40th week of 2012 patent applcation highlights part 44 |
Patent application number | Title | Published |
20120251092 | Articulated Sensor Support Structure - Embodiments include an assembly comprising: (a) a camera support structure comprising: a masthead disposed on the distal end of a mast wherein the masthead is configured to receive an imaging element; where a proximal end of the mast rotatably engaging an azimuth-elevation joint assembly wherein the azimuth-elevation joint assembly comprises a first angular actuator of a first rotational degree-of-freedom and a second angular actuator of a second rotational degree of freedom; and (b) a camera support structure housing comprising an aperture and a hatch wherein the hatch is resiliently biased to close the aperture; and wherein the camera support structure is configured to overcome the hatch resilient bias by at least one of: the release of a pin restraining a loaded spring and a rotational actuation of the mast via at least one of the first angular actuator and the second angular actuator. | 2012-10-04 |
20120251093 | CAMERA WITH BUILT-IN PROJECTOR AND PROJECTOR DEVICE - A camera with a built-in projector includes: a camera unit equipped with photographing components including an optical system; and a projector module equipped with a projecting optical system, with an optical axis extending along a longer side of the projector module running substantially parallel to an optical axis of the camera unit extending along a longer side of the camera unit. | 2012-10-04 |
20120251094 | SHUTTER DRIVE DEVICE, SHUTTER DEVICE, AND IMAGING DEVICE - A shutter drive device includes a base member, an actuator, a first drive member, and a second drive member. The actuator is fixed to the base member and produces a driving force to drive the shutter mechanism. The first drive member is rotatably supported by the base member and configured to be rotated by the driving force. The second drive member is supported by the base member so as to be linearly movable in a first direction and configured to transmit the driving force of the actuator to the shutter mechanism. The first drive member has a gear component to drive the second drive member in the first direction, and a cam component configured to hold the second drive member in a specific position. The second drive member has a rack gear configured to mesh with the gear component, and a cam follower configured to contact the cam component. | 2012-10-04 |
20120251095 | BLACK HEAT RESISTANT LIGHT SHADING FILM AND PRODUCTION METHOD THEREOF, AND, DIAPHRAGM, LIGHT INTENSITY ADJUSTING MODULE AND HEAT RESISTANT LIGHT SHADING TAPE USING THE SAME - A black heat resistant light shading film usable as a shutter blade or a fixed diaphragm, a diaphragm blade for a diaphragm device for a light intensity adjusting module. The black heat resistant light shading film is formed with fine unevennesses at the both surfaces of a resin film having a heat resistance of 155° C. or higher. The resin film is a black film containing a black pigment and an inorganic filler and thickness of the black heat resistant light shading film is 25 μm or less. Surface roughness (arithmetic average height Ra) of the both surfaces is 0.2 to 2.2 μm and an average optical density, which is an index of light shading performance of light in a wavelength region of 380 to 780 nm, is 3.5 or higher. | 2012-10-04 |
20120251096 | Photographic Stitching Device - A photographic stitching device that has a generally planar structure having an offset aperture, a capture device mount proximate to the offset aperture, and a mounting structure to accommodate a camera frame. The photographic stitching device allows a photographer to capture a matrix of precisely overlapping photographs that can later be electronically stitched together to create a higher resolution composite image, a panoramic image, a vista, a stereoscopic image, a 3-D image, an artistic rendering, or similar custom and unique photographic products. | 2012-10-04 |
20120251097 | PASSIVE ARCHITECTURAL OPTICAL DISTRIBUTION NETWORK - Passive optical networks can experience faults that are unrecoverable. An embodiments of the present invention is a hybrid passive optical network configured to protect a primary optical path employing a switch to transmit data from the primary path to a secondary path in a passive manner. In an event data flows through both the primary path and the secondary path, the optical switch may be configured to monitor the primary path. In such an embodiment, the optical switch is a protection optical switch that is sensitive to monitoring an optical signal that flows on the primary path. If the switch detects a loss of signal on the primary path, the optical switch automatically switches delivery of the optical signal from the primary path to the secondary path, via the optical switch to allow an optical line terminal to receive optical signals virtually uninterrupted. | 2012-10-04 |
20120251098 | Method, apparatus and system for high-speed transmission on fiber optic channel - Multi-carrier modulation fiber optic systems constructed using a series of electrical carriers, modulating the data on the electrical carriers and combining the carriers to form a wideband signal. The wideband signal can then be intensity modulated on a laser and coupled to a fiber optic channel. A receiver may then receive the laser signal from the fiber optic channel and convert it into an electrical signal. Multi-carrier modulation may be applied to existing fiber channels, which may be of lower quality. Existing fiber channels may have characteristics which prevent or restrict the transmission of data using intensity modulation at certain frequencies. An adaptive multi-carrier modulation transmitter may characterize an existing fiber optic channel and ascertain the overall characteristics of the channel. The transmitter and receiver can then be configured to use various bandwidths and various modulations in order to match the transfer characteristic of the fiber channel. A series of adaptive multi-carrier modulation transmitters and receivers can be integrated on a single integrated circuit. If multiple adaptive receivers and transmitters are integrated on a single integrated circuit, they may be used to upgrade existing networks by adding different wavelength lasers for the transmission of data in order to achieve any capacity desired. Each receiver and transmitter may characterize the fiber for its particular wavelength laser and may configure the modulation and bandpass to the fiber's characteristics. | 2012-10-04 |
20120251099 | Multiplexer Lane Alignment for High-Speed Data Systems - Patterns detected by a low-speed receiver at the output of a high-speed multiplexer are used to determine when multiplexer input lanes are deskewed. | 2012-10-04 |
20120251100 | Operational Status Flag Generation in an Optical Transceiver - Methods, algorithms, architectures, circuits, and/or systems for determining the status of parameters associated with optical transceiver operation are disclosed. The optical transceiver can include an optical receiver to receive optical data; an optical transmitter to transmit optical data; one or more memories to store data (and, optionally, thresholds) for each of a plurality of parameters that are related to operation of at least one of the optical receiver and the optical transmitter; a microprocessor that compares the parametric data against the threshold(s) to calculate one or more flags to indicate whether a corresponding parameter has exceeded the first or second threshold; and an interface that receives a flag request from a host, and provides the one or more flags in response to the request. In the present disclosure, the microprocessor may calculate the one or more flags only in response to the flag request from the host. | 2012-10-04 |
20120251101 | Apparatus to Control Carrier Spacing in a Multi-Carrier Optical Transmitter - Consistent with the present disclosure, data, in digital form, is received by a transmit node of an optical communication system, and is then provided to a modulator that, in turn, modulates light, received from an optical source at one of a plurality of periodically and preferably minimally spaced wavelengths. The plurality of periodically spaced wavelengths or carriers are grouped together with minimal carrier spacing, to form a superchannel. The carrier spacing between adjacent carriers is determined by detecting a beat frequency of a combined optical signal that includes the outputs of two adjacent optical sources. The beat frequency corresponds to a frequency difference between the outputs of the adjacent carriers. This frequency difference should correspond to a desired carrier spacing between each of the plurality of carriers. A frequency error between the beat frequency and the desired carrier spacing is then measured by down-converting the beat frequency with respect to a target reference frequency corresponding to the desired carrier frequency spacing. Based on the determined frequency error, the optical sources are controlled to adjust in frequency to minimize or reduce the frequency error to zero. For every pair of adjacent carriers, the corresponding outputs of the optical sources are compared in the above manner to determine a plurality of frequency errors. Each optical source can thus be tuned in order to realize a precise carrier spacing between each of the adjacent carriers. | 2012-10-04 |
20120251102 | LIGHT RECEIVING CIRCUIT AND BANDWIDTH CONTROL METHOD - A light receiving circuit includes: a filter, arranged in a downstream of an electric signal amplifier to amplify an electric signal based on a light signal, to adjust a bandwidth of an amplified electric signal; a monitor circuit to monitor a communication quality of the light signal and output a monitored value; and a control circuit to control a bandwidth of the filter based on a control value corresponding to the monitored value. | 2012-10-04 |
20120251103 | Wavelength Assignment In An Optical WDM Network - The path selection and wavelength assignment to a selected path are performed by mapping the wavelength reach to the demand distribution (agile reach) resulting in a 50-60% increase in the network reach. The network reach is further increased (about 2.2 times) when on-line measured performance data are used for path selection and wavelength assignment. The connections may be engineered/upgraded individually, by optimizing the parameters of the entire path or of a regenerator section of the respective path. The upgrades include changing the wavelength, adjusting the parameters of the regenerator section, controlling the launch powers, mapping a certain transmitter and/or receiver to the respective wavelength, selecting the wavelengths on a certain link so as to reduce cross-talk, increasing wavelength spacing, etc. | 2012-10-04 |
20120251104 | Modulator Control System and Method in an Optical Network - The invention relates to an optical modulator control system implemented in an optical burst mode transmitter, said control system comprising means for measuring a plurality of optical power sample values and associated optical wavelength data values from a modulator at a first sampling rate, wherein an average power table is generated from said values for each sample period and stored in a memory. The control system also comprises means for performing a control error calculation from two or more stored average power tables at a second sampling rate to calculate a single error value to provide gain and/or bias control signals, wherein the second sample rate is sampled at a slower rate than the first sample rate. The control system described optimises the modulator performance over temperature and lifetime in an optical network. | 2012-10-04 |
20120251105 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PROVIDING A LINE OF SPOTS LAUNCH OF LIGHT INTO AN END OF A MULTIMODE OPTICAL FIBER - A method and an apparatus are provided for launching light into an entrance facet of a MMF of an optical MMF link in a way that excites one or more targeted higher-order mode groups in the MMF. The light is launched into the entrance facet of the MMF as a line of phase-modulated spots, referred to herein as a “line launch”. The line launch causes one or more targeted higher-order mode groups to be excited in the MMF. The use of the line launch to excite one or more higher-order mode groups in the MMF increases the bandwidth of the link and allows overall link lengths to be increased. In addition, the use of the line launch is reliable and robust despite defects in the MMF and despite connector offsets. Thus, the use of the line launch ensures that a sufficient increase in link bandwidth will be achieved despite the existence of defects in the MMF and even if there is some amount of optical misalignment due to the connector being offset relative to the corresponding receptacle. | 2012-10-04 |
20120251106 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR MAPPING TRAFFIC USING VIRTUAL CONCATENATION - A node comprising a packet network interface, an ethernet switch, an optical port, and a distribution engine. The packet network interface adapted to receive a packet having a destination address and a first bit and a second bit. The ethernet switch is adapted to receive and forward the packet into a virtual queue associated with a destination. The optical port has circuitry for transmitting to a plurality of circuits. The distribution engine has one or more processors configured to execute processor executable code to cause the distribution engine to (1) read a first bit and a second bit from the virtual queue, (2) provide the first bit and the second bit to the at least one optical port for transmission to a first predetermined group of the plurality of circuits. | 2012-10-04 |
20120251107 | WDM Router - The present invention provides a mixed analog and digital chip-scale reconfigurable WDM network. The network suitably includes a router that enables rapidly configurable wavelength selective routers of fiber optic data. The router suitably incorporates photonic wavelength selective optical add/drop filters and multiplexers. | 2012-10-04 |
20120251108 | Optical Communications Networks, Optical Line Terminations and Related Methods - Wireless communication systems are provided including a transmitter and a receiver. The transmitter is configured to transmit a first polarized signal and a second polarized signal to the receiver, and in accordance with an instruction from the receiver, halt transmission of the second polarized signal. The receiver is configured to receive the polarized signals from the transmitter, determine whether or not the reception quality of the second polarized signal is below a threshold, and if so, instruct the transmitter to halt transmission of the second polarized signal. | 2012-10-04 |
20120251109 | OPTICAL PACKET SWITCHING SYSTEM - An optical packet switching system includes optical packet switching apparatus and an optical packet transmitting apparatus. The optical packet switching apparatus includes client optical delay units for delaying optical packet signals, network optical delay units for delaying one of the network optical packet signals, the network optical delay unit having a longer delay time than the client optical delay unit, an optical switch unit for switching the route of the inputted client optical packet signal so as to be sent out, an optical switch control unit for controlling the optical switch unit. The optical switch control unit is configured in such a manner as to detect a free time slot. The optical packet transmitting apparatus adjusts transmit timing, with which the client optical packet signal is sent out, in such a manner that the client optical packet signal is inserted into the free time slot. | 2012-10-04 |
20120251110 | COMPUTATIONALLY-EFFICIENT EQUALIZATION IN POLMUX OFDM TRANSMISSION WITH DIRECT-DETECTION VIA JOINT TRANSMITTER AND RECEIVER PROCESSING - A method for joint transmitter and receiver processing for computationally efficient equalization in polarization multiplexed (POLMUX) optical orthogonal frequency division multiplexed (OFDM) transmission with direct detection. | 2012-10-04 |
20120251111 | OPTOELECTRONIC WAVELENGTH CONVERTER FOR POLARIZATION MULTIPLEXED OPTICAL SIGNALS - A wavelength converter that operates on an optical signal having single or multiplexed polarizations and which exhibits any modulation format. | 2012-10-04 |
20120251112 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR COHERENT EQUALIZATION OF CHROMATIC DISPERSION OF OPTICAL SIGNALS IN A FIBER - Method and system for optimally equalizing distortion of an optical data channel carrying coherent optical signals with a given analog bandwidth B. A receiving end with IQ paths receives signals and a balanced detector detects signals in each path. The bandwidth of the detected signals is reduced by a factor of N by filtering the output of each path using an AAF with a cutoff frequency optimized to the analog bandwidth 2B/N of each path, where the AAF has deterministic attributes and introducing Known ISI. The signal is sampled at the AAF output by an ADC, at a sampling rate of 2B/N. The samples of each path are post-processed by a digital processor operating at a data rate of 2B/N, where post-processing represents the compensation of the distortion and the input data stream is reconstructed by optimally decoding the output of the processor using a decoder, which compensates the ISI. | 2012-10-04 |
20120251113 | SEAMLESS CONFIGURATION UPDATE FOR OPTICAL NETWORK UNIT IN ETHERNET PASSIVE OPTICAL NETWORK - Techniques for updating configuration of an Optical Network Unit (ONU) in an Ethernet Passive Optical Network (EPON) include receiving a notification that an updated configuration file is available for the ONU, obtaining the updated configuration file, performing a first validation of the updated configuration file for structural errors, determining changes between a current configuration of the ONU and the updated configuration file to identify ONU resources to implement to the changes, performing a second validation about whether the ONU resources to implement the changes are available or not at the ONU and applying the changes to the ONU when it is determined that the ONU resources to implement the changes are available at the ONU. | 2012-10-04 |
20120251114 | Optical Network Terminal Management and Control Interface Over Ethernet - An apparatus comprising a data framer configured to frame an external protocol extension message for transmission, the external protocol extension message comprising a header that indicates an external protocol extension and at least one type-length-value (TLV) comprising a type field, a length field, and a value field, wherein a format of the TLV is specified by a specific organization, and wherein the value field comprises information related to protocol functions external to the network. Also included is an apparatus comprising at least one component configured to implement a method comprising compiling an external protocol extension message comprising a plurality of TLVs and a header that indicates an external protocol extension, and transmitting the external protocol message. | 2012-10-04 |
20120251115 | POWER SUPPLY CONTROL METHOD, AN OPTICAL NETWORK UNIT, AN OPTICAL LINE TERMINAL AND A COMMUNICATION SYSTEM - In an optical communication system that communicates between an optical line terminal (OLT) and a plurality of optical network units (ONU), an ONU can decide an operation time period of communicating with the OLT and an idle time period of reduced or suspended communication with the OLT by using a timer. The OLT can decide a software renewal time period based on the operation time period and the idle time period. Accordingly, the ONU can supply electrical power to its own communication circuit during the operation time period or the software renewal time period, or cut off or reduce the electrical power if a present time does not occur in either the operation time period or the software renewal time period. | 2012-10-04 |
20120251116 | INTEGRATED OPTICAL-ELECTRONIC INTERFACE IN PROGRAMMABLE INTEGRATED CIRCUIT DEVICE - Systems that provide integrated circuit device circuitry having an integrated optical-electronic interface for high-speed off-device communications are provided. An optical-electronic interface may be incorporated into an integrated circuit device, freeing up some or all of the electrical I/O pins of the integrated circuit device. Transceiver I/O channels may be provided on an integrated circuit device that can be switched between electrical and optical transceiver I/O channels. | 2012-10-04 |
20120251117 | Method for Traffic Grooming, Wavelength Assignment and Spectrum Allocation - A method includes determining a line rate selection for a flexible optical wavelength-division-multiplexing WDM network, determining a traffic routing in said network, and determining simultaneously a channel routing, wavelength assignment and spectrum allocation in said network based on an auxiliary graph. | 2012-10-04 |
20120251118 | Adaptively Balanced Detector - Consistent with the present disclosure, a coherent detector is provided that includes an optical hybrid that supplies optical signals including local oscillator light to a balanced detector. The amount of imbalance or “balance error” in the balanced detector is identified by comparing an output of the balanced detector and an output of a photodiode that receives a portion of an input optical signal provided to the optical hybrid. Based on the balance error, electrical signals generated by the balanced detector or the power of optical signals passing through (or output from) the optical hybrid circuit can be adjusted so that the balance error is minimized or reduced to zero. As a result, imbalance associated with the balanced detector is corrected so that unwanted currents and/or related electrical signals are cancelled out or substantially cancelled out. Such unwanted currents and/or related electrical signals are generated in response to noise in the local oscillator light as well as intensity noise associated with non-selected optical signals in a superchannel. | 2012-10-04 |
20120251119 | Multiplexer and Modulation Arrangements for Multi-Carrier Optical Modems - Consistent with the present disclosure, data, in digital form, is received by a transmit node of an optical communication, and converted to analog signal by a digital-to-analog converter (DAC) to drive a modulator. The modulator, in turn, modulates light at one of a plurality of wavelengths in accordance with the received data forming a plurality of corresponding carriers. The plurality of carriers are then optically combined with a fixed spacing combiner to form a superchannel of a fixed capacity. Accordingly, the number of carriers are selected according to a modulation format and symbol rate to realize the fixed capacity, for example. The superchannel is then transmitted over an optical communication path to a receive node. At the receive node, the superchannel is optically demultiplexed from a plurality of other superchannels. The plurality of carriers are then supplied to a photodetector circuit, which receives additional light at one of the optical signal carrier wavelengths from a local oscillator laser. An analog-to-digital converter (ADC) is provided in the receive node to convert the electrical signals output from the photodetector into digital form. The output from the ADC is then filtered in the electrical domain, such that optical demultiplexing of the carriers is unnecessary. | 2012-10-04 |
20120251120 | Multiplexer and Modulation Arrangements for Multi-Carrier Optical Modems - Consistent with the present disclosure, data, in digital form, is received by a transmit node of an optical communication system, and converted to an analog signal by a digital-to-analog converter (DAC) to drive a modulator. The modulator, in turn, modulates light at one of a plurality of wavelengths in accordance with the received data forming a plurality of corresponding carriers. The carriers are modulated according to one of a plurality of modulation formats and then optically combined to form a superchannel of a constant maximum capacity, for example. Accordingly, the number of carriers and the bit rate for each carrier remain constant for each modulation format to realize a constant maximum capacity. The superchannel is then transmitted over an optical communication path to a receive node. At the receive node, the superchannel is optically demultiplexed from a plurality of other superchannels. The plurality of carriers of the superchannel are then supplied to a photodetector circuit, which receives additional light at one of the optical signal carrier wavelengths from a local oscillator laser. An analog-to-digital converter (ADC) is provided in the receive node to convert the electrical signals output from the photodetector into digital form. The output from the ADC is then filtered in the electrical domain, such that optical demultiplexing of the carriers is unnecessary. | 2012-10-04 |
20120251121 | Periodic Superchannel Carrier Arrangement for Optical Communication Systems - Consistent with the present disclosure, data, in digital form, is received by a transmit node of an optical communication system, is processed and then output to drive a modulator. The modulator, in turn, modulates light at one of a plurality of wavelengths in accordance with the received data, forming a plurality of corresponding carriers. The plurality of wavelengths used for the plurality of carriers are spectrally spaced apart by a common, periodic fixed spacing. The plurality of carriers are optically combined with a fixed spacing combiner to form a superchannel. A plurality of superchannels are generated and then multiplexed together onto an optical communication path and transmitted to a receive node. Each superchannel includes a plurality of carriers, each spectrally separated by the same fixed spacing. The plurality of superchannels are spectrally separated by an amount corresponding to the fixed spacing of the plurality of carriers. At the receive node, the superchannels are optically demultiplexed, and the plurality of carriers of a respective superchannel are then supplied to a photodetector circuit, which receives additional light at one of the optical signal carrier wavelengths from a local oscillator laser. The resultant signals are then processed electronically to separate the individual carriers and output data corresponding to the input data. | 2012-10-04 |
20120251122 | Method of Operating an Optical Network Element and Optical Network Element - The invention relates to a method of operating a first optical network element ( | 2012-10-04 |
20120251123 | LED LIGHT GLOBAL POSITIONING AND ROUTING COMMUNICATION SYSTEM - An LED light and communication system includes at least one optical transceiver, the optical transceiver including a light support and a processor. The light support has a plurality of light emitting diodes and at least one photodetector attached thereto. The processor is in communication with the light emitting diodes and the at least one photodetector, where the processor is constructed and arranged to illuminate at least one of the light emitting diodes to generate a light signal which in turn includes at least one embedded data packet. The at least one embedded data packet communicates global positioning system (GPS) location information. | 2012-10-04 |
20120251124 | TRANSCEIVER FOR DIFFERENT VENDOR DEVICES - A transceiver having an interface configured to communicate with a plurality of different vendor devices, non-volatile memory having a first memory block and a second memory block of memory, wherein the second memory block comprises a plurality of vendor device data corresponding to a plurality of different vendor devices which enable the transceiver to communicate with the vendor devices over the interface, and a controller configured to selectively copy one of the plurality of vendor device data from the second memory block to the first memory block, wherein copying enables the transceiver to communicate over the interface with a particular vendor device corresponding to the selected vendor device data. | 2012-10-04 |
20120251125 | PASSBAND REFLECTOMETER - A time-domain (TD) reflectometer that is designed to operate based on probe and response signals that are substantially fully spectrally confined to a designated frequency passband. In one embodiment, the TD reflectometer uses a passband transmitter to generate the probe signal based on a pseudo-random bit sequence and a passband receiver to demodulate the response signal. The TD reflectometer determines the impulse response of a channel under test based on cross-correlation of the transmitter and receiver baseband signals. In various embodiments, the TD reflectometer can be designed to operate in an acoustic-frequency range, a radio-frequency range, or an optical-frequency range. Due to its passband configuration, the TD reflectometer is advantageously capable of determining impulse responses without disrupting the operation and/or interfering with normal functions of the tested channel. | 2012-10-04 |
20120251126 | Optical Fibers With Tubular Optical Cores - An embodiment of an apparatus includes an optical fiber for which a complete orthogonal basis of propagating modes at an optical telecommunication frequency includes ones of the propagating modes with different angular momenta. The optical fiber has a tubular optical core and an outer optical cladding in contact with and surrounding the tubular optical core. The tubular optical core has a larger refractive index than the optical cladding. The tubular optical core is configured such that those of the propagating modes whose angular momenta have the lowest magnitude for the propagating modes have substantially the same radial intensity profile. | 2012-10-04 |
20120251127 | FRAME MAPPING APPARATUS AND FRAME MAPPING METHOD - An apparatus for mapping multiple lower-speed signal transmission frames to a higher-speed signal transmission frame. The apparatus includes buffers configured to buffer the lower-speed signal transmission frames, determination units configured to determine frequency justification information for the lower-speed signal transmission frames, a barrel shifter configured to receive signals output from the buffers, and a controller configured to control the barrel shifter to map the lower-speed signal transmission frames to the higher-speed signal transmission frame based on external settings for the respective lower-speed signal transmission frames and the frequency justification information determined by the determination units. When the minimum unit of the lower-speed signal transmission frames is a channel, the number of the buffers and the number of the determination units correspond to the maximum number of channels that can be multiplexed in the higher-speed signal transmission frame. | 2012-10-04 |
20120251128 | OPTICAL TRANSMITTER AND METHOD FOR OPTICAL SIGNAL WAVEFORM COMPENSATION - An optical transmitter includes: a modulator driver to generate a drive signal from an input signal; a modulator to generate a modulated optical signal according to the drive signal; an amplitude detector to detect an input amplitude representative of an amplitude of the input signal; and a controller to generate a waveform control signal according to the input amplitude detected by the amplitude detector. The modulator driver controls a waveform of the drive signal according to the waveform control signal. | 2012-10-04 |
20120251129 | OPTICAL MODULATOR WITH LINEAR RESPONSE - Apparatuses and methods for modulating an optical signal are disclosed. One embodiment is a method comprising: phase modulating a slave laser which is injection locked to a master laser to produce an arcsine phase modulated optical signal, and combining the arcsine phase modulated optical signal with an output optical signal from the master laser. | 2012-10-04 |
20120251130 | THERMAL CHIRP COMPENSATION IN A CHIRP MANAGED LASER - Thermal chirp compensation in a chirp managed laser. In one example embodiment, a laser package including a laser and an optical spectrum reshaper configured to convert frequency modulated optical signals from the laser into an amplitude modulated optical signals is provided. A thermal chirp compensation device is in communication with the laser package and a laser driver. The thermal chirp compensation device includes means for generating bias condition and temperature specific thermal chirp compensation signals that each corresponds to a predetermined level of thermal chirp that is induced in the laser by operating the laser at a particular bias condition and temperature. | 2012-10-04 |
20120251131 | COMPENSATING FOR PERIODIC NONUNIFORMITY IN ELECTROPHOTOGRAPHIC PRINTER - A method is provided of compensating for periodic non-uniformity in an electrophotographic (EP) printer with a rotatable imaging component, and a runout sensor for measuring the distance between a first reference point and the surface of the first component along a first reference axis. An image signal representing an image to be produced on a receiving member by the printer is received. The component is rotated. While it is rotating, the distance for the component is measured using the runout sensor. A correction value corresponding to the measured distance is automatically determined using a processor. The image data corresponding to the measured distance are automatically adjusted with the correction value using the processor. Toner corresponding to the adjusted image data is deposited on the receiver using the component. | 2012-10-04 |
20120251132 | METHOD OF CORRELATING IMAGE MISREGISTRATION - A method for measuring Side 1 to Side 2 image on paper misregistration includes using a series of lines printed on both sides of a substrate, such as, paper. The paper is passed in front of an in-line spectrophotometer or densitometer. The amount of image “show through” is measured and correlated to an amount of misregistration. | 2012-10-04 |
20120251133 | IMAGE FORMATION SYSTEM, METHOD FOR IMAGE FORMATION AND RECORDING MEDIUM - An image formation system wherein a paper discharge unit of a first image formation device which forms an image using a colored printing agent, is connected with a first paper feeder of a second image formation device which forms an image using a transparent printing agent, and a printing material formed by the first image formation device is fed to the second image formation device, the image a formation system comprising: a jam detector; and an image formation unit that, when detecting a jam in the second image formation device, causes a printing material to be fed to the second image formation device from a second paper feeder separate and causes the second image formation device to form an image upon detecting a jam in the second image formation device, and second image data inputted together with the first image data using colored and transparent printing agents. | 2012-10-04 |
20120251134 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - An image forming apparatus includes an image holding member, an exposing device, a developing device, a transfer device, a fixing device, a container mounting portion demountably mounted with a toner container, a toner supply unit supplying the toner to the developing device from the toner container, a first estimation unit estimating an amount of toner used on the basis of the image data, a second estimation unit estimating the amount of toner used on the basis of a toner supplying operation of the toner supply unit, and an emptiness determining unit determining emptiness of the toner container on the basis of only the amount of toner used estimated by the first estimation unit in a first state and both the amounts of toner used estimated by the first and second estimation units in a second state. | 2012-10-04 |
20120251135 | Image Forming Apparatus and a Method for Determining a Condition of Toner - In an image forming apparatus, a control device obtains an amount of toner in a first area and an amount of toner in a second area. The first area is defined on a conveying member that is in contact with a photosensitive member. The transfer of toner is assured in the first area of the conveying member, but is not assured in the second area. The control device determines a toner condition based on a difference in the amount of toner between the first area and the second area. When the difference in the amount of toner is larger, the control device determines that the toner is in a deteriorated condition. When the difference in the amount of toner is smaller, the control device determines that the toner is not in the deteriorated condition. | 2012-10-04 |
20120251136 | HEAT-RESPONSIVE SWITCH, FIXING DEVICE, AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - A heat-responsive switch includes a case member, a deformation member deformed from a shape concave to an inside of the case member to a convex shape in response to a temperature variation, a first electrode having a first contact, a second electrode having a second contact and bringing the second contact into contact with the first contact with the first contact impelled to the deformation member, a first pressing member pressing the first electrode to separate the first contact from the second contact by having an end pressed by the deformation of the deformation member into the convex shape, and a second pressing member pressing the deformation member to restore the deformation member to the concave shape and pressing the second electrode to keep the first contact and the second contact separated by having the end pressed to the deformation member from an outside of the case member. | 2012-10-04 |
20120251137 | THERMALLY-ACTUATED SWITCH, FIXING DEVICE, AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - A thermally-actuated switch includes a movable member that is provided between a second electrode and a displacement member so as to be movable in a first direction, is pushed at one end by the displacement member in a concave state to push the second electrode at the other end to bring a second contact into contact with a first contact, and is moved in the first direction by an urging force acting on the second electrode due to convex displacement of the displacement member, and a regulating member that regulates movement of the movable member in a second direction orthogonal to the first direction from a transmittable position where a pushing force from the displacement member is capable of being transmitted to the second electrode, and releases the regulation such that the movable member moved in the first direction by the urging force is removed from the transmittable position. | 2012-10-04 |
20120251138 | Fuser Unit - A fuser unit includes: a cylindrical member; a heat generator; a nip member; a backup member, which configures a nip part between the cylindrical member and the backup member with the cylindrical member; a conductive member, which is arranged to cover the heat generator at the inside of the cylindrical member; a temperature detection unit; a wiring; a first frame having insulation, which is arranged at an opposite side to the heat generator with respect to the conductive member being interposed therebetween at the inside of the cylindrical member, and which extends along the conductive member; and a second frame, which is arranged at an opposite side to the conductive member with respect to the first frame being interposed therebetween at the inside of the cylindrical member, and which extends along the first frame, wherein the wiring is arranged between the first frame and the second frame. | 2012-10-04 |
20120251139 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - An image forming apparatus including: a photosensitive member; a charging member; a developer carrier; a transfer member; a charging control unit that applies a charging bias having the same polarity as a charged polarity of the developers to the charging member; and a transfer control unit that applies a transfer bias having a reverse polarity to the charged polarity of the developers to the transfer member, wherein when the transfer control unit sets the absolute value of the transfer bias to a first value, the charging control unit sets an absolute value of the charging bias to a third value, and wherein when the transfer control unit sets the absolute value of the transfer bias to a second value, the charging control unit sets the absolute value of the charging bias to a fourth value smaller than the third value. | 2012-10-04 |
20120251140 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS AND PROCESS CARTRIDGE - A developer stirring unit is rotated and driven without driving an electrophotographic photosensitive drum according to output information of a temperature detection unit of an image forming apparatus during a non-image formation period, thereby cooling a developer near a developing roller. | 2012-10-04 |
20120251141 | DETERMINING THE CAUSE OF PRINTER IMAGE ARTIFACTS - A method is provided of determining the cause of artifacts in images produced by an electrophotographic (EP) printer. A reference image is printed and artifacts in it are detected. After printing normal images, a test image is printed and artifacts in it are detected. If a detected artifact in the test image does not correspond to a detected artifact in the reference image, a characteristic frequency spectrum of the artifact in the test image is determined. Run-out on rotatable imaging components is measured, and a characteristic frequency spectrum of each is determined. The test image spectrum is compared to each component spectrum to identify which component is causing the artifact. | 2012-10-04 |
20120251142 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS AND IMAGE ADJUSTING METHOD - An image forming apparatus including: an image forming unit that forms an image; a carrier that carries and conveys the image; a detecting unit that detects a first adjustment image based on a light reception result of reflection of light projected toward the carrier; and an adjusting unit that adjusts a formation condition of an image to be formed on a sheet based on a result of the detection of the first adjustment image, wherein the image forming unit forms a second adjustment image having a first mark on the carrier, and wherein when the detecting unit detects the second adjustment image based on a light reception result of reflection of light projected toward the carrier, the adjusting unit adjusts a position of the first adjustment image to be formed on the carrier in the orthogonal direction by using a second orthogonal direction length of the first mark. | 2012-10-04 |
20120251143 | DUAL TONER PRINTING WITH CHARGE AREA DEVELOPMENT - Methods for printing are provided. In one aspect a primary imaging member having a pattern of engine pixel locations with image modulated differences of potential and with first toner having a first toner difference of potential is moved to a second development station. A second development difference of potential of the first polarity at the second development station forms a second net development difference of the second development difference of potential less any image modulated difference of potential at the individual engine pixel location and less any difference of potential relative to ground of any first toner at the individual engine pixel location. The second development difference of potential is greater than the first development difference of potential so that second toner that is different from the first toner is developed onto the first toner using the second net development difference of potential. | 2012-10-04 |
20120251144 | DUAL TONER PRINTING WITH DISCHARGE AREA DEVELOPMENT - Methods for printing are provided. In one aspect a primary imaging member having a pattern of engine pixel locations with image modulated differences of potential and with first toner having a first toner difference of potential is moved to a second development station. A second development difference of potential of the first polarity at the second development station forms a second net development difference of the second development difference of potential less any image modulated difference of potential at the individual engine pixel location and less any difference of potential relative to ground of any first toner at the individual engine pixel location. The second development difference of potential is greater than the first development difference of potential so that second toner that is different from the first toner, is developed onto the first toner using the second net development difference of potential. | 2012-10-04 |
20120251145 | RATIO MODULATED PRINTING WITH CHARGE AREA DEVELOPMENT - Methods for printing are provided. In one aspect, the method includes providing a primary imaging member having engine pixel locations with a ratio modulated difference of potentials, establishing a first development difference of potential to form a first net development difference of potential between the first development difference of potential and the engine pixel location and providing a first charged toner such that the second toner develops at the engine pixel location. Establishing a second development difference of potential that is greater than the first difference of potential proximate the engine pixel location such that a determined amount of first toner develops at the engine pixel locations according to a second net development difference of potential. Wherein the range of second toner potentials is such that a determined range of ratios of second toner amounts and the determined first toner amount provide ratio modulated differences of potential. | 2012-10-04 |
20120251146 | RATIO MODULATED PRINTING WITH DISCHARGE AREA DEVELOPMENT - Methods for printing are provided. In one aspect, the method includes providing a primary imaging member having engine pixel locations with a ratio modulated difference of potentials, establishing a first development difference of potential to form a first net development difference of potential between the first development difference of potential and the engine pixel location and providing a first charged toner such that the first toner develops at the engine pixel location according to the first net development difference of potential. Establishing a second development difference of potential that is greater than the first difference of potential proximate the engine pixel location such that a determined amount of second toner develops at the engine pixel locations. Wherein the range of first toner potentials is such that a determined range of ratios of first toner amounts and the determined second toner amount provide ratio modulated differences of potential. | 2012-10-04 |
20120251147 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - In order to provide a developer reservoir that allows the liquid level to be accurately detected and with which the device does not end up being bulkier, the developer reservoir of the present invention includes a holder for holding a liquid developer containing toner and a carrier, an electrostatic capacitance type of liquid level sensor that detects electrostatic capacitance and has a first sensor electrode provided to the holder and a second sensor electrode that is opposite the first sensor electrode with liquid developer in between, and a calculator for calculating the level of the liquid developer held in the holder on the basis of the electrostatic capacitance detected by the electrostatic capacitance type of liquid level sensor. | 2012-10-04 |
20120251148 | VACUUM DRIVE FOR WEB CONTROL AT PHOTORECEPTOR - Systems and a method for image forming systems to skip over the non-printing photoreceptor area in order to not skip a label position on a continuous print web medium. A vacuum assembly is coupled to a controller that controls different vacuum pressures at each vacuum roller therein. The vacuum rollers provide drag and drive forces to skip a seam of the photoreceptor and a residual length based on the number and size of images on the photoreceptor. | 2012-10-04 |
20120251149 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS AND TRANSFER DEVICE - An image forming apparatus includes a main body portion including an image carrier, an image-carrier driving unit, a latent-image forming unit, a developing-unit attachment section, and a transfer-unit attachment section. The developing-unit attachment section receives a first developing unit having plural developing members or a second developing unit having a single developing member. The transfer-unit attachment section receives a first transfer unit, which includes a first transfer member capable of retaining a recording medium and a first transfer driving unit that rotates the first transfer member, and a second transfer unit, which includes a second transfer member that cannot retain the recording medium. When the first developing unit and the first transfer unit are attached to the developing-unit attachment section and the transfer-unit attachment section, respectively, the first transfer driving unit is mechanically connected to the first developing unit. | 2012-10-04 |
20120251150 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - An image formation control section sets a secondary transfer section in the pressed state in the case of execution of a main scanning correction processing as color registration correction, and sets the secondary transfer section in the separated state in the case of execution of a sub-scanning correction processing, an entire lateral magnification correction processing, a partial lateral magnification correction processing, or a skew correction processing, which is the correction of the image position for components other than the main scanning direction as color registration correction so as to prevent the situation where the correction accuracy of the image position with respect to the main scanning direction decreases and to prevent a decrease in print quality due to a residual image of a registration correction processing. | 2012-10-04 |
20120251151 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - An image forming apparatus is configured to control the timing to switch a development unit by a development rotary after forming an image, based on the size of the image to be formed. Accordingly, if the switching of the development unit is completed within a time period corresponding to a trailing edge margin of an image area, a subsequent color image can be formed without idling an intermediate transfer member, so that the image forming apparatus can suppress or reduce degradation of the throughput. | 2012-10-04 |
20120251152 | APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR MARKING MATERIAL FIX LEVEL CONTROL IN A PRINTING APPARATUS - An apparatus and method control fix levels in a printing apparatus. The apparatus can include a media transport configured to transport a media sheet having marking material on at least a first side of the media sheet. The apparatus can include a media sheet rub module configured to rub a rub material against the first side of the media sheet. The apparatus can include a sensor configured to sense marking material on the rub material, the marking material rubbed from the first side of the media sheet onto the rub material. The apparatus can include a controller configured to determine a fix level of marking material on the media sheet based on the sensed marking material on the rub material, the fix level indicating how well the marking material is affixed to the media sheet. | 2012-10-04 |
20120251153 | IMAGE HEATING APPARATUS - An image heating apparatus includes: a belt for heating in a nip an image formed on a recording material; a rotatable steering member for stretching the belt and for controlling the position of the belt with respect to a widthwise direction by inclination; a slidable member provided so as to be movable toward and away from a surface of the belt; a contact and separation portion for moving the slidable member toward and away from the belt; an execution portion capable of executing an operation in a sliding mode in which the slidable member contacts the belt and is slid on the surface of the belt; and a controller for controlling a maximum inclination angle of the rotatable steering member during execution of the operation in the sliding mode so that the maximum inclination angle is set at a value smaller than that during image formation. | 2012-10-04 |
20120251154 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR PRINTING ON PRE-PRINTED MEDIA AND LETTERHEAD MEDIA - A method for managing the printing of documents on pre-printed media, which includes the steps of: receiving a print job representing a document to be printed; detecting an orientation of a pre-printed media being fed into an image forming apparatus; processing the print job for printing based on the orientation of the pre-printed media; and printing the print job on at least one sheet of the pre-printed media | 2012-10-04 |
20120251155 | DEVELOPING DEVICE AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - A developing device includes a development roller that holds developer containing toner and carrier, rotates and transports the developer to a development area, and develops a latent image using the toner; a housing that has a first opening that opens towards the image holding member, and that holds the development roller; an airflow path that has a second opening that opens towards the image holding member at a location below the first opening; a blower that causes air in the airflow path to be sent in a direction in which the toner scattered between the housing and the image holding member is sucked from the second opening; and a magnetic plate opposing an end portion of the development roller in a direction of an axis of rotation of the development roller and extending so as to surround the development roller in a direction of rotation of the development roller. | 2012-10-04 |
20120251156 | Image Forming Apparatus - An image forming apparatus includes an image forming unit configured to form an image on a transfer-receiving member conveyed from a first side to a second side, and a fixing device disposed on a side of the image forming unit closer to the second side, and configured to fix the image formed on the transfer-receiving member. A conveying path formation member is configured to form a conveying path along which the transfer-receiving member is conveyed from the image forming unit to the fixing device. The conveying path formation member includes a first member having first through holes in the up-down direction, and a second member having second through holes in the up-down direction, wherein the second member faces the first member such that the second through holes do not overlap the first through holes when projected in the up-down direction. | 2012-10-04 |
20120251157 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS FOR PERFORMING FIXING PROCESSING BY INDUCTION HEATING SYSTEM - An image forming apparatus includes a first housing, a second housing on which the first housing is mounted, a first roller, a second roller, a nipping pressure adjusting mechanism, an induction heating unit and a retaining mechanism. A first rotary shaft of the first roller is rotatably supported by the first housing in a state of being positionally immovable. A second rotary shaft of the second roller is rotatably supported by the first housing in a state of being positionally movable. The nipping pressure adjusting mechanism changes the posture of the second roller between a first posture that the second roller is pressingly contacted with the first roller with a first pressure, and a second posture that the second roller is pressingly contacted with the first roller with a second pressure lower than the first pressure. The relative positions between the second roller and the induction heating unit are retained. | 2012-10-04 |
20120251158 | OPTICAL SCANNING APPARATUS AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - If an open-close lid is opened to perform cleaning for wiping the dirt off reflection surfaces of a polygon mirror, a service staff has difficulty in cleaning the reflection surfaces of the polygon mirror since the polygon mirror is located inside a housing. To respond to such an issue, a positional relationship between an installation position of the polygon mirror and an opening is set such that at least one of the reflection surfaces of the polygon mirror is exposed to the outside of the housing. | 2012-10-04 |
20120251159 | DEVELOPING DEVICE, PROCESS CARTRIDGE, AND ELECTROPHOTOGRAPHIC IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - In a developing device, a rotation shaft is provided with a developer feeding member, a cleaning member, and a receiving portion. The receiving portion is provided downstream of the developer feeding member and upstream of a light transmitting member, provided to a wall surface of a developer accommodating chamber of the developing device, with respect to a rotational direction of the rotation shaft when the cleaning member has passed through the light transmitting member. | 2012-10-04 |
20120251160 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS AND CARTRIDGE - An endless belt confronts the photosensitive drum. A developing unit includes a developer accommodation portion that is configured to accommodate developer, and a developing roller that is rotatably provided and supplies the photosensitive drum with the developer. A collecting unit is configured to remove waste developer to be discarded from the endless belt and to collect the waste developer. A waste developer accommodation portion is provided integrally with the developer accommodation portion and is configured to accommodate the waste developer collected by the collecting unit. A conveying mechanism is configured to be connected to both the waste developer accommodation portion and the collecting unit and to convey the waste developer from the collecting unit to the waste developer accommodation portion. The waste developer accommodation portion is movable relative to the conveying mechanism. | 2012-10-04 |
20120251161 | Image Forming Device - An image forming device, comprising: a recovering member that is provided for the at least one photosensitive body and recovers adhered substances adhered to the at least one photosensitive body; a belt cleaner that removes the adhered substances adhered to the transfer belt; a cleaning process execution unit that executes a cleaning process in which the adhered substances are transferred from the recovering member to the transfer belt via the at least one photosensitive body; a use amount calculation unit that divides a developer image for transferring to the sheet-like medium into a plurality of areas in a main scanning direction so as to calculate a developer use amount in each of the plurality of areas; and a cleaning time determination unit that determines a time for which the cleaning process is executed, based on a maximum value of the developer use amounts of the plurality of areas. | 2012-10-04 |
20120251162 | DEVELOPING DEVICE PROVIDED WITH DEVELOPING ROLLER AND THICKNESS REGULATING BLADE - The developing device includes a casing, a developing roller, a thickness regulating blade, and a seal member. The developing roller has an outer peripheral surface carrying developer. The thickness regulating blade is configured to regulate a thickness of the developer carried on the outer peripheral surface and has an opposed surface confronting the casing. The thickness regulating blade further has one end part supported on the casing and another end part provided with a press member in sliding contact with the outer peripheral surface. The press member is located on the opposed surface and protrudes toward the developing roller. The press member is formed with a receiving portion depressed inward at its widthwise ends in an axial direction of the developing roller. The seal member is disposed between the thickness regulating blade and the casing and contacting at least a part of the receiving portion. | 2012-10-04 |
20120251163 | Image Forming Device Provided with Side Walls Having Empty Region - An image forming device includes a main casing and a photosensitive unit having photosensitive bodies arrayed in an array direction. The main casing includes a first side plate having a first primary portion extending in the array direction, and having a first positioning portion and a second positioning portion spaced away therefrom in the array direction. The photosensitive unit includes a second side plate supporting the photosensitive bodies and having a second primary portion extending in the array direction. The second side plate has a third positioning portion subjected to positioning relative to the first positioning portion and has a fourth positioning portion subjected to positioning relative to the second positioning portion. The first and third portions are overlapped with each other and the second and fourth positioning portions are overlapped with each other while the first primary portion and the second primary portion are spaced away from each other. | 2012-10-04 |
20120251164 | IMAGE-FORMING APPARATUS - An image-forming apparatus includes: a process cartridge including a photosensitive drum having a photosensitive surface and a rotational axis; an exposing unit having a first end, a second end opposing the first end, and an exposing surface formed on the first end and oriented in a predetermined direction; and a supporting member on which the process cartridge is mountable from a side of the second end. The supporting member has a pivotal supporting portion configured to pivotably movably support the process cartridge between an exposing position where the photosensitive surface of the photosensitive drum faces the exposing surface and a retracted position where the photosensitive surface of the photosensitive drum is offset from the exposing surface, the exposing surface being configured to expose the photosensitive surface of the photosensitive drum to form an electrostatic latent image when the process cartridge is positioned at the exposing position. | 2012-10-04 |
20120251165 | Cartridge - A cartridge which may include a housing, a driving input member provided at the housing and configured to be rotated by an externally supplied rotation driving force, and a rotational member configured to receive the rotation driving force, which is transmitted from the driving input member, and be rotated thereby. The cartridge may also include a detection protrusion including an elastic body and which is disposed at a position away from a rotational center of the rotational member. The detection protrusion may protrude from the rotational member away from the housing. The cartridge may also include a cover attached to the housing, the cover having an opposite part that faces a portion of the rotational member from which the detection protrusion protrudes. At an initial position, which is a position before the rotational member is rotated, the detection protrusion may abut the opposite part of the cover. | 2012-10-04 |
20120251166 | RECORDING APPARATUS - A recording apparatus includes: a first housing; a second housing pivotable about a shaft relative to the first housing between a close position and a distant position; and a tank mount portion provided in the second housing such that a mounting direction of a tank with respect to the tank mount portion in a state in which the second housing is at the distant position has a downward component in a vertical direction. The tank mount portion includes a resistance applying mechanism which applies a resistance force to the tank in a state in which at least a part of the tank is inserted into the tank mount portion when the second housing is at the distant position. | 2012-10-04 |
20120251167 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - An image forming apparatus includes image forming units which are detachably mounted on an apparatus body, and each of which includes an image holding body and a developing unit provided with a developing member that supplies a developer to the electrostatic latent image formed on the surface of the image holding body, shaft members which rotatably support the developing units, urging members which urge the developing members toward the image holding bodies, supply devices which supply developers to the developing units, transport passages which are provided so as to extend toward the developing members and the image holding bodies, and elastic members which form a part of the transport passage and are extensibly deformed so as to absorb the deviation of the relative position between the supply port and the receiving port. | 2012-10-04 |
20120251168 | ELECTROPHOTOGRAPHIC IMAGE FORMING METHOD AND PROCESS CARTRIDGE - An electrophotographic image forming method, including fixing one or more chromatic toner images on a recording medium; and fixing a transparent toner image on the chromatic toner image to partially or wholly increase glossiness of the recording medium, wherein the chromatic toner image has an average length (Sm) of concavities and convexities of from 50 to 350 μm. | 2012-10-04 |
20120251169 | IMAGE FORMING METHOD, IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS, AND PROCESS CARTRIDGE - An image forming method including forming an electrostatic latent image on an image bearing member; developing the electrostatic latent image using a color toner and a transparent toner to form a color toner image and a transparent toner image thereon; transferring the color toner image and the transparent toner image to a recording material; and fixing the color toner image and the transparent toner image on the recording material. The color toner includes a polyester resin and a colorant, and the loss tangent of the color toner has a maximum peak at a temperature of from 80° C. to 160° C., and is not greater than 3 at the maximum peak. The transparent toner includes a crystalline polyester resin, and the loss tangent of the transparent toner has a maximum peak at a temperature of from 80° C. to 160° C., and is not less than 3 at the maximum peak. | 2012-10-04 |
20120251170 | IMAGE FORMING DEVICE - An image forming device includes a motor capable of positive rotation and reverse rotation, a photoconductor drum, a developing roller, a contact/separation cam and a switching cam. The contact/separation cam is configured to move the developing roller. The switching cam is configured to switch a position of a transmission member. An electromagnetic clutch is disposed between one of the contact/separation cam and the switching cam and the motor. The other cam is connected to the motor without the electromagnetic clutch. The contact/separation cam and the switching cam are driven by using the positive rotation and the reverse rotation of the motor and the electromagnetic clutch. | 2012-10-04 |
20120251171 | CONDUCTIVE MEMBER - Provided is such a conductive member that a change in its electrical resistance value caused by its long-term use is reduced to the extent possible. The conductive member has a conductive support and a conductive layer, the conductive layer contains a rubber composition formed of a modified epichlorohydrin rubber, and the modified epichlorohydrin rubber has a unit represented by the following formula (1). In the formula (1), R1, R2, and R3 each independently represent hydrogen or a saturated hydrocarbon group having 1 to 18 carbon atoms. | 2012-10-04 |
20120251172 | Photosensitive Unit and Image Forming Apparatus - An image forming apparatus includes a pressure unit and first and second positioning portions. A photosensitive unit, configured to be mounted in a main frame of the image forming apparatus along a prescribed direction, may include a plurality of photosensitive drums, a pair of metal plates, and a resin frame. The pair of metal plates is spaced away from each other in the axial direction of each photosensitive drum and supports the photosensitive drums. The metal plates are configured to be positioned on the second positioning portion. The resin frame is configured to support the metal plates and developer cartridges. The resin frame is further configured to be positioned on the first positioning portion. The pair of metal plates is pressed against the second positioning portion to be positioned with respect to the main frame when the resin frame is pressed by the pressure unit in the prescribed direction. | 2012-10-04 |
20120251173 | Image-Forming Device - A plurality of developing units is disposed beneath photosensitive drums for supplying toner to the photosensitive drums. A mounting member detachably mounts the developing units and is configured to be pulled out from the main casing. A supporting member has an upstream end portion in a pulling direction that the mounting member is pulled outward from the main casing and is pivotably supported on the main casing about the upstream end portion. The mounting member is slidably supported on the supporting member in the pulling direction. The supporting member is configured to pivot with the mounting member between a first position where the developing units are capable of supplying toner to the photosensitive drums and a second position where the developing units separate from the photosensitive drums. The mounting member is configured to be pulled out from the main casing if the support member is in the second position. | 2012-10-04 |
20120251174 | IMAGE FORMING METHOD - Provided is a method for forming an image containing the sequential steps of: forming a foil adhesion toner image on an image supporting substrate with a foil adhesion toner (α) which comprises at least a binder resin containing a thermoplastic resin using an electrophotographic method; forming a foil image on the foil adhesion toner image by contacting a transfer foil on the foil adhesion toner image with applying heat; and forming a visible toner image on the image supporting substrate which has been formed with the foil image with at least one image forming toner (β) using an electrophotographic method, followed by fixing the visible toner image by applying heat and pressure thereto, wherein Δ(Tsp(α)−Tsp(β)) is 5 to 50° C., provided that Tsp (α) is a softening point of the foil adhesion toner (α) and Tsp (β) is a softening point of the image forming toner (β). | 2012-10-04 |
20120251175 | CARTRIDGE DRIVE SHAFT GEAR - Image recording devices, such as electrophotographic devices, laser printers, copiers, and fax machines, often have a cartridge that utilizes a drive gear to transmit rotational force from the printer to the print cartridge. Also, it is desirable to remanufacture print cartridge both to reduce waste and to save resources. Therefore, it may be desirable to provide a drive gear mechanism that is easily replaced or reused when a print cartridge is remanufactured. | 2012-10-04 |
20120251176 | ROTATING PRINTER PHOTORECEPTORS HAVING FIXED-POSITION FEATURES - An electrophotographic printer includes two photoreceptors driven using respective self-centering free ends of respective selectively-engageable output shafts. The output shafts are driven by respective output gears meshed to a common input gear. Respective centering structures on the photoreceptors receive the free ends of the output shafts; those centering structures are at fixed positions. | 2012-10-04 |
20120251177 | Image Formation Apparatus - An image formation apparatus includes a driving source configured to supply a rotational driving force in a predetermined direction, a particular developing unit having a developing roller and accommodating particular color developer, a first gear configured to receive the driving force of the driving source, a second gear configured to transmit the driving force to the developing roller, a particular intermediate gear configured to be engaged with the first and the second gears. A rotational center of the particular intermediate gear is arranged on an upstream side in a moving direction of teeth of the second gear, and a translation member is configured to linearly move between a first position where the particular intermediate gear engages with the first and second gears, and a second position where the particular intermediate gear disengages from the particular intermediate gear. | 2012-10-04 |
20120251178 | IMAGE CARRIER DRIVER AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - An image carrier driver includes an image carrier, a first power transmitter, a rotator, a second power transmitter, and a damper. The image carrier is configured to rotate by power generated by a driving source. The first power transmitter is configured to transmit the power from the driving source to the image carrier. The rotator is disposed further downstream than the image carrier in a flow of power transmission. The second power transmitter is configured to transmit the power from the image carrier to the rotator. The damper is disposed in the image carrier and is configured to attenuate an oscillation associated with the power transmission and transmitted to the image carrier. | 2012-10-04 |
20120251179 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - An image forming apparatus includes a translation cam having a cam surface configured to move a developing roller from a contact position contacting a photosensitive member to a retracted position retracted from the photosensitive member and further having a holding surface configured to hold the developing roller at the retracted position. The image forming apparatus further includes a first engaging portion. The translation cam includes a second engaging portion. The first engaging portion and the second engaging portion are configured to engage each other before a functioning surface of the translation cam is switched from the holding surface to the cam surface. | 2012-10-04 |
20120251180 | CHARGING DEVICE, IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS, AND POTENTIAL CONTROL PLATE - A charging device includes a discharge electrode that extends along an axial direction of a member to be charged; and a potential control plate disposed between the member to be charged and the discharge electrode and curved along a peripheral surface of the member to be charged. The potential control plate includes three or more structural lines that are arranged in a circumferential direction of the member to be charged and that linearly extend along the axial direction, and connecting portions arranged in the axial direction, each connecting portion connecting two or more of the three or more structural lines to each other, the two or more structural lines being next to each other in the circumferential direction. The structural lines connected by one of the connecting portions and those connected by another one of the connecting portions are at least partly different from each other. | 2012-10-04 |
20120251181 | DRIVER APPARATUS, PRINT HEAD AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - A driver apparatus drives aligned light emitting thyristors. Each thyristor includes an anode, a cathode, and a gate. The driver apparatus includes a common terminal, a first resistor, a second resistor, and a switch. Each thyristor is disposed at a first position where the anode is connected to the first potential and the cathode is connected to the common terminal, or a second position where the anode is connected to the common terminal and the cathode is connected to the second potential. The first resistor is connected between the first potential and the common terminal. The second resistor is connected between the common terminal and the second potential. The switch is connected at a third position where the switch is connected between the between the first potential and the common terminal, or a fourth position where the switch is connected between the common terminal and the second potential. | 2012-10-04 |
20120251182 | OPTICAL DEVICE CAPABLE OF MINIMIZING OUTPUT VARIATION DUE TO FEEDBACK LIGHT, OPTICAL SCANNING APPARATUS, AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - An optical device includes a surface-emitting laser array having a plurality of light-emitting portions; a package member on which the surface-emitting laser array is disposed; and a transparent member retained on the package member and disposed on an optical path of a light beam emitted by the surface-emitting laser array. The transparent member includes an incident plane on which the light beam emitted by the surface-emitting laser array is incident. The incident plane is inclined with respect to an emitting surface of the surface-emitting laser array at a first inclination angle which is smaller than a second inclination angle at which the light emitted by one of the light-emitting portions is incident on another, most-distant one, of the light-emitting portions via reflection by the transparent member. | 2012-10-04 |
20120251183 | LIGHT IRRADIATION ELEMENT, IMAGE FORMING STRUCTURE, AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - A light irradiation element includes a cavity through which light passes and a translucent light conduit bordering the cavity, allowing light to pass therethrough and transmitting the light passed through the cavity, the light irradiation element being disposed along a longitudinal direction of an image bearing body on which an electrostatic latent image is formed and directing the light passed through the light conduit to irradiate the image bearing body. | 2012-10-04 |
20120251184 | Image Forming Apparatus - An image forming apparatus includes a rotation driving source, a black developing unit, a color developing unit, a first gear, a second gear, a development drive transmission mechanism and a switching mechanism. The development drive transmission mechanism includes a first intermediate gear and a second intermediate gear. The switching mechanism includes a linear cam member configured to move linearly and to move the first intermediate gear and the second intermediate gear such that: in the first mode, the first gear engages the first intermediate gear and the second gear engages the second intermediate gear; in the second mode, the first gear engages the first intermediate gear and the second gear is disengaged from the second intermediate gear; in the third mode, the first gear is disengaged from the first intermediate gear. | 2012-10-04 |
20120251185 | DEVELOPING DEVICE - A developing device includes a developer carrying member for carrying a developer; a first feeding chamber for feeding along the developer carrying member to supply the developer to the developer carrying member and for collecting the developer, after being subjected to development; a second feeding chamber, connected to the first feeding chamber, for foaming a circulating path with the first feeding chamber; and a screw member rotatably provided in the first feeding chamber. In a region where the screw member opposes at least a developing region with respect to a rotational axis direction of the developer carrying member, the screw member includes a first helical portion having a helix direction of feeding the developer in the same direction as a circulation direction of the circulation path and a second helical portion having a helix direction opposite to the helix direction of the first helical portion. | 2012-10-04 |
20120251186 | IMAGE FORMING STRUCTURE, IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS, AND DEVELOPING DEVICE - An image forming structure includes an image holding member holding a latent image and an image obtained by developing the latent image, a developing device developing the latent image on the image holding member with a powder to form an image on the image holding member, a container mounting section demountably mounted with a container storing a powder to be supplied to the developing device, a shutter member that is disposed in a supply path including a powder introducing portion of the developing device and that blocks the supply path, and a supply member that is disposed at a position where the supply member engages with the shutter member and that rotates to supply the powder in a direction of a rotation shaft, wherein the supply member rotates to move the shutter member to an open position where the supply path is opened. | 2012-10-04 |
20120251187 | Image Forming Apparatus and Developing Cartridge - A developing cartridge includes a case having a first sidewall and a second sidewall opposite to the first sidewall, and a developing roller disposed between the first sidewall and second sidewall. The developing roller can include a developing roller shaft and a developing roller member configured to carry a developing agent thereon, the developing roller member disposed around the developing roller shaft. Also, the developing cartridge can include an electrode disposed on the first sidewall adjacent to the developing roller shaft, the electrode electrically connected to the developing roller member, and a driven coupling disposed on the second sidewall. The electrode can include, an extending portion extending in a direction away from the first sidewall. An outermost periphery of the driven coupling defines a projection plane projecting in a direction towards the electrode, wherein at least a part of the extending portion is disposed within the projection plane. | 2012-10-04 |
20120251188 | DEVELOPER, IMAGE FORMATION UNIT, AND IMAGE FORMATION APPARATUS - A developer includes particles of developer base material containing a binder resin and external additive added to surfaces of the particles of developer base material. A loose bulk density is not smaller than 0.300 g/ml but not larger than 0.420 g/ml, and a release rate of the external additive from the particles of developer base material is not lower than 5% but not higher than 15%. | 2012-10-04 |
20120251189 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - An image forming apparatus includes a rotating image carrier, a charging device, a latent image forming device, a developing device having a developer holder and developing a latent image as a visible image, a voltage application unit that generates a potential difference between the image carrier and the developer holder to form an electric field, by which toner is directed toward the latent image, in a developing region, and a transfer device that transfers the visible image of the image carrier to a medium, wherein the developer holder having a concavo-convex portion having a convex portion and a concave portion is provided in an outer surface thereof and formed such that the volume resistivity of a portion corresponding to the convex portion is set to be larger than the volume resistivity of a portion corresponding to the concave portion. | 2012-10-04 |
20120251190 | DEVELOPING CARTRIDGE - Developing cartridge includes doctor blade in contact with developer carrying member. The doctor blade includes supporting plate having proximal end portion and distal end portion. Pressing portion is provided on the distal end portion to define contacting portion at which the doctor blade contacts surface of the developer carrying member. The pressing portion has end face extending in a direction away from the developer carrying member from the contacting portion and facing an upstream side in rotational direction of the developer carrying member. The proximal end portion is positioned downstream from the contacting portion in the rotational direction of the developer carrying member. Angle a between the end face and a plane tangent to the contacting portion, at a position in proximity to the developer carrying member, is not smaller than 90 degrees, as viewed in cross section orthogonal to axis of rotation of the developer carrying member. | 2012-10-04 |
20120251191 | RESIN-COATED CARRIER FOR ELECTROPHOTOGRAPHIC DEVELOPER AND ELECTROPHOTOGRAPHIC DEVELOPER USING THE RESIN-COATED CARRIER - Object of the present invention is to provide a resin-coated carrier for an electrophotographic developer with reduced carrier weight, carrier beads carry over is prevented, and further, excellent in carrier strength and stable charging property in endurance printing. To achieve the object, the carrier having a coated resin layer on the surface of a porous ferrite core material and the pore volume and the peak pore size of the porous ferrite core material are 55 to 160 mm | 2012-10-04 |