Ricoh Company, Ltd.

Hiroaki Kotabe

Yasushi Nakazato

Shigeru Yamazaki

Masahiko Banno

Hidetake Tanaka

Kouji Yamanobe

Koji Yamanobe

Tomohiro Nakajima

Kozo Yamazaki

Kazuyuki Shimada

Masaru Kaneko

Shinichiro Wada

Kazuya Iwasaki

Akihiko Motegi

Takashi Nishizawa

An image forming apparatus includes a laser beam scanning unit for scanning a recording medium in synchronism with a writing clock signal so that a dotted image is formed on the recording medium, a counter for carrying out a count operation in synchronism with the writing clock signal so that one count value or a plurality of count values determining a scanning area is/are obtained, a first controller for activating or inactivating the laser beam scanning unit based on one or the plurality of count values, a dip switch unit for specifying a dotting density, a second controller for controlling the frequency of the writing clock signal and/or a speed of scanning; and a changing unit for changing one or the plurality of count values, which should be obtained by the counter, based on the dotting density specified by the dip switch unit, so that the position of the scanning area with respect to the recording medium is constant even if the frequency of the writing clock signal and/or the scanning speed are changed by the second controller.

Image forming apparatus capable of changing dotting density

An image forming apparatus includes an image data processor, an image forming part, and a sequence controller for controlling an image forming operation of the image forming part. The image data processor transmits to the sequence controller a print start signal which instructs a start of the image forming operation of the image forming part every time the image data is prepared in the image data processor regardless of whether or not the image forming part is in a ready state in which the image forming part is ready to carry out the image forming operation. The sequence controller includes a memory for storing the print start signal from the image data processor and a part for supplying the stored print start signal and the image data from the image data processor to the image forming means. The memory has a memory capacity for storing a plurality of print start signals.

Image forming apparatus using a sequencer storing print start commands

A modular type image forming system includes a laser printer main unit and a plurality of optional units, such as a both side processing unit, a large quantity paper feeding unit and a mail box unit, each of which is operatively coupled to said main unit through a commonly usable optical fiber cable through a commonly usable connector. Each unit has its own CPU and serial communications between the CPUs of different units may be carried out through the optical cables. The CPU of the main unit may determine the identity of each of the optional units connected thereto through such communications. The main unit also includes an interface circuit through which the main unit is operatively coupled to each of the optional units. The interface circuit includes a port selector which establishes a connection pattern between the main and optional units in accordance with the identity information of each of the optional units connected. When paper is fed into a transportation path, paper ID is assigned to the paper and retained until the paper is discharged. If the paper is removed from the path without passing a predetermined location, the same image is printed again.

Duplex image forming system with number of single side printed sheets in

A sequence controller controls an image forming apparatus which includes a plurality of paper supply paths, a plurality of paper eject paths, an image forming device, and abnormally informing devices for informing an abnormity in the paper supply and eject paths. The sequence controller includes a memory device for storing at least image forming information related to a plurality of pages, the image forming information including image data related to images to be formed and paper path information for selecting one paper supply path and one paper eject path out of the plurality of paper supply and eject paths, and a control device for controlling an image forming operation of the image forming apparatus so as to form an image using the selected paper supply and eject paths which are selected by the paper path information. The control device has a function of automatically changing at least the paper path information related to an arbitrary one of the pages, in response to an abnormity in at least one of the selected paper supply and eject paths informed by the abnormity informing device.

Sequence controller

An image forming apparatus is provided with sensors for detecting existence of sheets of paper at a plurality of positions in transport paths within the image forming apparatus. A circuit part counts a number of sheets of paper remaining within the image forming apparatus when a transport abnormality occurs based on outputs of the sensors. This number of sheets of paper remaining within the image forming apparatus when the transport abnormality occurs is displayed on a display.

Image forming apparatus

A modular type image forming system includes a laser printer main unit and a plurality of optional units, such as both side processing unit, a large quantity paper feeding unit and a mail box unit, each of which is operatively coupled to said main unit through a commonly usable optical fiber cable through a commonly usable connector. Each unit has its own CPU and serial communications between the CPUs of different units may be carried out through the optical cables. The CPU of the main unit may determine the identity of each of the optional units connected thereto through such communications. The main unit also includes an interface circuit through which the main unit is operatively coupled to each of the optional units. The interface circuit includes a port selector which establishes a connection pattern between the main and optional units in accordance with the identity information of each of the optional units connected. When paper is fed into a transportation path, paper ID is assigned to the paper and retained until the paper is discharged. If the paper is removed from the path without passing a predetermined location, the same image is printed again.

Image system with connection to operational units

A laser beam scanning system includes a laser for emitting a laser beam modulated with image information to be recorded and a deflecting device, such as polygon mirror, for deflecting the laser beam over a predetermined angle repetitively, so that the laser beam is scanned on a scanning surface, thereby an image is formed on the scanning surface. When a plurality of laser beams are used at the same time, the plurality of laser beams are arranged in an array inclined with respect to the scanning direction. In this case, a sync sensor generates a sync signal in response to a laser beam received in the first place. When a polygon mirror is so structured to have a reflecting surface which is defined by a curved surface having a predetermined radius of curvature, a f.theta. lens may be discarded. In this case, when a transparent layer is formed on this curved reflecting surface, no distortion in scanning speed is produced even without using any electrical correction. Besides, it is also preferable to control the intensity of laser beam so as to maintain the image density of a resultant image at constant.

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Funabashi, Japan

Hiroaki Kotabe