original is moved, light adjusted by a light-adjusting filter is transmitted through a light-attenuating filter and then is illuminated onto the original. The light-attenuating filter has regions 54A1, 54A2, 54A3, . . . having a fixed transmittance and a region 54B having the same transmittance of the regions 54A1, 54A2, 54A3, . . . The light-attenuating filter is moved and a transmission region on the regions 54A1, 54A2, 54A3, . . . of light illuminated onto the original is adjusted, so that an amount of light illuminated onto the original becomes an amount of light corresponding to exposure conditions. When the amount of light corresponding to the exposure conditions is the minimum amount of light, the light-attenuating filter is moved so that light illuminated onto the original is transmitted through the region 54B.

Abstract: An image forming device includes a conveying unit for conveying a recording sheet in a predetermined direction, a light-exposure unit for forming an image on an image-holding body by using light, which image-holding body rolls on the recording sheet by rotating around an axis parallel to the predetermined direction, so that the image on the image-holding body is transferred onto the recording sheet, and an adjustment unit for adjusting an angle of the light-exposure unit relative to the axis, so that the image on the image-holding body can be aligned with the axis.

Abstract: There is provided an image scanner in which no shock is applied to a carrier moving an image sensor when the carrier is moved between an automatic document feeder and a contact glass on which an original document is placed. The image sensor is pressed against the contact glass by a spring, A plurality of rollers are provided between the image sensor and the contact glass so that the image sensor is pressed against the contact glass via the rollers. The rollers are separated from the contact glass by a separating member when the image sensor passes an area between the contact glass and the automatic document feeder.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus provides a photosensitive body, a main charger, an exposing unit, developing unit and a contact-transfer charger. The main charger charges the photosensitive body with a predetermined electric potential. The exposing unit applies a laser beam on the surface of the photosensitive body to form an electric latent image. The developing unit develops the electrostatic latent image to form a toner image. The contact-transfer charger transfers the toner image on an image transfer paper. The image forming apparatus further provides controller for power supplies. The controller controls the power supplies after an image forming operation in a manner to enhance the electric potential of the photosensitive body to a high level by the main charger, drop the surface potential of the photosensitive body to a low level by the contact-transfer charger and then to cut off a bias voltage of the developing unit.