Abstract: A fixing apparatus includes a first pressing roller, a belt wound around the first pressing roller, a second pressing roller, and a roller position changer that changes a position of the second pressing roller. The second pressing roller faces the first pressing roller across the belt and forms a fixing nip portion between itself and the belt. At least one of the first pressing roller and the second pressing roller includes a core metal and a foam body covering the core metal. The roller position changer changes a position of the second pressing roller based on a kind of print medium to change a peak surface pressure of the fixing nip portion, such that a range where maximum shearing strain occurs from an interface between the core metal and the foam body in the foam body is a predetermined range.

Abstract: An embodiment provides a system, including: a sensor unit, comprising: a sensor that captures data; a memory storing data captured by the sensor; a photovoltaic cell operatively coupled to the sensor and the memory; the photovoltaic cell formed as a transparent layer; a display operatively coupled to the photovoltaic cell; a communication component that communicates the data captured by the sensor to a device; and a device that receives the data captured by the sensor via the communication component. Other aspects are described and claimed.

Abstract: Systems and methods that provide a portable, verified voltage source that allows safe testing of separate contact and non-contact voltage measurement devices. A proving unit of the present disclosure selectively provides a known or specified direct current (DC) voltage, a contact alternating current (AC) voltage, and a non-contact AC voltage, which voltages may be fixed or may be user-selectable. The proving unit may include a visual indicator and/or an audible indicator that provides the user with an indication confirming that the proving unit is supplying the selected output voltage within the specifications of the proving unit, so the user will know that the proving unit is operating normally and is ready for testing the operation of a contact or non-contact voltage measurement device. If the proving unit cannot provide the specified voltage output, the indicator(s) provides a signal to the user that the proving unit is currently non-functional.

Abstract: A liquid silicone rubber mixture, includes an organopolysiloxane having two or more unsaturated aliphatic groups in a molecule thereof; an organohydrogenpolysiloxane having two or more hydrogen atoms bonded to a silicon atom in a molecule thereof; a hydrosilylation catalyst; hollow particles each having a layer containing a thermoplastic resin as a shell; a compound having a hydroxyl group and/or an ether bond in its molecule so that a sum of a number of the hydroxyl group and a number of the ether bond is two or more; and a polycarboxylic acid. A pressurizing member of a fixing device for use in an electrophotographic image forming apparatus includes an elastic layer containing a silicone rubber on a substrate.

Abstract: A CTS nozzle achieves the object of reducing rubber chips produced when the CTS nozzle is inserted into and extracted from a rubber plug of a sample container during dispensing of a sample, thereby inhibiting the wear of the tip of the CTS nozzle. The CTS nozzle has two cut surfaces at its tip, and the pressure applied from the rubber when the nozzle is inserted into the rubber plug is dispersed onto the two cut surfaces without being deflected onto one of the cut surfaces. The pressure applied to the nozzle due to the resilience of the rubber being pushed away by the nozzle is thus dispersed and the rubber chips produced by the friction between the cut surfaces of the nozzle and the rubber are reduced. As a result of the reduced friction, the wear of the tip of the nozzle is minimized.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a measuring arrangement for identifying a malfunction in an energy accumulator arrangement, including a measuring device configured to measure an electrical measurement variable of the first energy accumulator and an electrical measurement variable of the further energy accumulator: a circuit arrangement having a first controllable switch configured to electrically connect the first energy accumulator to the measuring device and a further controllable switch for electrically connecting the further energy accumulator to the measuring device; and a processor device for controlling the controllable switches to capture the electrical measurement variable of the further energy accumulator.

Abstract: An angle sensor includes a plurality of composite magnetic field information generation units and an angle computing unit. The plurality of composite magnetic field information generation units detect, at a plurality of detection positions, a composite magnetic field of a magnetic field to be detected and a noise magnetic field other than the magnetic field to be detected, and thereby generate a plurality of pieces of composite magnetic field information including information on the direction of the composite magnetic field. The angle computing unit generates a detected angle value by performing an operation using the plurality of pieces of composite magnetic field information so that an error of the detected angle value caused by the noise magnetic field is made smaller than in the case where the detected angle value is generated on the basis of any and only one of the plurality of pieces of composite magnetic field information.

Abstract: A setting device sets a print page to be clear-coated. When print data is obtained, the setting device displays a preview of a print page image represented by the print data (step S1040). The setting device further receives a designation for a print page image of which preview is displayed, and sets a print page corresponding to the print page image of which designation has been received as a print page to be clear-coated (step S1050).

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a main body casing having a front side wall having a plurality of cartridge ports and a tray port, each of the plurality of cartridge ports extending in a first direction and being aligned in a second direction; a reading scanner unit provided above the main body casing; and a sheet discharging unit configured to discharge a sheet and positioned between an upper side wall of the main body and the reading scanner unit. The apparatus further includes a sheet feeding unit positioned below a door provided on the front side wall; a plurality of toner cartridges which are attached to the plurality of cartridge ports; and a plurality of photosensitive drums being detached from the main body casing in the second direction, each of the plurality of toner cartridges being spaced apart from the plurality of photosensitive drums in a third direction.

Abstract: A toner supply device includes a pressing portion that presses a toner cartridge such that the toner cartridge is detached from a device body. The toner cartridge has an engaging portion. The device body has a guiding portion. The guiding portion has an upper guide groove that guides the engaging portion in an attachment operation of attaching the toner cartridge to the device body, and a lock portion provided at a position deviated from the upper guide groove in an innermost portion of the guiding portion. When the engaging portion moving in the upper guide groove along with the attachment operation reaches the innermost portion, the engaging portion is engaged with the lock portion by the pressing portion pressing back the toner cartridge, allowing the toner cartridge to be attached to the device body so as not to be detached therefrom.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a drive device including a first drive transmission passage through which a driving force of a drive source is transmitted to a developer bearer via a first joint and a second drive transmission passage through which the driving force is transmitted to a rotary body via a second joint. The first drive transmission passage and the second drive transmission passage are defined such that one of a first drive transmission ratio to the first joint of the first drive transmission passage and a second drive transmission ratio to the second joint of the second drive transmission passage is an integral multiple of the other of the first drive transmission ratio from the drive source to the first joint of the first drive transmission passage and the second drive transmission ratio from the drive source to the second joint of the second drive transmission passage.

Abstract: In a cartridge, a housing has a developer accommodating portion and includes a first side wall and a second side wall. A coupling member is disposed at a position opposite to the developer accommodating portion with respect to the first side wall. A detection body is disposed at a position opposite to the developer accommodating portion with respect to the second side wall. A first driving force transmission member is positioned at the same side with the coupling member with respect to the first side wall, and transmits driving force from the coupling member to a rotating member. A second driving force transmission member is positioned at the same side with the detection body with respect to the second side wall, and transmits driving force from the rotating member to the detection body.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus is provided. The image forming apparatus includes a chassis having an opening, a cover, photosensitive members, an intermediate transfer belt, a primary-transfer member, a secondary-transfer roller, a cleaner device, an external-sheet inlet, a waste toner container, a connector, and a conveying roller, which is arranged within the feeding path to feed the recording sheet inserted through the external-sheet inlet in the feeding path. The conveying roller is mounted on the waste toner container and removable from the chassis along with the waste toner container.

Abstract: Provided are a charging member coupleable to an electrophotographic imaging apparatus. The charging member includes an electrically-conductive support body, an electrically-conductive elastomer layer stacked on a surface of the electrically-conductive support body, and an electrically-conductive resin layer stacked as an outermost layer on the electrically-conductive elastomer layer. The electrically-conductive resin layer includes a binder resin and particles comprising at least one type of particles selected from resin particles and inorganic particles, wherein a relative dielectric constant (?r1) of the binder resin is greater than or about equal to a relative dielectric constant (?r2) of at least one type of particles.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method and system for determining the position of the armature of a solenoid using a controller to determine the temperature of the solenoid and to indirectly determine the position of the armature without the need of an additional sensor using current sensing pulses and a solenoid capable of staying engaged due to residual magnetism after the coil has been de-energized.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a liquid electrophotographic ink developer unit. The unit comprises a developer roller, and a secondary roller that co-operates with the developer roller. The developer roller is formed of a material having a specific resistivity of less than 1×106 ?·cm. The secondary roller is formed of a material having a specific resistivity of 1×104 to 1×109 ?·cm.

Abstract: A method for testing air tightness includes connecting a testing chamber and a storage chamber, supplying negative pressure to the storage chamber, measuring the pressure in the storage or testing chamber to obtain a first pressure value, determining air tightness of the testing chamber according to the negative pressure and the first pressure value, stopping the negative pressure to the storage chamber, measuring the pressure in the storage chamber to obtain a second pressure value, measuring the pressure in the storage chamber after stopping the negative pressure to the storage chamber to obtain a third pressure value, and determining air tightness of the testing chamber according to the second and third pressure values. The device includes testing and storage chambers, a negative pressure generator, and a pressure gauge connected to the storage chamber, which is connected to the testing chamber. The negative pressure generator is connected to the storage chamber.

Abstract: When an image forming apparatus such as an MFP runs out of supplies, such as paper or toner, the user will need to load paper in the paper tray or replace the toner cartridge. However, the user occasionally has difficulty in opening the paper tray or the front cover because his/her hands are carrying the additional supplies. For example, the user may have to put the belonging down to open up the paper tray or the front cover. The image forming apparatus reacts to the user's desire in a mechanical manner by opening the paper tray or the front cover.

Abstract: A fixing device for an envelope includes an endless belt, a driving rotatable member, and a pad that includes a base portion, a first projecting portion projecting from the base portion toward the driving rotatable member at an upstream end in a feeding direction of the envelope, a second projecting portion projecting from the base portion toward the driving rotatable member at a downstream end in the feeding direction of the envelope, and a recess portion, provided between the first projecting portion and the second projecting portion in the feeding direction of the envelope. When a fixing process is performed on the envelope, an inner surface of the endless belt is in contact with both of the first projecting portion and the second projecting portion, and is spaced from the recess portion.

Abstract: In a cartridge, a housing has a developer accommodating portion and includes a first side wall and a second side wall. A coupling member is disposed at a position opposite to the developer accommodating portion with respect to the first side wall. A detection body is disposed at a position opposite to the developer accommodating portion with respect to the second side wall. A first driving force transmission member is positioned at the same side with the coupling member with respect to the first side wall, and transmits driving force from the coupling member to a rotating member. A second driving force transmission member is positioned at the same side with the detection body with respect to the second side wall, and transmits driving force from the rotating member to the detection body.