Abstract: A microparticle sorting device that automatically and accurately adjusts the positions of a fluid stream and a collection container is provided. The microparticle sorting device including a pair of deflecting plates that face each other with a passage area of a fluid stream therebetween, a camera that captures the image of the fluid stream, and a fluid stream detection light source that emits light parallel to a direction in which the deflecting plates face each other and that is movable in a direction perpendicular to the fluid stream and the light is provided. In the microparticle sorting device, the collection container that receives the fluid stream is mounted so as to be movable in the direction perpendicular to the fluid stream and the light.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a microchip including a substrate and a sample flow path within the substrate. The sample flow path includes a changing flow path and a microtube connected to the changing flow path. The changing flow path is configured to change a cross sectional shape of the sample flow path from a quadrangular shape at a first end to a circular shape at a second end. The microtube is connected to the second end of the changing flow path and is disposed within the substrate.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a display device, including: a substrate; a circuit part configured to include a drive element; a planarization insulating layer; an electrically-conductive layer including a plurality of first electrodes and an auxiliary interconnect; an aperture-defining insulating layer configured to insulate the plurality of first electrodes from each other and have an aperture through which part of the first electrode is exposed; a plurality of light emitting elements; and a separator configured to be formed by removing the planarization insulating layer at a position between a display area, in which the plurality of light emitting elements connected to the drive element are disposed, and a peripheral area which is surrounding the display area. A method of manufacturing a display device is also provided.

Abstract: A microparticle sorting apparatus includes a detection unit which detects microparticles flowing through a flow path; an imaging device which images a droplet containing the microparticles which is discharged from an orifice provided on an edge portion of the flow path; a charge unit which applies a charge to the droplets; and a control unit which determines a delay time as from a time that the microparticles are detected by the detection unit to the time at which a number of bright spots in a standard region, which is set beforehand, of image information imaged by the imaging device reaches the maximum, making it possible for the charge unit to apply a charge to the microparticles once the delay time has lapsed after the microparticles are detected by the detection unit.

Abstract: A flow cytometer includes apparatus for evaluating a trajectory of an ejected stream that carries micro-particles. The stream may be ejected from a micro-orifice of a micro-fluidic chip. The apparatus includes an imaging device and at least one processor configured to evaluate a trajectory of the ejected stream in at least two directions, e.g., a focusing direction and a direction transverse to the focusing direction. Based upon a detected trajectory, the system may execute an alarm function if the trajectory indicates an abnormal condition, or may move sample collection containers to accommodate for measured deviations in the trajectory of the ejected stream.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing a display device is provided. The method includes forming a circuit part; forming a planarization insulating layer on the circuit part; forming a separator in an area outside a display area in which a plurality of light emitting elements are formed by removing the planarization insulating layer at a position surrounding the display area; forming an electrically-conductive layer including a plurality of first electrodes and an auxiliary interconnect on the planarization insulating layer; forming an aperture-defining insulating layer that insulates the first electrodes from each other and has an aperture through which part of the first electrode is exposed; and forming a plurality of light emitting elements by stacking the first electrode, an organic layer, and a second electrode common to the plurality of light emitting elements.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing a display device is provided. The method includes forming a circuit part; forming a planarization insulating layer on the circuit part; forming a separator in an area outside a display area in which a plurality of light emitting elements are formed by removing the planarization insulating layer at a position surrounding the display area; forming an electrically-conductive layer including a plurality of first electrodes and an auxiliary interconnect on the planarization insulating layer; forming an aperture-defining insulating layer that insulates the first electrodes from each other and has an aperture through which part of the first electrode is exposed; and forming a plurality of light emitting elements by stacking the first electrode, an organic layer, and a second electrode common to the plurality of light emitting elements.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a display device, including: a substrate; a circuit part configured to include a drive element formed over the substrate; a planarization insulating layer configured to be formed on the circuit part; an electrically-conductive layer configured to be formed on the planarization insulating layer and include a plurality of first electrodes and an auxiliary interconnect; an aperture-defining insulating layer configured to insulate the plurality of first electrodes from each other and have an aperture through which part of the first electrode is exposed; a plurality of light emitting elements configured to be formed by stacking the first electrode, an organic layer including a light emitting layer, and a second electrode in that order; and a separator configured to be formed by removing the planarization insulating layer at a position surrounding a display area in which the plurality of light emitting elements connected to the drive element are disposed.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a microchip including a substrate and a sample flow path within the substrate. The sample flow path includes a changing flow path and a microtube connected to the changing flow path. The changing flow path is configured to change a cross sectional shape of the sample flow path from a quadrangular shape at a first end to a circular shape at a second end. The microtube is connected to the second end of the changing flow path and is disposed within the substrate.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a display device, including: a substrate; a circuit part configured to include a drive element formed over the substrate; a planarization insulating layer configured to be formed on the circuit part; an electrically-conductive layer configured to be formed on the planarization insulating layer and include a plurality of first electrodes and an auxiliary interconnect; an aperture-defining insulating layer configured to insulate the plurality of first electrodes from each other and have an aperture through which part of the first electrode is exposed; a plurality of light emitting elements configured to be formed by stacking the first electrode, an organic layer including a light emitting layer, and a second electrode in that order; and a separator configured to be formed by removing the planarization insulating layer at a position surrounding a display area in which the plurality of light emitting elements connected to the drive element are disposed.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus including: an image forming section for forming an image, the image forming section including a photoconductor, a charging unit, a developing unit, a toner supply unit which supplies a toner to said developing unit, and a developing bias power supply section which supplies a developing bias voltage to said developing unit; and a controller that activates said image forming section, determines a target value of a charging potential of said photoconductor and/or a developing bias voltage, for forming the image, and controls the charging unit and/or the developing bias power supply section in accordance with a determined result, wherein when an absolute value of the determined target value of the charging potential or an absolute value of the determined developing bias voltage is larger than a prescribed value, said controller controls replacement of a prescribed amount of a toner in the developing unit.

Abstract: A toner container of the present invention includes a cylindrical portion containing toner used in an electrophotographic type complex machine. When the cylindrical portion is driven to rotate, the toner gets out via an outlet thereof. The cylindrical portion of the toner container has an inner wall provided with a coat layer containing fluorine-containing silica fine particles, which are obtained by modifying a property of the surfaces of silica fine particles by using a fluorine-based silane coupling agent. This coat layer effectively prevents the toner from being adhered to the inner wall of the toner container.

Abstract: A support element for supporting a coil spring that rotates to transport toner, and transmitting a rotational force of driving means to the coil spring. The support element includes: an end inserting member with a recess in which an end portion of the coil spring is inserted; a first support member, a second support member with a projection, a third support member, and a fourth support member, which support non-end portions of a first coil spring; and joint members for joining the end inserting member and the support members. This realizes a coil spring support element with which the flow rate of toner from a toner bottle can be increased, and the rotational force of driving means such as a motor can be efficiently transmitted to the coil spring.

Abstract: A toner supplying device includes: a toner density sensor for detecting a density of toner contained in a developer tank; a toner hopper for supplying toner to the developer tank; a toner cartridge for supplying toner to the toner hopper; and a control section, when a request to supply toner to the developer tank is made in accordance with a signal detected by the toner density sensor, for controlling a hopper driving motor and a cartridge driving motor so that (i) the toner hopper supplies toner to the developer tank and (ii) the toner cartridge supplies toner to the toner hopper. Thus, in a structure having first and second toner supplying sections disposed on top of each other, toner can be stably supplied to a developer tank.

Abstract: To provide a toner and an image forming apparatus using the toner, the toner contains an external additive that can suppress adherence of impurities to a discharge electrode of a corona discharger and prevent occurrence of charging unevenness. The external toner additive is comprised of a particulate metal oxide with trimethylsilyl groups introduced on the surface thereof, the volatile amount of trimethylsilanol being specified to be 0.25 ?g or below based on a method for quantitative analysis of trimethylsilanol in the external additive. The toner of the present invention is specified such that the volatile amount of trimethylsilanol is specified to be 0.02 ?g or below based on a method for quantitative analysis of trimethylsilanol in the toner.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus including: an image forming section for forming an image, the image forming section including a photoconductor, a charging unit, a developing unit, a toner supply unit which supplies a toner to said developing unit, and a developing bias power supply section which supplies a developing bias voltage to said developing unit; and a controller that activates said image forming section, determines a target value of a charging potential of said photoconductor and/or a developing bias voltage, for forming the image, and controls the charging unit and/or the developing bias power supply section in accordance with a determined result, wherein when an absolute value of the determined target value of the charging potential or an absolute value of the determined developing bias voltage is larger than a prescribed value, said controller controls replacement of a prescribed amount of a toner in the developing unit.

Abstract: A toner container of the present invention includes a cylindrical portion containing toner used in an electrophotographic type complex machine. When the cylindrical portion is driven to rotate, the toner gets out via an outlet thereof. The cylindrical portion of the toner container has an inner wall provided with a coat layer containing fluorine-containing silica fine particles, which are obtained by modifying a property of the surfaces of silica fine particles by using a fluorine-based silane coupling agent. This coat layer effectively prevents the toner from being adhered to the inner wall of the toner container.

Abstract: A support element for supporting a coil spring that rotates to transport toner, and transmitting a rotational force of driving means to the coil spring. The support element includes: an end inserting member with a recess in which an end portion of the coil spring is inserted; a first support member, a second support member with a projection, a third support member, and a fourth support member, which support non-end portions of a first coil spring; and joint members for joining the end inserting member and the support members. This realizes a coil spring support element with which the flow rate of toner from a toner bottle can be increased, and the rotational force of driving means such as a motor can be efficiently transmitted to the coil spring.

Abstract: A toner supplying device includes: a toner density sensor for detecting a density of toner contained in a developer tank; a toner hopper for supplying toner to the developer tank; a toner cartridge for supplying toner to the toner hopper; and a control section, when a request to supply toner to the developer tank is made in accordance with a signal detected by the toner density sensor, for controlling a hopper driving motor and a cartridge driving motor so that (i) the toner hopper supplies toner to the developer tank and (ii) the toner cartridge supplies toner to the toner hopper. Thus, in a structure having first and second toner supplying sections disposed on top of each other, toner can be stably supplied to a developer tank.