Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha Corporation

Sharp Kabishiki Kaisha

Koji Katamoto

Naoya Okamura

Syoichiro Yoshiura

Yuji Okamoto

Susumu Murakami

Osamu Fujimoto

Ayumu Oda

Toshiya Mikita

Kazuya Hamaguchi

Tomonori Ohata

Tamotsu Fukushima

Yasuhiro Nakai

Toshio Yamanaka

Masao Saeda

Yoichi Shimazawa

Junya Masuda

Hideo Matsuda

Nobuo Manabe

Toshihisa Matsuo

Hiranaga Yamamoto

Kaoru Suzuki

Yasuji Nakahama

Yoshitaka Honda

Akihiko Ito

Koki Fukuda

Kenichi Gomi

When a print process command is outputted from a port terminal, an MFP displays first print information related to the print process command of the port terminal on a display unit. On the other hand, when a print process command is outputted from a personal computer, the MFP receives authentication information, and displays second print information related to the print process command of the personal computer on the display unit only when the received authentication information matches pre-stored authentication information. Then, the MFP prints print data outputted from the personal computer on condition that the second print information is displayed on the display unit. For example, the staff in a shop can print the print data for business use by using an MFP for use by customers in the shop while ensuring security, and it is possible to prevent confusion between a plurality of customers and the shop staff in operating the MFP.

Printing method, printing system and image forming apparatus

An apparatus for setting image forming conditions includes: a display section having a display screen; a transparent touch-sensitive panel having a plurality of touch-sensitive keys and provided on the display screen for inputting the image forming conditions; and a display control section for controlling the display section and the touch-sensitive panel; wherein the display control section controls the display section to display a plurality of item selection keys in an item selection key area on the display screen for selection of condition items for setting the image forming conditions, to display a plurality of condition setting keys in a condition setting key area on the display screen for selection of options for a selected condition item, to display text information on current settings of the image forming conditions in a condition display area on the display screen, and to display an icon indicative of the current settings of the image forming conditions in an icon display area on the display screen; wherein the condition setting key area appears in response to selection of the condition item by operating in any of the item selection keys.

Apparatus for setting image forming conditions

A data-processing system consisting of a portable terminal device and a copying machine can effectively work with protection against breakage of data stored in the terminal device. The data-processing system is constructed to work on the following principle: When a given period is measured by a timer for starting the power saving mode, a portable terminal device provides a copying machine with a signal informing of starting the power-saving mode. The copying machine, which received the power-saving-mode starting signal, provides in later the portable terminal device a signal requiring the terminal to cancel the power-saving-mode. When a given period is measured by a timer for starting the power saving mode, the copying machine provides the portable terminal device with a signal requiring the terminal device to start the power-saving mode. A CPU, which received information on request of power-saving-mode, executes the power saving mode. The portable terminal device and the copying machine as the former being mounted on the latter can simultaneously execute the power saving mode, preliminarily sheltering data in the storage.

Data processing system having separable data-processing devices and a deactivable power-saving function

A sheet registration apparatus for registering sheets all at one time by regulating them at a reference position on the side of the sheet transport direction and on the side perpendicular to the sheet transport side. The sheet registration apparatus comprises: a regulation plate for regulating the side of the sheets perpendicular to the discharge direction (or transport direction) thereof with respect to sort bins for receiving the sheets which have been imaged by an image forming apparatus; and a reference wall for regulating the side of the sheets in the transport direction. On the other hand, a registration rod, as extended through inclined openings formed in the sort bins, are moved toward the regulation plate and turned to the direction to feed the sheets toward the reference wall, so that the sheets are registered while being regulated by the regulation plate and the reference wall in accordance with the movement for the registration of the registration rod.

Sheet registration apparatus

In conventional color digital copy machines, when copying in color mode, the polygon mirror of the laser beam scanner for black, which is driven at a higher speed than those of the other colors, is switched to a slower speed in conformity with the speed of the polygon mirrors for the other colors. However, a drawback of this structure is that, especially when switching from monochrome to color mode, the time required to obtain the first copy is lengthened, and the operating efficiency of copying is poor. In the present invention, when copying in color mode, the rotation speed of the polygon mirror of the laser scanner unit for black is not changed at all, but, by skipping certain mirror surfaces of the polygon mirror, and/or by skipping certain of a plurality of laser light sources, the scanning density of the laser scanner unit for black can be brought into conformity with that of the laser scanner units for the other colors.

color image-forming device

In this digital color copier, laser beam scanner units of the same configuration are arranged in parallel with each other, and all are controlled in a unified manner by a laser control unit provided outside the units. In order to synchronously rotate the polygon mirrors in a precise manner, the speeds of rotations of their motors, fed back from tacho-generators are compared to the reference frequency generated from an oscillator so as to allow a motor control circuit to control the driving motors of the polygon mirrors. Further, the BD signals from beam detectors (BD) are fed back to the laser control unit so that all the BD signals from the laser scanner units for black and the three colors can become synchronized with each other, thus enabling control of the polygon mirrors.

Color image forming apparatus with scanner motor synchronization

In an apparatus for feeding an original document, the time which is needed until the first original document is transported onto a transportation path after storing original documents is shortened. The original documents stacked on an original document supporting plate are successively supplied one by one in order from an uppermost original document. A discharged original document is steadily and easily inserted between the original document supporting plate and the original documents stacked on the original document supporting plate. When a hopper sensor detects that the original documents are stacked on the original document supporting plate, the original document supporting plate is moved upward until the upper surface of the uppermost one of the original documents contact a level sensor. At this stage, the original documents are supplied successively one by one from the uppermost original document by a paper feeding mechanism. An image from an original document which has traveled along a transportation path is read by a reading part of the copying machine on which the apparatus is mounted. When a document discharge sensor is turned on, the original document supporting plate is moved downward to a home position at a high speed, and the discharged original document is inserted into a space which is created at this stage between the original document supporting plate and the original documents stacked on the original document supporting plate.

Apparatus for feeding original document with improved speed and

A sheet post-processing apparatus is provided with a discharge tray which can be selectively moved between a processing mode position corresponding to a processing mode and a non-processing mode position corresponding to a non-processing mode. The apparatus is also provided with a control device which controls a tray drive unit which drives so as to set the discharge tray in the processing mode position when the processing mode is selected, while in the non-processing mode position when the non-processing mode is selected. The apparatus offers an improved discharging efficiency of processed sheets from a processing tray to the discharge tray in the processing mode and an improved aligning facility of sheets discharged on the discharge tray in the non-processing mode.

Sheet post-processing apparatus

A sheet post-processing apparatus is arranged such that in the non-staple mode, the leading edges of the sheets transported from the transport rollers are directed so as to be sandwiched between the upper and lower discharge rollers by a movable sheet guide in a non-staple mode position and the sheets are discharged onto a stacking tray through the upper and lower discharge rollers. In the staple mode, the leading edges of the sheets is directed to a discharge opening formed between the upper discharge roller and the movable sheet guide by the movable sheet guide in the staple mode position so as to be dropped onto the staple tray. After being processed by the stapler, the sheets are pushed by a pushing member through the discharge opening onto the stacking tray. As a result, the movements of the upper and lower discharge rollers are stabilized, and the sheets can be prevented from being stuck between the upper and lower discharge rollers and or being slanted when being discharged, thereby achieving a desirable discharge of the sheets in the non-staple mode.

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Yamatokoriyama, Japan

Koji Katamoto