Abstract: On a second surface of a contact member opposite to a first surface in contact with an endless film, a plurality of sheets, each having a thermal conductivity in a planar direction higher than in a thickness direction and having a thickness of less than 100 ?m, are superposed.

Abstract: An image heating apparatus includes: a heater including a substrate and a heat generating element; a supporting member; and a high heat-conductive member. The recording material on which an image is formed is heated by heat from the heater. The supporting member has a bottom region, where the supporting member supports the heater, including a first region where the supporting member contacts the high heat-conductive member so as to apply pressure between the heater and the high heat-conductive member and including a second region where the supporting member is recessed from the high heat-conductive member relative to the first region. At least a part of the first region overlaps, with respect to a movement direction of the recording material, with a region where the heat generating element is provided.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a novel process for preparing quaternary ammonium salt derivatives.

Abstract: In a musical instrument, such as a piano, having a sound board, the sound board vibrates in response to vibrations of a string responsive to depression of a key. A waveform corresponding to such vibrations of the sound board is detected and recorded into a memory for each of the keys. The recorded vibration waveform is usable for reproduction of a sound based on sound board vibrations. In a sound reproduction apparatus, such as a piano, having a sound board, an excitation device physically excitable in response to an input waveform is provided on the sound board. In response to an operation of a key, a sound board vibration waveform corresponding to the operated key is read out from the memory, and the excitation device is driven in accordance with the read-out waveform signal so that the sound board is vibrated.

Abstract: On a second surface of a contact member opposite to a first surface in contact with an endless film, a plurality of sheets, each having a thermal conductivity in a planar direction higher than in a thickness direction and having a thickness of less than 100 ?m, are superposed.

Abstract: A heater used for a fixing device includes a substrate, first and second conductor patterns formed at either end of the substrate in the short direction of the substrate, a third conductor pattern formed between the first and second conductor patterns and separated from the two conductor patterns, a first heating member disposed between the first and third conductor patterns and electrically connected to the two conductor patterns, and a second heating member disposed between the second and third conductor patterns and electrically connected to the conductor patterns. The heater has both end regions in which the widths of the third conductor pattern in the short direction is smaller than that of a middle portion of the third conductor pattern. The widths of the first and second heating members in the end regions are smaller than the widths of the first and second heating members in the other region, respectively.

Abstract: The switching control apparatus includes a switching driving unit for turning on and off the switch, a control-purpose power supply for outputting electric power, a power transmission unit provided between the switching driving unit and the control-purpose power supply, for supplying or cutting off electric power from the control-purpose power supply to the switching driving unit, and a control unit for controlling the power transmission unit. The control unit controls the switching driving unit to turn the switch on or off, during a period in which the electric power from the power supply to the switching driving unit is cut off by the power transmission unit, or supplied from the power supply to the switching driving unit.

Abstract: A heater used for a fixing device includes a substrate, first and second conductor patterns formed at either end of the substrate in the short direction of the substrate, a third conductor pattern formed between the first and second conductor patterns and separated from the two conductor patterns, a first heating member disposed between the first and third conductor patterns and electrically connected to the two conductor patterns, and a second heating member disposed between the second and third conductor patterns and electrically connected to the conductor patterns. The heater has both end regions in which the widths of the third conductor pattern in the short direction is smaller than that of a middle portion of the third conductor pattern. The widths of the first and second heating members in the end regions are smaller than the widths of the first and second heating members in the other region, respectively.

Abstract: A keyboard musical instrument including: a key; a hammer; an actuator configured to drive at least one of the key and the hammer in a movement direction in which the at least one of the key and the hammer moves in a key depression stroke; a hammer detector configured to detect a hammer-motion related value that relates to a motion of the hammer; a trajectory generator configured to generate a target trajectory of the at least one of the key and the hammer based on automatic performance information that defines a motion target value of the at least one of the key and the hammer; a feedback-value generator configured to generate a feedback value based on the hammer-motion related value in automatic performance detected by the hammer detector; and a controller configured to servo-control the actuator based on the generated target trajectory and the generated feedback value.

Abstract: In a player piano, a position sensor is provided on an end portion of a lifting rail for detecting a vertical position of the lifting rail. In storing performance data of dampers, a signal output from the position sensor and indicative of a vertical position of the lifting rail is converted into a digital signal, and a position value indicative of the position of the lifting rail is generated on the basis of the digital signal and stored into a buffer. A conversion section converts the position value into a vertical position of a pedal rod connected to a damper pedal, and the thus-converted vertical position is converted, into a control value which a control change message of the damper pedal in MIDI-format data can take. The control value obtained in the aforementioned manner can be recorded into a recording medium as performance information.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, an apparatus includes a client management module configured to manage first information which correlates with client terminal information, group information, and type information, the client terminal information indicating a client terminal, the group information indicating a group to which the client terminal belongs, and the type information indicating whether the client terminal is a client virtualization terminal that executes a virtual machine or a thin client terminal, a user management module configured to manage second information which correlates with a user account and the group information, and a group management module configured to manage third information, which correlates with the group information and a virtual image file.

Abstract: An image heating device includes, a moving member configured to move while contacting a recording material at one surface of the moving member, a backup member configured to contact the other surface of the moving member, a holding member configured to hold the backup member, a nip portion forming member contacting the one surface of the moving member, and configured to form a nip portion in corporation with the backup member via the moving member, and a high thermal conductive member held between the holding member and the backup member, wherein the recording material on which an image has been formed is heated by heat received from the moving member while being nipped and conveyed at the nip portion, and wherein the holding member includes a recessed portion configured not to apply pressure to the high thermal conductive member.

Abstract: An image heating apparatus includes: a heater; a supporting member for supporting the heater; a high heat-conductive sheet sandwiched between a part of the heater and the supporting member. A recording material on which an image is formed is heated by heat from the heater. The supporting member includes a bearing surface contacting the sheet so as to apply pressure between the heater and the sheet and includes an opposing portion opposing a part of the heater not sandwiching the sheet. In a state in which the pressure is applied between the heater and the sheet, a thickness of the sheet is not less than a height of the stepped portion between the bearing portion and the opposing portion.

Abstract: An image heating apparatus includes: a heater including a substrate and a heat generating element; a supporting member; a high heat-conductive member. The recording material on which an image is formed is heated by heat from the heater. The supporting member has a bottom region, where the supporting member supports the heater, including a first region where the supporting member contacts the high heat-conductive member so as to apply pressure between the heater and the high heat-conductive member and including a second region where the supporting member is recessed from the high heat-conductive member relative to the first region. At least a part of the first region overlaps, with respect to a movement direction of the recording material, with a region where the heat generating element is provided.

Abstract: The heating apparatus includes a heat generating member which generates heat when power is supplied from an AC power supply, a temperature detection device which detects temperature of the heat generating member, a current detection device which detects a value of current flowing in the heat generating member; and a control unit which controls the temperature of the heat generating member by controlling power supplied to the heat generating member, in which the control unit detects a drop of an input voltage of the AC power supply based on a maximum suppliable power ratio determined by using a value of current suppliable to the heat generating member, the current value detected by the current detection device, and a ratio of power supplied to the heat generating member obtained based on the temperature detected by the temperature detection device.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a novel process for preparing quaternary ammonium salt derivatives.

Abstract: Each of Dampers provided for each of keys is controlled in response to both an operation of a damper pedal and an operation of the corresponding key. For each of the dampers and over one stroke of the pedal in at least one of depressing releasing directions of the pedal, load information indicative of loads imposed on a portion linked to the damper is acquired in association with individual stroke positions of the pedal. Then, for each of the dampers, a half pedal region is identified on the basis of relationship between the stroke positions and the loads corresponding to the stroke positions. The portion linked to the damper may be any suitable portion related to a damper lever moving in an up-down direction in interlocked relation to both of vertical movement of a lifting rail responsive to an operation of the pedal and an operation of the key.

Abstract: A sound generation mechanism, provided with a string for generating a vibration sound in response to striking by a hammer, is automatically played in accordance with performance data. The performance data include striking data (note-on event data) for designating timing at which the string should be struck by the hammer, velocity data indicative of an intensity of the striking, and muting data (soft pedal data) for controlling muting. A controller determines drive start timing of the hammer in accordance with the velocity data in such a manner that the string is struck by the hammer at the timing designated by the striking data and performs control such that the drive start timing is advanced in accordance with the muting data. Thus, the string is struck at the striking timing designated by the striking data, but also muting control is performed in accordance with the muting data.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a novel process for preparing quaternary ammonium salt derivatives.

Abstract: The switching control apparatus includes a switching driving unit for turning on and off the switch, a control-purpose power supply for outputting electric power, a power transmission unit provided between the switching driving unit and the control-purpose power supply, for supplying or cutting off electric power from the control-purpose power supply to the switching driving unit, and a control unit for controlling the power transmission unit. The control unit controls the switching driving unit to turn the switch on or off, during a period in which the electric power from the power supply to the switching driving unit is cut off by the power transmission unit, or supplied from the power supply to the switching driving unit.