Abstract: An image forming apparatus including an apparatus main body including an inner wall that defines an accommodation portion, photoconductive drums arranged in parallel at intervals in a predetermined direction toward a first side from a second side, in the accommodation portion, chargers disposed corresponding to the photoconductive drums, respectively, each charger charging a corresponding one of the photoconductive drums, a frame body configured to support the photoconductive drums and the chargers and be accommodated in the accommodation portion, a regulating member disposed between the inner wall and a first-side end portion of the frame body in the predetermined direction, the regulating member configured to apply an urging force to the frame body and regulate an air current, and a pressing member configured to press the frame body against the urging force of the regulating member and regulate a movement of the frame body relative to the apparatus main body.

Abstract: A tactile sense presentation device that includes a film member which deforms in a planar direction when a voltage is applied thereto, a diaphragm fixed to the film member in a state where a bending stress is applied to the diaphragm, a touch detector which detects a touch operation, and a voltage driver which applies a drive signal to the film member when the touch detector detects the touch operation.

Abstract: A developer container may include a container body accommodating developer, a conveyance member, and a rotation member having a rotary shaft and an elastic part supported by the rotation member and configured to convey the developer. The container body may include a first support part to which the rotary shaft is loosely fitted, and a second support part that supports the rotary shaft. The container body may further include a sliding contact part that the elastic part sliding-contacts while being elastically deformed when the conveyance member is being rotated. In some examples, a distance from a center of the rotary shaft to a leading end of the elastic part gradually increases from the one end portion-side of the rotary shaft towards the other end portion-side of the rotary shaft.

Abstract: A drum unit includes: a photosensitive drum; a side plate; a cleaning member; a support member; a frame; and a connecting member. The photosensitive drum has an axis extending in an axial direction. The photosensitive drum has a surface. The side plate has electrical conductive properties. The side plate is configured to support the photosensitive drum. The side plate includes a contact portion configured to contact an external member having electrical conductive properties. The cleaning member is configured to clean the surface of the photosensitive drum. The support member has electrical conductive properties and is configured to support the cleaning member. The frame has electrical insulating properties. The frame is configured to support the support member and fixed to the side plate. The connecting member is configured to electrically connect the support member to the side plate.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a cartridge; and a drawer frame. The cartridge includes first and second frames; and first and second engagement portions. The first frame supports a photosensitive drum. The second frame supports a developing roller and moves relative to the first frame between a contact position where the developing roller is in contact with the photosensitive drum and the second engagement portion disengages from the first engagement portion and a separated position where the developing roller is spaced away from the photosensitive drum and the second engagement portion engages with the first engagement portion. The drawer frame is configured to move between an inside position inside a housing and an outside position outside the housing, and has a releasing part configured to release engagement of the first and second engagement portions so as to move the second frame from the separated position to the contact position.

Abstract: A quantum cascade laser includes a substrate having first and second regions; a stacked semiconductor layer disposed on the second region, the stacked semiconductor layer including an active layer, the stacked semiconductor layer having a first end facet and a second end facet that constitute a laser cavity; an insulating layer disposed on the first end facet and an upper surface of the stacked semiconductor layer, the insulating layer having an opening on the upper surface; a conductive layer disposed on the insulating layer and in the opening, the conductive layer being in contact with the upper surface through the opening; and a metal layer disposed on the conductive layer on the first end facet and the upper surface. The first end facet of the stacked semiconductor layer is retreated from an end facet of the substrate to a boundary between the first and second regions.

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 tandem type photosensitive unit includes: a plurality of photosensitive drums arranged in parallel with one another; a first structure member having a side surface extending in an arrangement direction of the photosensitive drums as viewed from an axial direction of the photosensitive drums for collectively retaining the plurality of photosensitive drums and relatively positioning the plurality of photosensitive drums; and a second structure member having a side surface extending in the arrangement direction as viewed from the axial direction for collectively retaining developer cartridges provided correspondingly to the photosensitive drums respectively. The first structure member is fixed to the second structure member on one side in the arrangement direction, and mounted on the second structure member with a clearance on the other side in the arrangement direction.

Abstract: A brushless motor includes a plate-shaped armature and a magnet facing either one of a top surface and a bottom surface of the armature. An inner peripheral surface of a base member and an outer peripheral surface of a bearing mechanism contact with each other or face each other in a diametrical direction with an adhesive therebetween in a first fixing part. Further, a rotor yoke and a hub protrusion contact with each other or face each other in a diametrical direction with an adhesive therebetween in a second fixing part. Then, a press-fitting or adhesion is carried out in the other of the first and the second fixing part.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an apparatus body, a drum unit which holds photosensitive drums in parallel, a developing cartridge which is detachably mounted in the drum unit, a translation member which is provided in the apparatus body to be movable linearly, a shaft which is provided on the tandem photosensitive drum unit for each developing cartridge; and a pivoting member which is rotatably supported by the shaft. The pivoting member includes an abutting portion which is provided on one side to abut the translation member, a pressing portion which is provided on the other side, and is configured to press a predetermined portion of the developing cartridge in a direction in which the developing roller is separated from the photosensitive drum; and a spring portion which applies a biasing force in a direction in which the pressing portion is separated from the predetermined portion.

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 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, 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 developer cartridge is described. The developer cartridge detachably mountable on a tandem type photosensitive unit slidable to a drawn-out position and a mounted position with respect to an image forming apparatus body may include a casing; a developer carrier rotatably supported on one end portion of the casing for carrying a developer; a pair of upright portions arranged on another end portion of the casing at an interval from each other in the axial direction of the developer carrier to extend from another end portion of the casing in a detaching direction for the developer cartridge; and an elastically deformable coupling portion extending in the axial direction of the developer carrier for coupling the upright portions with each other.

Abstract: A brushless motor includes a stationary unit and a rotary unit rotatably supported with respect to the stationary unit. The stationary unit includes an armature and a base member arranged to support the armature. The rotary unit includes a magnet, a hub made of a magnetic material and a rotor yoke made of a magnetic material. The armature includes a plurality of coil patterns arranged along a circumferential direction. The hub includes an inner lower surface, an outer lower surface and a recess portion. The recess portion is arranged between the inner lower surface and the outer lower surface and depressed upward. At least a portion of the magnet is accommodated within the recess portion. At least one of the inner lower surface and the outer lower surface is positioned above a lower surface of the magnet.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus including an apparatus main body including an inner wall that defines an accommodation portion, photoconductive drums arranged in parallel at intervals in a predetermined direction toward a first side from a second side, in the accommodation portion, chargers disposed corresponding to the photoconductive drums, respectively, each charger charging a corresponding one of the photoconductive drums, a frame body configured to support the photoconductive drums and the chargers and be accommodated in the accommodation portion, a regulating member disposed between the inner wall and a first-side end portion of the frame body in the predetermined direction, the regulating member configured to apply an urging force to the frame body and regulate an air current, and a pressing member configured to press the frame body against the urging force of the regulating member and regulate a movement of the frame body relative to the apparatus main body.

Abstract: A drum unit includes: a first side plate; a second side plate; a photosensitive drum; a cleaner; a first frame; and a bearing. The first side plate has a first opening. The second side plate is spaced apart from the first side plate in a first direction. The photosensitive drum has an axis extending along the first direction and a first end portion in the first direction. The photosensitive drum has a circumferential surface. The cleaner is configured to clean the circumferential surface of the photosensitive drum. The first frame includes: a support portion configured to support the cleaner; and a wall portion having a second opening. The bearing is configured to support the first end portion of the photosensitive drum. The bearing extends through both the first opening and the second opening.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a cartridge; and a drawer frame. The cartridge includes first and second frames; and first and second engagement portions. The first frame supports a photosensitive drum. The second frame supports a developing roller and moves relative to the first frame between a contact position where the developing roller is in contact with the photosensitive drum and the second engagement portion disengages from the first engagement portion and a separated position where the developing roller is spaced away from the photosensitive drum and the second engagement portion engages with the first engagement portion. The drawer frame is configured to move between an inside position inside a housing and an outside position outside the housing, and has a releasing part configured to release engagement of the first and second engagement portions so as to move the second frame from the separated position to the contact position.

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, a cartridge supporting member, a cover and a restricting member. The cartridge supporting member supporting cartridges is movable along a moving path between an inside position and an outside position relative to the main body. The cover is provided at the main body and pivotally movable between a first position and a second position higher than the first position in a direction generally perpendicular to the moving path. The restricting member is movable in interlocking relation with the movement of the cartridge supporting member between a restricting position and a permitting position for restricting and permitting movement of the cover from the second position to the first position. The restricting member is in the restricting position when the cartridge supporting member is in the outside position, and in the permitting position when the cartridge supporting member is in the inside position.