A digital camera is hard to catch luminance change of a scene including highlights and shadows, while human vision has the ability to sense a very wide range of scene luminance. The Retinex algorithm is known as a human perception-based image processing algorithm which is useful for contrast improvement for the very wide range scene. The MSR(Multi-Scale Retinex)algorithm previously proposed for suppressing halo artifacts, which integrates multiple SSR(Single-Scale Retinex), has the problem of high computation cost. This paper proposes a fast Retinex algorithm without halo artifacts by compressing dynamic range of a luminance-surround field in the SSR and using the bilateral filtering.

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The aim of this paper is to evaluate the thermo physical adaptability of model toner in order to be applied to as the toner of electrophotographic system on the condition of a low temperature. We make two kinds of model toner having a different melting point by using copolymerization method. Then, we encapsulate each toner in order to get model toners having a same core structure. DSC measurements were tested. Flow measurements were carried out model toners in order to clarify some of their rheological characteristics and to evaluate the relationship between rheological properties and result of printability using fusing treatment. The influence of temperature and especially the effect of melamine wall were examined. Also printability test of fusing method about model toners were conducted. In this study, we found out that micro-encapsulated(MC)model toner have a different fusing mechanism comparing with non-MC model toner. Some kinds of MC toners show a good result on printability test as well as cohesion test.

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The cost of typical material of biomass plastic, Polylactic acid (PLA) made from corn was successfully reduced in 1980s. Cargill Dow LLC has built mass production plant of PLA and started to manufacture since 2002. The biomass plastic has put into a practical use of several bodies of electronic equipments and office equipments instead of the former usages, such as multi-films for agriculture and packaging materials. However, to really adopt the biomass plastic material, especially for multifunction device and printer, there are some considerable problems, which are not only an increase in content and cost reduction of biomass plastic, but also basic properties and parts performance necessary for functioning compared to plastic made of petroleum. The following composition introduces details of the required machine property of multifunction device and printer, and also the biomass plastic technology that has been adopted recently.

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The toner production process has been remarkbly changed due to a great increase in the kinds and numbers of the toner products, such as switching over from monochrome to color products and increase of the brands. However, there is an obstacle for low cost production by using the conventional marketing filling machines, which is low productivity due to significant change-over time. To solve the problem, a machine called “On demand filling machine” has been developped. It can fill up the toner products at narrawer space swiftly, inexpensively, anywhere, and anytime. On demand filling machine utilizes the fluidizing filling technology(the unique technology, i.e., the powder is mixed with an air, and make the powder behave like a liquid). On demand filling machine design has been completed and started the mass production from year 2000.
From making the device in small size, We could reduce 1/40 of installation area, 1/14 of electrical power consumption, and about a half of carbon dioxide gas emission, as a consequence lead to environmental improvement.
Later, On demand filling machine has been further modified to improve the productivity, and the new machine has obtained the capacity equivalent or even higher than that of the large conventional marketing models. On demand filling machine is quite flexibile for handling the products from small quantity to large quantity. On-demand filling machines are suitable for various applications, e. g., the mass production lines for the main models, the small production lines such as the satellite filling lines, and overseas factories. Today, a total of 67 On demand filling machines are in operation worldwide.

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Great effort is conducted to reduce emission of carbon dioxide by developing energy-saving technology. Repeated reuse of used paper is effective to reduce emission of carbon dioxide in the field of printing industry for preventing the global warming, because paper is made from wood and the energy consumption of paper making requires great amount of energy. For reuse of paper, we only have to erase optionally the ink or toner on the surface of the paper after using it. Development of erasable ink and/or toner is effective to prevent the global warming with saving energy and wood resource for paper.

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In recent years, There is growing concern about global environment conservation. Resource saving and reducing waste volume are ones of the most important issues of them. Here, I comment on study from a standpoint of lifecycle, such as high durable photoconductor/developer technology and bringing longer life to the imaging unit. Additionally, I comment on study from a standpoint of used toner volume, such as waste toner-less and reduction of used toner.

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