Abstract: A fixing device includes a fixing member, a pressure member, and a pair of retention members each including a restriction surface. The restriction surface restricts a movement of the fixing member in an axial direction. The restriction surface includes a first contact area and a second contact area. The first area is an area more on a downstream side of a passing direction of a medium than a center of a pressure area in the passing direction, and also closer to the pressure area than an apex of the fixing member on an opposite side of the pressure area. The first contact area and the second contact area are each tilted at a certain gradient so as to be set apart from the end portion of the fixing member in the axial direction from a side of the apex toward a side of the pressure area.

Abstract: An asymmetric double-entry turbine is provided with a turbine housing that includes a first volute, a second volute and a turbine receiving bore. The first volute has a first exhaust gas inlet and a first exhaust gas outlet. The second volute has a second exhaust gas inlet and a second exhaust gas outlet. The turbine receiving bore is in fluid communication with the first exhaust gas outlet and the second exhaust gas outlet for conducting a flow of exhaust gas from the first exhaust gas outlet and the second exhaust gas outlet out in an axial direction. The first exhaust gas outlet has an angular opening amount of more than 180 degrees around the turbine receiving bore. The second exhaust gas outlet has an angular opening amount of less than 180 degrees around the turbine receiving bore.

Abstract: An asymmetric double-entry turbine is provided with a turbine housing that includes a first volute, a second volute and a turbine receiving bore. The first volute has a first exhaust gas inlet and a first exhaust gas outlet. The second volute has a second exhaust gas inlet and a second exhaust gas outlet. The turbine receiving bore is in fluid communication with the first exhaust gas outlet and the second exhaust gas outlet for conducting a flow of exhaust gas from the first exhaust gas outlet and the second exhaust gas outlet out in an axial direction. The first exhaust gas outlet has an angular opening amount of more than 180 degrees around the turbine receiving bore. The second exhaust gas outlet has an angular opening amount of less than 180 degrees around the turbine receiving bore.

Abstract: There is provided an image reading device comprising: a image capturing unit that captures a manuscript; a predetermined image pattern displayed in a region that is captured by the image capturing unit and provides a background of the manuscript; and a region determination unit that determines an image region corresponding to the manuscript, based on an image element corresponding to the image pattern and another image element corresponding to a shadow of the manuscript in an image captured by the image capturing unit.

Abstract: The problem is to provide a carbon dioxide separator that, when hydrating carbon dioxide contained in a gas to be treated to separate, can separate carbon dioxide from the gas to be treated at high efficiency and a method therefor. For this, a carbon dioxide separator that includes: a carbon dioxide hydrate formation part where carbon dioxide hydrate is formed with a gas to be treated containing carbon dioxide and water as a raw material; and a carbon dioxide absorption part where high pressure gas that passed through the carbon dioxide hydrate formation part without being hydrated is brought into gas-liquid contact with water to let absorb carbon dioxide in the high pressure gas, in which water in the carbon dioxide absorption part is sent to the carbon dioxide hydrate formation part as the raw material water is provided.

Abstract: There is provided an image reading device comprising: a image capturing unit that captures a manuscript; a predetermined image pattern displayed in a region that is captured by the image capturing unit and provides a background of the manuscript; and a region determination unit that determines an image region corresponding to the manuscript, based on an image element corresponding to the image pattern and another image element corresponding to a shadow of the manuscript in an image captured by the image capturing unit.

Abstract: To provide a gas mixture separation apparatus and a method which can reduce the energy consumption necessary to separate one type of gas, such as CO2, from a gas mixture, such as combustion exhaust gas or process gas, to reduce the operating cost of the apparatus. A gas mixture separation apparatus includes a gas hydrate formation part for hydrating one type of gas contained in a gas mixture containing a plurality of gas components to form a gas hydrate slurry, a dehydration part for dehydrating the gas hydrate slurry, and a gas hydrate decomposition part for decomposing and regasifying the gas hydrate obtained by the dehydration, and is characterized in that the water removed from the gas hydrate slurry in the dehydration part and the water generated when the gas hydrate is decomposed in the gas hydrate decomposition part are mixed together and the mixed water is introduced into the gas hydrate formation part as circulating water.