Abstract: Provided is a capsule formulation capable of retaining a hydrophilic substance over a long period of time and also capable of containing incompatible components, in a single capsule. A capsule formulation is produced by encapsulating with a hydrophilic film, a capsule content formed by enclosing an aqueous solution in an oily substance containing a porous microparticulate powder. The capsule formulation preferably comprises 0.1 to 20 parts by weight of the porous microparticulate powder based on 100 parts by weight of the oily substance, and it is preferably a soft capsule formulation.

Abstract: A fixing device that fixes a toner image carried on a transfer sheet onto the transfer sheet includes a fixing belt that relatively moves, with its surface being in contact with the toner image during the fixing operation, with respect to the transfer sheet, surface information detecting devices that determine surface information of the fixing belt, a surface condition changing roller that is arranged so as to be capable of coming into contact with and separating from the fixing belt and abrades the surface of the fixing belt in contact with the fixing belt, and a surface condition changing controller that controls the contact and separation of the surface condition changing roller with and from the fixing belt based on detection results obtained by the surface information detecting devices.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a charging device configured to uniformly charge a surface of a photoconductive element; an image writing device configured to write an image in the charged photoconductive element by light to form an electrostatic latent image; a developing device configured to visualize the formed electrostatic latent image as a toner image; a transfer device configured to transfer the toner image to a sheet recording medium; a fixing device configured to fix the transferred toner image onto the medium; and a surface information detecting device configured to detect surface information of a fixing member of the fixing device. The surface information detecting device radiates optical spots on a surface of the fixing member in a direction crossing a conveying direction, receives reflected light of each optical spot, and detects the surface information of the fixing device based on the detection results of the reflective lights.

Abstract: A contact detection apparatus detects contact of a contactor and a contacted object. The contact detection apparatus includes an imager that acquires three-dimensional imaging information of the contactor and the contacted object, a setter that sets a contact target surface based on the three-dimensional imaging information of the contacted object from the imager, a candidate detector that converts the three-dimensional imaging information of the contactor from the imager into two-dimensional information and detects an end portion candidate of the contactor based on the two-dimensional information and the contact target surface, and a contact determiner that decides an end portion of the contactor and determines the contact of the contactor and the contacted object based on the three-dimensional imaging information of the end portion candidate and the contact target surface.

Abstract: A reflective optical sensor for detecting surface information on a moving element moving in a certain direction includes at least one light emitter, a light emitting lens provided between the light emitter and a surface of the moving element and formed to become conjugated with the light emitter in the moving direction of the moving element in a longer distance from the light emitter than in a vertical direction relative to the moving direction, at least one light receiver, and a light receiving lens provided between the light receiver and the surface of the moving element.

Abstract: A toner density is calculated from outputs of light-receiving elements based on a difference between a reflection property of a supporting member and a reflection property of a toner pattern. Light-emitting elements aligned in one direction that is inclined to a sub-direction emit a detection light in such a manner that a distance between adjacent spots falling on the supporting member in a second direction is equal to or smaller than a width of the toner pattern in the second direction. The light-receiving elements receive a reflected light reflected from the supporting member and/or the toner pattern. The light-receiving elements are aligned, opposed to the supporting member, in a one direction corresponding to the light-emitting elements.

Abstract: An input operation detection device to detect input operation input to an image includes a first and second imaging parts and a processor to detect input operation based on data acquired by the first and second imaging parts. The image is divided into first and second images. The optical axes of imaging optical systems of the first and second imaging parts intersect with the image at points on the same side as installation position sides of the corresponding imaging parts with respect to the center of the corresponding images.

Abstract: A reflection type optical sensor that detect a surface condition of a moving body and that is used for an image generation apparatus which forms images on a recording media includes a light-emitting device which has a plurality of light emitter systems including at least two light-emitting members and a light-emitting optical system having a plurality of light-emitting lenses corresponding to a plurality of the light emitter systems and guiding light emitted from the light emitter systems to the moving body and a light-receiving device which has a light receiver system including at least two light-receiving members and a light-receiving optical system having light-receiving lenses corresponding to the at least two light-receiving members and guiding light reflected by the moving body to the light receiver system. The image generation apparatus has further a surface condition judging device in addition to the reflection type optical sensor.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a fixing member, at least one reflective optical sensor, a heat shielding member, and a processor. The fixing member fixes an image on a recording medium moving in a first axis direction. At least one reflective optical sensor emits light toward the fixing member and receives light reflected by the fixing member. The heat shielding member is arranged between the fixing member and the at least one reflective optical sensor, has a light passing part through which light directed to the fixing member from the at least one reflective optical sensor and light reflected by the fixing member and directed to the at least one reflective optical sensor passes, and prevents heat transfer from the fixing member to the at least one reflective optical sensor. The processor is configured to obtain a surface state of the fixing member on the basis of an output signal from the at least one reflective optical sensor.

Abstract: A reflective optical sensor for detecting surface information on a moving element moving in a certain direction includes at least one light emitter, a light emitting lens provided between the light emitter and a surface of the moving element and formed to become conjugated with the light emitter in the moving direction of the moving element in a longer distance from the light emitter than in a vertical direction relative to the moving direction, at least one light receiver, and a light receiving lens provided between the light receiver and the surface of the moving element.

Abstract: An objective is to achieve a positional change measurement device which measures positional change of a dynamic measured surface by using speckle patterns while easily reducing influence of fluctuations in a measurement environment temperature. Provided is a positional change measurement device including: a light source; an illuminating optical system configured to guide light from the light source to a measured surface; an imaging optical system; an image pickup device configured to acquire a speckle pattern by receiving reflection light from the measured surface via the imaging optical system; and detected-length compensation means for compensating for fluctuations in a detected length caused by temperature fluctuations. Positional change of the measured surface is measured based on a result of cross-correlation computation performed on multiple speckle patterns acquired at predetermined time intervals.

Abstract: A fixing apparatus for fixing a toner image borne on a sheet-like recording medium onto the sheet-like recording medium, including: a fixing member relatively moving in a first direction with respect to the sheet-like recording medium, and having a surface in contact with the toner image during a fixing operation; a surface-information-detecting device for obtaining surface information of the fixing member; a surface-condition-changing device arranged to abut on and separate from the fixing member, and abrading the surface of the fixing member in contact with the fixing member; and a surface-condition-change controller for controlling an abutting and separating of the surface-condition-changing device with respect to the fixing member according to a detection result of the surface-information-detecting device.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus forms, on a surface of a moving member moving in a first direction, an image under an image forming condition in accordance with image information. The image forming apparatus includes: a reflection-type optical sensor including an emission system including a plurality of light-emitting units arranged in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction and a light-receiving system including a plurality of light-receiving units that receive reflected light resulting from reflection of emission light emitted from the emission system at the surface of the moving member; and a determination device that determines whether there is an abnormality on the surface of the moving member on the basis of output signals from at least two or more light-receiving units.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a charging device configured to uniformly charge a surface of a photoconductive element; an image writing device configured to write an image in the charged photoconductive element by light to form an electrostatic latent image; a developing device configured to visualize the formed electrostatic latent image as a toner image; a transfer device configured to transfer the toner image to a sheet recording medium; a fixing device configured to fix the transferred toner image onto the medium; and a surface information detecting device configured to detect surface information of a fixing member of the fixing device. The surface information detecting device radiates optical spots on a surface of the fixing member in a direction crossing a conveying direction, receives reflected light of each optical spot, and detects the surface information of the fixing device based on the detection results of the reflective lights.

Abstract: The present technique includes a case member of a body and a supporting mechanism. The case member of a body includes a holding compartment having a shaft support at one end of the holding compartment. The supporting mechanism is receivable in the holding compartment of the case member and holds a display monitor. The supporting mechanism includes a first supporting member and a second supporting member, the first supporting member having, at a first end, a pivoting portion pivotally supported on the shaft support of the holding compartment, and a shaft support at a second end, and the second supporting member having a pivoting portion pivotally supported on the shaft support of the first supporting member. The supporting mechanism is configured to move the shaft support of the first supporting member and the pivoting portion of the second supporting member in an extrusion direction from the holding compartment.

Abstract: According to an aspect of the present invention, an input-operation detection device for detecting a user input operation performed on at least a portion of a displayed image includes; a light emitter that emits detection light, an imaging unit including an imaging optical system and an image sensor and configured to capture an image of at least one of the displayed image and the input operation, and a processing unit that detects position, at which the input operation is performed, or motion, by which the input operation is provided, based on a result of image capture output from the imaging unit. The position where optical axis of the imaging optical system intersects a display surface of the displayed image and center of the displayed image are on the same side relative to a position where the imaging unit is mounted.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a charging device configured to uniformly charge a surface of a photoconductive element; an image writing device configured to write an image in the charged photoconductive element by light to form an electrostatic latent image; a developing device configured to visualize the formed electrostatic latent image as a toner image; a transfer device configured to transfer the toner image to a sheet recording medium; a fixing device configured to fix the transferred toner image onto the medium; and a surface information detecting device configured to detect surface information of a fixing member of the fixing device. The surface information detecting device radiates optical spots on a surface of the fixing member in a direction crossing a conveying direction, receives reflected light of each optical spot, and detects the surface information of the fixing device based on the detection results of the reflective lights.

Abstract: A reflection type optical sensor that detect a surface condition of a moving body and that is used for an image generation apparatus which forms images on a recording media includes a light-emitting device which has a plurality of light emitter systems including at least two light-emitting members and a light-emitting optical system having a plurality of light-emitting lenses corresponding to a plurality of the light emitter systems and guiding light emitted from the light emitter systems to the moving body and a light-receiving device which has a light receiver system including at least two light-receiving members and a light-receiving optical system having light-receiving lenses corresponding to the at least two light-receiving members and guiding light reflected by the moving body to the light receiver system. The image generation apparatus has further a surface condition judging device in addition to the reflection type optical sensor.

Abstract: A fixing apparatus for fixing a toner image borne on a sheet-like recording medium onto the sheet-like recording medium, comprising: a fixing member relatively moving in a first direction with respect to the sheet-like recording medium, and having a surface in contact with the toner image during a fixing operation; a surface-information-detecting device for obtaining surface information of the fixing member; a surface-condition-changing device arranged to abut on and separate from the fixing member, and abrading the surface of the fixing member in contact with the fixing member; and a surface-condition-change controller for controlling an abutting and separating of the surface-condition-changing device with respect to the fixing member according to a detection result of the surface-information-detecting device, wherein the surface-condition-change controller controls the surface-condition-changing device according to the detection result of the surface-information-detecting device with a criteria which varies

Abstract: A reflection type optical sensor that detect a surface condition of a moving body and that is used for an image generation apparatus which forms images on a recording media includes a light-emitting device which has a plurality of light emitter systems including at least two light-emitting members and a light-emitting optical system having a plurality of light-emitting lenses corresponding to a plurality of the light emitter systems and guiding light emitted from the light emitter systems to the moving body and a light-receiving device which has a light receiver system including at least two light-receiving members and a light-receiving optical system having light-receiving lenses corresponding to the at least two light-receiving members and guiding light reflected by the moving body to the light receiver system. The image generation apparatus has further a surface condition judging device in addition to the reflection type optical sensor.