1. An image forming apparatus, comprising:
sheet detection means disposed at a predetermined position between an image forming unit and a sheet ejection unit to detect passage of a recording sheet;
time measurement means that measures a time from when a print start signal is transmitted during an end margin adjustment to when the recording sheet is detected by the sheet detection means;
time storage means that stores a proper setting time considered as an appropriate time from when the print start signal is transmitted to when the recording sheet is detected by the sheet detection means to set predetermined end margins; and
control means that controls a signal transmission timing of the print start signal, such that an actual measured time measured by the time measurement means for a succeeding recording sheet matches the proper setting time stored by the time storage means.
2. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the control means controls the signal transmission timing of the print start signal every time after an image is formed on a predetermined number of recording sheets.
3. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the control means controls the signal transmission timing of the print start signal at an arbitrary timing.
4. The image forming apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the control means controls the signal transmission timing of the print start signal when the recording sheets are loaded into a sheet feed tray of the image forming apparatus.
5. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the signal transmission timing of the print start signal adjustable by a user.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. A multi-core optical fiber comprising:
a common outer cladding formed from silica-based glass and having a cladding index of refraction ncl;
a plurality of single mode core elements formed from silica-based glass and disposed in the common outer cladding, the plurality of single mode core elements having a maximum index of refraction n1 sm; and
a plurality of multimode core elements formed from silica-based glass and disposed in the common outer cladding, the plurality of multimode core elements having a maximum index of refraction n1 mm, wherein:
n1 sm is greater than ncl;
n1 mm is greater than ncl;
individual ones of the plurality of single mode core elements comprise a low-index annulus formed from silica-based glass surrounding the core element, the low-index annulus having a radial width greater than or equal to 1 \u03bcm and less than or equal to 6 \u03bcm; and
a center-to-center spacing between adjacent core elements is greater than or equal to 25 \u03bcm.
2. The multi-core optical fiber of claim 1, wherein a relative refractive index \u03941 mm of individual ones of the plurality of multimode core elements relative to the common outer cladding is greater than or equal to 0.2%.
3. The multi-core optical fiber of claim 1, wherein a relative refractive index \u03941 sm of individual ones of the plurality of single mode core elements relative to the common outer cladding is greater than or equal to 0.2%.
4. The multi-core optical fiber of claim 1, wherein a relative refractive index \u03942 of the low-index annulus to the common outer cladding is less than or equal to \u22120.1%.
5. The multi-core optical fiber of claim 1, wherein the low-index annulus is spaced apart from the core element by an offset spacing which is greater than or equal to 3 \u03bcm and less than or equal to 5 \u03bcm.
6. The multi-core optical fiber of claim 1, wherein a cross talk between adjacent core elements is less than \u221230 dB.
7. A multi-core optical fiber comprising:
a common outer cladding formed from silica-based glass;
a plurality of single mode core elements formed from silica-based glass and disposed in the common outer cladding, individual ones of the plurality of single mode core elements having a relative refractive index \u03941 sm greater than or equal to 0.2% relative to the common outer cladding; and
a plurality of multimode core elements formed from silica-based glass and disposed in the common outer cladding, individual ones of the plurality of multimode core elements having a relative refractive index \u03941 mm greater than or equal to 0.2% relative to the common outer cladding, wherein a center-to-center spacing between adjacent core elements is greater than or equal to 25 \u03bcm, wherein individual ones of the plurality of single mode core elements, individual ones of the plurality of multimode core elements, or individual ones of both the plurality of single mode core elements and the plurality of multimode core elements comprise a low-index annulus formed from silica-based glass surrounding the core element, the low index annulus being spaced apart from the core element by an offset spacing which is less than or equal to 2 \u03bcm or greater than or equal to 3 \u03bcm and less than or equal to 5 \u03bcm.
8. The multi-core optical fiber of claim 7, wherein a relative refractive index \u03942 of the low-index annulus to the common outer cladding is less than the relative refractive index \u03941 mm and the relative refractive index \u03941 sm.
9. The multi-core optical fiber of claim 7, wherein individual ones of the plurality of single mode core elements have core radii greater than or equal to about 3 \u03bcm and less than or equal to about 10 \u03bcm.
10. The multi-core optical fiber of claim 7, wherein individual ones of the plurality of multimode core elements have core radii greater than or equal to about 5 \u03bcm and less than or equal to about 35 \u03bcm.
11. The multi-core optical fiber of claim 7, wherein the relative refractive index \u03941 sm is greater than or equal to about 0.2% and less than or equal to about 0.5%.
12. The multi-core optical fiber of claim 7, wherein the relative refractive index \u03941 mm is greater than or equal to 0.4% and less than or equal to 1.0%.
13. The multi-core optical fiber of claim 7, wherein the low-index annulus has a relative refractive index \u03942 of less than or equal to \u22120.1% relative to the common outer cladding and a radial width greater than or equal to 1 \u03bcm and less than or equal to 6 \u03bcm.
14. The multi-core optical fiber of claim 7, wherein individual ones of the plurality of single mode core elements comprise the low-index annulus and the offset spacing is greater than or equal to 3 \u03bcm and less than or equal to 5 \u03bcm.
15. The multi-core optical fiber of claim 7, wherein individual ones of the plurality of multimode core elements comprise the low-index annulus and the offset spacing is less than or equal to 2 \u03bcm.
16. A multi-core optical fiber comprising:
a common outer cladding formed from silica-based glass and having a cladding index of refraction nc1;
a plurality of single mode core elements formed from silica-based glass and disposed in the common outer cladding, the plurality of single mode core elements having a maximum index of refraction n1 sm; and
a plurality of multimode core elements formed from silica-based glass and disposed in the common outer cladding, the plurality of multimode core elements having a maximum index of refraction n1 mm, wherein:
n1 sm is greater than ncl;
n1 mm is greater than ncl;
individual ones of the plurality of multi-mode core elements comprise a low-index annulus formed from silica-based glass surrounding the core element, the low-index annulus having a radial width greater than or equal to 1 \u03bcm and less than or equal to 6 \u03bcm; and
a center-to-center spacing between adjacent core elements is greater than or equal to 25 \u03bcm.
17. The multi-core optical fiber of claim 16, wherein the low-index annulus is spaced apart from the core element by an offset spacing which is less than or equal to 2 \u03bcm.
18. The multi-core optical fiber of claim 16, wherein a relative refractive index \u03942 of the low-index annulus to the common outer cladding is less than or equal to \u22120.1%.
19. The multi-core optical fiber of claim 16, wherein a relative refractive index \u03941 mm of individual ones of the plurality of multimode core elements relative to the common outer cladding is greater than or equal to 0.2%.
20. The multi-core optical fiber of claim 16, wherein a relative refractive index \u03941 sm of individual ones of the plurality of single mode core elements relative to the common outer cladding is greater than or equal to 0.2%.