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 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 tire position identification device is provided as a device that can identify the positions of wheels to which tires are attached by using information about other than air pressure. The tire position identification device has: deformation detection units, each of which can detect deformation of the relevant tire; a turn detection unit that can detect whether a vehicle having the tires and wheels has made a turn and can also detect the direction of the turn; a speed detection unit that can detect the speed of the vehicle, and a control unit that infers the positions of the wheels to which the tires are attached according to the deformation of the tires, the direction of the turn of the vehicle, and its speed.

Abstract: A tire information detection device that detects tire information including at least one of wear, deformation, road surface state, ground contact state, presence/absence of failure, travel history, load state, or frictional coefficient, includes at least one detection unit disposed on a tire inner surface, a power supply unit to supply power to the detection unit, a position information detection unit to detect position information of the tire or a vehicle, an additional information acquisition unit to acquire additional information associated with the position information, a determination unit to determine whether a current position specified based on the position information is included in an area that satisfies a determination condition extracted from the additional information, and a control unit to control measurement of the detection unit based on a determination result from the determination unit.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus includes a fixing unit including a belt, and a heater configured to heat the belt and including a substrate and a heating layer that is formed on the substrate, and a controller configured to shut off the heater if no current flows through the belt.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, an image forming apparatus includes a forming unit, a heating unit, a temperature sensor, and a driving unit. The forming unit is configured to attach toner to a recording medium to form an image on the recording medium. The heating unit is configured to heat the toner that is attached to the recording medium by the forming unit to fix the image to the recording medium. The temperature sensor is configured to detect a temperature of the heating unit. The vibration unit is configured to apply vibration to the temperature sensor in a waiting period in which the image formation by the forming unit is not executed and the heating control by the heating unit is executed.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus includes a fixing unit including a fixing belt, and a heater configured to heat the fixing belt and including a substrate and a heating layer that is formed on the substrate, and a controller configured to, upon detecting an absence of a current flowing through the fixing belt, control the heater to not generate heat.

Abstract: A display device includes: a plurality of first color filters not intersecting a non-linear portion with at least a part of an outer shape of a display region being non-linear, a plurality of second color filters at least part of which intersects the non-linear portion, a first region with the plurality of first color filters disposed, a second region with the plurality of second color filters disposed, a first light blocking portion partitioning the plurality of first color filters, a second light blocking portion partitioning the plurality of second color filters, and a spacer. An overlapping area of the second light blocking portion with respect to the plurality of second color filters is larger than that of the first light blocking portion with respect to the plurality of first color filters. A distribution density of the spacer in the second region is lower than that in the first region.

Abstract: A heating device includes a rotatable film, a heater disposed inside the film and including a substrate that extends along a first direction and having two surfaces opposite to each other, and a heater element on one of the surfaces of the substrate, and a heat conductor including a first portion contacting the other surface of the substrate, and a second portion that is adjacent to the first portion in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction and does not contact the other surface of the substrate. A width of the second portion is wider than the heater element in the second direction.

Abstract: A heating device includes a rotatable film, a heater including a substrate that extends along a first direction and having two surfaces opposite to each other, and a heater element on one of the surfaces of the substrate, and a heat conductor having first and second surfaces and including a first portion contacting the other surface of the substrate, and a second portion that is adjacent to the first portion in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction and does not contact the other surface of the substrate. A thickness of the first portion of the heat conductor from the first surface to the second surface is greater than a thickness of the second portion from the first surface to the second surface.

Abstract: Provided is a tire information detecting device capable of determining an attachment state of a sensor module based on a measurement value supplied from the sensor module installed in a pneumatic tire and accurately detecting tire information. A tire information detecting device (10) configured to detect tire information including at least one of wear of a tire, deformation of the tire, a road surface state, a ground contact state of the tire, presence of failure of the tire, a travel history of the tire, or a load state of the tire includes at least one sensor module (20) disposed on a tire inner surface and a determination unit (15) configured to determine an attachment state of the sensor module (20) based on a measurement value supplied from the sensor module (20).

Abstract: A tire wear measuring device that detects wear of a tire based on a magnetic field from a magnetic object embedded in the tire includes magnetic sensors and a battery. The battery is capable of transmitting the magnetic field from the magnetic object, and has an outer edge from which the magnetic field from the magnetic object is emitted as an emission magnetic field. Each of the magnetic sensors is disposed in a position where the emission magnetic field is detectable by the sensor.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, an image forming apparatus includes a driving unit, a first determination unit, a second determination unit, and an output unit. The first determination unit is configured to determine whether or not a rotation abnormality relating to rotation of the driving unit occurs. The second determination unit is configured to determine whether or not a signal abnormality relating to a signal line of a current signal of the driving unit occurs based on a current value of the current signal after the first determination unit determines whether or not the rotation abnormality occurs. The output unit is configured to output a determination result of the second determination unit.

Abstract: An electronic apparatus includes: a first chassis; a second chassis; a first display provided on an upper surface of the first chassis; a second display provided on an upper surface of the second chassis; and a hinge device that connects the first chassis and the second chassis. The hinge device includes: a first bracket including a first fixing plate fixed to the first chassis; a second bracket including a second fixing plate fixed to the second chassis; a first hinge block that supports a first upper hinge shaft and a first lower hinge shaft arranged vertically between adjacent end surfaces of the first chassis and the second chassis in a flat plate form; and a second hinge block.

Abstract: A wear-condition-sensing device includes an element configured to generate voltage based on deformation of a tread portion during tire rotation, a voltage detection unit configured to detect the voltage generated by the element, a storage area configured to store waveform data over time of the voltage detected by the voltage detection unit, a calculation unit configured to calculate an index value of voltage change based on the waveform data stored in the storage area, and a determination unit configured to determine a progress condition of wear of the tread portion by comparing the index value calculated by the calculation unit with reference information.

Abstract: A wear state detection device includes an element configured to generate voltage based on deformation of a tread portion during tire rotation, a voltage detection unit configured to detect the voltage generated by the element, a speed detection unit configured to detect vehicle speed or tire rotation speed, a storage area configured to store waveform data over time of the voltage detected by the voltage detection unit together with the vehicle speed or the tire rotation speed detected by the speed detection unit, a calculation unit configured to calculate frequency of exceedance of a predetermined threshold value based on the waveform data in a predetermined speed range and a predetermined time period stored in the storage area, and a determination unit configured to determine a progress condition of wear of the tread portion based on the frequency of exceedance of the predetermined threshold value calculated by the calculation unit.

Abstract: A heating device includes a rotatable film, a heater including a substrate that extends along a first direction and having two surfaces opposite to each other, and a heater element on one of the surfaces of the substrate, and a heat conductor having first and second surfaces and including a first portion contacting the other surface of the substrate, and a second portion that is adjacent to the first portion in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction and does not contact the other surface of the substrate. A thickness of the first portion of the heat conductor from the first surface to the second surface is greater than a thickness of the second portion from the first surface to the second surface.

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: An image processing apparatus includes a fixing unit including a fixing belt, and a heater configured to heat the fixing belt and including a substrate and a heating layer that is formed on the substrate, and a controller configured to, upon detecting an absence of a current flowing through the fixing belt, control the heater to not generate heat.

Abstract: A heating device includes a rotatable film, a heater including a substrate that extends along a first direction, and a heater element on the substrate and facing the film, a heat conductor having first and second surfaces and including a first portion contacting the substrate, and a second portion that is adjacent to the first portion in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction and does not contact the substrate, and a temperature sensing element on the second surface at a position corresponding to the second portion. A thickness of the first portion from the first surface to the second surface is greater than a thickness of the second portion from the first surface to the second surface.