Abstract: A paper feeding device includes: a bearing base to which a spool inserted into a paper roll, around which a paper is wound, is detachably attachable; a support including: a leading-end detection sensor to detect a leading end of the paper on the paper roll and output a sensor signal; and a roller disposed at a position in the support different from the leading-end detection sensor in a circumferential direction of the paper roll, to cause the leading-end detection sensor and the roller to contact a surface of the paper roll attached to the bearing base; and to cause the leading-end detection sensor and the roller to be directed toward an axial center of the spool; and a motor to rotate the spool in a feeding direction to feed the paper and in a reverse direction opposite to the feeding direction.

Abstract: An imaging device includes an imaging unit, a lens unit including a plurality of lenses stacked on each other to guide light to the imaging unit, a heater member used for a heater configured to heat a top lens closest to an object among the lenses included in the lens unit, and a reflection suppressor disposed between a region outside of an effective region of the top lens and the heater member, the reflection suppressor being configured to suppress light reflection. The reflection suppressor includes a first reflection suppressor disposed on the top lens side and having an uneven surface, and a second reflection suppressor disposed on the heater member side, the first reflection suppressor being layered on the second reflection suppressor. A surface of the second reflection suppressor facing the heater member is smoother than a surface of the second reflection suppressor facing the first reflection suppressor.

Abstract: A sheet feeding device includes a support, a rotation driver, a guide, a support shaft, a biasing member, a leading end sensor, a roller, an outer diameter sensor, and circuitry. The circuitry causes the rotation driver to rotate a spool in a winding direction to determine a timing at which a signal change rate exceeds a change rate threshold as a passing time at which a leading end of a continuous sheet passes through the leading end sensor, causes the rotation driver to rotate the spool by a rotation angle in the winding direction, from the passing time, to position the leading end of the continuous sheet at a feeding start position, and rotates the spool in a feeding direction to feed the continuous sheet from the feeding start position along a guide portion. Further, the circuitry changes the change rate threshold based on an outer diameter of a roll.

Abstract: A sheet supply device includes a supporter, a rotation device, a guide, a support shaft, a biasing member, a sensor, a roller, and control circuitry. The sensor is disposed to protrude from the facing portion toward the roll and biased in a direction to contact the outer peripheral surface of the roll. The sensor outputs a detection signal at a level corresponding to an amount at which the sensor protrudes from the facing portion. The roller is supported by the facing portion, to contact the outer peripheral surface of the roll at a position different from a position of the sensor in a circumferential direction of the roll. The control circuitry controls the rotation device based on a signal change rate that is a change amount of the level of the detection signal per unit time.

Abstract: A sheet feeding device includes a sensor, a roller, a support, circuitry, and a spool. The sensor detects a step at a leading end of a sheet roll. The roller and the sensor are disposed at different positions in a circumferential direction of the sheet roll. The support supports the sensor and the roller to bring the sensor and the roller into contact with the sheet roll. The circuitry acquires a sensor signal. The spool is insertable through a sheet tube of the sheet roll to rotate the sheet roll. The sensor and the roller face an axial center of the spool. The support is pivotable within a range in which the sensor does not contact the spool. The circuitry detects first and second inclinations of the sensor signal when the leading end passes by the roller and the sensor, respectively, to determine whether the leading end is present.

Abstract: A sheet feeding device includes a support that detachably supports a roll, a rotation driver that rotates a spool, a guide including a facing portion and a guide portion, a support shaft that swingably supports the guide, a biasing member that presses the guide, a sensor that retractably projects from the facing portion and outputs a detection signal, a roller that contacts an outer circumferential surface of the roll, and circuitry that controls the rotation driver. The circuitry determines a passing time based on a first change rate and a second change rate, and causes the rotation driver to rotate the spool by a predetermined angle in a winding direction, from the passing time, to position a leading end of a continuous sheet at a feeding start position, and rotates the spool in the feeding direction to feed the continuous sheet from the feeding start position along the guide portion.

Abstract: A sheet feeding device includes a sensor, a roller, and a support on which the sensor and the roller are disposed. The support supports the sensor and the roller so that the sensor and the roller contact a surface of the sheet roll. The sensor and the roller face toward an axial center of the sheet roll. The roller is spaced apart from the sensor in a circumferential direction of the sheet roll. The sensor has a detection accuracy capable of detecting a step at a leading end of the sheet roll.

Abstract: A sheet feeding device includes a support, a rotation driver, a guide, a support shaft, a biasing member, a leading end sensor, a roller, an outer diameter sensor, and circuitry. The circuitry causes the rotation driver to rotate a spool in a winding direction to determine a timing at which a signal change rate exceeds a change rate threshold as a passing time at which a leading end of a continuous sheet passes through the leading end sensor, causes the rotation driver to rotate the spool by a rotation angle in the winding direction, from the passing time, to position the leading end of the continuous sheet at a feeding start position, and rotates the spool in a feeding direction to feed the continuous sheet from the feeding start position along a guide portion. Further, the circuitry changes the change rate threshold based on an outer diameter of a roll.

Abstract: A sheet feeding device includes a support that detachably supports a roll, a rotation driver that rotates a spool, a guide including a facing portion and a guide portion, a support shaft that swingably supports the guide, a biasing member that presses the guide, a sensor that retractably projects from the facing portion and outputs a detection signal, a roller that contacts an outer circumferential surface of the roll, and circuitry that controls the rotation driver. The circuitry determines a passing time based on a first change rate and a second change rate, and causes the rotation driver to rotate the spool by a predetermined angle in a winding direction, from the passing time, to position a leading end of a continuous sheet at a feeding start position, and rotates the spool in the feeding direction to feed the continuous sheet from the feeding start position along the guide portion.

Abstract: A compound represented by formula (I), wherein A? represents a halogen ion, a benzenesulfonate ion, an alkylsulfonate ion or the like, X represents a halogeno group or the like, a is an integer of 0 to 4, Y represents a C1-C8 alkyl group or the like, b is an integer of 0 to 5.

Abstract: A compound represented by formula (I), wherein A? represents a halogen ion, a benzenesulfonate ion, an alkylsulfonate ion or the like, X represents a halogeno group or the like, a is an integer of 0 to 4, Y represents a C1-C8 alkyl group or the like, b is an integer of 0 to 5.

Abstract: Titanium oxide-based photocatalysts which contain a metal halide in titanium oxide and which are prepared from titanium oxide and/or its precursor, which may optionally be heat treated, by contact with a reactive gas containing a metal halide of the formula MXn or MOXn (wherein M=a metal, X=a halogen, and n=an integer) with heating stably develop a high photocatalytic activity with visible light irradiation. The photocatalysts may subsequently be stabilized by contact with water or by heat treatment, and/or promoted by contact with a heteropoly acid and/or an isopoly acid so as to include a metal complex in the titanium oxide. Photocatalysts prepared in this manner exhibit novel ESR features. The present invention also provides methods for preparing these photocatalysts, a photocatalyst dispersion and a photocatalytic coating fluid containing such a photocatalyst, and photocatalytic functional products and methods for their manufacture using the photocatalyst.

Abstract: A titanium oxide photocatalyst responsive to visible light which can exhibit a high photocatalytic activity in response to visible light is produced by subjecting titanium oxide and/or titanium hydroxide obtained by neutralizing an acidic titanium compound with a nitrogen-containing base to heat treatment in an atmosphere containing a hydrolyzable metal compound (e.g., a titanium halide) and then to additional heat treatment in a gas having a moisture content of 0.5-4.0 volume % at a temperature of 350° C. or above. The photocatalyst which is a nitrogen-containing titanium oxide has no substantial peak at a temperature of 600° C. or above in a mass fragment spectrum obtained by thermal desorption spectroscopy in which the ratio m/e of the mass number m to the electric charged e of ions is 28, and the peak having the smallest half band width is in the range of 400-600° C. in the spectrum. The nitrogen content calculated from the peak appearing at 400 eV±1.

Abstract: Titanium oxide-based photocatalysts which contain a metal halide in titanium oxide and which are prepared from titanium oxide and/or its precursor, which may optionally be heat treated, by contact with a reactive gas containing a metal halide of the formula MXn or MOXn (wherein M=a metal, X=a halogen, and n=an integer) with heating stably develop a high photocatalytic activity with visible light irradiation. The photocatalysts may subsequently be stabilized by contact with water or by heat treatment, and/or promoted by contact with a heteropoly acid and/or an isopoly acid so as to include a metal complex in the titanium oxide. Photocatalysts prepared in this manner exhibit novel ESR features. The present invention also provides methods for preparing these photocatalysts, a photocatalyst dispersion and a photocatalytic coating fluid containing such a photocatalyst, and photocatalytic functional products and methods for their manufacture using the photocatalyst.

Abstract: The size of a resonance noise due to a signal of an alternating voltage applied to a charging member (charging roller) is detected by a piezoelectric device (PZ), and in cases in which the size of the detected resonance noise (detection signal level) exceeds a predetermined size, the frequency of the alternating voltage signal applied to the charging member is shifted, by a control unit (50), by a predetermined frequency amount only.

Abstract: A highly active titanium oxide photocatalyst of the type responsive to visible light is prepared by subjecting a titanium (hydr)oxide raw material obtained by neutralizing an acidic titanium compound in ammonia or an amine under conditions such that the final pH is 7 or below to heat treatment in an atmosphere containing a hydrolyzable compound followed by contact with water and additional heat treatment at a temperature of at least 350° C. The resulting titanium oxide photocatalyst comprises titanium oxide with a specific surface area of at most 120 m2/g and with the amount of surface hydroxyl groups being at least 600 ?eq/g. Preferably the density of surface hydroxyl groups is at least 8 ?eq/m2, and the ratio of the amount of terminal type hydroxyl groups (T) to the amount of bridge type hydroxyl groups (B) in the surface hydroxyl groups satisfies T/B?0.20. This titanium oxide photocatalyst has an ESR spectrum having two types of triplet signal for which the g values of the main spectra are 1.993-2.

Abstract: The size of a resonance noise due to a signal of an alternating voltage applied to a charging member (charging roller) is detected by a piezoelectric device (PZ), and in cases in which the size of the detected resonance noise (detection signal level) exceeds a predetermined size, the frequency of the alternating voltage signal applied to the charging member is shifted, by a control unit (50), by a predetermined frequency amount only.

Abstract: A developing unit is adapted to an image forming apparatus of an electrophotographic system that has a two component developing agent. The developing unit deposits a thin layer of toner on a developing roller by way of a magnetic brush on a magnetic roller. The toner then is transferred from the developing roller to a photosensitive drum. Developing bias voltages applied to the rollers have DC and AC components. Thus, electric current alternately flows in the magnetic roller and the developing roller to accelerate toner transfer. Sufficient toner is supplied from the magnetic roller to the developing roller, and sufficient toner is recovered from the developing roller to the magnetic roller. This arrangement lowers the amplitude of the AC bias voltage, thereby eliminating an influence on the photosensitive drum. Further, the frequencies of the AC bias voltages are constant. Thus AC bias voltage generating circuits have a low cost.

Abstract: A developing unit is adapted to an image forming apparatus of an electrophotographic system that has a two component developing agent. The developing unit deposits a thin layer of toner on a developing roller by way of a magnetic brush on a magnetic roller. The toner then is transferred from the developing roller to a photosensitive drum. Developing bias voltages applied to the rollers have DC and AC components. Thus, electric current alternately flows in the magnetic roller and the developing roller to accelerate toner transfer. Sufficient toner is supplied from the magnetic roller to the developing roller, and sufficient toner is recovered from the developing roller to the magnetic roller. This arrangement lowers the amplitude of the AC bias voltage, thereby eliminating an influence on the photosensitive drum. Further, the frequencies of the AC bias voltages are constant. Thus AC bias voltage generating circuits have a low cost.

Abstract: Titanium oxide-based photocatalysts which contain a metal halide in titanium oxide and which are prepared from titanium oxide and/or its precursor, which may optionally be heat treated, by contact with a reactive gas containing a metal halide of the formula MXn or MOXn (wherein M=a metal, X=a halogen, and n=an integer) with heating stably develop a high photocatalytic activity with visible light irradiation. The photocatalysts may subsequently be stabilized by contact with water or by heat treatment, and/or promoted by contact with a heteropoly acid and/or an isopoly acid so as to include a metal complex in the titanium oxide. Photocatalysts prepared in this manner exhibit novel ESR features. The present invention also provides methods for preparing these photocatalysts, a photocatalyst dispersion and a photocatalytic coating fluid containing such a photocatalyst, and photocatalytic functional products and methods for their manufacture using the photocatalyst.