| 23rd week of 2011 patent applcation highlights part 37 |
| Patent application number | Title | Published |
|---|
| 20110135295 | OPERATING ROOM UNIVERSAL DISPOSABLE CAMERA COVER AND ADAPTER SYSTEM - A surgical room camera replacement cover assembly comprising a universal adapter interface unit and substantially rigid, disposable, universal camera cover detachably coupled with the universal adapter interface unit. | 2011-06-09 |
| 20110135296 | MECHANICAL SHUTTER AND CAMERA MODULE HAVING SAME - An exemplary mechanical shutter includes a barrel, a first blade, a second blade, a third blade, a magnet, and a magnetic field generator. The barrel defines a through hole and an aperture in the hole. The first blade is arranged in the hole and mounted on the barrel. The second blade is slidably mounted on the first blade. The third blade is slidably mounted on the second blade. The magnet is attached to the third blade. The magnetic field generator is mounted on the fixture and spatially corresponding to the magnet. The magnetic field generator applies a magnetic field to the magnet. The magnet and the magnetic field generator cooperatively move the blade group between an extended position and an retracted position. | 2011-06-09 |
| 20110135297 | HOUSING ASSEMBLY FOR PORTABLE ELECTRONIC DEVICE - A housing assembly for a portable electronic device is disclosed. The portable electronic device includes a camera assembled therein. The housing assembly includes a base housing and a cover. The base housing has an aperture defined therethrough for exposing the camera to light and facilitating picture taking. The cover is made of transparent material and is mounted on the base housing to cover the aperture. | 2011-06-09 |
| 20110135298 | OPTICAL SIGNAL SHUTOFF MECHANISM AND ASSOCIATED SYSTEM - A mechanism for adjusting or shutting off an optical signal within a network system is provided. The system may include a generating element for providing an optical signal and a bi-directional coupler for transmitting the optical signal to downstream components and fiber links and for transmitting a reflected optical signal based on the reflection characteristics of the downstream components to a converter element. The converter element converts the reflected optical signal to an electrical trigger signal that is used by a processing element to monitor the degradation or operational conditions within the network system. Based on the electrical trigger signal the processing element may adjust or shut off the optical signal at the generating element or at another element within the network system or another network system. The processing element may also send a communication signal to other elements or an operator to indicate unacceptable noise within the network system. | 2011-06-09 |
| 20110135299 | DIFFERENTIAL EYE DIAGRAMS - Changes in a signal are detected. The signal is repeatedly sampled in a synchronous manner during a predetermined interval to generate a captured eye diagram. At least one of a positive differential eye diagram or a negative differential eye diagram is generated from the captured eye diagram and a baseline eye diagram. The at least one positive or negative differential eye diagram is analyzed to determine whether a change in signal conditions is present. | 2011-06-09 |
| 20110135300 | RADIO BASE STATION EQUIPMENT, RADIO COMMUNICATION SYSTEM AND DELAY CORRECTION METHOD - Radio base station equipment is connected to radio transmitting/receiving equipment provided in sectors (S), into which a communication area is divided, by an optical fiber ( | 2011-06-09 |
| 20110135301 | Wavelocker for Improving Laser Wavelength Accuracy in WDM Networks - The present invention includes novel techniques, apparatus, and systems for optical WDM communications. Various wavelocker apparatus and methods are disclosed that measure the frequency offsets between signal lasers and reference lasers. The measured offsets are used to adjust the signal laser frequencies to meet their target frequencies. The absolute accuracy of the reference laser frequency is improved by measuring the absorption of the reference laser by a gas cell with known fixed absorption lines versus the reference laser frequency. Apparatus and methods are disclosed to cover scenarios in which the reference laser polarization is aligned with the signal lasers, as well as those in which the reference laser polarization is not aligned with the signal lasers. The wavelocker apparatus may or may not be located at the same network site as the signal lasers. | 2011-06-09 |
| 20110135302 | APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR PACKET-OPTICAL INTEGRATED TRANSPORT - A packet-optical integrated transport apparatus includes a packet transmitter for outputting single-wavelength signal multiplexed to a preset channel on the basis of packet traffic or circuit traffic input from a metro access region, and an optical transmitter for multiplexing the single-wavelength signal output from the packet transmitter to a multi-channel wavelength signal and adding or dropping the multiplexed multi-channel wavelength signal to or from a node. The apparatus further includes a system controller for transmitting constituent element initialization information to the packet transmitter and the optical transmitter and receiving constituent element operation status information. | 2011-06-09 |
| 20110135303 | DIRECT MODE ADAPTER BASED SHORTCUT FOR FCoE DATA TRANSFER - This invention permits all FCoE (Fibre Channel over Ethernet) frames to be transferred from one FCoE network adapter to another without having to traverse through a Fiber Channel Forwarder (FCF) device. After the FCF is determined not to be present, a logical End-To-End connection is established between Peer FCoE Adapters. This invention permits an FCoE message originating at an FCoE network adapter to be sent to an FCoE receiving adapter across “Ethernet” links and switches, or via a single “Ethernet” link (Point-To-Point) but without having to pass through FCF devices. | 2011-06-09 |
| 20110135304 | TRANSMISSION APPARATUS AND SIGNAL MAPPING METHOD - A transmission apparatus exercises insertion control for inserting a client signal and a stuff byte into a payload area in a frame into which the client signal is to be mapped, and sends the frame after the insertion control. In addition, the transmission apparatus inserts the client signal or the stuff byte in columns of the frame into the payload area except a leading column. | 2011-06-09 |
| 20110135305 | Optical Subchannel Routing, Protection Switching and Security - The present invention includes novel techniques, apparatus, and systems for optical WDM communications. Tunable lasers are employed to generate subcarrier frequencies representing subchannels of an ITU channel to which client signals can be mapped. Client circuits can be divided and combined before being mapped, independent of one another, to individual subchannels within and across ITU channels. Subchannels may be independently routed to a single subchannel receiver filter, such that each subchannel detected at the receiver may come from a different source location. Network architectures and subchannel transponders, muxponders and crossponders are disclosed, and techniques are employed (at the subchannel level/layer), to facilitate the desired optical routing, switching, concatenation and protection of client circuits mapped to these subchannels across the nodes of a WDM network. Subchannel hopping may also be used to increase the optical network security. | 2011-06-09 |
| 20110135306 | APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR RELAYING IN GIGABIT PASSIVE OPTICAL NETWORK - A relaying method of an optical signal of a hybrid relaying apparatus in a gigabit passive optical element includes: selecting and receiving any one of a first serial electrical signal corresponding to a downlink wavelength division multiplexing-passive optical line terminal (WDM-PON OLT) optical signal and a second serial electrical signal corresponding to a downlink gigabit passive optical network optical line terminal (GPON OLT) optical signal; modulating the downlink serial electrical signal to a downlink GPON transmission convergence (GTC) frame; extracting control information for uplink transmission from the downlink GTC frame; converting the downlink GTC frame into the downlink serial electrical signal; and converting the converted serial electrical signal into an optical signal and transmitting the converted optical signal in a GPON OLT optical transceiver. | 2011-06-09 |
| 20110135307 | Fiber Optic Terminals, Systems, and Methods for Network Service Management - Fiber optic terminals, systems, and methods for providing differentiated network services to subscribers of a fiber optic network are disclosed. In certain embodiments, fiber optic terminals and methods are disclosed for providing more than one network service to subscribers supported by the same fiber optic terminal. In one embodiment, a fiber optic terminal is provided comprising a first optical path connected to a first network-side optical fiber providing a first network service to a first subscriber-side optical fiber. The fiber optic terminal also comprises a second optical path connected to a second network-side optical fiber providing a second network service differentiated from the first network service to a second subscriber-side optical fiber. In this manner, differentiated network services can be provided to subscribers supported by the fiber optic terminal by configuring connections of the subscribers to either the first optical path or second optical path in the fiber optic terminal. | 2011-06-09 |
| 20110135308 | DISTRIBUTED ANTENNA SYSTEM FOR MIMO SIGNALS - A distributed antenna system (DAS) includes a multiple-input and multiple-output (“MIMO”) base station configured to output at least a first and second signal, and a hybrid coupler coupled thereto, the coupler configured to receive the first and second signal from the MIMO base station on respective first and second ports and provide an output signal on at least one output port, the output signal including at least a portion of the first signal and at least a portion of the second signal. The DAS further includes a master unit communicating with the coupler and configured to receive at least the output signal, and at least one remote unit communicating with the master unit and configured to communicate the output signal to a device. | 2011-06-09 |
| 20110135309 | WAVELENGTH DIVISION MULTIPLEXING-PASSIVE OPTICAL NETWORK (WDM-PON) - Provided is an Optical Line Terminal (OLT). The OLT may include a first Wavelength division multiplexer/demultiplexer (WDM MUX/DeMUX) to perform a wavelength demultiplexing on seed light received from a seed light source, and a second Wavelength division demultiplexer (WDM DeMUX) to receive, from at least one ONU/ONT, an upstream optical signal generated using the seed light having the wavelength demultiplexing performed, and to perform a wavelength multiplexing on the received upstream optical signal. | 2011-06-09 |
| 20110135310 | Channel Power Management in a Branched Optical Communication System - Channel power management may be achieved in a branched optical communication system such that uniform loading is provided across branch channels on a branch drop path without passing information signals that are not intended for the branch terminal to the branch drop path. In general, a system and method consistent with the present disclosure reuses one or more loading signals (e.g., noise bands) from the branch add path to maintain uniform loading in the branch drop path of the same branch. The system and method thus prevents trunk channels from being dropped to a branch terminal when those trunk channels are not intended for the branch terminal. | 2011-06-09 |
| 20110135311 | TRANSMITTER, RECEIVER, TRANSCEIVER, TRANSMISSION CONTROL METHOD, RECEPTION CONTROL METHOD, OPTICAL TRANSMISSION MODULE AND ELECTRONIC DEVICE - A transmission device has a light emitting element for converting an electric signal to an optical signal and transmitting the same, and a drive section for outputting the optical signal from the light emitting element and driving the light emitting element by providing the electric signal to the light emitting element. The electric signal provided by the drive section to the light emitting element is a waveform deformed signal having a waveform in which a time required for a fall is longer than a time required for a rise in a binary signal having a signal of high level and a signal of low level. | 2011-06-09 |
| 20110135312 | 40G/100G OPTICAL TRANSCEIVERS WITH INTEGRATED FRAMING AND FORWARD ERROR CORRECTION - The present disclosure provides integrated performance monitoring (PM); optical layer operations, administration, maintenance, and provisioning (OAM&P); and alarming in optical transceivers, such as multi-source agreement (MSA)-defined modules. The present disclosure includes an optical transceiver defined by an MSA agreement with integrated PM and alarming for carrier-grade operation. The integration preserves the existing MSA specifications allowing the optical transceiver to operate with any compliant MSA host device. Further, the host device can be configured through software to retrieve the PM and alarming from the optical transceiver. The optical transceiver can include CFP and variants thereof (e.g., future CFP2, CDFP, CXP), OIF-MSA-100GLH-EM-01.0, CCRx (Compact Coherent Receiver), Quad Small Form-factor Pluggable (QSFP) and variants thereof (e.g., future QSFP+, QSFP2), 10×10 MSA, XFP, XPAK, XENPAK, X2, XFP-E, SFP, SFP+, 300-pin, and the like. | 2011-06-09 |
| 20110135313 | OPTICAL FIBER COMMUNICATION METHOD AND TRANSMITTING DEVICE - An optical fiber communication method for communication between a transmitting terminal and a receiving terminal includes the steps of: providing an optical fiber to be coupled to the transmitting terminal and including a core that is provided with at least one second-order Bragg grating structure and a cladding that surrounds the core; configuring the transmitting terminal to output a data-carrying optical signal to one end of the core of the optical fiber for subsequent wireless transmission of the data-carrying optical signal via radiation through the second-order Bragg grating structure of the optical fiber; and configuring the receiving terminal to receive the signal radiated by the second-order Bragg grating structure of the optical fiber. A transmitting device is also disclosed. | 2011-06-09 |
| 20110135314 | Waveguide Optically Pre-Amplified Detector with Passband Wavelength Filtering - The invention describes an integrated-photonics arrangement, implementable in a multi-guide vertical integration (MGVI) structure composed from III-V semiconductors and grown in one epitaxial growth run, allowing for the integration of semiconductor optical amplifier (SOA) and PIN photodetector (PIN) structures within a common wavelength-designated waveguide of the plurality of the vertically integrated wavelength-designated waveguides forming the MGVI structure. The integration includes a wavelength filter integrated between the SOA and PIN to reduce noise within the PIN arising from ASE generated by the SOA. In exemplary embodiments of the invention, the wavelength filter is integrated into MGVI structure either within a common wavelength designated waveguide or within the wavelength-designated waveguide. Further in other embodiments the wavelength filter is provided by a thin-film filter abutting a facet of the integrated-photonics arrangement wherein optical signals are coupled by optical waveguides and/or additional optical elements such as a multimode interference device. | 2011-06-09 |
| 20110135315 | OPTICAL RECEIVER WITH A CALIBRATION MODE - An optical receiver is described. This optical receiver includes a digital feedback circuit that biases a front-end circuit, which receives an optical signal, so that an analog electrical signal output by the front-end circuit is calibrated relative to a reference voltage corresponding to a decision threshold of a digital slicer in the optical receiver. In particular, during a calibration mode the feedback circuit may determine and store a calibration value that calibrates the analog electrical signal relative to the reference voltage. Then, during a normal operating mode, the feedback circuit may output a current corresponding to the stored calibration value that specifies a bias point of the front-end circuit. | 2011-06-09 |
| 20110135316 | ELECTRICAL-OPTICAL MEDIA CONVERSION SYSTEM - A media conversion system for converting electrical video signals to optical video signals and vice versa. The media conversion system includes one or more pluggable media conversion modules. Each pluggable media conversion module converts between one or more optical video signals and one or more electrical video signals. Each pluggable media conversion module typically includes an electrical video signal conditioning circuit that includes one or more of a cable driver, an equalizer and a reclocker. The media conversion system also includes a printed circuit board for receiving the one or more pluggable media conversion modules. The printed circuit board includes one or more signal paths for transporting the one or more electrical video signals between the one or more pluggable media conversion modules and one or more electrical cable connectors. Each of the one or more signal paths is completely passive. | 2011-06-09 |
| 20110135317 | CONTROLLING BRIGHTNESS OF LIGHT SOURCES USED FOR DATA TRANSMISSION - In a first embodiment of the present invention, a method is provided comprising: receiving a selection of a desired brightness level of a light source; receiving a piece of data to be transmitted via visible light communication using the light source; selecting a duty cycle, described by an encoding scheme, based on the desired brightness level; encoding the data using the encoding scheme, wherein the encoding includes identifying a code corresponding to both the piece of data and the selected duty cycle; and transmitting the identified code via visible light communication using the light source. | 2011-06-09 |
| 20110135318 | VERTICAL CAVITY SURFACE EMITTING LASER, VERTICAL CAVITY SURFACE EMITTING LASER DEVICE, OPTICAL TRANSMISSION DEVICE, AND INFORMATION PROCESSING APPARATUS - A vertical cavity surface emitting laser that includes: a substrate; a first semiconductor multilayer reflector; an active region; a second semiconductor multilayer reflector; a columnar structure formed from the second semiconductor multilayer reflector to the first semiconductor multilayer reflector; a current narrowing layer formed inside of the columnar structure and having a conductive region surrounded by an oxidization region; a first electrode formed at a top of the columnar structure, electrically connected to the second semiconductor multilayer reflector and defining a beam window; a first insulating film comprised of a material with a first refractive index and formed on the first electrode to cover the beam window; and a second insulating film comprised of a material with a second refractive index and formed on the first insulating film, of which a radius is smaller than a radius of the conductive region. | 2011-06-09 |
| 20110135319 | OPTICAL ORTHOGONAL FREQUENCY DIVISION MULTIPLEXING RECEIVER AND OPTICAL SIGNAL RECEIVING METHOD THEREOF - Provided is an optical OFDM receiver. The optical OFDM receiver receives an optical signal dependent on the nonlinearity of a transmitter. The optical OFDM receives includes an optical down converter, a nonlinearity compensator, and an OFDM demodulator. The optical down converter converts the optical signal into an electrical signal. The nonlinearity compensator filters the electrical signal, for compensating distortion which is added to the optical signal when the transmitter performs optical modulation. The OFDM demodulator demodulates the distortion-compensated electrical signal in an OFDM scheme. | 2011-06-09 |
| 20110135320 | TECHNIQUE FOR CALIBRATING AND CENTERING AN OPTICAL RECEIVER - A technique for calibrating an optical receiver is described. During this technique, a front-end circuit in the optical receiver receives an optical signal that corresponds to a sequence with alternating groups of symbol types that correspond to binary values, where durations of the groups of a given symbol type, which can correspond to a first binary value or a second binary value, progressively decrease during the sequence. Then, the output of the feedback circuit is adjusted based at least on the sequence. When the durations of groups corresponding to the first binary value and the second binary value reach their minimum values in the sequence, a calibration value corresponding to the output of the feedback circuit is stored for use during a normal operating mode of the optical receiver. | 2011-06-09 |
| 20110135321 | INSPECTION APPARATUS, CONTROL METHOD OF INSPECTION APPARATUS, AND STORAGE MEDIUM - If a print misregistration amount on a sheet is larger than a predetermined threshold before determining whether a printed image is appropriate or not, an abnormal status of the image printed on the sheet is detected without correcting image data for inspection. A control method for controlling a detecting apparatus for inspecting a print status of an image printed on a sheet by a printing apparatus includes detecting, in a case where it is determined that a print misregistration amount of the image printed on the sheet with respect to the sheet is larger than a predetermined threshold, an abnormality of the print status of the image read by a reading unit without performing correction. | 2011-06-09 |
| 20110135322 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS, CONTROL METHOD THEREOF, AND STORAGE MEDIUM - An image forming apparatus including a plurality of paper feed stages includes a setting unit configured to set a paper type including a plurality of items for each of the plurality of paper feed stages, a storage unit configured to store a paper type history indicating a history of one or more paper types set by the setting unit for each paper feed stage, a control unit configured to acquire the stored paper type history for each paper feed stage, and a display control unit configured to display the acquired paper type history for each paper feed stage in a setting screen for setting the paper type for one of the plurality of paper feed stages to be able to be selected. The setting unit sets, for the paper feed stage, the paper type selected via the setting screen. | 2011-06-09 |
| 20110135323 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS AND COMPUTER-READABLE STORAGE MEDIUM - An image forming apparatus includes a measuring part to measure an area in which a recording agent is to be adhered on a recording medium, for each of segmented regions on the recording medium, a computing part to compute an accumulated area by accumulating the measured area for each segmented region with respect to plural recording media, and a storing part to store the computed accumulated area. A rotating part rotates an image to be formed on the recording medium using the recording agent if the accumulated value in the storing part exceeds a threshold value, and an image forming part forms the rotated image on the recording medium. | 2011-06-09 |
| 20110135324 | BELT DRIVE APPARATUS AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - A belt drive apparatus, including, an endless belt to be laid across in a tensioned condition between supporting rollers and to travel being in pressure contact with or being separated from a body to receive the pressure contact, a pressure contact/separating state detection section to detect whether the endless belt is in the pressure contact with the body or separated therefrom, a belt position detection section to detect a position of the endless belt in a width direction thereof, a belt abnormality judging section to judge whether the endless belt is in an abnormal position based on a detection result obtained by the belt position detection section and one of judgment values which are set correspondingly to the pressure contact/separating state of the endless belt, and a belt drive control section to control a drive of the endless belt. | 2011-06-09 |
| 20110135325 | IMAGE FORMING SYSTEM - The present invention realizes an image forming system wherein an efficient cleaning of plural fixing apparatuses by using a blank sheet is attained, the system includes: an image forming section; a sheet feeding apparatus; a plurality of fixing apparatuses; a temperature control section controlling the temperature of the fixing apparatuses; a sheet retention determination section determining whether there is a sheet retained in any of the fixing apparatuses during a jam; and a control section controlling cleaning of the fixing apparatuses by a blank sheet fed from the sheet feeding apparatus, wherein the control section carries out cleaning of the fixing apparatus in which it has been determined that a sheet is retained based on input from the sheet retention determination section, when the temperature of the fixing apparatus has been determined to have reached a prescribed temperature based on input from the temperature control section. | 2011-06-09 |
| 20110135326 | PRINTING APPARATUS, METHOD OF CONTROLLING PRINTING APPARATUS, AND PROGRAM - When an interrupted printing process is to be restarted, normally printed sheets can be reused. When jamming of a sheet is detected while a job is being performed, the printing is interrupted and specification of one or more sheets among the sheets that have been fed from the feeding unit before the job was interrupted is accepted from a user. Furthermore, a feeding unit in which the specified sheet is set so as to be reused by the user is selected. Then, when the printing is to be restarted, control is performed so that one or more sheets that have been specified are not reprinted, the specified sheets being fed from the selected feeding unit and being output together with the sheet to be reprinted. | 2011-06-09 |
| 20110135327 | IMAGE FORMING METHOD AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - In an image forming method, an electrostatic latent image formed on a surface of a photoreceptor is developed into a developer image with a developer, and a printing paper transported on a transfer belt is brought into contact with the surface of the photoreceptor so as to transfer the developer image onto the printing paper. The printing paper is transported in a proper transport direction, in which a projection generated in one direction on the printing paper as a result of cutting the printing paper in a printing paper manufacturing process does not face a surface of the transfer belt at a leading edge of the printing paper being transported on the transfer belt. In this way, even in the presence of the projection generated when the printing paper is cut, the printing paper naturally strips off from the surface of the photoreceptor, thereby preventing toner contamination caused by a striping claw in contact with the leading edge of the printing paper. | 2011-06-09 |
| 20110135328 | Apparatus and method for supplying charge voltage to organic photoconductor drum - Provided is an apparatus and method for supplying a charge voltage to an organic photoconductor (OPC) drum. The apparatus includes a storage unit for storing first service life information of the OPC drum according to a first supplying method, and second service life information of the OPC drum according to a second supplying method, a sensor unit for measuring information about conditions surrounding the apparatus, a control unit for selecting one of the first and second supplying methods according to the measured information and determining a charge voltage corresponding to the service life information according to the selected method, and a voltage supplying unit using the selected method to supply the determined charge voltage to the OPC drum. | 2011-06-09 |
| 20110135329 | ELECTROSTATIC DISTURBANCE USED IN A TIMING ROUTINE FOR HVPS SWITCHING IN A PRESSURE TRANSFER SYSTEM INVOLVING BTB OR BTR - This disclosure is directed to systems and methods for calibrating, to a higher level of precision, the timing of operation of a bias transfer element in an image forming device. Specifically, the systems and methods are directed to calibrating the timing of forward and reverse biasing in a document processing apparatus to account for myriad mechanical and environmental disturbances. | 2011-06-09 |
| 20110135330 | PAPER TYPE DETERMINATION DEVICE - A paper type determination device of the invention drives plural light emitting points different from one another and having sequentially increasing distances from a reference point to emit light in such a manner that each is identified for irradiating one surface of a sheet of paper subjected to determination. A photodetection device set at a specific detection field of view having the center at the reference point is disposed on the other surface side of the sheet of paper, and it receives light having passed through the sheet of paper from the respective light emitting points at positions on inside and outside of the detection field of view to detect intensity of light for each light emitting point. A diffusing characteristic of the sheet of paper is obtained on the basis of the intensity of light from each light emitting point detected by the photodetection device, and a paper type is determined on the basis of the diffusing characteristic. | 2011-06-09 |
| 20110135331 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - Provided is an image forming apparatus that can achieve a stable image quality from a leading-end side to a trailing-end side of an image when printing a high-density image on a transfer medium, regardless of the length of the transfer medium or the condition of the image forming apparatus. | 2011-06-09 |
| 20110135332 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS, IMAGE INFORMATION GENERATION METHOD, AND COMPUTER PROGRAM - When a toner image including an edge area (Ae) corresponding to an area defined between edges of a transfer material (P), and an internal area (Ai) corresponding to an area inside the edge area (Ae) is formed on an image bearing member ( | 2011-06-09 |
| 20110135333 | SHEET CONVEYING APPARATUS, SHEET CONVEYING METHOD, AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - According to one embodiment, a sheet conveying apparatus includes: a fixing device configured to heat, with a heat roller, a sheet having a toner image transferred thereon and fix a toner on the sheet; a conveying roller arranged downstream of the fixing device and including plural rollers configured to convey the sheet from the fixing device; a heating unit configured to heat the plural rollers of the conveying roller; and a temperature control unit configured to control the heating unit such that the temperature of the plural rollers approaches the toner temperature of the sheet passing through the conveying roller. | 2011-06-09 |
| 20110135334 | FIXING DEVICE AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - An invented fixing device having a fixing roller for fixing developer to a recording medium and plural fixing heaters for heating the fixing roller includes a temperature detection unit as well as a thermistor for detecting the temperature of the fixing roller, a RAM storing the switching temperature for switching drive of the fixing heaters, a heater selection unit for selecting some of the fixing heaters to be driven based on the switching temperature and the detected temperature of the fixing member detected through the temperature detection unit, and a heat control unit for selectively driving the fixing heater selected by the heater selection unit. | 2011-06-09 |
| 20110135335 | PRINTING APPARATUS, PRINTING APPARATUS CONTROL METHOD, AND STORAGE MEDIUM - An image forming apparatus having an image forming unit and a fixing unit. The image forming unit may form an image on a sheet based on image data by using a recording agent. The fixing unit may fix the recording agent on the sheet. The image forming apparatus may include a control unit to receive the image data and transmit the received image data to the image forming unit and a determination unit to determine a type of an interface via which the image data has been received. The control unit additionally determines whether to start raising a temperature of the fixing unit before the image data becomes ready to be transmitted to the image forming unit based on the type of the interface determined by the determination unit. | 2011-06-09 |
| 20110135336 | Image forming apparatus and method of charging usage fee of image forming apparatus - An image forming apparatus counts a number of sheets to be printed with a limited number of colorants or a limited amount of colorant using an other counter that is provided other than a color counter and a monochrome counter. The counter value of the other counter is adjusted using a weighting factor before being added to or subtracted from a counter value of the color counter or the monochrome counter. | 2011-06-09 |
| 20110135337 | Image forming apparatus and method of charging usage fee of image forming apparatus - An image forming apparatus counts a number of sheets to be printed with a limited number of colorants or a limited amount of colorant using an other counter that is provided other than a color counter and a monochrome counter. The counter value of the other counter is adjusted using a weighting factor having a value determined based on a number of colors of colorant or an amount of colorant that is used for printing in the economical printing mode, before being added to a counter value of the color counter or the monochrome counter. | 2011-06-09 |
| 20110135338 | POWER SUPPLY UNIT, IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS AND POWER SUPPLY CONTROL METHOD - A power supply unit includes a switching circuit that drives a switching device by a duty ratio corresponding to a target voltage output value and outputs an alternating current signal; a coupling capacitance element provided in a subsequent stage with respect to the switching circuit; a voltage transformation unit that increases a voltage of the alternating current signal input by using the switching circuit, and outputs a high-voltage alternating current voltage to an electrifying unit; a charging unit that charges the coupling capacitance element in response to a power supply voltage being turned on; and a control unit that controls driving of the switching device to cause the coupling capacitance element to be charged to a predetermined charged amount before the switching circuit starts outputting the alternating current signal. | 2011-06-09 |
| 20110135339 | APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR CONTROLLING POWER OF LASER DIODE HAVING OPTICAL POWER COMPENSATION - An apparatus includes an output voltage sensing unit, which senses an output voltage of a laser diode, which has been sampled during a power control period and transmits the sensed output voltage of the laser diode to an output voltage control unit; the output voltage control unit, which obtains an error voltage between a reference voltage and the sensed output voltage of the laser diode and generates a control voltage by proportionally integrating the error voltage; and an optical power compensation unit, which receives the control voltage and generates a compensated control voltage by compensating for an optical power deviation on the photosensitive drum during the printing period. | 2011-06-09 |
| 20110135340 | ELECTROPHOTOGRAPHIC PHOTOSENSITIVE MEMBER, PROCESS CARTRIDGE,AND ELECTROPHOTOGRAPHIC APPARATUS - Provided is an electrophotographic photosensitive member having excellent cleaning performance, and a process cartridge and an electrophotographic apparatus, each including the electrophotographic photosensitive member. | 2011-06-09 |
| 20110135341 | FIXING DEVICE AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - A fixing device includes: a belt unit that includes a first roller member, a second roller member provided above the first roller member, a belt member rotating while laid around these roller members, and a positioning member rotatably holding the first roller member and used for positioning the first roller member; a pressure member provided below the first roller member and coming into pressure-contact with an outer peripheral surface of the belt member at a position where the pressure member faces the first roller member, thereby to form a fixing pressure portion; a first housing that supports the positioning member and includes a concave portion opening toward a lateral direction and a sloping portion sloping downward from a lower edge portion of the concave portion; and a second housing pressing the positioning member to fit into the concave portion, along with a closing operation with respect to the first housing. | 2011-06-09 |
| 20110135342 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS AND IMAGE FORMING METHOD - An image forming apparatus is provided with an image forming station including photoconductive drums and adapted to form toner images on surfaces of the respective photoconductive drums, and a drive control unit for rotating and driving the photoconductive drums. The image forming station includes a reference pulse output section for generating a reference pulse having a cycle equal to or an integral multiple of a rotation cycle of the photoconductive drums and outputting the reference pulse to the drive control unit. The drive control unit includes a phase peak detector for detecting phase peaks of surface speeds of the photoconductive drums, a phase difference detector for detecting phase differences between an edge of the reference pulse and the phase peaks, and a phase synchronization controller for synchronizing phases of the surface speeds of the photoconductive drums by controlling rotation speeds of the photoconductive drums according to the phase differences. | 2011-06-09 |
| 20110135343 | DEVELOPING DEVICE AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS HAVING THE SAME - A developing device includes: a developer carrier configured to form a developer image on an image carrier by developing an electrostatic latent image on the image carrier; a developer supplier being in contact with the developer carrier and configured to supply a developer to an outer circumferential surface of the developer carrier; and an agitating member configured to agitate the developer around the developer carrier or the developer supplier, wherein a tip of the agitating member, upon a rotation of the agitating member, moves in a noncircular path. | 2011-06-09 |
| 20110135344 | Developing device and image forming apparatus - A developer bearing body rotates in a first direction. A supply brush roller, out of contact with the body, also rotates in the first direction. A brush contact member has a first contact portion in contact with bristles of the roller above a first horizontal plane passing through a rotational axis of the roller and upstream in the first rotational direction of the roller, of a portion of the roller opposing the body. A thickness adjusting member has a second contact portion in contact with the body below a second horizontal plane passing through a rotational axis of the body and downstream in the first rotational direction of the body, of the portion of the roller opposing the body. A first vertical plane passing through the first contact portion is closer to the axis of the roller than is a second vertical plane passing through the second contact portion. | 2011-06-09 |
| 20110135345 | DEVELOPING DEVICE AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - A developing device includes a developer supplying member for supplying developer; and a developer supporting member for supplying the developer supplied from the developer supplying member onto a static latent image supporting member. The developer supplying member includes an outer circumferential portion having an electrical resistivity between 1.2×10 | 2011-06-09 |
| 20110135346 | DEVELOPER BEARING MEMBER, DEVELOPING APPARATUS, AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - A developer bearing member includes a base body, a surface layer, and a plurality of concave portions provided on the surface layer, wherein a resistance value of the surface layer is 10 | 2011-06-09 |
| 20110135347 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - An image forming apparatus includes an image bearing member bearing a normal toner image and a toner pattern; toner image forming means for forming the normal toner image in an image area of the image bearing member and for forming the toner pattern in a non-image-area of the image bearing member; an intermediary transfer member contactable to the image bearing member to form a primary transfer portion for primary transfer, in the primary transfer portion, of the normal toner image from the image bearing member, wherein the toner pattern on the intermediary transfer member is carried to the primary transfer portion; a primary transfer member for transferring the toner image onto the intermediary transfer member from the image bearing member; a secondary transfer member contacted to the image bearing member to form a secondary transfer portion for transferring the normal toner image passing through the secondary transfer portion; toner removing means for removing toner from the secondary transfer member; toner pattern adjusting means for changing an amount of the toner of the toner pattern in accordance with toner image formation hysteresis of the toner image forming means; and cleaning time changing means for changing, in accordance with an amount of toner of the toner pattern, a cleaning duration in which the toner removing means removes the toner from the transfer member in a period from the toner pattern passing through the transfer nip to the recording material reaching the transfer nip. | 2011-06-09 |
| 20110135348 | SIMPLE ITB STEERING RIB APPLICATOR - This invention provides a steering rib for an ITB. These steering rib or ribs are applied to the ITB by placing the rib around a cylindrical fixture. The rib is held in place by a vacuum that is applied to the rib to hold it against the fixture until the rib is adhered to the inside surface of an ITB. Once the rib or ribbing is adhered to the ITB, a series of apertures directs compressed air against the rib and the ITB to release them from the fixture. | 2011-06-09 |
| 20110135349 | APPARATUSES USEFUL IN PRINTING AND METHODS OF FIXING MARKING MATERIALS ON MEDIA - Apparatuses useful in printing and methods of fixing marking materials on media in apparatuses useful in printing are provided. An exemplary embodiment of the apparatuses useful in printing includes a first fixing device disposed along a first media path. The first fixing device includes a first fixing member including a first surface and a second fixing member including a second surface which forms a first nip with the first surface. The first fixing device does not include a thermal energy source that actively heats the first surface or the second surface and the first fixing device is adapted to apply pressure to a medium received at the first nip. A second fixing device is disposed along a second media path. The second fixing device includes at least one thermal energy source adapted to supply thermal energy to actively heat the medium at the second fixing device. A controller is configured to selectively route the medium to the first fixing device or to the second fixing device. | 2011-06-09 |
| 20110135350 | A METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR STRIPPING MEDIA FROM A SURFACE IN AN APPARATUS USEFUL IN PRINTING - An apparatus and method for stripping media from a surface and useful in printing may include a first member, a fixing belt, a first nip, a second nip, and a stripping device including a curved stripping edge contacting the inner surface of the fixing belt, the stripping edge being defined by a radius of less than about 10 mm, the stripping edge being spaced from the first outlet end of the first nip by a distance of less than about 10 mm, and the fixing belt bending at a stripping angle of about 20° to about 30° at the stripping edge, the stripping device being adjustably movable by a mechanism to vary the distance from the stripping edge to the first outlet end of the first nip, wherein media are stripped from an outer surface of the fixing belt after exiting from the first outlet end of the first nip. | 2011-06-09 |
| 20110135351 | RECORDING MEDIUM PEELING DEVICE AND IMAGE FORMING DEVICE - A recording medium peeling device includes: a circularly moving section that has a moving surface circulating along a circulation course; and a pressing section that presses a recording medium passing through a pressing position in the circulation course, against the moving surface at the pressing position. The recording medium peeling device further includes: a peeling member that is disposed downstream from the pressing position in the circularly moving, is apart from the moving surface, is provided along the moving surface, extends in a direction crossing a direction of the circularly moving, and peels the recording medium after passing through the pressing position from the moving surface; and a protruding member that is disposed downstream from the peeling member in a direction in which the recording medium after being peeled by the peeling member proceeds, protrudes from the peeling member side to the recording medium side, and slopes downstream. | 2011-06-09 |
| 20110135352 | IMAGE HEATING APPARATUS - An image forming apparatus includes a heating rotatable member for heating a toner image on a recording material in a heating nip; a pressing rotatable member for forming the heating nip in contact with the heating rotatable member; a first external heating member, contacted to an outer peripheral surface of the heating rotatable member having passed through the heating nip, for heating the outer peripheral surface, wherein the first external heating member includes a parting layer at a surface where the first external heating member is contacted to the outer peripheral surface; and a second external heating member for heating the outer peripheral surface heated by the first external heating member, wherein the second external heating member includes a parting layer containing an electroconductive agent at a surface where the second external heating member is contacted to the outer peripheral surface. A contact angle of the parting layer of the first external heating member with respect to water is larger than that of the parting layer of the second external heating member, and a surface resistance of the second external heating member is lower than that of the first external heating member. | 2011-06-09 |
| 20110135353 | Lubricant Retention Features on Heater Body of a Fuser - A fuser assembly including a heater assembly that includes a heater body, the heater body includes a substrate that extends across the fuser nip. A plurality of retention features are defined on a protective layer covering the surface of the substrate. The protective layer includes a first layer and a second layer, the second layer including a plurality of passages extending from an outer surface of the second layer to the first layer and dimensioned and positioned to allow a lubricant to pass through the second layer between the retention features and the outer surface of the second layer. | 2011-06-09 |
| 20110135354 | FIXING DEVICE AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - Provided is an image forming apparatus having a fixing device for fixing an image at a nip portion formed of two rotary members which rotate while facing each other, wherein occurrence of uneven print gloss is prevented. The image forming apparatus having a fixing device for fixing an image at a nip portion formed of two rotary members which rotate while facing each other, wherein one of the two rotary members is a belt which rotates while being stretched around of a plurality of rollers, a roller arranged at the exit of the nip portion out of the plurality of rollers has a crown shape, and a slack absorbing member for absorbing a slack of both ends of the belt caused by the crown-shaped roller is in contact with the belt. | 2011-06-09 |
| 20110135355 | HEATING DEVICE AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - A heating device includes: a heating member heating a recording medium by being heated through electromagnetic induction; a pressure member configured to come into contact with and separate from the heating member, and forming a nip portion between the pressure member and the heating member by pressing and coming into contact with the heating member; a first elastic member arranged inside the heating member, and elastically deformed at the nip portion by the pressure member; and any one of a second elastic member and a support member. The second elastic member is arranged between the first elastic member and the heating member while being fixed thereto, and has a larger elastic deformation ratio at the nip portion than the first elastic member. The support member supports the heating member and the first elastic member so as to form a gap therebetween, and rotates them with a rotational drive force. | 2011-06-09 |
| 20110135356 | HEATING DEVICE AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - A heating device includes: a heating member including a heat generation layer that generates heat by electromagnetic induction, and heating a recording medium by electromagnetic induction heating of the heat generation layer; and a pressure member configured to be movable in a direction approaching or away from the heating member, and forming a nip portion with the heating member therebetween, through which the recording medium passes, the pressure member being configured to include: a nip forming portion that forms the nip portion with the heating member therebetween in a state where the pressure member is set at a position in contact with the heating member while pressing; and a driving force transmission portion that is in contact with the heating member in a state where the nip forming portion is set at a position separated from the heating member and transmits a rotational driving force to the heating member. | 2011-06-09 |
| 20110135357 | HEATING DEVICE AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - A heating device includes: a heating member heating a recording medium; a pressure member forming a heating pressure portion with the heating member, through which the recording medium passes; a tensioning member facing the pressure member across the heating member, and providing a tension to the heating member; a peeling member placed downstream of the heating pressure portion and adjacent to the tensioning member, and peeling off the recording medium from the heating member; and an inside heating unit heating the heating member and controlling meandering of the heating member, the inside heating unit including: a secured center shaft; an outer circumferential portion rotating about the center shaft; a heater placed inside the outer circumferential portion to heat thereof from inside; and a heat reflecting member secured to the center shaft and placed at each end portion of the outer circumferential portion, and that reflects heat from the heater. | 2011-06-09 |
| 20110135358 | FIXING DEVICE COMPRISING AUXILIARY HEAT GENERATING MEMBER AND MAINTAINING GAP RELATIVE TO SEPARATOR - A fixing device includes a fixing belt comprising a first metal heat generating layer; a pressure section facing an outer periphery of the fixing belt; an induction current generating coil situated near a peripheral surface of the fixing belt; a nip forming member situated inside the fixing belt and applying pressure to the fixing belt toward the pressure section; and an auxiliary heat generating member situated inside the fixing belt, comprising a second metal heat generating layer, extending to a position facing the induction current generating coil, and comprising a projecting portion contacting the fixing belt. | 2011-06-09 |
| 20110135359 | FIXING DEVICE INCLUDING AUXILIARY HEAT GENERATING MEMBER COMPRISING REGION WIDER THAN HEAT GENERATION REGION - According to one embodiment, a fixing device includes: a fixing belt comprising a first metal heat generating layer; a pressing unit opposing to the outer circumference of the fixing belt; an induction-current generating coil presented near the circumferential surface of the fixing belt; a nip forming member present on the inner side of the fixing belt and configured to press the fixing belt against the pressing unit; and an auxiliary heat generating member present in a heating region by the induction-current generating coil on the inner side of the fixing belt, having a second metal heat generating layer, and extending to the outer side of the heating region by the induction-current generating coil. | 2011-06-09 |
| 20110135360 | IMAGE FORMING UNIT AND IMAGE FORMING DEVICE - An image forming device includes a plurality of image forming units each including a developer carrier that carries developer; an image carrier that forms a developer image on a surface layer with the developer supplied from the developer carrier; and a developer collector that is positioned to contact the surface layer of the image carrier and that removes residual developer after transferring the developer image formed on the surface layer onto a recording sheet. Wherein the developer collector in a first image forming unit has a higher linear contact pressure against the surface layer of the image carrier than that of other image forming units, and a thickness of the surface layer of the image carrier of the first image forming unit is greater than a thickness of the image carrier of the other image forming units. | 2011-06-09 |
| 20110135361 | CLEANING BLADE, AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS AND PROCESS CARTRIDGE USING THE SAME - A cleaning blade for use in an image forming apparatus including a holder, and an elastic blade attached to the holder and in contact with an image bearing member, the elastic blade being impregnated with an acrylate polymer from at least one surface to a depth of from 5 to 100 μm. | 2011-06-09 |
| 20110135362 | Image forming apparatus and method for de-skewing thereof - An image forming apparatus includes an input unit to receive an image of a print media fed through an automatic document feeder (ADF), a first storage unit to store the input image as predetermined data form, a computing unit to detect a lead edge of the print media and compute a skew level of the input image, a skew correcting unit to read the stored data through a direct memory access (DMA) processing, and carry out de-skewing with respect to the input image according to the computed skew level, an image processing unit to carry out image processing with respect to the de-skewed image, and an output unit to output the resultant image of the image processing. As a result, efficient processing of de-skewing is provided. | 2011-06-09 |
| 20110135363 | SHEET MATERIAL TRANSPORTING DEVICE AND IMAGE FORMING DEVICE - A sheet-material transporting device includes: plural first endless-belts; a driving-member around which the first endless-belts are trained to circulate; a first driven-member around which the first endless-belts are trained, being slave-rotated; a supporting-member provided at an inner-peripheral-side of the first endless-belts; a second endless-belt provided between the first endless-belts, trained around the driving-member and circulating; a second driven-member provided between the first driven-member and the driving-member, around which the second endless-belt is trained at an opening portion provided in the supporting-member, being slave-rotated; and a detecting-member detecting a sheet-material, the supporting-member including a downstream-side-supporting-member disposed at a downstream-side having a concave-portion formed in an end portion, and an upstream-side-supporting-member disposed at an upstream-side and that is set against the end portion of the downstream-side-supporting-member such that the concave portion forms the opening portion, and a tension-imparting section imparting tension to the second endless-belt being provided at the downstream-side-supporting-member. | 2011-06-09 |
| 20110135364 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - According to one embodiment, an image forming apparatus includes: an image forming unit configured to form a toner image on a sheet; a paper feeding cassette configured to store sheets to be supplied to the image forming unit; a case configured to house the image forming unit and the paper feeding cassette; a scanner provided in an upper part of the case, shifted with respect to an area surrounded by sides of the case, and configured to read an image of an original document; a second connecting section provided in an upper part of the case, which is an area of the area surrounded by sides of the case where the scanner is not located, and connected to a first connecting section provided on a bottom surface of a paper discharging apparatus that receives a sheet from the image forming unit; and a discharging unit configured to discharge the sheet from the image forming unit to a conveying path of the paper discharging apparatus when the first connecting section and the second connecting section are connected. | 2011-06-09 |
| 20110135365 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS AND MEDIUM OUTPUT METHOD THEREFOR - An image forming apparatus and the method thereof are provided. An image forming apparatus including: a main body configured to have an image forming unit which forms an image on a printing medium; an after-treatment unit connected to the main body, the after-treatment unit being configured to perform a predetermined after-treatment on a printing medium outputted from the main body; at least one main body output tray coupled to the main body; and a controller configured to detect whether or not the after-treatment unit is in a possible state to perform the after-treatment on the printing medium when the printing medium is predetermined to be outputted from the main body to the after-treatment unit, and to selectively output the printing medium to one of the after-treatment unit and the main body output tray according to the detected result. | 2011-06-09 |
| 20110135366 | IMAGE FORMING SYSTEM, CONTROL METHOD, RECORDING MEDIUM, AND PROGRAM - An image forming system has an image forming apparatus which has a printing unit which can perform a printing process of data of a storage unit which can store data of a plurality of jobs and which has a conveying unit which can convey a sheet from the print unit to a sheet processing device which can perform sheet processing, including at least a gluing process, for sheets from the printing unit, the system comprising: a controller adapted to permit a predetermined process related to the gluing process when the job to be processed is a job which meets a predetermined condition, and to inhibit the predetermined process related to the gluing process when the job to be processed is not a job which meets the predetermined condition, thereby overcoming obstacles to realization of an image forming system capable of a gluing process. | 2011-06-09 |
| 20110135367 | TAPE PRINTER, METHOD FOR CONTROLLING TAPE PRINTER, AND COMPUTER PROGRAM PRODUCT - A tape printer which prints an image based on an entered character string on a tape member to be attached to an object to be sent, the tape printer comprising: a keyboard that accepts an entry of a first character string indicating a destination, and an entry of a second character string indicating sender information; an image generating section that generates a first image representing the destination based on the first character string, and a second image representing the sender information based on the second character string; and a printing section that prints the first image and the second image on the tape member. | 2011-06-09 |
| 20110135368 | Image Forming Apparatus - An image forming apparatus includes a main body having a first opening; a main cover supported by the main body, having a second opening and rotatable between a first closed position and a first opening position with respect to the first opening; a feeder cover supported by the main cover and rotatable between a second closed position and a second opening position with respect to the second opening; and a link arm jointed to the main body at a first joint, jointed to the main cover at a second joint, the first joint movable relative to the main body, and the link arm rotating the feeder cover from the second opening position toward the second closed position when the main cover rotates from the first closed position with the feeder cover at the second opening position. | 2011-06-09 |
| 20110135369 | FEEDING APPARATUS, ELECTRONIC APPARATUS INCLUDING FEEDING APPARATUS, AND FEEDING METHOD - A feeding apparatus according to the present invention includes an object feeding path, a temporary object feeding path branched from the object feeding path, an object feeding unit arranged on the object feeding path, the object feeding unit feeding an object; and a pair of rollers arranged on the temporary object feeding path. The pair of rollers pinches the object and feeds the object from the object feeding path toward the temporary object feeding path while keeping one edge of the object as a feeding head. The pair of rollers pinches the object and feeds the object from the temporary object feeding path toward the object feeding path while keeping the other edge of the object as a feeding head. | 2011-06-09 |
| 20110135370 | PRINT DEVICE, TRANSPORT UNIT, TRANSPORT ROLLER AND METHOD OF PRODUCING THE TRANSPORT ROLLER - A print device including a transport roller for transporting a recording medium in which a pair of end surfaces of a metallic plate faces each other so as to be molded in a cylindrical shape, wherein at least one end surface of the pair of end surfaces includes a first portion which comes into plane contact with the other end surface of the pair of end surfaces at an outer periphery surface side of the transport roller, and a second portion which has a gap between the second portion and the other end surface at an inner periphery surface side thereof. | 2011-06-09 |
| 20110135371 | Printing system architecture with center cross-over and interposer by-pass path - A printing system comprises a paper path architecture for parallel printing using multiple marking engines. The media path configuration enables all the media feed trays to be located in one place, relative to the marking engines. A cross-over module is located between marking engines. The cross-over module can interleave media sheets that are being transported away from a first marking engine with the sheets being transported to the second marking engine. The cross-over module also includes a straight through path that enables media sheets to be transported directly to a finishing device without going through either marking engine. The marking engines include internal duplex loops such that media can be supplied to each engine in alternate groups. A merge module selectively merges the media which can then be further processed in a finishing transition module prior to communication to a finishing device. | 2011-06-09 |
| 20110135372 | BOTH-SIDE RECORDING APPARATUS - A both-side recording apparatus that enables both-side recording on continuous paper using a single recording head, without cutting the continuous paper at an intermediate position, is provided. Reduction in size and costs of the apparatus is achieved by eliminating a conveying path dedicated to both-side recording. The apparatus includes a paper-feeder that feeds continuous paper, a recording head that records an image on the continuous paper, a reversing unit that reverses the continuous paper such that a recording surface of the continuous paper facing the recording head is reversed, and a rewinding mechanism that rewinds the fed continuous paper to the paper-feeder. During both-side recording, recording is performed on the back side of the continuous paper by rewinding the continuous paper by the rewinding mechanism, setting the back side of the continuous paper to oppose the recording head by the reversing unit, and feeding the continuous paper from the paper-feeder. | 2011-06-09 |
| 20110135373 | TAPE PRINTING APPARATUS - A CPU detects whether or not a type of a tape cassette housed in a cassette housing portion is a stripped-tape accommodating cassette that creates an after-printed tape with a separator being peeled off from its adhesive layer. In case the CPU detects that the type of the tape cassette in the cassette housing portion is a stripped-tape accommodating cassette that creates an after-printed tape with a separator being peeled off from its adhesive layer, only one after-printed tape in predetermined length with a separator being peeled off from its adhesive layer is made subject to tape printing, and consequently conveyed to a cutting point, whereby tape printing is terminated. | 2011-06-09 |
| 20110135374 | RECORDING APPARATUS - A recording apparatus having a function of sorting recording sheets is reduced in size and cost. The recording apparatus conveys the recording sheets, records on the recording sheets, discharges the recording sheets, and sorts the discharged recording sheets. The recording apparatus includes: a movable carriage that holds a recording head for recording on the recording sheets; and a sorting mechanism that controls positions of the recording sheets so that the discharged recording sheets are sorted, and the sorting mechanism is configured to be operated by the carriage and sort the recording sheets in accordance with a position of the carriage. | 2011-06-09 |
| 20110135375 | LIP MARKER WITH LIP GLOSS APPLICATOR - A lip marker is described comprising an elongated body which accommodates a sponge soaked in coloured marking ink and a tip arranged at an end of the elongated body in contact with said ink Moreover the marker comprises a lip gloss or gloss applicator arranged at the end opposite to said elongated body. The lip gloss applicator may be in solid or “stick” form or in fluid or “bottle” form. | 2011-06-09 |
| 20110135376 | COSMETIC APPLICATOR, IN PARTICULAR MASCARA APPLICATOR, AND A COSMETIC PRODUCT - The invention relates to a cosmetic applicator, in particular a mascara applicator, having a first applicator region and at least one additional applicator region in which the applicator regions are connected to each other in movable fashion relative to each other by means of an articulation and/or the additional applicator region is connected to the first applicator region in a way that allows it to be slid in linear fashion relative to the first applicator region and also relates to a cosmetic product. | 2011-06-09 |
| 20110135377 | LIP BALM WITH SPHERICAL SURFACE AND METHOD FOR PRODUCING - A lip balm applicator product comprises upper and lower portions that are connectable together to define the applicator product being of a substantially spherical shape. A support platform is located in the lower portion and accommodates a quantity of lip balm having an arcuate surface. A lip balm comprises a composition of waxes and oils in solid form and formed to have an arcuate surface. The composition is formed to have the arcuate surface using a hot pour process. A method of manufacturing a lip balm comprises providing a receptacle having a concave arcuate surface. A lip balm material in a heated, liquefied phase is poured into the receptacle. Once poured, the heated, liquefied phase is allowed to solidify such that a surface of the solidified lip balm material has an arcuate configuration that corresponds to the concave arcuate surface of the receptacle. | 2011-06-09 |
| 20110135378 | TRAVEL MULTIPLIER MECHANISMS FOR WRITING INSTRUMENTS - A writing instrument includes a travel multiplier mechanism that includes a cam member that pivots about a pivot axis in response to motion of a push button member. The cam member engages a sliding piston member in order to provide a travel multiplying effect such that a distance of travel of the sliding piston member exceeds a distance traveled by the push button member. | 2011-06-09 |
| 20110135379 | ORAL CARE SYSTEM, KIT AND METHOD - An oral care system and method wherein a dispenser is mounted to the handle of an oral care implement, such as a toothbrush. The dispenser holds an oral care material and is alterable between a storage state wherein a dispending end of the dispenser nests within the handle and an application state wherein the dispensing end of the dispenser is un-nested and exposed for oral care use. In one aspect, the invention is an oral care system comprising: an oral care implement comprising a head, a handle having a longitudinal axis, and one or more oral surface engaging elements; a dispenser having a reservoir containing an oral care material and an applicator for dispensing the oral care material from the reservoir; the dispenser alterable between: (i) a storage state wherein the applicator or the dispensing end of the dispenser is nested within the handle; and (ii) an application state wherein the applicator or the dispensing end is un-nested from the handle and exposed for oral care use. | 2011-06-09 |
| 20110135380 | Grill Brush - A grill brush having a brush handle with a handle end and a brush end, the brush head having a fluid reservoir, a brush handle conduit and a valve located therein; a reservoir cap removeably attached to the handle end of the brush handle; the valve being in fluid communication with the reservoir; the brush handle conduit being in fluid communication with the valve; a brush head; a bristle holding member; a brush bristle surface located on the bristle holding member; a brush head conduit located in the brush head, and in fluid communication with the brush handle conduit; a plurality of groups of bristles emanating from the brush bristle surface; a plurality of orifices located on the brush bristle surface, and in communication with the brush head conduit; and a scraper is provided herein. | 2011-06-09 |
| 20110135381 | CONCENTRIC KNURL BALL JOINT - A replacement ball joint assembly ( | 2011-06-09 |
| 20110135382 | AXIAL RETENTION ASSEMBLY - An axial retention assembly for axially retaining a retained member includes a retaining member and a retaining ring. The retaining member has a surface and an annular groove disposed on the surface, where the surface defines a cavity and the annular groove has a groove surface and an edge surface disposed between the surface and the groove surface. The retaining ring has a first portion at least partially disposed in the groove and opposing the groove surface, a second portion at least partially disposed in the cavity and opposing the retained member and the surface of the retaining member, and a recess portion disposed between the first portion and the second portion and opposing the edge surface. The recessed portion of the retaining ring does not contact the edge surface of the retaining member when the retained member exerts a predetermined force on the second portion of the retaining ring. | 2011-06-09 |
| 20110135383 | Pin Joint Component With Improved Wear Surfaces - The present disclosure is directed to a pin joint component for a pin joint assembly that has improved wear surfaces, especially for those portions of the pin joint component surface that interface thrust rings, lips, and other adjacent wear components. The pin joint component comprises a first treated region that is formed by removing material from the wear surface of the pin joint component and replaced with clad material. Prior to this operation, a second treated region is formed by removing material from a section of the pin joint component distinct from the first treated region and performing a nitriding process thereon. | 2011-06-09 |
| 20110135384 | SURFACE DRAINAGE SYSTEM - A surface drainage structure formed above a subgrade may include an elongate drain conduit disposed partially within the subgrade. The elongate drain conduit may define at least one drain slot extending through a wall thereof. The structure may include a pavement layer with an exposed top surface and a drainage channel extending therefrom. The drainage channel may be in fluid communication with the drain slot of the elongate drain conduit. A method of forming the surface drainage structure includes placing the elongate drain conduit in the subgrade, forming the pavement layer, cutting an upper channel along the elongate drain conduit, and cutting a lower channel and the drain slot in the elongate conduit. | 2011-06-09 |
| 20110135385 | Portable tire deflator - A tire deflation device having an elongated base with a hinge positioned near the middle of the elongated base, a first elongated arm attached to a first end of the elongated base and running perpendicular to the elongated base, a second elongated arm attached to a second end of the elongated base and running perpendicular to the elongated base, a plurality of spikes attached to each of the first and second elongated arms, and a handle connected to the elongated base. | 2011-06-09 |
| 20110135386 | Apparatus for indicating the formation of ice on a road - Apparatus ( | 2011-06-09 |
| 20110135387 | EXPANSION JOINT SEALING SYSTEM - An expansion joint sealing system may be used to provide a continuous and seamless waterproof membrane across a gap in an expansion joint. The expansion joint sealing system includes sealing members that are provided with a keyway for accepting and interlocking a coating membrane. Also disclosed are an expansion joint including spaced apart structural members and the sealing system and a method for sealing a gap between two spaced apart structural members. | 2011-06-09 |
| 20110135388 | CONCRETE FINISHING APPARATUS - A concrete finishing apparatus for smoothing and leveling partially set-up concrete at a support surface includes a frame portion, a first concrete working member and a second concrete working member disposed at the frame portion. The first concrete working member is rotatable about a first axis of rotation that is generally vertical when the first concrete working member is supported at a generally horizontal support surface. The second concrete working member is rotatable about a second axis of rotation that is generally vertical when the second concrete working member is supported at a generally horizontal support surface. The first and second concrete working members engage the partially set-up concrete surface at the support surface and rotate about the first and second axes of rotation to process the concrete surface. | 2011-06-09 |
| 20110135389 | Tamper device - Disclosed herein is a tamper device. The tamper device includes a housing, a drive, a tamper, and a wobble connection. The drive is connected the housing. The tamper is adapted to reciprocate relative to the housing and apply pressure to a surface. The wobble connection is between the drive and the tamper, wherein the wobble connection includes a wobble plate. A first end portion of the tamper is at a side of the wobble plate. | 2011-06-09 |
| 20110135390 | Sea Vessel Docking Station - A system and method in which a buoyant central docking station captures, lifts and couples one or more other sea vessels is disclosed, wherein a flexible, modularized production system is quickly realized on a cost effective basis. The capabilities of a number of older, less expensive, readily available vessels are combined to achieve an effective FPSO substitute that allows lower producing fields to be explored and produced in a profitable manner. The time horizon between initiation and consummation of field operations is reduced, and older vessels that might otherwise be scrapped or retired are again made useful and seaworthy in a safe and profitable exploration and production environment. | 2011-06-09 |
| 20110135391 | SYNTHETIC MATERIALS FOR WATER DRAINAGE SYSTEMS - Synthetic rocks are used as a substitute for natural gravel to fill in a water drainage trench. The synthetic rocks may be used around perforated drain tiles in a basement water drainage system, or they may be used without such tile. The synthetic rocks may be of a size and shape that mimics the natural rock they replace, but they are preferably significantly lighter in weight. The synthetic rocks may alternatively be tubular or cubic shaped, for example, and may include one or more lumens or other passageways to facilitate the flow of water through and/or around the rocks. The synthetic rocks may be provided in mesh bags to facilitate placement in a water drainage trench. | 2011-06-09 |
| 20110135392 | MODULAR, SCALABLE LIQUID MANAGEMENT SYSTEM - The present disclosure relates to a modular, scalable liquid management system. The disclosed system is modular in that it is assembled from a few primary components. The system is scalable because the primary components are adapted to be re-sized and combined to form a system as wide, deep, and/or long as needed. In various exemplary embodiments, the system is assembled from a plurality of base components and arm components that are tightly connected to form the liquid management system. To resist shifting or separation of system components, the liquid management system is firmly anchored to the ground at multiple locations throughout the system. | 2011-06-09 |
| 20110135393 | BERM AND METHOD OF CONSTRUCTION THEREOF - A berm to increase capacity of an existing landfill comprises fill material and a covering portion. The landfill comprises a waste-receiving recess having an outer perimeter, an edge surface peripherally adjacent at least a portion of the outer perimeter, and an existing accumulation of waste within the recess. The fill material has a base, an inner sloped surface adjacent a future accumulation of waste, and an outer sloped surface opposite the inner sloped surface. The fill material comprises contaminated fill material fully encapsulated by an impermeable membrane. The covering portion comprises structural fill material and at least partially covers the fill material. At least a portion of the berm sits on at least a portion of the edge surface of the landfill, and portions of the berm are substantially parallel to corresponding portions of the outer perimeter. | 2011-06-09 |
| 20110135394 | BERM AND METHOD OF CONSTRUCTION THEREOF - Embodiments of the invention comprise berm to increase capacity of an existing landfill. The landfill comprises a waste-receiving recess having a surface and an outer perimeter, an edge surface peripherally adjacent at least a portion of the outer perimeter, and an existing accumulation of waste within the recess. The berm comprises a reinforced portion having opposing inner and outer surfaces and comprising fill material and a plurality of reinforcing members disposed therein, backfill material having an inner surface adjacent the inner surface of the reinforced portion, and an impermeable membrane encapsulating at least a portion of the backfill material, at least a portion of the fill material, and at least a portion of one or more of the reinforcing members. | 2011-06-09 |
