Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image forming portion, a fixing portion, a reversing portion, a re-feeding path, a detecting portion, a first feeding path, a second feeding path, an air flow generating portion, and a flow path forming portion. The flow path forming portion forms a flow path along which air flow is passed through between a recording material passing through the second feeding path and a constituent portion constituting the second feeding path on a side toward the detecting portion and guides the recording material passing through the second feeding path, when the recording material passes through the second feeding path.

Abstract: A sheet conveying apparatus includes a first rotating member, a second rotating member to convey a sheet in a first direction upon the first rotating member rotating, a third rotating member to convey the sheet in a second direction upon the first rotating member rotating, and a switching unit. The switching unit switches a position of the first rotating member between a first position at which the first and second or first and third rotating members convey the sheet, and a second position at which the first rotating member is retracted. Before a rear end of the sheet has been conveyed by the first rotating member and the second rotating member, the switching unit moves the first rotating member from the first position towards the second position. The switching unit stops a movement of the first rotating member at a position between the first position and the second position.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image forming portion, a fixing portion, a reversing portion, a re-feeding path, a detecting portion, a first feeding path, a second feeding path, an air flow generating portion, and a flow path forming portion. The flow path forming portion forms a flow path along which air flow is passed through between a recording material passing through the second feeding path and a constituent portion constituting the second feeding path on a side toward the detecting portion and guides the recording material passing through the second feeding path, when the recording material passes through the second feeding path.

Abstract: An object of the invention is to provide a nonaqueous electrolyte secondary battery having good cycle characteristics. The nonaqueous electrolyte secondary battery of the present invention includes a positive electrode containing a positive electrode active material, a negative electrode containing a negative electrode active material, a separator interposed between the positive electrode and the negative electrode, and a nonaqueous electrolyte. The positive electrode active material is a layered lithium transition metal oxide, and the positive electrode active material has a crystallite size of 140 nm or less. The negative electrode active material contains at least carbon, and the nonaqueous electrolyte contains 2 to 30% by volume of fluoroethylene carbonate.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a discharging portion to discharge a sheet on which the image has been formed, an image reading portion to read the image formed on the sheet, and a switching portion to switch between a first position where the discharged sheet is conveyed to a supporting portion and a second position where the discharged sheet is conveyed toward the image reading portion. The sheet conveyed toward the image reading portion is conveyed to a reading position after conveyance of the sheet by the discharging portion is finished, and the control portion conveys the sheet at a first conveyance speed in a period before a trailing end of the sheet is released from the discharging portion and conveys the sheet at a second conveyance speed different from the first conveyance speed in a period after the trailing end of the sheet is released from the discharging portion.

Abstract: A sheet conveyance apparatus is configured to interlock a first transmission mechanism and a second transmission mechanism such that the second transmission mechanism switches a rotational driving direction of a reverse rotary member between a normal rotation direction and a reverse rotation direction with a delay with respect to the first transmission mechanism starting transmission of a rotational driving force such that a guide member pivots between a first pivot position and a second pivot position.

Abstract: A sheet conveying apparatus includes first, second, and third rotating members, a switching unit, and a regulating member. The first rotating member rotates in one direction to convey, with the second rotating member, a sheet in a first direction and convey, with the third rotating member, the sheet in a second direction different from the first direction. The switching unit switches the first rotating member between first and second positions. The first position is a position in which the first rotating member coveys a sheet with the second or third rotating member. The second position is a position to which the first rotating member is retracted from the first position. Where the first rotating member moves from the first position, the regulating member regulates the sheet position so that a sheet rear end held by the second and third rotating members is positioned above a first rotating member moving trajectory.

Abstract: A sheet-conveying device includes first, second, and third rotary members, and a switching unit. The first rotary member rotates in one direction to convey, with the second rotary member, a sheet in a first direction and to convey, with the third rotary member, the sheet in a second direction. The switching unit switch from a first to a second state by moving the first rotary member before a trailing end of the first direction conveyed sheet passes through the first and second rotary members. The first state is a state where the second rotary member contacts a first surface of the sheet and the first rotary member contacts a second surface of the sheet. The second state is a state where the first rotary member contacts with the first surface of the sheet and the third rotary member contacts the second surface of the sheet.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus including an image forming unit, first and second discharging portions, first and second supporting portions, an image reading portion, and first and second switching portions is provided. The first switching portion switches between causing a sheet bearing an image formed by the image forming unit to be discharged to the first supporting portion by the first discharging portion and causing the sheet to be conveyed toward the image reading portion that reads the image. The second switching portion switches between causing the sheet whose image has been read to be conveyed toward the second discharging portion that discharges the sheet whose image has been read to the second supporting portion and causing the sheet to be conveyed toward the image forming unit. The image reading portion is disposed above the first discharging portion and further on the inside of the apparatus than the second switching portion.

Abstract: A sheet conveying apparatus includes a first rotating member, a second rotating member to convey a sheet in a first direction upon the first rotating member rotating, a third rotating member to convey the sheet in a second direction upon the first rotating member rotating, and a switching unit. The switching unit switches a position of the first rotating member between a first position at which the first and second or first and third rotating members convey the sheet, and a second position at which the first rotating member is retracted. Before a rear end of the sheet has been conveyed by the first rotating member and the second rotating member, the switching unit moves the first rotating member from the first position towards the second position. The switching unit stops a movement of the first rotating member at a position between the first position and the second position.

Abstract: A reversing unit has a drive roller, a discharge roller for forming a first nip portion N1 together with the drive roller, and a conveyance roller for forming a second nip portion together with the drive roller. The reversing unit moves any one of the rollers and nips a sheet at a plurality of nip portions when moving the roller to switch the nip portion for nipping a sheet from a first nip portion to a second nip portion and change the sheet conveyance direction from a first direction to a second direction.

Abstract: A sheet conveyance device includes first, second, and third rotating members and a switching unit. The first rotating member rotates in one direction. The second rotating member conveys a sheet in a first direction with the first rotating member rotating. The third rotating member conveys the sheet in a second direction, different from the first direction, in conjunction with the first rotating member rotating. The switching unit switches from a first state where the second rotating member contacts a sheet first surface and the first rotating member contacts a sheet second surface to a second state in which the first rotating member contacts the first surface of the sheet and the third rotating member contacts the sheet second surface by moving the second rotating member before a trailing edge of the sheet conveyed in the first direction is conveyed by the first rotating member and the second rotating member.

Abstract: A positive electrode active material for a secondary battery contains second particles which are produced by aggregation of primary particles of a lithium transition metal oxide containing Ni and W, and a boron compound present inside and on the surfaces of the secondary particles.

Abstract: An image forming system includes an image forming apparatus, an image reading apparatus, and a connecting conveyance path that branches from a second main conveyance path of the image reading apparatus and joins a first sub conveyance path of the image forming apparatus, and is configured to convey an original from the image reading apparatus to the image forming apparatus. The system controls conveyance of the original so that a first side becomes a side that faces an image forming unit if the first side of the original is designated as the image formation side or so that a second side becomes the side that faces the image forming unit if the second side of the original is designated as the image formation side.

Abstract: To provide an apparatus and method for manufacturing a metal nanoparticle dispersion with which a metal nanoparticle dispersion can be manufactured without using expensive reagents or equipment, and to provide a method for manufacturing a metal nanoparticle support, metal nanoparticles, a metal nanoparticle dispersion, and a metal nanoparticle support.

Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to a positive electrode active material for non-aqueous electrolyte secondary batteries that is capable of suppressing an increase in battery direct current resistance due to high-temperature storage (e.g., storage at 60° C. or higher). Positive electrode active material particles in one aspect of the present disclosure include secondary particles formed by aggregation of primary particles of a lithium transition metal oxide containing Ni and Mn and include a boron compound present in the inner part and surface of the secondary particles. The difference in composition ratio between Ni and Mn in the lithium transition metal oxide is more than 0.2. The proportion of the boron element content in the inner part of the secondary particles to the total boron element content in the inner part and surface of the secondary particles is in the range from 5% by mass to 60% by mass.

Abstract: A positive electrode active material according to an aspect of the present invention for nonaqueous electrolyte secondary batteries contains a lithium transition metal composite oxide that has a compound in contact with its surface, the compound containing a rare earth metal and silicic acid and/or boric acid. A positive electrode according to an aspect of the present invention has a positive electrode collector and a positive electrode mixture layer formed on at least one surface of the positive electrode collector. The positive electrode mixture layer contains a positive electrode active material, a binder, and a conductive agent. The positive electrode active material contains a lithium transition metal composite oxide that has a compound in contact with its surface, the compound containing a rare earth metal and silicic acid and/or boric acid.

Abstract: A sheet conveyance device includes first, second, and third rotating members and a switching unit. The first rotating member rotates in one direction. The second rotating member conveys a sheet in a first direction with the first rotating member rotating. The third rotating member conveys the sheet in a second direction, different from the first direction, in conjunction with the first rotating member rotating. The switching unit switches from a first state where the second rotating member contacts a sheet first surface and the first rotating member contacts a sheet second surface to a second state in which the first rotating member contacts the first surface of the sheet and the third rotating member contacts the sheet second surface by moving the second rotating member before a trailing edge of the sheet conveyed in the first direction is conveyed by the first rotating member and the second rotating member.

Abstract: A reversing unit has a drive roller, a discharge roller for forming a first nip portion N1 together with the drive roller, and a conveyance roller for forming a second nip portion together with the drive roller. The reversing unit moves any one of the rollers and nips a sheet at a plurality of nip portions when moving the roller to switch the nip portion for nipping a sheet from a first nip portion to a second nip portion and change the sheet conveyance direction from a first direction to a second direction.

Abstract: Nonaqueous electrolyte secondary batteries are provided which are resistant to a decrease in capacity associated with charge and discharge cycles and have excellent discharge rate characteristics. A nonaqueous electrolyte secondary battery according to an example embodiment includes a positive electrode including a lithium transition metal oxide, a negative electrode and a nonaqueous electrolyte. The lithium transition metal oxide has a content of voids within particles of 0.2 to 30% before first charging. The nonaqueous electrolyte includes a fluorinated cyclic carbonate and a fluorinated chain carboxylate ester.