Abstract: A fixing unit or device that can be used in an image forming apparatus includes a first heater element that is formed of a material that increases in electrical resistance with increases in temperature. A controller of the fixing unit is configured to vary a duty ratio of electric power applied to the first heater element during a start-up operation in which the temperature of the first heater element is raised to a target operating temperature. By varying the duty ratio during the start-up operation, changes in the resistance of the first heater element with the heating can be compensated. For example, the duty ratio can be increased during the course of the start-up to achieve the target operating temperature faster.

Abstract: A pressure sensor has a stem in which a pressure introduction hole into which a pressure medium is introduced and a diaphragm deformable according to the pressure of the pressure medium are formed, and a strain detecting element which is arranged on the diaphragm via an insulating film and being configured to output a detection signal according to the deformation of the diaphragm. The strain detecting element is configured to have a portion made of polysilicon. A low doping layer having a higher electrical resistivity than polysilicon and a higher crystallinity than the insulating film is arranged between the insulating film and the strain detecting element.

Abstract: A wiping module includes a wiping portion and a cleaning portion. The wiping portion includes a wiping member wiping a liquid discharge head that discharges a liquid from a nozzle provided on a nozzle surface, a storage support portion supporting the wiping member and configured to store the liquid by the wiping, and a movement support portion mounting the storage support portion and configured to reciprocate along a wiping direction, which is a direction in which the wiping is performed. The cleaning portion cleans the wiping member. The cleaning portion includes a cleaning member and a guide portion guiding the cleaning member. The cleaning member is configured to follow a movement of the wiping portion in the wiping direction and to scrape off the liquid adhering to the wiping member while being guided by the guide portion.

Abstract: Provided is a method for efficiently producing products having good heat generation performance without reducing the production speed by delaying or preventing the start of heat generation of heat-generating compositions/heating elements during production or before sealing to an outer bag. Provided is a production method capable of avoiding unevenness of a heat-generating compositions in a bag/container or formation of a portion not filled with heat-generating compositions. A method for producing a heating element including a heat-generating composition that generates heat upon reaction with oxygen in air includes encapsulating a heat-generating composition precursor including a mixture containing a water-insoluble component of the heat-generating composition in an air-permeable bag/container formed of a water-permeable packaging material at least in part.

Abstract: A capping device includes a cap configured to form a closed space by contacting a liquid ejection head configured to eject liquid from a nozzle in a first direction having a horizontal direction component and a gravity direction component, the nozzle opening up into the closed space, and a cap moving section configured to move the cap in a second direction different from the first direction while holding the cap, wherein the second direction has a gravity direction component, the cap moving section has a guide section extending in the second direction, and the cap has a guided section guided by the guide section and is configured to be attachable to and detachable from the cap moving section from an upper end of the guide section.

Abstract: There is provided a liquid ejecting apparatus including: a head that ejects a liquid; a supply unit that supplies a liquid to the head; a maintenance unit for maintaining the head; a selector unit that selects a unit to be opened to an atmosphere from the supply unit and the maintenance unit; and a housing that accommodates the supply unit, the maintenance unit, and the selector unit, in which the housing has an opening surface to which an exposure opening is open and a cover that closes the exposure opening, the exposure opening exposes the supply unit, the maintenance unit, and the selector unit, and when the exposure opening is viewed from a position facing the opening surface, the supply unit, the maintenance unit, and the selector unit are positioned not to overlap each other.

Abstract: A wiping module includes a wiping portion and a cleaning portion. The wiping portion includes a wiping member wiping a liquid discharge head that discharges a liquid from a nozzle provided on a nozzle surface, a storage support portion supporting the wiping member and configured to store the liquid by the wiping, and a movement support portion mounting the storage support portion and configured to reciprocate along a wiping direction, which is a direction in which the wiping is performed. The cleaning portion cleans the wiping member. The cleaning portion includes a cleaning member and a guide portion guiding the cleaning member. The cleaning member is configured to follow a movement of the wiping portion in the wiping direction and to scrape off the liquid adhering to the wiping member while being guided by the guide portion.

Abstract: Provided is a heating body that enables high-speed production using a conventional rotary heat-sealing roll, has a wearing portion with sufficient strength to use by inserting a hand or the like, thereby being used safely and conveniently, and can be worn on the body or the like without being adhered thereto, and a method for producing the same.

Abstract: A means can be used instead of or with conventional temperature control to achieve warming device temperature control at a lower cost, prevent or reduce deterioration of a warming device over time, and lower generated heat temperature due to storage at high temperatures. The warming device can be used for the same. A higher level temperature control means can be used for warming devices for medical applications. An improved warming device can be used for medical applications with a high level of safety and efficacy. A temperature control agent controls a maximum temperature of a warming device with a heat generating composition that generates heat by reaction with oxygen. Said agent includes an aliphatic compound that has a particle form that will not pass through a standard sieve with a #60 mesh, a melting point of 35-65° C., and an aqueous solubility (g/100 mL) at 20° C. of ?5.

Abstract: A nozzle-clogging determining device is provided for detecting nozzle clogging without causing an increase in the cost. A nozzle-clogging determining device is configured to detect pass of droplets ejected from a plurality of nozzles of a head of an inkjet printer, and includes a droplet detector and a determination controller. The droplet detector includes a light emitter configured to emit detection light for detecting pass of droplets in a direction intersecting with a traveling direction of droplets, and a light receiver configured to receive the detection light. The determination controller consecutively ejects a plurality of droplets from each nozzle of the head at equal intervals, and has a threshold for performing determination on nozzle clogging on the basis of a light interception rate of the detection light which the light receiver receives when droplets are positioned inside a spot of the detection light which the light receiver receives.

Abstract: An inkjet printer includes an inkjet head configured to perform printing using ink along a main scanning direction onto a print medium by moving in the main scanning direction; a platen configured to support, from an opposite side of the inkjet head, a portion of the print medium being printed by the inkjet head by a printing portion supporting region extending in the main scanning direction; a print heater configured to heat the print medium via the printing portion supporting region; and a fan device extending in the main scanning direction, and configured to blow air out from a blower outlet for blowing the air toward a surface of the portion of the print medium supported by the printing portion supporting region.

Abstract: To achieve an improved accuracy in vertically positioning the whole surface of a table moved upward or downward in a printer equipped with the table on which a printed matter is placeable and a lifting mechanism for moving the table upward and downward. The printer has a table on which a printed matter is placeable, a table support that supports the table in a manner that the table is movable upward and downward, lifting mechanisms that move the table upward and downward relative to the table support, and guiding mechanisms that vertically guide the table. One of the lifting mechanisms and one of the guiding mechanisms are disposed at positions on a side of the table in X1 direction and are arranged in an aligned manner in Y direction. The other one of the lifting mechanisms and the other one of the guiding mechanisms are disposed at positions on a side of the table in X2 direction and are arranged in an aligned manner in Y direction.

Abstract: The three-dimensional object has a plurality of parts and a joining member that joins these parts. The joining member is independent from the parts. At the time of separating the parts from each other, the joining member is broken by pulling with a certain or greater strength one of the parts from the other in a direction in which one of the part is drawn apart from the other, or by rotating with a certain or greater strength one of the parts relative to the other about the part's center axis.

Abstract: A tension applying member of an inkjet printer can apply tension on a printing medium by pushing a portion of the printing medium that is not wound by a winding mechanism by its own weight in a rotating direction indicated with an arrow having an axis line as a center; a transport controller causes a motor to generate a power for winding the printing medium when a predetermined tension is no longer applied on the printing medium by the tension applying member; and the winding mechanism limits a torque with a torque limiter and applies a predetermined tension on the printing medium when the motor is caused to generate the power for winding the printing medium when the predetermined tension is no longer applied on the printing medium by the tension applying member.

Abstract: The print object holding tool has a holder that holds a print object at two opposing parts thereof, a horizontal axis rotary mechanism that rotates the print object held by the holder about an axis of rotation horizontally situated; and a vertical axis rotary mechanism that rotates the print object held by the holder about an axis of rotation vertically situated.

Abstract: A damper and an ink circulation method capable of suppressing deposition of color materials of ink are provided. A damper is a hydraulic head difference type damper for supplying ink supplied from an ink tank of an inkjet printer by a hydraulic head difference, into a head. The damper has a supply chamber for temporarily storing ink, an ink chamber connected to the supply chamber through a connection passage and configured to supply the ink into the head, and an on-off valve. The on-off valve opens the connection passage if the ink contained in the ink chamber decreases, and blocks the connection passage if the ink contained in the ink chamber increases. A guide port for guiding the ink contained in the ink chamber to a circulation tube for circulating the ink between the ink chamber and the ink tank is formed in the ink chamber.

Abstract: A printing apparatus is provided and includes cover members for covering at least a portion of a conveyance path for conveying a medium. The cover members are configured such that at least a portion of a part covering a conveyance path is able to expand and contract. Therefore, if necessary, it is possible to expand or contract the area of the cover members covering the conveyance path. On the occasion of setting the medium or when a jam has occurred, it is possible to contract the cover members in the conveyance direction of the medium. Also, even if the cover members move once from the state where they cover the conveyance path, it is possible to easily return the cover members to their original positions, and it is possible to easily return the cover members to the state where they cover a portion of the conveyance path.

Abstract: A means for controlling the temperature of a warming material includes an air-permeable film or the like. The warming material includes the temperature control means and a heating composition. The temperature control means for controlling the heating temperature of the warming material includes one or more aliphatic compounds that have a melting point of 35-65° C. and a solubility in water (g/100 mL) at 20° C. of 5 or less.

Abstract: A connection member is provided that can be fabricated at low cost and easily attached to a target component. The connection member is a member to be connected to and to communicate with a first component. The connection member is further connectable to another connection member to be connected to and to communicate with a second component. The connection member includes a communicating portion connectable to and communicatable with the first component, engaging portions engageable into the other connection member, and engaged portions into which the other connection member is engageable. These connection members are mutually connectable to communicate with each other.

Abstract: A damper and an ink circulation method capable of suppressing deposition of color materials of ink are provided. A damper is a hydraulic head difference type damper for supplying ink supplied from an ink tank of an inkjet printer by a hydraulic head difference, into a head. The damper has a supply chamber for temporarily storing ink, an ink chamber connected to the supply chamber through a connection passage and configured to supply the ink into the head, and an on-off valve. The on-off valve opens the connection passage if the ink contained in the ink chamber decreases, and blocks the connection passage if the ink contained in the ink chamber increases. A guide port for guiding the ink contained in the ink chamber to a circulation tube for circulating the ink between the ink chamber and the ink tank is formed in the ink chamber.