Kyocera Document Solutions Patente

An inkjet recording apparatus (100) includes a recording head (17a to 17c), an ink collection tray (80), and a detection portion (86). The detection portion (86) has a detection depressed portion (91) that extends downward from the upper surface of the ink collection tray (80), a sensor portion (94) that is provided at a position below a detection height (h1) in the detection depressed portion (91) and that detects contact of the sensor portion (94) with the liquid (L1) flowing into the detection depressed portion (91), and a first wall portion (92) that is formed to surround the detection depressed portion (91) and that prevents the liquid (L1) from entering the detection depressed portion (91) from the ink collection tray (80). The first wall portion (92) has an inlet (95) formed at the detection height (h1) to allow the liquid (L1) to flow from the ink collection tray (80) to the detection depressed portion (91).

A connector (11) includes a plurality of wires (33, 34) separated into each single wire (33, 34), and a connector main body (12) that retains the end portions of the respective wires (33, 34) aligned in a row, so that the end portions of the wires (33, 34) are respectively connected to terminal pins (41, 42) via conductive contacts in the connector main body (12). The end portions of the wires (33, 34) on the connector main body (12) are divided into two groups, along the direction of the longest array of the end portions of the wires (33, 34). Accordingly, the wires (33, 34) are divided into two wire groups (51, 52), and the wires (33, 34) in the wire group (51, 52) are bundled by a first cable tie (53), in each of the two wire groups (51, 52).

A connector (11) includes a plurality of groove joints (21, 23) into each of which a wire (33, 34) is to be inserted, the groove joints (21, 23) being aligned in two rows, parallel to each other and extending in a transverse direction x, the two rows being stacked in an up-down direction z. When one of the rows includes at least one vacant groove joint (21, 23), into which the wire (33, 34) is not inserted, and when an imaginary line (K) is drawn so as to pass a center between the two rows and extend parallel thereto, and a position on the imaginary line (K), corresponding to a center of each of the rows, is defined as a center of 180 degrees rotational symmetry, the wire (33, 34) is not inserted into the groove joint (21, 23) in the other row, rotationally symmetric at 180 degrees, with respect to the vacant groove joint (21, 23) in the first mentioned row.

An image forming apparatus 100 includes a printing section 40, a UV irradiation section 30, and a UV control section 80. The printing section 40 is configured to be capable of forming an image by applying ink to a printing base material S. The UV irradiation section 30 irradiates the printing base material S with ultraviolet rays before the application of the ink to the printing base material S. The UV control section 80 controls a period of time for which the ultraviolet rays are irradiated, on the basis of glossiness of a face of the printing base material S, where the ink is applied to the face of the printing base material S.

An image processing apparatus (1) includes at least one processor (100) and at least one memory resource (110). The memory resource (110) stores therein a first program (114), a second program (115), setting information (112) regarding a blank-page skip function, and setting information (113) regarding a transmission size of an image. The first program (114) causes a function for generating a 2-in-1 image by scanning an ID card (300) to be performed. The second program (115) causes a blank page detecting function to be performed. The processor (100) generates image data of the ID card (300) when the blank-page skip function is enabled and when a process of scanning the ID card (300) including a side corresponding to a blank page is performed, where the image data has a layout that differs depending on a setting of the transmission size.

A power supply device includes a plurality of power supply circuits and a control part. Each of the plurality of power supply circuits includes an exciting coil, a first switching element, a detection coil, and a second switching element. The first switching element is connected to a primary coil of the transformer and the exciting coil. The second switching element is connected to the detection coil and either ground or a capacitor connected in parallel to the detection coil. The control part is configured to turn on the second switching element when the first switching element is turned off.

An inkjet recording apparatus (100) includes a recording head (17a to 17c), an ink collection tray (80), a driving device (81), a discharge tube (61), a waste ink storage container (62), and a control portion (110). The driving device (81) reciprocates the ink collection tray (80) between a first and a second position. An accommodation space (A1) that can accommodate the discharge tube (61) is formed below the ink collection tray (80). The discharge tube (61)is made of a flexible material with a predetermined restoring force and elastically deforms to enter the accommodation space (A1) to be accommodated in it while the ink collection tray (80) is moving from the first position to the second position.

An image processing apparatus (1) includes at least one processor (100) and at least one memory resource (110). The memory resource (110) stores therein a program (115) that causes an ID card scanning function for generating a 2-in-1 image by scanning front and back sides of an ID card (300) to be performed, a program (116) that causes a blank page detecting function to be performed, setting information (112) regarding a blank-page skip function, setting information (113) regarding a transmission size of an image, and setting information (114) regarding whether a layout of the image includes a blank region. The processor (100) generates image data of the ID card (300) when the blank-page skip function is enabled and when a process of scanning the ID card (300) including a side corresponding to a blank page is performed. The image data has a layout that differs depending on a setting of the transmission size and a setting regarding whether the blank region is included.

An image processing apparatus (1) includes at least one processor (100) and at least one memory resource (110). The memory resource (110) stores therein a program (114) that causes the processor (100) to perform an ID card scanning function. Due to the program (114) being executed, the processor (100) compares dimensions of a first image of an ID card (300) with dimensions of a second image of the ID card (300), and generates a 2-in-1 image obtained by putting the first image and the second image together, on the basis of the dimensions of a larger one of the first image and the second image. The first image is obtained by cropping an image based on first scanning, and the second image is obtained by cropping an image based on second scanning.

An image forming apparatus (1) includes an intermediate transfer belt (21), a driving roller (23), a secondary transfer roller (26), a first static eliminator (30A), a driven rotator (31), a first guide (32), and a second static eliminator (30B). The first static eliminator (30A) is provided downstream of a transfer nip portion (N1) in a sheet transport direction. The driven rotator (31) is provided downstream of the first static eliminator (30A) in the sheet transport direction. The first guide (32) is provided downstream of the driven rotator (31) in the sheet transport direction. The second static eliminator (30B) extends along a surface opposite to a sheet transport side in the first guide (32).

An inkjet ink includes: an aqueous medium; and a pigment dispersion dispersed in the aqueous medium. The pigment dispersion includes a pigment and a specific resin. The specific resin includes a styrene derivative and a (meth)acrylic acid derivative and has a cross-linked structure with a cross-linking rate of 25% or more and 80% or less in which a pigment dispersion resin having an acid value of 150 mg KOH/g or more and less than 200 mg KOH/g is cross-linked by a cross-linking agent with a glycerol backbone. The aqueous medium includes at least one of a polyethylene glycol or trimethylolpropane. A content of the at least one of a polyethylene glycol or trimethylolpropane is 10 mass% or more.

A recording head is configured to eject ink corresponding to an image to be printed. A transportation belt is configured to transport a print sheet on which the image to be printed is formed. A cleaning unit is configured to clean the transportation belt. A cleaning supporting member is configured to support the cleaning unit. Further, the transportation belt is hitched around the driving roller and the driven roller. Force is added to the driven roller toward a reverse direction to the driving roller. The cleaning unit makes contact with the transportation belt at a position opposite to the driven roller. The cleaning supporting member (a) is fixed to the cleaning unit and (b) is connected to a shaft of the driven roller such that the cleaning unit moves together with the driven roller and the shaft of the driven roller is rotatable.

A controller (100) controls driving of an image forming device (12) to form a patch image on an intermediate transfer body (125). At the same time, the controller (100) calculates a rate of change of a background density based on a reference background density as a reference value of a density of a surface of the intermediate transfer body (125) detected by a density detection sensor (128) at a predetermined detection timing, and the background density newly detected by the density detection sensor (128) after the reference background density is detected. The controller (100) corrects the background density and an image density of the patch image detected by the density detection sensor (128) using the calculated rate of change. The controller (100) adjusts the image forming conditions based on the corrected background density and image density.

A fixing device includes a fixing member, a pressure member, and an entry guide member. The entry guide member has a guide surface. The entry guide member includes a first guide surface portion and a second guide surface portion. The first guide surface portion extends along a part of a circumference of a first circular shape having a center closer to the fixing member than a fixing straight line extending a straight line connecting an upstream end and a downstream end of the pressurizing region. The second guide surface portion continuous to a downstream side of the first guide surface portion, and extends along a part of a circumference of a second circular shape having a center closer to the pressure member than the fixing straight line. A curvature of the second guide surface portion is larger than a curvature of the first guide surface portion.

A two-component developer (DP) has a variation width of a shear friction coefficient of 0.02 or less, within a range where a surface coverage of toner particles (1) with respect to one carrier particle (2) in the two-component developer (DP) is 20% or more and 45% or less.

An image forming apparatus includes an image forming portion and a selection processing portion. The image forming portion conveys a sheet so that the sheet reaches a forming position at a forming timing at which formation of an image is started, and forms the image on the sheet. The selection processing portion selects one of a first mode and a second mode as a mode to be used in the image forming portion in accordance with a specific condition. The first mode is a mode in which a conveying speed is changed without stopping the sheet at a position of a correction portion for correcting an inclination of the sheet. The second mode is a mode in which the sheet is temporarily stopped at the position of the correction portion.

An image forming apparatus includes a motor, a drive control portion, a first operating portion, and a second operating portion. The drive control portion drives the motor so as to be capable of making a switch between a rotation in a first rotation direction and a rotation in a second rotation direction. The first operating portion conveys, at a time the motor is rotating in the first rotation direction, a sheet along a conveying path in an image forming process for forming an image on the sheet. The second operating portion conveys, at a time the motor is rotating in the second rotation direction, the sheet that has been inserted from a manual sheet feed port to the conveying path.

A processor causes a display device to display a graph image in which a plurality of graph elements, each of which is an image representing data relating to operating status of the target device, are arranged. The processor causes a target data image including text relating to the operating status data corresponding to a target graph element to be displayed at a position corresponding to the target graph element in a specific area. The processor, when a drag operation that moves the target data image is detected, changes the display position of the target data image in a direction of the drag operation. The processor changes the target graph element and changes the display of the target data image in response to a change in the display position of the target data image.

An image forming apparatus 100 includes a white ink ejecting section 40, a color ink ejecting section 45, a UV irradiation section 30, and a UV control section 80. The white ink ejecting section 40 applies white ink to a printing base material S. The color ink ejecting section 45 applies, to the printing base material S, ink of a different color than the white ink after ejection of the white ink onto the printing base material S. The UV irradiation section 30 irradiates the printing base material S with ultraviolet rays before the application of the white ink to the printing base material S. The UV control section 80 performs control such that a first UV irradiation time for a printing job executed by the image forming apparatus 100 with ejection of the white ink is longer than a second UV irradiation time for a printing job executed by the image forming apparatus 100 without ejection of the white ink.

A sensor apparatus is a sensor apparatus that outputs an output signal corresponding to a density of a toner image in an image forming apparatus. The sensor apparatus includes a light emitting element, a light receiving element, and an impedance element. The light emitting element irradiates light onto an image carrier that carries the toner image. The light receiving element receives light reflected off the image carrier. The impedance element changes an impedance of the impedance element according to a temperature of the impedance element. The output signal is a signal of which a magnitude is changed according to an amount of light received by the light receiving element. The impedance element is connected to the light emitting element or the light receiving element such that a change in the magnitude of the output signal that is caused due to a change in a temperature of the light emitting element is reduced.

A communication device includes a first acceptance processing portion, a first setting processing portion, and a prohibition processing portion. The first acceptance processing portion accepts a setting operation for setting a destination category of a first destination of an email unsent. The first setting processing portion sets enable/disable of an encryption function for encrypting the email by S/MIME. The prohibition processing portion prohibits, when the encryption function is enabled, one or both of the acceptance of the setting operation for setting the destination category of the first destination to BCC by the first acceptance processing portion and the sending of the email including the first destination having the destination category set to BCC.

In a high-voltage power supply board (10) having a rectangular outline, a plurality of first output terminals (111) that output high-voltage power to drum units are provided on a region of the high-voltage power supply board (10) located alongside of one lateral edge (101) thereof, while a plurality of second output terminals (121) that output high-voltage power to developing units are provided on a region of the high-voltage power supply board (10) located alongside of another lateral edge (102) of the high-voltage power supply board (10) opposite to the one lateral edge (101) thereof.

An inkjet recording apparatus (100) includes a recording head (17a, 17b, 17c, 17d), a tank (83), and a liquid flow passage (94). The recording head has a plurality of nozzles (18a) through which ink is ejected onto a recording medium (P). The tank temporarily stores the ink fed from a container (81) and feeds the stored ink to the recording head. The liquid flow passage connects together the container and the tank and, through it, the ink circulates. The liquid flow passage includes a feed flow passage (94a) and a branch flow passage (94b). The feed flow passage is connected to a bottom part of the tank and feeds the ink from the container to the tank. The branch flow passage branches off the feed flow passage and is connected to a top part of the container. The branch flow passage is transparent.

An inkjet recording apparatus (100) includes a recording head (17a, 17b, 17c, 17d), a tank (83), and a circulation flow passage (80). The recording head has a plurality of nozzles (18a) through which ink is ejected onto a recording medium (P). The tank stores ink fed from a container (81) at a predetermined normal liquid level and feeds the stored ink to the recording head. Through the circulation flow passage, ink circulates from the tank via the recording head to the tank. A branch flow passage (95) of which one end is connected to a bottom part of the tank and the other is connected to a top part of the tank is transparent. The connection face between one end of the branch flow passage and the tank is located higher than the normal liquid level but lower than a raised liquid level of ink to which ink temporarily rises when ink returns via the circulation flow passage to the tank.

A liquid conveyance device (12, 15) includes a flow path (121, 151), a pump (122, 152), a liquid leakage detection portion (124, 154), a pump power supply circuit (125, 155), and a latch circuit (126, 156). The liquid leakage detection portion (124, 154) detects leakage of the liquid in the flow path (121, 151) and in the pump (122, 152), and outputs a liquid leakage detection signal. The pump power supply circuit (125, 155) turns on and off a power supply for the pump (122, 152). The latch circuit (126, 156) receives and holds the liquid leakage detection signal, and transmits the liquid leakage detection signal to the pump power supply circuit (125, 155) so as to cause the pump power supply circuit (125, 155) to turn off the power supply for the pump (122, 152).

An image forming apparatus 100 includes a printing section 40, a UV irradiation section 30, and a UV control section 80. The printing section 40 is configured to be capable of forming an image by applying ink to a printing base material S. The UV irradiation section 30 irradiates the printing base material S with ultraviolet rays before the application of the ink to the printing base material (S). The UV control section (80) controls a period of time for which the ultraviolet rays are irradiated, on the basis of an arithmetic average roughness of a face of the printing base material (S), where the ink is applied to the face of the printing base material (S).

A transfer roller includes a first roller and a second roller different from the first roller. Whichever of the first and second rollers is disposed to face an image carrying member is disposed selectively either at a reference position where it forms a transfer nip portion by being pressed against the image carrying member or at a separated position where it stays away from the image carrying member. According to the thickness or basis weight of a recording medium, either the first roller or the second roller is disposed to face the image carrying member.

In a safety device (200), a disconnection circuit (60) disconnects a second operation voltage line (L2), thereby disconnecting supply of drive power and a relay operation voltage from a power source, when an abnormality signal is inputted from an abnormality detector (50), with the relay operation voltage and the drive power being supplied to a safety circuit (42) through the second operation voltage line (L2) and a drive power line (L3), and resumes the supply of the drive power and the relay operation voltage to the safety circuit (42), by making the second operation voltage line (L2) electrically continuous, when the abnormality signal ceases to be inputted, with the relay operation voltage and the drive power being disconnected. The safety circuit (42) resumes the supply of the relay operation voltage to the relay circuit (32) through a first operation voltage line (L1), upon executing a cancelling operation, after the supply of the drive power and the relay operation voltage to the safety circuit (42) is resumed.

A document conveying device (120) comprises a document feed tray (44), a pickup roller (51), a conveying guide (61G) and a projection portion (91). On the document feed tray, a document (G) is stacked. The pickup roller picks up the document stacked on the document feed tray in a predetermined conveyance direction (Z). The conveying guide is provided at a downstream side of the pickup roller in the conveyance direction and faces to a recording surface of the document. The projection portion has a shape projected from the conveying guide and contacts a part of the recording surface of the small-sized document including both ends of a width direction (W) intersecting the conveyance direction (Z).

A document conveying device (120) comprises a pair of conveying guides (61G), a reading section (61R), a pair of first conveying rollers (64), a pair of second conveying rollers (65), and a first contact member (91). The conveying guides face to both surfaces of a document (G) conveyed in a predetermined conveyance direction (Z). The reading section is provided on the one conveying guide for reading an image from the document. The first conveying rollers is provided at an upstream side of the reading section in the conveyance direction for holding and conveying the document. The second conveying rollers is provided at a downstream side of the reading section in the conveyance direction for holding and conveying the document. The first contact member is provided on the other conveying guide between the reading section and the second conveying rollers and have a distal end part protruding toward the one conveying guide in contact with the document.

An image forming apparatus comprises a conveying guide facing to a lower surface of a sheet fed from an opening on a main body housing, a supporting section being changed into a first state of the conveying guide supported at a predetermined position and a second state of the conveying guide lowered from the predetermined position, a sheet feed cartridge being provided below the conveying guide and being insertable/removable to the main body housing, an operation section being exposed when at least a part of the sheet feed cartridge is pulled out and receiving operation for changing the supporting section from the first state to the second state, a cover being provided openably/closably on the opening, and an engaging section being engaged with the operation section in the first state when the cover is closed, but being not engaged with the operation section when the cover is opened.

A transportation apparatus according to the present technology includes a plurality of suction blocks (1), plate portions (2), and a plurality of holes (4). Each of the plurality of suction blocks (1) is configured to be capable of pulling a transportation target by suction through a transportation belt (8). The plurality of suction blocks (1) is coupled to be arranged in a line in a transportation direction of the transportation target. The plate portions (2) are respectively provided on suction blocks (1) of the plurality of suction blocks (1). In a coupling portion in which the suction blocks (1) adjacent to each other are coupled to each other, the plate portion (2) includes a mountain-shaped ridge portion (3) that protrudes in the transportation direction. Each plate portion (2) supports the transportation belt (8) slidably on a corresponding one of the plurality of suction blocks (1). The plurality of holes (4) is provided to each plate portion (2). The hole (4) has one side formed substantially parallel to the ridge portion (3).

A sheet postprocessing apparatus (20) restricts, when a plurality of sheets are placed on a processing tray (25), and a next sheet is switched back by a switchback roller (22), restricts a pair of cursors (28) from moving, during a period from start of the switchback transport of the next sheet by the switchback roller (22), to a time that the sheet conducted toward the siding path (27) reaches a prespecified position where the sheet is kept from interfering with the pair of cursors (28).

In an image forming apparatus (1), a light source (52) emits light having a first spectrum (blue light) and light having a second spectrum, and a controller (10) determines, as a ratio between an amount of reflected light of the blue light from a calibration original document prepared for calibrating the light having the second spectrum and a calibration reference value as a reference of the amount of reflected light, a correction value for calibration of an amount of the light having the blue light, and corrects the correction value by multiplying the calibration reference value by a sum of: a value of a Z reference value, i.e., a reference of a Z value in an XYZ color system based on the amount of reflected light of the blue light, divided by the Z value; and a weight according to a value of the Z value subtracted from the Z reference value.

A toner conveying device (32) incudes a vertical conveying portion (34a), a horizontal conveying portion (34b), a conveying member (25), and a loosening member (50). The vertical conveying portion (34a) conveys toner, or developer containing toner, by letting it fall vertically. The horizontal conveying portion (34b) is coupled to a lower end part of the vertical conveying portion (34a) and conveys, with a conveying member (25), the toner or developer horizontally. The loosening member (50) has a wound spring portion (51) and a weight (52) fixed to a lower end part of the wound spring portion (51). In the wound spring portion (51), a press-in portion (51a) in a hollow cylindrical shape is formed in which turns of the metal wire material are put in close contact together. The weight (52) has an inserted portion (52a) press-fitted in the press-in portion (51a) and a projecting portion (52b) rising from an outer circumferential edge of an upper end part of the inserted portion (52a) so as to taper off upward.

The sheet postprocessing device (1) includes a stacking tray (5), a conveyance unit (3), a discharge tray (9), and an air blower (12). The discharge tray (9) is placed on a downstream side of the stacking tray (5) in a sheet conveyance direction, permitting sheets to be discharged thereon. The air blower (12) blows an air flow, toward the downstream side in the sheet conveyance direction, to between a lower surface of the sheet conveyed from the conveyance unit (3) to the stacking tray (5) and a sheet laying surface (5a) of the stacking tray (5) or an upper surface of the sheet stacked on the stacking tray (5).

An inkjet ink includes: a pigment; a cyclohexylmethacrylate/methacrylic acid block copolymer; styrene acrylic particles having an average particle diameter of 50 nm or more and 100 nm or less; and water. A weight ratio of the cyclohexylmethacrylate/methacrylic acid block copolymer to the pigment is 0.05 or more and 0.1 or less. In the inkjet ink, a content of the styrene acrylic particle is 0.5 mass% or more and 1.5 mass% or less.

A toner storage container includes a container body (40) and a cap member (42). The cap member (42) includes a hook portion (62) that takes a restricting posture or a non-restricting posture. The hook portion (62) has a base part (80) and an arm part (81). The arm part (81) extends in a straight line along the axial direction from the base part (80), has a tip (83) facing the protruding part (71) along the axial direction in the restricting posture, and elastically deforms such that, in the non-restricting posture, the tip (83) is retracted radially outward so as not to face the protruding part (71) along the axial direction. The hook portion (62) has an operation hole (84) formed in it extending radially inward from its radially outer face.

An image forming apparatus (1) includes a controller (100) that causes ink heads (121) to perform a flushing operation, including ejecting ink from each of nozzles to one of a plurality of openings (20), at a different timing from a timing for executing an image forming operation, according to a flushing pattern, by which an ink ejection position is specified. The flushing pattern is determined by increasing the number of nozzles of each of the ink heads (121), specified with respect to each of the openings (20), by the number of nozzles of each of the ink heads (121) that are required to eject the ink in duplicate to the opening (20), to perform an overlapping operation.

A first reference portion includes a lower surface of a first color. A second reference portion is adjacent to the first reference portion in a first direction, and includes a lower surface of a second color. An end reference portion is arranged in an end portion of a movable region for a scanning unit to be adjacent to the first reference portion in a second direction. The end reference portion includes a lower surface that includes surfaces of a plurality of specific colors that are aligned in a primary scanning direction. One of the plurality of specific colors is a third color. A data processing section performs a color determination process to determine a color for reference pixel data being included in line image data and corresponding to a reference region. A unit driving apparatus performs drive operations to position the scanning unit at a home position, where the drive operations performed by the unit driving apparatus are successively selected from a plurality of trial drive operations according to a determination result obtained by the color determination process, and the scanning unit is moved a different distance or in a different direction in each of the plurality of trial drive operations.