Abstract: A cartridge includes: a rotation body; and an electrode member. The electrode member is configured to supply the rotation body with electric power from an external electrode provided outside of the cartridge. The electrode member includes: a contact portion; and an urging portion. The contact portion is configured to be contacted by the external electrode. The urging portion is in a shape of a coil formed by winding a wire rod and configured to urge the contact portion toward the external electrode such that the contact portion is pivotally moved about the urging portion.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, a method for manufacturing a semiconductor memory device includes forming a stacked body including a plurality of first layers and a plurality of second layers on a substrate. The method includes forming a first slit and a second slit simultaneously by dry-etching the stacked body. The first slit causes a part of the stacked body to have a comb-shaped pattern including a plurality of line parts isolated in a first direction and extending in a second direction. The second slit surrounds the comb-shaped pattern with a closed pattern. The method includes forming a hole in the line parts of the stacked body. The method includes forming a charge storage film and a semiconductor body in the hole.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a main body, endless belt, photosensitive drums, setting unit, contacting/separating mechanism, transmitting mechanism, and coupling members. The photosensitive drums are disposed in confrontation with the endless belt and are arranged in a first direction. Each photosensitive drum has an axis extending in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction. The setting unit sets the image forming apparatus to a monochrome mode or color mode. The contacting/separating mechanism controls at least one photosensitive drum to contact or separate from the endless in accordance with the set mode. The transmitting mechanism selectively transmits drive power to photosensitive drums. Each coupling member is selectively coupled to the corresponding photosensitive drum and has a coupling axis extending in the second direction.

Abstract: A process cartridge includes: a first unit including a first side plate, a second side plate and a photosensitive drum; and a second unit including a developing member and an electrical terminal for supplying power to the developing member. The second unit is pivotally movable relative to the first unit about a pivot axis between a first position and a second position. The electrical terminal is rotatably supported by the first side plate and is positioned on the pivot axis.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus including a main body, a photoconductive drum, a development cartridge including a development roller, a switching mechanism configured to switch between a contact state where the development roller and the photoconductive drum are in contact with each other, and a separate state where the development roller and the photoconductive drum are separated away from each other, and a controller configured to perform a preparatory mode to make preparations for forming a developer image on the photoconductive drum and transferring onto a transfer object the developer image formed on the photoconductive drum, and during execution of the preparatory mode, rotate the development roller while maintaining the separate state between the development roller and the photoconductive drum.

Abstract: A drum unit includes a photosensitive drum, a side plate, a cleaning unit, a waste-toner conveyor unit. The photosensitive drum has a first drum body and a second drum body, each having a photosensitive layer and a supported portion extending from one end of the drum body in a first direction along a rotational axis of the photosensitive drum. The side plate supports the supported portions. The cleaning unit has cleaners and conveyors corresponding to the drum bodies so as to remove waste toner from the photosensitive drums and convey the waste toner removed by the cleaners in the first direction. The waste-toner conveyor unit has a collecting conveyor configured to convey the waste toner conveyed by the. The collecting conveyor is disposed between the side plate and the drum bodies. The collecting conveyor is disposed below the first conveyor.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus is described. An image forming apparatus may include an image forming apparatus body and a tandem type photosensitive unit slidable with respect to the body, wherein the unit includes: a frame; a plurality of photosensitive bodies; a plurality of developer cartridges, including developer carriers, detachably mountable on the frame; and a pressing portion provided on the frame for pressing each of the cartridges so that the developer carrier thereof is directed toward the corresponding photosensitive body, each of the cartridges is pivoted to be movable to an imaging position pressed by the pressing portion and a detached position released from the pressing by the pressing portion, and the body is provided with an abutting portion abutting the cartridge located on the detached position thereby pivoting the cartridge and moving the same to the imaging position when the unit is mounted on the body.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a main body, endless belt, photosensitive drums, setting unit, contacting/separating mechanism, transmitting mechanism, and coupling members. The photosensitive drums are disposed in confrontation with the endless belt and are arranged in a first direction. Each photosensitive drum has an axis extending in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction. The setting unit sets the image forming apparatus to a monochrome mode or color mode. The contacting/separating mechanism controls at least one photosensitive drum to contact or separate from the endless in accordance with the set mode. The transmitting mechanism selectively transmits drive power to photosensitive drums. Each coupling member is selectively coupled to the corresponding photosensitive drum and has a coupling axis extending in the second direction.

Abstract: A cleaning unit includes a first accommodating chamber, a first conveyer, a cleaner, and a developing agent conveyer. The accommodating chamber is configured to accommodate therein developing agent. The accommodating chamber has one end portion and another end portion. The first conveyer is configured to convey the developing agent from the one end portion toward the another end portion. The cleaner is configured to collect developing agent from a belt in contact with a photosensitive member. The developing agent conveyer has a collection opening through which developing agent collected from a component other than the belt. The developing agent conveyer is configured to convey the developing agent from the collection opening toward the first accommodating chamber. The cleaner and the developing agent conveyer are positioned at the one end portion.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a main body casing, a waste toner container, and a drum unit configured to move between a first position inside the main body casing and a second position outside the main body casing, the drum unit including a photoconductive drum, a cleaner, and a transporter including a first transportation member, and a transportation tube including a first frame including a first half-tubular section and a tubular section, and a second frame including a second half-tubular section. The first half-tubular section and the second half-tubular section define a first space configured to allow toner removed by the cleaner to pass therethrough. The tubular section of the first frame defines a second space configured to allow the toner passed through the first space to pass therethrough.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus, comprising: a body casing, a drum unit movable between an inside position and an outside position, and a waste toner storage unit, and wherein the drum unit comprises a photosensitive drum, a cleaning unit to remove toner remaining on a surface of the photosensitive drum, and a conveying unit including a conveying member to convey the toner in a moving direction of the drum unit, and a conveying tube to accommodate the conveying member and to have a discharging outlet through which the toner is discharged to the waste toner storage unit, and wherein the conveying tube comprises: a first conveying tube to extend in the moving direction and to accommodate the conveying member, and a second conveying tube to be connected to the first conveying tube and to extend in a direction intersecting with a direction in which the first conveying tube extends.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus, comprising: a body casing; a drum unit; a belt unit; and a waste toner storage unit, the drum unit comprising: a photosensitive drum; a cleaning unit; and a conveying unit configured to convey toner removed by the cleaning unit, the belt unit comprising: a belt and a unit electric contact, the conveying unit comprises: a conveying member to convey the toner removed by the cleaning unit in a moving direction of the drum unit; and a conveying tube having a discharging outlet configured to let toner carried by the conveying member be discharged to the waste toner storage unit, wherein the discharging outlet is disposed on a downstream side with respect to a body electric contact in a direction pointing from an inside position to an outside position of the drum unit in a state where the drum unit is disposed at the inside position.

Abstract: A process cartridge includes: a first unit including a first side plate, a second side plate and a photosensitive drum; and a second unit including a developing member and an electrical terminal for supplying power to the developing member. The second unit is pivotally movable relative to the first unit about a pivot axis between a first position and a second position. The electrical terminal is rotatably supported by the first side plate and is positioned on the pivot axis.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a drum unit movable between an inside position inside a main body casing and an outside position outside the main body casing. The drum unit includes a photoconductive drum extending in an axial direction intersecting a moving direction of the drum unit from the outside position toward the inside position, and a transporter transporting toner removed by a cleaner toward a waste toner container. The transporter includes a transportation member transporting the toner along the moving direction, a transportation tube accommodating the transportation member and having an outlet, and a shutter movable between a closed position to close the outlet and an open position to open the outlet. The shutter includes a protruding section protruding along the axial direction from a shutter main body when the shutter is in the closed position, the protruding section being upstream of the photoconductive drum in the moving direction.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a housing and a drum unit. The drum unit is out of the housing at a first position, moved in a first direction from the first position to a second position in the housing, and then to a third position away from the first position. The drum unit includes: a photosensitive drum; a cleaning unit for toner; a conveying tube extending in the first direction; a conveying member in the conveying tube and rotatable about a first axis extending in the first direction; and a first gear fixed to the conveying member and rotatable about the first axis. The housing has a second gear rotatable about a second axis extending in the first direction. The first gear is separated from the second gear at the second position, and engaged with the second gear at the third position. The first axis and the second axis overlap in the third position.

Abstract: A method for forming a pattern in a conductive layer includes forming the conductive layer on an insulating layer, forming an etching mask on the conductive layer, and selectively etching the conductive layer to reach the insulating layer by using the etching mask. The etching mask includes a first portion masking a first area of the conductive layer, a second portion masking a second area that surrounds the first area via at least one opening that defines a boundary between the first portion and the second portion. The etching mask also includes a first communication portion connecting the first portion and the second portion. The at least one opening includes overlapping portions, and the first communication portion is provided between the overlapping portions.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus is described. An image forming apparatus may include an image forming apparatus body and a tandem type photosensitive unit slidable with respect to the body, wherein the unit includes: a frame; a plurality of photosensitive bodies; a plurality of developer cartridges, including developer carriers, detachably mountable on the frame; and a pressing portion provided on the frame for pressing each of the cartridges so that the developer carrier thereof is directed toward the corresponding photosensitive body, each of the cartridges is pivoted to be movable to an imaging position pressed by the pressing portion and a detached position released from the pressing by the pressing portion, and the body is provided with an abutting portion abutting the cartridge located on the detached position thereby pivoting the cartridge and moving the same to the imaging position when the unit is mounted on the body.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a fitting support device and method which make it possible to reliably select apparel such as clothes that match user's appearance. The fitting support device includes: a color-characteristic processing unit 100 that acquires color characteristic data relating to user's skin color on the basis of captured image data; a body processing unit 101 that colors, on the basis of the color characteristic data, three-dimensional body shape data corresponding to body shape data on a user to thereby create body image data; a color-pattern processing unit 102 that acquires color pattern data corresponding to the color characteristic data, on the basis of clothing data; a wearing processing unit 103 that creates wearing image data on the basis of the body image data and the color pattern data; and a fitting processing unit 104 that creates fitting image data by synthesizing head portion image data on the user and the wearing image data.

Abstract: A process cartridge and an image forming apparatus are provided. The process cartridge is detachably mountable in an apparatus body of the image forming apparatus, and includes a plurality of photosensitive drums, a first outer side plate which is provided on one side of the photosensitive drums in an axial direction of the photosensitive drum, a second outer side plate which is provided on the other side of the photosensitive drums in the axial direction, and opposes the first outer side plate with the photosensitive drums interposed therebetween, and a plurality of input parts which are provided on ends of the photosensitive drums at the one side, respectively. An end face of each of the input parts being provided inward with respect to the outer surface of the first outer side plate.

Abstract: A drum unit includes a photosensitive drum, a side plate, a cleaning unit, and a waste-toner conveyor unit. The photosensitive drum has a first drum body and a second drum body, each having a photosensitive layer and a supported portion extending from one end of the drum body in a first direction along a rotational axis of the photosensitive drum. The side plate supports the supported portions. The cleaning unit has cleaners and conveyors corresponding to the drum bodies so as to remove waste toner from the photosensitive drums and convey the waste toner removed by the cleaners in the first direction. The waste-toner conveyor unit has a collecting conveyor configured to convey the waste toner conveyed by the individual conveyors. The collecting conveyor is disposed between the side plate and the drum bodies. The collecting conveyor is disposed below the first conveyor.