Abstract:
An image forming apparatus is provided which ensures proper image forming when the apparatus is positioned either horizontally or upright. The apparatus includes a rotary, endless latent image carrier, and a latent image forming arrangement for forming a latent image on the latent image carrier. The apparatus also includes a developing arrangement for developing the latent image on the latent image carrier by using powdered developer, and a transferring arrangement for transferring a developed image on the latent image carrier to a sheet. The apparatus further includes a positioning mechanism for selectively positioning the developing arrangement relative to the latent image carrier at one of a first position corresponding to an upright installation of the apparatus and a second position corresponding to a horizontal installation of the apparatus.
Abstract:
An image forming apparatus includes a plurality of process units contacting a continuous recording medium and transferring images on the recording medium, a separating and contacting mechanism for controlling at least one of the recording medium and each of the process units to a separated state where the recording medium and the process unit are separated from each other and a contacting state where the recording medium and the process unit contact each other, and a controller for controlling the separating and contacting mechanism at a position where the process unit confronts a non-printing region on the recording medium so as to put the recording medium and the process unit to the contacting state.
Abstract:
A developing apparatus of an electrophotographic apparatus includes a housing for accommodating a developer, first, second and third developing rollers are rotatably disposed in the housing and arranged opposite to a photoconductor drum for conveying a developer carried on respective surfaces of the developing rollers, and a conveyor roller rotatably disposed in the housing for conveying the developer carried on a surface thereof to one of the developing rollers. First and second screw conveyors are disposed in the housing for conveying the developer in an axial direction opposite to each other. Each of these conveyors has an axial length larger than an axial length of the developing rollers. A partition wall is disposed between the first and second screw conveyors. A toner container for accommodating a toner is mounted on the housing. The toner in the toner container is supplied into the housing and agitators agitate the toner in the housing. A first doctor blade regulates the developer carried on the conveyor roller, a second doctor blade regulates the developer on the first developing roller, and scrapers scrape the developer from the second and third developing rollers.
Abstract:
A plurality of gate electrode patterns to be laid out in parallel are alternately set as first patterns to be formed in a first exposure step of double patterning and as second patterns to be formed in a second exposure step. Subsequently, a circuit that includes transistor pairs each formed by connecting one of the first patterns and one of the second patterns in parallel is laid out. This reduces the risk of variations in characteristics of transistors caused by double patterning.
Abstract:
A developing unit of an electrophotographic apparatus is provided for developing an electrostatic latent image formed on an image forming member, by electrostatically adsorbing powder developer onto the latent image. The developing unit includes a screw provided with paddles or grooves, each having a helix angle with respect to an axis of the screw, the screw transferring and supplying the powder developer stored in a developer reservoir to the developing roller; a blade for regulating a layer thickness of the powder developer to be transferred to the image forming member; and a flow regulating plate for biasing a flow of the powder developer, which has been removed by the blade and returned to the developer reservoir due to the force of gravity, in a direction opposite to a direction in which the powder developer is transferred by the screw. The developing unit further includes a structure for accurately positioning and maintaining the developing roller within a specified distance from the image forming member, thereby improving the uniformity of the developer concentration.
Abstract:
A developing device includes a magnet roll magnetized with plural magnetic poles including a main magnetic pole, a sleeve in a cylindrical shape which is arranged so as to be opposed to an image holding body, and a supporting frame that stably supports the magnet roll in a manner of restraining the magnet roll from rotating in the tangential direction, and supports the sleeve so as to rotate in the tangential direction around the magnet roll. The magnet roll is so arranged that the main magnetic pole is opposed to the image holding body, and a point on the peripheral face where magnetic flux density of the main magnetic pole in the tangential direction at a position along the peripheral face of the magnet roll is zero is set at a position predetermined with respect to a position where the magnet roll comes most closely to the image holding body.
Abstract:
A toner near empty discriminating unit discriminates a near empty indicating that the toner approaches an empty state on the basis of a detection value of a toner sensor. When the toner near empty is determined, a toner supply amount calculating unit calculates a toner supply amount (w) per time as w=W/X from the number (X) of toner supplying times of a toner supply counter and a specified toner filling amount (W) when a toner cartridge is set. On the basis of the calculated toner supply amount (w) of one time, a correction processing unit corrects a rotational speed of a supply roller of a toner supply control unit and an operation time of the supply roller, or the number of discriminating times of the toner empty and the number of discriminating times of a replacement of an expendable item.
Abstract translation:基于调色剂传感器的检测值,空白识别单元附近的调色剂鉴别近空,表示调色剂接近空状态。 当确定接近空的调色剂时,调色剂供应量计算单元从调色剂供应计数器的调色剂供应时间的数量(X)和指定的调色剂填充量(X)中计算每个时间的调色剂供给量(w),w = W / X 调整墨粉盒的量(W)。 基于计算出的调色剂供给量(w)一次,校正处理单元校正调色剂供给控制单元的供给辊的旋转速度和供给辊的操作时间,或者将供给辊的识别次数 调色剂空白以及更换消耗品的识别次数。
Abstract:
A developing unit for an electro-photographic apparatus is described, including a toner concentration sensor provided between a paddle roller and a developing roller near the bottom of the casing. The sensor generates a toner concentration signal with high sensitivity but without substantial fluctuation.
Abstract:
A design support program stored in a recording medium readable by a computer includes acquiring a first analysis result including information about an area included in circuit information of a design target circuit and a second analysis result relating to a path of the circuit information, the temperature of the area being equal to or higher than a certain temperature; determining an arbitrary cell on a non-critical path from among cells arranged in the area as a target cell for decreasing the area temperature; and outputting a result of the determination.
Abstract:
A plurality of gate electrode patterns to be laid out in parallel are alternately set as first patterns to be formed in a first exposure step of double patterning and as second patterns to be formed in a second exposure step. Subsequently, a circuit that includes transistor pairs each formed by connecting one of the first patterns and one of the second patterns in parallel is laid out. This reduces the risk of variations in characteristics of transistors caused by double patterning.