Abstract: A developer cartridge may include a gear configured to be movable between an engagement position in which the gear engages an auger or supply gear to provide toner from a toner container to a developing unit and a disengaged position in which the gear does not engage the auger or supply gear. The gear may be moved by a cam and/or cam gear from the engagement position to the disengaged position and vice versa. The cam gear may include toothless and toothed portions to allow the developer cartridge to maintain the movable gear in either the engagement position or the disengaged position. In some arrangements, an urging member such as a spring may bias the cam gear in a rotation direction, while a lever may provide a counteracting force when the movable gear is to be maintained in a particular position.

Abstract: A toner cartridge includes a casing, an auger rotatable about an axis extending in a first direction, an auger gear rotatable with the auger, an agitator aligned with the auger in a second direction, an agitator gear rotatable with the agitator, and a detection gear positioned opposite to the auger gear with respect to the agitator gear in the second direction. The detection gear is rotatable from a first position to a second position. At the first position, a through-hole or a cutout of the detection gear is positioned farther away from the auger than an outer surface of another end portion of the casing in the second direction is. At the second position, a portion of the detection gear different from the through-hole or the cutout is positioned farther away from the auger than the outer surface of the another end portion of the casing is.

Abstract: A developer cartridge may include a gear configured to be movable between an engagement position in which the gear engages an auger or supply gear to provide toner from a toner container to a developing unit and a disengaged position in which the gear does not engage the auger or supply gear. The gear may be moved by a cam and/or cam gear from the engagement position to the disengaged position and vice versa. The cam gear may include toothless and toothed portions to allow the developer cartridge to maintain the movable gear in either the engagement position or the disengaged position. In some arrangements, an urging member such as a spring may bias the cam gear in a rotation direction, while a lever may provide a counteracting force when the movable gear is to be maintained in a particular position.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a photosensitive drum, a fixing unit including a fixing roller, a sheet ejection tray, a switchback roller, a re-feeding roller, a first frame, a second frame, a first motor, a first transmission mechanism, a second motor, and a second transmission mechanism. The switchback roller is configured to rotate in a forward direction to convey a sheet to the tray and in a reverse direction to convey the sheet back toward the photosensitive drum. The first motor and the first transmission mechanism are disposed to the first frame. The first transmission mechanism is configured to transmit the drive force from the first motor to the fixing roller. The second motor and the second transmission mechanism are disposed to the second frame. The second transmission mechanism is includes a clutch mechanism configured to intermittently transmit the drive force from the second motor to the re-feeding roller.

Abstract: In a robot safety system, a safety controller specifies a robot that a worker is looking at based on position of worker and/or visual field of worker, and acquires distance between robot and worker based on position information. Safety controller generates a fence image of which display mode is changed depending on distance to robot, which is a virtual image showing a boundary position of an operating range of robot, based on acquired distance. Generated fence image is displayed on a glasses type display device that the working is wearing such that fence image overlaps visual field of worker. In another example of the robot safety system, a virtual fence may be displayed on a head mount type display device as a fence image, and display mode of fence image may be optimized such that work efficiency of worker is affected as little as possible.

Abstract: A developer cartridge may include a gear configured to be movable between an enagement position in which the gear engages an auger or supply gear to provide toner from a toner container to a developing unit and a disengaged position in which the gear does not engage the auger or supply gear. The gear may be moved by a cam and/or cam gear from the engagement position to the disengaged position and vice versa. The cam gear may include toothless and toothed portions to allow the developer cartridge to maintain the movable gear in either the engagement position or the disengaged position. In some arrangements, an urging member such as a spring may bias the cam gear in a rotation direction, while a lever may provide a counteracting force when the movable gear is to be maintained in a particular position.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a photosensitive drum, a fixing unit including a fixing roller, a sheet ejection tray, a switchback roller, a re-feeding roller, a first frame, a second frame, a first motor, a first transmission mechanism, a second motor, and a second transmission mechanism. The switchback roller is configured to rotate in a forward direction to convey a sheet to the tray and in a reverse direction to convey the sheet back toward the photosensitive drum. The first motor and the first transmission mechanism are disposed to the first frame. The first transmission mechanism is configured to transmit the drive force from the first motor to the fixing roller. The second motor and the second transmission mechanism are disposed to the second frame. The second transmission mechanism is includes a clutch mechanism configured to intermittently transmit the drive force from the second motor to the re-feeding roller.

Abstract: In a robot safety system, a safety controller specifies a robot that a worker is looking at based on position of worker and/or visual field of worker, and acquires distance between robot and worker based on position information. Safety controller generates a fence image of which display mode is changed depending on distance to robot, which is a virtual image showing a boundary position of an operating range of robot, based on acquired distance. Generated fence image is displayed on a glasses type display device that the working is wearing such that fence image overlaps visual field of worker. In another example of the robot safety system, a virtual fence may be displayed on a head mount type display device as a fence image, and display mode of fence image may be optimized such that work efficiency of worker is affected as little as possible.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus including a first temperature sensor inside a space between frames, a second temperature sensor outside the space between the frames, and a controller that, in a case where a first temperature by the first temperature sensor is higher than an inside threshold temperature, and a second temperature by the second temperature sensor is higher than an outside threshold temperature, performs simplex image formation at a first speed when simplex image formation is specified, and performs duplex image formation at a second speed lower than the first speed when duplex image formation is specified, and in at least one of a case where the first temperature is equal to or less than the inside threshold temperature and a case where the second temperature is equal to or less than the outside threshold temperature, performs image formation at the first speed.

Abstract: The present invention provides a dispersant excellent in the solubility to a solvent, the adsorption power to a coloring material, and the coloring material dispersibility, and reduced in the self-coloring property, a compound and a polymerizable compound for preparing the dispersant, and a toner using the dispersant. The dispersant has a structure in which a structure represented by the following specific formula (3) or a tautomer thereof is bonded with a polymer, and the toner contains the dispersant.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus including a first temperature sensor inside a space between frames, a second temperature sensor outside the space between the frames, and a controller that, in a case where a first temperature by the first temperature sensor is higher than an inside threshold temperature, and a second temperature by the second temperature sensor is higher than an outside threshold temperature, performs simplex image formation at a first speed when simplex image formation is specified, and performs duplex image formation at a second speed lower than the first speed when duplex image formation is specified, and in at least one of a case where the first temperature is equal to or less than the inside threshold temperature and a case where the second temperature is equal to or less than the outside threshold temperature, performs image formation at the first speed.

Abstract: The present invention provides a dispersant excellent in the solubility to a solvent, the adsorption power to a coloring material, and the coloring material dispersibility, and reduced in the self-coloring property, a compound and a polymerizable compound for preparing the dispersant, and a toner using the dispersant. The dispersant has a structure in which a structure represented by the following specific formula (3) or a tautomer thereof is bonded with a polymer, and the toner contains the dispersant.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus, including a main body with a first sheet outlet tray and an image forming unit, a feed path configured to guide a sheet from the image forming unit toward the first sheet outlet tray, is provided. The feed path includes a first exit path to guide a sheet toward the first sheet outlet tray and a first duplex path diverging from the feed path to guide a sheet to return to the image forming unit. The main body is attachable with a sheet-exit unit. The sheet-exit unit includes a second sheet outlet tray, a second exit path, and a second duplex path. The second exit path guides a sheet to the second sheet outlet tray. The second exit path is connected with the first exit path when the sheet-exit unit is attached to the main body.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus, including a main body with a first sheet outlet tray and an image forming unit, a feed path configured to guide a sheet from the image forming unit toward the first sheet outlet tray, is provided. The feed path includes a first exit path to guide a sheet toward the first sheet outlet tray and a first duplex path diverging from the feed path to guide a sheet to return to the image forming unit. The main body is attachable with a sheet-exit unit. The sheet-exit unit includes a second sheet outlet tray, a second exit path, and a second duplex path. The second exit path guides a sheet to the second sheet outlet tray. The second exit path is connected with the first exit path when the sheet-exit unit is attached to the main body.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus including a drive source, a rotating body, a processing unit, and a joint to switch transmission and disconnection of the driving force by moving along an axial direction, is provided. The joint is rotatable by the driving force transmitted from the rotating body in a coaxial position with respect to the rotating body and switches transmission and disconnection of the driving force by moving along the axial direction. The rotating body includes an input rotating body, which is subject to the driving force input in the rotating body and rotatable by the driving force, and an output rotating body, which is arranged coaxially with respect to the input rotating body and rotatable integrally with the input roller to output the driving force. The rotating body provides accommodating space, which accommodates at least a part of the joint when the joint is separated from the processing unit.

Abstract: In a method of manufacturing 4,4?-dihydroxy-m-terphenyl, a 2-cyclohexene-1-one or 3-hydroxycyclohexane-1-one, and phenol are used as materials, Step (A), Step (B), and Step (C) are implemented in this order, or Step (D) and Step (C) are implemented in this order: Step (A) to obtain a 1,1,3-trisphenol by causing the 2-cyclohexene-1-one or 3-hydroxycyclohexane-1-one and phenol to react with each other in the presence of a catalyst; Step (B) to obtain a bis(4-hydroxyphenyl)cyclohexene by causing the 1,1,3-trisphenol to undergo breakdown reaction; Step (C) to obtain a 4,4?-dihydroxy-m-terphenyl by dehydrogenating the bis(4-hydroxyphenyl)cyclohexene; Step (D) to obtain a bis(4-hydroxyphenyl)cyclohexene by causing the 2-cyclohexene-1-one or 3-hydroxycyclohexane-1-one and phenol to react with each other in the presence of a catalyst.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus, including an image forming unit; a resin-made frame to support the image forming unit; a drive source arranged on a one-end side of a transmission path to generate driving force; a gear arranged on the other-end side of the transmission path to be rotated, while one of axial ends of a shaft of the gear is supported by the frame; a metal-made first supporting member fixed to the frame to support the other of axial ends of the shaft of the gear thereon; a metal-made second supporting member fixed to the frame to support the drive source thereon and; an endless belt; a first pulley supported by the second supporting member to transmit the driving force to the endless belt, the first pulley being; and a second pulley having the endless belt strained there-around and supported by the first supporting member, is provided.

Abstract: To achieve the object of providing a new method of manufacturing 4,4?-dihydroxy-m-terphenyl, the present invention provides a method of manufacturing 4,4?-dihydroxy-m-terphenyl expressed by General Formula (4) below, characterized in that such method uses a 2-cyclohexene-1-one expressed by General Formula (1) below or 3-hydroxycyclohexane-1-one expressed by General Formula (2) below, and phenol expressed by General Formula (3) below as materials and implements Step (A), Step (B), and Step (C) below, in this order, or Step (D) and Step (C) below, in this order: (In the formulas, each R2 independently represents an alkyl group, alkoxy group, aromatic hydrocarbon group, or halogen atom, while m independently indicates 0 or an integer of 1 to 4, where R2 substitution does not occur in the third position when m is 1 or greater, and when m is 2 or greater, R2's may be identical or different, and R2 substitution does not occur in two positions of the same carbon atom.

Abstract: Provided is an image forming apparatus provided with an image forming unit. The image forming apparatus includes a movable member configured to be displaced relative to an apparatus main body; a cover configured to be displaced between a position where an opening portion provided on the apparatus main body is opened and a position where the opening portion is closed; a link that displaces the movable member in conjunction with the cover; a driving pulley and a driven pulley; and an endless belt that is looped around and stretched between the driving pulley and the driven pulley and transmits a driving force from the driving pulley to the driven pulley. The belt overlaps with the link in a direction parallel to a rotational axis of the driving pulley.

Abstract: An image-forming device includes a casing, a conveying path, a pair of registration rollers, and a process cartridge. The conveying path is disposed in the casing to convey a recording sheet. The pair of registration rollers is disposed on the conveying path to regulate a leading edge of the recording sheet conveyed along the conveying path. The process cartridge is detachably mounted on the casing, and includes a developer accommodating unit, a photosensitive member, and an upstream guide part. The photosensitive member is disposed on the conveying path. The upstream guide part is disposed upstream of the pair of registration rollers on the conveying path to guide the recording sheet toward the pair of registration rollers in cooperation with the conveying path. The upstream guide part is formed with a concaved part that is concaved in a direction away from the conveying path.