Abstract: A method for producing polytetrafluoroethylene, which includes polymerizing tetrafluoroethylene in an aqueous medium in the presence of a nucleating agent and a hydrocarbon anionic surfactant to obtain polytetrafluoroethylene. A total amount of the nucleating agent and the hydrocarbon anionic surfactant at the initiation of polymerization is more than 50 ppm based on the aqueous medium.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a first roller pair including a first roller and a second roller, a first driving unit, a second roller pair, a second driving unit, an image forming unit, and a control unit configured to execute a first mode and a second mode. The second mode includes (1) a first processing, (2) a second processing, and (3) a third processing of controlling the first driving unit such that the rotational speed of the first roller pair becomes faster than the second rotational speed. The first mode includes (1) a fourth processing, (2) a fifth processing, and (3) a sixth processing of controlling the first driving unit such that the rotational speed of the first roller pair is decelerated from the first rotational speed to equal to or less than the second rotational speed.

Abstract: A sheet conveyance apparatus includes a first roller pair, a second roller pair, an abutment portion, an oblique feeding portion, a detection portion, a moving portion a contact/separation portion, and a control portion. If a first sheet whose length is a first length is conveyed, the control portion causes the moving portion to move the first roller pair, and then causes the first sheet to be conveyed from the first roller pair to the oblique feeding portion through the second roller pair that is in the separation state, and if a second sheet whose length is a second length shorter than the first length is conveyed, the control portion causes the moving portion to move the first roller pair, and then causes the second sheet to be conveyed from the first roller pair to the oblique feeding portion via the second roller pair that is in the contact state.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image forming unit, a fixing unit including a first rotary member and a second rotary member, a reciprocation mechanism configured to reciprocally move the fixing unit in a width direction, a duplex conveyance unit configured to reverse a recording material of which a toner image is fixed on a first surface and reconvey the recording material to the image forming unit in a double-sided image formation in which toner images are formed and fixed on the first surface and second surfaces of the recording material, and a control unit configured to control the reciprocation mechanism not to move the fixing unit in the width direction while the fixing unit is nipping and conveying the recording material at a fixing nip portion for fixing the toner image on the first surface of the recording material in the double-sided image formation.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image bearing member, a transfer portion, first and second correcting portions including first and second roller pairs and first and second detectors, respectively. The first and second correcting portions correct a sheet position in a widthwise direction. A controller, in a case the sheet is fed to the transfer portion via the first correcting portion from the second correcting portion, causes the first correcting portion to correct the sheet position to a first position to be aligned with the image transferred in the transfer position and causes the second correcting portion to correct the sheet position to a second position. When the sheet has been moved to a reference position by the second roller pair, the second position is a position offset from the reference position toward an opposite side to a direction where the sheet position detected by the first detector is shifted from the first position.

Abstract: Provided is an image forming apparatus, in which a recording material is conveyed by a reverse portion rotated in a first direction at a first velocity which is faster than a conveyance velocity of the recording material in a fixing portion after a rear end portion of the recording material passes through the fixing portion, and then, the recording material is conveyed to a conveying portion by the reverse portion rotated in a second direction opposite to the first direction through a conveyance path at a second velocity which is faster than the conveyance velocity of the recording material in the fixing portion, and a conveyance velocity of the recording material is set to a third velocity which is slower than the second velocity at a predetermined timing before the rear end portion of the recording material reaches a curved portion of the conveyance path.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a fixing portion, a first belt conveyance portion having a first conveyance belt with a first conveyance surface, and a first air suction portion having a first opening portion, includes a second belt conveyance portion having a second conveyance belt with a second conveyance surface, and a second air suction portion having a second opening portion, and includes a pre-fixation guide portion having a guide surface that guides a leading end of a sheet conveyed on the second conveyance surface toward the fixing portion. As viewed in a sheet width direction, a center position of the first opening portion is disposed at approximately the same position as a center position of the first conveyance surface, and a center position of the second opening portion is disposed at a position closer to the pre-fixation guide portion than a center position of the second conveyance surface.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image forming unit configured to form an image on a sheet; a second reading sensor, and a controller. The first reading sensor is provided on a conveyance path, and is configured to read a first surface of the sheet conveyed along the conveyance path. The second reading sensor is provided at a position different from a position of the first reading sensor, and is configured to read a second surface which is on a side opposite to the first surface of the sheet conveyed along the conveyance path. The controller is configured to control the image forming unit to form measurement images for measurement of printing positions on the sheet, control the first reading sensor to read end portions of the sheet, and to control the second reading sensor to read the end portions of the sheet.

Abstract: A battery cover including a main body, an opening/closing part provided on the main body, a flexible rib having a locking projection provided on the opening/closing part, an abutting rib provided on the main body, which has a locking recess to be engaged with the locking projection while the opening/closing part is opened to the main body, a contact portion that abuts on the locking projection and deflects the flexible rib when the opening/closing part is opened to the main body, and a flat portion provided on the contact portion, which abuts on the locking projection first when the opening/closing part is opened to the main body and extends in the direction orthogonal to the direction of force input when abutting on the locking projection.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image forming unit configured to form an image on a sheet; a second reading sensor, and a controller. The first reading sensor is provided on a conveyance path, and is configured to read a first surface of the sheet conveyed along the conveyance path. The second reading sensor is provided at a position different from a position of the first reading sensor, and is configured to read a second surface which is on a side opposite to the first surface of the sheet conveyed along the conveyance path. The controller is configured to control the image forming unit to form measurement images for measurement of printing positions on the sheet, control the first reading sensor to read end portions of the sheet, and to control the second reading sensor to read the end portions of the sheet.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image forming unit, a fixing unit including a first rotary member and a second rotary member, a reciprocation mechanism configured to reciprocally move the fixing unit in a width direction, a duplex conveyance unit configured to reverse a recording material of which a toner image is fixed on a first surface and reconvey the recording material to the image forming unit in a double-sided image formation in which toner images are formed and fixed on the first surface and second surfaces of the recording material, and a control unit configured to control the reciprocation mechanism not to move the fixing unit in the width direction while the fixing unit is nipping and conveying the recording material at a fixing nip portion for fixing the toner image on the first surface of the recording material in the double-sided image formation.

Abstract: A sheet conveying apparatus includes: a first pair of conveying rollers for conveying a sheet; a second pair of conveying rollers against which the leading edge of the sheet conveyed by the first pair of conveying rollers is hit and which conveys the sheet together with the first pair of conveying rollers by rotating after a loop is formed on the sheet; a separating portion for separating the first pair of conveying rollers; a first conveyance path for guiding the sheet; a second conveyance path which is a path different from the first conveyance path and guides the sheet; and a controller which changes a separation timing at which the first pair of conveying rollers is separated after the loop is formed on the sheet, depending on whether the sheet is guided by the first conveyance path or by the second conveyance path.

Abstract: A battery cover including a main body, an opening/closing part provided on the main body, a flexible rib having a locking projection provided on the opening/closing part, an abutting rib provided on the main body, which has a locking recess to be engaged with the locking projection while the opening/closing part is opened to the main body, a contact portion that abuts on the locking projection and deflects the flexible rib when the opening/closing part is opened to the main body, and a flat portion provided on the contact portion, which abuts on the locking projection first when the opening/closing part is opened to the main body and extends in the direction orthogonal to the direction of force input when abutting on the locking projection.

Abstract: A sheet conveying apparatus includes: a first pair of conveying rollers for conveying a sheet; a second pair of conveying rollers against which the leading edge of the sheet conveyed by the first pair of conveying rollers is hit and which conveys the sheet together with the first pair of conveying rollers by rotating after a loop is formed on the sheet; a separating portion for separating the first pair of conveying rollers; a first conveyance path for guiding the sheet; a second conveyance path which is a path different from the first conveyance path and guides the sheet; and a controller which changes a separation timing at which the first pair of conveying rollers is separated after the loop is formed on the sheet, depending on whether the sheet is guided by the first conveyance path or by the second conveyance path.

Abstract: A sheet conveying apparatus includes: a first pair of conveying rollers for conveying a sheet; a second pair of conveying rollers against which the leading edge of the sheet conveyed by the first pair of conveying rollers is hit and which conveys the sheet together with the first pair of conveying rollers by rotating after a loop is formed on the sheet; a separating portion for separating the first pair of conveying rollers; a first conveyance path for guiding the sheet; a second conveyance path which is a path different from the first conveyance path and guides the sheet; and a controller which changes a separation timing at which the first pair of conveying rollers is separated after the loop is formed on the sheet, depending on whether the sheet is guided by the first conveyance path or by the second conveyance path.

Abstract: Provided is an image forming apparatus including a secondary transfer portion which transfers a toner image onto a recording material; a fixing device which fixes the toner image onto the recording material, and a belt conveying portion which adsorbs the recording material between the secondary transfer portion and the fixing device, and conveys the recording material, in which the belt conveying portion includes a first velocity at the time of receiving a front end portion of the recording material in a traveling direction from the secondary transfer portion, and a second velocity before a rear end portion of the recording material in the traveling direction leaves the secondary transfer portion at the time of delivering the front end portion of the recording material in the traveling direction to the fixing device, and the second velocity is faster than the first velocity.

Abstract: Provided is an image forming apparatus, in which a recording material is conveyed by a reverse portion rotated in a first direction at a first velocity which is faster than a conveyance velocity of the recording material in a fixing portion after a rear end portion of the recording material passes through the fixing portion, and then, the recording material is conveyed to a conveying portion by the reverse portion rotated in a second direction opposite to the first direction through a conveyance path at a second velocity which is faster than the conveyance velocity of the recording material in the fixing portion, and a conveyance velocity of the recording material is set to a third velocity which is slower than the second velocity at a predetermined timing before the rear end portion of the recording material reaches a curved portion of the conveyance path.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a rotatable image drum for carrying a toner image; a transfer member contacted to the drum to transfer the toner image from the drum onto a transfer member; a cleaning blade provided downstream of the transfer member with respect to a peripheral moving direction of the drum and having a free end portion contacted to the drum, the blade being configured to remove, with rotation of the drum, toner remaining on the drum after transfer of the toner image by the transfer member; and a toner retaining member cooperative with the drum to provide a toner accommodation space toner removed from the drum by the blade. The toner retaining member can retain a part of the toner accommodated in the toner accommodation space and capable of being deformed by the toner accommodated in the accommodation space to discharge the toner from the accommodation space.

Abstract: A sheet conveying apparatus includes: a first pair of conveying rollers for conveying a sheet; a second pair of conveying rollers against which the leading edge of the sheet conveyed by the first pair of conveying rollers is hit and which conveys the sheet together with the first pair of conveying rollers by rotating after a loop is formed on the sheet; a separating portion for separating the first pair of conveying rollers; a first conveyance path for guiding the sheet; a second conveyance path which is a path different from the first conveyance path and guides the sheet; and a controller which changes a separation timing at which the first pair of conveying rollers is separated after the loop is formed on the sheet, depending on whether the sheet is guided by the first conveyance path or by the second conveyance path.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a rotatable image drum for carrying a toner image; a transfer member contacted to the drum to transfer the toner image from the drum onto a transfer member; a cleaning blade provided downstream of the transfer member with respect to a peripheral moving direction of the drum and having a free end portion contacted to the drum, the blade being configured to remove, with rotation of the drum, toner remaining on the drum after transfer of the toner image by the transfer member; and a toner retaining member cooperative with the drum to provide a toner accommodation space toner removed from the drum by the blade. The toner retaining member can retain a part of the toner accommodated in the toner accommodation space and capable of being deformed by the toner accommodated in the accommodation space to discharge the toner from the accommodation space.