Ricoh Company, Ltd.

Verbatim Corporation

Ricoh Systems, Inc.

Nortron Corporation

Digital Dynamics, Inc.

Victor B Van Blerk

Edward F Mayer

Arthur C Lutus

Donald B Curchod

James B Jerde

Edward Mroz

Donald F Pfeuffer

Richard D Hebert

Elden R Morrison

An environmental indicator assembly in a floppy disk cassette provides a warning signal when the cassette has been subjected to either a high-moisture or a high-temperature condition either environment being potentially harmful to the disk. The indicator assembly includes a wax which melts in a high-temperature environment and a hygroscopic salt which breaks down in a high-moisture condition. If either the wax or the salt changes from a solid form, a warning flag automatically moves into a position viewable to a cassette user.

Temperature/humidity indicator for a floppy disk cassette

A defeat mechanism serves to prevent a floppy disk cassette from being operatively loaded into a drive mechanism when the cassette has been subjected to either a high-moisture or a high-temperature condition--either environment being potentially harmful to the recording capability of a floppy disk. The defeat mechanism includes a wax which melts in a high-temperature environment and a hygroscopic salt which breaks down in a high-moisture condition. If either the wax or the salt changes from a solid form, a control element of the defeat mechanism automatically moves into an actuated position which prevents the operative loading of the cassette.

Temperature/humidity floppy disk cassette defeat mechanism

In an electrophotographic copying system designed according to the present invention, a transparent conducting plastic layer is placed between the drum surface and the red/green electroluminescent panel. This layer is either grounded or is biased to repel the electrically charged toner.

Dust control method and apparatus

A protective jacket for permanently containing a floppy-type magnetic recording disk includes a liner attached to at least one of the interior sidewalls of the jacket in a manner whereby a protruding warp is formed in the liner having the form of an elongated ridge. The warp protrudes far enough from the interior wall of the jacket so that, upon rotation of the disk, the warp is deformed and resiliently wipes the face of the disk to remove dust and the like, thereby preventing errors in reading/writing upon the disk.

Wiping system for magnetic recording disks

Apparatus for automatically adjusting the azimuth angle of a transducer head relative to a media recording surface when the transducer head is driven in a non-radial path about the media recording surface with a transducer head supported by a positioning support shaft located within a head carriage. The head carriage receives drive forces from a worm gear and the positioning support shaft is attached to a control shaft and a positioning shaft for azimuth angle alignment during head carriage movement.

Automatic azimuth angle adjustment head mounting structure

In an electrophotographic copier, a dielectric shield is provided extending from a point adjacent the corona discharge device to a point close to the entry of the charged surface sheet of paper into the transfer nip area. The ion shield is formed of a sheet of dielectric material which extends from the cover of the corona discharge device to a point only slightly displaced to the entry side of the transfer nip. The ionic shield is biased to press against the surface of the paper so that air flow leakage to the surface of the photoconductive drum is minimized. The air flow which is naturally created by the movement of the paper is channelled out to the sides of the dielectric shield and is disbursed in an area away from the photoconductive drum.

Electrophotographic copying apparatus including transfer charge corona

An electrophotographic copying apparatus utilizing a rotatable drum having a photosensitive outer circumferential surface is disclosed herein along with its method of operation. In making copies of a given sheet of information, an electrostatic latent image corresponding to the information to be copied is formed on a circumferential segment of the drum surface and the image is developed by applying toner onto the image bearing segment of the drum surface. Thereafter, the applied toner is transferred to a blank sheet thereby forming the copy. Once one or more copies are made from a given electrostatic image, any applied but untransferred toner on the drum surface is moved onto a second circumferential segment, preferably by means of a pliant roller segment and preferably with the aid of electrostatic attraction. The toner accumulated on the second segment of the drum surface is then moved by the latter to a specific point and removed from the second surface segment. During this latter movement, the toner is electrostatically held in place on the second drum surface segment.

Electrophotographic copying apparatus and method of use including

This apparatus relates particularly to apparatus and method for conditioning and pre-fatiguing a photoconductive drum in an electrophotographic copying apparatus. In a preferred embodiment, a two color LED is located adjacent the photoconductive surface. The color of the emissions from these two-color LED's is controlled through the polarity of the voltage applied to the terminals; that is, reversal of the polarity of the voltage applied reverses the color displayed. Therefore, in a preferred embodiment of the present invention, means are provided for supplying an AC driving current to the LED which would inherently result in a synchronous high speed flashing of the red/green light. By combining this AC source with a controllable DC bias, it is possible to provide a drum discharge and preconditioning light which is an all red light; an all green light; or which has controllable percentages of red and green in each duty cycle. In an optimum conditioning cycle, when the machine is first turned on a maximum of two cycles of all red light are utilized to build in fatigue; it is thereafter desirable during extended use of the machine to use only green, which will reduce the light fatigue effect on the photoconductive surface. By an appropriate timing circuit, a controllable shift from all red at the beginning of use of the machine through a combined duty cycle combining both red and green to an all green light can be accomplished.

Electrophotographic copying apparatus including drum conditioning

An arrangement for and method of cleaning residue toner from the surface of a photoconductive drum forming part of an overall electrophotographic copying apparatus is disclosed herein. The arrangement utilizes a wiping member, for example a blade or brush, adapted to engage the drum's surface directly as the latter rotates and an assembly of components for moving the wiping member at a continuously controlled speed between a first position in direct engagement with the drum's surface and a second position out of engagement therewith. In one embodiment disclosed herein, this assembly uses a speed damping approach to accomplish speed control and in a second embodiment it uses a combination cam and cam follower.

Electrophotographic copying apparatus including toner cleaning

A wheel alignment system and method for determining the thrust line of a vehicle and employing the thrust line when positioning the steerable wheels of the vehicle to a plane parallel to the thrust line as well as during the determination of set-back between laterally spaced wheels.

Wheel alignment system and method

A system and method for calibrating a wheel alignment system to provide a compensating offset with respect to error from sensor devices involved therein.

System and method for calibrating wheel alignment system sensors

A digital valve assembly has a body provided with a plurality of planar sides and has an inlet passage running axially thereinto and opening past an axial projection and through a plurality of inlet branch passages in divergent array to inlet valve openings on the respective sides of the body. There is also an outlet passage substantially coaxial with the inlet passage and open at the other end of the body. In communication with the outlet passage over an axial projection therein is a plurality of outlet branch passages, each opening on a respective one of the body sides and converging therefrom toward the outlet passage. The outlet valve openings and inlet valve openings are close together or are paired, so that each pair is coverable by a respective one of a number of valves, each mounted on the body on one of the sides in a position to control flow through the openings therein. The outlet branch passages are preferably of different cross-sectional flow areas, the flow area of one passage being related to the respective flow areas of the other passage in accordance with a predetermined scheme or size relationship, conveniently one in which the quantity of flow through the valve as a whole can be controlled in even steps or as desired by varying the particular valve or valves which may be open at any one time.

Growing community of inventors

San Jose, CA, United States of America

Victor B Van Blerk