Abstract: A multilayer ceramic capacitor includes an external electrode that is unlikely to be peeled. First and second external electrodes each include base layers provided over a ceramic body and including a metal and glass, and Cu plated layers provided over the base layers. The multilayer ceramic capacitor includes a reactive layer. The reactive layer contains about 5 atomic % to about 15 atomic % of Ti, about 5 atomic % to about 15 atomic % of Si, and about 2 atomic % to about 10 atomic % of V.

Abstract: A multilayer ceramic capacitor includes an external electrode that is unlikely to be peeled. First and second external electrodes each include base layers provided over a ceramic body and including a metal and glass, and Cu plated layers provided over the base layers. The multilayer ceramic capacitor includes a reactive layer. The reactive layer contains about 5 atomic % to about 15 atomic % of Ti, about 5 atomic % to about 15 atomic % of Si, and about 2 atomic % to about 10 atomic % of V.

Abstract: A variable displacement vane pump includes a notch portion which is a flow path provided to extend from an initiating end of a discharge port towards a terminating end side of a suction port. The notch portion is formed so that a sectional area of the flow path is smaller than a sectional area of the discharge port at the initiating end thereof and that a length of the flow path in a circumferential direction is 1.5 pitches or larger. The terminating end of the suction port is a point where the vane in the suction area last overlaps the suction port. The initiating end of the discharge port is a point where the vane departed from the suction area first overlaps the discharge port. One pitch is a distance defied in the circumferential direction between adjacent vanes of the plurality of vanes.

Abstract: A variable displacement vane pump and a power steering system are to be provided which can secure a discharge flow rate when a steering wheel is turned while restricting the discharge flow rate when the steering wheel is not turned. In a variable displacement vane pump and a power steering system, a bypass line is formed which causes a hydraulic fluid in a high pressure chamber of a control valve which controls an eccentricity of a cam ring to flow directly to a low pressure chamber side of the control valve when a steering wheel is turned.

Abstract: A variable displacement vane pump is provided. This pump includes a pump housing including, a driving shaft, a rotor, a plurality of vanes, a cam support surface, a cam ring, an intake port formed at the pump housing, a discharge port formed at the pump housing, and a cam ring control mechanism disposed at the pump housing and configured to control an eccentric amount of the cam ring with respect to the rotor. The cam support surface is formed in such a manner that a shortest distance between the cam support surface and a reference line decreases from a second confining region side toward a first confining region side, and the cam ring is formed in such a manner that a cam profile radius change rate decreases first and then increases again on the second confining region side when eccentric amount of the cam ring is maximized.

Abstract: A fixing device includes a first roller, a second roller, an endless rotary belt, a third roller, a heater, a belt cooler, and an upstream guide member. The second roller is disposed parallel to the first roller. The endless rotary belt is looped for rotation around the first and second rollers. The third roller is disposed opposite the first roller via the belt. The heater is positioned adjacent to the belt to heat the belt. The first and third rollers press against each other via the belt to form a nip therebetween. The belt cooler is disposed inside the loop of the belt downstream from the first roller and upstream from the second roller for cooling the belt. The belt cooler has a convex contact surface. The upstream guide member is disposed inside the loop of the belt upstream from the contact surface to guide the belt.

Abstract: A fixing device includes a fuser member, a stripper member, an endless rotary belt, a heater, a pressure member, and a belt cooler. The stripper member is disposed parallel to the fuser member. The endless rotary belt is looped for rotation around the fuser member and the stripper member in a longitudinal, conveyance direction of the belt. The heater is disposed adjacent to the belt to heat the belt. The pressure member is disposed opposite the fuser member via the belt. The fuser member and the pressure member press against each other via the belt to form a fixing nip therebetween. The recording medium after passage through the nip remains in contact with the belt as the belt moves from the fuser member toward the stripper member, and separates from the belt as the belt passes around the stripper member.

Abstract: A glossing device includes a heater member, a stripper member, an endless rotary belt, a pressure member, and a belt cooler. The heater member is subjected to heating. The stripper member is disposed parallel to the heater member. The endless rotary belt is looped for rotation around the heater member and the stripper member in a longitudinal, conveyance direction of the belt. The pressure member is disposed opposite the heater member via the belt. The heater member and the pressure member press against each other via the belt to form a glossing nip therebetween. The recording medium after passage through the nip remains in contact with the belt as the belt moves from the heater member toward the stripper member, and separates from the belt as the belt passes around the stripper member. The belt cooler is disposed adjacent to the belt to cool the belt.

Abstract: A developing device is provided capable of properly maintaining charging characteristics of developer and configured to be easily assembled.

Abstract: A glossing device includes a first roller, a second roller, an endless rotary belt, a third roller, a heater, a belt cooler, and a suction mechanism. The second roller is disposed parallel to the first roller. The endless rotary belt is looped for rotation around the first and second rollers. The third roller is disposed opposite the first roller via the belt. The heater is disposed adjacent to the belt to heat the belt. The first and third rollers press against each other via the belt to form a nip therebetween. The belt cooler is disposed inside the loop of the belt downstream from the first roller and upstream from the second roller for cooling the belt. The belt cooler includes at least two mutually spaced cooling elements that together form a gapped contact surface for establishing thermal contact with the belt.

Abstract: A belt-fixing device to fix a toner image on a sheet includes an endless belt, a first roller disposed inside the endless belt, a second roller disposed in contact with the first roller via the endless belt, forming a fixing nip therebetween through which a recording medium passes, and a ring shape edge for controlling movement of the belt in an axial direction, provided on an inner surface of the endless belt. The ring shape edge is positioned between the first roller and the second roller.

Abstract: A fixing device includes a fuser member, a stripper member, an endless rotary belt, a heater, a pressure member, and a belt cooler. The stripper member is disposed parallel to the fuser member. The endless rotary belt is looped for rotation around the fuser member and the stripper member in a longitudinal, conveyance direction of the belt. The heater is disposed adjacent to the belt to heat the belt. The pressure member is disposed opposite the fuser member via the belt. The fuser member and the pressure member press against each other via the belt to form a fixing nip therebetween. The recording medium after passage through the nip remains in contact with the belt as the belt moves from the fuser member toward the stripper member, and separates from the belt as the belt passes around the stripper member.

Abstract: A glossing device includes a first roller, a second roller, an endless rotary belt, a third roller, a heater, a belt cooler, and a suction mechanism. The second roller is disposed parallel to the first roller. The endless rotary belt is looped for rotation around the first and second rollers. The third roller is disposed opposite the first roller via the belt. The heater is disposed adjacent to the belt to heat the belt. The first and third rollers press against each other via the belt to form a nip therebetween. The belt cooler is disposed inside the loop of the belt downstream from the first roller and upstream from the second roller for cooling the belt. The belt cooler includes at least two mutually spaced cooling elements that together form a gapped contact surface for establishing thermal contact with the belt.

Abstract: A glossing device includes a heater member, a stripper member, an endless rotary belt, a pressure member, and a belt cooler. The heater member is subjected to heating. The stripper member is disposed parallel to the heater member. The endless rotary belt is looped for rotation around the heater member and the stripper member in a longitudinal, conveyance direction of the belt. The pressure member is disposed opposite the heater member via the belt. The heater member and the pressure member press against each other via the belt to form a glossing nip therebetween. The recording medium after passage through the nip remains in contact with the belt as the belt moves from the heater member toward the stripper member, and separates from the belt as the belt passes around the stripper member. The belt cooler is disposed adjacent to the belt to cool the belt.

Abstract: A fixing device includes a first roller, a second roller, an endless rotary belt, a third roller, a heater, a belt cooler, and an upstream guide member. The second roller is disposed parallel to the first roller. The endless rotary belt is looped for rotation around the first and second rollers. The third roller is disposed opposite the first roller via the belt. The heater is positioned adjacent to the belt to heat the belt. The first and third rollers press against each other via the belt to form a nip therebetween. The belt cooler is disposed inside the loop of the belt downstream from the first roller and upstream from the second roller for cooling the belt. The belt cooler has a convex contact surface. The upstream guide member is disposed inside the loop of the belt upstream from the contact surface to guide the belt.

Abstract: In a fixing device, a first roller and a first fixing member are provided inside a loop formed by a first belt. A pressing member is pressed against the first roller and the first fixing member via the first belt. The first roller includes at least two enlarged radius portions of enlarged radius arranged axially along the first roller, at least one reduced radius portion of reduced radius sandwiched between the adjacent two enlarged radius portions in an axial direction of the first roller, and a concave portion formed by the reduced radius portion and the adjacent two enlarged radius portions sandwiching the reduced radius portion. The first fixing member is interdigitated with the first roller with play between the first fixing member and the first roller.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus of the present invention includes a developing unit for developing a latent image formed on an image carrier with a two-ingredient type developer, i.e., a toner and carrier mixture. A toner replenishing device replenishes toner stored in a toner storing portion to the developing unit. A carrier storing portion, storing a carrier therein, is constructed independently of the toner storing portion. The carrier is fed from the carrier storing portion to the developing unit by a toner conveying force available with the toner replenishing device.

Abstract: A toner container includes a vessel for storing toner, a toner draining unit having a toner draining passage, and a shutter in the toner draining passage. The toner draining passage includes a horizontal passage and a connection passage. Further, the toner draining unit includes the horizontal passage, a middle part, and an external part.

Abstract: A belt-fixing device to fix a toner image on a sheet includes an endless belt, a first roller disposed inside the endless belt, a second roller disposed in contact with the first roller via the endless belt, forming a fixing nip therebetween through which a recording medium passes, and a ring shape edge for controlling movement of the belt in an axial direction, provided on an inner surface of the endless belt. The ring shape edge is positioned between the first roller and the second roller.

Abstract: A toner replenishing device that provides a container and a device having a high toner volumetric efficiency and a low cost, suppresses vibration during replenishment to a minimum, and stores recovered toner without impairing the volumetric efficiency of unused toner is constituted by a developer replenishing device which is provided with a developer container storing a developer used in an image forming apparatus and replenishes a developing device of the image forming apparatus with the developer in the developer container. The developer container is rectangular in a horizontal direction, and comprises an outside container storing unused developer and a deformable inside container enveloped by the outside container.