All The Claims

1. A crimping press comprising:
a machine frame;
a drive shaft, said drive shaft being mounted in a drive shaft bearing;
a cam connected to said drive shaft;
a connecting rod operatively connected to said cam, said connecting rod being operatively connected to said cam at a first location on said connecting rod;
a press carriage, said connecting rod being operatively connected to said press carriage via a connecting rod bearing, said connecting rod being operatively connected to said press carriage at a second location on said connecting rod;
at least one carriage guide connected to said machine frame, said press carriage being mounted on said at least one carriage guide;
a first crimping tool mounted on said machine frame;
a flexural beam connected to said press carriage;
a second crimping tool connected to said press carriage via said flexural beam;
a first bias applicator holder connected to said press carriage;
a second bias applicator holder connected to said machine frame; and
a bias applicator configured to apply a prebiasing initial force acting at least codirectionally to the crimping force reaction separatory to said first and second crimping tools prior to crimping engagement of said first and second crimping tools, said bias applicator being situated between said first and second bias applicator holders.
2. A crimping press as claimed in claim 1 further comprising:
said bias applicator includes a spring; and
said spring is tensioned to pull said first bias applicator holder towards said second bias applicator holder.
3. A crimping press as claimed in claim 1 further comprising:
said bias applicator includes a first spring; and
said first spring is compressed to push said first bias applicator holder away from said second bias applicator holder.
4. A crimping press as claimed in claim 3 further comprising:
a third bias applicator holder connected to said machine frame; and
a second spring between said first and third bias applicator holders, said second spring being tensioned to pull said first bias applicator holder towards said third bias applicator holder.
5. A crimping press as claimed in claim 1 further comprising:
a spring;
a spring adjuster for adjusting the prebiasing initial force of said spring; and
said bias applicator includes said spring.
6. A crimping press as claimed in claim 1 further comprising:
said bias applicator includes an actuator,
said actuator is situated to pull said first bias applicator holder towards said second bias applicator holder.
7. A crimping press as claimed in claim 1 further comprising:
said bias applicator includes a first actuator,
said first actuator is situated to push said first bias applicator holder away from said second bias applicator holder.
8. A crimping press as claimed in claim 7 further comprising:
a third bias applicator holder connected to said machine frame; and
a second actuator between said first and third bias applicator holders, said second actuator situated to pull said first bias applicator holder towards said third bias applicator holder.
9. A crimping press as claimed in claim 1 further comprising:
said bias applicator includes a spring, and said bias applicator includes an actuator.

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 heater operable with a main power supply unit and a chargeable auxiliary power supply unit, comprising:
a heater part having one or a plurality of heater elements configured to receive power from the main and auxiliary power supply units;
a detecting part configured to detect energy supplied from the main power supply unit; and
a controller configured to vary energy supplied from the auxiliary power supply unit to the heater part per unit time depending on a change in the energy detected by the detecting part.
2. The heater as claimed in claim 1, wherein said controller reduces the energy supplied from the auxiliary power supply unit to the heater part per unit time when the energy supplied from the main power supply unit per unit time and detected by said detecting part is less than a predetermined value.
3. The heater as claimed in claim 1, wherein the auxiliary power supply unit comprises a capacitor.
4. The heater as claimed in claim 3, wherein the capacitor is made up of an electric double layer capacitor.
5. A heater operable with a main power supply unit and a chargeable auxiliary power supply unit, comprising:
a heater part having one or a plurality of heater elements configured to receive power from the main and auxiliary power supply units;
a detecting part configured to detect a voltage of the main power supply unit; and
a controller configured to vary energy supplied from the auxiliary power supply unit to the heater part per unit time depending on a change in the voltage detected by the detecting part.
6. The heater as claimed in claim 5, wherein said controller reduces the energy supplied from the auxiliary power supply unit to the heater part per unit time when the voltage of the main power supply unit detected by said detecting part is higher than a predetermined value.
7. The heater as claimed in claim 5, wherein said controller increases the energy supplied from the auxiliary power supply unit to the heater part per unit time when the voltage of the main power supply unit detected by said detecting part is lower than a predetermined value.
8. An image forming apparatus, comprising:
a heater operable with a main power supply unit and a chargeable auxiliary power supply unit, the heater comprising:
a heater part having one or a plurality of heater elements configured to receive power from the main and auxiliary power supply units, and a pressure applying member;
a detecting part configured to detect a temperature of the pressure applying member; and
a controller configured to permit power to be supplied from the auxiliary power supply unit to the heater part and to vary energy supplied from the auxiliary power supply unit to the heater part per unit time depending on the temperature detected by the detecting part.
9. The image forming apparatus as claimed in claim 8, wherein said controller reduces the energy supplied from the auxiliary power supply unit to the heater part per unit time when the temperature of the pressure applying member detected by said detecting part is higher than a predetermined value.
10. The image forming apparatus as claimed in claim 7, wherein said controller increases the energy supplied from the auxiliary power supply unit to the heater part per unit time when the temperature of the pressure applying member detected by said detecting part is lower than a predetermined value.
11. A heater operable with a main power supply unit and a chargeable auxiliary power supply unit, comprising:
a heater part having one or a plurality of heater elements configured to receive power from the main and auxiliary power supply units;
a detecting part configured to detect an environment temperature of the heater part; and
a controller configured to permit power to be supplied from the auxiliary power supply unit to the heater part and to vary energy supplied from the auxiliary power supply unit to the heater part per unit time depending on the environment temperature detected by the detecting part.
12. The heater as claimed in claim 11, wherein said controller reduces the energy supplied from the auxiliary power supply unit to the heater part per unit time when the environment temperature detected by said detecting part is higher than a predetermined value.
13. The heater as claimed in claim 11, wherein said controller increases the energy supplied from the auxiliary power supply unit to the heater part per unit time when the environment temperature detected by said detecting part is lower than a predetermined value.
14. image forming apparatus comprising:
a heater operable with a main power supply unit and a chargeable auxiliary power supply unit, and comprising a heater part having one or a plurality of heater elements configured to receive power from the main and auxiliary power supply units, a detecting part configured to detect, and a controller configured to vary energy supplied from the auxiliary power supply unit to the heater part per unit time depending on a change in the energy detected by the detecting part.
15. An image forming apparatus comprising:
a heater operable with a main power supply unit and a chargeable auxiliary power supply unit, and comprising a heater part having one or a plurality of heater elements configured to receive power from the main and auxiliary power supply units, a detecting part configured to detect, and a controller configured to vary energy supplied from the auxiliary power supply unit to the heater part per unit time depending on a change in the voltage detected by the detecting part.
16. The image forming apparatus as claimed in claim 15, wherein said controller reduces the energy supplied from the auxiliary power supply unit to the heater part per unit time when the voltage detected by said detecting part is higher than a predetermined value.
17. An image forming apparatus comprising:
a heater operable with a main power supply unit and a chargeable auxiliary power supply unit, and comprising a heater part having one or a plurality of heater elements configured to receive power from the main and auxiliary power supply units, a detecting part configured to detect an environment temperature of the heater part, and a controller configured to permit power to be supplied from the auxiliary power supply unit to the heater part and to vary energy supplied from the auxiliary power supply unit to the heater part per unit time depending on the environment temperature detected by the detecting part.
18. The image forming apparatus as claimed in claim 17, wherein said controller reduces the energy supplied from the auxiliary power supply unit to the heater part per unit time when the environment temperature detected by said detecting part is higher than a predetermined value.
19. An image forming apparatus comprising:
a fixing unit,
said fixing unit comprising:
a heater operable with a main power supply unit and a chargeable auxiliary power supply unit, and comprising a heater part having one or a plurality of heater elements configured to receive power from the main and auxiliary power supply units, a detecting part configured to detect a number of recording media that passed the fixing unit during a previous job, and a controller configured to vary energy supplied from the auxiliary power supply unit to the heater part per unit time depending on the number of recording media detected by the detecting part; and
a fixing part, heated by the heater part, and configured to fix an image on a recording medium that makes sliding contact with the heater part or pass close to the heater part,

wherein:
said controller reduces the energy supplied from the auxiliary power supply unit to the heater part per unit time when the number of recording media detected by said detecting part is larger than a predetermined value.
20. An image forming apparatus comprising:
a fixing unit,
said fixing unit comprising:
a heater operable with a main power supply unit and a chargeable auxiliary power supply unit, and comprising a heater part having one or a plurality of heater elements configured to receive power from the main and auxiliary power supply units, a detecting part configured to detect a time interval between a previous job and a present job of the fixing unit, and a controller configured to vary energy supplied from the auxiliary power supply unit to the heater part per unit time depending on the time interval detected by the detecting part; and

a fixing part, heated by the heater part, and configured to fix an image on a recording medium that makes sliding contact with the heater part or pass close to the heater part.
21. The image forming apparatus as claimed in claim 20, wherein said controller reduces the energy supplied from the auxiliary power supply unit to the heater part per unit time when the time interval detected by said detecting part is shorter than a predetermined value.
22. An image forming apparatus comprising:
a fixing unit,
said fixing unit comprising:
a heater operable with a main power supply unit and a chargeable auxiliary power supply unit, and comprising a heater part having one or a plurality of heater elements configured to receive power from the main and auxiliary power supply units, a detecting part configured to detect a work time of the fixing unit during a previous job, and a controller configured to vary energy supplied from the auxiliary power supply unit to the heater part per unit time depending on the work time detected by the detecting part; and
a fixing part, heated by the heater part, and configured to fix an image on a recording medium that makes sliding contact with the heater part or pass close to the heater part.
23. The image forming apparatus as claimed in claim 22, wherein said controller reduces the energy supplied from the auxiliary power supply unit to the heater part per unit time when the work time detected by said detecting part is longer than a predetermined value.
24. A heater operable with a main power supply unit and a chargeable auxiliary power supply unit, comprising:
a heater part having one or a plurality of heater elements configured to receive power from the main and auxiliary power supply units; and
a controller configured to change at least one of a usage of power and energy supplied from the auxiliary power supply unit based on a voltage of the main power supply unit.
25. The heater as claimed in claim 24, wherein the auxiliary power supply unit comprises a capacitor.
26. The heater as claimed in claim 25, wherein the capacitor is made up of an electric double layer capacitor.
27. The heater as claimed in claim 24, wherein the usage of power includes a timing when the power from the auxiliary power supply unit is supplied to the heater part.
28. The heater as claimed in claim 24, wherein the energy is supplied from the auxiliary power supply unit when the auxiliary power supply unit discharges.
29. An image forming apparatus that carries out an image forming process, comprising:
a fixing unit operable with a main power supply unit and a chargeable auxiliary power supply unit, the fixing unit comprising:
a heater part having one or a plurality of heater elements configured to receive power from the main and auxiliary power supply units; and
a controller configured to change at least one of a usage of power and energy supplied from the auxiliary power supply unit based on a voltage of the main power supply unit.
30. The image forming apparatus as claimed in claim 29, wherein the usage of power includes a timing when the fixing unit is being started, and a timing when the image forming apparatus carries out the image forming process with respect to successively supplied recording media.

1. A display device, comprising:
an electrochemical display device having a display screen including display elements arranged in a matrix, and being configured to display an image by each of the display elements being supplied with a writing current for a writing time, the writing current or the writing time being varied depending on a density of the image to be displayed, a predetermined amount of electric charge being accumulated in each of the display elements, each of the display elements showing a display density depending on the predetermined amount of electric charge, and each of the display elements retaining the display density until the predetermined amount of electric charge changes;
a first storage section configured to store, as first image data, densities of a first image which is going to be displayed on the display screen by the display elements;
a second storage section configured to store, as second image data, densities of a second image displayed on the display screen by the display elements;
a difference calculation section configured to calculate difference data representing difference in image densities for the respective display elements between the second image data and the first image data;
a third storage section configured to store the difference data calculated by the difference data calculation section;
a constant current circuit configured to supply the writing current depending on an applied control voltage;
a switching element configured to control applying and cutting of the control voltage;
a driver circuit configured to apply the control voltage to the constant current circuit through the switching element;
a control voltage power source configured to supply the control voltage to the driver circuit;
a common power source configured to apply a common voltage to the display elements, the common voltage being set so as to determine a supply direction of the writing current so that the display density of each of the display elements is increased or decreased; and
a control section configured to control, based on the difference data stored in the third storage section, the writing current or the writing time, and the common voltage to change the electric charge accumulated in each of the display elements, each of the display elements showing the display density depending on the changed electric charge accumulated therein;
wherein each of the display elements is written with the density thereof being increased or decreased depending on the common voltage.
2. The display device of claim 1, wherein a first terminal of the constant current circuit is connected to a first voltage, a second terminal of the constant current circuit is connected to a first terminal of each of the display elements, a second terminal of each of the display elements is connected to the common voltage, the writing current thus flows between the first voltage and the common voltage through the constant current circuit and each of the display elements, and the supply direction of the writing current depends on whether the common voltage is higher or lower than the first voltage.

The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.

What is claimed is:

1. A method for shading objects in a plurality of images including a first image and a second image comprises:
receiving a geometric description of a first object;
performing once for both the first image and the second image, a first set of shading operations for the first object in response to the geometric description of the first object;
performing a second set of shading operations for the first object in the first image;
performing a third set of shading operations for the first object in the second image;
combining results of the first set of shading operations for the first object and results of the second set of shading operations for the first object to determine shading values of the first object in the first image; and
combining results of the first set of shading operations for the first object and results of the third set of shading operations for the first object to determine shading values of the first object in the second image.
2. The method of claim 1
wherein a first processing thread performs the step of performing the second set of shading operations;
wherein a second processing thread performs the step of performing the third set of shading operations; and
wherein the first processing thread and the second processing thread are related in a manner selected from the group: concurrent processing threads, overlapping processing threads, parallel processing threads.
3. The method of claim 1 wherein the first set of shading operations for the first object comprise shading operations for the first object in the first image that are identical to shading operations for the first object in the second image.
4. The method of claim 3 wherein the second set of shading operations for the first object is specific to the first image.
5. The method of claim 3 wherein the first set of shading operations for the first object are determined in response to ambient illumination values.
6. The method of claim 5 wherein the second set of shading operations for the first object are determined in response to illumination values selected from the group: diffuse illumination, specular illumination.
7. The method of claim 1 further comprising receiving a determination of which shading operations for the first object are within the first set of shading operations.
8. A tangible media including the first image and the second image shaded according to the method described in claim 1.
9. The method of claim 1 wherein performing at least one of the first set of shading operations is in relation to performing at least one of the second set of shading operations and performing at least one of the third set of shading operations in a manner selected from the group: before, after, between, interleaved.
10. The method of claim 1 further comprising:
receiving a geometric description of a second object;
performing once for both the first image and the second image, a first set of shading operations for the second object in response to the geometric description of the second object;
performing a second set of shading operations for the second object in the first image; and
performing a third set of shading operations for the second object in the second image;
wherein a shading operation in the first set of shading operations for the first object is included in shading operations selected from the group: the second set of shading operations for the second object in the first image, the third set of shading operations for the second object in the second image.
11. The method of claim 1
wherein the first object includes a first vertex and a second vertex; and
wherein the first set of shading operations and the second set of shading operations are applied to the first vertex and the second vertex in a manner selected from the group: the first set of shading operations and the second set of shading operations on the first vertex followed by the first set the first set of shading operations and the second set of shading operations on the second vertex; the first set of shading operations on the first vertex and the second vertex, followed by the second set of shading operations on the first vertex and the second vertex.
12. A method for shading a plurality of objects in N number of images comprises:
performing shading calculations for an object from the plurality of objects for the N number of images at one time; and
wherein a first set of the shading calculations from the shading calculations for the object are performed M times in response to geometric data for the object; and
wherein M<N.
13. The method of claim 12 further comprising:
performing shading calculations for another object from the plurality of objects for the N number of images at one time; and
wherein a first set of the shading calculations for the other object are performed M times;
wherein M<N; and
wherein performing shading calculations for the object is completed before performing shading calculations for the other object.
14. The method of claim 13 wherein the first set of the shading calculations are determined in response to ambient illumination input values.
15. The method of claim 14 wherein a second set of shading calculations for the object are performed N number of times.
16. The method of claim 12 wherein M1, and N>1.
17. The method of claim 16 further comprising receiving a determination of the first set of shading calculations on the object that are performed M times.
18. A tangible media including images in which the object appears, wherein the object is shaded according to the method described in claim 12.
19. The method of claim 12 further comprising outputting the N number of images.
20. The method of claim 12
wherein a second set of the shading calculations from the shading calculations for the object are performed N times; and
wherein the first set of shading calculations are performed in relation to the second set of shading calculations in a manner selected from the group: before, after, interleaved, between.
21. The method of claim 12 wherein a set of shading calculations for the object are performed on a basis selected from the group: the set of shading calculations being performed at a first vertex on the object before the set of shading calculations are performed at a second vertex on the object; a first shading calculation from the set of shading calculations being performed on the first vertex and the second vertex before a second shading from the set of shading calculations being performed on the first vertex and the second vertex.
22. The method of claim 12 further comprising:
performing shading calculations for another object from the plurality of objects for the N number of images at one time; and
wherein a first set of the shading calculations from the shading calculations for the other object are performed P times in response to geometric data for the other object;
wherein P<N; and
wherein a shading calculation from the first set of shading calculations for the object is not within the first set of shading calculations for the other object.
23. A computer program product for shading objects in a plurality of images in a computer system including a processor comprises:
code that directs the processor to perform a first set of shading operations for a first object M times for N number of images;
code that directs the processor to perform a second set of shading operations for the first object N times for the N number of images; and
code that directs the processor to combine the first set of shading operations for the first object and the second set of shading operations for the first object to determine shading values for the first object for the N number of images;
wherein M<N; and
wherein the codes reside on a tangible media.
24. The computer program product of claim 23 wherein the processor performs at least two shading operations from the second set of shading operations concurrently.
25. The computer program product of claim 23 wherein M>1.
26. The computer program product of claim 23 wherein code that directs the processor to perform the second set of shading operations comprises:
code that directs the processor to perform a shading operation from the second set of shading operations for the first object for a first image, in response to input values specific to the first image; and
code that directs the processor to perform the shading operation from the second set of shading operations for the first object for a second image, in response to input values specific to the second image.
27. The computer program product of claim 26 wherein the input values specific to the first image comprise input values selected from the group: diffuse illumination values, specular lighting values.
28. The computer program product of claim 27 wherein code that directs the processor to perform a first set of shading operations comprises code that directs the processor to perform the first set of shading operations for a first object, in response to input values common to the first image and to the second image.
29. The computer program product of claim 27 wherein the input values common to the first image and to the second image comprise ambient illumination values.
30. The plurality of images including objects rendered according to the computer program product described in claim 23.
31. The computer program product of claim 23
wherein a first shading operation from the second set of shading operations is performed in relation to a first shading operation from the first set of shading operations being performed in a manner selected from the group: before, after.
32. The computer program product of claim 31
wherein a second shading operation from the second set of shading operations is performed after the first shading operation from the first set of shading operations is performed; and
wherein a second shading operation from the first set of shading operations is performed in relation to the second shading operation from the second set of shading operations being performed in a manner selected from the group: before, after.
33. The computer program product of claim 23
code that directs the processor to perform a first set of shading operations for a second object M times for N number of images;
wherein at least one shading operation is included in either the first set of shading operations for the first object or the first set of shading operations for the second object.