Abstract: A cutting tool according to this invention includes a cutting edge configured to cut a workpiece; a rake surface configured to come in contact with a chip, which appears when the workpiece is cut by the cutting edge; and a relieved surface configured to come in contact with a to-be-cut surface of the workpiece. A plurality of first grooves are formed on a cutting edge side of the rake surface. The plurality of first grooves includes a plurality of aligned grooves arranged adjacent to each other, and a connection groove connecting at least two of the plurality of aligned grooves to each other.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a modeled body includes: modeling including applying a modeling solution to each layer of powder laid in a layer, to solidify the powder to model a solidified object; sintering the solidified object to obtain a sintered body of the solidified object; and removing a sacrificial body from the sintered body, to obtain a modeled body. At the modeling, the modeling solution is applied to a modeled body area in the solidified object and a border area in the solidified object such that, after the modeling solution is applied, a density of the powder at the border area is smaller than a density of the powder in the modeled body area. The modeled body area corresponds to the modeled body. The border area corresponds to a border between the modeled body and the sacrificial body.

Abstract: A fabricated object manufactured from powder contained in a container of a fabrication apparatus is provided. The fabricated object satisfies the following relationship d>d?, where d (?m) denotes a number average diameter of the powder contained in the container and d? (?m) denotes a number average diameter of the powder included in the fabricated object.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a modeled body includes: modeling including applying a modeling solution to each layer of powder laid in a layer, to solidify the powder to model a solidified object; sintering the solidified object to obtain a sintered body of the solidified object; and removing a sacrificial body from the sintered body, to obtain a modeled body. At the modeling, the modeling solution is applied to a modeled body area in the solidified object and a border area in the solidified object such that, after the modeling solution is applied, a density of the powder at the border area is smaller than a density of the powder in the modeled body area. The modeled body area corresponds to the modeled body. The border area corresponds to a border between the modeled body and the sacrificial body.

Abstract: Provided is a three-dimensional object producing apparatus including: a layer forming unit configured to form a particle layer containing resin particles; a first discharging unit configured to discharge a model material capable of absorbing energy to the particle layer to form a model region; a second discharging unit configured to discharge a support material to the particle layer to form a support region; and an energy applying unit configured to apply the energy to the model region, wherein through application of the energy to the model region, the resin particles in the model region are fused with each other and the resin particles in the model region are fused with the resin particles in the support region contacting the model region.

Abstract: An apparatus for fabricating a three-dimensional object includes a flattening unit, a fabrication liquid discharger, and circuitry. The flattening unit transfers and flattens powder deposited on the stage. The fabrication liquid discharger discharges droplets of fabrication liquid on a surface of the powder on the stage to bind the powder together to fabricate a layered fabrication object. The circuitry repeats an operation of transferring and flattening the powder by the flattening unit and an operation of discharging droplets of the fabrication liquid on the surface of the powder on the stage by the fabrication liquid discharger to fabricate the three-dimensional object by a process of lamination. The circuitry discharges a plurality of first droplets of the fabrication liquid on the surface of the powder on the stage such that at least two adjacent first droplets partially overlap.

Abstract: A minute object characteristics measuring apparatus is provided. The minute object characteristics measuring apparatus includes a holder, a cantilever, a measuring device, and a driver. The holder holds a minute object. The cantilever faces the minute object held by the holder. The measuring device measures a displacement of the cantilever. The driver drives one of the holder holding the minute object and the cantilever in a direction that the minute object held by the holder and the cantilever are brought close to or drawn away from each other.

Abstract: An apparatus for fabricating a three-dimensional object includes a flattening unit, a fabrication liquid discharger, and circuitry. The flattening unit transfers and flattens powder deposited on the stage. The fabrication liquid discharger discharges droplets of fabrication liquid on a surface of the powder on the stage to bind the powder together to fabricate a layered fabrication object. The circuitry repeats an operation of transferring and flattening the powder by the flattening unit and an operation of discharging droplets of the fabrication liquid on the surface of the powder on the stage by the fabrication liquid discharger to fabricate the three-dimensional object by a process of lamination. The circuitry discharges a plurality of first droplets of the fabrication liquid on the surface of the powder on the stage such that at least two adjacent first droplets partially overlap.

Abstract: A minute object characteristics measuring apparatus is provided. The minute object characteristics measuring apparatus includes a holder, a cantilever, a measuring device, and a driver. The holder holds a minute object. The cantilever faces the minute object held by the holder. The measuring device measures a displacement of the cantilever. The driver drives one of the holder holding the minute object and the cantilever in a direction that the minute object held by the holder and the cantilever are brought close to or drawn away from each other.

Abstract: A cap is configured to be attached to a developer container that discharges developer contained in the container body out of the container body through a discharge port defined in a portion of the container body. The cap includes a first attaching member and a second attaching member that are detachably assembled into one piece. When the first attaching member or the second attaching member receives a rotary force, the first attaching member and the second attaching member are separated from each other, and only the first attaching member is released from the container body.

Abstract: A cap is configured to be attached to a developer container that discharges developer contained in the container body out of the container body through a discharge port defined in a portion of the container body. The cap includes a first attaching member and a second attaching member that are detachably assembled into one piece. When the first attaching member or the second attaching member receives a rotary force, the first attaching member and the second attaching member are separated from each other, and only the first attaching member is released from the container body.

Abstract: A cap is configured to be attached to a developer container that discharges developer contained in the container body out of the container body through a discharge port defined in a portion of the container body. The cap includes a first attaching member and a second attaching member that are detachably assembled into one piece. When the first attaching member or the second attaching member receives a rotary force, the first attaching member and the second attaching member are separated from each other, and only the first attaching member is released from the container body.

Abstract: A developing device includes: a first developer carrier that is moved in a same direction as a moving direction of a latent image carrier at a faster linear speed than the latent image carrier; a second developer carrier that further develops the obtained toner image and that is moved in a same direction at a faster linear speed than the latent image carrier; and a bias output unit that outputs a developing bias to be applied to the second developer carrier. The developing bias includes a direct-current component and a non-rectangular alternating-current component whose waveform has a gentle edge at which a direction of an electric field between the second developer carrier and a background portion of the latent image carrier is changed to a direction in which the toner is moved from the background portion toward the second developer carrier.

Abstract: A powder container that includes a container body, a drive transmitting unit which engages with an image forming apparatus, and an opening at an end of the container body. There is a conveying unit that conveys powder in the container body to the opening, and an information storage unit on the outer peripheral surface of the container body. The outer peripheral surface of the container body near the opening on which the information storage unit is to be mounted includes resin and is formed by injection molding.

Abstract: A developing device includes a non-magnetic rotatable sleeve of a developer bearer to bear developer and a development electric field generator to generate a development electric field between the image bearer and the developer bearer by applying a development bias to the developer bearer. The developing bias is an AC bias generating an AC electric field therebetween. The magnetic carrier includes a plurality of fine particles each covered by a covering layer made of prescribed material having a volume resistivity equal to or more than 1012 [?·cm] having a prescribed particle diameter equal to or less than 100 [nm]. Each of the a plurality of fine particles has a total volume resistivity equal to or less than 105 [?·cm]. The magnetic carrier has a total volume resistivity equal to or more than 1012 [?·cm].

Abstract: An image forming apparatus in which a medium container is installed includes a main body, an image forming unit, a medium container a container body at least partially formed of a deformable material, a drawer to hold the medium container thereon and movable between a first position and a second position, a medium transport unit including a medium outlet port provided on a distal end of the medium container, and a medium receiving unit disposed at the second position of the drawer and connected to the medium transport unit provided on the medium container, and a medium transport facilitator mounted on the drawer to contact the medium container set in the drawer from below to move the medium contained in the medium container toward the medium transport unit at the second position.

Abstract: A powder container that has a hollow interior for containing powder includes a tubular member that is equipped with an information storage unit that stores therein at least information related to a container body, and attached to the container body such that the container body is located within an inner hole of the tubular member. The powder container also includes a movement restricting unit that restricts movement of the tubular member in an axial direction of the tubular member.

Abstract: A powder container that has a hollow interior for containing powder includes a tubular member that is equipped with an information storage unit that stores therein at least information related to a container body, and attached to the container body such that the container body is located within an inner hole of the tubular member. The powder container also includes a movement restricting unit that restricts movement of the tubular member in an axial direction of the tubular member.

Abstract: A developing device includes: a first developer carrier that is moved in a same direction as a moving direction of a latent image carrier at a faster linear speed than the latent image carrier; a second developer carrier that further develops the obtained toner image and that is moved in a same direction at a faster linear speed than the latent image carrier; and a bias output unit that outputs a developing bias to be applied to the second developer carrier. The developing bias includes a direct-current component and a non-rectangular alternating-current component whose waveform has a gentle edge at which a direction of an electric field between the second developer carrier and a background portion of the latent image carrier is changed to a direction in which the toner is moved from the background portion toward the second developer carrier.

Abstract: An image processing member that is included in an image forming apparatus employing method of evaluating and determining adhesion forces thereof, includes an optical writing unit configured to optically write an image, and an image processing member configured to process the image formed by the optical writing unit. The image processing member has good cleaning performance, which is determined by a method of determining a distribution of adhesion forces generated between a surface of the image processing member and a particle of a powder used to reproduce the image in the image forming apparatus in which the adhesion forces are measured at multiple points on the surface of the image processing member.