Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a photosensitive drum; an image forming portion for forming an image on the drum; a fixing portion for fixing an image on a sheet, while heating the sheet in a fixing nip, wherein the fixing portion is provided above the drum; the fixing portion including a first roller contactable to the image on the sheet, a second roller cooperative with the first roller to form the fixing nip, first and second covers for protecting the first and second rollers, respectively; and at least one opening for fluid communication between an inside and an outside of the fixing portion, the opening being provided in the first cover at a position lower than a line connecting a rotation axis of the first roller and a rotation axis of the second roller, as seen along a rotational axis of the second roller.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a sheet feeding device having a separation pad holding unit, a separation pad fixing unit, and a compression unit while vibration damping unit(such as a sponge member and a Mylar member) that is attached to the compression unit does not contact the separation pad holding unit and the separation pad fixing unit.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to downsize the main body and achieve a good image quality at a low cost. A rotation shaft of a first discharge roller is tilted with respect to that of a second discharge roller. The center of oscillation C of a first discharge roller holding member is provided more upstream in the direction in which a sheet is discharged than a straight line made by the rotation center of the first discharge roller and the rotation center of the second discharge roller.

Abstract: Image fixing apparatus for fixing a toner image through a nip, the apparatus including a cylindrical film; a nip forming member contacting an inner surface of the film; a pressing rotatable member forming the nip in cooperation with the nip forming member with the film interposed therebetween; and a regulating member for regulating movement of the film in a direction of a generatrix of the film, wherein the regulating member has an opposing surface opposing an edge of an end portion of the film with respect to the direction of the generatrix, and the opposing surface has a regulation region for regulating the edge of the film when the film is driven and moves in the generatrix direction, wherein the regulation region is narrower in a downstream side of a center portion of the nip than in an upstream side thereof with respect to a sheet feeding direction.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a sheet feeding device having a separation pad holding unit, a separation pad fixing unit, and a compression unit while vibration damping unit(such as a sponge member and a Mylar member) that is attached to the compression unit does not contact the separation pad holding unit and the separation pad fixing unit.

Abstract: A fixing device configured to heat a recording material bearing a toner image at a nip portion while conveying the recording material includes a tubular film, a nip portion forming member contacting an inner surface of the film, a pressure member forming the nip portion together with the nip portion forming member via the film, and a regulating member configured to regulate a movement of the film by contacting an end surface of the film. The regulating member includes, in a vicinity of the nip portion, a regulating surface inclined such that a distance from an imaginary plane including the end surface is gradually decreased as the regulating surface extends away from the nip portion to a circumferential direction of the film, and that the distance therefrom is gradually increased as the regulating surface extends in a radial direction of the film.

Abstract: A quarantine device 1 performs processing on a network provided with a VLAN-aware Layer 2 Switch 7. The quarantine device 1 includes a terminal detection unit 11 that, when a single terminal is connected to a specified port of the Layer 2 Switch 7 through a VLAN-unaware hub, detects a connection of a new terminal 4 to the hub, and a switch control unit 12 that, upon detecting the connection of the new terminal 4, configures the specified port as a trunk port and, furthermore, configures a first VLAN, which transfers only Ethernet frames having preset tags attached thereto, and a second VLAN, which transfers only Ethernet frames having no tags attached thereto, on the specified port.

Abstract: A fuel cell system including a fuel cell which includes a single cell including a membrane electrode assembly which includes an anode electrode provided on one surface of a polymer electrolyte membrane and a cathode electrode provided on the other side of the same, wherein the fuel cell system includes a means for controlling the fuel cell so that relative humidity RHC inside the cathode electrode and relative humidity RHA inside the anode electrode satisfy the following formula (1) at least when the fuel cell is in intermittent operation: RHC>RHA??Formula (1): wherein RHC?100%.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a main assembly; a cartridge for forming a toner image on a sheet material; a fixing unit for fixing the toner image on the sheet material; and an opening for exposing an inside of the main assembly. The fixing unit and the cartridge are mountable into the main assembly and are disposed side by side. When the fixing unit and the cartridge are mounted or demounted, the fixing unit passes through the opening, and the cartridge passes through a space in which the fixing unit is to be mounted and passes through the opening. When the fixing unit and the cartridge at the time of passing through the opening are projected onto a surface perpendicular to a mounting and demounting direction, a contour of a projected area of the cartridge is at least partly inside a contour of a projected area of the fixing device, and the cartridge passes through the inside of the contour of the projected area of the fixing device when passing through the opening.

Abstract: A fixing device configured to heat a recording material bearing a toner image at a nip portion while conveying the recording material includes a tubular film, a nip portion forming member contacting an inner surface of the film, a pressure member forming the nip portion together with the nip portion forming member via the film, and a regulating member configured to regulate a movement of the film by contacting an end surface of the film. The regulating member includes, in a vicinity of the nip portion, a regulating surface inclined such that a distance from an imaginary plane including the end surface is gradually decreased as the regulating surface extends away from the nip portion to a circumferential direction of the film, and that the distance therefrom is gradually increased as the regulating surface extends in a radial direction of the film.

Abstract: Image fixing apparatus for fixing a toner image through a nip, the apparatus including a cylindrical film; a nip forming member contacting an inner surface of the film; a pressing rotatable member forming the nip in cooperation with the nip forming member with the film interposed therebetween; and a regulating member for regulating movement of the film in a direction of a generatrix of the film, wherein the regulating member has an opposing surface opposing an edge of an end portion of the film with respect to the direction of the generatrix, and the opposing surface has a regulation region for regulating the edge of the film when the film is driven and moves in the generatrix direction, wherein the regulation region is narrower in a downstream side of a center portion of the nip than in an upstream side thereof with respect to a sheet feeding direction.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a main assembly; a cartridge for forming a toner image on a sheet material; a fixing unit for fixing the toner image on the sheet material; and an opening for exposing an inside of the main assembly. The fixing unit and the cartridge are mountable into the main assembly and are disposed side by side. When the fixing unit and the cartridge are mounted or demounted, the fixing unit passes through the opening, and the cartridge passes through a space in which the fixing unit is to be mounted and passes through the opening. When the fixing unit and the cartridge at the time of passing through the opening are projected onto a surface perpendicular to a mounting and demounting direction, a contour of a projected area of the cartridge is at least partly inside a contour of a projected area of the fixing device, and the cartridge passes through the inside of the contour of the projected area of the fixing device when passing through the opening.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a main assembly; a cartridge detachably mountable to the main assembly; a fixing unit detachably mountable to the main assembly; and an opening of the main assembly. When the fixing unit and the cartridge are mounted/demounted, the fixing unit passes through the opening, and the cartridge passes through a space in which the fixing unit is to be mounted and passes through the opening. When the fixing unit and the cartridge at the time of passing through the opening are projected onto a surface perpendicular to the mounting and demounting direction, a contour of a projected area of the cartridge is at least partly inside a contour of a projected area of the fixing device, and the cartridge passes through the inside of the contour of the projected area of the fixing device when passes through the opening.

Abstract: A quarantine device 1 performs processing on a network provided with a VLAN-aware Layer 2 Switch 7. The quarantine device 1 includes a terminal detection unit 11 that, when a single terminal is connected to a specified port of the Layer 2 Switch 7 through a VLAN-unaware hub, detects a connection of a new terminal 4 to the hub, and a switch control unit 12 that, upon detecting the connection of the new terminal 4, configures the specified port as a trunk port and, furthermore, configures a first VLAN, which transfers only Ethernet frames having preset tags attached thereto, and a second VLAN, which transfers only Ethernet frames having no tags attached thereto, on the specified port.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a main assembly; a cartridge, detachably mountable to the main assembly, for being operated so as to form a toner image on a sheet material in a state in which the cartridge is mounted in the main assembly; a fixing unit, detachably mountable to the main assembly, for fixing the toner image on the sheet material; and an opening for exposing an inside of the main assembly. The fixing unit and the cartridge are mountable into and demountable from the main assembly in a mounting and demounting direction in which the fixing unit and the cartridge are disposed side by side. When the fixing unit and the cartridge are mounted into and demounted from the main assembly, the fixing unit passes through the opening, and the cartridge passes through a space in which the fixing unit is to be mounted and passes through the opening.

Abstract: Provided is a method for producing a carbon nanotube, wherein a catalyst for carbon nanotube production comprising a powdery catalyst supporting a metal on magnesia and having a bulk density of 0.30 g/mL to 0.70 g/mL, in a vertical reactor, is disposed over the whole area in a horizontal cross section direction of the reactor, in such state a carbon-containing compound flowed in a vertical direction inside the reactor is contacted with the catalyst at 500 to 1200° C., thereby carbon nanotubes of uniformity and high quality are efficiently synthesized in a large amount.

Abstract: Provided is a method for producing a carbon nanotube, wherein a catalyst for carbon nanotube production comprising a powdery catalyst supporting a metal on magnesia and having a bulk density of 0.30 g/mL to 0.70 g/mL, in a vertical reactor, is disposed over the whole area in a horizontal cross section direction of the reactor, in such state a carbon-containing compound flowed in a vertical direction inside the reactor is contacted with the catalyst at 500 to 1200° C., thereby carbon nanotubes of uniformity and high quality are efficiently synthesized in a large amount.

Abstract: A vacuum freeze-dried mass of a plant belonging to the genus Aloe of the family Liliaceae, a vacuum freeze-dried granule of the plant, a tablet formed by a vacuum freeze-dried mass of the plant, a medicine formed by the tablet, and the method for producing the vacuum freeze-dried mass, the vacuum freeze-dried granule, the tablet and the medicine. The vacuum freeze-dried product maintains the inherent properties of living aloe useful for medicine or health food.

Abstract: A vacuum freeze-dried mass of a plant belonging to the genus Aloe of the family Liliaceae, a vacuum freeze-dried granule of the plant, a tablet formed by a vacuum freeze-dried mass of the plant a medicine formed by the tablet, and the method for producing the vacuum freeze-dried mass, the vacuum freeze-dried granule, the tablet and the medicine. The vacuum freeze-dried product maintain the inherent properties of living aloe useful for medicine or health food.