Abstract: A production method for an organopolysiloxane emulsion composition, wherein (I) an emulsion composition is prepared by emulsifying an organopolysiloxane (A) that is represented by formula (2), or that is a mixture of organopolysiloxanes represented by formulas (1) and (2), and that has an octamethylcyclotetrasiloxane content of 1000 ppm or less (R1 and R2 are H or a monovalent hydrocarbon group, n is a number that makes the viscosity of the organopolysiloxane 200-100,000 mm2/s, and a, b, c, and d satisfy the expressions a?3, b?5, c+d?1, 10?a+b+c+d?1,000), a surfactant (B), and water (C-1), and wherein (II) water (C-2) is added as needed and then emulsion polymerization is performed in the presence of an acid catalyst (D). The organopolysiloxane generated has a 15 mass % toluene solution viscosity of 200 mPa·s or higher at 25° C., has an octamethylcyclotetrasiloxane content of 3000 ppm or less, and has a branched structure that has a particle size of 1 ?m or less.

Abstract: A fixing device including an endless belt, a rotary body positioned outside of the endless belt, the rotary body having an axis extending in an axial direction, an elastic member positioned at an inner space of the endless belt and configured to nip the endless belt in cooperation with the rotary body, and an adhering member having rigidity higher than rigidity of the elastic member. The elastic member has a contact surface in contact with the endless belt. The adhering member has an adhered portion adhered to an opposite surface opposite to the contact surface. The adhering portion has a length in the axial direction smaller than the length of the elastic member in the axial direction.

Abstract: A separator unit of an oil mist separator comprises a front unit including a perforated plate and a plurality of holding studs extending rearward from the perforated plate, a rear unit placed behind the perforated plate and including a base plate that is to be intimately put on a rear surface of the perforated plate and has an opening sized to permit insertion of the holding studs of the front unit, a plurality of connecting studs extending rearward from the base plate and an impinge plate held by leading ends of the connecting studs, and a fiber material piece put on the impinge plate, wherein when the front unit is coupled with the rear unit having the holding studs inserted through the opening of the base plate, the fiber material piece is sandwiched between the leading ends of the holding studs and the impinge plate.

Abstract: An evaluation estimation apparatus includes: a document totaling unit configured to, for each predetermined unit period, associate, with the predetermined unit period, document information concerning a document which is generated during the predetermined unit period and related to the evaluation target; and an evaluation estimation unit configured to use a period shift amount determined based on a degree of correlation between the document information whose associated unit period has been shifted by each of a plurality of shift amounts and the evaluation information acquired for each unit period to input document information of a document associated with a unit period that corresponds to an estimation target period when shifted by the determined period shift amount, and output an evaluation value of the evaluation target during the estimation target period.

Abstract: A fixing device including an endless belt, a rotary body positioned outside of the endless belt, the rotary body having an axis extending in an axial direction, an elastic member positioned at an inner space of the endless belt and configured to nip the endless belt in cooperation with the rotary body, and an adhering member having rigidity higher than rigidity of the elastic member. The elastic member has a contact surface in contact with the endless belt. The adhering member has an adhered portion adhered to an opposite surface opposite to the contact surface. The adhering portion has a length in the axial direction smaller than the length of the elastic member in the axial direction.

Abstract: An organopolysiloxane emulsion composition having good age stability is prepared by (I) emulsifying a mixture comprising (A) an organopolysiloxane of formula: HO(R12SiO)nH, (B) a surfactant and (C-1) water to form a first emulsion composition and (II) effecting emulsion polymerization of the first emulsion composition in the presence of (D) an acid catalyst below 40° C. The target emulsion composition contains an organopolysiloxane product having a viscosity?300,000 mPa·s at 25° C. and an octamethylcyclotetrasiloxane content?3,000 ppm, and has an emulsified particle size?500 nm.

Abstract: A fixing device includes an endless belt, a heat source, a nip member, and a backup member. The endless belt has an inner surface. The nip member has a contact surface slidably contacting the inner surface. The nip member is configured to be heated by the heat source. The backup member is configured to pinch the endless belt in cooperation with the nip member while the backup member rotates together with endless belt. The contact surface includes a first portion receiving urging force from the backup member and a second portion other than the first portion. At least a part of the first portion is coated by a first material providing a slidability higher than that of the nip member. The second portion includes a region uncoated with the first material.

Abstract: The present application relates to anti-foam compositions and methods of making and using such compositions as well as consumer products that comprise such compositions and the use of same. Such anti-foam compositions have low viscosities yet are effective antifoamers.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a defoamer oil compound that contains an organopolysiloxane (A), a fine silica powder (B), and a group (C) that is represented by the organopolysiloxanes of formulas (I) and/or (II) (in the formulas, c, d, and e are each an integer of 0 or more, and at least one of X1 to X3 is the group represented by formula (i)). The component (C) is used as a surface treatment agent for the component (B). The present invention makes it possible to obtain a silicone-based defoamer composition that imparts good initial defoaming properties even in an alkaline foaming liquid, that exhibits very little loss in performance over time, and that has excellent defoaming performance.

Abstract: A fixing device includes: an endless fusing belt; a heater; a nip member; and a backup member. The endless fusing belt has a width in a widthwise direction. The nip member is disposed spaced apart from the heater. The nip member has a contact surface. The contact surface has widthwise end portions in the widthwise direction. The backup member is configured to nip the fusing belt in cooperation with the nip member. The fusing belt is configured to move in a moving direction at a position where the fusing belt is nipped between the nip member and the backup member. The contact surface has at least two grooves one formed in corresponding one of the widthwise end portions and another formed in the other of the widthwise end portions and extending at an angle equal to or smaller than 10 degrees with respect to the moving direction.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image carrier, a drive mechanism, a rotating member, an urging member, and a retracting system. The retracting system includes first and second retracting mechanisms. The first retracting mechanism includes a first gap-maintaining member that maintains a gap between the image carrier and the rotating member, and cancels the retracted state at one end in an axial direction by moving the first gap-maintaining member and cancelling a gap-maintaining state established by the first gap-maintaining member. The second retracting mechanism includes a second gap-maintaining member that maintains a gap between the image carrier and the rotating member, and cancels the retracted state at the other end by enabling the rotating member to be rotated by the image carrier, moving the second gap-maintaining member, and cancelling a gap-maintaining state established by the second gap-maintaining member.

Abstract: A fixing device includes an endless belt, a heating plate, a pressure roller, a first belt guide and a second belt guide. The endless belt has a tubular shape and extends in a first direction. The heating plate is disposed inside the endless belt and extends in the first direction. The first belt guide guides an end of the endless belt in the first direction and includes an inner guide and a restriction portion to restrict movement of the endless belt in the first direction. The second belt guide faces the first belt guide in a second direction and extends from a vicinity of the heating plate to a vicinity of the inner guide along the inner peripheral surface of the endless belt. An end of the restriction portion in the second direction closer to the heating plate is located closer to the second belt guide than the inner guide.

Abstract: Provided is a method for producing an organopolysiloxane emulsion composition which contains an organopolysiloxane having a trialkyl group at a terminal thereof and having a viscosity of 50,000 mm2/s or more at 25° C., within a shorter time compared with the conventional methods. A method for producing an emulsion composition which contains an organopolysiloxane having a viscosity of 50,000 mm2/s or more at 25° C. and capped with a trialkylsilyl group, said method comprising: (I) emulsifying a mixture comprising (A) an organopolysiloxane, (B) a nonionic surfactant, (C) an anionic surfactant, (D-1) an acidic compound and (E-1) water to prepare an emulsion composition; (II) adding (D-2) an acidic compound and (E-2) water to the emulsion composition to perform emulsion polymerization; and (III) adding 0.001 part by mass or more of (F) a compound to the resultant product to perform emulsion polymerization again.

Abstract: A gas sensor control device for controlling a gas sensor, the gas sensor including a gas sensor element that includes a cell including a pair of electrodes and a solid electrolyte, the gas sensor control device including a circuit board connectable to the gas sensor. The circuit board has mounted thereon a voltage control unit mounted on the circuit board and configured to control a voltage developed across a pair of electrodes of the cell to a constant voltage; a temperature detecting unit mounted on the circuit board and configured to detect a temperature of the circuit board; and a voltage correcting unit mounted on the circuit board and configured to apply a correction voltage to the voltage control unit compensating for a temperature-dependent variation in the constant voltage based on the temperature detected by the temperature detecting unit.

Abstract: A transmitting unit of a base station transmits data to a radio terminal with a plurality of frequency bands. A transfer unit of the base station transfers a part of data to be transmitted by the transmitting unit to another base station, so that data transmission to the radio terminal is performed in the other base station. A receiving unit of the other base station receives data transferred by the transfer unit of the base station. A transmitting unit of the other base station transmits data received by the receiving unit to the radio terminal.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image carrier, a drive mechanism, a rotating member, an urging member, and a retracting system. The retracting system includes first and second retracting mechanisms. The first retracting mechanism includes a first gap-maintaining member that maintains a gap between the image carrier and the rotating member, and cancels the retracted state at one end in an axial direction by moving the first gap-maintaining member and cancelling a gap-maintaining state established by the first gap-maintaining member. The second retracting mechanism includes a second gap-maintaining member that maintains a gap between the image carrier and the rotating member, and cancels the retracted state at the other end by enabling the rotating member to be rotated by the image carrier, moving the second gap-maintaining member, and cancelling a gap-maintaining state established by the second gap-maintaining member.

Abstract: A fixing device includes an endless belt, a heat source, a nip member, and a backup member. The endless belt has an inner surface. The nip member has a contact surface slidably contacting the inner surface. The nip member is configured to be heated by the heat source. The backup member is configured to pinch the endless belt in cooperation with the nip member while the backup member rotates together with endless belt. The contact surface includes a first portion receiving urging force from the backup member and a second portion other than the first portion. At least a part of the first portion is coated by a first material providing a slidability higher than that of the nip member. The second portion includes a region uncoated with the first material.

Abstract: An organopolysiloxane emulsion composition having good age stability is prepared by (I) emulsifying a mixture comprising (A) an organopolysiloxane of formula: HO(R12SiO)nH, (B) a surfactant and (C-1) water to form a first emulsion composition and (II) effecting emulsion polymerization of the first emulsion composition in the presence of (D) an acid catalyst below 40° C. The target emulsion composition contains an organopolysiloxane product having a viscosity?300,000 mPa·s at 25° C. and an octamethylcyclotetrasiloxane content 3,000 ppm, and has an emulsified particle size?500 nm.

Abstract: A fixing device may include an endless belt and a nip member in contact with an inner peripheral surface of the endless belt. The fixing device may further include a backup member that nips the endless belt together with the nip member. The fixing device may include a contact member disposed opposite the backup member with the nip member therebetween. The contact member may be in contact with the nip member. The contact member may include a first portion that extends across a width of a maximum image forming area and a second portion positioned outside the width of the maximum image forming area and inside a width of the nip in an axial direction of the endless belt. A heat transfer coefficient per unit dimension between the nip member and the second portion may be smaller than that between the nip member and the first portion.

Abstract: A fixing device includes an endless belt, a heating plate, a pressure roller, a first belt guide and a second belt guide. The endless belt has a tubular shape and extends in a first direction. The heating plate is disposed inside the endless belt and extends in the first direction. The first belt guide guides an end of the endless belt in the first direction and includes an inner guide and a restriction portion to restrict movement of the endless belt in the first direction. The second belt guide faces the first belt guide in a second direction and extends from a vicinity of the heating plate to a vicinity of the inner guide along the inner peripheral surface of the endless belt. An end of the restriction portion in the second direction closer to the heating plate is located closer to the second belt guide than the inner guide.