Abstract: A fixation device according to one of embodiments includes a first and second fixation units. The first fixation unit includes: a first belt; a first pad with a first elastic layer; and a first roller provided downstream of the first pad in a conveyance direction of a medium. The second fixation unit includes: a second belt; a second pad including a second elastic layer and pressed against the first pad with the first and second belts interposed in between; and a second roller provided downstream of the second pad in the conveyance direction and pressed against the first roller with the first second belts interposed in between. A thickness of at least one of the first and second elastic layers is smaller on a downstream side in the conveyance direction than on an upstream side in the conveyance direction.

Abstract: An imaging apparatus includes a plurality of pixels, a signal holding unit, first and second control electrodes. Each of the plurality of pixels includes a photoelectric conversion unit, and an amplification element to amplify signals based on signal charges generated by the photoelectric conversion unit, in which the plurality of pixels output signals for performing a phase contrast detection type of focal point detection. The signal holding unit is in an electrical pathway between an output node of the photoelectric conversion unit and an input node of the amplification element, in which signals for performing the phase contrast detection type of focal point detection are held. The first control electrode is configured to transfer a signal of the photoelectric conversion unit to the signal holding unit. The second control electrode is configured to transfer a signal for performing the phase difference detection type of focal point detection.

Abstract: An imaging apparatus includes a plurality of pixels, a signal holding unit, first and second control electrodes. Each of the plurality of pixels includes a photoelectric conversion unit, and an amplification element to amplify signals based on signal charges generated by the photoelectric conversion unit, in which the plurality of pixels output signals for performing a phase contrast detection type of focal point detection. The signal holding unit is in an electrical pathway between an output node of the photoelectric conversion unit and an input node of the amplification element, in which signals for performing the phase contrast detection type of focal point detection are held. The first control electrode is configured to transfer a signal of the photoelectric conversion unit to the signal holding unit. The second control electrode is configured to transfer a signal for performing the phase difference detection type of focal point detection.

Abstract: In a vehicle braking system for stabilizing vehicle behavior: a motor control unit determines whether or not the motor control unit receives a drive forbid signal from a yaw-moment control unit, when the motor control unit receives a drive instruction signal from a vehicle-behavior stabilization control unit. The motor control unit receives the drive forbid signal when the yaw-moment control unit performs yaw-moment control. The motor control unit forbids prepressurization using a slave cylinder, when the motor control unit receives the drive forbid signal.

Abstract: A pressure inside a chamber in which a bearing is arranged is reduced. Thus, a pressure inside an oil tank and the pressure inside the chamber are made lower than atmospheric pressure, and are placed in a minimal or no pressure difference condition. Next, a lubricating oil is supplied from the oil tank into the chamber through power of a liquid transfer pump. The lubricating oil is thus injected into the bearing inside the chamber. Thus, the lubricating oil can be supplied from the oil tank into the chamber while maintaining the pressure at substantially the same level lower than that of the atmospheric pressure. Accordingly, gas can be prevented from dissolving into the lubricating oil which has once been deaerated by a pressure reduction inside the oil tank. In addition, because a driving force of the liquid transfer pump is used for supply of the lubricating oil, it is easy to control the amount of the lubricating oil to be supplied.

Abstract: A fixation device according to one of embodiments includes a first and second fixation units. The first fixation unit includes: a first belt; a first pad with a first elastic layer; and a first roller provided downstream of the first pad in a conveyance direction of a medium. The second fixation unit includes: a second belt; a second pad including a second elastic layer and pressed against the first pad with the first and second belts interposed in between; and a second roller provided downstream of the second pad in the conveyance direction and pressed against the first roller with the first second belts interposed in between. A thickness of at least one of the first and second elastic layers is smaller on a downstream side in the conveyance direction than on an upstream side in the conveyance direction.

Abstract: A control device for an image forming apparatus that transitions to a restricted mode which is a print mode to alternately transition between a printable state to perform a print operation, in which a predetermined print amount is printable, and a sleep state to stop a subsequent print operation for a predetermined sleep time after the print operation is performed, includes a print-operation determiner and a print controller. The print-operation determiner determines, when a print-operation execution request to the image forming apparatus is received in the sleep state, whether the image forming apparatus is to perform the subsequent print operation based on a print amount of the print-operation execution request. The print controller controls the subsequent print operation of the image forming apparatus according to a determination result of the print-operation determiner as to whether the image forming apparatus is to perform the subsequent print operation.

Abstract: A measurement target is captured using two types of illumination patterns set such that only color features of specular objects change, the two images that are obtained are compared, and objects are identified as being specular objects or diffuse objects depending on whether the color features change markedly. At this time, the emission intensity distribution of each illumination pattern is devised such that specular lobe components that are included in reflected light are canceled out.

Abstract: The present invention provides: an LED device from which light can be efficiently extracted for a long period of time because of less degradation of a reflective layer for reflecting light emitted from an LED element or the like; and a coating liquid that is used for the production of the LED device. The LED device includes a substrate, an LED element disposed on the substrate, a reflective layer disposed at least around the LED element on the substrate, wherein the reflective layer contains a white pigment and a polysiloxane, the rate of decrease in reflectance of light with a wavelength of 500 nm of the reflective layer after storage of the reflective layer at 180° C. for 1,000 hours is 10% or less of the reflectance before storage at 180° C., and the reflective layer has no glass transition point in the range of from ?70° C. to 150° C.

Abstract: A pain sensory nerve stimulation apparatus includes: a stimulation electrode which is adapted to be attached to a living body, at least one of an exogenous algesic substance and pyrogen which is to be interposed between the living body and the stimulation electrode; and a stimulation power supplier which is configured to supply electric power to the stimulation electrode.

Abstract: An image forming system includes a post-processing unit capable of performing a post-processing on the sheet on which the toner image is formed. The image forming system is capable of executing a transfer cleaning operation to more toner from a transfer member to an image bearer by electrostatic force caused by cleaning bias applied by a bias applying unit in a state where the image bearer and the transfer member are rotated, to clean the transfer member, as an inter-sheet operation performed when at least one of inter-sheet areas that exist on the image bearer during a successive image forming period. The image forming system is capable of executing a rotation stop operation to stop rotation of the image bearer and the transfer member, as the inter-sheet operation when the post-processing is performed, in addition to the transfer cleaning operation, before or after the transfer cleaning operation is executed.

Abstract: An image forming system includes a post-processing unit capable of performing a post-processing on the sheet on which the toner image is formed. The image forming system is capable of executing a transfer cleaning operation to move toner from a transfer member to an image bearer by electrostatic force caused by cleaning bias applied by a bias applying unit in a state where the image bearer and the transfer member are rotated, to clean the transfer member, as an inter-sheet operation performed when at least one of inter-sheet areas that exist on the image bearer during a successive image forming period. The image forming system is capable of executing a rotation stop operation to stop rotation of the image bearer and the transfer member, as the inter-sheet operation when the post-processing is performed, in addition to the transfer cleaning operation, before or after the transfer cleaning operation is executed.

Abstract: A control device for an image forming apparatus that transitions to a restricted mode which is a print mode to alternately transition between a printable state to perform a print operation, in which a predetermined print amount is printable, and a sleep state to stop a subsequent print operation for a predetermined sleep time after the print operation is performed, includes a print-operation determiner and a print controller. The print-operation determiner determines, when a print-operation execution request to the image forming apparatus is received in the sleep state, whether the image forming apparatus is to perform the subsequent print operation based on a print amount of the print-operation execution request. The print controller controls the subsequent print operation of the image forming apparatus according to a determination result of the print-operation determiner as to whether the image forming apparatus is to perform the subsequent print operation.

Abstract: A sealing member is attached to a second member attached to and detached from a first member having a first opening through which powder passes and having a second opening that communicates with the first opening when the second member is coupled to the first member, and prevents the powder from leaking from a coupling portion between the first opening and the second opening. The sealing member includes: a first elastic member with a first surface arranged on the second member; and a second elastic member arranged on at least a part of a periphery of the first elastic member and having hardness different from that of the first elastic member.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a vehicle turning control system capable of maintaining stability of a vehicle, even in a case where a mode of output characteristics of a power plant for the vehicle is switched by a driver's operation. In a running mode in which output characteristics of an engine is higher, the vehicle turning control system increases a control gain of a feedforward control unit for performing yaw moment control of the vehicle by feedforward control, and decreases a control gain of a feedback control unit for performing yaw moment control of the vehicle by feedback control. A control gain of vehicle behavior stabilization control performed by the vehicle behavior stabilization control unit is controlled commonly regardless of the running mode.

Abstract: Provided is a method for manufacturing a steel member through hot press forming using a steel sheet that contains a comparatively large amount of Si. The method allows hot press forming to be carried out satisfactorily by stably and reliably suppressing shedding/peeling of oxide scale during hot press forming, even without restricting hot press forming conditions to a narrow range. The steel sheet includes, in mass ratio, C: 0.15% to 0.35%, Si: 1.0% to 3.0%, Mn: 1.0% to 3.0%, Al: more than 0% up to 0.10%, Ti: ([N]×48/14) % to 0.10% (where [N] denotes the amount of N in the steel sheet), B: 5 ppm to 50 ppm, P: more than 0% to less than 0.015%, S: more than 0% up to 0.010%, and N: more than 0% up to 0.010%, the balance being iron and unavoidable impurities. The average oxygen concentration from an outermost surface of the steel sheet down to a depth of 10 ?m in a sheet thickness direction is 0.70 mass % or higher.

Abstract: A pressure inside a chamber in which a bearing is arranged is reduced. Thus, a pressure inside an oil tank and the pressure inside the chamber are made lower than atmospheric pressure, and are placed in a minimal or no pressure difference condition. Next, a lubricating oil is supplied from the oil tank into the chamber through power of a liquid transfer pump. The lubricating oil is thus injected into the bearing inside the chamber. Thus, the lubricating oil can be supplied from the oil tank into the chamber while maintaining the pressure at substantially the same level lower than that of the atmospheric pressure. Accordingly, gas can be prevented from dissolving into the lubricating oil which has once been deaerated by a pressure reduction inside the oil tank. In addition, because a driving force of the liquid transfer pump is used for supply of the lubricating oil, it is easy to control the amount of the lubricating oil to be supplied.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus is provided in which, during a continuous sheet passing, in the case where a between-sheets time is short, none of a cleaning mode and a drive OFF mode is performed; in the case where the between-sheets time is of a medium length of time, the cleaning mode is performed but the drive OFF mode is not performed; and in the case where the between-sheets time is long, both the cleaning mode and the drive OFF mode are performed. As a result, degradation of an image bearer due to the cleaning bias is alleviated, decreased productivity due to the cleaning mode is alleviated, a problem is alleviated in which a back surface of a recording medium gets dirty due to toner adhered to a transfer rotation body, and another problem is alleviated in which the service life of a driven member is shortened.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image bearer; a developing device; a transfer device; a waste-developer container; a developer collecting device including a collected-developer conveyor, a waste channel, a reuse channel, and a channel switching member to switch a route between the waste channel and the reuse channel; a switching determiner to determine whether to dispose or reuse collected developer; an operating condition data collector to collect and store operating condition data used as a degradation speed index of developer in the developing device; a determination type selector to select, according to the degradation speed index, one of a first determination type based on an operating amount and a second determination type based on developer replacement data indicating an amount of developer replaced with supplied developer in the developing device; and a switching controller to control the channel switching member according to determination made by the switching determiner.

Abstract: A cleaning device comprises: a to-be-cleaned member; a cleaning member that cleans the surface of the to-be-cleaned member; a conveying member that conveys a substance removed from the surface of the to-be-cleaned member to outside of the device; a rotatable collecting member that conveys with its surface the substance toward the conveying member; and a partitioning member that guides the substance from the collecting member to the conveying member. The collecting member comprises a conveying portion that carries and conveys the substance; and a protrusion that protrudes toward an upstream side of the conveying portion in a rotating direction of the collecting member. One end of the partitioning member faces the rotating collecting member, and the other end faces the conveying member. The conveying portion and the protrusion are brought into contact with the partitioning member by the rotation of the collecting member.