Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a conveyance unit conveying a recording medium in contact with the recording medium's one surface along a conveyance path, a first image forming group, a second image forming group, a first intermediate transfer body being transferred a toner image formed by the first image forming group, a second intermediate transfer body being transferred a toner image formed by the second image forming group, a first transfer unit transferring the toner image from the first intermediate transfer body to the recording medium's other surface, and a second transfer unit transferring the toner image from the second intermediate transfer body to the recording medium's other surface. The first image forming group, the first intermediate transfer body, the second intermediate transfer body, and the second image forming group are located the other surface side of the recording medium in this order in a conveyance direction.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image holder; a charging unit that charges a surface of the image holder; an electrostatic charge image forming unit that forms an electrostatic charge image on the charged surface of the image holder; a developing unit that accommodates an electrostatic charge image developer containing a toner having toner particles and that develops an electrostatic charge image formed on the surface of the image holder as a toner image by the electrostatic charge image developer, in which a release agent present in a region within 800 nm from a surface of the toner particles is 70% or more of a release agent in entire toner particles and a melting temperature of the release agent is 65° C. or higher and 80° C.

Abstract: A device to supply power to a heater of a fixing device with a heater power supply circuit configured to supply power to the heater; a temperature sensor to measure a detected temperature from the temperature control target; a temperature estimation circuit to estimate an estimated temperature value of the temperature control target by the detected temperature; a control signal generation circuit to output a control signal for controlling the power supplied by the heater power supply circuit based on the estimated temperature value of the temperature control target estimated by the temperature estimation circuit and the target temperature; and a temperature abnormality detection circuit to determine whether an abnormality exists in the temperature sensor or on a circuit side based on a comparison result of the detected temperature acquired by the temperature sensor and the estimated temperature value.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a sheet-supplier, a photoconductor, a fuser and a controller. The controller is configured to, in a case where the number of sheets to be printed indicated by a printing job is less than a first predetermined number of sheets, start supplying a sheet by a sheet-supplier at a timing when a second period of time has been passed from a timing when the temperature in the fuser has reached a second temperature, and, in a case where the number of sheets to be printed is equal to or greater than the first predetermined number of sheets, start supplying the sheet by the sheet-supplier at a timing when the second period of time has been passed from a timing when the temperature in the fuser has reached a first temperature larger than the second temperature.

Abstract: An image forming method to be performed by an image forming apparatus includes forming, transferring, fixing, and drying. The forming forms a foil portion to which foil is adhered on one surface of a recording medium. The transferring transfers an image to the one surface of the recording medium after the forming of the foil portion. The fixing fixes the image transferred to the one surface of the recording medium by the transferring of the image, to form a foil image portion including the foil portion and the image on the recording medium. The drying dries the recording medium on which the foil portion is formed, between the forming of the foil portion and the transferring of the image.

Abstract: A distance between a fan and an area of a belt opposed to the fan at a downstream side in an air discharge direction of the fan is a first distance. A distance between the fan and an area of the belt opposed to the fan at an upstream side in an air intake direction of the fan is a second distance. The first distance is equal to or greater than the second distance.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image holder; a charging unit that charges a surface of the image holder; an electrostatic charge image forming unit that forms an electrostatic charge image on the charged surface of the image holder; a developing unit that accommodates an electrostatic charge image developer containing a toner having toner particles and that develops an electrostatic charge image formed on the surface of the image holder as a toner image by the electrostatic charge image developer, in which a release agent present in a region within 800 nm from a surface of the toner particles is 70% or more of a release agent in entire toner particles and a melting temperature of the release agent is 65° C. or higher and 80° C.

Abstract: A fixing apparatus is used that has: a first rotation member; an elongated heater disposed in an internal space of the first rotation member, and having a heat generating member and a substrate on which the heat generating member is provided; a temperature sensing unit that detects a temperature of the heater; a heater holder that holds the heater; a second rotation member that forms a nip portion with the heater, across the first rotation member; a reservoir unit that stores grease that is supplied between the first rotation member and the heater; and an elastic member that encloses the temperature sensing unit, such that a toner image formed on a recording material is heated and fixed at the nip portion.

Abstract: A tubular fixing member including a substrate, an elastic layer, an interlayer, and a surface layer are laminated in this order, in which “E1<E2” is satisfied in a case where a storage elastic modulus of the elastic layer is denoted by E1 and a storage elastic modulus of the interlayer is denoted by E2.

Abstract: A method of evaluating a power storage device includes at least [a] to [f] below. [a] A power storage device is prepared. [b] A charge level of the power storage device is adjusted to produce a first potential difference between a positive electrode and a negative electrode. [c] The positive electrode or the negative electrode is selected as a reference electrode. [d] After the charge level is adjusted, an operation to insert a conductive rod-shaped member into a stack portion along a direction of stack of the positive electrode and the negative electrode is performed while a second potential difference between the reference electrode and the rod-shaped member is measured. [e] The rod-shaped member is stopped. [f] The power storage device is evaluated based on a state of the power storage device after the rod-shaped member is stopped.

Abstract: A magnetic sensor includes: a non-magnetic substrate; and a sensitive element 31 having a longitudinal direction and a short direction, provided with uniaxial magnetic anisotropy in a direction crossing the longitudinal direction, and sensing a magnetic field by a magnetic impedance effect, wherein the sensitive element 31 includes plural soft magnetic material layers 105a to 105d and plural non-magnetic material layers 106a to 106c configured with a non-magnetic material and laminated between the plural soft magnetic material layers 105a to 105d, and the soft magnetic material layers 105a to 105d facing each other with each of the non-magnetic material layers 106a to 106c interposed therebetween are antiferromagnetically coupled.

Abstract: A thermal fixer includes a first thermal fixing roller and a second thermal fixing roller. The first thermal fixing roller includes a first heater. The second thermal fixing roller is pressed to the first thermal fixing roller. The second thermal fixing roller includes a second heater and has a diameter, a rigidity, and a surface releasability substantially identical to the first thermal fixing roller.

Abstract: A method of evaluating an all-solid-state battery includes preparing the all-solid-state battery. A charge level of the all-solid-state battery is adjusted to produce a first potential difference between a positive electrode and a negative electrode. The positive electrode or the negative electrode is selected as a reference electrode. After the charge level is adjusted, an operation to insert a conductive rod-shaped member into a stack portion along a direction of stack of the positive electrode and the negative electrode is performed while a second potential difference between the reference electrode and the rod-shaped member is measured. The rod-shaped member is stopped. The all-solid-state battery is evaluated based on a state of the all-solid-state battery after the rod-shaped member is stopped.

Abstract: Embodiments of this application disclose an arc detection method for performing protection in an energy storage system, and a related apparatus, to improve accuracy of arc detection in an energy storage system, promptly take an arc extinguishing measure, and reduce a probability of causing a safety hazard. The method in the embodiments of this application includes: A control apparatus obtains an electrical signal at an electrical connection point in an energy storage system. The control apparatus determines a frequency domain amplitude based on a frequency domain characteristic of the electrical signal. When the frequency domain amplitude is greater than a preset amplitude, the control apparatus controls the energy storage system to perform an arc extinguishing and protection operation on the electrical connection point.

Abstract: A fixing device includes a heater including a substrate and a resistance heating element disposed on the substrate, an endless belt, a first temperature sensor disposed at a position opposed to the heater and configured to detect a temperature at a center part of the heater in a longitudinal direction of the heater; and a second temperature sensor disposed at a position opposed to the heater and configured to detect a temperature at an end part of the heater in the longitudinal direction of the heater. The second temperature sensor is disposed at a position located on an outer side of the resistance heating element in the longitudinal direction of the heater.

Abstract: A fixing film having an endless shape, comprising at least a base material, an elastic layer, and a release layer in this order, the release layer comprising a tube containing a fluorine resin, and a value of Xe to Xm is 1.20 or more, where when, in a chart of an X-ray diffraction peaks obtained by measuring the release layer with a reflection X-ray diffraction method, a maximum X-ray diffraction strength at 2?=17 to 19° is defined as Ic, a maximum X-ray diffraction strength at 2?=39.5 to 40.5° is defined as Ia, and a value of Ic/Ia is defined as X, Xe represents an average value of X in an edge region, and Xm represents an average value of X in a central region.

Abstract: Selecting one conveyance mode from a plurality of conveyance modes includes a first selection process of selecting the one conveyance mode based on a detection temperature of a temperature sensor from a first time point at which rotation of a fixing rotator is started to a second time point at which a particular period elapses from the first time point. The first selection process includes: determining whether an initial temperature is higher than or equal to a first temperature, the initial temperature being a detection temperature of the temperature sensor when a print instruction is received; in response to determining that the initial temperature is lower than the first temperature, setting the particular period to a first period; and in response to determining that the initial temperature is higher than or equal to the first temperature, setting the particular period to a second period longer than the first period.

Abstract: Magnets are arranged at intervals along a stroke direction with an interposed space. Magnetic pole surfaces of adjacent ones of the magnets have opposite poles. A detector is arranged with a gap in a gap direction against a magnetic pole surface of each of the magnets and acquires a sine signal and a cosine signal as detection signals of phases corresponding to the positions of the magnets, based on a change in a magnetic field received from the magnets according to movement of the detector relative to the detection object in the stroke direction. A signal processor acquires the sine signal and the cosine signal from the detector, generates, based on the sine signal and the cosine signal, an arctangent signal corresponding to a stroke amount of the detection object relative to the detector, and acquires the arctangent signal as a position signal.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an intermediate transfer member, a cleaning member, and an image forming unit having a developer carrier. During an image forming job, when a ratio of an amount of toner consumed to a distance that the developer carrier is rotationally driven is greater than a threshold value, the image forming unit forms a first toner supply image for supplying toner to the cleaning member in a predetermined period that is from a time at which a first toner image is transferred to the intermediate transfer member to a time at which a second toner image is transferred to the intermediate transfer member. When the ratio is less than the threshold value, the image forming unit forms a second toner supply image for supplying toner to the cleaning member in the predetermined period and having a density that is higher than a first toner supply image density.

Abstract: A toner cartridge according to one example embodiment includes a housing having a reservoir for holding toner. A first electrical contact and a second electrical contact are positioned on a first longitudinal end of the housing. The first electrical contact is electrically connected to processing circuitry positioned on the housing. The second electrical contact is electrically connected to an imaging component positioned on the housing. The first electrical contact is positioned higher than the second electrical contact. A first drive coupler and a second drive coupler are positioned on a second longitudinal end of the housing. The first electrical contact and the second electrical contact are positioned higher than a first rotational axis of the first drive coupler. The first electrical contact is positioned higher than a second rotational axis of the second drive coupler and the second electrical contact is positioned lower than the second rotational axis.