Abstract: A fixing device includes a fixing shaft part, a fixing belt, a pressure roller, an induction heating coil, a movement limiting member and a magnetic flux suppressing part. The induction heating coil faces to an outside part of the fixing belt provided outside the fixing shaft part, and is wired between one end and another end in an axial direction to heat the fixing belt. The movement limiting member is provided on the fixing shaft part at the outside from an end part of the fixing belt in the axial direction to limit axial movement of the fixing belt with respect to the fixing shaft part. The magnetic flux suppressing part extends inwardly from the movement limiting member in the axial direction, and interrupts between the induction heating coil and the end part to suppress magnetic fluxes generated by the induction heating coil from passing through the end part.

Abstract: The invention provides a method for producing methacrylyl-CoA that converts 3-hydroxyisobutyryl-CoA into methacrylyl-CoA using an enzyme having dehydratase activity as a method for producing methacrylyl-CoA using an enzyme catalyst. In this production method, conversion rate of 3-hydroxyisobutyryl-CoA into methacrylyl-CoA by the enzyme having dehydratase activity is 50% or higher. In this production method, furthermore, the enzyme having dehydratase activity derives from a microorganism belonging to the genus Pseudomonas or Rhodococcus.

Abstract: A fixing device (15) of the present invention includes a fixing roller (30) having a fixing belt (35) heated by a heat source (32) around an outer circumference of an elastic layer (34) provided around a core metal (33); and a pressuring roller (31) provided so as to pressure-contact with the fixing roller (30) and to form a fixing nip (N) passing a recording medium (P) having a toner image transferred through, wherein, in both end faces (S1) in an axial direction of the elastic layer (34), annular gaps (70) are recessed separate from the core metal (33) and fixing belt (35) along a circumference direction, bottom parts (71) of the annular gaps (70) are configured so as to be positioned inside both end faces (S3) in the axial direction of the pressuring roller (31).

Abstract: A fixing device (15) of the present invention includes a fixing roller (30) having a fixing belt (35) heated by a heat source (32) around an outer circumference of an elastic layer (34) provided around a core metal (33); and a pressuring roller (31) provided so as to pressure-contact with the fixing roller (30) and to form a fixing nip (N) passing a recording medium (P) having a toner image transferred through, wherein, in both end faces (S1) in an axial direction of the elastic layer (34), annular gaps (70) are recessed separate from the core metal (33) and fixing belt (35) along a circumference direction, bottom parts (71) of the annular gaps (70) are configured so as to be positioned inside both end faces (S3) in the axial direction of the pressuring roller (31).

Abstract: A fixing device includes a fixing member, a pressing member and a separating member. The fixing member is provided with a sheet passing region and a non-sheet passing region. The separating member has a separating plate and a restricting piece. The restricting piece is provided with a curving surface on a region including the contacting portion with the non-sheet passing region. The curving surface has a first curving area and a second curving area. The first curving area is provided on a downstream side from the contacting portion in a rotating direction of the fixing member. The second curving area is provided on an upstream side from the contacting portion in the rotating direction of the fixing member. The second curving area has a radius of curvature larger than that of the first curving area.

Abstract: To provide a method for directly and efficiently producing methacrylic acid in a single step from renewable raw materials and/or biomass arising from the utilization of the renewable raw materials. Further provided is a method for producing methacrylic acid using microbes having the ability to produce methacrylic acid, from renewable raw materials and/or biomass arising from the utilization of the renewable raw materials, as a carbon source and/or energy source. The method for producing methacrylic acid enables methacrylic acid to be safely and easily produced from biomass, without using petroleum-derived raw materials, by utilizing microbes having the ability to produce methacrylic acid.

Abstract: Provided is a method for producing a methacrylic acid ester using a biocatalyst, said method comprising a step for treating methacrylyl-CoA with an alcohol or phenol in the presence of an alcohol acyltransferase to synthesize the methacrylic acid ester. According to this production method, a methacrylic acid ester can be efficiently produced while largely reducing energy, resource and environmental load, compared with the conventional chemical production processes.

Abstract: A fixing device includes a first roller rotatable about a first axis of rotation, a second roller rotatable about a second axis of rotation, a fixing belt rotatably wound between the first roller and the second roller, and auxiliary rings. At least one of the rollers of the first roller and the second roller includes a rotation maintaining part configured to hold the fixing belt rotatably and a restricting flange protruding from an outer peripheral surface of each of opposite end parts in a direction of an axis of rotation of the rotation maintaining part. The auxiliary rings are located outside the opposite end parts in the direction of the axis of rotation of the rotation maintaining part, have an outer diameter larger than the restricting flange, and are rotatable independently of the restricting flange.

Abstract: A fixing device includes a fixing member, a pressing member and a separating member. The fixing member is provided with a sheet passing region and a non-sheet passing region. The separating member has a separating plate and a restricting piece. The restricting piece is provided with a curving surface on a region including the contacting portion with the non-sheet passing region. The curving surface has a first curving area and a second curving area. The first curving area is provided on a downstream side from the contacting portion in a rotating direction of the fixing member. The second curving area is provided on an upstream side from the contacting portion in the rotating direction of the fixing member. The second curving area has a radius of curvature larger than that of the first curving area.

Abstract: A system for managing hardware resources includes a computer system and a management server, wherein the computer system includes a static authentication key generation unit that generates authentication keys for the detected hardware resources, a dynamic authentication key generation unit that requests arrangements of a hardware resource and an activation key to the management server by transmitting a dynamic installation authentication key generated from a system authentication key, a first additional hardware resource authentication unit that judges whether or not a new hardware resource is unauthorized by comparing the authentication key with the activation key, and a second additional hardware resource authentication unit that judges whether or not the new hardware resource fit the computer system by comparing the dynamic installation authentication key with the activation key, and wherein the management server includes an activation key generation unit that transmits the activation key to the computer s

Abstract: A separation mechanism of a fixing device includes a first separation member arranged opposite the first region in a state apart from the first region by a first gap, a second separation member arranged opposite the second region in a state apart from the second region by a second gap and at a position different from that of the first separation member in a direction orthogonal to the convey direction of the paper, a first gap adjustment member capable of moving the first separation member relative to the first region of the fixing member to adjust the first gap, and a second gap adjustment member capable of moving the second separation member relative to the second region of the fixing member to adjust the second gap.

Abstract: A computer device that includes a plurality of processor boards each provided with a processor, a memory, and a chipset, includes a first processor board that makes data in a cache, which have become unfixed as a result of an uncorrectable failure, invalid when the uncorrectable failure occurs on the first processor board in operation, and switches from the first processor board to a second processor board for replacement, and the second processor board that re-executes an instruction that was being executed in the first processor board when the failure occurred.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus has an image forming station and a fixing unit. The fixing unit includes a coil for generating a magnetic field for induction heating the heating member. A first core made of a magnetic material is arranged fixedly around the coil. A second core made of a magnetic material is between the first core and the heating member in a generation direction of the magnetic field to form a magnetic path in cooperation with the first core and capable of changing a posture thereof. A shield made of a nonmagnetic metal is arranged along the outer surface of the second core to shield magnetism in the magnetic field and a magnetic shielding portion for changing the posture of the second core between a first posture where the shield shields the magnetism and a second posture where the shield does not shield the magnetism.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a fixing unit fixing a toner image onto a sheet. The fixing unit includes a heating member having a sheet conveyed region that is set in accordance with the size of the sheet. The fixing unit further includes a coil generating magnetic field, a fixed core forming a magnetic path, movable cores forming a magnetic path together with the fixed core and arranged along the sheet conveyed region, a shielding member arranged on at least one movable core and shielding magnetism, and a magnetism adjustment unit rotating at least one movable core to switch the position of the shielding member between a shielding position where the shielding member is positioned inside the sheet conveyed region to shield the magnetism and a retracted position where the shielding member is positioned outside the sheet conveyed region to permit pass of the magnetism.

Abstract: A separation mechanism of a fixing device includes a separation member extending in a direction orthogonal to the paper convey direction and arranged opposite the fixing member in a state apart from the fixing member by a predetermined gap, a support shaft member extending in a direction orthogonal to the paper convey direction and rotatably supporting the separation member, a first gap adjustment unit capable of rotating the separation member around the support shaft member to adjust the predetermined gap in the rotation direction, and a second gap adjustment unit capable of moving the separation member in a direction in which an imaginary surface from the support shaft member towards the fixing member extends, to adjust the predetermined gap in the surface direction.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image forming unit and a fixing unit. The fixing unit includes a heating member; a coil arranged along an outer surface of the heating member for generating a magnetic field for induction heating the heating member; a core arranged to face the heating member with the coil located therebetween in order to form a magnetic path around the coil and made of a magnetic material; a shielding member arranged near the magnetic path generated by the coil, including a closed frame portion and made of a nonmagnetic metal; and a magnetic shielding portion for displacing the shielding member between a retracted position for permitting a magnetic flux to pass along a frame surface virtually formed inside the closed frame portion and a shielding position for shielding magnetism by the penetration of a magnetic flux inside the frame surface.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: an image former for performing an image formation by transferring a toner image onto a sheet; a fixing unit for performing a fixing operation with respect to the sheet having the transferred toner image by heating; a discharge tray for successively stacking the sheet to be discharged after the fixing operation; and a curl correcting mechanism for correcting a curl of the sheet to be discharged onto the discharge tray after the fixing operation.

Abstract: A fixing unit (14) of an image forming apparatus (1) includes a heating member (48) having a first area where a sheet does not come into contact with the heating member (48) and a second area where the sheet comes into contact with the heating member (48). The fixing unit (14) further includes a coil (52) forming a magnetic field, cores (54,56) forming a magnetic path near the coil (52), a nonmagnetic magnetism adjusting member (90) arranged on the magnetic path and having a closed frame, and a switcher (58,60) capable of switching the magnetism adjusting member (90) between a first state where the magnetism adjusting member (90) generates an induction current resulting from the magnetic field to shield the magnetism in the first area, and a second state where the magnetism adjusting member (90) generates no induction current and the magnetism is not shielded in the first area.

Abstract: A separation mechanism of a fixing device includes a separation member extending in a direction orthogonal to the paper convey direction and arranged opposite the fixing member in a state apart from the fixing member by a predetermined gap, a support shaft member extending in a direction orthogonal to the paper convey direction and rotatably supporting the separation member, a first gap adjustment unit capable of rotating the separation member around the support shaft member to adjust the predetermined gap in the rotation direction, and a second gap adjustment unit capable of moving the separation member in a direction in which an imaginary surface from the support shaft member towards the fixing member extends, to adjust the predetermined gap in the surface direction.

Abstract: A separation mechanism of a fixing device includes a first separation member arranged opposite the first region in a state apart from the first region by a first gap, a second separation member arranged opposite the second region in a state apart from the second region by a second gap and at a position different from that of the first separation member in a direction orthogonal to the convey direction of the paper, a first gap adjustment member capable of moving the first separation member relative to the first region of the fixing member to adjust the first gap, and a second gap adjustment member capable of moving the second separation member relative to the second region of the fixing member to adjust the second gap.