Abstract: The present invention presents a motor drive device capable of detecting jamming accurately without falsely detecting jamming when a movable part contacts with other members. Jamming by a backrest is detected by judging whether the value of a period of one pulse P1 and a period of the next pulse P2 (P2/P1) integrated for 150 times (integrated value: 150) exceeds a specified threshold (160) or not. Accordingly, if the backrest rubs against a backrest of an adjacent seat, and the motor speed suddenly drops for a short period, such “warp” is not falsely detected as jamming, and only actual jamming can be detected securely.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an inkjet printing method including forming an image by ejecting an ink comprising at least a colorant and a solvent to a surface of a recording body, and dispersing a resin powder to the surface of the recording body, wherein the resin powder has a particle size of approximately not less than 0.1 ?m to not more than 10 ?m and a weight average molecular weight of approximately not less than 8,000 to not more than 300,000 and has a monomer that includes a polar group having a salt structure, and to an image forming apparatus using the method.

Abstract: The piston seal member is formed of a crosslinked rubber composition, the rubber composition including 100 parts by weight of an ethylene-propylene rubber, 20 to 60 parts by weight of a first carbon black, 50 to 100 parts by weight of a second carbon black, and 5 to 20 parts by weight of carbon nanofiber having an average diameter of 0.5 to 500 nm, the total amount of the first carbon black and the second carbon black being 70 to 160 parts by weight. The first carbon black has an average particle diameter of 35 to 100 nm and a DBP absorption of 50 to 200 ml/100 g. The second carbon black has an average particle diameter that is greater than the average particle diameter of the first carbon black and ranges from 60 to 500 nm and a DBP absorption of 5 to 50 ml/100 g.

Abstract: The present invention provides an ink jet liquid composition including chitosan and a non-volatile organic acid. The non-volatile organic acid preferably has two or more carboxyl groups and a cyclic structure other than an aromatic ring. Further, the invention provides an ink jet recording method of forming images on a recording medium surface by ejecting an ink and a liquid composition thereon so that the ink and the liquid are in contact with each other, wherein the ink contains a colorant, the liquid composition contains a component for coagulating the colorant, and the component for coagulating the colorant contains chitosan and a non-volatile organic acid.

Abstract: An ink jet recording device including a recording head for depositing ink on a recording medium and a liquid absorbing device for absorbing excess liquid of the ink remaining on the recording medium after the depositing of the ink on the recording medium using the recording head, wherein the liquid absorbing device includes an absorber including a hydrophilic surface which contacts the excess liquid, and the hydrophilic surface has a residual fine particle ratio of not less than about 90%, the residual fine particle ratio being a ratio of fine particles remaining on the hydrophilic surface when fine particles having an average particle size of 5 ?m are filtered by the hydrophilic surface.

Abstract: The invention provides an ink set having at least: an ink comprising a pigment and a resin that disperses the pigment; and a liquid that coagulates the pigment. The neutralization degree of the resin is in a range of about 0.1 to 0.6. The acid value of the resin is in a range of about 100 to 400 KOH mg/g. The amount of the resin contained in the ink is in a range of about 20 to 100% by mass relative to the amount of the pigment contained in the ink. The invention further provides an ink jet recording method including forming an image by imparting the ink set onto a surface of a recording medium. The invention further provides a droplet ejecting apparatus having a droplet ejecting unit that forms an image by ejecting droplets of the ink set onto a surface of a recording medium.

Abstract: A method of purifying a pigment dispersion including: bringing an unpurified pigment dispersion containing a pigment and impurities into liquid-liquid interfacial contact with an extracting liquid in a microspace, and extracting and removing the impurities in the unpurified pigment dispersion into the extracting liquid to obtain a purified pigment dispersion. Further, an apparatus for purifying a pigment dispersion, a pigment dispersion and an ink set using the same, and a droplet-ejecting apparatus and an inkjet-recording ink tank using ink prepared by employing the pigment dispersion are provided.

Abstract: Affords high-stability, high-safety lithium secondary batteries of high energy density and superlative charge/discharge cyclability, in which shorting due to the growth of dendrites from the metallic-lithium negative electrode is kept under control. A lithium secondary battery negative-electrode component material, formed by laminating onto a substrate a metallic lithium film and an inorganic solid-electrolyte film, the lithium secondary battery negative-electrode component material characterized in that the inorganic solid-electrolyte film incorporates lithium, phosphorous, sulfur, and oxygen, and is represented by the compositional formula noted below. aLi·bP·cS·dO (Li: lithium; P: phosphorous; S: sulfur; O: oxygen), wherein the ranges of the atomic fractions in the composition are: 0.20?a?0.45; 0.10?b?0.20; 0.35?c?0.60; 0.03?d?0.13; (a+b+c+d=1).

Abstract: The present invention relates to an inkjet printing method comprising forming an image by ejecting an ink comprising at least a colorant and a solvent to a surface of a recording body, and dispersing a resin powder to the surface of the recording body, wherein the resin powder has a particle size of approximately not less than 0.1 ?m to not more than 10 ?m and a weight average molecular weight of approximately not less than 8,000 to not more than 300,000 and comprises a monomer comprising a polar group having a salt structure, and to an image forming apparatus using the method.

Abstract: An ink jet recording apparatus that includes a recording head that causes printing liquid to impact on a recording medium, and a liquid absorbing mechanism that absorbs excess liquid of the printing liquid remaining on the recording medium after the printing liquid is impacted on the recording medium by means of the recording head, wherein the liquid absorbing mechanism makes a hydrophobic porous body come into contact with the printing liquid for the purpose of absorbing the excess liquid of the printing liquid by means of the hydrophobic porous body.

Abstract: An ink jet recording device including a recording head for depositing ink on a recording medium and a liquid absorbing device for absorbing excess liquid of the ink remaining on the recording medium after the depositing of the ink on the recording medium using the recording head, wherein the liquid absorbing device includes an absorber including a hydrophilic surface which contacts the excess liquid, and the hydrophilic surface has a residual fine particle ratio of not less than about 90%, the residual fine particle ratio being a ratio of fine particles remaining on the hydrophilic surface when fine particles having an average particle size of 5 ?m are filtered by the hydrophilic surface.

Abstract: The present invention provides an ink jet liquid composition including chitosan and a non-volatile organic acid. The non-volatile organic acid preferably has two or more carboxyl groups and a cyclic structure other than an aromatic ring. Further, the invention provides an ink jet recording method of forming images on a recording medium surface by ejecting an ink and a liquid composition thereon so that the ink and the liquid are in contact with each other, wherein the ink contains a colorant, the liquid composition contains a component for coagulating the colorant, and the component for coagulating the colorant contains chitosan and a non-volatile organic acid.

Abstract: An ink jet recording apparatus is provided with a black head and a plurality of color heads. The black head has a predetermined number of first orifices aligned at predetermined intervals (e.g. 0.0169 mm) in a sub scanning direction (direction in which a print medium travels). The plurality of color heads eject different colored ink drops. Each color head has the predetermined number of second orifices aligned in the sub scanning direction perpendicular to the main scanning direction. The second orifices of adjacent color heads are aligned in a main scanning direction perpendicular to the sub scanning direction.

Abstract: A process for preparing 5-aminolevulinic acid or a salt thereof, which comprises reacting furfurylamine, of which the amino group has been protected, with oxygen molecule under irradiation by light in the presence of a sensitizer; hydrogenating the resulting compound in the presence of a metallic catalyst; and hydrolyzing the hydrogenated compound. 5-Aminolevulinic acid, useful as a raw material for various chemicals and as an agricultural chemical, can be prepared at a high yield by a simple procedure from a raw material which is inexpensive and readily available.