Ricoh Company, Ltd.

Taisei Chemical Industries, Ltd.

Koichi Noguchi

Shinichiro Wada

Hideyuki Takemoto

Hiroshi Takahashi

Koichi Suzuki

Noriyuki Kimura

Takatsugu Fujishiro

Koji Sakamoto

Eiichi Sasaki

Koichi Tsunoda

Tadao Koike

Hiroyuki Matsushiro

Tsuyoshi Deki

Minoru Iwamoto

Chiyako Hatsuyama

Takashi Mori

Shigeru Suzuki

Makoto Obu

Tomotoshi Nakahara

Koichiro Jinnai

Shinji Yamakawa

Kyoji Omi

Kunio Hibi

Yuji Yasuda

Michihito Ohashi

Akira Ishida

Takashi Sunamori

Masayoshi Watanuki

Masayosi Watanuki

Hiroya Hata

Fumiyuki Kadowaki

Tatsuo Nishikawa

Takeshi Narimatsu

Kazuki Torinoumi

Mitsutaka Yoshida

Hideto Uchida

There is provided a method for producing colorants which can exhibit excellent color development even in a small amount and are low in thixotropy. The constituent feature of the present invention comprises:

Method for producing colorant excellent in color development

An image processing device for processing an image read by an image scanner or similar image reading device is disclosed. The image processing device is capable of accurately detecting, without resorting to a range finding sensor or similar special sensing means, the bound portion of a spread book by recognizing the configuration of the bound portion out of a read image, and thereby accurately correcting the distortion of the portion of the image representative of the bound portion.

Image processing device for providing correction of a curvature distortion of a bound portion of a spread book

An image reading unit reads an original image, one main scan line by one main scan line, in a sub-scan direction. A window setting unit sets a measuring window in a bit-map formation of image data obtained through the image reading unit, in a manner in which the measuring window moves in a predetermined manner so that the measuring window appropriately includes pixels of an oblique line image which is formed in the bit-map formation of image data as a result of being read through the image reading unit. A position error measuring unit processes image data defined by the measuring window, and, thus, measures an error of the oblique line image formed in the bit-map formation of obtained image data between a predetermined reference state and an actual reading state.

Image processing apparatus, method and computer program product

An oblique line pattern is located outside of an effective image area and comprises a plurality of lines with a fixed inclination to the main scan direction. A reading unit, extending in the main scan direction, reads the oblique line pattern together with an original image which is placed in the effective image area. A setting portion is provided for an operator to set an image size change rate for the original image. A sub-scanning portion changes an original image scanning speed in a sub-scan direction according to the image size change rate. A first calculating portion sets a window on image data of the oblique line pattern obtained through the reading unit, and calculates a center of gravity of the image data in the window. A controlling portion controls movement of the window according to a value of the center of gravity obtained through the first calculating portion. A second calculating portion obtains an image reading position error for each main scan line based on the value of the center of gravity and the image size change rate.

Image reading apparatus using an image reading position error measuring

First and second patterns are located outside of an image reading area. A first pattern comprises a plurality of lines each extending at a fixed angle with respect to a sub-scan direction. A second pattern comprises a plurality of lines each extending at a fixed angle but having a reverse direction with respect to the sub-scan direction. An image reading portion reads the first and second patterns. A position error measuring portion measures first and second image reading position errors corresponding to different angle oblique lines of the first and second patterns of image data obtained as a result of reading the first and second patterns, respectively. The position error measuring portion compensates for position deviations of the first and second patterns using the first and second image reading position errors, and obtains position-deviation-compensated image reading position errors. A position error correcting portion corrects image data read by the reading means using the position-deviation-compensated image reading position errors.

Image reading apparatus

An image reading apparatus includes a reference pattern having slanting lines, which is provided outside a reading range and read by image sensors arranged at separate positions in a sub-scanning direction. A reference-position determining unit detects one of the slanting lines in the reference pattern based on image data output from one of the image sensors so that a position of the image data when one of the slanting lines is detected is determined as a reference position. First and second delay units have line memories which store image data read out from an original image having lines, the delay units delaying outputting of the image data from the line memories line by line. First and second determining units determine image data having color values at imaginary points. An error measurement unit selects one of the imaginary points whose image data has a minimum difference between the color values of the image data. First and second line correcting units output image data having the color values at a corrected position of each picture element by using an interpolation function, the interpolation function having a set of correction factors determined based on a distance between the selected imaginary point and the reference position.

Image reading apparatus for correct positioning of color component

A color image forming apparatus of the type having a photoconductive belt for forming a latent image thereon electrostatically. The latent image is developed to turn out a corresponding toner image. The toner image is transferred from the photoconductive belt to an intermediate transfer belt. Such a procedure is repeated to form a composite color image on the intermediate belt. The color image is transferred from the intermediate belt to a recording medium. Any point on the intermediate belt in the direction of rotation and any points on drive rollers assigned to the two belts, respectively, in the direction of rotation are held in the same positional relation to a stationary member every time the intermediate belt completes one rotation.

Color image forming apparatus having integral multiple length belt

An electrophotographic digital copier for sequentially writing bicolor image data signals onto a photoconductive element and producing a bicolor hard copy by a single image transfer. The copier has a black developing device and a red developing device for developing respectively a latent image electrostatically formed by a black image data signal on a photoconductive element and a latent image electrostatically formed by a red image data signal. A signal detecting device determines whether or not the red image data is present. A control device starts the drive of the red developing device when the signal detecting device detects the red image data signal and ends the drive on upon the elapse of a predetermined period of time after the signal detecting device determines, during the driving of the red developing device that the red image data signal is absent.

Electrophotographic digital copier for providing bicolor copies by a

An electrophotographic color image forming apparatus is disclosed which allows a photoconductive element and an intermediate transfer belt, which are expendables, to be removed from the body thereof at the same time. This promotes easy replacement, inspection and so forth of expendables. The photoconductive element and intermediate transfer belt can be replaced substantially at the same period, reducing the frequency of replacement of expendables. A cartridge including the photoconductive element can be replaced with a minimum of component parts wasted, thereby enhancing the cost performance of the apparatus. Moreover, when a cover hinged to the body of the apparatus is opened, various units can be removed one after another, a unit around which the greatest space is available being first.

Color image forming apparatus

An electrophotographic digital copier capable of identifying a particular color existing in a document image. The copier copies both of a bicolor document and a monocolor document in the same period of time. Even when monocolor documents and bicolor documents are to be copied together, the copier executes monocolor copy processing with the former and bicolor copy processing with the latter automatically.

Digital copier for copying a bicolored document at the same speed as a

A copier, printer, facsimile apparatus or similar image forming apparatus made up of components each being constructed into a unit and connected to the others by external arrangements. The apparatus has a base unit accommodating an electric control device, a paper feeding unit removably mounted on the base unit, and an image forming unit for forming an image and recording it on a paper sheet. The base unit, paper feeding unit, and image forming unit may be combined in any desired configuration to construct an image recording apparatus capable of performing any desired kind of image forming procedure.

Image recording apparatus constituting of selectable units

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Tokyo, Japan

Koichi Noguchi