Abstract: There is provided an image forming apparatus capable of minimizing the adhesion of a mold release wax vaporized at the time of heating a toner image to components excluding a fixing device inside the image forming apparatus. The mold release wax vaporized at the time of heating and fixing a toner image to a recording material is collected by a collection member, which is provided between a nip portion forming member and the frame of the fixing device, and kept at a temperature between the melting point and the sublimation point of the mold release wax.

Abstract: In connection with movement of an opening-closing member when a toner accommodating container is attached to the image forming apparatus, the urging direction of an urging member relative to the opening-closing member changes from a direction that causes the opening-closing member to close an opening portion to a direction that causes the opening-closing member to open the opening portion. By using the urging force of the urging member that acts in the direction that causes the opening-closing member to open the opening portion, the toner accommodating container is pulled into the image forming apparatus.

Abstract: A motor control device with which both high-accuracy current detection and improvement in voltage utilization factor are achieved is provided. When an ON time of any one of low potential side switching elements corresponding to respective phases in a driving circuit is shorter than a detection time of a current value, a microcomputer estimates a phase current value of a current undetectable phase based on current values of two phases other than the current undetectable phase corresponding to the said FET. Then, at the time of current detection using the blind correction, during current detection for two phases, other than the current undetectable phase, based on which the blind correction is performed, motor control signals for maintaining switching states of a switching arm corresponding to the current undetectable phase are output.

Abstract: To detect an abnormal value in a satellite positioning system with high precision even when the observation environment changes or there is the time series correlation between data. An abnormal value index calculation unit 11 calculates an abnormal value index at each time of time-series data such as a pseudo distance between each artificial satellite and a receiver in the satellite positioning system or the like. A dynamic model forming unit 12 dynamically forms a model from the abnormal value index in a predetermined period and calculates a change point index from the time-series abnormal value index based on the dynamic model. The change point index is an index for determining whether the time-series is a one-shot outlier from a dynamic model or the dynamic model itself of input data changes when the time-series value which suddenly increases and decreases exists.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image bearing drum for carrying a toner image; an intermediary transfer member; a primary transfer device for primary transfer of a toner image from the drum onto the intermediary member; a secondary transfer device for secondary transfer of the toner image from the intermediary member onto a sheet; and a cleaning unit for removing the toner on the intermediary member. The cleaning unit includes a scraping member for removing the toner deposited on the intermediary member, an accommodating portion for the removed toner, a discharging member, provided downstream of the scraping member with respect to a moving direction of the intermediary member, for moving the toner in the accommodating portion to the intermediary member by application of a voltage, and a regulating member contacted to the discharging member to regulate an amount of the toner deposited on the discharging member.

Abstract: This invention provides a toner conveying device including a toner hashing member having an opening region serving as a connecting region between the connection member and the toner conveying member and configured to break up a clump of toner accumulating in a toner conveying path in a region of the conveying path, which corresponds at least to the opening region, and an image forming apparatus including this toner conveying device.

Abstract: An image fixing apparatus for heating and fixing an unfixed image formed on a recording material, comprising a heater including a substrate, a first electrode provided on one side of the substrate and a second electrode provided on the other side of the substrate; and a connector, connected with the heater, for receiving electric power, the connector including an electrically insulative housing, and a contact terminal provided inside the housing and having first spring contact contacted to the first electrode and a second spring contact contacted to the second electrode, wherein the contact terminal is swingable relative to the housing.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image bearing drum for carrying a toner image; an intermediary transfer member; a primary transfer device for primary transfer of a toner image from the drum onto the intermediary member; a secondary transfer device for secondary transfer of the toner image from the intermediary member onto a sheet; and a cleaning unit for removing the toner on the intermediary member. The cleaning unit includes a scraping member for removing the toner deposited on the intermediary member, an accommodating portion for the removed toner, a discharging member, provided downstream of the scraping member with respect to a moving direction of the intermediary member, for moving the toner in the accommodating portion to the intermediary member by application of a voltage, and a regulating member contacted to the discharging member to regulate an amount of the toner deposited on the discharging member.

Abstract: A motor control device with which both high-accuracy current detection and improvement in voltage utilization factor are achieved is provided. When an ON time of any one of low potential side switching elements corresponding to respective phases in a driving circuit is shorter than a detection time of a current value, a microcomputer estimates a phase current value of a current undetectable phase based on current values of two phases other than the current undetectable phase corresponding to the said FET. Then, at the time of current detection using the blind correction, during current detection for two phases, other than the current undetectable phase, based on which the blind correction is performed, motor control signals for maintaining switching states of a switching arm corresponding to the current undetectable phase are output.

Abstract: This invention provides a toner conveying device including a toner hashing member having an opening region serving as a connecting region between the connection member and the toner conveying member and configured to break up a clump of toner accumulating in a toner conveying path in a region of the conveying path, which corresponds at least to the opening region, and an image forming apparatus including this toner conveying device.

Abstract: There is provided an image forming apparatus capable of minimizing the adhesion of a mold release wax vaporized at the time of heating a toner image to components excluding a fixing device inside the image forming apparatus. The mold release wax vaporized at the time of heating and fixing a toner image to a recording material is collected by a collection member, which is provided between a nip portion forming member and the frame of the fixing device, and kept at a temperature between the melting point and the sublimation point of the mold release wax.

Abstract: To detect an abnormal value in a satellite positioning system with high precision even when the observation environment changes or there is the time series correlation between data. An abnormal value index calculation unit 11 calculates an abnormal value index at each time of time-series data such as a pseudo distance between each artificial satellite and a receiver in the satellite positioning system or the like. A dynamic model forming unit 12 dynamically forms a model from the abnormal value index in a predetermined period and calculates a change point index from the time-series abnormal value index based on the dynamic model. The change point index is an index for determining whether the time-series is a one-shot outlier from a dynamic model or the dynamic model itself of input data changes when the time-series value which suddenly increases and decreases exists.

Abstract: To maintain the safety by avoiding deterioration in the positioning accuracy through making SBAS satellite navigation data used in a ground system and in an airborne system consistent by employing GBAS. The system includes: a ground system which estimates errors contained in ranging signals received from the navigation satellites, and formats and transmits correction information for correcting the estimated errors; and an airborne system which calculates differential GPS positioning based on the ranging signals received from the navigation satellites and the formatted correction information, and displays a displacement from a regulated route. The ground system notifies update, when SBAS satellite navigation data used for generating the correction information is updated, by adding information regarding update of navigation data to the correction information.

Abstract: There is provided a sheet discharging apparatus and an image forming apparatus, in which even a curled sheet can properly be discharged to and stacked on a sheet stacking portion. A projection is provided in a central portion in a width direction of a tailing end regulating portion while projected toward an upstream side in a sheet discharge direction. The tailing end regulating portion regulates a tailing end position of the sheet stacked on the sheet stacking portion. The tailing end position of the sheet discharged to the sheet stacking portion is supported by the projection, and the both end portions in the width direction of the sheet are pushed down below an upper surface of the projection by pressing portions at both ends of a full load detecting flag, thereby bending the sheet.

Abstract: A semiconductor device manufacturing method includes: forming an element-isolating insulating film in an element-forming region, and an underlying insulating film in a peripheral region; forming a gate material film; etching the gate material film to form a gate pattern and removing the gate material film on the underlying insulating film to form an alignment mark-forming region; forming an interlayer insulating film; etching the interlayer insulating film to form a contact hole, and a mark hole in the alignment mark-forming region; forming a first conductive film so as to fill the contact hole but not to fill the mark hole; removing the first conductive film outside the contact hole and the mark hole; forming a second conductive film so as not to fill the mark hole; and performing lithographic alignment by taking advantage of a level difference created by a recess left inside the mark hole.

Abstract: An object of the present inventions is to overcome a problem that the presence of a metal film, which is opaque to a visible light, between a lower layer alignment mark and a photoresist prevents the detection of the lower layer alignment mark, to make the pattern formation difficult. In the present inventions, an insulating film is placed beneath the alignment mark in structure; an alignment mark consisting of said multi-layered film comprising an alignment mark layer and the insulating film, which constitutes a stepped part with an increased difference in level, is first formed, inside a mark hole, in a manner of self-alignment; and then the metal film which is the very cause of the above problem is formed thereon. Since the metal film itself has a stepped shape corresponding to the alignment mark, alignment can be made with great accuracy.

Abstract: To maintain the safety by avoiding deterioration in the positioning accuracy through making SBAS satellite navigation data used in a ground system and in an airborne system consistent by employing GBAS. The system includes: a ground system which estimates errors contained in ranging signals received from the navigation satellites, and formats and transmits correction information for correcting the estimated errors; and an airborne system which calculates differential GPS positioning based on the ranging signals received from the navigation satellites and the formatted correction information, and displays a displacement from a regulated route. The ground system notifies update, when SBAS satellite navigation data used for generating the correction information is updated, by adding information regarding update of navigation data to the correction information.

Abstract: There is provided a sheet discharging apparatus and an image forming apparatus, in which even a curled sheet can properly be discharged to and stacked on a sheet stacking portion. A projection is provided in a central portion in a width direction of a tailing end regulating portion while projected toward an upstream side in a sheet discharge direction. The tailing end regulating portion regulates a tailing end position of the sheet stacked on the sheet stacking portion. The tailing end position of the sheet discharged to the sheet stacking portion is supported by the projection, and the both end portions in the width direction of the sheet are pushed down below an upper surface of the projection by pressing portions at both ends of a full load detecting flag, thereby bending the sheet.

Abstract: A semiconductor-device manufacturing method includes forming an element separating insulating film on a semiconductor substrate; forming a gate multilayer film for forming a gate electrode thereon; removing the gate multilayer film in an alignment mark forming area positioned on the element separating insulating film; forming a pattern of a first conductive film in the element forming area; forming an alignment mark of the first conductive film, used in photolithography, in the alignment mark forming area surrounded by the gate multilayer film; forming an inter-layer insulating film thereon; removing the inter-layer insulating film in the alignment mark forming area, so that it remains on the gate multilayer film around the alignment mark forming area; removing or thinning the element separating insulating film around the alignment mark; and forming a pattern of a second conductive film on the inter-layer insulating film by performing alignment of the photolithography by using the alignment mark.

Abstract: A pressure sensor is composed of a pressure housing having a pressure chamber inside and a pressure sensitive element arranged in the pressure chamber, and a joint housing having a fluid passage for leading fluid into the pressure housing, wherein the pressure housing and the joint housing are jointed by brazing with an insulating member interposed at a joint section therebetween. A stress relieving member is interposed at least either between the metal housing and the insulating member or between the joint housing and the insulating member, so that the insulating member can be relieved of a stress which is caused by the braze jointing to act on the insulating member.