Abstract: The present invention provides a Plexin-binding regulating agent containing a cyclic peptide having an Arg-Trp-Thr structure or a Leu-Ser-Trp structure or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt of the cyclic peptide.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a body having an opening, a door on the body, a unit detachably attached to the body from the opening, a cover inside the door, a spring, and a lock. The door covers the opening at a first closed position. The unit is disposed at a mounting position inside the body. The cover is rotatable between a second closed position and an opening position in an opening direction. At the second closed position, the cover covers the unit at the mounting position. At the opening position, the cover forms an angle of 90 degrees or more with the body. The spring applies a force to the cover in the opening direction. The lock locks the cover at the second closed position. The cover displaced from the second closed position in the opening direction restricts a movement of the door to the first closed position.

Abstract: An ultrasonic probe includes a transducer; a pulser; an amplifier; a wireless transmitter; temperature detectors at two or more locations from among a location of the pulser, a location of the amplifier, and a location of the wireless transmitter; and a processor comparing temperatures detected by the temperature detectors with first temperature thresholds set for the temperature detectors, and, when one or more temperature detectors detect temperatures that exceed corresponding first temperature thresholds, selecting any one of low power consumption operating modes based on which temperature detectors are the one or more temperature detectors detecting the temperatures that exceed corresponding first temperature thresholds, and switching an operating mode of each of one or more from among the pulser, the amplifier, and the wireless transmitter from a normal operating mode to the selected low power consumption operating mode.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a photoconductor that bears an image and an intermediate transfer device that forms a primary transfer nip between the photoconductor and the intermediate transfer device. The intermediate transfer device primarily transfers the image from the photoconductor onto the intermediate transfer device at the primary transfer nip. A secondary transfer device forms a secondary transfer nip between the intermediate transfer device and the secondary transfer device. The secondary transfer device secondarily transfers the image from the intermediate transfer device onto a recording medium at the secondary transfer nip. At least one support shaft supports the intermediate transfer device. The at least one support shaft supports, on an identical axis, one lateral end and another lateral end of the secondary transfer device in a width direction of the recording medium.

Abstract: A transfer device includes a belt, a transferor, a holder, a biasing member, and a movement mechanism. The transferor is movable to contact the belt, The holder holds the transferor. The biasing member biases the transferor toward the belt. The movement mechanism contacts the holder and causes the transferor to move in a direction opposite to a direction in which the biasing member biases the transferor. The holder includes a contact portion to contact the movement mechanism and a holder portion. The contact portion includes a material having a higher rigidity than the holder portion.

Abstract: A transfer device includes a movable component, a moving assembly, a restrictor, and an operating member. The movable component moves toward and away from a latent image bearer unit. The moving assembly causes the movable component to move toward and away from the latent image bearer unit. The restrictor restricts the latent image bearer unit from detaching from an image forming apparatus. The operating member causes the moving assembly to move the movable component away from the latent image bearer unit and releases restriction of detachment of the latent image bearer unit from the image forming apparatus by the restrictor.

Abstract: A transfer device includes an intermediate transferor and primary transfer sections. The primary transfer sections each includes a primary transferor. The primary transfer sections include a most-upstream primary transfer section and a most-downstream primary transfer section. One of the primary transfer sections is a special-color primary transfer section switchable between the most-upstream primary transfer section and the most-downstream primary transfer section. The primary transferor of each of the most-upstream primary transfer section and the most-downstream primary transfer section is switchable between a contact position at which the primary transferor contacts the latent image bearer and a separation position at which the primary transferor is separated from the latent image bearer.

Abstract: A transfer device includes an intermediate transferor to rotate, primary transfer sections, a tension roller, a first movement mechanism, and a second movement mechanism. Each of the primary transfer sections includes a primary transferor. The tension roller stretches the intermediate transferor. The first movement mechanism causes the tension roller to move and change a position at which the tension roller stretches the intermediate transferor. The second movement mechanism causes the primary transferor of a primary transfer section to move to a contact position at which the primary transferor contacts a latent image bearer and a separation position at which the primary transferor is separated from the latent image bearer. The most-downstream primary transferor is movable between a contact position and a separation position. The first movement mechanism causes the tension roller to move to at least three positions at each of which the tension roller stretches the intermediate transferor.

Abstract: A transfer device includes a plurality of photoconductors, a belt, a plurality of primary transfer rollers and control circuitry. The plurality of primary transfer rollers is disposed for the plurality of photoconductors, respectively. The plurality of primary transfer rollers brings the belt into contact with or separate the belt from the plurality of photoconductors. The control circuitry causes at least one of the plurality of primary transfer rollers to press against a corresponding at least one of the plurality of photoconductors to shift a printing mode.

Abstract: A drive device that drives a detachable unit detachably attached to an image forming apparatus includes a drive coupling, a rotary shaft, a relay member, a contact member, and a compression spring. The drive coupling contacts and separate from a driven coupling of the detachable unit along with movement of the detachable unit. The relay member transmits rotation force of the rotary shaft to the drive coupling to rotate together. The compression spring has an axial end contacting the contact member disposed away from the driven coupling from the relay member and another axial end contacting the relay member. The drive coupling includes an outer circumferential restrictor restricts radial movement of the compression spring. The relay member includes an inner circumferential restrictor restricts radial movement of the compression spring.

Abstract: The present invention identifies the cause of an anomaly, if any, in a signal input via a cable. A master device (13) comprises an acquisition unit (1321) which acquires the signal quality of a signal input via a cable, and a cause determination unit (1323) which performs cause determination for determining, from variations in the signal quality, whether the cause of noise included in the signal is due to a mechanical factor or is due to electrical noise.

Abstract: A transfer device includes a plurality of photoconductors, a belt, a plurality of primary transfer rollers and control circuitry. The plurality of primary transfer rollers is disposed for the plurality of photoconductors, respectively. The plurality of primary transfer rollers brings the belt into contact with or separate the belt from the plurality of photoconductors. The control circuitry causes at least one of the plurality of primary transfer rollers to press against a corresponding at least one of the plurality of photoconductors to shift a printing mode.

Abstract: A drive device that drives a detachable unit detachably attached to an image forming apparatus includes a drive coupling, a rotary shaft, a relay member, a contact member, and a compression spring. The drive coupling contacts and separate from a driven coupling of the detachable unit along with movement of the detachable unit. The relay member transmits rotation force of the rotary shaft to the drive coupling to rotate together. The compression spring has an axial end contacting the contact member disposed away from the driven coupling from the relay member and another axial end contacting the relay member. The drive coupling includes an outer circumferential restrictor restricts radial movement of the compression spring. The relay member includes an inner circumferential restrictor restricts radial movement of the compression spring.

Abstract: A control device (master device 10) is provided with: a communication instruction unit (112) that instructs a slave device (20c) to execute/stop communication with another device; a diagnosis instruction unit (113) that provides instruction to implement a breakdown diagnosis including detection of a breakdown location; a diagnostic results reading unit (114) that reads out the results of the breakdown diagnosis from the slave device; and a calculation unit (115) that calculates, from the results of the breakdown diagnosis, the length of a communication cable from the slave device to the breakdown location.

Abstract: An ultrasonic probe includes a wireless transmitter-receiver configured to perform communication through a wireless network having a plurality of channels and obtain identification information of apparatuses connected to the wireless network from the apparatuses; a memory configured to store identification information for identifying other ultrasonic probes from among the apparatuses; and a processor configured to count other ultrasonic probes connected with the wireless network on a per channel basis with respect to the plurality of channels based on the identification information obtained by the wireless transmitter-receiver and the identification information stored in the memory, and determine to connect to a channel at which the number of the other ultrasonic probes counted by the processor is smallest.

Abstract: An ultrasonic probe includes a transducer; a pulser; an amplifier; a wireless transmitter; temperature detectors at two or more locations from among a location of the pulser, a location of the amplifier, and a location of the wireless transmitter; and a processor comparing temperatures detected by the temperature detectors with first temperature thresholds set for the temperature detectors, and, when one or more temperature detectors detect temperatures that exceed corresponding first temperature thresholds, selecting any one of low power consumption operating modes based on which temperature detectors are the one or more temperature detectors detecting the temperatures that exceed corresponding first temperature thresholds, and switching an operating mode of each of one or more from among the pulser, the amplifier, and the wireless transmitter from a normal operating mode to the selected low power consumption operating mode.

Abstract: The present invention acquires, from control data for an apparatus to be controlled in a normal operation, a relationship between a noise included in a reception signal from a cable and the apparatus to be controlled. An information processing device (13) is provided with a correlation derivation unit (13212, 13212d) for deriving a correlation value between a variation of a time-series data (1331) of a noise included in a signal input through a cable in a network and a variation of a time-series data (1332) of control data of an apparatus to be controlled (11, 16) in the network.

Abstract: The present invention acquires, from control data for an apparatus to be controlled in a normal operation, a relationship between a noise included in a reception signal from a cable and the apparatus to be controlled. An information processing device (13) is provided with a correlation derivation unit (13212, 13212d) for deriving a correlation value between a variation of a time-series data (1331) of a noise included in a signal input through a cable in a network and a variation of a time-series data (1332) of control data of an apparatus to be controlled (11, 16) in the network.

Abstract: The present invention identifies the cause of an anomaly, if any, in a signal input via a cable. A master device (13) comprises an acquisition unit (1321) which acquires the signal quality of a signal input via a cable, and a cause determination unit (1323) which performs cause determination for determining, from variations in the signal quality, whether the cause of noise included in the signal is due to a mechanical factor or is due to electrical noise.

Abstract: A rotating device includes a shaft member, a counterpart member, a bearing, and a retaining member. The counterpart member includes a shaft insertion portion into which the shaft member is inserted. The bearing is disposed in the shaft insertion portion and interposed between the counterpart member and the shaft member. The bearing causes the counterpart member and the shaft member to be rotatable relative to each other. The retaining member is disposed on an end portion of the shaft member on one side in an axial direction of the shaft member. The counterpart member includes an opposing portion closer to the end portion of the shaft member on the one side in the axial direction than the bearing. The opposing portion faces the retaining member in the axial direction.