Abstract: Power to an electrical device is controlled using a phase control that changes a cutoff phase of an alternating current (AC) electrical signal delivered to the electrical device. The power delivered to the electrical device is increased to an operational level using the phase control. A level of the power delivered to the electrical device is maintained at the operational level using an integral half cycle control that selectively removes a plurality of half cycles from the AC electrical signal delivered to the electrical device such that a plurality of remaining half cycles in the AC electrical signal delivered to the electrical device have a frequency outside a range of sub-harmonic frequencies.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a fixing part, a first conveying part, a second conveying part, a biasing member and a separation supporting mechanism. The first conveying part following the fixing part includes rollers to convey a sheet at second linear velocity faster than first linear velocity of the fixing part. The second conveying part following the first conveying part conveys the sheet at third linear velocity faster than the first linear velocity near a heating rotation body of the fixing part from a first reference line passing through nip parts of the fixing part and first conveying part. The separation supporting mechanism supports one roller in a direction separating from another roller and receives force from the sheet in the separating direction to the one roller when the second conveying part conveys the sheet to withdraw the one roller in the separating direction from the first reference line.

Abstract: This invention relates to an apparatus for detecting hydrogeneous material on a ship's deck comprising a neutron source located below the surface of the ship's deck and emitting fast/energy-rich neutrons, and a detector device that is located below the surface of the ship's deck and detecting thermal neutrons. The invention further relates to a corresponding method of detecting hydrogeneous material on a ship's deck. Hereby an apparatus and a method are provided for detecting occurrences of water on a ship's deck, wherein these occurrences appear in particular when travelling in rough weather conditions. The apparatus being located below the ship's deck, it is consequently not exposed to wear due to rough weather conditions.

Abstract: A radiation detector is described which includes first circuitry having at least one operational parameter associated therewith which is operable to change in response to radiation exposure. Second circuitry is operable to detect a change in the at least one operational parameter based on a predetermined relation between the at least one operational parameter and at least one type of radiation. The second circuitry is also operable to encode detection information representative of the radiation exposure in response thereto.