Abstract: A fluid sterilization apparatus according to an embodiment includes a tubular cover; a tubular portion provided inside the cover; a supply head provided at one end of the tubular portion; a discharge head provided at the other end of the tubular portion; at least one light-emitting element provided in at least one of the supply head and the discharge head and allowed to irradiate an inside of the tubular portion with ultraviolet rays; and a temperature control unit capable of controlling a temperature of a space between the cover and the tubular portion.

Abstract: A mechanism that enables developer replenishment by a simpler structure and a mechanism that enables more user-friendly developer replenishment are provided. An attachment port to which a developer supply bottle containing a developer stored therein is detachably attachable is disposed in an interior of an image forming apparatus. The developer supply bottle can be attached when the cover is in an open state. According to this image forming apparatus, when the developer supply bottle is attached to the attachment port, the developer inside the developer supply bottle moves into a developer housing chamber by its own weight.

Abstract: A control device including a fluid pressure control unit for controlling a pressure in a wheel cylinder by driving an electric motor of a pump on the basis of a command value; a motor target calculation unit for calculating a motor speed target value in accordance with an amount of increase in a fluid pressure target value; and a difference calculation unit for deriving a calculated value representing a difference obtained by subtracting the actual value from the target value for either the electric motor rotation speed or the pressure. The fluid pressure control unit derives the command value such that when the motor speed target value is less than the previous actual value for the electric motor rotation speed, the previous actual value is made the upper-limit of the command value, and the command value increases in proportion to the motor speed target value and to the calculated value.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a permeability sensor configured to detect information on magnetic permeability of developer contained in a developer container for detecting toner density of the developer, and a controller configured to control a control voltage applied to the permeability sensor so that (i) a value of the control voltage that is applied to the permeability sensor in a case where a predetermined condition including a condition that the toner density of the developer contained in the developer container is a predetermined density is satisfied and an amount of the developer contained in the developer container is a first amount is greater than (ii) a value of the control voltage applied to the permeability sensor in a case where the predetermined condition is satisfied and the amount of the developer contained in the developer container is a second amount greater than the first amount.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a control portion, and in a first period from when use of a developing apparatus is started until when an amount of developer in a developing device reaches a predetermined amount larger than an amount of initial developer, when an amount of developer supplied from a supplying portion through a single supplying operation in an image forming operation is larger than a predetermined supplied amount, the control portion interrupts the image forming operation and drives a conveyance portion for a predetermined time. In a second period after the amount of the developer reaches the predetermined amount, when an amount of the supplying developer supplied through a single supplying operation in the image forming operation is larger than the predetermined supplied amount, the control portion continues the image forming operation without interruption.

Abstract: A developing device includes a developing container, a developing sleeve, a magnet and grooves provided at a surface of the sleeve and formed along a direction crossing a circumferential direction of the sleeve. In a cross-section, each of the grooves is formed by a flat bottom portion contacting a carrier particle and a pair of side surface portions provided in both sides of the flat bottom portion with respect to the circumferential direction of the sleeve and satisfies the following relationship: r<w<2r, 2×r<L, and r/2?s<2r. In the above, r is a volume-average particle size of the carrier particles, w is a length of the flat bottom portion, L is a width between the side surface portions at the surface of the sleeve, and s is a depth of each of the grooves.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a density detecting portion configured to detect a density of a control toner image being formed every time when an image is formed on a predetermined number of sheets in successively forming the image on sheets, and a control portion configured to control an amount of supplying developer. The control portion controls forming of the control toner image so that the predetermined number of image-formed sheets is a first number in a period of time from when the use of a developing apparatus is started, until when an amount of developer of the developing apparatus reaches a set value which is larger than an amount of initial developer, and the predetermined number of image-formed sheets is a second number which is larger than the first number of image-formed images, after the amount of developer of the developing apparatus reaches the set value.

Abstract: A first amount of developer is sealed in a container of a developing unit in an initial state where the developing unit is not yet used. A discharge portion is configured to discharge the developer from the container in a case where the developer contained in the container exceeds a predetermined amount greater than the first amount. A permeability sensor is configured to output a detection signal correlated with a magnetic permeability of the developer within the container. A controller is configured to use different values of a control signal, for adjusting an input-output relationship between the magnetic permeability of the developer in the container and the detection signal output from the permeability sensor, in a state where a second amount greater than the first amount of the developer is contained in the container and in a state where the first amount of the developer is contained in the container.

Abstract: A developer circulated between first and second chambers in a function separation type development device including a developer discharge portion is prevented from being excessively discharged from the developer discharge portion. The developer discharge portion is disposed in the first chamber and is provided downstream of a region on a developer bearing member in the direction in which the developer in the first chamber is conveyed, the region corresponding to a maximum image region formable on an image bearing member.

Abstract: A developing device includes a developing container, a rotatable member including a first screw portion and a second screw portion, a first feeding path configured to accommodate the first screw portion, a second feeding path provided in communication with the first feeding path at a position downstream of the second screw portion with respect to a develop feeding direction, and a developer discharging opening provided in the second feeding path. In a state in which the developing device is mounted to the image forming apparatus, in a cross section of the second feeding path perpendicular to a rotational axis of the rotatable member, the second feeding path includes a region where a distance between side surfaces of the second feeding path in a side above a center of a rotation shaft of the rotatable member with respect to a vertical direction increases upwardly.

Abstract: A developer circulated between first and second chambers in a function separation type development device including a developer discharge portion is prevented from being excessively discharged from the developer discharge portion. The developer discharge portion is disposed in the first chamber and is provided downstream of a region on a developer bearing member in the direction in which the developer in the first chamber is conveyed, the region corresponding to a maximum image region formable on an image bearing member.

Abstract: In the present invention, an image forming apparatus using a method of replacing a developer is configured such that an immobile area in which the heights of a discharge passage and a conveyance passage are changed on the upstream side of a returning screw is filled. This causes the immobile area of the developer to be unlikely to occur and accordingly suppresses formation of a toner stain image due to an aggregation toner, enabling stable image formation over a long period of time.

Abstract: A developing device includes a developing container, a rotatable member including a first screw portion and a second screw portion, a first feeding path configured to accommodate the first screw portion, a second feeding path provided in communication with the first feeding path at a position downstream of the second screw portion with respect to a develop feeding direction, and a developer discharging opening provided in the second feeding path. In a state in which the developing device is mounted to the image forming apparatus, in a cross section of the second feeding path perpendicular to a rotational axis of the rotatable member, the second feeding path includes a region where a distance between side surfaces of the second feeding path in a side above a center of a rotation shaft of the rotatable member with respect to a vertical direction increases upwardly.

Abstract: When ending image forming, a state is realized where charging by a charging roller is stopped (charging bias off) and also applying DC voltage at a developing device is stopped (developing bias DC off). In this state, AC voltage is applied to the developing device (developing bias AC on), thereby adhering toner to the surface of a photosensitive drum and forming interposing toner. Driving of the photosensitive drum and an intermediate transfer belt is then stopped in the state with the interposing toner interposed between the photosensitive drum and intermediate transfer belt.

Abstract: A developing apparatus includes a developing container containing a developer and a stirring-conveying screw configured to feed the developer. The stirring-conveying screw includes a first feeding screw portion to feed the developer in a first direction, a second feeding screw portion to feed the developer in an opposite direction, and a third feeding screw portion. A first feeding passageway accommodates parts of the feeding screw portions, and a second feeding passageway is provided in fluid communication with the first feeding passageway. A bottom surface portion is disposed proximate to the communication opening and has a first portion provided at a position higher than a bottom surface of the second feeding screw and a second portion provided at a position lower than a bottom-most portion of the communication opening. The bottom surface portion is located downstream of the second feeding screw and faces the third feeding screw.

Abstract: A control device, when performing a reallocation control, makes the decrease gradient of regeneration braking force in a first period in which the amount of decrease in a basal fluid pressure from a reference basal fluid pressure is less than a specified amount of decrease greater than the decrease gradient of the regeneration braking force in a second period in which the amount of decrease in the basal fluid pressure is not less than the specified amount of decrease.

Abstract: A developing device includes a developing container, a rotatable member including a first screw portion and a second screw portion, a first feeding path configured to accommodate the first screw portion, a second feeding path provided in communication with the first feeding path at a position downstream of the second screw portion with respect to a develop feeding direction, and a developer discharging opening provided in the second feeding path. In a state in which the developing device is mounted to the image forming apparatus, in a cross section of the second feeding path perpendicular to a rotational axis of the rotatable member, the second feeding path includes a region where a distance between side surfaces of the second feeding path in a side above a center of a rotation shaft of the rotatable member with respect to a vertical direction increases upwardly.

Abstract: A vehicle brake device includes a hydraulic pressure generating device, a valve device, a pump and an accumulation section forming an accumulation chamber connected to a fluid passage between the valve device and the hydraulic pressure generating device or to a master chamber. A dead band is set in which the change of force of the magnitude corresponding to the hydraulic pressure in the master chamber does not substantially act on a brake operating member. A characteristic representing the relation between the pressure and the brake fluid quantity in the accumulation chamber is set based on a characteristic representing the relation between the pressure and the brake fluid quantity in a wheel cylinder and the dead band so that, when brake fluid is flowing into and from the accumulation chamber, a force of the magnitude corresponding to the master chamber hydraulic pressure does not act on the brake operating member.

Abstract: A developing device includes a developing container, a developing sleeve, a magnet and grooves provided at a surface of the sleeve and formed along a direction crossing a circumferential direction of the sleeve. In a cross-section, each of the grooves is formed by a flat bottom portion contacting a carrier particle and a pair of side surface portions provided in both sides of the flat bottom portion with respect to the circumferential direction of the sleeve and satisfies the following relationship: r<w<2r, 2×r<L, and r/2?s<2r. In the above, r is a volume-average particle size of the carrier particles, w is a length of the flat bottom portion, L is a width between the side surface portions at the surface of the sleeve, and s is a depth of each of the grooves.

Abstract: A developing device includes a developing container, a developing sleeve, a magnet and grooves provided at a surface of the sleeve and formed along a direction crossing a circumferential direction of the sleeve. In a cross-section, each of the grooves is formed by a flat bottom portion contacting a carrier particle and a pair of side surface portions provided in both sides of the flat bottom portion with respect to the circumferential direction of the sleeve and satisfies the following relationship: r<w<2r, 2×r<L, and r/2?s<2r. In the above, r is a volume-average particle size of the carrier particles, w is a length of the flat bottom portion, L is a width between the side surface portions at the surface of the sleeve, and s is a depth of each of the grooves.