Abstract: A damping component includes a base with an attachment portion to be attached to a vibrated member, a damping member disposed at an outer circumferential side of the base while being compressed, and a holding portion disposed at an outer circumferential side of the damping member and compressively holding the damping member. The damping member has rigidity lower than rigidity of the base and rigidity of the holding portion and has a loss factor, measured by a mechanical impedance method in a state being compressed between the base and the holding portion, of 0.05 or more.

Abstract: A damping structure includes a first frame on which a driving portion is mounted, a second frame provided at a position facing the first frame in a state being connected with the first frame, a projecting portion provided projectively from one frame toward the other frame of the first and second frames, and a damping member compressively held between the projecting portion and the other frame. The damping member has rigidity lower than rigidities of the first and second frames and of the projecting portion and has a loss factor, measured by a mechanical impedance method in the state being compressed between the projecting portion and the other frame, of 0.05 or more.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a main body, a cover, a driving unit, and a film. The main body is configured to accommodate an image forming portion which forms an image on a recording material. The cover is provided on the main body and covers the image forming portion. The driving unit is provided on the main body and drives the image forming portion. The film is attached to the cover with a gap formed against an inner wall of the cover. The film faces the inner wall of the cover while a tension is given thereto and without coming into contact with the driving unit.

Abstract: A dumping structure includes a first frame on which a driving portion is mounted, a second frame, a fixture fixing the first frame to the second frame, a restrict portion, provided around the fixture and provided between the first and second frames, which restricts a distance between the first and second frames, and a damping member, provided around the restrict portion, which is compressed by the first and second frame. The damping member has rigidity lower than rigidity of the first frame, rigidity of the second frame and rigidity of the restrict portion, and has a loss factor, measured by a mechanical impedance method in the state being compressed between the first and second frames, of 0.05 or more.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: a main body configured to accommodate an image forming portion which forms an image on a recording material; a cover which is provided on the main body and covers the image forming portion; a driving unit which is provided on the main body and drives the image forming portion; and a film attached to the cover with a gap formed against an inner wall of the cover, the film facing the inner wall of the cover while a tension is given thereto and without coming into contact with the driving unit.

Abstract: Included is a fixation portion having one end joined with a flat plate, and the other end fixed to a support plate that supports at least a part of a drive transmission portion including a drive transmission member that transits driving force caused in a drive source, and a length in a longitudinal direction and a length in a short direction are set such that a first vibration frequency vibrating in the longitudinal direction of the flat plate and a second vibration frequency vibrating in the short direction of the flat plate respectively resonate with mutually different vibration frequencies caused in the support plate around a portion where the fixation portion and the flat plate are joined.

Abstract: A damping structure includes a first frame on which a driving portion is mounted, a second frame provided at a position facing the first frame in a state being connected with the first frame, a project portion provided projectively from one frame toward the other frame among the first and second frames, and a damping member compressively held between the project portion and the other frame. The damping member has rigidity lower than rigidities of the first and second frames and of the project portion and has a loss factor, measured by a mechanical impedance method in the state being compressed between the project portion and the other frame, of 0.05 or more.

Abstract: A damping component includes a base with an attachment portion to be attached to a vibrated member, a damping member disposed at an outer circumferential side of the base while being compressed, and a holding portion disposed at an outer circumferential side of the damping member and compressively holding the damping member. The damping member has rigidity lower than rigidity of the base and rigidity of the holding portion and has a loss factor, measured by a mechanical impedance method in a state being compressed between the base and the holding portion, of 0.05 or more.

Abstract: A dumping structure includes a first frame on which a driving portion is mounted, a second frame, a fixture fixing the first frame to the second frame, a restrict portion, provided around the fixture and provided between the first and second frames, which restricts a distance between the first and second frames, and a damping member, provided around the restrict portion, which is compressed by the first and second frame. The damping member has rigidity lower than rigidity of the first frame, rigidity of the second frame and rigidity of the restrict portion, and has a loss factor, measured by a mechanical impedance method in the state being compressed between the first and second frames, of 0.05 or more.

Abstract: In one aspect of the invention, a fixing apparatus that heats a recording material having a toner image while conveying the recording material at a nip portion to make the toner image fix onto the recording material includes a cylindrical belt having a heat generating layer that generates heat by being energized and a contact for supplying electricity to the heat generating layer. The contact is in contact with one of an outer surface and an inner surface of an end of the belt in the generatrix direction of the belt. An electrically conductive layer is provided, along the direction of rotation of the belt, on a surface of the heat generating layer opposite to a surface of the heat generating layer at which the contact is present.

Abstract: A developer supply container for use with an image forming apparatus includes a shell having an air passage and a discharge nozzle, a developer storage pouch storing developer contained inside the shell, and a discharging nozzle for discharging the developer accommodated in the developer storage pouch to outside of the developer supply container. In addition, an air passage allows air to communicate between inside and outside of the shell, and a seal attached to the shell seals the air passage to maintain a pressure inside the shell in a negative pressure state which is lower than a pressure outside the shell. The developer storage pouch is deformed to discharge the developer by peeling the seal off the shell to permit air to enter the shell through the air passage.

Abstract: In one aspect of the invention, a fixing apparatus that heats a recording material having a toner image while conveying the recording material at a nip portion to make the toner image fix onto the recording material includes a cylindrical belt having a heat generating layer that generates heat by being energized and a contact for supplying electricity to the heat generating layer. The contact is in contact with one of an outer surface and an inner surface of an end of the belt in the generatrix direction of the belt. An electrically conductive layer is provided, along the direction of rotation of the belt, on a surface of the heat generating layer opposite to a surface of the heat generating layer at which the contact is present.

Abstract: In one aspect of the invention, a fixing apparatus that heats a recording material having a toner image while conveying the recording material at a nip portion to make the toner image fix onto the recording material includes a cylindrical belt having a heat generating layer that generates heat by being energized and a contact for supplying electricity to the heat generating layer. The contact is in contact with one of an outer surface and an inner surface of an end of the belt in the generatrix direction of the belt. An electrically conductive layer is provided, along the direction of rotation of the belt, on a surface of the heat generating layer opposite to a surface of the heat generating layer at which the contact is present.

Abstract: A developer supply container includes: a developer accommodating bag, having an elastic restoring force, for accommodating the developer; and a developer discharging path for discharging, when the developer accommodating bag is mounted in a main assembly of an image forming apparatus, the developer accommodated in the developer accommodating bag to the main assembly. When the developer accommodating bag is mounted in the main assembly, the developer accommodating bag is expandable by pressure generating means provided in the main assembly. An amount of the developer accommodated in the developer accommodating bag is such that by accommodation of the developer, a volume of the developer accommodating bag is not less than a volume when a contraction pressure of the developer accommodating bag has a maximum value.

Abstract: A developer supply container for an image forming apparatus includes a container shell; a developer accommodation bag contained in the container shell; a developer discharging path for discharging the developer from the bag an outside of the developer supply container; an air fluid communication path for fluid communication between inside and outside of the container shell; and a maintaining portion sealing the air fluid communication path to maintain a pressure inside the container shell in a negative pressure state, wherein the developer accommodation bag deforms to discharge the developer, by the maintaining portion opening the air fluid communication path to permit air to enter the container shell through the air fluid communication path.

Abstract: In one aspect of the invention, a fixing apparatus that heats a recording material having a toner image while conveying the recording material at a nip portion to make the toner image fix onto the recording material includes a cylindrical belt having a heat generating layer that generates heat by being energized and a contact for supplying electricity to the heat generating layer. The contact is in contact with one of an outer surface and an inner surface of an end of the belt in the generatrix direction of the belt. An electrically conductive layer is provided, along the direction of rotation of the belt, on a surface of the heat generating layer opposite to a surface of the heat generating layer at which the contact is present.

Abstract: A printing apparatus allows a print medium to be heated to a temperature equal to or higher than a condensation temperature of a refrigerant when the print medium is heated during a condensation process of a heat pump. The printing apparatus includes a heating unit for heating a print medium, and a conveying unit for conveying the print medium which has been heated by the heating unit. The heating unit includes a heat-pump mechanism. The heating unit heats the print medium by transferring heat generated by a condenser when the refrigerant is condensed by the condenser. The refrigerant flows along a conveying direction in which the print medium is conveyed by the conveying unit, and flows into the condenser at a downstream side thereof in the conveying direction and out from the condenser at an upstream side thereof in the conveying direction.

Abstract: A printing apparatus is provided which allows a print medium to be heated to a temperature equal to or higher than a condensation temperature of a refrigerant when the print medium is heated during a condensation process of a heat pump. The printing apparatus includes heating unit for heating a print medium, and conveying unit for conveying the print medium which has been heated by the heating unit. The heating unit includes a heat pump mechanism. The heating unit heats the print medium by transferring heat generated by a condenser when the refrigerant is condensed by the condenser. The refrigerant flows along a conveying direction in which the print medium is conveyed by the conveying unit, and flows into the condenser at a downstream side in the conveying direction and out from the condenser at an upstream side in the conveying direction.

Abstract: A method for storing pipette chips for making a container for storing used pipette chips on a pipetting device compact is provided. A method for storing pipette chips including a step of moving a pipette chip to an entrance portion of a pipette chip container, a step of cutting at least a part of a pipette chip, a step of taking a cut pipette chip into the pipette chip container, and a step of stacking a pipette chip to be subsequently taken in onto a preceding taken-in pipette chip.

Abstract: A target substance is more accurately detected by recording a manufacturing condition specific to a probe-immobilized carrier that influences a measurement result for the detection of the target substance, and correcting the measurement result obtained from the detection of the target substance by use of the probe-immobilized carrier on the basis of the recorded manufacturing condition. The influence of variations in the immobilization states of the probe onto the solid phase carrier on the measurement result of the target substance can be eliminated.