Abstract: A piston is configured by a piston body and a support such that the piston is divided, along a direction of axis line, into the piston body, which is formed integrally with a valve element, and the support, which is provided separately from the valve element. A piston ring, which slides along a body, is held between the piston body and the support. The piston body is constantly in contact with one side face of the piston ring, and the support is constantly in contact with the other side face of the piston ring.

Abstract: A piston is configured by a piston body and a support such that the piston is divided, along a direction of axis line, into the piston body, which is formed integrally with a valve element, and the support, which is provided separately from the valve element. A piston ring, which slides along a body, is held between the piston body and the support. The piston body is constantly in contact with one side face of the piston ring, and the support is constantly in contact with the other side face of the piston ring.

Abstract: A heater control device includes a temperature detector that detects a temperature of a heated object heated by a heater; an alternating-current power supply for applying an alternating current voltage to the heater; a turn-on ratio decision unit that determines a turn-on ratio of the heater based on the temperature and a target temperature; a turn-on pattern decision unit that determines a partial turn-on pattern, as the turn-on pattern of the heater, which is a pattern of a turn-on ratio higher than the determined turn-on ratio in terms of a control-period, and to which a partial turn-on instead of a full turn-on is allocated on a half-wavelength basis of the alternating current voltage within the control period based on the turn-on ratio of the heater; and a turn-on controller that controls turn-on of the heater based on the determined turn-on pattern.

Abstract: A heater controller performs on/off control of a plurality of heaters and includes a storage unit that stores therein a plurality of pattern sets. Each of the pattern sets includes a plurality of heater-on/off patterns for respectively controlling the heaters. The heater controller calculates a reference value representing an average of values of electric power supplied to the heater controller over a predetermined period of time; calculates, for each of the pattern sets, an output power value to be supplied to the heaters when the heaters are turned-on according to the heater-on/off patterns included in the pattern set; calculates, for each of the pattern sets, a difference between the reference value and the output power value; selects, from the pattern sets, one pattern set having a smallest difference; and performs on/off control of the heaters according to the heater-on/off patterns included in the pattern set thus selected.

Abstract: A display control unit performs a control of displaying first image information on a display unit. An electric-power supply unit converts thermal energy generated from a body temperature of a user into electric power upon the user contacting the electric-power supply unit, and supplies the electric power to the display control unit. A determination unit determines whether the user is in contact with the electric-power supply unit. When it is determined that the user is not in contact with the electric-power supply unit, the display control unit performs a control of rewriting the first image information displayed on the display unit with second image information.

Abstract: In an image forming apparatus, a monitoring unit monitors whether a returning factor required to switch an operational state of the apparatus from a power-saving mode to an operating mode is generated, an antenna unit receives external electrical wave, a power generation unit generates electricity from the received electrical wave and supplies the electricity to the monitoring unit, and a controlling unit switches the operational state of the apparatus from the power-saving mode to the operating mode when the monitoring unit detects generation of a returning factor.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a halogen heater in a fixing unit; an AC source applying an alternating voltage to the halogen heater; a half-wave control unit that performs the heater half-wave control to control the halogen heater on the half-wavelength basis, according to a heater-on/off pattern set for each control cycle having a predetermined length; a heater-off-time measuring unit that measures heater-off period of time; a phase-control-execution determining unit that determines, based on the measured heater-off period of time, whether the heater phase control is to be performed on the alternating voltage, the phase control being performed by shifting phase of the alternating voltage; and a phase control unit that performs, when the phase control is determined to be performed, the phase control only for a period of time depending on the measured heater-off period of time after switch-on of the heater and before execution of the half-wave control.

Abstract: A thermoelectric conversion element converts thermal energy of a user into electric power. A holding unit holds the electric power converted by the thermoelectric conversion element, and outputs the electric power. A switching unit switches between a first mode in which electric power is supplied to all units of an image forming apparatus and a second mode in which electric power is supplied to a part of units of the image forming apparatus. When the image forming apparatus is in the second mode, the switching unit switches from the second mode to the first mode upon receiving the electric power output from the holding unit.

Abstract: In an image forming apparatus, an energy converting unit receives light from an optical source and converts the light into electric power, and an electrical storage unit stores therein the electric power. The energy converting unit is arranged in such a manner that a relative position of the energy converting unit to the optical source is always constant when a reading unit is reading an image.

Abstract: A power supply device accumulates charges generated by a photovoltaic unit. The power supply device includes a first capacitor having a first capacitance, in which the charges generated by the photovoltaic unit are charged; a second capacitor having a second capacitance that is larger than the first capacitance; and a switching unit that switches between a first connection of connecting the photovoltaic unit to the first capacitor and a second connection of connecting the first capacitor to the second capacitor.

Abstract: A heater controlling apparatus for controlling supply of alternating current power to at least one heater that heats a heating object includes a detection unit configured to detect a temperature of the heating object, a determining unit configured to determine a proportion of lighting time for lighting the heater based on the detected temperature and a preset target temperature of the heating object, and a control unit configured to control the supply of alternating current power to the heater based on both a control cycle and one or more lighting patterns, the heater being lit according to the one or more lighting patterns defined for each control cycle, and both the control cycle and the lighting pattern varying in response to the determined proportion of lighting time.

Abstract: A heater controller performs on/off control of a plurality of heaters and includes a storage unit that stores therein a plurality of pattern sets. Each of the pattern sets includes a plurality of heater-on/off patterns for respectively controlling the heaters. The heater controller calculates a reference value representing an average of values of electric power supplied to the heater controller over a predetermined period of time; calculates, for each of the pattern sets, an output power value to be supplied to the heaters when the heaters are turned-on according to the heater-on/off patterns included in the pattern set; calculates, for each of the pattern sets, a difference between the reference value and the output power value; selects, from the pattern sets, one pattern set having a smallest difference; and performs on/off control of the heaters according to the heater-on/off patterns included in the pattern set thus selected.

Abstract: A heater control device includes a temperature detector that detects a temperature of a heated object heated by a heater; an alternating-current power supply for applying an alternating current voltage to the heater; a turn-on ratio decision unit that determines a turn-on ratio of the heater based on the temperature and a target temperature; a turn-on pattern decision unit that determines a partial turn-on pattern, as the turn-on pattern of the heater, which is a pattern of a turn-on ratio higher than the determined turn-on ratio in terms of a control-period, and to which a partial turn-on instead of a full turn-on is allocated on a half-wavelength basis of the alternating current voltage within the control period based on the turn-on ratio of the heater; and a turn-on controller that controls turn-on of the heater based on the determined turn-on pattern.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a halogen heater in a fixing unit; an AC source applying an alternating voltage to the halogen heater; a half-wave control unit that performs the heater half-wave control to control the halogen heater on the half-wavelength basis, according to a heater-on/off pattern set for each control cycle having a predetermined length; a heater-off-time measuring unit that measures heater-off period of time; a phase-control-execution determining unit that determines, based on the measured heater-off period of time, whether the heater phase control is to be performed on the alternating voltage, the phase control being performed by shifting phase of the alternating voltage; and a phase control unit that performs, when the phase control is determined to be performed, the phase control only for a period of time depending on the measured heater-off period of time after switch-on of the heater and before execution of the half-wave control.

Abstract: A heater controlling apparatus for controlling supply of alternating current power to at least one heater that heats a heating object includes a detection unit configured to detect a temperature of the heating object, a determining unit configured to determine a proportion of lighting time for lighting the heater based on the detected temperature and a preset target temperature of the heating object, and a control unit configured to control the supply of alternating current power to the heater based on both a control cycle and one or more lighting patterns, the heater being lit according to the one or more lighting patterns defined for each control cycle, and both the control cycle and the lighting pattern varying in response to the determined proportion of lighting time.

Abstract: In an image forming apparatus, a monitoring unit monitors whether a returning factor required to switch an operational state of the apparatus from a power-saving mode to an operating mode is generated, an antenna unit receives external electrical wave, a power generation unit generates electricity from the received electrical wave and supplies the electricity to the monitoring unit, and a controlling unit switches the operational state of the apparatus from the power-saving mode to the operating mode when the monitoring unit detects generation of a returning factor.

Abstract: A power supply device accumulates charges generated by a photovoltaic unit. The power supply device includes a first capacitor having a first capacitance, in which the charges generated by the photovoltaic unit are charged; a second capacitor having a second capacitance that is larger than the first capacitance; and a switching unit that switches between a first connection of connecting the photovoltaic unit to the first capacitor and a second connection of connecting the first capacitor to the second capacitor.

Abstract: A thermoelectric conversion element converts thermal energy of a user into electric power. A holding unit holds the electric power converted by the thermoelectric conversion element, and outputs the electric power. A switching unit switches between a first mode in which electric power is supplied to all units of an image forming apparatus and a second mode in which electric power is supplied to a part of units of the image forming apparatus. When the image forming apparatus is in the second mode, the switching unit switches from the second mode to the first mode upon receiving the electric power output from the holding unit.

Abstract: A display control unit performs a control of displaying first image information on a display unit. An electric-power supply unit converts thermal energy generated from a body temperature of a user into electric power upon the user contacting the electric-power supply unit, and supplies the electric power to the display control unit. A determination unit determines whether the user is in contact with the electric-power supply unit. When it is determined that the user is not in contact with the electric-power supply unit, the display control unit performs a control of rewriting the first image information displayed on the display unit with second image information.

Abstract: In an image forming apparatus, an energy converting unit receives light from an optical source and converts the light into electric power, and an electrical storage unit stores therein the electric power. The energy converting unit is arranged in such a manner that a relative position of the energy converting unit to the optical source is always constant when a reading unit is reading an image.