Ricoh Company, Ltd.

Michihito Ohashi

Yoshihiro Sakai

Yasuo Asahina

Junko Tomita

Shunichi Chiba

Shin-ichi Kuramoto

Toru Iida

Kinzi Saito

Hiroshi Takahashi

Atsushi Kawamura

Hiromichi Matsuda

Tomotoshi Nakahara

Hideyo Makino

Shigekazu Enoki

Yuichi Ueno

Koichi Noguchi

Kohei Shimbo

Masumi Ikesue

Yohhei Watanabe

Yuji Yasuda

Takuro Kamiya

Masahiro Ishikawa

Hiroyuki Matsushiro

Yuichi Hirose

Satoru Tao

Noritaka Masuda

Takeshi Iijima

Toshihiko Takaya

Toshio Shimazaki

Shinji Nagatsuna

Hideaki Sugata

Isamu Tanaka

Kohji Amanai

Hiroki Tsubouchi

Eiko Mito

Kazuhiko Namiki

Shinzi Nagatsuna

Tetsuya Nakao

A lighting device includes a linear light source extending in a first direction and configured to emit light in a second direction intersecting the first direction to an object; a rod lens apart from the linear light source in the second direction and extending in the first direction, the rod lens configured to transmit the light emitted from the linear light source; and a support portion supporting the rod lens and having: a first surface extending in a third direction intersecting the second direction; and a second surface extending in a fourth direction intersecting the second direction and the third direction. The rod lens is in contact with each of the first surface and the second surface.

Lighting device and image reading apparatus

An image forming apparatus is disclosed that includes an image carrier, a driving source, a rotation detection unit, and a control unit that performs fluctuation pattern recognition processing, control pattern construction processing, speed fine-adjustment processing, and remaining pattern recognition processing. The control unit is configured to perform control pattern correction processing for setting a frequency band of a remaining speed fluctuation to be detected by the remaining pattern recognition processing narrower than a frequency band of a speed fluctuation to be detected by the fluctuation pattern recognition processing and correcting the speed control pattern so as to be a pattern capable of reducing even the remaining speed fluctuation based on a remaining speed fluctuation pattern recognized by the remaining pattern recognition processing.

Image forming apparatus for detecting speed fluctuation

In an image forming apparatus of the present invention including a plurality of photoconductive drums arranged side by side, each photoconductive drum is configured to allow its opposite end portions in the main scanning direction to be adjusted in maximum eccentricity position in the direction of rotation independently of each other. The maximum eccentricity positions of the drums are capable of being matched in phase to each other in the direction of rotation at each of opposite end portions.

Photoconductive element unit including support portions configured to adjust eccentricity positions for an image forming apparatus

Device for regenerating printed sheet-like recording medium

A device for regenerating a sheet-like recoding medium which feeds a printed sheet-like recording medium. A regenerating treatment unit eliminates a image formed on the recording medium. The recording medium is then discriminated and separated based on whether the regenerated recording medium is reusable or not and whether the regenerated recording medium is to be treated again by the regenerating treatment unit, and a storing unit stores the separated reusable recording medium. Further, a control section controls the regenerating treatment unit to treat the regenerated recording medium again when the regenerated recording medium is judged to be treated again by the regenerating treatment unit.

The present invention discloses a device for regenerating a sheet-like recording medium comprising a means for feeding a printed sheet-like recording medium, a regenerating treatment means having a step for eliminating image formed on said recording medium, a means for discriminating and separating the recording medium whether the treated recording medium is reusable or not and a means for storing the separated reusable recording medium. Further, the present invention discloses, as Examples, regenerating treatment means treating sheet-like recording media printed with following toners or inks with following degrading agent or a color eliminating agent;

A developer recycling system is provided for replenishing a fresh developer to a developing device of an image forming apparatus and collecting it after use. A developer cartridge applicable to the system is also provided. When the fresh developer is replenished from the cartridge to the developing device, a developer existing in the developing device overflows in an amount corresponding to the replenished developer. The developer overflown the developing device is recirculated to the cartridge and reused.

Developer recycling system and developer cartridge therefor

A digital image forming apparatus which detects a center of a book document when reading and writing an image of the document, including a document, a document board on which the document is set, a reading device for reading the document by scanning the document, an A/D converter for converting an analog signal which is read by the reading device to a digital signal, a signal processor for processing the digital signal, including a first detector for detecting the existence of a dark portion in the image of the document and judging the document to be a book document if the document image has the dark portion, based on the signal corresponding to at least two lines on the document in a scanning direction, or in a direction perpendicular to the scanning direction and a second detector for detecting a center portion of the document on the basis of each center dark portion of each signal of the lines if the document is judged to be a book document, and a writing device for writing the digital signal on a photoconductive element in relation to the detected center portion. Edge portions of the document can similarly be detected and used in writing an image of the document so that an unnecessary part of the book document can be erased with simple structure and operation.

Digital 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

An electrophotographic image developing device includes a fixed rotatable member and a suspended rotatable member reciprocally movable toward and away from the fixed rotatable member. Rotative power from a drive source is transmitted to the suspended rotatable member through a power transmitting unit which includes a coupling capable of absorbing axial misalignment between driver and driven shafts.

Image developing device for electrophotography

A device for driving a rotary body which is required to make contact with another rotary body with an even pressure distribution along its length, e.g. a register roller installed in an electrophotographic machine for feeding a paper sheet, a developing roller applicable to a contact type developing system, or a doctor roller of a developing apparatus. A developing roller, or one of the rotary bodies, is movable in a single limited direction toward and away from a photoconductive element, or the other rotary body, which is fixed in place. A drive gear is meshed with a driven gear which is mounted on one end of a shaft of the developing roller, thereby transmitting torque to the developing roller. The drive gear is located in such a position that an angle between the direction of movement of the developing roller and a line extending through the axes of the drive and driven gears is defined upstream of that direction of movement with respect to the direction of rotation of the developing roller and substantially equal to the pressure angle between the drive and driven gears. The force imparted from the drive gear to the driven gear acts in a direction substantially perpendicular to the direction of movement of the developing roller.

Device for driving rotary body

Growing community of inventors

Kawasaki, Japan

Michihito Ohashi