49th week of 2010 patent applcation highlights part 34 |
Patent application number | Title | Published |
20100310199 | SINTERED BEARING - A maximum diameter (d) of each of surface openings formed in a bearing surface through melting of Sn metal powder as a binder is set within a range of 0 μm2010-12-09 | |
20100310200 | ROTARY FLEXURE AND AIR BEARING SUPPORT FOR ROTARY INDEXING SYSTEM - A highly position-stabilized indexable table or “dial” in which the dial is supported relative to a steel surface on a frame by one or more air bearings. A flexure mechanically connects the indexing motor to the dial in such a way as to be torsionally non-compliant, but axially compliant to decouple the dial from the motor shaft along the Z-axis. In one embodiment, the air bearings are mounted to the frame at uniformly angularly displaced positions under the dial. In another embodiment, the bearings are partially integrated into the dial. Negative (suction) preload can be used in either embodiment to increase air bearing stiffness and/or to allow inverted processing; i.e., mounting part fixtures on an undersurface of the dial. | 2010-12-09 |
20100310201 | BI-DIRECTIONAL ROTATION OFFSET PIVOT THRUST BEARING - The bi-directional rotation offset pivot thrust bearing includes a carrier and an array of longitudinal protrusions thereon that run through the center axis of the carrier. An array of pads are in slidable engagement with the longitudinal protrusions to permit the thrusts pads to move between first and second rotational positions. The thrust pads are automatically offset pivoted in a first direction when in a the first rotational position and automatically offset pivoted in a second direction when in the second rotational position. The thrust pads are offset pivoted in an approximate 60 percent to 40 percent ratio with the leading side of the thrust pad being 60 percent in both the first rotational position and the second rotational position. A retainer is also provided to maintain the thrust pads in slidable communication with the protrusions. | 2010-12-09 |
20100310202 | SENSOR EQUIPPED WHEEL SUPPORT BEARING ASSEMBLY - A wheel support bearing assembly includes rolling elements ( | 2010-12-09 |
20100310203 | CAGE FOR A ROLLING ELEMENT BEARING AND METHOD FOR THE PRODUCTION THEREOF - A cage for a rolling element bearing and a method for the production thereof. The cage has either an increased number of rolling elements or improved load-bearing capacity. The cage has a plurality of cage pockets for receiving the rolling elements, two side rings and a plurality of cross-ribs. The cross-ribs connect the side rings such that the cage pockets are formed. The cage pockets have milled-out or drilled-out corner regions, hereinafter collectively referred to as milled-out corner regions The corner regions, in a cutting plane perpendicular to the axis of rotation of the cage, have a radial milling course in the direction of the axis of rotations. The milling course, at least in a partial section, is configured at an incline with respect to a radial vector placed through the partial section and the axis of rotation, and is configured at an incline in the direction of the cage pocket. | 2010-12-09 |
20100310204 | BEARING CAGE - A bearing cage for large radial or axial roller bearings, which has two axially opposed, circular ring-shaped side washers held at a distance to each other by connecting elements, and roll-shaped rolling elements disposed between the side washers which have bolt-like elements on the faces thereof. A side washer on at least one side of the rolling element has radial recesses into which the bolt-like elements protrude. At least one securing element suitable for holding the bolt-like elements in the area of the radial recesses in the assembled state is provided. Shaped elements that can each be introduced at least partially into the radial recesses of the side washer are provided as the securing element. This construction achieves easy assembly and disassembly of the housing, allowing high flexibility in repairing a roller bearing so equipped. | 2010-12-09 |
20100310205 | Hybrid Coupling Structure of the short Range Plasmon Polariton and Conventional Dielectric Waveguide, A Coupling Structure of the Long Range Plasmon Polariton and Conventional Dielectric Waveguide, and Applications Thereof - The present invention provides a hybrid coupling structure of a short range surface plasmon polariton and a conventional dielectric waveguide, including a dielectric substrate layer, a dielectric waveguide layer positioned on the said dielectric substrate layer, a coupling matching layer positioned on the said dielectric waveguide layer and a short range surface plasmon waveguide portion, formed on the said coupling matching layer, for conducting the short range surface plasmon polariton. The present invention also provides a coupling structure of a long range surface plasmon polariton and a dielectric waveguide, including a dielectric substrate layer, a dielectric waveguide layer, a coupling matching layer and a long range surface plasmon waveguide portion upward from below respectively. | 2010-12-09 |
20100310206 | OPTICAL MODULATOR - A technical problem related to a traveling wave electrode type of optical modulator comprising a substrate having the electro-optical effect, optical waveguides formed in the substrate, and a traveling wave electrode formed above the substrate includes improvement of the characteristics such as optical modulation bandwidth, driving voltage, and characteristic impedance of the traveling wave electrode type of optical modulator. To solve the problem, the structure of ridge portions is optimized which is formed in such a manner that a part of the substrate at regions where electric field generated by a high frequency electric signal traveling through the traveling wave electrode is strong is reduced in thickness by digging. Further, a buffer layer is formed over the substrate where the ridge portions are formed and a conducting layer is formed over the buffer layer. The thickness of at least one part of the buffer layer along the normal line of a side surface of the ridge portions is less than the thickness of the buffer layer on a bottom surface between the ridge portions formed by digging and/or the thickness of the buffer layer on a top part of the ridge portions. | 2010-12-09 |
20100310207 | OPTICAL MICROMACHINED PRESSURE SENSOR - It is an objective of the present invention to provide a highly sensitive optical pressure sensor that uses a Mach-Zehnder Interferometer to measure pressure. The pressure sensor comprises a deflectable diaphragm including a substantially central boss and channel and an optical waveguide having a first arm and a second arm, wherein the first arm is substantially aligned with an edge of the boss and the second arm is substantially aligned with an edge of the channel, and further wherein the first and second arms contain a periodic array of etched holes to improve the overall sensitivity of the pressure sensor. The pressure sensor further comprises a light source coupled to the optical waveguide for introducing light to the waveguide and a light detector coupled to the waveguide for detecting changes in the intensity of light. The change in light intensity is then correlated to an applied pressure. | 2010-12-09 |
20100310208 | Photonic crystal band-shifting device for dynamic control of light transmission - An active device for dynamic control of lightwave transmission properties has at least one photonic crystal waveguide that has anti-reflection photonic crystal waveguides with gradually changed group refractive indices at both input and output side. An alternating voltage or current signal applied to two electrically conductive regions changes the refractive indices of the photonic crystal materials, introducing a certain degree of blue-shift or red-shift of the transmission spectrum of the photonic crystal waveguide. The output lightwave with frequency close to the band-edge of the photonic crystal waveguide is controlled by the input electric signal. Devices having one or more such active photonic crystal waveguides may be utilized as an electro-optic modulator, an optical switch, or a tunable optical filter. | 2010-12-09 |
20100310209 | Apparatus for Transforming The Aspect Ratio of An Optical Input Field Based On Stacked Waveguides - An apparatus consisting of stacked slab waveguides whose outputs are vertically staggered is disclosed. At the input to the stacked waveguides, the entrances to each slab lie in approximately the same vertical plane. A spot which is imaged onto the input will be transformed approximately to a set of staggered rectangles at the output, without substantial loss in brightness, which staggered rectangles can serve as a convenient input to a spectroscopic apparatus. A slit mask can be added to spatially filter the outputs so as to present the desired transverse width in the plane of the spectroscopic apparatus parallel to its dispersion. | 2010-12-09 |
20100310210 | OPTICAL FIBER STRUCTURE, SYSTEM FOR FABRICATING THE SAME, AND BLOCK-LIKE CHIP FOR USE THEREIN - An optical fiber structure ( | 2010-12-09 |
20100310211 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR INSTALLATION OF DEVICES AROUND AN ELEMENT - A system comprising a first conduit having a first diameter; a second conduit having a second diameter; a connection between the first conduit and the second conduit, the connection having a third diameter larger than the first diameter and the second diameter; and a shell fitted about the connection. | 2010-12-09 |
20100310212 | OPTICAL CONNECTOR STRUCTURE - An optical connector structure (C) includes: an optical fiber ( | 2010-12-09 |
20100310213 | Multi-Fiber Fiber Optic Receptacle and Plug Assembly - There is provided a fiber optic receptacle and plug assembly adapted to provide electrical connectors for electrical conductors. The receptacle and plug define complimentary alignment and keying features for ensuring that the plug is mated with the receptacle in a predetermined orientation. An alignment sleeve is disposed within the plug for receiving a multi-fiber receptacle ferrule and a multi-fiber plug ferrule. The fiber optic receptacle and corresponding plug each include a biasing member assembly for urging the receptacle ferrule and the plug ferrule towards one another, wherein the biasing member assembly includes a spring, a spring centering cuff and a ferrule boot that operatively engage the rear of the receptacle ferrule and the plug ferrule, respectively, to substantially center a spring biasing force on the end face of the receptacle ferrule and the plug ferrule. The electrical connectors of the receptacle and plug are preferably provided separate from the biasing member assembly. | 2010-12-09 |
20100310214 | OPTICAL CONNECTING STRUCTURE - An optical connecting structure has an optical fiber, a pressing member having a circular outer cross section, and an optical member, wherein the optical member has an optical element, an optical fiber stopper structure, and an optical fiber holding groove, wherein the optical fiber stopper structure is positioned between the optical element and the optical fiber holding groove, wherein the optical fiber is inserted along the optical fiber holding groove so as to contact with the optical fiber stopper structure, and wherein the pressing member is arranged on the optical fiber holding groove mutually perpendicular, the pressing member presses the upper surface of the optical fiber to a direction of a bottom of the optical fiber holding groove, and the optical fiber and the optical element are thereby optically connected. | 2010-12-09 |
20100310215 | OPTICAL TRANSCEIVER WITH ENHANCED EMI TOLERANCE - A pluggable optical transceiver with an enhance EMI tolerance is disclosed. The optical transceiver provides an electrically conductive receptacle, a ground member made of metal sheet, and a cover also made of metal sheet. The ground member is assembled so as to surround a periphery of the receptacle. The cover provides a first bridge in a front portion thereof, while, the ground member provides fingers and a second bridge connecting the fingers in the tip portion. Fully setting the optical transceiver in the cage, the finger comes in contact with the inside of the cage and the first bridge comes in securely contact with the second bridge so as to shield a gap between the transceiver and the cage. | 2010-12-09 |
20100310216 | Optical Apparatus, Sealing Substrate, and Method of Manufacturing Optical Apparatus - An optical apparatus includes an element substrate on whose surface an optical element is provided; a wiring board disposed so as to face the optical element; a sealing member and a conductive member provided between the element substrate and the wiring board. The sealing member surrounds and hermetically seals the optical element. The conductive member electrically connects the optical element and the wiring board. The wiring board has a light-transmitting area transmitting light to the optical element. | 2010-12-09 |
20100310217 | FIBER OPTIC DROP CABLE ASSEMBLY FOR DEPLOYMENT ON BUILDING WALLS - A fiber optic drop cable assemblies and methods for deploying the same on a wall of a building are disclosed. The assembly includes a messenger member and a plurality of fiber optic cables each having a length, a connectorized end, and containing at least one optical fiber, the fiber optic cables being removably secured to the messenger member at a plurality of locations. The fiber optic cables are secured to the messenger member at a plurality of locations that correspond to select building locations, such as windows, through which the cable can be fed into the building. | 2010-12-09 |
20100310218 | Large Bandwidth Multimode Optical Fiber Having a Reduced Cladding Effect - A multimode optical fiber includes a central core having a radius (r | 2010-12-09 |
20100310219 | Microstructured Transmission Optical Fiber - A microstructured optical fiber for transmitting optical signals comprised of light, the optical fiber comprising:
| 2010-12-09 |
20100310220 | Optical device - An optical device wherein an optical waveguide is formed on a dielectric substrate, the optical device includes an input part and an output part where the optical waveguide and corresponding optical fibers are connected. A stress layer is provided for at least one of the input part and the output part. The stress layer applies a stress to the optical waveguide so that an index of refraction of the optical waveguide is reduced. | 2010-12-09 |
20100310221 | MODULAR SYSTEM AND METHODS FOR CONNECTING AN EXTERNAL COMMUNICATION NETWORK TO A USER NETWORK OF A BUILDING - A modular system for the connection of an external communication network to a user network of a building includes: at least one user module including: i) at least one passage opening of a connection cable of the user network including a plurality of optical fibres associated with respective users and ii) a plurality of adapters associated with respective optical fibres of the connection cable of the user network, and at least one operator module including: i) at least one inlet opening of at least one connection cable to the external communication network including a plurality of optical fibres and ii) at least one outlet opening of a plurality of fibre optic connection elements connected to the external communication network and provided with a connector at a terminal end thereof. The user module and the operator module are structurally independent from each other and the external communication network is operatively associated with the user network by means of a connection of the connectors of the fibre optic connection elements with respective selected adapters of the user module. | 2010-12-09 |
20100310222 | SPLICE HOLDER FOR COMMUNICATION SOCKET - The present invention discloses a splice holder, which is used for holding at least one splicing sleeve ( | 2010-12-09 |
20100310223 | FIBER OPTIC ADAPTER MODULE - A fiber optic adapter assembly includes a plurality of adapters included in an integrally formed body. Each of the adapters may include a protective shutter mounted within one end. The adapter assembly may be configured to mount to a chassis and position the adapters for receiving fiber optic connectors of telecommunications modules mounted to the chassis. | 2010-12-09 |
20100310224 | FIBER OPTIC ENCLOSURE WITH INTERNAL CABLE SPOOL - A fiber optic enclosure assembly includes a housing having an interior region and a bearing mount disposed in the interior region of the housing. A cable spool is connectedly engaged with the bearing mount such that the cable spool selectively rotates within the housing. A termination module disposed on the cable spool so that the termination module rotates in unison with the cable spool. A method of paying out a fiber optic cable from a fiber optic enclosure includes rotating a cable spool, which has a subscriber cable coiled around a spooling portion of the cable spool, about an axis of a housing of the fiber optic enclosure until a desired length of subscriber cable is paid out. A termination module is disposed on the cable spool. | 2010-12-09 |
20100310225 | HIGH DENSITY PATCHING SYSTEM FOR CABLE AND OPTICAL FIBER - A communication patching system includes a platform configured to support a plurality of cables and a first panel pivotably mounted to the platform, the first panel having at least one holder for securing communications adapters to the first panel. A first set of communications adapters is connected to the platform, and a second set of communications adapters mounted in the at least one holder. The first panel is pivotable between a first position in which the second set of communications adapters is spaced from the first set of communications adapters by a first distance and a second position in which the second set of communications adapters is spaced from the first set of communications adapters by a second distance greater than the first distance. | 2010-12-09 |
20100310226 | Dust Caps for Fiber Optic Connectors - A dust cap for a fiber optic connector is disclosed. The fiber optic connector includes a connector body having a first end and second end and a ferrule positioned at the first end of the connector body. The ferrule holds an optical fiber having an end face. The dust cap includes a housing adapted to engage the first end of the connector body to releasably couple the dust cap to the fiber optic connector and protect the end face of the optical fiber. Additionally, or alternatively, the dust cap may be configured to releasably engage an adjacent dust cap to join at least two dust caps together, and may include one or more mounting members for releasably coupling the dust cap to a support structure to thereby support the dust cap and any fiber optic connector releasably coupled to the dust cap from the support structure. | 2010-12-09 |
20100310227 | PERSONAL VIDEO RECORDER SYSTEMS AND METHODS - Systems and methods are disclosed for providing an interactive television system for recording television programming. The interactive television system may include components for providing personal video recorder (PVR) functionality, such as an interactive television program guide (IPG), PVR extensions, PVR application programming interfaces (APIs), a PVR device, any suitable hardware or software, or a combination thereof. These components may be implemented in, for example, an arrangement having an integrated PVR-compliant device with a PVR device, or in an arrangement having a PVR-compliant device (e.g., a set-top box) coupled to PVR equipment (e.g., a remote PVR server or a PVR sidecar) with a PVR device. The PVR-compliant device may include software and hardware configured to implement the IPG. The PVR APIs may be a library of intelligent vendor-specific and vendor-independent APIs able to determine the type of PVR device being used. The PVR extensions and PVR APIs may be configured to provide a seamless integration of functionality associated with the PVR-compliant device and the PVR device. A full port of the IPG may be implemented in both the PVR-compliant device and the PVR device. | 2010-12-09 |
20100310228 | REPRODUCTION DEVICE, REPRODUCTION METHOD, PROGRAM STORAGE MEDIUM, AND PROGRAM - The present invention displays subtitles in a language desired by a user in a desired format. A text data decoder | 2010-12-09 |
20100310229 | VIDEO PROCESSING APPARATUS AND VIDE PROCESSING METHOD - An apparatus, which controls a playback speed of a video content to enable the sound included therein to be in a well-audible range, is provided. A playback speed range is calculated based on sound characteristic information obtained by analyzing audio data of a video content and a predetermined sound parameter. A specific playback speed in the playback speed range is calculated based on a selected playback speed, and a video content is played back at the playback speed. | 2010-12-09 |
20100310230 | CLIENT-SERVER BASED INTERACTIVE TELEVISION PROGRAM GUIDE SYSTEM WITH REMOTE SERVER RECORDING - An interactive television program guide system is provided. An interactive television program guide provides users with an opportunity to select programs for recording on a remote media server. Programs may also be recorded on a local media server. The program guide provides users with VCR-like control over programs that are played back from the media servers and over real-time cached copies of the programs. The program guide also provides users with an opportunity to designate gift recipients for whom programs may be recorded. | 2010-12-09 |
20100310231 | EDITING APPARATUS, EDITING METHOD, AND EDITING PROGRAM - Herein disclosed are an editing apparatus, an editing method, and an editing program allowing quick editing of video data. In order to clip a section in the video data and play it to be broadcasted as a replay, receiving a request to start playback from a desired position, an in-point is set in response to the request, and an out-point is set in response to a request to finish playback. Then, other video data from the video data of a section between the in-point and the out-point is generated. | 2010-12-09 |
20100310232 | IMAGING DEVICE, IMAGE PROCESSING METHOD AND PROGRAM - There is provided an imaging device including, an operating portion on which are input a recording start instruction and a recording stop instruction, a recording portion that records onto a recording medium moving images that are picked up during a recording period from the recording start instruction to the recording stop instruction, a thumbnail generation portion that generates a plurality of thumbnail images that represent each of sections obtained by time division of the moving images, and a display control portion that displays a recorded image verification screen on a display portion immediately after the recording stop instruction, the plurality of thumbnail images being arranged in chronological order on the recorded image verification screen. | 2010-12-09 |
20100310233 | RECORDING MEDIUM FOR STORING INFORMATION FOR STILL PICTURE, RECORDING AND/OR REPRODUCING METHOD AND APPARATUS THEREFOR - A recording medium for storing information for still pictures, and a recording/reproducing method and apparatus therefor, stores data for a plurality of still pictures and audio data added thereto in one file or a space having a logically one-dimensional order, rather than in each file, and still picture group information for separating the still picture data into a predetermined maximum number of groups in order to manage the still pictures at a group level. The still picture group information includes general information for still picture groups, and information for still pictures in each still picture group. The general information for each still picture group includes the start position of a first still picture in each still picture group, and the information for still pictures in each still picture group includes the sizes of video data and audio data for each still picture. | 2010-12-09 |
20100310234 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR RENDERING TEXT ONTO MOVING IMAGE CONTENT - A method for rendering text onto moving image content. The method comprises receiving a request to translate dialog associated with moving image content, transmitting an interface, transmitting a time-stamped transcription, and receiving a translation of the dialog. | 2010-12-09 |
20100310235 | Subtitle information analysis apparatus and subtitle information analysis method - Disclosed herein is a subtitle information analysis apparatus including a separator configured to separate subtitle data including bitmap data indicative of at least one of a character and a symbol; a storage configured to store a bit pattern of sample bitmap data indicative of at least one of a character and a symbol and information represented by the sample bitmap data by relating the bit pattern with the information; an estimator configured to estimate sample bitmap data substantially identical to the bitmap data from among the sample bitmap data by comparing a bit pattern of the bitmap data with a bit pattern of the sample bitmap data; and a replacer configured to replace the bitmap data by information represented by the sample bitmap data estimated identical by the estimator. | 2010-12-09 |
20100310236 | METHOD FOR CONTROLLING VIDEO RECORDER, AND VIDEO RECORDER ADOPTING THE METHOD - A video recorder connected to a plurality of cameras and a plurality of client devices and a method of controlling the video recorder are provided. The method includes: setting a plurality of buffers, in a memory of the video recorder, corresponding to the plurality of cameras, respectively, and setting a plurality of positions in at least one buffer of the buffers for loading image data input from a corresponding camera of the plurality of cameras; loading, in the at least one buffer, the image data on given positions of the plurality of positions; and transmitting the loaded image data to the plurality of client devices so that each of the plurality of client devices receives the image data input from a same corresponding camera. | 2010-12-09 |
20100310237 | System and Method of Recording Programs of Favorite Channels - Systems and methods for recording of channels are provided. In a particular method, a first window of the plurality of windows is designated to display a first program of a first channel and a second window of the plurality of windows is designated to display a second program of a second channel. The first channel and the second channel are each included in a set of channels. The method also includes automatically recording the first program associated with the first channel while the first program is in progress and automatically recording the second program associated with the second channel while the second program is in progress. The method further includes sending a start of program option to a display device. In response to a selection of the start of program option, a recorded displayed program in progress is automatically replayed from a beginning of the displayed program at the display device. | 2010-12-09 |
20100310238 | ACCESS TO INTERNET DATA THROUGH A TELEVISION SYSTEM - A television system provides access to Internet data simultaneously with a displayed television program. Data units including data address sites available through a networked computer system such as the Internet are embedded in a television signal along with a television program. Information representing the data address site, such as an icon or descriptive text, is displayed simultaneously with the television program on the television. If the user selects the data address site, a data retrieval terminal in two-way communication with the network and associated with the television establishes a connection with the network and requests the data corresponding to the selected data address site. The retrieved information is then formatted for display. | 2010-12-09 |
20100310239 | IMAGE PROCESSING APPARATUS - An image processing apparatus sequentially displays time-series images. The apparatus includes a movement-direction-change image extracting unit that detects a movement between images constituting the time-series images and extracts an image of which a movement direction is changed based on the detected movement between images; and a display speed controller that controls display speeds of the image extracted by the movement-direction-change image extracting unit and images adjacent to the image at a level relatively lower than display speeds of other images. | 2010-12-09 |
20100310240 | High-Efficiency Water Boiler - A high-efficiency water boiler includes a shell and a heating unit located in the shell. The heating unit includes a heating tank filled with fuel and a heater for heating the fuel. A containing unit includes a container provided around the heating tank. A heat conduction unit includes heat conduction pipes leading to the container from the heating tank to transfer heat to the container from the heating tank. A cooling unit includes a heat exchanger for cooling the fuel going therein from the heating tank. An inlet pipe extends through the heat exchanger and includes an end connected to a leading section of the container so that water can go into the container through the inlet pipe. An outlet pipe is connected to a tailing section of the container so that the water can leave the container through the outlet pipe. | 2010-12-09 |
20100310241 | TANKLESS ELECTRIC WATER HEATER WITH EFFICIENT THERMAL TRANSFER - A tankless electric water heater is disclosed that optimizes energy efficiency while minimizing cost and size. A flow-through container surrounds an electric heating element having a surface that is everwhere in direct, unobstructed relationship with the container walls, forming therebetween a passage through which all of the water must pass in a laminar flow while in close proximity to the heater surface, preferably within one-quarter inch and more preferably within one-eighth inch. The entire heater surface is surrounded by water, and all emanated heat must pass into the water. Tubular embodiments can be straight, coiled, U-shaped, and/or S-shaped. Cup-shaped embodiments can direct the water in a counter-flow past inner and outer heating element surfaces. Electrical connectors can be positioned near to each other. Protruding fins can be included that increase heat contact with the water, and the fins can be aligned with the water flow to minimize turbulence. | 2010-12-09 |
20100310242 | IMAGING SYSTEM AND METHOD - An optical imaging system is provided for an airborne platform or the like, including an image acquisition unit having an optical axis and configured for providing images in a direction along said axis, the image acquisition unit being mounted to a pointing mechanism configured for selectively pointing said optical axis in a desired direction. The system also has an optical shield configured for shielding said image acquisition unit from receiving undesired electromagnetic radiation from at least one direction different from said desired direction. | 2010-12-09 |
20100310243 | RETRACTABLE ZOOM LENS - A zoom lens includes a zoom optical system including movable lens groups for zooming which are moved between a ready-to-photograph position and an accommodated position, a diaphragm mechanism, and a lens shutter. One of the movable lens groups serves as an aperture-control lens group. The diaphragm mechanism and the lens shutter are positioned in front of and behind the aperture-control lens group and are movable relative to the aperture-control lens group in the optical axis direction. The diaphragm and the lens shutter are moved to close positions to the aperture-control lens group when the movable lens groups are moved to the accommodated position. Both apertures of the diaphragm mechanism and of the lens shutter are widely opened to allow the aperture-control lens group to partly enter the apertures when the diaphragm mechanism and the lens shutter are moved to the close positions. | 2010-12-09 |
20100310244 | Exchangeable lens and imaging device - An exchangeable lens includes: a cam member; a plurality of lenses; a lens holding frame; a drive motor; a worm screw; a worm wheel; a planetary roller; a first rotating member; a first bearing seat; a second rotating member; and a second bearing seat. | 2010-12-09 |
20100310245 | LENS DRIVING APPARATUS, IMAGING APPARATUS, AND LENS BARREL AND CAMERA MAIN BODY USED FOR THIS - A lens position calculator is provided that determines a phase of a driving signal as a reference position of an imaging lens when an output value of a position detection sensor reaches a threshold value. The lens position calculator determines a position obtained by performing addition or subtraction on the reference position read out from a reference position storage as a judgment position, detects an output value of the position detection sensor at a timing in synchronization with the driving signal that drives a driver and at the judgment position, and judges whether the output value of the position detection sensor at the judgment position reaches the threshold value or not, so as to determine the reference position again. | 2010-12-09 |
20100310246 | Method for using a variable aperture to tune image quality parameters in a camera system - In a camera system with a variable aperture, variations can be used to tune a variety of optical parameters otherwise incapable of being tuned within the structural limitations of the camera system or to optimize tradeoffs between competing factors such as diffraction limits and lens aberrations. For example, the variable aperture can be used to avoid overexposure or underexposure of an image due to improper illumination of an object. The variable aperture can be used to tune hyperfocal distance, enabling an accurate focus of an object to be obtained even if the camera lens is incapable of auto-focusing. In a camera with a lens having a focal length that varies with radial position from the lens center, the variable aperture can achieve the effect of auto-focus. | 2010-12-09 |
20100310247 | IMAGE PICKUP APPARATUS - An image pickup apparatus includes a light-beam splitting mirror configured to transmit and reflect incident light that has entered the light-beam splitting mirror through a photographing optical system; an image sensor that receives light transmitted through the light-beam splitting mirror; an autofocus detecting unit that receives light reflected by the light-beam splitting mirror; a signal processing unit configured to process an image pickup signal of the image sensor; and a display unit configured to display an image being photographed, on the basis of an image signal obtained at the signal processing unit. In the image pickup apparatus, the light-beam splitting mirror has spectral characteristics including a reflectivity of 25% or more and 35% or less at a wavelength of 400 to 650 nm and a reflectivity of 60% or more at a wavelength of about 700 nm through optimization. | 2010-12-09 |
20100310248 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR AUTO-FOCUSING - Method and system for auto-focusing. The method includes checking for presence of a subject in a first frame. The method also includes determining a second frame indicative of an in-focus position of the subject if the presence of the subject is detected. The method further includes causing to focus on the subject based on the second frame. Further, the method includes checking for a change in at least one of location of the subject in the second frame, and sharpness and luminance in an area corresponding to the subject in the second frame. Moreover, the method includes causing to refocus on the subject if the change is detected. | 2010-12-09 |
20100310249 | CAMERA CONTROL APPARATUS, SHOOTING DIRECTION CONTROL METHOD AND CAMERA APPARATUS - A camera control apparatus, includes two actuators, each including a piezoelectric body and a stick-shaped shaft provided on the piezoelectric body, the piezoelectric body being configured to be modified based on application of an AC voltage, a rotating part including two circular-shaped members rotatably provided, the circular-shaped members being configured to sandwich two of the shafts; an electric power source part configured to apply the AC voltage to the piezoelectric bodies; and a rotation control part configured to change a shooting direction of a camera apparatus directly connected to the circular-shaped members in rotational directions of the circular-shaped members based on the amount of rotation of the circular-shaped members. | 2010-12-09 |
20100310250 | SUPPORT - A support for a camera comprising a first fluid head and a second fluid head, the first fluid head being arranged to provide rotation about a first axis and the second fluid head being arranged to provide rotation about a second axis, which is perpendicular to the first axis. | 2010-12-09 |
20100310251 | Optical Transmission Systems, Devices, and Methods - An optical system with a first and second network tiers. The first network tier includes a plurality of major nodes optically interconnected by at least one transmission path. The second network tier includes a plurality of minor nodes disposed along the transmission path and the minor nodes are connected to at least one of the major nodes. The minor node is configured to transmit all traffic to an adjacent major node, and the major nodes are configured to transmit to and receive information from other major nodes and minor nodes on transmission paths connected to the major node. | 2010-12-09 |
20100310252 | OPTICAL COMMUNICATION - This concerns a protected long-reach PON having a plurality of terminals connected to a distribution network that is fed by both a main and back up feed, each feed including a head end and a repeater. The back up head end had access to a ranging table with data previously obtained by the main head end, thereby speeding up the switch over in the event of a fault with the main feed. In one embodiment, the repeater has a virtual ONU therein, allowing the back up repeater to be ranged by the back up head end, thereby yet further speeding up the ranging procedure. The main and back up repeaters are sufficiently equidistant from the distribution network to allow the back up head to perform normal scheduling without performing a ranging operation on each of the terminals, even if the different terminals transmit at slightly different wavelengths. This is achieved using the ranging information obtained with regard to the back up repeater. | 2010-12-09 |
20100310253 | LESS LOSS IN-ORDER DELIVERY PROTOCOL FOR FIBRE CONNECTION ARCHITECTURE - Methods and apparatus for providing in-order delivery in Fibre Channel (FC) fabric are disclosed. A topological change between a first switch and a second switch is evaluated to determine whether the topological change may result in out-of-order delivery. If it is determined that the topological change may result in out-of-order delivery, a flush frame is sent to the second switch and stop-on-mark is performed on all interfaces of affected links. Upon receiving the flush frame, the second switch drains all virtual output queues (VOQs) and sends an acknowledgement frame to the first switch. The first switch resumes in-order-delivery in an affected link after receiving the acknowledgement frame or expiration of a lifetime time of a frame. | 2010-12-09 |
20100310254 | DEVICE FOR MULTICAST OF OPTICAL SIGNALS IN THE INTERNET AND OTHER NETWORKS - Device for multicast of optical signals in the Internet and other networks is formed by an electronic part and an optical part. The electronic part consists of a control module, an interface module formed by a power supply block, a block for measuring basic operational parameters of the whole device and an interface, and by a power supply part. The power supply block of the interface module is connected to the power supply part, to the optical part and to the control module. The interface is connected to the optical part and to the control module, and the block for measuring basic operational parameters of the whole device is connected to the power supply part and to the control module. Input/output interfaces involving a standard interface for communication with a user and/or an interface for communication in an Ethernet network and/or an interface via RS 232 and/or an interface for communication via a serial USB bus are connected to the control module. The optical part of the device is designed as a double-stage with a first stage formed by M passive wide-spectrum optical splitters, each of which is equipped with N outputs and a second stage is realized by N wide-spectrum optical switches, each of which is equipped with M inputs. | 2010-12-09 |
20100310255 | Remote powering for FTTX via existing wire - The present invention relates to a powering method, a powering system, a cabinet and a central office for powering a copper-centric fiber to the x (FTTX) architecture. The architecture comprises at least one point to point or point to multipoint optical distribution network (ODN) between an optical line termination (OLT) or first Ethernet Switch positioned at a central office (CO) and an optical network unit or second Ethernet switch positioned at a cabinet (CAB) or building closer to a network terminal (CPE). The ODN is an active or passive network. The architecture further comprises at least one signalling coaxial or twisted wire pair line between the ONU or second Ethernet switch (ES) and one network terminal (CPE). What particularly characterizes the present invention is that the ONU or the second ES is powered remotely from the central office (CO) via at least one powering twisted wire pair line extending between the central office (CO) and the cabinet (CAB) or building. | 2010-12-09 |
20100310256 | PARALLEL OPTICAL RECEIVER FOR OPTICAL SYSTEMS - The present invention discloses a receiver for optical system, which provides improved performance due to implementation of multiple parallel analog-to-digital converters. Such configuration allows reducing the data speed processing thus improving bit-error-rate. Each channel of the WDM communications system consists of a set of orthogonal spectral bands. These bands are modulated via orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) technique using M-PSK modulation format. At the receiver side, the incoming optical beam is split into a set of parallel branches. Each branch is mixed with a local oscillator beam having a spectrum within one sub-band of the WDM channel. In the preferred embodiment these beams are mixed in 90-degrees optical hybrid, which is followed by a set of balanced photodetectors. The baseband of each sub-band signal is converted into a digital signal using ADC. This allows the implementation of a series of lower-speed ADCs working in parallel instead of one high-speed ADC for the data recovery from the incoming optical signal. | 2010-12-09 |
20100310257 | Systems and Methods for Transmitting Signals in Communication Networks - For each path in a first plurality of paths in said communication network, a respective first weighted path length is determined based at least in part on a number of pure wireless links in the path. From among the first plurality of paths, a second plurality of paths having first weighted path lengths less than a threshold value is selected. For each path in the second plurality, a respective second weighted path length is determined based at least in part on a number of pure optical links in the path, and from among the second plurality of paths, a transmission path is selected having a highest second weighted path length. Information is transmitted via the transmission path. | 2010-12-09 |
20100310258 | INTEGRATED SENSOR NETWORKS WITH OPTICAL AND WIRELESS LINKS - A network includes an optical sensor network; and a radio frequency (RF) wireless sensor network coupled to the optical sensor network, wherein the optical sensor network and the RF wireless sensor network communications are coordinated over both optical and wireless links. | 2010-12-09 |
20100310259 | FREE.about.SPACE QUANTUM COMMUNICATIONS PROCESS OPERATIVE ABSENT LINE-OF-SIGHT - Photonic signals are tagged with a pre-selected modification, such as a polarization signature to carry data across an obstructed path between sender and receiver. Communication authentication through polarization variation allows for Yuen-Kumar or entangled photon quantum communication protocols to propagate through environmental scattering media such as air, smoke, fog, rain, and water. While ultraviolet light photons are well suited as a carrier for quantum communication signals scattered in air, it is appreciated that visible wavelengths have longer propagation paths in water to convey non-line-of-sight data. A secure signal is scattered by the media and simultaneously communicated to a single recipient or multiple recipients exposed to scattered signal portions. A process of solving the scattering processes through a random scattering media is provided to reconstruct a quantum keyed message at a receiver. The scattering of the signal is utilized herein to provide non-line-of-sight and intentional short-range communication. | 2010-12-09 |
20100310260 | Optical Receiver - The interference phases of two optical delay line interferometers of an optical receiver adopting the DQPSK or the like are stabilized at points, which have a difference of 90°, without bifurcation of a receiving signal or receiving data. A low-speed photocurrent flowing through the current source terminal of a photodetector that receives interfering light outputted from an optical delay line interferometer is detected. The interference phase is identified by utilizing a variation in the AC or DC component of the photocurrent dependent on the interference phase of the optical delay line interferometer. The difference between the interference phases of two optical delay line interferometers is controlled to be 90°. | 2010-12-09 |
20100310261 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS AND SHEET CONVEYING METHOD FOR THE IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - In an image forming apparatus and a sheet conveying method for the image forming apparatus, the image forming apparatus including: a sensor arranged halfway in a sheet conveying path and configured to output a signal corresponding to thickness of a sheet; a sheet feeder configured to extract sheets one by one; and a storage configured to store weighting and a threshold for each type and store an outlet corresponding to the sheet feeing unit, when a difference of thickness that is an absolute value of a difference between weighting of set thickness and weighting of detected thickness is equal to or larger than a threshold, the image forming apparatus discharges the sheet to the outlet of the sheet corresponding to the sheet feeder without causing the sheet to pass through a transfer device. | 2010-12-09 |
20100310262 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - An image forming apparatus has a rotary guide including a path for a sheet being conveyed. The guide is rotatable so that an exit of the path faces one of at least two conveyance destinations. A motor rotates the guide, and a detector outputs a detection signal when a predetermined posture of the guide is detected. An instructing section outputs instruction signals to the motor to rotate the guide toward the predetermined posture. A judging section judges whether a detection signal has been received in response to the instruction signal, and a notifying section counts a consecutive occurrence number of a judgment result to the effect that no detection signal was received in response to the instruction signal this time and gives a notification prompting an inspection request of the image forming apparatus when the consecutive occurrence number reaches a set number. | 2010-12-09 |
20100310263 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PREDICTING BLADE LIFE IN AN IMAGE PRODUCTION DEVICE - A method and apparatus for predicting blade life in an image production device is disclosed. The method may include retrieving a number of print starts, a number of print cycles, a wear rate for print starts, and a wear rate for print cycles from a memory, calculating wear of a cleaning blade based on the number of print starts, the number of print cycles, the wear rate for print starts, and the wear rate for print cycles, wherein the wear rate for print starts and the wear rate for print cycles are weighed differently, determining if the calculated wear of the cleaning blade exceeds a predetermined threshold, wherein if it is determined that the calculated wear of the cleaning blade exceeds a predetermined threshold, sending a notification that the cleaning blade needs to be replaced. | 2010-12-09 |
20100310264 | RECORDING-MEDIUM IMAGING DEVICE AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - An effective image area can be properly corrected in accordance with the quantity of light from an irradiation unit by selecting, as the effective image area, pixels having light quantities more than or equal to a threshold value that allows accurate acquisition of a surface image of a recording medium, on the basis of a light quantity distribution of the light from the irradiation unit. This reduces the influence of mounting accuracy of the irradiation unit, and allows the recording medium to be identified accurately. | 2010-12-09 |
20100310265 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - An image forming apparatus which makes it possible to resolve correction error of potential unevenness caused by insufficient mounting accuracy of an image carrier, in a relatively short time period without performing a conventional operation for removing the image carrier. The image forming apparatus includes a photosensitive drum, an exposure unit, an electrical potential sensor, a shading data ROM, and a CPU. Electrical potential data items associated with respective positions on the surface of the photosensitive drum are stored in the shading data ROM. The CPU corrects an exposure amount onto the photosensitive drum by the exposure unit, based on the electrical potential data read from the ROM, and based on the result of correction, adjusts timing for reading out the data. | 2010-12-09 |
20100310266 | FUSER FOR IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS AND HEATING CONTROL METHOD - Certain embodiments provide a fuser including: a heat roller; a press roller; a coil; an inverter; a driver; a mechanism configured to change a clearance of a gap between a coil and an outer circumferential surface of the heat roller; and a controller. The controller sends information indicating a first power level to the driver. The mechanism changes the clearance to a first distance. The controller sends information indicating a second power level larger than the first power level to the driver. The mechanism changes the clearance to a second distance larger than the first distance. | 2010-12-09 |
20100310267 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - A wave form corresponding to at least one power ratio among a plurality of power ratios set according to a temperature of a fixing part include a first group wherein a negative half-wave to at least partially turn on a half-wave and a positive-half-wave to at least partially turn on a half-wave continue in order after a half-wave to entirely turn off an one half-wave, and a second group wherein a positive-half-wave to at least partially turn on a half-wave continues just after a -half-wave to entirely turn off an one half-wave, thereby an accuracy of current detection can be improved. | 2010-12-09 |
20100310268 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS AND IMAGE FORMING METHOD - According to one embodiment, an image forming apparatus includes an information acquisition section configured to acquire the number of pages of sheets to be printed and information indicating whether printing in a color mode is performed or printing in a monocolor mode is performed for each page, a printing order creation section configured to create a plurality of sets of page printing orders, in which printed sheets are outputted in a job reception order, based on the acquired number of pages and the number of sheets which can be simultaneously conveyed, a switching number calculation section configured to calculate the number of times of switching between the color mode and the monocolor mode for each of the plurality of created sets of page printing orders, and a printing order selection section configured to select one set of page printing order having the smallest calculated number of times of switching. | 2010-12-09 |
20100310269 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - An image forming apparatus includes: a photoconductor; a light source configured to generate light forming an electrostatic latent image on the photoconductor through an optical path; a shield on the optical path configured to guard the light source from dust; a shutter configured to move with respect to the shield to interrupt the optical path; and a cleaner configured to move together with the shutter to wipe the shield along a moving track excluding an edge of the shield. | 2010-12-09 |
20100310270 | Angled Seal for Laser Toner Cartridge Hopper - A remanufactured laser printer toner cartridge having a foam gasket seal with the transverse edge of the inner periphery extending from a longitudinal edge at an acute angle, preferably about 22 degrees, which angled edge prevents post testing excess toner from building up into a roll and jamming at the exit port as the remanufactured cartridge's pull strip is pulled when making the cartridge ready to install into the printer, and minimizes the likelihood that the gasket will be pulled off of the cartridge hopper section and jam the pull seal exit port as the pull seal is removed from the cartridge. | 2010-12-09 |
20100310271 | TWO-COLOR IOI DRUM MODULE ENABLING N-COLOR MONOCHROME, HIGHLIGHT, FULL COLOR, PHOTOTONE COLOR AND EXTENDED COLOR ARCHITECTURES - A xerographic marking device includes a media transport path and at least one two-color image-on-image (IOI) drum module. Each two-color IOI drum module includes in a process order around a photoreceptor: a) a first charging unit; b) a first exposure unit; c) a first development unit; d) a second charging unit; e) a second exposure unit; and f) a second development unit, wherein the intermediate transfer unit receives a first toned image and a second toned image from the photoreceptor in a single transfer and transfers those toner images to print media to produce a toned image on print media. In various embodiments, the xerographic marking device is modular and includes a common paper transport module having a cavity and a marking engine sized to fit within the cavity. | 2010-12-09 |
20100310272 | TWO-COLOR IOI DRUM MODULE ENABLING N-COLOR MONOCHROME, HIGHLIGHT, FULL COLOR, PHOTOTONE COLOR AND EXTENDED COLOR ARCHITECTURES - A xerographic marking device includes an intermediate transfer unit, a media transport path and at least one two-color image-on-image (IOI) drum module. Each two-color IOI drum module includes in a process order around a photoreceptor; a) a first charging unit; b) a first exposure unit; c) a first development unit; d) a second charging unit; e) a second exposure unit; and f) a second development unit, wherein the intermediate transfer unit receives a first toned image and a second toned image from the photoreceptor in a single transfer and transfers those toner images to print media to produce a toned image on print media. In various embodiments, specific color pairings are provided. | 2010-12-09 |
20100310273 | Imaging Cartridge Guiding Structure - An imaging cartridge having a more robust planar guide design with a thick leading edge. Each planar guide is adapted to slidingly engage an associated guide groove formed in opposite sides of the imaging machine. The thick leading edge of the planar guide provides structural integrity and prevents the planar guide from flexing and breaking when the cartridge is being installed into the imaging machine. The reduction in rearward sloping angle of the planar guide allows for easier installation and removal of the cartridge from the imaging machine. | 2010-12-09 |
20100310274 | Image Forming Apparatus - An image forming apparatus includes: a photoconductive member; a light irradiation unit located below the photoconductive member and configured to irradiate light on the surface of the photoconductive member and form an electrostatic latent image; a developing unit configured to supply a developer to the photoconductive member and form a developer image corresponding to the electrostatic latent image on the surface of the photoconductive member; a transfer belt configured to move between a first position where the transfer belt comes into contact with the photoconductive member and a second position where the transfer belt separates from the photoconductive member and transfer the developer image on the photoconductive member onto a sheet; a driving mechanism including a rotating lever and configured to drive the transfer belt between the first position and the second position; a shutter unit located between the photoconductive member and the light irradiation unit and configured to open and close a light emission surface of the light irradiation unit; and a power transmission mechanism configured to transmit the torque of the lever to the shutter unit and drive the shutter unit. | 2010-12-09 |
20100310275 | Powder Carrier Screw, Development Device And Image Forming Device Using The Powder Carrier Screw - A powder carrier screw includes a rotation shaft which is provided along a path which carries powder such as toner and is rotatably supported by a container forming the path, the rotation shaft having one end from which a rotation driving force is applied, a coil which is provided in a spiral form along an outer circumference of the rotation axis, the coil having a shaft center of the rotation shaft as a shaft center and having both end portions joined to both end portions of the rotation shaft, and the coil rotating along the rotation of the rotation shaft, a thick portion which is provided in at least one end portion of the coil, the thick portion having a thickness larger than a thickness of a general portion of the coil, and a coil welded portion in which the thick portion and the rotation shaft are welded. | 2010-12-09 |
20100310276 | TONER CARTRIDGE AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - A toner cartridge includes: a toner storing unit configured to store a toner; and an agitation paddle configured to rotate a spiral section, which extends in a spiral shape with a rotation axis as a spiral center, in the toner storing unit with the rotation axis as a rotation center to thereby agitate the toner in the toner storing unit. | 2010-12-09 |
20100310277 | TONER CARTRIDGE AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - According to one embodiment, a toner cartridge includes a housing, plural paddles and an auger. The housing contains a toner and has a shape spreading in a gravity direction in a state of being supported in an image forming apparatus. The plural paddles agitate the toner in an area including a bottom surface of the housing in the gravity direction in the state of being supported in the image forming apparatus. The auger delivers the toner agitated by the plural paddles. | 2010-12-09 |
20100310278 | TONER SUPPLY CONTAINER AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - A toner supply container that has: a container body that contains toner therein; and a conveyance member that is rotatably arranged inside the container body and conveys the toner toward a discharge opening of the container body when driven to rotate by external force, wherein the conveyance member includes (i) a cylindrical rotary body and (ii) a screw blade member that is wound around the cylindrical rotary body in such a manner that the screw blade member stands on an outer circumferential surface of the cylindrical rotary body, an inner surface of a bottom wall of the container body includes a cylindrically curved surface that is identical to a part of a circumferential surface of an imaginary cylinder whose axis is substantially the same as a rotation axis of the conveyance member, and a curvature radius of the cylindrically curved surface is set such that the conveyance member is driven to rotate in a state where an outer circumferential edge of the screw blade member substantially slides on the cylindrically curved surface | 2010-12-09 |
20100310279 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - An image forming apparatus | 2010-12-09 |
20100310280 | SHEET SKEW CORRECTING DEVICE OF IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - A sheet skew correcting device includes a first sheet conveyance unit which a conveyance force at a center side is smaller than a conveyance force at a first side, a second sheet conveyance unit which is adjacent to the first sheet conveyance unit across the center and a conveyance force at the center side is smaller than a conveyance force at a second side, a first drive unit to drive the first rotator, a second drive unit to drive the third rotator, a detection unit to detect an inclination of the sheet, and a control unit to control the first drive unit and the second drive unit based on a detection result of the detection unit. | 2010-12-09 |
20100310281 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS CAPABLE OF FORMING HIGH QUALITY SUPERIMPOSED IMAGE - An image forming apparatus includes a primary transfer device that primarily transfers a first image from a first image bearer onto a first belt unit at a primary transfer position, a secondary transfer device that secondarily transfers the first image from the first belt unit onto a printing medium at a secondary transfer position, and a direct transfer device that directly transfers a second image from a second image bearer onto the printing medium at a direct transfer position. | 2010-12-09 |
20100310282 | PRINTING METHOD, APPARATUS AND SYSTEMS FOR GENERATING A REG SYNC SIGNAL - This disclosure provides a method, apparatus, and system for registering the transfer of an image from a belt to a media substrate associated with a printing device. Specifically, the exemplary methods use a ROS master clock and belt location sensor located downstream of a belt tensioning device to generate a reg sync signal to initiate transfer of the image. | 2010-12-09 |
20100310283 | BELT UNIT AND IMAGE FORMING DEVICE EQUIPPED THEREWITH - There is provided a belt unit including: a fixed frame at which a transfer roller is provided; plural fixed side supporting rollers provided at the fixed frame; a movable frame that is swingably mounted to the fixed frame, and at which plural transfer rollers are provided; a movable side supporting roller provided at the movable frame; and an endless belt stretched around the fixed side supporting rollers and the movable side supporting roller, and contacting the transfer roller provided at the fixed frame and the transfer rollers supported at the movable frame, and contacting plural photoreceptor drums, wherein a swinging center of the movable frame is a center of belt portions at both sides of the swinging center, and in a monochrome mode, the movable frame is swung and moves the belt away from the photoreceptor drums other than the photoreceptor drum that is used in the monochrome mode. | 2010-12-09 |
20100310284 | VELOCITY DETECTING DEVICE AND MULTI-COLOR IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - A velocity detecting device includes an image-pattern acquiring unit that includes a laser light source and an area sensor that acquires a one-dimensional or a two-dimensional image. The image-pattern acquiring unit includes a lens between a moving member and the area sensor, irradiates a beam emitted from the laser light source to the moving member to make a scattering light of the moving member scattered from the moving member on the area sensor by using the lens, and acquires an image pattern at a predetermined time interval in association with movement of the moving member. A velocity calculating unit calculates the velocity of the moving member by computing the image pattern acquired by the image-pattern acquiring unit. The lens is a reduced optical system that projects a reduced object onto the area sensor. | 2010-12-09 |
20100310285 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - In an image forming apparatus using an intermediate transfer tandem method, image forming unit is divided into two parts and toner images superimposed on an intermediate transfer belt included in one of the image forming unit is once secondary transferred onto toner images superimposed on an intermediate transfer belt included in the other image forming unit. Then the secondary transferred images are collectively transferred (tertiary transferred) onto a recording material at once. | 2010-12-09 |
20100310286 | BELT MEMBER DRIVING APPARATUS AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS HAVING BELT MEMBER DRIVING APPARATUS - A belt driving apparatus for rotationally driving a belt member, the belt member driving apparatus includes a stretching member for stretching the belt member; steering means including a steering member having a rotatable portion which is rotatable with rotation of the belt member, a frictional portion slidable relative to the belt member and provided at each of longitudinally outsides of the rotatable portion, and further including supporting means supporting the steering member, and a rotation shaft rotatably supporting the supporting means, the steering means being effective to steer the belt member by inclining the steering member by a force produced by sliding between the frictional portion and the belt member; and resisting force applying means for applying a resisting force against inclination of the steering member, the resisting force increases with increase of rate of change of an inclination angle of the steering member with respect to time. | 2010-12-09 |
20100310287 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - An image forming apparatus includes an electrophotographic imaging unit, a fixing unit, a conveyance unit, and a guide assembly. The electrophotographic imaging unit forms a toner image on a recording medium for forwarding to a media conveyance path. The fixing unit is disposed in the conveyance path to fix the toner image in place on the recording medium through a fixing nip. The conveyance unit is disposed downstream of the fixing unit along the conveyance path to forward the recording medium from the fixing nip. The guide assembly is disposed between the fixing unit and the conveyance unit along the conveyance path to guide the recording medium therethrough. The guide assembly includes a pair of first and second media guide members to form a tapered passageway therebetween to pass the recording medium from the fixing nip into the conveyance unit. | 2010-12-09 |
20100310288 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - An image forming apparatus includes an image forming apparatus comprising: an image forming station for forming an unfixed toner image on a recording material; a fixing station for fixing the unfixed toner image on the recording material, the fixing station including a rotatable member for forming a fixing nip for nipping and feeding the recording material, and a cleaner, movable toward and away from the rotatable member, for cleaning the rotatable member, wherein the apparatus is operable in a blankless image formation mode for forming the toner image without blank at least at one of a leading end and a trailing end of the recording material, and wherein the cleaner is contacted to the rotatable member at timing at which a portion of the rotatable member to which a blankless range at the leading end or the trailing end of the recording material contact reaches a position where the portion opposes the cleaner, and wherein the cleaner spaces from the rotatable member in a period in which a portion of the rotatable member to which a range other than the blankless range contact passes the position where the portion opposes the cleaner. | 2010-12-09 |
20100310289 | Fixing device and image forming apparatus incorporating same - In a fixing device, a first roller and a first fixing member are provided inside a loop formed by a first belt. A pressing member is pressed against the first roller and the first fixing member via the first belt. The first roller includes at least two enlarged radius portions of enlarged radius arranged axially along the first roller, at least one reduced radius portion of reduced radius sandwiched between the adjacent two enlarged radius portions in an axial direction of the first roller, and a concave portion formed by the reduced radius portion and the adjacent two enlarged radius portions sandwiching the reduced radius portion. The first fixing member is interdigitated with the first roller with play between the first fixing member and the first roller. | 2010-12-09 |
20100310290 | FIXING MEMBER, MANUFACTURING METHOD OF FIXING MEMBER, ROTATIONAL BODY OF FIXING MEMBER, FIXING DEVICE, AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - A fixing member is included on a fixing rotational body having a heat source built therein. The fixing rotational body is configured to fix unfixed toner onto a recording medium as the recording medium carrying the unfixed toner passes through a nip portion formed between the fixing rotational body and a pressurizing unit that comes into pressure contact with the fixing rotational body via the recording medium. The fixing member is made of silicon rubber including carbon fiber, wherein vacant spaces are formed in the silicon rubber. | 2010-12-09 |
20100310291 | Image-bearing member protecting agent, method of applying an image-bearing member protecting agent, protective layer forming device, image forming method, process cartridge, and image forming apparatus - The present invention provides an image-bearing member protecting agent, which has a block shape and is used in an image forming process where the image-bearing member protecting agent is applied or attached to a surface of an image bearing member while being scraped off with a roll-shaped brush, the image-bearing member protecting agent including: a fatty acid metal salt, wherein the image-bearing member protecting agent includes a plurality of small blocks and has such an orientation that one or more of the small blocks are easily separated from other small blocks, and a plurality of oriented surfaces of the plurality of small blocks are arranged in a laminated state in a substantially same direction. | 2010-12-09 |
20100310292 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR FORMING IMAGE - According to one embodiment, a method for forming an image including, making an image on an image holing member, pressing a nip between the image holding member and a pressure applying member, and controlling the pressure applying to the nip with first pressure before a leading edge of a sheet enters to the nip and second pressure before a leading edge of a sheet thicker than the first sheet enters to the nip. | 2010-12-09 |
20100310293 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS AND METHOD OF MEASURING AMOUNT OF SKEW IN IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - An image forming apparatus includes: a media sensor which is locked in the middle of a recording medium carrying path, to which a magnetic sensor is locked so that the output of the magnetic sensor varies when a actuator having a magnet at one end thereof is displaced in a thrust direction, and which senses the thickness of the recording medium; a stopper having a nipping portion at a distal end thereof and returning the actuator to a home position; and a controller sensing the output of the magnetic sensor twice with a time interval therebetween and calculating an amount of skew of the recording medium on the basis of the time interval and the sensed variation in the output of the magnetic sensor. | 2010-12-09 |
20100310294 | NEAR-END OF ROLL DETECTING APPARATUS FOR DETECTING NEAR-END OF ROLL OF RECORDING MEDIUM, AND PRINTER - To improve precision in identifying the amount that remains of a recording medium, an apparatus includes a paper holder that supports an outer circumferential surface of a recording medium that is biased downward in a vertical direction by the weight of the recording medium, such that a position of a center of the recording medium moves on a straight-line trace, associated with consumption of the recording medium; and a light-reflecting sensor that is provided at a predetermined position at a side face of the paper holder and senses displacement per unit time at a position facing the predetermined position of the recording medium that is rotated by being pulled out of the paper holder, associated with the consumption of the recording medium, where based on the displacement sensed by the light-reflecting sensor, a radius of the recording medium at the time the light reflecting sensor senses the displacement is calculated. | 2010-12-09 |
20100310295 | APPLICATOR FOR COMBING THE EYELASHES AND/OR EYEBROWS OR FOR APPLYING A COMPOSITION THERETO - The present invention relates to an applicator ( | 2010-12-09 |
20100310296 | APPLICATOR FOR COMBING THE EYELASHES OR THE EYEBROWS OR FOR APPLYING A COMPOSITION THERETO - The present invention relates to an applicator for combing the eyelashes and/or the eyebrows, and/or for applying a cosmetic, makeup, or a care product thereto, the applicator comprising a molded applicator member ( | 2010-12-09 |
20100310297 | PACKAGING DEVICE - The present invention provides a device for packaging a composition for applying to keratinous materials, the device comprising a container defining an inside space containing the composition; a coating of a biocidal material covering at least part of the container and coming into contact with the composition contained in the inside space of the container; and a member that is movable within the container. | 2010-12-09 |
20100310298 | ELECTRICALLY-DRIVEN POWER COSMETICS APPLICATION DEVICE - An electrically driven powder cosmetics application device is controlled by high speed operation of a motor together with an eccentric weight block to induce vibration for facilitating uniform dispensing of powder cosmetics. The device includes a plastic container having an end forming a powder dispensing port containing therein a filter. Provided outside the dispensing port is a hollow collar fit over a dispensing device including a brush and a brush hair confiner tube with a powder outlet passage arranged therein. An opposite end of the container has a bottom receiving therein a vibration device including a rotation motor and an eccentric weight and a battery set for supplying electrical power and controlled by a switch to turn on/off vibration operation. With the vibration device turned on, the container is provided with assistance for dispensing cosmetics thereby ensuring uniform and smooth dispensing of the powder cosmetics contained in the container. | 2010-12-09 |