Abstract: After an aqueous solution containing, at a concentration of less than 40% by mass, an organic compound having two or more hydrophilic groups in a molecule is adjusted to contain the organic compound at a concentration of equal to or greater than 40% by mass, the aqueous solution whose organic compound concentration is adjusted to equal to or greater than 40% by mass is irradiated with an ultrasonic wave to atomize water, and is dehydrated and concentrated.

Abstract: A sheet conveying device includes a first rotating member, a second rotating member, and a biasing unit that biases the second rotating member toward the first rotating member. The first and second rotating members pinch a sheet therebetween and convey the sheet in a sheet conveying direction. The second rotating member includes a small-diameter portion that faces a conveying portion of the first rotating member, and a large-diameter portion at a position axially displaced from the conveying portion. The second rotating member can change its orientation to an orientation where a rotating shaft of the second rotating member is tilted relative to a rotating shaft of the first rotating member as viewed in the sheet conveying direction, thereby moving a position of an end portion of the second rotating member on a side of the large-diameter portion away from the rotating shaft of the first rotating member.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an apparatus body, a manual operating unit, at least a part of which being exposed to an outside of the apparatus body and a part of which included inside the apparatus body being exposed to the outside by manually operating from the outside, a condensation part to which moist air in the apparatus body contacts to dew-condense to a water droplet, and a recovery container part containing the water droplet generated by the condensation part and being disposed on an inner surface of the manual operating unit included inside the apparatus body.

Abstract: A sheet conveyor, which is incorporated in an image forming apparatus and in which a method of preventing sheet skew is performed, includes a sheet conveying path through which a sheet is conveyed, a first conveying unit disposed in a sheet conveying direction and including a shaft extending in a lateral direction, multiple rollers attached to the shaft along the shaft, and a rotation regulator disposed between each of the multiple rollers and the shaft to idly rotate each of the multiple rollers in a given range about the shaft, a second conveying unit disposed along the sheet conveying path and downstream from the first conveying unit in the sheet conveying direction, and a sheet abutting part provided at the second conveying unit, against which a leading edge of the sheet abuts to form a slack of the sheet to correct skew of the sheet.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an apparatus body, a manual operating unit, at least a part of which being exposed to an outside of the apparatus body and a part of which included inside the apparatus body being exposed to the outside by manually operating from the outside, a condensation part to which moist air in the apparatus body contacts to dew-condense to a water droplet, and a recovery container part containing the water droplet generated by the condensation part and being disposed on an inner surface of the manual operating unit included inside the apparatus body.

Abstract: After an aqueous solution containing, at a concentration of less than 40% by mass, an organic compound having two or more hydrophilic groups in a molecule is adjusted to contain the organic compound at a concentration of equal to or greater than 40% by mass, the aqueous solution whose organic compound concentration is adjusted to equal to or greater than 40% by mass is irradiated with an ultrasonic wave to atomize water, and is dehydrated and concentrated.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an apparatus body, a manual operating unit, at least a part of which being exposed to an outside of the apparatus body and a part of which included inside the apparatus body being exposed to the outside by manually operating from the outside, a condensation part to which moist air in the apparatus body contacts to dew-condense to a water droplet, and a recovery container part containing the water droplet generated by the condensation part and being disposed on an inner surface of the manual operating unit included inside the apparatus body.

Abstract: A sheet conveyor, which is incorporated in an image forming apparatus and in which a method of preventing sheet skew is performed, includes a sheet conveying path through which a sheet is conveyed, a first conveying unit disposed in a sheet conveying direction and including a shaft extending in a lateral direction, multiple rollers fixed to the shaft along the shaft, and a rotation regulator disposed between each of the multiple rollers and the shaft to idly rotate each of the multiple rollers in a given range about the shaft, a second conveying unit disposed along the sheet conveying path and downstream from the first conveying unit in the sheet conveying direction, and a sheet abutting part provided at the second conveying unit, against which a leading edge of the sheet abuts to form a slack of the sheet to correct skew of the sheet.

Abstract: A sheet discharging device, which is included in an image forming apparatus, includes a sheet discharging tray, a sheet discharging roller pair, a full state detection feeler pivotably supported and including a center feeler to measure a height of a center part of the recording medium and an edge feeler to measure a height of an edge part of the recording medium, and a full state detection sensor to detect a position of the full state detection feeler. A distance between a leading edge of the center feeler and an upper surface of the sheet discharging tray is smaller than a distance between a leading edge of the edge feeler and the upper surface thereof. The leading edge of the edge feeler is located closer to the upper surface of the sheet discharging tray than a common tangential line of the sheet discharging roller pair.

Abstract: A sheet feeding mechanism incorporatable in an image forming apparatus includes a cover unit rotatably attached to one side of a main body of an image forming apparatus to cover a part of a sheet conveyance path, a first feeding member located in a main body of the apparatus, a second feeding member located in the cover unit in a displaceable manner and facing the first feeding member when the cover unit is closed and sandwiching and conveying a recording medium along the sheet conveyance path with the first feeding member, and a guide member disposed in the main body to guide the second feeding member. The guide member guides the second feeding member to move in a first direction that approaches the first feeding member when closing the cover unit and in a second direction that separates from the first feeding member when opening the cover unit.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a carriage to mount a recording head which discharges a liquid droplet on a recording medium to form an image, a carriage guide member to support the carriage and move the carriage to scan in a main scanning direction orthogonal to a sub-scanning direction in which the recording medium is conveyed, and a recording medium conveyance unit detachably mounted to a main body of the apparatus which includes an endless conveyance belt to convey the recording medium being adsorbed on the belt, and a pair of rollers around which the conveyance belt is extended circulating in the sub-scanning direction. The carriage is cantilevered by the carriage guide member, and the recording medium conveyance unit is removable from a space above the conveyance belt, in an area other than the carriage guide member.

Abstract: A sheet discharging device, which is included in an image forming apparatus, includes a sheet discharging tray, a sheet discharging roller pair, a full state detection feeler pivotably supported and including a center feeler to measure a height of a center part of the recording medium and an edge feeler to measure a height of an edge part of the recording medium, and a full state detection sensor to detect a position of the full state detection feeler. A distance between a leading edge of the center feeler and an upper surface of the sheet discharging tray is smaller than a distance between a leading edge of the edge feeler and the upper surface thereof. The leading edge of the edge feeler is located closer to the upper surface of the sheet discharging tray than a common tangential line of the sheet discharging roller pair.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an apparatus body, a manual operating unit, at least a part of which being exposed to an outside of the apparatus body and a part of which included inside the apparatus body being exposed to the outside by manually operating from the outside, a condensation part to which moist air in the apparatus body contacts to dew-condense to a water droplet, and a recovery container part containing the water droplet generated by the condensation part and being disposed on an inner surface of the manual operating unit included inside the apparatus body.

Abstract: A sheet conveying device includes a first rotating member, a second rotating member, and a biasing unit that biases the second rotating member toward the first rotating member. The first and second rotating members pinch a sheet therebetween and convey the sheet in a sheet conveying direction. The second rotating member includes a small-diameter portion that faces a conveying portion of the first rotating member, and a large-diameter portion at a position axially displaced from the conveying portion. The second rotating member can change its orientation to an orientation where a rotating shaft of the second rotating member is tilted relative to a rotating shaft of the first rotating member as viewed in the sheet conveying direction, thereby moving a position of an end portion of the second rotating member on a side of the large-diameter portion away from the rotating shaft of the first rotating member.

Abstract: A sheet feeding mechanism incorporatable in an image forming apparatus includes a cover unit rotatably attached to one side of a main body of an image forming apparatus to cover a part of a sheet conveyance path, a first feeding member located in a main body of the apparatus, a second feeding member located in the cover unit in a displaceable manner and facing the first feeding member when the cover unit is closed and sandwiching and conveying a recording medium along the sheet conveyance path with the first feeding member, and a guide member disposed in the main body to guide the second feeding member. The guide member guides the second feeding member to move in a first direction that approaches the first feeding member when closing the cover unit and in a second direction that separates from the first feeding member when opening the cover unit.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a carriage to mount a recording head which discharges a liquid droplet on a recording medium to form an image, a carriage guide member to support the carriage and move the carriage to scan in a main scanning direction orthogonal to a sub-scanning direction in which the recording medium is conveyed, and a recording medium conveyance unit detachably mounted to a main body of the apparatus which includes an endless conveyance belt to convey the recording medium being adsorbed on the belt, and a pair of rollers around which the conveyance belt is extended circulating in the sub-scanning direction. The carriage is cantilevered by the carriage guide member, and the recording medium conveyance unit is removable from a space above the conveyance belt, in an area other than the carriage guide member.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for producing glycidol from glycerol carbonate by subjecting the glycerol carbonate to decarboxylation reaction in the presence of a solvent containing no active hydrogen. In the process, glycidol can be produced from glycerol carbonate as a raw material of the glycidol with a high selectivity.

Abstract: An optical scanning device, that outputs a light beam through an emission window in an optical housing to scan a surface, may include a shutter member that closes or opens the emission window. The shutter member may include a first opening, that may allow the light beam passed through the emission window to pass the first opening, and a second opening, that may be at a position corresponding to an insertion operation of a cleaning member for cleaning the emission window. The shutter member may include a first opening, that may be on a front surface of the shutter member to allow the light beam passed through the emission window to pass the first opening, and a second opening, that may be on a side surface of the shutter member to allow a cleaning member to be inserted through the second opening for cleaning the emission window.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for producing glycidol from glycerol carbonate by subjecting the glycerol carbonate to decarboxylation reaction in the presence of a solvent containing no active hydrogen. In the process, glycidol can be produced from glycerol carbonate as a raw material of the glycidol with a high selectivity.

Abstract: The invention relates to a process for producing an alcohol from fats and oils, including: step 1 of reacting starting fats and oils with water to produce a reaction product containing a glycerin unit, and step 2 of subjecting the reaction product obtained in step 1 to a hydrogenation reaction in the presence of a catalyst in the coexistence of water in an amount of 0.5 mole or more relative to 1 mole of the glycerin unit contained in the reaction product.