30th week of 2011 patent applcation highlights part 31 |
Patent application number | Title | Published |
20110182545 | WAVELENGTH DOMAIN OPTICAL SWITCH - To provide a waveguide type wavelength domain optical switch which makes it possible to use a cheap lens, makes it possible to correct aberration of the demultiplexed wavelengths produced in a plurality of waveguide type demultiplexing circuits, a wavelength domain optical switch is provided with: an integrated element formed by laminating three or more waveguide type demultiplexing circuits; a first lens for collecting light emitted from the integrated element; a polarization separation element for separating light emitted from the first lens into X polarization and Y polarization and emitting the X polarization and the Y polarization at different angles; a second lens for collecting the X polarization and the Y polarization; a first reflective optical phase modulator for reflecting the collected X polarization and Y polarization at any angles; a ½-wavelength plate disposed between the second lens and the first reflective optical phase modulator in order to make polarization directions of the X polarization and the Y polarization identical; and a second reflective optical phase modulator for inputting light from the first reflective optical phase modulator into one of the waveguide type demultiplexing circuits. | 2011-07-28 |
20110182546 | PHOTOELECTRIC CONVERSION DEVICE - A photoelectric conversion device includes an optical fiber, a molded portion covering an end portion and an end face of the optical fiber, the molded portion including a transparent resin transparent to light inputted and outputted through the optical fiber and a light input/output surface perpendicular to an optical axis of the optical fiber, electric wirings oppositely formed on the light input/output surface of the molded portion so as to sandwich a light input/output portion through which the light inputted and outputted through the optical fiber passes, and an optical device mounted on the electric wirings so as to stride over the light input/output portion. The optical device includes a surface light-emitting element or a surface light-receiving element optically coupled to the optical fiber through the molded portion. | 2011-07-28 |
20110182547 | TWO DIMENSIONAL FIBER COLLIMATOR ARRAY WITH HIGH RETURN LOSS - A lens system includes a body member holding at least one micro lens array. The micro lens array has a first surface with a plurality of micro lenses arranged in a row and a second surface opposing the first surface. The second surface is under an angle towards the first surface. Furthermore the lens system comprises either: (i) a plurality of ferrules enclosing end-portions of light waveguides, or (ii) a plurality of light waveguides without ferrules, wherein the ferrules or light waveguides are adhesively fastened in a spaced relationship from each other to the second surface of the micro lens array preferably by means of an adhesive, by bonding or by welding. | 2011-07-28 |
20110182548 | DEVICE FOR COUPLING AN OPTICAL FIBER AND A NANOPHOTONIC COMPONENT - The invention relates to a device for coupling an optical fiber and a nanophotonic component formed on a first substrate, wherein the device comprises: an intermediate component formed on a second substrate including a first wave guide adapted for receiving light from the optical fiber and for transmitting the same to a first diffraction grating independently from the polarization of the incident light; second and third diffraction gratings formed on the first substrate and coupled to the nanophotonic component, the first diffraction grating being adapted to provide the first and second light beams respectively towards the second diffraction grating and the third diffraction grating, the first and second beams having perpendicular polarizations. | 2011-07-28 |
20110182549 | SPOT-SIZE CONVERTER - A spot-size converter is equipped with a substrate, a clad that is formed on the substrate, a core that is embedded inside the clad, and an input/output end face. The core is tapered toward the input/output end face along a light propagation direction. In the clad, groove portions that expose a substrate face are formed extending as far as the input/output end face and on both sides of the core along the light propagation direction. | 2011-07-28 |
20110182550 | Silicon Optical Bench OCT Probe for Medical Imaging - An optical probe for emitting and/or receiving light within a body comprises an optical fiber that transmits and/or receives an optical signal, a silicon optical bench including a fiber groove running longitudinally that holds an optical fiber termination of the optical fiber and a reflecting surface that optically couples an endface of the optical fiber termination to a lateral side of the optical bench. The fiber groove is fabricated using silicon anisotropic etching techniques. Some examples use a housing around the optical bench that is fabricated using LIGA or other electroforming technology. A method for forming lens structure is also described that comprises forming a refractive lens in a first layer of a composite wafer material, such as SOI (silicon on insulator) wafers and forming an optical port through a backside of the composite wafer material along an optical axis of the refractive lens. the refractive lens is preferably formed using grey-scale lithography and dry etching the first layer. | 2011-07-28 |
20110182551 | Communications connectors and methods of using the same - Communications connectors communicatively and physically join a plurality of network elements. Communications connectors are substantially flangeless so as to provide a substantially continuous surface between the connector and network elements joined thereto. Communications connectors may include or be modified with a grounding surface or a seating member. Communications connectors include a variety of communicative contact surfaces and joining mechanisms, including those compatible with known 7/16 DIN connections. Methods include installing network elements to connection interfaces on connectors without the use of a flange or other exterior part. Methods optionally include applying an adhesive to connection interfaces to provide a breakable, locked connection between network elements and connectors. | 2011-07-28 |
20110182552 | METHOD FOR TERMINATING LIGHT-GUIDE FIBER BUNDLES - The invention relates to a method for terminating optical fiber bundles, wherein the fiber bundle is inserted into a sleeve which is filled with adhesive. | 2011-07-28 |
20110182553 | METHOD OF MAKING A FIBER OPTICAL CABLE ASSEMBLY - A process for forming a fiber optical cable assembly comprises the steps of (a) subjecting a first high yenacity reinforcement yarn such as para-aramid that is coated with a water-impermeable thermally reversible cross-linked polymeric coating to a temperature of from 45 to 200° C. for sufficient time to convert the protective coating via bond cleavage into a water-swellable super absorbent polymer, (b) combining one or more of the first reinforcement yarns from step (a) with one or more optical glass fiber transmission media and (c) applying a protective sleeve over at least one assembly of step (b). | 2011-07-28 |
20110182554 | PHOTOELECTRIC CONNECTION SYSTEM WITH WAVEGUIDES - A photoelectric connection assembly includes a circuit board defining conductive pads on a first surface thereof and waveguides embedded therein, an electrical connector assembled to the circuit board and a light transmission module. The electrical connector includes a seat defining a first receiving cavity for receiving the conversion module and a second receiving cavity below the first receiving cavity, a cover rotatably associated with a rear end of the seat and rotating to shield the first receiving cavity and conductive terminals loaded on the seat. The terminals include contacting portions extending in the first receiving cavity for electrical connection with the conversion module and leg portions connecting with the conductive pads. The light transmission module is received in the second receiving cavity and includes conversion module. | 2011-07-28 |
20110182555 | LIQUID RESIN COMPOSITION FOR PRODUCTION OF OPTICAL WAVEGUIDE, OPTICAL WAVEGUIDE PRODUCED BY USING THE LIQUID RESIN COMPOSITION, AND PRODUCTION METHOD OF THE OPTICAL WAVEGUIDE - A liquid resin composition is provided which satisfies both a tackiness-free requirement and a curing sensitivity requirement for production of an optical waveguide by a roll-to-roll process. An optical waveguide produced by using the liquid resin composition and a production method of the optical waveguide are also provided. The liquid resin composition for the production of the optical waveguide comprises:
| 2011-07-28 |
20110182556 | PLASTIC-CLADDING OPTICAL FIBER - A plastic-cladding optical fiber is provided. The plastic-cladding optical fiber is provided includes: a core layer made of quartz glass; and a cladding layer formed by hardening a curable resin composition over a periphery of the core layer. Adhesion between the core layer and the cladding layer ranges 1.5 g/mm to 4.0 g/mm. | 2011-07-28 |
20110182557 | MULTI-CORE FIBER - The present invention relates to a multi-core fiber having a structure for effectively suppressing crosstalk increase between cores caused by bending within an allowable range. The multi-core fiber comprises a plurality of types of cores respectively extending along an optical axis and a cladding region, and the effective refractive index of each core is set so that, in all pairs of cores of different types, a relative refractive index difference between an effective refractive index of a core of a certain type and an effective refractive index of a core of another type satisfies a condition regulated according to a core spacing between cores and a bending radius. | 2011-07-28 |
20110182558 | INSECT-INFESTATION PREVENTION DEVICE FOR TELECOMMUNICATIONS EQUIPMENT - An insect-infestation prevention device and a fiber optic telecommunications equipment including an insect-infestation prevention device is disclosed. The fiber optic telecommunications equipment includes a housing with a main housing portion defining a first transverse wall, a front wall, a rear wall, a top wall, and a bottom wall, cooperatively defining an interior. A cable exit/entry is provided opening on one of the front wall, the rear wall, the top wall, and the bottom wall. A removable insect-infestation prevention device is located adjacent the cable exit/entry opening, the insect-infestation prevention device including cable openings communicating with the cable exit/entry opening. The cable openings of the device are sized to accommodate fiber optic cables exiting or entering the housing while limiting the amount of free space around the fiber optic cables to prevent insects from entering the housing. A removable cover mounted to the main housing portion defines a second transverse wall of the housing and captures the insect-infestation prevention device against the main housing portion. | 2011-07-28 |
20110182559 | Assembly of optical fiber and optical fiber holder with end portion of optical fiber housed in recess - The present invention is directed to an assembly of an optical fiber and an optical fiber holder for holding the optical fiber, the optical fiber having an end surface formed at an end portion thereof, the end surface being configured to perform light coupling with a light emitting element or with a light receiving element. The optical fiber holder comprises; a throughhole which extends through the optical fiber holder and a recess that is positioned on a surface of the optical fiber holder and that is provided with an opening of the throughhole. The optical fiber is inserted through the throughhole and an adhesive is filled in a gap between an inner wall of the throughhole and an outer periphery of the optical fiber, the adhesive being used for adhering the optical fiber to the optical fiber holder. The end portion, on which is formed the end surface of the optical fiber, protrudes from the opening and terminates within the recess. | 2011-07-28 |
20110182560 | Binding for Audio/Video Streaming in a Topology of Devices - Resources may be managed in a topology for audio/video streaming. The topology includes audio/video sources and sinks and intervening branch devices. Messages between these sources, sinks, and branch devices may be used for resource management. | 2011-07-28 |
20110182561 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR CONTINUOUS PLAYING OF MOVING PICTURE BETWEEN TWO DEVICES - The present invention relates to a system and method for playing an identical moving picture on different types of devices, in which one terminal registers both a moving picture played thereon and the play information thereof in a server, and another terminal can download the moving picture and the play information from the server and continuously play the moving picture from a scene at which the playing thereof had previously been terminated. A server according to the present invention includes a communication unit ( | 2011-07-28 |
20110182562 | DIGITAL BROADCAST RECEIVING APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR CONTROLLING THE SAME - There is provided a digital broadcast receiving apparatus comprising an acceptance unit and a change unit. Subsidiary information includes application control information indicating “finishing” or “not finishing” the execution of a data broadcast application by an execution unit when a program included in broadcast program data in playback by a playback unit has been switched to another program. The acceptance unit is configured to accept a continuation instruction indicating continuing the execution of the data broadcast application by the execution unit even after a program included in the broadcast program data in playback by the playback unit is finished. The change unit is configured to, when the application control information has indicated “finishing” and the acceptance unit has accepted the continuation instruction, change the application control information so as to indicate “not finishing” before the program included in the broadcast program data in playback by the playback unit is finished. | 2011-07-28 |
20110182563 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PROVIDING SUBSIDIARY DATA SYNCHRONOUS TO PRIMARY CONTENT DATA - Primary content data is received from an external source and subsidiary data is obtained which corresponds to the primary content data, wherein the subsidiary data is independent of the primary content data. The subsidiary data is provided synchronous to the primary content data. | 2011-07-28 |
20110182564 | Recoverable Digital Content Degradation - The disclosure relates generally to processing audio and video signals. One claim recites an apparatus comprising: electronic memory for storing a media signal, the media signal comprising degradation introduced through use of a key, in which the key corresponds to detection criteria in the media signal, and in which the degradation comprises human perceptible degradation, the media signal further comprising the key embedded therein; and a processor programmed for: analyzing the media signal to obtain the key; and removing some of the degradation through use of the key, in which said removing utilizes different detection criteria relative to a process that introduced the degradation into the media signal. Of course, other claims and combinations are provided too. | 2011-07-28 |
20110182565 | Radiant System for Heat Transfer - A radiant heating system includes a molded agglomeration of inert natural stone waste and a heating element embedded in the agglomeration. The agglomeration contains 45-55% by weight of stone particles having a size from 1 to 5 mm; 30-35% by weight of stone dust having a size from 0.01 mm to 0.5 mm; and 20-25% by weight of a resin having a water-based acrylic component. | 2011-07-28 |
20110182566 | IMAGE BLUR CORRECTION DEVICE, IMAGING LENS UNIT, AND CAMERA UNIT - An image blur correction device according to the present invention includes: a tabular base ( | 2011-07-28 |
20110182567 | STROBE DEVICE - A strobe device according to the present invention includes a support portion connected to an apparatus body, and a movable portion having a strobe light emitter and rotatably supported on the support portion, wherein the movable portion includes a rotating member rotatably supported on the support portion, and a frame member fixed to the rotating member, and a shaft portion is provided in the support portion at a position apart from a center of rotation of the rotating member, one end of a spring being engaged with the shaft portion and the other end of the spring being engaged with the frame member, and a stopper wall is integrally formed in the frame member to receive and thereby engage the other end of the spring, and to prevent the spring from coming off. | 2011-07-28 |
20110182568 | IMAGING APPARATUS - In an imaging apparatus, a first slope is formed that inclines toward a second flash-unit cam at an end face of a first flash-unit cam on the second flash-unit cam side at a first position where a flash-unit follower is located on the first cam when the flash-unit follower is engaged with the first flash-unit cam and the lens barrel unit is changed into wide angle state, and a second slope is formed that inclines toward the first flash-unit cam at an end face of the second cam on the first flash-unit cam side at a second position where the flash-unit follower is located on the second flash-unit cam when the flash-unit follower is engaged with the second flash-unit cam and the lens barrel unit is changed into a wide angle state. | 2011-07-28 |
20110182569 | IMAGING APPARATUS - An imaging apparatus includes a light-emitting unit from which a lead wire and a flexible wiring board extend, a shaft member passing through the light-emitting unit, and a base member having formed therein two bearing portions pivotally supporting the shaft member. The light-emitting unit is caused to shift between an in-use state and a stored state according to the light-emitting unit being rotated around the shaft member. The flexible wiring board extending from the light-emitting unit extends into the imaging apparatus through a space between the two bearing portions in which the shaft member is located. The lead wire extending from the light-emitting unit extends into the imaging apparatus through an outside of one of the two bearing portions in which the shaft member is not located. | 2011-07-28 |
20110182570 | THREE-DIMENSIONAL VIDEO IMAGING DEVICE - A three-dimensional (3D) video imaging device includes a lens array unit, a substrate and a display unit. The lens array unit includes a plurality of lenses, and a plurality of light-shielding elements are installed on either a top surface or a bottom surface of the substrate and arranged with an interval apart from each other and corresponding to respective gaps between the lenses. The substrate is disposed above or under the lens array unit, or the substrate is integrally formed with the lens array unit, or the substrate is omitted. The light-shielding elements are installed directly onto a light entry surface of the lens array unit to simplify the stacked structure and the manufacturing process. The 3D video imaging device can achieve the effects of preventing stray lights, enhancing 3D image sharpness, and maintaining a high-resolution display. | 2011-07-28 |
20110182571 | OPTICAL TRANSCEIVER WITH CLOCK FOR PROVIDING MAINTENANCE AND LIFETIME INFORMATION - An optoelectronic device uses microcode to perform an end of life calculation for the optoelectronic device. In a disclosed example, the optoelectronic device senses environmental and operational parameters under changing conditions during device operation. The optoelectronic device then calculates the end of life for itself based on one or more of the sensed environmental and/or operational parameters. The calculation can be done in real time and using digital logic. The calculation can provide a result in a format which is useful to a host system with which the device is connected. The optoelectronic device may automatically shut itself down upon reaching its calculated end of life. | 2011-07-28 |
20110182572 | GENERATION OF A FEEDBACK SIGNAL FOR A POLARIZATION MODE DISPERSION COMPENSATOR IN A COMMUNICATION SYSTEM USING ALTERNATE-POLARIZATION - The invention relates to a method of generating a feedback signal for adjusting a polarization mode dispersion compensator (PMDC, | 2011-07-28 |
20110182573 | All-Optical Balanced Detection System - A two-gate sampling system has been designed to perform sampled balanced detection of one or more input signal pairs. The present invention performs simultaneous sampling of both signals in each signal pair followed by digitization and combination of the sample pairs using software. By first sampling the signals and then combining the sampled into the corresponding balanced detected signal it is possible to avoid the bandwidth limitations and impedance problems introduced by traditional balanced detectors and electrical oscilloscopes. In particular, for optical sampling gates very high bandwidth sampling gates can be designed without any impedance issues and hence almost perfect balanced detection reconstruction can be performed for very high speed signals. Balanced detection is becoming more and more important as the new phase modulated optical data signals are introduced to the market, such as e.g. PSK, DPSK, QPSK and DQPSK. The present invention is well suited for analysis of these new types of signals. | 2011-07-28 |
20110182574 | METHOD AND APPARATUS OPTIMIZING DECISION THRESHOLD LEVEL OF OPTICAL RECEIVER - method and apparatus for optimizing a decision threshold of an optical receiver is used to solve a problem of affecting system stability and reliability. The method comprises: determining a maximum value and a minimum value of an adjustment range of the decision threshold, and determining an adjustment step of the decision threshold ( | 2011-07-28 |
20110182575 | IMPLEMENTING REDUCED SIGNAL DEGRADATION FOR FIBER OPTIC MODULES - A method and circuit are provided for implementing reduced signal degradation for fiber optic modules, and a design structure on which the subject circuit resides. Responsive to a detected signal input, an optical misalignment calculation is performed. A voltage potential for a lens shape control is selected responsive to the optical misalignment calculation. An optical signal loss calculation and threshold compare are performed. Responsive to the optical signal loss calculation less than the threshold, the lens shape and voltage potential are fixed. A fluidic lens provides variable lens shape responsive to the selected voltage potential being applied to the fluidic lens, | 2011-07-28 |
20110182576 | Method For Engineering Connections In A Dynamically Reconfigurable Photonic Switched Network - A method for engineering of a connection in a WDM photonic network with a plurality of flexibility sites connected by links comprises calculating a physical end-to-end route between a source node and a destination node and setting-up a communication path along this end-to-end route. An operational parameter of the communication path is continuously tested and compared with a test threshold. The path is declared established whenever the operational parameter is above the margin tolerance. The established path is continuously monitored by comparing the operational parameter with a maintenance threshold. A regenerator is switched into the path whenever the operational parameter is under the respective threshold, or another path is assigned to the respective connection. An adaptive channel power turn-on procedure provides for increasing gradually the power level of the transmitters in the path while measuring an error quantifier at the destination receiver until a preset error quantifier value is reached. As the connection ages, the power is increased so as to maintain the error quantifier at, or under the preset value. The path operation is controlled using a plurality of optical power/gain control loops, each for monitoring and controlling a group of optical devices, according to a set of loop rules. | 2011-07-28 |
20110182577 | METHOD, SYSTEM, AND APPARATUS FOR FILTER IMPLEMENTATION USING HERMITIAN CONJUGATES - Filter implementation using Hermitian conjugates and time division multiplexing (TDM) is disclosed to more efficiently compensate for chromatic dispersion of optical signals transmitted over a fiber optic medium. Embodiments for an input, filter, and output sections of a Digital Signal Processor (DSP) are described. The disclosed methods, and corresponding apparatus and systems enables a substantial reduction in the complexity of the hardware needed to implement CD compensation in the DSP. According to another embodiment, Inverse-Fourier transform circuits receive TDM data from the filter section and assemble the TDM data format back to a non-TDM format. | 2011-07-28 |
20110182578 | Optical Apparatus - An optical apparatus for use in an optical communications network, and a method of operating a network are described. The apparatus includes an input suitable for receiving a first continuous wave optical signal from a remote location on a network, and a modifying unit arranged to modify the first continuous wave optical signal to produce a second continuous wave optical signal having a wavelength which is different from the wavelength of the first continuous wave optical signal. A modulating unit is arranged to modulate the second continuous wave optical signal with data to produce a modulated second continuous wave optical signal. | 2011-07-28 |
20110182579 | METHODS FOR DYNAMIC BANDWIDTH ALLOCATION AND QUEUE MANAGEMENT IN ETHERNET PASSIVE OPTICAL NETWORKS - In a passive optical network, dynamic bandwidth allocation and queue management methods and algorithms, desgiend to avoid fragmentation loss, guarantee that a length of a grant issued by an OLT will match precisely the count for bytes to be transmitted to an ONU. The methods include determining an ONU uplink transmission egress based on a three-stage test, and various embodiments of methods for ONU report | 2011-07-28 |
20110182580 | Method and apparatus for mapping and de-mapping service data - A method for mapping service data is provided. The method includes: calculating a payload value according to service data to be transmitted; inserting the payload value into a payload value region of a corresponding frame in one group of data frames, in which the payload value is used to indicate an amount of service data carried by corresponding containers in a next group of data frames; and extracting service data of a payload value size carried by a previous group of data frames, and mapping the service data to a payload region after being respectively carried by corresponding containers. Correspondingly, an apparatus for mapping service data, and a method and an apparatus for de-mapping service data are further provided. The invention can be applied to the mapping of service data of various rates, moreover, service data of various types can be mapped by adopting one data structure of data frames. | 2011-07-28 |
20110182581 | CONTEXT-SENSITIVE OVERHEAD PROCESSOR - An overhead processor for data transmission in digital communications, where a state machine, including a logic element and a flip-flop, is able to process a “previous” data state and a “next” data state simultaneously by storing the previous state in an external elastic storage element until the next state arrives along the datapath. | 2011-07-28 |
20110182582 | JOINT SAMPLE RATE CONVERSION AND CD COMPENSATION IN FREQUENCY DOMAIN FOR COHERENT POLMUX - A combined CD compensation and sample rate conversion method performed in the frequency domain. | 2011-07-28 |
20110182583 | DISTRIBUTED CABLE MODEM TERMINATION SYSTEM - Distributed CMTS device for a HFC CATV network serving multiple neighborhoods by multiple individual cables, in which the QAM modulators that provide data for the individual cables are divided between QAM modulators located at the cable plant, and remote QAM modulators ideally located at the fiber nodes. A basic set of CATV QAM data waveforms may be transmitted to the nodes using a first fiber, and a second set of IP/on-demand data may be transmitted to the nodes using an alternate fiber or alternate fiber frequency, and optionally other protocols such as Ethernet protocols. The nodes will extract the data specific to each neighborhood and inject this data into unused QAM channels, thus achieving improved data transmission rates through finer granularity. A computerized “virtual shelf” control system for this system is also disclosed. The system has high backward compatibility, and can be configured to mimic a conventional cable plant CMTS. | 2011-07-28 |
20110182584 | METHOD FOR DATA PROCESSING IN AN OPTICAL NETWORK, OPTICAL NETWORK COMPONENT AND COMMUNICATION SYSTEM - A method for data processing in an optical network includes providing several main wavelengths and processing a subcarrier modulation for the several main wavelengths. An optical network component and a communication system including such an optical network component are also provided. | 2011-07-28 |
20110182585 | OPTICAL TRANSMISSION APPARATUS AND CONTINUITY TESTING METHOD - An optical transmission apparatus includes an amplifier, a first output port to select a wavelength from the wavelength-division-multiplexed signal light amplified and output signal light with the selected wavelength to an operation line, a second output port to output multiplexed light obtained by multiplexing any one of first spontaneous emission light and second spontaneous emission light to a preliminary line, the first and the second spontaneous emission light being parts of spontaneous emission light generated by the amplifier, the first spontaneous emission light being in a wavelength range that is not selected, and the second spontaneous emission light being in a wavelength range other than a range of the wavelength-division-multiplexed signal light, and a judger to judge a continuity state of the operation line by using the signal light output to the operation line and a continuity state of the preliminary line. | 2011-07-28 |
20110182586 | WAVELENGTH DIVISION MULTIPLEXING - Technologies relating to wavelength division multiplexing are provided. In one implementation, a wavelength division multiplexing (WDM) coupler is provided. The WDM coupler includes an input block including a first tube, the first tube holding an input dual fiber pigtailed capillary, the capillary holding an input fiber and a reflection fiber, a center block including a center tube holding a first inner tube and a second inner tube, the first inner tube holding a first lens within the first inner tube and the second inner tube holding a second lens within the second inner tube, the center block further including a WDM filter positioned between the first lens and the second lens and secured to the end surface of the first inner tube, and an output block including a second tube holding an output single fiber pigtailed capillary, the capillary holding a transmission fiber. | 2011-07-28 |
20110182587 | SYSTEM AND METHODS FOR CONVERTING A TEMPORALLY SHORT AND SPECTRALLY BROAD OPTICAL PULSE INTO A TRAIN OF SPECTRALLY NARROW OPTICAL PULSES - A system and methods are provided for converting a first temporally short and spectrally broad optical pulse into a train of spectrally narrow and distinct optical pulses. This involves receiving, on a first I/O channel, the first optical pulse associated with a plurality of wavelengths and performing wavelength division demultiplexing on the first optical pulse at an optical unit housed on an optical chip to output a plurality of second optical pulses on different ones of a plurality of second I/O channels, each of the second optical pulses associated with a unique wavelength range from the first optical pulse. This also involves receiving the second optical pulses at loop mirrors in the second I/O channels, wherein the second I/O channels are patterned as waveguides in the optical chip and reflecting, at the loop mirrors, the second optical pulses back to the optical unit. | 2011-07-28 |
20110182588 | PLUGGABLE OLT IN ETHERNET PASSIVE OPTICAL NETWORKS - One embodiment provides a pluggable optical line terminal (OLT). The OLT includes a bi-directional optical transceiver configured to transmit optical signals to and receive optical signals from a number of optical network units (ONUs), an OLT chip coupled to the optical transceiver and configured to communicate with the ONUs through the optical transceiver, and a pluggable interface coupled to the OLT chip and configured to electrically interface between the OLT chip and a piece of network equipment. The optical transceiver, the OLT chip, and the pluggable interface are contained in an enclosure complying with a form factor, thereby allowing the pluggable OLT to be directly plugged into the network equipment. | 2011-07-28 |
20110182589 | Optical Transmission and Reception System, and Optical Receiver - An optical signal of an optical transmission part is brought into a high-speed polarization scrambling state by a polarization scrambling part, and transmitted to en optical fiber transmission line as the optical signal from the optical transmitter. The optical signal passing through the optical fiber transmission line is inputted to an optical receiver. The optical signal inputted to the optical receiver is converted into an electric signal by a polarization dependent photoelectric detection part. The converted electric signal is inputted to a digital signal processing part having a polarization scrambling cancel part of canceling the polarization scrambling state by a digital signal processing operation. At the digital signal processing part, the polarization scrambling state of the electric signal is canceled, and a data signal is outputted. | 2011-07-28 |
20110182590 | Optical Signal Modulation | 2011-07-28 |
20110182591 | OPTICAL RECEIVER - An optical receiver includes: an optical amplifier amplifying an optical signal fed thereinto according to an operating current fed thereinto, the optical signal being a wavelength-multiplexed optical signal, a demultiplexer demultiplexing an optical signal output from the optical amplifier; and an operating-current control circuit selecting a monitoring target from a plurality of wavelength signals output from the demultiplexer and controlling the operating current of the optical amplifier so that optical power of the monitoring target is controlled to be a predetermined value. | 2011-07-28 |
20110182592 | IMAGE FORMING SYSTEM, CONTROL APPARATUS, AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - A control apparatus, connected to two image forming apparatuses each forming an image on one of a first face and a second face serving as image forming faces of a continuous recording paper, includes a receiving unit that receives, from each image forming apparatus, information regarding a transfer rate affecting condition that affects a difference in toner transfer rates of the image forming faces; a determining unit that determines, based on a standard amount of toner deposit and the transfer rate affecting condition regarding each of the first face and the second face, a target deposit amount representing a target amount of toner deposit in each of the two image forming apparatuses in such a way that the target deposit amounts have a difference corresponding to the difference in the toner transfer rate between the two image forming apparatuses. | 2011-07-28 |
20110182593 | IMAGE-FORMING DEVICE - An image-forming device includes a main casing, a drum unit, an image-forming unit, and a transfer unit. The drum unit is detachable from the main casing and includes a photosensitive drum having a rotational axis extending in an axis direction. The drum unit is formed with a plurality of symbols juxtaposed along the axis direction. The image-forming unit forms an image on the photosensitive drum in an image-forming mode. The transfer unit transfers the first developer image onto the photosensitive drum onto a sheet. The image-forming unit forms a first developer image on the photosensitive drum in a maintenance mode. The first developer image transferred onto the sheet divides the sheet into a plurality of regions along the axis direction, the plurality of regions corresponding to the plurality of symbols, respectively. | 2011-07-28 |
20110182594 | IMAGE FORMING DEVICE WITH MOUNTED REPLACEABLE UNIT, METHOD OF CHECKING OPERATION IN THAT IMAGE FORMING DEVICE, AND STORAGE MEDIUM STORING OPERATION CHECKING PROGRAM DIRECTED TO THAT IMAGE FORMING DEVICE - When a unit containing a fuse is mounted, in response to detection of a potential indicating that the fuse has not been blown by a detection circuit, a current for blowing the fuse is supplied from a blowing circuit to the mounted unit containing the fuse, and operation of the blowing circuit is checked based on potentials detected by the detection circuit before current supply and after current supply, respectively. When a unit containing a non-blown component instead of a fuse is mounted, a current is supplied from the blowing circuit to the mounted unit containing the non-blown component, and operation of the blowing circuit is checked based on potentials detected by the detection circuit before current supply and during current supply, respectively, or potentials detected by the detection circuit before current supply and after current supply, respectively. | 2011-07-28 |
20110182595 | IMAGE FORMING DEVICE AND IMAGE FORMING METHOD - In an image forming device, toner in a developing unit is efficiently utilized. A printing unit includes a developing unit, a toner cartridge, a photo-electronic sensor, a CPU and a counter. The toner cartridge replenishes toner to the developing unit at one time. The photo-electronic sensor detects toner in the developing unit. The CPU processes an output signal from the photo-electronic sensor to create comparison data, then compares comparison data with a predetermined threshold and issues an alarm when the comparison data exceeds the predetermined threshold. The counter counts the number of times that toner is replenished to the developing unit. The CPU changes the threshold to a level at which an alarm is hardly issued as the number of counts in the counter increases. | 2011-07-28 |
20110182596 | Image forming apparatus - If an input of a continuous image forming job is received, a time for interrupting the continuous image forming job is decided based on an image area ratio of a toner image that is formed on a latent image carrier through the continuous image forming job and a predetermined number of formed images (the number of passed sheets) that is formed until a predetermined type of abnormal image is generated when continuous image formation is performed at the image area ratio. During an interruption period of the continuous image forming job, an idle rotation in which the latent image carrier rotates in a state in which the toner is not supplied to the latent image carrier by the developing unit is performed, and the cleaning process is performed. | 2011-07-28 |
20110182597 | METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR ADJUSTING PRINTING DEVICE POWER CONSUMPTION BASED ON USAGE DATA - Methods and apparatus for adjusting printing device power consumption based on previously acquired usage data. The printing device has multiple energy consumption states including at least a ready state in which the printing device is ready to commence processing of a print job immediately upon receipt and including at least a low power state where the printing device is not ready to commence processing of a newly received print job. Acquired usage data includes parameters of print jobs submitted during a data collection period of time. The parameters may include time and date of submitted print jobs. Based on the usage data a usage profile is determined. The usage profile identifies one or more high usage periods of time and one or more low usage periods of time. Methods and apparatus then switch the printing device among the multiple energy consumption states based on the usage profile. | 2011-07-28 |
20110182598 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR PERFORMING IMAGE FORMING USING AN ELECTROPHOTOGRAPHIC PROCESS - An image forming apparatus using an electrophotographic process includes an image forming unit, a storage unit, and a control unit. The image forming unit performs monochrome printing and color printing. The storage unit stores print ratio data that relates to printing in the image forming unit is measured over time. The control unit separately performs correction of monochrome toner density and color toner density based on a predetermined first condition. If the first condition in the monochrome printing is met, the control unit performs correction of the monochrome toner density if a predetermined second condition concerning an amount of variation in the print ratio identified from the print ratio data is also met. | 2011-07-28 |
20110182599 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS, ALIGNMENT CORRECTING METHOD, AND ALIGNMENT CORRECTING PROGRAM - According to one embodiment, an image forming apparatus includes: a light emitting section; plural photoconductive members on which electrostatic latent images are respectively formed by emitted lights of the light emitting section; a developing section configured to develop, with toners of colors different from one another, the electrostatic latent images formed on the photoconductive members; a transfer section onto which images developed by the developing section are transferred; and a light-emission control section configured to control the light emitting section to thereby selectively form, on the transfer section, first test images respectively formed for the toners of the respective colors and printed at a first interval in a sub-scanning direction and second test images respectively formed for the toners of the respective colors and printed at a second interval smaller than the first interval in the sub-scanning direction. | 2011-07-28 |
20110182600 | IIMAGE FORMING APPARATUS, ALIGNMENT PATTERN FORMING METHOD, AND COMPUTER-READABLE RECORDING MEDIUM HAVING TONER IMAGE ALIGNMENT PROGRAM RECORDED THEREIN - Generally, according to an embodiment, an image forming apparatus includes an image forming unit, a belt, a sensor whose detection area for a toner image is set on a belt surface, and an image control unit. The image control unit controls the image forming unit to form a toner image to be transferred to the sheet in a range different from the detection area in a direction of belt width, and to form alignment patterns at a position which is within a range where the toner image is formed in the direction of belt surface movement and which overlaps the detection area in the direction of belt width. | 2011-07-28 |
20110182601 | Image Forming Apparatus - In the image forming apparatus, the partial image data for gradation adjustment is threshold conversion data of a partial image, the partial image is a part of a base pattern image with a predetermined size and does not contain any sides of the base pattern image, and the base pattern image is an image generated in an error diffusion method; and the patch image generator unit generates an image of a toner pattern by arranging the partial image of the partial image data repeatedly, and forms the toner pattern. | 2011-07-28 |
20110182602 | IMAGE FORMING SYSTEM AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - An image forming system is provided. The image forming system includes an image forming apparatus configured to form a mark for detecting at least one of a position deviation and a density deviation and obtains a correction amount by detecting the mark, the image forming system comprising: an identification unit configured to identify an image characteristic of an image to be printed according to at least one of a positional relationship between colors, a gradation distribution and a resolution, and a selecting unit configured to select a choice from multiple choices containing at least two choices of: only position deviation; only density deviation; and both position deviation and density deviation, according to the image characteristic identified by the identification unit, wherein the image forming apparatus is configured to form the mark for obtaining the correction amount according to the choice selected by the selecting unit. | 2011-07-28 |
20110182603 | EXPOSURE APPARATUS, CONTROL METHOD THEREOF, AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - The invention provides an exposure apparatus having a configuration such that, when a single laser light source having a plurality of light-emitting points is driven by a plurality of laser control apparatuses, mutual monitoring of the control state of the respective laser control apparatuses is possible, thus reducing malfunctions due to the effects of noise, and also provides a method to control this exposure apparatus, and an image forming apparatus. To accomplish this, the exposure apparatus does not execute light amount control of the light source to be driven when the determination unit has determined that another driving unit is causing the light source to be driven to emit light, and executes the light amount control of the light source to be driven when the determination unit has determined that another driving unit is not causing the light source to be driven to emit light. | 2011-07-28 |
20110182604 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS, IMAGE DENSITY CONTROL METHOD, CONTROL PROGRAM AND RECORDING MEDIUM - An image forming apparatus includes: a developing unit forming a toner image on a photoreceptor drum; a photo sensor detecting the image density of the toner image; an operation unit calculating a relational equation between the measurement detected by the photo sensor and the development potential; a storage unit storing the relational equation; and a control unit setting up a corrected development potential to obtain a target image density for the developing unit, based on the image density of toner image patches. When high-density correction is performed, the control unit forms a multiple number of toner image patches on the photoreceptor drum based on the corrected development potential that was obtained at the time of the previous high-density correction, and sets up a corrected development potential for obtaining the target image density, based on the multiple image densities of the multiple toner image patches. | 2011-07-28 |
20110182605 | IMAGE FORMING DEVICE AND METHOD OF ADJUSTING DENSITY OF FORMED IMAGE - An image forming device includes a toner supplying unit to supply the toner to a storage unit, a mixer to supply developer in the storage unit to a developing roller, a developer sensor to detect the amount of developer on the surface of the developing roller, a toner concentration sensor to detect toner concentration in the developer stored in the storage unit, and a control unit to adjust at least one of a developing bias and a rotation speed of the mixer based on a value detected by the developer sensor and a value detected by the toner concentration sensor, such that a printed image has uniform density. | 2011-07-28 |
20110182606 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - The image forming apparatus includes a loop amount detection sensor, disposed between a secondary transfer part and a fixing part, for detecting a loop amount of a transfer material by detecting a reflection of light radiated on the transfer material, a density detection sensor for detecting a density of a toner image that is primarily transferred to the intermediate transfer belt with the primary transfer roller, and a loop control part for controlling the loop amount of the transfer material based on the density of the toner image that is detected by the density detection sensor and the loop amount that is detected by the loop amount detection sensor. Accordingly, the image forming apparatus attains higher accuracy in the deflection amount detection by performing the deflection amount detection at least with the dependency of the image formed on the transfer material mitigated. | 2011-07-28 |
20110182607 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - An image forming apparatus includes a color toner image forming portion for forming a toner image with a color toner on a recording material; a clear toner image forming portion for forming a toner image with a clear toner on the recording material, wherein the clear toner has a melt viscosity, at a fixing temperature, higher than that of the color toner; a fixing device for fixing the toner image formed on the recording material; an obtaining portion for obtaining information on an area in which designated glossiness is partly increased, partly decreased, or partly increased and decreased; and a control device for determining the order of formation of the toner image with the color toner and the toner image with the clear toner on the recording material depending on the information obtained by the obtaining portion. | 2011-07-28 |
20110182608 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS AND CONTROL METHOD THEREOF - An image forming apparatus is provided that forms an image using developers of different tone and the same hue. When forming images for measurement for density control, the apparatus performs density control by forming a greater number of density levels of an image for measurement developed using a light developer than the number of density levels of an image for measurement developed using a dark developer. Thus, even if the amount of applied light developer may fluctuate, the fluctuation can be compensated to prevent the occurrence of pseudo-contours that lower image quality. | 2011-07-28 |
20110182609 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - An image forming apparatus includes a compressed air generator, a nozzle, a tube, a cooling device, and a drain discharging portion. The compressed air generator generates and injects compressed air onto at least one of a recording medium and components in the image forming apparatus. The compressed air is injected from the nozzle. The tube connects the compressed air generator and the nozzle, and the compressed air passes through the tube. The cooling device cools at least a portion of the tube. The drain discharging portion discharges drain generated in the tube during cooling by the cooling device. | 2011-07-28 |
20110182610 | DEVELOPMENT DEVICE AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - A development device includes a developing section to visualize a latent image formed on a latent image carrier with developer including toner and carrier. The development device has a developer supply opening and a developer collection opening, a circulation unit to transport the developer collected from the developer collection opening of the developing section to the developer supply opening of the developing section and including a developer container to store the developer collected from the developing section disposed upstream from the development section in a direction in which the developer is circulated, and a developer cooler to cool the developer contained in the developer container. | 2011-07-28 |
20110182611 | TRANSFER UNIT AND METHOD IN AN ELECTROPHORETIC PRINTING OR COPYING APPARATUS - In a transfer unit or method for an electrophoretic printing or copying apparatus, a rotating transfer element is provided at a first electrical potential arranged adjacent to a charge image carrier and that accepts toner images from the charge image carrier and supplies the toner images to a transfer printing station. An application element is provided adjacent to the transfer element that applies a cleaning fluid onto the transfer element to wet residual toner remaining after the transfer printing. An electrical potential element that recharges the wetted residual toner is provided after the application element and adjacent to the transfer element. A cleaning element after the potential element and adjacent to the transfer element is provided which is at an electrical potential selected so that an electrical field generated between the cleaning element and the transfer element draws the wetted residual toner towards the cleaning element. | 2011-07-28 |
20110182612 | IMAGE FORMING DEVICE HAVING RETAINING MEMBER THAT CAN BE PULLED OUT THEREFROM - An image forming device includes a casing, photosensitive bodies, developing devices, developer accommodating devices, and a retaining member. The developer accommodating devices includes a first developer accommodating device that is individually replaceable and separable from the corresponding developing device and a second developer accommodating device that is replaceable together with the corresponding developing device. The retaining member retains the photosensitive bodies arranged in an arrangement direction, the developing devices, and the developer accommodating devices at fixed positions within the casing. The retaining member is capable of being pulled out from the casing and is movable between a housed position and a withdrawn position. One of the developer accommodating devices located at a most upstream side in the arrangement direction is the first developer accommodating device, and each of the developer accommodating devices other than the one of the developer accommodating devices is the second developer accommodating device. | 2011-07-28 |
20110182613 | IMAGE FORMING DEVICE HAVING RETAINING MEMBER THAT CAN BE PULLED OUT THEREFROM - An image forming device includes a casing, photosensitive bodies, developing devices, developer accommodating devices, and a retaining member. The developer accommodating devices includes a first developer accommodating device that is individually replaceable and separable from the corresponding developing device and a second developer accommodating device that is replaceable together with the corresponding developing device. The retaining member retains the photosensitive bodies arranged in an arrangement direction, the developing devices, and the developer accommodating devices at fixed positions within the casing. The retaining member is capable of being pulled out from the casing and is movable between a housed position and a withdrawn position. One of the developer accommodating devices located at a most downstream side in the arrangement direction is the first developer accommodating device, and each of the developer accommodating devices other than the one of the developer accommodating devices is the second developer accommodating device. | 2011-07-28 |
20110182614 | Interlock System And Image Forming Apparatus Incorporating Interlock System - An interlock system includes first and second racks movable in parallel to each other in a longitudinal direction between opening and closing positions in conjunction with opening and closing of the first cover, respectively. A housing is provided to slidably accommodate the first and second racks in the longitudinal direction. A pinion unit is provided and is sandwiched by the first and second racks. The first and second racks have meshing sections respectively meshing with the pinion unit at one side surfaces extending in the longitudinal direction facing each other. The pinion unit slides in the longitudinal direction by a prescribed length in conjunction with movement of at least one of the first and second racks. The interlock switch is turned on and off in accordance with a sliding length of the pinion unit in the longitudinal direction. | 2011-07-28 |
20110182615 | PROCESS UNIT POSITIONING DEVICE AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS INCLUDING THE SAME - Provided is a process unit positioning device which performs positioning of a plurality of process units with respect to an apparatus main body, including: a positioning plate in which bearing holes into which individual drum shafts are fitted and a fitted portion onto which positioning portion of the apparatus main body is fitted are formed; and a holder portion supported by the apparatus main body so as to be able to pivot while holding the positioning plate so that a position changes by contact between the bearing holes and the drum shafts. | 2011-07-28 |
20110182616 | PROCESS CARTRIDGE AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS INCLUDING THE SAME - A process cartridge includes a first cartridge and a second cartridge. The first cartridge includes a first wall having a first opening, a first shutter configured to open and close the first opening, and a first operating portion configured to operate together with the first shutter. The second cartridge is mountable onto and demountable from the first cartridge and contains a developer. The second cartridge includes a second wall facing the first wall and having a second opening corresponding to the first opening, a second shutter configured to open and close the second opening, and a second operating portion configured to operate together with the second shutter. The first cartridge further includes a third operating portion. When the second cartridge is mounted onto the first cartridge, the first operating portion and the third operating portion operate together through the second operating portion. | 2011-07-28 |
20110182617 | CHARGING MEMBER, PROCESS CARTRIDGE AND ELECTROPHOTOGRAPHIC APPARATUS - The present invention provides a charging member which can maintain excellent wear resistance even though being used repeatedly. In the charging member having a surface layer, the surface layer is a surface layer constituted by at least one selected from silsesquioxanes having structures represented by a compound (1), a compound (2), a compound (3), a compound (4), a compound (5) and a compound (6), and a polysiloxane having a first unit represented by SiO | 2011-07-28 |
20110182618 | CHARGING MEMBER, PROCESS CARTRIDGE, AND ELECTROPHOTOGRAPHIC APPARATUS - Provided are a charging member capable of maintaining excellent wear resistance even after repeated use, and a process cartridge and an electrophotographic apparatus each having the charging member. The charging member is characterized in that its surface layer has a polysiloxane to which a silsesquioxane is bonded. | 2011-07-28 |
20110182619 | DISMOUNTING AND MOUNTING METHODS FOR COUPLING AND ELECTROPHOTOGRAPHIC PHOTOSENSITIVE DRUM UNIT - An electrophotographic photosensitive drum is provided for an electrophotographic image forming apparatus. The unit comprises a cylinder having a photosensitive layer at an outer periphery thereof. A drum flange is provided at one end of the cylinder. A plurality of resin regulating portions are provided inside the drum flange, the regulating portions projecting inwardly of the drum flange, with a gap between the regulating portions along a circumferential direction of the drum flange. A recess is provided in the regulating portions at a position radially outside of the drum flange for facilitating deformation of the regulating portions radially outwardly of the drum flange. | 2011-07-28 |
20110182620 | FIXING DEVICE AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS WITH FIXING DEVICE - A fixing device that allows simple and safe replacement of heating rollers is provided, which fixing device comprises a first lamp holder provided in the inner periphery of a retaining member, and interlock means for locking and unlocking the first lamp holder and the retaining member, wherein when replacing the heat roller, the interlock between the first lamp cartridge and the retaining member is unlocked to take out the retaining member and the heating roller from the opening of the frame of the image forming apparatus, while leaving the lamp cartridge inside the apparatus. | 2011-07-28 |
20110182621 | OPTICAL SCANNING DEVICE AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS COMPRISING THE SAME - An optical scanning device includes a housing, a laser light source outputting a laser light, a polygon mirror arranged in an arrangement space and deflecting the laser light to scan a predetermined object with the laser light while rotating, a polygon motor rotating the polygon mirror, a control board arranged in the arrangement space and controlling the polygon motor, and a flow-control member arranged in the arrangement space and guiding an airflow generated by a rotation of the polygon mirror to an outside of the arrangement space to circulate the airflow within the housing. | 2011-07-28 |
20110182622 | DEVICE FOR HOLDING A PHOTORECEPTOR SHEET - A device for holding a photoreceptor sheet onto a drum of an electro-photography printing device comprises first and second holding surfaces that are configured to hold an edge of the photoreceptor sheet from opposite directions by pressing against the sheet in a substantially perpendicular direction with respect to the surface of the sheet, wherein at least the second holding surface is pre-loaded. | 2011-07-28 |
20110182623 | DRIVING FORCE TRANSMISSION MECHANISM AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - A driving force transmission mechanism is provided. The driving force transmission mechanism includes an input member including a concave shape portion; a rotation driving shaft; and a driving force transmission member that is configured to rotate in a rotation direction of the rotation driving shaft together with the rotation driving shaft. A protrusion is formed on a surface of a tip end portion of the driving force transmission member, the surface is opposed to the concave shape portion, the protrusion is configured to be engaged, from an inner side, with an edge of the concave shape portion when the tip end portion is in a contact with the edge of the concave shape portion and is tilted. | 2011-07-28 |
20110182624 | DEVELOPING DEVICE AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS USING THE DEVELOPING DEVICE - A developing device includes a developer container for containing a developer including a toner and a magnetic carrier; a developer conveying path provided in the developer container; a developer conveying member, provided in the developer conveying path, for agitating and conveying the developer; and a developing roller for holding the agitated developer so that the toner included in the developer is supplied to a photoconductor drum, wherein the developer conveying member includes a rotating shaft, and an undulated helical blade provided along an outer circumference of the rotating shaft. | 2011-07-28 |
20110182625 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS, DEVELOPING AGENT USED THEREFOR, AND METHOD FOR MANUFACTURING THE SAME - According to one embodiment, a developing agent containing a toner particle and an aggregate of a toner dust powder having a smaller volume average particle size than a volume average particle size of the toner particle and alumina is provided. | 2011-07-28 |
20110182626 | DEVELOPMENT DEVICE, PROCESS CARTRIDGE INCORPORATING SAME, AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS INCORPORATING SAME - A development device includes a toner carrier including first and second groups of electrodes, a toner supplier, and an electrical field generator to generate an electrical field for causing toner to hop along the surface of the toner carrier. The electrical field generator includes a positive-phase pulse voltage generation circuit, a negative-phase pulse voltage generation circuit, a first DC power source for supplying a bias for setting a peak value of pulse voltages, a second DC power source to output a variable voltage having a polarity identical to a polarity of toner charge, a first diode having an anode and a cathode connected to a lower potential side of the positive-phase pulse voltage generation circuit and an output terminal thereof, and a second diode having an anode and a cathode connected to the lower potential side of the positive-phase pulse voltage generation circuit and an output terminal thereof. | 2011-07-28 |
20110182627 | Processing Unit - A processing unit is provided. He processing unit comprises: a housing; a developing roller that carries developer on a surface thereof, the developing roller including, a hollow roller body, and a covering layer covering an outer circumferential surface of the roller body; a photosensitive drum that contacts the developing roller, wherein an end face of the photosensitive drum at a first side in an axial direction of the developing roller is located at an outer side in the axial direction compared to an end face of the developing roller at the first side in the axial direction, and wherein the developer on the developing roller is supplied to the photosensitive drum; and a supporting member that contacts an inner circumferential surface of the roller body at the first side in the axial direction, and supports the developing roller rotatably in the housing. | 2011-07-28 |
20110182628 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS AND IMAGE FORMING METHOD - An image forming apparatus and an image forming method are provided that realize both the use of a decolorizing toner and a non-decolorizing toner and miniaturization of the apparatus. | 2011-07-28 |
20110182629 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS AND COLOR MATCHING METHOD - According to one embodiment, an image forming apparatus includes: plural photoconductive members, a sensor, a measuring unit, a first calculating unit, a determining unit, and an adjusting unit. The sensor detects specific places of predetermined images of two colors respectively formed by two photoconductive members among the plural photoconductive members. The measuring unit measures the length between the specific places of the predetermined images detected by the sensor. The first calculating unit calculates, on the basis of the length between the specific places measured by the measuring unit, a shift amount of toner images formed by the two photoconductive members. The determining unit determines whether the shift amount calculated by the first calculating unit is within a specified range. The adjusting unit adjusts, if the determining unit determines that the shift amount is outside the specified range, shifts of toner images respectively formed by the plural photoconductive members using one of two colors as a reference color. | 2011-07-28 |
20110182630 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - An outer diameter of a transfer counter roller is made larger than that of a transfer roller to reduce an electrical discharge phenomenon and influence on a toner image. | 2011-07-28 |
20110182631 | FUSER DEVICE AND IMAGE FORMING DEVICE - A fuser device includes: a fuser member that heats developer on a print medium; a pressure member that presses the fuser member so as to provide a contact region therebetween; and a separation member that separates the print medium, which is ejected from the contact region, from either the fuser member or the pressure member. The separation member includes a separator in a plate-like shape and a support member that supports the separator such that the separator is disposed in the vicinity of the fuser member. The separator includes a planar part in a plate-like shape that is sustained by the support member; a tip part that is a tip of the separator, an inclined surface part that is inclined toward the tip part in a thickness direction of the separator, a border part that is defined as a boundary between the planar part and the inclined surface part. | 2011-07-28 |
20110182632 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - The image forming apparatus includes an image forming portion forming a toner image on a recording material, and a fixing portion heating and fixing the toner image formed on the recording material to the recording material, wherein the apparatus has a cleaning mode in which the fixing portion is cleaned, and when the cleaning mode is set, the image forming portion forms a predetermined toner image on the recording material, and the fixing portion then heats and fixes the predetermined toner image to the recording material to form a cleaning sheet which is heated and conveyed to clean the fixing portion. By the virtue of the present invention, it achieves high cleaning performance in which the fixing portion is cleaned by the cleaning sheet. | 2011-07-28 |
20110182633 | APPARATUSES USEFUL IN PRINTING AND METHODS OF FIXING MARKING MATERIALS ONTO MEDIA - Apparatuses useful in printing and methods of fixing marking materials onto media are disclosed. An exemplary apparatus useful in printing includes a first roll including a first shaft and a first surface; a second roll including an axially-extending inner portion including a second shaft; an axially-extending outer portion over the inner portion; at least a first annular gap and a second annular gap extending axially between the inner portion and the outer portion, the first annular gap being axially spaced from the second annular gap; and a second surface forming a nip with the first surface. The inner portion and the outer portion of the second roll bend in opposite directions when the first roll and the second roll are loaded by applying a first force to the first shaft in a first direction and applying a second force to the second shaft in a second direction opposite to the first direction. | 2011-07-28 |
20110182634 | Fixing device and image forming apparatus including same - A fixing device includes a fixing member, a pressing member, a stationary member, a metal member, flanges, a first heater, and a second heater. The pressing member is rotatably pressed against an outer circumferential surface of the fixing member to form a nip therebetween. The metal member is fixedly disposed opposite an inner circumferential surface of the fixing member over an area other than the nip. The flanges are disposed at axial edges of the metal member in contact with an inner circumferential surface of the metal member. The first heater is disposed opposite the inner circumferential surface of the metal member to heat an axial middle portion of the metal member. The second heater is disposed opposite the inner circumferential surface of the metal member to heat axial end portions of the metal member. The first heater is disposed farther from the nip than the second heater. | 2011-07-28 |
20110182635 | APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR CONTROLLING THE RATE OF MOVEMENT OF A FUSING BELT IN A PRINTING APPARATUS - An apparatus ( | 2011-07-28 |
20110182636 | APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR CONTROLLING THE CHANGE OF DIRECTION OF A FUSING BELT IN A PRINTING APPARATUS - An apparatus ( | 2011-07-28 |
20110182637 | FIXING DEVICE AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS INCLUDING THE SAME - A fixing device includes a coil disposed along an outer surface of a heating member and configured to generate magnetic flux for heating the heating member through induction heating; and a core unit being configured to constitute a part of a magnetic path around the coil. The core unit includes a plurality of core bodies arranged in a width direction of a recording medium to be conveyed, the core bodies being made of magnetic material; and a shaft having an outer surface on which the core bodies are arranged, a length of the outer surface being longer than a sum of lengths of the core bodies arranged thereon, the core body lengths including axial tolerances of the core bodies. A gap is provided between any adjacent ones of the core bodies, | 2011-07-28 |
20110182638 | HEAT CONDUCTION UNIT, FIXING DEVICE, AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - A heat conduction unit includes a flexible endless belt, a heat conductor disposed in proximity to an inner circumferential face of the endless belt and having a cross-section substantially identical to a cross-section of the endless belt, a heat source that heats the heat conductor to heat the endless belt, a pressing roller disposed opposite the heat conductor to rotate the endless belt in accordance with rotation of the pressing roller, a nip formation member disposed opposite the pressing roller and within a loop formed by the endless belt to form a nip between the endless belt and the pressing roller, and a pushing member disposed within the loop to support the nip formation member. The heat conductor has at least two different cross-sectional shapes perpendicular to a long direction of the heat conductor at different positions in the long direction of the heat conductor. | 2011-07-28 |
20110182639 | DEVELOPER AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS INCLUDING THE SAME - A developer includes a waste toner container having a cleaning member to clean a photoconductive drum, and a waste toner transporting member to transport waste toner from the photoconductive drum to a waste toner storage area. The waste toner transporting member is moved up, down, forward, and backward by a rotation member having an eccentricity unit. As the rotation member rotates, the waste toner transporting member, which is connected to the eccentricity unit, moves up, down, forward, and backward. | 2011-07-28 |
20110182640 | TONER-LEVELING MECHANISM, PHOTO-CONDUCTOR UNIT, AND IMAGE-FORMING APPARATUS - A toner-leveling mechanism installed and operative in a housing chamber that houses toner, the toner-leveling mechanism being capable of leveling toner accumulated in the housing chamber and narrowing an operation space of the toner-leveling mechanism in accordance with an increase in an accumulated amount of the toner. | 2011-07-28 |
20110182641 | DOCUMENT FEEDER AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - A document feeder includes a document load tray, a duct, a ventilating section, and an ion generating device. The document load tray is a member for loading thereon a document to be read and has a hole extending therethrough to provide communication between a document load side of the document load tray and a reverse side of the document load tray which is opposite away from the document load side. The duct is placed on the reverse side of the document load tray continuously with the hole. The ventilating section is configured to feed air present outside an image forming apparatus into the duct through an opening of the duct. The ion generating device is disposed within the duct and configured to generate ions for cleaning up the air fed into the duct by the ventilating section. | 2011-07-28 |
20110182642 | IMAGE-FORMING APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR CONTROLLING IMAGE-FORMING APPARATUS - An image-forming apparatus having an image-forming unit, a fixation unit for fixing a toner image transferred to paper, a double-sided print conveyance path for conveying the paper imprinted on one side toward the image-forming unit, a decurling unit for passing the paper discharged from the fixation unit in a double-roller nip including a hard roller and a soft roller and decurling the paper, a rotation unit for rotating the decurling unit, and a calculation unit for calculating an amount of toner deposited on each of a first side, which is the side printed first, and a second side, which is the side on the reverse of the first side and is the side printed next. The rotation unit rotates the decurling unit on the basis of calculation results from the calculation unit. | 2011-07-28 |
20110182643 | Keycap and Keyboard Using the Same - A keycap including a body and an ink layer is provided. The ink layer is disposed on the body, and has a blind hole and a through hole. | 2011-07-28 |
20110182644 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS AND DISPLAY CONTROL METHOD - An image forming apparatus includes plural detection parts, a storage part and a display part. The detection parts are respectively installed at specific positions in the image forming apparatus, and respectively detect whether sheet clogging occurs. The storage part stores data of a transmitted image of the image forming apparatus. The display part acquires the data of the transmitted image of the image forming apparatus from the storage part, and displays the data of the transmitted image, and further displays position information indicating installation places of the respective detection parts on the transmitted image, and emphasizes and displays position information corresponding to the detection part which now detects the sheet clogging. | 2011-07-28 |