Abstract: An ink supplying mechanism includes an ink container, a sub tank, a main channel and a branched channel. The ink container contains ink. The sub tank stores the ink supplied from the ink container. The main channel is extended to a downward direction from the sub tank 22 and flows the ink between the ink container and the sub tank. The branched channel is branched from the middle of the main channel and is subjected to hydraulic head pressure of the ink stored in the sub tank in order to supply the ink to a recording head.

Abstract: A sheet storage device includes first and second frames, a cover, and a torque retention mechanism that includes a shaft to rotate in conjunction with pivoting of the cover, and generates a resistance torque against rotation of the shaft when the cover pivots to a closed position. The torque retention mechanism includes a first torque retention mechanism and a second torque retention mechanism. A shaft of the first torque retention mechanism is attached to a first support part disposed on a first frame side, while a shaft of the second torque retention mechanism is attached to a second support part disposed on a second frame side.

Abstract: An electrophotographic photosensitive member includes a conductive substrate, an intermediate layer provided on the conductive substrate, and a photosensitive layer provided on the intermediate layer. The intermediate layer contains a specific polyamide resin and specific inorganic particles. The specific inorganic particles include metal oxide particles. The specific polyamide resin includes a first repeating unit derived from an aliphatic dicarboxylic acid and a second repeating unit derived from a diamine compound. The total percentage content of the first repeating unit and the second repeating unit is at least 80% by mol to all repeating units included in the specific polyamide resin. The photosensitive layer contains a charge generating material, an electron transport material, a binder resin, a hole transport material, and an n-type pigment.

Abstract: An electrical energy storage device disclosed herein includes a current collecting part including a penetration hole, a terminal including a shaft part inserted to a terminal extraction hole of a case main body and the penetration hole and a caulking part caulked to a periphery of the penetration hole, a step part that is provided at a side surface of the penetration hole of the current collecting part and has at least a part of the caulking part of the terminal disposed therein, and a welding bonding part between a peripheral part of the penetration hole of the current collecting part and the caulking part of the terminal, in which a space is provided between the current collecting part and the terminal in a vicinity of the welding bonding part.

Abstract: A belt drive device includes an endless belt, a plurality of tension rollers on which the belt is rotatably tensioned and a belt cleaning device. The belt cleaning device includes a cleaning blade and an opposite roller. The cleaning blade makes contact with the outer circumferential surface of the belt to remove a foreign substance adhered to the belt. The opposite roller is arranged in contact with the inner circumferential surface of the belt opposite the cleaning blade through the belt. The opposite roller includes a cover layer arranged on an outer circumferential surface, the surface resistance value of the cover layer when a voltage of 100V is applied is equal to or greater than 10 to the 10th power (?) and the Asker A hardness of the cover layer is equal to or greater than 60° and equal to or less than 90°.

Abstract: A predetermined frame includes a main frame part and a drum arrangement part. Winding drums are disposed in a drum arrangement part. Relay pulleys includes a first relay pulley disposed in the drum arrangement part, for a first wire to wrap around, a second relay pulley disposed on the same axis as the first relay pulley, outward of the first relay pulley, for a second wire to wrap around, and a third relay pulley disposed in the main frame part, for the second wire to wrap around. The drum arrangement part is positioned inward of the main frame part.

Abstract: A sheet storage device includes a regulation cursor and a hold mechanism. The hold mechanism includes a guide shaft, and a stopper having a guide hole in which the guide shaft is inserted, and being capable of reciprocating with the regulation cursor. When the stopper is inclined to one side, movement of the regulation cursor is restricted. When the stopper is raised to the other side, movement of the regulation cursor is enabled. The stopper has a contact part that contacts the regulation cursor, so as to restrict the stopper from inclining to the other side, when the regulation cursor is enabled to move.

Abstract: Compositions and methods for controlling pests are disclosed. The compositions can be electrostatically charged, can be attractive for translocation by the social insects into nesting, tunneling, and/or gathering structures of the social insects, or both. Kits comprising the compositions and a powder delivery device operable to electrostatically charge a pest control composition during delivery are also disclosed.

Abstract: An ink supplying mechanism includes an ink container containing ink, an ink tank storing the ink supplied from the ink container to a recording head, a decompressing part decompressing the ink tank and a degassing channel circulating the ink flowed out from the ink tank and flowing the ink into the ink tank. To the recording head, the ink tanks are arranged in parallel. When one ink tank among the ink tanks is used for printing, a degassing tank to be degassed is selected from other ink tanks, whose dissolved oxygen amount of the ink have not arrived a predetermined supplying target value, according to predetermined degassing selection criteria, and the ink inside the degassing tank is circulated by using the degassing channel, in a state that the degassing tank is decompressed by the decompressing part, to perform degassing operation of degassing the ink inside the degassing tank.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a time measuring device and a control device. The time measuring device measures a predetermined time. The control device operates as a transition processor, a detector, and a determiner. The transition processor performs transition processing for allowing the image forming apparatus to transition to an energy-saving mode. The detector detects that the transition processing has been completed. The determiner determines, when not yet obtaining from the detector detection information indicating completion of the transition processing at a time when the time measuring device has measured lapse of the predetermined time from start of the transition processing, that the transition processing has not yet been completed.

Abstract: A fixing device includes a heating rotating body, a pressure rotating body, and a fixing frame. The fixing frame supports the heating rotating body and the pressure rotating body. The fixing frame includes a pair of side plates and a plurality of stays. The side plates are disposed to face each other, and supports both axial end portions of the heating rotating body and both axial end portions of the pressure rotating body. The stays are disposed between the side plates. In a XYZ coordinate in which an axis along a direction in which the side plates face each other is defined as the X-axis, and axes perpendicular to the X-axis and perpendicular to each other are defined as the Y-axis and the Z-axis, each of the stays is fastened to the side plates at least two axial directions of the three axial directions of the XYZ coordinates.

Abstract: A device management system includes a frontend and a backend. The frontend includes a first domain. The backend includes a domain of a relay system as a relay backend domain that is a domain of the backend. The frontend accesses the relay backend domain when an access that uses a URL including the first domain as a domain name is received from a client via the relay system, and a request for an API is thus received from the client. The backend generates a relay Cookie including the relay backend domain as a domain used for establishing the session. The frontend transmits the relay Cookie to the client via the relay system.

Abstract: Management of spot colors and spot color adjustments includes associating these color printing resources with print conditions, customer accounts, or projects for a printing device. A spot color adjustment is associated with a print condition, a customer account, or a project used for printing operations. A print job is received that specified a selected print condition, a selected customer account, or a selected project. The associated spot color adjustment is determined using these attributes. The spot color adjustment is applied during color printing operations for a document using the spot color. The spot color is printed within the document according to the specified spot color adjustment.

Abstract: Distributed radio frequency (RF) communication systems for automotive are disclosed herein. In certain embodiments, an RF communication system for an automobile includes an RF module located close to an antenna to satisfy a specified output power with small insertion loss. Additionally, the baseband processor is placed remotely from the RF module in a different area of the automobile to provide a lower temperature environment. Additionally, the RF module communicates with the baseband processor in a digital format eliminating the need for higher cost cabling (for instance, due to higher noise immunity arising from using digital signaling) and using digital transfer cabling, which can already be present in the automobile for other purposes. The RF module can include an RF front-end (RFFE) and a transceiver used for providing frequency conversion, for instance, between RF and baseband.

Abstract: A fixing device includes a fixing member, a resistance heating element, and a power supply control portion. The fixing member fixes a toner image transferred onto a sheet. The resistance heating element is used for heating the fixing member, and an electrical resistance thereof increases as a temperature increases. The power supply control portion gradually increases, when a heating timing of the fixing member arrives, input power to be input to the resistance heating element toward a predetermined upper limit value.

Abstract: An inkjet ink contains at least a first carbon black, a second carbon black, and water. The first carbon black has a DBP oil absorption of less than 130 mL/100 g and a BET specific surface area of less than 300 m2/g. The second carbon black has a DBP oil absorption of at least 130 mL/100 g and a BET specific surface area of at least 300 m2/g.

Abstract: Printing operations may use a hot folder. The hot folder includes printing instructions that are applied to print jobs within the hot folder. A file for the print job is stored in the hot folder. More than one file can be retained. Modifications to the file are made while it is within the hot folder, if allowed. Once processing of the file for printing operations is complete, the file is removed from the hot folder.

Abstract: The processor of an information processing apparatus includes serves, by executing an information processing program, as: a function determiner; a morpheme analyzer configured to analyze a message input by a user in morphemes; a word detector configured to detect a predetermined time-representing word indicating temporal nearness or farness and a predetermined keyword which is modified by the time-representing word and which indicates settings associated with the function from the message analyzed in morphemes by the morpheme analyzer; a setting selector configured to select a newest set value when the word detector has detected the time-representing word indicating temporal nearness and to select a set value used when the user used the function in the past when the word detector has detected the time-representing word indicating temporal farness; and a function executor configured to execute the function determined by the function determiner using the set value selected by the setting selector.

Abstract: An estimation system provides consumable use estimations, such as for ink or toner, in printing operations. The estimation system uses a classification-based consumable use process to estimate the consumable use. A print job is assigned a classification category according to an arbitrary job category selected for the print job and a job property defined for the print job using job settings. An estimate is provided using the classification category and the distribution of the consumable use for print jobs in the category. The estimate is adjusted by a consumable use adjustment factor that reflects the amount of ink or toner disposed of during container replacement or wasted during printing operations.

Abstract: A method of forming a nanopore in a lipid bilayer is disclosed. A nanopore forming solution is deposited over a lipid bilayer. The nanopore forming solution has a concentration level and a corresponding activity level of pore molecules such that nanopores are substantially not formed un-stimulated in the lipid bilayer. Formation of a nanopore in the lipid bilayer is initiated by applying an agitation stimulus level to the lipid bilayer. In some embodiments, the concentration level and the corresponding activity level of pore molecules are at levels such that less than 30 percent of a plurality of available lipid bilayers have nanopores formed un-stimulated therein.