Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a photosensitive member; a charging device; an exposure device; and a developer carrying member, wherein, when it is assumed that an image forming area, a printing portion and a non-printing portion are an area on the photosensitive member on which an image to be transferred onto a recording material is formed, an area in the image forming area to which the developer adheres and an area in the image forming area to which the developer does not adhere, respectively, the exposure device exposes the printing portion at a first laser power, exposes the non-printing portion at a second laser power smaller than the first laser power, and exposes a non-image forming area on the photosensitive member between two adjacent image forming areas at no laser power or a third laser power smaller than the second laser power.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a direct-transfer control unit that causes a direct-transfer medium and a first image forming unit that forms a single-color image to transfer the single-color image onto either the direct-transfer medium or a transfer sheet; an indirect-transfer control unit that causes an intermediate transfer medium and a second image forming unit that forms a multi-color image to transfer the multi-color image onto the intermediate transfer medium; a secondary-transfer control unit that transfers the single-color image onto the intermediate transfer medium; a sensor that detects an image on the intermediate transfer medium; and a positional-alignment control unit that calculates, using the sensor, an amount of misalignment of the image and corrects, using a position of an image formed by the first image forming unit as a reference position, positions of images to be formed by the second image forming unit based on the calculated amount of misalignment.

Abstract: A charging method using a use point that is a unit, common to a plurality of apparatuses, of charging according to use thereof includes the steps of (a) converting a result of use of each of functions of each of the apparatuses to use points, (b) totaling the use points of each of the apparatuses obtained in the step (a) based on a predetermined unit, and (c) charging for use of each of the apparatuses based on the use points totaled in the step (b).

Abstract: A hybrid printing assembly includes a first printing subassembly operable to produce a first pattern on a medium, and a second printing subassembly operable to generate a second pattern on the medium.

Abstract: There is provided a technique in which a paper jam in a fixing unit can be prevented without adding a special part or the like, and without causing a damage of a pressure roller and distortion of an image due to adhesion of toner or paper powder to a peeling member. There are provided an image judgment part that judges whether an image is formed on a second surface as a back surface opposite to a first surface of a sheet on which an image is to be formed, and an image forming part that forms a specified image in the vicinity of a leading end of the first surface of the sheet in a sheet transport direction in a case where the image judgment part judges that the image is formed on the second surface.

Abstract: A printer system flexibly adaptable to various printer languages. The printer system combines a printer device and at least one data processing device. The data processing device and the printer device respectively have an intermediate code generating element for generating the intermediate code compatible with the print data and an intermediate code rasterization element for rasterizing the generated intermediate code into print image information. The printer device further has a printing element for controlling print image information rasterized by an intermediate code rasterization element and prints on the basis of stored print image information. An intermediate code generating element analyzes print data described in a language not corresponding to the intermediate code generating element of the printer device.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a dividing section which divides a plurality of pages into groups, each group including at least one page; an inputting section which inputs different text strings for each group; a creating section which creates a composite image of an image of a page and a text string which is inputted for the group including the page; and a printing section which prints the composite image on a sheet.

Abstract: A hybrid printing assembly includes a first printing subassembly operable to produce a first pattern on a medium, and a second printing subassembly operable to produce a second pattern on the medium.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus has a movable image bearing member, a image forming device for forming a developer image on the image bearing member, and an intermediate transfer member on which the developer image on the image bearing member is transferred while it is moving at a predetermined surficial moving speed different from the surficial moving speed of the image bearing member. The image forming apparatus forms a predetermined image prior to formation of a normal image.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus has a first image forming unit and a second image forming unit that form images by different methods on the same page. The image formed by the second image forming unit is used as an identifying image to distinguish an original document made by the image forming apparatus from copies of the original document. The second image forming unit may, for example, emboss or punch holes in the printing medium. The second image forming unit may accordingly be a serial impact dot matrix printing unit or a stamping unit, while the first printing unit may be, for example, an ink jet printing unit or an electrophotographic printing unit. One of the two image forming units is preferably capable of making copies by printing on multiple-ply forms.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image forming unit having an image forming portion positioned over a partition wall that vertically partitions a body frame above a cover plate. A second circuit board in which a tall electronic component-mounting side is upward directed is placed in a space between the partition wall and the cover plate. A first circuit board in which an electronic component-mounting side is downward directed is placed on a lateral side of the second circuit board. The first and second circuit boards are placed in a stepwise manner so that the level of the first circuit board is higher than that of the second circuit board. A return path for reversely transporting a sheet is formed between the cover plate and the upper face of a return tray.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus capable of preventing the increase of the size thereof by having a lengthened developer bearing member is provided with regard to an image forming apparatus capable of printing a registration mark (dragonfly) on a large sheet of recording paper for producing an art work in case of the use of a formed image as a printing manuscript. The length of the lengthwise direction of a developer bearing member provided in at least one developing device among the developing devices provided in the image forming apparatus is longer than those of the developer bearing members of the other developing devices.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus has a movable image bearing member, a image forming device for forming a developer image on the image bearing member, and an intermediate transfer member on which the developer image on the image bearing member is transferred while it is moving at a predetermined surficial moving speed different from the surficial moving speed of the image bearing member. The image forming apparatus forms a predetermined image prior to formation of a normal image.

Abstract: In an image forming system of the present invention, a master image forming apparatus determines, at the beginning of a joint copy job, whether or not a user stamp is registered at a slave image forming apparatus. If the user stamp is not registered at the slave image forming apparatus, the master image forming apparatus executes copying alone. Alternatively, the master image forming apparatus may send the user stamp to the slave image forming apparatus before the joint copy job. The system obviates erroneous copying in a joint copy mode and simply executes the joint copy mode even if the user stamp is not registered at the slave image forming apparatus.

Abstract: An image forming system having a copying machine capable of printing advertisement images by means of adding them to document images and a fee charging device for charging the copying fee to the user. The image forming system can alter the copying fee to be charged to the user and the advertisement fee to be charged to the advertiser depending on the time required for forming the advertisement image. When an advertisement image is formed on the backside of a sheet where a document image is formed or on a separate sheet, the time required to form the advertisement image becomes longer so that the user has to suffer a drop in the copying productivity. The copying fee in such a case where the copying productivity drops, the image forming system reduces the copying fee and raise the advertisement fee by the same amount.

Abstract: Image forming apparatus is equipped with a memory for storing additional images and an area discriminating unit for discriminating areas included in document images. The area discriminating unit discriminates text areas included in a document image based on the cyclicity of the density distribution of the document image. An additional image stored in the memory is synthesized into a discriminated text area. On the other hand, no additional image is synthesized into graphic areas and photograph areas. Images obtained as a result of the syntheses of document images and additional images are printed out on paper.

Abstract: A method, apparatus, and system are provided for creating a new compound image by correcting a correlation error in a compound image. According to one embodiment, information identifying a correlation error in a compound image is received, a first constituent image and a second constituent image whose miscorrelation caused the correlation error are identified, a correlation offset of the first constituent image is ascertained, and a new compound image is created by substantially aligning the first constituent image with the second constituent image using the correlation offset.

Abstract: In an image forming system of the present invention, a master image forming apparatus determines, at the beginning of a joint copy job, whether or not a user stamp is registered at a slave image forming apparatus. If the user stamp is not registered at the slave image forming apparatus, the master image forming apparatus executes copying alone. Alternatively, the master image forming apparatus may send the user stamp to the slave image forming apparatus before the joint copy job. The system obviates erroneous copying in a joint copy mode and simply executes the joint copy mode even if the user stamp is not registered at the slave image forming apparatus.

Abstract: In an image forming apparatus that forms a toner image on a continuous medium, the tension force applied to the continuous medium by the image forming drum is controlled within a proper range. The apparatus comprises a toner image forming unit forms a toner image on a rotating image forming drum, a transfer unit that transfers, to the continuous medium, the toner image on the image forming drum by a transfer current, and a control unit that monitors the tension force applied to the continuous medium by the image forming drum and controls the transfer current at the transfer area, based on the results of this monitoring. Alternatively, the apparatus increases the minimum printing ratio by adding additional data to the print data.

Abstract: In an image forming system of the present invention, a master image forming apparatus determines, at the beginning of a joint copy job, whether or not a user stamp is registered at a slave image forming apparatus. If the user stamp is not registered at the slave image forming apparatus, the master image forming apparatus executes copying alone. Alternatively, the master image forming apparatus may send the user stamp to the slave image forming apparatus before the joint copy job. The system obviates erroneous copying in a joint copy mode and simply executes the joint copy mode even if the user stamp is not registered at the slave image forming apparatus.

Abstract: An image forming system includes a scanner to read image data, an image forming apparatus to form an image on an image receiving medium based on the image data, an input panel to input a user's manual signature and a memory to store an image of a user's manual signature. Further, the system includes a processing unit to collate an image of a user's manual signature input through the input panel with an image of a user's manual signature stored in the memory and to approve the use of at least one of the scanner and the image forming apparatus by user according to a result of the collation.

Abstract: A copying machine with a charging device that can substantially improve the advertisement effect in case of printing by adding an additional image to a document image. This copying machine, when the set registered number is plural, changes the kind of advertisement images to be printed every time a document is exchanged. It also changes the kind of advertisement images depending on whether or not a copying mode is a color copy. In particular, if it is the color copy, the above-mentioned changeover is done in accordance with a function mode and/or a document mode, which are detail modes of the color copy. This copying machine also displays a plurality of printable selection candidates from a plurality of advertisement images stored in advance and makes a user on his/her own select an advertisement image to be printed.

Abstract: A reversible image display medium including two sheets; one or more developer accommodating cells formed between the two sheets, and each having a periphery surrounded by a partition wall; and dry developer contained in each of the cell(s), wherein the dry developer contains at least two kinds of frictionally chargeable dry developer particles having different chargeable polarities and different optical reflection densities. The image is displayed by forming a predetermined electrostatic field for each pixel in accordance with the image to be displayed and thereby moving the developer particles in a frictionally charged state. The image formed on the reversible image display medium can be erased, e.g., by an image erasing device.

Abstract: A printer is provided with two similar printing units fed with sheet-like material via a common input section. Printed material is output via a common output section. Groups of transport rollers and individual transport rollers are driven by step motors.

Abstract: A recording apparatus according to the invention includes a first recording device arranged in a first path and a second arranged upstream of the first recording device. A second path has a first end and a second end. A first feed-direction-switching device is arranged upstream of the first recording device and the second path, and downstream of the second recording device. The first feed-direction-switching device directs the medium either to the first recording device or into the first end of the second path. A second feed-direction switching device is arranged downstream of the first recording device and directs the leading end of the medium into the second end of the second path when the first and/or second recording device completes recording of the information on the first side of the medium. The medium is then transported face down through the second path back to the first path for recording on the second side thereof. A method of recording includes first, second, and third mode operations.

Abstract: A method of reproducing multiplex images wherein an electrostatic image is formed on an image retainer by using a common electrostatic image forming device, the electrostatic image formed on the image retainer is developed, the steps of the above are repeated to superpose a plurality of toner images on the image retainer, and the toner images is transferred on a recording paper by one step. The developings other than the first time developing are carried out in such a manner that the surface of a developer layer on a developer feeding carrier does not contact with the surface of the toner image on the image retainer.